This presentation contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws with respect to general economic conditions, key macro-economic drivers that impact our business, the effects of ongoing trade actions, the effects of continued pressure on the liquidity of our customers, potential synergies and growth provided by acquisitions and strategic investments, demand for our products, shipment volumes, metal margins, the ability to operate our steel mills at full capacity, parti ...

Core Insights - Commercial Metals Company (CMC) reported financial results for the fiscal third quarter ended May 31, 2025, showing sequential improvement in performance driven by better market conditions across all segments [1][2] - The company achieved net earnings of $83.1 million, or $0.73 per diluted share, on net sales of $2.0 billion, compared to net earnings of $119.4 million, or $1.02 per diluted share, on net sales of $2.1 billion in the prior year [2][3] Financial Performance - Adjusted earnings for the third quarter were $84.4 million, or $0.74 per diluted share, down from $119.6 million, or $1.02 per diluted share, in the prior year [3] - The company's consolidated core EBITDA was $204.1 million with a core EBITDA margin of 10.1% [6] - Cash and cash equivalents totaled $893.0 million, with available liquidity exceeding $1.7 billion as of May 31, 2025 [4] Business Segments Overview - North America Steel Group saw a 1.6% increase in finished steel product shipments year-over-year and a 10.4% increase compared to the second quarter [6] - The Emerging Businesses Group reported net sales of $197.5 million, a 4.7% increase year-over-year, with adjusted EBITDA margin improving to 20.7% [10] - The Europe Steel Group achieved adjusted EBITDA of $3.6 million, recovering from a loss of $4.2 million in the prior year, with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 1.5% [12] Strategic Initiatives - The TAG program is gaining momentum, exceeding targeted EBITDA benefits, with an annual run-rate expected to exceed $100 million [6][14] - The company is positioned to benefit from structural trends in infrastructure investment, reshoring, and energy transition [2][14] Market Outlook - CMC anticipates improved consolidated financial results in the fourth quarter, with expectations for increased finished steel shipments and adjusted EBITDA margins [13] - The company expects to receive a CO2 credit of approximately $28 million in the fourth quarter due to Polish legislation [13]

Investment Rating - The report maintains an 'In-Line' industry view for the steel sector, indicating a balanced risk-reward profile [7]. Core Insights - Carbon steel prices are experiencing softening momentum, with continued downside risks expected in the near term due to unclear demand recovery [6]. - Stainless steel demand is anticipated to remain lackluster, trailing carbon steel recovery, with no inflection expected in 2025 [8]. - The sector is currently trading at a ~34% discount to its historical average on EV/normalized EBITDA, but consensus earnings downgrades for 2025 are anticipated [9]. Carbon Steel Summary - The report highlights that EU HRC spreads have risen above historical averages due to supportive trade policies and prospects for defense/infrastructure spending [6]. - ArcelorMittal and voestalpine are identified as the most preferred companies in carbon steel, with voestalpine showing resilience in EBITDA/t during the downturn [10]. - Thyssenkrupp shares have seen significant re-rating, but the report suggests that the current valuation may not reflect the underlying business's cash needs and earnings potential [10]. Stainless Steel Summary - Acerinox is favored in the stainless steel segment due to its resilient earnings profile and exposure to the US/alloys market [11]. - The report notes that Aperam's diversified business model may not be enough to counteract the weak demand in Europe, impacting near-term earnings momentum [11]. - The overall stainless steel market is expected to face challenges due to global growth concerns and below-average spreads in the EU/US [8]. Demand Drivers - Key demand drivers for steel include construction and automotive sectors, with significant contributions from building & infrastructure and mechanical equipment [21][22]. - The report emphasizes that the automotive sector's performance is crucial for steel demand, particularly in Western Europe and the US [27][30]. Supply and Trade Dynamics - The report discusses the steel supply landscape, noting that major producers in the EU and China are adjusting production levels in response to demand fluctuations [65][68]. - It highlights the net trade flows of steel, with China being a significant exporter, impacting the EU market dynamics [80][81]. Valuation and Performance - The report provides a snapshot of equity performance, indicating that steel equities have re-rated sharply, with some companies trading at premiums to their sum-of-the-parts valuations [10][12]. - The overall steel sector's performance is compared against indices like MSCI Europe and STOXX Europe, showing varied performance across different companies [13][16].

