Packaging Corporation of America (PKG)
NYSEMaterialsPackaging & ContainersSnapshot 2026-10-30
$256.82+0.90%
Close 2026-10-30 · 1-day change
NYSEMaterialsPackaging & ContainersSnapshot 2026-10-30
Research Workspace
Put PKG beside peers and holdings, graph the same metric, and keep your notes with the evidence.
Daily closes. Earnings/event dots are placed inline.
Industries move in repeating boom-and-bust cycles. This shows where this stock’s industry sits in that cycle, stage by stage (recovery → expansion → supercycle → steady → deceleration → contraction), from its fundamentals (orders, revenue, capital spending), not the stock’s price.
A booming industry is a tailwind for the names in it; a contracting one is a headwind. Companies in the same industry tend to rise and fall together with the cycle, the way a tide lifts and lowers every boat in the harbor at once, so a large part of a stock’s swing can come from where its industry sits rather than from the company itself. It’s context for reading the company’s results, not a buy/sell call. Full explanation →
Materials: fringe margins under pressure (0q confirmed)
The stage band shows the industry’s cycle over the chart’s timeline (each color a stage); a ▼ marks a quarter its growth inflected down — amber is an unconfirmed watch, red is confirmed the next quarter. Use “Overlay cycle on chart” to tint the price chart by stage. The industry’s fundamentals, not a signal on this stock.
Primary pillar under pressure — Meet or exceed EPS guidance of $2.33 per share for 2026-Q2: Diluted EPS: $2.15 per share.
View ThesisRevenue is growing steadily — about 10% over the past year.
View GrowthMiddle-of-the-pack quality for its industry.
View QualityManagement screens strong on capital allocation, earnings delivery, margins, market reaction to earnings.
View ManagementExpectations look high — the market is pricing in about 33% growth a year, above the roughly 13% analysts expect, leaving little room for error.
View ValuationModerate volatility — typically moves about 1% a day.
View RiskPKG’s investment case rests on strong, cash-backed performance and stable operating income amid cost pressures. Revenue growth eased from 14% in Q2 to 12.5% in Q1, while Q3 revenue growth is unavailable. Q3 earnings beat consensus, supporting recent performance. PKG trades at 25× P/E versus a 16× peer median. The market prices in more growth than our forecast. The specific risk is missing 2026 Q2 EPS guidance: reported EPS was $2.15 against $2.33 guidance. Our model puts the next-quarter miss probability near 24%. Peer multiples imply a price about 33% below where it trades (it looks expensive on this basis); the thesis is on watch.
Trailing returns as of 2026-10-30. PKG is total return (includes dividends); the S&P 500 benchmark is price return (the index excludes dividends).
Based on 11 analysts currently covering PKG (as of Oct 2026).
Based on 6 Wall Street analysts offering 12-month price targets for PKG in the last 4 months.
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| Compare | Company | Living FV | P/E | Revenue % | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PKG Selected company | Graph | Compare | Trend | Review | |
| Peer Add a competitor | Graph | Compare | Trend | Review | |
| Holding Compare a holding | Graph | Compare | Trend | Review |
Selected metric trend
Quarterly · checked companies · value or % of revenue
A consensus fair price across 8 valuation methods, at three horizons. As of 2026-10-30. Estimates are diagnostics, not price targets. Short-horizon estimates are close to coin-flips, so confidence is a method-agreement read, not a prediction.
Today's peer multiple on trailing earnings, with no growth credited. This is the headline read.
Adds projected growth, so it leans optimistic by design. Read it as upside context, not a base case.
A price-focused, side-by-side fair-value read versus Paper & Plastic Packaging Products & Materials — fair value, gap to price, and forward P/E.
Compare the value case
Put PKG next to peers and holdings, compare Living FV and multiples, then graph the driver behind the difference.
Advances: Manage operating income stability amid cost pressures
Upgrade indicates financial stability amid cost pressures.
Not investment advice. Scores describe historical and current data; they are not forecasts of future returns. Consult a licensed advisor before making investment decisions.
End-of-day figures as of 2026-10-30. EPS is implied from price ÷ P/E. Not investment advice.
Current $256.82
The last 12 months of price, then the range of analyst 12-month targets from today’s $256.82.
Analyst ratings and price targets are third-party Wall Street estimates, not QuarterlyIQ’s view. Not investment advice.
A long-thesis check that carries the widest uncertainty of the three horizons.
Top 25% on quality vs scored peers
Direction of the business behind the multiple. Bands are backend reads; trailing-12-month basis.
Legal issues could impact operating income stability.
Advances: Manage operating income stability amid cost pressures
Price increase supports operating income stability amid cost pressures.
Advances: Maintain EPS guidance
Record shipments and price hike support EPS growth.
Threatens: Focus on operating income stability
Cost pressures could impact operating income stability.
