# Lifeway Foods Inc. (LWAY) fundamentals

Data as of 2026-09-08. NASDAQ, United States. Sector: Consumer Defensive / Food & Staples Retailing. Price $25.01, market value $378 million.

## Valuation
- **P/E (trailing): 36.2×** (5-yr avg 40.2×, 3-yr avg 28.8×). Lifeway Foods Inc. trades at 36.2× trailing earnings, close to its own five-year average of 40.2×. The Consumer Defensive median in the September 2026 study was 20.1×. Forward P/E is 18.5×, lower than trailing, so analysts expect earnings to grow.
- **PEG: 0.38**. A PEG of 0.38 means the P/E is low relative to expected earnings growth: the market is not paying much for that growth.
- **Price / sales: 1.6×**. Each dollar of revenue is priced at 1.6×.
- **Price / book: 4.5×**. The shares trade at 4.5× book value; book value is a meaningful part of the valuation.
- **EV / EBITDA: 18.7×**. Enterprise value is 18.7× operating earnings before depreciation, the multiple that ignores how the company is financed.
- **Free-cash-flow yield: -8.2%** (5-yr avg 1.8%). Free cash flow is negative: the business is consuming cash, which is normal for heavy investment phases but a warning otherwise.
- **Earnings yield: 2.8%**. The inverse of the P/E: 2.8% of the price is earned each year.

## Profitability
- **Gross margin: 25.6%**. Lifeway Foods Inc. keeps 25.6% of revenue after the direct cost of what it sells.
- **Operating margin: 6.5%**. 6.5% of revenue is left after running the business.
- **Net margin: 6.5%**. 6.5% of each dollar of sales reaches the bottom line.
- **Return on equity: 16.1%**. 16.1% on shareholders' equity is solid.
- **Return on invested capital: 15.0%**. Return on all capital, debt included, is 15.0%.
- **Return on assets: 10.3%**. Each dollar of assets produces 10.3% of profit.

## Growth
- **Revenue growth (1 yr): 13.7%** (3-yr 14.5%/yr, 5-yr 15.8%/yr). Revenue grew 13.7% over the last year, against 15.8% a year compounded over five years.
- **EPS growth (1 yr): 48.3%** (3-yr 145.7%/yr, 5-yr 33.5%/yr). Earnings per share rose 48.3%, faster than revenue, so margins expanded or the share count shrank.

## Financial health
- **Debt to equity: 0.03**. Debt is 0.03 times equity: a conservative balance sheet.
- **Net debt / EBITDA: net cash**. Lifeway Foods Inc. holds more cash than debt.
- **Current ratio: 2.23** (quick 2.23). Current assets cover the next year's liabilities 2.23 times.
- **Altman Z-score: 15.34**. A Z-score of 15.34 places the company in the safe zone for bankruptcy risk.
- **Piotroski F-score: 5/9**. 5 of 9 checks pass: mixed.

## Dividends
- **Dividend: none**. Lifeway Foods Inc. does not currently pay a dividend.

## Price and momentum
- **Total return (1 yr): -19.1%** (YTD 3.2%, 3-mo 6.0%). The shares are down 19.1% over twelve months including dividends.
- **From 52-week high: -26.9%** (44.5% above the low). Trading 27% below its 52-week high.
- **200-day average: above**. The price sits above its 200-day moving average, the usual definition of an uptrend.
- **RSI (14-day): 36**. An RSI of 36 is neutral.
- **Beta (1 yr): 0.44** (volatility 48%). Beta of 0.44 against the S&P 500: the shares move much less than the market.

Live score and charts: https://foliofundamentals.com/analyzer?s=LWAY · Page: https://foliofundamentals.com/stocks/lway

Not investment advice.