Topic: How To Invest

Q: Pat, what do you think of Weyerhaeuser as a way to profit from high lumber prices? Thanks.

Article Excerpt

A: Weyerhaeuser, $28.85, symbol WY on New York (Shares outstanding: 746.3 million; Market cap: $21.0 billion; www.weyerhaeuser.com), is the world’s largest private owner of timberlands, with 12.4 million acres in the U.S. The company also manages holdings under long-term licences in Canada. All of that makes Weyerhaeuser one of the largest manufacturers of wood products in North America. The company operates in three segments: Wood Products (71% of sales), Timberlands (22%), and Real Estate (7%). Its sales and profits vary from year to year along with demand and prices for lumber and other wood products. Weyerhaeuser’s revenue was $7.08 billion in 2015 and dropped to $6.27 billion in 2016. Sales then rose to $7.20 billion in 2017 and to $7.48 billion in 2018. They declined to $6.55 billion in 2019. Sales (and profits) dropped in 2019 mostly due to lower lumber prices caused by sluggish housing markets early in the year. Earnings were $506.0 million ($0.89 a share) in 2015, before dropping to…