Wells Fargo & Company Upgrades International Paper (NYSE:IP) to Equal Weight

International Paper (NYSE:IP) was upgraded by stock analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from an “underweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating in a research note issued on Friday, Marketbeat Ratings reports. The brokerage presently has a $40.00 target price on the basic materials company’s stock, up from their previous target price of $36.00. Wells Fargo & Company‘s price target suggests a potential downside of 0.62% from the stock’s previous close.

IP has been the subject of a number of other reports. UBS Group lowered their target price on International Paper from $53.00 to $51.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, January 12th. BNP Paribas Exane raised shares of International Paper from a “strong sell” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $44.00 price objective on the stock in a report on Monday, November 24th. Royal Bank Of Canada set a $55.00 target price on shares of International Paper and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, December 18th. Stifel Nicolaus set a $57.80 target price on shares of International Paper and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, October 17th. Finally, Citigroup lowered their price target on shares of International Paper from $55.00 to $46.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Monday, November 3rd. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, two have given a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $49.53.

International Paper Stock Performance

NYSE IP opened at $40.25 on Friday. International Paper has a 1-year low of $35.56 and a 1-year high of $58.11. The company has a 50 day moving average of $40.23 and a 200-day moving average of $44.04. The company has a current ratio of 1.28, a quick ratio of 1.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60. The firm has a market cap of $21.25 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -6.00, a PEG ratio of 0.45 and a beta of 1.10.

International Paper (NYSE:IP) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, January 29th. The basic materials company reported ($0.08) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.28 by ($0.36). International Paper had a negative return on equity of 0.35% and a negative net margin of 14.12%.The business had revenue of $6.01 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.90 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned ($0.02) earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up 53.1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts forecast that International Paper will post 2.77 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at International Paper

In other International Paper news, CEO Andrew K. Silvernail acquired 50,000 shares of International Paper stock in a transaction on Friday, January 30th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $39.98 per share, with a total value of $1,999,000.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the chief executive officer owned 50,000 shares in the company, valued at $1,999,000. The trade was a ∞ increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, SVP Clay R. Ellis sold 18,819 shares of International Paper stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $36.85, for a total transaction of $693,480.15. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Corporate insiders own 0.35% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On International Paper

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. AlphaQuest LLC increased its stake in shares of International Paper by 63,400.0% in the 2nd quarter. AlphaQuest LLC now owns 635 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $30,000 after acquiring an additional 634 shares during the last quarter. Sound Income Strategies LLC grew its holdings in International Paper by 94.0% during the fourth quarter. Sound Income Strategies LLC now owns 710 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 344 shares during the period. Migdal Insurance & Financial Holdings Ltd. bought a new stake in International Paper in the second quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Elevation Point Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new stake in International Paper in the second quarter worth $35,000. Finally, Kelleher Financial Advisors acquired a new stake in International Paper in the third quarter worth $36,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 81.95% of the company’s stock.

International Paper News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting International Paper this week:

• Positive Sentiment: CEO insider buy: CEO Andrew K. Silvernail purchased 50,000 shares at ~$39.98 (~$2.0M), signaling management confidence and providing a bullish technical/psychological catalyst. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: 2026 guidance: Company set adjusted EBITDA targets of $3.5–$3.7B for full year and Q1 adj. EBITDA of $0.74–$0.76B, implying operational improvement and cash‑flow recovery potential. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Planned split into two companies: IP will separate into a North American company and a separate EMEA packaging company to sharpen regional focus — a strategic move that could unlock value long term but creates near‑term execution and transition risk. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst moves mixed: Truist trimmed its price target to $48 but kept a “buy” rating (still implies upside), while Wells Fargo upgraded IP to “equal weight” with a $40 target — these actions temper/recast expectations rather than dramatically change the investment thesis. Read More. | Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Q4 earnings miss and large impairment: Reported Q4 EPS of ($0.08) vs. $0.28 expected; company recorded a $2.47B pre‑tax goodwill impairment plus accelerated depreciation and restructuring charges, producing a large GAAP loss and weighing on near‑term profitability and multiples. Revenue rose ~53% (beat) but the impairment and margin impact drove a negative market reaction. Read More.

International Paper Company Profile

International Paper is a global producer of renewable fiber-based products, focused primarily on pulp, paper, and packaging. The company manufactures containerboard and corrugated packaging used for shipping and retail display, as well as a range of specialty papers and pulp products that serve industrial, consumer goods, and e-commerce customers. Its product portfolio is oriented toward large-scale packaging solutions, tissue and paper grades, and raw pulp for a variety of manufacturing uses.

Founded in 1898, International Paper is headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, and is one of the largest and longest-established companies in the forest products sector.