Mercer International Inc. Reports Second Quarter and First Half 2024 Results

Second quarter Operating EBITDA* of $30.4 million and net loss of $67.6 million

Strengthened pulp markets drive improvement in operating cash flows and liquidity

Quarterly cash dividend of $0.075 per share

Mercer International Inc. reported second quarter 2024 Operating EBITDA of $30.4 million, an increase from negative Operating EBITDA of $68.7 million in the same quarter of 2023 and a decrease from Operating EBITDA of $63.6 million in the first quarter of 2024.

In the second quarter of 2024, net loss was $67.6 million ($1.01 per share), which included a non-cash impairment of $34.3 million ($0.51 per share) against goodwill related to the Torgau facility, compared to a net loss of $98.3 million ($1.48 per share) in the second quarter of 2023 and a net loss of $16.7 million ($0.25 per share) in the first quarter of 2024, which included a non-cash loss on disposal of $23.6 million ($0.35 per share) related to the dissolution of the Cariboo Pulp and Paper (“CPP”) joint venture.

Mr. Juan Carlos Bueno, Chief Executive Officer, stated: “The second quarter was another improved quarter for our pulp segment as we continued to benefit from strengthening markets. Despite lower pulp sales volumes primarily stemming from previously announced scheduled downtime and the disposal of CPP, cash flow from operations improved significantly in the second quarter of 2024. This improved aggregate liquidity allowed us to reduce borrowings by approximately $45 million under our revolving credit facilities during the quarter.

In the second quarter, pulp prices continued to improve in all key markets due to strengthening demand and supply-side disruptions. As these supply-side disruptions ease and we enter into a period of traditionally lower seasonal demand, we currently expect pulp prices to soften slightly in the third quarter of 2024.

Lumber pricing was relatively flat in the second quarter of 2024 compared to the first quarter of 2024 due to continued weakness in both the U.S. and Europe. We currently expect lumber prices to remain relatively steady in the third quarter as demand continues to be impacted by the high interest rate environment and economic uncertainty.

In the second quarter, we recognized a non-cash goodwill impairment of $34.3 million related to the Torgau facility as a result of ongoing weakness in European lumber, pallet and biofuel markets stemming from high interest rates and other economic conditions. We continue to expect to realize the synergies at Torgau as market and economic conditions improve. To position for improved markets, we continue to proceed with certain previously announced, high-return capital projects at the Torgau facility designed to increase the facility’s lumber production capacity to approximately 440 million board feet and planing capacity to approximately 145 million board feet. The addition of planing capacity will allow us to produce more U.S. dimensional lumber while also providing us with the flexibility to shift production between pallets and planed goods in order to maximize profitability. These projects are currently progressing ahead of schedule and we expect to start to see their benefits in mid-2025.

In the second quarter of 2024, we had 44 days of downtime (approximately 77,600 ADMTs) at our pulp mills which included 37 days of planned major maintenance and seven additional days due to slower than expected start-up compared to no days of planned maintenance in the first quarter of 2024. We are currently planning for a total of 18 days of maintenance downtime (approximately 19,700 ADMTs) at our pulp mills in the third quarter of 2024.

Overall per unit fiber costs for both our pulp and solid wood segments were flat in the second quarter of 2024 compared to the first quarter and we currently expect stable per unit fiber costs for the third quarter of 2024.

In the second quarter, we continued to work towards fulfilling previously secured orders for large scale mass timber projects. We have seen tremendous growth in our mass timber business since last year, despite the challenging economic conditions in this high interest rate environment, and will continue to focus on project execution and growing the business. As part of our growth strategy, we are completing optimization projects at our Mercer Spokane facility which are expected to have a meaningful impact on our production costs.”

Mr. Bueno concluded: “We are seeing the positive impact of strong pulp prices and stable costs in our operating results. Our solid wood segment continues to be negatively impacted by the high interest rate environment, but we remain committed to continue making strategic investments in this segment to ensure we are in a strong position as markets recover. With our strong liquidity position and the significant majority of our annual scheduled maintenance downtime completed, we currently believe we are well-positioned to realize on strengthened pulp markets going into the second half of 2024.”

Consolidated – Three Months Ended June 30, 2024 Compared to Three Months Ended June 30, 2023

Total revenues for the second quarter of 2024 decreased by approximately 6% to $499.4 million from $529.9 million in the same quarter of 2023 primarily due to lower pulp and lumber sales volumes partially offset by higher pulp sales realizations and manufactured products revenues.

