Holmen announces profit improvement

Holmen Paper Madrid. Photo: Holmen
Holmen Paper Madrid. Photo: Holmen

Holmen recently published its Interim Report January-September 2014Operating profit was SEK 1 262 million (January–September 2013: 731). The improvement in profit is due to higher prices for printing paper and sawn timber, a weaker Swedish krona and reduced production costs for paperboard. Profit for the previous year was impacted by items affecting comparability of SEK -140 million.

Operating profit for the third quarter was SEK 522 million, which was SEK 171 million higher than in the second quarter owing to good paperboard production and seasonally low costs.

Profit after tax amounted to SEK 912 million (481), which corresponds to earnings per share of SEK 10.9 (5.7).

The market situation for paperboard during the quarter was stable, but it was weak for printing paper. The market situation for sawn timber weakened as a result of the high level of supply on the market.