International Paper Company (NYSE:IP) Given Average Recommendation of “Hold” by Analysts

International Paper Company (NYSE:IP) has been given an average recommendation of “Hold” by the thirteen analysts that are currently covering the stock, Marketbeat.com reports. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, three have assigned a hold recommendation and eight have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1-year target price among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $48.2455.

A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on IP shares. Wells Fargo & Company upgraded shares of International Paper from an “underweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and raised their price target for the stock from $36.00 to $40.00 in a research report on Friday, January 30th. Citigroup raised their target price on shares of International Paper from $46.00 to $47.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 30th. Royal Bank Of Canada lowered their target price on International Paper from $55.00 to $54.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Friday, January 30th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on International Paper from $45.00 to $48.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, January 30th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price objective on International Paper from $47.00 to $48.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd.

Insider Buying and Selling at International Paper

In other news, CEO Andrew K. Silvernail acquired 50,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 30th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $39.98 per share, with a total value of $1,999,000.00. Following the acquisition, the chief executive officer directly owned 50,000 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,999,000. The trade was a ∞ increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 0.35% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On International Paper

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. AlphaQuest LLC boosted its holdings in International Paper by 63,400.0% during the second quarter. AlphaQuest LLC now owns 635 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $30,000 after buying an additional 634 shares in the last quarter. McIlrath & Eck LLC raised its position in shares of International Paper by 452.6% during the fourth quarter. McIlrath & Eck LLC now owns 641 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 525 shares during the period. MV Capital Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of International Paper during the fourth quarter valued at $25,000. Migdal Insurance & Financial Holdings Ltd. acquired a new position in shares of International Paper in the 2nd quarter valued at $33,000. Finally, Sound Income Strategies LLC increased its stake in International Paper by 94.0% in the 4th quarter. Sound Income Strategies LLC now owns 710 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 344 shares in the last quarter. 81.95% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

International Paper Trading Up 0.8%

NYSE:IP opened at $43.47 on Monday. International Paper has a 52 week low of $35.56 and a 52 week high of $57.07. The company has a quick ratio of 1.02, a current ratio of 1.28 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60. The company has a market cap of $22.95 billion, a PE ratio of -6.48 and a beta of 1.11. The business’s 50 day moving average is $43.14 and its two-hundred day moving average is $43.46.

International Paper (NYSE:IP) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 29th. The basic materials company reported ($0.08) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.28 by ($0.36). International Paper had a negative net margin of 14.12% and a negative return on equity of 0.35%. The firm had revenue of $6.01 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.90 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted ($0.02) earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 53.1% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts predict that International Paper will post 2.77 EPS for the current year.

International Paper Company Profile

International Paper is a global producer of renewable fiber-based products, focused primarily on pulp, paper, and packaging. The company manufactures containerboard and corrugated packaging used for shipping and retail display, as well as a range of specialty papers and pulp products that serve industrial, consumer goods, and e-commerce customers. Its product portfolio is oriented toward large-scale packaging solutions, tissue and paper grades, and raw pulp for a variety of manufacturing uses.

Founded in 1898, International Paper is headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, and is one of the largest and longest-established companies in the forest products sector.