Ball reports higher comparable EPS despite third-quarter GAAP loss

Ball reported third-quarter 2026 sales of $4.19 billion and a U.S. GAAP loss of $94 million, or 36 cents per diluted share, compared with $321 million of net income, or $1.18 per share, in the year-ago quarter; a $475 million noncash charge tied to a U.K. pension buyout was the main special item. Comparable diluted EPS rose 6.8% to $1.10, while global aluminum packaging shipments increased 4.7%; Ball expects 2026 comparable EPS growth of more than 10% and free cash flow of about $900 million, and announced new beverage-can facilities in Baruth, Germany, and India.