Lamb Weston (NYSE:LW – Get Free Report) announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday. The specialty retailer reported $0.87 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.63 by $0.24, FiscalAI reports. Lamb Weston had a net margin of 4.61% and a return on equity of 23.77%. The business had revenue of $1.77 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.70 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.87 earnings per share. Lamb Weston’s revenue was up 5.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Lamb Weston updated its FY 2027 guidance to 2.950-3.250 EPS.
Here are the key takeaways from Lamb Weston’s conference call:
- Lamb Weston said fiscal 2026 marked a meaningful turnaround, with North America stabilizing and delivering six straight quarters of volume growth, while full-year North America EBITDA margin reached 26%.
- The company generated $537 million of free cash flow in fiscal 2026, cut capital expenditures to $410 million, and returned $321 million to shareholders through dividends and buybacks.
- Management reaffirmed its Focus to Win strategy and outlined a broader strategic review of international markets, including possible M&A, partnerships, divestitures, and sharper country-cluster priorities, with more details expected at an Investor Day in early calendar 2027.
- International results remained pressured by EMEA weakness, including competitive pricing pressure, slower demand, higher freight costs tied to Middle East disruption, and startup costs from the new Argentina plant.
- For fiscal 2027, Lamb Weston guided to flat to 1% sales growth and adjusted EPS of $2.95 to $3.25, with expectations that earnings will grow faster than sales as cost savings, lower potato costs, and higher utilization offset broader inflation.
Lamb Weston Trading Up 0.8%
LW opened at $49.57 on Friday. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $44.73 and its two-hundred day moving average is $44.25. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.99, a quick ratio of 0.69 and a current ratio of 1.46. The firm has a market cap of $6.84 billion, a PE ratio of 23.17, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 6.53 and a beta of 0.47. Lamb Weston has a twelve month low of $37.62 and a twelve month high of $67.07.
Lamb Weston Dividend Announcement
Hedge Funds Weigh In On Lamb Weston
Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Bank of Nova Scotia raised its stake in Lamb Weston by 2.0% during the 3rd quarter. Bank of Nova Scotia now owns 9,685 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $563,000 after buying an additional 189 shares during the period. Fiduciary Trust Co grew its stake in Lamb Weston by 7.5% in the third quarter. Fiduciary Trust Co now owns 4,324 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $251,000 after acquiring an additional 300 shares during the period. Larson Financial Group LLC grew its stake in Lamb Weston by 47.1% in the third quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 953 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $55,000 after acquiring an additional 305 shares during the period. Ossiam grew its stake in Lamb Weston by 5.4% in the third quarter. Ossiam now owns 6,297 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $366,000 after acquiring an additional 325 shares during the period. Finally, Principal Securities Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Lamb Weston by 5.8% in the fourth quarter. Principal Securities Inc. now owns 6,217 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $260,000 after acquiring an additional 342 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.56% of the company’s stock.
More Lamb Weston News
Here are the key news stories impacting Lamb Weston this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Lamb Weston beat fiscal Q4 earnings and revenue estimates, with stronger North American volume driving the top line. Lamb Weston (LW) Q4 Earnings and Revenues Beat Estimates
- Positive Sentiment: The company issued FY 2027 guidance that implies modest growth and revenue above consensus, suggesting management confidence in the turnaround. Lamb Weston earnings report
- Neutral Sentiment: Management said higher production and cost savings are helping offset inflation and geopolitical disruptions, but those headwinds are still affecting international sales. Seeking Alpha news
- Neutral Sentiment: Analysts remain cautious despite the beat, with at least one downgrade saying the stock may be past the worst but still faces meaningful challenges. Lamb Weston: Passing The Bottom, But Challenges Remain (Downgrade)
- Negative Sentiment: International weakness, inflation, and geopolitical volatility continue to pressure margins and could limit how quickly earnings improve. Lamb Weston Posts Higher Sales on North America Growth
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
A number of analysts have commented on the stock. BNP Paribas Exane lowered their target price on shares of Lamb Weston from $48.00 to $41.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, April 2nd. Barclays increased their price target on Lamb Weston from $46.00 to $50.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on Lamb Weston from $46.00 to $54.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 8th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on Lamb Weston from $43.00 to $48.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, July 9th. Finally, Bank of America dropped their price objective on Lamb Weston from $49.00 to $47.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, April 2nd. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, ten have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Lamb Weston presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $49.27.
Get Our Latest Research Report on Lamb Weston
About Lamb Weston
Lamb Weston, traded on the NYSE under the symbol LW, is a leading global processor and supplier of frozen potato products. The company’s portfolio includes a variety of potato-based items such as French fries, potato wedges, hash browns and specialty cuts tailored to the foodservice and retail grocery channels. Lamb Weston serves quick-service restaurants, full-service operators, grocery chains and food distributors, offering customized product formats, packaging solutions and seasoning options to meet evolving customer demands.
Founded in 1950 and headquartered in Eagle, Idaho, Lamb Weston has grown from a regional processor into one of the world’s largest producers of frozen potato products.
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