LIFEWAY FOODS INC (LWAY) Fundamental Analysis & Valuation
NASDAQ:LWAY • US5319141090
Current stock price
23.51 USD
+0.51 (+2.22%)
At close:
23.51 USD
0 (0%)
After Hours:
This LWAY fundamental analysis includes valuation metrics, fair value assessment, financial health analysis, profitability trends, growth metrics and dividend sustainability analysis.
1. LWAY Profitability Analysis
1.1 Basic Checks
- In the past year LWAY was profitable.
- In the past year LWAY had a positive cash flow from operations.
- Each year in the past 5 years LWAY has been profitable.
- In the past 5 years LWAY always reported a positive cash flow from operatings.
1.2 Ratios
- The Return On Assets of LWAY (13.12%) is better than 96.51% of its industry peers.
- LWAY has a better Return On Equity (16.15%) than 83.72% of its industry peers.
- The Return On Invested Capital of LWAY (12.27%) is better than 93.02% of its industry peers.
- LWAY had an Average Return On Invested Capital over the past 3 years of 14.12%. This is significantly above the industry average of 6.80%.
| Industry Rank | Sector Rank | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| ROA | 13.12% | ||
| ROE | 16.15% | ||
| ROIC | 12.27% |
ROA(3y)12.34%
ROA(5y)8.59%
ROE(3y)15.84%
ROE(5y)11.22%
ROIC(3y)14.12%
ROIC(5y)10.41%
1.3 Margins
- The Profit Margin of LWAY (6.52%) is better than 81.40% of its industry peers.
- LWAY's Profit Margin has improved in the last couple of years.
- With a decent Operating Margin value of 7.61%, LWAY is doing good in the industry, outperforming 66.28% of the companies in the same industry.
- LWAY's Operating Margin has improved in the last couple of years.
- With a decent Gross Margin value of 27.39%, LWAY is doing good in the industry, outperforming 65.12% of the companies in the same industry.
- LWAY's Gross Margin has been stable in the last couple of years.
| Industry Rank | Sector Rank | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| OM | 7.61% | ||
| PM (TTM) | 6.52% | ||
| GM | 27.39% |
OM growth 3Y67.33%
OM growth 5Y9.64%
PM growth 3Y117.3%
PM growth 5Y15.76%
GM growth 3Y13.11%
GM growth 5Y0.76%
2. LWAY Health Analysis
2.1 Basic Checks
- With a Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) just above the Cost of Capital (WACC), LWAY is creating some value.
- Compared to 1 year ago, LWAY has more shares outstanding
- The number of shares outstanding for LWAY has been reduced compared to 5 years ago.
- There is no outstanding debt for LWAY. This means it has a Debt/Equity and Debt/FCF ratio of 0 and it is amongst the best of the sector and industry.
2.2 Solvency
- LWAY has an Altman-Z score of 14.54. This indicates that LWAY is financially healthy and has little risk of bankruptcy at the moment.
- LWAY has a Altman-Z score of 14.54. This is amongst the best in the industry. LWAY outperforms 100.00% of its industry peers.
- LWAY has no outstanding debt. Therefor its Debt/Equity and Debt/FCF ratios are 0 and belong to the best of the industry.
| Industry Rank | Sector Rank | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Debt/Equity | 0 | ||
| Debt/FCF | N/A | ||
| Altman-Z | 14.54 |
ROIC/WACC1.37
WACC8.93%
2.3 Liquidity
- LWAY has a Current Ratio of 2.23. This indicates that LWAY is financially healthy and has no problem in meeting its short term obligations.
- The Current ratio of LWAY (2.23) is better than 69.77% of its industry peers.
- LWAY has a Quick Ratio of 1.51. This is a normal value and indicates that LWAY is financially healthy and should not expect problems in meeting its short term obligations.
- LWAY has a Quick ratio of 1.51. This is in the better half of the industry: LWAY outperforms 77.91% of its industry peers.
| Industry Rank | Sector Rank | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio | 2.23 | ||
| Quick Ratio | 1.51 |
3. LWAY Growth Analysis
3.1 Past
- The Earnings Per Share has grown by an nice 15.25% over the past year.
- Measured over the past years, LWAY shows a very strong growth in Earnings Per Share. The EPS has been growing by 36.24% on average per year.
- LWAY shows quite a strong growth in Revenue. In the last year, the Revenue has grown by 13.74%.
- LWAY shows quite a strong growth in Revenue. Measured over the last years, the Revenue has been growing by 15.81% yearly.
EPS 1Y (TTM)15.25%
EPS 3Y145.88%
EPS 5Y36.24%
EPS Q2Q%1700%
Revenue 1Y (TTM)13.74%
Revenue growth 3Y14.49%
Revenue growth 5Y15.81%
Sales Q2Q%17.96%
3.2 Future
- The Earnings Per Share is expected to grow by 53.95% on average over the next years. This is a very strong growth
- LWAY is expected to show quite a strong growth in Revenue. In the coming years, the Revenue will grow by 15.18% yearly.
