B

FIRST QUARTER 2026 FINANCIAL SUMMARY

• Net sales of $5.97 billion
• Earnings from continuing operations of $76 million
• Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP) from continuing operations of $677 million
• Received $1.1 billion of net proceeds from the sale of the Global Cellulose Fibers business and paid down $660 million of debt
• Cash provided by operating activities of $611 million
• Free cash flow (non-GAAP) of $94 million

2026 FINANCIAL TARGETS

• Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP) from continuing operations
  • Second quarter: $520-$570 million
  • Full-Year: $3.20-$3.50 billion

MEMPHIS, Tenn., April 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — International Paper (NYSE: IP; LSE: IPC) (the “Company”) today announced results for the quarter ended March 31, 2026.

“This 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’re accelerating commercial and cost initiatives while a small core team is focusing on the planned separation,” said International Paper Chairman and CEO Andy Silvernail. “We 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.”

“Looking ahead,” Silvernail added, “our priorities are clear: execute with discipline, improve reliability and performance across our network and manage capital with rigor. We’re updating our outlook to reflect the volatile environment, with a strong focus on managing cost and cash flow. We remain confident in our strategy, and the planned separation will enable our North America and EMEA businesses to operate independently and deliver stronger performance.”

Select Financial Measures

The preliminary first quarter 2026 results discussed in this release will be finalized in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, which we intend to file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on May 5, 2026.

Diluted EPS from Continuing Operations and Adjusted Operating EPS

NON-GAAP MEASURES

This release refers to the non-GAAP financial measures defined below. The Company believes that these non-GAAP financial measures, when viewed alongside the most directly comparable GAAP measures, provides for a more complete analysis of the Company’s results from continuing operations. Reconciliations to the most directly comparable GAAP measures and an explanation of why management believes these non-GAAP financial measures provide useful information to investors are included later in this release.

Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations is a non-GAAP financial measure defined as earnings (loss) from continuing operations (a GAAP measure) before income taxes, equity earnings (loss), interest expense, net, net special items, non-operating pension expense (income) and depreciation and amortization. The most directly comparable GAAP measure is earnings (loss) from continuing operations.

Adjusted operating earnings (loss) and adjusted operating earnings (loss) per share are non-GAAP financial measures defined as earnings (loss) from continuing operations (a GAAP measure) excluding net special items and non-operating pension expense (income). Earnings (loss) from continuing operations and diluted earnings (loss) per share from continuing operations are the most directly comparable GAAP measures. The Company calculates adjusted operating earnings (loss) (non-GAAP) by excluding the after-tax effect of non-operating pension expense (income) and net special items from the earnings (loss) from continuing operations reported under U.S. GAAP. Adjusted operating earnings (loss) per share is calculated by dividing adjusted operating earnings (loss) by the diluted average shares of common stock outstanding.

Free cash flow is a non-GAAP financial measure defined as cash provided by (used for) operations (a GAAP measure) less capital expenditures. The most directly comparable GAAP measure is cash provided by (used for) operations.

For discussion of net special items and non-operating pension expense (income), see the disclosure under Effects of Net Special Items and Consolidated Statement of Operations and related notes included later in this release.

SEGMENT INFORMATION

The following table presents net sales and business segment operating profit (loss), which is the Company’s measure of segment profitability. Business segment operating profit (loss) is a measure reported to our management for purposes of making decisions about allocating resources to our business segments and assessing the performance of our business segments and is presented in our financial statement footnotes in accordance with ASC 280 – “Segment Reporting”. First quarter 2026 net sales by business segment and operating profit (loss) by business segment compared with the fourth quarter of 2025 and the first quarter of 2025 are as follows:

Business Segment Results

Packaging Solutions North America (PS NA) business segment operating profit (loss) in the first quarter of 2026 was $248 million compared with $319 million in the fourth quarter of 2025. In the first quarter of 2026, net sales decreased as higher export pricing and a favorable mix were more than offset by seasonally lower volumes. Cost of products sold increased driven by higher operating costs and input costs, partially offset by lower planned maintenance outage costs.  Operating costs were unfavorably affected by winter storm impacts and higher costs for goods and services which more than offset footprint cost out benefits and improved mill and box system productivity. Input costs also increased due to higher natural gas costs and utility costs driven by the winter storm. Planned maintenance outage costs were lower due to the deferral of an outage to the second quarter of 2026.    

Packaging Solutions EMEA (PS EMEA) business segment operating profit (loss) in the first quarter of 2026 was $(51) million compared with $(223) million in the fourth quarter of 2025. Net sales increased in the first quarter of 2026 compared with the fourth quarter of 2025, reflecting higher sales volumes. Sales prices for paper were lower but were offset by improved packaging margins. Cost of products sold increased driven by higher sales volumes and slightly higher energy costs. Planned maintenance outage costs were lower in the first quarter of 2026 compared with the fourth quarter of 2025. Depreciation and amortization expense was lower as the fourth quarter of 2025 was impacted by the finalization of the acquisition accounting of DS Smith and higher accelerated depreciation associated with mill and plant closures.

