Weyerhaeuser Acquiring High-Quality Timberlands in North Carolina and Virginia
Rhea-AI Summary
Weyerhaeuser (NYSE: WY) has announced an agreement to acquire 117,000 acres of high-quality timberlands in North Carolina and Virginia from Roanoke Timberlands LLC for $375 million. The acquisition features mature, highly productive timberlands with 81% planted pine acreage, expected to produce an average annual harvest of 7.4 tons per acre over the first five years.
The strategic purchase will deliver an average annual timber free cash flow yield of 5.1% and integrate well with existing Weyerhaeuser operations. Upon closing in Q3 2025, Weyerhaeuser will own/manage approximately 744,000 acres in North Carolina and 150,000 acres in Virginia, along with three mills and two distribution centers, employing over 600 people across both states.
Positive
- None.
Negative
- Significant cash outlay of $375 million required for acquisition
- Subject to customary closing conditions that could delay or prevent completion
News Market Reaction
On the day this news was published, WY declined 0.08%, reflecting a mild negative market reaction.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
Capitalizing on unique off-market opportunity to further enhance Southern Timberlands portfolio with highly productive and strategically located acreage
Key attributes of the acquisition:
- Located in strong and growing sawlog and fiber markets in the
U.S. South - Primarily fee ownership with 81 percent planted pine acreage, strong site productivity and favorable all-weather logging operability
- Mature planted pine age class expected to produce an average annual harvest of 7.4 tons per acre (or 860,000 tons) over the first five years
- Expected to deliver an average annual timber free cash flow yield of 5.1 percent over the first five years
- Significant optionality to capture additional upside from real estate, natural climate solutions and natural resource opportunities
"These are exceptional timberlands, and we're excited and well-positioned to capitalize on this unique off-market opportunity," said Devin W. Stockfish, president and chief executive officer. "As we've demonstrated over the last several years, we are committed to active portfolio management across our unmatched timber holdings and have remained disciplined in our approach to growing the value of our timberlands — including through strategically targeted private transactions like the one we're announcing today. Upon closing of this acquisition, we will have acquired more than
The acquisition is expected to close in the third quarter and is subject to customary closing conditions. Cash outlay for the transaction is expected to be predominantly sourced from upcoming divestitures of non-core timberlands, and the company anticipates completing these transactions in a tax-efficient manner. When the acquisition is complete, Weyerhaeuser will own or manage approximately 744,000 acres of timberlands in
ABOUT WEYERHAEUSER
Weyerhaeuser Company, one of the world's largest private owners of timberlands, began operations in 1900 and today owns or controls approximately 10.4 million acres of timberlands in the
NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
This news release references a forward-looking estimate of free cash flow yield, a non-GAAP financial measure that management uses to evaluate the performance of the company and certain investments. Free cash flow yield, as we define it, is calculated by dividing free cash flow — defined as Adjusted EBITDA generated less capital expenditures to support operations — by the purchase price of the investment. Adjusted EBITDA, as we define it, is operating income adjusted for depreciation, depletion, amortization, basis of real estate sold and special items. Free cash flow yield should not be considered in isolation from, and is not intended to represent an alternative to, our GAAP results. We have not provided a reconciliation of this forward-looking non-GAAP financial measure to the most comparable GAAP measure of net cash from operations because free cash flow yield excludes the impact of certain items that are inherently difficult to forecast, such as changes in working capital, capital expenditures, and asset sales. Management cannot estimate these items or their impact on free cash flow yield on a forward-looking basis without unreasonable effort. As a result, investors may be unable to accurately compare the expected impact of the acquisition to our historical results or to those of other companies that may define or calculate free cash flow yield differently. Nonetheless, management believes that providing this forward-looking non-GAAP information is useful to investors. Given the uncertain nature of forward-looking statements, we believe investors are able to take into account the inherent limitations of this forward-looking non-GAAP information. Actual results may differ materially from our estimates due to the potential significance of the excluded items.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This news release contains statements that are forward-looking within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 including, without limitation, with respect to the company's expectations concerning the occurrence, timing and expected financial and operational contributions of its acquisition of certain
For more information contact:
Weyerhaeuser
Analysts – Andy Taylor, 206-539-3907
Media – Nancy Thompson, 919-861-0342
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SOURCE Weyerhaeuser Company