Q4 2025 Interfor Corp Earnings Call

February 13, 2026

Operator 2: Good morning. My name is Sylvie, and I will be your conference operator today. Welcome to Interfor Corporation's Q4 2025 results conference call. As a reminder, all participants are in a listen-only mode, and the conference is being recorded. Following the prepared remarks, there will be an opportunity for analysts to ask questions. During this conference call, Interfor's representatives may make forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Additional information regarding the risks, uncertainties, and assumptions of such statements can be found in Interfor's most recent press release and MD&A. I would like to turn the call over to Mr. Ian Fillinger, Interfor's President and CEO. Mr. Fillinger, please go ahead.

Speaker #2: As a reminder, all participants are in a listen-only mode, and the conference is being recorded. Following the prepared remarks, there will be an opportunity for analysts to ask questions.

Speaker #2: During this conference call, Interfor's representatives may make forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable laws. Additional information regarding the risks, uncertainties, and assumptions of such statements can be found in Interfor's most recent press release and MD&A.

Operator: During this conference call, Interfor's representatives may make forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Additional information regarding the risks, uncertainties, and assumptions of such statements can be found in Interfor's most recent press release and MD&A. I would like to turn the call over to Mr. Ian Fillinger, Interfor's President and CEO. Mr. Fillinger, please go ahead.

Speaker #2: And I would like to turn the call over to Mr. Ian Fillinger, Interfor's President and CEO. Mr. Fillinger, you may please go ahead. Thank you, operator, and thank you, everyone, for joining us this morning.

Ian Fillinger: Thank you, operator, and thank you everyone for joining us this morning. With me on the call, I have Mike Mackay, our Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, and Bart Bender, our Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. I'll start off by providing a brief recap of 2025 and then pass the call to Mike and Bart to cover off Q4 and the outlook. 2025 was another year marked by historically weak lumber prices and significant market volatility. Yet we continued to execute with discipline and strengthen the company in several important ways. I thought a few notables were worth mentioning. We took steps to reinforce liquidity and extend our financial runway, which Mike will speak more to.

Speaker #2: With me on the call, I have Mike McKay, our Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, and Bart Bender, our Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

Speaker #2: I'll start off by providing a brief recap of 2025, and then pass the call to Mike and Bart to cover off Q4 and the outlook.

Speaker #2: 2025 was another year marked by historically weak lumber prices and significant market volatility. Yet, we continue to execute with discipline and strengthen the company in several important ways.

Ian Fillinger: 2025 was another year marked by historically weak lumber prices and significant market volatility. Yet we continued to execute with discipline and strengthen the company in several important ways. I thought a few notables were worth mentioning. We took steps to reinforce liquidity and extend our financial runway, which Mike will speak more to.

Speaker #2: I thought a few notables were worth mentioning. We took steps to reinforce liquidity and extend our financial runway, which Mike will speak more to.

Speaker #2: We also took decisive portfolio actions, adjusting operating postures at several mills and permanently closing two high-cost facilities in the US South, which were indefinitely curtailed in 2024, ensuring our production profile is better aligned with demand.

Ian Fillinger: We also took decisive portfolio actions, adjusting operating postures at several mills and permanently closing two high-cost facilities in the US South, which were indefinitely curtailed in 2024, ensuring our production profile is better aligned with demand. Across the platform, working capital performance remained a highlight. Log and lumber inventories were reduced significantly, a meaningful achievement in a down cycle. We advanced the final phase of our Thomaston mill in Georgia, with commissioning of the new sawmill expected in early March. We anticipate this asset will be a top decile performer and a key contributor to our long-term cost structure. And importantly, employee turnover continued to improve, reflecting the work our teams are doing on engagement and retention. 2026 will be hard to predict. However, we're well-positioned to deal with uncertainty.

Speaker #2: Across the platform, working capital performance remained a highlight. Log and lumber inventories were reduced significantly—a meaningful achievement in a down cycle. We advanced the final phase of our Thomaston Mill in Georgia, with commissioning of the new sawmill expected in early March.

Ian Fillinger: Log and lumber inventories were reduced significantly, a meaningful achievement in a down cycle. We advanced the final phase of our Thomaston mill in Georgia, with commissioning of the new sawmill expected in early March. We anticipate this asset will be a top decile performer and a key contributor to our long-term cost structure.

Speaker #2: We anticipate this asset will be a top-decile performer and a key contributor to our long-term cost structure. And importantly, employee turnover continued to improve, reflecting the work our teams are doing on engagement and retention.

Ian Fillinger: And importantly, employee turnover continued to improve, reflecting the work our teams are doing on engagement and retention. 2026 will be hard to predict. However, we're well-positioned to deal with uncertainty. We've implemented clear, measurable balance sheet guardrails to ensure resilience through the cycle and a commitment to directing free cash flow toward debt reduction targets.

Speaker #2: 2026 will be hard to predict. However, we're well positioned to deal with uncertainty. We've implemented clear, measurable balance sheet guardrails to ensure resilience through the cycle.

