Why U.S. Steel Expects Its Earnings to Fall in 1Q18

In this article, we’ll look at steel companies’ 1Q18 earnings guidance from their 4Q17 earnings calls. On AK Steel’s (AKS) 4Q17 call, Jaime Vasquez, AK Steel’s CFO, said, “We expect that our average flat-rolled steel selling price per ton in the first quarter will be up marginally compared to the fourth quarter of 2017.” However, the company expects its adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization) margin to rise by 150 basis points in 1Q18 compared to the sequential quarter. Since AK Steel’s revenues are expected to be flat in 1Q18, higher margins should translate into higher EBITDA.