Packaging Corp of America Stock (NYSE: PKG)

Packaging Corp of America (NYSE:PKG) Stock, Quote.Headers.trade-ideas

Packaging Corp of America

Packaging Corp of America is the third-largest containerboard and corrugated packaging manufacturer in the United States. It produces over 4.5 million tons of containerboard annually. The company's share of the domestic containerboard market is roughly 10%. The firm differentiates itself from larger competitors by focusing on smaller customers and operating with a high degree of flexibility.

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Shares of Karat Packaging, Inc. (NASDAQ: KRT) have lost 8.5% since the company reported lower-than-expected second-quarter 2024 revenues and earnings per share on Aug 8, 2024. The quarterly adjusted EPS of 49 cents missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 60 cents and declined 29% year over year.

Karat Packaging Stock Dips on Q2 Earnings &amp; Revenue Miss

Earnings Beats

AptarGroup, Inc. (NYSE: ATR) reported second-quarter 2024 adjusted earnings per share of $1.37, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.36. The bottom line increased 12% year over year from $1.22 (including comparable exchange rates).

AptarGroup Earnings Beat Estimates in Q2, Increase Y/Y

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U.S. stock markets tumbled on Jul 24, following weaker-than-expected earnings results of a couple of so-called &#34;Magnificent 7&#34; stocks. The three major stock indexes — the Dow, the S&amp;P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite — plummeted 1.3% (504.22 points), 2.3% (128.61 points) and 3.6% (654.94 points), respectively.

Top 5 Low-Beta High-Yielding Stocks to Shield Your Portfolio

Packaging Corporation of America Common Stock

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Packaging Corporation of America and International Paper shares are trading higher after analysts reported Cascades announced a containerboard price increase.

Watching Packaging Corporation of America, International Paper; Shares See Spike In Price As Citi Reported Cascades Announced A Containerboard Price Increase Effective Oct. 7; $40/Ton Linerboard Increase, $70/Ton Corrugating Medium Increase, $40/Ton Increase In Its White-Top Linerboard; Traders Circulate Other Containerboard Manufactures Could See A Price Increase

Packaging Corp of America's (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PKG#NYSE">PKG</a>) short percent of float has fallen 8.22% since its last report. The company recently reported that it has 1.37 million shares sold short, which is 2.01% of all regular shares that are available for trading. Based on its trading volume, it would take traders 2.05 days to cover their short positions on average.
<h3>Why Short Interest Matters</h3>
Short interest is the number of shares that have been sold short but have not yet been covered or closed out. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-short-a-stock/">Short selling</a> is when a trader sells shares of a company they do not own, with the hope that the price will fall. Traders make money from short selling if the price of the stock falls and they lose if it rises.
Short interest is important to track because it can act as an indicator of market sentiment towards a particular stock. An increase in short interest can signal that investors have become more bearish, while a decrease in short interest can signal they have become more bullish.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/short-interest">List of the most shorted stocks</a>
<h3>Packaging Corp of America Short Interest Graph (3 Months)</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1724771710_0.png" alt="short_fig" />
As you can see from the chart above the percentage of shares that are sold short for Packaging Corp of America has declined since its last report. This does not mean that the stock is going to rise in the near-term but traders should be aware that less shares are being shorted.
<h3>Comparing Packaging Corp of America's Short Interest Against Its Peers</h3>
Peer comparison is a popular technique amongst analysts and investors for gauging how well a company is performing. A company's peer is another company that has similar characteristics to it, such as industry, size, age, and financial structure. You can find a company's peer group by reading its 10-K, proxy filing, or by doing your own similarity analysis.
According to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/">Benzinga Pro</a>, Packaging Corp of America's peer group average for short interest as a percentage of float is 4.70%, which means the company has less short interest than most of its peers.
Did you know that increasing short interest can actually be bullish for a stock? <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-make-money-on-a-short-squeeze/">This post by Benzinga Money explains how you can profit from it.</a>
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and was reviewed by an editor.

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Looking Into Packaging Corp of America's Recent Short Interest

Shares of Karat Packaging, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/krt#NASDAQ">KRT</a>) have lost 8.5% since the company reported lower-than-expected second-quarter 2024 revenues and earnings per share on Aug 8, 2024. The quarterly adjusted EPS of 49 cents missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 60 cents and declined 29% year over year. The downfall was due to unfavorable year-over-year pricing comparison, higher freight costs and an increase in operating expenses in the quarter.&nbsp;
Including one-time items, EPS was 45 cents compared with the year-ago quarter&#39;s 53 cents.
Total revenues increased 3.5% year over year to $112.6 million. The top line missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $114 million. The increase primarily reflected higher volumes, a change in product mix and the inclusion of online sales platform fees. This was partially offset by an unfavorable year-over-year pricing comparison.
<div class="chart_embed">
<h3>Karat Packaging Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise</h3>
<h3><img alt="Karat Packaging Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise" src="https://staticx-tuner.zacks.com/images/charts/c2/1724072873.png" style="height:289px; width:620px" title="" /></h3>
Karat Packaging Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Karat Packaging Inc. Quote
</div>
<h3>Operational Update</h3>
The cost of sales increased 3.5% year over year to $69 million. Gross profit rose 3.7% year over year to $43 million. The gross margin was 38.5%, flat with the year-ago quarter.
The second-quarter gross margin included a net favorable impact of 90 basis points from the inclusion of online platform fees in net sales and production expenses in the cost of goods sold.&nbsp; This was offset by higher ocean freight costs during the quarter.&nbsp;
Operating expenses were $32.3 million compared with $28.5 million in the year-ago quarter. Expenses were higher in the quarter attributed to the inclusion of online sales platform fees, an increase in rent and warehouse expenses, online marketing expenses as well as higher stock compensation expenses. These were partially offset by the inclusion of production expense in cost of goods sold and a decrease in impairment expense and loss on disposal of machinery.
Adjusted EBITDA declined 26% year over year to $15.7 million. The adjusted EBITDA margin was 13.9% compared with 19.4% in the second quarter of 2023.
<h3>Cash Position</h3>
Karat Packaging reported cash and cash equivalents of $19.3 million as of Jun 30, 2024, down from $23 million as of Dec 31, 2023. The company generated $20 million of cash flow from operations in the first half of 2024 compared with $31 million in the prior-year comparable period.
<h3>Guidance For Q3 &amp; 2024</h3>
KRT anticipates the year-over-year growth in sales to be in the mid to high-single-digit range for the third quarter. The gross margin is projected between 38% and 39%. The company reported a gross margin of 36.9% in the third quarter of 2023.
For 2024, sales growth is forecast to be in the mid-single digits from the previous year level. The targeted gross margin for the year is between 38% and 40%.
<h3>Price Performance</h3>
Shares of the company have gained 3.1% year to date compared with the industry&#39;s 9.3% growth.
<img alt="Zacks Investment Research" src="https://staticx-tuner.zacks.com/images/articles/charts/6c/74608.jpg?v=1099425883" style="height:316px; width:620px" />
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
<h3>Zacks Rank</h3>
Karat Packaging currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
<h3>Performances of Other Packaging Stocks</h3>
Packaging Corporation of America (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/pkg#NYSE">PKG</a>) reported an adjusted EPS of $2.20 in the second quarter of 2024, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.12. The reported figure was higher than the company&#39;s guidance of $2.07. However, the bottom line decreased 5% year over year.
Sales in the second quarter grew 6.3% year over year to $2.08 billion. The top line beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.03 billion.
Sealed Air Corporation (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/see#NYSE">SEE</a>) reported second-quarter adjusted EPS of 83 cents, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 64 cents by a margin of 29.7%. The bottom line increased 4% year over year.&nbsp;
Results benefited from the company&#39;s cost take-out to grow program and cost-control initiatives. Improvements in the Food segment&#39;s results helped offset the continued weakness in the Protective segment. This was partially offset by unfavorable price realization.
Total revenues were $1.35 billion, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.31 billion. The figure was down 2.6% from $1.38 billion in the second quarter of 2023.
Graphic Packaging (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/gpk#NYSE">GPK</a>) reported quarterly earnings of 60 cents per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 56 cents. The figure declined from earnings of 66 cents per share in the year-ago quarter.
GPK&#39;s revenues were $2.24 billion, which missed the consensus estimate of $2.29 billion. Revenues were down 6.5% from the year-ago quarter&#39;s $2.39 billion.
<a href="https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/2323907/karat-packaging-krt-stock-dips-on-q2-earnings-revenue-miss?cid=CS-BENZ-FT-analyst_blog|earnings_article-2323907">To read this article on Zacks.com click here.</a>

