Packaging Corporation of America (PKG)
Packaging Corporation of America makes the cardboard boxes and paper products that help get goods from factories to your front door.
Is Packaging Corporation of America a good stock for a UK beginner?
The honest version: Packaging Corporation of America makes the cardboard boxes and paper products that help get goods from factories to your front door.
Over about 2 years to 2026-07-31. This is the share price only - reinvesting the dividends would add to it. And it's the USD return - as a UK investor your actual £ return also moves with the exchange rate. Past performance is not a guide to the future, and it could just as easily have fallen.
Based on beta - how much the price swings versus the whole market. Bumpier isn't bad; it just means a rougher ride, which matters more the sooner you might need the money.
Prices move on results, news and the mood of the whole market - no single headline explains a day, and a quiet week is usually just noise, not a signal.
The company successfully pivots to sustainable, high-margin packaging solutions.
New, cheaper packaging technologies make traditional cardboard less relevant.
What does Packaging Corporation of America do?
This company is a major player in the American packaging industry, turning wood fibre into the corrugated boxes used by retailers and manufacturers. They make money by selling these essential shipping materials, meaning their success is closely tied to how much stuff people are buying online and in shops. Their margins ride on how they handle the cost of raw materials and energy, which can squeeze profits when prices swing.
On our factor screen it looks strongest on momentum and income, and weakest on quality.
- ✓Pays a dividend - about 2.4% a year
- ✓Growing - revenue up about 15% over the year
- !High P/E of 32 - big growth is already priced in
- Momentum screens high (73/100)
- Essential business model that is vital to the supply chain
- Solid return on equity indicates efficient management
- Consistent dividend payments provide regular income
- Quality screens low (29/100)
- Economic downturns lead to reduced shipping and packaging needs
- Rising energy prices can significantly impact manufacturing costs
- Competition from alternative, more sustainable packaging materials
What do Packaging Corporation of America's numbers mean?
How much money does Packaging Corporation of America make?
Revenue and profit by quarter, and how much of each sale turns into profit.
Does Packaging Corporation of America pay a dividend?
Yes - Packaging Corporation of America currently pays a dividend of about 2.4% a year (the yearly payout as a share of the price). A dividend is a slice of profit handed to shareholders; the yield moves as the price moves, and a company can cut or stop it.
When does Packaging Corporation of America report earnings, and how did recent quarters go?
Packaging Corporation of America is next scheduled to report on about 2026-10-21 - dates can move, and we don't predict results; this just tells you when to look.
Each quarter a company reports its results against what analysts expected. ‘Beating’ or ‘missing’ is about that expectation, not whether the business is doing well in absolute terms.
| Reported | Expected EPS: The earnings per share analysts expected for the quarter - the average of their forecasts. 'Beating' or 'missing' is measured against this number. | Actual EPS | vs expected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-22 | $2.31 | $2.35 | Beat +2% |
| 2026-04-22 | $2.13 | $2.40 | Beat +13% |
| 2026-01-27 | $2.41 | $2.32 | Missed -4% |
| 2025-10-22 | $2.82 | $2.73 | Missed -3% |
| 2025-07-23 | $2.44 | $2.48 | Beat +1% |
| 2025-04-22 | $2.21 | $2.31 | Beat +4% |
Across the last 6 quarters here, Packaging Corporation of America came in ahead of what analysts expected 4 times. One quarter is noise, not a trend.
See who else reports over the next two weeks →
Reported vs expected earnings per share (EPS) from published results; the expectation is the analyst consensus, not our view. Report dates are estimates that can move.
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Casey's General Stores, Inc.What are the scenarios for Packaging Corporation of America?
An illustrative range for the year ahead, with the assumption behind each case — not a prediction or a price target.
What are the pros and cons of Packaging Corporation of America?
How many points the write-up makes each way — a balance check, not a score or verdict.
- Essential business model that is vital to the supply chain
- Solid return on equity indicates efficient management
- Consistent dividend payments provide regular income
- Earnings growth has recently been negative
- High sensitivity to the costs of raw materials like wood pulp
- Operates in a mature industry with limited explosive growth potential
- Economic downturns lead to reduced shipping and packaging needs
- Rising energy prices can significantly impact manufacturing costs
- Competition from alternative, more sustainable packaging materials
The write-up's own warning lights — if these start happening, the case above changes.
- A sustained, long-term decline in global e-commerce activity
- A major technological shift that renders cardboard packaging obsolete
Built from public filings & market prices, checked for an education-only tone, and never a price target. How we make these →
This plain-English summary was auto-generated on 2026-08-01 from public data and checked for an education-only, no-advice tone (the figures above carry their own, usually fresher, 'as of' date). It's information, never a recommendation.