Canada Pension Plan Investment Board purchased a new stake in Lamb Weston (NYSE:LW – Free Report) during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm purchased 24,400 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $1,054,000.
A number of other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of LW. Jones Financial Companies Lllp bought a new stake in shares of Lamb Weston during the 2nd quarter worth $25,000. MCF Advisors LLC grew its position in Lamb Weston by 44.2% in the fourth quarter. MCF Advisors LLC now owns 649 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $27,000 after acquiring an additional 199 shares during the last quarter. Edmond DE Rothschild Holding S.A. bought a new position in Lamb Weston in the second quarter valued at about $29,000. Hantz Financial Services Inc. raised its stake in Lamb Weston by 380.7% during the fourth quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 721 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $30,000 after acquiring an additional 571 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bell Investment Advisors Inc acquired a new position in Lamb Weston during the second quarter worth about $36,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.56% of the company’s stock.
Lamb Weston Price Performance Shares of LW opened at $54.40 on Tuesday. Lamb Weston has a 12-month low of $37.62 and a 12-month high of $67.07. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $49.98 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $45.90. The company has a quick ratio of 0.74, a current ratio of 1.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.97. The stock has a market cap of $7.48 billion, a PE ratio of 26.15, a PEG ratio of 2.45 and a beta of 0.46.
Lamb Weston (NYSE:LW – Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Friday, July 24th. The specialty retailer reported $0.87 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.63 by $0.24. Lamb Weston had a return on equity of 23.33% and a net margin of 4.39%.The firm had revenue of $1.77 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.70 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.87 earnings per share. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 5.6% on a year-over-year basis. Lamb Weston has set its FY 2027 guidance at 2.950-3.250 EPS. Analysts anticipate that Lamb Weston will post 3.06 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Lamb Weston Dividend Announcement The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 4th. Investors of record on Friday, August 7th will be issued a $0.38 dividend. This represents a $1.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.8%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 7th. Lamb Weston’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 73.08%.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of research firms have recently commented on LW. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on shares of Lamb Weston from $43.00 to $48.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, July 9th. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their price target on shares of Lamb Weston from $45.00 to $52.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, July 27th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Lamb Weston from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, August 1st. Sanford C. Bernstein increased their price objective on shares of Lamb Weston from $42.00 to $57.00 and gave the company a “market perform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 28th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reissued a “hold” rating and issued a $52.00 price objective on shares of Lamb Weston in a research note on Monday, July 27th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eleven have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $53.36.
Check Out Our Latest Report on Lamb Weston
Lamb Weston Profile (Free Report)
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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, /PRNewswire/ -- Halper Sadeh LLC, an investor rights law firm, is investigating whether certain officers and directors of Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: LW) breached their fiduciary duties to shareholders.
If you currently own Lamb Weston stock and are a long-term shareholder, you may be able to seek corporate governance reforms, the return of funds back to the company, a court-approved financial incentive award, or other relief and benefits. Please click here to learn more about your legal rights and options or contact Daniel Sadeh or Zachary Halper at (212) 763-0060 or [email protected] or [email protected].
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Algert Global LLC lowered its holdings in shares of Lamb Weston (NYSE:LW – Free Report) by 46.4% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 105,820 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock after selling 91,642 shares during the period. Algert Global LLC owned approximately 0.08% of Lamb Weston worth $4,569,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
A number of other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in LW. MCF Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Lamb Weston by 44.2% during the 4th quarter. MCF Advisors LLC now owns 649 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $27,000 after acquiring an additional 199 shares during the last quarter. Edmond DE Rothschild Holding S.A. purchased a new position in shares of Lamb Weston in the second quarter worth approximately $29,000. Hantz Financial Services Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Lamb Weston by 380.7% during the fourth quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 721 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $30,000 after acquiring an additional 571 shares during the period. Bell Investment Advisors Inc acquired a new stake in shares of Lamb Weston during the second quarter valued at approximately $36,000. Finally, Danske Bank A S purchased a new stake in shares of Lamb Weston in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $52,000. 89.56% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Analyst Ratings Changes A number of research firms recently commented on LW. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on shares of Lamb Weston from $43.00 to $48.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, July 9th. Wall Street Zen upgraded Lamb Weston from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday, August 1st. Sanford C. Bernstein raised their target price on Lamb Weston from $42.00 to $57.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 28th. Barclays lifted their price target on Lamb Weston from $50.00 to $56.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, July 27th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus upped their price target on Lamb Weston from $45.00 to $52.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, July 27th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eleven have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $53.36.
View Our Latest Research Report on LW Lamb Weston Stock Down 0.6% LW opened at $54.94 on Friday. Lamb Weston has a fifty-two week low of $37.62 and a fifty-two week high of $67.07. The business has a 50-day moving average of $49.56 and a 200-day moving average of $45.84. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.97, a current ratio of 1.42 and a quick ratio of 0.74. The company has a market capitalization of $7.55 billion, a PE ratio of 26.41, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.46 and a beta of 0.46.
Lamb Weston (NYSE:LW – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, July 24th. The specialty retailer reported $0.87 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.63 by $0.24. The business had revenue of $1.77 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.70 billion. Lamb Weston had a return on equity of 23.33% and a net margin of 4.39%.The firm’s revenue was up 5.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.87 EPS. Lamb Weston has set its FY 2027 guidance at 2.950-3.250 EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that Lamb Weston will post 3.06 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Lamb Weston Announces Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 4th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 7th will be paid a $0.38 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 7th. This represents a $1.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.8%. Lamb Weston’s payout ratio is 73.08%.
Lamb Weston Company Profile (Free Report)
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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, /PRNewswire/ -- Schubert Jonckheer & Kolbe LLP advises Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: LW) investors that the firm is investigating potential legal claims arising from alleged false and misleading statements about the company's efforts to modernize its business operations and systems. Current shareholders are encouraged to contact the firm here: https://www.classactionlawyers.com/lambweston.
On May 12, 2026, U.S. District Judge David C. Nye ruled that key claims in a securities fraud lawsuit against Lamb Weston and its former CEO and CFO will move forward. The lawsuit alleges that between July 2023 and December 2024, the company misled investors about the performance of its enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, including rollout problems affecting inventory visibility and customer order fulfillment. These statements allegedly caused Lamb Weston's stock to trade at artificially inflated prices. Judge Nye found the complaint sufficiently alleged that false and misleading statements about these matters were made with knowledge or deliberate recklessness. During this period, company insiders sold over $11 million in stock. The truth was revealed through disclosures in April, July, and December 2024 showing that the ERP transition contributed to lost customers and sales. Lamb Weston's stock price fell sharply following these announcements, declining 19%, 28%, and 20%, respectively.
We are investigating potential wrongdoing by Lamb Weston's directors and officers in connection with these allegations.
If you own Lamb Weston stock, you may have legal options. Visit https://www.classactionlawyers.com/lambweston to learn more.
About Schubert Jonckheer & Kolbe LLP
Schubert Jonckheer & Kolbe represents consumers in class actions and shareholders in derivative actions against corporate officers and directors. The firm is based in San Francisco and, with the help of co-counsel, litigates cases nationwide.
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Bank of America Corp DE cut its holdings in shares of Lamb Weston (NYSE:LW – Free Report) by 25.2% in the first quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 807,512 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock after selling 271,645 shares during the period. Bank of America Corp DE owned about 0.58% of Lamb Weston worth $34,125,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. MCF Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of Lamb Weston by 44.2% in the fourth quarter. MCF Advisors LLC now owns 649 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 199 shares during the last quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. raised its position in Lamb Weston by 380.7% during the fourth quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 721 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $30,000 after acquiring an additional 571 shares in the last quarter. Transamerica Financial Advisors LLC raised its position in Lamb Weston by 121.1% during the fourth quarter. Transamerica Financial Advisors LLC now owns 1,130 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $47,000 after acquiring an additional 619 shares in the last quarter. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. lifted its holdings in Lamb Weston by 4,512.0% in the first quarter. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. now owns 1,153 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $49,000 after acquiring an additional 1,128 shares during the period. Finally, Danske Bank A S purchased a new stake in Lamb Weston in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $52,000. 89.56% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of equities research analysts have recently commented on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on shares of Lamb Weston from $43.00 to $48.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, July 9th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Lamb Weston from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, August 1st. Stephens increased their price target on shares of Lamb Weston from $46.00 to $55.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Tuesday, July 28th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on shares of Lamb Weston from $54.00 to $57.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, July 27th. Finally, Barclays increased their target price on shares of Lamb Weston from $50.00 to $56.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, July 27th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eleven have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Lamb Weston presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $53.36.
View Our Latest Report on Lamb Weston
Lamb Weston Price Performance NYSE:LW opened at $53.16 on Friday. Lamb Weston has a 52 week low of $37.62 and a 52 week high of $67.07. The company has a quick ratio of 0.74, a current ratio of 1.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.97. The company has a market capitalization of $7.31 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.56, a P/E/G ratio of 2.40 and a beta of 0.46. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $47.86 and its two-hundred day moving average is $45.36.
Lamb Weston (NYSE:LW – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, July 24th. The specialty retailer reported $0.87 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.63 by $0.24. The business had revenue of $1.77 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.70 billion. Lamb Weston had a return on equity of 23.33% and a net margin of 4.39%.The company’s revenue was up 5.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.87 EPS. Lamb Weston has set its FY 2027 guidance at 2.950-3.250 EPS. Equities analysts expect that Lamb Weston will post 3.06 EPS for the current year.
Lamb Weston Dividend Announcement The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 4th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 7th will be paid a dividend of $0.38 per share. This represents a $1.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.9%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 7th. Lamb Weston’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 73.08%.
Lamb Weston Profile (Free Report)
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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Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. (LW) Bank of America SMID Cap Virtual Conference August 12, 2026 10:00 AM EDT
Company Participants
James Gray - Chief Financial Officer
Conference Call Participants
Peter Galbo - BofA Securities, Research Division
Presentation
Peter Galbo
BofA Securities, Research Division
Great. Good morning, everybody. Thanks for joining the call. We're just going to give it another 10 seconds to let audio connect, and hello to everybody on the webcast. Thanks for joining. Great. Again, thanks, everybody. Good morning. Thank you for joining us today. Pete Galbo, I run the U.S. Consumer Staples team here at BofA across food -- packaged food, beverages and household and personal care. We're really excited to be joined today by Jim Gray, the new-ish, holds the column of CFO for Lamb Weston as well as Debbie Hancock from Investor Relations. Thanks, guys, for joining.
We've got about 50 minutes to go through a list of questions. We've got a number of folks on the webcast, a number of folks live on the Zoom. If you would like to ask a question on the Zoom, if you want to use the raise hand function, at any point, I'm happy to call on you. If you'd rather I ask a question on your behalf, feel free to hit me on Bloomberg or Chris Downing on my team, who's also here on Bloomberg, and we'll be happy to ask on your behalf.
Question-and-Answer Session
Peter Galbo
BofA Securities, Research Division
But with that, we'll get started. And Jim, I guess just to kick off, you reported 4Q earnings and issued fiscal '27 guidance just a few weeks ago. Maybe before we get into the broader discussion, just any pressing questions or clarifications that you've all had in conversations with investors coming out of the quarter that we should touch on first
Key Takeaways Lamb Weston posted 7% fiscal fourth-quarter volume growth, its sixth straight quarter of gains.LW's North America adjusted EBITDA rose 17% as higher volume and lower manufacturing costs offset pressures.LW faces low-single-digit North America price/mix declines and International sales declines in fiscal 2027. Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. (LW - Free Report) is showing better operating momentum, led by higher volumes and improved North America profitability. The progress matters because customer wins and lower manufacturing costs are beginning to support earnings even as restaurant traffic remains subdued.
