Graphic Packaging Holding Co vs SONOCO PRODUCTS CO, two Paper & Packaging stocks. A side-by-side on valuation, growth, margins, returns, and what each price is betting.
Both haul packaging out of paper and carry real debt, but Sonoco does far more with its capital. Sonoco earns 28.33% on equity against Graphic Packaging's 8.44%, and holds a 13.57% net margin against 3.17%. Yet Sonoco costs less on earnings, 5.4 times against 11.96 times, and only a touch more on book, 1.53 times against 1.00 times. Sonoco carries lighter debt too, 1.31 against 1.9. Graphic Packaging's headline free cash flow yield of 27.64% dwarfs Sonoco's 3.94%, though a number that big is usually a one-off and should not be read as the steady rate. On the durable measures, Sonoco is the stronger business at the lower price.
Comparison updated 2026-07-11.
| Metric | GPK | SON |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $10.25 | $55.91 |
| Market cap | $3.0B | $5.6B |
| Sector | Paper & Packaging | Paper & Packaging |
| Stage | Mature | Growth |
| Implied growth (priced in) | — | -4.7% |
| P/E | 11.1 | 5.5 |
| P/B | 0.94 | 1.55 |
| P/S | 0.35 | 0.74 |
| EV/EBITDA | 7.9 | 8.8 |
| Revenue growth | -0.1% | +33.6% |
| Gross margin | — | 20.6% |
| Operating margin | 0.9% | 7.6% |
| Net margin | 3.2% | 13.6% |
| Return on equity | 8.4% | 28.3% |
| Return on assets | 2.3% | 9.2% |
| Return on invested capital | 5.0% | 9.7% |
| FCF yield | 29.7% | 3.9% |
| Dividend yield | — | 3.8% |
| Debt / equity | 1.90 | 1.31 |
| Current ratio | 1.41 | 0.96 |
| Altman Z (solvency) | 7.02 | 1.58 |
| Piotroski F (quality) | 3 / 9 | 4 / 9 |
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The stronger value is highlighted per metric where one is strictly better on that single number; it is not an overall verdict on either company. For informational and research purposes only. Not investment advice. Not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security. boothcheck is not a registered investment adviser. Past performance does not guarantee future results.