West Fraser Announces Fourth Quarter 2025 Results
Rhea-AI Summary
West Fraser (TSX/NYSE: WFG) reported Q4-2025 sales of $1.165 billion and a net loss of $751 million (loss of $9.63 per diluted share), driven by $712 million of restructuring and impairment charges. Adjusted EBITDA was $(79) million. Full-year 2025 sales were $5.462 billion with Adjusted EBITDA of $56 million. Cash and short-term investments fell to $202 million at Dec 31, 2025. The company repurchased 1.64 million shares in 2025 for $124 million and declared a dividend of $0.32 per share payable Apr 2, 2026.
Positive
- Repurchased 1,639,207 shares for $124 million
- Declared quarterly dividend of $0.32 per share payable Apr 2, 2026
- Completed and started up modernized Henderson lumber mill
- Large-scale Allendale OSB mill effectively ramped up
Negative
- Q4 net loss of $751 million including $712 million restructuring and impairments
- Cash and short-term investments declined to $202 million at Dec 31, 2025
- Full-year Adjusted EBITDA fell to $56 million from $673 million in 2024
- Tariffs and duties (IEEPA and Section 232) created material market uncertainty
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
WFG was up 0.89% pre-release with mixed peers: UFPI -0.04%, BCC -0.51%, SSD +0.65%, IAG +1.76%, GGB flat. Moves appear stock-specific rather than a unified lumber/wood move.
Previous Earnings Reports
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 22 | Q3 2025 earnings | Negative | -1.8% | Reported Q3 loss with negative Adjusted EBITDA and tariff headwinds. |
| Jul 23 | Q2 2025 earnings | Neutral | -6.0% | Small net loss but positive Adjusted EBITDA and revised shipment targets. |
| Apr 22 | Q1 2025 earnings | Positive | -2.3% | Quarterly profit and solid Adjusted EBITDA despite tariff concerns. |
| Feb 12 | Q4 2024 earnings | Negative | -3.8% | Q4 loss and weak full-year results with macro and tariff risks. |
| Oct 23 | Q3 2024 earnings | Neutral | +1.1% | Loss with moderate Adjusted EBITDA and capacity curtailment actions. |
Earnings releases have often coincided with modest negative reactions, with an average move of about -2.55%, especially when losses or guidance revisions are highlighted.
Over the last five earnings releases from Oct 2024 through Oct 2025, West Fraser has oscillated between modest profitability and losses, with Adjusted EBITDA moving from positive territory to negative by Q3 2025. Results frequently cited soft demand, tariffs, and housing affordability challenges. The company has continued share repurchases and dividends through this period. This Q4 2025 release extends the narrative of pressure on lumber and OSB, larger net losses, and restructuring and impairment charges, set against a still-supportive long-term housing backdrop.
Historical Comparison
In the past 5 earnings releases, average 1‑day move was -2.55%. This Q4/annual report similarly emphasizes losses, restructuring charges and macro headwinds.
Earnings over 2024–2025 show a progression from modest losses and positive Adjusted EBITDA toward deeper losses and negative Adjusted EBITDA as tariffs, weaker demand and capacity rationalizations intensified.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement delivers Q4 2025 sales of $1.165B and a net loss of $(751)M, with full‑year 2025 sales of $5.462B and loss of $(937)M. Management details negative Adjusted EBITDA, substantial restructuring and impairment charges, and the impact of new U.S. tariffs and housing affordability on demand. At the same time, the company reiterates 2026 shipment targets, plans $300–350M of capital expenditures, and maintains a $0.32 dividend, emphasizing long-term housing and mass‑timber demand as key drivers to monitor.
