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Steel Dynamics (STLD)
NASDAQ:STLD
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Steel Dynamics (STLD) AI Stock Analysis

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STLD

Steel Dynamics

(NASDAQ:STLD)

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Neutral 69 (OpenAI - 5.2)
Rating:69Neutral
Price Target:
$241.00
â–˛(20.31% Upside)
Action:ReiteratedDate:04/22/26
The score is driven primarily by solid financials (profitability and manageable leverage) and a positive earnings outlook supported by record steel shipments and pricing tailwinds. This is tempered by weaker cash conversion and cyclical margin normalization, plus technically overextended momentum and limited valuation support (P/E 21.13 with ~0.47% yield).
Positive Factors
Vertical integration
Integrated recycling, steelmaking and fabrication reduces input cost volatility and secures internal feedstock, supporting durable margins and throughput. Vertical integration enables better margin capture across the value chain, operational flexibility and resilience to external scrap supply shocks.
Negative Factors
Aluminum ramp losses
The aluminum expansion introduces multi-quarter execution risk, working‑capital drag and near-term profitability pressure. Persisting startup issues can delay targeted through‑cycle EBITDA, increase capital intensity and divert management focus from core steel operations.
Read all positive and negative factors
Positive Factors
Negative Factors
Vertical integration
Integrated recycling, steelmaking and fabrication reduces input cost volatility and secures internal feedstock, supporting durable margins and throughput. Vertical integration enables better margin capture across the value chain, operational flexibility and resilience to external scrap supply shocks.
Read all positive factors

Steel Dynamics (STLD) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Steel Dynamics Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company Description
Steel Dynamics, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a steel producer and metal recycler in the United States. It operates through three segments: Steel Operations, Metals Recycling Operations, and Steel Fabrication Operations. The St...
How the Company Makes Money
Steel Dynamics generates revenue primarily by selling steel and steel-related products and services across three major areas: (1) Steel operations: The company sells produced steel products (including flat-rolled and long/structural products) to c...

Steel Dynamics Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Any
Any
Revenue by Type
Revenue by Type
Breaks down revenue sources, providing insight into the diversity of income streams and potential vulnerabilities or growth areas.
Chart InsightsSteel Dynamics' revenue from unrelated parties shows a recovery trend in 2025 after a decline in 2024, driven by record steel shipments and improved metal spreads. The earnings call highlights strong financial performance, with strategic investments in aluminum and biocarbon operations. Despite challenges like aluminum startup losses and maintenance impacts, the company remains optimistic about future growth, supported by favorable trade rulings and robust cash flow, which allowed substantial stock repurchases. This strategic focus on diversification and operational efficiency is expected to sustain revenue growth.
Data provided by:The Fly

Steel Dynamics Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Apr 20, 2026
(Q1-2026)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Jul 22, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The call conveyed strong overall operational and financial performance driven by record steel shipments, robust pricing, high mill utilization, and excellent recycling and fabrication results. The primary challenge is the aluminum startup, which produced a Q1 operating loss, a temporary production pause and inventory write-down, and increased working capital needs. Management reports that aluminum quality/process issues have been resolved, ramping continues with improving certifications and volume guidance, and the broader business remains highly cash generative with active capital allocation (dividends, buybacks, growth investments). Given the breadth and scale of positive results across steel, recycling, fabrication, and cash generation, and management’s confidence in resolving aluminum startup issues and achieving targeted aluminum through-cycle earnings, the positives materially outweigh the lowlights.
Positive Updates
Record Steel Shipments
Achieved record quarterly steel shipments of 3.6 million tons, driven by strong demand across flat rolled and long product segments and higher throughput across mills.
Negative Updates
Aluminum Startup Loss and Inventory Write-Down
Aluminum reported an operating loss of $65 million in Q1; elevated operating costs in January due to startup process issues required a temporary pause and led to an inventory write-down, delaying profitability for the full quarter (Feb–Mar combined roughly breakeven).
Read all updates
Q1-2026 Updates
Negative
Record Steel Shipments
Achieved record quarterly steel shipments of 3.6 million tons, driven by strong demand across flat rolled and long product segments and higher throughput across mills.
Read all positive updates
Company Guidance
Management guided 2026 capital spending of about $600 million (Q1 capex $138M) while preserving investment‑grade metrics and ~$2.0 billion of liquidity (cash/investments $800M + $1.2B revolver); they reiterated the three major growth projects target roughly $1.4B of through‑cycle annual EBITDA and put aluminum through‑cycle EBITDA at $650–700M plus $40–50M from recycling, expect the aluminum ramp to ~60–70k tons in Q2 (Q4 shipments ~14k, Q1 ~22k) and to exit 2026 at ~90% monthly capacity with a 2027 target mix of 45% can sheet / 35% automotive / 20% industrial, and noted ~75–80% of flat‑rolled sales are on lagged pricing (about two months) so recent HRC price moves (avg HRC up from $850 to $975/ton q‑o‑q and now >$1,000) should benefit Q2; Q1 reported metrics included record steel shipments of 3.6M tons, adjusted EBITDA $700M, net income $403M ($2.78/diluted share), revenues $5.2B, operating income $538M (steel operating income $557M, metals recycling $47M, fabrication $90M, aluminum operating loss $65M), free cash flow averages of $2.4B over the last five years (or $3.2B excl. certain growth investments), a $115M buyback in Q1 with $687M remaining authorization, and continued focus on dividend growth and disciplined capital allocation.

