Track market-moving stories before they get noisy

Issued on behalf of Western Star Resources Inc.

A six-week sequence — DIBC application, Plutus mandate, CMETC-eligible flow-through financing — drops under eight months before the U.S. defense procurement cliff for Chinese tungsten

, /PRNewswire/ -- American News Group News Commentary — The tungsten market has stopped trading like a niche industrial input. Rotterdam ammonium paratungstate (APT) — the benchmark intermediate — is changing hands near US$3,185 per metric tonne unit, up roughly 350% year-to-date and approximately 900% over the trailing twelve months.[1] China still controls roughly 80% of global tungsten supply, and the U.S. Department of War's tungsten procurement cliff — codified in DFARS 252.225-7052 and effective January 1, 2027 — prohibits Chinese, Russian, Iranian, and North Korean tungsten from defense supply chains. Either new Western tungsten mines come online, or the entire downstream Western tungsten market contracts. There is no third option.

Inside that structural setup, Western Star Resources Inc. (CSE: WSR) (OTC: WSRIF) has, over a roughly six-week stretch, executed a sequence that reads less like a junior explorer's standing news flow and more like a deliberate effort to price into the reshoring trade through both U.S. defense procurement channels and the Canadian tax and listing infrastructure: a U.S. Defense Industrial Base Consortium (DIBC) application targeting tungsten, a twelve-month European investor relations mandate with Plutus Invest & Consulting GmbH commencing May 1, 2026, and a non-brokered flow-through financing eligible for the Canadian Critical Mineral Exploration Tax Credit (CMETC).[2]

The DIBC Submission, And Why Past-Producing Status Matters

On May 1, 2026, Western Star Resources announced that it had submitted its application in response to a solicitation from the U.S. Defense Industrial Base Consortium to provide the United States a reliable supply of critical minerals, focusing on tungsten (WO₃).[3]

In February 2026, the DIBC issued a new request for project proposal (RPP) focused on strategic critical minerals. The DIBC is managed by Advanced Technology International (ATI) on behalf of the U.S. Department of War (DoW), and aims to expand and diversify the defense industrial base in the U.S., enabling private-sector businesses to work in partnership with the U.S. government.[3]

The DoW has prioritized identification of supply chain alternatives for defense-critical minerals used in the production of aircraft, missiles, semiconductors, and other defense technologies.[3] Western Star's submission focuses on tungsten and is anchored to the past-producing Rowland property in the Jarbidge mining district of Nevada — a U.S. asset with documented historical production that fits the geographic profile the DoW is now actively underwriting.[2]

Past-producing status matters in the current procurement context. Brownfield assets with documented historical production face materially lower permitting complexity and shorter pathways to production than greenfield development projects. The Company has indicated that extensive historical workings are expected to classify the project as previously disturbed, which is expected to streamline the permitting process.[2] CEO and President Blake Morgan put it directly in the May 1 release: "Western Star Resources is pleased to support DIBC initiatives focusing on strategic critical minerals. Our team will be traveling to Washington in May for meetings to discuss our past-producing tungsten asset. We believe this asset offers significant upside and look forward to demonstrating its potential as we approach our maiden drill program in 2026."[3]

Rowland: Historical Grades, Skarn Geology, And A 2026 Maiden Drill Program

The Rowland property is the flagship of Western Star's portfolio — a past-producing tungsten asset located approximately 6 miles southwest of Jarbidge, Nevada. Historical Rowland production, as reported in Western Star's news releases dated November 5, 2025 and April 9, 2026, consists of 4.5 tons of ore at 3.38% WO₃ shipped in 1943, and approximately 1,000 tons of ore at 0.5–1.0% WO₃ produced from 1954–56.[2] A LiDAR review has identified over 17 historical open pits, trenches, shafts, and adits across the property.[2] The Rowland property is road accessible, and tungsten mineralization has been traced over 2 kilometres — the full length of the existing property package.[2]

Mineralization at Rowland is hosted in skarn zones up to 100 feet wide, developed along intrusive contacts, with scheelite as the primary tungsten mineral alongside molybdenite, powellite, chalcopyrite, and pyrite within a garnet-epidote skarn system.[2] On March 23, 2026, Western Star disclosed preparations to mobilize for the first modern exploration program at the past-producing Rowland Tungsten Property.[2]

The 2026 spring work program is designed to advance the project toward drill targeting and includes rock sampling of all historically disturbed areas identified through LiDAR analysis to verify historical grades and define mineralized zones.

Morgan framed the timing directly on March 23: "With the start of the spring field season coinciding with strong tungsten prices, we are ideally positioned to initiate the maiden exploration program at Rowland."[2] The Company has noted that since acquiring the project, tungsten prices have moved materially higher — a tailwind that improves both the after-tax economics of the exploration program and the institutional appetite for funding tungsten exploration capital.

The European Channel: Plutus, And A €200,000 Mandate Into Q1 2027

Alongside the DIBC submission, Western Star announced on May 1, 2026 that it had entered into a twelve-month investor relations and marketing services agreement with Plutus Invest & Consulting GmbH of Bremen, Germany, dated April 28, 2026 and commencing May 1, 2026.[3]

The services to be provided by Plutus include consultation regarding advertorial marketing and public relations strategies, and designing and implementing an advertisement-based investor awareness campaign focused on the European investment market across financial-news portals, investor newsletters, social-media platforms, paid digital advertising networks, and sponsored articles and video interviews on investor-relations portals.[3]

The Company has agreed to pay Plutus a fee of €200,000 payable on the commencement of services. The Plutus Agreement was negotiated through arm's length negotiations and terminates April 30, 2027.[3]

The European channel is a deliberate piece of the architecture. Tungsten reshoring is a U.S. policy story but the metal's industrial customer base spans Europe heavily — and the European procurement context around critical minerals supply security has moved aggressively in parallel with the U.S. policy track. The Plutus mandate positions the Company for European market awareness during the back half of 2026 and through Q1 2027 — precisely the window during which the January 1, 2027 U.S. federal procurement rule will be taking effect and Western Star's maiden drill program will be generating its first modern technical results from Rowland.[2]

CMETC Eligibility: How The Canadian Tax Architecture Subsidizes The Trade

The financing component of Western Star's recent sequence is structurally interesting. CMETC eligibility broadens the pool of Canadian investors willing to fund critical-mineral exploration by attaching enhanced after-tax economics — a 30% non-refundable tax credit on top of the standard 100% Canadian Exploration Expense (CEE) deduction — to the subscription.

The timing of WSR's financing aligns it with a recent, specific policy change: tungsten was added to the CMETC's list of eligible critical minerals on November 4, 2025 (Budget Day 25), with the expansion enacted into law when Bill C-15 (the Budget 2025 Implementation Act, No. 1) received Royal Assent on March 26, 2026.[2] The expanded list — which also added bismuth, cesium, chromium, fluorspar, germanium, indium, manganese, molybdenum, niobium, tantalum, and tin — applies to flow-through share agreements entered into after Budget Day 25 and on or before March 31, 2027.[2] Western Star's flow-through agreement, entered into in the run-up to its May 1, 2026 announcement, sits squarely inside that window.

The combination matters because it stacks three independent capital and procurement tailwinds onto the same project: U.S. defense procurement engagement through the DIBC submission, European market awareness through the Plutus mandate, and Canadian after-tax economics through the CMETC-eligible flow-through financing. Few junior tungsten explorers in 2026 are positioned across all three channels simultaneously.

Where WSR Sits Inside The Tungsten And Critical Minerals Reshoring Universe

Group 6 Metals Limited (ASX: G6M) owns and operates the Dolphin Tungsten Mine on King Island, Tasmania — described as the highest-grade tungsten deposit of significant size in the Western world, with a JORC 2012 compliant Mineral Reserve of 4.43Mt at a grade of 0.92% WO₃ and total resources of 9.6 Mt at 0.90% WO₃.[4] Group 6 has recently signed a binding three-year underground mining contract with HMR Drilling Services valued at approximately A$110–120 million for Dolphin development and production services.[5]

Group 6 also turned profitable for the first half of FY26 and announced a long-term Traxys offtake agreement promising 10,000 tonnes of WO₃ in scheelite concentrate deliveries worth a minimum US$1.75 billion over six to eight years at current APT spot prices.[6] Group 6 represents the producer-end comparable for a past-producing Western tungsten asset that has successfully redeveloped into commercial production — the precedent path Western Star's Rowland asset is now positioned to evaluate.

EQ Resources Ltd. (ASX: EQR) owns the Barruecopardo tungsten mine in Spain and the Mt Carbine tungsten mine in Northern Queensland — the largest producing tungsten mine in Australia. The Company has grown approximately 500% over the past year and trades at a valuation near A$1.5 billion as the broader tungsten reshoring trade has repriced the Western producer base aggressively.[6] EQ's management has publicly observed that current tungsten prices are not sustainable, but has indicated they expect elevated prices for three to five years given the absence of immediate major new Western supply sources.[6] EQ Resources represents the producer comparable that frames the institutional repricing of Western tungsten production capacity that is now actively underway.

NioCorp Developments Ltd. (NASDAQ: NB) is advancing the Elk Creek niobium-scandium-titanium critical minerals project in Nebraska, and represents one of the cleanest North American critical-minerals-reshoring comparables for Western Star's positioning. NioCorp priced a US$100 million public offering at US$5.00 per share on February 24, 2026, closing the offering on February 25, 2026, with Maxim Group as lead bookrunner.[7] The Company has begun excavation of its Mine Portal ($44.6 million), announced a non-binding ten-year offtake agreement with Traxys on April 9, 2026, and has a $780 million Export-Import Bank financing under consideration. NioCorp offers the broader U.S. critical minerals reshoring comparable for a small-cap, single-project exposure to a structurally undersupplied critical mineral inside the U.S. supply security framework — the same broader thesis Western Star is positioned inside on tungsten.

MP Materials Corp. (NYSE: MP) operates the Mountain Pass rare earth mine in California — the only large-scale operating rare earth mine in the Western Hemisphere — and is the highest-profile public-market expression of the broader U.S. critical-minerals-reshoring investment thesis. MP Materials has been one of the central public-market beneficiaries of the structural U.S. policy push to bring critical minerals supply chains back inside Western jurisdictions, with a market capitalization that reflects the institutional view that strategically essential critical-minerals producers operating inside U.S. borders carry a procurement and security premium that did not exist five years ago. MP Materials provides the broadest reshoring comparable for the strategic-minerals-procurement framework Western Star's Rowland program is positioned inside.

Across all four comparables, the recurring pattern is unmistakable: critical-minerals capacity inside Western jurisdictions has been repriced aggressively across 2025 and 2026, with the producers and near-producers experiencing the cleanest re-ratings, and the developers next in the queue carrying the next layer of asymmetric exposure as the procurement cliff and the tax architecture both tighten in the same direction. Western Star sits at the developer end of that spectrum with a past-producing U.S. asset, an active DIBC engagement, a European IR mandate, and a CMETC-eligible flow-through financing — all dropping inside the same eight-month window before the procurement cliff takes force.