Ian Fillinger: We've implemented clear, measurable balance sheet guardrails to ensure resilience through the cycle and a commitment to directing free cash flow toward debt reduction targets. We've also defined cost structure targets benchmarked to trough cycle pricing, ensuring that further price weakness can be absorbed without eroding liquidity, and that we can continue to create long-term value even in constrained markets. Until we have more clarity on the economic impacts of political developments in both the US and Canada, we will remain prudent in our approach to capital allocation. Our foundations are strong, our footprint is diversified, and we continue to see opportunities to improve the business without large capital commitments. With that, I'll now turn the call over to Mike to walk through the quarter in more detail.

Speaker #2: And a commitment to directing free cash flow toward debt reduction targets. We've also defined cost structure targets, benchmarked to trough cycle pricing, ensuring that further price weakness can be absorbed without eroding liquidity.

Ian Fillinger: We've also defined cost structure targets benchmarked to trough cycle pricing, ensuring that further price weakness can be absorbed without eroding liquidity, and that we can continue to create long-term value even in constrained markets. Until we have more clarity on the economic impacts of political developments in both the US and Canada, we will remain prudent in our approach to capital allocation.

Speaker #2: And that we can continue to create long-term value even in constrained markets. Until we have more clarity on the economic impacts of political developments in both the US and Canada, we will remain prudent in our approach to capital allocation.

Speaker #2: Our foundations are strong, our footprint is diversified, and we continue to see opportunities to improve the business without large capital commitments. With that, I'll now turn the call over to Mike to walk through the quarter in more detail.

Ian Fillinger: Our foundations are strong, our footprint is diversified, and we continue to see opportunities to improve the business without large capital commitments. With that, I'll now turn the call over to Mike to walk through the quarter in more detail.

Speaker #3: Thanks, Ian, and good morning, everyone. I'll begin by providing comments on the fourth quarter earnings, followed by an overview of our recent balance sheet initiatives.

Mike MacKay: Thanks, Ian, and good morning, everyone. I'll begin by providing comments on Q4 earnings, followed by an overview of our recent balance sheet initiatives, and then end with some guidance on go-forward capital allocation priorities. From an earnings standpoint, Interfor posted negative $29 million of Adjusted EBITDA in Q4. These results reflected weak lumber market conditions, ongoing trade measures, and production curtailments across the platform. Nevertheless, our results in Q4 were an improvement compared to the negative $36 million of Adjusted EBITDA we posted in Q3 after normalizing for the large non-cash duty expenses that impacted that period. The sequential improvement was driven by several offsetting factors. From a sales perspective, realized selling prices were weaker on average due to slightly lower market pricing in most regions, as well as a full, full quarter of higher countervailing antidumping duties...

Speaker #3: And then end with some guidance on go-forward capital allocation priorities. From an earnings standpoint, Interfor posted negative $29 million of adjusted EBITDA in the fourth quarter.

Speaker #3: These results reflected weak lumber market conditions, ongoing trade measures, and production curtailments across the platform. Nevertheless, our results in the fourth quarter were an improvement compared to the negative $36 million of adjusted EBITDA we posted in the third quarter, after normalizing for the large non-cash duty expenses that impacted that period.

Mike MacKay: Nevertheless, our results in Q4 were an improvement compared to the negative $36 million of Adjusted EBITDA we posted in Q3 after normalizing for the large non-cash duty expenses that impacted that period. The sequential improvement was driven by several offsetting factors. From a sales perspective, realized selling prices were weaker on average due to slightly lower market pricing in most regions, as well as a full, full quarter of higher countervailing antidumping duties...

Speaker #3: The sequential improvement was driven by several offsetting factors. From a sales perspective, realized selling prices were weaker on average due to slightly lower market pricing in most regions, as well as a full quarter of higher countervailing and anti-dumping duties, as well as the introduction of a 10% Section 232 tariff in October.

Mike MacKay: as well as the introduction of a 10% Section 232 tariff in October. From a cost perspective, however, production cost per unit improved by 4%, as higher conversion costs as a result of our downtime were more than offset by positive inventory valuation adjustments, as lumber prices began to improve towards the end of the year. Despite the negative Adjusted EBITDA, cash flow from operations was breakeven for the quarter, due to a notable recovery of working capital, driven by reduced inventories and lower receivables. Notably, looking back over the last three years of this prolonged market downturn, cash flow from operations has been positive in each of 2023, 2024, and 2025, totaling just over CAD 300 million over that three-year period, even amidst the very weak lumber market conditions.

Speaker #3: From a cost perspective, however, production cost per unit improved by 4%, as higher conversion costs as a result of our downtime were more than offset by positive inventory valuation adjustments, as lumber prices began to improve towards the end of the year.

Mike MacKay: Despite the negative Adjusted EBITDA, cash flow from operations was breakeven for the quarter, due to a notable recovery of working capital, driven by reduced inventories and lower receivables. Notably, looking back over the last three years of this prolonged market downturn, cash flow from operations has been positive in each of 2023, 2024, and 2025, totaling just over CAD 300 million over that three-year period, even amidst the very weak lumber market conditions.

