Technology

UPM Interim Report Q1 2025: Good start to the year with actions to sharpen competitiveness

Published

2 weeks ago

April 24, 2025

HELSINKI, April 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — UPM-Kymmene Corporation Stock Exchange Release (Interim report) April 24, 2025 at 09:50 EEST

UPM Interim Report Q1 2025: Good start to the year with actions to sharpen competitiveness

Q1 2025 highlights

Sales totaled €2,646 million (2,640 million in Q1 2024)Comparable EBIT decreased by 14% to €287 million, 10.8% of sales (333 million, 12.6%)Operating cash flow was €289 million (335 million)Gradually improving markets in pulp and advanced materialsActions to sharpen competitiveness started to bear fruitUPM acquired Metamark, a UK-based company, to accelerate UPM Raflatac’s growthUPM Communication Papers announced a plan to reduce paper capacity in Germany and streamline its structureUPM commenced a share buy-back program and repurchased 6 million shares for a total of approximately €160 millionUPM was listed as the only forest and paper industry company in the Dow Jones Global and European Sustainability Indices (DJSI) for the years 2024-2025UPM was recognized among the top sustainability performers by CDP and S&P Global

Key figures

Q1/2025

Q1/2024

Q4/2024

Q1-Q4/2024

Sales, € million

2,646

2,640

2,632

10,339

Comparable EBITDA, € million

421

489

436

1,734

% of sales

15.9

18.5

16.5

16.8

Operating profit (loss), € million

198

354

-105

604

Comparable EBIT, € million

287

333

418

1,224

% of sales

10.8

12.6

15.9

11.8

Profit (loss) before tax, € million

173

332

-131

500

Comparable profit before tax, € million

262

311

392

1,123

Profit (loss) for the period, € million

143

279

-95

463

Comparable profit for the period, € million

223

258

328

953

Earnings per share (EPS), €

0.26

0.51

-0.19

0.82

Comparable EPS, €

0.41

0.47

0.61

1.74

Return on equity (ROE), %

5.2

9.6

-3.4

4.0

Comparable ROE, %

8.1

8.9

11.5

8.3

Return on capital employed (ROCE), %

5.5

9.6

-2.6

4.1

Comparable ROCE, %

7.9

9.1

11.1

8.2

Operating cash flow, € million

289

335

570

1,352

Operating cash flow per share, €

0.54

0.63

1.07

2.54

Equity per share at the end of period, €

19.29

21.42

20.89

Capital employed at the end of period, € million

14,449

15,028

15,452

Net debt at the end of period, € million

2,954

2,312

2,869

Net debt to EBITDA (last 12 months)

1.77

1.46

1.66

Personnel at the end of period .

15,890

16,132

15,827

UPM presents certain measures of performance, financial position and cash flows, which are alternative performance measures in accordance with the guidance issued by the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA). The definitions of alternative performance measures are presented in » UPM Annual Report 2024

Massimo Reynaudo, President and CEO, comments on the results:

“We had a good start to the year and improved performance compared to the previous quarter. Markets were gradually recovering in pulp and advanced materials, while our actions to sharpen competitiveness started to bear fruit in several businesses. We made progress towards our growth ambition with the acquisition of Metamark, and we completed our first share buy-back program by early April.

In Q1, our sales were €2,646 million, broadly in line with the preceding quarter as well as with Q1 2024. Comparable EBIT was €287 million, down 14% from last year’s corresponding quarter. Operating cash flow was €289 million. Our financial position continues to be solid, with net debt to EBITDA ratio of 1.77 at the end of March.

UPM Fibres delivered solid results. In Uruguay, our pulp production and logistics infrastructure are now fully operational, driving production costs lower. In Finland, despite the unsustainably high wood prices we continued to operate profitably thanks to our new operating model and efficient mills. Average pulp prices were cyclically low, although market prices increased slightly during the quarter.

In advanced materials, markets for self-adhesive label materials continued to grow moderately. UPM Raflatac captured its share of the growth, and the efficiency measures started to bear fruit. UPM Specialty Papers showed robust performance and benefited from lower production costs. UPM Plywood delivered steady results.

In decarbonization solutions, the market conditions continued to be challenging. In UPM Energy, the high season of the electricity market was muted by the mild winter and high hydro reservoirs in the Nordic countries. UPM Biofuels took a step towards restoring profitability with solid deliveries and decreased variable costs.

