IP Investment Analysis Report & Stock Research, International Paper Company

International Paper Company (IP)

IP Stock Report

2-Year Price History

View Larger IP Chart
NYSE:IP
$22.95
(2/9 2:36PM)
+2.0%
Open$22.86 Mkt Cap$9.7 Billion
High$23.3 52Wk High$28.61
Low$22.5 52Wk Low$3.93
Volume4.9 Million Avg Vol 10D7.8 Million

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IP Revenue

For a long time, value investors have used the current share price relative to sales per share levels as an important valuation tool. We utilize a historical weighted average methodology that treats recent years more importantly in the calculation. When looking at IP through this framework, we can see that our weighted average historical high and low Price to Sales per share ratios over the last 10 years are 0.77x and 0.46x respectively.

Utilizing this range we can see that IP’s current Price to Sales per share ratio of 0.42x is significantly below its average levels historically. In fact, with a current price of $22.67, IP is a full 32% below its average Price to Sales ratio at comparable sales levels. This is a rare occurrence and, when taken in context of the other areas of our analysis, can be a strong positive for our outlook for IP.

IP Cash Earnings

As a value investment framework, Ockham Research is similar to a private equity firm in terms of our valuation methods. We are always on the lookout for value in the form of sales and cash numbers. In the case of IP, Ockham views their current Cash Earnings as below their historical average multiples of Cash Earnings, as calculated by our proprietary analysis. It is incredibly important to understand that for IP, the current level of Cash Earnings compared to its historical levels helps identify where IP is in relation to what the investing community was willing to pay for this level of Cash Earnings in the past. With a historical high Cash Earnings per share ratio of 30.04 and a historical low Cash Earnings per share ratio of 17.30, an investor can relate where value becomes optimal.

At its current price of $22.67, the Price to Cash Earnings ratio of 21.39 per share for IP is relatively attractive. At current profitability levels, a drop in share price would only improve our future expectations. Again, Cash Earnings is an incredibly valuable metric, and management at IP must continue on its generation to improve our overall outlook for the stock.

IP Dividends

A strong dividend payment history is looked upon as a favorable characteristic on a company’s future and potentially can receive a positive Ockham rating. That being said, we don't require dividend payments for company's whose management has elected to forgo them entirely.

When reviewing dividend yields for IP, we compare the historic high and low levels over the past, which is similar to our evaluation of Sales and Cash Earnings per share. Paying a dividend is not necessary for any company, but changes in dividend often can lend clues as to the health of the business. A rising dividend is a strong sign for an established company, as it reflects management's confidence in the company. IP’s estimated annual dividend is $0.10 resulting in a current dividend yield of 0.44%. The highest dividend yield from IP over recent history was 9.80% while the lowest dividend yield was 0.35%. While it is quite common for a growth stock to pay no dividend at all, but for a mature company such as IP that has a history of paying dividends it is disappointing to see their dividend yield drop so significantly. At this time, the current dividend yield is 91.33% below the median yield.

Peer Comparison

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International Paper Company Industry Grouping

(2/8/2010)
Company Ticker Market Cap (Ml) Latest
Price
Price/Cash Earnings Price/Sales 5-Yr. Rev.
Growth Rate
5-Yr.
Avg. ROE.
Current 10-Yr. Range* Current 10-Yr. Range*
Peer Company Averages (not including IP) 13.56 6.07 » 21.92 1.73 0.90 » 3.49 10.36% 45.83%
*10 year range does not include current year values
Avon Products, Inc. AVP $12.5 Billion $29.21 16.34 7.05 » 25.90 1.20 0.53 » 2.84 9.23% 92.08%
Coach, Inc. COH $10.7 Billion $34.19 14.07 4.88 » 28.98 3.01 1.13 » 7.71 19.58% 40.48%
Ecolab, Inc. ECL $10.3 Billion $43.52 14.51 9.25 » 18.24 1.77 1.10 » 2.43 10.29% 22.36%
International Paper Company IP $9.7 Billion $22.51 21.39 3.71 » 225.13 0.42 0.06 » 0.89 -0.28% 7.92%
The Clorox Company CLX $8.5 Billion $60.27 11.20 5.76 » 20.91 1.55 1.17 » 2.95 4.74% 56.77%
VF Corp. VFC $7.9 Billion $71.41 11.69 3.41 » 15.59 1.10 0.55 » 1.50 7.97% 17.44%
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The Razor's Edge

Heard on The Razor's Edge: CEO of IP Discussed

International Paper Company's CEO is obviously vital to his company, so we believe any news covering him is worth knowing for investors.