The trade-off is that pricing pressure, International weakness and a valuation near the broader sector leave limited room for execution setbacks. That balance argues for weighing the recovery against still-visible earnings risks.
Lamb Weston Volume Gains Support the Bull CaseFiscal fourth-quarter consolidated sales volume increased 7%, marking the sixth consecutive quarter of volume growth. North America volume rose 11%, driven by customer contract wins, share gains, strong retention and the benefit of an extra week.
North America adjusted EBITDA increased 17% to $304.7 million. Higher volume and lower manufacturing costs per pound more than offset inflation, unfavorable price/mix and higher operating expenses, showing that the core business is gaining operating leverage as execution improves.
LW Valuation Leaves Less Room for Execution MissesLW trades at 16.98X forward 12-month earnings, versus 14.78X for the Zacks sub-industry and 17.18X for the Zacks Consumer Staples sector. The stock therefore carries a premium to its sub-industry while sitting close to the broader sector multiple.
That valuation makes continued execution important. Conagra Brands (CAG - Free Report) , a branded food company with a refrigerated and frozen portfolio, offers another packaged-food benchmark for investors assessing volume, pricing and margin trade-offs. The Kraft Heinz Company (KHC - Free Report) , through its Ore-Ida frozen potato business, provides a more direct category reference point.
Lamb Weston Pricing Pressure Clouds Revenue QualityFiscal 2026 sales volume increased 7%, but price/mix declined 6%, limiting net sales growth to 2%. In the fourth quarter, company-wide price/mix fell 3%, including a 2% decline in North America.
Management expects North America price/mix to decline in the low single digits in fiscal 2027. Pricing and trade support, combined with a mix shift toward faster-growing chain customers and private-label products, could keep revenue quality under pressure even if volumes remain positive.
LW’s International Drag Keeps Risk ElevatedInternational adjusted EBITDA fell 55% to $115 million in fiscal 2026 and dropped 81% to $11.8 million in the fourth quarter. Lower organic sales, weaker price/mix, potato write-offs and underutilized facilities weighed on profitability.
Lamb Weston has taken capacity actions in Europe, including temporarily curtailing a line and planning to close an older Netherlands facility representing about 10% of EMEA production capacity. Fiscal 2027 guidance still calls for International net sales to decline in the low single digits, keeping the recovery dependent on better utilization and operating execution.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Lamb Weston’s Hold Signal Favors PatienceThe operating case is improving, but the combination of sub-industry valuation premium, persistent price/mix pressure and International weakness leaves the risk-reward profile balanced. The current fiscal-year earnings estimate has also declined 1.3% over the past four weeks, which tempers the case for chasing the stock after its operational improvement.
LW currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), with a Value Score of B, Growth Score of B, Momentum Score of D and VGM Score of B. The favorable Value, Growth and combined VGM readings point to supportive characteristics in those styles, while the weaker Momentum Score signals less favorable momentum attributes. With the Zacks Rank at #3 rather than a top-ranked #1 or #2, the setup favors patience while investors watch for firmer pricing, International improvement and steadier earnings revisions. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Key Takeaways Lamb Weston shares gained 13.1% in four weeks as improving North America trends supported momentum.LW posted 7% volume growth in fiscal Q4 2026, with North America volume rising 11% on customer gains.Lamb Weston's cost savings helped offset price/mix pressure, while International EBITDA fell 81%. Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. (LW - Free Report) shares have gained 13.1% in the past four weeks, bringing the durability of that advance into focus. The move comes as operating trends improve, especially in North America.
Investors still have to weigh better volume, customer execution and cost savings against persistent price/mix pressure, subdued restaurant traffic and weakness in the International segment.
LW’s 13.1% Gain Puts Operating Progress in FocusThe advance follows six consecutive quarters of sales-volume growth. Consolidated volume increased 7% in fiscal fourth-quarter 2026, while North America volume rose 11% as customer contract wins, share gains, strong retention and an extra week supported demand.
North America net sales increased 9% to $1,206.2 million, and segment adjusted EBITDA rose 17% to $304.7 million. McDonald’s Corporation (MCD - Free Report) , Lamb Weston’s largest customer, represented approximately 15% of fiscal 2026 net sales, underscoring the importance of major quick-service relationships to the company’s execution.
Lamb Weston Volume Growth Strengthens the Core StoryManagement expects North America volume to increase in the low single digits in fiscal 2027, while its companywide sales outlook assumes flat global restaurant traffic. That combination implies continued reliance on customer wins and market-share gains rather than a broad traffic recovery.
The company has also extended several large strategic customer contracts and supported new customer rollouts. Sysco Corporation (SYY - Free Report) , a major food-away-from-home distributor, operates in the same restaurant-demand ecosystem, making foodservice activity an important backdrop for Lamb Weston’s volume outlook.
LW Cost Savings Could Support Further Earnings ProgressLamb Weston exceeded its fiscal 2026 milestone of $100 million in savings under a three-year Cost Savings Program targeting at least $250 million of annualized run-rate savings by the end of fiscal 2028.
The program has lowered manufacturing costs per pound and reduced selling, general and administrative costs. In North America, higher sales volume and lower manufacturing costs helped more than offset inflation and unfavorable price/mix in the fiscal fourth quarter, supporting adjusted EBITDA margin expansion.
Lamb Weston Pricing and Global Weakness Temper the RallyCompanywide price/mix declined 3% in fiscal fourth-quarter 2026. North America price/mix fell 2%, reflecting modest price and trade support and a shift toward faster-growing chain customers and private-label products.
International adjusted EBITDA dropped 81% to $11.8 million. Lower net sales, higher manufacturing costs and operating expenses weighed on results, while EMEA faced weaker demand, competitive capacity and freight pressure tied to Middle East disruption. Fiscal 2027 guidance still calls for International net sales to decline in the low single digits.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
LW’s Mixed Signals Call for Measured ExpectationsThe recent share-price gain is backed by clearer evidence of volume momentum and cost improvement, but the next phase depends on whether those gains can overcome weaker pricing and International pressure. With global restaurant traffic assumed to remain flat, execution remains central.
LW currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), with a Value Score of B, Growth Score of B, Momentum Score of D and VGM Score of B. The favorable Value, Growth and VGM readings contrast with weaker momentum, while the Hold rank points to a balanced near-term view rather than a clear directional signal. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Key Takeaways Lamb Weston posted 7% Q4 volume growth, with adjusted earnings and sales topping consensus estimates.North America sales rose 9% as volume jumped 11%, while adjusted gross margin fell 110 basis points.LW expects FY27 sales growth of flat to 1%, with cost savings helping offset inflation in other inputs. Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. (LW - Free Report) delivered a fiscal fourth-quarter earnings beat alongside another quarter of volume growth. Adjusted earnings and sales topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate, with North America again providing the main operating support.
The investor issue now is whether that momentum can offset weaker price/mix, margin pressure and persistent International softness as fiscal 2027 begins.
Lamb Weston’s Q4 Beat Shows Volume MomentumAdjusted earnings were 87 cents per share, above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 62 cents. Net sales reached $1.77 billion, increasing 6% from the prior-year quarter.
Sales volume rose 7%, marking the sixth consecutive quarter of growth. A 2% favorable currency impact and the benefit of an extra week also supported sales, while price/mix declined 3%.
LW’s North America Strength Offsets Margin PressureNorth America net sales increased 9% to $1.21 billion as volume climbed 11%. Customer contract wins, market-share gains and strong retention supported the advance, while lower manufacturing costs per pound helped segment adjusted EBITDA rise 17% to $304.7 million.
The broader margin picture was less favorable. Adjusted gross margin fell 110 basis points to 19.4%, while adjusted EBITDA margin contracted 130 basis points to 16.2%. Conagra Brands, Inc. (CAG - Free Report) , another large North American food company with a sizable frozen portfolio, also reported pressure on adjusted gross margin in its fiscal fourth quarter, underscoring the importance of cost control across packaged foods.
Lamb Weston’s International Segment Remains the Weak LinkInternational net sales declined 2% to $563.9 million. Volume fell 2% and price/mix dropped 4%, with growth in Asia Pacific and Latin America more than offset by difficult EMEA conditions.
Segment adjusted EBITDA sank 81% to $11.8 million because of lower sales, higher manufacturing costs per pound and increased operating expenses. The Kraft Heinz Company (KHC - Free Report) also reported weaker volume/mix in its latest full-year results, providing another reminder that volume and mix execution remain important across large food portfolios.
LW’s FY27 Guidance Sets a Modest Growth BarFor fiscal 2027, Lamb Weston expects net sales to range from flat to 1% growth versus an adjusted 52-week fiscal 2026 base of $6.5 billion. Adjusted EBITDA is projected at $1.1 billion to $1.2 billion, while adjusted earnings are expected between $2.95 and $3.25 per share.
The outlook assumes flat global restaurant traffic. Management expects lower raw potato costs, additional supply-chain savings, better utilization and the absence of certain fiscal 2026 costs to support earnings, but inflation in most other inputs is expected to offset much of those benefits.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Lamb Weston’s Mixed Scores Fit a Cautious OutlookThe quarter showed that higher volume and North America execution can support earnings, but margin compression and International weakness keep the fiscal 2027 setup balanced. The modest sales outlook leaves cost savings, customer gains and operating efficiency carrying much of the burden for earnings improvement.
LW currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), with a Value Score of B, Growth Score of B, Momentum Score of D and VGM Score of B. The B grades point to favorable value, growth and combined characteristics, while the D Momentum Score is less supportive. Because Style Scores are designed to complement the Zacks Rank, the current mix supports a measured stance rather than an aggressive near-term call. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
The disposition of 3,820 shares at $53.18 per share represented a transaction value of ~$203,100. The move reduced the insider's total equity holdings by 6% and his direct position by 11%.
EAGLE, Idaho--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: LW) announced today that Jim Gray, Chief Financial Officer, will participate in a fireside chat at the Bank of America 2026 SMID Cap Executive Insights Event on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. ET. A live audio webcast of the event will be available on Lamb Weston's website at https://investors.lambweston.com/news-events/events-and-presentations. A replay of the webcast will be available at the same location following the.
Shareholders are encouraged to contact the firm to discuss their rights and options at no cost or obligation. We would handle any matter on a contingent fee basis, whereby you would not be responsible for out-of-pocket payment of our legal fees or expenses.
Shareholders should contact the firm immediately as there may be limited time to enforce your rights.
, /PRNewswire/ -- Halper Sadeh LLC, an investor rights law firm, is investigating whether certain officers and directors of Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: LW) breached their fiduciary duties to shareholders.
If you currently own Lamb Weston stock and are a long-term shareholder, you may be able to seek corporate governance reforms, the return of funds back to the company, a court-approved financial incentive award, or other relief and benefits. Please click here to learn more about your legal rights and options or contact Daniel Sadeh or Zachary Halper at (212) 763-0060 or [email protected] or [email protected].
