Aluminum packaging maker Ball Corp beats Q1 sales, profit estimates on steady demand

Published: 2026-05-05 06:46:20 ET BALL

Published on 05/05/2026 at 06:46 am EDT

May 5 (Reuters) - Ball Corp beat Wall Street estimates for first-quarter revenue and profit on Tuesday, supported by steady demand for its aluminum beverage packaging across key markets.

Persistent inflation has pushed consumers towards more affordable, home-cooked meals, boosting demand for canned foods as well as ready-to-eat products and lifting packaging sales at companies such as Ball Corp.

The Colorado-based company has also benefited from sustainability trends and seen demand for its aluminum cans, bottles and cups as brands seek recyclable alternatives to plastic.

Ball, one of the world's largest manufacturers of aluminum beverage packaging, supplies cans to food and beverage companies across North America, Europe and South America.

The Iran war has disrupted the global aluminum market, with costs rising and tightened supply after the U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to raise import tariffs on aluminum to 50%.

Despite these pressures, Ball reported revenue of $3.60 billion for the three months ended March 31, helped by higher aluminum prices and modest shipment growth. Analysts on average expected revenue of $3.36 billion, according to data compiled by LSEG.

The company reported adjusted earnings per share of 94 cents, topping analysts' estimate of 85 cents.

In North and Central America, the company's major revenue-generating geography, beverage packaging sales grew to $1.78 billion in the quarter from $1.46 billion a year earlier.

Ball reported a 0.8% increase in global aluminum packaging shipments for the quarter, compared to a 2.6% rise in the previous year.

(Reporting by Sanskriti Shekhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Joyjeet Das)