The Window Ahead

Western Star's near-term catalyst window is well-defined. The 2026 spring field season is now in motion at Rowland, with rock sampling of historically disturbed areas underway and a maiden modern exploration program designed to advance the project toward drill targeting.[2]

The DIBC application has been filed, with Washington meetings scheduled in May to discuss the past-producing tungsten asset.[3] The Plutus mandate is live through April 30, 2027 — covering exactly the window during which the January 1, 2027 procurement rule takes effect and the first modern Rowland technical results are expected to land. The CMETC-eligible flow-through financing structure sits inside the agreement window through March 31, 2027.[2]

For investors who have read the procurement cliff, the tax architecture, the European procurement context, and the trajectory of APT prices across the past twelve months, Western Star Resources offers a small-cap exposure to a past-producing U.S. tungsten asset operating with explicit U.S. defense procurement engagement, European investor outreach, and Canadian flow-through subscription economics — all in the same window. The macro is now structural. The procurement is now compulsory by federal regulation. The capital-markets architecture is now subsidized. The question for Western Star is execution of the maiden modern drill program — and the next reads on that question arrive across the back half of 2026.

Contact
American News Group
[email protected]
604-265-2873

Article Sources

[1] https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/05/04/3286787/0/en/Western-Star-Files-Application-With-U-S-Defense-Industrial-Base-Consortium-as-Tungsten-Prices-Rip-and-the-West-Scrambles-for-Non-China-Supply.html
[2] https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/05/13/3294215/0/en/Tungsten-Is-the-Critical-Mineral-Canada-Owns-and-One-Junior-Just-Financed-Its-Way-Into-the-Reshoring-Trade.html
[3] https://finance.yahoo.com/sectors/energy/articles/western-star-resources-submits-application-114500091.html
[4] https://g6m.com.au/
[5] https://www.theglobeandmail.com/investing/markets/markets-news/Tipranks/1462788/group-6-metals-secures-110m-underground-mining-deal-for-dolphin-tungsten-project/
[6] https://stockhead.com.au/resources/tungsten-has-gone-exponential-heres-how-australian-explorers-are-taking-advantage/
[7] https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/05/04/3286787/0/en/Western-Star-Files-Application-With-U-S-Defense-Industrial-Base-Consortium-as-Tungsten-Prices-Rip-and-the-West-Scrambles-for-Non-China-Supply.html

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SOURCE Equity Insider

Beijing's Current Heavy Rare Earth Restrictions Are a Permanent Strategic Shift, Not a Temporary Bargaining Tactic, Smith Warns

Trump Administration is Moving Aggressively to Accelerate the Build-Out of Domestic Mine-to-Manufacturer Supply Chains

Industry and the Pentagon Still Face Dangerous Shortages Until the US Production Comes Online, Including NioCorp's Elk Creek Project in Nebraska

CENTENNIAL, CO / ACCESS Newswire / June 1, 2026 / FoxNews.com today published an opinion-editorial by Mark A. Smith, Chairman and CEO of NioCorp Developments Ltd. ("NioCorp" or the "Company") (NASDAQ:NB), warning that China's current export restrictions on heavy rare earth exports are not a temporary negotiating tactic but a permanent strategic decision. U.S. companies and the Pentagon face severe shortages that will not be addressed until U.S. production comes online.

The op-ed can be seen here: https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/west-still-doesnt-grasp-danger-chinas-rare-earth-endgame.

In the op-ed, Mr. Smith argues that Western leaders are misreading Beijing's intentions when they treat each new export restriction as leverage to be traded away at the next summit.

"Some Western leaders keep treating each new Chinese export restriction as a bargaining chip," Mr. Smith writes. "That is the wrong way to read what is happening. China is methodically executing a long-term economic and military plan to stop shipping these materials abroad altogether."

Heavy rare earths such as dysprosium and terbium are essential to high-performance permanent magnets that power modern jet aircraft, advanced weapons systems, and hybrid and electric vehicles. A small fraction of these elements by weight allows magnets to withstand intense heat without losing strength. These magnets, along with samarium-cobalt rare earth permanent magnets, help steer cruise missiles, point fighter-jet radars, and drive the silent propulsion in America's submarines. For more than a decade, China has been the world's near-sole supplier but Beijing effectively shut that door to Western defense companies in April of last year.

"A kilogram of dysprosium shipped abroad as a powder earns China a few hundred dollars and employs a handful of miners," Mr. Smith writes. "The same kilogram, tucked inside the motor of an electric car, helps roll a $40,000 vehicle off a Chinese assembly line." Multiplied across the millions of vehicles, wind turbines, drones, and industrial robots China exports each year, the incentive to keep the entire mine-to-magnet-to-manufacturer chain inside its borders becomes overwhelming, a strategy Beijing laid out in its Made in China 2025 blueprint.

Against that backdrop, Mr. Smith credits the Trump Administration with moving decisively to build domestic alternatives. "President Trump clearly sees where this is headed," he writes. "His Administration is working furiously to develop mine-to-manufacturer supply chains in the U.S., including the Pentagon's early investments in the domestic scandium supply chain."

Go here to see Mr. Smith's op-ed: https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/west-still-doesnt-grasp-danger-chinas-rare-earth-endgame

For more information on NioCorp and the Elk Creek Project, please visit: https://www.niocorp.com.

# # #

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Jim Sims, Chief Communications Officer, NioCorp Developments Ltd., (720) 334-7066, [email protected]

Alex Guthrie, Director, Investor Relations, NioCorp Developments Ltd., (647) 999-0527, [email protected]

@NioCorp $NB #Niobium #Scandium #rareearth #neodymium #dysprosium #terbium #ElkCreek

ABOUT NIOCORP

NioCorp is developing the Elk Creek Project that is expected to produce niobium, scandium, and titanium. The Company also is evaluating the potential to produce several rare earths from the Elk Creek Project. Niobium is used to produce specialty alloys as well as High Strength, Low Alloy steel, which is a lighter, stronger steel used in automotive, structural, and pipeline applications. Scandium is a specialty metal that can be combined with Aluminum to make alloys with increased strength and improved corrosion resistance. Scandium is also a critical component of advanced solid oxide fuel cells. Titanium is used in various lightweight alloys and is a key component of pigments used in paper, paint and plastics and is also used for aerospace applications, armor, and medical implants. Magnetic rare earths, such as neodymium, praseodymium, terbium, and dysprosium are critical to the making of neodymium-iron-boron magnets, which are used across a wide variety of defense and civilian applications.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws (collectively "forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, NioCorp's expectation of producing niobium, scandium, and titanium, and the potential of producing rare earths, at the Elk Creek Project; and NioCorp's confidence in and ability to secure sufficient project financing to complete construction of the Elk Creek Project and move it to commercial operation, as well as efforts and expenditures relating to the same. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as "plan," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "outlook," "estimate," "forecast," "project," "continue," "could," "may," "might," "possible," "potential," "predict," "should," "would" and other similar words and expressions, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking.

The forward-looking statements are based on the current expectations of the management of NioCorp and are inherently subject to uncertainties and changes in circumstances and their potential effects and speak only as of the date of such statement. There can be no assurance that future developments will be those that have been anticipated. Forward-looking statements reflect material expectations and assumptions, including, without limitation, expectations and assumptions relating to: NioCorp's ability to receive sufficient project financing for the construction of the Elk Creek Project on acceptable terms, or at all; the future price of and demand for metals, including Al-Sc alloy; and the stability of the financial and capital markets. Such expectations and assumptions are inherently subject to uncertainties and contingencies regarding future events and, as such, are subject to change. Forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties or other factors that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those discussed and identified in public filings made by NioCorp with the Securities and Exchange Commission and with the applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities and the following: NioCorp's requirement of significant additional capital; NioCorp's ability to receive sufficient project financing for the construction of the Elk Creek Project on acceptable terms, or at all; NioCorp's ability to achieve the required milestones and receive the full $10.0 million in reimbursement under the Project Sub-Agreement with Advanced Technology International, an entity acting on behalf of the Defense Industrial Base Consortium under the authority of the U.S. Department of War; NioCorp's ability to receive a final commitment of financing from EXIM or other debt financing or financial support on acceptable timelines, on acceptable terms, or at all; NioCorp's ability to access the full amount of the expected net proceeds under the standby equity purchase agreement (the "Yorkville Equity Facility Financing Agreement") with YA II PN, Ltd., an investment fund managed by Yorkville Advisors Global, LP; NioCorp's ability to continue to meet the listing standards of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC; risks relating to NioCorp's common shares, including price volatility, lack of dividend payments and dilution or the perception of the likelihood of any of the foregoing; the extent to which NioCorp's level of indebtedness and/or the terms contained in agreements governing NioCorp's indebtedness, if any, the Yorkville Equity Facility Financing Agreement or other agreements may impair NioCorp's ability to obtain additional financing, on acceptable terms, or at all; covenants contained in agreements with NioCorp's secured creditors that may affect its assets; NioCorp's limited operating history; NioCorp's history of losses; the material weaknesses in NioCorp's internal control over financial reporting, NioCorp's efforts to remediate such material weaknesses and the timing of remediation; the possibility that NioCorp may qualify as a passive foreign investment company under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"); the potential that the business combination with GX Acquisition Corp. II and other related transactions could result in NioCorp becoming subject to materially adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences as a result of the application of Section 7874 and related sections of the Code; cost increases for NioCorp's exploration and, if warranted, development projects; a disruption in, or failure of, NioCorp's information technology systems, including those related to cybersecurity; equipment and supply shortages; variations in the market demand for, and prices of, niobium, scandium, titanium and rare earth products; current and future offtake agreements, joint ventures, and partnerships, including NioCorp's ability to negotiate extensions to existing agreements or to enter into new agreements, on favorable terms or at all; NioCorp's ability to attract qualified management; estimates of mineral resources and reserves; mineral exploration and production activities; feasibility study results; the results of metallurgical testing; the results of technological research; changes in demand for and price of commodities (such as fuel and electricity) and currencies; competition in the mining industry; changes or disruptions in the securities markets; legislative, political or economic developments, including changes in federal and/or state laws that may significantly affect the mining and scandium alloy industries; trade policies and tensions, including tariffs; inflationary pressures; the impacts of climate change, as well as actions taken or required by governments related to strengthening resilience in the face of potential impacts from climate change; the need to obtain permits and comply with laws and regulations and other regulatory requirements; the timing and reliability of sampling and assay data; the possibility that actual results of work may differ from projections/expectations or may not realize the perceived potential of NioCorp's projects; risks of accidents, equipment breakdowns, and labor disputes or other unanticipated difficulties or interruptions; the possibility of cost overruns or unanticipated expenses in development programs; operating or technical difficulties in connection with exploration, mining, development or scandium alloy production activities; management of the water balance at the Elk Creek Project site; land reclamation requirements related to the Elk Creek Project; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, including the risks of diminishing quantities of grades of reserves and resources; claims on the title to NioCorp's properties; the infringement or loss of NioCorp's intellectual property rights; potential future litigation; and NioCorp's lack of insurance covering all of NioCorp's operations.

Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize or should any of the assumptions made by the management of NioCorp prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements.

All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements concerning the matters addressed herein and attributable to NioCorp or any person acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to herein. Except to the extent required by applicable law or regulation, NioCorp undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

SOURCE: NioCorp Developments Ltd.

THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN OR INTO AUSTRALIA, CANADA, ITALY, DENMARK, JAPAN, THE UNITED STATES, OR TO ANY NATIONAL OF SUCH JURISDICTIONS

St Peter Port, Guernsey   11 June 2026

NB Private Equity Partners Limited (the “Company”) is pleased to announce that at the Annual General Meeting of its Class A Shareholders held at 2.00 p.m. on 11 June 2026, each of the Resolutions tabled were duly passed without amendment.

