Packaging of AmericaSTU:PKA +2.60%88 ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is 14.36% as of Mar. 2026, which is 37% below its 10-year median of 22.85. GuruFocus rates STU:PKA with a GF Score™ of 88/100 and a GF Value™ of €196.04 (Fairly Valued). The stock has 5 warning signs investors should review. Among 399 Packaging & Containers companies, Packaging of America ranks better than 73.18% on this metric.
Joel Greenblatt defined Return on Capital differently in his book The Little Book That Still Beats the Market (Little Books. Big Profits). He defines ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % as EBIT divided by the total of Property, Plant and Equipment and net working capital. Packaging of America's annualized ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was 14.36%.
The historical rank and industry rank for Packaging of America's ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % or its related term are showing as below:
STU:PKA'
s ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 16.25 Med: 22.85 Max: 27.5
Current: 16.25
During the past 13 years, Packaging of America's highest ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % was 27.50%. The lowest was 16.25%. And the median was 22.85%.
STU:PKA's ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is ranked better than 73.18% of 399
companies
in the Packaging & Containers industry
Industry Median: 8.95
vs STU:PKA: 16.25
Packaging of America's 5-Year average Growth Rate of ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % was -3.10% per year.
Packaging of America (STU:PKA) ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % Explanation
The way Joel Greenblatt defines Return on Capital is a more accurate measure of how efficiently the company generates returns onthe capital actually invested in the business. EBIT is used instead of net income because the tax and interest payment may be affected by factors other than the core business operation. Intangible assets are not included in the calculation because they don't need to be replaced.
Packaging of America ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % Related Terms
Packaging of America ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % Historical Data
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The historical data trend for Packaging of America's ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Packaging of America ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % Chart
STU:PKA vs IP, AMCR, SW: ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % Comparison
For the Packaging & Containers subindustry, Packaging of America's ROC (Joel Greenblatt) %, along with its competitors' market caps and ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Packaging of America ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % vs Packaging & Containers Industry
For the Packaging & Containers industry and Consumer Cyclical sector, Packaging of America's ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Packaging of America's ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % falls into.
Packaging of America ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % Calculation
Joel Greenblatt defined Return on Capital differently in his book The Little Book That Still Beats the Market (Little Books. Big Profits) . He defines Return on Capital as follows:
EBIT stands for Earnings Before Interest and Taxes.
Fixed Assets are also known as non-current assets. They include the Property, Plant and Equipment that the firm needs in its operation.
GuruFocus calculates net working capital as: (Accounts Receivable + Total Inventories + Other Current Assets) - (Accounts Payable & Accrued Expense + Deferred Revenue + Other Current Liabilities). We're trying to account for OPERATING assets and liabilities (part of daily business) when calculating working capital. Cash and marketable securities are considered NON-OPERATING assets and are not included in calculation. We will also back out all interest bearing debt, short term debt and the portion of long term debt that is due in the current period from the current liabilities. This debt will be considered when computing cost of capital and it would be inappropriate to count it twice.
Note:
The EBIT data used here is four times the quarterly (Mar. 2026) EBIT data.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
What does a ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % of 14.36% mean?
Packaging of America (STU:PKA) has a ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % of 14.36% as of Mar. 2026. Joel Greenblatt's return on capital is the ratio of EBIT to average fixed assets and net working capital. View historical data on Packaging of America and its competitors. This is 37% below median its historical median of 22.85. Over the past decade, Packaging of America's ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % has ranged from 16.25 to 27.50. According to the industry distribution chart, Packaging of America ranks #107 out of 399 companies in the Packaging & Containers industry, placing it in the top 26.8%.
Is Packaging of America's ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % too high?
Packaging of America's current ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % of 14.36% is 37% below median its 10-year median of 22.85. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 16.25 to a high of 27.50. The Packaging & Containers industry median ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is 8.95. Packaging of America's value of 14.36% is 60.4% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Packaging of America ranks #107 out of 399 companies in the Packaging & Containers industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, Packaging of America has a GF Score™ of 88/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Packaging of America's ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % compare to IP and AMCR?
According to the Packaging & Containers industry distribution chart, Packaging of America ranks #107 out of 399 companies for ROC (Joel Greenblatt) %. This puts Packaging of America in the upper half of its industry. The industry median ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is 8.95. Packaging of America's value of 14.36% is 60.4% above this benchmark. Historically, Packaging of America's own ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % has ranged from 16.25 to 27.50 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 22.85 vs. the industry median of 8.95, Packaging of America has consistently been above the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % for a Packaging & Containers company?
The median ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % among Packaging & Containers companies is 8.95, based on 399 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Packaging of America's current ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % of 14.36% is 60.4% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % mean?
A high ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Joel Greenblatt's return on capital is the ratio of EBIT to average fixed assets and net working capital. View historical data on Packaging of America and its competitors. For the Packaging & Containers industry, the median ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is 8.95 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Packaging of America's current ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is 14.36%, which is 37% below median its own 10-year median of 22.85. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Packaging of America stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Packaging of America (STU:PKA) is currently considered Fairly Valued. The stock's GF Value™ is €196.04, compared to a current price of €201.60 — trading 2.8% above its estimated fair value. The current ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is 14.36%, which is 37% below median its 10-year median of 22.85 and 60.4% above the Packaging & Containers industry median of 8.95. Packaging of America's overall GF Score™ is 88/100 with 5 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % calculated?
ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Packaging of America (STU:PKA), the current ROC (Joel Greenblatt) % is 14.36% as of Mar. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Packaging of America (STU:PKA) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Packaging of America stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of €201.60 is trading 2.8% above its estimated GF Value™ of €196.04.
GuruFocus considers Packaging of America to be Fairly Valued.
Key valuation signals for STU:PKA:
ROC (Joel Greenblatt) %: 14.36% (37% below median its 10-year median of 22.85)
GF Value™: €196.04 vs. price of €201.60 (2.8% above fair value)
Industry Position: 60.4% above the Packaging & Containers median (#107 of 399)
No single metric tells the full story. See the STU:PKA stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Packaging Corp. of America is the third-largest containerboard and corrugated packaging manufacturer in the United States. It produces over 5 million tons of containerboard annually. The company's share of the domestic containerboard market is roughly 10%. PCA differentiates itself from larger competitors by focusing on smaller customers and operating with a high degree of flexibility.
88GF Score
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