EXHIBIT (12) THE MEAD CORPORATION AND CONSOLIDATED SUBSIDIARIES RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES (All dollar amounts in millions) Year Ended December 31 ----------------------------------------------- 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- Earnings: The Mead Corporation earnings from continuing operations before income taxes $ 487.7 $ 52.4 $ 135.0 $ 15.8 $ 64.3 Mead's share of earnings (loss) of investees before income taxes 63.4 95.7 30.3 9.4 (31.1) Interest and debt expense 86.0 113.4 107.5 116.0 137.4 Amortization of capitalized interest: The Mead Corporation 4.5 4.6 6.5 4.9 4.9 Mead's share of investees .7 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Portion of rental payments deemed to be interest 16.9 18.0 16.5 17.3 16.4 ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- $ 659.2 $ 285.4 $ 297.2 $ 164.9 $ 193.5 ======= ======= ======= ======= ======= Combined fixed charges: Interest and debt expense: The Mead Corporation $ 69.4 $ 101.1 $ 94.6 $ 99.5 $ 112.9 Mead's share of investees 16.6 12.3 12.9 16.5 24.5 ------- ------- ------- ------- -------- 86.0 113.4 107.5 116.0 137.4 ------- ------- ------- ------- -------- Capitalized interest - The Mead Corporation 2.0 5.7 2.6 2.3 4.5 ------- ------- ------- ------- -------- Portion of rental payments deemed to be interest: The Mead Corporation 16.4 17.6 16.2 17.3 16.3 Mead's share of investees .5 .4 .3 .1 ------- ------- ------- ------- -------- 16.9 18.0 16.5 17.3 16.4 ------- ------- ------- ------- -------- $ 104.9 $ 137.1 $ 126.6 $ 135.6 $ 158.3 ======= ======= ======= ======= ======== Ratio of earnings to fixed charges 6.3 2.1 2.3 1.2 1.2 ======= ======= ======= ======= ======== 73