Lamb Weston Closes Argentina Plant to Improve Profitability
Lamb Weston announced plans to close its Munro, Argentina plant and consolidate production for the Latin America region to its facility in Mar del Plata. "These actions are part of our broader strategy to improve profitability and enhance operational efficiency across our global manufacturing network. Effectively managing costs across our supply chain is critical to delivering value to customers, while enabling us to prioritize investments that modernize physical assets and keep operations efficient, resilient and ready for future growth," said chief supply chain officer Sylvia Wilks. Approximately 100 employees impacted by the closure will be provided with severance packages. Additionally, Lamb Weston announced plans to temporarily curtail a line in the Netherlands.
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- Award Grant: On February 6, 2026, Lamb Weston Holdings granted 317,647 restricted stock units and options covering 1,117,346 shares to new Executive Chair Jan Craps as a significant inducement for his hiring, highlighting the company's commitment to attracting top executive talent.
- Personal Investment Match: The award includes 300,000 restricted stock units matched one-for-one with Craps' personal investment in Lamb Weston shares, reflecting the company's emphasis on aligning executive and shareholder interests to enhance management accountability.
- Option Details: The granted options consist of 750,000 shares with an exercise price of $50.12, among others, providing a potential incentive mechanism for future shareholder value creation, with options set to expire in 2029.
- Compliance Statement: The awards were granted in reliance on the NYSE's employment inducement exemption under Rule 303A.08, ensuring the company's transparency and compliance responsibilities, thereby enhancing investor confidence.
- Award Grant: On February 6, 2026, Lamb Weston Holdings granted 317,647 restricted stock units and options covering 1,117,346 shares to Jan Craps as a significant inducement for his hiring as Executive Chair, reflecting the company's commitment to its leadership.
- Investment Matching: The award includes 300,000 restricted stock units granted as a one-for-one match on Craps' personal investment, indicating the company's strategy to align executive interests with shareholder value, thereby enhancing accountability and motivation.
- Options Details: The stock options consist of 750,000 shares with an exercise price of $50.12, along with options at varying prices, showcasing the company's flexibility and diversity in executive incentives aimed at attracting and retaining top talent.
- Compliance Statement: The grant of these awards is in reliance on the employment inducement exemption under NYSE Rule 303A.08, ensuring the company's commitment to transparency and compliance, which further bolsters investor confidence.
- Executive Appointments: Lamb Weston has appointed Jan Craps as Executive Chair, effective February 6, 2026, bringing over 20 years of international market experience from Anheuser-Busch InBev, aiming to enhance company performance through leadership and international market execution.
- Financial Leadership Change: James D. Gray will become Chief Financial Officer on April 2, 2026, succeeding Bernadette Madarieta, who will provide advisory support during the transition; Gray's 12 years as CFO at Ingredion is expected to strengthen continuity and efficiency in financial functions.
- Strategic Focus: The newly appointed executives will work alongside current CEO Mike Smith to drive the
- Share Sale Details: Douglas Lane sold 65,461 shares of Lamb Weston in Q4 for approximately $3.85 million, indicating a strategic move towards risk management amid market pressures.
- Holding Value Decline: At the end of the quarter, the fund held 1,213,884 shares of Lamb Weston valued at $50.85 million, down $23.45 million from the previous quarter, reflecting diminished market confidence.
- Financial Performance Overview: Lamb Weston reported a 1% year-over-year increase in net sales to $1.62 billion for the latest quarter, with net income rebounding to $62.1 million from a loss of $36.1 million a year earlier, suggesting operational stabilization.
- Market Performance Analysis: Despite improved financial metrics, the stock price has fallen approximately 28% over the past year, significantly underperforming the S&P 500, highlighting concerns over pricing pressures and customer concessions.
- Transaction Overview: Douglas Lane sold 65,461 shares of Lamb Weston in Q4 for an estimated $3.85 million, highlighting ongoing market pressure on the stock.
- Position Change: As of quarter-end, Lane held 1,213,884 shares valued at $50.85 million, a decrease of $23.45 million from the previous quarter, reflecting the dual impact of trading activity and price movements.
- Performance Recovery: Lamb Weston’s latest earnings report indicates a 1% year-over-year increase in Q2 net sales to $1.62 billion, with net income swinging from a loss of $36.1 million to a profit of $62.1 million, suggesting operational stabilization.
- Market Performance: Despite the improvement in company performance, Lamb Weston’s stock price has dropped approximately 28% over the past year, significantly underperforming the S&P 500 by 41 percentage points, reflecting market concerns over pricing pressures and customer concessions.
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