5 Dividend Kings to Buy in July with Irresistible Value and Yield Smurfit Westrock (NYSE:SW) reported second-quarter adjusted EBITDA of $1.14 billion and an adjusted EBITDA margin of 14.2%, as higher freight costs weighed on results and pricing actions had only begun to flow…
rough to customers. Chief Executive Officer Tony Smurfit said the company absorbed “very significant input costs” during the quarter, particularly freight expenses, while price recovery remained in its early stages
The company has raised containerboard prices and expects those increases to be reflected in its converting operations over the remainder of 2026 and into 2027. – 3 Dividend Kings With Income, Stability, and a Possible Catalyst Chief Financial Officer Ken Bowles said the company now expects full-year adjusted EBITDA of $4.9 billion to $5.1 billion. The principal change to its outlook was a higher freight-cost environment, which management attributed to increased fuel costs, shipping rates connected to the Middle East conflict and higher domestic transportation costs in Europe and North America. Bowles said freight is now expected to represent approximately a $300 million year-over-year headwind, compared with an estimate of roughly $50 million at the end of April.
Energy costs remained broadly consistent with the company’s previous assumptions, he said, while lower economic downtime of about $100 million and continuing cost-reduction initiatives are helping offset some inflation. Pricing Actions Expected to Support 2027 – Father’s Day Investing: 3 Stocks Built for Long-Term Returns Management said price increases will require time to be reflected in earnings because of contract and index-related lags. Smurfit said the company’s newly announced $100-per-ton North American containerboard increase is not included in its 2026 guidance, describing it instead as a foundation for 2027 results.