Ball (NYSE:BALL) Announces Quarterly Earnings Results, Beats Estimates By $0.09 EPS

Ball (NYSE:BALL) issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday. The company reported $0.94 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.85 by $0.09, Zacks reports. Ball had a return on equity of 18.69% and a net margin of 6.86%.The company had revenue of $3.60 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.34 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.76 EPS. Ball’s revenue was up 16.3% on a year-over-year basis. Ball updated its FY 2026 guidance to 3.930- EPS.

Here are the key takeaways from Ball’s conference call:

• Ball reported a strong Q1 with global shipped beverage volumes up ~1%, comparable operating earnings +10% YoY and comparable diluted EPS of $0.94 (up 22%), outperforming its 2x operating leverage target.
• Management reiterated full-year targets including 10%+ comparable diluted EPS growth, free cash flow >$900M and at least $600M of share repurchases (total shareholder returns of $800M), supporting shareholder returns and balance-sheet strength.
• The company expanded capacity and market presence by completing the Benepack acquisition (Belgium, Hungary) and progressing the Millersburg, OR build (on track to ramp in 2027), while flagging high plant utilization and continued share gains for aluminum cans.
• Ball updated segment reporting (moved India/Myanmar into EMEA and removed certain financing items from comparable operating earnings) to emphasize operating earnings per can, and reiterated 2026 modeling metrics (interest ~$320M, tax ~23%, year-end net debt/EBITDA ~2.7x, CapEx ~ GAAP D&A).
• Near-term headwinds include an expected ~$35M of Millersburg startup/domestication costs later this year and elevated corporate undistributed costs (~$175M), and while aluminum cost inflation is a risk, management notes aluminum is largely passed through to customers.

Ball Stock Performance

NYSE:BALL traded up $0.37 during mid-day trading on Thursday, reaching $59.37. 598,668 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,349,700. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $61.81 and a 200-day simple moving average of $56.56. The stock has a market capitalization of $15.80 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.15, a P/E/G ratio of 1.15 and a beta of 1.06. The company has a quick ratio of 0.75, a current ratio of 1.12 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.25. Ball has a 1 year low of $44.83 and a 1 year high of $68.29.

Ball Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 15th. Investors of record on Monday, June 1st will be paid a dividend of $0.20 per share. This represents a $0.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.3%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, June 1st. Ball’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 23.12%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages have weighed in on BALL. Royal Bank Of Canada restated an “outperform” rating on shares of Ball in a report on Friday, April 17th. Truist Financial increased their price objective on Ball from $75.00 to $77.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 15th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on Ball from $50.00 to $60.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. UBS Group dropped their price objective on Ball from $66.00 to $64.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on Ball from $70.00 to $71.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Ball has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $68.64.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, SVP Fauze Villatoro acquired 1,551 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 4th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $64.51 per share, with a total value of $100,055.01. Following the transaction, the senior vice president owned 13,778 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $888,818.78. The trade was a 12.69% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, SVP Kathleen Pitre sold 10,660 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, March 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $66.63, for a total value of $710,275.80. Following the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 36,772 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,450,118.36. This represents a 22.47% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. 0.58% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Ball

Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Brighton Jones LLC raised its position in Ball by 41.2% in the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 5,245 shares of the company’s stock worth $289,000 after acquiring an additional 1,531 shares in the last quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC raised its position in Ball by 402.8% in the first quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 83,995 shares of the company’s stock worth $4,356,000 after acquiring an additional 67,289 shares in the last quarter. Empowered Funds LLC raised its position in Ball by 10.6% in the first quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 6,167 shares of the company’s stock worth $321,000 after acquiring an additional 590 shares in the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC purchased a new position in Ball in the second quarter worth $453,000. Finally, Jump Financial LLC purchased a new position in Ball in the second quarter worth $696,000. 86.51% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Ball

Ball Corporation is a leading provider of sustainable aluminum packaging solutions and advanced aerospace technologies. Headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado, the company serves customers in the beverage, food and aerosol markets through a global network of manufacturing facilities. With an emphasis on sustainability and innovation, Ball designs and produces metal cans, bottles and ends that support recycling and reduce environmental impact.

The company’s packaging segment specializes in beverage cans for soft drinks, beer and energy drinks, as well as metal packaging for food and personal care applications.