PKG PACKAGING CORP OF AMERICA

NYSE Paperboard Containers & Boxes CIK: 0000075677
AI RATING
SELL
62% Confidence

Investment Thesis

Despite generating $2.4B in revenue with extraordinary YoY growth, PKG's net income grew only 0.7% YoY with declining diluted EPS (-3.9%), suggesting severe acquisition integration challenges or revenue quality deterioration. Weak returns on capital (ROE 3.7%, ROA 1.6%) combined with thin profitability margins (7.2% net margin) indicate structural inefficiency in a mature, cyclical packaging industry with limited pricing power.

Strengths

  • + Strong liquidity position with 3.07x current ratio and $397M cash reserves
  • + Positive free cash flow generation of $164.6M despite capital intensity
  • + Moderate leverage with 0.86x debt-to-equity ratio provides financial flexibility

Risks

  • ! Massive revenue growth (11,464% YoY) decoupled from profit growth signals poor acquisition integration or unsustainable revenue quality
  • ! Extremely low returns on capital (3.7% ROE, 1.6% ROA) indicate inefficient capital deployment and poor operational efficiency
  • ! Cyclical commodity industry with limited pricing power, thin 19.1% gross margins, and structural margin pressure

Key Metrics to Watch

Financial Metrics

Revenue
2.4B
Net Income
170.9M
EPS (Diluted)
$1.91
Free Cash Flow
164.6M
Total Assets
10.8B
Cash
397.1M

Profitability Ratios

Gross Margin 19.1%
Operating Margin 10.6%
Net Margin 7.2%
ROE 3.7%
ROA 1.6%
FCF Margin 7.0%

Balance Sheet & Liquidity

Current Ratio
3.07x
Quick Ratio
1.88x
Debt/Equity
0.86x
Debt/Assets
0.0%
Interest Coverage
N/A
Long-term Debt
4.0B
Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI based on publicly available SEC EDGAR filings. It does not include stock price data and should not be considered financial advice. All fundamental data is sourced from SEC public domain filings. Always conduct your own research before making investment decisions.
Data Source: SEC EDGAR | Analysis Date: 2026-05-09T06:35:34.644495 | Data as of: 2026-03-31 | Powered by Claude AI