Gerdau(US:GGB)2025-02-20 19:09Financial Highlights - Adjusted EBITDA reached R$10.8 billion[8] - Adjusted net income was R$4.3 billion[10] - Capex totaled R$6.2 billion, with 47% allocated to maintenance and 53% to competitiveness[10] - Free cash flow amounted to R$2.9 billion[10] - Dividends of R$0.10 per share for Gerdau S A (totaling R$203.4 million) and R$0.05 per share for Metalúrgica Gerdau S A (totaling R$50.0 million) will be paid[10] - A new share buyback program was initiated for up to 64.5 million shares for Gerdau S A (~3.1% of outstanding shares) and 6.0 million shares for Metalúrgica Gerdau S A[10] Market Overview & Outlook - The penetration rate of imported steel in Brazil ended 2024 at 18.5%[7] - Brazil BD's utilization rate was 58% for rolled steel and 75% for crude steel[26] - North America BD's utilization rate was 70% for rolled steel and 65% for crude steel[33] - South America BD's utilization rate was 58% for rolled steel and 66% for crude steel[45] Cost Savings & Investments - The company implemented asset optimization and cost-savings initiatives throughout 2024, aiming for approximately R$0.5 billion/year in savings from other BDs and R$1.0 billion/year from Brazil BD[11,49]