Karat Packaging Stock Dips on Q2 Earnings & Revenue Miss

Packaging Corp of America's (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PKG#NYSE">PKG</a>) short percent of float has risen 8.42% since its last report. The company recently reported that it has 1.49 million shares sold short, which is 2.19% of all regular shares that are available for trading. Based on its trading volume, it would take traders 2.98 days to cover their short positions on average.
<h3>Why Short Interest Matters</h3>
Short interest is the number of shares that have been sold short but have not yet been covered or closed out. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-short-a-stock/">Short selling</a> is when a trader sells shares of a company they do not own, with the hope that the price will fall. Traders make money from short selling if the price of the stock falls and they lose if it rises.
Short interest is important to track because it can act as an indicator of market sentiment towards a particular stock. An increase in short interest can signal that investors have become more bearish, while a decrease in short interest can signal they have become more bullish.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/short-interest">List of the most shorted stocks</a>
<h3>Packaging Corp of America Short Interest Graph (3 Months)</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1722619816_0.png" alt="short_fig" />
As you can see from the chart above the percentage of shares that are sold short for Packaging Corp of America has grown since its last report. This does not mean that the stock is going to fall in the near-term but traders should be aware that more shares are being shorted.
<h3>Comparing Packaging Corp of America's Short Interest Against Its Peers</h3>
Peer comparison is a popular technique amongst analysts and investors for gauging how well a company is performing. A company's peer is another company that has similar characteristics to it, such as industry, size, age, and financial structure. You can find a company's peer group by reading its 10-K, proxy filing, or by doing your own similarity analysis.
According to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/">Benzinga Pro</a>, Packaging Corp of America's peer group average for short interest as a percentage of float is 4.38%, which means the company has less short interest than most of its peers.
Did you know that increasing short interest can actually be bullish for a stock? <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-make-money-on-a-short-squeeze/">This post by Benzinga Money explains how you can profit from it.</a>
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and was reviewed by an editor.

Peering Into Packaging Corp of America's Recent Short Interest

AptarGroup, Inc. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/atr#NYSE">ATR</a>) reported second-quarter 2024 adjusted earnings per share of $1.37, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.36. The bottom line increased 12% year over year from $1.22 (including comparable exchange rates).
On a reported basis, earnings per share were $1.34 compared with the year-ago quarter&#39;s $1.24.
Total revenues increased 1.6% year over year to $910 million in the reported quarter. The reported figure missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $923 million. Core sales, excluding currency and acquisition effects, improved 3% year over year. The upside was driven by the solid performance in the Pharma segment. We expected core sales to be up 2.6% in the quarter.
<div class="chart_embed">
<h3>AptarGroup, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise</h3>
<h3><img alt="AptarGroup, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise" src="https://staticx-tuner.zacks.com/images/charts/a2/1722004605.png" style="height:281px; width:620px" title="" /></h3>
AptarGroup, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | AptarGroup, Inc. Quote
</div>
<h3>Operational Update</h3>
Cost of sales fell 1.1% year over year to $567 million. Gross profit improved 6.3% year over year to $343 million. The gross margin expanded to 37.6% in the reported quarter compared with the prior-year quarter&#39;s 36%.
Selling, research, development and administrative expenses increased 5.76% year over year to $149 million. Adjusted operating income increased 7.54% year over year to $128 million. The adjusted operating margin was 14% in the reported quarter, up from the year-ago quarter&#39;s 13.3%. Adjusted EBITDA rose 6.5% year over year to $193 million in the second quarter.
<h3>Segmental Performances</h3>
Total revenues in the Pharma segment increased 6.1% year over year to $415 million. The reported figure surpassed our estimate of $410 million. Adjusted operating income in the quarter rose 13.5% year over year to $112 million. We predicted a quarterly adjusted operating income of $108 million.
Total revenues in the Beauty segment decreased 2.5% year over year to $321 322 million. Our estimate for the segment&#39;s revenues was $335 million. Operating income improved 8.62% year over year to $24 million in the second quarter. The reported figure surpassed our estimate of operating income of $23 million.
Total revenues in the Closures segment decreased 0.9% year over year to $174 million. We estimated revenues to be $180 million in the quarter. Operating income was $13 million in second-quarter 2023, reflecting a fall of 12.3% from the year-ago quarter. Our prediction for the quarter was $15 million.
<h3>Financial Performance</h3>
ATR reported cash and cash equivalents of $221 million as of Jun 30, 2024, down from $224 million as of Dec 31, 2023. The company generated $144 million of cash flow from operations in the second quarter of 2023 2024 compared with $84 million in the prior-year quarter.
<h3>Outlook</h3>
AptarGroup estimates third-quarter 2024 adjusted earnings per share of $1.38-$1.46.
<h3>Price Performance</h3>
ATR shares have gained 19.5% in the past year compared with the industry&#39;s growth of 9.4%.
<img alt="Zacks Investment Research" src="https://staticx-tuner.zacks.com/images/articles/charts/00/72601.jpg?v=1979531236" />
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
<h3>Zacks Rank</h3>
AptarGroup currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
<h3>Peer Q2 Performance</h3>
Greif, Inc. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/gef#NYSE">GEF</a>) reported adjusted earnings per share of 82 cents in second-quarter fiscal 2024 (ended Apr 30, 2024), which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 77 cents. The bottom line fell 54% year over year. Results were impacted by elevated raw material, transportation and manufacturing costs, and higher SG&amp;A expenses, reflecting increased compensation expenses and costs incurred for strategic investments.
Sales rose 4.1% year over year to $1.37 billion. The top line surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.31 billion.
Packaging Corporation of America (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/pkg#NYSE">PKG</a>) reported adjusted earnings per share of $2.20 in the second quarter of 2024, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.12. The reported figure was higher than the company&#39;s guidance of $2.07 in the quarter under review. However, the bottom line decreased 5% year over year.
Sales in the second quarter grew 6.3% year over year to $2.08 billion. The top line beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.03 billion.
<h3>Packaging Stock Awaiting Results</h3>
Sealed Air Corporation (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/see#NYSE">SEE</a>), scheduled to release second-quarter 2024 results on Aug 8, has a trailing four-quarter average surprise of 32.3%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for SEE&#39;s second-quarter 2024 earnings is pegged at 64 cents per share, suggesting a year-over-year fall of 20%.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company&#39;s top line is pegged at $1.31 billion, indicating a decrease of 5.3% from the prior-year reported figure.
<a href="https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/2310321/aptargroup-atr-earnings-beat-estimates-in-q2-increase-y-y?cid=CS-BENZ-FT-analyst_blog|earnings_article-2310321">To read this article on Zacks.com click here.</a>

Wells Fargo analyst Gabe Hajde maintains Packaging Corp of America (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PKG#NYSE">PKG</a>) with a Overweight and raises the price target from $194 to $215.

