Stora Enso Oyj: Change in the reporting of costs related to growth of biological assets

HELSINKI, Finland--()--Regulatory News:

Stora Enso (HEX:STEAV) (HEX:STERV) (STO:STEA) (STO:STER) is changing its reporting regarding the costs related to the growth of biological assets (i.e. growing trees) starting from the fourth quarter of 2016.

STORA ENSO OYJ STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE 8 December 2016 at 14.00 EET

Costs related to the development of biological assets are capitalised on the balance sheet during the growth cycle (i.e. until the time of harvesting). At harvesting, the capitalised costs are transferred from biological assets to inventory. Prior to the change, Stora Enso has included the costs related to the growth of biological assets in its operational EBITDA.

Starting from the fourth quarter of 2016, these growth costs will be excluded from operational EBITDA and presented as Operational decrease in the value of biological assets. The reason for the change is to align the reporting of the growth costs with industry benchmarks.

This change will affect the following key figures:

· operational EBITDA

· operational EBITDA margin

· net debt to last 12 months’ operational EBITDA ratio

There will be no impact on operational EBIT, the subtotals of the official Condensed Consolidated Income Statement or the group’s other IFRS figures.

The new definition of the non-IFRS measure of operational EBITDA is: operating profit/loss excluding operational decrease in the value of biological assets, fixed asset depreciation and impairment, share of results of equity accounted investments, IAC and fair valuations.

The historical figures are restated according to the new reporting structure and presented in the tables below.

RECONCILIATION OF OPERATIONAL PROFITABILITY

As published

EUR million   Q3/16   Q2/16   Q1/16   2015   Q4/15   Q3/15   Q2/15   Q1/15
Operational EBITDA 326 333 356 1 352 341 353 318 340
Equity accounted investments (EAI), operational 17 16 16 80 22 21 24 13
Depreciation and impairment excl. IAC -124 -123 -124 -517 -121 -128 -135 -133
Operational EBIT 219 226 248 915 242 246 207 220
Fair valuations and non-operational items -14 -15 -26 378 401 -25 15 -13
Items affecting comparability (IAC) -9 37 -28 -234 -250 16 -8 8
Operating profit (IFRS) 196 248 194 1 059 393 237 214 215

Restated

EUR million   Q3/16   Q2/16   Q1/16   2015   Q4/15   Q3/15   Q2/15   Q1/15
Operational EBITDA 343 355 363 1 408 351 369 337 351
Equity accounted investments (EAI), operational 17 16 16 80 22 21 24 13
Operational decrease in the value of biological assets -17 -22 -7 -56 -10 -16 -19 -11
Depreciation and impairment excl. IAC -124 -123 -124 -517 -121 -128 -135 -133
Operational EBIT 219 226 248 915 242 246 207 220
Fair valuations and non-operational items -14 -15 -26 378 401 -25 15 -13
Items affecting comparability (IAC) -9 37 -28 -234 -250 16 -8 8
Operating profit (IFRS) 196 248 194 1 059 393 237 214 215

Change

EUR million   Q3/16   Q2/16   Q1/16   2015   Q4/15   Q3/15   Q2/15   Q1/15
Operational EBITDA 17 22 7 56 10 16 19 11
Equity accounted investments (EAI), operational 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Operational decrease in the value of biological assets -17 -22 -7 -56 -10 -16 -19 -11
Depreciation and impairment excl. IAC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Operational EBIT 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Fair valuations and non-operational items 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Items affecting comparability (IAC) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Operating profit (IFRS) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

OPERATIONAL EBITDA BY SEGMENTS

As published

EUR million   Q3/16   Q2/16   Q1/16   2015   Q4/15   Q3/15   Q2/15   Q1/15
Consumer Board 109 113 108 434 89 116 114 115
Packaging Solutions 37 33 23 147 37 32 38 40
Biomaterials 71 84 110 420 108 125 87 100
Wood Products 30 41 23 111 26 30 32 23
Paper 77 74 83 231 74 44 52 61
Other 2 -12 9 9 7 6 -5 1
Total 326 333 356 1 352 341 353 318 340

Restated

EUR million   Q3/16   Q2/16   Q1/16   2015   Q4/15   Q3/15   Q2/15   Q1/15
Consumer Board 118 127 110 466 94 128 124 120
Packaging Solutions 37 33 23 147 37 32 38 40
Biomaterials 79 92 115 444 113 129 96 106
Wood Products 30 41 23 111 26 30 32 23
Paper 77 74 83 231 74 44 52 61
Other 2 -12 9 9 7 6 -5 1
Total 343 355 363 1 408 351 369 337 351