All resolutions as set out in the Notice of AGM, of which resolutions 1-12 were proposed as ordinary resolutions and resolutions 13-15 were proposed as special resolutions, were voted on by way of a poll and the results were as follows:

ResolutionVotes For% votes castVotes Against% votes castVotes Withheld*1. To receive the Audited Financial Statements and Directors Report for the year ended 31 December 2025.27,744,24399.984,9180.026912. To approve the Directors Remuneration Report as set out in the Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2025.27,720,61799.9126,0060.093,2293. That the Directors’ Remuneration Policy as set out in the Notice be re-approved.27,719,66699.9028,9110.101,2754. To re-elect William Maltby as a Director of the Company.25,714,63999.7758,5990.231,976,6145. To re-elect Pawan Dhir as a Director of the Company27,735,93499.9610,7440.043,1746. To re-elect Wilken von Hodenberg as a Director of the Company.25,714,63999.7758,5990.231,976,6147. To re-elect Louisa Symington-Mills as a Director of the Company.27,739,39499.977,8110.032,6478. To elect Caroline Chan as a Director of the Company.27,740,17499.986,1500.023,5289. That KPMG Channel Islands Limited be re-appointed as auditor of the Company.27,740,49899.978,3430.031,01110. That the Directors may determine the remuneration of the auditors.27,743,18799.985,9410.0272411. That the interim dividend paid on 27 February 2026 of $0.47 per share be approved and ratified.27,581,90699.40166,1790.601,76712. That the limit on the aggregate amount paid to each Director by way of fees be increased to £550,000.0025,442,59491.692,304,9648.312,29413. That the Company be authorised in accordance with Section 315 of the Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008 (as amended) to make market acquisitions of its ordinary shares in accordance with the terms set out in the Notice of Annual General Meeting.27,742,38599.986,2880.021,17914. That the Directors be authorised to allot and issue (or sell from treasury) equity securities for cash, up to an aggregate amount not exceeding 9.99% of the Ordinary Shares in issue.27,195,30298.01552,4791.992,07115. The name of the Company be changed to “Neuberger Private Equity Partners Limited” and the existing Memorandum and Articles of Incorporation of the Company be amended to replace all references to “NB Private Equity Partners Limited” with “Neuberger Private Equity Partners Limited”27,732,03399.9612,4320.045,387       * A vote withheld is not a vote in law and has not been counted in the votes for and against a resolution.

Ms. Trudi Clark retired from the Board upon the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting, and Ms. Chan takes the role of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee Chair and Management Engagement Committee Chair.

Change of Company Name Update

Following the passing of Resolution 15, the Company will seek to obtain the necessary regulatory approvals for the proposed change and will confirm the effective date for the change of name in due course.

For further information, please contact:

NBPE Investor Relations        +44 20 3214 9002
Luke Mason        [email protected]

Teneo        +44 (0)20 7260 2700

Tom Murray        [email protected]
Rob Yates
Jessica Pine

About NB Private Equity Partners Limited
NBPE invests in direct private equity investments alongside market leading private equity firms globally. NB Alternatives Advisers LLC (the “Investment Manager”), an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Neuberger Berman Group LLC, is responsible for sourcing, execution and management of NBPE. The vast majority of direct investments are made with no management fee / no carried interest payable to third-party GPs, offering greater fee efficiency than other listed private equity companies. NBPE seeks capital appreciation through growth in net asset value over time while paying a bi-annual dividend.

LEI number: 213800UJH93NH8IOFQ77

About Neuberger
Neuberger is an employee-owned, private, independent investment manager founded in 1939 with approximately 3000 employees across 27 countries. The firm manages $563 billion of equities, fixed income, private equity, real estate and hedge fund portfolios for global institutions, advisors and individuals. Neuberger's investment philosophy is founded on active management, fundamental research and engaged ownership. The firm is proud to be recognized for its commitment to its two constituents, clients and employees. Again in 2025, Neuberger was named Best Asset Manager for Institutional Investors in the US (Crisil Coalition Greenwich) and the #1 Best Place to Work in Money Management (Pensions & Investments, firms with more than 1,000 employees). Neuberger has no corporate parent or unaffiliated external shareholders. Visit www.nb.com for more information, including www.nb.com/disclosure-global-communications for information on awards. Data as of 31 December 2025.

This press release appears as a matter of record only and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to purchase any security.

NBPE is established as a closed-end investment company domiciled in Guernsey. NBPE has received the necessary consent of the Guernsey Financial Services Commission. The value of investments may fluctuate. Results achieved in the past are no guarantee of future results. This document is not intended to constitute legal, tax or accounting advice or investment recommendations. Prospective investors are advised to seek expert legal, financial, tax and other professional advice before making any investment decision. Statements contained in this document that are not historical facts are based on current expectations, estimates, projections, opinions and beliefs of NBPE's investment manager. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, and undue reliance should not be placed thereon. Additionally, this document contains "forward-looking statements." Actual events or results or the actual performance of NBPE may differ materially from those reflected or contemplated in such targets or forward-looking statements.

Posted by Defense World Staff on Apr 2nd, 2026

Compagnie Lombard Odier SCmA cut its holdings in Smurfit Westrock PLC (NYSE:SW – Free Report) by 10.8% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 676,222 shares of the company’s stock after selling 81,664 shares during the quarter. Compagnie Lombard Odier SCmA owned 0.13% of Smurfit Westrock worth $26,149,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. increased its stake in shares of Smurfit Westrock by 113.3% in the 3rd quarter. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. now owns 640 shares of the company’s stock valued at $27,000 after acquiring an additional 340 shares in the last quarter. CYBER HORNET ETFs LLC acquired a new position in shares of Smurfit Westrock during the 2nd quarter valued at $29,000. Root Financial Partners LLC bought a new position in Smurfit Westrock during the third quarter worth $33,000. Rexford Capital Inc. acquired a new stake in Smurfit Westrock in the second quarter worth $35,000. Finally, Groupe la Francaise acquired a new stake in Smurfit Westrock in the second quarter worth $51,000. 83.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling at Smurfit Westrock In other Smurfit Westrock news, CFO Ken Bowles sold 10,000 shares of Smurfit Westrock stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $51.26, for a total transaction of $512,600.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 151,644 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $7,773,271.44. The trade was a 6.19% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CEO Anthony P. J. Smurfit sold 40,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $51.54, for a total transaction of $2,061,600.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 1,642,610 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $84,660,119.40. The trade was a 2.38% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 0.46% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Smurfit Westrock Price Performance SW stock opened at $40.18 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.73, a quick ratio of 0.95 and a current ratio of 1.48. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $43.59 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $40.83. The company has a market capitalization of $21.06 billion, a P/E ratio of 30.21 and a beta of 1.06. Smurfit Westrock PLC has a 52-week low of $32.73 and a 52-week high of $52.65.

Smurfit Westrock (NYSE:SW – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, February 27th. The company reported $0.34 EPS for the quarter. Smurfit Westrock had a return on equity of 6.10% and a net margin of 2.24%.The firm had revenue of $7.58 billion during the quarter. Research analysts expect that Smurfit Westrock PLC will post 3.25 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Smurfit Westrock Increases Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, March 18th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 17th were given a $0.4523 dividend. This represents a $1.81 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, February 17th. This is an increase from Smurfit Westrock’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.43. Smurfit Westrock’s payout ratio is currently 136.09%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on SW shares. Barclays dropped their price objective on shares of Smurfit Westrock from $56.00 to $54.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday. Morgan Stanley decreased their target price on Smurfit Westrock from $61.00 to $60.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Citigroup upped their price target on Smurfit Westrock from $48.00 to $59.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, February 13th. Truist Financial set a $60.00 price target on Smurfit Westrock in a report on Thursday, February 12th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada raised their price objective on Smurfit Westrock from $51.00 to $57.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 12th. Eleven investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Smurfit Westrock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $55.73.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on Smurfit Westrock

Smurfit Westrock Company Profile (Free Report)

Smurfit Westrock Plc, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, distributes, and sells containerboard, corrugated containers, and other paper-based packaging products in Ireland and internationally. The company produces containerboard that it converts into corrugated containers or sells to third parties, as well as produces other types of paper, such as consumer packaging board, sack paper, graphic paper, solid board and graphic board, and other paper-based packaging products, such as consumer packaging, solid board packaging, paper sacks, and other packaging products, including bag-in-box.

Featured Stories Five stocks we like better than Smurfit Westrock Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SW? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Smurfit Westrock PLC (NYSE:SW – Free Report).

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Posted by Defense World Staff on Apr 10th, 2026

Alpha Omega Wealth Management LLC cut its holdings in shares of Smurfit Westrock PLC (NYSE:SW – Free Report) by 43.0% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 49,064 shares of the company’s stock after selling 36,945 shares during the quarter. Alpha Omega Wealth Management LLC’s holdings in Smurfit Westrock were worth $1,897,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. grew its position in shares of Smurfit Westrock by 113.3% during the third quarter. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. now owns 640 shares of the company’s stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 340 shares in the last quarter. CYBER HORNET ETFs LLC purchased a new position in shares of Smurfit Westrock during the second quarter valued at about $29,000. Root Financial Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of Smurfit Westrock during the third quarter valued at about $33,000. Rexford Capital Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Smurfit Westrock during the second quarter valued at about $35,000. Finally, Mather Group LLC. purchased a new position in shares of Smurfit Westrock during the third quarter valued at about $55,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 83.38% of the company’s stock.

Smurfit Westrock Trading Down 0.2% SW opened at $42.20 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $22.12 billion, a P/E ratio of 31.73 and a beta of 1.06. Smurfit Westrock PLC has a 12 month low of $32.73 and a 12 month high of $52.65. The company has a current ratio of 1.48, a quick ratio of 0.95 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.73. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $43.31 and a 200 day moving average of $40.70.

Smurfit Westrock (NYSE:SW – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, February 27th. The company reported $0.34 EPS for the quarter. The company had revenue of $7.58 billion during the quarter. Smurfit Westrock had a return on equity of 6.10% and a net margin of 2.24%. As a group, research analysts forecast that Smurfit Westrock PLC will post 3.25 EPS for the current year.

Smurfit Westrock Increases Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, March 18th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 17th were given a $0.4523 dividend. This is an increase from Smurfit Westrock’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.43. This represents a $1.81 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.3%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, February 17th. Smurfit Westrock’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 136.09%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of brokerages have recently weighed in on SW. Citigroup raised their price objective on Smurfit Westrock from $48.00 to $59.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, February 13th. The Goldman Sachs Group began coverage on Smurfit Westrock in a research report on Tuesday, March 24th. They set a “buy” rating and a $49.00 price objective for the company. Truist Financial set a $60.00 price objective on Smurfit Westrock in a research report on Thursday, February 12th. Morgan Stanley cut their price objective on Smurfit Westrock from $61.00 to $60.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada raised their price objective on Smurfit Westrock from $51.00 to $57.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 12th. Eleven analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Smurfit Westrock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $55.73.

