Century Aluminum (CENX)
NASDAQ:CENX
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Century Aluminum (CENX) AI Stock Analysis

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CENX

Century Aluminum

(NASDAQ:CENX)

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Neutral 59 (OpenAI - 4o)
Rating:59Neutral
Price Target:
$29.00
▲(0.76% Upside)
Century Aluminum's overall score reflects moderate financial performance with significant challenges in cash flow and valuation. The earnings call provided positive guidance and strategic advancements, which are promising, but operational risks and high valuation weigh down the score.
Positive Factors
Strategic Expansion
The Mt. Holly expansion will significantly increase production capacity, enhancing revenue potential and market competitiveness.
Market Conditions
Favorable aluminum pricing trends indicate robust demand, supporting revenue growth and profitability in the medium term.
Operational Resilience
The ability to resume operations quickly after a natural disaster shows strong operational resilience, minimizing potential disruptions.
Negative Factors
Cash Flow Challenges
Persistent cash flow issues could limit the company's ability to invest in growth opportunities and meet financial obligations.
Production Instability
Production instability at key facilities can disrupt supply and affect financial performance, highlighting operational risks.
Potential Policy Risks
Uncertainty in tariff policies could impact cost structures and market access, posing long-term strategic challenges.

Century Aluminum (CENX) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Century Aluminum Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionCentury Aluminum Company, together with its subsidiaries, produces standard-grade and value-added primary aluminum products in the United States and Iceland. It also owns and operates a carbon anode production facility in the Netherlands. The company was incorporated in 1981 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.
How the Company Makes MoneyCentury Aluminum generates revenue primarily through the sale of primary aluminum and aluminum-related products. The company sells its aluminum to a diverse customer base, including manufacturers in the automotive and aerospace industries, as well as distributors and fabricators. Key revenue streams include contracts for long-term supply agreements and spot market sales, which can fluctuate based on global aluminum prices. Additionally, Century Aluminum benefits from strategic partnerships with energy suppliers to secure favorable energy rates, which is crucial given the energy-intensive nature of aluminum smelting. The company's financial performance is also affected by global demand for aluminum, production costs, and market conditions, including the pricing dynamics of aluminum on commodity exchanges.

Century Aluminum Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Nov 06, 2025
(Q3-2025)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Feb 19, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Neutral
The earnings call highlights Century Aluminum's operational resilience, strategic advancements, and strong market conditions, despite challenges like the Grundartangi smelter transformer failure and production instability at Mt. Holly. The company's financial performance and strategic initiatives are commendable, although potential external policy changes pose a risk.
Q3-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Jamalco's Successful Weathering of Hurricane Melissa
Jamalco refinery in Jamaica successfully weathered Hurricane Melissa without significant damage or any injuries. Production has restarted and is expected to resume fully in the coming weeks.
Mt. Holly Power Agreement Extension
Century Aluminum signed an extension to the Mt. Holly power agreement through 2031, supporting current operations and enabling a restart of over 50,000 metric tons per year of incremental production.
Strong Financial Performance and Market Conditions
Q3 net sales were $632 million, with adjusted net income of $58 million and adjusted EBITDA of $101 million. Aluminum prices and regional premiums increased, indicating strong market demand.
Progress in Strategic Initiatives
Significant interest in the Hawesville site and advancements in a new U.S. smelter project, with potential joint venture partners and power provider negotiations ongoing.
Negative Updates
Grundartangi Smelter Transformer Failure
Grundartangi smelter faced a temporary production stop due to the failure of two electrical transformers. Restart is expected to take 11 to 12 months, with potential insurance coverage for losses.
Mt. Holly Production Instability
Production at Mt. Holly fell below expectations by approximately 4,000 tonnes in Q3 due to instability, although it was resolved by mid-October.
Potential Impact of External Factors on Tariff Policies
Concerns about potential changes in tariff policies that could affect the aluminum industry, although the current tariffs are not directly impacted by the Supreme Court case in question.
Company Guidance
During the Century Aluminum Company's Third Quarter 2025 Earnings Conference Call, the company provided guidance that included several key metrics and operational updates. Jesse Gary, the CEO, discussed the timeline for resuming full production at the Grundartangi smelter, which faced transformer failures, estimating a restart in 11 to 12 months. The Mt. Holly expansion project, expected to add over 50,000 metric tons annually, is on track for completion by mid-2026, promising an additional $25 million in EBITDA per quarter at full capacity. The company highlighted strong market conditions, with Q3 realized LME prices at $2,508 and spot prices nearing $2,850, bolstered by global demand and dwindling inventories. Regional premiums rose significantly, with Midwest premiums averaging $1,425 per ton in Q3, expected to increase further. Century Aluminum also received a $75 million fiscal year 2024 45X payment, bolstering liquidity, while insurance claims are anticipated to cover losses from the Grundartangi outage. The company projects Q4 adjusted EBITDA between $170 million and $180 million, driven by favorable LME and premium pricing.

