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Lifeway FoodsLWAY +1.13%91 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio is -1.30 as of Jun. 2026. GuruFocus rates LWAY with a GF Score™ of 91/100 and a GF Value™ of $28.45 (Fairly Valued). The stock has 1 warning sign investors should review. Among 965 Consumer Packaged Goods companies, Lifeway Foods ranks worse than 53.99% on this metric.
Shares Outstanding (EOP) are shares that have been authorized, issued, and purchased by investors and are held by them.
3-Year Share Buyback Ratio measures the average annual proportion of a company's outstanding shares repurchased over the past three years. It is calculated as the annualized percentage change in shares outstanding from three years ago to the current year. A positive ratio may indicate share buybacks over the period, while a zero or negative ratio may reflect no repurchases or potential share issuance. Lifeway Foods's current 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio was -1.30%.
The historical rank and industry rank for Lifeway Foods's 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio or its related term are showing as below:
LWAY'
s 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -4.6 Med: 0.25 Max: 2.3
Current: -1.3
During the past 13 years, Lifeway Foods's highest 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio was 2.30%. The lowest was -4.60%. And the median was 0.25%.
LWAY's 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio is ranked worse than 53.99% of 965
companies
in the Consumer Packaged Goods industry
Industry Median: -0.7
vs LWAY: -1.30
Lifeway Foods (NAS:LWAY) 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio Explanation
A negative number means the company might be issuing new shares. A positive number indicates that the company is buying back shares.
Be Aware
Investors usually like share buybacks. But as pointed by Warren Buffett, only if a company buys back shares at the prices below the stock's intrinsic value, it rewards remaining shareholders. If a company buys its overvalued stocks back, it destroys shareholder value.
Lifeway Foods 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio Related Terms
LWAY vs USNA, ENHA, NATR: 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio Comparison
For the Packaged Foods subindustry, Lifeway Foods's 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio, along with its competitors' market caps and 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Lifeway Foods 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio vs Consumer Packaged Goods Industry
For the Consumer Packaged Goods industry and Consumer Defensive sector, Lifeway Foods's 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Lifeway Foods's 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio falls into.
Lifeway Foods 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio Calculation
This is the annualized percentage change in shares outstanding from three years ago to the current year. The annualized percentage change is calculated with expontential compound based on the latest four years of annual data on Shares Outstanding (EOP).
Please click Growth Rate Calculation Example (GuruFocus) to see how GuruFocus calculates Wal-Mart Stores Inc (WMT)'s revenue growth rate. You can apply the same method to get the average dividends per share growth rate.
What does a 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio of -1.30 mean?
Lifeway Foods (LWAY) has a 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio of -1.30 as of Jun. 2026. The 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio measures the average annual proportion of a company's outstanding shares repurchased over the past three years. It is calculated as the annualized percentage change in shares outstanding from three years ago to the current year. View historical data for Lifeway Foods and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Lifeway Foods ranks #521 out of 965 companies in the Consumer Packaged Goods industry, placing it in the top 54%.
Is Lifeway Foods' 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio too high?
Lifeway Foods' current 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio is -1.30. Based on the distribution chart, Lifeway Foods ranks #521 out of 965 companies in the Consumer Packaged Goods industry, which is below the industry midpoint. Overall, Lifeway Foods has a GF Score™ of 91/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Lifeway Foods' 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio compare to USNA and ENHA?
According to the Consumer Packaged Goods industry distribution chart, Lifeway Foods ranks #521 out of 965 companies for 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio. This places Lifeway Foods in the lower half of its industry. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio for a Consumer Packaged Goods company?
A good 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio depends on the Consumer Packaged Goods industry context. However, 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio mean?
A high 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. The 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio measures the average annual proportion of a company's outstanding shares repurchased over the past three years. It is calculated as the annualized percentage change in shares outstanding from three years ago to the current year. View historical data for Lifeway Foods and its competitors. Lifeway Foods's current 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio is -1.30. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Lifeway Foods stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Lifeway Foods (LWAY) is currently considered Fairly Valued. The stock's GF Value™ is $28.45, compared to a current price of $26.47 — trading 7% below its estimated fair value. The current 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio is -1.30. Lifeway Foods' overall GF Score™ is 91/100 with 1 warning sign to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio calculated?
3-Year Share Buyback Ratio is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Lifeway Foods (LWAY), the current 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio is -1.30 as of Jun. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Lifeway Foods (LWAY) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Lifeway Foods stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of $26.47 is trading 7% below its estimated GF Value™ of $28.45.
GuruFocus considers Lifeway Foods to be Fairly Valued.
Key valuation signals for LWAY:
3-Year Share Buyback Ratio: -1.30
GF Value™: $28.45 vs. price of $26.47 (7% below fair value)
No single metric tells the full story. See the LWAY stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Lifeway Foods Inc is engaged in manufacturing probiotic, cultured, functional dairy health food products. Its primary product is drinkable kefir, which is a cultured dairy product. Its product categories are Drinkable Kefir, which is the key revenue-driving product, European-style soft cheeses, Cream, ProBugs, Frozen Kefir, and Other dairy. The company manufactures and markets products under the Lifeway and Fresh Made brand names, as well as under private labels on behalf of customers. It sells the products through a direct sales force, brokers, and distributors.
91GF Score
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