Lamb Weston Holdings Inc (LW)
🔔 Watch stock
symbol.quality_heading
The business works in principle, but one material question is open. As long as it stays open, our findings do not carry a quality verdict.
Anyone buying here is not betting that the company loses customers — it is winning them. They are betting it can eventually push prices through again. Three things will show that in the coming filings: the price/mix effect (last reported at minus 6 percent), International Segment Adjusted EBITDA (last at $114.7 million after $257.6 million) and whether cash generation really holds the guided $750 million to $800 million of cash from operations against $380 million to $410 million of capital spending. Add two dates: the response deadline in the securities case on August 10, 2026 and the still pending ruling on the motion to dismiss in the antitrust case. The decision is yours.
symbol.quality_note
Roughly one in four servings of french fries in an American restaurant comes out of this company's plants. In fiscal 2026 sales volume rose 7 percent, and 9 percent in North America — yet net income still fell from $357.2 million to $290.0 million. The reason sits one line down in the annual report filed on July 24, 2026: price and product mix gave up 6 percent company-wide, and outside North America segment earnings collapsed by 55 percent. Meanwhile something many people miss is happening: with the big plants finished, $540.2 million in free cash was left over last year, after minus $131.3 million two years earlier. We read the filings to see who this rebuild ultimately serves.
Read the analysis
Stock Watch
This analysis is as of July 25, 2026. Stock Watch will tell you what's changed at LW since then.
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Appears in These Scanners
This stock currently matches 8 of our scanner strategies — each hit links to the scanner.
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Trading Day
Key levels of the most recently completed trading day — not a live quote.
52-Week Range
Current price 52.60 $ — 50% of the range above the low.
Lowest and highest closing price over the last 52 weeks. The marker shows where the current price sits within that range: close to the high speaks for strength, close to the low for weakness.
Basics
Performance
Technical Indicators
Calculated from the price history · as of 08/03/2026
Valuation
Profitability
Balance Sheet & Safety
Growth
Dividend
Quality & Screener
AI Rating
NeutralLamb Weston stellt tiefgekühlte Kartoffelprodukte her; in sechs ausgewerteten Einreichungen taucht künstliche Intelligenz ausschließlich als allgemeines Reputations- und Cyber-Risiko auf, nie als Umsatzquelle, Produkt oder belegter operativer Einsatz.
View the full file — quotes, sources, reviewed filings
„Negative or inaccurate posts or comments about us, our brands, or our products on social or digital media or inaccurate information contained in shopping, health or product evaluation applications which may use outputs derived from artificial intelligence applications could damage our reputation and our brands."
Negative oder unzutreffende Beiträge über uns, unsere Marken oder unsere Produkte in sozialen und digitalen Medien oder unzutreffende Angaben in Einkaufs-, Gesundheits- oder Produktbewertungs-Anwendungen, die Ergebnisse aus Anwendungen künstlicher Intelligenz verwenden können, könnten unserem Ruf und unseren Marken schaden.
„In addition, new technology, such as artificial intelligence, that could result in greater operational efficiency may further expose our computer systems to the risk of cyberattacks."
Zudem kann neue Technik wie künstliche Intelligenz, die zu höherer betrieblicher Effizienz führen könnte, unsere Computersysteme zusätzlich dem Risiko von Cyberangriffen aussetzen.
Filings Reviewed: 10-K 2026-07-24 · 10-Q 2026-04-01 · 10-Q 2025-12-19 · 10-Q 2025-09-30 · 10-K 2025-07-23 · DEF 14A 2025-08-07
Rated on July 25, 2026 · How the Rating Is Built
Analysts & Price Target
The price target sits 5.0% above the current price.
- Consensus
- Hold
- Analyst Ratings
- 14
Combined picture of the price targets and recommendations of every analyst covering the stock. Price targets are expectations for the next 12 months, not promises — and they often follow the price rather than predict it.
