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Sonoco Products Company (SON)
:SON

Sonoco Products (SON) AI Stock Analysis

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Sonoco Products

(NYSE:SON)

Rating:71Outperform
Price Target:
$51.00
▲(9.32%Upside)
Sonoco Products' overall stock score reflects a balance of strengths and concerns. The strong earnings call performance and strategic initiatives contribute positively, while financial leverage and valuation metrics present challenges. The technical analysis indicates a neutral market stance, complementing the overall moderate outlook.
Positive Factors
Business Strategy and Transformation
Sonoco has streamlined its operating model from over 20 businesses to three core businesses, significantly boosting productivity.
Leadership and Management
The appointment of Paul Joachimczyk as CFO is seen as further progression of the 'new Sonoco'.
Valuation and Market Position
Shares are currently trading at depressed levels, making them attractive given the clear path to higher profits.
Negative Factors
Economic Environment
The Industrial business could be pressured with slowing economic activity, impacting growth.
Financial Leverage
The company's leverage is higher than it has maintained in the past, with 2025 leverage estimated at around 4.0x.
Growth and Profitability Concerns
There are questions around growth and EBITDA of the new portfolio, particularly at the new European food can business.

Sonoco Products (SON) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Sonoco Products Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionSonoco Products Company is a global provider of consumer packaging, industrial products, protective packaging, and supply chain services. Founded in 1899 and headquartered in Hartsville, South Carolina, Sonoco operates in multiple sectors, including consumer packaging, paper and industrial converted products, and protective solutions. The company serves a wide range of industries with a focus on delivering innovative and sustainable packaging solutions.
How the Company Makes MoneySonoco Products Company generates revenue through the sale of its diverse range of packaging products and services. Its primary revenue streams include consumer packaging, which covers rigid paper and plastic containers, flexible packaging, and closures. The industrial products segment includes tubes, cores, and paper-based engineered carriers. Protective solutions provide custom-engineered protective packaging solutions. Additionally, Sonoco offers supply chain management services. The company's earnings are bolstered by long-term customer relationships and strategic partnerships in various industries, which facilitate steady demand for its products. Sonoco's focus on sustainability and innovation also plays a critical role in enhancing its market position and profitability.

Sonoco Products Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Apr 29, 2025
(Q1-2025)
|
% Change Since: 0.95%|
Next Earnings Date:Jul 23, 2025
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The earnings call highlighted strong growth in net sales, adjusted EBITDA, and consumer segment performance, alongside successful debt reduction and synergy savings from acquisitions. However, challenges in the industrial segment, slower volumes in some markets, and currency impact were notable lowlights.
Q1-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Record Top-Line and Adjusted EBITDA Performance
Net sales grew by 31% and adjusted EBITDA increased by 38%, with adjusted earnings up 23%, demonstrating strong top-line and EBITDA performance.
Consumer Segment Growth
Consumer segment adjusted EBITDA grew by 127%, driven by the Eviosys acquisition, strong volume mix from legacy metal and rigid paper can businesses, and a positive price-cost environment.
Debt Reduction and Balance Sheet Strengthening
Proceeds from the sale of the thermoform and flexible packaging business were used to reduce debt, achieving a net leverage of under 4x net debt to adjusted EBITDA.
Synergy Savings from Eviosys Integration
Integration efforts from the Eviosys acquisition produced strong synergy savings, with an expected $40 million in savings for 2025 on the way to a two-year target of $100 million.
U.S. Metal Packaging Performance
The U.S. metal packaging business witnessed a 10% organic volume mix improvement with strong growth in aerosols and food cans.
Dividend Increase
Sonoco's Board of Directors increased the quarterly dividend for the 42nd consecutive year, providing a strong yield of 4.6%.
Negative Updates
Industrial Segment Volume Decline
Volume in the industrial segment was down low single digits, with flat results in South America offset by lower volumes and the planned exit from industrial operations in China.
Challenges in European and Southeast Asian Markets
The rigid paper can business faced slower volumes in Europe and Southeast Asia, partly due to a large customer transition.
Unfavorable Currency Translation
Higher-than-expected interest expenses, taxes, and negative impact from currency translation partially offset the gains.
Industrial Sales Decrease
Industrial sales decreased by 6% to $558 million, impacted by lower volumes and unfavorable currency translation.
Company Guidance
In the recent earnings call, Sonoco provided an optimistic outlook for the fiscal year 2025. The company reported a 31% increase in net sales and a 38% rise in adjusted EBITDA for the first quarter. Despite challenges such as higher interest expenses and currency translation impacts, adjusted earnings grew by 23%. Key drivers included strong performance in the consumer packaging segment, which saw a 127% increase in adjusted EBITDA due to the Eviosys acquisition and favorable pricing dynamics. The industrial segment also improved, with a 6% rise in adjusted EBITDA. Sonoco reaffirmed its full-year guidance, projecting adjusted EPS between $6 and $6.20 and operating cash flow between $800 million and $900 million. Additionally, the company successfully integrated Eviosys and achieved significant debt reduction by using $1.56 billion in after-tax proceeds from a divestiture. The company aims to achieve $40 million in synergy savings in 2025, with a two-year target of $100 million, and maintains a strong focus on deleveraging, innovation, and customer value.

