LIVE
GPK
Graphic Packaging Holding Company · Materials - Consumer Packaging
$10.71
+13.43% this month
VERSUS
⟷
COMPARE
IP
International Paper Company · Materials - Industrial Packaging & Pulp
$36.82
+25.32% this month
Scoreboard verdict
Across AI score, momentum, valuation, upside, operating margin
GPK
2
IP
2
Comparison scoreboard
MIXED SETUPAI Score
GPK 24.8
IP ✓37.2
1Y Return
GPK -47.88%
IP ✓-19.83%
Fwd P/E
GPK ✓9.14
IP 13.50
Target Up.
GPK ✓+10.07%
IP +8.89%
Op. Margin
GPK N/A
IP 3.72%
Metrics last refreshed: 6/20/2026
Quick take
GPK vs IP Stock Comparison: AI Score, Valuation, Performance and Upside
GPK (Graphic Packaging) focuses on coated paperboard for consumer goods packaging (food, beverage, household brands), while IP (International Paper) is a containerboard and pulp giant serving industrial packaging needs with the DS Smith merger creating a global industrial packaging powerhouse. Both benefit from the shift from plastic to fiber-based packaging but serve different end markets.
GPK vs IP is consumer-facing fiber packaging (food and beverage boxes) versus industrial containerboard and corrugated packaging — similar sustainability tailwind but different end market exposure, customer bases, and cyclicality.
Live analysis · updated 6/20/2026
GPK and IP are closely matched — they split the tracked metrics evenly. IP has delivered stronger 1-year price return (-19.83% vs -47.88%), though GPK trades at the lower forward P/E (9.14x vs 13.50x). Analyst consensus implies similar upside for both: +10.07% for GPK and +8.89% for IP.
Normalized 1Y performance
GPK
IP
Recent returns
GPK
IP
Analyst price targets & sentiment
GPK · 9 analysts
Price target range
analyst low$8.00
analyst high$18.00
analyst mean$11.79
current price$10.71
+10.1% upside to analyst mean
IP · 13 analysts
STRONG BUYHOLDSTRONG SELL
Buy (2.2/5.0)
Price target range
analyst high$65.00
analyst mean$39.36
current price$36.82
+8.9% upside to analyst mean
Who should consider this stock?
GPK may suit investors who:
- →Want exposure to sustainable consumer packaging with coated paperboard benefiting from plastic-to-fiber conversion in food, beverage, and household brands
- →Value Graphic Packaging's vertically integrated operations and long-term supply agreements with major consumer brands providing recurring revenue
- →See the secular shift away from plastic packaging as a multi-decade demand tailwind for fiber-based consumer packaging solutions
IP may suit investors who:
- →Want exposure to industrial containerboard and corrugated box demand tied to e-commerce, manufacturing, and global trade activity
- →Value International Paper's scale as one of the world's largest containerboard producers with DS Smith adding major European market presence
- →See containerboard industry consolidation as reducing competitive intensity and supporting better pricing discipline through the commodity cycle
Performance & AI score
| Metric | GPK | IP |
|---|---|---|
| AI score | 24.8 | 37.2 |
| AI rank | #3001 | #1434 |
| Latest close | $10.71 | $36.82 |
| 1M return | +13.43% | +25.32% |
| 6M return | -29.53% | -4.83% |
| 1Y return | -47.88% | -19.83% |
$10,000 invested — hypothetical growth (dividends reinvested)
How much would $10,000 be worth today if invested at the start of each period, with all dividends reinvested?
| Period | GPK | IP |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y ago | $5.39K (-46.1%) started 2025-06-18 | $7.98K (-20.2%) started 2025-06-18 |
| 5Y ago | $7.51K (-24.9%) started 2021-06-18 | $8.98K (-10.2%) started 2021-06-21 |
| 10Y ago | $12.79K (+27.9%) started 2016-06-20 | $20.75K (+107.5%) started 2016-06-20 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
Valuation & upside potential
| Metric | GPK | IP |
|---|---|---|
| Market cap | $3.17B | $19.14B |
| Trailing P/E | 11.64 | 39.95 |
| Forward P/E | 9.14 | 13.50 |
| Price/Sales | 0.37 | 1.26 |
| EV/Revenue | 1.03 | 1.14 |
| Analyst target | $11.79 | $39.36 |
| Target upside | +10.07% | +8.89% |
Growth, profitability & risk
| Metric | GPK | IP |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth | 1.70% | 13.40% |
| Earnings growth | N/A | -90.10% |
| EPS growth | N/A | -90.10% |
| FCF margin | +2.17% | +7.03% |
| Operating margin | N/A | 3.72% |
| Profit margin | 3.17% | -13.77% |
| ROIC proxy | 8.55% | -16.04% |
| Return on equity | 8.55% | -16.04% |
| Dividend yield | 3.97% | 5.12% |
| Beta | 0.67 | 0.93 |
| Debt/equity | 178.20 | 65.90 |
| Current ratio | 1.41 | 1.21 |
| Quick ratio | 0.50 | 0.77 |
Drawdown & downside risk
Lower drawdown and smaller single-period drops generally indicate a smoother ride, though they do not guarantee lower future risk.
