• Net sales increased to SEK 15,097m (13,697). The sales increase was mainly a result of higher delivery volumes due to continued ramp up of commissioned investments in Containerboard and Pulp.
• EBITDA amounted to SEK 5,494m (5,172). Higher selling prices, positive exchange rate effects and higher delivery volumes had a positive impact on earnings. Higher harvesting volume in own forest reduced the impact of rising costs for wood raw material in SCA's industries.
• EBITDA margin was 36.4% (37.8).
• Operating profit increased to SEK 3,914m (3,738).
• Operating cash flow amounted to SEK 1,911m (3,040).
• Earnings per share was SEK 4.01 (4.02).

• Net sales increased to SEK 5,248m (4,302), mainly attributable to higher selling prices and higher delivery volumes.
• EBITDA increased to SEK 2,010m (1,417) and EBITDA margin amounted to 38.3% (32.9). Higher selling prices together with good cost control had a positive impact on earnings.

• Net sales amounted to SEK 5,248m (5,291). Lower delivery volumes were offset by higher selling prices.
• EBITDA increased to SEK 2,010m (1,888) and EBITDA margin was 38.3% (35.7). The increase was mainly attributable to higher selling prices, which were offset by higher raw material costs.

KEY FIGURES

Quarter Jan-Sep
SEKm 2024:3 2023:3 % 2024:2 % 2024 2023 %
Net sales 5,248 4,302 22 5,291 -1 15,097 13,697 10
EBITDA 2,010 1,417 42 1,888 6 5,494 5,172 6
EBITDA margin, % 38.3 32.9 35.7 36.4 37.8
Operating profit 1,476 913 62 1,361 8 3,914 3,738 5
Net Profit 1,070 663 61 960 11 2,819 2,792 1
Earnings per share SEK 1.52 0.96 1.37 4.01 4.02

Operating cash flow 708 1,189 526 1,911 3,040
Net Debt / EBITDA (LTM) 1.6x 1.4x 1.8x 1.6x 1.4x

SUMMARY OF THE THIRD QUARTER OF 2024

SCA's earnings for the third quarter were stronger compared with the preceding quarter and the year-earlier quarter. The high rate of self-sufficiency in primarily forest raw material, but also energy and logistics, enabled good cost control and helped curb a gradual increase in costs for wood raw material in SCA's industries. Together with higher selling prices, this had a positive impact on earnings in the third quarter.

The supply of wood raw material to SCA's industries was stable. Demand remained high for wood raw material, which led to a gradual increase in prices for sawlogs and pulpwood.

Demand for solid-wood products remained uncertain with essentially unchanged selling prices compared with the preceding quarter. Despite an uncertain market, SCA's delivery volumes for solid-wood products increased compared with the preceding quarter.

Selling prices in the Pulp segment increased compared with the preceding quarter, while delivery volumes decreased, mainly related to the planned maintenance stop that began during the period.

Demand for packaging material remained healthy during the quarter, leading to higher selling prices compared with the preceding quarter.

The market for biofuels remained weak and electricity prices low, which contributed to lower selling prices in the Renewable Energy segment. The ramp-up of the biorefinery in Gothenburg is proceeding as planned, with lower start-up costs compared with the previous quarter.

INVITATION TO PRESS CONFERENCE ON INTERIM REPORT FOR THE THIRD QUARTER OF 2024

A webcast press conference will be held where this interim report will be presented by the President and CEO, Ulf Larsson, and by the CFO, Andreas Ewertz, on Friday, October 25 starting at 10:00 a.m.

The press conference will be webcast live at www.sca.com. It is also possible to participate by telephone by calling:

Sweden:+46 (0)8 505 204 24
UK:+44 (0)33 0551 0200
US:+1 786 697 3501

Specify "SCA Q3".

Sundsvall, October 25, 2024

SVENSKA CELLULOSA AKTIEBOLAGET SCA (publ)

Ulf Larsson
President and CEO

 
 
For further information, please contact
Andreas Ewertz, CFO, +46 (0)60 19 31 97
Josefine Bonnevier, Investor Relations Director, +46 (0)60 19 33 90
Anders Edholm, SVP Sustainability and Communications, +46 (0)60 19 32 12

Please note:

This is information that SCA is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation and the Securities Markets Act. This report has been prepared in both Swedish and English versions. In case of variations in the content between the two versions, the Swedish version shall govern. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out below, on October 25, 2024 at 08:00 a.m. CEST. The report has not been reviewed by the company's auditors.

Anders Edholm, SVP Sustainability and Communications, +46 (0)60 19 32 12

The core of SCA's business is the growing forest, Europe's largest private forest holding. Around this unique resource, we have built a well-developed value chain based on renewable raw material from our own and others' forests. We offer packaging paper, pulp, wood products, renewable energy, services for forest owners and efficient transport solutions. 2023 the forest products company SCA had approximately 3,400 employees and sales amounted to approximately SEK 18 bn. SCA was founded in 1929 and has its headquarters in Sundsvall, Sweden. For more information, visit www.sca.com