Steel Dynamics, Inc. STLD expects second-quarter 2026 earnings of $3.51 to $3.55 per share. This reflects an increase from $2.78 in the first quarter and $2.01 a year earlier, driven by significantly stronger anticipated profitability in its steel operations amid robust demand and expanding metal margins.
Second-quarter results include an estimated $16 million asset write-down tied to the relocation of the company's planned second satellite aluminum recycled slab center from Arizona to Columbus, MI, after issues with Arizona state officials created risks for the project's construction and operations.
Steel operations are expected to post higher earnings meaningfully as rising selling prices outpaced scrap raw material costs. Demand remains strong across non-residential construction, energy, automotive and industrial markets, supported by low steel inventories and favorable pricing conditions.
Earnings from metals recycling operations are projected to be in line with the first quarter, as higher ferrous and non-ferrous shipments are expected to be offset by unrealized hedging losses. Steel fabrication earnings are expected to be lower sequentially due to higher steel input costs despite stronger shipments and steady pricing. The fabrication backlog has risen nearly 40% from a year ago and extends into 2027.
The aluminum segment is expected to deliver significantly improved earnings on higher shipments and stronger pricing. Steel Dynamics continues to advance the startup of its aluminum flat-rolled mill in Columbus, with two of three cold mills now operational. The first of two Continuous Annealing and Solution Heat (CASH) lines is already shipping material for customer qualification.
During the second quarter, the company repurchased $170 million of its common stock. Steel Dynamics plans to report second-quarter 2026 results after market close on July 20.
Shares of STLD are up 98.5% in the past year compared with the industry’s 93.4% rise.
STLD’s Zacks Rank & Key Picks
STLD carries a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).
Some better-ranked stocks in the Basic Materials space are Nucor Corporation NUE, L.B. Foster Company FSTR and Albemarle Corporation ALB. NUE, FSTR and ALB carry a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for NUE’s current-year earnings stands at $15.71 per share, implying a 103.8% year-over-year increase. Its earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in two of the trailing four quarters and missed twice, with the average surprise being 8.1%.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for FSTR’s current-year earnings is pegged at $1.74 per share, implying a 152.2% year-over-year increase. Its earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in one of the trailing four quarters and missed thrice, with the average surprise being 3.62%.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ALB’s current-year earnings is pegged at $12.39 per share, indicating a 1,668.4% year-over-year increase. Its earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the trailing four quarters and missed once, with the average surprise being 74.5%.
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Steel Dynamics, Inc. (STLD): Free Stock Analysis Report
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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).