Lifeway Foods (NASDAQ:LWAY) Major Shareholder Ludmila Smolyansky Sells 10,000 Shares

Key Points

• Ludmila Smolyansky, a major shareholder of Lifeway Foods, sold 10,000 shares for a total of $264,400, reducing her stake in the company by 1.19% to 832,823 shares.
• Lifeway Foods recently reported $0.28 EPS for the quarter, exceeding analysts' expectations of $0.18, with revenues of $53.90 million, slightly below estimates.
• Analysts have a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" for Lifeway Foods, with price targets ranging from $30.00 to $33.00 based on recent reports.

Lifeway Foods, Inc. (NASDAQ:LWAY - Get Free Report) major shareholder Ludmila Smolyansky sold 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, October 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $26.44, for a total value of $264,400.00. Following the sale, the insider owned 832,823 shares of the company's stock, valued at $22,019,840.12. This trade represents a 1.19% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Large shareholders that own 10% or more of a company's shares are required to disclose their transactions with the SEC.

Ludmila Smolyansky also recently made the following trade(s):

• On Tuesday, October 7th, Ludmila Smolyansky sold 5,000 shares of Lifeway Foods stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $26.32, for a total value of $131,600.00.

Lifeway Foods Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:LWAY traded down $0.14 on Thursday, reaching $26.58. 45,437 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 219,861. Lifeway Foods, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $19.50 and a fifty-two week high of $34.20. The company's 50 day moving average is $29.19 and its 200-day moving average is $25.86. The stock has a market capitalization of $404.81 million, a PE ratio of 38.52 and a beta of 0.46.

Lifeway Foods (NASDAQ:LWAY - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, August 12th. The company reported $0.28 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.18 by $0.10. The company had revenue of $53.90 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $54.00 million. Lifeway Foods had a return on equity of 14.32% and a net margin of 5.49%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms have recently issued reports on LWAY. Wall Street Zen upgraded Lifeway Foods from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Saturday, August 16th. Lake Street Capital upped their price target on shares of Lifeway Foods from $30.00 to $33.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 13th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a "hold (c+)" rating on shares of Lifeway Foods in a research note on Wednesday. One analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $33.00.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Lifeway Foods

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. BNP Paribas Financial Markets increased its position in Lifeway Foods by 577.3% during the second quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 1,551 shares of the company's stock worth $38,000 after buying an additional 1,322 shares during the last quarter. Raymond James Financial Inc. acquired a new position in Lifeway Foods during the second quarter worth $40,000. Central Pacific Bank Trust Division acquired a new position in Lifeway Foods during the second quarter worth $49,000. Byrne Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in Lifeway Foods during the second quarter worth $53,000. Finally, Deutsche Bank AG acquired a new position in Lifeway Foods during the first quarter worth $78,000. 36.39% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Lifeway Foods

Lifeway Foods, Inc produces and markets probiotic-based products in the United States and internationally. Its primary product is drinkable kefir, a cultured dairy product in various organic and non-organic sizes, flavors, and types. The company offers European-style soft cheeses; cream and other products; ProBugs, a line of kefir products designed for children; drinkable yogurt; and fresh made butter and sour cream.

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