Price Target

Wells Fargo Maintains Overweight on Packaging Corp of America, Raises Price Target to $215

U.S. stock markets tumbled on Jul 24, following weaker-than-expected earnings results of a couple of so-called &quot;Magnificent 7&quot; stocks. The three major stock indexes &mdash; the Dow, the S&amp;P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite &mdash; plummeted 1.3% (504.22 points), 2.3% (128.61 points) and 3.6% (654.94 points), respectively. The S&amp;P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite posted their worst single-day performance since 2022.
Wall Street witnessed an impressive bull run in the past 19 months, barring some minor fluctuations. The rally was predominantly driven by big technology stocks, buoyed by the astonishing adoption of generative artificial intelligence globally. Consequently, several AI-centric stocks skyrocketed 200-300% during this period.
However, the situation started changing this month as investors&#39; preferences shifted from highly overvalued technology stocks to beaten-down rate-sensitive cyclical stocks. This happened after market participants&#39; expectations of two Fed rate cuts of 25 basis points this year jumped to more than 90%.
In addition, lower-than-expected earnings of AI-centric big tech stocks rattled investors&#39; sentiment on whether these companies will be able to deliver in the near future in order to support their overstretched valuations.&nbsp;
We believe, the market may remain volatile in the near future as a lot of big tech stocks are yet to report quarterly financial results. Any deviation from the market&#39;s expectations with respect to any metric (financial or operational) will result in volatility.
At this stage, investment in low-beta stocks with a high dividend yield and a favorable Zacks Rank may be the best option. If markets regain momentum, the favorable Zacks Rank of these stocks will capture the upside potential. However, if the downtrend continues, low-beta stocks will minimize portfolio losses and dividend payments will act as a regular income stream.&nbsp;
<h3>Our Top Picks</h3>
We have narrowed our search to five low-beta (beta &gt;0 &lt;1) stocks with a solid dividend yield. These companies have strong growth potential for the rest of 2024 and have seen positive earnings estimate revisions in the past 30 days. Each of our picks carries a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).
The chart below shows the price performance of our five picks year to date.
<img alt="Zacks Investment Research" src="https://staticx-tuner.zacks.com/images/articles/charts/02/72393.jpg?v=1035244647" style="border-style:solid; border-width:1px" />
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Interactive Brokers Group Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ibkr#NASDAQ">IBKR</a>) is a global automated electronic broker. IBKR&#39;s efforts to develop proprietary software, low compensation expenses relative to net revenues, an increase in emerging market customers and higher interest rates are expected to boost revenues in the upcoming quarters.&nbsp;
IBKR executes, processes and trades in cryptocurrencies too. The commodities futures trading desk of IBKR also offers customers a chance to trade cryptocurrency futures. We project total net revenues to witness a CAGR of 5.2% over the next three years. IBKR&#39;s enhanced capital distribution plans seem sustainable given a solid liquidity position.
Interactive Brokers Group has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 14.7% and 17.6%, respectively, for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings has improved 4.2% over the past 30 days. IBKR has a beta of 0.81 and a current dividend yield of 0.82%.
Reinsurance Group of America Inc. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/rga#NYSE">RGA</a>) steadily benefits from a mix of organic and transactional opportunities. RGA&#39;s niche position in reinsurance markets and expansion of international footprint are positives. Individual mortality has matured and provides a base for stable earnings.&nbsp;
Significant value embedded in the in-force business should generate predictable long-term earnings. RGA is poised to benefit from improving life reinsurance pricing environment and higher investment income. A solid solvency position reflects RGA&#39;s ability to make interest payments.
Reinsurance Group of America has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 13.4% and 6.2%, respectively, for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings has improved 0.8% over the past 30 days. RGA has a beta of 0.92 and a current dividend yield of 1.54%.
Packaging Corporation of America (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/pkg#NYSE">PKG</a>) is poised well to gain from the strong growth in e-commerce activities that continue to support packaging demand. Stable demand for food, beverages, medication and other consumer products will help sustain the demand for the Packaging segment.
The conversion of the No. 3 paper machine at PKG&#39;s Jackson, AL-based mill to liner board through the past few years will enable the company to meet the increase in demand. PKG anticipates higher total corrugated product shipments in 2024.&nbsp;
Packaging Corporation of America has an expected revenue growth rate of 4.1% for the current year. Although its earnings growth rate is negative for the current year, it is 17.6% for next year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings has improved 1.7% over the past seven days. PKG has a beta of 0.77 and a current dividend yield of 2.59%.
Franco-Nevada Corp. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/fnv#NYSE">FNV</a>) is well-poised to deliver strong earnings growth, aided by increased contributions from its streaming agreements. Contributions from buyouts, and a healthy portfolio of royalty and streaming agreements will aid the company&#39;s growth. Even though FNV has been facing lower output due to the production halt in Cobre Panama, it is likely to be offset by FNV&#39;s continued focus on cost management.&nbsp;
FNV has a debt-free balance sheet and uses its free cash flow to expand the portfolio and pay dividends. Gold prices have been on an uptrend this year, aided by geopolitical reasons, a depreciating U.S. dollar, the potential for monetary policy easing and continuous purchasing by central banks.&nbsp;
Franco-Nevada has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 9.3% and 12%, respectively, for the next year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for next-year earnings has improved 1.4% over the past seven days. FNV has a beta of 0.74 and a current dividend yield of 1.15%.
Fox Corp. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/fox#NASDAQ">FOX</a>) operates as a news, sports, and entertainment company in the United States. FOX operates through Cable Network Programming, Television, and Other, Corporate and Eliminations segments. The Cable Network Programming segment produces and licenses news, business news, and sports content for distribution.&nbsp;
The U.S. Television segment produces, acquires, markets, and distributes programming through the FOX broadcast network, advertising supported video-on-demand service Tubi, and power broadcast television stations including digital platform. Other, Corporate and Eliminations segment comprises FOX Studio Lot which provides television and film production services including office space, studio operation services, and facility operations, and Credible, a U.S. consumer finance marketplace.
FOX has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 9.7% and 10.5%, respectively, for the current year (ending June 2025). The Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings has improved 0.5% over the past 30 days. FOX has a beta of 0.82 and a current dividend yield of 1.51%.
<a href="https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/2308790/top-5-low-beta-high-yielding-stocks-to-shield-your-portfolio?cid=CS-BENZ-FT-analyst_blog|investment_ideas-2308790">To read this article on Zacks.com click here.</a>

