Mark McHugh
Analyst · RBC Capital Markets
Thanks, Collin. Good morning, everyone. Before turning to our first quarter results, I'd like to provide a brief update on the merger of equals with PotlatchDeltic. Since closing the transaction ahead of schedule in late January, our team has hit the ground running on integration efforts. I'm extremely proud of the collaboration and dedication that our people have shown as we work to align our cultures and business processes across the combined organization. The momentum we've built in such a short time gives me great confidence in the value this combination will deliver for our shareholders and other stakeholders. Our leadership team has also made significant progress in optimizing our organizational structure and implementing changes that will drive meaningful overhead cost savings and operational efficiencies over time. We continue to expect $40 million of annual run rate synergies within 24 months of closing, with at least half of that achieved by the end of the first year. Since closing the merger, we've made significant progress toward these objectives, and we remain on track to achieve our synergies targets. Also as it relates to the merger, we announced in late March that after completing a thorough review of alternatives, we would maintain the Rayonier name while also introducing a refreshed corporate logo that reflects the beginning of a new era as a combined company. During this review, we considered the rich history and established market presence of both the Rayonier and PotlatchDeltic corporate brands among customers, investors and other stakeholders. We ultimately concluded that retaining the Rayonier name would best position us to leverage our strong brand equity among stakeholders while also mitigating the cost, complexity and potential risk of confusion in adopting an entirely new corporate identity. Now let's move to our first quarter results. I'll start with a review of our overall financial results as well as our segment level performance, after which Wayne will review key liquidity and balance sheet metrics as well as our outlook for the balance of the year. Please note that our first quarter results captured 2 months of post-merger contribution from the legacy PotlatchDeltic operations following the January 30 closing of the merger. In addition, as a result of the merger, our reportable business segments have been updated to include a new Wood Products segment, which reflects PotlatchDeltic's legacy lumber and plywood operations. For the first quarter, Rayonier reported a GAAP loss of $12 million or $0.05 per share. Adjusting for pro forma items, all of which were related to the merger, net income was $17 million or $0.07 per share. Adjusted EBITDA in the first quarter was $94 million, which was well above the $27 million reported in the prior year period, primarily due to the contribution from the PotlatchDeltic operations, along with strong operational performance across our segments. Moving on to our segment results. Let's start on Page 8 with our Southern Timber segment. Adjusted EBITDA in the first quarter of $46 million was 68% above the prior year quarter as increased harvest volumes more than offset lower net stumpage realizations. Total harvest volumes increased 76% versus the prior year quarter, primarily due to the addition of roughly 1 million tons of volume from the PotlatchDeltic timberlands. As it relates to pricing in the Southern Timber segment, please note that we have revised our price reporting to reflect delivered log prices rather than net stumpage realizations to reflect the prevalent mode of sale in our Southern Timber operations following the merger. Also, as we discussed last quarter, our reported pricing in the South is lower as compared to the prior year stand-alone realizations for Rayonier, largely due to the geographic mix shift associated with the merger. In grade log markets, demand was steady as lumber prices rose throughout the first quarter following capacity curtailments last year. As we move forward, we are optimistic that some local markets will see improved demand as sawmills potentially ratchet up production in response to a more favorable lumber pricing environment. In pulpwood markets, conditions remained challenging during the quarter as weaker demand following mill closures and maintenance downtime was compounded by historically dry weather conditions across the U.S. South, which allowed for the harvesting of typically inaccessible sites. As anticipated, this combination of increased supply and weaker demand resulted in continued pricing pressure to start the year. On a positive note, end product pricing for many of our pulp and packaging mill customers has improved following recent supply rationalization, which should contribute to some stabilization of demand going forward. I also want to touch briefly on the recent forest fires in the U.S. South. First and foremost, our thoughts go out to the individuals and communities affected by these tragic events. Over the past couple of weeks, Rayonier has been working alongside neighboring landowners and state and federal agencies to help contain the fires. To date, we have sustained property damage on roughly 10,000 acres, primarily in Georgia. Our team is actively assessing the impact and preparing to commence remediation and salvage operations on the affected tracts as conditions allow. Based on the fire activity to date and our preliminary assessment, we do not currently expect the fires have a significant financial or operational impact to our business. Moving on to our Northwest Timber segment on Page 9. First quarter adjusted EBITDA of $9 million was 45% above the prior year quarter. Harvest volumes increased 38% in the first quarter as compared to the prior year period, primarily due to the contribution of 116,000 tons of incremental harvest volume from PotlatchDeltic's Idaho timberlands. Notably, harvest activity in Idaho was limited during the first quarter due to extended spring breakup conditions following a relatively mild winter. On a positive note, lumber pricing increased significantly throughout the first quarter in response to supply curtailments, which translated to an improved overall supply-demand balance. Moving forward, we expect some producers in the region to ramp up production in response to higher lumber prices, which should translate to positive log price momentum as well. Turning to Wood Products on Page 10. This segment generated $7 million of adjusted EBITDA in the first quarter, modestly above our expectations for the 2-month post-merger period. During this period, our average lumber price realization was $437 per MBF and shipments totaled 199 million board feet. On a full quarter basis, including the premerger period, our average pricing was $427 per MBF and shipments totaled 288 million board feet. Notably, our average lumber price realization rebounded by roughly 11% from an average of $384 per MBF in the fourth quarter for legacy PotlatchDeltic. The improvement in the lumber market to start the year reflected the impact of reduced supply due to mill curtailments and higher tariffs on Canadian imports as well as improved demand heading into the spring building season. This positive trajectory continued into mid-April. However, pricing in recent weeks across some products has moderated amid more balanced supply-demand dynamics. Moving to our Real Estate segment on Page 11. In the first quarter, real estate revenue totaled $60 million on approximately 7,700 acres sold at an average price of $7,300 per acre. Sales increased significantly from the prior year quarter due to a higher number of acres sold, partially offset by a slightly lower average price per acre due to the sales mix. Real Estate segment adjusted EBITDA in the first quarter was $46 million, up significantly from $2 million in the prior year period. Within improved development, sales totaled $7 million. Activity at our Wildlight and Heartwood development projects remains on a favorable trajectory as we continue to benefit from the investments we've made over the past several years in entitlements, infrastructure and market development. Meanwhile, the Chenal Valley development project in Little Rock, Arkansas, which we added through the PotlatchDeltic merger, further diversifies our platform and should remain a steady contributor to cash flow moving forward. Moving to the rural category. First quarter sales totaled $49 million, consisting of roughly 7,650 acres sold at an average price of nearly $6,500 per acre. The most notable transaction was a 2,200-acre sale to a solar developer, which exercised an option to purchase the property for nearly $23 million or roughly $10,000 per acre. This sale underscores the continued interest we are seeing from solar developers across our Southern land portfolio. Our pipeline of land under option for lease or sale to solar developers currently stands at approximately 80,000 acres. More broadly, overall sentiment in the rural land market also remains positive as we approach midyear. I'll now turn the call over to Wayne to cover key liquidity and balance sheet metrics as well as our outlook for the balance of the year.