Is Packaging of America Stock Outperforming Its Rivals?
Packaging Corporation of America (PKG) stock has shown relative resilience over the past year against a backdrop of industry overcapacity and inflationary pressures in global packaging. A closer look reveals strong profitability and solid free cash flow generation, aiding its navigation of the ongoing shift towards sustainable and e-commerce driven solutions. However, PKG’s revenue growth lags some peers, and its moderate valuation suggests a balanced outlook amid evolving demands and regulatory shifts.
- PKG’s 14.8% operating margin, strong vs. most peers but below KMB’s 16.7%, signals solid cost control amid industry pressures.
- PKG’s 7.3% LTM revenue growth, outpacing KMB but lagging IP, AMCR, SW, suggests varied demand across its specific packaging segments.
- PKG’s stock, down 19.4% in 1 year and underperforming AMCR, reflects investor concerns amid market headwinds; trades at 21.8 PE.
Here’s how Packaging of America stacks up across size, valuation, and profitability versus key peers.
| PKG | KMB | IP | AMCR | SW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market Cap ($ Bil) | 17.2 | 35.5 | 20.0 | 19.4 | 18.0 |
| Revenue ($ Bil) | 8.8 | 18.9 | 25.6 | 17.4 | 31.1 |
| PE Ratio | 21.8 | 17.0 | -19.2 | 32.5 | 29.7 |
| LTM Revenue Growth | 7.3% | -3.1% | 42.7% | 28.4% | 89.5% |
| LTM Operating Margin | 14.8% | 16.7% | -0.0% | 8.8% | 7.0% |
| LTM FCF Margin | 8.3% | 11.1% | -1.1% | 4.9% | 2.6% |
| 12M Market Return | -19.4% | -20.5% | -32.6% | -15.9% | -35.0% |
For more details on Packaging of America, read Buy or Sell PKG Stock. Below we compare PKG’s growth, margin, and valuation with peers across years
Revenue Growth Comparison
| LTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PKG | 7.3% | – | 7.4% | -8.0% | 9.7% |
| KMB | -3.1% | – | -1.8% | 1.3% | 3.8% |
| IP | 42.7% | – | -1.6% | -10.6% | 9.3% |
| AMCR | 28.4% | 10.0% | -7.2% | 1.0% | |
| SW | 89.5% | – | 74.6% | -10.5% | 18.1% |
Operating Margin Comparison
| LTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PKG | 14.8% | – | 14.0% | 14.3% | 17.5% |
| KMB | 16.7% | – | 16.5% | 14.7% | 13.3% |
| IP | -0.0% | – | 2.6% | 4.0% | 8.3% |
| AMCR | 8.8% | 8.8% | 9.6% | 9.6% | |
| SW | 7.0% | – | 6.6% | 12.0% | 12.8% |
PE Ratio Comparison
| LTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PKG | 21.8 | – | 24.9 | 19.0 | 11.5 |
| KMB | 17.0 | – | 17.3 | 23.3 | 23.7 |
| IP | -19.2 | – | 33.5 | 43.5 | 8.4 |
| AMCR | 32.5 | 29.3 | 19.0 | 16.7 | |
| SW | 29.7 | – | 65.2 | � | � |
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