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IP vs. SW: International Paper vs. Smurfit Westrock Stock Comparison

How do International Paper (IP) and Smurfit Westrock (SW) 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

International Paper (IP) and Smurfit Westrock (SW) are both classified in the Paper & Plastic Packaging Products & Materials sub-industry within the broader Containers & Packaging industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for International Paper (IP) and Smurfit Westrock (SW)
Profile ItemIPSW
NameInternational Paper Co.Smurfit WestRock Plc
Country/RegionUnited StatesIreland
GICS SectorMaterialsMaterials
GICS Industry GroupMaterialsMaterials
GICS IndustryContainers & PackagingContainers & Packaging
GICS Sub-IndustryPaper & Plastic Packaging Products & MaterialsPaper & Plastic Packaging Products & Materials
Market Capitalization18.29 billion USD23.13 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateJanuary 2, 1962June 17, 2008
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

IP
SW
GSPC
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International Paper (IP) vs. Smurfit Westrock (SW), 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 International Paper (IP) and Smurfit Westrock (SW). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for International Paper (IP) and Smurfit Westrock (SW)
MetricIPSW
Total Return (1Y)-2.70%29.05%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)6.64%14.60%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-2.14%-0.16%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

IP
SW
GSPC
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International Paper (IP) vs. Smurfit Westrock (SW), 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 International Paper (IP) and Smurfit Westrock (SW). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for International Paper (IP) and Smurfit Westrock (SW)
MetricIPSW
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)42.71%42.69%
Beta (5Y)0.960.89
Max Drawdown (5Y)-48.61%-53.49%
Avg. Volume (3M)5.09M4.66M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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IP and SW 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 International Paper (IP) and Smurfit Westrock (SW)
MetricIPSW
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.160.58
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.240.94

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 Smurfit Westrock (SW) reports 2.57%, ranking against industry peers normally.

IP

Materials industry group

-22.30%

Max
52.88%
Q3
19.49%
Median
8.76%
Q1
-3.41%
IP
-22.30%
Min
-32.81%

SW

Materials industry group

2.57%

Max
52.88%
Q3
19.49%
Median
8.76%
SW
2.57%
Q1
-3.41%
Min
-32.81%
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International Paper (IP) vs. Smurfit Westrock (SW): 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 Smurfit Westrock (SW) reports 1.50%, ranking against industry peers normally.

IP

Materials industry group

-14.32%

Max
38.66%
Q3
15.98%
Median
5.28%
Q1
0.00%
IP
-14.32%
Min
-20.40%

SW

Materials industry group

1.50%

Max
38.66%
Q3
15.98%
Median
5.28%
SW
1.50%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-20.40%
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International Paper (IP) vs. Smurfit Westrock (SW): A comparison of their net margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both International Paper (IP) at 5.89% and Smurfit Westrock (SW) at 6.38% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

IP

Materials industry group

5.89%

Max
66.70%
Q3
28.92%
Median
12.56%
IP
5.89%
Q1
3.28%
Min
-14.07%

SW

Materials industry group

6.38%

Max
66.70%
Q3
28.92%
Median
12.56%
SW
6.38%
Q1
3.28%
Min
-14.07%
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International Paper (IP) vs. Smurfit Westrock (SW): A comparison of their operating margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for International Paper (IP) and Smurfit Westrock (SW)
MetricIPSW
ROE (TTM)-22.30%2.57%
ROA (TTM)1.60%2.50%
Net Margin (TTM)-14.32%1.50%
Operating Margin (TTM)5.89%6.38%
Gross Margin (TTM)29.78%17.67%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both International Paper (IP) at 49.25% and Smurfit Westrock (SW) at 47.70% sit in the top peer quartile for revenue growth, so each is growing its top line faster than typical industry peers.

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International Paper (IP) vs. Smurfit Westrock (SW): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Smurfit Westrock (SW) at 62.20% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while International Paper (IP) at -542.68% falls below its industry range, a notably weak earnings reading.