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Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its holdings in Lamb Weston (NYSE:LW – Free Report) by 28.1% during the first quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 2,742,208 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 601,171 shares during the quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP owned about 1.99% of Lamb Weston worth $115,865,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Lamb Weston by 0.3% in the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 16,679,203 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $698,692,000 after purchasing an additional 43,766 shares during the period. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD raised its stake in Lamb Weston by 27.4% during the fourth quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 9,824,690 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $411,558,000 after purchasing an additional 2,111,874 shares during the period. State Street Corp raised its stake in Lamb Weston by 1.1% during the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 5,801,585 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $300,812,000 after purchasing an additional 63,865 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in Lamb Weston by 0.6% in the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 3,528,402 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $147,536,000 after purchasing an additional 21,256 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Invesco Ltd. boosted its holdings in Lamb Weston by 2.5% in the 3rd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 3,286,305 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $190,869,000 after purchasing an additional 79,257 shares during 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: Raised earnings outlook: Lamb Weston maintained or lifted its fiscal 2027 adjusted EPS outlook to $2.95–$3.25, a range modestly above analyst expectations. Management also reported fiscal 2026 net sales of $6.612 billion and adjusted EBITDA of $1.147 billion, both above the high end of its prior guidance. Lamb Weston Lifts Earnings Outlook Despite Middle East Disruptions Positive Sentiment: Analyst support: Barclays raised its price target from $50 to $56 and upgraded the stock to overweight. The move follows Lamb Weston’s earnings beat and above-consensus fiscal 2027 guidance. Barclays Raises Lamb Weston Price Target Positive Sentiment: Insider buying: Recent open-market transactions show purchases by executive chairman Jan Eli B. Craps, CFO James Gray and other insiders, while activist investor Jana Partners also accumulated shares. These purchases may reinforce confidence in the recovery story. Neutral Sentiment: Mixed analyst view: Stephens raised its price target from $46 to $55 but retained an equal-weight rating, implying limited upside at the recent trading level. Stephens Raises Lamb Weston Price Target Negative Sentiment: International and valuation risks: Analysts caution that Middle East disruptions, inflation and softer international revenue trends could constrain growth. Another review argued the stock may now be fully priced after its recent rebound, limiting additional upside. Lamb Weston Stock Looks Fully Priced Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on LW. Barclays raised their price target on shares of Lamb Weston from $50.00 to $56.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a “hold” rating and issued a $52.00 price objective on shares of Lamb Weston in a report on Monday. Bank of America lowered their price objective on Lamb Weston from $49.00 to $47.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, April 2nd. TD Cowen raised their target price on Lamb Weston from $40.00 to $52.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday. Finally, Stephens lifted their target price on Lamb Weston from $46.00 to $55.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Tuesday. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, ten have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $53.36.
Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on Lamb Weston
Lamb Weston Trading Up 2.6% Shares of LW stock opened at $54.47 on Wednesday. Lamb Weston has a 1-year low of $37.62 and a 1-year high of $67.07. The firm has a market cap of $7.49 billion, a PE ratio of 26.19, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 7.43 and a beta of 0.47. The company has a 50-day moving average of $45.16 and a two-hundred day moving average of $44.45. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.97, a current ratio of 1.42 and a quick ratio of 0.74.
Lamb Weston (NYSE:LW – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, July 24th. The specialty retailer reported $0.87 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.63 by $0.24. Lamb Weston had a net margin of 4.39% and a return on equity of 23.33%. The business had revenue of $1.77 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.70 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.87 EPS. The business’s revenue was up 5.6% on a year-over-year basis. Lamb Weston has set its FY 2027 guidance at 2.950-3.250 EPS. On average, analysts predict that Lamb Weston will post 2.94 EPS for the current year.
Lamb Weston Dividend Announcement The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 4th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 7th will be given a $0.38 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 7th. This represents a $1.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.8%. Lamb Weston’s payout ratio is presently 73.08%.
Lamb Weston Company Profile (Free Report)
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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Did you analyze how Lamb Weston (LW - Free Report) fared in its international operations for the quarter ending May 2026? Given the widespread global presence of this frozen foods supplier, scrutinizing the trends in international revenues becomes imperative to assess its financial strength and future growth possibilities.
In the current global economy, which is more interconnected than ever, a company's success in penetrating international markets is crucial for its financial health and growth journey. Investors must understand a company's dependence on overseas markets, as this offers a window into the company's earnings stability, its ability to benefit from varied economic cycles and its potential for long-term growth.
Participation in global economies acts as a defense against economic difficulties at home and a pathway to more rapidly developing economies. However, it also comes with the complexities of dealing with fluctuating currencies, geopolitical risks and different market dynamics.
While analyzing LW's performance for the last quarter, we found some intriguing trends in revenues from its overseas segments that Wall Street analysts commonly model and monitor.
For the quarter, the company's total revenue amounted to $1.77 billion, experiencing an increase of 5.6% year over year. Next, we'll explore the breakdown of LW's international revenue to understand the importance of its overseas business operations.
A Closer Look at LW's Revenue Streams AbroadOf the total revenue, $1.21 billion came from North America during the last fiscal quarter, accounting for 68.1%. This represented a surprise of +4.97% as analysts had expected the region to contribute $1.15 billion to the total revenue. In comparison, the region contributed $1.04 billion, or 66.1%, and $1.1 billion, or 65.8%, to total revenue in the previous and year-ago quarters, respectively.
During the quarter, International contributed $563.9 million in revenue, making up 31.9% of the total revenue. When compared to the consensus estimate of $551.27 million, this meant a surprise of +2.29%. Looking back, International contributed $529.8 million, or 33.9%, in the previous quarter, and $572.7 million, or 34.2%, in the same quarter of the previous year.
Anticipated Revenues in Overseas MarketsWall Street analysts expect Lamb Weston to report a total revenue of $1.61 billion in the current fiscal quarter, which suggests a decline of 3.1% from the prior-year quarter. Revenue shares from North America and International are predicted to be 66.4%, and 32.9%, corresponding to amounts of $1.07 billion, and $529.31 million, respectively.
For the full year, the company is projected to achieve a total revenue of $6.48 billion, which signifies a fall of 2% from the last year. The share of this revenue from various regions is expected to be: North America at 65.6% ($4.25 billion), and International at 31.5% ($2.04 billion).
Key TakeawaysRelying on global markets for revenues presents both prospects and challenges for Lamb Weston. Therefore, scrutinizing its international revenue trends is key to effectively forecasting the company's future outlook.
In an era of growing international interdependencies and escalating geopolitical disputes, Wall Street analysts are vigilant in tracking these trends for businesses with a global reach, in order to refine their predictions of earnings. It should be noted, however, that a multitude of other elements, such as a company's domestic position, also play a significant role in shaping the earnings forecasts.
We at Zacks strongly focus on the dynamic earnings forecast of companies, given that empirical studies have demonstrated its potent impact on the immediate price movement of stocks. Invariably, there's a positive relationship -- upward earnings predictions often result in an increase in stock prices.
Boasting a remarkable track record that's been externally verified, the Zacks Rank, our unique stock rating system, leverages changes in earnings projections to function as a reliable gauge for predicting short-term stock price movements.
Lamb Weston currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .
A Look at Lamb Weston's Recent Stock Price PerformanceOver the preceding four weeks, the stock's value has appreciated by 20.4%, against an upturn of 1.7% in the Zacks S&P 500 composite. In parallel, the Zacks Consumer Staples sector, which counts Lamb Weston among its entities, has appreciated by 0.5%. Over the past three months, the company's shares have seen an increase of 24.9% versus the S&P 500's 3.6% increase. The sector overall has witnessed an increase of 6.6% over the same period.
Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership increased its holdings in shares of Lamb Weston (NYSE:LW – Free Report) by 350.9% during the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,451,954 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock after acquiring an additional 1,129,918 shares during the period. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership owned approximately 1.05% of Lamb Weston worth $61,360,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
Several other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the business. MCF Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Lamb Weston by 44.2% during the 4th quarter. MCF Advisors LLC now owns 649 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 199 shares during the last quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. boosted its position in shares of Lamb Weston by 380.7% during the 4th quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 721 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $30,000 after acquiring an additional 571 shares during the last quarter. Danske Bank A S purchased a new stake in shares of Lamb Weston in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $52,000. Larson Financial Group LLC grew its holdings in shares of Lamb Weston by 47.1% during the 3rd quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 953 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $55,000 after purchasing an additional 305 shares during the period. Finally, Transamerica Financial Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Lamb Weston by 121.1% in the 4th quarter. Transamerica Financial Advisors LLC now owns 1,130 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $47,000 after acquiring an additional 619 shares during the period. 89.56% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Lamb Weston Trading Up 7.2% Shares of LW opened at $53.13 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.97, a current ratio of 1.42 and a quick ratio of 0.74. Lamb Weston has a 1-year low of $37.62 and a 1-year high of $67.07. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $44.92 and a 200-day simple moving average of $44.35. The stock has a market cap of $7.34 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.54, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 6.63 and a beta of 0.47.
Lamb Weston (NYSE:LW – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, July 24th. The specialty retailer reported $0.87 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.63 by $0.24. Lamb Weston had a return on equity of 23.33% and a net margin of 4.39%.The business had revenue of $1.77 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.70 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.87 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Lamb Weston has set its FY 2027 guidance at 2.950-3.250 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that Lamb Weston will post 3.08 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Lamb Weston Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 4th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 7th will be paid a dividend of $0.38 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 7th. This represents a $1.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.9%. Lamb Weston’s payout ratio is currently 73.08%.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades LW has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Barclays raised their target price on Lamb Weston from $50.00 to $56.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday. Stifel Nicolaus increased their target price on Lamb Weston from $45.00 to $52.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Monday. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a “hold” rating and set a $52.00 price objective on shares of Lamb Weston in a research report on Monday. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on Lamb Weston from $54.00 to $57.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on shares of Lamb Weston from $43.00 to $48.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, July 9th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, ten have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $51.82.
Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on LW
Lamb Weston Profile (Free Report)
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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The frozen potato products maker reported adjusted earnings of 92 cents per share, beating the consensus estimate of 63 cents. Revenue rose to $1.77 billion, above the $1.69 billion analyst estimate.
For fiscal 2027, the company expects adjusted earnings of $2.95 to $3.25 per share, compared with the analyst consensus estimate of $3.01. It projects revenue of $6.61 billion to $6.68 billion, above the consensus estimate of $6.39 billion.
“This past year marked an important inflection point for our Company,” said Mike Smith, Lamb Weston president and CEO. “We overdelivered on our financial guidance with solid performance in sales and profitability, led by volume growth in North America. While disruption in the Middle East and input cost inflation have impacted our EMEA business, we have been taking actions to help mitigate this volatility in a challenging competitive environment.
Lamb Weston shares gained 4.2% to trade at $51.70 on Monday.
These analysts made changes to their price targets on Lamb Weston following earnings announcement.
Barclays analyst Andrew Lazar maintained the stock with an Overweight rating and raised the price target from $50 to $56. Wells Fargo analyst Marc Torrente maintained the stock with an Overweight rating and raised the price target from $54 to $57. Stifel analyst Matthew Smith maintained the stock with a Hold and raised the price target from $45 to $52. Considering buying LW stock? Here’s what analysts think:
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Lamb Weston (NYSE:LW) reported higher fourth-quarter sales and continued volume growth in fiscal 2026, led by North America, while international operations faced pressure from weaker European demand, higher costs and disruption tied to the Middle East conflict.
Fourth-quarter net sales increased 6% from a year earlier, including a 7% increase in sales volume and a 2% favorable currency effect, partly offset by a 3% decline in price and mix. On a constant-currency basis, net sales rose 4%. The quarter marked Lamb Weston’s sixth consecutive quarter of sales-volume growth.
“We made meaningful progress as an organization in fiscal 2026,” President and CEO Mike Smith said, pointing to the stabilization of the company’s North American business, progress on cost savings and reduced capital spending.
