Packaging & Containers
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AMCR vs SON
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
Packaging & Containers
AMCR vs SON — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | ||
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Packaging & Containers | Packaging & Containers |
| Market Cap | $18.58B | $5.16B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $22.19B | $7.49B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $678M | $1.04B |
| Gross Margin | 18.5% | 20.9% |
| Operating Margin | 6.4% | 8.7% |
| Forward P/E | 10.2x | 8.9x |
| Total Debt | $15.01B | $4.85B |
| Cash & Equiv. | $827M | $378M |
AMCR vs SON — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
| Stock | May 20 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amcor plc (AMCR) | 100 | 393.8 | +293.8% |
| Sonoco Products Com… (SON) | 100 | 100.9 | +0.9% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: AMCR vs SON
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
AMCR is the clearest fit if your priority is long-term compounding and sleep-well-at-night.
- 419.6% 10Y total return vs SON's 50.2%
- Lower volatility, beta 0.80, current ratio 1.21x
- Beta 0.80, yield 6.6%, current ratio 1.21x
SON carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for income & stability and growth exposure.
- Dividend streak 30 yrs, beta 0.53, yield 4.0%
- Rev growth 41.7%, EPS growth 141.2%, 3Y rev CAGR 8.7%
- 41.7% revenue growth vs AMCR's 10.0%
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | 41.7% revenue growth vs AMCR's 10.0% | |
| Value | Lower P/E (8.9x vs 10.2x) | |
| Quality / Margins | 13.8% margin vs AMCR's 3.1% | |
| Stability / Safety | Beta 0.53 vs AMCR's 0.80 | |
| Dividends | 6.6% yield, 11-year raise streak, vs SON's 4.0% | |
| Momentum (1Y) | +366.1% vs SON's +22.7% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | 9.0% ROA vs AMCR's 1.8%, ROIC 6.2% vs 4.1% |
AMCR vs SON — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
AMCR vs SON — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
SON leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
AMCR is the larger business by revenue, generating $22.2B annually — 3.0x SON's $7.5B. SON is the more profitable business, keeping 13.8% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to AMCR's 3.1%. On growth, AMCR holds the edge at +77.4% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $22.2B | $7.5B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $2.6B | $1.2B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $678M | $1.0B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $1.4B | $266M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +18.5% | +20.9% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +6.4% | +8.7% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +3.1% | +13.8% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +6.5% | +3.6% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +77.4% | -1.9% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -11.8% | +23.6% |
Valuation Metrics
SON leads this category, winning 5 of 6 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
At 13.1x trailing earnings, SON trades at a 48% valuation discount to AMCR's 25.1x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, SON's 7.8x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than AMCR's 18.9x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $18.6B | $5.2B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $32.8B | $9.6B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 25.13x | 13.14x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 10.20x | 8.94x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 0.93x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 18.93x | 7.82x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.24x | 0.69x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.09x | 1.43x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 22.94x | 13.14x |
Profitability & Efficiency
SON leads this category, winning 8 of 9 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
SON delivers a 30.0% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $30 in annual profit, vs $4 for AMCR. AMCR carries lower financial leverage with a 1.28x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to SON's 1.34x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), SON scores 7/9 vs AMCR's 5/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +3.7% | +30.0% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +1.8% | +9.0% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +4.1% | +6.2% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +4.8% | +8.3% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 1.28x | 1.34x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $14.2B | $4.5B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $827M | $378M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $15.0B | $4.9B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 2.85x | 4.60x |
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
AMCR leads this category, winning 6 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in AMCR five years ago would be worth $42,102 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $8,993 for SON. Over the past 12 months, AMCR leads with a +366.1% total return vs SON's +22.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors AMCR at 65.9% vs SON's -0.7% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +385.9% | +19.1% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +366.1% | +22.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +356.8% | -2.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +321.0% | -10.1% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +419.6% | +50.2% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +65.9% | -0.7% |
Risk & Volatility
SON leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
SON is the less volatile stock with a 0.53 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than AMCR's 0.80 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. SON currently trades 89.5% from its 52-week high vs AMCR's 78.9% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.80x | 0.53x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $50.94 | $58.43 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $7.67 | $38.65 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +78.9% | +89.5% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 39.0 | 44.0 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 5.5M | 1.1M |
Analyst Outlook
Evenly matched — AMCR and SON each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates AMCR as "Buy" and SON as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 24.3% upside for AMCR (target: $50) vs 12.8% for SON (target: $59). For income investors, AMCR offers the higher dividend yield at 6.60% vs SON's 4.00%.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $50.00 | $59.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 13 | 21 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +6.6% | +4.0% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 11 | 30 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $2.65 | $2.09 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.7% | +0.2% |
SON leads in 4 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow, Valuation Metrics). AMCR leads in 1 (Total Returns). 1 tied.
AMCR vs SON: Frequently Asked Questions
10 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is AMCR or SON a better buy right now?
For growth investors, Sonoco Products Company (SON) is the stronger pick with 41.
7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 10. 0% for Amcor plc (AMCR). Sonoco Products Company (SON) offers the better valuation at 13. 1x trailing P/E (8. 9x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Amcor plc (AMCR) a "Buy" — based on 13 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which has the better valuation — AMCR or SON?
On trailing P/E, Sonoco Products Company (SON) is the cheapest at 13.
1x versus Amcor plc at 25. 1x. On forward P/E, Sonoco Products Company is actually cheaper at 8. 9x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — AMCR or SON?
Over the past 5 years, Amcor plc (AMCR) delivered a total return of +321.
0%, compared to -10. 1% for Sonoco Products Company (SON). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AMCR returned +419. 6% versus SON's +50. 2%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — AMCR or SON?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Sonoco Products Company (SON) is the lower-risk stock at 0.
53β versus Amcor plc's 0. 80β — meaning AMCR is approximately 52% more volatile than SON relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Amcor plc (AMCR) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 128% versus 134% for Sonoco Products Company — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which is growing faster — AMCR or SON?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), Sonoco Products Company (SON) is pulling ahead at 41.
7% versus 10. 0% for Amcor plc (AMCR). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Sonoco Products Company grew EPS 141. 2% year-over-year, compared to -36. 8% for Amcor plc. Over a 3-year CAGR, SON leads at 8. 7% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.
06Which has better profit margins — AMCR or SON?
Sonoco Products Company (SON) is the more profitable company, earning 5.
3% net margin versus 3. 4% for Amcor plc — meaning it keeps 5. 3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: SON leads at 9. 5% versus 6. 7% for AMCR. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — SON leads at 20. 9%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
07Is AMCR or SON more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Sonoco Products Company (SON) trades at 8.
9x forward P/E versus 10. 2x for Amcor plc — 1. 3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for AMCR: 24. 3% to $50. 00.
08Which pays a better dividend — AMCR or SON?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.
Amcor plc (AMCR) offers the highest yield at 6. 6%, versus 4. 0% for Sonoco Products Company (SON).
09Is AMCR or SON better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Amcor plc (AMCR) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.
80), 6. 6% yield, +419. 6% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (AMCR: +419. 6%, SON: +50. 2%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
10What are the main differences between AMCR and SON?
Both stocks operate in the Consumer Cyclical sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.
In terms of investment character: AMCR is a mid-cap income-oriented stock; SON is a small-cap high-growth stock. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
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