Investment Rating - The investment rating for Aluminum Corporation of China (Chalco) is "Buy" with a target price of Rmb9.62 per share based on a 2.22x 2025E P/B [18] - The investment rating for Baoshan Iron & Steel is "Buy" with a target price of Rmb8.2 per share based on a 0.85x 2025E P/B [22] - The investment rating for Tianqi Lithium is "Hold" with a target price of HK$23.0 for H-shares and Rmb26.26 for A-shares [24][27] Core Insights - The report indicates cautious market expectations regarding demand recovery in the aluminum sector in China, with a near-term pecking order of steel > aluminum > lithium > copper > gold > battery > thermal coal > cement [1] - Total aluminum production in China for the week of June 12-18, 2025, was 845kt, flat week-over-week (WoW), and up 3% year-over-year (YoY) [2] - Total aluminum inventory in China stood at 722kt on June 19, 2025, reflecting a 1% increase WoW but a significant 38% decrease YoY [3] - Apparent aluminum consumption in China was 849kt during the same week, down 6% WoW but up 5.8% YoY for the year-to-date [4] Production Summary - China's total aluminum production year-to-date reached 20.9 million tonnes (mnt), representing a 3.2% increase YoY, while aluminum billet production was 8.4mnt, up 6.2% YoY [2] - Aluminum billet production for the week was 365kt, flat WoW, and up 9% YoY [2] Inventory Summary - The total inventory of aluminum ingots was 493kt, down 3% WoW and 40% YoY, while aluminum billet inventory was 229kt, up 9% WoW but down 30% YoY [3] - The inventory levels are lower than the same period in 2021-2024 on a lunar calendar basis [7] Consumption Summary - Apparent consumption of aluminum ingots was 885kt, down 3% WoW but up 1% YoY, while aluminum billet apparent consumption was 329kt, down 7% WoW but up 3% YoY [4] - Year-to-date apparent consumption of aluminum in China reached 21.6mnt, reflecting a 5.8% increase YoY [4]

Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Buy" recommendation for the steel sector, highlighting specific companies for investment [3]. Core Viewpoints - The steel market is experiencing weak supply and demand, leading to price fluctuations. As of June 20, 2025, the price of 20mm HRB400 rebar in Shanghai is 3070 CNY/ton, unchanged from the previous week [1][10]. - Steel profits have increased slightly, with rebar, hot-rolled, and cold-rolled steel margins changing by +6 CNY/ton, +20 CNY/ton, and -26 CNY/ton respectively [1][3]. - Steel production has risen, with a total output of 8.69 million tons for major steel products, a week-on-week increase of 96,600 tons [2][3]. Summary by Sections Price Trends - As of June 20, 2025, various steel prices show mixed trends, with rebar prices stable at 3070 CNY/ton, hot-rolled steel increasing by 40 CNY/ton to 3240 CNY/ton, and cold-rolled steel decreasing by 30 CNY/ton to 3510 CNY/ton [1][10][11]. Production and Inventory - The total production of major steel products reached 8.69 million tons, with rebar production increasing by 46,100 tons to 2.12 million tons. Total social inventory decreased by 144,300 tons to 9.12 million tons [2][3]. Profitability - The report indicates a slight increase in steel profitability, with long-process steel margins showing minor increases while short-process margins have decreased [1][3]. Investment Recommendations - The report suggests focusing on the following companies: - For flat steel: Baosteel, Hualing Steel, Nanjing Steel - For special steel: Xianglou New Materials, CITIC Special Steel, Yongjin Co. - For pipe materials: Jiuli Special Materials, Youfa Group, Wujin Stainless Steel - Additionally, it recommends paying attention to high-temperature alloy companies like Fushun Special Steel [3].

Core Viewpoint - Huawei Cloud Stack aims to provide a hybrid cloud solution that better understands the needs of government and enterprise users in the era of intelligence, focusing on AI integration and data utilization [1][3]. Group 1: Huawei Cloud Stack Features - Huawei Cloud Stack will become the first hybrid cloud to adapt to CloudMatrix 384 super nodes, enabling enterprise customers to have their own cloud super nodes locally, enhancing AI computing power for intelligent transitions [3]. - Currently, Huawei Cloud Stack offers over 120 cloud services and more than 50 scenario-based solutions, maintaining the leading market share in the hybrid cloud sector across government, finance, and manufacturing for several consecutive years [3][4]. Group 2: User Segmentation and Solutions - Huawei Cloud Stack recognizes that government and enterprise users are not a monolithic group but can be categorized into four distinct roles: data center engineers, data engineers, AI algorithm model application engineers, and application development engineers [3][4]. - The platform supports users throughout the entire cloud lifecycle, from building to managing cloud resources, enabling efficient resource allocation, data governance, model training, and application development [4]. Group 3: Case Studies - In finance, Huawei Cloud Stack helped a state-owned bank establish a unified computing power platform, allowing data center engineers to deploy 106 DeepSeek R1 instances in just two days, improving efficiency by 70% compared to traditional bare-metal deployments [4][5]. - In manufacturing, Huawei Cloud collaborated with XCMG to create a robust big data platform, enhancing data analysis efficiency and enabling value extraction from operational data of construction machinery [4][5]. - In the steel industry, Xianggang utilized Huawei Cloud Stack to develop a one-stop AI development platform, achieving quality improvement and cost reduction through the deployment of a steel model across over 30 scenarios [5]. - In the energy sector, CNOOC implemented CodeArts to develop a digital platform, reducing development time by 30% and streamlining the deployment of intelligent oilfield management systems from one week to one day [5].

