Zacks Research Issues Negative Estimate for PKG Earnings

Key Points

• Zacks Research has lowered its Q4 2025 earnings per share (EPS) estimate for Packaging Corporation of America from $2.62 to $2.58, while the full-year earnings estimate stands at $10.44 per share.
• A number of analysts have adjusted their price targets for Packaging Corporation of America, with Jefferies cutting it from $245.00 to $205.00 and Citigroup raising it from $197.00 to $214.00.
• Institutional ownership of Packaging Corporation of America is substantial, with 89.78% of the stock held by institutional investors, indicating strong interest from large entities.

Packaging Corporation of America (NYSE:PKG - Free Report) - Research analysts at Zacks Research decreased their Q4 2025 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for Packaging Corporation of America in a note issued to investors on Wednesday, August 6th. Zacks Research analyst R. Department now expects that the industrial products company will earn $2.58 per share for the quarter, down from their prior estimate of $2.62. The consensus estimate for Packaging Corporation of America's current full-year earnings is $10.44 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Packaging Corporation of America's Q1 2026 earnings at $2.45 EPS and Q2 2026 earnings at $2.70 EPS.

A number of other research firms also recently weighed in on PKG. Truist Financial decreased their price objective on Packaging Corporation of America from $239.00 to $238.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, July 25th. Jefferies Financial Group lowered Packaging Corporation of America from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating and decreased their price target for the company from $245.00 to $205.00 in a research note on Monday, June 16th. UBS Group upped their price target on Packaging Corporation of America from $210.00 to $220.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 29th. Citigroup lifted their price objective on Packaging Corporation of America from $197.00 to $214.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Friday, July 25th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on shares of Packaging Corporation of America from $180.00 to $200.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Thursday, July 10th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, one has given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $215.40.

Packaging Corporation of America Price Performance

NYSE:PKG traded up $1.59 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $196.45. The company's stock had a trading volume of 440,660 shares, compared to its average volume of 676,521. The company has a market capitalization of $17.68 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.61, a P/E/G ratio of 2.31 and a beta of 0.85. The company has a current ratio of 3.28, a quick ratio of 2.15 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.55. Packaging Corporation of America has a fifty-two week low of $172.71 and a fifty-two week high of $250.82. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $196.64 and a 200-day moving average of $197.74.

Packaging Corporation of America (NYSE:PKG - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 23rd. The industrial products company reported $2.48 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $2.44 by $0.04. The company had revenue of $2.17 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $2.18 billion. Packaging Corporation of America had a net margin of 10.47% and a return on equity of 20.36%. The business's revenue was up 4.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $2.20 EPS.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Packaging Corporation of America

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. lifted its position in Packaging Corporation of America by 6.6% during the 1st quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 3,272,704 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $648,061,000 after buying an additional 202,755 shares in the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted its position in shares of Packaging Corporation of America by 46.5% during the first quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 3,038,859 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $601,755,000 after purchasing an additional 964,085 shares in the last quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD lifted its position in shares of Packaging Corporation of America by 108.4% during the first quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 2,363,617 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $468,045,000 after purchasing an additional 1,229,219 shares in the last quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. grew its stake in shares of Packaging Corporation of America by 2.6% during the first quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 1,905,475 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $377,347,000 after purchasing an additional 47,558 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its holdings in shares of Packaging Corporation of America by 5.1% in the first quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 1,248,739 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $247,240,000 after purchasing an additional 60,710 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.78% of the company's stock.

About Packaging Corporation of America

Packaging Corporation of America engages in the production of container products. It operates through the following segments: Packaging, Paper, and Corporate and Other. The Packaging segment offers a variety of corrugated packaging products, such as conventional shipping containers. The Paper segment manufactures and sells a range of papers, including communication-based papers, and pressure sensitive papers.