International Paper (NYSE:IP) Given New $47.00 Price Target at Jefferies Financial Group

International Paper (NYSE:IP) had its target price reduced by Jefferies Financial Group from $51.00 to $47.00 in a report published on Wednesday,MarketScreener reports. Jefferies Financial Group currently has a buy rating on the basic materials company’s stock.

IP has been the subject of a number of other reports. Wall Street Zen cut shares of International Paper from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a report on Saturday, October 18th. Bank of America upgraded International Paper from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and increased their target price for the company from $55.00 to $57.00 in a research note on Thursday, August 28th. Truist Financial dropped their price target on International Paper from $55.00 to $53.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, October 13th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “sell (d+)” rating on shares of International Paper in a research report on Monday. Finally, BNP Paribas raised International Paper from a “strong sell” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $44.00 target price on the stock in a research report on Monday, November 24th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, International Paper currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $49.16.

International Paper Trading Down 0.9%

International Paper stock opened at $38.26 on Wednesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $20.20 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -14.66, a P/E/G ratio of 1.22 and a beta of 1.09. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $40.48 and a 200 day moving average price of $45.53. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52, a quick ratio of 1.04 and a current ratio of 1.31. International Paper has a 52 week low of $35.56 and a 52 week high of $60.15.

International Paper (NYSE:IP) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, October 30th. The basic materials company reported ($0.43) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.53 by ($0.96). International Paper had a negative return on equity of 0.16% and a negative net margin of 5.45%.The business had revenue of $6.22 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.76 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.33 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 56.4% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts forecast that International Paper will post 2.77 EPS for the current year.

International Paper Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 16th. Shareholders of record on Friday, November 14th were given a $0.4625 dividend. This represents a $1.85 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.8%. International Paper’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently -70.88%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other International Paper news, SVP Clay R. Ellis sold 18,819 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $36.85, for a total value of $693,480.15. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.35% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On International Paper

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its stake in shares of International Paper by 0.3% in the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 64,047,079 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $2,971,784,000 after purchasing an additional 167,889 shares during the period. Capital Research Global Investors boosted its holdings in International Paper by 7.5% during the third quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 54,330,790 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $2,520,945,000 after buying an additional 3,768,772 shares during the last quarter. Capital International Investors increased its stake in shares of International Paper by 51.4% in the 3rd quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 48,990,719 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $2,272,966,000 after acquiring an additional 16,622,062 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp increased its stake in International Paper by 0.8% in the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 29,612,060 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $1,374,000,000 after purchasing an additional 225,444 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp boosted its position in shares of International Paper by 9.3% during the second quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 18,737,896 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $877,496,000 after purchasing an additional 1,592,411 shares in the last quarter. 81.95% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Key Stores Impacting International Paper

Here are the key news stories impacting International Paper this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks raised several near-term quarter estimates (small increases to Q2 2026, Q3 2026 and Q2/Q3 2027 EPS projections), signaling modestly improved short-term expectations from that shop; Zacks still rates IP a “Hold”.
• Positive Sentiment: IP paid its quarterly dividend ($0.4625, annualized $1.85), supporting yield-focused investors (yield ~4.8%) and providing income support to the share price.
• Neutral Sentiment: International Paper set its earnings release date for Jan. 29, giving investors a near-term catalyst for fresh company guidance and results. International Paper sets January 29 date for 2025 results, outlines 2026 earnings schedule
• Neutral Sentiment: Institutional ownership remains high (about 82%) with several funds adjusting stakes, which can amplify moves but also provides a stable ownership base.
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst coverage is mixed — some trims to targets from big banks but a recent upgrade at Zacks from “strong sell” to “hold”; consensus remains a moderate buy with an average target near $50, so analyst views are varied.
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks cut Q4 2026 and FY2026 EPS materially (Q4 from $0.76 to $0.55; FY2026 from $2.55 to $2.36) and trimmed FY2027 slightly — these downgrades weigh on medium-term earnings visibility and are a clear negative for the stock.
• Negative Sentiment: An IP SVP, Clay Ellis, sold 18,819 shares (SEC Form 4 disclosure), which can be perceived negatively by some investors. SEC Form 4 — Clay Ellis sale
• Negative Sentiment: Negative media pieces (e.g., “3 Reasons to Avoid IP”) highlight valuation/operational concerns and may pressure sentiment and flows. 3 Reasons to Avoid IP and 1 Stock to Buy Instead

About International Paper

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.