International Paper Announces Debt Tender Offers

08/03/2009

MEMPHIS, Tenn., Aug. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- International Paper (NYSE: IP) has commenced cash tender offers to purchase a portion of its outstanding bonds as described below. The terms and conditions of the tender offers are described in International Paper's offer to purchase dated Aug. 3, 2009 (the "Offer to Purchase") and related Letter of Transmittal. International Paper expects to purchase the bonds utilizing the net cash proceeds from its previously announced offering of unsecured senior debt securities as well as other available cash resources.

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The Tender Offers

Upon the terms and subject to the conditions described in the Offer to Purchase, the Letter of Transmittal and any amendments or supplements to the foregoing, International Paper is offering to purchase for cash (1) any and all of its 7.40% Notes due 2014 (the "7.40% Notes") and (2) up to $1,000,000,000 in aggregate principal amount, less any principal amount of the 7.40% Notes accepted (the "Maximum Tender Amount"), of its 7.20% Notes Due 2026 (the "7.20% Notes") and its 5.50% Notes Due 2014 (the "5.50% Notes). International Paper refers to its offer to purchase the 7.40% Notes as the "Any and All Tender Offer" and to its offer to purchase the 7.20% Notes and 5.50% Notes as the "Maximum Tender Offer." International Paper refers to both offers, collectively, as the "Tender Offers."

The Any and All Tender Offer for the 7.40% Notes will expire at 5 p.m., ET, on Aug. 11, 2009 (the "Any and All Expiration Date"), and the Maximum Tender Offer for the 7.20% Notes and 5.50% Notes will expire at 5 p.m., ET, on Aug. 31, 2009 (the "Maximum Tender Expiration Date"), in each case unless extended or earlier terminated.

                                       Dollars per $1,000 Principal
                                          Amount of Securities
                                       ----------------------------

                          Principal     Tender
    Title of      CUSIP   Amount        Offer     Early    Total    Acceptance
     Security     Number  Out-          Consid-   Tender   Consid-  Priority
                          standing      eration   Premium  eration  Level
    ---------     ------  --------      -------   -------  -------  ----------
    Any and
     All
     Tender
     Offer
      7.40%
       Notes
       due
       2014    460146CB7 $1,000,000,000 $1,100.00    N/A      N/A       N/A
    Maximum
     Tender
     Offer
      7.20%
       Notes
       due
       2026*   158525AT2   $160,350,000 $1,050.00  $30.00  $1,080.00     1
      5.50%
       Notes
       due
       2014    460146BX0   $107,750,000 $1,000.00  $30.00  $1,030.00     2

    *  At any time beginning on September 1, 2011 and ending on October 1,
    2011, holders of the 7.20% Notes may elect to have the Company repurchase
    such holder's 7.20% Notes on November 1, 2011 at a price equal to 100% of
    the principal amount of the 7.20% Notes being repurchased, plus accrued
    and unpaid interest to November 1, 2011.

International Paper's obligation to accept for payment and to pay for the 7.40% Notes, the 7.20% Notes or the 5.50% Notes (collectively, the "Securities") in any of the Tender Offers is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of a number of conditions, including the completion by International Paper of one or more public offerings of not less than $500.0 million in aggregate principal amount of unsecured senior debt securities that closes no later than the 5 p.m., ET, on Aug. 11, 2009 (or any other date to which International Paper extends the Any and All Expiration Date).

The consideration for each $1,000 principal amount of each series of Securities validly tendered and accepted for purchase pursuant to the Tender Offers will be the applicable consideration for such series of Securities set forth in the table above (with respect to each series, the "Tender Offer Consideration"). Holders of the 7.40% Notes that are validly tendered at or prior to the Any and All Expiration Date and are accepted for purchase will receive the applicable Tender Offer Consideration. Holders of 7.20% Notes and 5.50% Notes that are validly tendered at or prior to Aug. 14, 2009 (the "Early Tender Date") and accepted for purchase will receive the Tender Offer Consideration for such series, plus the applicable early tender premium set forth in the table above (the "Early Tender Premium" and, together with the Tender Offer Consideration, the "Total Consideration"). Holders of 7.20% Notes and 5.50% Notes tendered after the Early Tender Date but before the Maximum Tender Expiration Date and accepted for purchase will receive the applicable Tender Offer Consideration, but not the Early Tender Premium.

