Smurfit Westrock Plc (SW) reported earnings of 73 cents per share in first-quarter 2025, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 65 cents by a margin of 12%. The bottom line was flat compared with the year-ago quarter. Smurfit Westrock was formed by the merger of two major paper and packaging industry players, Smurfit Kappa and WestRock, on July 5, 2024. Results for Smurfit Westrock are being reported from the third quarter of 2024 as a unified company. In the current first-quarter 2025 earnings release, th ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - For Q1 2025, Dallas News Corporation reported a net income of $28.3 million or $5.28 per share, compared to a net loss of $1.4 million in Q1 2024 [5] - Operating income for the quarter was $34.2 million, which includes a net gain of $36.2 million from the sale of the Plano printing facility [5] - Total revenue decreased to $29.1 million from $31.1 million year-over-year, a decline of $2 million [5] - On a non-GAAP basis, the adjusted operating loss was $1.2 million, an improvement of $400,000 compared to the adjusted operating loss of $800,000 in the same period last year [5][6] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Advertising and marketing services revenue was $800,000, a decrease of $800,000 or 7.2% compared to $11.6 million reported last year, primarily due to a print advertising revenue decline of $700,000 or 12.2% [6] - Circulation revenue was $15.4 million, down $900,000 or 5.2% from $16.3 million last year, mainly due to a print circulation revenue decrease of $700,000 or 6% [6] - Total membership, including both print and digital, was 125,972 as of March 31, down from 126,973 as of December 31 [6] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Digital-only subscriptions increased to 65,028, reflecting a 1.1% increase from December 31 and a 4.2% increase compared to March of last year [7] - The company noted softness in print advertising, particularly in real estate and retail sectors, while financial services advertising remained robust [32][33] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on transitioning print operations to a smaller, more efficient facility, with expected expense savings starting in May [10][11] - The board is discussing capital allocation strategies, including investing in digital revenue growth and returning capital to shareholders [11] - The company aims to improve margins at Medium Giant by focusing on larger, more profitable accounts and discontinuing relationships with smaller clients [43] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the return to growth plan, highlighting the successful funding of pension obligations and the transition to a new printing facility [9][10] - The management acknowledged the slower-than-expected growth in digital subscriptions but is implementing more aggressive offers to stimulate growth [25][26] - Economic uncertainties, including tariffs and consumer demand, are being closely monitored as they may impact advertising budgets [11][32] Other Important Information - The company recorded $6 million in tax expense for the quarter, but cash taxes are expected to be approximately $700,000 due to the utilization of net operating loss carryforwards [8] - As of April 25, the company had approximately $36 million in cash and cash equivalents following the sale of the Plano property [11] Q&A Session Summary Question: Is the company still on track for the $5 million profit improvement expected for 2025? - Management confirmed that they expect to realize the $5 million in savings starting in May, with a partial realization in Q2 and full realization in Q3 and Q4 [21][22] Question: Can you explain the 16% lift in starts from the new dynamic paywall? - The 16% lift refers to the increase in new subscriptions generated by the dynamic paywall compared to the previous meter strategy, which was based on fixed business rules [24] Question: How are subscribers trending in Q2? - Subscriber growth is still occurring, but at a slower pace than desired. The company is testing a more aggressive offer to boost subscription volume [25][26] Question: What areas of advertising showed weakness in Q1? - The company noted softness in real estate and retail advertising, while financial services remained strong. The agency side is steadier compared to print [32][33] Question: Will the increase in newsprint usage normalize in Q2? - Yes, the newsprint usage will return to 2024 levels, although pricing may fluctuate due to market conditions [38][39] Question: What is the status of pension obligations? - The company spent $10 million to fully fund the pension, which was less than the initially expected $14 to $16 million [41] Question: What is the expected profitability level for Medium Giant going forward? - Management aims to improve Medium Giant's margins into the double digits, focusing on larger clients to enhance profitability [44]

Gannett (GCI) Q1 2025 Earnings Call May 01, 2025 08:30 AM ET Company Participants Matt Esposito - Head - IRMike Reed - Chairman and CEOKristin Roberts - President & Chief Content OfficerTrisha Gosser - CFOGiuliano Bologna - Managing DirectorMatthew Condon - Director Equity Research - Internet & Digital Media Operator note this conference is being recorded. I will now turn the conference over to your host, Matt Esposito, Head of Investor Relations. You may begin. Matt Esposito Thank you. Good morning, everyo ...

