BNP Paribas Exane Has Lowered Expectations for Lamb Weston (NYSE:LW) Stock Price

Lamb Weston (NYSE:LW) had its target price lowered by analysts at BNP Paribas Exane from $48.00 to $41.00 in a report issued on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a “neutral” rating on the specialty retailer’s stock. BNP Paribas Exane’s target price points to a potential upside of 6.47% from the stock’s current price.

Other equities analysts also recently issued reports about the stock. Sanford C. Bernstein restated a “market perform” rating and issued a $46.00 target price on shares of Lamb Weston in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Bank of America lowered their price target on Lamb Weston from $49.00 to $47.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Thursday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price objective on Lamb Weston from $50.00 to $44.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, March 24th. Zacks Research upgraded Lamb Weston from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, March 3rd. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group lifted their target price on Lamb Weston from $67.00 to $70.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and ten have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $48.00.

Lamb Weston Trading Up 0.1%

Shares of NYSE:LW traded up $0.03 on Thursday, hitting $38.51. 2,499,872 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,268,819. The stock has a market capitalization of $5.35 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.90, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 6.15 and a beta of 0.43. Lamb Weston has a 12 month low of $37.62 and a 12 month high of $67.07. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.08, a current ratio of 1.43 and a quick ratio of 0.64. The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $45.21 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $51.97.

Lamb Weston (NYSE:LW) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 1st. The specialty retailer reported $0.72 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.61 by $0.11. The firm had revenue of $1.56 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.49 billion. Lamb Weston had a net margin of 6.06% and a return on equity of 27.71%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $1.10 earnings per share. Analysts anticipate that Lamb Weston will post 3.1 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, insider Jan Eli B. Craps purchased 50,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, February 6th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $48.65 per share, with a total value of $2,432,500.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the insider owned 300,000 shares in the company, valued at approximately $14,595,000. This represents a 20.00% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Corporate insiders own 0.29% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Lamb Weston

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. AlphaQuest LLC boosted its stake in shares of Lamb Weston by 115.5% in the third quarter. AlphaQuest LLC now owns 446 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 239 shares during the last quarter. MCF Advisors LLC raised its position in Lamb Weston by 44.2% during 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 in the last quarter. Quent Capital LLC acquired a new position in Lamb Weston in the third quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Motco purchased a new stake in Lamb Weston in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $30,000. Finally, Hantz Financial Services Inc. grew its stake 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 worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 571 shares during the period. 89.56% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Trending Headlines about Lamb Weston

Here are the key news stories impacting Lamb Weston this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Quarterly beat on top- and bottom-line: LW reported $1.56B revenue and $0.72 adjusted EPS, both above consensus, showing demand resilience in North America. Frozen Out: Lamb Weston Beats Earnings, but the Stock Still Slides
• Positive Sentiment: Management is pushing cash-flow discipline: LW boosted its FY sales & EBITDA midpoint, is cutting capex (~$100M reduction) and pursuing a $250M cost-savings program that management says is on track — supports near-term free cash flow. Company Press Release
• Positive Sentiment: Input-cost tailwind potential: Management expects lower contracted potato costs in North America (low-to-mid single-digit decline) and a larger drop in Europe next year — a meaningful catalyst for margin recovery in FY2027 if volumes hold. Frozen Out: Lamb Weston Beats Earnings, but the Stock Still Slides
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts are revising models but remain mixed: Several firms cut price targets (Barclays, Wells Fargo, Stifel, BofA among others) while keeping constructive or neutral ratings, leaving upside in some street targets but signaling more conservative near-term expectations. Analyst Coverage Summary
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation/Income angle: With shares down vs. the 12‑month high and a near-4% dividend yield, some investors view LW as a deep-value or income play if margins stabilize — MarketBeat shows a consensus PT well above current levels, implying long-term upside. MarketBeat Analysis
• Negative Sentiment: Margin pressure and international demand softness remain the primary near-term risk: management cited factory utilization, softer restaurant traffic in key international markets and pricing pressure, which drove a sharp YoY EPS decline despite revenue growth. Zacks Earnings Note
• Negative Sentiment: Activist investor scrutiny and execution risk: activist pressure has pushed strategy changes; successful execution of cost cuts and international turnaround is uncertain and is a key watch item for investors. Barron’s Coverage

Lamb Weston Company Profile

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.