International Paper Company (NYSE:IP) Given Average Rating of "Moderate Buy" by Brokerages

Key Points

• International Paper has a consensus analyst rating of “Moderate Buy” from 14 covering firms, with an average 12-month price target of about $43.73.
• Recent analyst actions were mixed: JPMorgan and Zacks lowered views on the stock, while Stifel, BNP Paribas Exane, and Truist maintained positive ratings but trimmed their price targets.
• Insiders have been buying shares, with directors Scott Tozier and Anders Gustafsson making notable purchases; meanwhile, the stock recently traded around $33.00, well below its 52-week high of $56.13.

International Paper Company (NYSE:IP - Get Free Report) has been given a consensus recommendation of "Moderate Buy" by the fourteen research firms that are currently covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, three have given a hold recommendation and nine have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12-month target price among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $43.7250.

Several research analysts have issued reports on IP shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their target price on shares of International Paper from $46.00 to $43.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a report on Friday, May 1st. Stifel Nicolaus reduced their price target on shares of International Paper from $51.80 to $50.70 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, February 9th. Zacks Research lowered shares of International Paper from a "hold" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a report on Thursday, April 23rd. BNP Paribas Exane lowered their price objective on International Paper from $44.00 to $42.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, March 25th. Finally, Truist Financial cut their target price on International Paper from $48.00 to $44.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, April 15th.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other International Paper news, Director Scott Tozier acquired 10,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 1st. The shares were bought at an average cost of $31.30 per share, with a total value of $313,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 10,025 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $313,782.50. This represents a 40,000.00% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Director Anders Gustafsson acquired 13,217 shares of International Paper stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 12th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $37.83 per share, with a total value of $499,999.11. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director directly owned 26,092 shares in the company, valued at $987,060.36. This represents a 102.66% increase in their position. The disclosure for this purchase is available in the SEC filing. Over the last ninety days, insiders have bought 36,092 shares of company stock worth $1,313,064. Corporate insiders own 0.21% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On International Paper

A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. McIlrath & Eck LLC grew its stake in shares of International Paper by 452.6% during the 4th quarter. McIlrath & Eck LLC now owns 641 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 525 shares during the period. MV Capital Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of International Paper during the 4th quarter valued at about $25,000. Ascentis Independent Advisors bought a new position in shares of International Paper in the 1st quarter worth approximately $28,000. DV Equities LLC purchased a new position in shares of International Paper in the fourth quarter worth approximately $29,000. Finally, Sound Income Strategies LLC boosted its holdings in shares of International Paper by 94.0% in the fourth quarter. Sound Income Strategies LLC now owns 710 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 344 shares during the last quarter. 81.95% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

International Paper Trading Down 0.3%

NYSE IP opened at $33.00 on Friday. International Paper has a 12 month low of $29.45 and a 12 month high of $56.13. The company has a current ratio of 1.21, a quick ratio of 0.94 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.55. The stock's fifty day moving average price is $36.51 and its 200-day moving average price is $39.74. The stock has a market cap of $17.47 billion, a P/E ratio of -5.19 and a beta of 0.93.

International Paper (NYSE:IP - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The basic materials company reported $0.15 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate 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 during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $6.02 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.17 EPS. International Paper's revenue for the quarter was up 13.4% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts forecast that International Paper will post 1.43 EPS for the current fiscal year.

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.

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