North America drives quarterly performance North America net sales rose 9% in the fourth quarter, as volume increased 11%, supported by customer wins, share gains, retention and an extra week in the fiscal calendar. Price and mix declined 2%, with price investments and a shift toward lower-priced channels, including chains and private label, each contributing to the decline.
North American segment EBITDA increased 17%, or $45 million, in the quarter. Smith said volume growth, modest price-and-mix investment and cost savings more than offset inflation. The segment ended the fiscal year with a 26% EBITDA margin, according to Smith.
U.S. restaurant traffic was flat during the quarter, based on Circana Crest data cited by Chief Financial Officer Jim Gray. Quick-service restaurant traffic was also flat, as 3% growth in quick-service chicken traffic was largely offset by a 4% decline in quick-service burger traffic.
Smith said the company extended several large customer contracts during the year, supported customer rollouts and introduced higher-margin limited-time offers. He also said Lamb Weston’s U.S. net promoter score rose from the prior year and was the highest among major competitors, according to the company’s proprietary research.
For the full fiscal year, North America net sales increased 3%, with a 9% volume increase partly offset by a 6% price-and-mix decline. The company said the 53rd week in fiscal 2026 added $86 million to annual North American sales.
International business faces EMEA headwinds International net sales declined 2% in the fourth quarter. Sales volume fell 2% and price and mix declined 4%, while currency provided a partial offset. Growth in Asia-Pacific and Latin America was more than offset by conditions in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, including shipment disruption and higher freight costs resulting from the Middle East conflict.
Gray said quick-service traffic declined 2% in the U.K. and France and 1% in Italy during the quarter, while traffic rose slightly in Germany and Spain. The company also faced higher raw potato costs, lower fixed-cost absorption amid slower European demand and higher freight expenses.
For the full year, international sales increased 1%, aided by a 5% currency benefit and 2% volume growth, particularly in Asia-Pacific and Latin America. Price and mix declined 6%. On a constant-currency basis, international sales declined 4%.
International EBITDA declined for the year due to lower organic sales in a competitive environment and higher manufacturing costs. The higher costs included write-offs of excess potatoes, lower utilization at international plants and startup expenses at the company’s Argentina facility.
Lamb Weston temporarily curtailed a line in the Netherlands during the fourth quarter and announced plans in June to close an older plant in Broekhuizenvorst, Netherlands. Smith said the facility represents about 10% of EMEA production capacity. He said the closure is expected to improve utilization by roughly 10 percentage points, moving utilization into the high-80% to low-90% range.
Executive Chair Jan Craps said the company is conducting a broader strategic review of its international footprint, evaluating country clusters, profit pools, resource allocation and potential roles for mergers and acquisitions, partnerships or divestitures. “Technically, everything is on the table,” Craps said in response to an analyst question, adding that more details are expected at an investor day planned for early calendar 2027.
Cash flow, cost savings and shareholder returns Full-year adjusted EBITDA declined 9%, as international challenges only partly offset gains in North America. The extra week added $29 million in adjusted EBITDA for the year.
The company generated $943 million of operating cash flow, up $75 million from the prior year, helped by $55 million of favorable working-capital changes. Capital expenditures fell by more than $240 million year over year to $410 million, resulting in free cash flow of $537 million.
Lamb Weston returned $321 million to shareholders during fiscal 2026, including $208 million in cash dividends and $113 million in share repurchases. The company repurchased $63 million of stock during the fourth quarter. It also declared a quarterly dividend of $0.38 per share, payable Sept. 4.
At year-end, the company had approximately $1.3 billion available under its revolving credit facility. Net debt was $3.8 billion, and its net debt-to-adjusted EBITDA leverage ratio was 3.4 times on a trailing 12-month basis.
Smith said the company exceeded its first-year cost-savings milestone under a program targeting at least $250 million in annualized run-rate savings by the end of fiscal 2028. The first-year target had been $100 million. Savings have come from supply-chain improvements, lower manufacturing cost per pound and reduced selling, general and administrative expenses, he said.
Fiscal 2027 outlook For fiscal 2027, Lamb Weston expects net sales ranging from flat to up 1% compared with a 52-week adjusted fiscal 2026 sales base of $6.5 billion. The company forecast adjusted operating income of $720 million to $800 million, adjusted EBITDA of $1.1 billion to $1.2 billion and adjusted earnings per share of $2.95 to $3.25, compared with adjusted EPS of $2.90 for the comparable 52-week fiscal 2026 period.
The outlook assumes flat global restaurant traffic. Gray said lower raw potato costs, further supply-chain savings, higher utilization and the absence of prior-year potato write-offs and Argentina startup costs are expected to be largely offset by inflation in other inputs.
North America sales are expected to range from flat to up low single digits on a comparable-week basis, with low-single-digit volume growth and a low-single-digit price-and-mix decline. International sales are expected to decline by low single digits, reflecting competitive conditions in EMEA, while international EBITDA is projected to improve 40% to 50% as prior-year charges are lapped. First-quarter fiscal 2027 sales are expected to be flat and EBITDA is expected to decline by the low teens before earnings growth accelerates through the remainder of the year. The company expects operating cash flow of $750 million to $800 million and capital expenditures of approximately $380 million to $410 million in fiscal 2027. On an accrual basis, it expects investments of up to $350 million as it applies tighter capital-allocation discipline.
About Lamb Weston (NYSE:LW) 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.
SummaryLamb Weston remains a Buy as its turnaround advances, with normalization and macro improvements supporting future re-rating potential.Q4 FY26 results beat expectations, with net sales of $6.612B and Adj. EBITDA of $1.147B, reflecting operational improvements and cost savings, albeit outweighed by previous pricing adjustments.FY27 guidance is cautious: net sales are up 0–1%, Adj. EBITDA $1.1–1.2B, and FCF at a trough of $380M, reflecting ongoing macro headwinds.Conservative intrinsic value is still above current levels, supporting long-term risk/reward despite near-term consumer and foodservice pressures. junce/iStock Editorial via Getty Images
Introduction The last time I covered Lamb Weston (LW), I reiterated its Buy rating, highlighting the company's turnaround efforts and significant cost-saving initiatives that should help boost their FCF while their pivot was
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Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.
AI, Satellites and Staples: Insiders Are Buying and Selling 3 Big NamesLamb Weston NYSE: LW reported higher fourth-quarter sales and continued volume growth in fiscal 2026, led by North America, while international operations faced pressure from weaker European demand, higher costs and disruption tied to the Middle East conflict.
Fourth-quarter net sales increased 6% from a year earlier, including a 7% increase in sales volume and a 2% favorable currency effect, partly offset by a 3% decline in price and mix. On a constant-currency basis, net sales rose 4%. The quarter marked Lamb Weston's sixth consecutive quarter of sales-volume growth.
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Frozen Out: Lamb Weston Beats Earnings, but the Stock Still Slides“We made meaningful progress as an organization in fiscal 2026,” President and CEO Mike Smith said, pointing to the stabilization of the company’s North American business, progress on cost savings and reduced capital spending.
North America drives quarterly performance North America net sales rose 9% in the fourth quarter, as volume increased 11%, supported by customer wins, share gains, retention and an extra week in the fiscal calendar. Price and mix declined 2%, with price investments and a shift toward lower-priced channels, including chains and private label, each contributing to the decline.
5 Under-the-Radar Consumer Staples Stocks With Pricing PowerNorth American segment EBITDA increased 17%, or $45 million, in the quarter. Smith said volume growth, modest price-and-mix investment and cost savings more than offset inflation. The segment ended the fiscal year with a 26% EBITDA margin, according to Smith.
U.S. restaurant traffic was flat during the quarter, based on Circana Crest data cited by Chief Financial Officer Jim Gray. Quick-service restaurant traffic was also flat, as 3% growth in quick-service chicken traffic was largely offset by a 4% decline in quick-service burger traffic.
Smith said the company extended several large customer contracts during the year, supported customer rollouts and introduced higher-margin limited-time offers. He also said Lamb Weston’s U.S. net promoter score rose from the prior year and was the highest among major competitors, according to the company’s proprietary research.
For the full fiscal year, North America net sales increased 3%, with a 9% volume increase partly offset by a 6% price-and-mix decline. The company said the 53rd week in fiscal 2026 added $86 million to annual North American sales.
International business faces EMEA headwinds International net sales declined 2% in the fourth quarter. Sales volume fell 2% and price and mix declined 4%, while currency provided a partial offset. Growth in Asia-Pacific and Latin America was more than offset by conditions in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, including shipment disruption and higher freight costs resulting from the Middle East conflict.
Gray said quick-service traffic declined 2% in the U.K. and France and 1% in Italy during the quarter, while traffic rose slightly in Germany and Spain. The company also faced higher raw potato costs, lower fixed-cost absorption amid slower European demand and higher freight expenses.
For the full year, international sales increased 1%, aided by a 5% currency benefit and 2% volume growth, particularly in Asia-Pacific and Latin America. Price and mix declined 6%. On a constant-currency basis, international sales declined 4%.
International EBITDA declined for the year due to lower organic sales in a competitive environment and higher manufacturing costs. The higher costs included write-offs of excess potatoes, lower utilization at international plants and startup expenses at the company’s Argentina facility.
Lamb Weston temporarily curtailed a line in the Netherlands during the fourth quarter and announced plans in June to close an older plant in Broekhuizenvorst, Netherlands. Smith said the facility represents about 10% of EMEA production capacity. He said the closure is expected to improve utilization by roughly 10 percentage points, moving utilization into the high-80% to low-90% range.
Executive Chair Jan Craps said the company is conducting a broader strategic review of its international footprint, evaluating country clusters, profit pools, resource allocation and potential roles for mergers and acquisitions, partnerships or divestitures. “Technically, everything is on the table,” Craps said in response to an analyst question, adding that more details are expected at an investor day planned for early calendar 2027.
Cash flow, cost savings and shareholder returns Full-year adjusted EBITDA declined 9%, as international challenges only partly offset gains in North America. The extra week added $29 million in adjusted EBITDA for the year.
The company generated $943 million of operating cash flow, up $75 million from the prior year, helped by $55 million of favorable working-capital changes. Capital expenditures fell by more than $240 million year over year to $410 million, resulting in free cash flow of $537 million.
Lamb Weston returned $321 million to shareholders during fiscal 2026, including $208 million in cash dividends and $113 million in share repurchases. The company repurchased $63 million of stock during the fourth quarter. It also declared a quarterly dividend of $0.38 per share, payable Sept. 4.
At year-end, the company had approximately $1.3 billion available under its revolving credit facility. Net debt was $3.8 billion, and its net debt-to-adjusted EBITDA leverage ratio was 3.4 times on a trailing 12-month basis.
Smith said the company exceeded its first-year cost-savings milestone under a program targeting at least $250 million in annualized run-rate savings by the end of fiscal 2028. The first-year target had been $100 million. Savings have come from supply-chain improvements, lower manufacturing cost per pound and reduced selling, general and administrative expenses, he said.
Fiscal 2027 outlook For fiscal 2027, Lamb Weston expects net sales ranging from flat to up 1% compared with a 52-week adjusted fiscal 2026 sales base of $6.5 billion. The company forecast adjusted operating income of $720 million to $800 million, adjusted EBITDA of $1.1 billion to $1.2 billion and adjusted earnings per share of $2.95 to $3.25, compared with adjusted EPS of $2.90 for the comparable 52-week fiscal 2026 period.