Packaging Corp of America (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PKG#NYSE">PKG</a>) underwent analysis by 6 analysts in the last quarter, revealing a spectrum of viewpoints from bullish to bearish.
The table below provides a snapshot of their recent ratings, showcasing how sentiments have evolved over the past 30 days and comparing them to the preceding months.
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th></th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Bullish</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Somewhat Bullish</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Indifferent</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Somewhat Bearish</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Bearish</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Total Ratings</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">4</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Last 30D</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1M Ago</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2M Ago</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">2</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3M Ago</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Analysts' evaluations of 12-month price targets offer additional insights, showcasing an average target of $203.83, with a high estimate of $219.00 and a low estimate of $187.00. Witnessing a positive shift, the current average has risen by 3.38% from the previous average price target of $197.17.
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1721923214_0.png" alt="price target chart" />
<h2>Analyzing Analyst Ratings: A Detailed Breakdown</h2>
The analysis of recent analyst actions sheds light on the perception of Packaging Corp of America by financial experts. The following summary presents key analysts, their recent evaluations, and adjustments to ratings and price targets.
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Analyst</th>
<th>Analyst Firm</th>
<th>Action Taken</th>
<th>Rating</th>
<th>Current Price Target</th>
<th>Prior Price Target</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Michael Roxland</td>
<td>Truist Securities</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$219.00</td>
<td>$215.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Michael Roxland</td>
<td>Truist Securities</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$215.00</td>
<td>$208.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Gabe Hajde</td>
<td>Wells Fargo</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Overweight</td>
<td>$194.00</td>
<td>$191.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Anthony Pettinari</td>
<td>Citigroup</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Neutral</td>
<td>$187.00</td>
<td>$181.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>George Staphos</td>
<td>B of A Securities</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$200.00</td>
<td>$197.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Michael Roxland</td>
<td>Truist Securities</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$208.00</td>
<td>$191.00</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3>Key Insights:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Action Taken: Responding to changing market dynamics and company performance, analysts update their recommendations. Whether they 'Maintain', 'Raise', or 'Lower' their stance, it signifies their response to recent developments related to Packaging Corp of America. This offers insight into analysts' perspectives on the current state of the company.</li>
<li>Rating: Analysts unravel qualitative evaluations for stocks, ranging from 'Outperform' to 'Underperform'. These ratings offer insights into expectations for the relative performance of Packaging Corp of America compared to the broader market.</li>
<li>Price Targets: Analysts provide insights into price targets, offering estimates for the future value of Packaging Corp of America's stock. This comparison reveals trends in analysts' expectations over time.</li>
</ul>
Capture valuable insights into Packaging Corp of America's market standing by understanding these analyst evaluations alongside pertinent financial indicators. Stay informed and make strategic decisions with our Ratings Table.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/PKG/analyst-ratings?utm_source=Benzinga Insights">Stay up to date on Packaging Corp of America analyst ratings.</a>
<h2>Get to Know Packaging Corp of America Better</h2>
Packaging Corp of America is the third-largest containerboard and corrugated packaging manufacturer in the United States. It produces over 4.5 million tons of containerboard annually. The company's share of the domestic containerboard market is roughly 10%. The firm differentiates itself from larger competitors by focusing on smaller customers and operating with a high degree of flexibility.
<h3>Packaging Corp of America's Financial Performance</h3>
Market Capitalization Analysis: Above industry benchmarks, the company's market capitalization emphasizes a noteworthy size, indicative of a strong market presence.
Revenue Growth: Packaging Corp of America's revenue growth over a period of 3 months has been noteworthy. As of 31 March, 2024, the company achieved a revenue growth rate of approximately 0.16%. This indicates a substantial increase in the company's top-line earnings. When compared to others in the Materials sector, the company excelled with a growth rate higher than the average among peers.
Net Margin: Packaging Corp of America's net margin surpasses industry standards, highlighting the company's exceptional financial performance. With an impressive 7.37% net margin, the company effectively manages costs and achieves strong profitability.
Return on Equity (ROE): Packaging Corp of America's ROE falls below industry averages, indicating challenges in efficiently using equity capital. With an ROE of 3.63%, the company may face hurdles in generating optimal returns for shareholders.
Return on Assets (ROA): Packaging Corp of America's financial strength is reflected in its exceptional ROA, which exceeds industry averages. With a remarkable ROA of 1.66%, the company showcases efficient use of assets and strong financial health.
Debt Management: The company maintains a balanced debt approach with a debt-to-equity ratio below industry norms, standing at 0.78.
<h2>Analyst Ratings: What Are They?</h2>
Ratings come from analysts, or specialists within banking and financial systems that report for specific stocks or defined sectors (typically once per quarter for each stock). Analysts usually derive their information from company conference calls and meetings, financial statements, and conversations with important insiders to reach their decisions.
In addition to their assessments, some analysts extend their insights by offering predictions for key metrics such as earnings, revenue, and growth estimates. This supplementary information provides further guidance for traders. It is crucial to recognize that, despite their specialization, analysts are human and can only provide forecasts based on their beliefs.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

What 6 Analyst Ratings Have To Say About Packaging Corp of America

Truist Securities analyst Michael Roxland maintains Packaging Corp of America (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PKG#NYSE">PKG</a>) with a Buy and raises the price target from $215 to $219.

Truist Securities Maintains Buy on Packaging Corp of America, Raises Price Target to $219

It expects shipments-per-day to continue to strengthen, potentially setting a new&nbsp;third quarter&nbsp;record, and higher containerboard volume.&nbsp;&nbsp;Paper volume will be slightly lower primarily due to the timing of the back-to-school business received in the&nbsp;second quarter.

Packaging Corporation Of America Expects Q3 EPS Of $2.45, Est $2.43

Packaging Corp of America (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PKG#NYSE">PKG</a>) reported quarterly earnings of $2.20 per share which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $2.14 by 2.8 percent. This is a 4.76 percent decrease over earnings of $2.31 per share from the same period last year. The company reported quarterly sales of $2.075 billion which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $2.025 billion by 2.48 percent. This is a 6.30 percent increase over sales of $1.952 billion the same period last year.

Packaging Corp of America Q2 2024 Adj EPS $2.20 Beats $2.14 Estimate, Sales $2.075B Beat $2.025B Estimate

