INDUSTRY SEGMENT INFORMATION (Note)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2022

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

Segment Reporting Disclosure [Text Block]

International Paper’s business segments, Industrial Packaging and Global Cellulose Fibers, are consistent with the internal structure used to manage these businesses. All segments are differentiated on a common product, common customer basis consistent with the business segmentation generally used in the Forest Products industry. On October 1, 2021, the Company completed the previously announced spin-off of its Printing Papers business into a new, publicly-traded company, Sylvamo Corporation, listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Additionally, on August 6, 2021, the Company completed the sale of its Kwidzyn, Poland mill which included the pulp and paper mill in Kwidzyn and supporting functions. As a result of the Sylvamo Corporation spin-off and the sale of Kwidzyn, the Company no longer has a Printing Papers segment, and all prior year amounts have been adjusted to reflect the Sylvamo Corporation and Kwidzyn businesses as a discontinued operation.

Business segment operating profits are used by International Paper's management to measure the earnings performance of its businesses. Management believes that this measure allows a better understanding of trends in costs, operating efficiencies, prices and volumes. Business segment operating profits are defined as earnings (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes and equity earnings, but including the impact of noncontrolling interests, and excluding interest expense, net, corporate expenses, net, corporate net special items, business net special items and non-operating pension expense.

Net sales by business segment for the three months March 31, 2022 and 2021 were as follows: 

	Three Months Ended March 31,
In millions	2022		2021
Industrial Packaging	$	4,406	$	3,930
Global Cellulose Fibers	710		595
Corporate and Intersegment Sales	121		68
Net Sales	$	5,237	$	4,593

Operating profit (loss) by business segment for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021 were as follows: 

	Three Months Ended March 31,
In millions	2022		2021
Industrial Packaging	$	397	$	421
Global Cellulose Fibers	(49)		(81)
Business Segment Operating Profits	$	348	340
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes and equity earnings	$	362	$	306
Interest expense, net	69		93
Noncontrolling interests adjustment	—		(1)
Corporate expenses, net	12		36
Corporate net special items	(46)		(56)
Business net special items	—		14
Non-operating pension expense (income)	(49)		(52)
Business Segment Operating Profits	$	348	$	340