International Paper (NYSE:IP) Announces Earnings Results, Misses Expectations By $0.05 EPS

International Paper (NYSE:IP) released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday. The basic materials company reported ($0.02) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.03 by ($0.05), Zacks reports. International Paper had a net margin of 2.25% and a return on equity of 6.49%.

International Paper Stock Performance

Shares of International Paper stock traded down $0.76 during trading on Thursday, reaching $57.22. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 7,453,453 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,424,080. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62, a quick ratio of 1.11 and a current ratio of 1.53. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $56.17 and its 200-day moving average price is $51.51. The firm has a market cap of $19.88 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 48.91 and a beta of 1.03. International Paper has a one year low of $32.70 and a one year high of $60.36.

International Paper Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 17th. Stockholders of record on Monday, February 24th will be paid a $0.4625 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, February 24th. This represents a $1.85 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.23%. International Paper’s payout ratio is presently 158.12%.

Insider Transactions at International Paper

In related news, Director Kathryn D. Sullivan sold 600 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $58.39, for a total transaction of $35,034.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 37,145 shares in the company, valued at $2,168,896.55. The trade was a 1.59 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. 0.55% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

IP has been the subject of a number of research reports. Truist Financial lifted their price objective on International Paper from $61.00 to $65.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, January 6th. Royal Bank of Canada raised their target price on International Paper from $56.00 to $64.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, November 1st. Finally, BNP Paribas lowered International Paper from a “neutral” rating to an “underperform” rating and set a $48.20 target price on the stock. in a report on Wednesday, November 13th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating, six have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $51.99.

International Paper Company Profile

International Paper Company produces and sells renewable fiber-based packaging and pulp products in North America, Latin America, Europe, and North Africa. It operates through two segments, Industrial Packaging and Global Cellulose Fibers. The company offers linerboard, medium, whitetop, recycled linerboard, recycled medium and saturating kraft; and pulp for a range of applications, such as diapers, towel and tissue products, feminine care, incontinence, and other personal care products, as well as specialty pulps for use in textiles, construction materials, paints, coatings, and others.