Ball (NYSE:BALL) Releases Earnings Results, Beats Estimates By $0.01 EPS

Ball (NYSE:BALL) posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday. The company reported $0.91 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.90 by $0.01, Briefing.com reports. The business had revenue of $3.35 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.11 billion. Ball had a net margin of 5.36% and a return on equity of 17.89%. Ball’s revenue was up 16.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.84 EPS. Ball updated its FY 2026 guidance to 3.930- EPS.

Here are the key takeaways from Ball’s conference call:

• Ball reported a record year in 2025 with $956 million adjusted free cash flow, record comparable diluted EPS of $3.57 (+13% YoY), and returned $1.54 billion to shareholders (including $1.32 billion in buybacks), reducing shares outstanding ~16% over two years.
• Commercial and operational momentum continued — global shift volumes outpaced the market (Q4 +6%, FY +4.1%), profit-per-can in North America and EMEA is >30% higher since 2019, and the Ball Business System plus about $500 million of cost savings (roughly three-quarters delivered) are driving margin improvement.
• Management expects 2026 to deliver its financial algorithm — targeting 10%+ comparable diluted EPS growth, >$900 million free cash flow, year-end net debt/EBITDA around 2.7x, and at least $600 million of share repurchases (total capital return ~$800 million).
• Near-term headwinds and capacity constraints are expected in 2026 — management flagged roughly $35 million of temporary costs (Millersburg startup and domesticating ends production), North America is capacity‑constrained until Millersburg ramps (startup costs back-half weighted), which could mute N. & C. America operating earnings this year.
• Strategic M&A to support growth — Ball closed the Benepack acquisition (Belgium & Hungary) to fill gaps in EMEA, expects volume growth above the top of its 3%–5% range and ~2x operating leverage as the assets are filled, though near-term ramp work will be required.

Ball Price Performance

Shares of NYSE BALL opened at $61.78 on Wednesday. The company has a market capitalization of $16.56 billion, a PE ratio of 25.11, a PEG ratio of 1.12 and a beta of 1.13. The company has a quick ratio of 0.72, a current ratio of 1.11 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.26. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $53.13 and its 200-day moving average price is $51.74. Ball has a twelve month low of $43.51 and a twelve month high of $62.77.

Ball Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 16th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 2nd will be paid a $0.20 dividend. This represents a $0.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.3%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 2nd. Ball’s payout ratio is presently 32.52%.

Key Ball News

Here are the key news stories impacting Ball this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 beat: Ball reported adjusted EPS of $0.91 (vs. $0.90 consensus) and revenue of $3.35B (vs. ~$3.11B expected); management cited higher volumes and favorable price/mix driving sales growth. BALL’s Q4 Earnings Beat Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Strong cash and shareholder returns: Ball generated record adjusted free cash flow (~$956M for 2025) and returned ~$1.54B via buybacks/dividends, supporting capital allocation and buyback-driven EPS. Ball Reports Strong Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2025 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Strategic M&A: Completed a majority stake acquisition in European can maker Benepack, expanding capacity/market presence in Europe. Press Release
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst stance: Brokerages have a consensus “Moderate Buy” on BALL, indicating continued analyst support but not unanimous conviction. Brokerage Consensus
• Neutral Sentiment: Documentation posted: The company published the press release, slide deck and conference call transcript for investors to review management’s commentary and assumptions. Earnings Materials
• Negative Sentiment: Guidance and margin pressure: Ball set FY‑2026 EPS guidance slightly below consensus (~$3.93 vs. ~$3.98), and management noted higher input costs that weighed on margins across segments — a constraint on upside despite top‑line strength. Guidance & Results
• Negative Sentiment: Small EPS beat: The EPS beat was modest (+$0.01), which coupled with margin headwinds and guidance below consensus could temper investor enthusiasm. Earnings Summary

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of BALL. Brighton Jones LLC raised its stake in shares of Ball by 41.2% during the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 5,245 shares of the company’s stock worth $289,000 after purchasing an additional 1,531 shares during the period. AQR Capital Management LLC grew its position in Ball by 402.8% during the first quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 83,995 shares of the company’s stock valued at $4,356,000 after buying an additional 67,289 shares during the period. Empowered Funds LLC increased its holdings in Ball by 10.6% during the first quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 6,167 shares of the company’s stock worth $321,000 after buying an additional 590 shares during the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC bought a new stake in Ball in the second quarter worth about $453,000. Finally, Jump Financial LLC purchased a new position in Ball in the second quarter valued at about $696,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 86.51% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on BALL. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on shares of Ball from $56.00 to $50.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, November 5th. Raymond James Financial initiated coverage on Ball in a research note on Wednesday, October 15th. They set a “market perform” rating for the company. Citigroup raised Ball from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and boosted their price objective for the stock from $54.00 to $67.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. Bank of America upgraded Ball from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $61.00 target price on the stock in a report on Monday, November 17th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company reaffirmed an “overweight” rating on shares of Ball in a research report on Wednesday. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $62.83.

Ball Company Profile

Ball Corporation is a leading provider of sustainable aluminum packaging solutions and advanced aerospace technologies. Headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado, the company serves customers in the beverage, food and aerosol markets through a global network of manufacturing facilities. With an emphasis on sustainability and innovation, Ball designs and produces metal cans, bottles and ends that support recycling and reduce environmental impact.

The company’s packaging segment specializes in beverage cans for soft drinks, beer and energy drinks, as well as metal packaging for food and personal care applications.