Sonoco Reports Third Quarter 2025 Results
By:
Sonoco Products Company via
GlobeNewswire
October 22, 2025 at 17:23 PM EDT
ⓘ This article is third-party content and does not represent the views of this site. We make no guarantees regarding its accuracy or completeness.
HARTSVILLE, S.C., Oct. 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sonoco Products Company (“Sonoco” or the “Company”) (NYSE: SON), a global leader in high-value sustainable packaging, today reported financial results for the third quarter ended September 28, 2025. Summary:
*Note: References in today’s news release to consolidated “net sales,” “operating profit,” and “adjusted operating profit,” and Consumer Packaging “segment operating profit” and “segment adjusted EBITDA,” along with the corresponding year-over-year comparable results, do not include results of the Company’s Thermoformed and Flexibles Packaging and global Trident businesses (“TFP”), which was sold in April 2025 and is being accounted for as discontinued operations in periods prior to the sale.
“I’m incredibly proud of our team’s strong operating performance in the third quarter as we achieved record top-line and bottom-line performance along with margin expansion despite challenging market conditions and higher than expected interest costs, said Howard Coker, President and Chief Executive Officer. “Our Consumer Packaging segment sales and operating profit each grew 117% and adjusted EBITDA increased by 112%. Most of the improvement came from the addition of Metal Packaging EMEA and improved results from our Metal Packaging U.S. business. Our Industrial Paper Packaging segment improved operating profit by 28%, adjusted EBITDA by 21%, operating profit margin by approximately 336 basis points and adjusted EBITDA margin by approximately 359 basis points driven by year-over-year improvement in price/cost and productivity.” “In addition, we believe the recently announced sale of our ThermoSafe unit will substantially complete Sonoco’s transformation from a large portfolio of diversified businesses into a simplified structure with two core global business segments — Consumer Packaging and Industrial Paper Packaging. Proceeds from the sale, which is expected to close before year-end, are projected to further reduce Sonoco’s net leverage ratio.” Paul Joachimczyk, Sonoco’s Chief Financial Officer, added, “We generated $292 million in operating cash flow in the quarter which was up 80% over the prior year period due to solid improvement in working capital. We expect further strong cash flow generation in the fourth quarter as the seasonal build of working capital reverses.” Third Quarter 2025 Segment Results Sonoco reports its financial results in two reportable segments: Consumer Packaging (“Consumer”) and Industrial Paper Packaging (“Industrial”), with all remaining businesses reported as All Other.
1Excludes results of discontinued operations. Balance Sheet and Cash Flow Highlights
Guidance(1) Full-Year 2025
Commenting on the Company’s outlook, Sonoco’s Joachimczyk said, “We are adjusting full-year earnings guidance in anticipation of continuing volume weakness in the fourth quarter especially from our Metal Packaging and Industrial EMEA businesses due to continuing difficult macroeconomic conditions. To address these shortfalls, we are implementing targeted restructuring activities for operations and supporting functions to enable our businesses to better leverage our market capabilities and generate strong cash flow.” Coker concluded, “Looking ahead at the remainder of the year, our top priorities are to continue building momentum for growth and improving our competitive position by further reducing our cost structure. We believe both our Consumer and Industrial businesses have solid growth funnels with new product and market launches planned in 2026 and beyond. While we are disappointed that our projected 2025 results fall below our previous expectations, we believe Sonoco is in the best position in our history and we are excited about the market opportunity ahead of us to create long-term shareholder value with our focused, operating vision.” (1)Sonoco’s 2025 guidance includes actual first quarter results from the TFP business. Guidance excludes any impact from the planned divestiture of ThermoSafe in the fourth quarter. Although the Company believes the assumptions reflected in the range of guidance are reasonable, given the uncertainty regarding the future performance of the overall economy, the effects of tariffs, trade policy and inflation, the challenges in global supply chains, potential changes in raw material prices, other costs, and the Company’s effective tax rate, as well as other risks and uncertainties, including those described below, actual results could vary substantially. Further information can be found in the section entitled “Forward-looking Statements” in this release. (2) Full year 2025 GAAP guidance is not provided in this release due to the likely occurrence of one or more of the following, the timing and magnitude of which we are unable to reliably forecast without unreasonable efforts: restructuring costs and restructuring-related impairment charges, acquisition/divestiture-related costs, gains or losses from the sale of businesses and the income tax effects of these items and/or other income tax-related events. These items could have a significant impact on the Company’s future GAAP financial results. Accordingly, quantitative reconciliations of Adjusted EPS and Adjusted EBITDA guidance and net debt/Adjusted EBITDA targets to the nearest comparable GAAP measures have been omitted in reliance on the exception provided by Item 10 of Regulation S-K. Investor Conference Call Webcast
