GEF vs SON

For growth investors, Sonoco Products Company (SON) is the stronger pick with 41.

7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -1. 0% for Greif, Inc. (GEF). Greif, Inc. (GEF) offers the better valuation at 4. 5x trailing P/E (17. 3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Sonoco Products Company (SON) a "Buy" — based on 21 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, Greif, Inc.

(GEF) is the cheapest at 4. 5x versus Sonoco Products Company at 13. 1x. On forward P/E, Sonoco Products Company is actually cheaper at 8. 8x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Greif, Inc. wins at 0. 38x versus Sonoco Products Company's 0. 62x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Greif, Inc.

(GEF) delivered a total return of +20. 1%, compared to -10. 1% for Sonoco Products Company (SON). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: GEF returned +153. 7% versus SON's +48. 6%. 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), Sonoco Products Company (SON) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

53β versus Greif, Inc. 's 0. 65β — meaning GEF is approximately 22% more volatile than SON relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Greif, Inc. (GEF) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 52% versus 134% for Sonoco Products Company — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Sonoco Products Company (SON) is pulling ahead at 41.

7% versus -1. 0% for Greif, Inc. (GEF). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Greif, Inc. grew EPS 223. 3% year-over-year, compared to 141. 2% for Sonoco Products Company. 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.

Greif, Inc.

(GEF) is the more profitable company, earning 19. 6% net margin versus 5. 3% for Sonoco Products Company — meaning it keeps 19. 6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: SON leads at 9. 5% versus 6. 9% for GEF. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — GEF leads at 22. 2%, 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, Greif, Inc. (GEF) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 38x versus Sonoco Products Company's 0. 62x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Sonoco Products Company (SON) trades at 8. 8x forward P/E versus 17. 3x for Greif, Inc. — 8. 5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for SON: 12. 8% to $59. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Sonoco Products Company (SON) offers the highest yield at 4. 0%, versus 3. 1% for Greif, Inc. (GEF).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Sonoco Products Company (SON) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

53), 4. 0% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (SON: +48. 6%, GEF: +153. 7%), 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: GEF is a small-cap deep-value 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.