Ryerson(US:RYI)2025-10-29 15:00Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - In Q3 2025, Ryerson reported net sales of $1.16 billion, a decrease of $7.8 million, or less than 1%, compared to the previous quarter [12] - Adjusted EBITDA excluding LIFO for Q3 was $40.3 million, down from $45 million in the prior quarter [13] - The company experienced a net loss of $14.8 million, or $0.46 per diluted share, compared to a net income of $1.9 million and diluted earnings per share of $0.06 in the prior quarter [12][13] - Gross margin contracted by 70 basis points to 17.2%, with gross margin excluding LIFO also contracting to 18.3% [12] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company saw average selling prices increase by 2.6%, while tons shipped decreased by 3.2% due to rising prices [12] - The OEM book of business has seen activity below customer forecasts and historical mid-cycle trends, indicating a challenging environment [4] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The market backdrop remains difficult, characterized by falling industry shipments year over year and sequentially, with notable carbon steel margin compression [3] - Demand remains depressed, with customers quoting less and buying less throughout Q3 [4] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on improving customer experience and optimizing its service center network to enhance performance [5] - Ryerson announced a merger agreement with Olympic Steel, which is expected to create a stronger financial profile and enhance market presence as the second largest metal service center in North America [18][29] - The merger is projected to yield $120 million in synergies phased in over two years, contributing to future margin enhancement [18][30] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledged the ongoing recessionary conditions in the industry and anticipates that demand challenges will persist at least through the end of the year [8] - The company expects Q4 volumes to soften by 5% to 7%, aligning with typical seasonality patterns [8] - Management remains optimistic about the potential for the OEM side of the commercial portfolio to eventually inflect positively [4] Other Important Information - The company ended Q3 with $500 million in total debt and $470 million in net debt, representing a decrease compared to the prior quarter [9] - The cash conversion cycle increased to 68 days from 66 days in the prior quarter [11] Q&A Session Summary Question: Expectations for cash generation in Q4 - Management expects a decent working capital release and cash flow from operations in Q4, typically seeing between $70 million and $80 million of working capital release [72][76] Question: Opportunities for market share growth post-merger - Management highlighted cross-selling and upselling opportunities as key to gaining market share, with Ryerson having about 40,000 active accounts and Olympic around 8,000 to 9,000 [80] Question: Plans for segment reporting post-merger - Management indicated that they will determine the best approach for segment reporting between signing and closing the merger [82] Question: Costs associated with achieving synergies - Management acknowledged that there will be costs to realize synergies, potentially up to $40 million, but emphasized that these synergies are based on current market conditions [93] Question: Incremental EBITDA margins with market improvement - Management suggested that with market tailwinds, EBITDA margins could improve to the 6% to 8% range, compared to the current pro forma margin of 6% [96]