The largest Western Canadian and Eastern Canadian based forest products companies reported overall higher net earnings in the first quarter of 2016 compared to both the first and fourth quarters of 2015, PwC reported. Commodity prices remained mixed for the first quarter, with lumber prices, specifically Western SPF 2x4 improving while panel and pulp prices declined. Western Canadian based companies posted net earnings of $143.7 million in the first quarter of 2016, compared to net earnings of $4.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2015 and net earnings of $122.2 million in the first quarter of 2015. Eastern Canadian based companies posted net earnings of $122.6 million in the first quarter of 2016, compared to net losses of $372.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2015 and losses of $161.9 million in the first quarter of 2015. Nine of the largest US-based forest and paper companies reported net earnings of US $1.27 billion in the first quarter of 2016, compared to earnings of US $417.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2015 and earnings of $1.28 billion in the first quarter of 2015.Ten of the largest European based forest and paper companies reported net earnings of Euro 819.6 million for the first quarter of 2016, compared to earnings of Euro 1.06 billion in the fourth quarter of 2015 and Euro 833.1 million reported in the first quarter of 2015.Six of the largest forest and paper companies in Japan posted net losses of US $16.5 million in the first quarter of 2016, compared to earnings of US $365.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2015 and earnings of US $215.2 million in the first quarter of 2015.In the Emerging Markets regions, five of the largest forest and paper companies reported net earnings of US $752.5 million, compared to net earnings of $575.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2016 and net losses of US $400.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2014. Global Forest and Paper Industry: Net Earnings Summary — Three months ended March 31, 2016
Commodity prices remained mixed for the first quarter, with lumber prices, specifically Western SPF 2x4 improving while panel and pulp prices declined.
