How Does Smurfit WestRock Stock Compare With Peers?
Smurfit WestRock stock saw a -9% return over the past year, trailing several peers [cite: data]. Despite this, the company boasts robust LTM revenue growth of 89% [cite: data]. A closer look reveals moderate operating profitability (6.9% margin [cite: data]) and a premium P/E of 32.3 [cite: data], signaling a higher valuation. While the broader packaging sector anticipates steady growth driven by sustainability and automation, SW’s current valuation suggests limited near-term upside, with benefits from returning containerboard pricing power potentially already factored in.
- SW’s 7.0% operating margin, trailing SEE (15.1%), signals pressure from merger integration costs or raw material prices.
- SW’s 89.5% revenue growth, outpacing peers, stems from its 2024 merger, creating the largest global packaging entity.
- SW’s stock is down 9.3%, underperforming peers, trading at a 32.3 PE, reflecting merger integration/valuation concerns.
Here’s how Smurfit WestRock stacks up across size, valuation, and profitability versus key peers.
| SW | IP | PKG | GPK | SON | SEE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market Cap ($ Bil) | 24.2 | 23.4 | 20.2 | 3.6 | 5.6 | 6.2 |
| Revenue ($ Bil) | 31.1 | 25.6 | 8.8 | 8.6 | 7.1 | 5.3 |
| PE Ratio | 32.3 | -18.3 | 22.6 | 7.0 | 9.0 | 13.6 |
| LTM Revenue Growth | 89.5% | 42.7% | 7.3% | -3.9% | 67.9% | -1.2% |
| LTM Operating Margin | 7.0% | -0.0% | 14.8% | 11.2% | 9.0% | 15.1% |
| LTM FCF Margin | 2.6% | -1.1% | 8.3% | -3.6% | 4.2% | 7.2% |
| 12M Market Return | -9.3% | -16.0% | 11.2% | -54.3% | 27.4% | 32.9% |
Below we compare SW’s growth, margin, and valuation with peers across years
Revenue Growth Comparison
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| LTM | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SW | 89.5% | 74.6% | -10.5% | 18.1% |
| IP | 42.7% | -1.6% | -10.6% | 9.3% |
| PKG | 7.3% | 7.4% | -8.0% | 9.7% |
| GPK | -3.9% | -6.6% | -0.1% | 31.9% |
| SON | 67.9% | -2.5% | -7.1% | 4.8% |
| SEE | -1.2% | -1.8% | -2.7% | 2.0% |
Operating Margin Comparison
| LTM | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SW | 7.0% | 6.6% | 12.0% | 12.8% |
| IP | -0.0% | 2.6% | 4.0% | 8.3% |
| PKG | 14.8% | 14.0% | 14.3% | 17.5% |
| GPK | 11.2% | 12.8% | 13.2% | 11.0% |
| SON | 9.0% | 7.8% | 10.3% | 10.5% |
| SEE | 15.1% | 15.0% | 14.9% | 16.8% |
PE Ratio Comparison
| LTM | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SW | 32.3 | 46.8 | 16.8 | � |
| IP | -18.3 | 24.6 | 64.8 | 8.7 |
| PKG | 22.6 | 22.8 | 26.2 | 14.6 |
| GPK | 7.0 | 7.0 | 11.6 | 14.6 |
| SON | 9.0 | 26.3 | 10.1 | 11.7 |
| SEE | 13.6 | 22.8 | 14.3 | 10.8 |
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