Lifeway Foods (LWAY) vs Nature's Sunshine Products (NATR)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 10, 2026.
Summary
Nature's Sunshine Products (NATR) has outperformed Lifeway Foods (LWAY) over the past year, losing 14.8% versus a loss of 16.6%. Over five years, LWAY leads with a +299.3% price change compared with -17.8% for NATR. Lifeway Foods is the larger company by market cap ($334.8 million vs $222.4 million), about 1.5 times the size.
On valuation, Nature's Sunshine Products trades at a lower forward P/E (10.3x vs 16.4x for Lifeway Foods).
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | LWAY | NATR |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $22.16 | $12.64 |
| Market cap | $334.77M | $222.41M |
| 1-day change | +5.07% | +0.56% |
| YTD return | -8.54% | -41.43% |
| 1-year return | -16.63% | -14.82% |
| 5-year return | +299.28% | -17.76% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 32.12 | 12.39 |
| Forward P/E | 16.41 | 10.28 |
| EPS (TTM) | $0.69 | $1.02 |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Annual dividend | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| 52-week high | $32.71 | $28.14 |
| 52-week low | $17.31 | $12.31 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -32.25% | -55.08% |
| Analyst consensus | none | none |
| Avg. price target upside | +48.92% | +141.30% |
| Average volume | 148.54K | 161.81K |
| Shares outstanding | 15.11M | 17.60M |
| Employees | 293 | 806 |
| Sector | Consumer Staples | Health Care |
| Industry | Packaged Foods | Biotechnology: Pharmaceutical Preparations |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- Lifeway Foods trades at a higher earnings multiple (32.1x vs 12.4x trailing P/E).
- The two companies sit in different sectors: Lifeway Foods in Consumer Staples and Nature's Sunshine Products in Health Care.
About Lifeway Foods
LWAY stock →Lifeway Foods, Inc. produces and markets probiotic-based products in North America.
Consumer Staples · Packaged Foods · 293 employees
About Nature's Sunshine Products
NATR stock →Nature's Sunshine Products, Inc., a natural health and wellness company, manufactures and sells nutritional and personal care products in Asia, Europe, North America, Latin America, and internationally. The company distributes general health products related to blood sugar support, bone health, cellular health, cognitive function, joint health, mood, sexual health, sleep, sports and energy, and vision; and immune products to support and strengthen the human immune system.
Health Care · Biotechnology: Pharmaceutical Preparations · 806 employees
LWAY vs NATR FAQ
Which is bigger, Lifeway Foods or Nature's Sunshine Products?
Lifeway Foods (LWAY) is larger, with a market capitalization of $334.77M compared with $222.41M for Nature's Sunshine Products (NATR).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, LWAY or NATR?
NATR returned -14.82% over the past 12 months, compared with -16.63% for LWAY (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, LWAY or NATR?
NATR has the lower trailing P/E at 12.4, versus 32.1 for LWAY. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Are Lifeway Foods and Nature's Sunshine Products in the same industry?
No. Lifeway Foods is in the Consumer Staples sector, while Nature's Sunshine Products is in Health Care.