Speaker #3: Despite the negative adjusted EBITDA, cash flow from operations was break-even for the quarter, due to a notable recovery of working capital driven by reduced inventories and lower receivables.

Speaker #3: Notably, looking back over the last three years of this prolonged market downturn, cash flow from operations has been positive in each of 2023, 2024, and 2025, totaling just over $300 million over that three-year period, even amidst the very weak lumber market conditions.

Speaker #3: This reflects focused efforts on working capital management, as Ian alluded to, tax recoveries, and ongoing initiatives to improve our cost structure and optimize the operating platform.

Mike MacKay: This reflects focused efforts on working capital management, as Ian alluded to, tax recoveries, and ongoing initiatives to improve our cost structure and optimize the operating platform. Turning now to the balance sheet. While admittedly, our leverage is not where we'd like it to be at this point in the cycle, we continue to take proactive actions to help us weather the storm of the current volatile markets. During and subsequent to the quarter, we completed a series of complementary financing transactions, including our previously announced equity raise, as well as several new net debt-neutral refinancing initiatives. Taken together, these initiatives bolster our liquidity, effectively clear out our debt maturity runway for 2026 and 2027, and provide us both the time and flexibility to make the appropriate operating decisions if necessary.

Speaker #3: Turning now to the balance sheet, while admittedly our leverage is not where we'd like it to be at this point in the cycle, we continue to take proactive actions to help us weather the storm of the current volatile markets.

Speaker #3: During and subsequent to the quarter, we completed a series of complementary financing transactions, including our previously announced equity raise, as well as several new net debt-neutral refinancing initiatives.

Mike MacKay: During and subsequent to the quarter, we completed a series of complementary financing transactions, including our previously announced equity raise, as well as several new net debt-neutral refinancing initiatives. Taken together, these initiatives bolster our liquidity, effectively clear out our debt maturity runway for 2026 and 2027, and provide us both the time and flexibility to make the appropriate operating decisions if necessary.

Speaker #3: Taken together, these initiatives bolster our liquidity, effectively clear out our debt maturity runway for 2026 and 2027, and provide us both the time and flexibility to make the appropriate operating decisions if necessary.

Speaker #3: At the end of the year, our net debt to capitalization ratio was 36.5%, and we had pro forma available liquidity of $482 million. This level, combined with anticipated divestiture proceeds over the next year or so, will provide significant financial flexibility to navigate ongoing volatility.

Mike MacKay: At the end of the year, our net debt to capitalization ratio was 36.5%, and we had pro forma available liquidity of $482 million. This level, combined with anticipated divestiture proceeds over the next year or so, will provide significant financial flexibility to navigate ongoing volatility. These divestitures include the ongoing sale of our BC coast forest tenures, as well as anticipated sale of real estate at our former Summerville and Meldrim facilities in the US South. Turning lastly to capital allocation. Following the completion of several major capital investments in recent years, culminating with the completion of our Thomaston project in Q1, we're continuing to anticipate lower spending going forward.

Speaker #3: These divestitures include the ongoing sale of our B.C. Coast Forest tenures, as well as the anticipated sale of real estate at our former Somerville and Meldrum facilities in the U.S. South.

Speaker #3: Turning lastly to capital allocation, following the completion of several major capital investments in recent years—culminating with the completion of our Thomaston project in Q1—we're continuing to anticipate lower spending going forward.

Mike MacKay: Turning lastly to capital allocation. Following the completion of several major capital investments in recent years, culminating with the completion of our Thomaston project in Q1, we're continuing to anticipate lower spending going forward. Total capital spend for 2026 is expected to be between CAD 75 to 80 million, and preliminary estimates for 2027 are expected to be in the range of around CAD 60 million, focused almost entirely on maintenance.

Speaker #3: Total capital spent for 2026 is expected to be between $75 million to $80 million, and preliminary estimates for 2027 are expected to be in the range of around $60 million, focused almost entirely on maintenance.

Mike MacKay: Total capital spend for 2026 is expected to be between CAD 75 to 80 million, and preliminary estimates for 2027 are expected to be in the range of around CAD 60 million, focused almost entirely on maintenance. In terms of capital allocation, as Ian alluded to, any free cash flow will be directed solely towards leverage reduction, and the timing to reduce this leverage will ultimately depend on lumber prices and market conditions. However, our priority in the near term remains simple and clear. We're encouraged by some early signs of improvement in the lumber markets in recent weeks, though our planning assumptions remain conservative. With that, I'll now turn the call to Bart to provide some commentary on the markets.

Speaker #3: In terms of capital allocation, as Ian alluded to, any free cash flow will be directed solely towards leverage reduction. And the timing to reduce this leverage will ultimately depend on lumber prices and market conditions.

Mike MacKay: In terms of capital allocation, as Ian alluded to, any free cash flow will be directed solely towards leverage reduction, and the timing to reduce this leverage will ultimately depend on lumber prices and market conditions. However, our priority in the near term remains simple and clear. We're encouraged by some early signs of improvement in the lumber markets in recent weeks, though our planning assumptions remain conservative. With that, I'll now turn the call to Bart to provide some commentary on the markets.