Core Viewpoint - ArcelorMittal has signed a sale and purchase agreement to divest its operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, specifically the ArcelorMittal Zenica steel plant and the ArcelorMittal Prijedor iron ore mining business, to Pavgord Group, following a strategic review that deemed the sale as the best solution for business development [1][2]. Transaction Details - The transaction involves the sale of ArcelorMittal's shares in both ArcelorMittal Zenica and ArcelorMittal Prijedor, with all employees' jobs being transferred to the new owner. The company anticipates a non-cash loss on disposal of approximately $0.2 billion, which includes foreign exchange losses recorded in equity since acquisition [3]. - The deal is expected to close in the third quarter of 2025, pending merger control clearance and fulfillment of all conditions precedent. Until the closure, all operations will continue as usual with support from local management and company leadership [4]. Company Acknowledgment - ArcelorMittal expressed gratitude towards the government of Bosnia and Herzegovina and acknowledged the contributions of its employees at ArcelorMittal Zenica and ArcelorMittal Prijedor over the past 21 years, wishing them and Pavgord Group success in the future [5]. Company Overview - ArcelorMittal is a leading integrated steel and mining company with operations in 60 countries and primary steelmaking in 15 countries. In 2024, the company generated revenues of $62.4 billion, producing 57.9 million metric tonnes of crude steel and 42.4 million tonnes of iron ore. The company focuses on producing innovative steels that are energy-efficient, low in carbon emissions, and reusable, supporting the transition to renewable energy infrastructure [6].

Core Viewpoint - Friedman Industries' stock has underperformed following its earnings release, with a 3.2% decline compared to a 0.7% dip in the S&P 500 Index, although it showed a slight gain of 0.5% over the past month [1] Earnings and Revenue Summary - For Q4 fiscal 2025, Friedman Industries reported net earnings of $5.3 million ($0.76 per diluted share), a 7.8% increase from $4.9 million ($0.71 per share) in the previous year [2] - Quarterly sales decreased by 2.3% to $129.2 million from $132.2 million, despite achieving record sales volume of 166,500 tons, a 4.7% year-over-year rise and a 28% sequential increase [2] - Full-year net earnings fell 64.9% to $6.1 million ($0.87 per diluted share) from $17.3 million ($2.39 per share) in fiscal 2024, with annual sales dropping 13.9% to $444.6 million from $516.3 million [2] Segment Performance - The flat-roll segment generated $117.7 million in sales, down 2.4% from $120.6 million year-over-year, with tons sold from inventory rising 15.8% to 139,000 [3] - The tubular segment's sales were nearly flat at $11.5 million, with volume increasing 15.8% to 11,000 tons, while the average selling price declined 14.1% to $1,044 per ton [4] Hedging and Financial Metrics - The company recorded a $1.8 million gain from hot-rolled coil futures in Q4 and $7.6 million for the full fiscal year, aiding in offsetting price volatility in the steel market [5] - Management noted that hedging capabilities were crucial in stabilizing margins during a challenging pricing environment [6] Cost Control and Expense Management - SG&A expenses decreased by 37.5% to $3.8 million in Q4 from $6.1 million a year earlier, and full-year SG&A expenses fell 23.1% to $16.2 million from $21 million [7] Management Commentary and Strategy - CEO Michael J. Taylor highlighted the disciplined execution of the growth strategy, noting a 28% sequential increase in quarterly sales volume and a 4.7% year-over-year rise [8] - The new facility in Sinton, TX, achieved the highest profit margin among all locations, reaching full production capacity during the year [8][9] Forward Guidance - The company expects slightly lower sales volume in Q1 fiscal 2026 due to planned equipment downtime but anticipates improved margins from pricing actions and operational streamlining [10] - Management expressed confidence in capitalizing on growth opportunities, citing favorable industry demand and a strong balance sheet [10] Other Developments - No acquisitions, divestitures, or restructuring initiatives were reported in Q4 fiscal 2025, but management reaffirmed its commitment to disciplined capital allocation and a continued quarterly dividend policy since 1972 [11]

Core Insights - Nucor Corporation (NUE) anticipates earnings growth across all segments for Q2 2025, with the steel mills segment expected to see the most significant increase due to higher average selling prices [1][8] - The projected earnings per share (EPS) for Q2 2025 is between $2.55 and $2.65, a substantial rise from 67 cents in Q1 2025 [1][8] - The steel products segment is expected to benefit from stable pricing, increased volumes, and lower average costs per ton, contributing to sequential earnings growth [2] Financial Performance - Nucor repurchased approximately 1.8 million shares at an average price of $111.89 per share in Q2 2025, totaling around 4 million shares repurchased year-to-date at an average price of $123.75 [3] - The company has returned approximately $755 million to shareholders through share repurchases and dividends year-to-date [3] Stock Performance - NUE stock has experienced an 18.2% decline over the past year, which is less severe compared to the industry's 25.9% decline [5]

U.S. Steel has been acquired by Nippon Steel. That raises the inevitable question: Who gets the X? https://t.co/w3QCiwFGNc ...