For the quarter ended December 2025, International Paper (IP Quick QuoteIP - Free Report) reported revenue of $6.01 billion, up 31.1% over the same period last year. EPS came in at -$0.08, compared to -$0.02 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $5.88 billion, representing a surprise of +2.1%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of -128.75%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $0.28.

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:

• Net Sales- Packaging Solutions North America: $3.72 billion compared to the $3.77 billion average estimate based on three analysts.
• Net Sales- Packaging Solutions EMEA: $2.3 billion compared to the $2.29 billion average estimate based on three analysts.
• Net Sales- Corporate and Inter-segment: $-9 million compared to the $9.97 million average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of -118.4% year over year.

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

Shares of International Paper have returned +5.3% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.8% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), indicating that it could underperform the broader market in the near term.