Levi & Korsinsky Reminds Graphic Packaging Holding Company Investors of the Pending Class Action Lawsuit With a Lead Plaintiff Deadline of July 6, 2026 - GPK

Graphic Packaging Promised $1.78 Billion in Adjusted EBITDA for 2025; Investors Got $1.43 Billion and a 50% Stock Collapse

NEW YORK, May 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Graphic Packaging Holding Company (NYSE: GPK) told investors in February 2025 it would deliver up to $8.9 billion in net sales and $2.78 in adjusted EPS for the full year. Twelve months later, adjusted EBITDA had been slashed by more than $350 million from the top of its original range, the CEO had resigned, and GPK shares had lost more than half their value.

Find out if you qualify to recover losses from GPK's guidance failures. You may also contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. at [email protected] or (212) 363-7500.

Investors who purchased GPK securities between February 4, 2025 and February 2, 2026 and suffered losses may be entitled to compensation. Shares closed at $12.42 on February 3, 2026, following three successive corrective disclosures.

The Promise

On February 4, 2025, management issued FY 2025 guidance projecting:

• Net Sales: $8.7 billion to $8.9 billion
• Adjusted EBITDA: $1.68 billion to $1.78 billion
• Adjusted EPS: $2.53 to $2.78

Management characterized these projections as achievable, asserting the Company would "build on" its "consistent" and "profitable" results and "strong and steady" margins. The lawsuit contends these projections were issued at a time when management knew, or should have known, that significant inventory management issues, reduced demand, and rising costs made the guidance unreliable.

The Reality

By December 8, 2025, the Company had cut guidance twice. The final revised figures told a starkly different story:

• Adjusted EBITDA: $1.38 billion to $1.43 billion
• Adjusted EPS: $1.75 to $1.95
• Net Sales guidance: reduced to $8.2 billion to $8.5 billion as early as May 2025

Then, on February 3, 2026, GPK projected a further $130 million negative EBITDA impact in 2026 from inventory reduction actions, plus $100 million in incentive compensation accruals. The new CEO announced a "comprehensive review of our organization structure, operations, and footprint," confirming what the complaint alleges shareholders were not told: the business model was far weaker than represented.

The Numbers: Promised vs. Actual

• Adjusted EBITDA (top of range): Promised $1.78B vs. Delivered $1.395B — a gap of $385 million
• Adjusted EPS (top of range): Promised $2.78 vs. Delivered $1.80 — a gap of $0.98 per share
• Net Sales (top of range): Promised $8.9B vs. First revision to $8.5B — a $400 million shortfall within three months
• Q1 2025 EPS: Missed consensus by $0.07, the first signal the guidance was unrealistic
• Q4 2025 EPS: Missed consensus again by $0.06, confirming the pattern
• Stock Price: From approximately $25.31 before the May 1 disclosure to $12.42 on February 3, 2026

What the Lawsuit Alleges About the Gap

The action claims management knew its FY 2025 guidance was unreliable when issued. The complaint alleges that inventory levels had been rising since 2023, that consumer demand was deteriorating beyond what management publicly acknowledged, and that $80 million in input cost inflation was already foreseeable. Meanwhile, the complaint identifies that CEO Michael Doss sold nearly 1.6 million GPK shares during the Class Period for over $7 million, and CFO Stephen Scherger sold 65,529 shares for nearly $1.8 million before resigning in November 2025.

"Companies that make specific promises to investors about future performance have an obligation to disclose known risks to those projections. The gap between what GPK projected in February 2025 and what it ultimately delivered raises serious questions about whether material information was withheld from the investing public." -- Joseph E. Levi, Esq.

LEAD PLAINTIFF DEADLINE: July 6, 2026

Calculate your potential recovery in the GPK securities action or call (212) 363-7500.

Levi & Korsinsky, LLP is a nationally recognized shareholder rights firm. Over the past 20 years, the firm has secured hundreds of millions of dollars for aggrieved shareholders. Ranked in ISS Top 50 for seven consecutive years.

Frequently Asked Questions About the GPK Lawsuit

Q: What specific misstatements does the GPK lawsuit allege? A: The complaint alleges Graphic Packaging made materially false or misleading statements regarding inventory management capabilities, demand trends, cost pressures, and the reliability of its FY 2025 financial guidance during the Class Period. When the true state of affairs was revealed through three corrective disclosures, the stock price declined sharply.

Q: How much did GPK stock drop? A: The stock declined from pre-May 2025 levels to close at $12.42 on February 3, 2026, representing a loss of $12.89 per share from pre-disclosure prices. The individual disclosure events triggered losses of $3.94, $1.35, and $2.36, respectively, in the immediate trading day following each event.

Q: What do GPK investors need to do right now? A: Gather brokerage records including purchase dates, share quantities, and prices paid. Contact Levi & Korsinsky for a free, no-obligation evaluation at [email protected] or (212) 363-7500. No immediate action is required to remain eligible as a class member.

Q: What if I already sold my GPK shares -- can I still recover losses? A: Yes. Eligibility is based on when you purchased, not whether you still hold them. Investors who bought during the Class Period and sold at a loss may still participate.

Q: Do I need to go to court or give testimony? A: No. The overwhelming majority of class members never appear in court or give depositions. You submit a claim form to receive your portion of recovery.

Q: What does it cost me to participate? A: Nothing. Securities class actions are handled on a pure contingency basis. No upfront fees, no retainer, no out-of-pocket costs.

Q: What is the GPK lead plaintiff deadline? A: The deadline to apply for lead plaintiff appointment is July 6, 2026. This deadline applies only to investors seeking to serve as lead plaintiff. Class members who do not apply may still participate in any recovery without taking action before this date.

CONTACT:
Levi & Korsinsky, LLP
Joseph E. Levi, Esq.
Ed Korsinsky, Esq.
33 Whitehall Street, 27th Floor
New York, NY 10004
[email protected]
Tel: (212) 363-7500
Fax: (212) 363-7171

SOURCE Levi & Korsinsky, LLP