Apr 27, 2011. /Lesprom Network/. Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation reported net income of $54 million for the 1Q, ended March 31, 2011, compared with net income of $49 million for the 4Q 2010, and a net loss attributable to common stockholders of $91 million the 1Q 2010. The Company reported operating income of $92 million for the 1Q 2011, compared to operating income of $103 million in the 4Q 2010, and an operating loss of $31 million in the 1Q 2010. Adjusted EBITDA for the 1Q 2011 was $179 million, down from $205 million in the 4Q 2010, and up from $46 million in the 1Q 2010. The sequential decline in earnings was the result of the moderate improvement in pricing and lower scheduled maintenance downtime costs being more than offset by cost inflation primarily related to fuels, higher seasonal energy usage, and the impact of benefit cost timing in the quarter. Net sales for the 1Q 2011 were $1.58 billion, down slightly from $1.63 billion in the 4Q 2010 and up 8% compared with sales of $1.46 billion in the 1Q 2010. The sequential decline in sales in 1Q 2011 reflects modestly higher selling prices, more than offset by seasonally lower volumes. Smurfit-Stone expects sequentially lower earnings in the second quarter as operating efficiencies and seasonal volume improvements will be more than offset by continued cost inflation and higher maintenance downtime costs. Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation is one of the industry's leading integrated containerboard and corrugated packaging producers and one of the world's largest paper recyclers.