Smurfit Westrock plc · SW · FY2025 Q1 · Calendar Q2 2025
Smurfit Westrock: strong Q1, synergies on track, risks remain
The supplied analysis supports a cautiously constructive operating thesis: stronger-than-expected Q1 performance, integration synergies, capacity actions and efficiency investment provide potential support, but demand uncertainty, tariffs, input costs and execution risks keep the outlook conditional.
Earnings scorecard
Reported versus consensusMarket reaction
prior-close to event-session closeAsk FN2 about SW FY2025 Q1
Transcript, numbers and history already loadedFree account. Your question opens in FN2 with this report's transcript and numbers attached.
Transcript intelligence
What changed
Compared with the prior-quarter analysis, the current analysis shows Q1 performance exceeding expectations and adds evidence of broad margin improvement, nearly 600,000 tonnes of capacity closures, and a plan for 25 new converting machines beginning in 2026. The strategic direction is otherwise consistent: pursue synergies, rationalize capacity and prioritize value over volume.
Guidance delta
Management guidance sentiment was maintained; no new change to guidance was identified in the supplied analysis.
Key takeaways
- Management described Q1 performance as stronger than expected, with double-digit EBITDA growth and margin improvement across regions.
- The integration and synergy program remained on track toward $400 million of run-rate synergies by 2025.
- Capacity rationalization and quick-win projects are central to the operating plan, while 25 new converting machines are planned from 2026.
- The main counterweights are uncertain demand, potential tariffs, energy and labor costs, waste-paper price volatility, and Q2 downtime.
Management priorities
- Deliver the $400 million run-rate synergy target
- Execute capacity rationalization, including plant closures and quick-win projects
- Implement 25 new converting machines beginning in 2026
- Maintain a value-over-volume strategy and disciplined capital allocation
Follow SW with an agent that reads every filing, transcript, and price print. Free to start.
Try FN2 freeEarnings History
Analyst 52W Price Targets
Latest persisted target per named analyst; persisted previous close from FN2's market snapshot as of Oct 13, 2026. Not an FN2 forecast.
Firm-level rating actions
FMP grade actions identify the grading firm, not a named analyst.
| Firm | Rating | Prior rating | Action | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citigroup | Buy | Buy | Maintain | Oct 2, 2026 |
| JP Morgan | Overweight | Overweight | Maintain | Sep 23, 2026 |
| Morgan Stanley | Overweight | Overweight | Maintain | Aug 27, 2026 |
| Barclays | Overweight | Overweight | Maintain | Aug 4, 2026 |
| Wells Fargo | Overweight | Overweight | Maintain | Jul 30, 2026 |
| Truist Securities | Buy | Buy | Maintain | Jul 30, 2026 |
| RBC Capital | Outperform | Outperform | Maintain | Jul 30, 2026 |
| UBS | Buy | Buy | Maintain | Apr 13, 2026 |
| Argus Research | Buy | Buy | Maintain | Dec 9, 2025 |
| Seaport Global | Buy | Neutral | Upgrade | Oct 6, 2025 |
| Jefferies | Buy | Hold | Upgrade | Jun 16, 2025 |
Named analyst price targets
Upside is calculated against the persisted previous close $41.07. FMP does not supply a rating on these named-analyst rows.
| Firm | Analyst | 52W target | Price when posted | Upside | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morgan Stanley | Analyst unavailable | $58 | $49.25 | +41.2% | Aug 27, 2026 |
| Nomura | Analyst unavailable | $170 | $50.02 | +313.9% | Aug 14, 2026 |
| Seaport Global | Mark Weintraub | $54 | $49.18 | +31.5% | Aug 12, 2026 |
| RBC Capital | Matthew McKellar | $60 | $47.63 | +46.1% | Jul 30, 2026 |
| Loop Capital Markets | Analyst unavailable | $71 | $51.56 | +72.9% | Jul 28, 2026 |
| Deutsche Bank | Analyst unavailable | $57 | $45.39 | +38.8% | Jun 23, 2026 |
| Barclays | Pallav Mittal | $52 | $37.13 | +26.6% | May 21, 2026 |
| Morgan Stanley | Ioannis Masvoulas | $57 | $41.96 | +38.8% | May 6, 2026 |
| Truist Financial | Analyst unavailable | $50 | $39.28 | +21.7% | May 1, 2026 |
| RBC Capital | Matthew McKellar | $54 | $41.3 | +31.5% | Apr 16, 2026 |
| Truist Financial | Analyst unavailable | $53 | $41.84 | +29.0% | Apr 15, 2026 |
| Morgan Stanley | Ioannis Masvoulas | $61 | $51.84 | +48.5% | Feb 18, 2026 |
| Barclays | Analyst unavailable | $56 | $51.56 | +36.4% | Feb 17, 2026 |
| Truist Financial | Analyst unavailable | $60 | $51.27 | +46.1% | Feb 12, 2026 |
| Jefferies | Philip Ng | $58 | $51.43 | +41.2% | Feb 12, 2026 |
| Wells Fargo | Gabe Hajde | $55 | $50.28 | +33.9% | Feb 12, 2026 |
