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Reliance, Inc.: Q3 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 22 October 2025: press release. Guidance figures: 6 new, 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net sales and tons grew: Net sales were $3.65 billion, up 6.8% year over year; tons sold reached a third-quarter record. Source
  • Earnings per share fell sequentially: Diluted EPS was $3.59, down 18.8% from $4.42 in the second quarter; non-GAAP diluted EPS was $3.64, flat year over year. Source
  • Gross margin fell from second quarter: Gross profit margin was 28.3% and non-GAAP FIFO margin 29.0%, down from 29.7% and 30.6% in the second quarter. Source
  • Pretax income fell year over year: Pretax income fell 18.6% from the second quarter and 4.9% from a year earlier; net income attributable to Reliance fell 18.9% sequentially. Source
  • Reliance outgrew industry shipments: Reliance tons grew against an industry shipment decline of 2.9% over the same period, a gap of more than nine percentage points. Source
  • Commercial aerospace expected soft: Commercial aerospace demand expected to stay soft in Q4; semiconductor demand remained under pressure from excess supply-chain inventory. Source

“Our tons sold were a third quarter record and outperformed the industry by approximately nine percentage points, increasing our U.S. market share to 17.1%, up from 14.5% in 2023, due to our smart, profitable growth strategy.”

Karla Lewis, President and Chief Executive Officer of Reliance

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Tons sold SourceFourth quarter of 2025 vs fourth quarter of 2024up 3.5% to 5.5%New
Tons sold SourceFourth quarter of 2025 vs third quarter of 2025down 5.0% to 7.0%New
Average selling price per ton SourceFourth quarter of 2025 vs third quarter of 2025relatively flatNew
FIFO gross profit margin SourceFourth quarter of 2025 vs third quarter of 2025flat to slightly improvedNew
Non-GAAP diluted EPS SourceFourth quarter of 2025$2.65 to $2.85New
LIFO expense SourceFourth quarter of 2025$25.0 million or $0.35 per diluted shareNew
Long-term gross profit margin range SourceLong-term, annual sustainable29% to 31%Kept

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Fourth-quarter guidance issued for tons sold, selling price, FIFO margin, EPS and LIFO expense. Source
  • Guidance kept: Long-term sustainable gross profit margin range kept at the level given in the prior release. Source
  • New: John G. Sznewajs joined the Board as an independent director effective October 1, 2025. Source
  • New: A $400 million term loan maturing 2028 was used to repay senior notes that came due in August 2025. Source

Quarter results and growth

  • Net sales and tons grew: Net sales were $3.65 billion, up 6.8% year over year; tons sold reached a third-quarter record. Source
  • Earnings per share fell sequentially: Diluted EPS was $3.59, down 18.8% from $4.42 in the second quarter; non-GAAP diluted EPS was $3.64, flat year over year. Source
  • Nine-month figures include fewer shipping days: Nine-month net sales were $10,795.7 million, up 0.8%, against one fewer shipping day than the prior-year period. Source

Metal lines and sales mix

  • Carbon steel sales rose year over year: Carbon steel sales were $2,032.5 million, down 0.6% from the second quarter and up 9.5% year over year; tons were flat sequentially. Source
  • Aluminum rose, stainless steel fell: Aluminum sales rose 7.8% year over year; stainless steel sales fell 4.7%, and alloy sales rose 2.4% year over year. Source
  • Nine-month carbon steel sales rose: Nine-month carbon steel sales were $5,980.9 million, up 1.5%, while nine-month stainless steel sales fell 7.1%. Source

“Trade policy uncertainty and readily available inventory are causing buyers to be hesitant, creating an extremely competitive market.”

