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Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 9 February 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 6 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Quarterly GAAP loss narrowed from prior year: GAAP net loss was $235 million, or $0.44 per diluted share, against $434 million, or $0.92, a year earlier. Adjusted loss was $0.43 per diluted share, against $0.68. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA loss narrowed to $21 million: Adjusted EBITDA was a loss of $21 million for the quarter, against a loss of $81 million a year earlier. Third-quarter Adjusted EBITDA was positive $143 million. Source
  • Automotive production stayed low through 2025: Management said 2025 results were hit by automotive production that stayed low all year, an expiring slab contract, and a newly adverse Canadian market. Source
  • Trade environment seen as constructive: Management said the United States trade environment is moving in a very constructive direction, and that the 2025 negative factors had improved as 2026 began. Source
  • Direct automotive share fell to 28%: Direct automotive customers took 28% of fourth-quarter Steelmaking revenue, about $1.1 billion, against 30% or $1.4 billion in the third quarter. Distributors and converters took 30%. Source
  • Steelmaking gross margin stayed negative: Steelmaking gross margin was a loss of $220 million in the fourth quarter, against a $281 million loss a year earlier and a $56 million loss in the third quarter. Full-year gross margin was a $909 million loss. Source
  • POSCO due diligence on partnership: Management said POSCO continues due diligence on the recently announced strategic partnership, which it called the number one strategic priority for both companies. Source

“Fortunately, as we started 2026, these negative situations have all improved.”

Lourenco Goncalves, Cliffs’ Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Steel shipment volumes Sourcefull-year 202616.5 - 17.0 million net tonsNew
Steel unit cost Sourcefull-year 2026 versus 2025reduction of approximately $10 per net tonNew
Capital expenditures Sourcefull-year 2026approximately $700 millionNew
Selling, general and administrative expenses Sourcefull-year 2026approximately $575 millionNew
Depreciation, depletion and amortization Sourcefull-year 2026approximately $1.1 billionNew
Cash pension and OPEB payments and contributions Sourcefull-year 2026approximately $125 millionNew

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Full-year 2026 expectations were put forth in this release; the prior release gave only full-year 2025 expectations. Source
  • Ended: The prior release said the ArcelorMittal slab contract would end in early December; this release refers to its expiration. Source
  • New: The partner is now named as POSCO, with due diligence under way on a strategic partnership the prior release called a memorandum of understanding with a major global steel producer. Source
  • New: Cash flow statement shows $53 million of proceeds from a sale of business in the fourth quarter. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Fourth-quarter revenue flat year over year: Fourth-quarter revenues were $4.3 billion, the same as the prior-year quarter and down from $4.7 billion in the third quarter. Full-year revenues were $18.6 billion against $19.2 billion in 2024. Source
  • Quarterly GAAP loss narrowed from prior year: GAAP net loss was $235 million, or $0.44 per diluted share, against $434 million, or $0.92, a year earlier. Adjusted loss was $0.43 per diluted share, against $0.68. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA loss narrowed to $21 million: Adjusted EBITDA was a loss of $21 million for the quarter, against a loss of $81 million a year earlier. Third-quarter Adjusted EBITDA was positive $143 million. Source
  • Full-year adjusted EBITDA fell to $37 million: Full-year Adjusted EBITDA was $37 million, against $773 million in 2024. The full-year GAAP net loss was $1.4 billion, or $2.91 per diluted share; the adjusted loss was $2.48 per share. Source

Demand and trade environment

  • Automotive production stayed low through 2025: Management said 2025 results were hit by automotive production that stayed low all year, an expiring slab contract, and a newly adverse Canadian market. Source
  • Slab contract turned value-destructive: Management described the five-year slab contract as value-destructive in its last year. The prior release put its end in early December. Source
  • Canadian market turned newly adverse: Management said the Canadian market turned newly adverse during 2025, one of the factors behind the year's results. Source
  • Trade environment seen as constructive: Management said the United States trade environment is moving in a very constructive direction, and that the 2025 negative factors had improved as 2026 began. Source

“We took the necessary actions in 2025 to set us up for future success.”

