Value
9.6/10data confidence 83%| Component | Sub-score |
|---|---|
| P/E | 10.0 |
| P/S | 10.0 |
| EV/EBITDA | 9.3 |
| Fwd P/E | 10.0 |
| Analyst target | 9.0 |
- ▸Forward P/E: 5.3x
- ▸Attractively valued
SUZ · Why this verdict
Why Suzano (SUZ) is rated SELL
Updated
Model-generated analysis — not investment advice. Not a registered investment advisor. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
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VerdictSELL
Overall score5.3/10
ConfidenceHIGH
MacroNEUTRAL
Thesis pillars
| Pillar | Expectation | Trend |
|---|---|---|
Suzano missed earnings estimates in 3 of the last 4 measured quarters with an average surprise of negative 19.8%, suggesting that analyst models consistently overestimate quarterly earnings power, which limits the credibility of the bullish analyst price targets. Earnings | Earnings beat rate improves to at least 2 beats in the next 3 quarters, with the average quarterly surprise rising above negative 5%. | →Stable |
| CounterPulp pricing cycles are notoriously difficult to model quarter-to-quarter; analysts routinely miss commodity companies in both directions, and the miss streak may reverse sharply as pulp prices recover. | ||
A debt-to-equity ratio of 2.0 triggers a leverage penalty, and free cash flow is negative 16% of net income, meaning the company carries substantial debt while not generating cash sufficient to cover reported earnings, creating refinancing risk if commodity prices weaken. Bear case | Debt-to-equity falls below 1.5 within 12 months through earnings-driven deleveraging, and free cash flow turns positive on an annual basis. | →Stable |
| CounterPulp producers use project debt to finance long-lived forest and mill assets with cash flows stretching over decades; a debt-to-equity of 2.0 is common in the sector and is typically rated investment grade if underlying assets are productive. | ||
Revenue declined 5% year-over-year and the growth score is 0.6 out of 10, indicating that the current earnings cycle has not translated into top-line expansion, which limits the sustainability of the high ROE if volumes and prices do not recover. Growth breakdown | Revenue grows by at least 5% year-over-year within the next 12 months as pulp pricing or volume improvements drive top-line recovery. | →Stable |
| CounterSuzano is one of the world's largest pulp producers with structural cost advantages; even with a 5% revenue decline, the 26% ROE demonstrates efficient capital use that does not depend on revenue growth to create value. | ||
Suzano trades at a forward P/E of 5.7x with a 26% ROE, 23% operating margins, and a 69% margin of safety to intrinsic value, placing it in the top percentile of peers on both valuation and return metrics, suggesting significant undervaluation relative to earnings power. Valuation breakdown | The forward P/E expands above 8x within 12 months as the market recognizes the discount to fundamental earnings capacity. | →Stable |
| CounterPulp and paper companies trade at persistently low multiples because they are commodity businesses with cyclical earnings; a 5.7x forward P/E may simply reflect the sector's structural discount rather than a specific mispricing. | ||
Suzano missed earnings estimates in 3 of the last 4 measured quarters with an average surprise of negative 19.8%, suggesting that analyst models consistently overestimate quarterly earnings power, which limits the credibility of the bullish analyst price targets.
→StableEarnings
- Expectation
- Earnings beat rate improves to at least 2 beats in the next 3 quarters, with the average quarterly surprise rising above negative 5%.
CounterPulp pricing cycles are notoriously difficult to model quarter-to-quarter; analysts routinely miss commodity companies in both directions, and the miss streak may reverse sharply as pulp prices recover.
A debt-to-equity ratio of 2.0 triggers a leverage penalty, and free cash flow is negative 16% of net income, meaning the company carries substantial debt while not generating cash sufficient to cover reported earnings, creating refinancing risk if commodity prices weaken.
→StableBear case
- Expectation
- Debt-to-equity falls below 1.5 within 12 months through earnings-driven deleveraging, and free cash flow turns positive on an annual basis.
CounterPulp producers use project debt to finance long-lived forest and mill assets with cash flows stretching over decades; a debt-to-equity of 2.0 is common in the sector and is typically rated investment grade if underlying assets are productive.
Revenue declined 5% year-over-year and the growth score is 0.6 out of 10, indicating that the current earnings cycle has not translated into top-line expansion, which limits the sustainability of the high ROE if volumes and prices do not recover.
→StableGrowth breakdown
- Expectation
- Revenue grows by at least 5% year-over-year within the next 12 months as pulp pricing or volume improvements drive top-line recovery.
CounterSuzano is one of the world's largest pulp producers with structural cost advantages; even with a 5% revenue decline, the 26% ROE demonstrates efficient capital use that does not depend on revenue growth to create value.
Suzano trades at a forward P/E of 5.7x with a 26% ROE, 23% operating margins, and a 69% margin of safety to intrinsic value, placing it in the top percentile of peers on both valuation and return metrics, suggesting significant undervaluation relative to earnings power.
→StableValuation breakdown
- Expectation
- The forward P/E expands above 8x within 12 months as the market recognizes the discount to fundamental earnings capacity.
CounterPulp and paper companies trade at persistently low multiples because they are commodity businesses with cyclical earnings; a 5.7x forward P/E may simply reflect the sector's structural discount rather than a specific mispricing.
TrendMatrix Research · core thesis
Engine thesis — one sentence
Suzano trades at a forward P/E of 5.7x with 26% ROE and ranks in the top decile of peers on both value and returns, offering a 31% margin of safety to analyst targets, but has missed earnings estimates in 3 of the last 4 quarters and carries a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.0 with negative free cash flow.
