DeBeurs.nl

[verwijderd] 25 oktober 2006 01:47

0

In navolging draad op Corus zet ik sectorgenoten berichten hier neer voor 't overzicht.

AK Steel reports 3Q profit despite lockout
10/24/2006, 4:37 p.m. ET
By TERRY KINNEY
The Associated Press

CINCINNATI (AP) — AK Steel Holding Corp. said on Tuesday that it swung to a profit in the third quarter, helped by higher prices that offset a decline in shipments as the steelmaker continues to operate its Middletown Works with replacement workers.

But company officials warned that higher costs for energy and raw materials in the fourth quarter, along with planned maintenance outages, could erode profits.

AK Steel reported earnings of $26 million, or 23 cents a share, for the quarter ended Sept. 30 compared with a loss of $29 million, or 26 cents a share, a year ago. Sales were $1.55 billion compared with $1.39 billion a year ago.

Results included a charge of $15.8 million for implementing new labor agreements at the company's Zanesville, Ohio, and Butler, Pa., operations, and a $3 million reduction in the value of a deferred tax asset due primarily to a change in Pennsylvania tax law.

Excluding these items, earnings would have been $39.7 million, or 36 cents a share. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial expected 34 cents a share.

"In a defining year, AK Steel's most recent operating and financial results continued a steady upward trend," chairman and CEO James Wainscott said in a statement. "Although we recently have seen some slowing in a few of our key carbon steel markets, we anticipate continued strong demand during the fourth quarter for our stainless and electrical products."

Operating profit was $36 a ton in the third quarter but is expected to fall to $30 to $35 in the fourth quarter, the company said.

AK locked out hourly production and maintenance workers at its Middletown Works when their contract expired Feb. 28. Union members have rejected both contract offers submitted for a vote, in September and again last week.

Industry analyst Charles Bradford of Bradford Research/Soleil Securities in New York, said AK continues to be the subject of takeover rumors and would become more attractive if it resolves its labor issues.

"The industry is consolidating, and they are subject to takeover because they are relatively small and flexible," Bradford said

[verwijderd] 25 oktober 2006 01:51

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October 24, 2006 4:16:00 PM ETSchaeffer's Midday Options Update Features Mittal Steel, Nucor, and AK SteeladvertisementRelated information E-mail this article Print-friendly versionStocks mentioned in this articleMittal Steel Company N.V. (ADR)(MT) Quote, Chart, News Nucor Corporation(NUE) Quote, Chart, News AK Steel Holding Corporation(AKS) Quote, Chart, News

All Business Wire NewsToday's Schaeffer's Midday Options Update features Mittal Steel MT, Nucor NUE, and AK Steel AKS. The Midday Options Update contains a brief commentary on the day's most notable activity and a table listing the most-active calls and puts for the day. The Midday Options Update is published every day at www.SchaeffersResearch.com - the home of Bernie Schaeffer and Schaeffer's Investment Research.

Related newsDow Sets New High, but Stocks End MixedPremarket Movers: Forest Labs SlidesSector Wrap: SteelMarket Spotlight: Steel Prices to FallMarket Report -- In Play (NUE)
Take advantage of the timely Schaeffer commentaries by signing up for their free e-newsletters -- Opening View, Market Recap and Monday Morning Outlook. Click here to have the Schaeffer's commentaries delivered to you free via email every day and get entered to win an iPod Nano. www.schaeffersresearch.com/redirect.a... . Options Update: These Options are a Steel

As we head into the latter half of the trading day, the major market indices remain in negative territory. Apprehension ahead of tomorrow's Fed decision on interest rates seems to be ruling the day, overshadowing a wave of earnings data. Meanwhile, December crude oil futures have added 54 cents to sits at $59.35 a barrel. Traders have turned their attention away from key oil producers' production cut to expectations for a fall in last week's U.S. distillate supplies.

Most-Active Options Update

At 2:09 p.m. Eastern Time, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA - 12,112.7) has given up 4.2 points, while the S&P 500 Index (SPX - 1,374.35) is down 2.67 points. The Nasdaq Composite (COMP - 2,341.9) has slipped 13.9 points. At 2:10 p.m. Eastern Time, 3,228,519 calls have changed hands compared to 2,489,032 puts, equaling a single-day put/call volume ratio of 0.77. The CBOE's equity put/call volume ratio stands at 0.79, while the ISE's ratio weighs in at 0.77.

Mittal Steel & Nucor

Two steel companies, Mittal Steel MT and Nucor NUE, have made our most-active options list today, riding the coattails of an earnings report from AK Steel AKS and strength in commodities. For reference, AKS reported third-quarter earnings of 36 cents per share versus the consensus estimate of 34 cents per share. So far today, AKS has rallied more than three percent, while MT was last up 3.5 percent and NUE had added more than seven percent.

In news around the steel sector, merger talks among overseas producers, recent production cuts, and bullish sentiment heading into the earnings season have all been factors for boosting the steel sector. While Barron's recently cited U.S. Steel (X) as perhaps "the biggest prize in the consolidating global steel industry," the rest of the sector is benefiting greatly from this added attention. In fact, the Dow Jones U.S. Steel Index (DJSTL - 294.89) has outperformed the S&P 500 Index (SPX) since July 2005.
===============
Finally, both stocks look solid from a technical perspective.
NUE's monthly chart looks much more impressive, as the security has rallied along its 10-month and 20-month trendlines since April 2003, gaining a whopping 526 percent during this time frame. MT is none too shabby itself, as the equity has surged some 1,245 percent during the same time frame. But have the shares overextended themselves recently? Looking at monthly charts for both, I see some trouble looming on the horizon. MT has long found resistance in the 43 region, being rejected five times in this area since November 2004. Meanwhile, NUE must deal with the round-number 60 level. It may seem that NUE has an easier road ahead of it, since it has only been rejected at this region once, but there is a heavy degree of call open interest in residence at this strike in the front three months of options.

