International Paper (NYSE:IP) Sets New 1-Year Low – Here’s Why
by Scott Moore · The Cerbat GemInternational Paper Company (NYSE:IP – Get Free Report) hit a new 52-week low on Wednesday . The company traded as low as $33.55 and last traded at $33.4610, with a volume of 3120805 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $35.44.
International Paper News Roundup
Here are the key news stories impacting International Paper this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Small upward tweaks: Zacks raised Q4 2027 to $0.85 (from $0.80) and Q4 2026 to $0.62 (from $0.61), and nudged Q1 2026 to $0.24 (from $0.23) — modest bright spots amid mostly cuts. MarketBeat IP
- Neutral Sentiment: Zacks kept a “Hold” rating on IP, signaling neither a buy nor sell conviction despite the estimate revisions. MarketBeat IP
- Negative Sentiment: Material downward revision to FY2027: Zacks cut its FY2027 EPS view to $2.97 from $3.24 — a sizable trim to medium‑term earnings expectations. MarketBeat IP
- Negative Sentiment: FY2028 reduced to $3.31 from $3.49, signaling the firm expects slower longer‑term earnings progression than previously modeled. MarketBeat IP
- Negative Sentiment: Big quarterly cut: Q2 2027 EPS slashed to $0.62 from $0.86 — this near‑term downgrade is likely the strongest driver of downward price pressure. MarketBeat IP
- Negative Sentiment: Other notable downgrades: Q2 2026 trimmed to $0.30 (from $0.38), Q1 2028 to $0.79 (from $0.85), and several smaller quarterly reductions — pointing to weaker near‑term demand/margin assumptions. MarketBeat IP
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
IP has been the topic of several recent research reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price target on International Paper from $48.00 to $46.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, April 2nd. UBS Group reduced their price target on International Paper from $44.00 to $40.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, April 10th. BNP Paribas Exane reduced their price target 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. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price target on International Paper from $40.00 to $38.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, March 20th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus reduced their price target on International Paper from $51.80 to $50.70 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, February 9th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $45.48.
View Our Latest Analysis on IP
International Paper Trading Down 2.6%
The stock has a market capitalization of $17.29 billion, a P/E ratio of -4.87 and a beta of 1.14. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $38.84 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $40.59. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60, a quick ratio of 1.02 and a current ratio of 1.28.
International Paper (NYSE:IP – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 29th. The basic materials company reported ($0.08) earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.28 by ($0.36). International Paper had a negative return on equity of 0.35% and a negative net margin of 14.12%.The business had revenue of $6.01 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.90 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted ($0.02) earnings per share. International Paper’s quarterly revenue was up 53.1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts forecast that International Paper Company will post 1.67 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Insider Activity at International Paper
In other news, Director Anders Gustafsson purchased 13,217 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 12th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $37.83 per share, for a total transaction of $499,999.11. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 26,092 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $987,060.36. This trade represents a 102.66% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CEO Andrew K. Silvernail purchased 50,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 30th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $39.98 per share, for a total transaction of $1,999,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 50,000 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,999,000. This represents a ∞ increase in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. Insiders have purchased 76,092 shares of company stock worth $2,999,064 over the last 90 days. 0.21% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.
Institutional Investors Weigh In On International Paper
Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. USS Investment Management Ltd raised its stake in International Paper by 8.8% during the first quarter. USS Investment Management Ltd now owns 70,599 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $2,511,000 after buying an additional 5,722 shares during the last quarter. IFM Investors Pty Ltd raised its stake in International Paper by 13.1% during the first quarter. IFM Investors Pty Ltd now owns 94,364 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $3,369,000 after buying an additional 10,951 shares during the last quarter. Patton Fund Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of International Paper by 9.3% in the first quarter. Patton Fund Management Inc. now owns 6,114 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $218,000 after purchasing an additional 521 shares during the last quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System purchased a new position in shares of International Paper in the first quarter worth $960,000. Finally, Kestra Private Wealth Services LLC raised its stake in shares of International Paper by 8.2% in the first quarter. Kestra Private Wealth Services LLC now owns 16,918 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $604,000 after purchasing an additional 1,287 shares during the last quarter. 81.95% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
International Paper Company Profile
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.