International Paper Company (IP)
International Paper is a global giant that turns wood fibre into the cardboard boxes and paper products that keep our online shopping and businesses moving.
Is International Paper Company a good stock for a UK beginner?
The honest version: There's no rating here and nothing for sale. In its favour: A massive, established player in a vital industry. Worth weighing: Currently reporting negative profit margins. Below, we lay out what it does, what its numbers mean, and the honest risks, so you can decide for yourself.
Over about 2 years to 2026-07-31. This is the share price only - reinvesting the dividends would add to it. And it's the USD return - as a UK investor your actual £ return also moves with the exchange rate. Past performance is not a guide to the future, and it could just as easily have fallen.
How much has International Paper Company actually fallen?
Over the last 2 years of daily prices, International Paper Company fell as much as −51% from a high to a later low. Drops of this size are a normal part of owning a share - worth knowing in advance, so a dip doesn't come as a shock.
Worst peak-to-trough fall in the daily closing price over the period we hold. Past falls are not a forecast - it can fall further, or recover.
Based on beta - how much the price swings versus the whole market. Bumpier isn't bad; it just means a rougher ride, which matters more the sooner you might need the money.
Prices move on results, news and the mood of the whole market - no single headline explains a day, and a quiet week is usually just noise, not a signal.
A shift toward sustainable, plastic-free packaging drives long-term growth.
Digitalisation permanently reducing the demand for paper products.
What does International Paper Company do?
This company is essentially the backbone of the packaging industry, making the boxes that arrive on your doorstep and the paper used in offices. Selling these essential materials to other businesses is the engine, so their success is tied to how much stuff people are buying and shipping. Keep an eye on how they handle costs and debt, since recent financial headwinds have weighed on their profitability.
On our factor screen it looks strongest on value and momentum, and weakest on quality.
- ✓Pays a dividend - about 4.5% a year
- Value screens high (74/100)
- A massive, established player in a vital industry
- Provides essential products for global e-commerce
- Offers a significant dividend yield for income-focused observers
- Quality screens low (23/100)
- Rising costs for energy and raw materials
- The long-term decline of traditional paper usage
- High debt levels during periods of economic stress
What do International Paper Company's numbers mean?
How much money does International Paper Company make?
Revenue and profit by quarter, and how much of each sale turns into profit.
Does International Paper Company pay a dividend?
Yes - International Paper Company currently pays a dividend of about 4.5% a year (the yearly payout as a share of the price). A dividend is a slice of profit handed to shareholders; the yield moves as the price moves, and a company can cut or stop it.
What do the numbers say about International Paper Company's dividend?
There's no rating here, and we don't judge whether the dividend will continue - that would be advice. Here are the figures income investors usually look at, and what each one means, so you can weigh it up yourself.
Figures are from the latest available data and can be distorted by one-off results. Past payments don't predict future ones, and a dividend can be cut at any time. This lays out the numbers to help you understand them - it is not a view on what will happen.
When does International Paper Company report earnings, and how did recent quarters go?
International Paper Company is next scheduled to report on about 2026-10-28 - dates can move, and we don't predict results; this just tells you when to look.
Each quarter a company reports its results against what analysts expected. ‘Beating’ or ‘missing’ is about that expectation, not whether the business is doing well in absolute terms.
| Reported | Expected EPS: The earnings per share analysts expected for the quarter - the average of their forecasts. 'Beating' or 'missing' is measured against this number. | Actual EPS | vs expected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-30 | $-0.04 | $0.04 | Beat +205% |
| 2026-04-30 | $0.14 | $0.15 | Beat +5% |
| 2026-01-29 | $0.25 | $-0.08 | Missed -132% |
| 2025-10-30 | $0.59 | $-0.43 | Missed -173% |
| 2025-07-31 | $0.41 | $0.20 | Missed -51% |
| 2025-04-30 | $0.37 | $0.23 | Missed -38% |
Across the last 6 quarters here, International Paper Company came in ahead of what analysts expected 2 times. One quarter is noise, not a trend.
See who else reports over the next two weeks →
Reported vs expected earnings per share (EPS) from published results; the expectation is the analyst consensus, not our view. Report dates are estimates that can move.
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Casey's General Stores, Inc.What are the scenarios for International Paper Company?
An illustrative range for the year ahead, with the assumption behind each case — not a prediction or a price target.
What are the pros and cons of International Paper Company?
How many points the write-up makes each way — a balance check, not a score or verdict.
- A massive, established player in a vital industry
- Provides essential products for global e-commerce
- Offers a significant dividend yield: The yearly dividend as a percentage of the share price - roughly the income you'd earn from dividends alone. for income-focused observers
- Currently reporting negative profit margins
- Highly sensitive to the ups and downs of the global economy
- Significant share price decline over the past year
- Rising costs for energy and raw materials
- The long-term decline of traditional paper usage
- High debt levels during periods of economic stress
The write-up's own warning lights — if these start happening, the case above changes.
- A return to consistent, positive net profit margins
- A major shift in the company's debt-to-equity ratio
Built from public filings & market prices, checked for an education-only tone, and never a price target. How we make these →
This plain-English summary was auto-generated on 2026-08-02 from public data and checked for an education-only, no-advice tone (the figures above carry their own, usually fresher, 'as of' date). It's information, never a recommendation.