Sonoco Products (SON) vs Smurfit WestRock (SW)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
Sonoco Products (SON) has outperformed Smurfit WestRock (SW) over the past year, gaining 12.4% versus a gain of 0.3%. Over five years, SON leads with a -22.1% price change compared with -24.8% for SW. Smurfit WestRock is the larger company by market cap ($21.43 billion vs $4.72 billion), about 4.5 times the size.
On valuation, Sonoco Products trades at a lower forward P/E (7.6x vs 11.9x for Smurfit WestRock). Sonoco Products offers the higher dividend yield (4.46% vs 4.33%). Sonoco Products converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 13.3% versus 2.2%.
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 | SON | SW |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $47.77 | $40.85 |
| Market cap | $4.72B | $21.43B |
| 1-day change | +0.06% | -1.07% |
| YTD return | +9.40% | +6.78% |
| 1-year return | +12.41% | +0.27% |
| 5-year return | -22.12% | -24.82% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 7.39 | 43.00 |
| Forward P/E | 7.58 | 11.89 |
| EPS (TTM) | $6.46 | $0.95 |
| Dividend yield | 4.46% | 4.33% |
| Annual dividend | $2.13 | $1.77 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $7.52B | $31.18B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +41.72% | +47.70% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $1.00B | $699.00M |
| Gross margin | 20.94% | 19.38% |
| Operating margin | 13.54% | 5.51% |
| Net margin | 13.34% | 2.24% |
| 52-week high | $60.67 | $52.65 |
| 52-week low | $38.65 | $32.73 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -21.26% | -22.41% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | strong_buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +27.93% | +38.85% |
| Average volume | 1.11M | 4.62M |
| Shares outstanding | 98.88M | 524.52M |
| Employees | 22,000 | 96,000 |
| Sector | Consumer Discretionary | 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
- Smurfit WestRock is about 4.5 times larger than Sonoco Products by market value ($21.43B vs $4.72B).
- SON has outperformed SW by 12.1 percentage points over the past year.
- Smurfit WestRock trades at a higher earnings multiple (43.0x vs 7.4x trailing P/E).
- Sonoco Products is more profitable, keeping 13.3 cents of every revenue dollar as net income versus 2.2 cents for Smurfit WestRock.
- Smurfit WestRock grew revenue faster in its latest fiscal year (+47.70% vs +41.72%).
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
About Smurfit WestRock
SW stock →Smurfit 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.
Consumer Discretionary · Containers/Packaging · 96,000 employees
SON vs SW FAQ
Which is bigger, Sonoco Products or Smurfit WestRock?
Smurfit WestRock (SW) is larger, with a market capitalization of $21.43B compared with $4.72B for Sonoco Products (SON).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, SON or SW?
SON returned +12.41% over the past 12 months, compared with +0.27% for SW (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, SON or SW?
SON has the lower trailing P/E at 7.4, versus 43.0 for SW. 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, Sonoco Products or Smurfit WestRock?
Sonoco Products has the higher yield at 4.46%, compared with 4.33% for Smurfit WestRock.
Are Sonoco Products and Smurfit WestRock in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Containers/Packaging industry within the Consumer Discretionary sector.