Group 1 - Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. (CLF) is the largest flat-rolled steel company in North America and has consistently been rated as a "Buy" due to its significant growth potential [1] - The company is covered by analysts who provide insights and analysis, helping investors balance growth and value [1] - Beyond the Wall Investing offers features such as a fundamentals-based portfolio, weekly analysis from institutional investors, and alerts for short-term trade ideas based on technical signals [1]

Core Viewpoint - Cleveland-Cliffs' stock experienced a significant decline of over 9% following an analyst downgrade, reflecting concerns about the company's future performance [1][2]. Group 1: Analyst Downgrade - Analyst Philip Gibbs of KeyBanc downgraded Cleveland-Cliffs from overweight (buy) to sector weight (hold), noting that the stock had surpassed his price target of $13 per share [2]. - Gibbs expressed concerns about diminishing business-boosting catalysts, particularly a decline in activity from auto industry customers, and noted that costs are slightly higher than previously anticipated [3]. Group 2: Company Strengths - Despite the downgrade, Gibbs highlighted several favorable factors for Cleveland-Cliffs, including its strategic cooperation with POSCO, a leading Korean steelmaker, which could positively impact its operations and finances [4]. Group 3: Investment Perspective - While Cleveland-Cliffs remains a top steel producer in the U.S., it is not viewed as a compelling investment opportunity, with no anticipated surges in demand, even amid efforts to bolster domestic manufacturing [5]. - The Motley Fool Stock Advisor team has identified ten stocks they believe are better investment opportunities than Cleveland-Cliffs, indicating a lack of confidence in the company's potential for significant returns [6][7].

Core Viewpoint - Shares of major steel companies in India experienced a significant increase, ranging from 2% to 4.5%, following the imposition of import tariffs on certain steel products by the Indian government to limit low-cost imports from China [1] Group 1: Market Reaction - Major steel companies in India saw their stock prices rise between 2% and 4.5% on Wednesday [1] - The increase in share prices occurred a day after the government announced new import tariffs [1] Group 2: Government Action - The Indian government has implemented import tariffs on specific steel products [1] - The primary objective of these tariffs is to curb the influx of inexpensive steel shipments from China [1]

Group 1 - The analysis of Cleveland-Cliffs (CLF) reflects on the company's situation and future outlook from over a year ago [1] - The focus is on high-quality and growth companies, with a balanced portfolio between dividend-paying stocks and those with high growth potential but lower dividends [1] - The investor has 8 years of experience in stock investing, with a track record of more successful investments than unsuccessful ones [1] Group 2 - The portfolio includes companies that do not pay dividends but have significant growth potential, indicating a strategy that values future earnings over immediate returns [1]

Core Insights - Voya Investment Management's "Voya MI Dynamic Small Cap Fund" experienced underperformance in Q3 2025, primarily due to stock selection issues despite a strong recovery in equity markets [1] - The fund highlighted Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. (NYSE:CLF) as a significant contributor to performance, with a one-month return of 21.27% and a market capitalization of $7.047 billion [2][3] Fund Performance - The equity markets rebounded strongly in Q3 2025, recovering from earlier volatility caused by tariffs, with growth stocks outperforming value stocks [1] - The fund's performance was negatively impacted on a NAV basis, indicating challenges in stock selection during the quarter [1] Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. (NYSE:CLF) Analysis - Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. was noted for its strong valuation metrics, including book to price and operating cash flow to price, which contributed positively to the fund's performance [3] - The stock's price increase was attributed to efficiency improvements in its auto platform division [3] - Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. was held by 52 hedge fund portfolios at the end of Q3 2025, an increase from 42 in the previous quarter [4]

Group 1 - BofA analyst Lawson Winder has lowered the price target for Cleveland-Cliffs (CLF) to $12.50 from $14 while maintaining a Neutral rating on the shares [1] - The firm is updating its price forecasts for North American Metals & Mining stocks under its coverage [1] - The macroeconomic environment is viewed as challenging due to slowing commodity demand from China, but there may be a rebound in demand in the U.S. and Europe [1]

Group 1 - Cleveland-Cliffs (CLF) stock received a positive adjustment to its Relative Strength (RS) Rating, increasing from 78 to 82, indicating improved technical performance compared to other stocks [1] - Nucor's RS Rating climbed to 74, reflecting rising price performance and an upgrade in its relative strength [3] - Steel Dynamics also saw its RS Rating jump to 82, showcasing improved relative price performance [3] Group 2 - The stock market experienced fluctuations, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average jumping as Nvidia considers market entry, while Apple remains among stocks near buy points [3] - Cleveland-Cliffs stock surged due to transformative deals influenced by Trump tariffs, highlighting the impact of external factors on stock performance [3]

