BOISE, Idaho (News release) -- Boise Cascade Company reported net income of $17.8 million, or $0.50 per share, on sales of $1.5 billion for the first quarter ended March 31, 2026, compared with net income of $40.3 million, or $1.06 per share, on sales of $1.5 billion for the first quarter ended March 31, 2025.

"In the first quarter of 2026, our businesses delivered solid results despite the current demand environment, influenced by geopolitical events, volatile mortgage rates, and severe weather," said Jeff Strom, CEO. "I am proud of our associates for continuing to lean into our integrated model, which demonstrates its value and resilience in markets like these. Our Company is especially well positioned during periods of uncertainty, as customers increasingly rely on Boise Cascade for reliable service and consistent value across a broad range of industry-leading products. Looking ahead, I am confident in the unwavering focus of our team to deliver value to our stakeholders irrespective of market conditions."

In first quarter 2026, total U.S. housing starts increased 1% while single-family housing starts decreased 5%, compared to the same period in 2025. Single-family housing starts are the key demand driver for our sales.

Building Materials Distribution (BMD)

BMD's sales decreased $18.2 million, or 1%, to $1,388.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2026, from $1,407.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025. Compared with the same quarter in the prior year, the decrease in sales was driven by net sales price decreases of 3%, offset partially by net sales volume increases of 2%. By product line, general line product sales increased 4%, commodity sales decreased 5%, and EWP sales (substantially all of which are sourced through our Wood Products segment) decreased 7%. BMD segment income decreased $15.5 million to $32.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2026, from $48.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025. The decrease in segment income was driven by increased selling and distribution expenses of $8.2 million, as well as a $6.5 million gross margin decrease, resulting from lower gross margins on all product lines, particularly EWP.

Wood Products

Wood Products' sales, including sales to BMD, decreased $17.6 million, or 4%, to $398.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2026, from $415.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025. The decrease in sales was driven by lower sales prices and volumes for LVL and I-joists (collectively referred to as EWP). These decreases were offset partially by higher plywood sales volumes and prices. Wood Products' segment income decreased $9.2 million to $8.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2026, from $17.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025. The decrease in segment income was primarily due to lower EWP sales prices, as well as higher per-unit EWP conversion costs. These decreases in segment income were offset partially by lower per-unit OSB costs, as well as higher plywood sales volumes and sales prices. Additionally, operations resumed at our Oakdale veneer and plywood mill following planned downtime in 2025 to complete significant mill modernization projects, which provided a favorable impact on per-unit conversion costs.

Comparative average net selling prices and sales volume changes for EWP and plywood are as follows:

Balance Sheet and Liquidity

Boise Cascade ended first quarter 2026 with $338.7 million of cash and cash equivalents and $395.1 million of undrawn committed bank line availability, for total available liquidity of $733.8 million. The Company had $452.5 million of outstanding debt at March 31, 2026.

Capital Allocation

We expect capital expenditures in 2026, excluding potential acquisition spending, to total approximately $150 million to $170 million. This level of capital expenditures could increase or decrease as a result of several factors, including efforts to further accelerate organic growth, exercise of lease purchase options, our financial results, future economic conditions, availability of engineering and construction resources, and timing and availability of equipment purchases.

For the three months ended March 31, 2026, the Company paid $10.4 million in common stock dividends. On April 30, 2026, our board of directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.22 per share on our common stock, payable on June 17, 2026, to stockholders of record on June 1, 2026.

For the three months ended March 31, 2026, the Company paid $65.5 million for the repurchase of 830,751 shares of our outstanding common stock. In April 2026, the Company repurchased an additional 312,894 shares of our common stock at a cost of approximately $25 million. Subsequent to these share repurchases, approximately $148 million of our outstanding common stock was available for repurchase under our existing share repurchase program.

Outlook

Demand for the products we purchase and distribute, as well as the products we manufacture, is closely tied to new residential construction, residential repair-and-remodeling activity, and light commercial construction. Residential construction, particularly new single-family construction, remains a key demand driver for the products we distribute and manufacture. The operating environment during the first quarter of 2026 presented a mix of opportunities and challenges. For much of the quarter, mortgage rates declined to their lowest levels in over three years. However, recent geopolitical turmoil has led to volatility in treasury and mortgage rates alike, casting unpredictability on the remainder of the spring selling season. Consumer sentiment and home affordability challenges persist as the most prominent headwinds to residential construction activity. In addition, home builders are responding to the cautious demand environment with thoughtful approaches to starts, home sizes, location, and inventory. Long-term demand drivers for residential construction, including generational tailwinds and an undersupply of housing units, remain strong, while elevated levels of homeowner equity and an aging U.S. housing stock support robust repair-and-remodel spending and reinforce the industry's solid fundamentals.

Our distribution business, which purchases and resells a diverse range of products, experiences opportunities for increased sales and margins during periods of rising prices, while periods of declining prices may present challenges. Future product pricing, particularly for commodity products we distribute and manufacture, is expected to remain dynamic, influenced by economic and geopolitical conditions, input costs, industry operating rates, supply disruptions, duties, tariffs, cost and availability of transportation, inventory levels, and seasonal demand patterns. We will continue to monitor end market demand signals and align production rates and inventory stocking positions accordingly.