EFFECTS OF NET SPECIAL ITEMS

Continuing Operations

Net special items include items considered by management to not be reflective of the Company’s underlying operations. Net special items in the first quarter of 2026 amount to a net after-tax charge of $19 million ($0.04 per diluted share) compared with a net after-tax charge of $195 million ($0.44 per diluted share) in the first quarter of 2025 and a net after-tax charge of $2.32 billion ($4.41 per diluted share) in the fourth quarter of 2025. Net special items in all periods include the following charges (benefits):

EARNINGS WEBCAST

The Company will host a webcast today to discuss first quarter 2026 earnings, provide an update on the continued separation of its EMEA packaging business and review current market conditions as well as its full-year outlook, beginning at 10 a.m. ET (9 a.m. CT). All interested parties are invited to listen to the webcast via the Company’s website by clicking on the Investors tab and going to the Events & Presentations page at https://www.internationalpaper.com/investors/events-presentations. A replay of the webcast will also be on the website beginning approximately two hours after the call.

Parties who wish to participate in the webcast via teleconference may dial +1 (646) 307-1963 or, within the U.S. only, (800) 715-9871, and ask to be connected to the International Paper first quarter 2026 earnings call. The conference ID number is 4841889. Participants should call in no later than 9:45 a.m. ET (8:45 a.m. CT). An audio-only replay will be available for ninety days following the call. To access the replay, dial +1 (609) 800-9909 or, within the U.S. only, (800) 770-2030 and when prompted for the conference ID, enter 4841889.

ABOUT INTERNATIONAL PAPER (NYSE: IP; LSE: IPC)

International Paper creates sustainable packaging solutions that enable our customers, teammates and shareowners to thrive in an ever-changing world. We are a leader in corrugated packaging, partnering with customers across industries to protect what matters most, strengthen supply chains and create lasting value. Learn more at internationalpaper.com.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release that are not historical in nature may be considered “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking or conditional words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “could,” “should,” “can,” “forecast,” “outlook,” “intend,” “look,” “may,” “will,” “remain,” “confident,” “commit,” “plan,” and “preliminary” or similar expressions. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and reflect management’s current views and speak only as to the dates the statements are made and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, statements regarding anticipated financial results, economic conditions, industry trends, future prospects, and the anticipated benefits, execution and consummation of strategic corporate transactions. Factors which could cause actual results to differ include but are not limited to: (i) our ability to consummate and achieve the benefits expected from, and other risks, costs and expenses associated with, our plans to separate our North America and Europe, Middle East and Africa (“EMEA”) operations into two independent public companies and other acquisitions, joint ventures, divestitures, spinoffs, capital investments and other corporate transactions on a timely basis or at all, including the risk that an impairment charge may be recorded for goodwill or other intangible assets, which may lead to decreased assets and reduced net earnings; (ii) our ability to successfully integrate and realize anticipated synergies, cost savings and profit opportunities from acquired companies; (iii) risks associated with our strategic business decisions including facility closures, business exits, operational changes, corporate restructurings and portfolio rationalizations intended to support the Company’s 80/20 strategic approach for long-term growth; (iv) our failure to comply with the obligations associated with being a public company listed on the New York Stock Exchange and the London Stock Exchange and the costs associated therewith; (v) risks with respect to climate change and global, regional, and local weather conditions, as well as risks related to our targets and goals with respect to climate change and the emission of greenhouse gases and other environmental, social and governance matters, including our ability to meet such targets and goals; (vi) loss contingencies and pending, threatened or future litigation, including with respect to environmental and antitrust related matters; (vii) the level of our indebtedness, risks associated with our variable rate debt and changes in interest rates; (viii) the impact of global and domestic economic conditions and industry conditions, including with respect to current challenging macroeconomic conditions, inflationary pressures and changes in the cost or availability of raw materials, energy price increases or shortages in energy sources and transportation sources, supply chain shortages and disruptions, competition we face, cyclicality and changes in consumer preferences, demand and pricing for our products, and conditions impacting the credit, capital and financial markets; (ix) risks arising from conducting business internationally, domestic and global geopolitical conditions and tensions involving military conflict and geopolitical tensions (including major global actors such as Russia, the Middle East, the further expansion of such conflicts and tensions, and the geopolitical and economic consequences associated therewith), changes in currency exchange rates, including in light of our assets, liabilities and earnings denominated in foreign currencies as we proceed with the planned separation of our North America and EMEA packaging business, trade policies (including but not limited to protectionist measures and the imposition of new or increased tariffs as well as the potential impact of retaliatory tariffs and other penalties including retaliatory policies against the United States) and global trade tensions, downgrades in our credit ratings, and/or the credit ratings of banks issuing certain letters of credit, issued by recognized credit rating organizations; (x) the amount of our future pension funding obligations, and pension and healthcare costs; (xi) the costs of compliance, or the failure to comply with, existing, evolving or new environmental (including with respect to climate change and greenhouse gas emissions), tax, trade, labor and employment, privacy, anti-bribery and anti-corruption, and other U.S. and non-U.S. governmental laws, regulations and policies (including but not limited to those in the United Kingdom and European Union); (xii) a material disruption at any of our manufacturing facilities or other adverse impact on our operations due to severe weather, natural disasters, climate change or other causes; (xiii) cybersecurity and information technology risks, including as a result of security breaches and cybersecurity incidents; (xiv) our exposure to claims under our agreements with Sylvamo Corporation; (xv) our ability to attract and retain qualified personnel and maintain good employee or labor relations; (xvi) our ability to maintain effective internal control over financial reporting; and (xvii) our ability to adequately secure and protect our intellectual property rights. These and other factors that could cause or contribute to actual results differing materially from such forward-looking statements can be found in our press releases and reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. In addition, other risks and uncertainties not presently known to the Company or that we currently believe to be immaterial could affect the accuracy of any forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.