Sonoco Products Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Sonoco Products demonstrates a solid financial foundation with areas for improvement. Revenue growth is a positive indicator, but profitability margins and leverage levels present potential risks. Cash flow management shows mixed results, with strong operational cash generation but limited free cash flow.
Income Statement
74
Positive
Sonoco Products shows moderate performance in revenue growth and profitability. The TTM data indicates a gross profit margin of 33.72% and net profit margin of 2.40%, reflecting a stable but low profitability profile. Revenue growth from the previous period is notable, signaling positive momentum. However, the EBIT margin of 5.97% and EBITDA margin of 8.87% suggest room for improvement in operational efficiency.
Balance Sheet
68
Positive
The balance sheet presents a mixed financial position. The debt-to-equity ratio is relatively high at 98.52%, signaling potential leverage concerns. Return on equity stands at 6.22%, indicating moderate returns for shareholders. The equity ratio of 19.41% highlights a lower reliance on equity financing, which could increase financial risk.
Cash Flow
65
Positive
Cash flow analysis reveals challenges in free cash flow generation with a recent decrease. The operating cash flow to net income ratio of 3.00 is strong and indicates efficient cash generation from operations. However, the free cash flow to net income ratio of 0.40 shows limited free cash flow relative to earnings, suggesting constraints on liquidity and reinvestment capacity.
BreakdownTTMDec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue5.38B5.31B5.44B5.86B5.59B5.24B
Gross Profit1.16B1.14B1.20B1.23B1.06B1.05B
EBITDA653.75M610.97M965.41M869.63M148.19M591.93M
Net Income153.20M163.95M474.96M466.44M-85.48M207.46M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets12.68B12.51B7.19B7.09B5.09B5.28B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments181.83M431.01M151.94M227.44M170.98M564.85M
Total Debt2.43B7.30B3.35B3.47B1.61B1.70B
Total Liabilities10.22B10.22B4.76B5.02B3.22B3.37B
Stockholders Equity2.46B2.27B2.42B2.07B1.85B1.91B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow60.56M440.61M519.84M189.90M55.82M521.96M
Operating Cash Flow459.52M833.85M882.92M509.05M298.67M705.62M
Investing Cash Flow-4.11B-4.11B-619.34M-1.75B-173.49M-127.01M
Financing Cash Flow3.73B3.67B-351.99M1.33B-513.54M-162.87M

Sonoco Products Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Positive
Last Price46.65
Price Trends
50DMA
44.87
Positive
100DMA
45.15
Positive
200DMA
47.43
Negative
Market Momentum
MACD
-0.03
Negative
RSI
61.45
Neutral
STOCH
76.13
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For SON, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 46.65 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 44.58, above the 50-day MA of 44.87, and below the 200-day MA of 47.43, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of -0.03 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 61.45 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 76.13 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for SON.

Sonoco Products Risk Analysis

Sonoco Products disclosed 1 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Sonoco Products reported the most risks in the "Legal & Regulatory" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

Sonoco Products Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (64)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
74
Outperform
$5.97B20.6914.52%1.43%1.99%-5.30%
73
Outperform
$4.58B13.6816.30%4.22%-0.97%1.45%
SOSON
71
Outperform
$4.60B30.325.54%4.54%-4.58%-61.14%
SESEE
68
Neutral
$4.83B15.8643.40%2.44%-2.45%-16.55%
66
Neutral
$2.61B-69.06%9.15%4.42%70.21%
64
Neutral
kr11.46B16.3310.84%11.62%2.66%5.01%
GPGPK
64
Neutral
$6.65B10.8020.62%2.00%-6.28%-7.43%
* Consumer Cyclical Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
SON
Sonoco Products
46.65
0.23
0.50%
GPK
Graphic Packaging
22.03
-2.84
-11.42%
SEE
Sealed Air
32.85
-0.11
-0.33%
SLGN
Silgan Holdings
56.76
16.04
39.39%
REYN
Reynolds Consumer Products
21.82
-4.72
-17.78%
AMBP
Ardagh Metal Packaging
4.43
1.42
47.18%

Sonoco Products Corporate Events

Executive/Board ChangesBusiness Operations and Strategy
Sonoco Products Appoints New Chief Financial Officer
Positive
Jun 17, 2025

On June 17, 2025, Sonoco Products Company announced the appointment of Paul Joachimczyk as Chief Financial Officer, effective June 30, 2025. Joachimczyk, who has a robust background in financial leadership across various industries, will replace Jerry Cheatham, the Interim CFO. This transition is part of Sonoco’s ongoing transformation efforts, with Joachimczyk expected to drive long-term value for shareholders through sound financial management and strong operating initiatives.

The most recent analyst rating on (SON) stock is a Buy with a $60.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Sonoco Products stock, see the SON Stock Forecast page.

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Jul 02, 2025