Tearsheet

International Paper (IP)


Market Price (12/4/2025): $39.49 | Market Cap: $20.9 Bil
Sector: Materials | Industry: Paper & Plastic Packaging Products & Materials

International Paper (IP)


Market Price (12/4/2025): $39.49
Market Cap: $20.9 Bil
Sector: Materials
Industry: Paper & Plastic Packaging Products & Materials

Investment Highlights Why It Matters Which of these 2 stories sounds closer for this stock?

1. Generates cash flow

The stock generated 4% or more of the share price (called cash flow yield), and shows moderate 10-15% or more growth.

2. Riding a trend

Think Tesla during the pandemic of 2020 when EVs were riding a cultural high, or Nvidia in the current AI boom, or even Figma. These companies don’t have enough yield, or, enough growth, or both - however - they are riding a trend. They have momentum. These can be more volatile - they don’t have the floor of strong cash flow


0 Megatrend and thematic drivers
Megatrends include E-commerce & DTC Adoption, Circular Economy & Recycling, and Sustainable Resource Management. Themes include Direct-to-Consumer Brands (Staples), Show more.
Meaningful short interest
Short Interest % of Basic SharesShort Interest % of Basic Shares = (Short Interest Quantity) / (Basic Shares Outstanding). A high fraction of short interest can indicate potential risk of a short squeeze. is 10%
 
0 Megatrend and thematic drivers
Megatrends include E-commerce & DTC Adoption, Circular Economy & Recycling, and Sustainable Resource Management. Themes include Direct-to-Consumer Brands (Staples), Show more.
1 Meaningful short interest
Short Interest % of Basic SharesShort Interest % of Basic Shares = (Short Interest Quantity) / (Basic Shares Outstanding). A high fraction of short interest can indicate potential risk of a short squeeze. is 10%

Valuation, Metrics & Events

IP Stock


Why The Stock Moved


Qualitative Assessment

AI Generated Analysis | Feedback

The period from August 31, 2025, to December 4, 2025, saw a significant decline in International Paper (IP) stock, primarily driven by disappointing financial results and ongoing market challenges. Here are the key points for the stock's movement:

1. Missed Q3 2025 Earnings and Revenue Expectations: International Paper reported its third-quarter 2025 results on October 30, which fell significantly short of analyst expectations. The company announced revenue of $6.22 billion, missing the consensus forecast of $6.48 billion, and posted an adjusted loss of $0.43 per share, contrary to the predicted $0.56 per share profit. This substantial earnings and revenue miss caused the stock to fall by over 10% on the day of the announcement.

2. Negative Operating Margin and Increased Operating Expenses: The company's operating margin shifted to a negative 10.8% in Q3 2025, a considerable drop from a positive 3.7% in the same quarter of the previous year. This decline was attributed to operating expenses growing faster than revenue, indicating challenges in managing costs despite ongoing transformation efforts.

Show more

Stock Movement Drivers

Return vs. Risk


Price Returns Compared

 202020212022202320242025Total [1]
Returns
IP Return14%3%-23%10%55%-27%13%
Peers Return11%4%-5%4%22%-19%14%
S&P 500 Return16%27%-19%24%23%16%112%

Monthly Win Rates [3]
IP Win Rate67%50%58%42%58%40% 
Peers Win Rate48%43%38%35%63%42% 
S&P 500 Win Rate58%75%42%67%75%70% 

Max Drawdowns [4]
IP Max Drawdown-42%-6%-31%-13%-9%-31% 
Peers Max Drawdown-27%-5%-15%-11%-4%-25% 
S&P 500 Max Drawdown-31%-1%-25%-1%-2%-15% 


[1] Cumulative total returns since the beginning of 2020
[2] Peers: KMB, PKG, AMCR, IP, SW. See IP Returns vs. Peers.
[3] Win Rate = % of calendar months in which monthly returns were positive
[4] Max drawdown represents maximum peak-to-trough decline within a year
[5] 2025 data is for the year up to 12/3/2025 (YTD)

