Stora Enso Reports Results for Second Quarter 2016
(Helsinki, Finland, July 21, 2016) Stora Enso today reported second quarter 2016 results.
1. Q2/2016 (compared with Q2/2015)
–Sales EUR 2 526 (EUR 2 562) million decreased 1.4%. Sales excluding the structurally declining paper business and divested Barcelona Mill increased 3.6%, primarily due to the ramp-up of Varkaus kraftliner mill and additional volumes from Ostroêka containerboard mill.
–Operational EBIT increased 9.2% to EUR 226 (EUR 207) million, including a bad debt provision of EUR 6 million in the Paper division, lower variable costs, and a positive net currency impact. The EBIT margin was 8.9% (8.1%).
–EPS EUR 0.16 (EUR 0.17)
–Cash flow from operations record high at EUR 493 (EUR 489) million, due to increased operational EBITDA and release of working capital; cash flow after investing activities was EUR 321 (EUR 261) million.
–Continued strengthening of the balance sheet; net debt to operational EBITDA 2.3 (2.7) despite dividend payment; liquidity reduced to EUR 511 (EUR 986) million, as planned.
–Operational ROCE 10.3% (9.4%), operational ROCE excluding the Beihai Mill investment 12.5% (10.9%).
2. Q2/2016 (compared with Q1/2016)
–Sales improved 3.3%. Sales excluding the structurally declining paper business increased 5.8%, mainly due to higher consumer board sales.
–Operational EBIT decreased 8.9%, mainly due to the higher maintenance impact of EUR 28 million.
3. Q1–Q2/2016 (compared with Q1–Q2/2015)
–Sales at EUR 4 971 million declined 1.6%. Sales excluding the structurally declining paper business and divested Barcelona Mill increased 3.0%.
–Operational EBIT at EUR 474 million increased 11.0%, mainly due to lower variable costs, and net currency impact.
4. Transformation
–Beihai consumer board mill in China started up in May and is ramping up ahead of plan. The machine is expected to reach full production within 18?24 months.
–Varkaus kraftliner mill ramp-up is proceeding and customer qualifications have progressed well. Full production is expected during the first half of 2017.
–The new production line for wooden building components at Varkaus Mill (LVL) started up in June 2016. Full production is expected in mid-2018.
–Plans to divest Kabel magazine paper mill in Germany announced in June.
–Divestment of the Suzhou mill site in China announced and paper production ceased in June.
Stora Enso divested its 33.33% ownership in the Swedish recycled materials company IL Recycling AB in June.
5. Outlook for Q3/2016
Q3/2016 sales are estimated to be similar to or slightly lower than the amount of EUR 2 526 million, and operational EBIT is expected to be in line with or somewhat lower than the EUR 226 million recorded in Q2/2016. These estimates include the negative impacts of the scheduled annual maintenance shutdowns and Beihai Mill start-up, which are estimated to be approximately EUR 30 million and EUR 16 million higher than in Q2/2016 respectively.
6. Stora Enso’s CEO Karl-Henrik Sundström comments on the second quarter 2016 results:
“In the second quarter of 2016, sales excluding the structurally declining paper business and the divested Consumer Board Barcelona Mill increased 3.6% compared to the same quarter last year. This was primarily due to the ramp-up of Varkaus kraftliner mill and additional volumes from the Ostro³êka containerboard mill. Cash flow year-on-year was record high, due to higher profitability and release of working capital.
This quarter we have stepped up a gear in our transformation to a renewable materials growth company. We have taken a major leap forward and many parts of the puzzle are falling into place. We are now ready for the next chapter in our transformation journey. The consumer board machine at Beihai Mill in China successfully started production, ahead of plan, which is an historical milestone for us. Our aim is to benefit from the growing demand in China and Asia Pacific for high-quality consumer board. One of the key end products from Beihai Mill will be Liquid Packaging Board, of which more than 80 per cent today is imported to China.
In June, production started at our new production line in Varkaus Mill in Finland, which makes wooden building components. The new laminated veneer lumber (LVL) line will meet the growing need for sustainable, high quality engineered wooden elements. We are also assessing the feasibility of building a cross-laminated timber (CLT) production unit in connection to Gruvön Mill in Sweden. This would support our ambition to capture market share from non-renewable materials in the construction sector.
Also in accordance with our transformation into a renewable materials growth company, we will divest our Kabel magazine paper mill in Germany. Furthermore, we have announced closure of our Suzhou paper mill and divestment of the site in China. In Sweden, we have divested our 33.33% ownership in the Swedish recycled materials company IL Recycling, as our need for paper for recycling in Sweden has decreased during the past years.
We continue to invest for growth and strengthened competitiveness. To further enhance our position as a leading global supplier of premium paperboards, we are investing EUR 70 million in Imatra Mills in Finland. This is to increase coating capacity and allow further product development of the new generation bio-barriers. Customer demand for food service board and liquid packaging board is estimated to grow above industry average. Furthermore, to meet the growing demand in the hygiene market, we will invest EUR 26.5 million in Skutskär pulp mill to increase the mill’s fluff capacity.
To strengthen our bio-based chemicals development, we have signed a joint technology development agreement with specialty chemicals company Rennovia Inc. This is a logical next step for us as we are targeting new markets and developing new products in this area. The commercialisation of lignin from Sunila Mill in Finland is going forward and the first customer agreement has been signed.
When it comes to outlook for the third quarter of 2016, sales are estimated to be similar to or slightly lower than the amount of EUR 2 526 million, and operational EBIT is expected to be in line with or somewhat lower than the EUR 226 million recorded in second quarter of 2016. These estimates include the negative impacts of the scheduled annual maintenance shutdowns and Beihai Mill start-up, which are estimated to be approximately EUR 30 million and EUR 16 million higher than in Q2/2016 respectively.
To learn more, please visit: www.storaenso.com (Source: Stora Enso)