Speaker #3: However, our priority in the near term remains simple and clear. We're encouraged by some early signs of improvement in the lumber markets in recent weeks, though our planning assumptions remain conservative.

Speaker #3: With that, I'll now turn the call to Bart to provide some commentary on the markets.

Speaker #2: Okay. Thanks, Mike. Good morning, everyone. As we look ahead to 2026, the economic environment remains uncertain. Trade and geopolitical developments continue to introduce incremental risk, which could slow both interest rate easing and broader economic activity.

Bart Bender: Okay, thanks, Mike. Good morning, everyone. As we look ahead to 2026, the economic environment remains uncertain. Trade and geopolitical developments continue to introduce incremental risk, which could slow both interest rate easing and broader economic activity. That said, the US economy continues to show resilience around growth and employment. Current expectations suggest that meaningful interest rate easing could shift to later in 2026. From a housing perspective, affordability continues to be challenged. Mortgage rates are expected to remain at or near levels, at least in the first part of 2026. Repair and remodel, largely influenced by home purchases, is expected to remain relatively flat at the current levels. Turning to supply, we're beginning to see the impact of production curtailments across the industry. While some curtailments are formally announced, many are not. One useful indicator is shipments of Canadian lumber into the US markets.

Speaker #2: That said, the U.S. economy continues to show resilience around growth and employment. Current expectations suggest that meaningful interest rate easing could shift to later in 2026.

Speaker #2: From a housing perspective, affordability continues to be challenged. Mortgage rates are expected to remain at or near these levels, at least in the first part of 2026.

Bart Bender: From a housing perspective, affordability continues to be challenged. Mortgage rates are expected to remain at or near levels, at least in the first part of 2026. Repair and remodel, largely influenced by home purchases, is expected to remain relatively flat at the current levels. Turning to supply, we're beginning to see the impact of production curtailments across the industry. While some curtailments are formally announced, many are not. One useful indicator is shipments of Canadian lumber into the US markets.

Speaker #2: Repair and remodel, largely influenced by home purchases, is expected to remain relatively flat at the current levels. Turning to supply, we're beginning to see the impact of production curtailments across the industry.

Speaker #2: While some curtailments are formally announced, many are not. One useful indicator is shipments of Canadian lumber into the US markets. Over the last six months, shipments annualized to approximately 8.5 billion board feet, compared to just over 10 billion in 2025 and 11.5 billion board feet in 2024.

Bart Bender: Over the last six months, shipments annualized to approximately 8.5 billion board feet, compared to just over 10 billion in 2025 and 11.5 billion board feet in 2024. That's a material drop in supply, and that, when you couple that with the curtailments in the US, altogether, these reductions are starting to balance the lumber markets. Market activity suggested destocking was taking place with our customers for the back half of 2025, as really there was no incentive to carry any extra inventory in the marketplace. This would mean that mills were not seeing true levels of demand, which, given supply reductions, should be interesting as we enter the seasonally higher lumber consumptions, consumption months of spring. Logistics has been relatively stable. However, the recent winter is impacting service levels and causing some delay in shipments.

Speaker #2: That's a material drop in supply. And that, when you couple that with the curtailments in the U.S., altogether these reductions are starting to balance the lumber markets.

Speaker #2: Market activity suggested destocking was taking place with our customers for the back half of 2025, as really there was no incentive to carry any extra inventory in the marketplace.

Bart Bender: Market activity suggested destocking was taking place with our customers for the back half of 2025, as really there was no incentive to carry any extra inventory in the marketplace. This would mean that mills were not seeing true levels of demand, which, given supply reductions, should be interesting as we enter the seasonally higher lumber consumptions, consumption months of spring. Logistics has been relatively stable.

Speaker #2: This would mean that mills were not seeing true levels of demand, which, given supply reductions, should be interesting as we enter the seasonally higher lumber consumption months of spring.

Speaker #2: Logistics have been relatively stable. However, the recent winter has impacted service levels and caused some delays in shipments. We expect that demand for lumber was also impacted during these weather events.

Bart Bender: However, the recent winter is impacting service levels and causing some delay in shipments. We expect that demand for lumber was also impacted during these weather events. As always, Interfor will continue to monitor our customers' needs and adjust our production levels accordingly. With that, I'll turn it back over to you, Ian.

Bart Bender: We expect that demand for lumber was also impacted during these weather events. As always, Interfor will continue to monitor our customers' needs and adjust our production levels accordingly. With that, I'll turn it back over to you, Ian.

Speaker #2: As always, Interfor will continue to monitor our customers' needs and adjust our production levels accordingly. With that, I'll turn it back over to you, Ian.

Speaker #3: Thanks, Bart. Operator, we're ready to take any questions.

Mike MacKay: Thanks, Bart. Operator, we're ready to take any questions.

Speaker #4: Thank you, sir. Ladies and gentlemen, if you do have any questions at this time, please press star followed by 1 on your touch-tone phone.

