{"id":13090,"date":"2026-05-01T04:46:38","date_gmt":"2026-05-01T08:46:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.packagingindustrynews.com\/?p=13090"},"modified":"2026-05-01T04:46:38","modified_gmt":"2026-05-01T08:46:38","slug":"international-paper-posts-13-4-rise-in-q1-2026-net-sales","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.packagingindustrynews.com\/?p=13090","title":{"rendered":"International Paper posts 13.4% rise in Q1 2026 net sales"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Packaging solutions sales in North America fell 2% to $3.6bn. Credit: Piotr Swat \/ Shutterstock.com.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

International Paper has reported first-quarter (Q1) 2026 net sales of $5.97bn, up 13.4% compared with $5.2bn a year earlier.<\/p>\n

Earnings from continuing operations were $76m, against a loss of $124m in Q1 2025.<\/p>\n

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Packaging solutions sales in North America fell 2% to $3.6bn while packaging solutions sales in the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region rose 49.8% to $2.3bn.<\/p>\n

The North America segment recorded an operating profit of $248m for the quarter, up from $142m a year earlier.<\/p>\n

The company said reduced seasonal volumes outweighed the effect of stronger export pricing and a more favourable sales mix.<\/p>\n

Cost of sales increased because of higher operating and input costs, partly offset by lower planned maintenance outage expenses.<\/p>\n

The EMEA segment posted an operating loss of $51m in Q1 2026, compared with an operating profit of $46m in the same period last year.<\/p>\n

Lower paper selling prices were offset by better packaging margins.<\/p>\n

International Paper\u00a0received $1.1bn in\u00a0net proceeds from the disposal\u00a0of its global cellulose fibres business and reduced debt by $660m.\u00a0<\/p>\n

International Paper chairman and CEO Andy Silvernail said: \u201cThis quarter, we delivered meaningful progress across the business. In North America, our commercial actions are gaining traction and helping us outgrow the market while we advance cost-out efforts and make solid gains in mill and box plant productivity. In EMEA, we\u2019re accelerating commercial and cost initiatives while a small core team is focusing on the planned separation.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe still have work to do to improve consistency and reliability, but the primary pressures this quarter came from a tougher macro environment, including ongoing inflation and the severe winter storm.\u201d<\/p>\n

Last month, the company\u00a0agreed to acquire<\/a>\u00a0North Pacific Paper Company (NORPAC) from One Rock Capital Partners in a $360m transaction.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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