S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) stock Amcor PLC (ASX: AMC) is charging higher today.
Shares in the global packaging giant, with a market capitalisation north of $18 billion, closed yesterday trading for $15.71. In morning trade on Wednesday, shares are swapping hands for $16.16 apiece, up 2.9%.
For some context, the ASX 200 is up 0.7% at this same time.
This boost comes as investors pore over Amcor's quarterly results for the three months ending 31 December and the half-year summary.
Here's what's going on.
(*Note, all figures below are in US dollars unless otherwise stated.)
ASX 200 stock lifts on volume growth
Investors are bidding up the Amcor share price after the ASX 200 stock reported on ongoing volume growth. Volumes for the first half of the financial year (H1 FY 2025) were up 2% compared to H1 FY 2024.
Net sales for the quarter came in at $3.24 billion. That brought net sales for H1 to $6.59 billion, down 1.5% year on year. Management noted this included an unfavourable impact of around 1% due to foreign exchange rate moves.
Adjusted earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) for the half year was up 4% year on year (on a constant currency basis) to $728 million. The growth was attributed to higher volumes and strong cost performance.
Adjusted EBIT for the December quarter of $363 million was 5% higher than the ASX 200 stock achieved in the prior corresponding period.
There was also positive movement on the earnings margin front. Amcor reported that the adjusted EBIT margin for H1 increased by 0.4% from the prior year to 11.0%. While adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of 32.2 cents per share was up 5% on a comparable constant currency basis.
And passive income investors will have taken note of the 12.75 US cent per share quarterly dividend, up 2% from the same quarter last year. ASX investors will receive an unfranked dividend of 20.40 Aussie cents per share. The ASX 200 stock trades ex-dividend on 25 February.
What did management say?
Commenting on the results helping to boost the ASX 200 stock today, Amcor CEO Peter Konieczny said, "Amcor delivered a solid second quarter result aligned with the expectations we set out in October, giving us the confidence to again reaffirm our guidance for the fiscal year."
Addressing the $8.4 billion "transformational" merger with Berry Global, Konieczny added:
Bringing these two companies together will deliver on our strategy to become an even stronger company with accelerated volume-driven organic growth…
With faster growth and $650 million of identified synergies, this combination will drive significant near and long term value for all shareholders. The path to completion is well advanced and we remain on track to close in mid-calendar year 2025.
Looking to what could impact the ASX 200 stock in the months ahead, Amcor's reaffirmed fiscal 2025 outlook for adjusted EPS remains at 72 cents to 76 cents per share.
The company expects to achieve adjusted free cash flow of $900 million to $1.00 billion.