Operator 2: Thank you, sir. Ladies and gentlemen, if you do have any questions at this time, please press Star followed by one on your touchtone phone. You will then hear a prompt that your hand has been raised, and should you wish to withdraw from the polling process, please press Star followed by two. If using a speakerphone, you will need to lift the handset first before pressing any keys. Please go ahead and press Star one now if you have any questions. Thank you. First question will be from Matthew McKellar at RBC Capital Markets. Please go ahead, Matthew.

Operator: Thank you, sir. Ladies and gentlemen, if you do have any questions at this time, please press Star followed by one on your touchtone phone. You will then hear a prompt that your hand has been raised, and should you wish to withdraw from the polling process, please press Star followed by two. If using a speakerphone, you will need to lift the handset first before pressing any keys. Please go ahead and press Star one now if you have any questions. Thank you. First question will be from Matthew McKellar at RBC Capital Markets. Please go ahead, Matthew.

Speaker #4: You will then hear a prompt that your hand has been raised. Should you wish to withdraw from the polling process, please press star followed by 2.

Speaker #4: And if you are using a speakerphone, you will need to lift the handset first before pressing any keys. Please go ahead and press star 1 now.

Speaker #4: If you have any questions, thank you. First question will be from Matthew McKeller at RBC Capital Markets. Please go ahead, Matthew.

Speaker #5: Hi. Good morning. Thanks very much for taking my questions. I just wanted to follow up on Bart's comments about some delays in shipments. It sounds like logistics were kind of stable before that.

Matthew McKellar: Hi, good morning. Thanks very much for taking my questions. Just wanted to follow up on Bart's comments about some delays in shipments. It sounds like logistics were kind of stable before that. How significant is the disruption you're seeing today? And do you have a sense that things can normalize fairly quickly, or do you expect some tightness there for some time to come? Thank you.

Speaker #5: How significant is the disruption you're seeing today, and do you have a sense that things could normalize fairly quickly, or do you expect some tightness there for some time to come?

Speaker #5: Thank you.

Speaker #2: Yeah, it's not at a prolonged situation. I think the winter weather that you saw kick in into some unusual places, and also the usual places in the north, have caused some railcar delays and some truck delays.

Bart Bender: Yeah, it's not, it's not a prolonged situation. I think the winter weather that you saw kick into some unusual places and also the usual places in the north have caused, you know, some rail car delays and some truck delays, which will impact shipments, but those will clear out in a couple weeks, three weeks. So I'm not expecting anything prolonged.

Speaker #2: Which will impact shipments, but those will clear out in a couple of weeks—three weeks. So I'm not expecting anything prolonged.

Speaker #5: Thanks very much. And then, you seem to take quite a bit of downtime in the Pacific Northwest in Q4. Have you been able to restore your operating stance in that region to start 2026, with how prices have trended?

Matthew McKellar: Thanks very much. And then you seem to take quite a bit of downtime in the Pacific Northwest in Q4. Have you been able to restore your operating stance in that region to start 2026 with how prices have trended? Thanks.

Speaker #5: Thanks.

Speaker #2: Yeah, Matt, Ian here. Thanks for the question. We are adding incremental hours in the Pacific Northwest right now. And the way we do that is, obviously, you look at the pricing that's available to those operations, build a border file that's cash positive over a multi-week period.

Ian Fillinger: Yeah, Matt, Ian here. Thanks for the question. We are adding, you know, incremental hours in the Pacific Northwest right now, and the way we do that is you obviously look at the pricing that's available to those operations, build a order file that's cash positive over a multi-week period, and then you know, slowly bring hours into the operation. So I would say it's a very conservative risk adverse adding of hours that really, you know, depends on pricing, demand, and order file. So there are hours that are increasing slightly, but not, you know, not at a rapid pace at this point.

Speaker #2: And then slowly bring—so I would say it's a very conservative, risk-averse adding of hours that really depends on pricing, demand, and order file.

Speaker #2: So, there are hours that are increasing slightly, but not at a rapid pace at this point.

Speaker #5: Thanks very much for the help. I'll turn it back.

Matthew McKellar: Thanks very much for the help. I'll turn it back.

Speaker #2: Okay. Thanks, Matt.

Ian Fillinger: Okay, thanks, Matt.

Speaker #4: Next question will be from Keaton Mentora at RBC Capital Markets. Please go ahead.

Operator 2: Next question will be from Ketan Mamtora at RBC Capital Markets. Please go ahead.

Operator: Next question will be from Ketan Mamtora at RBC Capital Markets. Please go ahead.

Speaker #6: Hi, good morning. Morning, Ian, Mike, and Bart. Bart, maybe to start with, can you give us some perspective of what your channel inventories are at the moment, and what is your sense of inventories in the channel at the moment?

Ketan Mamtora: Hi, good morning. Morning, Ian, Mike, and Bart. Bart, maybe to start with, can you give us some perspective of what your channel inventories are at the moment, and what is your sense of inventories in the channel at the moment?

Speaker #2: Yeah, thanks, Keaton. Yeah, as far as our view of the dealer and distribution channels, across our lines they appear to be on the lean side, with some recent volatility making it a bit harder to decipher.

