Topic: Growth Stocks

Hi Pat: I’d like to get your recommendation on International Paper given its plan to buy Weyerhaeuser Co. Thanks.

Article Excerpt

A: International Paper Co., $42.55, symbol IP on New York (Shares outstanding: 411.2 million; Market cap: $17.6 billion, www.internationalpaper.com) is a leading producer of paper and packaging products. The company has three main product lines: cardboard boxes and other industrial packaging (66% of its 2015 sales); printing paper for commercial users and offices (24%); and consumer packaging (10%). In the U.S., International Paper operations include 24 pulp-and-paper mills, 169 packaging (production) plants and 16 recycling facilities. Outside of the U.S., it has 16 pulp, paper and packaging mills, 67 packaging plants, and two recycling plants. The company also owns or manages 350,000 acres of forestlands in Brazil, and has harvesting rights to government-owned forestlands in Russia. International Paper’s sales rose 11.7%, from $26.0 billion in 2011 to $29.1 billion in 2013. In 2014, the company merged its Xpedx business with Unisource Worldwide to form Veritiv Corp, symbol VRTV on Nasdaq. This business sells paper, packaging and other services to publishers and related…