Stora Enso beats core earnings forecast in third quarter, helped by cost cuts (updated)

Stora Enso Oyj

23/10/2025 06:51

Adds details on results in paragraphs 2 and 3, market outlook and CEO quote in paragraphs 4 and 5

Oct 23 (Reuters) - Finnish forestry group Stora Enso STERV.HE reported a better than expected third-quarter adjusted operating profit on Thursday, benefiting from its cost cutting measures.

Its adjusted operating profit, or earnings before interest and taxes, fell to 126 million euros ($147 million) in the third quarter, from 175 million euros a year earlier.

That was above analysts' 107.5 million euro forecast, according to a poll by Vara Research.

However, market outlook continues to be weak due to suppressed end-user demand, which is leading to weakening order inflow and lower volumes particularly in the packaging businesses, Stora Enso said.

"Demand continued to be subdued due to low consumer confidence, and delivery volumes were relatively low, particularly in containerboard and biomaterials," CEO Hans Sohlström said in the earnings statement.

($1 = 0.8575 euros)

(Reporting by Agnieszka Olenska in Gdansk, editing by Milla Nissi-Prussak)

((Agnieszka.Olenska@thomsonreuters.com;))