Feb 8 (Reuters) - Metsa Board Oyj METSB.HE :
* BOARD OF DIRECTORS PROPOSES TO ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING TO
BE HELD
ON 26 MARCH 2024 THAT A DIVIDEND OF EUR 0.25 PER SHARE BE PAID
FOR 2023 FINANCIAL PERIOD
* IN LAST QUARTER, MARKET SITUATION FOR FRESH FIBRE
PAPERBOARDS
REMAINED WEAK, WITH DEMAND FURTHER REDUCED BY SEASONALLY SLOWER
DECEMBER
* NEAR TERM OUTLOOK: DEVELOPMENT OF PAPERBOARD SALES
CONTINUES TO
BE WEAK
* DELIVERY VOLUMES OF OUR PAPERBOARDS DECREASED FROM
PREVIOUS
QUARTER TO 299,000 TONNES
* OVERALL, 2023 WAS A CHALLENGING YEAR, WITH DEMAND FOR BOTH
FRESH
FIBRE PAPERBOARDS AND MARKET PULP WEAKENING SHARPLY FROM PEAK
LEVELS OF PREVIOUS YEAR
* OPERATING RESULT IN Q12024 IS EXPECTED TO IMPROVE
* NEAR TERM OUTLOOK: COMPANY WILL CONTINUE PRODUCTION
ADJUSTMENT
MEASURES IF NECESSARY, AS WELL AS TEMPORARY LAYOFFS AT ITS MILLS
IN FINLAND, IN 2024
* NEAR TERM OUTLOOK: LESS ANNUAL MAINTENANCE AND INVESTMENT
SHUTDOWNS WILL TAKE PLACE AT MILLS IN JANUARY-MARCH 2024
COMPARED TO PREVIOUS QUARTER
* NEAR TERM OUTLOOK: IN Q1 OF YEAR, TOTAL COSTS EXCLUDING
PULP
COSTS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN STABLE
* NEAR TERM OUTLOOK: UNSTABLE SECURITY SITUATION IN RED SEA
MAY
HAMPER SEA TRANSPORT OF METSÄ BOARD AND METSÄ FIBRE TO ASIA AND
INCREASE LOGISTICS COSTS
* NEAR TERM OUTLOOK: IN JANUARY-MARCH, MARKET PRICES FOR
PULP
(PIX) ARE EXPECTED TO IMPROVE COMPARED TO PREVIOUS QUARTER,
ESPECIALLY IN EUROPE
Source text for Eikon: ID:nWkrzYSwB
Further company coverage: METSB.HE
(Gdansk Newsroom)
((gdansk.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com;))