Get Our Latest Report on Smurfit Westrock

Insider Activity In other Smurfit Westrock news, CEO Anthony P. J. Smurfit sold 40,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $51.54, for a total value of $2,061,600.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 1,642,610 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $84,660,119.40. This trade represents a 2.38% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CFO Ken Bowles sold 10,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $51.26, for a total transaction of $512,600.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 151,644 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,773,271.44. The trade was a 6.19% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. 0.46% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

About Smurfit Westrock (Free Report)

Smurfit Westrock Plc, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, distributes, and sells containerboard, corrugated containers, and other paper-based packaging products in Ireland and internationally. The company produces containerboard that it converts into corrugated containers or sells to third parties, as well as produces other types of paper, such as consumer packaging board, sack paper, graphic paper, solid board and graphic board, and other paper-based packaging products, such as consumer packaging, solid board packaging, paper sacks, and other packaging products, including bag-in-box.

Featured Stories Five stocks we like better than Smurfit Westrock Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SW? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Smurfit Westrock PLC (NYSE:SW – Free Report).

Receive News & Ratings for Smurfit Westrock Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Smurfit Westrock and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.

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Posted by Defense World Staff on Apr 18th, 2026

Benson Investment Management Company Inc. bought a new position in Smurfit Westrock PLC (NYSE:SW – Free Report) in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund bought 164,665 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,368,000. Smurfit Westrock comprises about 2.2% of Benson Investment Management Company Inc.’s portfolio, making the stock its 20th largest position.

Other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Smurfit Westrock by 113.3% in the 3rd quarter. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. now owns 640 shares of the company’s stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 340 shares during the period. CYBER HORNET ETFs LLC bought a new stake in Smurfit Westrock in the 2nd quarter valued at $29,000. Root Financial Partners LLC acquired a new stake in Smurfit Westrock in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Mather Group LLC. bought a new stake in shares of Smurfit Westrock in the third quarter worth $55,000. Finally, MUFG Securities EMEA plc bought a new position in shares of Smurfit Westrock in the 2nd quarter valued at about $63,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 83.38% of the company’s stock.

Smurfit Westrock Stock Performance NYSE SW opened at $42.28 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $22.16 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.79 and a beta of 1.06. The company has a quick ratio of 0.95, a current ratio of 1.48 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.73. Smurfit Westrock PLC has a twelve month low of $32.73 and a twelve month high of $52.65. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $43.21 and a 200 day simple moving average of $40.66.

Smurfit Westrock (NYSE:SW – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, February 27th. The company reported $0.34 EPS for the quarter. Smurfit Westrock had a return on equity of 6.10% and a net margin of 2.24%.The firm had revenue of $7.58 billion for the quarter. Sell-side analysts expect that Smurfit Westrock PLC will post 3.25 EPS for the current year.

Smurfit Westrock Increases Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, March 18th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 17th were issued a $0.4523 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, February 17th. This is a positive change from Smurfit Westrock’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.43. This represents a $1.81 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.3%. Smurfit Westrock’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 136.09%.

Insider Transactions at Smurfit Westrock In other news, CFO Ken Bowles sold 10,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $51.26, for a total value of $512,600.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 151,644 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $7,773,271.44. The trade was a 6.19% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, CEO Anthony P. J. Smurfit sold 40,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $51.54, for a total value of $2,061,600.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 1,642,610 shares in the company, valued at $84,660,119.40. The trade was a 2.38% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. 0.46% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets SW has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Smurfit Westrock in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Citigroup reduced their target price on shares of Smurfit Westrock from $59.00 to $53.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday. The Goldman Sachs Group started coverage on Smurfit Westrock in a research report on Tuesday, March 24th. They set a “buy” rating and a $49.00 price target on the stock. Morgan Stanley dropped their target price on shares of Smurfit Westrock from $61.00 to $60.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Finally, Truist Financial lowered their target price on Smurfit Westrock from $60.00 to $53.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday. Eleven investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $53.91.

Read Our Latest Report on Smurfit Westrock

Smurfit Westrock Company Profile (Free Report)

Smurfit Westrock Plc, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, distributes, and sells containerboard, corrugated containers, and other paper-based packaging products in Ireland and internationally. The company produces containerboard that it converts into corrugated containers or sells to third parties, as well as produces other types of paper, such as consumer packaging board, sack paper, graphic paper, solid board and graphic board, and other paper-based packaging products, such as consumer packaging, solid board packaging, paper sacks, and other packaging products, including bag-in-box.

Further Reading Five stocks we like better than Smurfit Westrock

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Posted by Defense World Staff on Apr 20th, 2026

Exane Asset Management increased its holdings in shares of Smurfit Westrock PLC (NYSE:SW – Free Report) by 63.6% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 564,938 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 219,545 shares during the period. Smurfit Westrock makes up approximately 5.0% of Exane Asset Management’s portfolio, making the stock its 6th biggest holding. Exane Asset Management owned 0.11% of Smurfit Westrock worth $21,846,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. grew its holdings in Smurfit Westrock by 113.3% in the third quarter. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. now owns 640 shares of the company’s stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 340 shares during the last quarter. CYBER HORNET ETFs LLC acquired a new stake in Smurfit Westrock in the second quarter valued at $29,000. Root Financial Partners LLC acquired a new stake in Smurfit Westrock in the third quarter valued at $33,000. Mather Group LLC. acquired a new stake in Smurfit Westrock in the third quarter valued at $55,000. Finally, MUFG Securities EMEA plc acquired a new stake in Smurfit Westrock in the second quarter valued at $63,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 83.38% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at Smurfit Westrock In other news, CFO Ken Bowles sold 10,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $51.26, for a total value of $512,600.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 151,644 shares in the company, valued at $7,773,271.44. This represents a 6.19% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CEO Anthony P. J. Smurfit sold 40,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $51.54, for a total value of $2,061,600.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 1,642,610 shares in the company, valued at $84,660,119.40. This represents a 2.38% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. 0.46% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several analysts have weighed in on SW shares. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their target price on Smurfit Westrock from $55.00 to $50.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, March 20th. The Goldman Sachs Group started coverage on Smurfit Westrock in a report on Tuesday, March 24th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $49.00 target price on the stock. Morgan Stanley lowered their target price on Smurfit Westrock from $61.00 to $60.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, March 6th. Jefferies Financial Group set a $58.00 target price on Smurfit Westrock in a report on Thursday, February 12th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada set a $54.00 target price on Smurfit Westrock and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday. Eleven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $53.91.

Read Our Latest Report on SW

Smurfit Westrock Stock Up 0.1% Shares of NYSE:SW opened at $42.28 on Monday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.95, a current ratio of 1.48 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.73. Smurfit Westrock PLC has a 52-week low of $32.73 and a 52-week high of $52.65. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $43.21 and its 200-day simple moving average is $40.63. The company has a market capitalization of $22.16 billion, a P/E ratio of 31.79 and a beta of 1.06.

Smurfit Westrock (NYSE:SW – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, February 27th. The company reported $0.34 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Smurfit Westrock had a return on equity of 6.10% and a net margin of 2.24%.The business had revenue of $7.58 billion for the quarter. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Smurfit Westrock PLC will post 3.25 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Smurfit Westrock Increases Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, March 18th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 17th were given a $0.4523 dividend. This is an increase from Smurfit Westrock’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.43. This represents a $1.81 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.3%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, February 17th. Smurfit Westrock’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 136.09%.

Smurfit Westrock Company Profile (Free Report)

Smurfit Westrock Plc, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, distributes, and sells containerboard, corrugated containers, and other paper-based packaging products in Ireland and internationally. The company produces containerboard that it converts into corrugated containers or sells to third parties, as well as produces other types of paper, such as consumer packaging board, sack paper, graphic paper, solid board and graphic board, and other paper-based packaging products, such as consumer packaging, solid board packaging, paper sacks, and other packaging products, including bag-in-box.

Featured Articles Five stocks we like better than Smurfit Westrock

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Key Takeaways Smurfit Westrock is set to post Q1 results, with revenues rising 1.4% but EPS expected to fall y/y.SW sees stable demand from essentials and e-commerce, but weak Europe volumes and box demand weigh.Smurfit Westrock faces merger costs, though pricing actions and cost cuts may offset some pressure. Smurfit Westrock PLC (SW - Free Report) is scheduled to report first-quarter 2026 results on April 30, before market open.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues is pegged at $7.76 billion, indicating 1.4% growth from the year-ago quarter's reported figure.

The consensus mark for earnings per share (EPS) is pegged at 50 cents, indicating a year-over-year dip from 73 cents. The bottom-line estimate has moved 26.4% south in the past 60 days.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Smurfit Westrock’s Earnings Surprise HistoryThe company’s earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in one of the trailing four quarters and missed in the other three, delivering an average negative surprise of 12.4%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Factors Likely to Shape SW’s Q1 ResultsDemand for corrugated packaging and containerboard used to package essential items, such as food, beverages and medicines, has been stable. Strong growth in e-commerce and rising demand for paper as a sustainable packaging solution have favored the industry. These trends are expected to get reflected in Smurfit Westrock’s first-quarter 2026 results.

However, some of these gains are likely to have been offset by weak volumes in Europe and lower box demand. This is expected to hurt Smurfit Westrock’s quarterly results.

The merger-related costs are expected to have affected SW’s quarterly performance and free cash flow margin. Pricing actions and cost-saving initiatives are likely to have negated some of these headwinds.

Smurfit Westrock’s Q1 Segmental ProjectionThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for Europe, MEA and APAC’s revenues is pegged at $2.79 billion for the first quarter, indicating an increase from the $2.58 billion reported in the first quarter of 2025. The segment’s adjusted EBITDA is pegged at $424 million. In the prior-year quarter, the segment reported adjusted EBITDA of $389 million.

The estimates for the North America segment’s first-quarter 2026 revenues are pegged at $4.45 billion compared with the $4.58 billion reported in the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the segment’s adjusted EBITDA is pegged at $624 million, suggesting a 20% year-over-year dip.

The LATAM segment’s revenue estimate is pegged at $524 million, suggesting year-over-year growth from $502 million. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the segment’s adjusted EBITDA is pegged at $121 million, indicating a rise from the $115 million reported in the prior-year quarter.

What the Zacks Model Unveils for SW StockOur model does not predict an earnings beat for Smurfit Westrock this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat. That is not the case here.

SW’s Earnings ESP: The Earnings ESP for Smurfit Westrock is 0.00%. You can uncover the best stocks before they are reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

SW’s Zacks Rank: SW currently has a Zacks Rank #3.

Smurfit Westrock Stock’s Price PerformanceShares of the company have lost 2% in the past year compared with the industry’s 10.9% decline. During this time, the Basic Materials sector has jumped 49.8%, whereas the S&P 500 has grown 35.3%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Stocks Poised to Beat EstimatesHere are some Basic Materials stocks, which, according to our model, have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat in their upcoming releases.

CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF - Free Report) , scheduled to release first-quarter earnings on May 6, has an Earnings ESP of +1.07% and flaunts a Zacks Rank of 1 at present.  You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. 

CF Industries’ earnings estimates for the first quarter have moved up 11.4% over the past 60 days. The estimate is pegged at $2.35 cents per share, indicating an increase of 27% from the year-ago quarter’s actual. CF Industries has a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 13.1%.

Albemarle Corporation (ALB - Free Report) , scheduled to release first-quarter earnings on May 6, has an Earnings ESP of +20.12%. It carries a Zacks Rank #2 at present.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Albemarle’s earnings for the first quarter is pegged at $1.24, indicating a turnaround from the loss of 18 cents incurred in the year-ago quarter. Albemarle has a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 57.8%.

Kinross Gold Corporation (KGC - Free Report) , slated to release first-quarter 2026 earnings on April 29, has an Earnings ESP of +7.07% and a Zacks Rank #3.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Kinross Gold’s earnings for the first quarter is pegged at 68 cents, indicating a year-over-year upsurge of 126%. Kinross Gold has a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 26.1%.