Costs and expenses in the second quarter of 2024 decreased by approximately 15% to $543.2 million from $638.7 million in the same quarter of 2023 primarily as a result of lower pulp and lumber sales volumes and lower per unit fiber, energy and chemical costs. In the second quarter of 2024, costs and expenses included a non-cash goodwill impairment of $34.3 million related to the Torgau facility, which was recognized as a result of ongoing weakness in lumber, pallet and biofuels markets in Europe stemming from high interest rates and other economic conditions. We continue to expect to realize the synergies from the Torgau acquisition as market and economic conditions improve. In the second quarter of 2023, we recorded a non-cash inventory impairment of $51.4 million, which was partially offset by $22.0 million of insurance proceeds received relating to the 2021 turbine downtime at our Rosenthal mill and the July 2022 fire at our Stendal mill.

In the second quarter of 2024, Operating EBITDA increased to $30.4 million from negative Operating EBITDA of $68.7 million in the same quarter of 2023 primarily due higher pulp sales realizations and lower per unit fiber, energy and chemical costs. In the second quarter of 2023, we recorded a non-cash inventory impairment which was partially offset by insurance proceeds received.

Segment Results

Pulp

In the second quarter of 2024, pulp segment operating income increased to $4.5 million from an operating loss of $83.5 million in the same quarter of 2023 primarily due to higher pulp sales realizations and lower per unit fiber and other production costs. In the second quarter of 2023, we recorded a non-cash inventory impairment which was partially offset by insurance proceeds received.

Pulp segment revenues, which includes pulp, energy and chemical revenues, in the second quarter of 2024 decreased by approximately 9% to $367.4 million from $402.7 million in the same quarter of 2023 as a result of lower sales volumes and lower energy and chemical sales realizations partially offset by higher pulp sales realizations.

Pulp revenues in the second quarter of 2024 decreased by approximately 7% to $346.8 million from $374.2 million in the same quarter of 2023 due to lower sales volumes partially offset by higher sales realizations.

In the second quarter of 2024, third party industry quoted average list prices for NBSK pulp increased in both Europe and North America from the same quarter of 2023, including achieving a record list price of $1,635 per ADMT in Europe as of June 30, 2024. Third party industry quoted average net prices for NBSK pulp in China also increased from the same quarter of 2023. Our average NBSK pulp sales realizations in the second quarter of 2024 increased by approximately 15% to $811 per ADMT from $706 per ADMT in the same quarter of 2023. In the second quarter of 2024, average NBHK pulp sales realizations increased by approximately 16% to $701 per ADMT from $602 per ADMT in the same quarter of 2023.

Total pulp sales volumes in the second quarter of 2024 decreased by approximately 19% to 433,320 ADMTs from 536,878 ADMTs in the same quarter of 2023 primarily because of lower production, due to scheduled maintenance downtime and the disposal of CPP, and the timing of sales.

Energy and chemical revenues in the second quarter of 2024 decreased by approximately 28% to $20.6 million from $28.5 million in the same quarter of 2023 primarily due to lower sales realizations and energy sales volumes.

Costs and expenses in the second quarter of 2024 decreased by approximately 25% to $364.0 million from $486.3 million in the same quarter of 2023 primarily as a result of lower sales volumes and lower per unit fiber, energy and chemical costs. In the second quarter of 2023, we recorded a non-cash inventory impairment of $51.4 million which was partially offset by $22.0 million of insurance proceeds received relating to the 2021 turbine downtime at our Rosenthal mill and the July 2022 fire at our Stendal mill.

Total pulp production in the second quarter of 2024 decreased by approximately 11% to 421,692 ADMTs compared with 475,615 ADMTs in the same quarter of 2023 primarily due to higher production lost for annual maintenance downtime and the disposal of the CPP joint venture investment in the first quarter of 2024, partially offset by the market curtailment at the Peace River and CPP mills in the second quarter of 2023. We estimate that annual maintenance downtime in the second quarter of 2024 adversely impacted our operating income by approximately $60.2 million, comprised of approximately $44.9 million in direct out-of-pocket expenses and the balance in reduced production. Many of our competitors that report their results using International Financial Reporting Standards capitalize their direct costs of maintenance downtime.

On average, in the second quarter of 2024, overall per unit fiber costs decreased by approximately 15% compared to the same quarter of 2023 due to stable supply. We currently expect stable per unit fiber costs in the third quarter of 2024.

Solid Wood

In the second quarter of 2024, our solid wood segment had an operating loss of $43.7 million compared to $22.5 million in the same quarter of 2023 primarily due to the non-cash goodwill impairment charge partially offset by higher mass timber sales volumes and lower per unit fiber costs.

