STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Oct. 27, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Interim Report January-September 2005
Quarter Jan-Sept Full year
MSEK 3-05 2-05 3-04 2005 2004 2004
Net 4,082 4,201 3,824 12,084 11,611 15,653
turnover
Operating 590 449 568 1,403 1,600 1,952
profit
Profit 530 387 511 1,224 1,448 1,746
after
financial
items
Profit 371 271 362 859 1,026 1,275
after tax
Earnings 4.4 3.2 4.3 10.1 12.2 15.1
per share
(after
dilution),
SEK
Return on 9.6 7.0 9.6 7.4 8.4 7.9
equity, %
- The Group's net turnover for January-September amounted to MSEK 12,084 (January-September 2004: 11,611).
- The profit after tax amounted to MSEK 859 (1,026).
- Earnings per share after dilution amounted to SEK 10.1 (12.2). Return on equity was 7.4 % (8.4).
- The operating profit amounted to MSEK 1,403 (1,600). The decline is mainly due to significant cost increases for energy and other input goods, and unfavourable currency effects. Higher prices for newsprint and magazine paper have at the same time had a positive effect on the result.
In relation to the second quarter, the profit for the third quarter rose by MSEK 141 to MSEK 590, mainly owing to seasonally lower costs.
- The market situation for newsprint inEurope remained good during the third quarter. Holmen Paper's deliveries rose by 3 % in relation to January-September 2004. Prices were stable following the increases made at the beginning of the year.
The market situation for virgin fibre-based paperboard in Europe was good during the third quarter. Iggesund Paperboard's deliveries were 3 % lower than in January-September 2004, owing to lower production. Iggesund Paperboard has announced some price increases.
Stockholm 27 October 2005
Magnus Hall President and CEO
The report has not been subject to examination by the company's auditors.
Year-end report for 2005 will be published on 2 February 2006.
The 2006 Annual General Meeting will be held in Stockholm on 28 March at 16.00 hrs CET.
For further information please contact: Magnus Hall, President and CEO, tel +46 8 666 21 33 Anders Almgren, CFO, tel +46 8 666 21 16 Christer Lewell, Public Relations Director, tel +46 8 666 21 15
Holmen is a forest products industry group with the capacity to produce 2.4 million tonnes of paper and paperboard per year. The EU countries, which account for some 90 % of the Group's turnover, are by far the largest market. Holmen Paper produces paper for daily newspapers, magazines, directories and advertising matter at three Swedish mills and one Spanish mill. Iggesund Paperboard produces paperboard for packaging and graphic purposes at two Swedish mills and one English mill. Iggesund Timber produces sawn timber at one Swedish sawmill. Holmen Skog manages the Group's one million hectares of forests and the annual volume harvested from company forests is some 2.5 million cubic metres. Holmen's annual wood consumption is some 4.5 million cubic metres. Holmen Kraft produces in a normal year some 1,100 GWh of electric power at wholly and partly owned hydroelectric power stations in Sweden. Holmen's annual power consumption is some 4,200 GWh.
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