How Low Can It Go

Unique KeyEventIPS&P 500
2022 Inflation Shock2022 Inflation Shock  
2022 Inflation Shock% Loss% Loss-54.9%-25.4%
2022 Inflation Shock% Gain to Breakeven% Gain to Breakeven121.6%34.1%
2022 Inflation ShockTime to BreakevenTime to BreakevenNot Fully Recovered days464 days
2020 Covid Pandemic2020 Covid Pandemic  
2020 Covid Pandemic% Loss% Loss-42.5%-33.9%
2020 Covid Pandemic% Gain to Breakeven% Gain to Breakeven74.0%51.3%
2020 Covid PandemicTime to BreakevenTime to Breakeven207 days148 days
2018 Correction2018 Correction  
2018 Correction% Loss% Loss-42.3%-19.8%
2018 Correction% Gain to Breakeven% Gain to Breakeven73.3%24.7%
2018 CorrectionTime to BreakevenTime to BreakevenNot Fully Recovered days120 days
2008 Global Financial Crisis2008 Global Financial Crisis  
2008 Global Financial Crisis% Loss% Loss-90.1%-56.8%
2008 Global Financial Crisis% Gain to Breakeven% Gain to Breakeven913.7%131.3%
2008 Global Financial CrisisTime to BreakevenTime to Breakeven1413 days1480 days

Compare to KMB, PKG, AMCR, IP, SW


In The Past

International Paper's stock fell -54.9% during the 2022 Inflation Shock from a high on 6/4/2021. A -54.9% loss requires a 121.6% gain to breakeven.

Preserve Wealth

Limiting losses and compounding gains is essential to preserving wealth over time.

Asset Allocation

Actively managed asset allocation strategies protect wealth. Learn more.

About International Paper (IP)

Latest Trefis Analyses

Trade Ideas

Select past ideas related to IP. For more, see Trefis Trade Ideas.

Unique KeyDateTickerCompanyCategoryTrade Strategy6M Fwd Rtn12M Fwd Rtn12M Max DD
DD_11212025_Dip_Buyer_High_FCF_Yield_ExInd_DE_RevG11212025DDDuPont de NemoursDip BuyDB | FCF Yield | Low D/EDip Buy with High Free Cash Flow Yield
Buying dips for companies with significant free cash flow yield (FCF / Market Cap) and reasonable debt / market cap
3.1%3.1%-0.2%
CF_11212025_Monopoly_xInd_xCD_Getting_Cheaper11212025CFCF IndustriesMonopolyMY | Getting CheaperMonopoly-Like with P/S Decline
Large cap with monopoly-like margins or cash flow generation and getting cheaper based on P/S multiple
0.5%0.5%-1.1%
HL_11212025_Quality_Momentum_RoomToRun_10%11212025HLHecla MiningQualityQ | Momentum | UpsideQuality Stocks with Momentum and Upside
Buying quality stocks with strong momentum but still having room to run
30.9%30.9%0.0%
CDE_11072025_Dip_Buyer_ValueBuy11072025CDECoeur MiningDip BuyDB | P/E OPMDip Buy with Low PE and High Margin
Buying dips for companies with tame PE and meaningfully high operating margin
12.7%12.7%-5.7%
ATR_10312025_Dip_Buyer_ValueBuy10312025ATRAptarGroupDip BuyDB | P/E OPMDip Buy with Low PE and High Margin
Buying dips for companies with tame PE and meaningfully high operating margin
4.8%4.8%-2.5%
Unique KeyDateTickerCompanyCategoryTrade Strategy6M Fwd Rtn12M Fwd Rtn12M Max DD
DD_11212025_Dip_Buyer_High_FCF_Yield_ExInd_DE_RevG11212025DDDuPont de NemoursDip BuyDB | FCF Yield | Low D/EDip Buy with High Free Cash Flow Yield
Buying dips for companies with significant free cash flow yield (FCF / Market Cap) and reasonable debt / market cap
3.1%3.1%-0.2%
CF_11212025_Monopoly_xInd_xCD_Getting_Cheaper11212025CFCF IndustriesMonopolyMY | Getting CheaperMonopoly-Like with P/S Decline
Large cap with monopoly-like margins or cash flow generation and getting cheaper based on P/S multiple
0.5%0.5%-1.1%
HL_11212025_Quality_Momentum_RoomToRun_10%11212025HLHecla MiningQualityQ | Momentum | UpsideQuality Stocks with Momentum and Upside
Buying quality stocks with strong momentum but still having room to run
30.9%30.9%0.0%
CDE_11072025_Dip_Buyer_ValueBuy11072025CDECoeur MiningDip BuyDB | P/E OPMDip Buy with Low PE and High Margin
Buying dips for companies with tame PE and meaningfully high operating margin
12.7%12.7%-5.7%
ATR_10312025_Dip_Buyer_ValueBuy10312025ATRAptarGroupDip BuyDB | P/E OPMDip Buy with Low PE and High Margin
Buying dips for companies with tame PE and meaningfully high operating margin
4.8%4.8%-2.5%

