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BALL vs. IFF: Ball vs. Intl Flavors & Fragrances Stock Comparison

How do Ball (BALL) and Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) 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

Ball (BALL) and Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) both fall under the Materials industry group, but BALL is classified in Containers & Packaging while IFF is classified in Chemicals.

Company profile comparison for Ball (BALL) and Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF)
Profile ItemBALLIFF
NameBall CorporationInternational Flavors & Fragrances, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorMaterialsMaterials
GICS Industry GroupMaterialsMaterials
GICS IndustryContainers & PackagingChemicals
GICS Sub-IndustryMetal, Glass & Plastic ContainersSpecialty Chemicals
Market Capitalization17.16 billion USD20.69 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateFebruary 21, 1973December 17, 1974
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

BALL
IFF
GSPC
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Ball (BALL) vs. Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF), 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 Ball (BALL) and Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Ball (BALL) and Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Ball (BALL) and Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF)
MetricBALLIFF
Total Return (1Y)38.59%40.13%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)12.78%8.28%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-4.75%-8.71%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

BALL
IFF
GSPC
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Ball (BALL) vs. Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF), 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 Ball (BALL) and Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Ball (BALL) and Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF)
MetricBALLIFF
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)27.54%36.26%
Beta (5Y)0.940.88
Max Drawdown (5Y)-54.87%-56.66%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.12M1.88M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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BALL and IFF 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 Ball (BALL) and Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF)
MetricBALLIFF
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.250.99
Sortino Ratio (1Y)2.021.71

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) reports a negative ROE of -7.37%; negative ROE can reflect losses or negative shareholders’ equity, so it is harder to read as capital efficiency. Meanwhile Ball (BALL) reports 9.49%, ranking against industry peers normally.

BALL

Materials industry group

9.49%

Max
52.88%
Q3
19.49%
BALL
9.49%
Median
8.76%
Q1
-3.41%
Min
-32.81%

IFF

Materials industry group

-7.37%

Max
52.88%
Q3
19.49%
Median
8.76%
Q1
-3.41%
IFF
-7.37%
Min
-32.81%
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Ball (BALL) vs. Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF): A comparison of their ROE against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Ball (BALL) at 3.52% and Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) at 1.68% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

BALL

Materials industry group

3.52%

Max
38.66%
Q3
15.98%
Median
5.28%
BALL
3.52%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-20.40%

IFF

Materials industry group

1.68%

Max
38.66%
Q3
15.98%
Median
5.28%
IFF
1.68%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-20.40%
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Ball (BALL) vs. Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF): A comparison of their net margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Ball (BALL) at 9.67% and Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) at 9.53% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

BALL

Materials industry group

9.67%

Max
66.70%
Q3
28.92%
Median
12.56%
BALL
9.67%
Q1
3.28%
Min
-14.07%

IFF

Materials industry group

9.53%

Max
66.70%
Q3
28.92%
Median
12.56%
IFF
9.53%
Q1
3.28%
Min
-14.07%
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Ball (BALL) vs. Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF): A comparison of their operating margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Ball (BALL) and Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF)
MetricBALLIFF
ROE (TTM)9.49%-7.37%
ROA (TTM)4.65%2.18%
Net Margin (TTM)3.52%1.68%
Operating Margin (TTM)9.67%9.53%
Gross Margin (TTM)17.84%36.27%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Ball (BALL) at 11.58% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) at -5.17% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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Ball (BALL) vs. Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Ball (BALL) at -74.62% and Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) at -248.42% post bottom-quartile EPS growth versus peers, pointing to weaker earnings momentum than typical rivals.

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Ball (BALL) vs. Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Ball (BALL) and Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF)
MetricBALLIFF
Revenue Growth (YoY)11.58%-5.17%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-0.53%-4.34%
EPS Growth (YoY)-74.62%-248.42%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)13.62%--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) at 1.87 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Ball (BALL) at 1.04 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for BALL.

BALL

Materials industry group

1.04

Max
5.96
Q3
3.30
Median
2.24
Q1
1.45
BALL
1.04
Min
0.16

IFF

Materials industry group

1.87

Max
5.96
Q3
3.30
Median
2.24
IFF
1.87
Q1
1.45
Min
0.16
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Ball (BALL) vs. Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF): A comparison of their current ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) at 0.51 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Ball (BALL) at 1.33 uses more debt funding than most peers.

BALL

Materials industry group

1.33

Max
1.98
BALL
1.33
Q3
0.89
Median
0.47
Q1
0.13
Min
0.00

IFF

Materials industry group

0.51

Max
1.98
Q3
0.89
IFF
0.51
Median
0.47
Q1
0.13
Min
0.00
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Ball (BALL) vs. Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Ball (BALL) and Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF)
MetricBALLIFF
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.041.87
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.330.51
Net Debt / EBITDA3.453.51

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) at 1.85% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Ball (BALL) at 1.20% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, IFF the richer one.

BALL

Materials industry group

1.20%

Max
4.52%
Q3
1.85%
BALL
1.20%
Median
0.38%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

IFF

Materials industry group

1.85%

Max
4.52%
IFF
1.85%
Q3
1.85%
Median
0.38%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Ball (BALL) vs. Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Ball (BALL) at 40.20% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) at 62.26% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

BALL

Materials industry group

40.20%

Max
83.62%
Q3
41.37%
BALL
40.20%
Median
9.54%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

IFF

Materials industry group

62.26%

Max
83.62%
IFF
62.26%
Q3
41.37%
Median
9.54%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Ball (BALL) vs. Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Ball (BALL) and Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF)
MetricBALLIFF
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.20%1.85%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)40.20%62.26%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both look expensive on trailing earnings: Ball (BALL) at 33.13 sits in the richer P/E ratio quartile, and Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) at 236.06 is richer still, above its industry range.

BALL

Materials industry group

33.13

Max
59.00
BALL
33.13
Q3
32.93
Median
18.82
Q1
11.96
Min
3.93

IFF

Materials industry group

236.06

IFF
236.06
Max
59.00
Q3
32.93
Median
18.82
Q1
11.96
Min
3.93
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Ball (BALL) vs. Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both Ball (BALL) at 1.13 and Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) at 1.91 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

BALL

Materials industry group

1.13

Max
9.62
Q3
4.34
Median
1.87
BALL
1.13
Q1
0.73
Min
0.00

IFF

Materials industry group

1.91

Max
9.62
Q3
4.34
IFF
1.91
Median
1.87
Q1
0.73
Min
0.00
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Ball (BALL) vs. Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both Ball (BALL) at 3.02 and Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) at 1.56 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

BALL

Materials industry group

3.02

Max
6.59
Q3
3.55
BALL
3.02
Median
2.08
Q1
1.26
Min
-0.17

IFF

Materials industry group

1.56

Max
6.59
Q3
3.55
Median
2.08
IFF
1.56
Q1
1.26
Min
-0.17
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Ball (BALL) vs. Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Ball (BALL) and Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF)
MetricBALLIFF
P/E Ratio (TTM)33.13236.06
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.131.91
P/B Ratio (MRQ)3.021.56
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)1.54%-10.66%