Core Viewpoint - Cleveland-Cliffs has experienced a decline in share price of approximately 16.4% since the last earnings report, underperforming the S&P 500, raising questions about the potential for a breakout or continued negative trend leading up to the next earnings release [1] Financial Performance - The third-quarter 2025 adjusted loss was 45 cents per share, which was narrower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of 48 cents per share, compared to an adjusted loss of 33 cents per share in the same quarter last year [2] - Revenues increased by 3.6% year over year to $4,734 million, but fell short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4,886.6 million [2] Operational Highlights - Steelmaking revenues were approximately $4.6 billion for the third quarter, reflecting a year-over-year increase of around 3% [3] - The average net selling price per net ton of steel products was $1,032, down about 1.2% year over year, but exceeded the estimate of $996 [3] - External sales volumes for steel products were approximately 4.03 million net tons, up around 5% year over year, but missed the estimate of 4.3 million net tons [3] Financial Position - As of the end of the third quarter, cash and cash equivalents stood at $66 million, an increase of approximately 8.2% from the previous quarter [4] - Long-term debt rose by 4% sequentially to $8,039 million, with total liquidity at $3.1 billion [4] Outlook - The company has revised its full-year 2025 guidance, lowering capital expenditures to approximately $525 million from $600 million, and reducing selling, general, and administrative expenses to around $550 million from $575 million [5] - Cleveland-Cliffs aims for steel unit cost reductions of about $50 per net ton compared to 2024, while maintaining depreciation, depletion, and amortization expenses at approximately $1.2 billion [6] Estimate Revisions - Since the earnings release, there has been a downward trend in estimates, with the consensus estimate shifting down by 25.88% [7] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold), indicating an expectation of an in-line return in the coming months [10] VGM Scores - Cleveland-Cliffs has a poor Growth Score of F, a Momentum Score of F, and a Value Score of F, placing it in the bottom 20% quintile for value investors, resulting in an aggregate VGM Score of F [9]

Core Insights - Cleveland-Cliffs Inc (NYSE:CLF) has seen a 2.1% increase in stock price, trading at $10.96, following a bounce off the $10 level, which coincides with the 126-day moving average that has historically captured several pullbacks [1] - The stock is currently up 16.2% for 2025 but remains significantly below its two-year high of $16.70 reached on October 20 [1] Short Interest - Short interest in Cleveland-Cliffs has decreased by 14% over the last two reporting periods, representing 10.9% of the stock's total available float [3] - At the average trading pace, it would take short sellers more than two days to cover these positions [3] Options Market - Options for Cleveland-Cliffs are currently considered affordable, with a Schaeffer's Volatility Index (SVI) of 67%, placing it in the 20th percentile of annual readings [4] - The company tends to outperform options traders' volatility expectations, as indicated by a Schaeffer's Volatility Scorecard (SVS) of 74 out of 100 [4]

Core Viewpoint - Cleveland-Cliffs (CLF) has seen a 25% decline in its share price over the last month, despite previous positive trade-policy news and expectations for a revival in automotive-steel demand [2][5]. Company-Specific Challenges - The decline in CLF's stock is attributed to a combination of company-specific challenges and broader economic headwinds, indicating a reassessment of risks rather than just opportunities [5]. - In Q3 2025, CLF reported revenues of approximately US$4.7 billion, down from US$4.9 billion in Q2, with an adjusted net loss of US$223 million, or US$0.45 per diluted share [9]. - The average net selling price per ton in the steel-making division was US$1,032 in Q3, a slight decline from US$1,045 a year prior, despite an increase in shipment volumes to 4.0 million net tons [9]. External Demand & Macroeconomic Risks - The steel industry is facing cyclical demand challenges across construction, manufacturing, and automotive sectors, along with competition from imports [9]. - Investor confidence is wavering due to the discrepancy between CLF's strategic vision and execution, as the company continues to operate at a loss and provides cautious guidance [9]. Strategic Initiatives - CLF is assessing the potential for rare-earth minerals at mining locations in Michigan and Minnesota and has a memorandum of understanding with a significant global steel producer, which could enhance growth if finalized [10]. - Approximately 30% of the steel-making revenues in Q3 came from the automotive sector, highlighting the importance of automotive recovery for CLF's performance [10]. Financial Stability & Liquidity Management - CLF concluded Q3 2025 with around US$3.1 billion in consolidated liquidity, which provides some safety amid ongoing losses and the cyclical nature of steel production [7][10]. - The company aims for cost reduction targets of approximately US$50 per ton compared to 2024, which are critical indicators to monitor for financial stability [10].