The crowd at The Motley Fool does not like IP and believes that it will Underperform. As we analyze the results from RazorWire, one thing we do is rank each stock in terms of amount of news coverage. Recently, IP has been less covered in the news compared to the rest of our universe of stocks. Please be aware that IP is trading off $1.83 today, and is clearly being affected by the latest news. After factoring in the current fundamentals versus their historically normal ranges, we have established a Fairly Valued stance on IP.

“… Even with the tough decline, INTERNATIONAL PAPER is up 4% since the last time we spoke to the CEO on September 25th. Then the stock was at $21. 71. What happened? …”

The Razor's Edge

The Chief Executive of IP Was Discussed on The Razor's Edge

Staying in touch with the latest management news is one way we are keeping our clients informed. Notice, RazorWire has a news capture related to IP's CEO.

A significant sell off of $1.83 is underway right now, so investors in IP should pay close attention to the news. While bearish sentiment on a stock is not always a bad thing, it is something you need to be aware of. The Motley Fool survey of crowd sentiment shows that many investors believe this stock will underperform. International Paper Company receives our Fairly Valued rating in our latest report because the current price does not seem out of line with the fundamentals. We noticed recently that in comparison to all other stocks we analyze in the news; IP has received less coverage from the financial media in business television and blogs.

“… Faraci noted that INTERNATIONAL PAPER’s business is short-cycle and benefits from the initial signs of recovery, and that certainly seems to be the case for most basic materials ... …”

The Razor's Edge

IP's Valuation in Focus on The Razor's Edge

International Paper Company was talked about in relation to their valuation on The Razor's Edge, and you can see what the pundits are saying with RazorWire.

A significant sell off of $1.83 is underway right now, so investors in IP should pay close attention to the news. We noticed recently that in comparison to all other stocks we analyze in the news; IP has received less coverage from the financial media in business television and blogs. While bearish sentiment on a stock is not always a bad thing, it is something you need to be aware of. The Motley Fool survey of crowd sentiment shows that many investors believe this stock will underperform. International Paper Company receives our Fairly Valued rating in our latest report because the current price does not seem out of line with the fundamentals.

“… back down below $20, which would make the valuation far more attractive. INTERNATIONAL PAPER is Hardly the World’s Cheapest …”

Mad Money

Mad Money Talks Cash Flow and IP

Generating cash flow is a goal for any company as well all know cash is king. Cash flow and International Paper Company were discussed recently on Mad Money.

As we analyze the results from RazorWire, one thing we do is rank each stock in terms of amount of news coverage. Recently, IP has been less covered in the news compared to the rest of our universe of stocks. After factoring in the current fundamentals versus their historically normal ranges, we have established a Fairly Valued stance on IP. While bearish sentiment on a stock is not always a bad thing, it is something you need to be aware of. The Motley Fool survey of crowd sentiment shows that many investors believe this stock will underperform.

“… But they're the right ones to make for INTERNATIONAL PAPER going forward. > > you're a great businessman, and i'm going to ask you to do something that I think I have trouble ... …”

Mad Money

The Outlook for Emerging Markets and International Paper Company Discussed on Mad Money

For growth, there is nowhere growing more rapidly than emerging markets. Recently, Mad Money talked about emerging markets and their impact on International Paper Company.

When taking into account the amount of news coverage each stock normally sees as a percentage of the total, International Paper Company has actually sunk a bit in comparison to the others. Interestingly, overall sentiment looks bearish according to the Motley Fool's CAPS survey, as most of their users see International Paper Company underperforming. The Ockham valuation currently has a Fairly Valued stance on IP because it trades within the price range that we would expect given current market conditions and fundamentals.

“… Looking beyond that, we think INTERNATIONAL PAPER's best days are ahead of us, and got lots of earnings from initiatives, pricing, volume in north america and around the world. …”

Mad Money

Mad Money: What is Happening with International Paper Company Now?

The latest news on Mad Money in regards to IP came through on RazorWire recently.

Interestingly, overall sentiment looks bearish according to the Motley Fool's CAPS survey, as most of their users see International Paper Company underperforming. The Ockham valuation currently has a Fairly Valued stance on IP because it trades within the price range that we would expect given current market conditions and fundamentals. Investors are headed for the exit following today's news as the stock is trading down $1.26. When taking into account the amount of news coverage each stock normally sees as a percentage of the total, International Paper Company has actually sunk a bit in comparison to the others.

