Resolute Forest Products Inc. today reported a net loss of $5 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2013, or $0.05 per share, on sales of $1.074 billion. This compares to net income of $23 million, or $0.23 per diluted share, on sales of $1.054 billion in the first quarter ended March 31, 2012.
Excluding $33 million of special items, net income for the quarter was $28 million, or $0.30 per share. Excluding special items of $16 million, net income in the first quarter of 2012 was $7 million, or $0.07 per diluted share. Non-GAAP financial measures, such as adjustments for special items and adjusted EBITDA, are reconciled below.
"Our efforts to restructure mills and machines during the last two years will lower our manufacturing costs, which will help to mitigate the challenges facing the North American forest products industry," said Richard Garneau, president and chief executive officer.
In the first quarter of 2013, the Company recorded an operating loss of $50 million, compared to $46 million in the fourth quarter of 2012. The $4 million unfavorable change reflects a $54 million reduction in sales, due to lower shipments of newsprint and specialty papers due to seasonality and market conditions, and capacity reduction initiatives. Overall pricing contributed $4 million, as higher transaction prices in wood products more than offset declines in newsprint. Cost of sales was down $19 million, due mainly to the lower volume, offset in part by costs associated with the annual outage at the Catawba, South Carolina, mill, higher mill start-up costs and increases in certain other manufacturing costs. The change in operating results was also favorably affected by a $42 million reduction in closure costs.