Ian Fillinger: Yeah, thanks, Ketan. Yeah, as far as our view of the dealer and distribution channels across our lines, they appear to be on the lean side, with some recent volatility, making it a bit, you know, harder to decipher. But there seems to be little willingness to build any inventory, as Bart had alluded to, just given market uncertainty at this time. So, you know, I would... That would be our best view at this point, Ketan.

Speaker #2: But there seems to be little willingness to build any inventory, as Bart had alluded to, just given market uncertainty at this time. So I would say that would be our best view at this point, Keaton.

Ketan Mamtora: Got it. And then your inventories, Ian?

Speaker #6: Got it. And then your inventories, Ian?

Ketan Mamtora: Got it. And then your inventories, Ian?

Speaker #2: Yeah, we're comfortable with our inventories. We've got them very lean, and we're running the operations relative to the sales price and the demand on the order file.

Ian Fillinger: Yeah, we're comfortable with our inventories. We've got them, you know, very lean, and we're running the operations relative to, you know, the sales price and the demand on the order file. So, yeah, very good, and comfortable position in the inventory. There's no excess around, of any kind of materiality in any one of our regions across the company. So very, very tight at this point, but, appropriate given the, you know, where the market's at.

Speaker #2: So yeah, very good and comfortable position in the inventory. There's no excess around of any kind of materiality in any one of our regions across the company.

Speaker #2: So, very tight at this point, but appropriate given where the market’s at.

Speaker #6: Got it. And then as we think about the first quarter, Ian, how should we think about your production in the first quarter? I know in Q4, you all had talked about 250 million board feet of sort of curtailments.

Ketan Mamtora: Got it. And then, as we think about the first quarter, Ian, how should we think about your production in the first quarter? I know in Q4, you all had talked about 250 million board feet of sort of curtailments. Is there a way to think about Q1?

Speaker #6: Is there a way to think about Q1?

Speaker #2: Yeah, I would guide to the early part of Q1. There are some small incremental hours, particularly in the South and the Pacific Northwest, that are happening now.

Ian Fillinger: Yeah, I would, you know, guide to, you know, the early part of Q1 here is, you know, in some small incremental hours, you know, particularly in the South and the Pacific Northwest, that are happening now. But, you know, Ketan, you know, going out further, we're just, we're reviewing it on a week-to-week basis and just, you know, making sure that we're not, you know, adding hours and building inventory. So it's really got to have the right price and the right order file in front of it. So incrementally, you know, we're, hours are up a bit, for the first part of Q1 to be determined for, you know, the last part here.

Speaker #2: But Keaton, going out further, we're reviewing it on a week-to-week basis and just making sure that we're not adding hours and building inventory. So it's really got to have the right price and the right order file in front of it.

Speaker #2: So, incrementally, our hours are up a bit. For the first part of Q1, to be determined for the last part here.

Speaker #6: Got it. And then just last question for you.

Ketan Mamtora: Got it. And then just last question-

Ian Fillinger: Very cautious right now.

Speaker #2: Very cautious right now.

Speaker #6: Understood. That's helpful. And then just last one from me. On the balance sheet side, do you think everything that you had to do, kind of to get into a position where you think that that's comfortable for you?

Ketan Mamtora: Understood. That's helpful. And then just last one from me. On the balance sheet side, do you think everything that you had to do, kind of, to get into a position where you think that, you know, that's comfortable for you, you think that's behind you, or are there other options that you all are considering? You know, you've got duty deposits. Is that an option to kind of monetize?

Speaker #6: Do you think that’s behind you, or are there other options that you all are considering? You’ve got duty deposits. Is that an option to kind of monetize?

Speaker #2: Hi, Keaton. Mike here. I think the moves we made here in the last quarter, including the equity raise, have been very meaningful in how we think about them.

Bart Bender: Hi, Ketan, Mike here. I think the moves we made here in the last quarter, including the equity raise, have been very meaningful, is how we think about them. Really cleared out the maturity runway the next few years, in our view, in terms of flexibility, in terms of whatever market conditions come our way. So I think, in large part, it's been completed. I would say they were, you know, proactive moves on our part to get ahead of it and anticipate the downside scenarios. Duties-wise, you know, I think with all the ongoing uncertainty around this file and moving pieces politically, it's probably lower down the list of things to consider. But do feel the other moves we made have really moved the dial substantially here.

Speaker #2: Really cleared out the maturity runway—the next few years, in our view, in terms of flexibility and in terms of whatever market conditions come our way.

Speaker #2: So, I think in large part, it's been completed, I would say. They were proactive moves on our part to get ahead of it and anticipate the downside scenarios.

Bart Bender: I would say they were, you know, proactive moves on our part to get ahead of it and anticipate the downside scenarios. Duties-wise, you know, I think with all the ongoing uncertainty around this file and moving pieces politically, it's probably lower down the list of things to consider. But do feel the other moves we made have really moved the dial substantially here.

Speaker #2: Duties-wise, I think with all the ongoing uncertainty around this file and moving pieces—politically, it's probably lower down the list. Things to consider. But I do feel the other moves we made have really moved the dial substantially here.