Key Terms
adjusted ebitda financial
non-gaap financial measure financial
countervailing duties regulatory
antidumping duties regulatory
international emergency economic powers act regulatory
section 232 regulatory
normal course issuer bid financial
nbsk technical
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
Fourth Quarter Highlights
- Sales of
and earnings of$1.16 5 billion , or$(751) million per diluted share$(9.63) - Pre-tax earnings included
of restructuring and impairment charges$712 million - Adjusted EBITDA1 of
, representing ($(79) million 7% ) of sales - Lumber segment Adjusted EBITDA1 of
, excluding$(57) million of restructuring and impairment charges$473 million - North America Engineered Wood Products ("NA EWP") segment Adjusted EBITDA1 of
, excluding$(24) million of restructuring and impairment charges$239 million - Pulp & Paper segment Adjusted EBITDA1 of
$(1) million - Europe Engineered Wood Products ("Europe EWP") segment Adjusted EBITDA1 of
$4 million - Repurchased 108,079 shares for aggregate consideration of
$7 million
Annual Highlights
- Sales of
and earnings of$5.46 2 billion , or$(937) million per diluted share$(12.08) - Pre-tax earnings included
of restructuring and impairment charges$712 million - Adjusted EBITDA1 of
, representing$56 million 1% of sales - Lumber segment Adjusted EBITDA1 of
, including$(100) million of export duty expense attributable to the finalization of AR6 but excluding$67 million of restructuring and impairment charges$473 million - North America Engineered Wood Products ("NA EWP") segment Adjusted EBITDA1 of
, excluding$153 million of restructuring and impairment charges$239 million - Pulp & Paper segment Adjusted EBITDA1 of
$(2) million - Europe Engineered Wood Products ("Europe EWP") segment Adjusted EBITDA1 of
$5 million - Repurchased 1,639,207 shares for aggregate consideration of
$124 million
1. Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure. Refer to the "Non-GAAP and Other Specified Financial Measures" section of this document for more information on this measure. |
"The fourth quarter of 2025 was another challenging period for West Fraser, marked by elevated softwood lumber duties and tariffs, southern yellow pine lumber and OSB oversupply, and tempered demand for many of our wood-based building products, much of which can be attributed to housing affordability constraints that have continued into early 2026. Notwithstanding this environment, we made great advances with some of our major capital investments that will improve both our cost profile and our operating flexibility, completing construction and starting-up our modernized lumber mill in
Results Summary
Fourth quarter sales were
Full year sales were
Tariffs
Canadian softwood lumber exports to the
On March 4, 2025, the
On September 29, 2025, the
For additional information, refer to the discussion in our 2025 Annual MD&A under "Risks and Uncertainties – Trade Restrictions" for a detailed discussion of the risks and uncertainties associated with the imposition of tariffs.
Liquidity and Capital Allocation
Cash and short-term investments decreased to
Capital expenditures in the fourth quarter were
We paid
In the fourth quarter of 2025, we repurchased 108,079 shares under our current normal course issuer bid ("2025 NCIB") for aggregate consideration of
Outlook
Markets
Several key trends that have served as positive drivers in recent years are expected to continue to support medium and longer-term demand for new home construction in
The most significant uses for our North American lumber, OSB and engineered wood panel products are residential construction, repair and remodelling and industrial applications. Over the medium term, improved housing affordability from the stabilization of inflation and interest rates, a large cohort of the population approaching the typical home buying stage, and an aging
The seasonally adjusted annualized rate of
In
Operations
The Lumber segment is expected to experience another year of modest demand in 2026, as unknowns persist related to the potential demand impacts from new tariffs imposed by the
In our NA EWP segment, we expect somewhat softer demand for our OSB products in 2026. Similar to the Lumber segment, we acknowledge risks to our demand forecasts given the near-term uncertainty from potential trade tariffs and housing affordability challenges. In light of these factors as well as the planned OSB mill curtailment we announced in late 2025, we are reiterating 2026 North American OSB target shipments of 5.9 to 6.3 billion square feet (3/8-inch basis).
In our Europe EWP segment, we expect 2026 demand for our MDF, particleboard and OSB panel products to be similar or improve slightly from 2025 levels, recognizing there are ongoing macroeconomic uncertainties in the region. As such, we are reiterating 2026 OSB shipments targeted in the range of 1.0 to 1.25 billion square feet (3/8-inch basis).