In its upcoming report, Smurfit Westrock (SW - Free Report) is predicted by Wall Street analysts to post quarterly earnings of $0.36 per share, reflecting a decline of 50.7% compared to the same period last year. Revenues are forecasted to be $7.76 billion, representing a year-over-year increase of 1.4%.

The current level reflects a downward revision of 11% in the consensus EPS estimate for the quarter over the past 30 days. This demonstrates how the analysts covering the stock have collectively reappraised their initial projections over this period.

Before a company reveals its earnings, it is vital to take into account any changes in earnings projections. These revisions play a pivotal role in predicting the possible reactions of investors toward the stock. Multiple empirical studies have consistently shown a strong association between trends in earnings estimates and the short-term price movements of a stock.

While investors typically use consensus earnings and revenue estimates as indicators of quarterly business performance, exploring analysts' projections for specific key metrics can offer valuable insights.

That said, let's delve into the average estimates of some Smurfit Westrock metrics that Wall Street analysts commonly model and monitor.

The consensus among analysts is that 'Net sales (unaffiliated customers)- Europe, MEA and APAC' will reach $2.80 billion. The estimate points to a change of +8.7% from the year-ago quarter.

Analysts forecast 'Net sales (unaffiliated customers)- LATAM' to reach $524.52 million. The estimate points to a change of +4.5% from the year-ago quarter.

It is projected by analysts that the 'Net sales (unaffiliated customers)- North America' will reach $4.45 billion. The estimate indicates a year-over-year change of -2.8%.

According to the collective judgment of analysts, 'Adjusted EBITDA- North America' should come in at $624.10 million. Compared to the current estimate, the company reported $785.00 million in the same quarter of the previous year.

Analysts predict that the 'Adjusted EBITDA- LATAM' will reach $121.62 million. Compared to the current estimate, the company reported $115.00 million in the same quarter of the previous year.

Analysts expect 'Adjusted EBITDA- Europe, MEA and APAC' to come in at $424.25 million. Compared to the present estimate, the company reported $389.00 million in the same quarter last year.

View all Key Company Metrics for Smurfit Westrock here>>>

Shares of Smurfit Westrock have experienced a change of +1.8% in the past month compared to the +12.2% move of the Zacks S&P 500 composite. With a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), SW is expected to mirror the overall market performance in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .

Smurfit Westrock (SW - Free Report) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.33 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.36 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.73 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.

This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of -7.49%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this paper and packaging company would post earnings of $0.46 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.34, delivering a surprise of -26.09%.

Over the last four quarters, the company has not been able to surpass consensus EPS estimates.

Smurfit Westrock, which belongs to the Zacks Paper and Related Products industry, posted revenues of $7.71 billion for the quarter ended March 2026, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.66%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $7.66 billion. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates two times over the last four quarters.

The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.

Smurfit Westrock shares have added about 2.6% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 4.2%.

What's Next for Smurfit Westrock?While Smurfit Westrock has underperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?

There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.

Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.

Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Smurfit Westrock was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $0.68 on $7.93 billion in revenues for the coming quarter and $2.37 on $31.76 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year.

Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Paper and Related Products is currently in the bottom 12% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.

One other stock from the same industry, Rayonier Advanced Materials (RYAM - Free Report) , is yet to report results for the quarter ended March 2026. The results are expected to be released on May 5.

This maker of cellulose products is expected to post quarterly loss of $0.62 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -26.5%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days.

Rayonier Advanced Materials' revenues are expected to be $297.5 million, down 16.4% from the year-ago quarter.

Key Takeaways SW Q1 earnings fell 51.5% y/y and missed estimates; revenues rose 0.7% but lagged forecasts.North America saw revenues drop 3.6% and EBITDA fall 23.9%, hurt by lower corrugated volumes.Europe and LATAM posted revenue growth, while SW reaffirmed its full-year 2026 EBITDA outlook of $5-$5.3B. Smurfit Westrock Plc (SW - Free Report) has posted adjusted earnings of 33 cents per share for the first quarter of 2026, down 51.5% from the year-ago period. The figure missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 36 cents.

Net revenues of $7.71 billion inched up 0.7% year over year but missed the consensus estimate of $7.76 billion.

SW’s Gross Profit Slips in Q1Smurfit Westrock reported operating profit of $253 million, down 54.2% year over year. The company’s cost of sales [SM1.1]increased 6% to $6.4 billion from the year-ago period. The gross profit fell 19.6% year over year to $1.3 billion.

Adjusted EBITDA declined to $1.08 billion from $1.25 billion a year ago, and the adjusted EBITDA margin contracted to 14% from 16.4%. Adverse weather events were a meaningful drag on quarterly net income and adjusted EBITDA, centered in the North American business.

Smurfit Westrock’s Q1 Segmental PerformanceIn North America, net revenues totaled $4.5 billion, down 3.6% year over year. While adjusted EBITDA was down 23.9% year over year to $597 million. Corrugated volumes were down 7.4% on a days-adjusted basis, underscoring the near-term pressure on the region that remains the company’s largest value creation opportunity.

Europe, MEA & APAC segment delivered net revenues of $2.8 billion, which marked an increase from $2.6 billion in the year-ago quarter. The segment’s adjusted EBITDA came in at $421 million, up 8.2% year over year. Corrugated volumes increased 0.3% on a days-adjusted basis, supported by solid order books in converting operations and increased demand for containerboard, alongside implemented containerboard price increases across Europe.

Net revenues of the LATAM segment were $0.5 billion, marking a year-over-year increase of 5.3%, aided by good volume growth in key markets. The adjusted EBITDA came in at $106 million compared with $115 million in the first quarter of 2025.

The company also highlighted an acquisition in Ecuador that expands geographic reach and strengthens global paper integration.

SW Cash Position & Balance Sheet UpdatesCash and cash equivalents ended the quarter at $674 million, down from $892 million at the start of the period. Net cash provided by operating activities was $204 million in the quarter compared with the prior-year quarter’s $235 million.

The company previously announced a quarterly dividend of 45.23 cents per share.

Smurfit Westrock Reaffirms 2026 Adjusted EBITDA OutlookFor the second quarter of 2026, SW expects adjusted EBITDA of $1.1-$1.2 billion. For 2026, the company reaffirmed its adjusted EBITDA outlook of $5-$5.3 billion, expecting a stronger and better industry operating environment.

The company also provided key planning items for 2026, including a capital expenditure of $2.4-$2.5 billion, depreciation and amortization of $2.6 billion, cash interest of $0.7 billion and cash taxes of $0.5 billion, with an effective tax rate near 29%.

SW Stock’s Price PerformanceShares of the company have lost 1.6% in the past year compared with the industry’s 8.5% decline. During this time, the Basic Materials sector has jumped 43.2%, whereas the S&P 500 has grown 34.1%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Smurfit Westrock’s Zacks RankThe company currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

SW’s Peer PerformanceInternational Paper Company (IP - Free Report) reported a first-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of 15 cents per share, which missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings of 18 cents.

International Paper’s revenues were $5.97 billion in the quarter under review, up 1.2% from the year-ago quarter. The top line missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $6.04 billion.

Packaging Corporation of America (PKG - Free Report) posted adjusted earnings of $2.40 per share in the first quarter of 2026, up 3.9% from $2.31 a year ago. The reported figure beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.17 by 10.6%.

Packaging Corp’s revenues rose 10.6% year over year to $2.37 billion but missed the consensus mark of $2.41 billion by 1.9%.

Paper & Related Product Stock Awaiting ResultsRayonier Advanced Materials (RYAM - Free Report) is expected to release first-quarter 2026 results on May 5. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the bottom line is pegged at a loss of 62 cents per share. The company posted a loss of 49 cents in the year-ago quarter.

The consensus estimate for Rayonier Advanced Materials’ top line is pegged at $297.5 million, indicating a 16% decline from the prior-year reported figure.

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DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Smurfit Westrock plc (the “Company”) today filed a Form 8-K with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) which notes that the Company held its 2026 annual general meeting of shareholders (the “Annual General Meeting”) earlier today, May 1, 2026 and that all directors put forward for election at the Annual General Meeting were elected by the shareholders and all other resolutions recommended by the Company's Board of Directors were passed at the Annual General Meeting. The Form 8-K (which provides the results of the polls conducted in connection with the Annual General Meeting) is available on the SEC's website at https://www.sec.gov and on the Company's website at https://investors.smurfitwestrock.com/financials/sec-filings/default.aspx

In accordance with UKLR 14.3.6 and UKLR 14.3.7, copies of the resolutions passed at the Annual General Meeting, other than ordinary business, will be submitted to the National Storage Mechanism and will shortly be available for inspection at https://data.fca.org.uk/#/nsm/nationalstoragemechanism

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DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Smurfit Westrock, today announces its intention to delist from the London Stock Exchange (the “LSE”) (the “LSE Delisting”). Once the LSE Delisting takes effect, the Company will be solely listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Background to and Reasons for the LSE Delisting On 30 April 2026, Smurfit Westrock announced its intention to undertake a review of its listing on the LSE. As part of the review, the Company carefully considered, among other factors, the level of.

Shares of Sonoco Products NYSE: SON are under pressure after the company delivered its Q1 2026 earnings. The company missed on the top and bottom lines with the business under pressure, largely due to inflationary duress from rising energy prices.

Sonoco’s earnings report is a good example of what happens during earnings season when results don’t meet expectations. In this case, management had previously been bullish about the company growing adjusted earnings by 20% in its fiscal year 2026. That prediction is in jeopardy after the company delivered Q1 earnings that were flat year-over-year (YOY). But that requires more context.

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An Earnings Number That Gets ComplicatedSonoco reported Q1 2026 adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $1.20, which the company characterized as flat YOY. However, the adjusted EPS figure for Q1 2025 was $1.38, which included contributions from ThermoSafe, the temperature-assurance logistics business Sonoco subsequently divested. Stripping ThermoSafe out of the prior-year comparison, continuing operations generated $1.20 in Q1 2025 as well, making the flat characterization technically accurate on a like-for-like basis.

Sonoco Products Today

SON

Sonoco Products

$49.77 +0.78 (+1.60%)

As of 02:41 PM Eastern

This is a fair market value price provided by Massive. Learn more.

52-Week Range$38.65▼

$58.44Dividend Yield4.34%

P/E Ratio4.87

Price Target$60.11

However, this isn’t a trivial distinction for shareholders. Investors who owned Sonoco a year ago received the economic benefit of $1.38 in earnings per share. The portfolio is now smaller, and the difference of 18 cents represents earnings that left with ThermoSafe.

Whether that trade was worthwhile depends on two factors. First, how Sonoco deploys the divestiture proceeds. The report shows that the company has primarily been putting those toward debt reduction and the ongoing integration of Eviosys. Second, whether the remaining two-segment business can grow earnings from the $1.20 baseline. Management's decision to guide toward the low end of full-year adjusted EPS guidance of $5.80-$6.20 suggests the path forward, while intact, faces real near-term headwinds from volume softness and input cost inflation.

Cash Flow: Ugly Number, Understandable ReasonSonoco's Q1 operating cash flow was approximately $368 million, compared to approximately $208 million in Q1 2025. That's a sharp decline, but context matters. Approximately $103 million of the difference reflects taxes paid on gains from the divested ThermoSafe business, which is a non-recurring item. Management left full-year operating cash flow guidance unchanged at $700 million to $800 million. That means they view Q1 as an anomaly, not a trend.

