SEKm                      Quarter        Full year
                    1-10    4-09     1-09      2009
                                              
 Net turnover      4 400   4 659    4 529    18 071
 Operating profit    320     392      415     1 620
 Profit after tax    178     225      245     1 006
 Earnings per 
 share, SEK          2.1     2.7      2.9      12.0
 Return on       
 equity, %           4.3     5.5      6.4       6.4
  • Profit after tax for January-March 2010 was SEK 178 million (January-March 2009: SEK 245 million).
  • Earnings per share were SEK 2.1 (2.9). Return on equity totalled 4.3 per cent (6.4).
  • Operating profit amounted to SEK 320 million (415). Holmen Paper's profit deteriorated considerably as a result of lower newsprint prices. Profitability in the Group's other business areas improved. Compared to the result for the fourth quarter, profit was down by SEK 72 million.
  • Demand for newsprint in Europe remained weak in the first quarter. The virgin fibre board market improved and deliveries from European producers to Europe rose by 7 per cent.

For further information please contact:

Magnus Hall, President and CEO, tel. +46 8 666 21 05

Anders Jernhall, CFO, tel. +46 8 666 21 22

Ingela Carlsson, Public Relations Director, tel. +46 70 212 97 12