Ball (BALL), O-I Glass (OI), and Sylvamo (SLVM) have momentum and catalysts that make them attractive, BofA Securities said Monday in a research note updating its packaging, paper, and forest products coverage for year-end.
Analysts said Ball should grow in line with or above the industry over the next two years, supported by contracts and new capacity in the second half of 2026, with North and Central America growth expected to reach about 1.9% in 2026 and 2.0% in 2027.
O-I Glass faces some risk from soft beer and alcohol demand, but its Fit to Win initiatives are driving earnings momentum, BofA said. Sylvamo is positioned to benefit from improving supply-demand conditions in North American paper and higher pulp pricing.
Commodity wood products such as lumber and plywood show limited near-term upside, and BofA said there has not yet been a recovery in pricing.
The firm said it is below consensus on earnings for PotlatchDeltic (PCH) and Weyerhaeuser (WY), noting that lumber and construction-related markets are likely to remain stagnant during winter.
BofA upgraded Ball and O-I Glass to buy from neutral, with price objectives of $61 and $17, respectively. Sylvamo was upgraded to buy from underperform with a $59 price objective.
PotlatchDeltic was downgraded to underperform from buy, with a $46 price objective, while Weyerhaeuser was downgraded to neutral from buy, with a $26 price objective.
Price: 47.65, Change: +0.05, Percent Change: +0.11
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