Ball Corporation (NYSE:BALL) reported solid fourth-quarter shipment growth on Tuesday, helping lift investor sentiment even though earnings came in slightly below expectations.
Shares of Ball Corporation rose about 4% in pre-market trading following the release.
The aluminum packaging group posted adjusted earnings of $0.91 per share for the quarter, just under the analyst forecast of $0.90, while revenue totaled $3.35 billion, comfortably ahead of the $3.12 billion consensus. Global aluminum packaging shipments increased 6.0% in the fourth quarter, closing out a year in which total shipments rose 4.1%.
Investors appeared to focus on the strong volume momentum and cash generation rather than the modest earnings miss, with the stock climbing roughly 4% after the announcement.
“We closed the year with a strong fourth quarter where across our businesses we delivered robust volume growth and operating earnings, capping off a record year for Ball,” said Ron Lewis, chief executive officer. “These pillars enabled us to meet our 2025 expectations, achieve record earnings per share, and return approximately $1.54 billion to shareholders through share repurchases and dividends.”
By region, volumes in North and Central America rose at a high single-digit rate in the fourth quarter, contributing to a 4.8% increase for the full year. The EMEA segment also recorded high single-digit growth in Q4, resulting in a 5.5% volume increase over the full year.
For 2025, Ball generated record adjusted free cash flow of $956 million and kept capital spending below its GAAP depreciation and amortization target.
Looking ahead, the company expects comparable diluted earnings per share to grow by more than 10% in 2026 and forecasts free cash flow of over $900 million.
“Our strategy is clear and built for the long term: stay close to our customers, empower and motivate our people and drive operational excellence and profitable growth through the Ball Business System,” Lewis added.