Smurfit Westrock plc (NYSE:SW) shares fell 2.41% in premarket trading Wednesday after the paper-based packaging group missed third-quarter earnings estimates, even as revenue came in above forecasts and profitability improved year-over-year.
The company reported adjusted earnings per share of $0.58, falling short of the $0.72 analyst consensus. However, revenue rose 4.3% year-over-year to $8 billion, surpassing expectations of $7.89 billion, compared with $7.67 billion in the same quarter of 2024.
Net income totaled $245 million, marking a strong turnaround from a $150 million loss in the prior-year period. Adjusted EBITDA reached $1.3 billion, yielding a 16.3% margin, slightly below the 16.5% recorded a year ago.
“I am pleased to report that for the third quarter, we delivered in-line with our Adjusted EBITDA guidance,” said Tony Smurfit, President and CEO. “This performance was driven by the continued operational and commercial improvements in our North American business and our strong positions in EMEA and APAC and Latin America.”
Regional performance was mixed: North America posted a 17.2% EBITDA margin, while Latin America achieved 21.3%, reflecting solid operational execution. However, the company acknowledged persistent headwinds in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia-Pacific, where demand remained soft.
Looking forward, Smurfit Westrock lowered its full-year adjusted EBITDA guidance to $4.9–$5.1 billion, citing weaker demand trends and planned downtime in the fourth quarter to optimize production. The company expects 2026 capital expenditures between $2.4 billion and $2.5 billion as it continues to invest in efficiency and sustainability initiatives.
Smurfit Westrock also declared a quarterly dividend of $0.4308 per ordinary share, payable on December 18, 2025, to shareholders of record as of November 14, 2025.