Gannett (GCI) Q1 2025 Earnings Call May 01, 2025 08:30 AM ET Company Participants Matt Esposito - Head - IRMike Reed - Chairman and CEOKristin Roberts - President & Chief Content OfficerTrisha Gosser - CFOGiuliano Bologna - Managing DirectorMatthew Condon - Director Equity Research - Internet & Digital Media Operator note this conference is being recorded. I will now turn the conference over to your host, Matt Esposito, Head of Investor Relations. You may begin. Matt Esposito Thank you. Good morning, everyo ...

Graphic Packaging (GPK) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.51 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.56 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.66 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of -8.93%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this packaging company would post earnings of $0.63 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.59, delivering a surprise of -6.35%.Over the last four quarters, t ...

Smurfit Westrock (SW) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.73 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.65 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.39 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of 12.31%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this paper and packaging company would post earnings of $0.68 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.34, delivering a surprise of -50%.Over the last four quart ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total operating revenues for Q1 were $571.6 million, a decrease of 10.1% year-over-year, or 7.7% on a same-store basis [30] - Adjusted EBITDA totaled $50.5 million, representing a margin of 8.8%, with a year-over-year decline in line with expectations [31] - The company reported a net loss of $7 million in Q1, an improvement of approximately $77 million compared to the previous year [33] - Free cash flow in Q1 totaled $10.2 million, growing 7.6%, with expectations for similar performance in Q2 [38] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total digital revenues in Q1 were $250.4 million, down 6.4% year-over-year, representing approximately 44% of total revenues [34] - Digital-only subscription revenues exceeded $43 million, reflecting minor same-store growth, impacted by elevated customer churn [34] - Adjusted EBITDA for the Digital Marketing Solutions (DMS) segment totaled $8.5 million, with core platform revenue at $108.2 million [37] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company had 195 million average monthly unique visitors, growing over 4% compared to the prior year [14] - The UK market experienced a slowdown in digital advertising trends, reflective of the local economy [36] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to leverage its industry-leading scale and diverse digital businesses to drive long-term growth [11] - A key focus is on enhancing monetization opportunities through investments in digital initiatives and expanding first-party data [13] - The recent DOJ ruling against Google is seen as a potential catalyst for a more equitable digital advertising marketplace, benefiting the company [12] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in achieving full-year 2025 business outlook despite a challenging first quarter [7] - The company anticipates a marked improvement in top-line trends, particularly in digital revenue, as it moves past unique first-quarter challenges [6] - Management noted that the fundamentals of the business are improving, with stronger retention and a more diversified revenue base [56] Other Important Information - The company reduced its debt by approximately $75 million in Q1, strengthening its capital structure [8] - A leadership transition occurred with the appointment of Tricia Gosser as Chief Financial Officer [9] Q&A Session Summary Question: Impact of DOJ case against Google - Management believes the DOJ's win sets the stage for a more favorable ad marketplace, leading to greater transparency and higher revenue shares for publishers [44] Question: Adjustments to affiliate revenue business - The company is working with affiliate partners to navigate changes and reenergize revenue growth through leveraging existing content [50] Question: Confidence in 2025 guidance - Management remains confident in the guidance, citing improvements in fundamentals and operational efficiencies [56] Question: Digital subscription revenue trends - On a same-store basis, there was some growth in digital subscriptions, but impacted by higher revenue reversals [73] Question: Tools to aggregate budgets onto the platform - The company is leveraging relationships with advertisers and building out first-party data solutions to drive up CPM [79] Question: Status of non-strategic asset sales - The company has largely worked through its real estate portfolio and does not feel pressured to sell assets that could negatively impact the business [83]

2025 First Quarter Results May 1, 2025 Paper | Packaging | Solutions Smurfit Westrock Q1 | 2025 Results | 2 Forward Looking Statements The presentation includes certain "forward-looking statements" (including within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) regarding, among other things, the plans, strategies, outcomes, outlooks, and prospects, both business and financial, of Smurfit Westrock, the expected benefi ...

