BALL's Q3 Earnings Match Estimates, Sales Up Y/Y on Higher Volumes

Ball Corporation Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Ball Corporation price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Ball Corporation Quote

Ball Corp.’s Q3 Operational Update

The cost of sales was $2.7 billion, up 11.4% from the year-ago quarter. The gross profit totaled $678 million, up 3% from the year-ago quarter’s $657 million. The gross margin was 20.1%, a contraction from the prior-year quarter’s 21.3%.

Selling, general and administrative expenses decreased 8.5% year over year to $130 million. Comparable segment operating earnings were $437 million compared with the prior-year quarter’s $409 million.

BALL’s Q3 Segmental Performances

The Beverage Packaging North and Central America segment’s revenues increased 12.5% year over year to $1.64 billion in the third quarter on higher volume and price/mix. We predicted sales of $1.5 billion. Operating earnings amounted to $210 million, up 3% year over year. Our estimate for the segment's operating earnings was $179 million.

Sales in the Beverage Packaging EMEA segment were $1.06 billion, up 11% year over year. The reported figure beat our estimate of $991 million. The upside was driven by higher volume and favorable currency impact. Operating earnings were $147 million, marking 14.8% year-over-year growth. We projected operating earnings of $108 million.

The Beverage Packaging South America segment’s revenues rose 5% year over year to $508 million, driven by higher volumes. Our projection for the segment’s sales was $525 million. Operating earnings rose 2.6% to $80 million. The reported figure beat our estimate of $58.7 million.

Ball Corp.'s Cash Flow & Debt Position

The company reported cash and cash equivalents of $0.57 billion at the end of third-quarter 2025, down from $1.44 billion at the end of the prior-year quarter. Cash generated from operating activities amounted to $51 million in the first nine-month period of 2025 against the cash outflow of around $385 million reported in the last year's comparable period.

The company’s long-term debt increased to $6.86 billion as of Sept. 30, 2025, from $5.35 billion as of Sept. 30, 2024.

The company so far in the year has returned $1.27 billion to shareholders through share repurchases and dividends. It remains on track to attain its target to return at least $1.5 billion to shareholders by the end of 2025. 

In August, Ball Corp. sold 41% of its 51% stake in Ball United Arab Can Manufacturing Company.

BALL’s Outlook For 2025

The company expects growth in comparable earnings per share of 12-15% in 2025.

Ball Corp.’s Price Performance & Zacks Rank

Ball Corp’s shares have lost 14.6% so far this year compared with the industry’s 6.4% decline.

The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). 

You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Performances of BALL’s Peers in Q3

Silgan Holdings Inc. SLGN reported adjusted earnings of $1.22 per share in third-quarter 2025, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.21. The bottom line increased 1% year over year and was within Silgan’s guidance of $1.18-$1.28.

Silgan’s total revenues increased year over year to $2.01 billion from the prior-year quarter’s $1.75 billion. The top line beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.93 billion.

Crown Holdings CCK reported earnings of $2.24 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.98 per share. The bottom-line figure marked a 13% increase from $1.99 reported by Crown Holdings in the year-ago quarter. 

Crown Holdings posted revenues of $3.2 billion for the quarter, a 4% increase year over year.  It also beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.19 billion.

Sealed Air Corporation SEE reported third-quarter 2025 adjusted earnings per share of 87 cents, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 68 cents. Sealed Air’s bottom line increased 10.1% year over year. 

Sealed Air’s total revenues were $1.35 billion, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.31 billion. The figure was up 0.5% year over year.