Steel Dynamics Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Solid but clearly cyclical fundamentals: modest TTM revenue growth (+4.6%) and continued profitability, supported by manageable leverage (~0.46x debt/equity) and healthy ROE (~15%). Offsetting this, margins and earnings are well below 2021–2022 peaks and cash conversion is weaker (operating cash flow ~0.67x net income; free cash flow ~46% of net income).
Income Statement
68
Positive
Balance Sheet
74
Positive
Cash Flow
62
Positive
BreakdownTTMDec 2025Dec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021
Income Statement
Total Revenue19.01B18.18B17.54B18.80B22.26B18.41B
Gross Profit2.66B2.36B2.80B4.05B6.12B5.36B
EBITDA2.44B2.11B2.52B3.73B5.50B4.61B
Net Income1.37B1.19B1.54B2.45B3.86B3.21B
Balance Sheet
Total Assets16.72B16.41B14.94B14.91B14.16B12.53B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments556.53M769.88M737.27M2.12B2.26B1.24B
Total Debt4.20B4.21B3.35B3.07B3.07B3.11B
Total Liabilities7.59B7.48B5.99B6.07B6.06B6.21B
Stockholders Equity9.16B8.96B8.93B8.87B8.13B6.30B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow664.75M501.51M-23.50M1.86B3.55B1.20B
Operating Cash Flow1.45B1.45B1.84B3.52B4.46B2.20B
Investing Cash Flow-935.26M-974.96M-1.30B-1.97B-1.88B-999.42M
Financing Cash Flow-1.14B-294.31M-1.35B-1.78B-2.20B-1.33B

Steel Dynamics Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Positive
Last Price200.32
Price Trends
50DMA
185.73
Positive
100DMA
178.93
Positive
200DMA
158.16
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
4.72
Negative
RSI
68.68
Neutral
STOCH
89.09
Negative
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For STLD, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 200.32 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 181.65, above the 50-day MA of 185.73, and above the 200-day MA of 158.16, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 4.72 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 68.68 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 89.09 is Negative, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for STLD.

Steel Dynamics Risk Analysis

Steel Dynamics disclosed 19 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Steel Dynamics reported the most risks in the "Production" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

Steel Dynamics Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (61)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
77
Outperform
$18.51B14.7311.18%1.63%8.49%9.68%
69
Neutral
$32.98B16.1515.25%1.11%10.44%23.34%
66
Neutral
$51.32B13.2811.16%1.34%5.73%-10.36%
65
Neutral
$42.97B11.035.87%1.03%-1.31%149.74%
64
Neutral
$7.65B21.8611.88%1.02%8.38%626.64%
61
Neutral
$10.43B7.12-0.05%2.87%2.86%-36.73%
51
Neutral
$23.19B-27.571.19%3.22%-8.83%-42.44%
* Basic Materials Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
STLD
Steel Dynamics
228.66
100.10
77.87%
MT
ArcelorMittal
57.21
27.96
95.60%
CMC
Commercial Metals Company
68.96
24.16
53.93%
NUE
Nucor
225.29
107.36
91.04%
PKX
POSCO
79.40
34.13
75.39%
RS
Reliance Steel
362.50
77.01
26.97%

Steel Dynamics Corporate Events

Executive/Board Changes
Steel Dynamics Announces Retirement of Two Long-Tenured Directors
Neutral
Mar 27, 2026
On March 25, 2026, Steel Dynamics directors Richard P. Teets, Jr. and Gabriel L. Shaheen notified the board that they intend to retire at the end of their current terms and will not stand for reelection at the May 6, 2026 annual meeting. The compa...
Business Operations and StrategyStock BuybackFinancial Disclosures
Steel Dynamics Issues Strong First-Quarter 2026 Earnings Outlook
Positive
Mar 18, 2026
On March 17, 2026, Steel Dynamics, Inc. issued first-quarter 2026 earnings guidance of $2.73 to $2.77 per diluted share, sharply above fourth-quarter 2025 earnings of $1.82 and prior-year first-quarter earnings of $1.44, reflecting broad-based ope...
Business Operations and StrategyDividends
Steel Dynamics Raises Quarterly Dividend, Signals Confidence Ahead
Positive
Feb 23, 2026
On February 20, 2026, Steel Dynamics, Inc. announced that its board of directors declared a first‑quarter 2026 cash dividend of $0.53 per common share, a 6% increase over the company’s 2025 quarterly rate. The dividend will be paid on ...
Business Operations and StrategyM&A Transactions
Steel Dynamics Advances Bid for BlueScope’s North American Assets
Positive
Feb 17, 2026
On February 17, 2026, SGH Ltd and Steel Dynamics, Inc. confirmed they had jointly submitted a revised non-binding indicative offer to acquire 100% of Australia’s BlueScope Steel Ltd at A$32.35 per share in cash, valuing the target’s eq...
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: Apr 22, 2026