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Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 19 October 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 new, 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Adjusted EBITDA rose to $612 million: Adjusted EBITDA was $612 million, up $326 million from the second quarter of 2026. The prior quarter was $286 million. Source
  • GAAP net income turned positive: GAAP net income was $165 million, or $0.26 per diluted share, and adjusted net income was $0.28 per diluted share. The second quarter had a GAAP loss of $0.25 per share. Source
  • Stelco became an EBITDA contributor: Management said the Canadian hot-rolled market improved substantially, and Stelco became a positive contributor to EBITDA in the third quarter. Source
  • Galvanizing lines idled indefinitely: Management idled Stelco's galvanizing lines because it saw no action on the oversupplied Canadian galvanized steel market. Affected employees return when conditions improve. Source
  • 2027 view improved since last call: Management said several initiatives it had identified as drivers of future earnings growth are developing more favorably than originally expected. Source
  • 2027 view tied to signed contracts: Management attributes its 2027 view to contracts already signed with clients and to prevailing index price forecasts. Source
  • Long-term debt fell in the quarter: Long-term debt was $7,645 million at September 30, compared with $7,703 million at June 30. Net ABL repayments were $61 million in the quarter. Source

“Third quarter was our strongest quarter in three years, with adjusted EBITDA of $612 million, a number above the $575 million guidance we provided three months ago.”

Lourenco Goncalves, Chairman and CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Adjusted EBITDA Sourcefourth quarter of 2026approximately $715 millionNew
Adjusted EBITDA Sourcefull year 2027exceed $4 billionNew
Leverage Sourceby the middle of 2027under 2.5x net debt to EBITDAKept
Steel shipmentsfull year 2026approximately 16.5-17.0 million net tons
Capital expendituresfull year 2026approximately $700 million
Selling, general and administrative expensesfull year 2026approximately $575 million
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationfull year 2026approximately $1.1 billion
Cash pension and OPEB payments and contributionsfull year 2026approximately $125 million

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Management said its 2027 view had improved materially since the last earnings call, as several initiatives are developing more favorably than expected. The prior release gave no 2027 EBITDA figure. Source
  • New guidance: A 2027 adjusted EBITDA figure of more than $4 billion appears for the first time in these documents. Source
  • New guidance: A fourth-quarter 2026 adjusted EBITDA figure of about $715 million is given for the first time. The prior release guided only to third-quarter adjusted EBITDA. Source
  • New: Management decided to indefinitely idle the galvanizing lines at Stelco, citing oversupply of galvanized steel in Canada. Source
  • New: Stelco became a positive contributor to EBITDA in the third quarter, as the Canadian hot-rolled market improved. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Adjusted EBITDA rose to $612 million: Adjusted EBITDA was $612 million, up $326 million from the second quarter of 2026. The prior quarter was $286 million. Source
  • GAAP net income turned positive: GAAP net income was $165 million, or $0.26 per diluted share, and adjusted net income was $0.28 per diluted share. The second quarter had a GAAP loss of $0.25 per share. Source
  • Price, volume and unit cost moved: The CEO said average selling price, sales volumes and unit costs all moved in the right direction compared with the second quarter. Source
  • Revenue rose to $5.6 billion: Consolidated revenues were $5.6 billion, compared with $5.2 billion in the second quarter of 2026 and $4.7 billion in the third quarter of 2025. Source

Stelco and Canadian operations

  • Stelco became an EBITDA contributor: Management said the Canadian hot-rolled market improved substantially, and Stelco became a positive contributor to EBITDA in the third quarter. Source
  • Galvanizing lines idled indefinitely: Management idled Stelco's galvanizing lines because it saw no action on the oversupplied Canadian galvanized steel market. Affected employees return when conditions improve. Source
  • Hot-rolled tonnage held at Stelco: Total production tonnage at Stelco will be maintained, with hot-rolled products as the focus, and about 2,000 Canadian jobs are preserved. Source

“Imports remain well below historical levels, lead times are extended, and our customers increasingly recognize the value of a reliable domestic supply chain.”

