SW vs. VALE: Smurfit Westrock vs. Vale Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Smurfit Westrock (SW) and Vale (VALE) 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

Smurfit Westrock (SW) and Vale (VALE) both fall under the Materials industry group, but SW is classified in Containers & Packaging while VALE is classified in Metals & Mining.

Smurfit Westrock (SW) trades as ordinary local shares, while Vale (VALE) trades as an ADR — compare with FX exposure, depositary-program fees, and dividend-withholding-tax differences in mind.

Company profile comparison for Smurfit Westrock (SW) and Vale (VALE)
Profile Item	SW	VALE
Name	Smurfit WestRock Plc	Vale S.A. American Depositary Shares
Country/Region	Ireland	Brazil
GICS Sector	Materials	Materials
GICS Industry Group	Materials	Materials
GICS Industry	Containers & Packaging	Metals & Mining
GICS Sub-Industry	Paper & Plastic Packaging Products & Materials	Steel
Market Capitalization	23.13 billion USD	49.32 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	June 17, 2008	March 21, 2002
Security Type	Common Stock	ADR

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

VALE

GSPC

Smurfit Westrock (SW) vs. Vale (VALE), 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 Smurfit Westrock (SW) and Vale (VALE). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Smurfit Westrock (SW) and Vale (VALE)
Metric	SW	VALE
Total Return (1Y)	29.05%	6.20%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	14.60%	3.12%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	-0.16%	8.31%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

VALE

GSPC

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

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Smurfit Westrock (SW) and Vale (VALE)
Metric	SW	VALE
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	42.69%	33.88%
Beta (5Y)	0.89	0.48
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-53.49%	-49.81%
Avg. Volume (3M)	4.66M	32.62M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

SW and VALE 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 Smurfit Westrock (SW) and Vale (VALE)
Metric	SW	VALE
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	0.58	0.06
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	0.94	0.08

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Smurfit Westrock (SW) at 2.57% and Vale (VALE) at 0.26% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

SW

Materials industry group

2.57%

Max: 52.88%
Q3: 19.49%
Median: 8.76%
SW: 2.57%
Q1: -3.41%
Min: -32.81%

VALE

Materials industry group

0.26%

Max: 52.88%
Q3: 19.49%
Median: 8.76%
VALE: 0.26%
Q1: -3.41%
Min: -32.81%

Smurfit Westrock (SW) vs. Vale (VALE): A comparison of their ROE against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Smurfit Westrock (SW) at 1.50% and Vale (VALE) at 1.01% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

SW

Materials industry group

1.50%

Max: 38.66%
Q3: 15.98%
Median: 5.28%
SW: 1.50%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: -20.40%

VALE

Materials industry group

1.01%

Max: 38.66%
Q3: 15.98%
Median: 5.28%
VALE: 1.01%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: -20.40%

Smurfit Westrock (SW) vs. Vale (VALE): A comparison of their net margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Smurfit Westrock (SW) at 6.38% and Vale (VALE) at 19.31% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

SW

Materials industry group

6.38%

Max: 66.70%
Q3: 28.92%
Median: 12.56%
SW: 6.38%
Q1: 3.28%
Min: -14.07%

VALE

Materials industry group

19.31%

Max: 66.70%
Q3: 28.92%
VALE: 19.31%
Median: 12.56%
Q1: 3.28%
Min: -14.07%

Smurfit Westrock (SW) vs. Vale (VALE): A comparison of their operating margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Smurfit Westrock (SW) and Vale (VALE)
Metric	SW	VALE
ROE (TTM)	2.57%	0.26%
ROA (TTM)	2.50%	6.97%
Net Margin (TTM)	1.50%	1.01%
Operating Margin (TTM)	6.38%	19.31%
Gross Margin (TTM)	17.67%	32.06%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Smurfit Westrock (SW) at 47.70% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Vale (VALE) at 0.91% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for SW.

Smurfit Westrock (SW) vs. Vale (VALE): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Smurfit Westrock (SW) at 62.20% and Vale (VALE) at -61.81% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Smurfit Westrock (SW) vs. Vale (VALE): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Smurfit Westrock (SW) and Vale (VALE)
Metric	SW	VALE
Revenue Growth (YoY)	47.70%	0.91%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	32.15%	-4.32%
EPS Growth (YoY)	62.20%	-61.81%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	-30.01%	-48.60%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Smurfit Westrock (SW) at 1.48 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Vale (VALE) at 1.10 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for VALE.