Contact Information:
Forward-looking Statements Forward-looking statements in this communication include statements regarding, but not limited to: the Company’s future operating and financial performance, including full year 2025 outlook and the anticipated drivers thereof, capital spending in 2025, and cash flow in the fourth quarter of 2025; the pending divestiture of the Company’s ThermoSafe business unit, including the amount of proceeds and the timing thereof; the use of divestiture proceeds to repay debt, and the projected impact thereof on the Company’s net leverage; expectations regarding the need for working capital; the Company’s ability to improve its competitive position and manage costs, including with respect to restructuring of operations and supporting functions; expected growth from planned new product and market launches in 2026 and beyond; opportunities for streamlining the Company’s manufacturing operations to better support its customers; price/cost, customer demand and volume outlook; the effectiveness of and expected benefits from the Company’s strategy and strategic initiatives, including with respect to portfolio simplification and capital allocation priorities; the effects of the changing macroeconomic environment, including trade policies and tariffs, market conditions and interest costs on the Company, its supply chain and its customers, and the Company’s ability to manage risks related thereto; and the Company’s ability to generate long-term shareholder value and return capital to shareholders. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about our industry, management’s beliefs and certain assumptions made by management. Such information includes, without limitation, discussions as to guidance and other estimates, perceived opportunities, expectations, beliefs, plans, strategies, goals and objectives concerning our future financial and operating performance. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or forecasted in such forward-looking statements. Such risks, uncertainties and assumptions include, without limitation, those related to: the Company’s ability to execute on its strategy, including with respect to the integration of the Eviosys operations, divestitures, including the pending divestiture of the Company’s ThermoSafe business unit, cost management, productivity improvements, restructuring and capital expenditures, and achieve the benefits it expects therefrom; conditions in the credit markets; the ability to retain key employees and successfully integrate Eviosys; the ability to realize estimated cost savings, synergies or other anticipated benefits of the Eviosys acquisition, or that such benefits may take longer to realize than expected; diversion of management’s attention; the potential impact of the consummation of the Eviosys acquisition on relationships with clients and other third parties; the operation of new manufacturing capabilities; the Company’s ability to achieve anticipated cost and energy savings; the availability, transportation and pricing of raw materials, energy and transportation, including the impact of changes in tariff or other trade policies or sanctions and escalating trade wars, and the impact of war, general regional instability and other geopolitical tensions (such as the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, as well as the economic sanctions related thereto, and uncertainty in the Middle East), and the Company’s ability to continue to pass raw material, energy and transportation price increases and surcharges through to customers or otherwise manage these commodity pricing risks; the costs of labor; the effects of inflation, changes related to tariffs or other trade policies and global regulations, as well as the overall uncertainty surrounding international trade relations; fluctuations in consumer demand, volume softness, and other macroeconomic factors on the Company and the industries in which it operates and that it serves; the impact of changing laws and regulations, including the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in the United States, on the Company; the Company’s ability to meet its environmental, sustainability and similar goals and other social and governance goals, including challenges in implementation thereof; and the other risks, uncertainties and assumptions discussed in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent reports on Forms 10-K and 10-Q, particularly under the heading “Risk Factors.” The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events discussed herein might not occur. References to our Website Address References to our website address and domain names throughout this release are for informational purposes only, or to fulfill specific disclosure requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s rules or the New York Stock Exchange Listing Standards. These references are not intended to, and do not, incorporate the contents of our website by reference into this release.
NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES The Company’s results, determined in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, are referred to as “as reported” or “GAAP” results. The Company uses certain financial performance measures, both internally and externally, that are not in conformity with GAAP (referred to as “non-GAAP financial measures”) to assess and communicate the financial performance of the Company. These non-GAAP financial measures, which are identified using the term “adjusted” (for example, “adjusted operating profit,” “adjusted net income attributable to Sonoco,” and “adjusted diluted EPS”), reflect adjustments to the Company’s GAAP operating results to exclude amounts, including the associated tax effects where applicable, relating to:
1Restructuring and restructuring-related asset impairment charges are a recurring item as the Company’s restructuring programs usually require several years to fully implement, and the Company is continually seeking to take actions that could enhance its efficiency. Although recurring, these charges are subject to significant fluctuations from period to period due to the varying levels of restructuring activity, the inherent imprecision in the estimates used to recognize the impairment of assets, and the wide variety of costs and taxes associated with severance and termination benefits in the countries in which the restructuring actions occur. The Company’s management believes the exclusion of the amounts related to the above-listed items improves the period-to-period comparability and analysis of the underlying financial performance of the business. In addition to the “adjusted” results described above, the Company also uses Adjusted EBITDA, Segment Adjusted EBITDA, Segment Adjusted EBITDA Margin, Net Debt and Net Leverage. Adjusted EBITDA is defined as net income excluding the following: interest expense; interest income; provision for income taxes; depreciation and amortization expense; non-operating pension costs; net income/loss attributable to noncontrolling interests; restructuring/asset impairment charges; changes in LIFO inventory reserves; gains/losses from the divestiture of businesses; acquisition, integration and divestiture-related costs; other income; derivative gains/losses; and other non-GAAP adjustments, if any, that may arise from time to time. Segment Adjusted EBITDA is defined as segment operating profit plus depreciation and amortization expense and equity in earnings of affiliates, net of tax. Segment Adjusted EBITDA Margin is defined as Segment Adjusted EBITDA divided by segment net sales. Net Debt is defined as the total of the Company’s short and long-term debt less cash and cash equivalents. Segment Adjusted EBITDA is reconciled to the closest GAAP measure of segment profitability, segment operating profit as the Company does not calculate net income by segment. Segment operating profit is the measure of segment profit or loss reported to the chief operating decision maker for purposes of making decisions about allocating resources to the segments and assessing their performance in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification 280 - “Segment Reporting,” as prescribed by the Financial Accounting Standards Board. Segment results, which are reviewed by the Company’s management to evaluate segment performance, do not include the following: restructuring/asset impairment charges; amortization of acquisition intangibles; acquisition, integration and divestiture-related costs; changes in LIFO inventory reserves; gains/losses from the sale of businesses; gains/losses from derivatives; or certain other items, if any, the exclusion of which the Company believes improves the comparability and analysis of the ongoing operating performance of the business. Accordingly, the term “segment operating profit” is defined as the segment’s portion of “operating profit” excluding those items. All other general corporate expenses have been allocated as operating costs to each of the Company’s reportable segments and the All Other group of businesses, except for costs related to discontinued operations. The Company’s non-GAAP financial measures are not calculated in accordance with, nor are they an alternative for, measures conforming to GAAP, and they may be different from non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies. In addition, these non-GAAP financial measures are not based on any comprehensive set of accounting rules or principles. The Company presents these non-GAAP financial measures to provide investors with information to evaluate Sonoco’s operating results in a manner similar to how management evaluates business performance. The Company consistently applies its non-GAAP financial measures presented herein and uses them for internal planning and forecasting purposes, to evaluate its ongoing operations, and to evaluate the ultimate performance of management and each business unit against plans/forecasts. In addition, these same non-GAAP financial measures are used in determining incentive compensation for the entire management team and in providing earnings guidance to the investing community. Material limitations associated