Anssi Raussi's questions to Outokumpu Oyj (OUTKY) leadership • Q1 2024
Question
Anssi Raussi asked for quantification of the EBITDA impact from strikes and operational issues on the Americas business, inquired about demand trends in the white goods sector and their effect on the scrap market, and questioned the potential risks that could prevent Q2 EBITDA from increasing.
Answer
CFO Pia Aaltonen-Forsell clarified that the Q1 strike impact was primarily upstream in Europe, with a smaller downstream effect expected in the Americas in Q2. CEO Heikki Malinen added details on a specific operational duct failure. Regarding demand, Malinen noted early signs of a pickup in white goods but cautioned against expecting a rapid recovery, linking the tight scrap market to low overall industrial activity. Aaltonen-Forsell identified Q2 risks as continued scrap market tightness, the pace of operational recovery in the Americas, and nickel price volatility.