International Paper Company (NYSE:IP) Stock Now Rated “Moderate Buy” by Wall Street Analysts

Shares of International Paper Company (NYSE:IP) have earned a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the fourteen ratings firms that are presently covering the company, MarketBeat.com reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, three have given a hold recommendation and ten have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 12 month price objective among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $45.44.

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their target price on shares of International Paper from $46.00 to $42.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, October 7th. Wall Street Zen upgraded International Paper from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday. Bank of America reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of International Paper in a research note on Thursday, October 29th. Royal Bank Of Canada lifted their price target on International Paper from $48.00 to $52.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, July 31st. Finally, Citigroup cut their target price on International Paper from $47.00 to $41.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, October 30th.

International Paper Trading Up 0.9%

Shares of NYSE IP opened at $34.54 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $18.29 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -5.27, a PEG ratio of 5.42 and a beta of 0.97. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.59, a quick ratio of 0.77 and a current ratio of 1.01. International Paper has a fifty-two week low of $29.26 and a fifty-two week high of $50.25. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $34.38 and its 200-day moving average price is $37.24.

International Paper (NYSE:IP) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, October 28th. The basic materials company reported $0.37 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.29 by $0.08. International Paper had a positive return on equity of 1.77% and a negative net margin of 14.32%. The firm had revenue of $6.20 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.28 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned ($0.43) earnings per share. International Paper’s revenue for the quarter was down .4% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts expect that International Paper will post 1.13 earnings per share for the current year.

International Paper Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 15th. Shareholders of record on Monday, November 16th will be given a dividend of $0.4625 per share. This represents a $1.85 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.4%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, November 16th. International Paper’s dividend payout ratio is presently -28.20%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On International Paper

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Aberdeen Group plc purchased a new stake in International Paper during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $3,708,000. Allworth Financial LP boosted its holdings in shares of International Paper by 12.2% in the 3rd quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 13,846 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $459,000 after buying an additional 1,510 shares in the last quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. acquired a new stake in International Paper in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $21,278,000. Eurizon Capital SGR S.p.A. purchased a new position in International Paper during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $10,713,000. Finally, CENTRAL TRUST Co acquired a new position in shares of International Paper in the 3rd quarter valued at $539,000. 81.95% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

About International Paper

International Paper (NYSE: IP) is a global producer of sustainable packaging, pulp and paper products. Its offerings include corrugated packaging and containerboard used to protect and transport goods, as well as absorbent cellulose fibers and other fiber-based materials used in personal care, healthcare, foodservice and industrial applications.

The company serves customers across North America and Europe, with products sold to manufacturers, retailers, consumer-goods companies and other commercial customers.