Lamb Weston (NYSE:LW) Given Consensus Recommendation of "Hold" by Brokerages

Key Points

• Lamb Weston has a consensus analyst rating of "Hold" from 14 brokerages, with one sell, ten hold, and three buy ratings. The average 12-month price target is about $48.91.
• Recent analyst moves were mixed: BNP Paribas Exane and Deutsche Bank cut their price targets, while Wells Fargo raised its target to $54 and kept an overweight rating.
• The stock recently traded at $46.42, above its 50-day and 200-day moving averages, and the company reported significant insider and institutional ownership, with Jana Partners buying 50,000 shares and institutions holding 89.56% of the stock.

Lamb Weston (NYSE:LW - Get Free Report) has been assigned an average recommendation of "Hold" from the fourteen brokerages that are covering the stock, MarketBeat Ratings reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, ten have assigned a hold recommendation and three have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 12-month target price among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $48.9091.

Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on LW shares. BNP Paribas Exane cut their price objective on Lamb Weston from $48.00 to $41.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, April 2nd. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on Lamb Weston from $46.00 to $54.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Wednesday. Stephens initiated coverage on Lamb Weston in a research report on Wednesday, May 27th. They issued an "equal weight" rating and a $46.00 target price for the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reduced their price target on Lamb Weston from $46.00 to $40.00 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a report on Monday, March 30th. Finally, Bank of America lowered their price objective on Lamb Weston from $49.00 to $47.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, April 2nd.

Lamb Weston Price Performance

Shares of NYSE LW traded up $1.18 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $46.42. 896,082 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,419,032. The stock's 50-day moving average price is $43.75 and its 200-day moving average price is $43.89. The stock has a market cap of $6.41 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.69, a PEG ratio of 6.19 and a beta of 0.47. Lamb Weston has a one year low of $37.62 and a one year high of $67.07. The company has a quick ratio of 0.69, a current ratio of 1.46 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.99.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Lamb Weston news, Director Jana Partners Management, Lp bought 50,000 shares of Lamb Weston stock in a transaction on Wednesday, April 15th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $43.19 per share, with a total value of $2,159,500.00. Following the acquisition, the director directly owned 5,398,980 shares of the company's stock, valued at $233,181,946.20. The trade was a 0.93% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.29% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Lamb Weston

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of LW. MCF Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Lamb Weston by 44.2% in the fourth quarter. MCF Advisors LLC now owns 649 shares of the specialty retailer's stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 199 shares during the period. Hantz Financial Services Inc. grew its position in shares of Lamb Weston by 380.7% in the 4th quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 721 shares of the specialty retailer's stock valued at $30,000 after buying an additional 571 shares during the last quarter. Transamerica Financial Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of Lamb Weston by 121.1% in the fourth quarter. Transamerica Financial Advisors LLC now owns 1,130 shares of the specialty retailer's stock valued at $47,000 after buying an additional 619 shares during the period. Eagle Bay Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Lamb Weston in the fourth quarter valued at about $48,000. Finally, SJS Investment Consulting Inc. raised its position in shares of Lamb Weston by 4,512.0% during the first quarter. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. now owns 1,153 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $49,000 after acquiring an additional 1,128 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.56% of the company's stock.

Lamb Weston Company Profile

Lamb Weston, traded on the NYSE under the symbol LW, is a leading global processor and supplier of frozen potato products. The company's portfolio includes a variety of potato-based items such as French fries, potato wedges, hash browns and specialty cuts tailored to the foodservice and retail grocery channels. Lamb Weston serves quick-service restaurants, full-service operators, grocery chains and food distributors, offering customized product formats, packaging solutions and seasoning options to meet evolving customer demands.

Founded in 1950 and headquartered in Eagle, Idaho, Lamb Weston has grown from a regional processor into one of the world's largest producers of frozen potato products.

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