“… in friday's game plan, I told you to keep an eye on INTERNATIONAL PAPER, which just reported its fourth quarter today. This manufacturer of all kinds of paper from loose leaf ... …”

Mad Money

Mad Money Has the Latest News on IP

The latest news from business television and influential blogs is always available through Ockham's RazorWire, and this news is in relation to International Paper Company.

We noticed recently that in comparison to all other stocks we analyze in the news; IP has received less coverage from the financial media in business television and blogs. While bearish sentiment on a stock is not always a bad thing, it is something you need to be aware of. The Motley Fool survey of crowd sentiment shows that many investors believe this stock will underperform. International Paper Company receives our Fairly Valued rating in our latest report because the current price does not seem out of line with the fundamentals.

“… Cramer's getting answers from INTERNATIONAL PAPER ceo on the executive decision. And later, hard times for hard drives? …”

WSJ Marketbeat

Focus on Costs: IP on WSJ Marketbeat

The best run companies in the world always have their costs in check. Recently, IP was mentioned in regards to costs on WSJ Marketbeat.

While bearish sentiment on a stock is not always a bad thing, it is something you need to be aware of. The Motley Fool survey of crowd sentiment shows that many investors believe this stock will underperform. International Paper Company receives our Fairly Valued rating in our latest report because the current price does not seem out of line with the fundamentals. We noticed recently that in comparison to all other stocks we analyze in the news; IP has received less coverage from the financial media in business television and blogs.

“… INTERNATIONAL PAPER’s fourth-quarter loss narrowed sharply amid much-lower restructuring-related charges and write-downs. …”

Mad Money

International Paper Company Was Talked About by Mad Money

The latest news from business television and influential blogs is always available through Ockham's RazorWire, and this news is in relation to International Paper Company.

The Ockham valuation currently has a Fairly Valued stance on IP because it trades within the price range that we would expect given current market conditions and fundamentals. In comparison to the other stocks that we follow, International Paper Company has seen more discussion in relation to its normal ranking among the group. Be aware that the news sources we track are focusing on this stock more often these days. Our sentiment indicator, provided through the Motley Fool CAPS survey, suggests that investors are neutral overall towards IP and think that it will generally perform in-line with the S&P 500.

“… I like INTERNATIONAL PAPER better. That's a decent spec. I need to go to randy in new york. > > caller: boo-yah, staten island! Big daddy calling. > > holy cow. …”

The Call

News Breaking on International Paper Company on The Call

The latest news from business television and influential blogs is always available through Ockham's RazorWire, and this news is in relation to International Paper Company.

Our sentiment indicator, provided through the Motley Fool CAPS survey, suggests that investors are neutral overall towards IP and think that it will generally perform in-line with the S&P 500. When taking into account the amount of news coverage each stock normally sees as a percentage of the total, International Paper Company has actually sunk a bit in comparison to the others. The Ockham valuation currently has a Fairly Valued stance on IP because it trades within the price range that we would expect given current market conditions and fundamentals.

“… INTERNATIONAL PAPER, huge gains the best-performing sector was tech. Up 61% this year within the s&p sector and take a look at the sector performers. …”

View All International Paper Company Stock News

Key Fundamentals

IP - International Paper Company Fundamentals
Price (2/9 2:36PM) $22.95
Volume (2/9 2:36PM) 4.9 Million
Last Close Price $22.51
10 Day Average Volume 7.8 Million
13 Week Price Range $21.66 - $28.61
52 Week Price Range $3.93 - $28.61
LTM Revenue $23.4 Billion
 
Shares Outstanding (12/2009) 433.1 Million
Market Capitalization $9.7 Billion
Shares Held By Institutions 360.2 Million
Institutional Holders 577
% Shares Held By Institutions 83.20%
Earnings Per Share (EPS) $1.55
P/E Ratio 14.50
Book Value Per Share $13.03
 
Gross Margin 31.90%
Annual Dividend 0.10
Dividend Yield 0.40%
Beta 2.38
Fiscal Year Ends December

About International Paper Company

International Paper Company is considered to operate in the Consumer Goods sector. They specifically operate in the Paper & Paper Products business segment contained within the Consumer Non Durables industry.

A global paper and packaging company which is complemented by North American merchant distribution system, with main markets and manufacturing operations in North America, Europe, Latin America, Russia, Asia and North Africa.