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AA vs. IP: Alcoa vs. International Paper Stock Comparison

How do Alcoa (AA) and International Paper (IP) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Alcoa (AA) and International Paper (IP) both fall under the Materials industry group, but AA is classified in Metals & Mining while IP is classified in Containers & Packaging.

Company profile comparison for Alcoa (AA) and International Paper (IP)
Profile ItemAAIP
NameAlcoa CorporationInternational Paper Co.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorMaterialsMaterials
GICS Industry GroupMaterialsMaterials
GICS IndustryMetals & MiningContainers & Packaging
GICS Sub-IndustryAluminumPaper & Plastic Packaging Products & Materials
Market Capitalization10.44 billion USD18.29 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateJanuary 2, 1962January 2, 1962
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

AA
IP
GSPC
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Alcoa (AA) vs. International Paper (IP), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Alcoa (AA) and International Paper (IP). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Alcoa (AA) and International Paper (IP). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Alcoa (AA) and International Paper (IP)
MetricAAIP
Total Return (1Y)12.55%-2.70%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)20.53%6.64%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-1.46%-2.14%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

AA
IP
GSPC
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Alcoa (AA) vs. International Paper (IP), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Alcoa (AA) and International Paper (IP). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Alcoa (AA) and International Paper (IP)
MetricAAIP
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)53.37%42.71%
Beta (5Y)1.800.96
Max Drawdown (5Y)-75.46%-48.61%
Avg. Volume (3M)4.61M5.09M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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AA and IP are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Alcoa (AA) and International Paper (IP)
MetricAAIP
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.16-0.16
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.23-0.24

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

International Paper (IP) reports a negative ROE of -22.30%; negative ROE can reflect losses or negative shareholders’ equity, so it is harder to read as capital efficiency. Meanwhile Alcoa (AA) reports 20.58%, ranking against industry peers normally.

AA

Materials industry group

20.58%

Max
52.88%
AA
20.58%
Q3
19.49%
Median
8.76%
Q1
-3.41%
Min
-32.81%

IP

Materials industry group

-22.30%

Max
52.88%
Q3
19.49%
Median
8.76%
Q1
-3.41%
IP
-22.30%
Min
-32.81%
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Alcoa (AA) vs. International Paper (IP): A comparison of their ROE against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

International Paper (IP) reports a negative net margin of -14.32%, usually indicating a net loss over the period. Meanwhile Alcoa (AA) reports 10.68%, ranking against industry peers normally.

AA

Materials industry group

10.68%

Max
38.66%
Q3
15.98%
AA
10.68%
Median
5.28%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-20.40%

IP

Materials industry group

-14.32%

Max
38.66%
Q3
15.98%
Median
5.28%
Q1
0.00%
IP
-14.32%
Min
-20.40%
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Alcoa (AA) vs. International Paper (IP): A comparison of their net margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Alcoa (AA) at 16.01% and International Paper (IP) at 5.89% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

AA

Materials industry group

16.01%

Max
66.70%
Q3
28.92%
AA
16.01%
Median
12.56%
Q1
3.28%
Min
-14.07%

IP

Materials industry group

5.89%

Max
66.70%
Q3
28.92%
Median
12.56%
IP
5.89%
Q1
3.28%
Min
-14.07%
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Alcoa (AA) vs. International Paper (IP): A comparison of their operating margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Alcoa (AA) and International Paper (IP)
MetricAAIP
ROE (TTM)20.58%-22.30%
ROA (TTM)7.52%1.60%
Net Margin (TTM)10.68%-14.32%
Operating Margin (TTM)16.01%5.89%
Gross Margin (TTM)22.76%29.78%

Growth

Revenue Growth

International Paper (IP) at 49.25% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Alcoa (AA) at 7.87% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for IP.

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Alcoa (AA) vs. International Paper (IP): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Alcoa (AA) at 1,600.00% sits above its peer range for EPS growth; International Paper (IP) at -542.68% sits below its range, putting their earnings trajectories at opposite ends.