Lourenco Goncalves, Cliffs’ Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer

Steelmaking segment and volumes

  • Fourth-quarter shipments near prior-year level: Fourth-quarter shipments were close to the prior-year quarter's 3,827 thousand net tons and below 4,029 thousand in the third quarter. Source
  • Full-year volume up, selling price down: Full-year steel volume rose to 16.2 million net tons from 15.6 million, while average net selling price per net ton fell to $1,005 from $1,081. Source
  • Steelmaking revenue near prior-year level: Steelmaking revenues were $4.2 billion in the fourth quarter, against $4.2 billion a year earlier and $4.6 billion in the third quarter. Source

Products and customers

  • Hot-rolled rose to 42% of mix: Hot-rolled was 42% of fourth-quarter sales volume, up from 37% in the third quarter. Coated was 28%, cold-rolled 14%, and plate 6%. Source
  • Direct automotive share fell to 28%: Direct automotive customers took 28% of fourth-quarter Steelmaking revenue, about $1.1 billion, against 30% or $1.4 billion in the third quarter. Distributors and converters took 30%. Source
  • Infrastructure led full-year customer mix: For the full year, infrastructure and manufacturing was the largest channel at 30% of Steelmaking revenue, about $5.4 billion, with direct automotive at 28%, about $5.0 billion. Source
  • Multi-year deals signed with automotive customers: Management said the company signed multi-year contracts with all its major automotive customers during 2025. Source

“This remains the number one strategic priority for both Cleveland-Cliffs and POSCO, and engagement between the teams is active and ongoing.”

Lourenco Goncalves, Cliffs’ Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Steelmaking gross margin stayed negative: Steelmaking gross margin was a loss of $220 million in the fourth quarter, against a $281 million loss a year earlier and a $56 million loss in the third quarter. Full-year gross margin was a $909 million loss. Source
  • Cash margin turned positive in quarter: Steelmaking cash margin was $25 million in the fourth quarter, against a $44 million loss a year earlier. Full-year cash margin was $218 million against $913 million in 2024. Source
  • SG&A and interest expense rose: Full-year selling, general and administrative expenses were $543 million against $486 million in 2024. Net interest expense was $594 million against $370 million. Source

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • Liquidity reported at $3.3 billion: The company reported liquidity of $3.3 billion, up from $3.1 billion at September 30, 2025. Source
  • Operating cash flow negative for year: Net cash used by operating activities was $462 million for 2025, against $105 million provided in 2024. Fourth-quarter use was $13 million. Source
  • Capital spending lowered in 2025: Full-year capital expenditure was $561 million, against $695 million in 2024. Management said it lowered capital expenditures during 2025 among other initiatives. Source
  • Debt reduced; common shares issued: Long-term debt was $7.25 billion at year-end, against $8.04 billion at September 30. Fourth-quarter cash flow shows $951 million of common share proceeds. Source
  • No share buybacks in 2025: No common shares were repurchased in 2025. Repurchases in 2024 totaled $733 million, per the cash flow statement. Source

Strategy, partnership and people

  • POSCO due diligence on partnership: Management said POSCO continues due diligence on the recently announced strategic partnership, which it called the number one strategic priority for both companies. Source
  • Non-core asset exits and a sale: Management said it exited non-core assets with minimal effect on flat-rolled output. Cash flow shows $53 million of proceeds from a sale of business in the fourth quarter. Source
  • Record safety year reported: Management said 2025 was a record safety year, with a Total Recordable Incident Rate of 0.8 per 200,000 hours worked, the lowest since becoming a steel company. Source
  • Workforce reported at about 25,000: The company said it employs about 25,000 people across the United States and Canada, down from about 30,000 in the prior release. Source

Coming up, as management said on 9 February 2026

  • POSCO definitive agreement targeted: Management is targeting signing a definitive agreement with POSCO in the first half of 2026. Source
  • Transaction structuring under way: Management said both parties are focused on structuring a transaction it described as highly accretive and strategically compelling for each company. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Steel shipments, fourth quarter Source3.8 million net tons
Steel product sales volume, full year Source16.2 million net tons
Average net selling price per net ton, fourth quarter Source$993

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Management named lower automotive production as a factor in 2025 results, with production low for the entire year. Source
  • Financial: Management described the expiring slab contract as value-destructive in its final year. Source
  • External: Management cited a newly adverse dynamic in the Canadian market as a 2025 factor. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: Management said the company signed multi-year contracts with all major automotive customers, alongside footprint changes and a cost reduction in 2025. Source
  • Not stated: Earlier, the company expected the slab contract end in early December to accelerate a trend into 2026; the current release does not state whether it did.
  • Not stated: Earlier, the company said it looked forward to sharing more on the memorandum of understanding soon; the current release names POSCO as the partner.

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.