Standard & Poor's Ratings Services on Monday lowered its debt rating of Smurfit-Stone Container Corp. after the containerboard maker warned of weakening earnings.
The agency lowered the Chicago-based company's corporate credit rating to B from B+ and put all the company's ratings on "CreditWatch" with negative implications.
Standard & Poor's credit analyst Pamela Rice said the action follows the company's warning that its fourth-quarter 2008 earnings, excluding unusual items, will be significantly lower than its third quarter results.