Speaker #6: Fair enough. That's very helpful. I'll jump back into Q. Good luck.

Ketan Mamtora: ... Fair enough. That's very helpful. I'll jump back in the queue. Good luck.

Speaker #2: Thanks, Keaton.

Mike MacKay: Thanks, Ketan.

Speaker #4: Ladies and gentlemen, a reminder to please press star followed by one at this time should you have any questions. Thank you. The next question will be from Sean Stewart at TD Cowan.

Operator 2: Ladies and gentlemen, a reminder to please press star followed by one at this time, should you have any questions. Thank you. Next question will be from Sean Steuart at TD Cowen. Please go ahead.

Operator: Ladies and gentlemen, a reminder to please press star followed by one at this time, should you have any questions. Thank you. Next question will be from Sean Steuart at TD Cowen. Please go ahead.

Speaker #4: Please go ahead.

Speaker #7: Thanks. Good morning, everyone. Mike, I want to follow up on the balance sheet on the debt side. You made a lot of progress this quarter.

Sean Steuart: Thanks. Good morning, everyone. Mike, I want to follow up on the balance sheet. On the debt side, you made a lot of progress this quarter. You're getting amendments from creditors on the covenant calculations. I guess what I'm trying to square up here is beyond the minimum liquidity requirement, can you give some context on concessions you guys are giving to get those amendments? And I'm thinking in terms of any incremental increase to your overall borrowing costs. Are there any sensitivities around that you can give us?

Speaker #7: You're getting amendments from creditors on the covenant calculations. I guess what I'm trying to square up here is, beyond the minimum liquidity requirement, can you give some context on concessions you guys are giving to get those amendments?

Speaker #7: And I'm thinking in terms of any incremental increase to your overall borrowing costs. Are there any sensitivities around that you can give us?

Speaker #2: Yeah, hey Sean, good question. I would say, as I addressed on the last question, this is really proactive measures on our side. Our new notes are obviously priced a little higher than our existing structure.

Mike MacKay: Yeah. Hey, Sean. You know, good question. I would say, as I addressed on the last question, this is really proactive measures on our side. There would be. You know, our new notes are obviously priced a little higher than our existing structure. But overall, if you look at our interest costs, they're in the 6.5% range. You know, so there'd be some incremental borrowing costs that come with this, but nothing too meaningful, you know, in a $2 million range type of thing, Sean. So I wouldn't say there's concessions. The equity raise, I would say, went a long way for our lenders in terms of, you know, showing what we're willing to do to help ourselves. And so I think that was all part and parcel with this package.

Speaker #2: But overall, if you look at our interest costs, they're in the 6.5% range. So, there would be some incremental borrowing costs that come with this, but nothing too meaningful.

Speaker #2: In the couple-million-dollar range type of thing, Sean. So I wouldn't say there's concessions. The equity raise, I would say, went a long way for our lenders in terms of showing what we're willing to do to help ourselves.

Mike MacKay: So I wouldn't say there's concessions. The equity raise, I would say, went a long way for our lenders in terms of, you know, showing what we're willing to do to help ourselves. And so I think that was all part and parcel with this package You know, our new issuance on debt is really, you know, looking at funding some maturities that are coming our way. So we have some of it fall off as we go ahead here, under the normal course.

Speaker #2: And so I think that was all part and parcel with this package. Our new issuance on debt is really looking at funding some maturities that are coming our way.

Mike MacKay: You know, our new issuance on debt is really, you know, looking at funding some maturities that are coming our way. So we have some of it fall off as we go ahead here, under the normal course.

Speaker #2: So, we have some of it fall off as we go ahead here under the normal course.

Speaker #7: Got it. Okay, that's encouraging to see that progress. Can you give us a sense, Mike or Ian, of the cadence of the asset sales—both the 10 years and the idle sawmill sites?

Sean Steuart: Got it. Okay, that's encouraging to see that progress. Can you give us a sense, Mike or Ian, the cadence of the asset sales, both the tenures and the idled sawmill sites, the cadence of those proceeds and overall magnitude that you're targeting?

Speaker #7: The cadence of those proceeds and the overall magnitude that you're targeting?

Speaker #2: Yeah, I'll take that one, Sean. So, for the BC Coast, I think our guidance previously was around 30 to 35 million. That still stands.

Mike MacKay: Yeah, I'll take that one, Sean. So for the BC coast, I think our guidance previously was in around CAD 30 to 35 million. That still stands. I think we've always said on this file, it's timing that's a little more uncertain, but I think for planning purposes, that's probably a fair number to look at over the next, you know, 12 to 18 months. The asset sales, a little more hesitant to give some guidance there. We're in an active marketing process right now. I would say it's meaningful, though, so, you know, order of magnitude in and around the same as the BC coast, but don't want to get too much more specific. Those properties are in attractive geographic areas in growing cities, and so, yeah, pretty meaningful real estate divestiture proceeds.

Speaker #2: I think we've always said on this file, it's timing that's a little more uncertain. But I think, for planning purposes, that's really a fair number to look at over the next 12 to 18 months.

