PCA(US:PKG)2025-10-23 14:00Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported third quarter net income of $227 million or $2.51 per share, with adjusted net income of $247 million or $2.73 per share, compared to $239 million or $2.65 per share in 2024 [3][4] - Third quarter net sales were $2.3 billion in 2025, up from $2.2 billion in 2024 [3] - Total company EBITDA for the third quarter, excluding special items, was $503 million in 2025 compared to $461 million in 2024 [3][4] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - In the Packaging segment, EBITDA, excluding special items, was $492 million with sales of $2.1 billion, resulting in a margin of 23.1%, compared to last year's EBITDA of $446 million and sales of $2 billion with a margin of 22.2% [5][11] - The Paper segment reported EBITDA, excluding special items, of $40 million with sales of $161 million, reflecting a margin of 24.9%, down from a margin of 27.1% in 2024 [13] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Domestic containerboard and corrugated products prices and mix were $0.72 per share above 2024, while export containerboard prices were up $0.01 per share versus last year's third quarter [9][12] - Total shipments in the corrugated products plants were down 1.1% in 2025 compared to last year, with a noted decline in shipments per day [10] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company completed the acquisition of the Greif Containerboard business, which is expected to improve long-term productivity and efficiency [4][7] - The management emphasized the integration of the acquired operations into PCA's corrugated system, highlighting the cultural compatibility and customer focus of the Greif team [11][30] Management Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that customer ordering patterns reflect ongoing market conditions, with some end markets, such as beef and building materials, facing challenges [26][112] - For the fourth quarter, the company expects per day corrugated shipments to be higher than the third quarter, with anticipated lower prices and mix in the Packaging segment [18][19] Other Important Information - Cash provided by operations reached a record $469 million, with free cash flow also at a record $277 million [14] - The company revised its capital expenditure forecast for the year to approximately $800 million, down from a previous forecast of $840 million to $870 million [15][16] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you talk about bookings and billings as we're starting the fourth quarter? - The current blend of bookings and billings is slightly over 1% up, with tough comparisons expected to continue [24][25] Question: Any insights on the Greif acquisition and maintenance outlook? - The core converting side of the Greif business is well-capitalized, and operational improvements are being made [28][30] Question: How are you managing inventory and what are the expectations for 2026? - The company is actively working to reduce inventory levels and expects to manage this within normal operational outages [109] Question: Can you provide details on the impact of energy costs and inflation? - Energy costs have significantly increased, with electricity rates up 50% to 75%, impacting overall operational costs [55][57] Question: What is the outlook for the beef and building materials segments? - These segments are currently facing challenges, with beef herds at a 70-year low and building materials reliant on interest rates and housing starts [26][112]