SEATTLE, July 27, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Weyerhaeuser Company WY today reported second quarter net earnings of $317 million, or 42 cents per diluted share, on net sales of $2.1 billion. This compares with earnings of $24 million, or 3 cents per diluted share, on net sales of $1.8 billion for the same period last year.

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Excluding net after-tax special charges of $15 million, the company reported net earnings of $332 million, or 44 cents per diluted share for the second quarter. This compares with net earnings before special items of $212 million for the same period last year and $275 million for the first quarter of 2018.  Adjusted EBITDA for the second quarter was $637 million compared with $506 million for the second quarter of last year and $544 million for the first quarter of 2018.

"I am very pleased with our second quarter financial results, as each of our businesses delivered solid operational performance and capitalized on market conditions to drive strong year-over-year improvement, including the highest Wood Products EBITDA on record," said Doyle R. Simons, president and chief executive officer. "In addition, we delivered Weyerhaeuser's highest EBITDA since 2006, when the company's operations were nearly three times larger than they are today. Looking forward, housing market fundamentals remain strong, and we remain relentlessly focused on driving operational excellence and fully capitalizing on market conditions to drive value for shareholders."

2Q 2018 Performance - In the South, log sales volumes were comparable with the first quarter and average realizations declined slightly due to a greater proportion of pulpwood sales. Unit logging costs increased seasonally due to additional thinning activity. In the West, slightly higher average log sales realizations were more than offset by seasonally higher forestry, road and unit logging costs. Fuel costs increased in both regions.

3Q 2018 Outlook - Weyerhaeuser expects third quarter earnings and Adjusted EBITDA will be lower than the second quarter, but slightly higher than the third quarter of 2017. The company anticipates seasonally higher road and forestry costs and higher fuel and unit logging costs. In the West, average sales realizations are expected to be slightly lower than the second quarter and fee harvest volumes will be comparable. In the South, the company anticipates higher fee harvest volumes and comparable average log sales realizations.

2Q 2018 Performance - Real Estate sales increased slightly compared with the first quarter and Energy and Natural Resources royalties were modestly higher. Adjusted EBITDA increased, but earnings were slightly lower due to a higher average land basis on the mix of properties sold.

3Q 2018 Outlook - Weyerhaeuser anticipates third quarter earnings and Adjusted EBITDA will be higher than the second quarter. We continue to expect full year 2018 Adjusted EBITDA for the segment will be approximately $250 million.

2Q 2018 Performance - Average sales realizations for lumber and oriented strand board improved significantly compared with the first quarter, and engineered wood products realizations increased modestly. Sales volumes rose seasonally for all product lines. These factors were partially offset by higher log, raw material and transportation costs.

Second quarter special items consist of a $20 million net pre-tax charge for finalization of product remediation costs.

3Q 2018 Outlook - Weyerhaeuser expects earnings before special items and Adjusted EBITDA will decrease compared with the second quarter. The company anticipates moderately lower average sales realizations for lumber and oriented strand board. As previously disclosed, sales volumes for oriented strand board will be lower due to an extended outage at our Grayling, Michigan mill for a scheduled press replacement.

2Q 2018 Performance - Second quarter results include a small non-cash benefit from elimination of intersegment profit in inventory and LIFO due to reduced log and lumber inventories. This compares with a charge in the first quarter. Non-cash non-operating pension and post-retirement expense also decreased due to finalization of measurements of year-end pension plan assets and liabilities.

ABOUT WEYERHAEUSER

Weyerhaeuser Company, one of the world's largest private owners of timberlands, began operations in 1900. We own or control 12.4 million acres of timberlands in the U.S. and manage additional timberlands under long-term licenses in Canada. We manage these timberlands on a sustainable basis in compliance with internationally recognized forestry standards. We are also one of the largest manufacturers of wood products. Our company is a real estate investment trust. In February 2016, we merged with Plum Creek Timber Company, Inc. In 2017, we generated $7.2 billion in net sales and employed approximately 9,300 people who serve customers worldwide. We are listed on the North American and World Dow Jones Sustainability Indices. Our common stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol WY. Learn more at www.weyerhaeuser.com.