In UPM Biochemicals, the sequential start-up of the Leuna biorefinery continued and we expect to start the integrated commercial production in H2 2025. Commercial interest in the products and side streams is confirmed with an opportunity pipeline multiple times the annual capacity of the refinery.

In UPM Communication Papers performance was steady, deliveries and prices were down sequentially. We continued to safeguard our future performance with new efficiency measures and the planned closure of UPM Ettringen paper mill in Germany, which would reduce the annual capacity of uncoated mechanical paper by 270,000 tonnes during July 2025.

Towards the end of Q1, the uncertainty of the business environment increased significantly due to the escalating global trade tensions. We expect the direct impact of tariffs on our businesses to be relatively limited and the tariffs in general to be broadly passed through to prices. However, the uncertainty related to tariffs may impact trade flows, cause hesitation among customers, disrupt supply chains and weaken consumer confidence in the coming months. Furthermore, the scale of the trade conflict may cause currency fluctuations, which would have a direct impact on us.

With our solid balance sheet, competitive portfolio and broad geographic presence we are well positioned to face the uncertainty. Since last fall, we have been implementing efficiency and margin management measures that continue to strengthen our competitive position and prepare us to face what lies ahead.

In this uncertain environment, we remain focused on improving our competitiveness, pursuing long-term growth and developing a portfolio of world-class businesses.

Our commitment to sustainability also remains intact. In Q1, we were listed as the only forest and paper industry company in the Dow Jones Global and European Sustainability Indices (DJSI) for the years 2024-2025. We were also recognized among the top performers by the CDP, a global non-profit that runs the world’s only independent disclosure system for managing environmental impacts.”

Profit guidance

UPM’s comparable EBIT in H1 2025 is expected to be approximately in the range of €400-625 million (€515 million in H1 2024).

Outlook

UPM’s performance in H1 2025 is expected to benefit from higher delivery volumes and lower fixed costs, but be held back by lower sales margins, compared with H1 2024. The year 2025 has started with lower pulp and electricity prices than 2024.

2025 will be the first year of full production at the UPM Paso de los Toros mill, which is expected to grow pulp deliveries. Deliveries are expected to continue to increase for labeling materials, specialty papers and plywood. Communication paper deliveries are expected to decrease.

UPM Biofuels is expected to improve its performance in H1 2025, compared with H1 2024.

UPM’s operations in Q2 2025 will be impacted by significantly higher maintenance activity than in Q1 2025.

There are significant uncertainties in geopolitics and global trade relations, which may impact the development of UPM’s product deliveries, sales prices, various input cost factors and currency exchange rates.

Sensitivity to pulp and electricity prices

UPM’s comparable EBIT is sensitive to pulp and electricity prices. The figures below represent group earnings sensitivities on annual level.

UPM is a large producer and consumer of chemical pulp. A €50/tonne change in average pulp price would impact annual comparable EBIT by approximately €170 million (net impact: assuming no correlation between pulp and paper prices) to approximately €270 million (gross impact: assuming paper pricing would match changes in pulp costs).

UPM is a large producer and consumer of electricity in Finland and separately hedges part of its electricity sales and purchases. Based on UPM’s estimated unhedged net electricity sales position in Finland in 2025, a €10/MWh change in average electricity market price in Finland would impact annual comparable EBIT by approximately €30 million.

Foreign exchange exposure

Fluctuations in monetary policies and economic conditions can significantly impact the value of various currencies, which in turn may affect UPM. Additionally, the escalation of global trade tensions could influence currency exchange rates. These currency fluctuations could impact UPM’s cash flow, earnings, or balance sheet, and may also affect the relative competitiveness between different currency regions.

The group’s policy is to hedge an average of 50% of its estimated net currency cash flows on a rolling basis over the next 12-month period. At the end of Q1 2025, UPM’s estimated net currency cash flows for the next 12 months totaled approximately €1.6 billion. USD was the largest exposure at approximately €1.2 billion, followed by UYU, GBP and CNY. In addition, the earnings of UPM’s foreign subsidiaries are translated to euros in reporting. UPM has significant foreign subsidiaries in Uruguay, the U.S. and China. Foreign exchange risks are discussed in UPM’s Annual Report 2024 on pages 305-306.

