February 13, 2025
Top 10 Stock Sonoco Strong Buy Recommendation
How to read the ranks
For every stock, we judge its performance against its peers and rank it on a scale of 1 to 100. The higher the rank, the better the stock performs than its peers. And, we do this for six investment strategies:
Value - shows how good of a value the stock is. Green is "inexpensive"; red is "expensive".
Growth - shows a company's growth potential. Green is "high growth" expected; red is "tough times ahead".
Safety - relates to the amount of debt a company has. Green is low debt level; red is high debt level.
Combined Financial - this isn't an average of the first three ranks but rather a consolidated view across several financial indicators. Green = good; red = tread carefully.
(NEW) Sentiment - quantifies professional analyst ratings and holdings as well as market pulse. Green = positive sentiment; red = skepticism (Only available to Premium Subscribers).
(NEW) 360° View - the ultimate rating with all financial and non-financial indicators.
Snapshot: Sonoco – Top 10 Stock in Energy Efficency Leaders
Sonoco is listed as a top 10 stock on February 13, 2025 in the market index Energy Efficient because of its high performance in at least one of the Obermatt investment strategies. As three out of four consolidated Obermatt Ranks exhibit excellent performance, it is a solid investment from a financial fact perspective where only investor sentiment is a reason for caution. Based on the Obermatt 360° View of 90 (top 90% performer), Obermatt assesses an overall strong buy recommendation for Sonoco on February 13, 2025.
Snapshot: Obermatt Ranks
| Country | USA |
| Industry | Paper Packaging |
| Index | Low Emissions, Dividends USA, Energy Efficient, S&P MIDCAP |
| Size class | X-Large |
When Obermatt identifies the Top 10 stocks in a market, it’s based on a certain investment strategy. The best performing stocks usually aren’t the ones that everyone is talking about (those are often "over-priced" and have low Value ranks).
For each investment strategy, we provide you with more detailed analysis and our recommendation. You see the ranks of the top 10 stocks ranked by that particular investment strategy (360° View, Sentiment, Value, Growth, Safety and Combined Financial Performance).
360° View: Obermatt 360° View Sonoco Strong Buy
| 360 METRICS | February 13, 2025 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VALUE | ||||||||
| VALUE | 95 |
|
||||||
| GROWTH | ||||||||
| GROWTH | 79 |
|
||||||
| SAFETY | ||||||||
| SAFETY | 81 |
|
||||||
| SENTIMENT | ||||||||
| SENTIMENT | 27 |
|
||||||
| 360° VIEW | ||||||||
| 360° VIEW | 90 |
|
||||||
ANALYSIS: With an Obermatt 360° View of 90 (better than 90% compared with alternatives) for 2025, overall professional sentiment and financial characteristics for the stock Sonoco are very positive. The 360° View is based on consolidating four consolidated indicators, with three out of four indicators above average for Sonoco. The consolidated Value Rank has an attractive rank of 95, which means that the share price of Sonoco is on the lower side compared with the typical size in indicators such as revenues, profits, and invested capital. This means the stock price is lower than for 95% of alternative stocks in the same industry. The consolidated Growth Rank has a good rank of 79, which means that the company experiences above-average growth momentum when looking at financial metrics such as revenue, profit, and invested capital growth, as well as stock returns. The company is also safely financed with a Safety Rank of 81. But the professional market sentiment is below average compared with other stock investment alternatives with a Sentiment Rank of only 27. Professional investors are more confident in 73% other stocks. ...read more
RECOMMENDATION: With a consolidated 360° View of 90, Sonoco is better positioned than 90% of all alternative stock investment opportunities based on the Obermatt Method. As three out of four consolidated Obermatt Ranks exhibit excellent performance, such as good value (Value Rank of 95), above-average growth (Growth Rank of 79), and safe financing practices (Safety Rank of 81), it is a solid stock investment where the risk of paying too much for the shares is limited, and disappointments are less likely, unless information not publicly available. Only the professional market sentiment is on the riskier side (Sentiment Rank of 27), but that could also mean an overreaction to negative news in the past. Good value is sometimes an indication that the company's future is challenging. If they have been enjoying above average growth and are still a good value, this may not continue. We recommend evaluating whether the future of Sonoco is as challenging as the low price of the stock despite good growth and safe financing practices suggest. Since the professional community is pessimistic, you may want to reflect these negative opinions in light of what you find reasonable to expect for the future. If you believe this pessimistic view is transitory, you have a solid investment case based on current financial factors. ...read more