The global pulp market continues to experience disruption with the economic impact of
As per our previously announced 2026 operational guidance, we expect relatively stable input costs across our supply chain this year, including chemicals and waxes, while contract labour availability and capital equipment lead times are expected to continue to improve.
Based on our current outlook, assuming no deterioration from current market demand conditions and no additional lengthening of lead times for projects underway or planned, expected capital expenditures remain in the range of
Refer to the discussion in our 2025 Annual MD&A under "Risks and Uncertainties - Trade Restrictions" under "Risks and Uncertainties" for a detailed discussion of the risks and uncertainties associated with the imposition of tariffs.
Dividend Declared
The Board of Directors of the Company has declared a dividend of
Management Discussion & Analysis ("MD&A")
Our 2025 Annual MD&A and audited annual consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes are available on our website at www.westfraser.com and the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval + ("SEDAR+") at www.sedarplus.ca and the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System ("EDGAR") website at www.sec.gov/edgar under the Company's profile.
Risks and Uncertainties
Risk and uncertainty disclosures are included in our 2025 Annual MD&A, as well as in our public filings with securities regulatory authorities. See also the discussion of "Forward-Looking Statements" below.
Conference Call
West Fraser will hold an analyst conference call to discuss the Company's Q4-25 financial and operating results on Thursday, February 12, 2026, at 7:00 a.m. Pacific Time (10:00 a.m. Eastern Time). To participate in the call, please dial: 1-888-510-2154 (toll-free
Following management's discussion of the quarterly results, investors and the analyst community will be invited to ask questions. The call will be recorded for webcasting purposes and will be available on the West Fraser website at www.westfraser.com.
1.This is a supplementary financial measure . Refer to the "Non-GAAP and Other Specified Financial Measures" section of this document for more information on this measure. |
About West Fraser
West Fraser is a diversified wood products company with more than 50 facilities in
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release includes statements and information that constitutes "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities laws and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of
Forward-looking statements included in this news release include references to the following and their impact on our business:
- improvements to our cost profile and operating flexibility resulting from our major capital investments;
- our plan to follow a balanced capital allocation strategy that allows us to grow while maintaining robust liquidity, increasing through cycle-resilience and creating long-term shareholder value;
- demand in North American and European markets for our products, including demand from new home construction, repairs and renovations and industrial and commercial applications;
- the impact on demand for our products resulting from the ongoing housing affordability challenges and the
U.S. administration's tariff and other government policies; - international trade and trade restrictions, including the impact of tariff actions and possible actions from the Section 232 investigation;
- the impact of sustained elevated interest rates and inflationary pressures on mortgage rates and housing affordability;
- the anticipated growing market penetration of mass timber;
- the anticipated moderation of interest rates, including prospects of at least one additional rate cut in 2026, and the potential impact of the
U.S. administration's tariff and other government policies and other competing forces on this trend; - our plans to take action to ensure our operations are flexible, sized to meet the needs of our customers, and that they continue to be managed with a strong focus on controlling costs;
- our strategy of improving our cost position across our portfolio of mills and investing to modernize our mills;
- the anticipated ongoing reliability and capital improvement gains across our lumber mill portfolio;
- the anticipated continuation of relatively stable costs across our supply chain over the near term and continued challenges on labour availability and capital equipment lead times;
- operational guidance, including projected shipments, projected capital expenditures and the potential impact of tariffs on our projections; and
- the continuation of investments in our assets and the maintenance of our balance sheet flexibility to be able to pursue a balanced capital allocation strategy and opportunistic growth objectives.
