Interim report January-September 2010

Interim report January-September 2010


                                Quarter         January-September  Full
year
SEKm                     3-10   2-10     3-09   2010    2009       2009
Net turnover             4 205  4 227    4 387  12 833  13 412     18
071
Operating profit         383    268      442    971     1 229      1 620
Profit after tax         216    133      280    528     781        1 006
Earnings per share, SEK  2.6    1.6      3.3    6.3     9.3        12.0
Return on equity, %      5.2    3.2      7.0    4.3     6.7        6.4

  · Profit after tax for January-September 2010 was SEK 528 million
(January-September 2009: SEK 781 million).
  · Earnings per share reached SEK 6.3 (9.3). Return on equity totalled
4.3 per cent (6.7).
  · Operating profit amounted to SEK 971 million (1 229). Holmen Paper's
operating profit deteriorated considerably as a result of lower
newsprint prices and higher fibre costs. Profitability in the Group's
other business areas improved.
  · From the second to the third quarter, operating profit climbed by
SEK 115 million to SEK 383 million. The improvement is explained by
seasonally lower staff and maintenance costs and higher paperboard
production.
  · Demand for newsprint in Europe remained weak in the third quarter.
The virgin fibre board market was robust and deliveries to Europe rose
by 10 per cent during the first nine months of the year compared to the
same period in 2009.

For further information please contact:
Magnus Hall, President and CEO, tel. +46 8 666 21 05
Anders Jernhall, CFO, tel. +46 8 666 21 22
Ingela Carlsson, Public Relations Director, tel. +46 70 212 97 12