Still, total debt increased by $363 million during the quarter. Net debt to total capital rose to 55.5% from 52.1% at year-end. That's not alarming yet, but it's a number worth watching. If free cash flow remains pressured into Q2, leverage could become part of the conversation.

A Growth Catalyst Hidden in the Industrial SegmentAmid the headline noise, one number stands out. Sonoco's reels volume. This means the industrial spools used to transport fiber-optic cables. The sector grew approximately 7% in Q1. That's directly tied to data center and AI infrastructure buildout. Demand for fiber connectivity is accelerating as hyperscalers expand capacity.

Sonoco is not waiting passively. The company is investing $20 million to expand nailed-wood reel capacity in Hartselle, Alabama. The expansion adds 15% incremental capacity. For investors looking past near-term inflation headwinds, this positions Sonoco as a quiet infrastructure play.

Priced for Perfection, What’s Next for SONSON gapped down after the earnings miss, but that shouldn’t have been a big surprise. The stock was trading near its 52-week high in the weeks before earnings, which made the report a make-or-break moment.

The stock sliced below its 50-day simple moving average and is now trading near its 200-day SMA, which may be a key line in the sand. If SON drops below that, the 52-week low could be in play. But with the stock showing signs of being oversold, that could be a buying opportunity for patient, risk-tolerant investors.

Is the Dividend Enough?At the high end of the company’s full-year EPS guidance, it would deliver 8% YOY growth. However, management is now guiding to the lower end of that range, which would mean earnings would effectively be flat YOY.

There are reasons to believe that Sonoco’s prospects could improve, particularly if inflationary pressure eases. But “if” is not always a sound investable thesis.

However, even if Sonoco continues to face revenue pressure, SON looks inexpensive at only about 8.4X forward earnings. That's a discount to its historic average. On top of that, investors get a safe dividend that the company increased for the 43rd consecutive year on April 15.

It’s also important to note that the analyst forecasts have a consensus price target of $61.78 on SON, which is a greater-than 20% premium to the current price. Investors should watch to see if the stock gets any significant re-ratings or changes to its price targets in the next few weeks.

Should You Invest $1,000 in Sonoco Products Right Now?Before you consider Sonoco Products, you'll want to hear this.

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On April 28, 2026, EDMP, INC. disclosed a new position in Sonoco Products Company (SON +1.35%), acquiring 53,828 shares in an estimated $2.77 million trade based on quarterly average pricing.

The quarter-end value of the position increased by $2.91 million, reflecting both the share purchase and price movements during the period.The transaction represented a 2.2% increase relative to the fund’s 13F reportable assets under management.At quarter-end, the fund held 53,828 shares valued at $2.91 million.The Sonoco stake represents 2.4% of EDMP, INC.’s 13F AUM, placing it outside the fund's top five holdings.What happenedAccording to a SEC filing dated April 28, 2026, EDMP, INC. reported a new position in Sonoco Products Company, acquiring 53,828 shares. The estimated value of this purchase was $2.77 million based on the average closing prices during the first quarter. As of March 31, 2026, the position was valued at $2.91 million, reflecting both the share addition and price appreciation during the quarter.

What else to knowThis was a new position for the fund, representing 2.4% of 13F reportable assets under management at quarter-end.Top holdings after the filing:NASDAQ: AVGO: $9.53 million (7.7% of AUM)NASDAQ: AMGN: $5.46 million (4.4% of AUM)NYSE: ABBV: $5.34 million (4.3% of AUM)NYSE: MO: $5.10 million (4.1% of AUM)NYSE: OHI: $4.92 million (4.0% of AUM)As of April 27, 2026, Sonoco Products Company shares were priced at $50.25.The stock has returned 13.2% over the past year, underperforming the S&P 500 by 16.0 percentage points.Forward P/E ratio is 7.78; EV/EBITDA stands at 6.27.Sonoco Products Company’s trailing twelve months revenue was $7.49 billion, with net income of $1.04 billion.The latest reported dividend yield is 4.2%.Company overviewMetricValueRevenue (TTM)$7.49 billionNet income (TTM)$609.4 millionDividend yield4.2%Price (as of April 28, 2026)$49.91Company snapshotSonoco Products Company offers a broad portfolio of packaging products, including rigid paper containers, flexible packaging, protective packaging, and industrial paper-based tubes and cores.SON generates revenue by manufacturing and selling packaging solutions to consumer and industrial markets globally, leveraging both proprietary technology and recycled materials.Sonoco serves a diverse customer base across industries such as food, beverage, paper, textile, construction, and wire and cable, with operations spanning North and South America, Europe, Australia, and Asia.Sonoco Products Company is a leading global provider of packaging solutions, with a significant presence in both consumer and industrial markets.

What this transaction means for investorsEDMP's new Sonoco stake lines up with how the rest of the portfolio is built. The book skews toward established dividend payers, often bought at depressed multiples, and Sonoco fits that screen cleanly — a solid yield paired with deep-value earnings and cash-flow multiples. The stock is priced that way for visible reasons: it has lagged the broader market over the past year, and Sonoco carries elevated leverage from recent M&A activity. Where investors might pause is on size. At roughly 2.4% of AUM, Sonoco lands outside EDMP's top five and well below the fund's largest position. Meaningful, but not a top-conviction slot. For investors tracking institutional flow, that's the read here: a fund adding a name that fits its style, at a size that says interested rather than committed.

Seena Hassouna has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends AbbVie, Amgen, and Broadcom. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Paul Joachimczyk, Chief Financial Officer of Sonoco Products Company (SON +1.35%), reported the acquisition of 8,058 shares in an open-market purchase valued at ~$400,000 on April 24, 2026, according to a SEC Form 4 filing.

Transaction summaryMetricValueShares traded (direct)8,058Transaction value$400,000Post-transaction shares (direct)28,558Post-transaction value (direct ownership)$1.42 millionTransaction and post-transaction values based on SEC Form 4 reported purchase price ($49.64).

Key questionsWhat proportion of existing holdings does this purchase represent?
The acquisition expanded direct holdings by 39.31%, increasing the CFO's stake from 20,500 to 28,558 shares.Is there evidence of a trend or pattern in recent insider activity?
This is the second major open-market purchase by Paul Joachimczyk since October 2025, with cumulative net buying totaling 28,558 shares and no sales recorded to date.How does the transaction price compare to current and recent trading levels?
The purchase price of $49.64 per share was approximately 2.5% above the April 24, 2026 market close of $48.45 and is within 1.2% of the trading price of $50.25 as of April 28, 2026.What is the current scale of insider ownership relative to overall company equity?
Following the transaction, the CFO holds 0.029% of outstanding shares, aligning with typical insider ownership levels for large-cap industrial firms.Company overviewMetricValueEmployees23,400Revenue (TTM)$7.49 billionNet income (TTM)$1.02 billion1-year price change13.23%* 1-year performance calculated using April 24th, 2026 as the reference date.

Company snapshotSonoco Products Company offers industrial and consumer packaging products including rigid paper containers, flexible packaging, molded foam, and temperature-assured packaging, with revenue primarily from the Consumer Packaging and Industrial Paper Packaging segments.It operates a global manufacturing footprint, generating revenue through the production and sale of fiber-based, plastic, and metal packaging solutions to a diversified set of end markets.The company serves customers in the paper, textile, food, chemical, packaging, construction, and wire and cable industries across North and South America, Europe, Australia, and Asia.Sonoco Products Company is a leading global manufacturer of packaging solutions, leveraging a broad product portfolio and extensive operational scale. The company’s strategy focuses on serving diverse industrial and consumer markets with innovative, fiber-based, and sustainable packaging.

Sonoco’s longstanding presence and integrated business model provide a competitive edge through supply chain efficiency and customer diversification.

What this transaction means for investorsThe April 24 purchase of Sonoco Products stock by CFO Paul Joachimczyk is a noteworthy event, especially given shares hit a 52-week high of $58.44 in February, and are still well above the low of $38.65. The buy demonstrates Joachimczyk is bullish on the stock’s future.

Shares rose after Sonoco reported 2025 revenue of $7.5 billion, an impressive 42% year-over-year increase, and reduced net debt by 40% year over year, strengthening its balance sheet.

However, the stock dropped after first quarter results showed sales slipped 2% year over year to $1.68 billion, and the company’s 2026 sales guidance projected between $7.25 billion to $7.75 billion in revenue, which is comparable to 2025 performance. The Q1 sales drop was due to the divestiture of its ThermoSafe business, and should bounce back over the long term.

That could be a factor in why Joachimczyk purchased shares. The buy makes sense considering Sonoco stock’s valuation. Its price-to-earnings ratio of eight is around a low point for the past year, suggesting shares are at an attractive price level relative to earnings. This suggests now may be a good time to pick up Sonoco Products stock.

Robert Izquierdo has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Investors love dividend stocks because they provide dependable passive income streams and an excellent opportunity for solid total return. Total return includes interest, capital gains, dividends, and distributions realized over time. In other words, the total return on an investment or portfolio consists of income and stock appreciation. At 24/7 Wall St., we have focused on dividend stocks for over 15 years because, despite the stock market’s ups and downs, many people need reliable passive income streams to supplement their income from employment or other sources such as Social Security and pensions.

Passive income is characterized by its ability to generate revenue without requiring the earner’s continuous active effort, making it a desirable financial strategy for those seeking to diversify their income streams or achieve financial independence. The more passive income helps cover rising costs—such as mortgages, insurance, and taxes—the easier it is for investors to set aside money for retirement. Dependable recurring dividends from quality, high-yield stocks are a recipe for success, and the Dividend Kings are the perfect group of stocks to achieve it.

Companies that have raised dividends for shareholders for 50 years or more are the kinds of investments passive income investors need to own. Dependability is crucial for individuals seeking to increase their annual income through dividend stock investments. The Dividend Kings are the 56 companies that have raised their dividends for at least 50 years, a testament to their dependability and reliability. These are two essential qualities for investors who rely on passive income to boost their overall income. Unlike the Dividend Aristocrats, the Dividend Kings do not have to be members of the S&P 500.

We put together a growth-and-income portfolio with five of the highest-yielding Dividend Kings. Investing $20,000 in each will generate $5,400 in safe, predictable passive income. Investors could increase that amount by selling covered call options on their holdings. Plus, since these companies raise their dividends every year, the income is likely to increase slightly each year. The purchase amounts and dividend income totals are based on the time this post was written.

Universal This somewhat off-the-radar company is one of the world’s leading tobacco merchants, and it operates as a global tobacco leaf supplier rather than a cigarette manufacturer. Universal (NYSE: UVV) has reported strong demand and has been in business for almost 150 years, and it pays a 6.07% dividend.

The company operates through two segments: Tobacco Operations and Ingredients Operations. It procures, finances, processes, packs, stores, and ships leaf tobacco for sale to manufacturers of consumer tobacco products.

The company also:

Contracts, purchases, processes, and sells flue-cured, burley, and oriental tobaccos that are primarily used in the manufacture of cigarettes Dark air-cured tobaccos manufacture naturally wrapped cigars, cigarillos, and smokeless and pipe tobacco products Universal provides such value-added services as:

Blending, chemical, and physical tobacco testing Service cutting for various manufacturers Manufacturing reconstituted leaf tobacco Just-in-time inventory management services Electronic nicotine delivery systems Customer smoke testing services $20,000 would purchase 370 shares, which pay $3.28 per year for a total of $1,213 per year.