The outlook assumes flat global restaurant traffic. Gray said lower raw potato costs, further supply-chain savings, higher utilization and the absence of prior-year potato write-offs and Argentina startup costs are expected to be largely offset by inflation in other inputs.
North America sales are expected to range from flat to up low single digits on a comparable-week basis, with low-single-digit volume growth and a low-single-digit price-and-mix decline. International sales are expected to decline by low single digits, reflecting competitive conditions in EMEA, while international EBITDA is projected to improve 40% to 50% as prior-year charges are lapped. First-quarter fiscal 2027 sales are expected to be flat and EBITDA is expected to decline by the low teens before earnings growth accelerates through the remainder of the year. The company expects operating cash flow of $750 million to $800 million and capital expenditures of approximately $380 million to $410 million in fiscal 2027. On an accrual basis, it expects investments of up to $350 million as it applies tighter capital-allocation discipline.
About Lamb Weston (NYSE:LW)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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Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. (LW) Q4 2026 Earnings Call July 24, 2026 9:00 AM EDT
Company Participants
Debbie Hancock - Vice President of Investor Relations
Jan Eli B. Craps - Executive Chair
Mike Smith - President, CEO & Director
James Gray - Chief Financial Officer
Conference Call Participants
Andrew Lazar - Barclays Bank PLC, Research Division
Peter Galbo - BofA Securities, Research Division
Thomas Palmer - JPMorgan Chase & Co, Research Division
Max Andrew Gumport - BNP Paribas, Research Division
Scott Marks - Jefferies LLC, Research Division
Presentation
Operator
Good day, and welcome to the Lamb Weston Fourth Quarter and Full Year Fiscal 2026 Earnings Call. Today's call is being recorded. At this time, I'd like to turn the call over to Debbie Hancock. Please go ahead.
Debbie Hancock
Vice President of Investor Relations
Thank you. Good morning, and thank you for joining us for Lamb Weston's Fourth Quarter and Full Year Fiscal 2026 Earnings Call. I'm Debbie Hancock, Lamb Weston's Vice President of Investor Relations. Earlier today, we issued our press release and posted slides that we will use for our discussion today. You will find both on our website at lambweston.com.
Please note that during our remarks, we will make forward-looking statements about the company's expected performance that are based on our current expectations. Actual results may differ materially due to risks and uncertainties. Please refer to the cautionary statements and risk factors contained in our SEC filings for more details on our forward-looking statements.
Some of today's remarks include non-GAAP financial measures. These non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered a replacement for and should be read together with our GAAP results. You can find the GAAP to non-GAAP reconciliations in our earnings release in the appendix to our presentation. Joining me today are Jan Craps, Executive Chair; Mike Smith, President and CEO; and Jim Gray, Chief Financial Officer.
Key Takeaways Lamb Weston's fiscal Q4 sales rose 6% as volume grew 7% for a sixth consecutive quarter.North America sales climbed 9% on contract wins, share gains, retention and an extra week.Fiscal 2027 sales are seen flat to up 1%, with adjusted EPS projected at $2.95-$3.25. Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. (LW - Free Report) reported solid fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 results, wherein both top and bottom lines beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate. While net sales increased, earnings decreased from the year-ago period’s actuals.
LW’s adjusted earnings were 87 cents per share, down 5% year over year. However, the bottom line beats the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 62 cents.
Net sales amounted to $1,770.1 million, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1,701 million. The top line increased 6% year over year, driven by a 7% increase in sales volume, a 2% favorable currency impact and the benefit of an extra week, partially offset by a 3% decline in price/mix. Sales volume increased for the sixth consecutive quarter. Our model suggested a volume increase of 1.9% in the quarter.
LW’s Quarterly Results: Key Metrics & InsightsAdjusted gross profit decreased 0.2% year over year to $342.9 million. The adjusted gross margin decreased 110 basis points (bps) to 19.4%. Our model projected adjusted gross margin contraction of about 220 basis points to 18.4%.
Adjusted SG&A expenses were up 11.1% to $163.5 million from $147.1 million reported in the year-ago quarter. As a percentage of sales, the same increased 40 bps to 9.2%.
Adjusted EBITDA declined 2% to $287.6 million, while adjusted EBITDA margin contracted 130 bps to 16.2%.
LW Provides Q4 Insights by SegmentNet sales for the North America segment increased 9% to $1,206.2 million compared with the prior-year quarter, driven by 11% sales volume growth, marking the sixth consecutive quarter of volume growth. This increase was fueled by customer contract wins, market share gains, strong customer retention and the benefit of an additional week. The segment’s price/mix declined 2%, reflecting modest pricing and trade support for customers, as well as an ongoing mix shift toward faster-growing chain customers and private-label products.
The North America segment adjusted EBITDA increased 17% to $304.7 million, driven by higher sales volumes and lower manufacturing costs per pound, reflecting operating leverage from cost savings initiatives and improved manufacturing efficiencies. These benefits more than offset inflationary pressures, unfavorable price/mix and higher operating expenses.
Net sales for the International segment declined 2% to $563.9 million, reflecting a 2% decrease in sales volume and a 4% decline in price/mix, partially offset by a favorable foreign currency impact. Growth in Asia Pacific and Latin America, along with the benefit of an additional week, was more than offset by challenging market conditions in EMEA, including the impact of the Middle East conflict that began early in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026.
International segment adjusted EBITDA fell 81% to $11.8 million, primarily due to lower net sales, higher manufacturing costs per pound and increased operating expenses.
Lamb Weston’s Financial Health SnapshotThe company ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $68.2 million, long-term debt and financing obligations (excluding the current portion) of $3,595.2 million and total shareholders’ equity of $1,824.9 million.
Lamb Weston generated $942.9 million as net cash from operating activities for fiscal 2026, wherein capital expenditures amounted to $410.1 million.
In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026, Lamb Weston returned $116 million to its shareholders through cash dividends and stock repurchases.
On July 23, management declared a quarterly dividend of 38 cents per share, payable on Sept. 4, to its shareholders of record as of Aug. 7, 2026.
What to Expect From LW in FY27?For fiscal 2027, Lamb Weston expects net sales to be flat to 1% growth over the adjusted fiscal 2026 52-week base of $6.5 billion. The company expects adjusted EBITDA to be between $1.1 billion and $1.2 billion, while adjusted EPS is projected at $2.95 to $3.25, compared with $3.01 in fiscal 2026. Capital expenditures are expected to be $380 million to $410 million.
LW’s Share Price PerformanceShares of this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company have gained 13.5% in the past three months compared with the industry’s 5.8% growth.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Stocks to ConsiderUnited Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI - Free Report) distributes natural, organic, specialty, produce and conventional grocery and non-food products in the United States and Canada. At present, United Natural sports a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The consensus estimate for United Natural’s current fiscal-year earnings implies growth of 254.9% from the year-ago figures. UNFI delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 29.9%, on average.
Mama's Creations, Inc. (MAMA - Free Report) manufactures and markets fresh deli-prepared foods in the United States. At present, MAMA holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy). Mama's Creations delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 129.2%, on average.
The consensus estimate for Mama's Creations’ current fiscal-year sales and earnings implies growth of 30% and 73.3%, respectively, from the year-ago figures.
Hormel Foods Corporation (HRL - Free Report) develops, processes and distributes various meat, nuts and other food products to foodservice, convenience store and commercial customers in the United States and internationally. It carries a Zacks Rank of 2 at present. HRL delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 3.2%, on average.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Hormel Foods’ current fiscal-year sales and earnings indicates growth of 1.4% and 9.5%, respectively, from the prior-year reported levels.
The Board of Directors of Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: LW) has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.38 per share of Lamb Weston common stock. The dividend
Lamb Weston (LW - Free Report) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.87 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.62 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.87 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.
This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +40.32%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this frozen foods supplier would post earnings of $0.61 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.72, delivering a surprise of +18.03%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates four times.
Lamb Weston, which belongs to the Zacks Food - Miscellaneous industry, posted revenues of $1.77 billion for the quarter ended May 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 4.05%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $1.68 billion. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates four times over the last four quarters.
The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.
Lamb Weston shares have added about 17.4% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 8.2%.
What's Next for Lamb Weston?While Lamb Weston has outperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?
There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.
Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.
Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Lamb Weston was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $0.62 on $1.61 billion in revenues for the coming quarter and $3.10 on $6.35 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year.
Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Food - Miscellaneous is currently in the bottom 16% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.
Another stock from the same industry, Post Holdings (POST - Free Report) , has yet to report results for the quarter ended June 2026. The results are expected to be released on August 6.
This cereal maker is expected to post quarterly earnings of $1.63 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -19.7%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days.
Post Holdings' revenues are expected to be $2.02 billion, up 1.8% from the year-ago quarter.
Lamb Weston (LW - Free Report) reported $1.77 billion in revenue for the quarter ended May 2026, representing a year-over-year increase of 5.6%. EPS of $0.87 for the same period compares to $0.87 a year ago.
The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.7 billion, representing a surprise of +4.05%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +40.32%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $0.62.
While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health.
As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.
Here is how Lamb Weston performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:
Pricing/Mix- Consolidated: -3% versus -5.8% estimated by two analysts on average.Pricing/Mix- North America: -2% compared to the -5% average estimate based on two analysts.Volume- International: -2% compared to the -3% average estimate based on two analysts.Volume- North America: 11% compared to the 3% average estimate based on two analysts.Volume- Consolidated: 7% compared to the -4% average estimate based on two analysts.Pricing/Mix- International: -4% versus -7.5% estimated by two analysts on average.Geographic Sales- International: $563.9 million compared to the $551.27 million average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of -1.5% year over year.Geographic Sales- North America: $1.21 billion versus the three-analyst average estimate of $1.15 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +9.4%.View all Key Company Metrics for Lamb Weston here>>>
Shares of Lamb Weston have returned +10.1% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.6% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.
Bank of New York Mellon Corp reduced its position in shares of Lamb Weston (NYSE:LW – Free Report) by 11.4% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,201,497 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock after selling 155,235 shares during the period. Bank of New York Mellon Corp owned 0.87% of Lamb Weston worth $50,775,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Several other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Arnhold LLC increased its stake in shares of Lamb Weston by 710.2% during the fourth quarter. Arnhold LLC now owns 38,217 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $1,601,000 after purchasing an additional 33,500 shares during the period. Dana Investment Advisors Inc. boosted its stake in Lamb Weston by 44.8% in the 4th quarter. Dana Investment Advisors Inc. now owns 89,991 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $3,770,000 after purchasing an additional 27,835 shares during the period. SG Americas Securities LLC boosted its stake in Lamb Weston by 2,682.3% in the 4th quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 801,708 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $33,584,000 after purchasing an additional 772,893 shares during the period. Texas Yale Capital Corp. acquired a new position in Lamb Weston in the 4th quarter valued at $1,264,000. Finally, Assenagon Asset Management S.A. acquired a new position in Lamb Weston in the 4th quarter valued at $5,900,000. Institutional investors own 89.56% of the company’s stock.
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth LW has been the subject of a number of research reports. Barclays lifted their target price on Lamb Weston from $46.00 to $50.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft decreased their price target on shares of Lamb Weston from $46.00 to $40.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, March 30th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “sell (d+)” rating on shares of Lamb Weston in a research report on Wednesday, July 8th. Stifel Nicolaus dropped their price objective on shares of Lamb Weston from $50.00 to $45.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, April 2nd. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on shares of Lamb Weston from $43.00 to $48.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, July 9th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, ten have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $49.27.
