Compared to Estimates, International Paper (IP) Q4 Earnings: A Look at Key Metrics

IP

International Paper (IP - Free Report) reported $5.13 billion in revenue for the quarter ended December 2022, representing a year-over-year increase of 0.9%. EPS of $0.87 for the same period compares to $0.78 a year ago.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of -0.96% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $5.18 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $0.69, the EPS surprise was +26.09%.

While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.

Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.

Here is how International Paper performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

  • Sales-Industrial Packaging: $4.17 billion versus $4.20 billion estimated by four analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -2% change.
  • Sales-Global Cellulose Fibers: $842 million versus the four-analyst average estimate of $884.96 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +17.4%.
  • Operating Profit- Global Cellulose Fibers: $35 million versus the four-analyst average estimate of $63.39 million.
  • Operating profit-Industrial Packaging: $416 million compared to the $287.30 million average estimate based on four analysts.

View all Key Company Metrics for International Paper here>>>

Shares of International Paper have returned +9.1% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +4.8% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

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