CCK vs PKG vs IP vs AMBP

For growth investors, International Paper Company (IP) is the stronger pick with 33.

7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 4. 8% for Crown Holdings, Inc. (CCK). Crown Holdings, Inc. (CCK) offers the better valuation at 15. 8x trailing P/E (12. 5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Crown Holdings, Inc. (CCK) a "Buy" — based on 25 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.

On trailing P/E, Crown Holdings, Inc.

(CCK) is the cheapest at 15. 8x versus Packaging Corporation of America at 26. 0x. On forward P/E, Crown Holdings, Inc. is actually cheaper at 12. 5x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Crown Holdings, Inc. wins at 0. 82x versus Packaging Corporation of America's 1. 79x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Packaging Corporation of America (PKG) delivered a total return of +61.

6%, compared to -46. 1% for Ardagh Metal Packaging S. A. (AMBP). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: PKG returned +299. 8% versus AMBP's -44. 4%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Crown Holdings, Inc.

(CCK) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 48β versus International Paper Company's 1. 20β — meaning IP is approximately 150% more volatile than CCK relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, International Paper Company (IP) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 73% versus 177% for Crown Holdings, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), International Paper Company (IP) is pulling ahead at 33.

7% versus 4. 8% for Crown Holdings, Inc. (CCK). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Crown Holdings, Inc. grew EPS 79. 7% year-over-year, compared to -527. 4% for International Paper Company. Over a 3-year CAGR, IP leads at 5. 6% 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.

Packaging Corporation of America (PKG) is the more profitable company, earning 8.

6% net margin versus -14. 1% for International Paper Company — meaning it keeps 8. 6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: PKG leads at 14. 0% versus -11. 3% for IP. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — IP leads at 29. 5%, 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.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, Crown Holdings, Inc. (CCK) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 82x versus Packaging Corporation of America's 1. 79x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Crown Holdings, Inc. (CCK) trades at 12. 5x forward P/E versus 21. 8x for International Paper Company — 9. 3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for IP: 40. 3% to $46. 40.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Ardagh Metal Packaging S. A. (AMBP) offers the highest yield at 11. 1%, versus 1. 0% for Crown Holdings, Inc. (CCK).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Crown Holdings, Inc.

(CCK) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 48), 1. 0% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (CCK: +98. 0%, IP: +29. 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.

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: CCK is a mid-cap deep-value stock; PKG is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; IP is a mid-cap high-growth stock; AMBP is a small-cap income-oriented 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.