Stocktoria
Lifeway Foods, Inc. LWAY
Lifeway Foods, Inc. (LWAY) earns a Piotroski F-score of 4/9 (mixed financial health), with an Altman Z″ in the safe zone. It pays a dividend yielding 0.29% (safety: no dividend). FY2025 revenue was $212.5M at a 6.5% net margin.
Quality score trend · recomputed for each fiscal year
Each year's score is computed from that year's filing — a rising Piotroski F or Altman Z″ means improving financial health, a fall is worth a look.
Beneish M-score: -2.27 — low (below −2.22 — no manipulation red flag) . A statistical screen for earnings manipulation, not proof — and it doesn't apply to most banks/insurers.
Analyst price target
Wall Street analyst consensus — a sentiment gauge, not our scoring.
Smart money · insiders, last 12 months
Open-market insider purchases minus sells (SEC Form 4) — real buying with their own money is a bullish “smart money” signal; grants and option exercises are excluded.
How it ranks in Manufacturing · percentile among 1957 companies
Percentile vs other Manufacturing companies we cover — e.g. “stronger than 90%” means only 10% score higher on that measure.
Piotroski F breakdown · 4/9 tests passed
- Positive return on assets
- Positive operating cash flow
- Rising ROA
- Cash flow exceeds net income
- Lower long-term debt
- Rising current ratio
- No share dilution
- Rising gross margin
- Rising asset turnover
Altman Z″ components · safe zone
| Component | Value |
|---|---|
| Working capital / assets | 0.193 |
| Retained earnings / assets | 0.84 |
| EBIT / assets | 0.153 |
| Equity / liabilities | 4.336 |
Sector peers · similar-size Manufacturing companies compare side by side →
| Ticker | Company | Piotroski F | Altman Z″ | P / E | Revenue growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LWAY | Lifeway Foods, Inc. | 4/9 | 9.59 | 32.4 | +13.7% |
| VFS | VinFast Auto Ltd. | 4/9 | -13.01 | — | +57.9% |
| TM | TOYOTA MOTOR CORP/ | 7/9 | 2.55 | — | -1% |
| HMC | HONDA MOTOR CO LTD | 6/9 | 2.79 | — | +19.9% |
| SONY | Sony Group Corp | 6/9 | 0.86 | — | +9% |
| CAJFF | CANON INC | 6/9 | — | — | +14.7% |
| KYOAY | KYOCERA CORP | 5/9 | 7.6 | — | +10.8% |
About Lifeway Foods, Inc.
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.
FAQ
Is LWAY financially healthy?
Lifeway Foods, Inc.'s Piotroski F-score is 4/9 (8–9 is excellent, 0–3 weak), and its Altman Z″ distress score is in the safe zone.
Does LWAY pay a dividend, and is it safe?
Yes. Lifeway Foods, Inc. pays a dividend yielding about 0.29% with a None payout ratio, rated “no dividend” for safety.
How profitable is LWAY?
In FY2025, Lifeway Foods, Inc. had a net margin of 6.5% and a return on equity of 16.1%.
Is LWAY overvalued or undervalued?
Lifeway Foods, Inc. trades at about 32.8× trailing earnings — below its 10-year norm (10-year range 16.6×–106.8×, median 38.4×). Stocktoria reports the data, not buy/sell advice.
What is the analyst price target for LWAY?
The average Wall-Street price target for Lifeway Foods, Inc. is $34.50, about 18.1% above the recent price, from 2 analysts (consensus: buy).
Is LWAY a good stock to buy?
Stocktoria doesn't give buy or sell advice, but here is the data on Lifeway Foods, Inc.: a Piotroski F-score of 4/9, an Altman Z″ in the safe zone, a P/E of about 32.4×, a dividend yield of 0.29%. Weigh these quality and valuation signals against your own goals.
Computed from company filings · US · as of 2025-12-31. Facts plus Stocktoria's own computed scores — not investment advice.