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Commercial Metals Co.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 25 June 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 new, 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Core EBITDA rose 78.6% year-over-year: Core EBITDA was $353.6 million, up from $198.0 million a year earlier, with core EBITDA margin at 14.2%. Source
  • Earnings and EPS both higher: Net earnings were $173.0 million, or $1.55 per diluted share, against $0.73 a year earlier. Adjusted earnings were $1.73 per diluted share, against $0.70. Source
  • Segment EBITDA up 41%: Adjusted EBITDA was $253.5 million, with adjusted EBITDA margin of 14.2% against 11.5% a year earlier, on higher margins over scrap and TAG benefits. Source
  • CSG sales doubled year-over-year: CSG net sales were $394.6 million, and adjusted EBITDA was $97.4 million, up 138.1%. Precast businesses added $175.7 million to segment revenue. Source
  • Backlogs elevated, booking prices up: Downstream backlog volumes stayed above historical averages, and third quarter booking pricing rose 15.5% year-over-year. Source
  • Steel metal margin up $111 a ton: Metal margins rose $111 per ton year-over-year, as steel product selling prices rose $130 per ton while scrap costs rose only $19 per ton. Source
  • Sequential margin squeeze from scrap: Steel product margins fell $13 per ton sequentially: prices rose $15 per ton while scrap costs rose $28 per ton. Source
  • Net leverage at 2.1x: Net leverage adjusted for acquisitions was 2.1x at quarter end, reflecting cash generation and balance sheet discipline. Source

“We substantially grew Core EBITDA, and made meaningful progress deleveraging our balance sheet.”

Peter Matt, President and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
North America Steel Group adjusted EBITDA Sourcefourth quarter of fiscal 2026$20 million third quarter outage headwind absent, plus a similarly sized benefitNew
Quarterly cash dividend Sourcedividend payable July 15, 2026$0.20 per shareKept

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Fourth quarter guidance for consolidated core EBITDA and three segments is given in this release, following third quarter guidance given in the prior release. Source
  • New: Management cites EU trade measures effective July 1, 2026 as a new development supporting Europe Steel Group demand and margins, in addition to CBAM. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Core EBITDA rose 78.6% year-over-year: Core EBITDA was $353.6 million, up from $198.0 million a year earlier, with core EBITDA margin at 14.2%. Source
  • Earnings and EPS both higher: Net earnings were $173.0 million, or $1.55 per diluted share, against $0.73 a year earlier. Adjusted earnings were $1.73 per diluted share, against $0.70. Source
  • Net sales up 22.9% year-over-year: Net sales were $2.48 billion, up 16.5% from the prior quarter and 22.9% from the prior year quarter. Source
  • All segments grew adjusted EBITDA: Management said every segment delivered significant adjusted EBITDA growth against the prior year period. Source

North America Steel Group

  • Segment EBITDA up 41%: Adjusted EBITDA was $253.5 million, with adjusted EBITDA margin of 14.2% against 11.5% a year earlier, on higher margins over scrap and TAG benefits. Source
  • Shipments fell 1.7%: Finished goods shipments fell 1.7% year-over-year, reflecting temporary inventory constraints from planned downtime, lost shipping days from rainfall, and a focus on value over volume. Source
  • Sequential profit moderation from three factors: Compared with the second quarter, segment profitability moderated from planned mill maintenance outages, rainfall that curbed construction, and price increases lagging fuel-driven scrap costs. Source

“Looking to the fourth quarter, supported by favorable market conditions, robust backlogs, and our strategic initiatives currently underway, we are well positioned to finish fiscal 2026 on very strong footing.”