Invitation to UPM’s webcast on Q1 2025 Interim Report

A webcast and a conference call for analysts and investors will start at 13:15 EEST. The Interim Report will be presented in English by President and CEO Massimo Reynaudo and CFO Tapio Korpeinen. Participants can follow the webcast online via this link.

Participants wishing to ask questions after the presentation must register for the conference call. To participate in the conference call, please register here. After registering, you will be provided with telephone numbers, a user ID and a conference ID to access the call. To ask a question, press *5 on your telephone keypad to join the queue.

The webcast will be available at www.upm.com for 12 months after the call.

It should be noted that certain statements herein, which are not historical facts, including, without limitation, those regarding expectations for market growth and developments; expectations for growth and profitability; and statements preceded by “believes”, “expects”, “anticipates”, “foresees”, or similar expressions, are forward-looking statements. Since these statements are based on current plans, estimates and projections, they involve risks and uncertainties which may cause actual results to materially differ from those expressed in such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: (1) operating factors such as continued success of manufacturing activities and the achievement of efficiencies therein including the availability and cost of production inputs, continued success of product development, acceptance of new products or services by the Group’s targeted customers, success of the existing and future collaboration arrangements, changes in business strategy or development plans or targets, changes in the degree of protection created by the Group’s patents and other intellectual property rights, the availability of capital on acceptable terms; (2) industry conditions, such as strength of product demand, intensity of competition, prevailing and future global market prices for the Group’s products and the pricing pressures thereto, financial condition of the customers and the competitors of the Group, the potential introduction of competing products and technologies by competitors; and (3) general economic conditions, such as rates of economic growth in the Group’s principal geographic markets or fluctuations in exchange and interest rates. The main earnings sensitivities and the group’s cost structure are presented on pages 271-272 of the Annual Report 2024. Risks and opportunities are discussed on pages 33-35, and risks and risk management are presented on pages 120-124.

UPM, Media relations
Mon-Fri 9:00-16:00 EEST
tel. +358 40 588 3284
media@upm.com

UPM

UPM is a material solutions company, renewing products and entire value chains with an extensive portfolio of renewable fibres, advanced materials, decarbonization solutions, and communication papers. Our performance in sustainability has been recognized by third parties, including EcoVadis and the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices. We operate globally and employ approximately 15,800 people worldwide, with annual sales of approximately €10.3 billion. Our shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd.

UPM – we renew the everyday
Read more: upm.com

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Technology

G-SHOCK & UNDEFEATED REUNITE TO CREATE A BOLD, MULTI-STRAP TIMEPIECE SET

Published

16 minutes ago

May 6, 2025

L.A. Street Style Meets G-SHOCK’s Legendary Toughness to Create The DWE5600UD

DOVER, N.J., May 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Today, Casio America, Inc. is excited to unveil the DWE5600UD, a special edition timepiece created in collaboration with global sportswear brand, UNDEFEATED. This latest partnership between G-SHOCK and UNDEFEATED seamlessly blends both brands’ legendary designs to build on the success of their 2023 collaboration that celebrated G-SHOCK’s 40th anniversary.

The DWE5600UD is a striking new timepiece that authentically combines UNDEFEATED’s street style with G-SHOCK’s extreme durability. Drawing design elements from the square DWE5600, the collaboration model makes a bold statement with a vibrant green LCD screen on the watch face paired with a sleek black base.

Showcasing the collaboration between both brands, the iconic UNDEFEATED 5-strike logo appears prominently on the case back, subtly on the short band strap as well as on the watch’s face, hidden until lit by a red LED backlight.

The default black translucent band showcases the hotstamped UNDEFEATED name and 5-strike with subtlety. For added versatility, alongside this main resin band, the DWE5600UD comes with two additional interchangeable bands, both featuring exclusive UNDEFEATED camouflage patterns. Wearers may select a tiger camouflage design with an opaque finish or storm camouflage on a semi-translucent band that blends with skin tones, offering a customizable look. The mix-and-match options empower individuals to create a style that uniquely reflects their individuality.

The G-SHOCK x UNDEFEATED collaboration model will proudly be presented in exclusive black and camo packaging designed by UNDEFEATED. The DWE5600UD is a testament to the enduring synergy between UNDEFEATED’s streetwear expertise and G-SHOCK’s legendary toughness, extending their iconic collaboration to new heights.