| Truist Financial | Michael Roxland | $49 | $40.07 | +19.3% | Jan 6, 2026 |
| Wells Fargo | Analyst unavailable | $48 | $40.07 | +16.9% | Jan 6, 2026 |
| RBC Capital | Analyst unavailable | $51 | $38.14 | +24.2% | Dec 18, 2025 |
| Argus Research | Alexandra Yates | $45 | $35.52 | +9.6% | Dec 9, 2025 |
| Morgan Stanley | Brian Morgan | $52 | $36.92 | +26.6% | Nov 3, 2025 |
| Truist Financial | Analyst unavailable | $55 | $41.52 | +33.9% | Oct 13, 2025 |
| Wells Fargo | Gabe Hajde | $52 | $40.31 | +26.6% | Oct 7, 2025 |
| Seaport Global | Analyst unavailable | $52 | $40.6 | +26.6% | Oct 6, 2025 |
| UBS | Andrew Jones | $60 | $44.47 | +46.1% | Sep 15, 2025 |
| RBC Capital | Analyst unavailable | $57 | $41.54 | +38.8% | Apr 22, 2025 |
| RBC Capital | Matthew McKellar | $58 | $50.07 | +41.2% | Oct 31, 2024 |
| Citigroup | Anthony Pettinari | $57 | $44.54 | +38.8% | Oct 23, 2024 |
| Jefferies | Philip Ng | $51 | $45.4 | +24.2% | Oct 11, 2024 |
| Jefferies | Philip Ng | $52 | $48.81 | +26.6% | Jul 29, 2024 |
| Morgan Stanley | Brian Morgan | $60 | $46.82 | +46.1% | Jul 18, 2024 |
Track every rating change on SW the moment it posts. Free to start.
Start freeCompany context
Snapshot as of publicationSmurfit Westrock Plc, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, distributes, and sells containerboard, corrugated containers, and other paper-based packaging products in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and internationally. The company produces containerboard and paperboard; packaging of corrugated containers; consumer packaging; and offers solid board, kraft paper, and graphic board, as well as other packaging products, such as solidboard packaging, paper sacks and bag-in-box. It produces linerboard and corrugated medium and paperboard; and other paper-based packaging, such as folding cartons, inserts, labels and displays. The company primarily serves food and beverage, healthcare, beauty and personal care, garden, consumer goods, industrial, and foodservice markets. It markets its products through its own sales force, independent sales representatives, and independent distributors. Smurfit Westrock Plc was founded in 1934 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland.
Historical context
All SW earningsConsumer Cyclical peers this season
Latest reports in the same sector| Company | Quarter | EPS surprise | Market move | Headline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NKE NIKE, Inc. | FY2027 Q1 · Calendar Q4 2026 | +10.0% | -0.7% | Nike’s performance categories grow as resets weigh on FY27 outlook |
| CCL Carnival Corporation & plc | FY2026 Q3 · Calendar Q3 2026 | +5.9% | +13.4% | Carnival posts record Q3 as demand and efficiency offset fuel costs |
| DRI Darden Restaurants, Inc. | FY2027 Q1 · Calendar Q3 2026 | 0.0% | -3.0% | Darden reaffirms FY2027 outlook as brands deliver mixed comp growth |
| AZO AutoZone, Inc. | FY2026 Q4 · Calendar Q3 2026 | +3.6% | +3.3% | AutoZone pairs commercial momentum with an aggressive FY2027 expansion plan |
| LEN-B Lennar Corporation | FY2026 Q3 · Calendar Q3 2026 | — | — | Lennar: Efficiency Gains Offset Housing-Market Pressures |
| LEN Lennar Corporation | FY2026 Q3 · Calendar Q3 2026 | — | -4.1% | Lennar Holds Volume Guidance as Margins Improve Despite Housing Headwinds |
Latest beats and misses
Who reports nextBeat on EPS
Get the SW recap when the next report posts
One email per quarter with the scorecard, the market reaction and what changed on the call. No account needed.
Sources
- Earnings call transcript and parsed analysis · 2026-05-11T10:29:34.698584+00:00
- FN2 earnings calendar · 2025-04-17T00:02:52.217204+00:00
- Polygon adjusted daily market bars · 2026-10-13T07:50:42.773896+00:00
- Financial Modeling Prep analyst price-target consensus and quote snapshot · 2026-10-13T07:50:42.771061+00:00
Methodology
Reported and consensus figures come from FN2's earnings event records. Market reaction and volume are calculated from daily adjusted bars around the event; abnormal move subtracts the SPY move over the same window.
Analyst target low, average, and high values are derived at request time from each named analyst's latest persisted FMP target. The current-price marker comes from FN2's persisted market snapshot. They are sell-side estimates, not an FN2 valuation or recommendation.
Transcript intelligence is a structured synthesis of the current and prior earnings-call analyses. Missing values stay missing and are never estimated.
By FN2 Research · Updated · As of 2026-10-13. For educational purposes only; not investment advice.