Stocks Show Varied Performance as FOMC Meeting Kicks Off
Market Overview: The S&P 500 is up by 0.05%, while the Dow Jones is up by 0.26%, and the Nasdaq 100 is down by 0.22%. The market is cautious ahead of the FOMC meeting, with expectations of a 25 basis point rate cut.
Economic Reports: Key economic reports this week include the October JOLTS job openings and the Q3 employment cost index, with a focus on the FOMC's interest rate decision and economic projections.
Corporate Earnings: Q3 earnings season is concluding, with 83% of S&P 500 companies exceeding forecasts, resulting in a 14.6% increase in earnings, significantly above the expected 7.2%.
Stock Movements: Notable stock movements include Toll Brothers and SLM Corp experiencing significant declines, while CVS Health and Ares Management saw gains following positive earnings forecasts and upgrades.
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- Financial Warning: Graphic Packaging projects a decline in Adjusted EBITDA for 2026, primarily due to a $130 million negative impact from inventory reduction efforts, which could undermine investor confidence and lead to further stock price declines.
- Stock Price Plunge: Following the February 3, 2026 earnings report, Graphic Packaging's stock fell by $2.36, or 15.97%, closing at $12.42 per share, reflecting market concerns over the company's future financial health.
- Legal Investigation: Pomerantz LLP is investigating whether Graphic Packaging and its executives have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices, which could expose the company to legal liabilities and damage its reputation.
- Investor Alert: Pomerantz LLP advises affected investors to contact their attorneys to join the class action, indicating a rising concern among investors regarding corporate governance and financial transparency.
- Investor Shift to Dividends: Amid market turbulence and uncertainty, many investors are turning to dividend-yielding stocks, which typically feature high free cash flows and substantial payouts to shareholders, thereby enhancing investor confidence and market stability.
- Analyst Ratings Overview: Benzinga offers insights into the latest analyst takes on high-yield stocks, allowing investors to visit the Analyst Stock Ratings page for informed decision-making, which is crucial during volatile market conditions.
- High-Yield Stocks in Materials: Within the materials sector, Kronos Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:KRO), Graphic Packaging Holding Co (NYSE:GPK), and Scotts Miracle-Gro Co (NYSE:SMG) are highlighted as attractive high-yield stocks, indicating significant investment potential in this industry.
- Analyst Accuracy Metrics: Benzinga's database enables traders to sort ratings by analyst accuracy, providing investors with a more reliable basis for decision-making, particularly when selecting high-dividend stocks in a fluctuating market.
- Leadership Transition: New CEO Robbert Rietbroek emphasized the establishment of a transformation office and organizational changes to enhance transparency and accountability, aiming to drive operational improvements and cost savings without disrupting customer service, thereby strengthening the company's competitive position.
- Financial Performance: Fourth-quarter net sales reached $2.1 billion, remaining flat year-over-year, with adjusted EBITDA at $311 million; despite pressures from declining prices and volumes, a $40 million foreign exchange benefit partially offset these impacts.
- Future Outlook: The company expects net sales for 2026 to range between $8.4 billion and $8.6 billion, with adjusted EBITDA guidance set at $1.050 billion to $1.250 billion, reflecting confidence in innovation-driven sales growth while planning to reduce capital expenditures to approximately $450 million.
- Inventory Management: Management plans to reduce inventory levels from 20% to 15%-16% of sales, emphasizing strict cost control and operational efficiency to navigate market uncertainties, ensuring sustainable growth for the company in the future.
- Gold Price Surge: SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) surged over 6%, surpassing $4,950 per ounce, marking its strongest trading day since November 2008, primarily due to easing concerns over tighter Federal Reserve policies.
- Silver's Strong Rebound: Silver prices climbed nearly 9% to $86, recovering from a more than 30% plunge over the previous two sessions, indicating a resurgence in demand for precious metals that may attract more investors.
- Energy Market Reaction: Crude oil rose 1.8% to $63 a barrel after U.S. forces shot down an Iranian drone near a Navy aircraft carrier, reflecting the impact of geopolitical tensions on energy markets.
- Tech Stocks Underperform: The iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF fell 4.8%, marking its fifth consecutive daily decline, indicating waning market confidence in technology stocks, particularly in the software sector.
- Stock Performance: Graphic Packaging shares fell by 3.3% following the announcement of their Q4 earnings.
- Earnings Report: The decline in stock price was attributed to a miss in earnings expectations for the fourth quarter.
- Earnings Performance: Graphic Packaging reported a Q4 Non-GAAP EPS of $0.29, missing expectations by $0.06, indicating pressure on profitability that may affect investor confidence.
- Revenue Results: The company achieved Q4 revenue of $2.1 billion, flat year-over-year but beating market expectations by $70 million, demonstrating some sales resilience in a stable market environment.
- 2026 Guidance: The company expects 2026 net sales between $8.4 billion and $8.6 billion, with Adjusted EBITDA of $1.05 billion to $1.25 billion, both below consensus, reflecting negative impacts from inventory reduction and cash flow generation efforts.
- Capital Expenditure Plans: Anticipated capital spending for 2026 is approximately $450 million, while expected Adjusted Free Cash Flow ranges from $700 million to $800 million, indicating a cautious approach to cost control and investment.