Recent Active Movers

Recent Active Movers

More From Trefis

Peer Comparisons for International Paper

Peers to compare with:

Financials

IPKMBPKGAMCRSWMedian
NameInternat.Kimberly.Packagin.Amcor Smurfit . 
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Growth & Margins

IPKMBPKGAMCRSWMedian
NameInternat.Kimberly.Packagin.Amcor Smurfit . 
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Valuation

IPKMBPKGAMCRSWMedian
NameInternat.Kimberly.Packagin.Amcor Smurfit . 
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Returns

IPKMBPKGAMCRSWMedian
NameInternat.Kimberly.Packagin.Amcor Smurfit . 
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Financials

Segment Financials

Revenue by Segment

$ Mil20242023202220212020
Industrial Packaging15,59617,45116,32614,90015,326
Global Cellulose Fibers2,8903,2272,7322,3932,551
Corporate and Intrasegment Sales430483305272208
Printing Papers    4,291
Total18,91621,16119,36317,56522,376


Operating Income by Segment
$ Mil20242023202220212020
Industrial Packaging9191,7421,6381,7572,076
Global Cellulose Fibers-92106-3-218-6
Printing Papers    529
Total8271,8481,6351,5392,599


Assets by Segment
$ Mil20242023202220212020
Industrial Packaging16,06016,42516,24715,95116,338
Corporate and other3,8323,8905,47512,3239,924
Global Cellulose Fibers3,3693,6253,5213,4443,733
Printing Papers    3,476
Total23,26123,94025,24331,71833,471


Price Behavior

Short Interest

Short Interest: As Of Date11142025
Short Interest: Shares Quantity55,052,657
Short Interest: % Change Since 103120254.9%
Average Daily Volume5,523,814
Days-to-Cover Short Interest9.97
Basic Shares Quantity528,000,000
Short % of Basic Shares10.4%

SEC Filings

Expand for More

Report DateFiling DateFiling
93020251106202510-Q 9/30/2025
6302025807202510-Q 6/30/2025
3312025507202510-Q 3/31/2025
12312024221202510-K 12/31/2024
93020241101202410-Q 9/30/2024
6302024726202410-Q 6/30/2024
3312024426202410-Q 3/31/2024
12312023216202410-K 12/31/2023
93020231027202310-Q 9/30/2023
6302023728202310-Q 6/30/2023
3312023428202310-Q 3/31/2023
12312022217202310-K 12/31/2022
93020221028202210-Q 9/30/2022
6302022729202210-Q 6/30/2022
3312022429202210-Q 3/31/2022
12312021218202210-K 12/31/2021

Insider Activity

Expand for More

 OwnerTitleFiling DateActionPriceSharesTransacted
Value
Value of
Held Shares
Form
0Goughnour Holly G.VP & Chief Accounting Officer5052025Sell44.857,500336,3441,413,764Form
1SULLIVAN KATHRYN D 12022024Sell58.3960035,0342,168,897Form