How Does Smurfit WestRock Stock Stack Up Against Its Peers?
Smurfit WestRock’s stock returned 3% over the past year, but how does this global packaging leader truly compare against peers amidst evolving sustainability and automation trends? A closer look reveals robust revenue growth, driven by its 2024 merger, alongside moderate operating profitability and free cash flow. However, a premium valuation may limit near-term upside as it navigates integration challenges and seeks to capture opportunities in the rapidly changing packaging sector.
- SW’s 7.1% operating margin lags SEE (14.7%), suggesting weaker cost management or less value-added product mix.
- SW’s 47.7% revenue growth, outpacing all peers, suggests robust market share gains or strong demand in its segments.
- SW’s 3.0% stock gain and 32.1 PE, trailing peers, may signal investor skepticism on future growth potential.
Here’s how Smurfit WestRock stacks up across size, valuation, and profitability versus key peers.
| SW | IP | PKG | GPK | SON | SEE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market Cap ($ Bil) | 22.4 | 20.6 | 19.8 | 3.1 | 5.3 | 6.2 |
| Revenue ($ Bil) | 31.2 | 24.9 | 9.0 | 8.6 | 7.5 | 5.4 |
| PE Ratio | 32.1 | -5.9 | 25.5 | 7.0 | 5.3 | 12.2 |
| LTM Revenue Growth | 47.7% | 44.3% | 7.2% | -2.2% | 41.7% | -0.6% |
| LTM Operating Margin | 7.1% | 0.0% | 14.0% | 9.8% | 9.5% | 14.7% |
| LTM FCF Margin | 3.8% | -0.6% | 8.1% | -0.9% | 4.6% | 8.6% |
| 12M Market Return | 3.0% | -18.3% | 13.9% | -61.2% | 18.0% | 41.1% |
Below we compare SW’s growth, margin, and valuation with peers across years
Revenue Growth Comparison
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| LTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SW | 47.7% | 47.7% | 74.6% | -10.5% |
| IP | 44.3% | 49.3% | -1.2% | -24.2% |
| PKG | 7.2% | 7.2% | 7.4% | -8.0% |
| GPK | -2.2% | -2.2% | -6.6% | -0.1% |
| SON | 41.7% | 41.7% | -2.5% | -7.1% |
| SEE | -0.6% | -0.6% | -1.8% | -2.7% |
Operating Margin Comparison
| LTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SW | 7.1% | 7.1% | 6.9% | 12.3% |
| IP | 0.0% | -0.0% | 3.7% | 4.7% |
| PKG | 14.0% | 14.0% | 14.0% | 14.3% |
| GPK | 9.8% | 9.8% | 12.8% | 13.2% |
| SON | 9.5% | 9.5% | 7.8% | 10.3% |
| SEE | 14.7% | 14.8% | 15.0% | 14.9% |
PE Ratio Comparison
| LTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SW | 32.1 | 28.9 | 65.2 | � |
| IP | -5.9 | -5.7 | 33.5 | 43.5 |
| PKG | 25.5 | 23.8 | 24.9 | 19.0 |
| GPK | 7.0 | 10.2 | 12.5 | 10.5 |
| SON | 5.3 | 4.3 | 29.4 | 11.6 |
| SEE | 12.2 | 12.0 | 18.6 | 15.4 |
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