DOW vs. IP: Dow vs. International Paper Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Dow (DOW) 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

Dow (DOW) and International Paper (IP) both fall under the Materials industry group, but DOW is classified in Chemicals while IP is classified in Containers & Packaging.

Company profile comparison for Dow (DOW) and International Paper (IP)
Profile Item	DOW	IP
Name	Dow Inc.	International Paper Co.
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Materials	Materials
GICS Industry Group	Materials	Materials
GICS Industry	Chemicals	Containers & Packaging
GICS Sub-Industry	Commodity Chemicals	Paper & Plastic Packaging Products & Materials
Market Capitalization	22.73 billion USD	18.29 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	March 20, 2019	January 2, 1962
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

DOW

GSPC

Dow (DOW) 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 Dow (DOW) and International Paper (IP). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Dow (DOW) and International Paper (IP)
Metric	DOW	IP
Total Return (1Y)	46.93%	-2.70%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	-8.46%	6.64%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	-6.94%	-2.14%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

DOW

GSPC

Dow (DOW) 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 Dow (DOW) and International Paper (IP). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Dow (DOW) and International Paper (IP)
Metric	DOW	IP
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	41.81%	42.71%
Beta (5Y)	0.44	0.96
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-64.37%	-48.61%
Avg. Volume (3M)	8.52M	5.09M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

DOW 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 Dow (DOW) and International Paper (IP)
Metric	DOW	IP
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	1.02	-0.16
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	1.62	-0.24

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Dow (DOW) at -3.24% and International Paper (IP) at -22.30% report negative ROE values. Negative ROE can reflect losses or negative shareholders’ equity, so both readings need extra context.

DOW

Materials industry group

-3.24%

Max: 52.88%
Q3: 19.49%
Median: 8.76%
DOW: -3.24%
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%

Dow (DOW) vs. International Paper (IP): A comparison of their ROE against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Dow (DOW) at -2.11% and International Paper (IP) at -14.32% report negative net margin values, usually indicating net losses over the period.

DOW

Materials industry group

-2.11%

Max: 38.66%
Q3: 15.98%
Median: 5.28%
Q1: 0.00%
DOW: -2.11%
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%

Dow (DOW) vs. International Paper (IP): A comparison of their net margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Dow (DOW) at 6.78% and International Paper (IP) at 5.89% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

DOW

Materials industry group

6.78%

Max: 66.70%
Q3: 28.92%
Median: 12.56%
DOW: 6.78%
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%

Dow (DOW) vs. International Paper (IP): A comparison of their operating margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Dow (DOW) and International Paper (IP)
Metric	DOW	IP
ROE (TTM)	-3.24%	-22.30%
ROA (TTM)	1.87%	1.60%
Net Margin (TTM)	-2.11%	-14.32%
Operating Margin (TTM)	6.78%	5.89%
Gross Margin (TTM)	11.01%	29.78%

Growth

Revenue Growth

International Paper (IP) at 49.25% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Dow (DOW) at -6.97% is in the bottom quartile, showing a clear gap in revenue momentum.

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

EPS Growth

Both Dow (DOW) at -335.67% and International Paper (IP) at -542.68% fall below their industry ranges for EPS growth — per-share earnings on both sides are losing ground to virtually every peer.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Dow (DOW) and International Paper (IP)
Metric	DOW	IP
Revenue Growth (YoY)	-6.97%	49.25%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	-11.11%	3.75%
EPS Growth (YoY)	-335.67%	-542.68%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	--	--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Dow (DOW) at 1.76 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.

DOW

Materials industry group

1.76

Max: 5.96
Q3: 3.30
Median: 2.24
DOW: 1.76
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

Dow (DOW) 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 Dow (DOW) at 1.08 uses more debt funding than most peers.

DOW

Materials industry group

1.08

Max: 1.98
DOW: 1.08
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

Dow (DOW) 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 Dow (DOW) and International Paper (IP)
Metric	DOW	IP
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.76	0.99
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	1.08	0.79
Net Debt / EBITDA	3.21	2.40

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Dow (DOW) at 4.38% earns its spot in the top quartile of its industry’s yields; International Paper (IP) at 5.40% is past the top of its own peer range — territory where a dividend-safety check matters more than the headline number.

DOW

Materials industry group

4.38%

Max: 4.52%
DOW: 4.38%
Q3: 1.85%
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%

Dow (DOW) vs. International Paper (IP): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Dow (DOW) at 700.00% and International Paper (IP) at 402.17% report payout ratio above 100%, meaning dividends exceeded current-period earnings on both sides.

DOW

Materials industry group

700.00%

DOW: 700.00%
Max: 83.62%
Q3: 41.37%
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%

Dow (DOW) vs. International Paper (IP): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Dow (DOW) and International Paper (IP)
Metric	DOW	IP
Dividend Yield (TTM)	4.38%	5.40%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	700.00%	402.17%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Neither Dow (DOW) nor International Paper (IP) reports a P/E ratio value for this period, so a direct comparison isn’t possible.

DOW

Materials industry group

Max: 59.00
Q3: 32.93
Median: 18.82
Q1: 11.96
Min: 3.93
DOW: --

IP

Materials industry group

Max: 59.00
Q3: 32.93
Median: 18.82
Q1: 11.96
Min: 3.93
IP: --

Dow (DOW) vs. International Paper (IP): Neither stock reports P/E ratio, so the chart shows available benchmark boxes without value markers.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Dow (DOW) at 0.53 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while International Paper (IP) at 0.76 prices around its industry’s middle — DOW costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.

DOW

Materials industry group

0.53

Max: 9.62
Q3: 4.34
Median: 1.87
Q1: 0.73
DOW: 0.53
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

Dow (DOW) 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 Dow (DOW) at 1.41 and International Paper (IP) at 1.39 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

DOW

Materials industry group

1.41

Max: 6.59
Q3: 3.55
Median: 2.08
DOW: 1.41
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

Dow (DOW) vs. International Paper (IP): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Dow (DOW) and International Paper (IP)
Metric	DOW	IP
P/E Ratio (TTM)	--	--
P/S Ratio (TTM)	0.53	0.76
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	1.41	1.39
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	3.95%	12.53%