Resolute Reports Preliminary Second Quarter 2020 Results

Resolute Forest Products Inc. reported net income for the quarter ended June 30, 2020, of $6 million, or $0.07 per diluted share, compared to net income of $25 million, or $0.27 per diluted share, in the same period in 2019. Sales were $612 million in the quarter, a decrease of $143 million from the year-ago period. Excluding special items, the company reported a net loss of $22 million, or $0.25 per share, compared to net income of $11 million, or $0.12 per diluted share, in the second quarter of 2019.

“The Covid-19 pandemic and ensuing economic slowdown have brought with them unprecedented challenges and business uncertainty,” said Yves Laflamme, president and chief executive officer. “I am grateful for the commitment of our employees, contractors and suppliers, and their loyalty and hard work: they pulled together, allowing us to operate as an essential business, true to our commitment to world-class safety while remaining committed to a job well done. Despite the challenging business environment, except for the low-interest term loan used to finance the acquisition of the U.S. sawmills, we repaid all of the borrowings we drew in Q1, and our liquidity improved to nearly $400 million. On the business side, we’ve seen stronger pulp pricing and higher lumber shipments in the second quarter, offset by a weaker paper segment, which reflects lower demand levels since the onset of the pandemic and our resulting capacity adjustments. We’re pleased with the integration of our recently-acquired U.S. sawmills and we’re excited about their prospects.”

Non-GAAP financial measures, such as adjustments for special items and adjusted EBITDA, are explained and reconciled below.

Operating Income Variance Against Prior Period

Consolidated

The company reported operating income of $6 million in the second quarter. The $14 million improvement over the previous quarter reflects the favorable impact of the weaker Canadian dollar ($11 million), stronger pulp pricing ($9 million) and higher lumber shipments ($9 million), offset by lower paper and pulp shipments ($18 million) and softer quarter-over-quarter lumber pricing ($5 million), despite a late quarter increase in pricing.

Segment Operating Income Variance

As of the second quarter, the company’s results from the newsprint and specialty papers segments have been combined into one paper segment. Comparative information, including the information in this earnings release, has been modified to conform with this revised segment presentation.

Market Pulp

Operating income in the market pulp segment was $10 million in the quarter, an improvement of $13 million from the previous quarter. The average transaction price rose by $34 per metric ton, or 6%, with gains in each of the grades, and the operating cost per unit (the “delivered cost”) decreased by $14 per metric ton, or 2%, to $581 per metric ton. Shipments, however, were 45,000 metric tons lower, due mostly to the timing of annual outages at the Calhoun (Tennessee) and Thunder Bay (Ontario) mills during the quarter, and lower demand for recycled bleached kraft pulp. EBITDA in the segment was $16 million. Finished goods inventory was 87,000 metric tons at quarter-end.

Tissue

The tissue segment generated an operating loss of $2 million in the quarter compared to operating income of $2 million in the previous quarter. The average transaction price improved by 4%, or $65 per short ton, but shipments slipped by 4,000 short tons, or 14%, due to low inventory early in the quarter as a result of the spike in customer demand in the early stages of the pandemic. Delivered cost per unit increased by $167 per short ton, or 10%, reflecting the impact of lower sales and also maintenance costs associated with the annual outage in Calhoun. Finished goods inventory at quarter-end remains low, at 5,000 short tons. Segment EBITDA was $3 million.

Wood Products

Operating income in the wood products segment was $15 million in the quarter, a $10 million improvement from the first quarter. Shipments rose by 78 million board feet due to added capacity for a full quarter of the U.S. sawmills acquired on February 1, as well as the impact of Canadian railroad blockades in the first quarter. The average transaction price slipped by $9 per thousand board feet, or 2%, compared to the first quarter, due to market uncertainty around the unfolding pandemic. Accordingly, excluding the U.S. sawmills, the company reduced production at several sites, leading to downtime of approximately 70 million board feet in the quarter. The delivered cost improved by $25 per thousand board feet, or 7%, to $355 per thousand board feet, reflecting better productivity. EBITDA in the segment improved by $9 million, to $25 million.