On Tuesday, Wall Street saw a mixed session, with small-cap stocks outperforming large caps as investors anticipated key earnings reports from Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) and Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>), set to be <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/07/39910693/tesla-analyst-asks-do-earnings-matter-ahead-of-q2-report-robotaxis-china-ev-guidanc">released after the close.</a>
The Russell 2000 index, as replicated by the iShares Russell 2000 ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IWM#NYSE">IWM</a>), climbed 0.8%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 dipped 0.2%. This marked the ninth time in the last 10 sessions that small caps have outperformed tech stocks. The S&amp;P 500 and the Dow Jones showed little movement.
United Parcel Service Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UPS#NYSE">UPS</a>) stood out among the mega-cap stocks, plunging 14% after missing earnings and revenue estimates for the previous quarter. This decline is poised to be the worst one-day drop for the shipping company since it went public in 1999.
Both Treasury yields and the U.S. dollar remained stable ahead of a data-heavy week, featuring the Q2 GDP report on Thursday and the Fed&#8217;s favored inflation report on Friday.
Gold inched up 0.3%, reaching $2,400 per ounce, while Bitcoin dropped over 2% to $65,800, marking its second straight session of losses.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Tuesday&#8217;s Performance In Major US Indices, ETFs</h3>
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Major Indices</td>
<td>Price</td>
<td>1-day %chg</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Russell 2000</td>
<td>2,243.00</td>
<td>0.8%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>S&amp;P 500</td>
<td>5,568.86</td>
<td>0.1%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dow Jones</td>
<td>40,386.54</td>
<td>-0.1%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nasdaq 100</td>
<td>19,778.53</td>
<td>-0.2%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Updated at 12:48 p.m. ET</figcaption></figure>
According to <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/pro/register/?utm_source=BZprocontent071924&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1">Benzinga Pro</a> data:
<ul>
<li>The&nbsp;SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>)&nbsp;was flat at $554.92.</li>
<li>The&nbsp;SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIA#NYSE">DIA</a>)&nbsp;edged down 0.1% to $403.80.</li>
<li>The tech-heavy&nbsp;Invesco QQQ Trust&nbsp;(ARCA:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/qqq" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"></a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/qqq" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"></a>QQQ) fell 0.2% to $481.52.</li>
<li>Sector-wise, the Financials Select Sector SPDR Fund&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLF#NYSE">XLF</a>)&nbsp;outperformed, up by 0.4%, while the&nbsp;Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLE#NYSE">XLE</a>) lagged, down 1.4%.</li>
</ul>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Tuesday&#8217;s Stock Movers</h3>
Stocks reacting to company earnings were: 
<ul>
<li>Agilysys, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AGYS#NASDAQ">AGYS</a>), down over 5%</li>
<li>NXP Semiconductors N.V. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NXPI#NASDAQ">NXPI</a>) down over 9%</li>
<li>Medpace Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MEDP#NASDAQ">MEDP</a>) down over 17%</li>
<li>Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KO#NYSE">KO</a>), up 0.6%</li>
<li>Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FCX#NYSE">FCX</a>), down 2%</li>
<li>GE Aerospace (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GE#NYSE">GE</a>), up over 7%</li>
<li>General Motors Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GM#NYSE">GM</a>), down over 6%</li>
<li>Kimberly-Clark Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KMB#NYSE">KMB</a>), down over 4%</li>
<li>Comcast Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CMCSA#NASDAQ">CMCSA</a>), down over 2%</li>
<li>MSCI Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSCI#NYSE">MSCI</a>), up over 7%</li>
<li>Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LMT#NYSE">LMT</a>), up over 4%</li>
<li>Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PM#NYSE">PM</a>), up 2%</li>
<li>PulteGroup, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PHM#NYSE">PHM</a>), down 0.5%</li>
<li>Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DGX#NYSE">DGX</a>), down over 4%</li>
<li>Spotify Technology S.A. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPOT#NYSE">SPOT</a>), up over 10%</li>
<li>Polaris Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PII#NYSE">PII</a>), down over 2%.</li>
</ul>
Those reporting after the close include:
<ul>
<li>Alphabet, Capital One Financial Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COF#NYSE">COF</a>)</li>
<li>Chubb Limited (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CB#NYSE">CB</a>)</li>
<li> Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MAT#NASDAQ">MAT</a>)</li>
<li>Packaging Corporation of America (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PKG#NYSE">PKG</a>)</li>
<li>Seagate Technology Holdings plc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/STX#NASDAQ">STX</a>)</li>
<li>Tesla</li>
<li>Texas Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TXN#NASDAQ">TXN</a>)</li>
<li>Visa Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/V#NYSE">V</a>).</li>
</ul>
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/latest-research-webinar-redirect-evergreen?utm_source=website-content" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Turn Trading Into The Ultimate Side Hustle Using Benzinga Tools In A Free Webinar</a></li>
</ul>
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Small-Cap Gains Resume Ahead Of Major Tech Earnings; UPS Faces Worst Day Ever, Bitcoin Dips Below $66,000: What's Driving Markets Tuesday?

The market mood turned jittery after Monday&#8217;s rebound, with index futures trading on either side of the unchanged line early Tuesday. The apprehensions reflect uncertainties regarding geopolitics, monetary policy, and the health of the reporting season ahead of earnings from AI stalwart Alphabet, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) and electric-vehicle giant Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>). <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/07/39884110/alphabet-set-to-report-strong-q2-results-with-increased-search-revenue-analyst-bull">The Google-parent&#8217;s earnings </a>could be seen as a foretaste of what is to come from the rest of the AI-levered stocks.
Earnings news has been mixed. The tidings on the economic front are scarce, with only a housing market report due for the day. That said, traders may choose to remain cautious ahead of some key readings, including Friday&#8217;s inflation data.
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Futures</td>
<td>Performance (+/-)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nasdaq 100</td>
<td>-0.02%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>S&amp;P 500</td>
<td>+0.08%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dow</td>
<td>+0.11%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>R2K</td>
