Eagle, Idaho-based Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. (LW) produces, distributes, and markets frozen potato products. Valued at $7.5 billion by market cap, the company offers fries, oven-roasted potatoes, puffs, chips, slices, and prepared potato products. The french fry giant is expected to announce its fiscal first-quarter earnings for 2026 before the market opens on Tuesday, Sep. 30.
Ahead of the event, analysts expect LW to report a profit of $0.54 per share on a diluted basis, down 26% from $0.73 per share in the year-ago quarter. The company beat or matched the consensus estimates in three of the last four quarters while missing the forecast on another occasion.
For the full year, analysts expect LW to report EPS of $2.89, down 13.7% from $3.35 in fiscal 2025. However, its EPS is expected to rise 17.3% year over year to $3.39 in fiscal 2027.
LW stock has considerably underperformed the S&P 500 Index’s ($SPX) 15.4% gains over the past 52 weeks, with shares down 18.6% during this period. Similarly, it underperformed the Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund’s (XLP) 5.9% losses over the same time frame.
On Jul. 23, LW shares surged 16.3% following the release of its Q4 earnings, which exceeded expectations. Strong volume growth, driven by contract wins across all channels and geographic regions, resulted in a 4% year-over-year increase in net sales to $1.7 billion. This figure surpassed consensus estimates by 5.7%. Additionally, the company's adjusted EPS of $0.87 rose 11.5% from the same quarter last year, beating analyst expectations by a significant 35.9% margin.
Analysts’ consensus opinion on LW stock is reasonably bullish, with a “Moderate Buy” rating overall. Out of 11 analysts covering the stock, four advise a “Strong Buy” rating, and seven give a “Hold.” LW’s average analyst price target is $62.20, indicating a potential upside of 17.7% from the current levels.
On the date of publication, Neha Panjwani did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