Get Our Latest Research Report on Lamb Weston
Lamb Weston Stock Up 2.4% LW stock opened at $49.17 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $6.79 billion, a PE ratio of 22.98, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 6.37 and a beta of 0.47. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $44.62 and a 200 day simple moving average of $44.22. Lamb Weston has a 52 week low of $37.62 and a 52 week high of $67.07. The company has a quick ratio of 0.69, a current ratio of 1.46 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.99.
Lamb Weston Profile (Free Report)
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.
Further Reading Five stocks we like better than Lamb Weston Premium Retail’s Stress Test Is Separating Winners From Losers D-Wave Quantum or a Quantum ETF: Which Is the Better Bet? GE Vernova Just Sent a Mixed AI Signal to Investors Alphabet Crushed Earnings, But One Number Spooked the Market Want to see what other hedge funds are holding LW? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Lamb Weston (NYSE:LW – Free Report).
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EAGLE, Idaho--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Board of Directors of Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: LW) has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.38 per share of Lamb Weston common stock. The dividend is payable on September 4, 2026, to stockholders of record as of the close of business on August 7, 2026. About Lamb Weston Lamb Weston is a leading supplier of frozen potato products to restaurants and retailers around the world. For more than 75 years, Lamb Weston has led the industry in innovation, introd.
EAGLE, Idaho--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: LW) announced today its fiscal fourth quarter and full year 2026 results and provided its fiscal 2027 outlook. “This past year marked an important inflection point for our Company,” said Mike Smith, Lamb Weston president and CEO. “We overdelivered on our financial guidance with solid performance in sales and profitability, led by volume growth in North America. While disruption in the Middle East and input cost inflation have impa.
The french-fry maker logged higher sales in its fiscal fourth quarter, as volume growth in North America helped offset continued cost inflation and geopolitical volatility, which weighed on international sales.
From a technical perspective, Lamb Weston (LW - Free Report) is looking like an interesting pick, as it just reached a key level of support. LW recently overtook the 200-day moving average, and this suggests a long-term bullish trend.
The 200-day simple moving average helps traders and analysts determine overall long-term market trends for stocks, commodities, indexes, and other financial instruments. The indicator moves higher or lower along with longer-term price moves, serving as a support or resistance level.
Over the past four weeks, LW has gained 5%. The company is currently ranked a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), another strong indication the stock could move even higher.
Looking at LW's earnings estimate revisions, investors will be even more convinced of the bullish uptrend. There have been 3 higher compared to none lower for the current fiscal year, and the consensus estimate has moved up as well.
Investors may want to watch LW for more gains in the near future given the company's key technical level and positive earnings estimate revisions.
Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C. Litigation Partner Brandon Walker Encourages Investors Who Suffered Losses In Lamb Weston (LW) To Contact Him Directly To Discuss Their Options
If you are a long-term stockholder in Lamb Weston and would like to discuss your legal rights, contact Bragar Eagel & Squire partners Brandon Walker or Melissa Fortunato by email at [email protected] or by telephone at (212) 355-4648.
Click here to participate in the action.
NEW YORK, July 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --
What’s Happening:
Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C., a nationally recognized shareholder rights law firm, is investigating potential claims against Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:LW) on behalf of long-term stockholders following a class action complaint that was filed against Lamb Weston on June 13, 2024 with a Class Period from July 25, 2023 to April 3, 2024. Our investigation concerns whether the board of directors of Lamb Weston have breached their fiduciary duties to the company.
Details:
The complaint alleged that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made numerous material misrepresentations and omissions regarding the design and implementation of Lamb Weston’s new ERP system. Specifically, throughout the Class Period, (1) Defendants represented that, through the design of the Company’s new ERP system, Lamb Weston had “strengthen[ed] [its] operational infrastructure.” (2) The Company also downplayed any issues it experienced with the implementation of the system as merely “usual bumps,” and told investors that its financial guidance for fiscal 2024 appropriately accounted for any negative financial impact associated with the system’s deployment.
The complaint further alleged that the truth emerged on April 4, 2024, when Lamb Weston reported financial results for its fiscal third quarter 2024, and disclosed significant problems with its transition to the new ERP system. Those problems caused Lamb Weston to lose over $130 million in sales during the third quarter and led the Company to significantly reduce its sales guidance for its full fiscal year. The unsuccessful ERP transition resulted in Lamb Weston’s “reduced visibility into finished goods inventory at [ ] distribution centers,” which negatively impacted the Company’s ability to fulfill customer orders, resulting in shipment delays and cancelled orders. In total, Lamb Weston’s disastrous ERP system roll-out negatively impacted the Company’s net sales by $135 million, net income by $72 million, and adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization by $95 million. Lamb Weston also cut its sales guidance range for fiscal 2024 by $330 million, at the midpoint. The Company disclosed that it expected sales volumes in its fiscal fourth quarter 2024 to be negatively impacted by some customers that were affected by Lamb Weston’s botched ERP transition, as those customers turned to Lamb Weston’s competitors to meet their needs. As a result of these disclosures, the price of Lamb Weston stock declined by $19.59 per share, or over 19%.
Next Steps:
If you are a long-term stockholder of Lamb Weston, have information, would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Brandon Walker or Melissa Fortunato by email at [email protected], by telephone at (212) 355-4648, or by filling out this contact form. There is no cost or obligation to you.
About Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C.:
Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C. is a nationally recognized law firm with offices in New York, South Carolina, and California. The firm represents individual and institutional investors in securities, derivative, and commercial litigation as well as individuals in consumer protection and data privacy litigation. The firm has a nationwide practice and routinely handles cases in both federal and state courts. For more information about the firm, please visit www.bespc.com. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
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As the latest earnings season unfolds, investor attention is once again turning toward the Consumer Staples sector, a defensive corner of the market that has historically demonstrated resilience during periods of economic uncertainty.
Companies in this space continue to benefit from relatively stable demand for everyday essentials, including packaged foods, beverages, household products and personal-care items. Although consumers remain selective with their spending, staple categories have generally held up well, supported by strong brands, broad distribution networks and the non-discretionary nature of their products.
According to the latest Zacks Earnings Outlook, the Consumer Staples sector is expected to witness 1.5% earnings growth this earnings cycle, with revenues likely to advance 4.8%.
Cost Pressures & Value-Seeking Trends Likely to Shape ResultsThis earnings season, investors will closely assess how companies are balancing persistent cost pressures with evolving consumer behavior. While inflation has moderated from its recent peaks, commodity costs remain elevated across several categories, including cocoa, edible oils, energy and transportation.
Geopolitical uncertainty and tariff-related costs continue to create volatility across global supply chains. Many companies have responded by strengthening sourcing strategies, improving manufacturing efficiency, optimizing product portfolios and intensifying productivity initiatives to protect profitability.
Another key theme is the industry's shift from relying primarily on pricing to generating more balanced growth through innovation, distribution expansion and volume recovery. Consumer demand has become increasingly value-oriented, prompting companies to emphasize affordable pack sizes, premium innovations with differentiated value propositions and greater exposure to fast-growing channels such as club stores, convenience outlets and e-commerce.
At the same time, disciplined inventory management, operational improvements and targeted marketing investments are helping many consumer staple companies maintain healthy margins despite a challenging operating backdrop.
Finding Potential Earnings WinnersPinpointing stocks that may outperform earnings expectations can be challenging, but the Zacks methodology helps streamline the selection process. Using the Zacks Stock Screener, we have identified several consumer staple stocks that appear favorably positioned to exceed the Zacks Consensus Estimate this earnings season.
Our research shows that for stocks with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold), the chance of an earnings surprise is as high as 70%. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
3 Consumer Staples Stocks Poised to Beat EstimatesLamb Weston Holdings, Inc. (LW - Free Report) enters the earnings season with improving momentum in North America, where customer wins, share gains and strong retention are supporting volumes. The company’s Focus to Win strategy is also yielding benefits through better plant execution, tighter capital discipline and cost savings that are running ahead of plan. Management raised the midpoint of its fiscal 2026 sales and adjusted EBITDA outlook, reflecting confidence in underlying execution.
International conditions remain challenging because of excess capacity, weak restaurant traffic and unfavorable mix, but ongoing production curtailments and cost actions should help protect profitability and keep Lamb Weston well-positioned. LW currently has an Earnings ESP of +3.56% and a Zacks Rank #3. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 earnings per share (EPS) has risen by a penny to 61 cents in the past 30 days. Lamb Weston has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 23.5%, on average. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Mondelez International, Inc. (MDLZ - Free Report) currently has an Earnings ESP of +0.38% and a Zacks Rank #3. The company appears well-positioned heading into earnings, supported by resilient global snacking demand, strong emerging-market growth and improving trends across several developed markets. MDLZ continues to invest in brand building, innovation and distribution expansion, with a particular emphasis on high-growth channels such as club, convenience and discount stores.
Momentum in chocolate, biscuits and candy, along with solid performance in India, Brazil, China and Southeast Asia, provides broad-based support for the top line. Cocoa-cost phasing remains a near-term earnings headwind, but management expects the pressure to ease sequentially. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for second-quarter 2026 EPS has remained unchanged at 67 cents in the past 30 days. Mondelez has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 5.4%, on average.
Church & Dwight Co., Inc. (CHD - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +0.65% and a Zacks Rank #3 at present. CHD enters the earnings season with solid operating momentum, driven by volume-led organic growth, distribution gains and a steady pipeline of innovation. ARM & HAMMER, THERABREATH, HERO and other key brands continue to gain traction, while e-commerce now represents a meaningful share of consumer sales.
Productivity initiatives and portfolio improvements are supporting margin expansion and helping offset inflation and tariff-related costs. Although higher transportation, marketing and SG&A expenses may pressure near-term earnings, strong brand execution and broad-based distribution gains leave Church & Dwight well-placed. The consensus mark for second-quarter 2026 EPS has remained unchanged at 89 cents in the past 30 days. Church & Dwight has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 6.5%, on average.
Key Takeaways Lamb Weston's quarterly revenues are likely to rise, supported by North America growth.Customer wins, market-share gains and an extra selling week are likely to lift North America volumes. Unfavorable price/mix and international weakness are likely to continue pressuring margins. Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. (LW - Free Report) is likely to witness top-line growth when it reports fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 earnings on July 24. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues is pegged at $1.7 billion, indicating an increase of 1.5% from the prior-year quarter’s reported figure.
The consensus mark for earnings has risen by a penny over the past 30 days to 62 cents a share, which suggests a decline of 28.7% from the figure reported in the year-ago period. LW has a trailing four-quarter surprise of 23.5%, on average.
Factors Likely to Influence LW’s Upcoming ResultsLamb Weston’s North America business is likely to have remained a key growth driver in the fiscal fourth quarter. Customer wins, market-share gains and strong retention, supported by a streamlined commercial strategy and deeper customer relationships, are expected to have aided volumes. Management projected high-single-digit North America volume growth for the second half of fiscal 2026, with the fourth quarter also benefiting from an additional selling week. Our model suggests a fourth-quarter volume increase of 4% for the North America segment.
The company’s Focus to Win strategy is also expected to have supported quarterly performance. Structural cost reductions, improving manufacturing productivity and disciplined capital deployment may have helped cushion inflationary and pricing pressures. Management noted that fiscal 2026 savings were running ahead of plan, while better operating efficiencies in North America are likely to have provided additional support.