Change

EUR million   Q3/16   Q2/16   Q1/16   2015   Q4/15   Q3/15   Q2/15   Q1/15
Consumer Board 9 14 2 32 5 12 10 5
Packaging Solutions 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Biomaterials 8 8 5 24 5 4 9 6
Wood Products 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Paper 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Other 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 17 22 7 56 10 16 19 11

OPERATIONAL EBITDA MARGIN BY SEGMENTS

As published

%   Q3/16   Q2/16   Q1/16   2015   Q4/15   Q3/15   Q2/15   Q1/15
Consumer Board 18.2% 18.9% 19.1% 18.5% 15.9% 19.1% 18.9% 20.2%
Packaging Solutions 14.3% 12.8% 9.4% 16.1% 15.4% 14.2% 16.8% 18.1%
Biomaterials 21.3% 24.6% 31.3% 28.3% 28.9% 31.9% 23.9% 28.2%
Wood Products 7.8% 9.5% 6.0% 6.9% 6.6% 8.0% 7.3% 5.9%
Paper 9.7% 8.8% 9.7% 6.4% 8.3% 4.8% 5.7% 6.7%
Other 0.4% -1.9% 1.4% 0.4% 1.1% 1.1% -0.8% 0.2%
Total 13.6% 13.2% 14.6% 13.5% 13.7% 14.1% 12.4% 13.6%

Restated

%   Q3/16   Q2/16   Q1/16   2015   Q4/15   Q3/15   Q2/15   Q1/15
Consumer Board 19.7% 21.2% 19.5% 19.9% 16.8% 21.1% 20.6% 21.1%
Packaging Solutions 14.3% 12.8% 9.4% 16.1% 15.4% 14.2% 16.8% 18.1%
Biomaterials 23.7% 26.9% 32.8% 29.9% 30.2% 32.9% 26.4% 29.9%
Wood Products 7.8% 9.5% 6.0% 6.9% 6.6% 8.0% 7.3% 5.9%
Paper 9.7% 8.8% 9.7% 6.4% 8.3% 4.8% 5.7% 6.7%
Other 0.4% -1.9% 1.4% 0.4% 1.1% 1.1% -0.8% 0.2%
Total 14.3% 14.1% 14.8% 14.0% 14.1% 14.8% 13.2% 14.1%

Change

Percentage point   Q3/16   Q2/16   Q1/16   2015   Q4/15   Q3/15   Q2/15   Q1/15
Consumer Board 1.5 2.3 0.4 1.4 0.9 2.0 1.7 0.9
Packaging Solutions 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Biomaterials 2.4 2.3 1.5 1.6 1.3 1.0 2.5 1.7
Wood Products 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Paper 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Other 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Total 0.7 0.9 0.2 0.5 0.4 0.7 0.8 0.5

NET DEBT/LAST 12 MONTHS' OPERATIONAL EBITDA RATIO

As published

  Q3/16   Q2/16   Q1/16   2015   Q4/15   Q3/15   Q2/15   Q1/15
Net debt/last 12 months' operational EBITDA ratio 2.1 2.3 2.3 2.4 2.4 2.5 2.7 2.6

Restated

  Q3/16   Q2/16   Q1/16   2015   Q4/15   Q3/15   Q2/15   Q1/15
Net debt/last 12 months' operational EBITDA ratio 2.1 2.2 2.2 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.6 2.5

Change

  Q3/16   Q2/16   Q1/16   2015   Q4/15   Q3/15   Q2/15   Q1/15
Net debt/last 12 months' operational EBITDA ratio 0.0 -0.1 -0.1 -0.1 -0.1 -0.2 -0.1 -0.1

Stora Enso is a leading provider of renewable solutions in packaging, biomaterials, wooden constructions and paper on global markets. Our aim is to replace fossil based materials by innovating and developing new products and services based on wood and other renewable materials. We employ some 26 000 people in more than 35 countries, and our sales in 2015 were EUR 10.0 billion. Stora Enso shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki (STEAV, STERV) and Nasdaq Stockholm (STE A, STE R). In addition, the shares are traded in the USA as ADRs (SEOAY) on the International OTCQX over-the-counter market. storaenso.com

STORA ENSO OYJ

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Contacts

For further information, please contact: 
Ulrika Lilja
EVP Communications
tel. +46 72 221 9228
or
Investor enquiries:
Ulla Paajanen-Sainio
SVP, Investor Relations
tel. +358 40 763 8767

Contacts

For further information, please contact: 
Ulrika Lilja
EVP Communications
tel. +46 72 221 9228
or
Investor enquiries:
Ulla Paajanen-Sainio
SVP, Investor Relations
tel. +358 40 763 8767