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MERCER INTERNATIONAL INC

For the period ended Dec 31, 2023. Filed Feb 15, 2024.

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A company's yearly report to the SEC, with audited financial statements. It is the fullest account a company gives of its business, its finances and the risks it sees.

FY2023 · Filed Feb 15, 2024

MERC$0.26+4.3%Stored close · as of Nov 6, 2026
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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023

OR

☐TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from to

Commission File No.:000-51826

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

Washington47-0956945
(State or other jurisdiction(IRS Employer Identification No.)
of incorporation or organization)
Suite 1120, 700 West Pender Street,
Vancouver, British Columbia, CanadaV6C 1G8
(Address of Principal Executive Office)(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number including area code:(604)684-1099

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each classTrading Symbol(s)Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, par value $1.00 per shareMERCNASDAQ Global Select Market

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

Indicate by check mark if the Registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☒ No☐

Indicate by check mark if the Registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.☐ Yes☒ No

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No☐

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No☐

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Large accelerated filer☐Accelerated filer☒
Non-accelerated filer☐Smaller reporting company☐
Emerging growth company☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report.☒

If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements.☐

Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). ☐ Yes☒ No

The aggregate market value of the Registrant’s voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates of the Registrant as of June 30, 2023, the last business day of the Registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter, based on the closing price of the voting stock on the NASDAQ Global Select Market on such date, was approximately$515.9 million.

As of February 13, 2024 the Registrant had 66,524,866 shares of common stock, $1.00 par value per share, outstanding.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Portions of the Registrant’s definitive Proxy Statement to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with its annual meeting of shareholders to be held in 2024 are incorporated by reference into Part III hereof.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS1
INDUSTRY, MARKET AND OTHER DATA1
INTERNET AVAILABILITY AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION1
CURRENCY2
PART I3
ITEM 1.BUSINESS3
Mercer3
Corporate Strategy8
Pulp Industry9
Solid Wood Industry12
Generation and Sales of Green Energy and Chemicals14
Production Costs16
Sales, Marketing and Distribution19
Transportation21
Capital Expenditures22
Innovation22
Environmental23
Climate Change24
Human Capital26
Community Involvement28
Commitment to Sustainability29
Description of Certain Indebtedness30
ITEM 1A.RISK FACTORS32
Risks Related to our Business33
Risks Related to our Debt42
Risks Related to Macro-economic Conditions43
Legal and Regulatory Risks45
Risks Related to Ownership of our Shares47
ITEM 1B.UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS48
ITEM 1C.CYBERSECURITY48
ITEM 2.PROPERTIES49
ITEM 3.LEGAL PROCEEDINGS52
ITEM 4.MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES52
PART II53
ITEM 5.MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES53
NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES55
ITEM 6.[RESERVED]56
ITEM 7.MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS56
Results of Operations56
Year Ended December 31, 2023 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 202260
Sensitivities63
Liquidity and Capital Resources64
Balance Sheet Data66
Sources and Uses of Funds66
Credit Facilities and Debt Covenants67
Foreign Currency68
Credit Ratings of Senior Notes68
Critical Accounting Policies68
New Accounting Standards73
ITEM 7A.QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK73
Foreign Currency Exchange Risk74
Product Price Risk74

(i)

Fiber Price Risk75
Inflation Risk75
Interest Rate Risk75
Credit Risk76
Risk Management and Derivatives76
ITEM 8.FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA76
ITEM 9.CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE76
ITEM 9A.CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES77
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures77
Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting77
Changes in Internal Controls78
ITEM 9B.OTHER INFORMATION78
ITEM 9C.DISCLOSURE REGARDING FOREIGN JURISDICTIONS THAT PREVENT INSPECTIONS78
PART III79
ITEM 10.DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE79
Executive Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Directors79
Other Executive Officers81
Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and Anti-Corruption Policy83
ITEM 11.EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION83
ITEM 12.SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS83
ITEM 13.CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE83
ITEM 14.PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES83
PART IV84
ITEM 15.EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES84

(ii)

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