The new timepiece comes equipped with the following features:

Shock-ResistanceCarbon Core Guard Structure200 Meter Water ResistanceCountdown timerStopwatchMulti-function AlarmLED Backlight12/24 Hour Time Formats

The DWE5600UD retails for $230 each and will be available at G-SHOCK Soho and gshock.com on May 16th and select Global UNDEFEATED Chapter Stores and undefeated.com on May 9th. For more information about new releases and the G-SHOCK brand, visit gshock.casio.com/us.

About G-SHOCK
CASIO’s shock-resistant G-SHOCK watch is synonymous with toughness, born from the developer Mr. Ibe’s dream of ‘creating a watch that never breaks’. Over 200 handmade samples were created and tested to destruction until finally in 1983 the first, now iconic G-SHOCK hit the streets of Japan and began to establish itself as ‘the toughest watch of all time’. Each watch encompasses the 7 elements; electric shock resistance, gravity resistance, low temperature resistance, vibration resistance, water resistance, shock resistance and toughness. The watch is packed with Casio innovations and technologies to prevent it from suffering direct shock; this includes internal components protected with urethane and suspended timekeeping modules inside the watch structure. Since its launch, G-SHOCK has continued to evolve, continuing to support on Mr. Ibe’s mantra “never, never give up.”www.gshock.casio.com/us/

About Undefeated

UNDEFEATED is known as one of the most recognized sportswear brands and well-curated retail boutiques across the globe. Since the brand’s inception in 2002, UNDEFEATED remains as the unofficial voice defining an era of sports and street culture as one of the most influential brands of its generation.

FOR MEDIA INQUIRIES CONTACT:
5WPR
gshock@5wpr.com

Sue VanderSchans / Cecilia Lederer
CASIO AMERICA, INC.
(973) 361-5400
SVanderSchans@casio.com
clederer@casio.com

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SOURCE Casio America, Inc.

Technology

LineLeader Sets New Standard in Childcare Software with More Custom Reporting

Published

16 minutes ago

May 6, 2025

ADDISON, Texas, May 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — LineLeader by ChildcareCRM (“LineLeader”), the leading provider of unified SaaS software and digital payment solutions for the early childhood education (ECE) market, announced the launch of the Custom Report Builder in their management system, LineLeader Manage, bringing unparalleled flexibility and insight to reporting for ECE organizations.

This launch builds on LineLeader’s established reputation for delivering advanced reporting functionality for ECE.

This new feature allows users to build reports tailored to their exact needs— adding or removing fields, sorting and filtering data, viewing pivot tables, and visualizing results in graph format. It’s the most powerful and flexible reporting experience in the industry and a significant leap forward from traditional static reports.

Last year, 64% of childcare professionals named reporting on business performance a key challenge (a 10% increase from 2023). Amid declining occupancy and growing financial strain, childcare leaders need to establish flexible reporting processes that help drive better decisions across various locations.

“This release reinforces our commitment to providing operators with the real-time and customizable data they need for operational insights and informed decision-making. A customizable reporting suite is crucial for business scaling, and we believe this offering is a significant step towards addressing that need,” said Brett Neller, CEO at LineLeader.

The Custom Report Builder supports seven data types: Attendance, General Ledger, Invoices, Labor, Moments, People, and Organizational data. Users can easily select the fields they want to include, filter by date ranges, and sort results to highlight what matters most. Once configured, reports can be saved, exported, and shared.

This launch builds on LineLeader’s established reputation for delivering advanced reporting functionality across the full enrollment lifecycle. With LineLeader’s childcare CRM, LineLeader Enroll, customers can already access detailed marketing and enrollment performance reports— like campaign ROI, lead source attribution, and lost opportunity analysis with either standard or custom reporting capabilities. Together, LineLeader’s reporting suite offers organizations a complete, data-driven view of their business— from the first family interaction to long-term operational planning.

“The value of reporting isn’t in the data— it’s in what you do with it,” said Teddy Hook, VP of Product at LineLeader. “We built our custom reporting suite to be a true growth engine— turning insight into action so operators can make faster, smarter decisions that move their business forward.”

With this release, LineLeader continues to push the boundaries of what childcare software can do— making it easier than ever for directors and corporate leaders to harness data, improve operations, and drive long-term growth.

