Q4 EPS Forecast for International Paper Boosted by Analyst

Key Points

• Zacks Research raised its Q4 2026 EPS estimate for International Paper to $0.67 from $0.61, though it still rates the stock a “Strong Sell.”
• International Paper recently missed earnings expectations, reporting $0.15 EPS versus the $0.18 consensus, while revenue came in slightly below estimates at $5.97 billion.
• Wall Street remains cautiously optimistic overall, with a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $43.73, even as the stock traded around $38.12.

International Paper Company (NYSE:IP - Free Report) - Investment analysts at Zacks Research raised their Q4 2026 earnings estimates for International Paper in a note issued to investors on Tuesday, June 30th. Zacks Research analyst Team now forecasts that the basic materials company will post earnings of $0.67 per share for the quarter, up from their prior forecast of $0.61. Zacks Research has a "Strong Sell" rating on the stock. The consensus estimate for International Paper's current full-year earnings is $1.38 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for International Paper's Q4 2027 earnings at $0.75 EPS and Q1 2028 earnings at $0.68 EPS.

International Paper (NYSE:IP - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 30th. The basic materials company reported $0.15 earnings per share 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 firm had revenue of $5.97 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.02 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $0.17 EPS. The business's quarterly revenue was up 13.4% on a year-over-year basis.

Several other equities analysts also recently issued reports on IP. Seaport Research Partners upgraded International Paper from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $39.00 price objective for the company in a research report on Friday, May 1st. Royal Bank Of Canada decreased their target price on International Paper from $48.00 to $45.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, May 1st. Weiss Ratings cut International Paper from a "sell (d+)" rating to a "sell (d)" rating in a report on Monday, April 27th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft assumed coverage on shares of International Paper in a research report on Wednesday, April 1st. They set a "hold" rating and a $38.00 price target on the stock. Finally, BNP Paribas Exane decreased their price objective on shares of International Paper from $44.00 to $42.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, March 25th. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, International Paper currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $43.73.

International Paper Stock Down 0.3%

Shares of IP opened at $38.12 on Wednesday. The company has a market capitalization of $20.18 billion, a P/E ratio of -5.99 and a beta of 0.96. International Paper has a one year low of $29.26 and a one year high of $56.13. The business's 50 day simple moving average is $33.92 and its 200-day simple moving average is $38.16. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.55, a current ratio of 1.21 and a quick ratio of 0.94.

International Paper Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 12th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 22nd were given a dividend of $0.4625 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 22nd. This represents a $1.85 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.9%. International Paper's payout ratio is presently -29.09%.

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Scott Tozier purchased 10,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 1st. The shares were acquired at an average price of $31.30 per share, with a total value of $313,000.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the director directly owned 10,025 shares of the company's stock, valued at $313,782.50. The trade was a 40,000.00% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 0.21% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

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

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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