Suzano S.A.(US:SUZ)2025-11-07 14:00Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company's cash cost decreased by 7% compared to Q3 2024, driven by operational efficiencies and input cost reductions [2][4] - Net debt remained stable quarter-on-quarter, but leverage in dollar terms increased to 3.3 times due to a decline in EBITDA over the last 12 months primarily from lower pulp prices [3][4] - The cash cost of production ex-downtime is now below BRL 800 per ton, indicating strong operational performance [3][4] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The Ribas units contributed significantly to improvements across all cash cost components, particularly in wood costs, which saw a notable reduction [2][4] - The company is focusing on cash production costs and aims to maintain a competitive cash cost in the upcoming quarters [6][7] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Prices of domestic wood chips in China have increased, impacting the cash cost of production for Chinese producers [11][12] - The dynamics for softwood in China have weakened, with prices dropping due to an abundance of supply, while hardwood prices are recovering [10][12][14] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is committed to reducing cash costs and extracting value from recent investments, particularly in packaging and joint ventures [7][8][9] - Future CAPEX guidance for 2025 is set at BRL 13.3 billion, with a focus on maintaining operational efficiency and managing costs [6][41] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in delivering competitive cash costs in Q4 2024-2025, despite potential downtimes affecting specific quarters [3][6] - The management highlighted the unsustainable pricing scenario in the pulp market, indicating a cautious outlook while monitoring market dynamics closely [20][34] Other Important Information - The company has a healthy hedge portfolio with a total value of $6 billion, which could provide a positive cash impact of nearly BRL 2.5 billion over the next two years [5] - The company is not planning to exercise the option to acquire an additional stake in Lenzing in the short term, focusing instead on analyzing market trends [27] Q&A Session All Questions and Answers Question: Dynamics of wood chips and softwood in the Chinese market - Management noted an uptick in prices for both domestic and imported wood chips in China, which is expected to increase cash costs for Chinese producers [11][12] Question: Cash cost improvements and future expectations - Management confirmed that they are running below BRL 800 per ton and are focused on maintaining this level while exploring further cost-cutting opportunities [15][18] Question: Expectations for London Pulp Week - Management indicated that the current market scenario is unsustainable, with expectations of increased closures and a potential shift in pricing dynamics [20][21] Question: Growth opportunities in the US paper market - Management highlighted that there are still significant growth opportunities in the US market, particularly in food service, and emphasized the focus on improving efficiency [47][48]