Howard Capital Management LLC Acquires New Holdings in International Paper Company $IP

Key Points

• Howard Capital Management acquired 164,775 International Paper shares worth approximately $5.5 million in the third quarter. Institutional investors collectively own 81.95% of the company.
• International Paper is evaluating unsolicited bids for its EMEA packaging business while still considering a planned spin-off. A sale could unlock value, but investors remain focused on offer terms, timing, execution risks and the potential loss relative to the DS Smith acquisition price.
• IP shares recently traded at $34.12, while analysts’ consensus target is $46.90 and the average rating is “Moderate Buy.” The company also announced a quarterly dividend of $0.4625 per share, implying a 5.4% annualized yield.

Howard Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of International Paper Company (NYSE:IP - Free Report) in the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 164,775 shares of the basic materials company's stock, valued at approximately $5,466,000.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of IP. Stephens Inc. AR increased its position in International Paper by 1.3% in the first quarter. Stephens Inc. AR now owns 23,032 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $853,000 after purchasing an additional 298 shares during the last quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. lifted its position in International Paper by 2.3% during the fourth quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. now owns 13,274 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $523,000 after purchasing an additional 302 shares during the last quarter. Ranch Capital Advisors Inc. grew its stake in shares of International Paper by 0.8% in the 1st quarter. Ranch Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 45,785 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $1,635,000 after buying an additional 364 shares in the last quarter. Krilogy Financial LLC grew its stake in shares of International Paper by 5.8% in the 1st quarter. Krilogy Financial LLC now owns 8,017 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $290,000 after buying an additional 437 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Arvest Bank Trust Division grew its stake in shares of International Paper by 1.2% in the 1st quarter. Arvest Bank Trust Division now owns 41,480 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $1,481,000 after buying an additional 509 shares in the last quarter. 81.95% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Insider Transactions at International Paper

In other news, VP William Hamic sold 24,500 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $41.20, for a total value of $1,009,400.00. Following the sale, the vice president directly owned 106,952 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,406,422.40. This trade represents a 18.64% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CAO Holly G. Goughnour sold 3,500 shares of International Paper stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $41.96, for a total transaction of $146,860.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer directly owned 34,248 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,437,046.08. The trade was a 9.27% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders own 0.21% of the company's stock.

International Paper News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: International Paper confirmed that it has received unsolicited bids for its EMEA Packaging Business. Investors view potential sale proceeds as a possible value-unlocking alternative to the company’s planned spin-off of the business into a separate public company. International Paper Confirms Unsolicited Bids for EMEA Packaging Unit Alongside Planned Spin-off
• Positive Sentiment: Reports that private-equity firms are exploring multibillion-dollar offers for the European packaging operations triggered a sharp increase in IP shares in the prior session. A sale could provide a faster and potentially more certain path to monetizing the DS Smith-related assets than a standalone separation. Private Equity Firms Exploring Deals for International Paper’s European Packaging Business
• Neutral Sentiment: IP is evaluating unsolicited interest while continuing to consider its previously announced EMEA spin-off plan. The company has not announced a definitive agreement, leaving investors focused on the bid amounts, transaction structure, timing and potential regulatory or execution risks. Statement Regarding Possible EMEA Packaging Business Sale
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts are approaching the upcoming third-quarter results cautiously, with the decision on the EMEA business likely to remain a central catalyst. The stock still appears below some fair-value estimates after its earlier decline, but investors may wait for management’s strategic update before reassessing valuation. International Paper Q3 Preview: Wait for the Decision on EMEA Business
• Negative Sentiment: A potential sale may crystallize a substantial loss compared with the price International Paper paid for the DS Smith assets only two years ago. That prospect raises concerns about the strategic cost of the acquisition and could weigh on sentiment if bids fall short of expectations. Why International Paper Rallied Today

International Paper Stock Up 0.1%

Shares of NYSE:IP traded up $0.02 on Friday, reaching $34.12. The company had a trading volume of 5,514,757 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,521,614. International Paper Company has a 52-week low of $29.26 and a 52-week high of $50.25. The firm's 50 day simple moving average is $36.23 and its 200-day simple moving average is $36.01. The firm has a market capitalization of $18.07 billion, a PE ratio of -5.23, a PEG ratio of 4.43 and a beta of 0.93. The company has a current ratio of 1.10, a quick ratio of 0.84 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.57.

International Paper (NYSE:IP - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The basic materials company reported $0.04 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($0.04) by $0.08. International Paper had a negative return on equity of 1.09% and a negative net margin of 14.20%. The firm had revenue of $6 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.19 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.20 EPS. The business's revenue for the quarter was down 11.3% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts expect that International Paper Company will post 1.28 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

International Paper Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 15th. Shareholders of record on Monday, November 16th will be issued a $0.4625 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, November 16th. This represents a $1.85 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.4%. International Paper's payout ratio is currently -28.37%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

IP has been the topic of a number of research reports. Bank of America upgraded shares of International Paper from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $46.00 target price on the stock in a report on Friday, September 11th. Seaport Research Partners reiterated a "buy" rating and issued a $46.00 target price on shares of International Paper in a report on Wednesday, August 12th. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of International Paper from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a report on Saturday, October 3rd. Loop Capital set a $61.00 price objective on International Paper in a research report on Tuesday, July 28th. Finally, Truist Financial reduced their target price on shares of International Paper from $49.00 to $41.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, October 12th. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $46.90.

About International Paper

International Paper NYSE: IP is a global producer of sustainable packaging, pulp and paper products. The company manufactures corrugated packaging, containerboard and other fiber-based packaging solutions used to protect, transport and display goods, along with market pulp and specialty paper products.

Founded in 1898, International Paper has developed operations serving customers across North America and Europe. Its activities also include recycling and the recovery of fiber used in paper and packaging production, supporting the company's focus on renewable and recyclable materials.

International Paper completed its combination with DS Smith in 2025, expanding its geographic reach and packaging capabilities.

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