Sentiment Strategy: Professional Market Sentiment for Sonoco only reserved
ANALYSIS: With an Obermatt Sentiment Rank of 27 (better than 27% compared with alternatives), overall professional sentiment and engagement for the stock Sonoco is below industry average. The Sentiment Rank is based on consolidating four sentiment indicators, with three out of four metrics below average for Sonoco. Analyst Opinions are at a rank of 62 (better than 62% of alternative investments), which means that, currently, stock research analysts tend to recommend a stock investment in the company. This is a good sign, were it not for Analyst Opinions Change with a low rank of 42, which means that currently, stock research experts are changing their opinions for the worse. In other words, they are getting more critical of a stock investment in Sonoco. The Professional Investors rank is also low at 35, meaning that professional investors hold less stock in this company than in 65% of alternative investment opportunities. Pros tend to invest in other companies. Even worse, Market Pulse has a low rank of 18, which means that the current professional news and professional social networks are critical of this company (more negative news than for 82% of competitors). ...read more
RECOMMENDATION: With a consolidated Sentiment Rank of 27 (less encouraging than 73% compared with investment alternatives), Sonoco has a reputation among professional investors that is below that of its competitors. There are several negative sentiment signals, with only the Analyst Opinions Rank above average. This could be a stock with a long reputation for being positive but where things are worsening. Most analysts may not see it yet, but some have, and the professionals are already quite pessimistic. Proceed with caution when investing in this stock. ...read more
Value Strategy: Sonoco Stock Price Value at the top
ANALYSIS: With an Obermatt Value Rank of 95 (better than 95% compared with alternatives) for 2025, Sonoco shares are significantly less expensive than comparable stocks. The Value Rank is based on consolidating four value indicators that are all above average for Sonoco. Price-to-Sales is 74 which means that the stock price compared with what market professionals expect for future sales is lower than for 74% of comparable companies, indicating a good value for Sonoco's revenue size. The same is valid for expected Price-to-Profits, more favorable than for 95% of alternatives, and this is also true for the Price-to-Book capital ratio (also referred to as market-to-book ratio) with a Price-to-Capital Rank of 64. Compared with other companies in the same industry, dividend yields of Sonoco are expected to be higher than for 95% of all competitors (a Dividend Yield rank of 95). ...read more
RECOMMENDATION: The overall picture with a consolidated Value Rank of 95, is a buy recommendation based on Sonoco's stock price compared with the company's operational size and dividend yields. Since all value metrics are above the industry average, there is no objection to investing in Sonoco based on its detailed value metrics.
Growth Strategy: Sonoco Growth Momentum high
| GROWTH METRICS | February 13, 2025 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| REVENUE GROWTH | ||||||||
| REVENUE GROWTH | 100 |
|
||||||
| PROFIT GROWTH | ||||||||
| PROFIT GROWTH | 38 |
|
||||||
| CAPITAL GROWTH | ||||||||
| CAPITAL GROWTH | 75 |
|
||||||
| STOCK RETURNS | ||||||||
| STOCK RETURNS | 21 |
|
||||||
| CONSOLIDATED RANK: GROWTH | ||||||||
| CONSOLIDATED RANK: GROWTH | 79 |
|
||||||
ANALYSIS: With an Obermatt Growth Rank of 79 (better than 79% compared with alternatives) for 2025, Sonoco shows one of the highest growth dynamics in its industry. Investors also speak of high momentum. The Growth Rank is based on consolidating four value indicators, with half of the indicators below and half above average for Sonoco. Sales Growth has a rank of 100 which means that currently, professionals expect the company to grow more than 100% of its competitors. Capital Growth is also above 38% of competitors with a rank of 75. But Profit Growth only has a rank of 38, which means that currently professionals expect the company to grow its profits less than 62% of its competitors. And Stock Returns have also been below average with a rank of only 21. ...read more