By their nature, these forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions, inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, which contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, and other forward-looking statements will not occur. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated or implied by forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to:
- assumptions in connection with the economic and financial conditions in the
U.S. ,Canada ,U.K. ,Europe and globally and consequential demand for our products, including the ability to meet our shipment guidance, and variability of operating schedules and the impact of the conflicts inUkraine and theMiddle East or elsewhere; - future increases in interest rates and inflation or continued sustained higher interest rates and rates of inflation could impact housing affordability and repair and remodelling demand, which could reduce demand for our products;
- near and long-term impacts and uncertainties of
U.S. administration tariffs and other government policies on the demand and prices of our wood products in theU.S. and the consequential impact on the profitability of our Canadian business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flow and ability to meet our shipment guidance; - risks associated with international trade and trade restrictions, including impact of tariff actions and possible further actions from the Section 232 investigation such as potential tariffs, export controls, including quotas, or incentives to increase domestic production, future cross border trade rulings, agreements and duty rates, including the renegotiation of CUSMA and/or the failure to renew or replace CUSMA as well as the impact of other government policies;
- global supply chain issues may result in increases to our costs and may contribute to a reduction in near-term demand for our products;
- continued governmental approvals and authorizations to access timber supply, and the impact of forest fires, infestations, environmental protection measures and actions taken and legislation adopted by government respecting Indigenous rights, title and/or reconciliation efforts on these approvals and authorizations, and evolving jurisprudence in
Canada on aboriginal rights and title; - risks inherent in our product concentration and cyclicality;
- effects of competition for logs, availability of fibre and fibre resources and product pricing pressures, including continued access to log supply and fibre resources at competitive prices and the impact of third-party certification standards; including reliance on fibre off-take agreements and third party consumers of wood chips;
- effects of variations in the price and availability of manufacturing inputs, including energy, employee wages, resin and other input costs, and the impact of inflationary pressures on the costs of these manufacturing costs, including increases in stumpage fees and log costs;
- availability and costs of transportation services, including truck and rail services, and port facilities, and impacts on transportation services of wildfires and severe weather events, and the impact of increased energy prices on the costs of transportation services;
- the recoverability of property, plant and equipment (
), goodwill and intangibles ($3,593 million ), both as at December 31, 2025, is based on numerous key assumptions which are inherently uncertain, including production volume, product pricing, operating costs, terminal multiple, and discount rate. Adverse changes in these assumptions could lead to a change in financial outlook which may result in carrying amounts exceeding their recoverable amounts and as a consequence an impairment, which could have a material non-cash adverse effect on our results of operations;$1,726 million - transportation constraints, including the impact of labour disruptions, may negatively impact our ability to meet projected shipment volumes;
- the timing of our planned capital investments may be delayed, the ultimate costs of these investments may be increased as a result of inflation, and the projected rates of return may not be achieved;
- various events that could disrupt operations, including natural, man-made or catastrophic events including drought, wildfires, fires, explosions, mechanical failures, cyber security incidents, any state of emergency and/or evacuation orders issued by governments, and ongoing relations with employees;
- risks inherent to customer dependence;
- implementation of important strategic initiatives and identification, completion and integration of acquisitions;
- impact of changes to, or non-compliance with, environmental or other regulations;
- government restrictions, standards or regulations intended to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and our inability to achieve our SBTi commitment for the reduction of greenhouse gases as planned;
- the costs and timeline to achieve our greenhouse gas emissions objectives may be greater and take longer than anticipated;
- changes in government policy and regulation, including actions taken by the Government of
British Columbia pursuant to recent amendments to forestry legislation and initiatives to defer logging of forests deemed "old growth" and the impact of these actions on our timber supply; - impact of weather and climate change on our operations or the operations or demand of our suppliers and customers;
- ability to implement new or upgraded information technology infrastructure;
- impact of information technology service disruptions or failures or cyber-security breaches or attacks;
- impact of any product, property or general liability claims in excess of insurance coverage;
- risks inherent to a capital intensive industry;
- impact of future outcomes of tax exposures;
- potential future changes in tax laws, including tax rates;
- risks associated with investigations, claims and legal, regulatory and tax proceedings covering matters which if resolved unfavourably may result in a loss to and/or reputational issues for the Company;
- effects of currency exposures and exchange rate fluctuations;
- fair values of our electricity swaps may be volatile and sensitive to fluctuations in forward electricity prices and changes in government policy and regulation;
- future operating costs;
- availability of financing, bank lines, securitization programs and/or other means of liquidity;
- continued access to timber supply in the traditional territories of Indigenous Nations and our ability to work with Indigenous Nations in B.C. to secure continued fibre supply for our lumber mills through various commercial agreements and joint ventures;
- our ability to continue to maintain effective internal control over financial reporting;
- the risks and uncertainties described in this document; and
- other risks detailed from time to time in our annual information forms, annual reports, MD&A, quarterly reports and material change reports filed with and furnished to securities regulators.