<td>+0.23%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<figcaption class="wp-element-caption"> In premarket trading on Tuesday,&nbsp;the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) rose 0.08% to $555.11, while the&nbsp;Invesco QQQ ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) edged 0.01% to $482.28, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/lxquj26b2sag" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Pro data</a>. Cues From Last Session:</figcaption></figure>
Stocks went racing higher on Monday as traders assessed the implications of President Joe Biden&#8217;s withdrawal from the race and looked ahead optimistically to the week&#8217;s earnings report. Beaten-down tech stocks spearheaded the recovery on a day when most S&amp;P 500 sector indices, barring energy and consumer staples, advanced. 
The major averages opened higher, with the Nasdaq Composite Index and the S&amp;P 500 Index moving roughly sideways with strong gains for the rest of the session. In the process, the former broke back above the 18,000 barrier. The Dow Jones Industrial Average experienced some volatility in the morning before moving decisively into the positive terrain and ending modestly higher. 
Small-caps resumed their rally, with the Russell 2,000 Index outperforming the major averages. 
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Index</td>
<td>Performance (+/-)</td>
<td>Value</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nasdaq Composite</td>
<td>+1.58%</td>
<td>18,007.57</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>S&amp;P 500 Index</td>
<td>+1.08%</td>
<td>5,564.41</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dow Industrials</td>
<td>+0.32%</td>
<td>40,415.44</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Russell 2000</td>
<td>+1.66%</td>
<td>2,220.65</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
Insights From Analysts:
Wharton Professor Jeremy Siegel, Senior Economist to WisdomTree, commented on the dramatic shifts within the equity market, the ones happening among small- and large-cap stocks, as well as value and growth stocks. The strength in the small-cap stocks following favorable inflation data indicates a market highly responsive to even subtle shifts in monetary policy expectations, he said. 
The economist said, &#8220;There remains strong fundamental support for large caps—their earnings expectations have increased much more than small caps.&#8221; If the recent shifting tides were to sustain and last long &#8220;we will also need to see small and value stocks further reverse the huge gains in growth stocks over the previous three months,&#8221; he said.
The professor also weighed in on the U.S. election landscape. Biden's exit from the race makes Vice President Kamala Harris a virtual certain nominee, she said. The betting markets predict a close race between Harris and Trump but the former still may not beat the latter, he said. 
&#8220;However, the probability that the House goes Democratic has increased, and the prospects of a split government is encouraging to stock investors,&#8221; Siegel said. 
In an interview with CNBC on Monday, Tom Lee, Head of Research at Fund Strat, <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/video/2024/07/22/russell-2000-will-see-40-percent-rally-by-end-of-the-summer-says-fundstrats-lee.html">reiterated </a>his call for a 40% rally in small-caps by the end of the summer. He remised his call on the relatively higher sensitivity of these stocks to a Fed rate cut and the probability of it. 
Upcoming Economic Data:
<ul>
<li>The National Association of Realtors is scheduled to release its existing home sales report for June at 10 a.m. EDT. Economists, on average, expect existing home sales to come in at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.59 million units compared to the 4 million-unit rate for May.</li>
<li>The Richmond Fed&#8217;s manufacturing and services sector survey results for July are due at 10 a.m. EDT.</li>
<li>The Treasury will auction 2-year notes at 1 p.m. EDT.</li>
</ul>
See Also:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-trade-futures"> How To Trade Futures</a>
Stocks In Focus:
<ul>
<li>Agilysys, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AGYS#NASDAQ">AGYS</a>) fell over 3% in premarket trading following the company&#8217;s quarterly earnings release and NXP Semiconductors N.V. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NXPI#NASDAQ">NXPI</a>) slipped over 8% on weak revenue and outlook and Medpace Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MEDP#NASDAQ">MEDP</a>) plunged nearly 13%.</li>
<li>Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KO#NYSE">KO</a>), Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FCX#NYSE">FCX</a>), GE Aerospace (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GE#NYSE">GE</a>), General Motors Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GM#NYSE">GM</a>) (up over 5%), Kimberly-Clark Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KMB#NYSE">KMB</a>), Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LMT#NYSE">LMT</a>), Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PM#NYSE">PM</a>), PulteGroup, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PHM#NYSE">PHM</a>), Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DGX#NYSE">DGX</a>), Spotify Technology S.A. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPOT#NYSE">SPOT</a>) (up over 14%), Polaris Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PII#NYSE">PII</a>) (down over 17%), and United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UPS#NYSE">UPS</a>) are among the notable companies reporting ahead of the market open.</li>
<li>Those reporting after the close include Alphabet, Capital One Financial Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COF#NYSE">COF</a>), Chubb Limited (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CB#NYSE">CB</a>), Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MAT#NASDAQ">MAT</a>), Packaging Corporation of America (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PKG#NYSE">PKG</a>), Seagate Technology Holdings plc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/STX#NASDAQ">STX</a>), Tesla, Texas Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TXN#NASDAQ">TXN</a>) and Visa Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/V#NYSE">V</a>).</li>
</ul>
Commodities, Bonds And Global Equity Markets:
Crude oil futures fell further toward the $78-a-barrel mark and gold futures advanced. The 10-year Treasury yield fell 3.1 points to 4.228%. Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) fell below the $67K mark, while Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>) rose modestly as the SEC approved Ethereum ETFs, which could begin trading as early as Tuesday.
Asian stocks traded mixed once again, with the Chinese and Hong Kong markets pulling back notably, while the Japanese, Indian and Indonesian markets ended slightly lower. The rest of the major markets in the region advanced, tracking the positive lead from Wall Street overnight amid the tech rebound.
European stocks were firmly in the green in early trading.
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/07/39874391/tesla-alphabet-gm-ford-lead-earnings-parade-this-week-as-market-struggles-to-sustain-the-summer-">Tesla, Alphabet, GM, Ford Lead Earnings Parade This Week As Market Struggles To Sustain The Summer Rally</a></li>
</ul>
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Federal Reserve