Altria Altria Group (NYSE: MO | MO Price Prediction) is one of the world’s largest producers and marketers of cigarettes and other tobacco-related products. This stock offers value investors a solid entry point and a 5.72% dividend. Altria increased its quarterly dividend in the fall of 2025 by 3.9%, from $1.02 to $1.06 per share, marking its 57th consecutive dividend increase.

Altria manufactures and sells smokable and oral tobacco products in the United States. It sells its tobacco products primarily to wholesalers, including distributors and large retail organizations, such as chain stores. The company primarily sells cigarettes under the Marlboro brand, as well as:

Cigars and pipe tobacco, principally under the Black & Mild and Middleton brands Moist smokeless tobacco and snus products under the Copenhagen, Skoal, Red Seal, and Husky brands on! Oral nicotine pouches e-vapor products under the NJOY ACE brand Altria used to own over 10% of Anheuser-Busch InBev (NYSE: BUD), the world’s largest brewer. In March of 2024, the company sold 35 million of its 197 million shares through a global secondary offering. That represents 18% of its holdings but still leaves Altria with 8% of the outstanding shares. Altria also announced a $2.4 billion stock repurchase plan partially funded by the sale.

$20,000 would buy 280 shares, paying $4.24 per year, for a total of $1,187.

Hormel Foods This American food processing company was founded in 1891 in Austin, Minnesota. Hormel Foods (NYSE: HRL) offers dual pricing power through both branded products and private-label manufacturing. Its yield is historically high, and the Hormel Foundation’s oversight ensures dividend reliability. The company is restructuring its portfolio and cutting costs to improve performance.

Hormel develops, processes, and distributes a range of meat, nuts, and other food products to retail, foodservice, deli, and commercial customers in the United States and internationally. It operates through three segments:

Retail Food Service International The company provides various perishable products, including fresh meats, frozen items, refrigerated meal solutions, sausages, hams, guacamoles, and bacon, and shelf-stable products, including canned luncheon meats, nut butter, snack nuts, chili, shelf-stable microwaveable meals, hash, stews, tortillas, salsas, tortilla chips, nutritional food supplements, and others. It sells its products under these brands:

Hormel Always Tender Applegate Austin Blues Bacon 1 Black Label Bread Ready Burke Café H Ceratti Chi-Chi’s Columbus Compleats Corn Nuts Cure 81 Dan’s Prize Di Lusso Dinty Moore Don Miguel Doña Maria Embasa Fast N Easy Fire Braised Fontanini Happy Little Plants Herdez Hormel Gatherings Hormel Square Table Hormel Vital Cuisine House of Tsang Jennie-O Justin’s La Victoria Layout Lloyd’s Mary Kitchen Mr. Peanut Natural Choice Nut-rition Old Smokehouse Oven Ready Pillow Pack Planters Rosa Grande Sadler’s Smokehouse Skippy Spam Special Recipe Thick & Easy Valley Fresh Wholly $20,000 will purchase 956 shares at $1.17 apiece, paying $1,118 per year.

Kimberly-Clark This American multinational personal care company primarily produces paper-based consumer products. Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB) stock declined 23% in 2025, pushing it close to a 12-year low. The company has raised its dividend for 53 consecutive years, and the current yield is a rich 5.29%.

It operates through three segments. The Personal Care segment offers a diverse range of products, including:

Disposable diapers Swim pants, training and youth pants, baby wipes Feminine and incontinence care products, as well as related products under the Huggies, Pull-Ups, Little Swimmers, GoodNites, DryNites, Sweety, Kotex, U by Kotex, Intimus, Depends, Plenitud, Softex, Poise, and other brand names The Consumer Tissue segment provides facial and bathroom tissues, paper towels, napkins, and related products under the brand names:

Kleenex Scott Cottonelle Viva Andrex Scottex Neve The K-C Professional segment offers wipers, tissues, towels, apparel, soaps, and sanitizers under the Kleenex, Scott, WypAll, Kimtech, and KleenGuard brands.

In 2025, Kimberly-Clark announced it would acquire Kenvue (NYSE: KVUE) in a $48.7 billion deal, with the transaction expected to close in the second half of 2026. The acquisition will create a combined consumer health and wellness company, with Kenvue shareholders receiving $3.50 in cash plus 0.14625 shares of Kimberly-Clark.

Piper Sandler has an Overweight rating with a $114 target price.

$20,000 will buy 205 shares, which pay $512 per year for a total of $1,044.

Sonoco Products While very off the radar of most investors, this company makes products that are constantly in demand, and it pays a solid 4.27% dividend. Sonoco Products (NYSE: SON) is a global designer, developer, and manufacturer of a variety of highly engineered and sustainable packaging serving multiple end markets. Its segments include:

Consumer Packaging Industrial Paper Packaging Products in the Consumer Packaging segment consist of rigid packaging (paper, metal, and plastic) and primarily serve the consumer staples market, focusing on food, beverage, household, personal, and pharmaceutical products. The company’s rigid paper containers are manufactured from 100% recycled paperboard provided primarily from Sonoco’s global paper operations. These paper products are primarily used in the food and beverage markets.

Products within the Industrial Paper Packaging segment consist primarily of goods produced from recycled fiber, including:

Paperboard tubes Cores Cones and cans Partitions Paper-based protective materials Uncoated recycled paperboard for high-end applications, such as folding cartons, can board, and laminated structures $20,000 will buy 387 shares, which pay $2.16 per year for a total of $835 per year.

, /PRNewswire/ -- Sonae (Euronext Lisbon: SON), a Portuguese-based multinational managing a diversified portfolio of businesses across retail, real estate, telecommunications, technology and innovation, achieved record turnover of €11.4 billion in 2025, growing 14.2% year-on-year. This performance reflects the solid growth of its retail businesses and investment in acquisitions over the past two years.

As a result of the Group's growth, significant operational efficiency gains and investment in the expansion of its global portfolio, underlying EBITDA reached €1.1 billion, increasing 23.6% compared to 2024, total EBITDA rose 17.6% to €1.2 billion, and net result attributable to shareholders increased 11% to €247 million. Sonae's share price delivered a strong performance, rising 76% in 2025.

Cláudia Azevedo, CEO of Sonae, states: "We are confident in the strength of our portfolio, which is well positioned for long-term value creation. It is balanced both geographically and across sectors, with all businesses holding relevant market positions and strong value propositions, benefiting from exposure to markets with solid structural tailwinds. We look to the future with confidence and optimism."

In the retail sector, Sonae Group's brands hold leading positions in their respective segments across several European markets, operating a network of more than 2,500 owned stores, with 128 new stores opened in the last year. In food retail, MC is the market leader in Portugal through the Continente brand, operating hypermarket, supermarket and convenience formats.

In the health and beauty segment, the Group is a market leader in Spain through Druni and Arenal, a 50/50 partnership between MC and the Casp family, and in Portugal through Wells. In electronics retail, Sonae owns Worten, the market leader in Portugal, with operations in Spain, as well as in several countries through its services and repair company iServices. In fashion retail, the Group owns Salsa, a denim specialist present in around 50 countries.

In the pet care segment, Musti operates in seven geographies and is the market leader in the Nordic and Baltic countries.

Through Sierra, Sonae also operates globally in the real estate sector, developing and managing shopping centres and real estate projects, including in the office and residential segments. Sierra also has a partnership with Bankinter for the management of ORES, which invests in real estate assets in Iberia. Additionally, Sierra is part of the controlling group of ALLOS, the leading shopping centre operator in Latin America. In October, Sierra acquired the Real Estate Management division of Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, becoming the second-largest third-party shopping centre manager in Germany.

The Group also holds investments in technology companies through its subsidiary Bright Pixel, which invests in companies and start-ups with solutions for the retail, telecommunications and cybersecurity sectors.

Through its Sparkfood unit, Sonae also operates in the supply of natural extracts and active ingredients for human, pet and plant care.

Find out more at www.sonae.pt.

SOURCE Sonae

, /PRNewswire/ -- Sonae (Euronext Lisbonne : SON), une multinationale basée au Portugal qui gère un portefeuille diversifié d'activités dans les secteurs de la vente au détail, de l'immobilier, des télécommunications, de la technologie et de l'innovation, a réalisé un chiffre d'affaires record de 11,4 milliards d'euros en 2025, en hausse de 14,2 % par rapport à l'année précédente. Cette performance reflète la franche poussée de ses activités de vente au détail et ses investissements dans des acquisitions lors des deux dernières années.

Grâce à la croissance du groupe, à d'importants gains d'efficacité opérationnelle et à des investissements dans l'expansion de son portefeuille mondial, l'excédent brut d'exploitation sous-jacent s'est établi à 1,1 milliard d'euros, soit une hausse de 23,6 % par rapport à 2024, l'excédent brut d'exploitation total a augmenté de 17,6 % pour atteindre 1,2 milliard d'euros, et le résultat net attribuable aux actionnaires a grimpé de 11 % pour se porter à 247 millions d'euros. Le cours de l'action de Sonae a enregistré une forte performance, augmentant de 76 % en 2025.

Cláudia Azevedo, directrice générale de Sonae, déclare : « Nous sommes confiants dans la robustesse de notre portefeuille, qui est bien positionné pour créer de la valeur à long terme. Notre portefeuille est équilibré tant sur le plan géographique que sectoriel : toutes nos entreprises détiennent des positions de marché pertinentes, affichent des propositions de valeur solides et bénéficient d'une exposition à des marchés portés par des vents structurels favorables. Nous envisageons l'avenir avec confiance et optimisme. »

Dans le secteur de la vente au détail, les marques du groupe Sonae, qui exploitent un réseau de plus de 2 500 magasins en propriété et ont ouvert 128 nouveaux magasins au cours de l'année écoulée, occupent des positions de premier plan dans leurs segments respectifs sur plusieurs marchés européens. Dans le secteur de la distribution alimentaire, MC est le leader du marché portugais grâce à la marque Continente, qui exploite des hypermarchés, des supermarchés et des magasins de proximité.

Dans le segment de la santé et de la beauté, le groupe domine le marché espagnol grâce à Druni et Arenal, une association à 50/50 entre MC et la famille Casp, ainsi que le marché portugais grâce à Wells. Dans le secteur de la vente au détail de produits électroniques, Sonae possède Worten, le chef de file du marché portugais, qui exerce aussi des activités en Espagne et dans plusieurs autres pays par l'intermédiaire de sa société de services et de réparation, iServices. Dans le secteur du commerce de détail d'articles de mode, le groupe détient Salsa, un spécialiste du denim présent dans une cinquantaine de pays.

Dans le segment des produits pour animaux de compagnie, le groupe Musti, présent dans sept zones géographiques, s'impose sur le marché des pays nordiques et baltes.

Via sa filiale Sierra, Sonae opère également au niveau mondial dans le secteur immobilier, en concevant et en gérant des centres commerciaux et des projets immobiliers, notamment dans les segments des bureaux et des logements. Sierra a par ailleurs conclu un partenariat avec Bankinter pour la gestion d'ORES, qui investit dans des actifs immobiliers dans la péninsule ibérique. Sierra fait aussi partie du groupe contrôlant ALLOS, le principal exploitant de centres commerciaux en Amérique latine. En octobre, Sierra a acquis la division de la gestion immobilière d'Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield pour devenir le deuxième gestionnaire de centres commerciaux tiers en Allemagne.

