---
title: "Smurfit Westrock: Buy Rating Reiterated as U.S. Containerboard Price Hikes Strengthen Earnings Outlook; $57 Price Target Maintained"
type: "News"
locale: "en"
url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/293793335.md"
description: "Morgan Stanley analyst Ioannis Masvoulas reiterated a Buy rating on Smurfit Westrock with a $57 price target, citing strengthened earnings outlook from U.S. containerboard price hikes. Barclays also maintained a Buy rating with a $52 target. The analysts highlight that significant price increases boost EBITDA and free cash flow, enhancing capital return potential amid a tight U.S. market."
datetime: "2026-07-24T20:05:33.000Z"
locales:
  - [zh-CN](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/293793335.md)
  - [en](https://longbridge.com/en/news/293793335.md)
  - [zh-HK](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/293793335.md)
---

# Smurfit Westrock: Buy Rating Reiterated as U.S. Containerboard Price Hikes Strengthen Earnings Outlook; $57 Price Target Maintained

Analyst Ioannis Masvoulas of Morgan Stanley maintained a Buy rating on Smurfit Westrock, retaining the price target of $57.00.

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Ioannis Masvoulas has given his Buy rating due to a combination of factors that materially enhance Smurfit Westrock’s earnings and cash flow outlook. The newly announced $140/st containerboard price increase for September 2026, on top of prior hikes, would significantly raise kraftliner prices if it sticks, implying substantial incremental EBITDA for Smurfit Westrock’s U.S. operations and strengthening the company’s medium‑term profit base.

In Masvoulas’s view, these higher prices could lift 2027 EBITDA by roughly mid‑teens percentages versus his existing forecasts under full implementation, and still deliver a meaningful uplift even if only partially realized. The associated boost to post‑tax free cash flow would improve Smurfit Westrock’s ability to return capital to shareholders via buybacks, while the structurally tighter U.S. containerboard market—supported by permanent capacity reductions and high operating rates—underpins a more favorable risk‑reward profile relative to European packaging exposure, justifying a Buy rating with an unchanged $57 price target.

In another report released today, Barclays also maintained a Buy rating on the stock with a $52.00 price target.

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