EPS Next Y84.5%
EPS Next 2Y53.95%
EPS Next 3YN/A
EPS Next 5YN/A
Revenue Next Year15.14%
Revenue Next 2Y15.18%
Revenue Next 3YN/A
Revenue Next 5YN/A
3.3 Evolution
- The EPS growth rate is accelerating: in the next years the growth will be better than in the last years.
- When comparing the Revenue growth rate of the last years to the growth rate of the upcoming years, we see that the growth is stable.
4. LWAY Valuation Analysis
4.1 Price/Earnings Ratio
- The Price/Earnings ratio is 34.57, which means the current valuation is very expensive for LWAY.
- Compared to the rest of the industry, the Price/Earnings ratio of LWAY is on the same level as its industry peers.
- LWAY is valuated rather expensively when we compare the Price/Earnings ratio to 26.91, which is the current average of the S&P500 Index.
- Based on the Price/Forward Earnings ratio of 18.74, the valuation of LWAY can be described as rather expensive.
- Compared to the rest of the industry, the Price/Forward Earnings ratio of LWAY indicates a somewhat cheap valuation: LWAY is cheaper than 60.47% of the companies listed in the same industry.
- LWAY's Price/Forward Earnings ratio indicates a valuation a bit cheaper than the S&P500 average which is at 23.68.
| Industry Rank | Sector Rank | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| PE | 34.57 | ||
| Fwd PE | 18.74 |
4.2 Price Multiples
- The rest of the industry has a similar Enterprise Value to EBITDA ratio as LWAY.
| Industry Rank | Sector Rank | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| P/FCF | N/A | ||
| EV/EBITDA | 17.11 |
4.3 Compensation for Growth
- The low PEG Ratio(NY), which compensates the Price/Earnings for growth, indicates a rather cheap valuation of the company.
- The excellent profitability rating of LWAY may justify a higher PE ratio.
- LWAY's earnings are expected to grow with 53.95% in the coming years. This may justify a more expensive valuation.
PEG (NY)0.41
PEG (5Y)0.95
EPS Next 2Y53.95%
EPS Next 3YN/A
5. LWAY Dividend Analysis
5.1 Amount
- No dividends for LWAY!.
| Industry Rank | Sector Rank | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield | 0% |
LWAY Fundamentals: All Metrics, Ratios and Statistics
23.51
+0.51 (+2.22%)
Chartmill FA Rating
GICS SectorConsumer Staples
GICS IndustryGroupFood, Beverage & Tobacco
GICS IndustryFood Products
Earnings (Last)03-17 2026-03-17/bmo
Earnings (Next)05-11 2026-05-11
Inst Owners32.7%
Inst Owner Change0.09%
Ins Owners15.27%
Ins Owner Change-0.64%
Market Cap358.06M
Revenue(TTM)212.50M
Net Income(TTM)13.86M
Analysts82.5
Price Target34.68 (47.51%)
Short Float %4.11%
Short Ratio4.6
Dividend
| Industry Rank | Sector Rank | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield | 0% |
Yearly DividendN/A
Dividend Growth(5Y)N/A
DP0%
Div Incr Years0
Div Non Decr Years0
Ex-DateN/A
Surprises & Revisions
EPS beat(2)0
Avg EPS beat(2)-32.21%
Min EPS beat(2)-44.96%
Max EPS beat(2)-19.47%
EPS beat(4)1
Avg EPS beat(4)-26.69%
Min EPS beat(4)-94.84%
Max EPS beat(4)52.51%
EPS beat(8)2
Avg EPS beat(8)-31.82%
EPS beat(12)5
Avg EPS beat(12)2.04%
EPS beat(16)N/A
Avg EPS beat(16)N/A
Revenue beat(2)1
Avg Revenue beat(2)0.27%
Min Revenue beat(2)-1.32%
Max Revenue beat(2)1.86%
Revenue beat(4)1
Avg Revenue beat(4)-1.65%
Min Revenue beat(4)-6.83%
Max Revenue beat(4)1.86%
Revenue beat(8)3
