Lifeway Foods, Inc. (LWAY)Consumer Defensive | Packaged Foods | Morton Grove, United States | NasdaqGM
26.35 USD
+0.22
(0.842%)
⇧
(Aug. 28, 2026, 4 p.m.
EDT)
After hours: 26.35 |
Hot Take ↕ | Aug. 22, 2026, 3:32 a.m. EDT
The immediate catalyst here is the massive disconnect between the company's deteriorating operational reality and the market's aggressive re-rating. While the business is bleeding cash with nearly $32 million in free cash flow burn and earnings collapsing by 97%, the stock has rallied 193% over the last nine years, driven entirely by a recent surge in revenue growth. This momentum has pushed the price above its 200-day moving average, creating a self-reinforcing cycle where the market ignores the negative earnings trend in favor of the top-line expansion. However, the fundamental picture is precarious. The company is burning cash, has a high debt-to-equity ratio relative to its size, and is facing significant insider selling as executives liquidate positions. The recent secondary public offering further dilutes existing shareholders. While the long-term rating remains solid due to the exceptional multi-year price trajectory and recent revenue acceleration, the short-term outlook is volatile. The options market confirms this sentiment, with speculators betting heavily on a continued rally despite the lack of earnings support. This is a high-risk, high-reward scenario dependent on the continuation of revenue growth to mask the cash burn, making it a speculative hold rather than a core investment. |
| Model | MAE |
|---|---|
| AutoTheta ✓ | 0.062529 |
| AutoETS | 0.062568 |
| AutoARIMA | 0.064027 |
| MSTL | 0.066233 |
Forecast horizon: 45 days | Selected: AutoTheta
| Forecast Reliability | |
|---|---|
| Score | 36% |
| H-stat | 16.45 |
| Ljung-Box p | 0.000 |
| Jarque-Bera p | 0.051 |
| Excess Kurtosis | -0.78 |
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Sector | Consumer Defensive |
| Ex Dividend Date | 2013-05-28 |
| Last Dividend Date | 2013-05-28 |
| Debt to Equity Ratio | 26.564 |
| Revenue per Share | 15.928 |
| Market Cap | 398,062,784 |
| Trailing P/E | 38.19 |
| Forward P/E | 19.52 |
| Beta | 0.46 |
| Profit Margins | 4.49% |
| Website | https://lifewaykefir.com |
As of Aug. 22, 2026, 3:32 a.m. EDT: Speculators are overwhelmingly bullish, positioning heavy call volume and open interest at strikes significantly above the current price ($30, $35, $45), while put activity is negligible. Implied volatility is elevated for out-of-the-money calls, suggesting a bet on a substantial upside move rather than downside protection.
| Date | Dividend | Yield % |
|---|---|---|
| 2013-05-29 | 0.08 | 0.471976 |
| 2012-05-25 | 0.07 | 0.702811 |
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| 52 Week Change | -0.11488074 |
| Address1 | 6,431 West Oakton Street |
| All Time High | 34.2 |
| All Time Low | 0.234375 |
| Ask | 38.38 |
| Ask Size | 2 |
| Audit Risk | 8 |
| Average Analyst Rating | 1.0 - Strong Buy |
| Average Daily Volume10 Day | 158,060 |
| Average Daily Volume3 Month | 179,923 |
| Average Volume | 179,923 |
| Average Volume10Days | 158,060 |
| Beta | 0.461 |
| Bid | 20.95 |
| Bid Size | 2 |
| Board Risk | 4 |
| Book Value | 5.599 |
| City | Morton Grove |
| Compensation As Of Epoch Date | 1,767,139,200 |
| Compensation Risk | 4 |
| Country | United States |
| Crypto Tradeable | 0 |
| Currency | USD |
| Current Price | 26.35 |
| Current Ratio | 2.094 |
| Custom Price Alert Confidence | HIGH |
| Date Short Interest | 1,786,665,600 |
| Day High | 26.53 |
| Day Low | 26.085 |
| Debt To Equity | 26.564 |
| Display Name | Lifeway Foods |
| Dividend Date | 1,372,377,600 |
| Earnings Call Timestamp End | 1,786,626,000 |
| Earnings Call Timestamp Start | 1,786,626,000 |
| Earnings Growth | -0.97 |
| Earnings Quarterly Growth | -0.97 |
| Earnings Timestamp | 1,786,624,200 |
| Earnings Timestamp End | 1,794,486,600 |
| Earnings Timestamp Start | 1,794,486,600 |
| Ebitda | 20,002,000 |
| Ebitda Margins | 0.08251 |
| Enterprise To Ebitda | 20.67 |
| Enterprise To Revenue | 1.706 |
| Enterprise Value | 413,441,792 |
| Eps Current Year | 0.5 |
| Eps Forward | 1.35 |
| Eps Trailing Twelve Months | 0.69 |
| Esg Populated | 0 |
| Ex Dividend Date | 1,369,785,600 |
| Exchange | NGM |
| Exchange Data Delayed By | 0 |
| Exchange Timezone Name | America/New_York |
| Exchange Timezone Short Name | EDT |
| Fax | 847 967 6558 |
| Fifty Day Average | 29.135 |
| Fifty Day Average Change | -2.7849998 |
| Fifty Day Average Change Percent | -0.09558949 |
| Fifty Two Week Change Percent | -11.488074 |
| Fifty Two Week High | 34.2 |
| Fifty Two Week High Change | -7.8500004 |
| Fifty Two Week High Change Percent | -0.22953217 |