SW

Materials industry group

1.48

Max: 5.96
Q3: 3.30
Median: 2.24
SW: 1.48
Q1: 1.45
Min: 0.16

VALE

Materials industry group

1.10

Max: 5.96
Q3: 3.30
Median: 2.24
Q1: 1.45
VALE: 1.10
Min: 0.16

Smurfit Westrock (SW) vs. Vale (VALE): A comparison of their current ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Smurfit Westrock (SW) at 0.78 and Vale (VALE) at 0.55 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

SW

Materials industry group

0.78

Max: 1.98
Q3: 0.89
SW: 0.78
Median: 0.47
Q1: 0.13
Min: 0.00

VALE

Materials industry group

0.55

Max: 1.98
Q3: 0.89
VALE: 0.55
Median: 0.47
Q1: 0.13
Min: 0.00

Smurfit Westrock (SW) vs. Vale (VALE): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Smurfit Westrock (SW) and Vale (VALE)
Metric	SW	VALE
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.48	1.10
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	0.78	0.55
Net Debt / EBITDA	2.96	1.20

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Smurfit Westrock (SW) at 4.02% earns its spot in the top quartile of its industry’s yields; Vale (VALE) at 49.02% is past the top of its own peer range — territory where a dividend-safety check matters more than the headline number.

SW

Materials industry group

4.02%

Max: 4.52%
SW: 4.02%
Q3: 1.85%
Median: 0.38%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

VALE

Materials industry group

49.02%

VALE: 49.02%
Max: 4.52%
Q3: 1.85%
Median: 0.38%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Smurfit Westrock (SW) vs. Vale (VALE): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Smurfit Westrock (SW) at 198.63% and Vale (VALE) at 526.96% report payout ratio above 100%, meaning dividends exceeded current-period earnings on both sides.

SW

Materials industry group

198.63%

SW: 198.63%
Max: 83.62%
Q3: 41.37%
Median: 9.54%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

VALE

Materials industry group

526.96%

VALE: 526.96%
Max: 83.62%
Q3: 41.37%
Median: 9.54%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Smurfit Westrock (SW) vs. Vale (VALE): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Smurfit Westrock (SW) and Vale (VALE)
Metric	SW	VALE
Dividend Yield (TTM)	4.02%	49.02%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	198.63%	526.96%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both look expensive on trailing earnings: Smurfit Westrock (SW) at 48.99 sits in the richer P/E ratio quartile, and Vale (VALE) at 72.44 is richer still, above its industry range.

SW

Materials industry group

48.99

Max: 59.00
SW: 48.99
Q3: 32.93
Median: 18.82
Q1: 11.96
Min: 3.93

VALE

Materials industry group

72.44

VALE: 72.44
Max: 59.00
Q3: 32.93
Median: 18.82
Q1: 11.96
Min: 3.93

Smurfit Westrock (SW) vs. Vale (VALE): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Vale (VALE) at 0.23 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while Smurfit Westrock (SW) at 0.73 prices around its industry’s middle — VALE costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.

SW

Materials industry group

0.73

Max: 9.62
Q3: 4.34
Median: 1.87
SW: 0.73
Q1: 0.73
Min: 0.00

VALE

Materials industry group

0.23

Max: 9.62
Q3: 4.34
Median: 1.87
Q1: 0.73
VALE: 0.23
Min: 0.00

Smurfit Westrock (SW) vs. Vale (VALE): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both Smurfit Westrock (SW) at 1.28 and Vale (VALE) at 1.27 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

SW

Materials industry group

1.28

Max: 6.59
Q3: 3.55
Median: 2.08
SW: 1.28
Q1: 1.26
Min: -0.17

VALE

Materials industry group

1.27

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

Smurfit Westrock (SW) vs. Vale (VALE): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Smurfit Westrock (SW) and Vale (VALE)
Metric	SW	VALE
P/E Ratio (TTM)	48.99	72.44
P/S Ratio (TTM)	0.73	0.23
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	1.28	1.27
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	4.26%	17.51%