ROIC % measures how well a company generates cash flow relative to the capital it has invested in its business. It is also called ROC %. Packaging of America's annualized return on invested capital (ROIC %) for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was 9.05%.
As of today (2026-06-27), Packaging of America's WACC % is 7.88%. Packaging of America's ROIC % is 10.80% (calculated using TTM income statement data).
Packaging of America generates higher returns on investment than it costs the company to raise the capital needed for that investment. It is earning excess returns. A firm that expects to continue generating positive excess returns on new investments in the future will see its value increase as growth increases.
Packaging of America (STU:PKA) ROIC % Explanation
ROIC % measures how well a company generates cash flow relative to the capital it has invested in its business. It is also called ROC %. The reason book values of debt and equity are used is because the book values are the capital the company received when issuing the debt or receiving the equity investments.
There are four key components to this definition. The first is the use of operating income or EBIT rather than net income in the numerator. The second is the tax adjustment to this operating income or EBIT, computed as a hypothetical tax based on an effective or marginal tax rate. The third is the use of book values for invested capital, rather than market values. The final is the timing difference; the capital invested is from the end of the prior year whereas the operating income or EBIT is the current year's number.
Why is ROIC % important?
Because it costs money to raise capital. A firm that generates higher returns on investment than it costs the company to raise the capital needed for that investment is earning excess returns. A firm that expects to continue generating positive excess returns on new investments in the future will see its value increase as growth increases, whereas a firm that earns returns that do not match up to its cost of capital will destroy value as it grows.
As of today, Packaging of America's WACC % is 7.88%. Packaging of America's ROIC % is 10.80% (calculated using TTM income statement data).
Packaging of America generates higher returns on investment than it costs the company to raise the capital needed for that investment. It is earning excess returns. A firm that expects to continue generating positive excess returns on new investments in the future will see its value increase as growth increases.
Be Aware
Like ROE % and ROA %, ROIC % is calculated with only 12 months of data. Fluctuations in the company's earnings or business cycles can affect the ratio drastically. It is important to look at the ratio from a long term perspective.
* 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.
For the Packaging & Containers subindustry, Packaging of America's ROIC %, along with its competitors' market caps and ROIC % 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 ROIC % vs Packaging & Containers Industry
For the Packaging & Containers industry and Consumer Cyclical sector, Packaging of America's ROIC % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Packaging of America's ROIC % falls into.
Note:
The Operating Income data used here is four times the quarterly (Mar. 2026) data.
The tax rate is limited to between 0% and 100%.
* 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 (STU:PKA) has a ROIC % of 9.05% as of Mar. 2026. Return on invested capital is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period invested capital. View historical data on Packaging of America and its competitors.
Is Packaging of America's ROIC % too high?
Packaging of America's current ROIC % is 9.05%. The Packaging & Containers industry median ROIC % is 4.19. Packaging of America's value of 9.05% is 116% above this industry median. 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 ROIC % compare to AMCR and IP?
Packaging of America's ROIC % of 9.05% can be compared against companies in the Packaging & Containers industry. The industry median ROIC % is 4.19. Packaging of America's value of 9.05% is 116% above this benchmark. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good ROIC % for a Packaging & Containers company?
The median ROIC % among Packaging & Containers companies is 4.19, based on 397 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a ROIC % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, ROIC % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Packaging of America's current ROIC % of 9.05% is 116% 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 ROIC % mean?
A high ROIC % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Return on invested capital is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period invested capital. View historical data on Packaging of America and its competitors. For the Packaging & Containers industry, the median ROIC % is 4.19 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Packaging of America's current ROIC % is 9.05%. 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 €194.04, compared to a current price of €211.80 — trading 9.2% above its estimated fair value. The current ROIC % is 9.05% and 116% above the Packaging & Containers industry median of 4.19. Packaging of America's overall GF Score™ is 88/100 with 6 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is ROIC % calculated?
ROIC % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Packaging of America (STU:PKA), the current ROIC % is 9.05% 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 €211.80 is trading 9.2% above its estimated GF Value™ of €194.04.
GuruFocus considers Packaging of America to be Fairly Valued.
Key valuation signals for STU:PKA:
ROIC %: 9.05%
GF Value™: €194.04 vs. price of €211.80 (9.2% above fair value)
Industry Position: 116% above the Packaging & Containers median
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
Get the complete analysis for STU:PKA
ROIC % is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
Quick Browse
Personalize
Premium Gurus 
Create New Portfolio
STU:PKA has been successfully added to your 