Avg Revenue beat(8)-1.3%
Revenue beat(12)7
Avg Revenue beat(12)0.01%
Revenue beat(16)N/A
Avg Revenue beat(16)N/A
PT rev (1m)0%
PT rev (3m)0%
EPS NQ rev (1m)-6.98%
EPS NQ rev (3m)-6.98%
EPS NY rev (1m)0%
EPS NY rev (3m)-3.91%
Revenue NQ rev (1m)-3.64%
Revenue NQ rev (3m)-3.64%
Revenue NY rev (1m)1.25%
Revenue NY rev (3m)1.25%
Valuation
| Industry Rank | Sector Rank | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| PE | 34.57 | ||
| Fwd PE | 18.74 | ||
| P/S | 1.69 | ||
| P/FCF | N/A | ||
| P/OCF | 32.71 | ||
| P/B | 4.17 | ||
| P/tB | 5.24 | ||
| EV/EBITDA | 17.11 |
EPS(TTM)0.68
EY2.89%
EPS(NY)1.25
Fwd EY5.34%
FCF(TTM)-1.08
FCFYN/A
OCF(TTM)0.72
OCFY3.06%
SpS13.95
BVpS5.63
TBVpS4.48
PEG (NY)0.41
PEG (5Y)0.95
Graham Number9.29
Profitability
| Industry Rank | Sector Rank | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| ROA | 13.12% | ||
| ROE | 16.15% | ||
| ROCE | 18.18% | ||
| ROIC | 12.27% | ||
| ROICexc | 13.09% | ||
| ROICexgc | 16.57% | ||
| OM | 7.61% | ||
| PM (TTM) | 6.52% | ||
| GM | 27.39% | ||
| FCFM | N/A |
ROA(3y)12.34%
ROA(5y)8.59%
ROE(3y)15.84%
ROE(5y)11.22%
ROIC(3y)14.12%
ROIC(5y)10.41%
ROICexc(3y)17.08%
ROICexc(5y)12.49%
ROICexgc(3y)24.77%
ROICexgc(5y)18.53%
ROCE(3y)20.92%
ROCE(5y)15.42%
ROICexgc growth 3Y51.19%
ROICexgc growth 5Y9.12%
ROICexc growth 3Y63.16%
ROICexc growth 5Y12.17%
OM growth 3Y67.33%
OM growth 5Y9.64%
PM growth 3Y117.3%
PM growth 5Y15.76%
GM growth 3Y13.11%
GM growth 5Y0.76%
F-Score5
Asset Turnover2.01
Health
| Industry Rank | Sector Rank | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Debt/Equity | 0 | ||
| Debt/FCF | N/A | ||
| Debt/EBITDA | 0 | ||
| Cap/Depr | 687.46% | ||
| Cap/Sales | 12.88% | ||
| Interest Coverage | 278.83 | ||
| Cash Conversion | 54.33% | ||
| Profit Quality | N/A | ||
| Current Ratio | 2.23 | ||
| Quick Ratio | 1.51 | ||
| Altman-Z | 14.54 |
F-Score5
WACC8.93%
ROIC/WACC1.37
Cap/Depr(3y)340.95%
Cap/Depr(5y)241.18%
Cap/Sales(3y)6.39%
Cap/Sales(5y)4.65%
Profit Quality(3y)N/A
Profit Quality(5y)N/A
High Growth Momentum
Growth
EPS 1Y (TTM)15.25%
EPS 3Y145.88%
EPS 5Y36.24%
EPS Q2Q%1700%
EPS Next Y84.5%
EPS Next 2Y53.95%
EPS Next 3YN/A
EPS Next 5YN/A
Revenue 1Y (TTM)13.74%
Revenue growth 3Y14.49%
Revenue growth 5Y15.81%
Sales Q2Q%17.96%
Revenue Next Year15.14%
Revenue Next 2Y15.18%
Revenue Next 3YN/A
Revenue Next 5YN/A
EBIT growth 1Y16.75%
EBIT growth 3Y91.58%
EBIT growth 5Y26.97%
EBIT Next Year75.87%
EBIT Next 3YN/A
EBIT Next 5YN/A
FCF growth 1Y-361.98%
FCF growth 3YN/A
FCF growth 5YN/A
OCF growth 1Y-15.54%
OCF growth 3Y40%
OCF growth 5Y11.37%
LIFEWAY FOODS INC / LWAY Fundamental Analysis FAQ
What is the ChartMill fundamental rating of LIFEWAY FOODS INC (LWAY) stock?
ChartMill assigns a fundamental rating of 7 / 10 to LWAY.
What is the valuation status for LWAY stock?
ChartMill assigns a valuation rating of 4 / 10 to LIFEWAY FOODS INC (LWAY). This can be considered as Fairly Valued.
Can you provide the profitability details for LIFEWAY FOODS INC?
LIFEWAY FOODS INC (LWAY) has a profitability rating of 8 / 10.
Can you provide the financial health for LWAY stock?
The financial health rating of LIFEWAY FOODS INC (LWAY) is 8 / 10.
What is the expected EPS growth for LIFEWAY FOODS INC (LWAY) stock?
The Earnings per Share (EPS) of LIFEWAY FOODS INC (LWAY) is expected to grow by 84.5% in the next year.