Lamb Weston raised the lower end of its fiscal 2026 sales guidance to $6.45 billion, retained the upper end at $6.55 billion and narrowed its adjusted EBITDA outlook from $1-$1.2 billion to $1.08-$1.14 billion. The updated outlook, which incorporates favorable currency translation, an additional selling week, and anticipated tariff and Middle East-related impacts, signals management’s confidence heading into the fiscal fourth quarter.
However, price/mix is likely to have remained unfavorable despite expectations for pricing pressure to moderate following a March price increase. Continued customer trade support, value-oriented mix shifts, weak international traffic, excess European capacity and Middle East disruptions may have weighed on margins. We expect the adjusted gross margin to contract 210 basis points to 18.4% in the fourth quarter.
Earnings Whispers for LWOur proven model predicts an earnings beat for Lamb Weston this time. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat, which is exactly the case here.
Lamb Weston currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 and has an Earnings ESP of +3.56%. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
Other Stocks With the Favorable CombinationHere are some other companies worth considering, as our model shows that these also have the right combination of elements to beat on earnings this reporting cycle.
Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (ADM - Free Report) currently has an Earnings ESP of +12.50% and a Zacks Rank of 2. The consensus estimate for ADM’s quarterly revenues is pinned at $22.4 billion, which calls for 5.7% growth from the figure reported in the prior-year quarter. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Archer-Daniels’ upcoming quarter’s EPS is pegged at $1.28, which implies a 37.6% rise year over year. ADM delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 5.4%, on average.
Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KMB - Free Report) currently has an Earnings ESP of +2.70% and a Zacks Rank of 3. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Kimberly-Clark’s upcoming quarterly revenues is pegged at $4.2 billion. The figure implies a 1.7% increase from the prior-year quarter.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Kimberly-Clark’s quarterly earnings per share is pegged at $2.00, indicating a 4.2% gain from the year-ago period figure. KMB delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 19.1%, on average.
Monster Beverage Corporation (MNST - Free Report) currently has an Earnings ESP of +0.45% and a Zacks Rank of 3. The consensus estimate for Monster Beverage’s quarterly revenues is pinned at $2.4 billion, which suggests 14.6% growth from the figure reported in the prior-year quarter.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the upcoming quarter’s EPS is pegged at 59 cents, which suggests a 13.5% jump year over year. MNST delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 9.6%, on average.
If you are looking for a stock that has a solid history of beating earnings estimates and is in a good position to maintain the trend in its next quarterly report, you should consider Lamb Weston (LW - Free Report) . This company, which is in the Zacks Food - Miscellaneous industry, shows potential for another earnings beat.
This frozen foods supplier has an established record of topping earnings estimates, especially when looking at the previous two reports. The company boasts an average surprise for the past two quarters of 10.51%.
For the most recent quarter, Lamb Weston was expected to post earnings of $0.61 per share, but it reported $0.72 per share instead, representing a surprise of 18.03%. For the previous quarter, the consensus estimate was $0.67 per share, while it actually produced $0.69 per share, a surprise of 2.99%.
Price and EPS Surprise
Thanks in part to this history, there has been a favorable change in earnings estimates for Lamb Weston lately. In fact, the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) for the stock is positive, which is a great indicator of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with its solid Zacks Rank.
Our research shows that stocks with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time. In other words, if you have 10 stocks with this combination, the number of stocks that beat the consensus estimate could be as high as seven.
The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a version of the Zacks Consensus whose definition is related to change. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.
Lamb Weston currently has an Earnings ESP of +0.98%, which suggests that analysts have recently become bullish on the company's earnings prospects. This positive Earnings ESP when combined with the stock's Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) indicates that another beat is possibly around the corner. We expect the company's next earnings report to be released on July 24, 2026.
When the Earnings ESP comes up negative, investors should note that this will reduce the predictive power of the metric. But, a negative value is not indicative of a stock's earnings miss.
Many companies end up beating the consensus EPS estimate, but that may not be the sole basis for their stocks moving higher. On the other hand, some stocks may hold their ground even if they end up missing the consensus estimate.
Because of this, it's really important to check a company's Earnings ESP ahead of its quarterly release to increase the odds of success. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.
Key Takeaways Lamb Weston's "Focus to Win" strategy is delivering gains in North America volumes and sales.Lamb Weston posted 12% North America volume growth and 5% net sales growth in fiscal Q3.Lamb Weston hit its fiscal 2026 cost-savings target by Q3 and is reinvesting selectively. Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc.’s (LW - Free Report) “Focus to Win” strategy is beginning to show tangible results, particularly in North America, suggesting its turnaround efforts are gaining traction. Introduced last year, the strategy marked a shift away from prioritizing scale toward focusing on markets, customers and investments that offer stronger long-term returns. The latest quarter indicates that this approach is starting to deliver measurable operational benefits.
The strongest evidence comes from customer execution. Lamb Weston reported a 12% increase in North America volumes and a 5% rise in net sales in the third quarter of fiscal 2026, driven by higher customer retention, new contract wins and market share gains. These gains came despite only a modest 1% increase in U.S. quick-service restaurant traffic, underscoring the company's ability to outperform the broader market. Management attributed the improvement to stronger customer relationships, a revamped direct sales organization and better operational consistency.
Operational discipline is also paying off. Lamb Weston had targeted $100 million in cost savings for fiscal 2026 as part of its broader plan to deliver at least $250 million in savings by fiscal 2028. Notably, the company achieved the full-year savings target by the end of the fiscal third quarter, putting the program ahead of schedule. Instead of simply cutting costs, management has selectively reinvested part of these savings into customer support, product innovation and service quality to strengthen its competitive position.
The strategy also extends to capital allocation. Lamb Weston has become more selective with investments, closing inefficient facilities, reducing capital spending and prioritizing projects with stronger returns. While international operations remain under pressure, management emphasized that these structural actions are intended to create a leaner, more agile organization.
Although the transformation is still underway, the latest results suggest that “Focus to Win” is moving beyond a strategic blueprint and translating into improved customer momentum, stronger execution and a more disciplined operating model.
Lamb Weston’s Zacks Rank & Share Price PerformanceShares of this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company have gained 8.3% in the past month compared with the broader Consumer Staples sector, the industry and the S&P 500 index’s 4.9%, 7.7% and 0.7% growth, respectively.
LW Stock's Past Month Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Is LW a Value Play Stock?Lamb Weston currently trades at a forward 12-month P/E ratio of 14.67, which is slightly down from the industry average of 14.77. This valuation positions the stock at a modest discount relative to its direct peers.
LW P/E Ratio (Forward 12 Months)
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Stocks to ConsiderUnited Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI - Free Report) distributes natural, organic, specialty, produce and conventional grocery and non-food products in the United States and Canada. At present, United Natural sports a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The consensus estimate for United Natural’s current fiscal-year earnings implies growth of 254.9% from the year-ago figures. UNFI delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 29.9%, on average.
Mama's Creations, Inc. (MAMA - Free Report) manufactures and markets fresh deli-prepared foods in the United States. At present, MAMA holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy). Mama's Creations delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 129.2%, on average.
The consensus estimate for Mama's Creations’ current fiscal-year sales and earnings implies growth of 30% and 73.3%, respectively, from the year-ago figures.
Hormel Foods Corporation (HRL - Free Report) develops, processes and distributes various meat, nuts and other food products to foodservice, convenience store and commercial customers in the United States and internationally. It carries a Zacks Rank of 2 at present. HRL delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 3.2%, on average.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Hormel Foods’ current fiscal-year sales and earnings indicates growth of 1.5% and 9.5%, respectively, from the prior-year reported levels.
EAGLE, Idaho--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: LW) announced today it will report fourth quarter and full fiscal year 2026 financial results on July 24, 2026. The news release will be issued at approximately 8:00 a.m. ET, followed by a conference call at 9:00 a.m. ET.
The webcast and accompanying materials will be available on Lamb Weston’s Investor Relations page at https://investors.lambweston.com/news-events/events-and-presentations.
Alternatively, participants in the U.S. and Canada may access the conference call by dialing 1-800-330-6710; participants outside the U.S. and Canada should dial +1 213-279-1505. The conference ID is 9814300.
A rebroadcast of the conference call will be available later in the day at the same location.
About Lamb Weston
Lamb Weston is a leading supplier of frozen potato products to restaurants and retailers around the world. For more than 75 years, Lamb Weston has led the industry in innovation, introducing inventive products that simplify back-of-house management for its customers and make things more delicious for their customers. From the fields where Lamb Weston potatoes are grown to proactive customer partnerships, Lamb Weston always strives for more and never settles. Because, when we look at a potato, we see possibilities. Learn more about us at lambweston.com.
Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: LW) announced today it will report fourth quarter and full fiscal year 2026 financial results on July 24, 2026. The news release will be issued at approximately 8:00 a.m. ET, followed by a conference call at 9:00 a.m. ET.
The webcast and accompanying materials will be available on Lamb Weston’s Investor Relations page at https://investors.lambweston.com/news-events/events-and-presentations.
Alternatively, participants in the U.S. and Canada may access the conference call by dialing 1-800-330-6710; participants outside the U.S. and Canada should dial +1 213-279-1505. The conference ID is 9814300.
A rebroadcast of the conference call will be available later in the day at the same location.
About Lamb Weston
Lamb Weston is a leading supplier of frozen potato products to restaurants and retailers around the world. For more than 75 years, Lamb Weston has led the industry in innovation, introducing inventive products that simplify back-of-house management for its customers and make things more delicious for their customers. From the fields where Lamb Weston potatoes are grown to proactive customer partnerships, Lamb Weston always strives for more and never settles. Because, when we look at a potato, we see possibilities. Learn more about us at lambweston.com.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260624389111/en/
Lamb Weston (LW - Free Report) reached a significant support level, and could be a good pick for investors from a technical perspective. Recently, LW broke through the 50-day moving average, which suggests a short-term bullish trend.
One of the three major moving averages, the 50-day simple moving average is commonly used by traders and analysts to determine support or resistance levels for different types of securities. However, the 50-day is considered to be more important since it's the first marker of an up or down trend.
LW has rallied 12.1% over the past four weeks, and the company is a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) at the moment. This combination suggests LW could be on the verge of another move higher.
Looking at LW's earnings estimate revisions, investors will be even more convinced of the bullish uptrend. There have been 6 higher compared to none lower for the current fiscal year, and the consensus estimate has moved up as well.
Investors may want to watch LW for more gains in the near future given the company's key technical level and positive earnings estimate revisions.
EAGLE, Idaho--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: LW) today released its latest Global Sustainability Report, outlining progress made during fiscal year 2025 toward the company’s 2033 sustainability goals and how those efforts are integrated across its global operations.
“In fiscal year 2025, we continued to focus on embedding sustainability across all of our operations and global supply chain — driving progress that supports our people, strengthens our business, and advances our environmental stewardship,” said Sylvia Wilks, chief supply chain officer of Lamb Weston. “Looking ahead, our commitment to sustainability will remain measurable, values driven, and focused on creating value for our business, customers, and team members.”
Grounded in the company’s approach to Making Fries and Making Strides, the report highlights progress across three core focus areas: People, supporting our team members and communities where we operate; Food, delivering safe, trusted, high‑quality products; and Planet, advancing environmental stewardship across the global value chain.
Key progress updates featured in the Global Sustainability Report for fiscal year 2025 include:
People: >15% year-over-year reduction in recordable injury rates from fiscal year 2024 More than $830,000 donated to community programs, including food banks Food: 99.5% Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) certification of Tier 1 ingredient supplier facilities More than 230 audits completed, including internal, third-party food safety, quality, and customer audits Planet: 6% year-over-year reduction in freshwater use intensity from fiscal year 2024 85% of primary packaging is recyclable, reusable, and/or compostable 98% of waste diverted from disposal The full report, including additional progress and disclosures, is available at https://www.lambweston.com/about/sustainability.
