Ball (BALL) vs Sonoco Products (SON)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 7, 2026.
Summary
Ball (BALL) has outperformed Sonoco Products (SON) over the past year, gaining 18.4% versus a gain of 12.4%. Over five years, SON leads with a -22.1% price change compared with -37.0% for BALL. Ball is the larger company by market cap ($15.22 billion vs $4.72 billion), about 3.2 times the size, while Sonoco Products is growing revenue faster (+41.7% vs +11.6%).
On valuation, Sonoco Products trades at a lower forward P/E (7.6x vs 12.7x for Ball). Sonoco Products offers the higher dividend yield (4.46% vs 1.39%). Sonoco Products converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 13.3% versus 7.0%.
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | BALL | SON |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $57.48 | $47.74 |
| Market cap | $15.22B | $4.72B |
| 1-day change | +0.09% | -0.58% |
| YTD return | +8.51% | +9.40% |
| 1-year return | +18.42% | +12.41% |
| 5-year return | -37.04% | -22.12% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 16.38 | 7.39 |
| Forward P/E | 12.71 | 7.57 |
| EPS (TTM) | $3.51 | $6.46 |
| Dividend yield | 1.39% | 4.46% |
| Annual dividend | $0.80 | $2.13 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $13.16B | $7.52B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +11.58% | +41.72% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $915.00M | $1.00B |
| Gross margin | 19.59% | 20.94% |
| Operating margin | — | 13.54% |
| Net margin | 6.95% | 13.34% |
| 52-week high | $68.29 | $60.67 |
| 52-week low | $44.83 | $38.65 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -15.83% | -21.31% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +25.02% | +28.01% |
| Average volume | 1.90M | 1.11M |
| Shares outstanding | 264.70M | 98.88M |
| Employees | 16,000 | 22,000 |
| Sector | Industrials | Consumer Discretionary |
| Industry | Containers/Packaging | Containers/Packaging |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- Ball is about 3.2 times larger than Sonoco Products by market value ($15.22B vs $4.72B).
- Ball trades at a higher earnings multiple (16.4x vs 7.4x trailing P/E).
- Sonoco Products offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (4.46% vs 1.39%).
- Sonoco Products is more profitable, keeping 13.3 cents of every revenue dollar as net income versus 7.0 cents for Ball.
- Sonoco Products grew revenue faster in its latest fiscal year (+41.72% vs +11.58%).
- The two companies sit in different sectors: Ball in Industrials and Sonoco Products in Consumer Discretionary.
About Ball
BALL stock →Ball Corporation supplies aluminum packaging products for the beverage, personal care, and household products industries in the United States, Brazil, and internationally. The company manufactures and sells aluminum beverage containers to fillers of carbonated soft drinks, beer, energy drinks, and other beverages.
Industrials · Containers/Packaging · 16,000 employees
About Sonoco Products
SON stock →Sonoco Products Company, together with its subsidiaries, designs, develops, manufactures, and sells various engineered and sustainable packaging products in the United States, Europe, Canada, the Asia Pacific, and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Consumer Packaging and Industrial Paper Packaging.
Consumer Discretionary · Containers/Packaging · 22,000 employees
BALL vs SON FAQ
Which is bigger, Ball or Sonoco Products?
Ball (BALL) is larger, with a market capitalization of $15.22B compared with $4.72B for Sonoco Products (SON).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, BALL or SON?
BALL returned +18.42% over the past 12 months, compared with +12.41% for SON (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, BALL or SON?
SON has the lower trailing P/E at 7.4, versus 16.4 for BALL. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Which pays a higher dividend, Ball or Sonoco Products?
Sonoco Products has the higher yield at 4.46%, compared with 1.39% for Ball.
Are Ball and Sonoco Products in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Containers/Packaging industry within the Industrials sector.