Le groupe détient en outre des investissements dans des entreprises technologiques par l'intermédiaire de sa filiale Bright Pixel, qui investit dans des entreprises et des jeunes pousses proposant des solutions pour les secteurs de la vente au détail, des télécommunications et de la cybersécurité.

Par le biais de l'unité Sparkfood, le groupe Sonae fournit enfin des extraits naturels et des ingrédients actifs destinés aux soins des humains, des animaux de compagnie et des plantes.

Pour en savoir plus, veuillez consulter le site www.sonae.pt.

HARTSVILLE, S.C., June 01, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sonoco Products Company (NYSE: SON), one of the world’s largest sustainable packaging leaders, has released its 2025 Corporate Sustainability Report, marking considerable progress on long-term renewable energy projects and newly consolidated sustainable businesses.

In 2025, the Company completed its significant transformation and today has built award-winning, global market-leading franchises in both metal and paper packaging across industrial markets. Today, Sonoco ranks in the top one-third of companies across all industries for environment, ethics, labor and human rights, and sustainable procurement.

“Our benchmark for sustainable success is not just a target; we believe it is our duty and our promise to provide accurate, transparent reporting on what matters most,” said Howard Coker, Sonoco President and CEO. “Our annual Corporate Sustainability Report reflects that commitment.”

The report highlights Sonoco products and its customers who jointly received three honors at the 2025 Environmental Packaging Awards. Sonoco was also named one of America’s Climate Leaders by USA Today and again recognized as one of Americas Most Trustworthy and Responsible Companies by Newsweek.

In total, 17 energy efficiency and renewable energy projects across the globe last year reduced emissions by ~15,000 metric tons of CO₂e, such as solar panel installations, regenerative brake technology, and upgrading air compressor systems. These efforts support Sonoco’s pledge to reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 25% by 2030 from the 2020 base year and Scope 3 by 13.5% from a 2019 baseline.

“Through targeted investments, operational efficiency and manufacturing innovation, we continue to make measurable progress against our sustainability goals,” said Scott Byrne, Sonoco Vice President of Global Sustainability and Industry Affairs. “As our business evolves with our future in focus, we’ll continue to advance initiatives that reduce environmental impact and support long-term value creation.”

Additional highlights included in the report involve recycling infrastructure and water stewardship initiatives across global operations. In 2025, the Company continued expanding recyclable paper-based packaging solutions, advancing material recovery efforts through its global recycling operations and through water reduction initiatives at paper mills, optimizing processes and investing in wastewater treatment improvements.

Download a copy of the 2025 Corporate Sustainability Report at https://www.sonoco.com/sustainability/reports.

About Sonoco

Founded in 1899, Sonoco (NYSE: SON) is a global leader in value-added, sustainable metal and paper consumer and industrial packaging. The Company had net sales of $7.5 billion from continuing operations in 2025 and has approximately 22,000 employees working in 265 operations in 37 countries, serving some of the world’s best-known brands. Guided by our purpose of Better Packaging. Better Life., we strive to foster a culture of innovation, collaboration and excellence to provide solutions that better serve all our stakeholders and support a more sustainable future. Sonoco was proudly named one of the World’s Most Admired Companies by Fortune in 2026 as well as one of America’s Most Admired and Responsible Companies by Fortune and Newsweek and by USA TODAY’s list of America’s Climate Leaders in 2025. For more information on the Company, visit our website at www.sonoco.com

Contact: Roger Schrum  843-339-6018  [email protected]

HARTSVILLE, S.C., June 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sonoco Products Company (“Sonoco” or the “Company”) (NYSE: SON), a global leader in high-value sustainable paper products, today announced it is implementing a $60 per ton price increase for all grades of uncoated recycled paperboard (URB) in the United States and Canada, effective with shipments beginning July 8, 2026.

According to Taylor Lane, Vice President and General Manager, Industrial Paper Packaging, North America, “This necessary increase is driven by several factors, including robust demand across our markets and strong utilization in our paper mill network. Additionally, elevated inflationary pressures have significantly increased our operating costs. We remain committed to delivering reliable supply and high-quality products, and this increase helps ensure we can continue to support our customers’ business effectively.”

Sonoco also will increase prices for all converted paperboard products by 7%, effective with shipments on and after July 8, 2026. This includes paperboard tubes, cores, cones, partitions, protective packaging, and other specialty products.

About Sonoco
Founded in 1899, Sonoco (NYSE: SON) is a global leader in value-added, sustainable metal and paper consumer and industrial packaging. As a member of the Fortune 500, the Company had net sales of $7.5 billion from continuing operations in 2025 and has approximately 22,000 employees working in 265 operations in 37 countries, serving some of the world’s best-known brands. Guided by our purpose of Better Packaging. Better Life., we strive to foster a culture of innovation, collaboration and excellence to provide solutions that better serve all our stakeholders and support a more sustainable future. Sonoco was proudly named one of the World’s Most Admired Companies by Fortune in 2026 as well as one of America’s Most Admired and Responsible Companies by Fortune and Newsweek and by USA TODAY’s list of America’s Climate Leaders in 2025. For more information on the Company, visit our website at www.sonoco.com.

Contact Information:
Roger Schrum
Head of Investor Relations & Communications
[email protected]
843-339-6018

On June 09, 2026, Sonoco Products Co (SON) shares rose 4.8% today, bringing the current price to $49.90. The stock is trading within a 52-week range of $38.65 t

Momentum investing is essentially the opposite of the tried-and-tested Wall Street adage -- "buy low and sell high." Investors following this investing style typically avoid betting on cheap stocks and waiting long for them to recover. They believe instead that one could make far more money in lesser time by "buying high and selling higher."

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It could be safer to invest in bargain stocks that have been witnessing price momentum recently. While the Zacks Momentum Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which pays close attention to trends in a stock's price or earnings, is pretty useful in identifying great momentum stocks, our 'Fast-Paced Momentum at a Bargain' screen comes handy in spotting fast-moving stocks that are still attractively priced.

There are several stocks that currently pass through the screen and Encore Capital Group (ECPG - Free Report) is one of them. Here are the key reasons why this stock is a great candidate.

A dash of recent price momentum reflects growing interest of investors in a stock. With a four-week price change of 15%, the stock of this provider of debt-management and recovery services is certainly well-positioned in this regard.

While any stock can see a spike in price for a short period, it takes a real momentum player to deliver positive returns for a longer time frame. ECPG meets this criterion too, as the stock gained 40.3% over the past 12 weeks.

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In addition to a favorable Momentum Score, an upward trend in earnings estimate revisions has helped ECPG earn a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). Our research shows that the momentum-effect is quite strong among Zacks Rank #1 and #2 stocks. That's because as covering analysts raise their earnings estimates for a stock, more and more investors take an interest in it, helping its price race to keep up. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>>

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Posted by Defense World Staff on Apr 27th, 2026

Cwm LLC lifted its stake in Encore Capital Group Inc (NASDAQ:ECPG – Free Report) by 99.6% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 25,045 shares of the asset manager’s stock after acquiring an additional 12,499 shares during the quarter. Cwm LLC owned approximately 0.11% of Encore Capital Group worth $1,361,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of ECPG. Royal Bank of Canada increased its position in shares of Encore Capital Group by 97.9% in the first quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 33,620 shares of the asset manager’s stock valued at $1,153,000 after acquiring an additional 16,634 shares during the last quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in Encore Capital Group by 263.0% during the first quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 68,860 shares of the asset manager’s stock worth $2,361,000 after buying an additional 49,892 shares during the last quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. increased its holdings in Encore Capital Group by 4.6% during the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 13,929 shares of the asset manager’s stock worth $477,000 after buying an additional 612 shares during the last quarter. Empowered Funds LLC increased its holdings in Encore Capital Group by 2.0% during the first quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 90,910 shares of the asset manager’s stock worth $3,116,000 after buying an additional 1,806 shares during the last quarter. Finally, UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC increased its holdings in Encore Capital Group by 7.8% during the first quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 78,465 shares of the asset manager’s stock worth $2,690,000 after buying an additional 5,672 shares during the last quarter.

Insiders Place Their Bets In other Encore Capital Group news, insider Ryan B. Bell sold 7,240 shares of Encore Capital Group stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $69.04, for a total value of $499,849.60. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 48,170 shares in the company, valued at $3,325,656.80. The trade was a 13.07% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 2.63% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Encore Capital Group Price Performance NASDAQ:ECPG opened at $83.73 on Monday. Encore Capital Group Inc has a one year low of $32.27 and a one year high of $85.42. The company has a market cap of $1.79 billion, a P/E ratio of 7.64 and a beta of 1.26. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $70.40 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $58.15. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.10, a current ratio of 0.68 and a quick ratio of 0.68.

Encore Capital Group (NASDAQ:ECPG – Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, February 25th. The asset manager reported $3.37 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.20 by $1.17. Encore Capital Group had a return on equity of 28.19% and a net margin of 14.52%.The company had revenue of $473.55 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $423.14 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned ($9.42) earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 78.3% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts expect that Encore Capital Group Inc will post 11.97 earnings per share for the current year.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of brokerages recently weighed in on ECPG. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Encore Capital Group from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Saturday, April 18th. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Encore Capital Group from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Friday, February 27th. Truist Financial set a $100.00 price target on Encore Capital Group in a research report on Tuesday, April 21st. Citigroup reissued an “outperform” rating on shares of Encore Capital Group in a research report on Tuesday, January 20th. Finally, Weiss Ratings raised Encore Capital Group from a “sell (d-)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a research report on Friday, February 27th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have assigned a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Encore Capital Group presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $80.50.

Check Out Our Latest Report on ECPG

Encore Capital Group Company Profile (Free Report)

Encore Capital Group, Inc is a global specialty finance company that focuses on the purchase and management of nonperforming consumer receivables. Through its subsidiaries, the company acquires charged-off debt portfolios from credit card issuers, banks, and other financial institutions, and seeks to recover outstanding balances through a combination of customer outreach, payment arrangements, and, where appropriate, legal collection efforts. Encore’s business model emphasizes compliance with regulatory and industry standards to ensure ethical and transparent debt-recovery practices.

Headquartered in San Diego, California, Encore operates across North America and Europe.

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Encore Capital Group (ECPG - Free Report) came out with quarterly earnings of $3.86 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.26 per share. This compares to earnings of $1.93 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.

This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +18.59%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this provider of debt-management and recovery services would post earnings of $2.2 per share when it actually produced earnings of $3.37, delivering a surprise of +53.18%.

Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates four times.

Encore Capital Group, which belongs to the Zacks Financial - Consumer Loans industry, posted revenues of $475.41 million for the quarter ended March 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 5.25%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $392.77 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates four times over the last four quarters.

The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.

Encore Capital Group shares have added about 55.3% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 6%.

What's Next for Encore Capital Group?While Encore Capital Group has outperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?

There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.

Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.

Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Encore Capital Group was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $3.04 on $456.66 million in revenues for the coming quarter and $11.97 on $1.82 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year.

Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Financial - Consumer Loans is currently in the top 11% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.

Another stock from the same industry, Open Lending (LPRO - Free Report) , has yet to report results for the quarter ended March 2026. The results are expected to be released on May 7.

This company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.01 per share in its upcoming report, which represents no change from the year-ago quarter. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days.

Open Lending's revenues are expected to be $20.3 million, down 16.8% from the year-ago quarter.