1Y risk snapshot
GPK max drawdown61.23%
IP max drawdown47.23%
GPK max wkly drop17.48%
IP max wkly drop23.37%
5Y risk snapshot
GPK max drawdown69.71%
IP max drawdown50.70%
GPK max wkly drop17.48%
IP max wkly drop23.37%
10Y risk snapshot
GPK max drawdown69.71%
IP max drawdown55.27%
GPK max wkly drop18.91%
IP max wkly drop23.37%
Performance metrics by period
| Period | Metric | GPK | IP |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Growth | -47.88% | -20.16% |
| CAGR | -47.90% | -20.19% | |
| Sharpe ratio | -1.41 | -0.42 | |
| Max drawdown | 61.23% | 47.23% | |
| Max daily drop | 15.97% | 12.85% | |
| Max wkly drop | 17.48% | 23.37% | |
| 5Y | Growth | -32.11% | -24.81% |
| CAGR | -7.45% | -5.55% | |
| Sharpe ratio | -0.24 | -0.15 | |
| Max drawdown | 69.71% | 50.70% | |
| Max daily drop | 15.97% | 12.85% | |
| Max wkly drop | 17.48% | 23.37% | |
| 10Y | Growth | +1.68% | +32.61% |
| CAGR | +0.17% | +2.86% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.00 | 0.11 | |
| Max drawdown | 69.71% | 55.27% | |
| Max daily drop | 15.97% | 12.85% | |
| Max wkly drop | 18.91% | 23.37% |
Business comparison
| Category | GPK | IP |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Graphic Packaging Holding Company | International Paper Company |
| Sector | Materials - Consumer Packaging | Consumer Cyclical |
| Industry | N/A | Packaging & Containers |
| Core business | Graphic Packaging is a leading producer of coated paperboard and fiber-based consumer packaging — including beverage cartons, cereal boxes, food trays, and other consumer goods packaging for major brands across food, beverage, and healthcare categories. | International Paper is one of the world's largest producers of containerboard (corrugated boxes) and pulp, serving industrial customers across e-commerce, food, and manufacturing — executing a strategic transformation toward pure-play containerboard after divesting its printing papers business and merging with DS Smith for European expansion. |
| Investor focus | Investors track Graphic Packaging's coated paperboard pricing, volume trends tied to consumer goods demand, cost efficiency from converting operations, integration of recent acquisitions (AR Packaging), and free cash flow for debt reduction and capital return. | Investors track International Paper's containerboard pricing, box shipment volumes (a leading indicator of industrial and e-commerce activity), pulp pricing, and the DS Smith integration synergies and strategic transformation progress. |
GPK strengths
- →Coated paperboard focus in sustainable consumer packaging benefits from the secular shift from plastic to fiber-based packaging for food and beverage applications
- →Vertically integrated operations spanning paperboard mills and converting plants optimize cost structure and quality control from raw material to finished package
- →Long-term supply agreements with major consumer brands (food, beverage, household) provide revenue visibility through customer switching costs
IP strengths
- →Containerboard and corrugated boxes are essential industrial packaging for virtually all manufactured goods shipments — demand is closely linked to e-commerce and industrial activity growth
- →DS Smith acquisition creates a major global fiber-based packaging company with significant European market presence
- →Containerboard industry consolidation reduces the number of large producers, supporting better pricing discipline through cycles
Risks to watch — GPK
- →Paperboard pricing is cyclical — periods of oversupply relative to demand can compress margins significantly as capacity additions catch up to demand growth
- →Integration of AR Packaging acquisition added European exposure and complexity — execution risk and FX exposure from European operations
- →Consumer goods demand softness from trade-down or volume declines at major customers flows through to packaging volume demand
Risks to watch — IP
- →Containerboard is highly cyclical — demand slumps in recessions while capacity additions can create oversupply; 2022-2023 saw significant containerboard pricing weakness
- →DS Smith integration complexity and significant debt taken on from the transaction require successful synergy delivery to justify the acquisition premium
- →E-commerce packaging demand is structurally growing but can still experience cyclical swings tied to consumer spending and retailer inventory levels
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