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CLW vs SLVM
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Clearwater Paper (CLW) vs. Sylvamo (SLVM) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- Clearwater Paper is a pure-play solid bleached sulfate (SBS) paperboard packaging producer after divesting its tissue business, while Sylvamo is a global uncoated freesheet (printing and writing paper) manufacturer.
- Both stocks face cyclical pricing and input-cost headwinds, but CLW is navigating an industry supply overhang, whereas SLVM is managing regional demand softness and a footprint transition.
- Sylvamo offers a regular quarterly dividend, while Clearwater Paper does not currently pay one, creating a meaningful income-profile contrast.
- Analyst sentiment diverges: consensus on CLW is roughly a "Hold," while SLVM carries a broadly "Buy" leaning consensus.
- Sylvamo is the larger, more geographically diversified business, whereas Clearwater Paper is a smaller, concentrated turnaround story.
Introduction
Clearwater Paper Corporation (CLW) and Sylvamo Corporation (SLVM) are both U.S.-listed forest products and paper manufacturers, but they compete in different corners of the market. Clearwater Paper focuses on SBS paperboard used in packaging and food service, while Sylvamo specializes in uncoated freesheet paper for printing, writing, and office use. This stock comparison is relevant for investors evaluating cyclical commodity producers, as well as traders monitoring relative performance and market positioning within the paper sector. Although neither is a pure technology or growth name, both carry meaningful exposure to demand cycles, input costs, and balance-sheet dynamics that can shift sentiment quickly.
CLW Overview and Recent Performance
Clearwater Paper is a Spokane, Washington-based manufacturer that has transformed itself into a paperboard-focused enterprise. The company sold its tissue business for roughly $1.06 billion and integrated a newly acquired mill in Augusta, Georgia, reshaping its footprint around SBS paperboard for folding cartons, cups, plates, and other packaging applications. Recent market activity has been pressured by an industry supply overhang, with sector operating rates running well below historical norms and pricing under strain.
In recent quarters, CLW has reported net losses and negative or near-break-even adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization), reflecting lower pricing plus elevated chemical, transportation, and wood costs tied in part to geopolitical disruption. Management has responded with cost reductions, a restructuring of its Cypress Bend mill, and a debt refinancing. Sentiment has been cautious, with a consensus "Hold" rating and a moderate average price target, while the shares remain well below their 52-week high.
SLVM Overview and Recent Performance
Sylvamo, headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, is a global producer of uncoated freesheet paper spun off from International Paper. It operates across North America, Latin America, Brazil, and Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA). Unlike Clearwater Paper, Sylvamo maintains a regular quarterly dividend and has an active history of share repurchases, which shapes a more income-oriented shareholder base.
Recent performance has been mixed. SLVM swung to a modest net loss in its most recent quarter as revenue declined, with adjusted EBITDA falling sharply from the prior period amid operational reliability issues, inventory builds, and higher input and freight costs. The company is executing company-wide price increases, a debt refinancing that extends maturities, and high-return investments at its Eastover mill, while managing a North American footprint transition tied to tariffs and the Riverdale mill conversion. Consensus leans toward "Buy," though price targets have been trimmed in recent weeks.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
The most fundamental contrast is product mix. CLW is concentrated in SBS paperboard, where a competitor-driven capacity expansion has left industry supply exceeding demand by a double-digit percentage. SLVM, by contrast, operates in uncoated freesheet, a structurally declining but consolidating category where recent supply removals have begun to firm prices.
Scale and diversification also differ. Sylvamo generates several times Clearwater Paper's revenue and spans multiple regions, giving it broader geographic balance but also exposing it to foreign-exchange and tariff risks. Clearwater Paper is smaller and more U.S.-centric, making it more sensitive to a single product cycle but also more leveraged to a paperboard recovery.
On capital returns, SLVM pays a dividend and repurchases shares, while CLW currently prioritizes balance-sheet strength. Risk profiles differ as well: Clearwater Paper carries near-term margin and cash-flow pressure in an oversupplied market, while Sylvamo faces demand softness in Europe and execution risk around its footprint transition.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Based on observable factors such as trend consistency, stability, catalysts, and relative positioning, Tickeron's AI would likely lean toward SLVM in the current environment. Sylvamo's larger scale, geographic diversification, dividend support, and a comparatively firmer supply-demand backdrop in uncoated freesheet give it a somewhat more stable positioning than CLW, which is contending with a pronounced paperboard supply overhang and weaker near-term earnings. That said, this reflects a probabilistic, data-driven preference rather than a definitive prediction: Clearwater Paper's restructuring, cost discipline, and recovery optionality could narrow the gap if industry operating rates improve. Both names warrant ongoing monitoring of pricing, input costs, and balance-sheet catalysts.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer.
To compare these two companies we present long-term analysis, their fundamental ratings and make comparative short-term technical analysis which are presented below. The conclusion is CLW is a Hold and SLVM is a StrongBuy.