About Lamb Weston
Lamb Weston is a leading supplier of frozen potato products to restaurants and retailers around the world. For more than 75 years, Lamb Weston has led the industry in innovation, introducing inventive products that simplify back-of-house management for its customers and make things more delicious for their customers. From the fields where Lamb Weston potatoes are grown to proactive customer partnerships, Lamb Weston always strives for more and never settles. Because, when we look at a potato, we see possibilities. Learn more about us at lambweston.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Words such as “drive,” “support,” “strengthen,” “advance,” “will,” “create,” “deliver” and variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the company’s plans, execution, goals and targets, commitments, and progress. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations and are subject to uncertainties and changes in circumstances. Readers of this press release should understand that these statements are not guarantees of performance or results. Many factors could affect these forward-looking statements and the company’s actual results and cause them to vary materially from the expectations contained in the forward-looking statements, including those set forth in this press release. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things: pricing for water; potato crop performance, quality and yield, including the effect of climate on the potato crop and the company’s production processes; restaurant traffic in the company’s markets, and an uncertain general economic environment, including inflationary pressures; the competitive environment; the availability and prices of raw materials and other commodities; operational challenges; the company’s ability to successfully implement its cost savings or efficiency initiatives; and other risks described in the company’s reports filed from time to time with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The company cautions readers not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements included in this press release, which speak only as of the date of this release. The company undertakes no responsibility for updating these statements, except as required by law.
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Starboard Value LP (together with its affiliates, “Starboard”), a significant stockholder of Lamb Weston Holdings Inc. ("Lamb Weston" or the "Company") (NYSE: LW), today announced that it has delivered a letter to the Company's Board of Directors. The full text of Starboard's letter to the Company can be viewed here. About Starboard Value LP Starboard Value LP is an investment adviser with a focused and differentiated fundamental approach to investing in publicly trad.
EAGLE, Idaho--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: LW) announced today that the Company will participate in the following upcoming investor events: BMO Global Farm to Market Conference: On May 13, 2026, Jim Gray, Lamb Weston chief financial officer, will participate in a fireside chat at 4:15 PM ET and the Company will participate in meetings with investors during the day. J.P. Morgan 2026 Fast Moving Consumer & Wellness Forum: On May 14, 2026, the Company will participate in.
EAGLE, Idaho--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: LW) announced today that on May 11, 2026, the company granted 15,096 restricted stock units (the “Inducement Awards”) to James D. Gray. The company’s Compensation and Human Capital Committee approved the grant of Inducement Awards, made under the Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. 2026 Inducement Stock Plan, to Mr. Gray as a material inducement to Mr. Gray’s hiring as Chief Financial Officer on April 2, 2026. The restricted stock units were granted as a dollar-for-dollar match on Mr. Gray’s personal investment in Lamb Weston shares and vest 33%, 33% and 34% on May 11, 2027, May 9, 2028, and May 8, 2029, respectively.
The Inducement Awards were granted in reliance on the employment inducement exemption under the NYSE’s Listed Company Manual Rule 303A.08, which requires public announcement of inducement awards.
About Lamb Weston
Lamb Weston is a leading supplier of frozen potato products to restaurants and retailers around the world. For more than 75 years, Lamb Weston has led the industry in innovation, introducing inventive products that simplify back-of-house management for its customers and make things more delicious for their customers. From the fields where Lamb Weston potatoes are grown to proactive customer partnerships, Lamb Weston always strives for more and never settles. Because, when we look at a potato, we see possibilities. Learn more about us at lambweston.com.
Shareholders are encouraged to contact the firm to discuss their rights and options at no cost or obligation. We would handle any matter on a contingent fee basis, whereby you would not be responsible for out-of-pocket payment of our legal fees or expenses.
Shareholders should contact the firm immediately as there may be limited time to enforce your rights.
, /PRNewswire/ -- Halper Sadeh LLC, an investor rights law firm, is investigating whether certain officers and directors of Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: LW) breached their fiduciary duties to shareholders.
If you currently own Lamb Weston stock and are a long-term shareholder, you may be able to seek corporate governance reforms, the return of funds back to the company, a court-approved financial incentive award, or other relief and benefits. Please click here to learn more about your legal rights and options or contact Daniel Sadeh or Zachary Halper at (212) 763-0060 or [email protected] or [email protected].
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Key Takeaways LW's North America volume rose 12% in Q3 fiscal 2026, while sales increased 5% to $1.04B.Lamb Weston used cost savings to support pricing, trade programs and customer-focused initiatives.LW improved plant utilization, supply-chain efficiency and service reliability to support demand. Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. (LW - Free Report) is witnessing strong volume momentum in its North America business, driven by a sharper commercial strategy and improved operational execution. In the third quarter of fiscal 2026, North America volume increased 12%, while net sales rose 5% year over year to $1,035 million, despite ongoing softness in restaurant traffic and cautious consumer spending trends.
The company’s market-share gains have been driven by strong customer retention, new business wins and deeper engagement with chain restaurant operators. Management noted that its “Focus to Win” strategy has enabled Lamb Weston to reinvest productivity-driven cost savings into customer-focused initiatives, including targeted pricing and trade support programs. These investments, combined with improved production run rates and operational efficiencies, have strengthened product consistency, service levels and overall customer reliability.
Operational execution has become an increasingly important differentiator. Improved plant utilization, stronger supply-chain performance and better manufacturing efficiency have enhanced Lamb Weston’s ability to meet customer demand consistently. Management stated that the company’s North American network is now operating in the low-90% utilization range, giving it greater flexibility while maintaining high fill rates and dependable service.
A streamlined U.S. commercial go-to-market structure has also contributed to the momentum. By leveraging a dedicated direct sales organization that is “100% focused on fries,” Lamb Weston has improved customer engagement, pricing execution and responsiveness in the field. This direct sales approach has strengthened relationships with both legacy and newer chain customers, helping the company compete more effectively in a dynamic environment.
At the same time, Lamb Weston continues to benefit from consumer migration toward value-oriented channels. Growth in private-label offerings and chain restaurant partnerships has enabled the company to capture incremental demand, further supporting its North America market-share gains.
Lamb Weston’s Zacks Rank & Share Price PerformanceShares of this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company have fallen 2.1% in the past month against the broader Consumer Staples sector and the S&P 500 index’s 1.7% and 8.5% growth. LW has also underperformed the industry’s decline of 1.5% during the same period.
LW Stock's Past Month Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Is LW a Value Play Stock?Lamb Weston currently trades at a forward 12-month P/E ratio of 13.46, which is slightly down from the industry average of 13.49. This valuation positions the stock at a modest discount relative to its direct peers.
LW P/E Ratio (Forward 12 Months)
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Stocks to ConsiderThe Chefs' Warehouse, Inc. (CHEF - Free Report) distributes specialty food and center-of-the-plate products in the United States, the Middle East and Canada. At present, CHEF sports a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The consensus estimate for Chefs' Warehouse’s current fiscal-year sales and earnings implies growth of 8.3% and 24.7%, respectively, from the year-ago reported figures. CHEF delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 28.9%, on average.
Smithfield Foods, Inc. (SFD - Free Report) produces packaged meats and fresh pork in the United States and internationally. It carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. SFD delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 12%, on average.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Smithfield Foods’ current fiscal-year sales and earnings indicates growth of 1.3% and 7.5%, respectively, from the prior-year reported levels.
Darling Ingredients Inc. (DAR - Free Report) develops, produces and sells sustainable natural ingredients from edible and inedible bio-nutrients. It currently has a Zacks Rank #2. DAR delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 16.1%, on average.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Darling Ingredients’ current fiscal-year sales and earnings indicates growth of 10.3% and 567.7%, respectively, from the prior-year reported levels.
SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Robbins LLP informs investors that Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: LW) may face damages due to a pending securities class action lawsuit brought on behalf of investors who purchased the Company's securities between July 25, 2023 and April 3, 2024. Lamb Weston is a large producer of frozen potato products, which it sells to restaurants and retailers around the world.
Stockholder Alert: Robbins LLP Announces that the Shareholder Class Action Against Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. Survived the Motion to Dismiss
ShareFor more information, submit a form, email attorney Aaron Dumas, Jr., or give us a call at (800) 350-6003.
According to the class action complaint, during the class period, defendants failed to disclose significant problems with the Company's Enterprise Resource Planning ("ERP") software system. On April 4, 2024, the Company revealed that the disastrous rollout of its new ERP system caused it to lose $135 million in sales during the third quarter of fiscal 2024 and necessitated a $330 million reduction in its sales guidance for the full fiscal year. On this news, the price of Lamb Weston stock fell by $19.59 per share.
On May 12, 2026, the court entered an order granting in part and denying in part the defendants' motion to dismiss, paving the way for litigation to proceed against the Company.
What Now: If you are a current shareholder of Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. and have held your stock since prior to July 25, 2023, you have rights. Contact Robbins LLP here for information.
All representation is on a contingency fee basis. Shareholders pay no fees or expenses.
About Robbins LLP: Some law firms issuing releases about this matter do not actually litigate securities class actions; Robbins LLP does. A recognized leader in shareholder rights litigation, the attorneys and staff of Robbins LLP have been dedicated to helping shareholders recover losses, improve corporate governance structures, and hold company executives accountable for their wrongdoing since 2002. Since our inception, we have obtained over $1 billion for shareholders.
To be notified if a class action against Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. settles or to receive free alerts when corporate executives engage in wrongdoing, sign up for Stock Watch today.
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Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. offers significant upside, with activist involvement and insider buying signaling potential for value creation despite macro headwinds. Starboard and Jana Partners have taken major stakes, pushing for cost reductions and a 25% adjusted EBITDA margin by fiscal 2029. Q3 results showed strong North American demand and cost-cutting progress, but European and Asian softness and inventory write-downs highlight risks.
SAN DIEGO, May 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Robbins LLP informs investors that Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: LW) may face damages due to a pending securities class action lawsuit brought on behalf of investors who purchased the Company's securities between July 25, 2023 and April 3, 2024. Lamb Weston is a large producer of frozen potato products, which it sells to restaurants and retailers around the world.
For more information, submit a form, email attorney Aaron Dumas, Jr., or give us a call at (800) 350-6003.
According to the class action complaint, during the class period, defendants failed to disclose significant problems with the Company's Enterprise Resource Planning ("ERP") software system. On April 4, 2024, the Company revealed that the disastrous rollout of its new ERP system caused it to lose $135 million in sales during the third quarter of fiscal 2024 and necessitated a $330 million reduction in its sales guidance for the full fiscal year. On this news, the price of Lamb Weston stock fell by $19.59 per share.
On May 12, 2026, the court entered an order granting in part and denying in part the defendants' motion to dismiss, paving the way for litigation to proceed against the Company.
What Now: If you are a current shareholder of Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. and have held your stock prior to July 25, 2023, you have rights. Contact Robbins LLP here for information.
All representation is on a contingency fee basis. Shareholders pay no fees or expenses.
About Robbins LLP: Some law firms issuing releases about this matter do not actually litigate securities class actions; Robbins LLP does. A recognized leader in shareholder rights litigation, the attorneys and staff of Robbins LLP have been dedicated to helping shareholders recover losses, improve corporate governance structures, and hold company executives accountable for their wrongdoing since 2002. Since our inception, we have obtained over $1 billion for shareholders.
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