EARNINGS CALL INFORMATION

Weyerhaeuser will hold a live conference call at 7 a.m. Pacific (10 a.m. Eastern) on July 27, 2018, to discuss second quarter results.

To access the live webcast and presentation online, go to the Investor Relations section on www.weyerhaeuser.com  on July 27, 2018.

To join the conference call from within North America, dial 855-223-0757 (access code: 5882807) at least 15 minutes prior to the call. Those calling from outside North America should dial 574-990-1206 (access code: 5882807). Replays will be available for two weeks at 855-859-2056 (access code: 5882807) from within North America and at 404-537-3406 (access code: 5882807) from outside North America.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release contains statements concerning the company's future results and performance that are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including without limitation with respect to the following for the third quarter of 2018: earnings and Adjusted EBITDA for each of our Timber and Real Estate, Energy & Natural Resources business segments; earnings before special items and Adjusted EBITDA for our Wood Products business segment; log sales realizations, fee harvest volumes, road and forestry costs and fuel and unit logging costs in our timber business; and sales realizations for lumber and oriented strand board and sales volumes for oriented strand board for our Wood Products business. These statements generally are identified by words such as "believe," "project," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "strategy," "future," "opportunity," "plan," "may," "should," "will," "would," and expressions such as "will be," "will continue," "will likely result," and similar words and expressions. These statements are based on our current expectations and assumptions and are not guarantees of future performance.  The realization of our expectations and the accuracy of our assumptions are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to:

• the effect of general economic conditions, including employment rates, interest rate levels, housing starts, availability of financing for home mortgages and strength of the U.S. dollar;
• market demand for our products, including market demand for our timberland properties with higher and better uses, which is related to, among other factors, the strength of the various U.S. business segments and U.S. and international economic conditions;
• changes in currency exchange rates, particularly the relative value of the U.S. dollar to the yen and the Canadian dollar, and the relative value of the euro to the yen;
• restrictions on international trade, tariffs imposed on imports and the availability and cost of shipping and transportation;
• economic activity in Asia, especially Japan and China;
• performance of our manufacturing operations, including maintenance requirements;
• potential disruptions in our manufacturing operations;
• the level of competition from domestic and foreign producers;
• raw material availability and prices;
• the effect of weather;
• the risk of loss from fires, floods, windstorms, hurricanes, pest infestation and other natural disasters;
• energy prices;
• the successful execution of our internal plans and strategic initiatives, including restructuring and cost reduction initiatives;
• the successful and timely execution and integration of our strategic acquisitions, including our ability to realize expected benefits and synergies, and the successful and timely execution of our strategic divestitures, each of which is subject to a number of risks and conditions beyond our control including, but not limited to, timing and required regulatory approvals;
• transportation and labor availability and costs;
• federal tax policies;
• the effect of forestry, land use, environmental and other governmental regulations;
• legal proceedings;
• performance of pension fund investments and related derivatives;
• the effect of timing of retirements and changes in the market price of our common stock on charges for share-based compensation;
• changes in accounting principles; and
• other matters described under "Risk Factors" in our 2017 Annual Report on Form 10-K, as well as those set forth from time to time in our other public statements and other reports and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events, or otherwise.

For more information contact:

Analysts - Beth Baum, 206-539-3907

Media - Nancy Thompson, 919-760-3484

RECONCILIATION OF ADJUSTED EBITDA TO NET EARNINGS

We reconcile Adjusted EBITDA to net earnings for the consolidated company and to operating income for the business segments, as those are the most directly comparable U.S. GAAP measures for each.

The table below reconciles Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter ended March 31, 2018:

The table below reconciles Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter ended June 30, 2018:

The table below reconciles Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter ended June 30, 2017:

 

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SOURCE Weyerhaeuser Company