Louisiana-Pacific Q4 Earnings & Net Sales Top Estimates
Friday, February 21, 2025 8:30 am
Louisiana-Pacific Corp reported fourth-quarter net sales growth of 3.5% year-over-year to $681 million, beating the consensus of $666.753 million. Siding revenue rose 9% to $362 million on higher volumes and prices, while OSB sales fell 2% to $267 million due to lower prices despite increased volumes. Gross profit increased 1.9% YoY to $162 million, and the margin contracted 38 bps to 23.8%. Operating margin for the quarter declined to 11% from 13.5% YoY. Adjusted EPS was $1.03, up from $0.71 YoY, beating the consensus of $0.86. Net income rose $4 million to $63 million ($0.89 per share), driven by lower foreign currency losses, offsetting a $5 million EBITDA decline and a $15 million tax provision increase. Lower OSB prices reduced EBITDA by $18 million, partially offset by higher Siding sales and OSB volumes. Adjusted EBITDA was $125 million (-3% YoY), and the margin contracted to 18.4% from 19.6%. Operating cash flow for the quarter totaled $105 million, compared to $159 million a year ago. Operating cash flow for fiscal 2024 totaled $605 million, up from $316 million in 2023. Cash and equivalents totaled $340 million at the end of the quarter. LPX repurchased 2.4 million shares for $212 million in 2024, leaving 70 million shares outstanding and $238 million in remaining buyback authorization. Last week, the company increased its quarterly dividend by 8% to $0.28 per share for the first quarter of 2025. LPX invested $183 million in capital expenditures, paid $74 million in cash dividends, and ended 2024 with $900 million in total liquidity. Q1 Outlook: LPX expects Siding net sales of $390 million - $400 million and consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of $130 million - $150 million. 2025 Outlook: LPX sees Siding net sales of $1.65 billion - $1.7 billion and consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of $615 million - $635 million. Price Action: LPX shares were trading lower by 8.83%.
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