West Fraser Timber Co.: Can These Moves Help It Overcome Housing Market Challenges? 

West Fraser’s Q4 and fiscal year 2024 financial outcomes provide a nuanced perspective on the company’s performance and strategy at a challenging time for the global lumber market. The company’s financial health, strategic initiatives, and resilience amidst potential headwinds highlight a balanced view of its current state and future outlook. In Q4 2024, West Fraser recorded an adjusted EBITDA of $140 million with a 10% margin, showing a mixed performance across business segments. The North American Engineered Wood Products (EWP) segment saw robust demand and showed strength, notably benefiting from the U.S. home construction sector’s stabilization. However, the Southern Yellow Pine lumber volumes were lower than expected, offsetting some of these gains. For the full year, West Fraser’s adjusted EBITDA was $673 million, improving from $561 million in 2023, indicating recovery from prior market downturns but still being below the company’s mid-cycle EBITDA expectations.