Steel Dynamics (STLD 4.65%) kicked off earnings season in the steel sector with a bang. The company reported record shipments, driven by high mill utilization rates. Investors took note and drove shares higher.
As of early Friday trading, Steel Dynamics (SDI) stock had jumped 10.6% this week, according to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence. That's quite a move for a stodgy steel stock.
Image source: Getty Images.
Momentum in steel
SDI's record shipments led to an 84% increase in net income compared with last year. CEO Mark Millett noted, "The improvement in earnings was driven by record steel shipments combined with higher steel prices." Demand remains strong even amid strong pricing. Yet not every steel company is taking advantage of this environment.
Cleveland-Cliffs also reported earnings this week, but its CEO, Lourenco Goncalves, said that his company faced unfavorable pricing due to lags from contract business, and high energy prices also impacted the quarter.
NASDAQ: STLD
Key Data Points
Another big domestic player will report earnings next week. Nucor should mirror SDI's view on demand, pricing, and the strength of its order book. Those trends are supported by steel trade actions, manufacturing growth, and infrastructure initiatives. If Nucor instead highlights headwinds, investors can expect even more capital to flow into SDI stock.
