Barclays PLC Grows Stake in Lifeway Foods, Inc. (NASDAQ:LWAY)

Barclays PLC increased its position in Lifeway Foods, Inc. (NASDAQ:LWAY) by 40.5% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 6,420 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 1,849 shares during the period. Barclays PLC’s holdings in Lifeway Foods were worth $167,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of LWAY. Renaissance Technologies LLC boosted its position in Lifeway Foods by 7.1% in the second quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 454,682 shares of the company’s stock worth $5,806,000 after purchasing an additional 30,000 shares during the last quarter. Marshall Wace LLP boosted its holdings in shares of Lifeway Foods by 48.5% in the second quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 100,217 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,280,000 after buying an additional 32,742 shares during the last quarter. De Lisle Partners LLP boosted its holdings in shares of Lifeway Foods by 30.7% in the third quarter. De Lisle Partners LLP now owns 59,782 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,552,000 after buying an additional 14,051 shares during the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp grew its position in Lifeway Foods by 56.6% during the second quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 58,589 shares of the company’s stock valued at $748,000 after buying an additional 21,168 shares during the period. Finally, State Street Corp increased its holdings in Lifeway Foods by 28.9% during the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 53,683 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,391,000 after buying an additional 12,020 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 36.39% of the company’s stock.

Lifeway Foods Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ LWAY opened at $23.10 on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of $342.25 million, a PE ratio of 26.86 and a beta of 1.02. Lifeway Foods, Inc. has a 1 year low of $9.93 and a 1 year high of $28.61. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $24.28 and a 200-day moving average price of $20.57.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, major shareholder Ludmila Smolyansky sold 45,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $23.49, for a total value of $1,057,050.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 1,025,549 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $24,090,146.01. This represents a 4.20 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 18.86% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Noble Financial downgraded shares of Lifeway Foods from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, September 24th. StockNews.com initiated coverage on Lifeway Foods in a research report on Wednesday, January 1st. They set a “hold” rating on the stock.

About Lifeway Foods

Lifeway Foods, Inc produces and markets probiotic-based products in the United States and internationally. Its primary product is drinkable kefir, a cultured dairy product in various organic and non-organic sizes, flavors, and types. The company offers European-style soft cheeses; cream and other products; ProBugs, a line of kefir products designed for children; drinkable yogurt; and fresh made butter and sour cream.