| Fifty Two Week Low | 17.31 |
| Fifty Two Week Low Change | 9.040001 |
| Fifty Two Week Low Change Percent | 0.52224153 |
| Fifty Two Week Range | 17.31 - 34.2 |
| Financial Currency | USD |
| First Trade Date Milliseconds | 599,409,000,000 |
| Float Shares | 6,500,584 |
| Forward Eps | 1.35 |
| Forward P E | 19.518518 |
| Free Cashflow | -32,154,124 |
| Full Exchange Name | NasdaqGM |
| Full Time Employees | 293 |
| Fullday Change | 0.220001 |
| Fullday Change Percent | 0.841949 |
| Fullday Price | 26.35 |
| Gmt Off Set Milliseconds | -14,400,000 |
| Governance Epoch Date | 1,785,542,400 |
| Gross Margins | 0.27177998 |
| Gross Profits | 65,882,000 |
| Has Pre Post Market Data | 1 |
| Held Percent Insiders | 0.39240003 |
| Held Percent Institutions | 0.56654 |
| Implied Shares Outstanding | 15,106,747 |
| Industry | Packaged Foods |
| Industry Disp | Packaged Foods |
| Industry Key | packaged-foods |
| Is Earnings Date Estimate | 0 |
| Language | en-US |
| Last Dividend Date | 1,369,785,600 |
| Last Dividend Value | 0.08 |
| Last Fiscal Year End | 1,767,139,200 |
| Last Split Date | 1,155,686,400 |
| Last Split Factor | 2:1 |
| Long Business Summary | Lifeway Foods, Inc. produces and markets probiotic-based products in North America. The company's primary product is drinkable kefir, a cultured dairy product in various organic and non-organic sizes, flavors, and milk types. It offers European-style soft cheeses, including farmer and white cheeses, and sweet kiss; cream and other products; drinkable yogurt; ProBugs, a line of kefir products designed for children; and Fresh Made butter and sour cream. The company sells its products under the Lifeway, Fresh Made, and GlenOaks Farms brand names, as well as under private labels on behalf of customers primarily through direct sales force, brokers, and distributors. Lifeway Foods, Inc. was incorporated in 1986 and is based in Morton Grove, Illinois. |
| Long Name | Lifeway Foods, Inc. |
| Market | us_market |
| Market Cap | 398,062,784 |
| Market State | CLOSED |
| Max Age | 86,400 |
| Message Board Id | finmb_284751 |
| Most Recent Quarter | 1,782,777,600 |
| Net Income To Common | 10,871,000 |
| Next Fiscal Year End | 1,798,675,200 |
| Non Diluted Market Cap | 394,739,299 |
| Number Of Analyst Opinions | 3 |
| Open | 26.3 |
| Operating Cashflow | 11,225,000 |
| Operating Margins | 0.00897 |
| Overall Risk | 4 |
| Payout Ratio | 0.0 |
| Peg Ratio | 3.5 |
| Phone | 847 967 1010 |
| Post Market Change | 0.0 |
| Post Market Change Percent | 0.0 |
| Post Market Price | 26.35 |
| Post Market Time | 1,787,959,804 |
| Previous Close | 26.13 |
| Price Eps Current Year | 52.7 |
| Price Hint | 2 |
| Price To Book | 4.7061977 |
| Price To Sales Trailing12 Months | 1.6421123 |
| Profit Margins | 0.044850003 |
| Quick Ratio | 1.361 |
| Quote Source Name | Nasdaq Real Time Price |
| Quote Type | EQUITY |
| Recommendation Key | strong_buy |
| Recommendation Mean | 1.0 |
| Region | US |
| Regular Market Change | 0.220001 |
| Regular Market Change Percent | 0.841949 |
| Regular Market Day High | 26.53 |
| Regular Market Day Low | 26.085 |
| Regular Market Day Range | 26.085 - 26.53 |
| Regular Market Open | 26.3 |
| Regular Market Previous Close | 26.13 |
| Regular Market Price | 26.35 |
| Regular Market Time | 1,787,947,201 |
| Regular Market Volume | 87,082 |
| Return On Assets | 0.08523 |
| Return On Equity | 0.13317001 |
| Revenue Growth | 0.241 |
| Revenue Per Share | 15.928 |
| Sand P52 Week Change | 0.20204377 |
| Sector | Consumer Defensive |
| Sector Disp | Consumer Defensive |
| Sector Key | consumer-defensive |
| Share Holder Rights Risk | 5 |
| Shares Outstanding | 15,106,747 |
| Shares Percent Shares Out | 0.024500001 |
| Shares Short | 370,559 |
| Shares Short Previous Month Date | 1,784,073,600 |
| Shares Short Prior Month | 336,867 |
| Short Name | Lifeway Foods, Inc. |
| Short Percent Of Float | 0.060900003 |
| Short Ratio | 2.51 |
| Source Interval | 15 |
| State | IL |
| Symbol | LWAY |
| Target High Price | 35.0 |
| Target Low Price | 32.0 |
| Target Mean Price | 33.0 |
| Target Median Price | 32.0 |
| Total Cash | 7,087,000 |
| Total Cash Per Share | 0.469 |
| Total Debt | 22,466,000 |
| Total Revenue | 242,408,992 |
| Tradeable | 0 |
| Trailing Annual Dividend Rate | 0.0 |
| Trailing Annual Dividend Yield | 0.0 |
| Trailing Eps | 0.69 |
| Trailing P E | 38.188408 |
| Trailing Peg Ratio | None |
| Triggerable | 1 |
| Two Hundred Day Average | 24.6119 |
| Two Hundred Day Average Change | 1.7381 |
| Two Hundred Day Average Change Percent | 0.07062031 |
| Type Disp | Equity |
| Volume | 87,082 |
| Website | https://lifewaykefir.com |
| Zip | 60,053 |