Solid wood segment revenues in the second quarter of 2024 modestly increased to $130.2 million from $126.1 million in the same quarter of 2023 driven by higher manufactured products revenues partially offset by lower revenues from our other products.

Lumber revenues in the second quarter of 2024 decreased by approximately 9% to $53.9 million from $59.3 million in the same quarter of 2023 primarily due to lower sales volumes partially offset by a modestly higher sales realization. Average lumber sales realizations in the second quarter of 2024 increased by approximately 5% to $463 per Mfbm from $443 per Mfbm in the same quarter of 2023 driven by a modest increase in demand in the U.S. market. In Europe, realized lumber prices were flat compared to the same quarter of 2023. The U.S. market accounted for approximately 45% of our lumber revenues and approximately 39% of our lumber sales volumes in the second quarter of 2024. The majority of the balance of our lumber sales were to Europe.

Lumber sales volumes in the second quarter of 2024 decreased by approximately 13% to 116.6 MMfbm from 133.9 MMfbm in the same quarter of 2023 primarily due to lower production and the timing of sales.

In the second quarter of 2024, as a result of the continued ramp-up of our mass timber business, manufactured products revenues more than doubled to $35.4 million from $16.0 million in the same quarter of 2023. Manufactured products sales realizations increased by approximately 31% to $2,942 per m³ in the second quarter of 2024 from $2,243 per m³ in the same quarter of 2023 as a result of higher CLT sales volumes, which generate higher sales realizations relative to other manufactured products.

Energy, biofuels and wood residuals revenues in the second quarter of 2024 decreased by approximately 22% to $14.2 million from $18.1 million in the same quarter of 2023 driven by lower sales realizations and sales volumes.

Pallet revenues in the second quarter of 2024 decreased by approximately 18% to $26.7 million from $32.7 million in the same quarter of 2023 due to lower sales volumes and sales realizations as weak economic conditions in Europe negatively impacted demand.

Lumber production in the second quarter of 2024 decreased by approximately 9% to 111.4 MMfbm from 122.3 MMfbm in the same quarter of 2023 driven by planned maintenance downtime.

Fiber costs were approximately 75% of our lumber cash production costs in the second quarter of 2024. In the second quarter of 2024, per unit fiber costs for lumber production decreased by approximately 12% compared to the same quarter of 2023 because of stable supply. We currently expect stable per unit fiber costs in the third quarter of 2024.

Consolidated – Six Months Ended June 30, 2024 Compared to Six Months Ended June 30, 2023

Total revenues for the first half of 2024 were flat compared to the same period of 2023 as higher manufactured products sales revenues and pulp sales volumes were offset by lower lumber sales volumes and lower energy, pallet and pulp sales realizations.

Costs and expenses in the first half of 2024 decreased by approximately 7% to $1,097.0 million from $1,181.5 million in the same period of 2023 primarily as a result of lower per unit fiber, energy and chemical costs partially offset by the non-cash goodwill impairment of $34.3 million and the non-cash loss on disposal of the CPP joint venture investment of $23.6 million. In the first half of 2023, we recorded a non-cash inventory impairment of $66.6 million which was partially offset by $29.5 million of insurance proceeds received.

In the first half of 2024, Operating EBITDA increased to $94.0 million from negative Operating EBITDA of $41.2 million in the same period of 2023 primarily due to lower per unit fiber, energy and chemical costs. In the first half of 2023, we recorded a non-cash inventory impairment which was partially offset by insurance proceeds received.

Liquidity

As of June 30, 2024, we had cash and cash equivalents of $263.2 million, approximately $317.4 million available under our revolving credit facilities and aggregate liquidity of about $580.6 million.

Quarterly Dividend

A quarterly dividend of $0.075 per share will be paid on October 3, 2024 to all shareholders of record on September 25, 2024. Future dividends will be subject to Board approval and may be adjusted as business and industry conditions warrant.

For the full second quarter results, click here.

About Mercer International

Mercer International Inc. is a global forest products company with operations in Germany, USA and Canada with consolidated annual production capacity of 2.1 million tonnes of pulp, 960 million board feet of lumber, 210 thousand cubic meters of CLT, 45 thousand cubic meters of glulam, 17 million pallets and 230,000 metric tonnes of biofuels. To obtain further information on the company, please visit its website at https://www.mercerint.com.

Contact:

William D. McCartney – Chairman – (604) 684-1099

Source: Mercer International Inc.