International Paper (NYSE:IP) Posts Earnings Results, Beats Expectations By $0.08 EPS

International Paper (NYSE:IP) issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday. The basic materials company reported $0.04 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.04) by $0.08, FiscalAI reports. The business had revenue of $6 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.20 billion. International Paper had a negative net margin of 13.42% and a negative return on equity of 0.49%. The business’s revenue was down 11.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.20 earnings per share.

Here are the key takeaways from International Paper’s conference call:

• Positive Sentiment: International Paper reported stronger-than-expected operational execution in Q2, including a roughly 500-basis-point year-over-year improvement in mill performance and North American box-volume growth of 1.7%.
• Positive Sentiment: Management expects a significant second-half earnings improvement, supported by price-increase realization, the Riverdale conversion ramp, NORPAC’s contribution, and ongoing cost reductions. North America’s Q3 Adjusted EBITDA outlook is $555 million–$585 million, while EMEA’s is $230 million–$250 million.
• Negative Sentiment: The company reduced the high end of its 2026 Adjusted EBITDA outlook by approximately $50 million because of weaker macro conditions and the prolonged Middle East conflict, with additional pressure from transportation, OCC, diesel, and medical costs.
• Negative Sentiment: Pine Hill operations were suspended for structural roof repairs and are expected to resume by the end of August; the disruption is estimated to reduce second-half results by $70 million–$100 million before an anticipated insurance recovery. Demand is also softer than previously expected, with North American industry volumes now projected to remain broadly flat in the second half.
• Positive Sentiment: The planned separation of the EMEA packaging business remains on track, while more than $210 million of run-rate EMEA footprint and cost savings have been announced, including 31 facility closures or planned closures and a reduction of more than 3,000 positions.

International Paper Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE IP traded up $0.78 during midday trading on Thursday, hitting $43.42. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 7,357,723 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,361,013. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.55, a quick ratio of 0.94 and a current ratio of 1.21. International Paper has a 1-year low of $29.26 and a 1-year high of $52.28. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $36.68 and its 200-day moving average price is $38.02. The firm has a market cap of $22.99 billion, a P/E ratio of -6.83 and a beta of 0.94.

International Paper Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 14th will be issued a $0.4625 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 14th. This represents a $1.85 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.3%. International Paper’s payout ratio is -29.09%.

International Paper News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: International Paper reported adjusted EPS of $0.04, beating the consensus estimate for a $0.04 loss. Adjusted EBITDA was $587 million, while operating cash flow reached $526 million. International Paper Reports Second Quarter 2026 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Management projected third-quarter adjusted EBITDA of $780 million to $830 million and maintained full-year 2026 guidance of $3.2 billion to $3.4 billion, suggesting improvement after second-quarter maintenance disruptions. IP Q2 Earnings Beat Estimates, Decline Y/Y on High Maintenance Costs
• Positive Sentiment: Several company insiders reportedly purchased IP shares during the past six months, including CEO Andrew K. Silvernail’s purchase of 50,000 shares. Insider buying can signal management confidence in the company’s longer-term recovery. International Paper Stock Opinions on Q2 Earnings Report
• Neutral Sentiment: JPMorgan upgraded its rating on International Paper, providing support for the shares, although analyst price targets remain mixed and the reported median target of $42.50 is close to the stock’s recent trading level. International Paper Stock Rating Upgraded by JPMorgan Chase
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue fell 11.3% year over year to $6.0 billion, below the $6.2 billion consensus, and the company posted a $12 million loss from continuing operations versus $0.20 EPS in the prior-year quarter.
• Negative Sentiment: High maintenance expenses and outages pressured margins. A temporary mill closure in Pine Hill, Alabama, is expected to reduce third-quarter EBITDA by approximately $85 million, while second-quarter free cash flow was negative $7 million. International Paper Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
• Negative Sentiment: An analyst reduced the third-quarter EPS estimate, highlighting continuing concerns about near-term profitability despite the quarterly earnings beat. Q3 EPS Estimate for International Paper Cut

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

IP has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded shares of International Paper from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and increased their price objective for the company from $51.00 to $61.00 in a research note on Tuesday. Zacks Research raised shares of International Paper from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, July 13th. UBS Group cut their target price on shares of International Paper from $40.00 to $32.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, May 4th. Citigroup increased their price target on shares of International Paper from $36.00 to $43.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, July 9th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a “sell (d)” rating on shares of International Paper in a research note on Friday, July 24th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $46.36.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other International Paper news, Director Scott Tozier acquired 10,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 1st. The shares were purchased at an average price of $31.30 per share, for a total transaction of $313,000.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the director directly owned 10,025 shares in the company, valued at $313,782.50. The trade was a 40,000.00% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. 0.21% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of International Paper

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in IP. Dynamic Technology Lab Private Ltd bought a new position in International Paper during the 1st quarter worth $249,000. Intech Investment Management LLC lifted its stake in International Paper by 100.5% in the first quarter. Intech Investment Management LLC now owns 32,025 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $1,709,000 after buying an additional 16,055 shares during the last quarter. Cresset Asset Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of International Paper by 20.8% during the second quarter. Cresset Asset Management LLC now owns 17,345 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $812,000 after acquiring an additional 2,981 shares during the period. Jump Financial LLC boosted its holdings in shares of International Paper by 280.9% during the second quarter. Jump Financial LLC now owns 38,092 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $1,784,000 after acquiring an additional 28,092 shares during the period. Finally, Cerity Partners LLC grew its position in shares of International Paper by 8.0% during the second quarter. Cerity Partners LLC now owns 33,749 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $1,580,000 after acquiring an additional 2,493 shares during the last quarter. 81.95% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.