Boise Cascade Company Reports Second Quarter 2024 Results

Boise Cascade Company (“Boise Cascade,” the “Company,” “we,” or “our”) reported net income of $112.3 million, or $2.84 per share, on sales of $1.8 billion for the second quarter ended June 30, 2024, compared with net income of $146.3 million, or $3.67 per share, on sales of $1.8 billion for the second quarter ended June 30, 2023.

“Our team delivered solid financial performance in the second quarter while operating in a somewhat tepid demand environment influenced by elevated mortgage rates and economic uncertainties. In addition, spending on our organic growth projects progressed as expected and returns of capital to our shareholders were again in clear focus, including the recent announcement of a meaningful special dividend that will fund in September,” stated Nate Jorgensen, CEO. “While the near-term demand environment is uncertain, I remain confident in our ability to deliver quality results through the second half of the year. Our proven team will accomplish this by leveraging our outstanding manufacturing and wholesale distribution network, and our relentless drive to deliver superior value to our customer and vendor partners.”

Second Quarter 2024 Highlights

In second quarter 2024, total U.S. housing starts decreased 7%, while single-family housing starts increased 7%, compared to the same period in 2023. On a year-to-date basis through June 2024, total housing starts decreased 3%, while single-family housing starts increased 16%, compared to the same period in 2023. Single-family housing starts are the key demand driver for our sales.

Wood Products

Wood Products’ sales, including sales to Building Materials Distribution (BMD), decreased $40.5 million, or 8%, to $489.8 million for the three months ended June 30, 2024, from $530.3 million for the three months ended June 30, 2023. The decrease in sales was driven by lower plywood sales volumes, as well as lower sales prices for LVL and I-joists (collectively referred to as EWP). Other sales related to lumber and residual byproducts also decreased. These decreases were offset partially by increased sales volumes for EWP.

Wood Products’ segment income decreased $31.3 million to $72.8 million for the three months ended June 30, 2024, from $104.0 million for the three months ended June 30, 2023. The decrease in segment income was due primarily to lower EWP sales prices, as well as higher wood fiber and conversion costs. These decreases in segment income were offset partially by higher EWP sales volumes.

Building Materials Distribution

BMD’s sales increased $18.7 million, or 1%, to $1,655.2 million for the three months ended June 30, 2024, from $1,636.5 million for the three months ended June 30, 2023. Compared with the same quarter in the prior year, the overall increase in sales was driven by sales volume increases of 2%, offset partially by sales price decreases of 1%. Excluding the impact of the BROSCO acquisition on October 2, 2023, sales would have decreased by 2%. By product line, commodity sales decreased 6%, general line product sales increased 8%, and EWP sales (substantially all of which are sourced through our Wood Products segment) decreased less than 1%.

BMD segment income decreased $13.2 million to $85.4 million for the three months ended June 30, 2024, from $98.6 million for the three months ended June 30, 2023. The decrease in segment income was driven by increased selling and distribution expenses and depreciation and amortization expense of $10.9 million and $4.4 million, respectively. These decreases were offset partially by decreased general and administrative expenses of $2.0 million. Gross margins were flat when compared with the same quarter in the prior year.

Balance Sheet and Liquidity

Boise Cascade ended second quarter 2024 with $922.1 million of cash and cash equivalents and $395.7 million of undrawn committed bank line availability, for total available liquidity of $1,317.8 million. The Company had $445.7 million of outstanding debt at June 30, 2024.

Capital Allocation

We expect capital expenditures in 2024, excluding potential acquisition spending, to total approximately $250 million to $270 million.

On August 1, 2024, our board of directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.21 per share, as well as a special dividend of $5.00 per share, on our common stock. The dividends will be paid on September 16, 2024, to stockholders of record on September 3, 2024.

For the six months ended June 30, 2024, the Company paid $88.9 million for the repurchase of 677,845 shares of our common stock. Furthermore, in July 2024, the Company repurchased 90,000 shares of our common stock at a cost of $10.5 million. As of July 31, 2024, approximately 1.2 million shares were available for repurchase under our existing share repurchase program.

Outlook

Demand for the products we manufacture, as well as the products we purchase and distribute, is correlated with new residential construction, residential repair-and-remodeling activity and light commercial construction. Residential construction, particularly new single-family construction, is the key demand driver for the products we manufacture and distribute. Current industry forecasts for 2024 U.S. housing starts are slightly below actual housing starts of 1.42 million in 2023, as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau. Home affordability remains a challenge for many consumers due to the cost of housing, as well as persistent elevated mortgage rates. However, with low unemployment, an undersupply of existing housing stock available for sale, and favorable demographic trends, new residential construction is expected to remain an important source of supply for homebuyers. Multi-family starts have declined sharply from historic levels due to increased capital costs for developers, combined with elevated supply. Regarding home improvement spending, the age of U.S. housing stock and elevated levels of homeowner equity will continue to provide a favorable backdrop for repair-and-remodel spending. However, while home improvement spending is expected to remain healthy compared to history, renovation spending has softened due to consumer uncertainty, labor availability, higher borrowing costs, and building material inflation. Ultimately, macroeconomic factors, the level and expectations for mortgage rates, home affordability, home equity levels, home size, and other factors will likely influence the near-term demand environment for the products we manufacture and distribute.

As a manufacturer of certain commodity products, we have sales and profitability exposure to declines in commodity product prices and rising input costs. Our distribution business purchases and resells a broad mix of products with periods of increasing prices providing the opportunity for higher sales and increased margins, while declining price environments expose us to declines in sales and profitability. Future product pricing, particularly commodity products pricing and input costs, may be volatile in response to economic uncertainties, industry operating rates, supply-related disruptions, transportation constraints or disruptions, net import and export activity, inventory levels in various distribution channels, and seasonal demand patterns.

For full second quarter results click here.

About Boise Cascade

Boise Cascade Company is one of the largest producers of engineered wood products and plywood in North America and a leading U.S. wholesale distributor of building products. For more information, please visit our website at www.bc.com.

Contact:

Lisa Tschampl – Media Contact – mediarelations@bc.com

Source: Boise Cascade Company