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Cleveland-Cliffs Stock Declines Amid Financial Uncertainty

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Written by Jack Kellogg
Updated 2/12/2025, 5:20 pm ET 7 min read

Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.’s stock has faced significant pressure following reports of operational challenges and industry-wide concerns that have overshadowed positive earnings news. On Wednesday, Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.’s stocks have been trading down by -6.19 percent.

Recent Developments Weigh Down on Cleveland-Cliffs

  • Lower than expected revenue and an adjusted EBITDA loss in Q4 signal financial strain.
  • Steel shipments reached 3.8 million net tons; however, the company’s acquisition of Stelco Holdings did not bolster market performance.
  • Morgan Stanley has lowered Cleveland-Cliffs’ price target from $13 to $11, reflecting reduced investor confidence.
  • Despite maintaining an Equalweight rating, Morgan Stanley’s target revision showcases skepticism.
  • Revenue declines, falling short of analyst expectations, suggest challenges ahead for the company.

Candlestick Chart

Live Update At 17:20:27 EST: On Wednesday, February 12, 2025 Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. stock [NYSE: CLF] is trending down by -6.19%! Discover the key drivers behind this movement as well as our expert analysis in the detailed breakdown below.

Glimpse into Financial Performance

As a millionaire penny stock trader and teacher, Tim Sykes says, “Cut losses quickly, let profits ride, and don’t overtrade.” This advice is particularly crucial for those involved in the volatile world of penny stocks. Traders often get swept up in the excitement of potential profits and hold onto losing trades for too long, hoping for a reversal that may never come. By embracing Sykes’ philosophy, traders can better position themselves to capitalize on winning trades and protect their capital, ensuring long-term success in a challenging arena.

Cleveland-Cliffs’ recent earnings report highlights a tough period. Revenue has been on a downtrend without reaching the analysts’ projections of $4.44B. Instead, they came in at $4.3B, which was disappointing for investors hoping for a brighter picture.

The adjusted EBITDA stood at a loss of $85M, which was a shocker to many, hinting at operational challenges. Also, even though the acquisition of Stelco Holdings was expected to catalyze growth, it didn’t seem to add much enhancement to the financials. This brings into question the strategic decisions of Cleveland-Cliffs, especially given the integration didn’t provide immediate benefits as expected.

More Breaking News

The stock price data between Feb 3 and Feb 12, 2025, show some fluctuations. Opening prices dropped from $11.10 on Feb 12 to close at $10.56, indicating instability and potential concerns among traders. Throughout February, the stock peaked at $12.26 but later fell, causing worry among stakeholders.

Current Market Impacts and Future Predictions

The revised price target from Morgan Stanley to $11 might appear subtle, but it holds greater implications. It signals to the traders and investors a certain level of caution amidst the steel giant’s turbulent waters. Maintaining an Equalweight rating does offer a little comfort, showing that the situation might not be dire, yet not particularly hopeful either. The message is clear: gear up for a wild ride.

Cleveland-Cliffs’ steel shipment efforts reached 3.8 million net tons—on the surface, a commendable feat. Despite this, revenue shortfalls raise questions about profitability and operational efficiency.

The company grapples not only with earnings but also key financial metrics. The debt-to-equity ratio stands at 0.55, showing some financial leverage. However, challenges loom with a low quick ratio hovering at 0.5, which may hint at liquidity concerns over the short term. The enterprise value, calculated at $9.32B, juxtaposes with its volatile share price, signaling inherent market movements and volatility.

Based on these discrepancies, the current period sets a precedent for Cleveland-Cliffs to potentially re-evaluate their strategies, restructure their operations and address these discrepancies, moving forward.

Elaborating Market Influences from News

The financial reporting reveals more on the market psyche attached to Cleveland-Cliffs. While revenues stay a key driver, public and investor perceptions are largely shaped by missed targets and adjustments in expectations anchored on analytics assessments like those from Morgan Stanley.

The precipitous drop in target prices might seem routine, yet they’re neither trivial nor without deeper insights. Core segments, like steel operations, underpin the company’s financial ecosystem. But challenges in achieving revenue goals suggest the headwinds from broader industry landscapes or possibly operational inefficiencies. Questions surface on the effectiveness of large-scale acquisitions like that of Stelco and against qualities such as revenue per share value at $44.53.

Equally, confronting operating losses with an EBITDA of -$71M brings to light the importance of resolving on-ground fiscal inefficiencies. This level of direct financial impact could alter operational dynamics, requiring tighter resource management. Costs need reining in for improved returns.

Alongside, understanding the intricacies of core financial metrics becomes vital. Financial strengths, like a 1.9 current ratio, point to a competent current asset framework, yet leave room for scrutiny against liabilities and long-term commitments.

Management effectiveness also echoes this. With return on assets at 5.37 juxtaposed to a -6.21 return on equity, these observations imply unsustainable performance, particularly from resource income efficiency lenses. Whether defining forward-looking strategies or executing fundamental business pivots, Chicago-based Cleveland-Cliffs stands at a critical intersection of financial realignment and strategic path determination.