Market Overview - The paper and sanitary napkin industry is experiencing multidimensional growth, with the household paper market reaching a size of 157.1 billion yuan in 2022, growing at a CAGR of 8.1% from 2015 to 2022, indicating room for growth as per capita consumption is lower than in developed countries [2][7] - The sanitary napkin market reached a size of 99.1 billion yuan in 2022, with a CAGR of 5.9% from 2012 to 2022, suggesting a relatively stable growth with potential for increased per capita consumption [2][7] E-commerce Performance - E-commerce is a significant driver of industry growth, with the paper/wet wipes sector expected to achieve a CAGR of 16% from 2021 to 2024, reaching over 35 billion yuan by 2024; the sanitary napkin sector is projected to grow at a CAGR of 17%, exceeding 18 billion yuan by 2024 [2][16] - In Q1 2025, sales in the paper/wet wipes category are expected to surpass 29 billion yuan, with sanitary napkin sales experiencing a dramatic increase of 38% [2][23] Industry Structure - The household paper segment is the largest, while wet wipes are the fastest-growing category, with a relatively stable CR10 [2][28] - The sanitary napkin market shows a significant share for traditional napkins, while tampons are underperforming, driven by high prices [3][28] Consumer Trends - Consumers are increasingly seeking specialized products, with notable growth in cleaning paper products, female hygiene products, and swim diapers for infants [3][31] - There is a marked difference in demand for paper products across regions, with brand influence being significant during purchase decisions, and repurchase rates being closely tied to user experience [3][31] Challenges and Opportunities - The industry faces challenges related to trust and quality issues, but the implementation of new national standards in July 2025 is expected to drive quality upgrades and market reshuffling [3][12] - The potential for quality upgrades remains, as both paper and sanitary napkin segments have not fully transitioned to higher quality products, indicating further growth opportunities [10][12]

Core Insights - DallasNews Corporation reported a significant turnaround in financial performance for Q1 2025, achieving a net income of $28.3 million compared to a net loss of $1.4 million in Q1 2024, largely due to the sale of the Plano printing facility [2][24]. - The company is focused on its Return to Growth Plan, which includes fully funding pension plans and transitioning printing operations, leading to expected expense savings [2][13]. Financial Performance - Total revenue for Q1 2025 was $29.1 million, a decrease of $2.0 million or 6.4% compared to Q1 2024 [4]. - Advertising and marketing services revenue was $10.8 million, down 7.2% from $11.6 million in the previous year, primarily due to a 12.2% decline in print advertising revenue [5]. - Circulation revenue decreased to $15.4 million, a drop of 5.2% from $16.3 million, mainly due to a 6.0% decline in print circulation revenue [6]. - The company recorded a net gain of $36.2 million from the sale of the Plano printing facility, which significantly impacted operating income, resulting in an operating income of $34.2 million [2][24]. Operating Expenses - Total consolidated operating expense was $(5.1) million, with an improvement of $1.7 million or 5.3% compared to Q1 2024 when excluding the gain from the facility sale [8]. - Adjusted operating expense was $30.3 million, reflecting a decrease of $1.6 million or 4.9% year-over-year, primarily due to savings in employee compensation and benefits [9]. Employee and Cash Position - As of March 31, 2025, the company had 461 employees, a reduction of 70 or 13.2% compared to the previous year, attributed to the transition to a more efficient printing facility [12]. - The company reported cash and cash equivalents of $44.2 million, significantly up from $9.6 million at the end of 2024, and has no debt [12][26]. Pension Plans - The company fully funded its pension liabilities using proceeds from the Plano printing facility sale and transitioned these obligations to an insurance carrier through an annuity purchase agreement [10][13].