In addition, actual outcomes and results of these statements will depend on a number of factors including those matters described under "Risks and Uncertainties" in our 2025 Annual MD&A and may differ materially from those anticipated or projected. This list of important factors affecting forward‑looking statements is not exhaustive and reference should be made to the other factors discussed in public filings with securities regulatory authorities. Accordingly, readers should exercise caution in relying upon forward‑looking statements and we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward‑looking statements, whether written or oral, to reflect subsequent events or circumstances except as required by applicable securities laws.
Non-GAAP and Other Specified Financial Measures
Throughout this news release, we make reference to (i) certain non-GAAP financial measures, including Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA by segment (our "Non-GAAP Financial Measures"), and (ii) certain supplementary financial measures, including our expected capital expenditures (our "Supplementary Financial Measures"). We believe that these Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Supplementary Financial Measures (collectively, our "Non-GAAP and other specified financial measures") are useful performance indicators for investors with regard to operating and financial performance and our financial condition. These Non-GAAP and other specified financial measures are not generally accepted financial measures under IFRS Accounting Standards and do not have standardized meanings prescribed by IFRS Accounting Standards. Investors are cautioned that none of our Non-GAAP Financial Measures should be considered as an alternative to earnings or cash flow, as determined in accordance with IFRS Accounting Standards. As there is no standardized method of calculating any of these Non-GAAP and other specified financial measures, our method of calculating each of them may differ from the methods used by other entities and, accordingly, our use of any of these Non-GAAP and other specified financial measures may not be directly comparable to similarly titled measures used by other entities. Accordingly, these Non-GAAP and other specified financial measures are intended to provide additional information and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS Accounting Standards. The reconciliation of the Non-GAAP measures used and presented by the Company to the most directly comparable measures under IFRS Accounting Standards is provided in the tables set forth below. Figures have been rounded to millions of dollars to reflect the accuracy of the underlying balances and as a result certain tables may not add due to rounding impacts.
Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA by segment
Adjusted EBITDA is defined as earnings determined in accordance with IFRS Accounting Standards adding back the following line items from the consolidated statements of earnings and comprehensive earnings: finance income or expense, tax provision or recovery, amortization, equity-based compensation, restructuring and impairment charges, and other income or expense.
Adjusted EBITDA by segment is defined as operating earnings determined for each reportable segment in accordance with IFRS Accounting Standards adding back the following line items from the consolidated statements of earnings and comprehensive earnings for that reportable segment: amortization, equity-based compensation, and restructuring and impairment charges.
EBITDA is commonly reported and widely used by investors and lending institutions as an indicator of a company's operating performance, ability to incur and service debt, and as a valuation metric. We calculate Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA by segment to exclude items that do not reflect our ongoing operations and that should not, in our opinion, be considered in a long-term valuation metric or included in an assessment of our ability to service or incur debt.
We believe that disclosing these measures assists readers in measuring performance relative to other entities that operate in similar industries and understanding the ongoing cash generating potential of our business to provide liquidity to fund working capital needs, service outstanding debt, fund future capital expenditures and investment opportunities, and pay dividends. Adjusted EBITDA is used as an additional measure to evaluate the operating and financial performance of our reportable segments.
The following tables reconcile Adjusted EBITDA to the most directly comparable IFRS Accounting Standards measure, earnings.