CLW's Indicator enters downward trend
The Aroon Indicator for CLW entered a downward trend on November 10, 2026. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor identified a pattern where the AroonDown red line was above 70 while the AroonUp green line was below 30 for three straight days. This could indicate a strong downward move is ahead for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options. A.I.dvisor looked at 174 similar instances where the Aroon Indicator formed such a pattern. In 134 of the 174 cases the stock moved lower. This puts the odds of a downward move at 77%.
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bearish Trend Analysis
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence Histogram (MACD) for CLW turned negative on October 27, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to turn lower in the coming weeks. Traders may want to sell the stock or buy put options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 49 similar instances when the indicator turned negative. In 37 of the 49 cases the stock turned lower in the days that followed. This puts the odds of success at 76%.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where CLW declined for three days, the price rose further in 50 of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 77%.
Bullish Trend Analysis
The RSI Oscillator points to a transition from a downward trend to an upward trend -- in cases where CLW's RSI Oscillator exited the oversold zone, 30 of 37 resulted in an increase in price. Tickeron's analysis proposes that the odds of a continued upward trend are 81%.
The Stochastic Oscillator suggests the stock price trend may be in a reversal from a downward trend to an upward trend. 40 of 60 cases where CLW's Stochastic Oscillator exited the oversold zone resulted in an increase in price. Tickeron's analysis proposes that the odds of a continued upward trend are 67%.
The Momentum Indicator moved above the 0 level on November 10, 2026. You may want to consider a long position or call options on CLW as a result. In 70 of 96 past instances where the momentum indicator moved above 0, the stock continued to climb. The odds of a continued upward trend are 73%.
Following a +5.16% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where CLW advanced for three days, in 179 of 279 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 64%.
CLW may jump back above the lower band and head toward the middle band. Traders may consider buying the stock or exploring call options.
Fundamental Analysis (Ratings)
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is 22 (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to outstanding earnings growth. The PE Growth rating is based on a comparative analysis of stock PE ratio increase over the last 12 months compared against S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Valuation Rating for company is 26 (best 1 - 100 worst), which means the company is slightly undervalued. The valuation of the company is based on a proprietary formula which takes into account a set of fundamentals and gives us an estimate of the price per share for the company. We then compare this estimate with the current price per share. As a result, this company is rated as undervalued in the industry. This rating is based on the following metrics, as compared to industry averages: P/B Ratio (0.269) is normal, around the industry mean (0.397). P/E Ratio (-4.337) is within average values for comparable stocks, (3.517). CLW's Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (0.010) is slightly lower than the industry average of (0.185). Dividend Yield (0.000) settles around the average of (0.587) among similar stocks. P/S Ratio (0.223) is also within normal values, averaging (0.381).
The Tickeron Seasonality Score of 50 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is fair valued in the industry. The Tickeron Seasonality score describes the variance of predictable price changes around the same period every calendar year. These changes can be tied to a specific month, quarter, holiday or vacation period, as well as a meteorological or growing season.
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is 81 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating slightly worse than average price growth. CLW’s price grows at a lower rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is 92 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating weak sales and an unprofitable business model. SMR (Sales, Margin, Return on Equity) rating is based on comparative analysis of weighted Sales, Income Margin and Return on Equity values compared against S&P 500 index constituents. The weighted SMR value is a proprietary formula developed by Tickeron and represents an overall profitability measure for a stock.
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is 100 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating that the returns do not compensate for the risks. CLW’s unstable profits reported over time resulted in significant Drawdowns within these last five years. A stable profit reduces stock drawdown and volatility. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 90, placing this stock worse than average.
SLVM in upward trend: 10-day moving average crossed above 50-day moving average on November 09, 2026
The 10-day moving average for SLVM crossed bullishly above the 50-day moving average on November 09, 2026. This indicates that the trend has shifted higher and could be considered a buy signal. In 11 of 13 past instances when the 10-day crossed above the 50-day, the stock continued to move higher over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 85%.
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bullish Trend Analysis
The Momentum Indicator moved above the 0 level on November 04, 2026. You may want to consider a long position or call options on SLVM as a result. In 58 of 81 past instances where the momentum indicator moved above 0, the stock continued to climb. The odds of a continued upward trend are 72%.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) for SLVM just turned positive on October 22, 2026. Looking at past instances where SLVM's MACD turned positive, the stock continued to rise in 35 of 50 cases over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 70%.
SLVM moved above its 50-day moving average on November 06, 2026 date and that indicates a change from a downward trend to an upward trend.
Following a +0.56% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where SLVM advanced for three days, in 213 of 293 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 73%.
The Aroon Indicator entered an Uptrend today. In 118 of 174 cases where SLVM Aroon's Indicator entered an Uptrend, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued Uptrend are 68%.
Bearish Trend Analysis
The 10-day RSI Indicator for SLVM moved out of overbought territory on November 09, 2026. This could be a bearish sign for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 32 similar instances where the indicator moved out of overbought territory. In 25 of the 32 cases, the stock moved lower in the following days. This puts the odds of a move lower at 78%.
The Stochastic Oscillator entered the overbought zone. Expect a price pull-back in the foreseeable future.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where SLVM declined for three days, the price rose further in 50 of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 72%.
SLVM broke above its upper Bollinger Band on November 06, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to drop as the stock moves back below the upper band and toward the middle band. You may want to consider selling the stock or exploring put options.
Fundamental Analysis (Ratings)
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is 5 (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to outstanding earnings growth. The PE Growth rating is based on a comparative analysis of stock PE ratio increase over the last 12 months compared against S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of 43 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is fair valued in the industry. This rating compares market capitalization estimated by our proprietary formula with the current market capitalization. This rating is based on the following metrics, as compared to industry averages: SLVM's P/B Ratio (1.640) is slightly higher than the industry average of (0.397). SLVM has a moderately high P/E Ratio (20.618) as compared to the industry average of (3.517). SLVM's Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (0.000) is slightly lower than the industry average of (0.185). Dividend Yield (0.046) settles around the average of (0.587) among similar stocks. P/S Ratio (0.435) is also within normal values, averaging (0.381).
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is 47 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating steady price growth. SLVM’s price grows at a higher rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is 76 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating slightly better than average sales and a considerably profitable business model. SMR (Sales, Margin, Return on Equity) rating is based on comparative analysis of weighted Sales, Income Margin and Return on Equity values compared against S&P 500 index constituents. The weighted SMR value is a proprietary formula developed by Tickeron and represents an overall profitability measure for a stock.
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is 83 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating that the returns do not compensate for the risks. SLVM’s unstable profits reported over time resulted in significant Drawdowns within these last five years. A stable profit reduces stock drawdown and volatility. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 90, placing this stock better than average.
CLW | ||
|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 61 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 26 Undervalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 100 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 92 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 81 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 22 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 50 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
| CLW | SLVM | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 81% | 2 days ago 78% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 67% | 2 days ago 79% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 73% | 2 days ago 72% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 76% | 2 days ago 70% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 67% | 2 days ago 72% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 76% | 2 days ago 74% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 10 days ago 64% | 17 days ago 73% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 77% | 15 days ago 72% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 68% | 2 days ago 78% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 77% | 2 days ago 68% |
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is overvalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
CLW’s FA Score shows that 2 FA rating(s) are green while SLVM’s FA Score has 1 green FA rating(s).
- CLW’s FA Score: 2 green, 3 red.
- SLVM’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
CLW’s TA Score shows that 5 TA indicator(s) are bullish while SLVM’s TA Score has 6 bullish TA indicator(s).
- CLW’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 3 bearish.
- SLVM’s TA Score: 6 bullish, 4 bearish.
Price Growth
CLW (@Pulp & Paper) experienced а +3.66% price change this week, while SLVM (@Pulp & Paper) price change was +20.18% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Pulp & Paper industry was -8.59%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was -5.52%, and the average quarterly price growth was -23.20%.
Reported Earning Dates
CLW is expected to report earnings on Feb 24, 2027.
SLVM is expected to report earnings on Feb 18, 2027.
Industries' Descriptions
@Pulp & Paper (-8.59% weekly)The pulp and paper industry includes companies that make pulp and process pulp into paper and specialty paper products. Companies in this industry also operate paper mills. The industry’s products have wide array of markets including books, magazines, envelopes, containerboard, and food and beverage packaging. Domtar Corporation, Schweitzer-Mauduit International, Inc. and Neenah Inc. are some of the major pulp & paper companies.
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CLW and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor tells us that CLW and MAGN have been poorly correlated (+27% of the time) for the last year. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is low statistical probability that CLW and MAGN's prices will move in lockstep.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To CLW | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLW | 100% | +5.15% | ||
| MAGN - CLW | 27% Poorly correlated | +0.23% | ||
| MATV - CLW | 12% Poorly correlated | -1.71% | ||
| MERC - CLW | 4% Poorly correlated | -1.99% | ||
| SUZ - CLW | 1% Poorly correlated | -0.10% | ||
| SLVM - CLW | -2% Poorly correlated | +0.47% | ||
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SLVM and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, SLVM has been loosely correlated with CLW. These tickers have moved in lockstep 40% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if SLVM jumps, then CLW could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To SLVM | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SLVM | 100% | +0.47% | ||
| CLW - SLVM | 40% Loosely correlated | +5.15% | ||
| MAGN - SLVM | 30% Poorly correlated | +0.23% | ||
| SUZ - SLVM | 28% Poorly correlated | -0.10% | ||
| MATV - SLVM | 25% Poorly correlated | -1.71% | ||
| MERC - SLVM | 15% Poorly correlated | -1.99% | ||
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