Feb 04, 2010. /Lesprom Network/. Domtar Corporation reported net earnings of $124 million for the 4Q 2009 compared to net earnings of $183 million for the 3Q 2009 and a net loss of $676 million for the 4Q 2008. Sales for the 4Q 2009 amounted to $1.4 billion, the company said in a statement received by Lesprom Network. Excluding items listed below, the company had earnings before items of $60 million for the 4Q 2009 compared to earnings before items of $57 million for the 3Q 2009 and a loss before items of $20 million for the 4Q 2008. "We had improved pricing for our products in the fourth quarter when compared to the third quarter. In Papers, we recorded another solid performance despite it being a seasonally slower period, with lower volumes and higher maintenance costs. Our paper inventories were reduced for a fifth consecutive quarter contributing to cash flow," said John D. Williams, President and CEO. "We also moved forward with the Canadian Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program submitting numerous projects to Natural Resources Canada during the quarter. We completed the environmental assessment for one project while six others are currently undergoing their assessments," added Mr. Williams. For fiscal year 2009, net earnings amounted to $310 million compared to a net loss of $573 million for fiscal year 2008. The company had earnings before items of $46 million for fiscal 2009 compared to earnings before items of $88 million for fiscal 2008. Sales amounted to $5.5 billion for fiscal year 2009. Commenting on the 2009 performance, Mr. Williams said, "While we faced a high level of lack-of-order downtime and a steep decline in pulp prices in the first half of the year, we benefited from stable prices in papers and kept our inventories low. Meanwhile, our efforts to reduce working capital and lower fixed costs proved to be a catalyst for the second half of 2009. The sustained focus on customers, costs, and cash helped us deliver a stronger company to our shareholders and to start 2010 with optimism." Domtar Corporation is the largest integrated manufacturer and marketer of uncoated freesheet paper in North America and the second largest in the world based on production capacity, and is also a manufacturer of papergrade, fluff and specialty pulp.