International Paper Company $IP Shares Newly Bought by Howard Capital Management LLC

Howard Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of International Paper Company (NYSE:IP) during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor purchased 164,775 shares of the basic materials company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,466,000.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in IP. MV Capital Management Inc. purchased a new position in International Paper in the 4th quarter worth $25,000. Aberdeen Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in International Paper during the 2nd quarter worth about $27,000. Ascentis Independent Advisors purchased a new stake in International Paper during the 1st quarter valued at about $28,000. Delta Asset Management LLC TN purchased a new stake in International Paper during the 2nd quarter valued at about $31,000. Finally, MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB purchased a new stake in International Paper during the 3rd quarter valued at about $31,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 81.95% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at International Paper

In related news, VP William Hamic sold 24,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, August 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $41.20, for a total transaction of $1,009,400.00. Following the sale, the vice president owned 106,952 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,406,422.40. This trade represents a 18.64% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, CAO Holly G. Goughnour sold 3,500 shares of International Paper stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $41.96, for a total transaction of $146,860.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer directly owned 34,248 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,437,046.08. The trade was a 9.27% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders own 0.21% of the company’s stock.

International Paper Stock Performance

Shares of IP traded up $0.02 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $34.12. The company had a trading volume of 5,514,757 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,521,614. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $36.23 and a two-hundred day moving average of $36.01. The company has a quick ratio of 0.84, a current ratio of 1.10 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.57. The stock has a market capitalization of $18.07 billion, a P/E ratio of -5.23, a PEG ratio of 4.43 and a beta of 0.93. International Paper Company has a 52-week low of $29.26 and a 52-week high of $50.25.

International Paper (NYSE:IP) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The basic materials company reported $0.04 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.04) by $0.08. International Paper had a negative return on equity of 1.09% and a negative net margin of 14.20%. The company had revenue of $6 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.19 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.20 earnings per share. International Paper’s revenue for the quarter was down 11.3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts expect that International Paper Company will post 1.28 earnings per share for the current year.

International Paper Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 15th. Stockholders of record on Monday, November 16th will be issued a dividend of $0.4625 per share. This represents a $1.85 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.4%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, November 16th. International Paper’s payout ratio is -28.37%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Loop Capital set a $61.00 price objective on International Paper in a research note on Tuesday, July 28th. Citigroup dropped their target price on International Paper from $48.00 to $47.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, October 2nd. Bank of America upgraded shares of International Paper from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $46.00 price target on the stock in a report on Friday, September 11th. UBS Group reduced their price target on shares of International Paper from $47.00 to $35.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, October 5th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on shares of International Paper from $61.00 to $62.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, September 23rd. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, International Paper has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $46.90.

International Paper News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting International Paper this week:

• Positive Sentiment: International Paper confirmed that it has received unsolicited bids for its EMEA Packaging Business. Investors view potential sale proceeds as a possible value-unlocking alternative to the company’s planned spin-off of the business into a separate public company. International Paper Confirms Unsolicited Bids for EMEA Packaging Unit Alongside Planned Spin-off
• Positive Sentiment: Reports that private-equity firms are exploring multibillion-dollar offers for the European packaging operations triggered a sharp increase in IP shares in the prior session. A sale could provide a faster and potentially more certain path to monetizing the DS Smith-related assets than a standalone separation. Private Equity Firms Exploring Deals for International Paper’s European Packaging Business
• Neutral Sentiment: IP is evaluating unsolicited interest while continuing to consider its previously announced EMEA spin-off plan. The company has not announced a definitive agreement, leaving investors focused on the bid amounts, transaction structure, timing and potential regulatory or execution risks. Statement Regarding Possible EMEA Packaging Business Sale
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts are approaching the upcoming third-quarter results cautiously, with the decision on the EMEA business likely to remain a central catalyst. The stock still appears below some fair-value estimates after its earlier decline, but investors may wait for management’s strategic update before reassessing valuation. International Paper Q3 Preview: Wait for the Decision on EMEA Business
• Negative Sentiment: A potential sale may crystallize a substantial loss compared with the price International Paper paid for the DS Smith assets only two years ago. That prospect raises concerns about the strategic cost of the acquisition and could weigh on sentiment if bids fall short of expectations. Why International Paper Rallied Today

About International Paper

International Paper (NYSE: IP) is a global producer of sustainable packaging, pulp and paper products. The company manufactures corrugated packaging, containerboard and other fiber-based packaging solutions used to protect, transport and display goods, along with market pulp and specialty paper products.

Founded in 1898, International Paper has developed operations serving customers across North America and Europe. Its activities also include recycling and the recovery of fiber used in paper and packaging production, supporting the company’s focus on renewable and recyclable materials.

International Paper completed its combination with DS Smith in 2025, expanding its geographic reach and packaging capabilities.