Ball (NYSE:BALL) Posts Earnings Results, Beats Estimates By $0.09 EPS

Ball (NYSE:BALL) issued its earnings results on Tuesday. The company reported $0.94 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.85 by $0.09, Zacks reports. The business had revenue of $3.60 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.34 billion. Ball had a return on equity of 18.12% and a net margin of 6.93%.The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 16.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.76 earnings per share. Ball updated its FY 2026 guidance to 3.930- EPS.

Here are the key takeaways from Ball’s conference call:

• Ball reported a strong Q1 with global shipped beverage volumes up ~1%, comparable operating earnings +10% YoY and comparable diluted EPS of $0.94 (up 22%), outperforming its 2x operating leverage target.
• Management reiterated full-year targets including 10%+ comparable diluted EPS growth, free cash flow >$900M and at least $600M of share repurchases (total shareholder returns of $800M), supporting shareholder returns and balance-sheet strength.
• The company expanded capacity and market presence by completing the Benepack acquisition (Belgium, Hungary) and progressing the Millersburg, OR build (on track to ramp in 2027), while flagging high plant utilization and continued share gains for aluminum cans.
• Ball updated segment reporting (moved India/Myanmar into EMEA and removed certain financing items from comparable operating earnings) to emphasize operating earnings per can, and reiterated 2026 modeling metrics (interest ~$320M, tax ~23%, year-end net debt/EBITDA ~2.7x, CapEx ~ GAAP D&A).
• Near-term headwinds include an expected ~$35M of Millersburg startup/domestication costs later this year and elevated corporate undistributed costs (~$175M), and while aluminum cost inflation is a risk, management notes aluminum is largely passed through to customers.

Ball Stock Performance

Ball stock traded down $1.09 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $59.84. The stock had a trading volume of 1,052,442 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,282,538. The firm has a market capitalization of $15.93 billion, a PE ratio of 17.96, a P/E/G ratio of 1.22 and a beta of 1.06. Ball has a 12 month low of $44.83 and a 12 month high of $68.29. The company has a quick ratio of 0.75, a current ratio of 1.11 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.29. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $62.16 and its 200 day moving average price is $56.42.

Ball Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 15th. Investors of record on Monday, June 1st will be paid a $0.20 dividend. This represents a $0.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.3%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, June 1st. Ball’s payout ratio is currently 24.10%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages have commented on BALL. Robert W. Baird set a $75.00 price objective on Ball in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. Mizuho upped their target price on shares of Ball from $58.00 to $70.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. UBS Group reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and issued a $66.00 price target on shares of Ball in a research report on Wednesday, February 4th. Raymond James Financial set a $73.00 target price on Ball and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday, April 21st. Finally, Morgan Stanley set a $66.00 price objective on shares of Ball in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $69.33.

Insider Transactions at Ball

In related news, SVP Kathleen Pitre sold 10,660 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $66.63, for a total transaction of $710,275.80. Following the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 36,772 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,450,118.36. This represents a 22.47% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, SVP Fauze Villatoro acquired 1,551 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 4th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $64.51 per share, with a total value of $100,055.01. Following the completion of the acquisition, the senior vice president owned 13,778 shares in the company, valued at $888,818.78. This trade represents a 12.69% increase in their position. The disclosure for this purchase is available in the SEC filing. 0.58% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of Ball

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD grew its holdings in Ball by 5.6% during the 4th quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 18,886,681 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,000,429,000 after buying an additional 999,690 shares in the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP raised its position in shares of Ball by 47.8% in the fourth quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 5,658,732 shares of the company’s stock worth $299,749,000 after buying an additional 1,830,434 shares in the last quarter. Boston Partners boosted its stake in Ball by 24.2% during the fourth quarter. Boston Partners now owns 4,739,044 shares of the company’s stock valued at $251,057,000 after buying an additional 922,747 shares during the period. Invesco Ltd. increased its stake in Ball by 14.9% in the 3rd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 4,651,348 shares of the company’s stock worth $234,521,000 after acquiring an additional 602,137 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Deutsche Bank AG raised its holdings in shares of Ball by 58.5% in the 4th quarter. Deutsche Bank AG now owns 2,570,056 shares of the company’s stock valued at $136,136,000 after acquiring an additional 948,473 shares in the last quarter. 86.51% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Ball Company Profile

Ball Corporation is a leading provider of sustainable aluminum packaging solutions and advanced aerospace technologies. Headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado, the company serves customers in the beverage, food and aerosol markets through a global network of manufacturing facilities. With an emphasis on sustainability and innovation, Ball designs and produces metal cans, bottles and ends that support recycling and reduce environmental impact.

The company’s packaging segment specializes in beverage cans for soft drinks, beer and energy drinks, as well as metal packaging for food and personal care applications.