Payments for Securities purchased will include accrued and unpaid interest from and including the last interest payment date applicable to the relevant series of Securities up to, but not including, the applicable settlement date. The settlement dates are expected to be one business day following the expiration date of the applicable Tender Offers.

The amount of 7.20% Notes and 5.50% Notes that are purchased in the Maximum Tender Offer will be determined in accordance with the priorities identified in the column "Acceptance Priority Level" as set forth in the table above. If the aggregate principal amount of 7.20% Notes that are validly tendered exceeds the Maximum Tender Amount, International Paper will accept for payment only such portion of the 7.20% Notes that does not result in an aggregate principal amount purchased that is above the Maximum Tender Amount. As a result, assuming any 7.40% Notes are accepted, all tendered 7.40% Notes will be accepted for purchase before any tendered 7.20% Notes and 5.50% Notes are accepted. After accepting the 7.40% Notes, if a portion of the Maximum Tender Amount remains and is sufficient to allow us to accept some, but not all of the validly tendered 7.20% Notes, the amount of 7.20% Notes purchased will be prorated based on the aggregate principal amount of 7.20% Notes validly tendered in the Maximum Tender Offer, rounded down to the nearest integral multiple of $1,000. After accepting the 7.40% Notes and 7.20% Notes, if a portion of the Maximum Tender Amount remains and is sufficient to allow International Paper to accept some, but not all of the validly tendered 5.50% Notes, the amount of 5.50% Notes purchased will be prorated based on the aggregate principal amount of 5.50% Notes validly tendered in the Maximum Tender Offer, rounded down to the nearest integral multiple of $1,000.

Tenders of the Securities may be withdrawn at any time at or prior to 5 p.m., ET, on Aug. 11, 2009, but may not be withdrawn thereafter.

Citi, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. and RBS Securities Inc. are the dealer managers of the Tender Offers. Global Bondholder Services Corporation has been retained to serve as the depositary and information agent. Persons with questions regarding the Tender Offers should contact Citi at (toll-free) (800) 558-3745 or (collect) (212) 723-6106, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. at (toll-free) (866) 627-0391 or (collect) (212) 250-2955 or RBS Securities Inc. at (toll-free) (877) 297-9832 or (collect) (203) 897-6145. Requests for copies of the Offer to Purchase, related Letter of Transmittal and other related materials should be directed to Global Bondholder Services Corporation at (212) 430-3774 or (toll-free) (866) 470-3900.

None of International Paper, its board of directors, the dealer managers, the depositary and information agent or the trustees for the Securities, makes any recommendation as to whether holders of the Securities should tender or refrain from tendering Securities. This press release is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to sell the Securities or any other securities. The Tender Offers are made only by the Offer to Purchase and the accompanying Letter of Transmittal.

About International Paper

International Paper (NYSE: IP) is a global paper and packaging company with manufacturing operations in North America, Europe, Latin America, Russia, Asia and North Africa. Its businesses include uncoated papers and industrial and consumer packaging, complemented by xpedx, the company's North American distribution company. Headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., the company employs more than 58,000 people in more than 20 countries and serves customers worldwide. 2008 net sales were approximately $25 billion. For more information about International Paper, its products and stewardship efforts, visit www.internationalpaper.com.

This press release may contain "forward-looking statements." Such forward- looking statements may include, without limitation, statements about the company's market opportunities, strategies, competition and expected activities and expenditures, and at times may be identified by the use of words such as "may," "will," "could," "should," "would," "project," "believe," "anticipate," "expect," "plan," "estimate," "forecast," "potential," "intend," "continue" and variations of these words or comparable words. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and assumptions, and inherently involve risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, the following: the amount of notes tendered; and satisfaction of the conditions of the tender offers contained in the offer to purchase. Other factors that could cause or contribute to actual results differing materially from such forward looking statements are discussed in greater detail in the company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings. You should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. We undertake no obligation to make any revision to the forward-looking statements contained in this press release or to update them to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this press release.

SOURCE International Paper

CONTACT: Media:
Kathleen Bark , +1-901-419-4333
or
Investors:
Thomas A. Cleves, +1-901-419-7566
Emily Nix , +1-901-419-4987
all of International Paper

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