Mead Corp. expects its fourth quarter earnings for the year 2000 to be in the range of 15 to 20 cents per share. The company's businesses continue to show signs of a slowing economy, as well as the impact of rising energy related costs and the strong US dollar. But the fourth quarter earnings for the packaging and paperboard segment are expected to be down approximately $20 million from the corresponding period in 1999, due to weak market related down time at the Stevenson, Ala., corrugating medium mill.