What Just Happened To Smurfit WestRock Stock?

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Smurfit WestRock (SW) stock climbed 5.5% on Thursday, October 29, 2026, diverging from a 0.3% decline in the S&P 500. The gain arrived a day after the company reported third-quarter results that missed estimates for both adjusted earnings per share and revenue, and four of its five peers rose the same session. So what exactly did Smurfit WestRock report?

What Smurfit WestRock Reported On October 28

The company posted third-quarter adjusted earnings per share of $0.45, falling short of the $0.60 estimate. Revenue totaled $8.16 billion, missing projections for $8.29 billion. Smurfit WestRock shares fell 5.2% that day, logging a decline of about the same size as the subsequent day’s gain.

Management said the results held up against “unprecedented and greater than anticipated cost inflation” found mostly in energy and freight. A contamination issue in U.S. agriculture also affected volumes across the U.S. and Mexico, the company added. Looking ahead, Smurfit WestRock lowered its 2026 outlook and now expects adjusted EBITDA of about $4.7 billion for the year. Energy costs alone will create a headwind of about $700 million in 2026 against 2025, management said.

To counter those expenses, Smurfit WestRock has raised prices across most paper grades. Management said that the company is passing those increases on with the normal time lag. North American corrugated volumes improved from the second quarter, management said, and it pointed to what it called a large structural shift toward the company’s paper bag and sack business.

Did Smurfit WestRock Rise With Other Packaging Makers?

Mostly, yes: four of its five peers gained during the same session, including International Paper with a 4.5% rise. O-I Glass proved the exception and fell 6.0%. The materials sector ETF (XLB) rose 1.3% on a day the broader market fell. Smurfit WestRock tracked the upward movement of most of its group, rising more than any of its peers.

Where Smurfit WestRock Stock Stands After The Rise

A climb of this size is not rare for the stock. Over the prior 365 days, Smurfit WestRock gained at least this much in eight separate sessions. The most recent occurrence was an 11.1% rise on July 24, 2026.

Over the past twelve months, the stock returned 2.9%, trailing the 13.3% return for the S&P 500. At $42.53, the latest close sits below the highest closing price of the past year, which was $51.84 on February 18, 2026. The lowest close over that same period occurred on November 20, 2025, at $32.79. In the past three months, the stock lost 6.6% while the S&P 500 gained 3.3%.

Smurfit WestRock is expected to report its fourth-quarter 2026 results in February 2027. The company’s adjusted EBITDA margin, which settled at 14.8% in the third quarter, is the measure to watch. Higher production and freight costs reduced margins by 150 basis points. That drop is measured against the third quarter of 2025, according to a Seeking Alpha analysis.

Does This Mean You Should Act On SW?

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