Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. (LW)

Lamb Weston's stock has experienced notable volatility over the past six months. The company's shares tumbled by 19.6% in the past six months, and from January 2025 to January 2026, the share price declined by 32.68%. The stock reached a 52-week low of $39.79 in early January 2026. Key events impacting the stock include strong Q4 2025 earnings leading to a 6% jump in shares, followed by Q1 2026 earnings surpassing analyst estimates. Despite exceeding EPS and revenue forecasts in Q2 2026, the stock plunged due to investor concerns about future challenges. The announcement of operational restructuring in January 2026 also made headlines.

While specific details on the seasonality of demand for Lamb Weston's products are not explicitly detailed, the company has noted "soft restaurant traffic" and a "volatile demand environment" in its international operations. This suggests that demand for its frozen potato products, heavily reliant on the foodservice sector, can fluctuate based on broader economic conditions and consumer dining habits rather than distinct seasonal patterns. The company's strategy includes balancing supply and demand across its manufacturing network, particularly outside North America, in response to these fluctuating conditions.

Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. is an American food processing company specializing in value-added frozen potato products, operating within the Consumer Staples sector. It is one of the world's largest producers of frozen french fries and other frozen potato products, marketed under brands like Lamb Weston, Grown in Idaho, and Alexia, supplying to a diverse customer base.

Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. has a significant global presence, distributing its products in over 100 countries with facilities across North America, Europe, Latin America, Canada, China, Japan, the UK, Australia, Argentina, Mexico, Austria, and the Netherlands. Its primary manufacturing operations are concentrated in the Pacific Northwest. In January 2026, Lamb Weston announced plans to close its Munro facility in Argentina and consolidate its Latin American production at its newer plant in Mar del Plata, and also disclosed plans to temporarily curtail a production line in the Netherlands.

In the past year, Lamb Weston's brand reputation has been affected by a few notable events. In 2024, the company reached a settlement with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) following wastewater discharge permit violations. Additionally, a class-action lawsuit was filed against Lamb Weston and other companies, alleging collusion to hike potato product prices. The company's enterprise resource planning (ERP) system transition in fiscal year 2024 also caused disruptions and led to the loss of some customers, impacting its market share and profit margins.

Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. has a mixed ownership structure comprising institutional, retail, and individual investors. Institutional investors hold a significant portion of the company's stock, ranging from approximately 51.54% to 89.80%. Major institutional owners include Vanguard Group Inc., BlackRock, Inc., Price T Rowe Associates Inc /md/, State Street Corp, and JANA Partners Management, LP. Insiders own a smaller percentage, typically around 4.46% to 8.48% of the stock. Jana Partners Management LP is also identified as a significant individual shareholder, holding 7.22% of the company's shares.