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Alcoa (AA) vs. International Paper (IP): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Alcoa (AA) and International Paper (IP)
MetricAAIP
Revenue Growth (YoY)7.87%49.25%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)1.01%3.75%
EPS Growth (YoY)1,600.00%-542.68%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)----

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Alcoa (AA) at 2.31 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while International Paper (IP) at 0.99 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for IP.

AA

Materials industry group

2.31

Max
5.96
Q3
3.30
AA
2.31
Median
2.24
Q1
1.45
Min
0.16

IP

Materials industry group

0.99

Max
5.96
Q3
3.30
Median
2.24
Q1
1.45
IP
0.99
Min
0.16
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Alcoa (AA) vs. International Paper (IP): A comparison of their current ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Alcoa (AA) at 0.58 and International Paper (IP) at 0.79 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

AA

Materials industry group

0.58

Max
1.98
Q3
0.89
AA
0.58
Median
0.47
Q1
0.13
Min
0.00

IP

Materials industry group

0.79

Max
1.98
Q3
0.89
IP
0.79
Median
0.47
Q1
0.13
Min
0.00
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Alcoa (AA) vs. International Paper (IP): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Alcoa (AA) and International Paper (IP)
MetricAAIP
Current Ratio (MRQ)2.310.99
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.580.79
Net Debt / EBITDA0.142.40

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Alcoa (AA) at 1.04% pays an industry-typical yield; International Paper (IP) at 5.40% is above its entire peer range — the higher number, but one that calls for a look at payout sustainability before treating it as an advantage.

AA

Materials industry group

1.04%

Max
4.52%
Q3
1.85%
AA
1.04%
Median
0.38%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

IP

Materials industry group

5.40%

IP
5.40%
Max
4.52%
Q3
1.85%
Median
0.38%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Alcoa (AA) vs. International Paper (IP): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

International Paper (IP) reports payout ratio above 100% at 402.17%, meaning dividends exceeded current-period earnings and sustainability needs extra context. Meanwhile Alcoa (AA) reports 6.96%, ranking against industry peers normally.

AA

Materials industry group

6.96%

Max
83.62%
Q3
41.37%
Median
9.54%
AA
6.96%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

IP

Materials industry group

402.17%

IP
402.17%
Max
83.62%
Q3
41.37%
Median
9.54%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Alcoa (AA) vs. International Paper (IP): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Alcoa (AA) and International Paper (IP)
MetricAAIP
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.04%5.40%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)6.96%402.17%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

An earnings multiple is available for just one side: Alcoa (AA) trades at 6.88 times trailing earnings, ranked against its peers, while International Paper (IP) has no P/E ratio this period.

AA

Materials industry group

6.88

Max
59.00
Q3
32.93
Median
18.82
Q1
11.96
AA
6.88
Min
3.93

IP

Materials industry group

--

Max
59.00
Q3
32.93
Median
18.82
Q1
11.96
Min
3.93
IP
--
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Alcoa (AA) vs. International Paper (IP): IP does not report P/E ratio, so it has no value marker; AA is benchmarked against the Materials industry group.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Alcoa (AA) at 0.73 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while International Paper (IP) at 0.76 prices around its industry’s middle — AA costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.

AA

Materials industry group

0.73

Max
9.62
Q3
4.34
Median
1.87
Q1
0.73
AA
0.73
Min
0.00

IP

Materials industry group

0.76

Max
9.62
Q3
4.34
Median
1.87
IP
0.76
Q1
0.73
Min
0.00
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Alcoa (AA) vs. International Paper (IP): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both Alcoa (AA) at 1.27 and International Paper (IP) at 1.39 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

AA

Materials industry group

1.27

Max
6.59
Q3
3.55
Median
2.08
AA
1.27
Q1
1.26
Min
-0.17

IP

Materials industry group

1.39

Max
6.59
Q3
3.55
Median
2.08
IP
1.39
Q1
1.26
Min
-0.17
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Alcoa (AA) vs. International Paper (IP): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Alcoa (AA) and International Paper (IP)
MetricAAIP
P/E Ratio (TTM)6.88--
P/S Ratio (TTM)0.730.76
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.271.39
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)8.80%12.53%