About LineLeader by ChildcareCRM:

LineLeader offers digital registration software, full-featured childcare CRM software, a combined family app and center management system, along with the Unified platform, which provides comprehensive visibility into every contact throughout various stages of their enrollment journey.

So, while each tool is powerful on its own, they truly innovate when used together.

For more information about LineLeader and its solutions, please visit https://lineleader.com.

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SOURCE LineLeader by ChildcareCRM

Technology

Engage Communication Enhances Starlink Network Performance with Redundant Delayed Packets for Real-Time Data Streaming

Published

16 minutes ago

May 6, 2025

APTOS, Calif., May 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Engage Communication, a leader in secure and reliable networking solutions, announces a breakthrough in optimizing Starlink’s satellite network for real-time data transmission. By leveraging Redundant Delayed Packets, Engage Communication enhances the reliability and continuity of mission-critical streaming applications, ensuring seamless communication even in challenging network conditions.

Solving Starlink’s Latency and Packet Loss Challenges

As Starlink continues to expand satellite-based connectivity, its real-time streaming applications—such as voice, video, and telemetry—face challenges like latency spikes, packet loss, and brief outages due to satellite handoffs. Engage Communication’s innovative approach introduces Redundant Delayed Packets, a solution that bolsters data integrity and minimizes disruptions caused by Starlink’s dynamic network environment.

“Starlink has revolutionized connectivity in remote and underserved areas, but real-time data streaming demands uninterrupted and resilient transmission,” said Mark Doyle, CEO and Founder of Engage Communication. “With our technology, users can experience improved reliability and quality of service, even in the face of fluctuating network conditions.”

Engage Communication’s IP-Tube product line, when combined with Redundant Delayed Packets, ensures seamless and reliable data transmission over Starlink for real-time applications. The IP-Tube efficiently converts legacy TDM, serial, and analog interfaces into IP packets, enabling mission-critical communications to leverage Starlink’s global satellite network. By incorporating Redundant Delayed Packets, the IP-Tube mitigates the effects of Starlink’s inherent latency variations and packet loss, ensuring smooth voice, video, and telemetry transmissions. This solution is ideal for public safety, defense, and industrial applications, where uninterrupted connectivity is essential despite the dynamic nature of satellite networking.

Key Benefits of Redundant Delayed Packets in Starlink Networks:

Enhanced Reliability – Mitigates data loss by providing backup packets that compensate for missing or delayed transmissions.

Reduced Latency Spikes – Smooths out performance inconsistencies caused by satellite transitions.

Seamless Satellite Handoffs – Ensures continuous data flow, preventing interruptions in live streaming applications.

Improved Quality of Service (QoS) – Critical for VoIP, video conferencing, and telemetry-based communications.

Fault Tolerance – Adds an extra layer of protection against Starlink’s dynamic routing and congestion issues.

Empowering Mission-Critical Applications

Engage Communication’s Redundant Delayed Packet technology is ideal for industries that rely on real-time streaming, including:

Public Safety & Emergency Communications – Maintaining uninterrupted communication for first responders.

Defense & Government – Enhancing the reliability of secure data transmission in remote locations.

Telemedicine & Remote Monitoring – Ensuring stable video and telemetry for critical healthcare applications.

Industrial IoT & Smart Infrastructure – Supporting continuous data flow for automation and control systems.

Future-Proofing Satellite-Based Networking

Engage Communication remains committed to advancing connectivity solutions that maximize the potential of satellite networks like Starlink. By addressing latency, packet loss, and reliability concerns, Engage’s latest innovation ensures organizations can depend on Starlink for high-quality real-time communications.

For more information about Engage Communication’s solutions, visit www.engageinc.com.

About Engage Communication

Engage Communication is a trusted provider of secure and reliable networking solutions, specializing in telecommunications, cybersecurity, and mission-critical data transmission. With a legacy of innovation, Engage continues to bridge the gap between traditional and modern network technologies, empowering organizations with robust connectivity solutions.

Contact Us
For more information about Engage Communication and how our solutions can serve your networking, protection, or cybersecurity needs, please contact us at 1-831-688-1021 or via email at sales@engageinc.com.

Contact: Brandon Doyle
Engage Communication, Inc.
1.831.688-1021; brandon.doyle@engageinc.com

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SOURCE Engage Communication, Inc.