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Movers

$BTC

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US Stock Futures Little Changed As Traders Brace For Q2 Reports From Alphabet, Tesla: 'There Remains Strong Fundamental Support For Large Caps,' Says Economist

About <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/07/39769910/goldman-sachs-q2-earnings-revenue-and-eps-beat-investment-banking-fees-up-21-hikes-dividend">14% of the S&amp;P 500 companies have reported their June quarter earnings</a> and the blended earnings growth rate for the companies constituting the broader index remains healthy. The coming week will see the official start of the tech reporting season, which could potentially decide the fate of the market, which has seen a steep pullback in the recent week.
The Week That Was: The tech earnings season had a modest start last week with the earnings report from chip-equipment maker ASML Holding N.V. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ASML#NASDAQ">ASML</a>). The stock slumped about 16%, dragged by its weak third-quarter outlook and geopolitical concerns surrounding the China chip ban. Netflix, Inc.&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NFLX#NASDAQ">NFLX</a>) guidance disappointed investors, but with sell-side analysts raving over the results, the stock did not get hammered.
Investors cheered earnings reports from the remaining big banks, namely Bank of America Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BAC#NYSE">BAC</a>), Morgan Stanley (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MS#NYSE">MS</a>) and Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GS#NYSE">GS</a>). A rebound in investment banking business and strong trading revenue helped the banks shore up their topline.
Of these companies, 80% reported earnings per share above estimates compared to the five-year average of 77%, said FactSet in its latest earnings insight <a href="https://advantage.factset.com/hubfs/Website/Resources%20Section/Research%20Desk/Earnings%20Insight/EarningsInsight_071924.pdf">report.</a> The average upside is about 5.5%, which, however, is below the five-year average of 8.6%.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/best-tech-stocks">Best Tech Stocks Right Now</a>
Earnings Trend: The blended earnings growth rate for the S&amp;P 500 companies for the second quarter is currently estimated at 9.7%, up from 9.1% in the previous week, FactSet noted. If the estimate is hit, the actual growth rate for the quarter will mark the highest year-over-year rate reported since the fourth quarter of 2021, it added. The second quarter will also likely mark the fourth consecutive quarter of growth.
Eight of the qq S&amp;P 500 sectors are expected to report year-over-year earnings growth, with four, namely communication services, healthcare, IT, and financials, likely reporting double-digit earnings growth. On the other hand, three sectors will likely report earnings declines, led by the materials sector.
The Week Ahead: The unfolding week will see earnings reports from 138 S&amp;P 500 companies, including seven Dow 30 components, Factset report said. The earnings slate for the week includes companies from the telecom, auto, steel, chip, homebuilding, defense, airline and tech industries.
Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) and Alphabet, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) are among the closely watched copmanies, given their heavy weightings in the S&amp;P 500 and the Nasdaq indices. Tesla is widely expected to report a sharp year-over-year decline in its earnings per share from 91 cents to 62 cents, while revenue may have seen a much more modest 0.80% decline to $24.73 billion. The greater impact on the bottom line comes from the price cuts that Elon Musk&#8216;s company has relied on to push volume in a challenging demand environment.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/07/39810457/as-tesla-stock-bounces-back-fund-manager-says-elon-musk-led-company-offers-good-set">Analysts and fund managers are optimistic</a> after the company reported a deliveries beat for the quarter. They also expect an inflection in the second-half of the year.
Alphabet&#8217;s earnings are important because it is the first among the AI-levered mega-cap companies to release its quarterly results, which might set the tempo for the earnings from the rest in the space. 
The stock market took a hit last week as major indices retreated from their record highs.The Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>), an index that tracks the performance of the Nasdaq 100 Index, ended Friday&#8217;s session down 0.89% to $475.24, according to Benzinga Pro data. The ETF is trading off its record close of $502.96 reached on July 10. The SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) fell 0.66% on Friday before closing at $548.99.
Notable among the companies reporting this week are:
Monday
Before market open:
<ul>
<li>Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VZ#NYSE">VZ</a>)</li>
</ul>
After close:
<ul>
<li>Agilysys, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AGYS#NASDAQ">AGYS</a>)</li>
<li>Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CLF#NYSE">CLF</a>)</li>
<li>Nucor Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NUE#NYSE">NUE</a>)</li>
<li>NXP Semiconductors N.V. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NXPI#NASDAQ">NXPI</a>)</li>
</ul>
Tuesday
Before market open:
<ul>
<li>&nbsp;Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KO#NYSE">KO</a>)</li>
<li>Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FCX#NYSE">FCX</a>)</li>
<li>GATX Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GATX#NYSE">GATX</a>)</li>
<li>GE Aerospace (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GE#NYSE">GE</a>)</li>
<li>General Motors Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GM#NYSE">GM</a>)</li>
<li>Kimberly-Clark Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KMB#NYSE">KMB</a>)</li>
<li>Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LMT#NYSE">LMT</a>)</li>
<li>Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PM#NYSE">PM</a>)</li>
<li>PulteGroup, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PHM#NYSE">PHM</a>)</li>
<li>Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DGX#NYSE">DGX</a>)</li>
<li>Spotify Technology S.A. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPOT#NYSE">SPOT</a>)</li>
<li>United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UPS#NYSE">UPS</a>)</li>
</ul>
After close:
<ul>
<li>Alphabet</li>
<li>Capital One Financial Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COF#NYSE">COF</a>)</li>
<li>Chubb Limited (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CB#NYSE">CB</a>)</li>
<li>Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MAT#NASDAQ">MAT</a>)</li>
<li>Packaging Corporation of America (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PKG#NYSE">PKG</a>)</li>
<li>Seagate Technology Holdings plc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/STX#NASDAQ">STX</a>)</li>
<li>Tesla</li>
<li>Texas Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TXN#NASDAQ">TXN</a>)</li>
<li>Visa Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/V#NYSE">V</a>)</li>
</ul>
Wednesday
Before market open:
<ul>
<li>AT&amp;T Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/T#NYSE">T</a>)</li>
<li>Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CHKP#NASDAQ">CHKP</a>)</li>
<li>Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BSX#NYSE">BSX</a>)</li>
<li>CME Group Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CME#NASDAQ">CME</a>)</li>
<li>General Dynamics Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GD#NYSE">GD</a>)</li>
<li>Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ODFL#NASDAQ">ODFL</a>)</li>
<li>GE Vernova Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GEV#NYSE">GEV</a>)</li>
<li>Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TMO#NYSE">TMO</a>)</li>
</ul>
After close:
<ul>
<li>Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CMG#NYSE">CMG</a>)</li>
<li>Edwards Lifesciences Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EW#NYSE">EW</a>)</li>
<li>Ford Motor Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/F#NYSE">F</a>)</li>
<li>International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>)</li>
<li>Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KNX#NYSE">KNX</a>)</li>
<li>Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LVS#NYSE">LVS</a>)</li>
<li>Meritage Homes Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MTH#NYSE">MTH</a>)</li>
<li>Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WHR#NYSE">WHR</a>)</li>
<li> ServiceNow, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NOW#NYSE">NOW</a>) ORLY</li>
<li>O&#8217;Reilly Automotive, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ORLY#NASDAQ">ORLY</a>)</li>
</ul>
Thursday
Before market open:
<ul>
<li>AbbVie Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ABBV#NYSE">ABBV</a>)</li>
<li>American Airlines Group Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAL#NASDAQ">AAL</a>) </li>
<li>AstraZeneca PLC (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AZN#NASDAQ">AZN</a>)</li>
<li>Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CMCSA#NASDAQ">CMCSA</a>)</li>
<li>Dow Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DOW#NYSE">DOW</a>)</li>
<li>Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HAS#NASDAQ">HAS</a>)</li>
<li>Honeywell International Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HON#NASDAQ">HON</a>)</li>
<li>Sanofi (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SNY#NASDAQ">SNY</a>)</li>
<li>Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LUV#NYSE">LUV</a>)</li>
<li>STMicroelectronics N.V. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/STM#NYSE">STM</a>)</li>
<li>Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UNP#NYSE">UNP</a>)</li>
<li> Xerox Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XRX#NASDAQ">XRX</a>)</li>
</ul>
After close:
<ul>
<li>SkyWest, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SKYW#NASDAQ">SKYW</a>)</li>
<li>Juniper Networks, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JNPR#NYSE">JNPR</a>)</li>
<li>Deckers Outdoor Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DECK#NYSE">DECK</a>)</li>
<li>Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BYD#NYSE">BYD</a>)</li>
<li>BJ&#8217;s Restaurants, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BJRI#NASDAQ">BJRI</a>)</li>
<li>VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VRSN#NASDAQ">VRSN</a>)</li>
</ul>
Friday
Before market open:
<ul>
<li>3M Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MMM#NYSE">MMM</a>)</li>
<li>Barnes Group Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/B#NYSE">B</a>)</li>
<li>Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BMY#NYSE">BMY</a>)</li>
<li>Newell Brands Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NWL#NASDAQ">NWL</a>)</li>
<li>Colgate-Palmolive Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CL#NYSE">CL</a>)</li>
<li>Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CHTR#NASDAQ">CHTR</a>)</li>
</ul>
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/07/39857569/american-express-q2-earnings-ceo-raises-annual-profit-and-marketing-spend-outlook-after-q2-profit-b">American Express Q2 Earnings: CEO Raises Annual Profit And Marketing Spend Outlook After Q2 Profit Beat</a></li>
</ul>
Photo: Shutterstock