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International Paper (IP) vs. Smurfit Westrock (SW): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for International Paper (IP) and Smurfit Westrock (SW)
MetricIPSW
Revenue Growth (YoY)49.25%47.70%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)3.75%32.15%
EPS Growth (YoY)-542.68%62.20%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)---30.01%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Smurfit Westrock (SW) at 1.48 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.

IP

Materials industry group

0.99

Max
5.96
Q3
3.30
Median
2.24
Q1
1.45
IP
0.99
Min
0.16

SW

Materials industry group

1.48

Max
5.96
Q3
3.30
Median
2.24
SW
1.48
Q1
1.45
Min
0.16
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International Paper (IP) vs. Smurfit Westrock (SW): A comparison of their current ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both International Paper (IP) at 0.79 and Smurfit Westrock (SW) at 0.78 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

IP

Materials industry group

0.79

Max
1.98
Q3
0.89
IP
0.79
Median
0.47
Q1
0.13
Min
0.00

SW

Materials industry group

0.78

Max
1.98
Q3
0.89
SW
0.78
Median
0.47
Q1
0.13
Min
0.00
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International Paper (IP) vs. Smurfit Westrock (SW): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for International Paper (IP) and Smurfit Westrock (SW)
MetricIPSW
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.991.48
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.790.78
Net Debt / EBITDA2.402.96

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Smurfit Westrock (SW) at 4.02% 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.

IP

Materials industry group

5.40%

IP
5.40%
Max
4.52%
Q3
1.85%
Median
0.38%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

SW

Materials industry group

4.02%

Max
4.52%
SW
4.02%
Q3
1.85%
Median
0.38%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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International Paper (IP) vs. Smurfit Westrock (SW): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both International Paper (IP) at 402.17% and Smurfit Westrock (SW) at 198.63% report payout ratio above 100%, meaning dividends exceeded current-period earnings on both sides.

IP

Materials industry group

402.17%

IP
402.17%
Max
83.62%
Q3
41.37%
Median
9.54%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

SW

Materials industry group

198.63%

SW
198.63%
Max
83.62%
Q3
41.37%
Median
9.54%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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International Paper (IP) vs. Smurfit Westrock (SW): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for International Paper (IP) and Smurfit Westrock (SW)
MetricIPSW
Dividend Yield (TTM)5.40%4.02%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)402.17%198.63%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

An earnings multiple is available for just one side: Smurfit Westrock (SW) trades at 48.99 times trailing earnings, ranked against its peers, while International Paper (IP) has no P/E ratio this period.

IP

Materials industry group

--

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

SW

Materials industry group

48.99

Max
59.00
SW
48.99
Q3
32.93
Median
18.82
Q1
11.96
Min
3.93
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International Paper (IP) vs. Smurfit Westrock (SW): IP does not report P/E ratio, so it has no value marker; SW is benchmarked against the Materials industry group.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both International Paper (IP) at 0.76 and Smurfit Westrock (SW) at 0.73 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

IP

Materials industry group

0.76

Max
9.62
Q3
4.34
Median
1.87
IP
0.76
Q1
0.73
Min
0.00

SW

Materials industry group

0.73

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

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both International Paper (IP) at 1.39 and Smurfit Westrock (SW) at 1.28 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

IP

Materials industry group

1.39

Max
6.59
Q3
3.55
Median
2.08
IP
1.39
Q1
1.26
Min
-0.17

SW

Materials industry group

1.28

Max
6.59
Q3
3.55
Median
2.08
SW
1.28
Q1
1.26
Min
-0.17
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International Paper (IP) vs. Smurfit Westrock (SW): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for International Paper (IP) and Smurfit Westrock (SW)
MetricIPSW
P/E Ratio (TTM)--48.99
P/S Ratio (TTM)0.760.73
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.391.28
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)12.53%4.26%