Paper

The paper segment incurred an operating loss of $12 million in the quarter, a decline of $9 million from the previous quarter. Shipments fell by 132,000 metric tons, or 27%, consistent with reduced production in order to adjust to the dramatic decrease in economic activity, particularly for marketing-dependent products like newspapers, inserts, flyers and commercial papers. The average transaction price, however, remained relatively stable, decreasing by $8 per metric ton, or 1%. The company recorded downtime of approximately 180,000 metric tons in the quarter, reducing inventory by 20,000 metric tons from the end of the first quarter, to 130,000 metric tons. The delivered cost increased by $20 per metric ton, to $625 per metric ton, due to the impact of downtime. EBITDA declined by $10 million, remaining positive at $4 million.

Consolidated Quarterly Operating Income Variance Against Year-Ago Period

The company reported operating income of $6 million in the second quarter, compared to operating income of $40 million in the second quarter of 2019. The change reflects lower selling prices in the pulp and paper segments ($55 million) and lower paper shipments ($40 million), partially offset by favorable manufacturing costs ($18 million), higher pricing in the wood products and tissue segments ($14 million) and the added contribution of the recently-acquired U.S. sawmills ($6 million). Adjusted EBITDA was $37 million, $45 million lower than the second quarter of 2019.

Corporate and Finance

The company generated $125 million from operating activities in the quarter, due largely to a $92 million reduction in working capital, including a seasonal decrease in roundwood inventory. It made capital expenditures of $16 million and softwood lumber duty deposits of $17 million. As of the end of the quarter, the cumulative total of softwood lumber duty deposits was $194 million.

On financing activities, the company reduced borrowings under its credit facilities by $191 million in the quarter, leaving outstanding from its first quarter draws only a $180 million low-interest ten-year term loan used to finance the acquisition of the U.S. sawmills. Liquidity improved by $47 million from the end of the first quarter, to $396 million.

The company also completed the disposition of the Augusta newsprint mill for $9 million in the quarter. The mill, which had production capacity of 214,000 metric tons of newsprint, was indefinitely idled in November of 2019.

Outlook

Concerning the coronavirus pandemic, Mr. Laflamme added: “We continue to focus on the short-term priorities we communicated after the first quarter, including: operating under rigorous protocols around the health and safety of our employees, contractors and suppliers; disciplined liquidity management; monitoring customer credit risk; and controlling spending around SG&A and capital expenditures.”

Turning to the business outlook, Mr. Laflamme continued: “The significant slowdown in economic activity due to the pandemic will continue to impact demand for paper products, and we will continue to adjust our capacity as conditions evolve. Pulp has benefitted from higher demand for higher-quality tissue despite lower printing and writing shipments, but there could be short-term pressure as those markets stabilize in the ongoing pandemic economy. We continue to drive for customer portfolio optimization in the tissue business, particularly in the retail segment where we continue to make inroads as we place volume with new customers and demonstrate the quality of our products. We expect to continue to gain momentum in the coming quarters. The lumber market lately has been a bright spot against what were pessimistic expectations in April, driven by the strength of the repair & remodeling market and stronger housing starts, giving us the opportunity to bring back to production some of the sidelined Canadian capacity. The integration of the U.S. lumber assets is progressing well, as they have also benefitted from an above-seasonal surge in demand for decking. As lumber demand remains promising, we are pursuing our plan to bring the El Dorado facility on-line in early 2021.”

For the full second quarter results, click here.

About Resolute Forest Products

Resolute Forest Products is a global leader in the forest products industry with a diverse range of products, including market pulp, tissue, wood products, newsprint and specialty papers, which are marketed in close to 70 countries. The company owns or operates some 40 facilities, as well as power generation assets, in the United States and Canada. Resolute has third-party certified 100% of its managed woodlands to internationally recognized sustainable forest management standards. The shares of Resolute Forest Products trade under the stock symbol RFP on both the New York Stock Exchange and the Toronto Stock Exchange. Resolute has received regional, North American and global recognition for its leadership in corporate social responsibility and sustainable development, as well as for its business practices. Visit www.resolutefp.com for more information.

Contact:

Marianne Limoges – Treasurer & Vice President Investor Relations – ir@resolutefp.com – (514) 394-2217

Source: Resolute Forest Products Inc.