Packaging Corporation of America (NYSE: PKG) [on April 22] reported first quarter 2024 net income of $147 million, or $1.63 per share, and net income of $155 million, or $1.72 per share, excluding special items. First quarter net sales were $2.0 billion in 2024 and 2023.
Reported earnings in the first quarter of 2024 include special items primarily for certain costs at the Jackson, Alabama, mill for paper-to-containerboard conversion related activities.
Excluding special items, the ($.48) per share decrease in first quarter 2024 earnings compared to the first quarter of 2023 was driven primarily by lower prices and mix in the Packaging segment ($1.33) and Paper segment ($.08), higher scheduled mill outage expenses ($.10), higher depreciation ($.03), higher expenses related to corrugated plant capital projects ($.02), and other expenses ($.04). These items were partially offset by higher volume in the Packaging segment $.71 and Paper segment $.06, lower operating and converting costs $.15, lower freight and logistics expenses $.04, lower interest expense $.07, and a lower tax rate $.09.
Results were $.18 above first quarter guidance of $1.54 per share primarily due to higher volume in the Packaging and Paper segments, lower operating and converting costs, lower scheduled mill outage expenses, and lower freight and logistics expenses.
In the Packaging segment, total corrugated products shipments with one less workday were up 9.2% and shipments per day were up 11.0% compared to the first quarter of 2023. Containerboard production was 1,162,000 tons, and containerboard inventory was down 15,000 tons from the first quarter of 2023 and down 24,000 tons compared to the fourth quarter of 2023. In the Paper segment, sales volume was up 18,000 tons from the first quarter of 2023 and up 17,000 tons compared to the fourth quarter of 2023.
CEO Comments
Commenting on reported results, Mark W. Kowlzan, Chairman and CEO, said, "Throughout the quarter, containerboard and corrugated products demand exceeded our expectations. We were able to service this higher demand from strong operational performance at our box plants and containerboard mills as well as from excellent execution of the conversion outage at our Jackson, AL mill, which enabled us to restart both machines earlier than planned. Despite these efforts, with the higher demand, we ended the quarter at a record low weeks-of-inventory supply for this time of year.
"Prices and mix in the Packaging segment moved slightly higher from fourth quarter 2023 levels, although less than we anticipated due to our total announced increase not being recognized in the published benchmark prices.
"Volume in the Paper segment was very good at about 13% above guidance estimates, and an improved mix moved prices slightly higher from the previous quarter, as expected. In addition, during the quarter we announced a price increase of $100 per ton across all of our paper grades, and we began implementing these increases on April 1st.
"The strong volume in both the Packaging and Paper segments along with the continued emphasis on cost management and process efficiencies across our manufacturing and converting facilities drove operating and converting costs lower, even with the persistent inflation we continue to experience across most of our cost structure."
TAPPI
http://www.tappi.org/