Century Aluminum Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Century Aluminum shows moderate financial health with positive revenue growth and manageable leverage. However, profitability margins and cash flow metrics indicate areas that require attention to enhance operational efficiency and liquidity. The company should focus on improving cash flow generation and maintaining a balanced capital structure to support future growth.
Income Statement
65
Positive
Century Aluminum's income statement shows a moderate performance with a gross profit margin of 9.52% and a net profit margin of 3.37% for the TTM period. The revenue growth rate is positive at 3.83%, indicating a recovery trend. However, the EBIT and EBITDA margins are relatively low at 3.77% and 8.39%, respectively, suggesting room for improvement in operational efficiency.
Balance Sheet
58
Neutral
The balance sheet reflects a stable financial position with a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.83, indicating manageable leverage. The return on equity is 11.81%, which is decent but shows a decline from the previous year. The equity ratio stands at 34.75%, suggesting a balanced capital structure but with potential risks if debt levels increase.
Cash Flow
45
Neutral
Cash flow analysis reveals challenges, with a negative free cash flow and a free cash flow to net income ratio of -0.92 for the TTM period. The operating cash flow to net income ratio is low at 0.07, indicating potential liquidity issues. Despite a significant improvement in free cash flow growth, the overall cash flow position remains weak.
BreakdownTTMDec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue2.53B2.22B2.19B2.78B2.21B1.61B
Gross Profit240.40M185.00M91.90M46.70M124.20M-36.50M
EBITDA194.40M448.70M43.40M136.10M-84.60M-11.70M
Net Income85.20M336.80M-43.10M-14.10M-167.10M-123.30M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets2.13B1.94B1.85B1.47B1.57B1.40B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments151.40M32.90M88.80M54.30M29.00M81.60M
Total Debt618.50M519.20M473.70M548.60M474.10M340.20M
Total Liabilities1.44B1.28B1.50B1.07B1.15B853.50M
Stockholders Equity741.80M694.40M355.60M399.30M421.00M546.10M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow-37.50M-106.90M10.60M-60.40M-147.70M29.50M
Operating Cash Flow40.80M-24.60M105.60M25.90M-64.70M42.90M
Investing Cash Flow-50.20M-67.30M-57.80M-85.50M-82.60M-11.80M
Financing Cash Flow126.80M37.30M-13.00M74.40M103.70M13.50M

Century Aluminum Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Neutral
Last Price28.78
Price Trends
50DMA
28.88
Negative
100DMA
25.07
Positive
200DMA
21.47
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
0.03
Positive
RSI
47.37
Neutral
STOCH
29.75
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For CENX, the sentiment is Neutral. The current price of 28.78 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 30.02, below the 50-day MA of 28.88, and above the 200-day MA of 21.47, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of 0.03 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 47.37 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 29.75 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Neutral sentiment for CENX.

Century Aluminum Risk Analysis

Century Aluminum disclosed 76 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Century Aluminum reported the most risks in the "Finance & Corporate" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

Century Aluminum Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (61)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
74
Outperform
$10.37B9.0919.77%1.06%20.08%
74
Outperform
$1.48B16.4812.41%3.38%7.69%91.86%
66
Neutral
$2.41B126.992.08%0.48%3.93%-73.94%
64
Neutral
$2.12B19.1912.22%8.48%12.10%
61
Neutral
$10.43B7.12-0.05%2.87%2.86%-36.73%
59
Neutral
$2.69B36.0412.22%20.15%-72.89%
54
Neutral
$2.23B-5.50-10.50%14.25%-5.79%-5.30%
* Basic Materials Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
CENX
Century Aluminum
28.78
6.54
29.41%
AA
Alcoa
37.59
-5.83
-13.43%
MTRN
Materion
116.40
3.89
3.46%
KALU
Kaiser Aluminum
91.22
14.27
18.54%
SID
Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional
1.61
-0.29
-15.26%
CSTM
Constellium
15.42
3.72
31.79%

Century Aluminum Corporate Events

Century Aluminum’s Resilient Q3 Earnings Call Highlights
Nov 9, 2025

Century Aluminum’s recent earnings call conveyed a sentiment of operational resilience and strategic progress amidst challenges. Despite setbacks such as the Grundartangi smelter transformer failure and production instability at Mt. Holly, the company demonstrated commendable financial performance and strategic advancements. However, potential external policy changes pose a risk to future operations.

Century Aluminum Reports Strong Q3 2025 Results
Nov 7, 2025

Century Aluminum Company, headquartered in Chicago, operates primary aluminum smelting facilities in the U.S. and Iceland and is a majority owner of the Jamalco alumina refinery in Jamaica.

Business Operations and Strategy
Century Aluminum Halts Production Due to Equipment Failure
Negative
Oct 22, 2025

On October 21, 2025, Century Aluminum announced an electrical equipment failure at its Grundartangi, Iceland smelter, leading to a temporary halt in production on one of its two potlines. This incident has reduced the smelter’s production by approximately two-thirds, although the other potline remains operational. The company is conducting an impact assessment and working on a timeline for equipment replacement and full production restoration. Century Aluminum expects insurance to cover the losses and is coordinating with customers and suppliers to minimize business disruptions.

The most recent analyst rating on (CENX) stock is a Buy with a $37.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Century Aluminum stock, see the CENX Stock Forecast page.

Century Aluminum’s Optimistic Earnings Call Highlights
Aug 12, 2025

Century Aluminum’s recent earnings call conveyed a largely positive sentiment, highlighting significant achievements such as increased adjusted EBITDA, a production restart at Mt. Holly, and successful debt refinancing. Despite facing challenges like a net loss in Q2 and higher energy costs, the overall outlook remains optimistic, with expectations of improved financial performance in the upcoming quarters.

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Nov 12, 2025