Lourenco Goncalves, Chairman and CEO

Steelmaking segment results

  • Steelmaking cash margin more than doubled: Steelmaking cash margin was $685 million, against $349 million in the second quarter. Gross margin was $454 million, against $113 million. Source
  • Shipments rose from the prior quarter: Steel product shipments were 4,150 thousand net tons, up from 4,025 thousand in the second quarter of 2026. Shipments in the third quarter of 2025 were 4,029 thousand. Source

Products and customers

  • Hot-rolled largest product share: Third-quarter shipments were 46% hot-rolled, 31% coated, 15% cold-rolled, 4% plate, and 4% stainless and electrical. Source
  • Distributors and automotive largest markets: Distributors and converters took 34% of steelmaking revenue, and direct automotive sales took 28%. Infrastructure and manufacturing took 28%, and steel producers took 10%. Source

“Third quarter was Stelco’s strongest quarter since we acquired the company two years ago.”

Lourenco Goncalves, Chairman and CEO

Costs, pricing and margins

  • Average selling price rose: Average net selling price was $1,177 per net ton, compared with $1,124 in the second quarter of 2026 and $1,032 in the third quarter of 2025. Source
  • Cost of goods sold edged up: Consolidated cost of goods sold was $5,147 million, compared with $5,094 million in the second quarter. SG&A was $153 million, against $154 million. Source

Demand and the order book

  • Imports and lead times: Management said imports remain well below historical levels, lead times are extended, and customers increasingly recognize the value of domestic supply. Source
  • Trade environment supports domestic steel: Management said the trade environment continues to support the American steel industry. Source

2027 earnings and client contracts

  • 2027 view improved since last call: Management said several initiatives it had identified as drivers of future earnings growth are developing more favorably than originally expected. Source
  • 2027 view tied to signed contracts: Management attributes its 2027 view to contracts already signed with clients and to prevailing index price forecasts. Source

Cash, debt and liquidity

  • Operating cash flow and capital spending: Operating cash flow was $224 million, against $230 million in the second quarter. Purchases of property, plant and equipment were $152 million. Source
  • Long-term debt fell in the quarter: Long-term debt was $7,645 million at September 30, compared with $7,703 million at June 30. Net ABL repayments were $61 million in the quarter. Source
  • Liquidity at $3.2 billion: Total liquidity was $3.2 billion at September 30, 2026, compared with $3.1 billion at June 30, 2026. Source

People and workforce

  • About 25,000 employees: The company reported about 25,000 employees across its operations in the United States and Canada. Source

Coming up, as management said on 19 October 2026

  • Major debt reduction expected in fourth quarter: Management expects a major debt reduction in the fourth quarter, funded by higher free cash flow and property sale proceeds. Source
  • Galvanizing workers return when conditions improve: Employees affected by the idling of Stelco's galvanizing lines will return to work once the galvanized market situation improves. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Steel product shipments (thousand net tons), third quarter 2026 Source4,150
Average net selling price per net ton, third quarter 2026 Source$1,177
Steel product mix by share of shipments, third quarter 2026 Source46% hot-rolled, 31% coated, 15% cold-rolled, 4% plate, 4% stainless and electrical
Steelmaking revenue by market, third quarter 2026 Sourcedistributors and converters 34%, direct automotive 28%, infrastructure and manufacturing 28%, steel producers 10%

Risks management discussed

  • External: Management said the Canadian galvanized steel market is oversupplied and that no government action to address it has been seen. Source
  • Operational: Management listed seasonality, maintenance outages, input costs and incentive accruals as items that partly offset the fourth-quarter pricing gain. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Management said third-quarter adjusted EBITDA came in above the guidance it gave three months earlier. Source
  • On track: Management said it remains on track for the leverage target by the middle of next year. Source

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.