Lifeway Foods
Makes kefir-led cultured dairy products for U.S. grocery and distributor channels.
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Profile
Produces a kefir-led cultured dairy portfolio, including drinkable kefir, soft cheeses, drinkable yogurt and children's ProBugs products. The business reports as one segment, sells mainly through a common U.S. distributor and retailer network, and depends on customer concentration and governance arrangements shaped by Danone's ownership role.
Centers on drinkable kefir, the cultured dairy product the founder introduced to U.S. consumers at commercial scale. The portfolio also includes European-style soft cheeses, cream and other dairy, drinkable yogurt, ProBugs products for children, and Fresh Made butter and sour cream.
Runs as one reportable segment, with products made through common processes and sold through a shared U.S. distributor and retailer network. Illinois and Wisconsin facilities operate under food-safety and quality-management programs.
Execution depends on keeping kefir relevant beside yogurt, drinkable dairy and non-dairy probiotic products competing for shelf space. Customer concentration and Danone's board-and-ownership settlement shape the public-company structure around the Smolyansky-led business.
Company facts
Categories
Key statistics
Year to date +15.7% · Average volume (30d) 153.9K
Analysts
Ratings
Target range
Latest analyst notes
| Date | Firm | Action | Prior rating | Rating | Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 20, 2026 | BTIG | Initiate | Buy | $32 | |
| Aug 14, 2026 | Freedom Broker | Upgrade | Hold | Buy | |
| May 15, 2026 | Freedom Broker | Downgrade | Buy | Hold | |
| Jan 14, 2026 | Morgan Stanley | Target | $35 | ||
| Sep 24, 2024 | Noble Capital Markets | Downgrade | Outperform | Market Perform |
Earnings
EPS
Revenue
History
| Report date | EPS est | EPS | Surprise | Revenue est | Revenue | Surprise | Next session |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 13, 2026Q2 FY26 | $0.27 | $0.01 | −96.2% | $61.4M | $66.9M | +8.9% | −15.47% |
| May 14, 2026Q1 FY26 | $0.30 | $0.30 | 0.0% | $60.8M | $63.0M | +3.6% | −6.88% |
| Mar 17, 2026Q4 FY25 | $0.29 | $0.16 | −44.8% | $55.0M | $55.4M | +0.7% | −3.80% |
| Nov 12, 2025Q3 FY25 | $0.28 | $0.23 | −17.9% | $55.0M | $57.1M | +3.9% | −3.69% |
Financial highlights
| 12 quarters | Q1 FY25 | Q2 FY25 | Q3 FY25 | Q4 FY25 | Q1 FY26 | Q2 FY26 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $46.1M | $53.9M | $57.1M | $55.4M | $63.0M | $66.9M | |
| Gross profit | $11.0M | $15.4M | $17.3M | $15.4M | $17.4M | $13.0M | |
| Operating income | $1.6M | $5.8M | $5.0M | $3.8M | $6.3M | $600.0K | |
| Net income | $3.5M | $4.2M | $3.5M | $2.5M | $4.7M | $127.0K | |
| Diluted EPS | $0.24 | $0.28 | $0.23 | $0.16 | $0.30 | $0.01 | |
| Gross margin | 23.9% | 28.6% | 30.3% | 27.8% | 27.5% | 19.5% | |
| Operating margin | 3.4% | 10.8% | 8.8% | 6.8% | 10.0% | 0.9% |
Fiscal years (4-quarter sums)FY21 $119.1M · FY22 $141.6M · FY23 $160.1M · FY24 $186.8M · FY25 $212.5M
Balance sheet, Jun 30, 2026Cash & short-term investments $7.1M · Total debt $22.6M · Total assets $132.4M · Shareholders' equity $84.6M
Dividends
No dividends on record.
Ownership
Shares outstanding 15.28M · Float 5.83M · 38.1% free float
A Form 4 total here can count shares the filer formally disclaims — an award voted by proxy, for instance — which the holder's own Schedule 13D/G excludes, so where the two disagree the schedule's smaller figure is used.
Top shareholders13F · 13D/G · Form 4
| Holder | Shares | % outstanding | Form | Filed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Julie Smolyansky · director, 10 percent owner, officer: CEO, President and Secretary | 2.22M | 14.53% | Form 4 | Aug 19, 2026 |
| Divisadero Street Capital Management, LP · 10 percent owner | 2.10M | 13.75% | Form 4 | Aug 17, 2026 |
| Zolezzi William · 10 percent owner | 2.10M | 13.75% | Form 4 | May 19, 2026 |
| Smolyansky Edward · 10 percent owner | 1.75M | 11.43% | Form 4 | Aug 14, 2026 |
| Citadel Advisors LLC | 930.1K | 6.09% | 13F | Aug 14, 2026 |
Insider tradesForm 4
| Date | Insider | Role | Shares | Avg price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 19, 2026 | Julie Smolyansky | director, 10 percent owner, officer: CEO, President and Secretary | +2,000 | $25.26 |
| Aug 17, 2026 | Divisadero Street Capital Management, LP | 10 percent owner | +35,952 | $24.78 |
| Aug 14, 2026 | Divisadero Street Capital Management, LP | 10 percent owner | +15,000 | $24.69 |
| Aug 13, 2026 | Divisadero Street Capital Management, LP | 10 percent owner | +195,616 | $24.87 |
| Aug 14, 2026 | Edward Smolyansky | 10 percent owner | −75,000 | $25.45 |
Peers
- The Hain Celestial Group
Natural-channel yogurt peer through The Greek Gods brand
- Coca-Cola
Functional dairy and protein beverages through fairlife
- PepsiCo
Non-dairy probiotic beverages via KeVita water kefir
CompareAfter-hours close
| Company | Price | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lifeway Foods | $26.35 | −0.11% | $402.7M | 37.7 | 32.7 | 1.7 | +24.1% |
| The Hain Celestial Group | $0.7465 | +2.16% | $66.1M | — | 7.1 | 0.0 | −13.3% |
| Coca-Cola | $89.75 | +0.11% | $385.77B | 26.9 | 26.5 | 7.7 | +6.7% |
| PepsiCo | $141.75 | +0.48% | $192.70B | 18.5 | 16.2 | 2.0 | +6.4% |
| Median | 22.7 | 16.2 | 2.0 | +6.4% |