Lifeway Foods Inc. filings document the regulatory record for an Illinois operating company whose common stock trades on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol LWAY. Its Form 8-K reports cover operating results, sales estimates, Regulation FD disclosures, material agreements, director appointments and resignations, and compensatory arrangements under the company's 2022 Omnibus Incentive Plan.
Proxy materials describe annual shareholder meeting matters, board and committee governance, executive compensation and equity-plan administration. The filing record also identifies the company's registered securities, including common stock and preferred stock purchase rights, and includes formal disclosures related to financial reporting, governance changes and capital-structure matters.
Lifeway Foods 10% owner Edward Smolyansky reported an open-market sale of 14,353 shares of common stock on March 19, 2026 at a weighted average price of $17.77 per share. The footnotes state the trades occurred between $17.50 and $18.41.
Following the sale, he directly holds 1,101,642 shares. He also has indirect holdings, including shares beneficially held by the Edward Smolyansky Trust dated 2/2/16, and additional shares held by Smolyansky Holding LLC, where he disclaims beneficial ownership except for any pecuniary interest, plus shares held by his son that he fully disclaims.
LWAY insiders reported proposed and recent sales of Common Stock. A Form 144 lists Common Stock associated with Citigroup Global Markets Inc. The filing shows a historical gift of 750,000 shares on 03/09/2018 and recent dispositions by Edward Smolyansky of 22,313, 13,334 and 7,343 shares on 03/17/2026, 03/16/2026 and 03/11/2026 respectively, with cash proceeds recorded for each trade.
Ludmila Smolyansky submitted a Form 144 notice reporting proposed resale of 10,000 shares of Common Stock on 03/18/2026 through RBC Capital Markets LLC on Nasdaq. The filing also shows a prior sale of 26,431 shares on 12/23/2025 for $645,393.
Lifeway Foods, Inc. 10% owner Edward Smolyansky reported open-market sales of common stock. He sold 13,334 shares on March 16, 2026 at a weighted average price of $20.60 per share and 22,313 shares on March 17, 2026 at a weighted average price of $20.10 per share, for total reported sales of 35,647 shares. Following these transactions, he holds 1,115,995 shares directly. The filing also notes additional indirect holdings through a trust and an LLC, while shares held by a family foundation and by his son are specifically disclaimed for beneficial ownership.
Edward Smolyansky reported sales of Common Stock on behalf of a reporting person. The filing lists a sale of 13,334 shares on 03/16/2026 for $274,680.40 and a sale of 7,343 shares on 03/11/2026 for $155,010.73. The transactions are marked CASH and the securities are listed as Common Stock on NASDAQ.
Lifeway Foods reported a record 2025, with strong growth in sales and profits driven by its kefir business. Full-year net sales reached $212.5 million, up 13.7% year-over-year and about 19% on a comparable basis, marking six consecutive years of volume-led net sales growth. Gross profit margin for 2025 improved to 27.4% from 26.0%, while net income rose 54% to $13.9 million, or $0.89 per diluted share, compared with $0.60 a year earlier.
In the fourth quarter, net sales were $55.4 million, up 18.0% year-over-year, with gross margin expanding 250 basis points to 27.8%. The company generated quarterly net income of $2.5 million, or $0.16 per diluted share, versus a small loss in the prior-year quarter. Lifeway is investing in marketing, new products such as Lifeway Kefir Butter, and capacity while reiterating a long-term Adjusted EBITDA target of $45–$50 million for fiscal 2027.
Lifeway Foods, Inc. (LWAY) reported 2025 net sales of $212.496 million, compared with $186.820 million in 2024, and net income of $13.859 million versus $9.025 million. Diluted earnings per share were $0.89, compared with $0.60. Drinkable kefir other than ProBugs accounted for $181.423 million, or 85% of 2025 sales; results included a $3.407 million gain on the sale of its Simple Mills investment.
Net cash provided by operating activities was $10.948 million, compared with $12.962 million; purchases of property and equipment were $27.361 million versus $6.697 million. Spending includes expansion and modernization of the Waukesha facility. Lifeway estimates total project investment at approximately $48 million; $21.547 million was recorded in property, plant and equipment and cumulative cash paid was $20.926 million as of December 31, 2025. The project is expected to double facility manufacturing capacity and be completed during the fourth fiscal quarter of 2026.
At December 31, 2025, Lifeway had no borrowings and $25 million available under its revolving credit facility, and it was in compliance with applicable debt covenants.
Reporting persons filed a Form 144 reporting a sale of Common Stock related to LWAY. The filing shows a disposition of 7,343 shares on 03/11/2026 for $155,010.73. The record also notes a prior gift of 750,000 shares on 03/09/2018.
Lifeway Foods, Inc. reported that its Compensation Committee approved new forms for deferred cash awards under the company’s 2022 Omnibus Incentive Plan. These include a Notice of Deferred Time-Vested Cash Award and a Notice of Deferred Performance-Based Cash Award, which will govern how certain cash incentives are structured and deferred.
The two forms are provided as exhibits to the report, signaling a formal framework for both time-based and performance-linked deferred cash compensation for eligible participants under the plan.