The profit margin of North American pulp and paper companies fell to 4.2% in the first quarter of 2023, far lower than the 10% profit margin in the first quarter of 2022 and the 8% profit margin in the first quarter of 2021. At that time, both pulp and paper company paper prices hit high levels. The industry profit margin of the epidemic was 4.9% in the first quarter of 2020 and 6% in the first quarter of 2019. According to Fastmarkets’ Pulp and Paper Weekly, the lowest profit margins in the first quarter of the past decade were 3.5% in 2012, 4% in 2011, and 1.7% in 2010, respectively.

The total revenue of the 21 largest pulp and paper companies in North America surveyed by Pulp and Paper Weekly decreased by 59.4% in the first quarter of 2023 compared to revenue in the first quarter of 2022, to $1.17 billion. The profit margin of the industry in the first quarter was also 18.9% lower than in the fourth quarter. In addition, industry revenue decreased by 8.3% year-on-year to $27.95 billion, which is consistent with sales in the fourth quarter of 2022.