Estimates by Fiscal Year
| Fiscal Year | EPS Estimate ($) | EPS Range ($) | Revenue Estimate ($M) | Expected Growth | Analysts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05/31/2027 | 3.05 | 2.96 – 3.13 | 6,511 | 1.3% | 11 |
| 05/31/2028 | 3.39 | 3.30 – 3.49 | 6,617 | 11.3% | 11 |
Average of the analyst estimates for the coming fiscal years. The range shows how far the most optimistic and the most cautious estimate sit apart — the wider it is, the less certain the expectation.
Next Reporting Date
- Expected Earnings per Share
- 0.59 $
Expected date of the next quarterly or annual figures. Dates do shift occasionally — only the invitation issued by the company is binding.
Revenue & Profit
Cash Flow
Balance Sheet
Margins
Per Share
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· Total · per year
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The figures could not be loaded right now.
Source: fundamental data
Quarterly Figures
| Quarter | EPS (Earnings Per Share) | EPS YoY (%) | Sales ($M) | Sales YoY (%) | Net Margin (%) | OCF ($M) | FCF ($M) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024: Q3 | 0.88 | -45.00 | 1,654 | -0.70 | 7.70 | 330 | 4 |
| 2024: Q4 | -0.25 | -116.90 | 1,601 | -7.60 | -2.30 | 99 | -50 |
| 2025: Q1 | 1.03 | 2.00 | 1,521 | 4.30 | 9.60 | 56 | -20 |
| 2025: Q2 | 0.84 | -5.60 | 1,676 | 4.00 | 7.20 | 383 | 295 |
| 2025: Q3 | 0.46 | -47.70 | 1,659 | 0.30 | 3.90 | 352 | 274 |
| 2025: Q4 | 0.44 | 276.00 | 1,618 | 1.10 | 3.80 | 444 | 298 |
| 2026: Q1 | 0.39 | -62.10 | 1,565 | 2.90 | 3.50 | 65 | -36 |
| 2026: Q2 | 0.79 | -6.00 | 1,770 | 5.60 | 6.20 | – | – |
- EPS (Earnings Per Share):
- Quarterly profit divided by the total share count — how much of the profit works out to a single share.
- YoY (Year over Year):
- Change versus the same quarter a year ago — this is how you compare without seasonal distortion (e.g. the holiday shopping season).
- Sales:
- All revenue for the quarter, before any costs are deducted — the top line of the income statement.
- Net Margin:
- What percentage of sales is left over as profit in the end. Negative means the company is posting a loss.
- OCF (Operating Cash Flow):
- The cash that actually flows into the till from the core business during the quarter — harder to dress up than book profit.
- FCF (Free Cash Flow):
- Operating cash flow minus capital expenditures — the money that's genuinely free to use, say for paying down debt, buybacks, or dividends.
Annual Figures
| Fiscal Year | Revenue ($M) | EBIT ($M) | Net Income ($M) | EPS ($) | Operating Cash Flow ($M) | Equity ($M) | Total Assets ($M) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 3,168 | 518 | 327 | 2.23 | 447 | -647 | 2,486 |
| 2018 | 3,424 | 580 | 417 | 2.84 | 481 | -335 | 2,753 |
| 2019 | 3,757 | 668 | 479 | 3.25 | 681 | -5 | 3,048 |
| 2020 | 3,792 | 557 | 366 | 2.49 | 681 | 240 | 4,662 |
| 2021 | 3,671 | 475 | 318 | 2.16 | 574 | 481 | 4,209 |
| 2022 | 4,099 | 444 | 201 | 1.38 | 553 | 361 | 4,140 |
| 2023 | 5,351 | 882 | 1,009 | 6.95 | 418 | 1,411 | 6,520 |
| 2024 | 6,468 | 1,065 | 726 | 4.98 | 798 | 1,788 | 7,367 |
| 2025 | 6,451 | 665 | 357 | 2.50 | 868 | 1,738 | 7,393 |
| 2026 | 6,612 | 591 | 290 | 2.08 | 1,040 | 1,825 | 7,380 |
Fiscal years from the audited annual reports, oldest first. EBIT is the operating profit before interest and taxes; total assets are everything the company owns.
