Zacks Research Has Negative Forecast for IP FY2026 Earnings

International Paper Company (NYSE:IP) – Research analysts at Zacks Research cut their FY2026 EPS estimates for shares of International Paper in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday, November 11th. Zacks Research analyst Team now forecasts that the basic materials company will post earnings per share of $1.11 for the year, down from their prior forecast of $1.29. The consensus estimate for International Paper’s current full-year earnings is $1.14 per share.

International Paper (NYSE:IP) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 28th. The basic materials company reported $0.37 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.29 by $0.08. International Paper had a negative net margin of 14.32% and a positive return on equity of 1.77%. The business had revenue of $6.20 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.28 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted ($0.43) earnings per share. The business’s quarterly revenue was down .4% on a year-over-year basis.

A number of other brokerages have also issued reports on IP. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their target price on International Paper from $46.00 to $42.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, October 7th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price target on International Paper from $62.00 to $51.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, October 29th. Weiss Ratings downgraded International Paper from a “sell (d)” rating to a “sell (d-)” rating in a research note on Monday. Seaport Research Partners reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $46.00 price objective on shares of International Paper in a report on Wednesday, August 12th. Finally, Bank of America restated a “buy” rating on shares of International Paper in a research note on Thursday, October 29th. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, International Paper presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $45.44.

International Paper Price Performance

Shares of IP opened at $33.92 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $17.97 billion, a PE ratio of 72.21, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.08 and a beta of 0.97. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.57, a current ratio of 0.99 and a quick ratio of 0.75. International Paper has a 1-year low of $29.26 and a 1-year high of $50.25. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $34.17 and its 200-day moving average price is $37.08.

International Paper Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 15th. Investors of record on Monday, November 16th will be given a dividend of $0.4625 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, November 16th. This represents a $1.85 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.5%. International Paper’s payout ratio is currently -28.20%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On International Paper

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Mitchell & Pahl Private Wealth LLC purchased a new position in International Paper during the third quarter valued at approximately $2,122,000. Man Group plc purchased a new stake in International Paper in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $24,640,000. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company boosted its position in International Paper by 50.0% in the 2nd quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 1,167,393 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $44,478,000 after purchasing an additional 389,092 shares in the last quarter. D.A. Davidson & CO. acquired a new stake in shares of International Paper during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $4,469,000. Finally, Amundi acquired a new stake in shares of International Paper during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $82,666,000. 81.95% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

International Paper Company Profile

International Paper is a global producer of fiber-based packaging and pulp products. Its packaging offerings include containerboard and corrugated packaging used to protect and transport goods, while its pulp products serve a range of consumer and industrial applications. The company traces its origins to 1898, when several U.S. paper manufacturers combined to form International Paper. Over time, it has evolved through acquisitions and changes to its business, with a focus on renewable, fiber-based materials and packaging solutions.