with the use of such measures include that they do not reflect all period costs included in operating expenses and may not be comparable with similarly named financial measures of other companies. Furthermore, the calculations of these non-GAAP financial measures are based on subjective determinations of management regarding the nature and classification of events and circumstances that the investor may find material and view differently. To compensate for any limitations in such non-GAAP financial measures, management believes that it is useful in evaluating the Company’s results to review both GAAP information, which includes all of the items impacting financial results, and the related non-GAAP financial measures that exclude certain elements, as described above. Further, Sonoco management does not, nor does it suggest that investors should, consider any non-GAAP financial measures in isolation from, or as a substitute for, financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP. Whenever reviewing a non-GAAP financial measure, investors are encouraged to review and consider the related reconciliation to understand how it differs from the most directly comparable GAAP measure. Free Cash Flow The Company uses the non-GAAP financial measure of “Free Cash Flow,” which it defines as cash flow from operations minus net capital expenditures. Net capital expenditures are defined as capital expenditures minus proceeds from the disposition of capital assets. Free Cash Flow may not represent the amount of cash flow available for general discretionary use because it excludes non-discretionary expenditures, such as mandatory debt repayments and required settlements of recorded and/or contingent liabilities not reflected in cash flow from operations. QUARTERLY RECONCILIATIONS OF GAAP TO NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES The following tables reconcile the Company’s non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable GAAP financial measures in the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income for the three-month periods ended September 28, 2025 and September 29, 2024. Adjusted Operating Profit, Adjusted Income from Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes, Adjusted Provision for Income Taxes, Adjusted Net Income Attributable to Sonoco, and Adjusted Diluted EPS
1 Acquisition, integration and divestiture-related costs relate primarily to the Company’s December 2024 acquisition of Eviosys and April 2025 divestiture of TFP.
1 Operating profit, income from continuing operations before income taxes, and provision for income taxes exclude results related to discontinued operations of $26,023, $25,453 and $5,635, respectively.
1Adjusted EBITDA is calculated on a total Company basis, including both continuing operations and discontinued operations.
1Included in Corporate is the amortization of acquisition intangibles associated with the Consumer segment of $43,397, the Industrial segment of $5,485, and the All Other group of businesses of $152.
1Included in Corporate is the amortization of acquisition intangibles associated with the Consumer segment of $11,110, the Industrial segment of $6,306, and the All Other group of businesses of $208.
The following tables reconcile the Company’s non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable GAAP financial measures in the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income for the nine-month periods ended September 28, 2025 and September 29, 2024. Adjusted Operating Profit, Adjusted Income from Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes, Adjusted Provision for Income Taxes, Adjusted Net Income Attributable to Sonoco, and Adjusted Diluted EPS
1 Operating profit, income from continuing operations before income taxes, and provision for income taxes exclude results related to discontinued operations of $663,564, $638,752, and $209,032, respectively.
1 Operating profit, income from continuing operations before income taxes, and provision for income taxes exclude results related to discontinued operations of $110,465, $108,794, and $25,675, respectively.
1Adjusted EBITDA is calculated on a total Company basis, including both continuing and discontinued operations.
1Included in Corporate is the amortization of acquisition intangibles associated with the Consumer segment of $118,232, the Industrial segment of $16,405, and the All Other group of businesses of $551.
1Included in Corporate is the amortization of acquisition intangibles associated with the Consumer segment of $33,209, the Industrial segment of $19,168, and the All Other group of businesses of $620.
Report this content
If you believe this article contains misleading, harmful, or spam content, please let us know. Report this articleMore NewsView MoreVia MarketBeat
KBR Insiders Are Buying While the Market Misreads Its Spinoff ↗
Today 13:45 EDT
Via MarketBeat
Tickers
KBR
Recent QuotesView More
Stock Quote API & Stock News API supplied by www.cloudquote.io
Quotes delayed at least 20 minutes. By accessing this page, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms Of Service.
© 2025 FinancialContent. All rights reserved.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||