Speaker #2: The asset sales—a little more hesitant to give some guidance there. We're in an active marketing process right now. I would say it's meaningful, though.

Mike MacKay: The asset sales, a little more hesitant to give some guidance there. We're in an active marketing process right now. I would say it's meaningful, though, so, you know, order of magnitude in and around the same as the BC coast, but don't want to get too much more specific. Those properties are in attractive geographic areas in growing cities, and so, yeah, pretty meaningful real estate divestiture proceeds.

Speaker #2: So, order of magnitude in and around the same as the BC Coast, but don't want to get too much more specific. Those properties are in attractive geographic areas and growing cities.

Speaker #2: And so, pretty meaningful real estate divestiture proceeds. Also, 12 to 18 months would probably be a decent guidance for that, Sean.

Sean Steuart: Okay.

Mike MacKay: Also, 12 to 18 months probably be a decent guidance for that, Sean.

Speaker #7: Okay, one last question. Ian, you touched on the following—or the lower labor turnover—presumably you’re referring to the US South there. Can you put some numbers around that?

Sean Steuart: Okay. One last question. Ian, you touched on the falling or the lower labor turnover. Presumably, you're referring to the US South there. Can you put some numbers around that? You know, that I know that's been a challenge for the industry the last several years, but any numbers you can put around changes in that turnover rate?

Speaker #7: I know that's been a challenge for the industry the last several years, but are there any numbers you can put around changes in that turnover rate?

Speaker #2: Yeah, Sean, it has been. And it's been two years in a row where we've reduced our turnover rate, particularly in the South at the focus mills that we've identified as the mills that needed the most help to make progress on that.

Ian Fillinger: Yeah, Sean, it has been, and it's been two years in a row where we've reduced our turnover rates, particularly in the South, at the focus mills that we've identified as the, you know, the mills that needed the most help to make progress on that. But, you know, and overall in the South, it, I believe it's around, you know, 3% or something improvement. But in some of the focus mills where there were higher turnover rates, those are in double-digit percentage improvements through the retentionary initiatives that we've put in place. So yeah, really good progress by our operating and HR teams to, you know, address that. Well, obviously, lots of work still to do, but, you know, two years of trending in the right way has been encouraging.

Speaker #2: But overall in the South, I believe it's around a 3% or something improvement. But in some of the focus mills where there were higher turnover rates, those are in double-digit percentage improvements through the retentionary initiatives that we put in place.

Ian Fillinger: But in some of the focus mills where there were higher turnover rates, those are in double-digit percentage improvements through the retentionary initiatives that we've put in place. So yeah, really good progress by our operating and HR teams to, you know, address that. Well, obviously, lots of work still to do, but, you know, two years of trending in the right way has been encouraging.

Speaker #2: So yeah, really good progress by our operating and HR teams to address that. Well, obviously, lots of work still to do. But two years of trending in the right way has been encouraging.

Speaker #7: Got it. Okay, that's all I have for right now. Thanks, everyone.

Sean Steuart: Got it. Okay, that's all I have for right now. Thanks, everyone.

Speaker #2: Great. Thanks, Sean.

Mike MacKay: Great. Thanks, Sean.

Speaker #4: Okay. Ladies and gentlemen, once more, if you do have any questions, please press star followed by one on your touchstone phone. And at this time, Mr. Fillinger, we have no other questions registered.

Operator 2: Ladies and gentlemen, once more, if you do have any questions, please press star followed by one on your touchtone phone. At this time, Mr. Fillinger, we have no other questions registered. Please proceed.

Operator: Ladies and gentlemen, once more, if you do have any questions, please press star followed by one on your touchtone phone. At this time, Mr. Fillinger, we have no other questions registered. Please proceed.

Speaker #4: Please proceed.

Speaker #2: Okay. Thank you, operator. As always, Mike, Bart, and I are available to respond to any further questions, as is Brian Fast, our Director of Investor Relations.

Mike MacKay: Okay. Thank you, operator. As always, Mike, Bart, and I are available to respond to any further questions, as is Brian Fast, our Director of Investor Relations. Thank you, everybody, for attending and look forward to talking to you next quarter. Have a great day.

Ian Fillinger: Okay. Thank you, operator. As always, Mike, Bart, and I are available to respond to any further questions, as is Brian Fast, our Director of Investor Relations. Thank you, everybody, for attending and look forward to talking to you next quarter. Have a great day.

Speaker #2: Thank you, everybody, for attending, and I look forward to talking to you next quarter. Have a great day. Thank you.

Speaker #4: Thank you, sir. Ladies and gentlemen, this does indeed conclude your conference call for today. Once again, thank you for attending. And at this time, we do ask that you please disconnect your line.

Operator 2: Thank you, sir. Ladies and gentlemen, this does indeed conclude the conference call for today. Once again, thank you for attending, and at this time, we do ask that you please disconnect your line.

Operator: Thank you, sir. Ladies and gentlemen, this does indeed conclude the conference call for today. Once again, thank you for attending, and at this time, we do ask that you please disconnect your line.

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