Karla Lewis, President and Chief Executive Officer of Reliance

Margins, pricing and costs

  • Gross margin fell from second quarter: Gross profit margin was 28.3% and non-GAAP FIFO margin 29.0%, down from 29.7% and 30.6% in the second quarter. Source
  • Selling prices flat, harder to raise: Average selling price was flat sequentially; management said pricing is harder to raise quickly enough to offset mill price increases. Source
  • LIFO expense charged against earnings: LIFO expense was charged against earnings this quarter, while the prior-year quarter had LIFO income. Source
  • Pretax income fell year over year: Pretax income fell 18.6% from the second quarter and 4.9% from a year earlier; net income attributable to Reliance fell 18.9% sequentially. Source
  • Cost of sales and SG&A increased: Cost of sales rose to $2,619.6 million from $2,414.0 million a year earlier; SG&A rose to $701.3 million from $665.0 million. Source

End markets and demand

  • Reliance outgrew industry shipments: Reliance tons grew against an industry shipment decline of 2.9% over the same period, a gap of more than nine percentage points. Source
  • Non-residential construction improved: Non-residential construction, the largest end market by tons, improved year over year; healthy demand expected in Q4 with data centers and public infrastructure. Source
  • Q4 demand expected generally stable: Fourth-quarter demand expected generally stable across end markets, subject to trade policy; broader manufacturing expected to slow seasonally. Source
  • Commercial aerospace expected soft: Commercial aerospace demand expected to stay soft in Q4; semiconductor demand remained under pressure from excess supply-chain inventory. Source
  • Automotive toll processing stable: Automotive toll processing demand improved year over year and is expected to remain stable in Q4, subject to North American trade policy. Source

“We remain confident, however, that the underlying margin profile of our consolidated business remains solidly intact and we maintain our long-term annual sustainable gross profit margin range of 29% to 31%.”

Karla Lewis, President and Chief Executive Officer of Reliance

Cash flow and debt

  • Operating cash flow rose sequentially: Operating cash flow rose from the second quarter; management said cash generation continues through market cycles. Source
  • Nine-month operating cash flow declined: Nine-month operating cash flow was $555.3 million, down from $956.5 million; nine-month free cash flow was $299.6 million. Source
  • Debt and revolver borrowings: Net debt-to-EBITDA was 0.9x; $238.0 million was drawn on the $1.5 billion revolving credit facility at quarter end. Source

Returns to shareholders

  • Share repurchases in the quarter: Quarter repurchases totalled $60.9 million, with $963.6 million left under the program at quarter end. Source
  • Quarterly dividend declared at $1.20: The $1.20 quarterly dividend is payable December 5, 2025 to holders of record as of November 21, 2025. Source
  • Cumulative buybacks since 2020: Since 2020 about 16.5 million shares have been repurchased, up from about 16.3 million at the prior quarter-end. Source

Strategy and people

  • Domestic sourcing cited as advantage: Management attributed the competitive edge to primarily domestic supply and U.S. mill relationships in the current trade environment. Source
  • Investment focus for growth: Management said it remains focused on investing for growth and delivering value, supported by cash generation. Source
  • Teams credited for quarter execution: Management credited its teams with navigating the quarter, keeping people safe and managing market dynamics with discipline. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Tons sold Source1,615.5 thousand, up 6.2% year over year
Tons sold, same-store Source1,554.2 thousand, up 5.6% year over year
Average selling price per ton sold Source$2,271, flat sequentially
Carbon steel tons sold Source1,326.1 thousand, flat sequentially
Locations Sourceapproximately 320 in 41 states and 10 countries outside the U.S.

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Fourth-quarter demand is expected to be stable, but subject to ongoing domestic and international trade policy uncertainty. Source
  • Operational: Mill price increases were hard to pass through, causing short-term gross margin headwinds over two quarters. Source
  • Regulatory: Automotive toll processing demand depends on North American trade policy, which management described as uncertain. Source
  • Demand: Excess inventory in aerospace and semiconductor supply chains is holding back high-value specialty products that carry meaningful profit. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Quarterly tons sold came in above management's earlier expectation for the quarter. Source
  • Met: Non-GAAP EPS was within management's expectations and guidance for the quarter. 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.