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Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 23 July 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 new, 5 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue and adjusted EBITDA rose: Revenues were $5.2 billion, compared with $4.9 billion in the first quarter. Adjusted EBITDA was $286 million against $95 million, a $191 million increase. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA tripled from first quarter: Management said adjusted EBITDA tripled from the first-quarter level in the second quarter. Source
  • Shipments eased, realized price rose: Steel product volumes were 4.0 million net tons, down from 4.1 million in the first quarter and 4.3 million a year earlier. Average net selling price rose to $1,124 per ton from $1,048. Source
  • Segment gross margin turned positive: Segment gross margin was $113 million, against a $95 million loss in the first quarter. Cash margin rose to $349 million from $136 million. Source
  • Domestic demand continues to improve: Management said demand continues to improve, imports remain subdued, and lead times are extending further. Source
  • Operating cash flow turned positive: Operating cash flow was $230 million, against negative $325 million in the first quarter. Capital spending was $157 million in the quarter. Source
  • Revolver repaid in quarter: Net ABL facility repayments were $63 million, after $507 million of net borrowing in the first quarter. Long-term debt was $7.70 billion, against $7.76 billion at March 31. Source
  • Canadian market improving, Stelco recovery: Management said it is beginning to see meaningful improvement in Canada, positioning Stelco to return to significant earnings. Source

“The second quarter marked another step in returning to the earnings power this company is capable of and has demonstrated in the past.”

Lourenco Goncalves, Chairman and CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Adjusted EBITDA Sourcethird quarter 2026approximately $575 millionNew
Steel shipment volumes Sourcefull-year 202616.5-17.0 million net tonsKept
Capital expenditures Sourcefull-year 2026approximately $700 millionKept
Selling, general and administrative expenses Sourcefull-year 2026approximately $575 millionKept
Depreciation, depletion and amortization Sourcefull-year 2026approximately $1.1 billionKept
Cash pension and OPEB payments and contributions Sourcefull-year 2026approximately $125 millionKept
Leverage target Sourceby this time next yearunder 2.5x debt to EBITDANew

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Quarterly adjusted EBITDA guidance for third-quarter 2026 of about $575 million was given. The prior release gave no quarterly figure. Source
  • New guidance: A leverage target of under 2.5x debt to EBITDA, timed for about this time next year, was stated. Source
  • Guidance kept: Full-year 2026 guidance for depreciation, depletion and amortization was maintained from the prior release. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue and adjusted EBITDA rose: Revenues were $5.2 billion, compared with $4.9 billion in the first quarter. Adjusted EBITDA was $286 million against $95 million, a $191 million increase. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA tripled from first quarter: Management said adjusted EBITDA tripled from the first-quarter level in the second quarter. Source
  • Net loss narrowed on both measures: GAAP net loss was $134 million, or $0.25 per diluted share, against $229 million in the first quarter. Adjusted net loss was $115 million, or $0.20 per share. Source
  • Six-month adjusted EBITDA turned positive: Adjusted EBITDA for the six months was $381 million, against a loss of $85 million a year earlier. Source

Steelmaking segment performance

  • Shipments eased, realized price rose: Steel product volumes were 4.0 million net tons, down from 4.1 million in the first quarter and 4.3 million a year earlier. Average net selling price rose to $1,124 per ton from $1,048. Source
  • Segment gross margin turned positive: Segment gross margin was $113 million, against a $95 million loss in the first quarter. Cash margin rose to $349 million from $136 million. Source
  • Steelmaking revenue rose to $5.1 billion: Steelmaking revenues were $5.1 billion, up from $4.8 billion in the first quarter. Source

“With average selling prices, volumes, and costs all moving in the right direction, our second-half earnings performance should be our strongest since 2021”

Lourenco Goncalves, Chairman and CEO

Products and customer mix

  • Hot-rolled was the largest product: Hot-rolled made up 45% of volumes, coated 31%, cold-rolled 15%, plate 4%, stainless and electrical 4%, and other 1%. Source
  • Distributors were the largest market: Distributors and converters took 33% of steelmaking revenue, or $1.6 billion, against 31% in the first quarter. Source
  • Automotive direct sales share steady: Direct sales to automotive were $1.5 billion, or 29% of steelmaking revenue, against $1.4 billion and 29% in the first quarter. Source
  • Steel producer sales declined: Sales to steel producers were $526 million, or 10%, against $552 million, or 11%, in the first quarter. Source

Costs and margins

  • Cash costs rose while volumes fell: Segment cash cost of goods sold rose to $4.7 billion from $4.6 billion, while steel shipments fell by about 83,000 net tons from the first quarter. Source
  • Selling and admin costs increased: Selling, general and administrative expenses were $154 million, against $125 million in the first quarter. Source
  • Prior quarter energy costs hit margin: The prior release cited an $80 million one-time negative impact from a cold-weather energy price spike in the first quarter.

“The domestic market remains strong as ongoing global tensions continue to underscore the importance of having a thriving domestic steel industry.”

Lourenco Goncalves, Chairman and CEO

Demand and order book

  • Domestic demand continues to improve: Management said demand continues to improve, imports remain subdued, and lead times are extending further. Source
  • Imports at lowest since financial crisis: The prior release said US steel imports were at their lowest levels since the global financial crisis.
  • Automotive volumes held through quarter: Management said automotive volumes remained high during the quarter. Source

Capital, cash and debt

  • Operating cash flow turned positive: Operating cash flow was $230 million, against negative $325 million in the first quarter. Capital spending was $157 million in the quarter. Source
  • Revolver repaid in quarter: Net ABL facility repayments were $63 million, after $507 million of net borrowing in the first quarter. Long-term debt was $7.70 billion, against $7.76 billion at March 31. Source
  • Liquidity held at $3.1 billion: Total liquidity was $3.1 billion at June 30, the same level reported at March 31. Source
  • Equity and cash balance: Total equity was $5.8 billion, down from $6.0 billion at March 31. Cash and cash equivalents were $70 million. Source

Strategy, Canada and POSCO

  • Canadian market improving, Stelco recovery: Management said it is beginning to see meaningful improvement in Canada, positioning Stelco to return to significant earnings. Source
  • Canada trade defenses requested: The prior release said the company continued to ask the Canadian government to strengthen its defenses against imports.
  • POSCO talks continue under MoU: The prior release said talks with POSCO continued within the memorandum of understanding framework, and that the Middle East situation had not helped the timeline.

Coming up, as management said on 23 July 2026

  • Automotive volumes rise in Q3: Management said automotive volumes will increase further in the third quarter, helping absorb fixed costs as finishing lines run at higher utilization. Source
  • Q4 EBITDA expected above Q3 guidance: Management said fourth-quarter EBITDA is currently expected to exceed the third-quarter guidance by a further margin. Source
  • Momentum carried into 2027: Management expects to finish the year positively and enter 2027 with momentum, including a higher reset of fixed-price contracts and much improved Canadian profits. Source
  • Debt reduction to continue: Management said debt reduction has begun and will continue in a more meaningful way for the foreseeable future. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Steel product sales volumes Source4,025 thousand net tons
Average net selling price per net ton Source$1,124
Steelmaking revenue by market, distributors and converters Source33%
Steelmaking revenue by market, direct automotive Source29%

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: Management cited extended maintenance outages in April and May as a factor during the quarter. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: Management said free cash flow returned to positive in the second quarter, as previously foreshadowed, and debt reduction has begun. Source
  • Not stated: The prior release expected each quarter in 2026 to improve sequentially. This release gives third-quarter and fourth-quarter expectations above the second-quarter level.

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.