Lifeway Foods, Inc. (NASDAQ:LWAY) Major Shareholder Sells $464,600.00 in Stock

Lifeway Foods, Inc. (NASDAQ:LWAY) major shareholder Edward Smolyansky sold 20,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, March 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $23.23, for a total value of $464,600.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 1,251,642 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $29,075,643.66. This trade represents a 1.57 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Large shareholders that own 10% or more of a company’s shares are required to disclose their sales and purchases with the SEC.

Lifeway Foods Price Performance

NASDAQ:LWAY opened at $22.61 on Thursday. The company’s 50-day moving average is $22.07 and its two-hundred day moving average is $23.51. Lifeway Foods, Inc. has a 1-year low of $10.06 and a 1-year high of $28.61. The firm has a market capitalization of $334.99 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.29 and a beta of 1.00.

Lifeway Foods (NASDAQ:LWAY) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, March 14th. The company reported ($0.01) EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.18 by ($0.19). The business had revenue of $46.93 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $48.00 million. Lifeway Foods had a net margin of 7.23% and a return on equity of 19.97%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Lifeway Foods

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Wells Fargo & Company MN raised its holdings in Lifeway Foods by 33.6% in the 4th quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN now owns 2,855 shares of the company’s stock valued at $71,000 after buying an additional 718 shares during the period. BNP Paribas Financial Markets increased its position in shares of Lifeway Foods by 71.2% during the third quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 2,778 shares of the company’s stock valued at $72,000 after acquiring an additional 1,155 shares during the last quarter. Rhumbline Advisers raised its stake in shares of Lifeway Foods by 23.3% in the 4th quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 5,606 shares of the company’s stock valued at $139,000 after acquiring an additional 1,059 shares during the period. Barclays PLC lifted its holdings in shares of Lifeway Foods by 40.5% in the 3rd quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 6,420 shares of the company’s stock worth $167,000 after acquiring an additional 1,849 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Sagefield Capital LP purchased a new position in shares of Lifeway Foods during the 4th quarter worth approximately $211,000. 36.39% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Separately, StockNews.com started coverage on Lifeway Foods in a report on Friday, March 14th. They issued a “hold” rating for the company.

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.