Boise Cascade Holdings, LLC, Boise, ID, reported third-quarter sales of $579 million, down 20.4% from third quarter 2008. Profit was $26.2 million, as compared to a loss of $207.6 million a year ago. The decline in U.S. housing starts, down 32% in the period, significantly impacted third quarter results for the wholesale distributor of building products and manufacturer of engineered wood products and plywood.
Sales in Building Materials Distribution were $472.2 million, down 19% in a year-over-year comparison but up 8.9% from second quarter, primarily a result in lower volumes. Third quarter segment profit declined 5.3% to $9.7 million.
Third quarter Wood Products sales fell 24.1% to $163.2 million compared to the same period a year ago, but increased 21.4% from second quarter 2009. The segment recorded a loss of $4.2 million for the period.
End-product demand is expected to remain weak when compared to normal historical demand levels, with single-family housing starts unlikely to show any significant rebound during the remainder of 2009. Absent a change in unemployment trends, stronger levels of consumer confidence, and a reduction in foreclosures and housing vacancy rates, weakness in final demand for the products manufactured and distributed by Boise Cascade is likely to continue into the first half of 2010.
