LIFEWAY FOODS INC (LWAY) Fundamental Analysis & Valuation
NASDAQ:LWAY • US5319141090
Current stock price
23.77 USD
+0.26 (+1.11%)
At close:
23.77 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
- LWAY had positive earnings in the past year.
- In the past year LWAY had a positive cash flow from operations.
- In the past 5 years LWAY has always been profitable.
- Each year in the past 5 years LWAY had a positive operating cash flow.
1.2 Ratios
- LWAY's Return On Assets of 13.12% is amongst the best of the industry. LWAY outperforms 96.51% of its industry peers.
- LWAY has a better Return On Equity (16.15%) than 83.72% of its industry peers.
- LWAY's Return On Invested Capital of 12.27% is amongst the best of the industry. LWAY outperforms 93.02% of its industry peers.
- The Average Return On Invested Capital over the past 3 years for LWAY 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
- LWAY has a better Profit Margin (6.52%) than 81.40% of its industry peers.
- In the last couple of years the Profit Margin of LWAY has grown nicely.
- LWAY's Operating Margin of 7.61% is fine compared to the rest of the industry. LWAY outperforms 66.28% of its industry peers.
- LWAY's Operating Margin has improved in the last couple of years.
- LWAY has a Gross Margin of 27.39%. This is in the better half of the industry: LWAY outperforms 65.12% of its industry peers.
- In the last couple of years the Gross Margin of LWAY has remained more or less at the same level.
| 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
- The Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) is just above the Cost of Capital (WACC), so LWAY is still creating some value.
- Compared to 1 year ago, LWAY has more shares outstanding
- LWAY has less shares outstanding than it did 5 years ago.
- LWAY has no outstanding debt. Therefor its Debt/Equity and Debt/FCF ratios are 0 and belong to the best of the industry.
2.2 Solvency
- LWAY has an Altman-Z score of 14.78. This indicates that LWAY is financially healthy and has little risk of bankruptcy at the moment.
- With an excellent Altman-Z score value of 14.78, LWAY belongs to the best of the industry, outperforming 100.00% of the companies in the same industry.
- 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 | 14.78 |
ROIC/WACC1.37
WACC8.95%
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.
- Looking at the Current ratio, with a value of 2.23, LWAY is in the better half of the industry, outperforming 69.77% of the companies in the same industry.
- A Quick Ratio of 1.51 indicates that LWAY should not have too much problems paying its short term obligations.
- LWAY has a better Quick ratio (1.51) than 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
- LWAY shows a strong growth in Earnings Per Share. In the last year, the EPS has been growing by 15.25%, which is quite good.
- The Earnings Per Share has been growing by 36.24% on average over the past years. This is a very strong growth
- Looking at the last year, LWAY shows a quite strong growth in Revenue. The Revenue has grown by 13.74% in the last year.
- Measured over the past years, LWAY shows a quite strong growth in Revenue. The Revenue has been growing by 15.81% on average per year.
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
- LWAY is expected to show a strong growth in Earnings Per Share. In the coming years, the EPS will grow by 53.95% yearly.
- The Revenue is expected to grow by 15.18% on average over the next years. This is quite good.
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
- A Price/Earnings ratio of 34.96 indicates a quite expensive valuation of LWAY.
- The rest of the industry has a similar Price/Earnings ratio as LWAY.
- When comparing the Price/Earnings ratio of LWAY to the average of the S&P500 Index (26.78), we can say LWAY is valued slightly more expensively.
- Based on the Price/Forward Earnings ratio of 18.95, the valuation of LWAY can be described as rather expensive.
- 60.47% of the companies in the same industry are more expensive than LWAY, based on the Price/Forward Earnings ratio.
- LWAY is valuated at similar levels of the S&P average when we compare the Price/Forward Earnings ratio to 23.54, which is the current average of the S&P500 Index.
| Industry Rank | Sector Rank | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| PE | 34.96 | ||
| Fwd PE | 18.95 |
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 | 17.49 |
4.3 Compensation for Growth
- LWAY's low PEG Ratio(NY), which compensates the Price/Earnings for growth, indicates a rather cheap valuation of the company.
- LWAY has an outstanding profitability rating, which may justify a higher PE ratio.
- A more expensive valuation may be justified as LWAY's earnings are expected to grow with 53.95% in the coming years.
PEG (NY)0.41
PEG (5Y)0.96
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
23.77
+0.26 (+1.11%)
Chartmill FA Rating
GICS SectorConsumer Staples
GICS IndustryGroupFood, Beverage & Tobacco
GICS IndustryFood Products
Earnings (Last)03-17 2026-03-17/bmo
Earnings (Next)05-14 2026-05-14
Inst Owners32.92%
Inst Owner Change0.09%
Ins Owners15.44%
Ins Owner Change-0.64%
Market Cap360.12M
Revenue(TTM)212.50M
Net Income(TTM)13.86M
Analysts82.5
Price Target34.68 (45.9%)
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 | 34.96 | ||
| Fwd PE | 18.95 | ||
| P/S | 1.7 | ||
| P/FCF | N/A | ||
| P/OCF | 33.07 | ||
| P/B | 4.22 | ||
| P/tB | 5.3 | ||
| EV/EBITDA | 17.49 |
EPS(TTM)0.68
EY2.86%
EPS(NY)1.25
Fwd EY5.28%
FCF(TTM)-1.08
FCFYN/A
OCF(TTM)0.72
OCFY3.02%
SpS13.95
BVpS5.63
TBVpS4.48
PEG (NY)0.41
PEG (5Y)0.96
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 | 14.78 |
F-Score5
WACC8.95%
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.