RECOMMENDATION: The overall picture with a consolidated Growth Rank of 79, is a buy recommendation for growth and momentum investors. Profits are sometimes low if the company invests in the future. The positive revenue and capital investment outlook confirms such an interpretation. Both revenues and capital are solid growth indicators, and lower profits in such a case would be encouraging. But the investors see it differently by punishing the share price. Sometimes, Mister Market is not very reliable, because it is not uncommon for it to be volatile. Investors should look out for signs of growth expenditure that could justify low profit growth, and they may also find reasons why recent stock price developments don't confirm the growth outlook of operations. While operating growth indicators are not perfect, they are more reliable indicators for future performance than stock prices that can repeatedly surprise investors. ...read more
Safety Strategy: Sonoco Debt Financing Safety very solid
| SAFETY METRICS | February 13, 2025 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LEVERAGE | ||||||||
| LEVERAGE | 31 |
|
||||||
| REFINANCING | ||||||||
| REFINANCING | 83 |
|
||||||
| LIQUIDITY | ||||||||
| LIQUIDITY | 59 |
|
||||||
| CONSOLIDATED RANK: SAFETY | ||||||||
| CONSOLIDATED RANK: SAFETY | 81 |
|
||||||
ANALYSIS: With an Obermatt Safety Rank of 81 (better than 81% compared with alternatives) for 2025, the company Sonoco has safe financing practices, which means that their overall debt burden is low. This doesn't mean that the business of Sonoco is safe, it only means that the company is on the safer side regarding possible bankruptcy, assuming that public reporting is correct. The Safety Rank is based on consolidating three financing indicators, with two out of three indicators above-average for Sonoco. Refinancing is at 83, meaning the portion of the debt that is about to be refinanced is below average. It has less debt in the refinancing stage than 83% of its competitors. Liquidity is also good at 59, meaning the company generates more profit to service its debt than 59% of its competitors. This indicates that the company is safer when it comes to debt service. However, Leverage is rather large at 31, which means the company has an above-average debt-to-equity ratio. It has more debt than 69% of its competitors. ...read more
RECOMMENDATION: With a consolidated Safety Rank of 81 (better than 81% compared with alternatives), Sonoco has a financing structure that is significantly safer than that of its competitors. This is not bad if things go well. The higher debt level means better returns to shareholders if things go well. Many top-performing companies operate with higher debt levels, and Sonoco could be in that group. But if you expect the environment to turn rougher, the higher leverage could become a problem. The same is valid if you expect interest rates to rise. That could squeeze shareholder returns, which so far have benefitted from better conditions. ...read more
Combined financial peformance: Sonoco Top Financial Performance
| COMBINED PERFORMANCE | February 13, 2025 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VALUE | ||||||||
| VALUE | 95 |
|
||||||
| GROWTH | ||||||||
| GROWTH | 79 |
|
||||||
| SAFETY | ||||||||
| SAFETY | 59 |
|
||||||
| COMBINED | ||||||||
| COMBINED | 98 |
|
||||||
ANALYSIS: With an Obermatt Combined Rank of 98 (better than 98% compared with investment alternatives), Sonoco (Paper Packaging, USA) shares have much better financial characteristics than comparable stocks. Shares of Sonoco are a good value (attractively priced) with a consolidated Value Rank of 95 (better than 95% of alternatives), show above-average growth (Growth Rank of 79), and are safely financed (Safety Rank of 81), which means low debt burdens. ...read more
RECOMMENDATION: A Combined Rank of 98, is a strong buy recommendation based on Sonoco's financial characteristics. As the company Sonoco's key financial metrics all exhibit excellent performance, such as good value (Obermatt Value Rank of 95), above-average growth (Obermatt Growth Rank of 79), and indicate that the company is safely financed (Obermatt Safety Rank of 81), it is a solid stock investment where the risk of paying too much for the share is limited, unless the company has a bleak future. Such good financial performance can indicate that the company's future might actually be challenging, as it may be difficult to maintain the good performance. If they are safely financed and have been growing above average, and are still a good value, it means that the market is keeping prices low, for a reason which may become clearer over time. We recommend evaluating the future of Sonoco. If you believe the company's future is market-typical or even better, this could be an argument for a share purchase. ...read more
Obermatt Portfolio Performance
We’re so convinced about our research, that we buy our stock tips.
See the performance of the Obermatt portfolio.