Annual Adjusted EBITDA
($ millions)
2025 | 2024 | |
Loss | $ (937) | $ (5) |
Finance income, net | (1) | (34) |
Tax provision (recovery) | (233) | 43 |
Amortization | 544 | 549 |
Equity-based compensation | (14) | 14 |
Restructuring and impairment charges | 712 | 102 |
Other expense (income) | (15) | 2 |
Adjusted EBITDA | $ 56 | $ 673 |
Quarterly Adjusted EBITDA
($ millions)
Q4-25 | Q3-25 | |
Loss | $ (751) | $ (204) |
Finance expense (income), net | (3) | 12 |
Tax recovery | (167) | (73) |
Amortization | 144 | 133 |
Equity-based compensation | (4) | (2) |
Restructuring and impairment charges | 712 | — |
Other income | (10) | (11) |
Adjusted EBITDA | $ (79) | $ (144) |
The following tables reconcile Adjusted EBITDA by segment to the most directly comparable IFRS Accounting Standards measures for each of our reportable segments. We consider operating earnings to be the most directly comparable IFRS Accounting Standards measure for Adjusted EBITDA by segment as operating earnings is the IFRS Accounting measure most used by the chief operating decision maker when evaluating segment operating performance.
Annual Adjusted EBITDA by segment
($ millions)
2025 | Lumber | NA EWP | Pulp & Paper | Europe EWP | Corp & Other | Total |
Operating earnings (loss) | $ (766) | $ (376) | $ (16) | $ (37) | $ 9 | $ (1,187) |
Amortization | 193 | 290 | 15 | 42 | 5 | 544 |
Equity-based compensation | — | — | — | — | (14) | (14) |
Restructuring and impairment charges | 473 | 239 | — | — | — | 712 |
Adjusted EBITDA by segment | $ (100) | $ 153 | $ (2) | $ 5 | $ — | $ 56 |
2024 | Lumber | NA EWP | Pulp & Paper | Europe EWP | Corp & Other | Total |
Operating earnings (loss) | $ (303) | $ 459 | $ (13) | $ (110) | $ (26) | $ 7 |
Amortization | 192 | 284 | 14 | 48 | 11 | 549 |
Equity-based compensation | — | — | — | — | 14 | 14 |
Restructuring and impairment charges | 28 | 1 | 3 | 70 | 1 | 102 |
Adjusted EBITDA by segment | $ (82) | $ 744 | $ 4 | $ 8 | $ — | $ 673 |
Quarterly Adjusted EBITDA by segment
($ millions)
Q4-25 | Lumber | NA EWP | Pulp & Paper | Europe EWP | Corp & Other | Total |
Operating earnings (loss) | $ (586) | $ (335) | $ (5) | $ (7) | $ 3 | $ (931) |
Amortization | 56 | 73 | 3 | 11 | 1 | 144 |
Equity-based compensation | — | — | — | — | (4) | (4) |
Restructuring and impairment charges | 473 | 239 | — | — | — | 712 |
Adjusted EBITDA by segment | $ (57) | $ (24) | $ (1) | $ 4 | $ — | $ (79) |
Q3-25 | Lumber | NA EWP | Pulp & Paper | Europe EWP | Corp & Other | Total |
Operating earnings (loss) | $ (169) | $ (88) | $ (10) | $ (10) | $ 1 | $ (275) |
Amortization | 46 | 72 | 3 | 10 | 1 | 133 |
Equity-based compensation | — | — | — | — | (2) | (2) |
Adjusted EBITDA by segment | $ (123) | $ (15) | $ (6) | $ 1 | $ — | $ (144) |
Expected capital expenditures
This measure represents our best estimate of the amount of cash outflows relating to additions to capital assets for the current year based on our current outlook. This amount is comprised primarily of various improvement projects and maintenance-of-business expenditures, and projects focused on optimization and automation of the manufacturing process. This measure assumes no deterioration in market conditions during the year and that we are able to proceed with our plans on time and on budget. This estimate is subject to the risks and uncertainties identified in the Company's 2025 Annual MD&A.
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SOURCE West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd.