SW vs GPK vs IP vs PKG

For growth investors, Smurfit Westrock Plc (SW) is the stronger pick with 53.

0% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -2. 2% for Graphic Packaging Holding Company (GPK). Graphic Packaging Holding Company (GPK) offers the better valuation at 7. 5x trailing P/E (13. 0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Smurfit Westrock Plc (SW) a "Buy" — based on 11 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, Graphic Packaging Holding Company (GPK) is the cheapest at 7.

5x versus Smurfit Westrock Plc at 31. 3x. On forward P/E, Graphic Packaging Holding Company is actually cheaper at 13. 0x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Graphic Packaging Holding Company wins at 0. 66x 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 -33. 2% for Graphic Packaging Holding Company (GPK). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: PKG returned +299. 8% versus GPK's +12. 8%. 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), Packaging Corporation of America (PKG) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

76β versus Smurfit Westrock Plc's 1. 35β — meaning SW is approximately 79% more volatile than PKG relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, International Paper Company (IP) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 73% versus 167% for Graphic Packaging Holding Company — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Smurfit Westrock Plc (SW) is pulling ahead at 53.

0% versus -2. 2% for Graphic Packaging Holding Company (GPK). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Smurfit Westrock Plc grew EPS 68. 4% year-over-year, compared to -527. 4% for International Paper Company. Over a 3-year CAGR, SW leads at 35. 2% 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, Graphic Packaging Holding Company (GPK) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 66x 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, Graphic Packaging Holding Company (GPK) trades at 13. 0x forward P/E versus 21. 8x for International Paper Company — 8. 8x 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.

International Paper Company (IP) offers the highest yield at 5. 6%, versus 2. 2% for Packaging Corporation of America (PKG).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Packaging Corporation of America (PKG) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

76), 2. 2% yield, +299. 8% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (PKG: +299. 8%, SW: +64. 1%), 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: SW is a mid-cap high-growth stock; GPK is a small-cap deep-value stock; IP is a mid-cap high-growth stock; PKG is a mid-cap quality compounder 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.