Seek Returns

BALL vs. IP: Ball vs. International Paper Stock Comparison

How do Ball (BALL) 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

Ball (BALL) and International Paper (IP) both belong to the Containers & Packaging industry, though BALL is classified under Metal, Glass & Plastic Containers while IP falls under Paper & Plastic Packaging Products & Materials.

Company profile comparison for Ball (BALL) and International Paper (IP)
Profile ItemBALLIP
NameBall CorporationInternational Paper Co.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorMaterialsMaterials
GICS Industry GroupMaterialsMaterials
GICS IndustryContainers & PackagingContainers & Packaging
GICS Sub-IndustryMetal, Glass & Plastic ContainersPaper & Plastic Packaging Products & Materials
Market Capitalization17.16 billion USD18.29 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateFebruary 21, 1973January 2, 1962
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

BALL
IP
GSPC
Loading price history…
Ball (BALL) 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

Loading price history…
Trailing total returns for Ball (BALL) and International Paper (IP). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

Loading price history…
Calendar-year total returns for Ball (BALL) and International Paper (IP). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Ball (BALL) and International Paper (IP)
MetricBALLIP
Total Return (1Y)38.59%-2.70%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)12.78%6.64%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-4.75%-2.14%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

BALL
IP
GSPC
Loading price history…
Ball (BALL) 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

Loading price history…
Distribution of monthly total returns for Ball (BALL) and International Paper (IP). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Ball (BALL) and International Paper (IP)
MetricBALLIP
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)27.54%42.71%
Beta (5Y)0.940.96
Max Drawdown (5Y)-54.87%-48.61%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.12M5.09M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Loading chart…
BALL 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 Ball (BALL) and International Paper (IP)
MetricBALLIP
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.25-0.16
Sortino Ratio (1Y)2.02-0.24

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 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%

IP

Materials industry group

-22.30%

Max
52.88%
Q3
19.49%
Median
8.76%
Q1
-3.41%
IP
-22.30%
Min
-32.81%
Loading chart…
Ball (BALL) 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 Ball (BALL) reports 3.52%, ranking against industry peers normally.

BALL

Materials industry group

3.52%

Max
38.66%
Q3
15.98%
Median
5.28%
BALL
3.52%
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%
Loading chart…
Ball (BALL) vs. International Paper (IP): A comparison of their net margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Ball (BALL) at 9.67% and International Paper (IP) at 5.89% 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%

IP

Materials industry group

5.89%

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

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Ball (BALL) and International Paper (IP)
MetricBALLIP
ROE (TTM)9.49%-22.30%
ROA (TTM)4.65%1.60%
Net Margin (TTM)3.52%-14.32%
Operating Margin (TTM)9.67%5.89%
Gross Margin (TTM)17.84%29.78%

Growth

Revenue Growth

International Paper (IP) at 49.25% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Ball (BALL) at 11.58% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for IP.

Loading chart…
Ball (BALL) vs. International Paper (IP): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Neither side shows strong earnings momentum: Ball (BALL) at -74.62% sits in the bottom EPS growth quartile, and International Paper (IP) at -542.68% is weaker still, below its industry range.

Loading chart…
Ball (BALL) vs. International Paper (IP): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Ball (BALL) and International Paper (IP)
MetricBALLIP
Revenue Growth (YoY)11.58%49.25%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-0.53%3.75%
EPS Growth (YoY)-74.62%-542.68%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)13.62%--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Ball (BALL) at 1.04 and International Paper (IP) at 0.99 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

BALL

Materials industry group

1.04

Max
5.96
Q3
3.30
Median
2.24
Q1
1.45
BALL
1.04
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
Loading chart…
Ball (BALL) vs. International Paper (IP): A comparison of their current ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

International Paper (IP) at 0.79 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

IP

Materials industry group

0.79

Max
1.98
Q3
0.89
IP
0.79
Median
0.47
Q1
0.13
Min
0.00
Loading chart…
Ball (BALL) 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 Ball (BALL) and International Paper (IP)
MetricBALLIP
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.040.99
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.330.79
Net Debt / EBITDA3.452.40

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Ball (BALL) at 1.20% 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.

BALL

Materials industry group

1.20%

Max
4.52%
Q3
1.85%
BALL
1.20%
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%
Loading chart…
Ball (BALL) 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 Ball (BALL) reports 40.20%, ranking against industry peers normally.

BALL

Materials industry group

40.20%

Max
83.62%
Q3
41.37%
BALL
40.20%
Median
9.54%
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%
Loading chart…
Ball (BALL) vs. International Paper (IP): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Ball (BALL) and International Paper (IP)
MetricBALLIP
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.20%5.40%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)40.20%402.17%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

An earnings multiple is available for just one side: Ball (BALL) trades at 33.13 times trailing earnings, ranked against its peers, while International Paper (IP) has no P/E ratio this period.

BALL

Materials industry group

33.13

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

IP

Materials industry group

--

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

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both Ball (BALL) at 1.13 and International Paper (IP) at 0.76 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

IP

Materials industry group

0.76

Max
9.62
Q3
4.34
Median
1.87
IP
0.76
Q1
0.73
Min
0.00
Loading chart…
Ball (BALL) 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 Ball (BALL) at 3.02 and International Paper (IP) at 1.39 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

IP

Materials industry group

1.39

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

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Ball (BALL) and International Paper (IP)
MetricBALLIP
P/E Ratio (TTM)33.13--
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.130.76
P/B Ratio (MRQ)3.021.39
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)1.54%12.53%