Summary: The Road Ahead for Cleveland-Cliffs

In summary, Cleveland-Cliffs navigates through rising hurdles as it encounters operational inefficiencies and unmet revenue goals. The future appears murky amid cautious investor outlooks and adjusted price targets. However, each challenge also presents opportunities. With strategic pivots and shrewd management, they stand a chance to reclaim their market stature. As millionaire penny stock trader and teacher Tim Sykes, says, “Small gains add up over time; focus on building wealth gradually, not chasing jackpots.” This approach emphasizes the importance of incremental progress in their operations. The steel giant’s fortunes now heavily pivot on how it chooses to recalibrate its operations while leveraging ongoing assets efficiently. Could streamlining steel shipments counterbalance their fiscal shortcomings? As Cleveland-Cliffs pursues fresh strategies, its march onward will determine not just a recovery but potential revival amid an ever-competitive market landscape.

This is stock news, not investment advice. Timothy Sykes News delivers real-time stock market news focused on key catalysts driving short-term price movements. Our content is tailored for active traders and investors seeking to capitalize on rapid price fluctuations, particularly in volatile sectors like penny stocks. Readers come to us for detailed coverage on earnings reports, mergers, FDA approvals, new contracts, and unusual trading volumes that can trigger significant short-term price action. Some users utilize our news to explain sudden stock movements, while others rely on it for diligent research into potential investment opportunities.

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Jack Kellogg

He teaches webinars on Tim Sykes’ Trading Challenge He became Tim’s youngest millionaire student in 2020. Now he’s second on the Trading Challenge leaderboard with $12.9 million in career earnings. He’s a master of the 7-Step Pennystocking Framework. Jack is one of a rare breed of traders to profitably trade the entire penny stock framework.
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* Results are not typical and will vary from person to person. Making money trading stocks takes time, dedication, and hard work. There are inherent risks involved with investing in the stock market, including the loss of your investment. Past performance in the market is not indicative of future results. Any investment is at your own risk. See Terms of Service here

The available research on day trading suggests that most active traders lose money. Fees and overtrading are major contributors to these losses.

A 2000 study called “Trading is Hazardous to Your Wealth: The Common Stock Investment Performance of Individual Investors” evaluated 66,465 U.S. households that held stocks from 1991 to 1996. The households that traded most averaged an 11.4% annual return during a period where the overall market gained 17.9%. These lower returns were attributed to overconfidence.

A 2014 paper (revised 2019) titled “Learning Fast or Slow?” analyzed the complete transaction history of the Taiwan Stock Exchange between 1992 and 2006. It looked at the ongoing performance of day traders in this sample, and found that 97% of day traders can expect to lose money from trading, and more than 90% of all day trading volume can be traced to investors who predictably lose money. Additionally, it tied the behavior of gamblers and drivers who get more speeding tickets to overtrading, and cited studies showing that legalized gambling has an inverse effect on trading volume.

A 2019 research study (revised 2020) called “Day Trading for a Living?” observed 19,646 Brazilian futures contract traders who started day trading from 2013 to 2015, and recorded two years of their trading activity. The study authors found that 97% of traders with more than 300 days actively trading lost money, and only 1.1% earned more than the Brazilian minimum wage ($16 USD per day). They hypothesized that the greater returns shown in previous studies did not differentiate between frequent day traders and those who traded rarely, and that more frequent trading activity decreases the chance of profitability.

These studies show the wide variance of the available data on day trading profitability. One thing that seems clear from the research is that most day traders lose money .

Millionaire Media 66 W Flagler St. Ste. 900 Miami, FL 33130 United States (888) 878-3621 This is for information purposes only as Millionaire Media LLC nor Timothy Sykes is registered as a securities broker-dealer or an investment adviser. No information herein is intended as securities brokerage, investment, tax, accounting or legal advice, as an offer or solicitation of an offer to sell or buy, or as an endorsement, recommendation or sponsorship of any company, security or fund. Millionaire Media LLC and Timothy Sykes cannot and does not assess, verify or guarantee the adequacy, accuracy or completeness of any information, the suitability or profitability of any particular investment, or the potential value of any investment or informational source. The reader bears responsibility for his/her own investment research and decisions, should seek the advice of a qualified securities professional before making any investment, and investigate and fully understand any and all risks before investing. Millionaire Media LLC and Timothy Sykes in no way warrants the solvency, financial condition, or investment advisability of any of the securities mentioned in communications or websites. In addition, Millionaire Media LLC and Timothy Sykes accepts no liability whatsoever for any direct or consequential loss arising from any use of this information. This information is not intended to be used as the sole basis of any investment decision, nor should it be construed as advice designed to meet the investment needs of any particular investor. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future returns.

Citations for Disclaimer

Barber, Brad M. and Odean, Terrance, Trading is Hazardous to Your Wealth: The Common Stock Investment Performance of Individual Investors. Available at SSRN: “Day Trading for a Living?”

Barber, Brad M. and Lee, Yi-Tsung and Liu, Yu-Jane and Odean, Terrance and Zhang, Ke, Learning Fast or Slow? (May 28, 2019). Forthcoming: Review of Asset Pricing Studies, Available at SSRN: “https://ssrn.com/abstract=2535636”

Chague, Fernando and De-Losso, Rodrigo and Giovannetti, Bruno, Day Trading for a Living? (June 11, 2020). Available at SSRN: “https://ssrn.com/abstract=3423101”

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