Stella-Jones Updates Its Financial Objectives Building on Sustained Growth

2023–2025 Financial Targets to be Unveiled at Investor Day

• Deliver sales of over $3.6 billion by 2025
• Expand EBITDA margin ⁽¹⁾ to 16% through 2025
• Return over $500 million of capital to shareholders in the 2023–2025 period
• Maintain net debt-to-EBITDA ratio ⁽¹⁾ between 2.0x-2.5x

MONTREAL, May 25, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Stella-Jones Inc. (TSX : SJ) (“Stella-Jones” or the “Company”) today updated its three-year objectives, reflecting the years 2023–2025. The Company will be featuring its new financial targets at its Investor Day, being held this morning in Toronto, Ontario.

“Following a record year in 2022, coupled with our outstanding start to 2023, we are excited to share updated financial objectives that reflect Stella-Jones’ performance and growth potential,” said Eric Vachon, President and Chief Executive Officer of Stella-Jones. “In light of our favourable position to meet or exceed our original financial targets, we are raising our 2025 sales target to almost 20% above 2022 sales and the 2023–2025 EBITDA margin goal to 16%, primarily driven by the accelerating demand for our higher margin utility poles business.”  

“Over its 30-year history, Stella-Jones has cultivated industry-shaping success through customer partnerships, premium product offerings and an unwavering focus on our network. This has culminated in a unique leadership position for our business—one that allows us to leverage the significant capital generated by our strong performance to fuel investments and seize opportunities for growth, while creating continued value for our shareholders. Our inaugural investor day today sets the stage for us to share our new targets and build on what we believe is a defining time for us and for the essential infrastructure businesses we serve.”

UPDATED FINANCIAL OBJECTIVES

The Company’s record financial performance over the last year has provided Stella-Jones with the ability to update its three-year financial targets, which now extend to 2025. Excluding future acquisitions, the Company’s financial objectives are as follows:

(in millions of dollars, except percentages and ratios)	Initial 2022–2024 Objectives (2)	Updated 2023–2025 Objectives (3)
Sales	$2,700-$3,000	>$3,600
EBITDA margin (1)	≥ 15%	16%
Return to Shareholders	$500-$600	>$500
Net Debt-to-EBITDA (1)	2.0x-2.5x	2.0x-2.5x