Holmen's Operating Profit Down 15% in First Half
Holmen reported an operating profit of SEK 1,516 million for January-June 2026, a 15% decrease year-on-year. Lower electricity prices negatively impacted results, while increased deliveries of board and paper offset the decline.
Swedish forest industry group Holmen AB announced its operating profit for the period January-June 2026 declined by 15 percent to SEK 1,516 million, compared to SEK 1,794 million in the same period of the previous year. The operating margin consequently decreased from 16 percent to 14 percent.
The second quarter's operating profit was SEK 689 million, a reduction of SEK 138 million from the previous quarter. The company cited lower electricity prices in northern Sweden as a negative factor influencing the results. However, increased deliveries of board and paper reportedly helped to partly compensate for the profit decrease.
Profit from Holmen's industrial operations saw a decrease, while earnings from its hydroelectric and wind power assets increased significantly during the reporting period. In the second quarter, the company distributed dividends totaling SEK 1,458 million and repurchased 3 million shares for SEK 946 million.
Profit after tax for the first six months of 2026 amounted to SEK 1,127 million (compared to SEK 1,354 million in 2025), resulting in earnings per share of SEK 7.4 (down from SEK 8.6). As of June 30, 2026, Holmen's net debt stood at SEK 6,482 million, representing 12 percent of equity.