Key Takeaways
- • Private equity firms Lone Star and Atlas Holdings are exploring bids for International Paper's European packaging business, which is valued at less than $6 billion, according to the Financial Times citing people familiar with the matter.
- • International Paper shares rose 3% following the report, per Reuters.
- • The European packaging unit is slated for separation: International Paper announced in January that it would split into two publicly traded companies by spinning off this business.
- • International Paper did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment, and no deal has been announced.
Summary
Private equity firms Lone Star and Atlas Holdings are exploring bids for International Paper's European packaging business, the Financial Times reported on Thursday, October 15, 2026, citing people familiar with the matter. The business is valued at less than $6 billion, according to the FT, as reported by Reuters.
International Paper shares were up 3% following the report. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters, and the FT's reporting describes the firms as exploring bids rather than having reached an agreement.
The interest comes against the backdrop of International Paper's January announcement that it would split into two publicly traded companies by spinning off its European packaging business. The company said the separation is intended to streamline operations and boost productivity across North America. The potential sale would therefore represent a possible alternative to the planned spin-off, though no such transaction has been confirmed.
Other outlets, including TradingView and Global Banking & Finance Review, carried the same FT-sourced report, with headlines indicating that Lone Star and Atlas Holdings are exploring bids for the unit.
International Paper shares were up 3% following the report. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters, and the FT's reporting describes the firms as exploring bids rather than having reached an agreement.
The interest comes against the backdrop of International Paper's January announcement that it would split into two publicly traded companies by spinning off its European packaging business. The company said the separation is intended to streamline operations and boost productivity across North America. The potential sale would therefore represent a possible alternative to the planned spin-off, though no such transaction has been confirmed.
Other outlets, including TradingView and Global Banking & Finance Review, carried the same FT-sourced report, with headlines indicating that Lone Star and Atlas Holdings are exploring bids for the unit.
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