Packaging Corp stock holds firm after July earnings beat
Published on 08/21/2026 at 15:30 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Packaging Corporation of America (US6951561022) is trading off a July 22 earnings beat, with second-quarter EPS of $2.35 versus $2.31 consensus and revenue of $2.49 billion, while MarketBeat showed the shares opening at $249.87 and a market cap of $22.26 billion on August 21, 2026.
Earnings reset
The quarter also pointed to steadier execution: revenue rose 14.7% from the same period a year earlier, net margin was 7.25%, and return on equity reached 18.94% in the latest reported quarter. Management also set Q3 2026 guidance at $2.910 EPS, a narrow target that keeps the current reporting period front and center.
That earnings package matters because it gives investors three concrete markers to track at once - a 4-cent EPS beat, 14.7% revenue growth, and a quarter ending with the company still guiding to $2.910 EPS for the next period.
Broker view
Broker coverage has also tightened around the name. The same MarketBeat report said Citigroup raised its price objective to $254.00 from $241.00, Truist lifted its target to $270.00 from $258.00, Wells Fargo kept an equal weight view at $246.00, Bank of America moved to $263.00 from $242.00, and JPMorgan lifted its objective to $271.00 from $269.00.
The average rating in that snapshot was Moderate Buy, with an average price target of $264.57. For investors, the comparison is simple: the shares opened at $249.87, below that average target and close to the upper end of the one-year range.
What the business sells
Packaging Corporation of America is a North American containerboard and corrugated-packaging supplier that makes linerboard, corrugating medium, shipping containers, retail-ready packaging, and point-of-purchase displays. The company also provides packaging design, testing, and supply-chain services for e-commerce, grocery, food and beverage, consumer packaged goods, and industrial customers.
Price and trading range
On August 21, 2026, the stock opened at $249.87, versus a one-year low of $191.50 and a one-year high of $259.98. The market capitalization stood at $22.26 billion, with a P/E ratio of 32.45 and a beta of 0.80.
Fact box
Company: Packaging Corporation of America
ISIN: US6951561022
Ticker: PKG
Exchange: NYSE
Sector / Industry: Industrial Products / Packaging & Containers
Index membership: S&P 500
Price (as of August 21, 2026): $249.87 USD
Market cap: $22.26 billion
Next earnings date: August 21, 2026
Investor takeaway
Packaging Corp stock is being judged on execution, not story, after the latest quarter delivered $2.35 EPS, $2.49 billion in sales, and 14.7% revenue growth. The shares at $249.87 still sit below the $264.57 average target in the cited broker snapshot.
