Metsä Group reports third-quarter earnings growth driven by cost reductions

Metsä Group saw a notable improvement in its third-quarter performance, reporting a comparable EBITDA of EUR 100 million compared to EUR 39 million in the same period last year. Total sales for the quarter reached EUR 1.27 billion, reflecting a challenging market for pulp and continued production constraints.

The firm’s EUR 300 million profit improvement program has reached a EUR 200 million impact, ahead of its target schedule. CEO Jussi Vanhanen stated that while the cost-saving initiatives are effective, operational profitability continues to be hindered by external factors, including high logistics costs and rising fuel prices linked to Middle Eastern conflicts, which negatively impacted the quarterly result by approximately EUR 47 million.

Strategic adjustments marked the quarter, with the company greenlighting a EUR 25 million investment in fibre-based packaging production at Äänekoski, while officially cancelling plans for a Kuura textile fibre plant. Despite the improved EBITDA, the company reported a comparable operating loss of EUR 4 million, noting that overall profitability remains below corporate targets.