Peter Matt, President and Chief Executive Officer

Construction Solutions Group

  • CSG sales doubled year-over-year: CSG net sales were $394.6 million, and adjusted EBITDA was $97.4 million, up 138.1%. Precast businesses added $175.7 million to segment revenue. Source
  • Precast softness in southeast markets: Precast shipments in select southeast markets were affected in part by unfavorable weather that caused delays. Source
  • Tensar profit accelerated: Tensar profitability rose year-over-year on demand and cost control actions. Other CSG businesses were stable against the prior year. Source
  • CSG margin up 400 basis points: CSG adjusted EBITDA margin was 24.7%, up 400 basis points from the prior year period. Source

Europe Steel Group

  • EBITDA lifted by CO2 credit: Adjusted EBITDA was $34.7 million, against $3.6 million a year earlier, including a $20.4 million CO2 credit. Adjusted EBITDA margin was 11.9%. Source
  • Shipments rose after CBAM: Management said CBAM, implemented earlier this year, strengthened domestic demand, with total steel shipments up 41.2% sequentially. Source
  • Expected support from EU measures: Management expects CBAM, EU trade measures and infrastructure spending to support an improved operating and margin environment in Europe. Source

Demand and order book

  • Backlogs elevated, booking prices up: Downstream backlog volumes stayed above historical averages, and third quarter booking pricing rose 15.5% year-over-year. Source
  • Pipeline supported by infrastructure and mega-projects: Management cited public infrastructure spending and mega-projects in data centers, semiconductors and energy build-outs as supporting the growing pipeline. Source
  • Precast bidding and bookings support: Management said precast bidding activity, recent bookings and backlogs support solid fourth quarter performance in the precast business. Source

Margins, costs and pricing

  • Core EBITDA margin up 440 basis points: Core EBITDA margin rose 20 basis points sequentially, helped by metal margin expansion, a $52.9 million precast contribution and improved Europe performance. Source
  • Steel metal margin up $111 a ton: Metal margins rose $111 per ton year-over-year, as steel product selling prices rose $130 per ton while scrap costs rose only $19 per ton. Source
  • Sequential margin squeeze from scrap: Steel product margins fell $13 per ton sequentially: prices rose $15 per ton while scrap costs rose $28 per ton. Source
  • Management calls pressures temporary: Management said the outage, rainfall and price-timing factors affecting the third quarter have proven temporary. Source

Balance sheet and capital returns

  • Net leverage at 2.1x: Net leverage adjusted for acquisitions was 2.1x at quarter end, reflecting cash generation and balance sheet discipline. Source
  • Liquidity near $1.8 billion: Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash totaled $563.2 million at May 31, 2026, and available liquidity was nearly $1.8 billion. Source
  • Share repurchases in the quarter: The company repurchased 283,335 shares for $18.9 million during the quarter. Source
  • Remaining repurchase authorization: At May 31, 2026, $128.9 million remained under the current share repurchase authorization. Source
  • Dividend unchanged at $0.20: The $0.20 quarterly dividend is payable July 15, 2026, and will be the 247th consecutive quarterly payment. Source

Strategy and growth drivers

  • CEO cites progress on strategic agenda: The chief executive said the company made progress on its strategic agenda across a number of fronts during the quarter. Source
  • TAG program benefits growing: Management cited growing benefits from its enterprise-wide TAG program alongside commercial and operating discipline. Source
  • Recently acquired precast businesses contribute: Management named the recently acquired precast businesses as a contributor to core EBITDA, alongside TAG and market conditions. Source

Coming up, as management said on 25 June 2026

  • Investor Day on August 5, 2026: Management plans to update on strategy, operations and long-term growth at an Investor Day webcast on August 5, 2026. Source
  • Precast conditions expected to normalize: Management said weather-affected precast conditions have started to normalize and are expected to do so in the fiscal fourth quarter. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
North America steel products external tons shipped Source750 thousand tons
North America rebar external tons shipped Source482 thousand tons
North America downstream products external tons shipped Source384 thousand tons
Europe steel products external tons shipped Source401 thousand tons
Downstream booking pricing, year-over-year change Source+15.5%

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: Planned mill maintenance outages raised costs and reduced shipments in the third quarter. Source
  • External: Heavy rainfall curtailed construction activity in key markets, including Texas, during the quarter. Source
  • External: Price increases lagged fuel-driven scrap cost increases, compressing steel product margins temporarily. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Management said visibility to leverage below 2x is well ahead of the stated mid-2027 goal. Source
  • Met: Management said the CBAM effect on European demand came in as expected. Source
  • Not stated: The company reported receiving a $20.4 million CO2 credit during the quarter, against an anticipated credit of about $20 million. 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.