ABBV

ASML

BJRI

CHKP

CHTR

DECK

GATX

JNPR

NFLX

ODFL

ORLY

SKYW

VRSN

Tesla, Alphabet, GM, Ford Lead Earnings Parade This Week As Market Struggles To Sustain The Summer Rally

Truist Securities analyst Michael Roxland maintains Packaging Corp of America (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PKG#NYSE">PKG</a>) with a Buy and raises the price target from $208 to $215.

Truist Securities Maintains Buy on Packaging Corp of America, Raises Price Target to $215

Wells Fargo analyst Gabe Hajde maintains Packaging Corp of America (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PKG#NYSE">PKG</a>) with a Overweight and raises the price target from $191 to $194.

Wells Fargo Maintains Overweight on Packaging Corp of America, Raises Price Target to $194

In the last three months, 5 analysts have published ratings on Packaging Corp of America (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PKG#NYSE">PKG</a>), offering a diverse range of perspectives from bullish to bearish.
The table below provides a concise overview of recent ratings by analysts, offering insights into the changing sentiments over the past 30 days and drawing comparisons with the preceding months for a holistic perspective.
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th></th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Bullish</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Somewhat Bullish</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Indifferent</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Somewhat Bearish</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Bearish</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Total Ratings</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">2</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">2</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Last 30D</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1M Ago</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2M Ago</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3M Ago</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Analysts provide deeper insights through their assessments of 12-month price targets, revealing an average target of $193.4, a high estimate of $208.00, and a low estimate of $181.00. Marking an increase of 2.98%, the current average surpasses the previous average price target of $187.80. 
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1720458025_0.png" alt="price target chart" />
<h2>Diving into Analyst Ratings: An In-Depth Exploration</h2>
A clear picture of Packaging Corp of America's perception among financial experts is painted with a thorough analysis of recent analyst actions. The summary below outlines key analysts, their recent evaluations, and adjustments to ratings and price targets.
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Analyst</th>
<th>Analyst Firm</th>
<th>Action Taken</th>
<th>Rating</th>
<th>Current Price Target</th>
<th>Prior Price Target</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Anthony Pettinari</td>
<td>Citigroup</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Neutral</td>
<td>$187.00</td>
<td>$181.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>George Staphos</td>
<td>B of A Securities</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$200.00</td>
<td>$197.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Michael Roxland</td>
<td>Truist Securities</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$208.00</td>
<td>$191.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Anthony Pettinari</td>
<td>Citigroup</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Neutral</td>
<td>$181.00</td>
<td>$183.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Gabe Hajde</td>
<td>Wells Fargo</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Overweight</td>
<td>$191.00</td>
<td>$187.00</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3>Key Insights:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Action Taken: Responding to changing market dynamics and company performance, analysts update their recommendations. Whether they 'Maintain', 'Raise', or 'Lower' their stance, it signifies their response to recent developments related to Packaging Corp of America. This offers insight into analysts' perspectives on the current state of the company.</li>
<li>Rating: Gaining insights, analysts provide qualitative assessments, ranging from 'Outperform' to 'Underperform'. These ratings reflect expectations for the relative performance of Packaging Corp of America compared to the broader market.</li>
<li>Price Targets: Analysts navigate through adjustments in price targets, providing estimates for Packaging Corp of America's future value. Comparing current and prior targets offers insights into analysts' evolving expectations.</li>
</ul>
Capture valuable insights into Packaging Corp of America's market standing by understanding these analyst evaluations alongside pertinent financial indicators. Stay informed and make strategic decisions with our Ratings Table.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/PKG/analyst-ratings?utm_source=Benzinga Insights">Stay up to date on Packaging Corp of America analyst ratings.</a>
<h2>All You Need to Know About Packaging Corp of America</h2>
Packaging Corp of America is the third-largest containerboard and corrugated packaging manufacturer in the United States. It produces over 4.5 million tons of containerboard annually. The company's share of the domestic containerboard market is roughly 10%. The firm differentiates itself from larger competitors by focusing on smaller customers and operating with a high degree of flexibility.
<h3>Packaging Corp of America: A Financial Overview</h3>
Market Capitalization Analysis: The company's market capitalization surpasses industry averages, showcasing a dominant size relative to peers and suggesting a strong market position.
Revenue Growth: Packaging Corp of America's revenue growth over a period of 3 months has been noteworthy. As of 31 March, 2024, the company achieved a revenue growth rate of approximately 0.16%. This indicates a substantial increase in the company's top-line earnings. As compared to its peers, the company achieved a growth rate higher than the average among peers in Materials sector.
Net Margin: Packaging Corp of America's net margin excels beyond industry benchmarks, reaching 7.37%. This signifies efficient cost management and strong financial health.
Return on Equity (ROE): The company's ROE is below industry benchmarks, signaling potential difficulties in efficiently using equity capital. With an ROE of 3.63%, the company may need to address challenges in generating satisfactory returns for shareholders.
Return on Assets (ROA): Packaging Corp of America's ROA surpasses industry standards, highlighting the company's exceptional financial performance. With an impressive 1.66% ROA, the company effectively utilizes its assets for optimal returns.
Debt Management: With a below-average debt-to-equity ratio of 0.78, Packaging Corp of America adopts a prudent financial strategy, indicating a balanced approach to debt management.
<h2>Analyst Ratings: Simplified</h2>
Analysts work in banking and financial systems and typically specialize in reporting for stocks or defined sectors. Analysts may attend company conference calls and meetings, research company financial statements, and communicate with insiders to publish "analyst ratings" for stocks. Analysts typically rate each stock once per quarter.
Analysts may enhance their evaluations by incorporating forecasts for metrics like growth estimates, earnings, and revenue, delivering additional guidance to investors. It is vital to acknowledge that, although experts in stocks and sectors, analysts are human and express their opinions when providing insights.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Peeling Back The Layers: Exploring Packaging Corp of America Through Analyst Insights

Citigroup analyst Anthony Pettinari maintains Packaging Corp of America (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PKG#NYSE">PKG</a>) with a Neutral and raises the price target from $181 to $187.

Citigroup Maintains Neutral on Packaging Corp of America, Raises Price Target to $187

Packaging Corporation of America&#39;s (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/pkg#NYSE">PKG</a>) shares have gained 49.3% over the past year. The company has outperformed its industry&#39;s growth of 14.5% and the S&amp;P 500&#39;s 28.5% rise over the same period.
<img alt="Zacks Investment Research" src="https://staticx-tuner.zacks.com/images/articles/charts/15/69508.jpg?v=1505534043" /> 
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Let us take a look into the factors behind this Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) company&#39;s price appreciation. 
Solid E-Commerce Demand: Packaging Corp has been benefitting from strong growth in e-commerce activities that continue to support packaging demand. The Packaging segment accounts for around 91% of the company&#39;s revenues. 
Packaging products are essential for distributing food, beverage and pharmaceutical products. The Packaging segment will continue to reflect stable packaging demand for meat, fruit and vegetables, processed food, beverages, medicine, and other consumer products. 
Improvement in Order Levels: In the first quarter of 2024, the outside sales volume of containerboard increased 40,000 tons from the first quarter of 2023. The company&#39;s order backlog and containerboard sales were strong in the quarter. 
The company expects total corrugated product shipments to be higher in 2024 for the packaging segment, reflecting the ongoing robust demand. In the Paper segment, the company expects an improved mix to move prices slightly higher. These tailwinds are expected to boost its performance in the upcoming quarters. 
Strategic Actions: Packaging Corp&#39;s Jackson, AL-based mill historically operated as an uncoated freesheet (&quot;UFS&quot;) paper mill. In the fourth quarter of 2020, to meet strong packaging demand and maintain appropriate inventory levels, the company temporarily began producing liner boards on the No. 3 machine at the mill. 
In February 2021, PKG announced the discontinuation of UFS paper grades on the machine and the permanent conversion of the machine to produce liner boards. Packaging Corp began producing corrugating medium on the No. 1 machine at the Jackson mill in the third quarter of 2021. This will help meet customers&#39; strong demand for containerboards and help build targeted inventory levels. 
In December 2021, the company acquired all assets of Advanced Packaging Corporation in a cash-free transaction. PKG acquired a full-line 500,000-square-foot corrugated products facility located in Grand Rapids, MI. The deal supported Packaging Corp&#39;s focus on enhancing its containerboard portfolio through organic box volume growth and strategic box plant acquisitions. 
Following the buyout, PKG&#39;s containerboard integration increased almost 80,000 tons. This enhanced its mill capacity and box plant operations.
<h3>Other Key Picks</h3>
Some other top-ranked stocks from the Industrial Products sector are Intellicheck, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/idn#NASDAQ">IDN</a>), Applied Industrial Technologies (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ait#NYSE">AIT</a>) and Cintas Corporation (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ctas#NASDAQ">CTAS</a>). IDN currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), and AIT and CTAS carry a Zacks Rank #2. 
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Intellicheck&#39;s 2024 earnings is pegged at 2 cents per share. The consensus estimate for 2024 earnings has been unchanged in the past 60 days. The company has a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 28.9%. IDN shares have gained 84.2% in a year. 
Applied Industrial has an average trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 8.2%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AIT&#39;s 2024 earnings is pinned at $9.62 per share, which indicates year-over-year growth of 9.9%. Estimates have moved north by 2% in the past 60 days. The company&#39;s shares have gained 8.8% in a year. 
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Cintas&#39;s 2024 earnings is pegged at $14.95 per share. The consensus estimate for 2024 earnings has been unchanged in the past 60 days. The company has a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 4.3%. CTAS shares have gained 13.7% in a year.
<a href="https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/2293036/packaging-corp-pkg-gains-49-in-a-year-what-s-aiding-it?cid=CS-BENZ-FT-analyst_blog|price_surge_/_plunge-2293036">To read this article on Zacks.com click here.</a>

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Press Releases

Packaging Corporation of America Declares Quarterly Dividend

Packaging Corporation of America Schedules Conference Call to Discuss First Quarter 2024 Operating Results

SHAREHOLDER ALERT: Purcell & Lefkowitz LLP Announces Shareholder Investigation of Packaging Corporation of America (NYSE: PKG)

Packaging Corporation of America Reports First Quarter 2024 Results

Packaging Corporation of America Schedules Conference Call to Discuss Second Quarter 2024 Operating Results

Global Consumer Packaged Goods Market Expected to Reach $244 Billion as a Result of Higher Consumption by Consumers

Packaging Corporation of America Reports Second Quarter 2024 Results

Packaging Corporation of America Schedules Conference Call to Discuss Third Quarter 2024 Operating Results

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Packaging Corp of America

Packaging Corp of America (PKG) Forecast

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