Assessment: Opportunities & Risks
Market leader in value-added frozen potato products in North America, shipping to more than 100 countries. In fiscal 2026 volume rose 7 percent company-wide and 9 percent in North America — attributed in the annual report to customer retention and contract wins. North America Segment Adjusted EBITDA gained $32.9 million to $1,142.4 million.
Price and product mix fell 6 percent company-wide in fiscal 2026, equally in both segments. Gross margin dropped to 20.6 percent from 21.7 percent (2025) and 27.3 percent (2024), and net income to $290.0 million from $357.2 million and $725.5 million. Company guidance for fiscal 2027 again assumes a slight decline in price/mix.
International Segment Adjusted EBITDA collapsed by $142.9 million, or 55 percent, to $114.7 million in fiscal 2026 — on $2,217.1 million of segment net sales. The report cites tougher competition, softer demand, disrupted shipments in the Middle East, start-up costs in Argentina and an incremental $33.1 million write-off of excess raw potatoes.
Free cash flow swung from minus $131.3 million (fiscal 2024) through plus $230.1 million to plus $540.2 million, as additions to property, plant and equipment fell from $929.5 million to $402.7 million. Debt declined $219.5 million to $3,928.7 million and the revolver rate fell from 5.940 to 3.830 percent. Cash remains thin at $68.2 million; undrawn revolver capacity is roughly $1.3 billion.
Ten customers account for roughly 50 percent of net sales and McDonald’s alone for roughly 15 percent (fiscal 2026). In parallel run a securities class action in Idaho — defendants must respond by August 10, 2026 — and an antitrust class action in Illinois over allegedly coordinated prices since January 1, 2021, seeking treble damages. Neither carries a quantified accrual.
A market capitalization of roughly $6.8 billion (137,455,441 shares, $49.58 close on July 24, 2026) equals 23.8 times reported earnings, 1.0 times sales and 12.6 times the $540.2 million of free cash flow. The spread between those two multiples is the valuation question for this stock. The average analyst target of $47.92 sits slightly below the price, with 9 of 14 voices on hold (data date July 25, 2026).
Lamb Weston is neither a restructuring case nor a sure thing. In fiscal 2026 the company sold 7 percent more volume and still earned $67.2 million less, because price and product mix gave up 6 percent and the international business collapsed by 55 percent. At the same time the expensive building phase is over: free cash flow swung from minus $131.3 million to plus $540.2 million within two years and covered the $320.7 million returned to shareholders 1.7 times. Two class actions remain open without any quantified accrual — one of them an antitrust matter seeking treble damages — along with the question of whether price erosion stops before the volume gained makes up for it. Not investment advice.
- Lamb Weston reached our research list through the in-house stock scanner "Turnaround Candidates": rank 35 of 62 U.S. hits, turnaround check 6 of 8, as of July 25, 2026. These lists are recalculated daily, so the ranking is a dated snapshot.
- The fiscal year ends in late May. References to "fiscal 2026" cover May 26, 2025 through May 31, 2026 — exceptionally 53 weeks instead of 52, which lifted net sales by $127.1 million and Adjusted EBITDA by $28.9 million on a one-off basis. Fiscal 2027 ends May 30, 2027 and has 52 weeks again.
- Price figures are dated valuation anchors, not reasons to buy: close $49.58 on July 24, 2026, 52-week range $37.29 to $65.54 (data date July 25, 2026). The share count of 137,481,011 comes from the annual report cover page (as of July 17, 2026). More telling than the day price are the company's own buyback prices: an average $57.94 in fiscal 2025, $48.28 in fiscal 2026 and $41.04 in the fourth quarter of 2026.