Falsifiable statement — pillar-level invalidators below. Engine-derived; not personalized advice.
Per-dimension breakdown
Quality
5.6/10data confidence 100%| Component | Sub-score |
|---|---|
| ROE | 8.8 |
| ROA | 2.5 |
| Gross margin | 2.3 |
| Op margin | 6.7 |
| Net margin | 10.0 |
| Current ratio | 9.5 |
| FCF quality | 0.0 |
| Moat | 4.2 |
| Piotroski F | 6.7 |
- ▸Excellent ROE: 26%
- ▸Strong margins: 23%
- ▸Earnings quality RED FLAG: -16% FCF/NI
- ▸No competitive moat
Growth
0.6/10data confidence 67%| Component | Sub-score |
|---|---|
| Rev growth | 1.2 |
| EPS growth | 0.0 |
- ▸Declining revenue: -5%
Momentum
4.7/10data confidence 100%| Component | Sub-score |
|---|---|
| RSI | 4.5 |
| MACD | 3.7 |
| OBV | 10.0 |
| MA position | 1.0 |
| Volume | 4.2 |
- ▸Volume accumulation (rising OBV)
- ▸Below 200-MA, MA slope -2.1%/30d — confirmed downtrend
Sentiment
7.1/10data confidence 100%| Component | Sub-score |
|---|---|
| Analyst rating | 6.5 |
| Price target | 9.7 |
| erm sentiment | 5.0 |
- ▸Light analyst coverage (5.0) — signal dampened
- ▸Analyst upside: 59%
Insider
5.0/10data confidence 50%| Component | Sub-score |
|---|---|
| materiality | 5.0 |
| holder change | 5.1 |
- ▸No net insider activity — $0 (0.000% of mkt cap)
Peer rank
4.7/10data confidence 80%| Component | Sub-score |
|---|---|
| value rank | 9.6 |
| quality rank | 8.3 |
| growth rank | 0.8 |
- ▸Attractive P/E vs peers
- ▸Superior ROE vs peers
Technical
6.0/10data confidence 100%| Component | Sub-score |
|---|---|
| bollinger | 7.3 |
| support resistance | 6.9 |
| 52w position | 3.7 |
Risk (lower is worse)
6.1/10data confidence 100%| Component | Sub-score |
|---|---|
| short interest | 9.5 |
| days to cover | 8.0 |
| volatility | 5.6 |
| put call | 0.0 |
| implied vol | 6.4 |
| beta | 10.0 |
| debt equity | 3.0 |
- ▸Elevated put/call: 3.00
Catalyst
3.0/10data confidence 100%| Component | Sub-score |
|---|---|
| erm | 5.0 |
| earnings history | 0.0 |
| earnings timing | 5.0 |
| surprise avg | 0.0 |
| dividend safety | 5.2 |
- ▸Earnings concerns: 0B/3M
How the verdict was assembled
Engine trigger
Multiple concerning factors. Consider reducing position.
Engine technical detail
verdict_path:
L4:PATH_F_SELLPassed (8)
- MOMENTUM:4.7>=4.5
- ASYMMETRY:7.0>=1.5
- INSIDER:OK
- 8K:CLEAN
- NEWS_EVENTS:NONE_RECENT
- EARNINGS_PROXIMITY:39d clear
- SEMI_CYCLE_PEAK:CLEAR
- MATERIALS_CYCLE_PEAK:CLEAR
Failed (1)
- DEATH_CROSS:HARD_BLOCK
Warning (1)
- MOMENTUM:4.7<5.5 (soft — BUY_NOW allowed but watch)
Reward-to-Risk
7.00
Upside
+38.8%
Downside
5.5%
Sizing output
AVOID
Setup— — No clear chart pattern; technical signals are mixed
EdgeNo clear edge — No clear edge identified
SuitabilityModerate — Balanced profile
Investment implication
The F-path SELL output reflects an overall score of 3.8 below the 5.6 soft trigger — multiple weakening dimensions accumulated rather than a single hard-floor breach. The strongest dimension ( Value at 9.6) was not enough to lift the adjusted overall above the threshold. Co-occurring failed gates ( DEATH_CROSS:HARD_BLOCK) reinforce the read. Current asymmetry R:R is 7.00 — supplementary context, not the trigger for this path.
The strongest dimensions are Value at 9.6, Sentiment at 7.1, and Risk (lower is worse) at 6.1; the weakest are Growth at 0.6, Catalyst at 3.0, and Peer rank at 4.7. The V9 engine flagged 1 failed gate with 1 warning, producing an asymmetric reward-to-risk of 7.00 and an engine sizing output of AVOID.
What would invalidate the thesis
Falsifying conditions — when triggered, the corresponding pillar's thesis is invalidated.
- P1Deep Value High Roe Margin Of Safety
Trip ifForward P/E falls below 4x as earnings estimates decline by more than 30% from current consensus levels.
- P2Earnings Miss Pattern
Trip ifEPS surprise falls below negative 30% in at least 2 of the next 3 quarters, deepening the current miss pattern.
- P3Leverage With Negative Fcf
Trip ifDebt-to-equity ratio rises above 2.5, exceeding the current 2.0 level by more than 25%, signaling further leverage deterioration.
- P4Revenue Decline Weak Growth
Trip ifRevenue declines by more than 10% year-over-year in any single quarter, doubling the current decline rate.