Clearwater Paper Corporation (CLW)
Valuation Overview•Is Clearwater Paper Corporation Overvalued or Undervalued?
Popular:
Weak fundamentals — significant concerns
Returns capital via buybacks — no dividend
| Quarter | EPS Est. | EPS Act. | Surprise | EPS | Rev |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q2'26Latest | $-1.32 | $-1.29 | +2.3% | ||
| Q1'26 | $-0.49 | $-0.42 | +15.2% | ||
| Q4'25 | $-0.53 | $-0.51 | +3.8% | ||
| Q3'25 | $-0.53 | $0.22 | +141.5% | ||
| Q2'25 | $0.17 | $-0.36 | -311.8% | ||
| Q1'25 | $-0.33 | $-1.17 | -254.5% | ||
| Q4'24 | $0.29 | $-0.64 | -320.7% | ||
| Q3'24 | $0.30 | $-0.42 | -240.0% |
Total return, benchmark alpha, and annual history in one section.
3Y, 5Y, and 10Y use CAGR when available.
| Period | Return | vs S&P | Dividends |
|---|---|---|---|
| YTD | -19.6% | -27.0% | — |
| 1Y | -43.9% | -75.2% | — |
| 3YCAGR | -24.2% | -46.1% | — |
| 5YCAGR | -14.4% | -28.2% | — |
| 10YCAGR | -13.5% | -27.3% | — |
Year-by-year total return versus SPY, including dividend contribution.
| Year | Stock Return | SPY Return | Alpha | Dividends |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | -15.3% | +0.4% | -15.7% | — |
| 2025 | -41.0% | +16.6% | -57.7% | — |
| 2024 | -18.6% | +24.0% | -42.6% | — |
| 2023 | -2.0% | +24.8% | -26.8% | — |
| 2022 | +2.1% | -19.9% | +22.1% | — |
| 2021 | -4.7% | +28.8% | -33.5% | — |
| 2020Best | +79.8% | +15.1% | +64.7% | — |
| 2019 | -16.2% | +28.7% | -44.9% | — |
Based on our multi-model analysis of Clearwater Paper Corporation (CLW) at $14.23: Relative valuation verdict: Significantly Undervalued vs industry peers. Fundamental quality score: 26/100 (below average). Wall Street consensus: Buy from 10 analysts. This is a quantitative summary combining DCF intrinsic value, peer-based relative valuation, quality scoring, and analyst consensus — not a buy/sell recommendation. Always consult a qualified financial advisor before investing.
Clearwater Paper Corporation has multiple fair value estimates from different frameworks: Relative fair value: $101.07 (Significantly Undervalued, +469.4% vs current price). Analyst consensus target: $15.50 (+8.9% upside, 10 analysts). We recommend comparing all three lenses — when DCF, relative, and analyst targets converge, the signal is stronger. When they diverge, investigate what assumptions differ.
Clearwater Paper Corporation's financial health as measured by our composite scoring: Overall quality score: 26/100. Piotroski F-Score: 7/9 (strong fundamentals). Altman Z-Score: 1.8 (distress zone — elevated risk). Return on invested capital: 1.2%. Cash conversion (OCF/NI): -0.00x (earnings exceed cash generation). The quality score blends profitability (ROIC, ROE, margins), solvency (leverage, coverage, Z-Score), and growth trajectory into a single 0–100 framework updated end-of-day.
Clearwater Paper Corporation's performance profile: 1-year total return: -43.9%. 1-year alpha vs S&P 500: -75.2% (underperforming the benchmark). 5-year CAGR: -14.4%. Maximum drawdown (1Y): -59.7%. Relative Strength rating: 16/99 (weak momentum). Beta: 1.31 (more volatile than the market). Total returns include reinvested dividends. Alpha is calculated against the S&P 500 Total Return Index over matching periods.
Clearwater Paper Corporation does not currently pay a dividend. The company returns capital to shareholders via share buybacks, with a buyback yield of 7.5% and a 1-year share count change of -4.0%. Total shareholder yield (including buybacks): 7.5%.
Wall Street's outlook on Clearwater Paper Corporation: Consensus rating: Buy from 10 covering analysts. Consensus price target: $15.50 (range: $12.00 to $19.00). Implied upside from current price: +8.9%. Earnings beat rate: 58% with a 4-quarter consecutive beat streak. Analyst estimates are blended into our proprietary model with weight based on coverage depth and historical accuracy. We track estimate revisions, beat rates, and grade changes daily.
Key risks identified for Clearwater Paper Corporation: Cyclicality risk: The stock shows cyclical earnings behavior (severity: high, currently at Mid-Cycle of the cycle). Drawdown risk: The stock experienced a -59.7% max drawdown in the past year. Volatility risk: Beta of 1.31 indicates significantly higher volatility than the broad market. Solvency risk: Altman Z-Score (1.8) is in the distress zone, indicating elevated bankruptcy risk. Note: This model does not capture regulatory changes, management decisions, competitive disruption, or geopolitical events. Macro and qualitative risks remain material and should be assessed independently.
No. This overview dashboard aggregates data from our DCF intrinsic value model, relative peer multiples model, proprietary estimates engine, and third-party analyst consensus feeds. It is strictly for educational and informational purposes. The operator of this platform is not a registered investment advisor (RIA), broker-dealer, or financial planner. All model outputs, fair value estimates, quality scores, and signals are automated quantitative computations and should not be construed as investment recommendations. Consult a qualified, licensed financial advisor before making any investment decisions. Past model performance does not guarantee future results.