Jefferies Financial Group Cuts International Paper (NYSE:IP) Price Target to $47.00

International Paper (NYSE:IP) had its target price decreased by Jefferies Financial Group from $51.00 to $47.00 in a research report sent to investors on Wednesday morning,MarketScreener reports. Jefferies Financial Group currently has a buy rating on the basic materials company’s stock.

Several other research analysts have also recently issued reports on IP. BNP Paribas raised International Paper from a “strong sell” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $44.00 target price on the stock in a research report on Monday, November 24th. BNP Paribas Exane upgraded International Paper from an “underperform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $44.00 target price on the stock in a research note on Monday, November 24th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price objective on International Paper from $48.00 to $46.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, December 5th. Truist Financial reduced their target price on shares of International Paper from $55.00 to $53.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, October 13th. Finally, Bank of America upgraded shares of International Paper from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and raised their price target for the stock from $55.00 to $57.00 in a research note on Thursday, August 28th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have issued a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $49.16.

International Paper Stock Down 0.9%

Shares of IP stock traded down $0.34 on Wednesday, hitting $38.26. 9,214,408 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 4,587,550. The firm has a market capitalization of $20.20 billion, a P/E ratio of -14.66, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.22 and a beta of 1.09. International Paper has a fifty-two week low of $35.56 and a fifty-two week high of $60.15. The business has a 50-day moving average of $40.48 and a 200 day moving average of $45.53. The company has a current ratio of 1.31, a quick ratio of 1.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52.

International Paper (NYSE:IP) last released its earnings results on Thursday, October 30th. The basic materials company reported ($0.43) earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.53 by ($0.96). The firm had revenue of $6.22 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.76 billion. International Paper had a negative net margin of 5.45% and a negative return on equity of 0.16%. International Paper’s quarterly revenue was up 56.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.33 earnings per share. Equities analysts anticipate that International Paper will post 2.77 EPS for the current year.

International Paper Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 16th. Shareholders of record on Friday, November 14th were paid a $0.4625 dividend. This represents a $1.85 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.8%. International Paper’s payout ratio is currently -70.88%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other International Paper news, SVP Clay R. Ellis sold 18,819 shares of International Paper stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $36.85, for a total transaction of $693,480.15. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.35% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On International Paper

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in IP. Rise Advisors LLC boosted its stake in International Paper by 281.3% during the first quarter. Rise Advisors LLC now owns 469 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 346 shares during the last quarter. AlphaQuest LLC increased its stake in International Paper by 63,400.0% in the 2nd quarter. AlphaQuest LLC now owns 635 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 634 shares in the last quarter. Migdal Insurance & Financial Holdings Ltd. purchased a new position in shares of International Paper during the second quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Elevation Point Wealth Partners LLC purchased a new stake in International Paper in the 2nd quarter valued at about $35,000. Finally, Kelleher Financial Advisors acquired a new position in shares of International Paper during the 3rd quarter valued at about $36,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 81.95% of the company’s stock.

More International Paper News

Here are the key news stories impacting International Paper this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks raised several near-term quarter estimates (small increases to Q2 2026, Q3 2026 and Q2/Q3 2027 EPS projections), signaling modestly improved short-term expectations from that shop; Zacks still rates IP a “Hold”.
• Positive Sentiment: IP paid its quarterly dividend ($0.4625, annualized $1.85), supporting yield-focused investors (yield ~4.8%) and providing income support to the share price.
• Neutral Sentiment: International Paper set its earnings release date for Jan. 29, giving investors a near-term catalyst for fresh company guidance and results. International Paper sets January 29 date for 2025 results, outlines 2026 earnings schedule
• Neutral Sentiment: Institutional ownership remains high (about 82%) with several funds adjusting stakes, which can amplify moves but also provides a stable ownership base.
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst coverage is mixed — some trims to targets from big banks but a recent upgrade at Zacks from “strong sell” to “hold”; consensus remains a moderate buy with an average target near $50, so analyst views are varied.
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks cut Q4 2026 and FY2026 EPS materially (Q4 from $0.76 to $0.55; FY2026 from $2.55 to $2.36) and trimmed FY2027 slightly — these downgrades weigh on medium-term earnings visibility and are a clear negative for the stock.
• Negative Sentiment: An IP SVP, Clay Ellis, sold 18,819 shares (SEC Form 4 disclosure), which can be perceived negatively by some investors. SEC Form 4 — Clay Ellis sale
• Negative Sentiment: Negative media pieces (e.g., “3 Reasons to Avoid IP”) highlight valuation/operational concerns and may pressure sentiment and flows. 3 Reasons to Avoid IP and 1 Stock to Buy Instead

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.