- A merger, take-private or acquisition was checked and is not happening: as of July 25, 2026 the filing index contains neither DEFM14A or PREM14A nor SC 13E-3. The two Item 1.01 reports concern the JANA Partners cooperation agreement (June 30, 2025) and a Chinese term loan facility (May 19, 2026).
- Watch for confusion: on the New York Stock Exchange, LW stands for Lamb Weston Holdings, not for the former "LW EV Holdings" or any of the identically abbreviated funds and certificates on other venues.
About the Company
Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. engages in the production, distribution, and marketing of frozen potato products in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and internationally. It offers frozen potatoes, commercial ingredients, and appetizers under the Lamb Weston brand, as well as under various customer labels. The company also provides its products under its owned or licensed brands, such as Grown in Idaho and Alexia, and other licensed brands, as well as under retailers' own brands. It sells its products through a network of internal sales personnel and independent brokers, agents, and distributors to quick service and full-service restaurants and chains, wholesale, grocery, mass merchants, club retailers, and specialty retailers, as well as foodservice distributors and institutions, including businesses, educational institutions, independent restaurants, regional chain restaurants, and convenience stores. Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. was incorporated in 1950 and is headquartered in Eagle, Idaho.
| Employees | 10,000 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Eagle, ID |
| Address | 599 South Rivershore Lane, 83616 Eagle, United States |
| Phone | 208 938 1047 |
| Website | lambweston.com |
| IPO Date | 10. Nov 2016 |
| ISIN | US5132721045 |
Management
| Name | Title | Birth Year |
|---|---|---|
| Michael Jared Smith | President, CEO & Director | 1977 |
| Eryk J. Spytek J.D. | General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer | 1968 |
| Marc J.P.H. Schroeder | President of International | 1971 |
| Sylvia J. Wilks | Chief Supply Chain Officer | 1964 |
| Jan Eli B. Craps | Executive Chair | 1977 |
| James Derek Gray | Chief Financial Officer | 1967 |
| Benjamin Heselton | Chief Information Officer | 1972 |
| Debbie Hancock | Vice President of Investor Relations | – |
| Steven J. Younes J.D. | Chief Human Resources Officer | 1966 |
| Michael Christopher Crowley | President of North America | 1973 |
Executives per the latest required filings; titles kept in their original language. Source: fundamental data.
Insider Transactions
| Date | Person | Role | Type | Shares | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28. Jul 2026 | Craps Jan Eli B | Executive Chair | Other | 68,656 | 0.00 | – |
| 28. Jul 2026 | Crowley Michael Christopher | President, North America | Other | 8,422 | 0.00 | – |
| 28. Jul 2026 | Wilks Sylvia | Chief Supply Chain Officer | Other | 8,971 | 0.00 | – |
| 28. Jul 2026 | Schroeder Marc | PRESIDENT, INTERNATIONAL | Other | 8,422 | 0.00 | – |
| 28. Jul 2026 | Younes Steven J | CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER | Other | 6,957 | 0.00 | – |
| 28. Jul 2026 | Jones Gregory W | VP AND CONTROLLER | Other | 2,746 | 0.00 | – |
| 28. Jul 2026 | Philip Amit | Chief Strategy/Tech Officer | Other | 8,788 | 0.00 | – |
| 28. Jul 2026 | Smith Michael Jared | President and CEO | Other | 45,770 | 0.00 | – |
| 28. Jul 2026 | Gray James D | Chief Financial Officer | Other | 16,111 | 0.00 | – |
| 28. Jul 2026 | Spytek Eryk J | GEN COUNSEL & CHIEF COMPL OFF | Other | 8,788 | 0.00 | – |
Reportable transactions by officers and major shareholders from SEC Form 4 filings. "Other" includes things like stock grants and option exercises without a buy/sell character.
View all insider transactions →Chart
Interactive price chart (TradingView).
Data as of: July 31, 2026 · Source: fundamental data & SEC filings (annual and quarterly reports, 10-K/10-Q)
Note: pure fact-based analysis, not investment advice and not a solicitation to buy or sell. All figures without guarantee.