International Paper (NYSE:IP) Upgraded to Buy at Seaport Research Partners

Seaport Research Partners upgraded shares of International Paper (NYSE:IP) from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a research report sent to investors on Friday, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Seaport Research Partners currently has $39.00 target price on the basic materials company’s stock.

Several other research firms also recently issued reports on IP. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price objective on International Paper from $48.00 to $46.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, April 2nd. Truist Financial dropped their target price 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. Royal Bank Of Canada cut their price target on shares of International Paper from $54.00 to $48.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, April 16th. UBS Group reduced their price target on shares of International Paper from $44.00 to $40.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, April 10th. Finally, Citigroup decreased their price objective on shares of International Paper from $47.00 to $44.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, April 14th. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $44.31.

International Paper Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:IP traded up $1.43 on Friday, reaching $31.85. 13,278,653 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 7,053,511. The stock has a market capitalization of $16.86 billion, a PE ratio of -4.75 and a beta of 0.94. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.55, a current ratio of 1.21 and a quick ratio of 1.02. The company’s 50 day moving average is $37.25 and its 200-day moving average is $40.12. International Paper has a fifty-two week low of $29.45 and a fifty-two week high of $56.13.

International Paper (NYSE:IP) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The basic materials company reported $0.15 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.18 by ($0.03). International Paper had a negative return on equity of 0.49% and a negative net margin of 13.42%.The company had revenue of $5.97 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.02 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.17 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 13.4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts anticipate that International Paper will post 1.63 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at International Paper

In other International Paper news, Director Anders Gustafsson bought 13,217 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 12th. The shares were bought at an average price of $37.83 per share, for a total transaction of $499,999.11. Following the acquisition, the director directly owned 26,092 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $987,060.36. This trade represents a 102.66% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, Director Scott Tozier purchased 10,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 1st. The shares were bought at an average price of $31.30 per share, with a total value of $313,000.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director owned 10,025 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $313,782.50. This trade represents a 40,000.00% increase in their position. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. Insiders bought a total of 36,092 shares of company stock worth $1,313,064 in the last quarter. 0.21% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On International Paper

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of IP. 180 Wealth Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of International Paper by 13.5% during the first quarter. 180 Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 6,574 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $235,000 after acquiring an additional 781 shares in the last quarter. Midwest Trust Co grew its stake in International Paper by 1.7% in the first quarter. Midwest Trust Co now owns 79,571 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $2,841,000 after purchasing an additional 1,359 shares in the last quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp increased its position in International Paper by 654.8% in the 1st quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 146,080 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $5,215,000 after purchasing an additional 126,726 shares during the last quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of International Paper by 27.9% during the 1st quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 18,370 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $656,000 after purchasing an additional 4,002 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Ascentis Independent Advisors purchased a new stake in shares of International Paper during the 1st quarter worth about $28,000. 81.95% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

More International Paper News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Director Scott Tozier bought 10,000 shares at about $31.30, a direct insider purchase that can be viewed as a vote of confidence by management. SEC Form 4
• Positive Sentiment: Balance‑sheet and cash flow actions: IP received ~$1.1B net proceeds from the sale of its Global Cellulose Fibers business, used ~$660M to pay down debt, generated $611M of operating cash and reported $94M FCF for Q1 — these moves materially improve liquidity and lower leverage. Press Release
• Positive Sentiment: Management’s 2026 targets: IP is guiding to $3.2B–$3.5B of adjusted EBITDA for 2026 and is targeting $300M–$500M of free cash flow, providing a framework for recovery if cost pressures ease. SA: 2026 targets
• Neutral Sentiment: Company filed an 8‑K and held its Q1 call; the transcript and slide deck are available for investors to assess management commentary on costs and the EMEA separation. TipRanks 8‑K
• Neutral Sentiment: Unusually large options flow was observed (big increase in both call and put activity), signaling heightened short‑term speculative interest and volatility. (No single authoritative story; flagged in market activity notes.)
• Negative Sentiment: Q1 missed expectations on EPS ($0.15 vs. $0.18 consensus) and revenue ($5.97B vs. ~$6.02B), and margins were pressured — a direct near‑term negative for sentiment. Q1 results
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts cut forecasts and price targets after Q1 and guidance; JPMorgan trimmed its PT to $43 and moved to neutral, and several outlets report analysts “slashing” forecasts — these actions weigh on near‑term upside. Benzinga: analyst reactions
• Negative Sentiment: Management trimmed its 2026 adjusted EBITDA outlook vs. prior expectations and cited higher costs and macro pressures — the primary driver of the recent negative revisions in sentiment. Zacks: lowered outlook

About International Paper

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.