Lincoln Educational Services Corporation (LINC) vs Lifeway Foods, Inc. (LWAY)
A side-by-side comparison of Lincoln Educational Services Corporation and Lifeway Foods, Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of October 6, 2026. Differences are shown without an overall score or investment verdict.
LINC
Lincoln Educational Services Corporation
$22.32Consumer DefensiveDelayed quote: Oct 6, 2026, 11:31 AM EDT
LWAY
Lifeway Foods, Inc.
$20.78Consumer DefensiveDelayed quote: Oct 6, 2026, 11:31 AM EDT
Total return — LINC vs LWAY
growth of $100 · dividends reinvested · last 10yLINC +1004.5% (+27.1%/yr)LWAY +31.3% (+2.8%/yr)LINC compounded faster over this window
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
LINC LWAY
LINC vs LWAY: by the numbers
- •LINC is the larger company ($708M vs $318M market cap).
- •LWAY trades at the lower trailing earnings multiple (29.76 vs 30.16 P/E), one valuation lens rather than an overall verdict.
- •LWAY converts more revenue to profit (4.48% vs 3.99% net margin).
- •LWAY grew revenue faster over the past five years (17.09% vs 12.34% CAGR).
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | LINC | LWAY |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 30.16 | 29.76 |
| Forward P/E | 28.67 | 39.98 |
| PEG ratio | N/A | 0.89 |
| P/S ratio | 1.24 | 1.31 |
| P/B ratio | 3.50 | 3.75 |
| EV / EBITDA | 14.48 | 16.65 |
| FCF yield | 3.47% | N/A |
Profitability
| Metric | LINC | LWAY |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 59.84% | 26.01% |
| Operating margin | 5.92% | 6.49% |
| Net margin | 3.99% | 4.48% |
| ROE | 11.27% | 12.85% |
| ROIC | 6.33% | 10.06% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | LINC | LWAY |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 12.34% | 17.09% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | -15.29% | 34.09% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 26.01% | 30.78% |
Frequently asked
- Which has the lower trailing P/E, LINC or LWAY?
- LWAY has the lower trailing P/E: LINC trades at 30.16 and LWAY at 29.76. P/E is one valuation measure and does not by itself establish which business is cheaper.
- Which has grown faster, LINC or LWAY?
- Over the past five years, LWAY grew revenue faster — LINC at a 12.34% CAGR versus LWAY at 17.09%.
- Is LINC or LWAY more profitable?
- LWAY runs the higher net margin — LINC at 3.99% versus LWAY at 4.48%.
- How have LINC and LWAY total returns compared?
- Over the past 10 years, LINC delivered 26.48% and LWAY delivered 3.30% annualized total return. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Lincoln Educational Services P/E ratioLifeway Foods P/E ratioLincoln Educational Services ROELifeway Foods ROELincoln Educational Services operating marginLifeway Foods operating marginLincoln Educational Services revenue growthLifeway Foods revenue growthLincoln Educational Services free cash flowLifeway Foods free cash flow
Lincoln Educational Services & Lifeway Foods appear in these rankings
Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified October 6, 2026.