Smurfit-Stone 4th-quarter profits rise

NEW YORK, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Smurfit-Stone Container Corp SSCC.O, one of the world's largest producers of paper-based packaging, said on Monday quarterly earnings rose, as price increases for containerboard and boxes boosted profits.

Net income in the fourth quarter was $41 million, or 16 cents a share, compared with a year-ago profit of $22 million, or 9 cents a share.

The company said it expects first-quarter earnings to rise year over year due to higher average prices and savings from its restructuring program, but that it expects profits in that quarter to be lower than fourth-quarter earnings due to seasonal factors. (Reporting by Michael Erman; Editing by Braden Reddall)