International Paper Target of Unusually High Options Trading (NYSE:IP)

International Paper Company (NYSE:IP) saw some unusual options trading on Thursday. Stock traders acquired 5,714 put options on the company. This is an increase of 70% compared to the typical daily volume of 3,360 put options.

Key Headlines Impacting International Paper

Here are the key news stories impacting International Paper this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Company generated strong cash and reduced leverage: $611M cash from operations, $94M free cash flow in Q1, and received $1.1B net proceeds from the Global Cellulose Fibers sale, using $660M to pay down debt — helps shore up the balance sheet. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Management set full-year targets of $3.2B–$3.5B adjusted EBITDA for 2026 and is targeting $300M–$500M of free cash flow — gives investors a clear financial frame for the year even as near-term headwinds persist. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Corporate actions and investor communications: IP filed an 8‑K and scheduled an earnings/separation call to discuss Q1 results and its EMEA separation plan — provides transparency but not immediate earnings relief. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Unusual options activity: heavy call buying (24,482 contracts) and elevated put volume were both reported — signals heightened trader interest and potential volatility but unclear directional conviction. (Market reports)
• Negative Sentiment: Q1 missed EPS and slightly missed sales: reported $0.15 EPS vs. $0.18 consensus and revenue $5.97B vs. $6.02B est. — misses and margin pressure drove the initial selloff. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Management trimmed near‑term profit outlook and flagged higher costs: company issued downbeat Q2 adjusted EBITDA guidance ($520M–$570M) and lowered cadence assumptions amid cost inflation, prompting analyst concern and at least one downgrade note. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst and market reaction: coverage highlights downside risk from the reduced outlook and the stock dropped precipitously after the release; some analysts lowered 2026 EBITDA views citing rising costs. Read More.

Insider Buying and Selling at International Paper

In related news, Director Anders Gustafsson bought 13,217 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 12th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $37.83 per share, with a total value of $499,999.11. Following the acquisition, the director owned 26,092 shares in the company, valued at approximately $987,060.36. This represents a 102.66% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Corporate insiders own 0.21% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On International Paper

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in IP. AE Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in International Paper by 8.5% during the third quarter. AE Wealth Management LLC now owns 332,310 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $15,419,000 after buying an additional 26,146 shares during the last quarter. Caprock Group LLC bought a new position in International Paper during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $2,340,000. Icon Advisers Inc. Co. acquired a new position in International Paper during the third quarter valued at approximately $4,853,000. Advisors Preferred LLC bought a new stake in International Paper in the third quarter valued at approximately $1,181,000. Finally, Barclays PLC raised its holdings in International Paper by 12.4% in the third quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 2,348,177 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $108,955,000 after purchasing an additional 259,371 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 81.95% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts have issued reports on IP shares. UBS Group cut their price objective on International Paper from $44.00 to $40.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Friday, April 10th. Truist Financial reduced their price target on shares of International Paper from $48.00 to $44.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, April 15th. Wells Fargo & Company cut their target price on shares of International Paper from $40.00 to $38.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, March 20th. Citigroup reduced their target price on International Paper from $47.00 to $44.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, April 14th. Finally, Zacks Research downgraded International Paper from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 23rd. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have issued a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, International Paper presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $45.48.

International Paper Price Performance

Shares of IP stock opened at $30.49 on Friday. International Paper has a 1 year low of $29.45 and a 1 year high of $56.13. The company has a current ratio of 1.28, a quick ratio of 1.02 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $37.25 and its 200-day moving average is $40.12. The firm has a market capitalization of $16.14 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -4.54 and a beta of 1.14.

International Paper (NYSE:IP) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 30th. The basic materials company reported $0.15 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.18 by ($0.03). International Paper had a negative return on equity of 0.35% and a negative net margin of 14.12%.The company had revenue of $5.97 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.02 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.17 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 13.4% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts forecast that International Paper will post 1.63 EPS for the current fiscal year.

International Paper Company Profile

International Paper is a global producer of renewable fiber-based products, focused primarily on pulp, paper, and packaging. The company manufactures containerboard and corrugated packaging used for shipping and retail display, as well as a range of specialty papers and pulp products that serve industrial, consumer goods, and e-commerce customers. Its product portfolio is oriented toward large-scale packaging solutions, tissue and paper grades, and raw pulp for a variety of manufacturing uses.

Founded in 1898, International Paper is headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, and is one of the largest and longest-established companies in the forest products sector.