Lifeway Foods (NASDAQ:LWAY) Upgraded by Wall Street Zen to "Hold" Rating

Lifeway Foods (NASDAQ:LWAY - Get Free Report) was upgraded by investment analysts at Wall Street Zen to a "hold" rating in a report issued on Saturday.

Lifeway Foods Stock Performance

Shares of LWAY stock traded down $0.03 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $25.07. 53,067 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 89,409. The stock's fifty day simple moving average is $23.98 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $23.26. The stock has a market capitalization of $381.06 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 37.99 and a beta of 0.75. Lifeway Foods has a 12-month low of $10.06 and a 12-month high of $27.29.

Lifeway Foods (NASDAQ:LWAY - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, May 13th. The company reported $0.23 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.19 by $0.04. Lifeway Foods had a net margin of 5.39% and a return on equity of 14.20%. The business had revenue of $46.09 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $48.50 million.

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Jason Scott Scher sold 16,366 shares of Lifeway Foods stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, June 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $24.24, for a total transaction of $396,711.84. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 1 shares in the company, valued at approximately $24.24. This trade represents a 99.99% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director Pol Sikar sold 3,000 shares of Lifeway Foods stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $22.35, for a total transaction of $67,050.00. Following the sale, the director owned 23,858 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $533,226.30. The trade was a 11.17% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 114,451 shares of company stock worth $2,642,712 in the last three months. 18.86% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Beryl Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in Lifeway Foods during the 4th quarter worth approximately $3,607,000. TIG Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Lifeway Foods in the 4th quarter valued at $3,512,000. Divisadero Street Capital Management LP purchased a new position in shares of Lifeway Foods in the 4th quarter valued at $2,925,000. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted its holdings in shares of Lifeway Foods by 712.8% during the 4th quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 85,959 shares of the company's stock valued at $2,132,000 after acquiring an additional 75,383 shares in the last quarter. Finally, GABELLI & Co INVESTMENT ADVISERS INC. acquired a new position in shares of Lifeway Foods during the 1st quarter valued at $1,490,000. 36.39% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Lifeway Foods Company Profile

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.