Metsä Group’s sales in January–September 2019 were Euro 4,183.1 million, compared to Euro 4,290.2 million in January–September 2018. Sales decreased due, for example, to paperboard delivery volumes and pulp prices, both of which were lower than last year, as the company says in the press release received by Lesprom Network.
The comparable operating result was Euro 418.4 million, or 10% of sales. The decrease was mainly due to higher raw material and production costs compared to the corresponding period last year, as well as the decline of pulp’s sales prices, particularly in the Chinese market.
Sales in the 3Q 2019 totalled Euro 1,373.7 million, whereas sales for the corresponding period last year were Euro 1,385.8 million. The comparable operating result was Euro 110.3 million.
3Q 2019 operating result was Euro 110 million. Comparable operating result was Euro 110 million.
President and CEO Ilkka Hämälä said: “Metsä Group’s 3Q result weakened, as expected, compared to the previous quarter. The price level of pulp in Europe continued to decline as a result of China’s lower price level. In China, the prices of softwood pulp were stable during the third quarter and took a slightly upward turn at the end of September as softwood pulp inventories approached their average level, and as a number of producers announced production curtailments attributable to the market situation and technical reasons.”
Metsä Group is a forerunner in sustainable bioeconomy utilising renewable wood from sustainably managed northern forests. Metsäliitto Cooperative is the parent company of Metsä Group and is owned by approximately 103,000 Finnish forest owners.