[verwijderd] 25 oktober 2006 01:54

0

Ipsco steel sales up 37% to $996.9M; Q3 profit rises 47% to US$197.1M
October 24, 2006 - 17:09

LISLE, Ill. (CP) - Solid steel mill shipments and raging energy-industry demand for tubular products propelled Ipsco Inc.(TSX:IPS) to a record third-quarter profit of US$197.1 million as sales surged 37 per cent to just under US$1 billion.

The Canadian-American steelmaker, which reports in U.S. dollars, said Tuesday its July-September net income was $4.15 a share, including 37 cents per share thanks to lower tax rates.

That compared with year-earlier earnings of $134 million or $2.78 per share.

Sales of $996.9 million were up from $726.1 million as shipments increased to 1.04 million tons from 848 million, boosted by demand from Canadian and U.S. oil and gas drillers and pipeline companies.

"We expect end-user demand for plate and energy tubular goods will continue to be strong," CEO David Sutherland told an analyst conference call.

"While energy prices have fallen recently, we expect them to remain at levels sufficient to maintain high drilling activity and resultant demand," he added. "However, demand from service centres and distributor customers is declining in the fourth quarter as these customers reduce inventories."

Ipsco is trimming production in the current quarter and accelerating maintenance on equipment that has been running flat-out during a record year.

October-December shipments are expected to be similar to the third quarter, but profit margins will be squeezed by maintenance and other overhead costs "and a less favourable product mix related to lower large-diameter sales," although demand for large spiral pipe "continues to be exceptionally strong."

Fourth-quarter earnings are estimated at $3.30 to $3.50 per share, excluding foreign exchange and other items and the impact of Ipsco's proposed takeover of NS Group (NYSE:NSS).

The $1.46-billion all-cash acquisition of the Kentucky-based tubular specialist, announced Sept. 11, is expected to close by year-end.

Ipsco ended the quarter with $743.5 million in cash and will be adding to its $292.2 million in long-term debt to finance the NS acquisition.

Ipsco, whose three steel mills and six pipe mills in Canada and the U.S. depend on scrap steel, said its third-quarter product price averaged a record $957 per ton, up 12 per cent from a year ago.

At the same time, the price of scrap surged 33 per cent. Operating profit per ton increased 16 per cent to $277.

Geographically, sales in Canada rose 8.6 per cent to $289.7 million while U.S. sales surged 54 per cent to $707.2 million.

Sutherland told analysts that although recent robust steel profits make it hard to state a case that unfair imports are harming the industry, "there's no question that (with) the amount of capacity that the Chinese are bringing on, well beyond their own needs and with no material advantage as a steel producer .?.?. it's completely unjustified to expect that they could just wander into our market and sell at will when they're coming from a part of the world that does not care about profit.

"And so what you're already seeing is fairly significant reaction to that across most of the larger developed and steel-consuming areas of the world."

Ipsco stock gained $3.69 to C$106.45 on the Toronto Stock Exchange, with a 52-week range between $126.99 and $75.

[verwijderd] 25 oktober 2006 03:12

1

yahoo.reuters.com/news/articlehybrid....

Dit zit dus achter die 11% stijging.

Groet
Coert

[verwijderd] 25 oktober 2006 13:22

0

Hehe we zijn d'r uit:-)

[verwijderd] 25 oktober 2006 20:51

0

Betreft de Dofasco verkoop:

yahoo.reuters.com/news/articlehybrid....

Betreft Arcelor Brasil:
In Sao Paulo is de koers (code: ARCE3.SA) hiervan fors lager dan gisteren. Het bod van Mittal van ca. $ 15 ligt ruim onder de koers van de afgelopen dagen (ca. $ 18,50).

Groet
Coert

[verwijderd] 25 oktober 2006 21:07

0

www.reporter.gr/default.asp?pid=71&la...

[verwijderd] 26 oktober 2006 20:20

0

pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=...

indiase staalbedrijven maken recordwinst.

en de outlook van BHP is zeer positief

www.smh.com.au/news/Business/Commodit...

[verwijderd] 27 oktober 2006 16:10

0

Boashan's profit jumps 42 percent:

www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601...

[verwijderd] 1 november 2006 02:50

0

Is A-K Steel for Sale?
Monday, October 30, 2006 1:53 PM
Eric Brown

AK Steel insists that it's not for sale, but some analysts think the Middletown-based company is being eyed for a possible takeover.
C-E-O James Wainscott says the company is trying to improve its competitiveness and if that makes it more attractive, that's fine , but says the company isn't actively marketing itself.

Some analysts believe potential suitors are just waiting for the company to resolve its labor problems.

A lockout of union employees in Middletown is nearing its ninth month.

Just last week, the company said it will spend 55 (m) million dollars to bump up production of electrical steel used in generating and distributing electricity by upgrading and modifying equipment at plants in Zanesville and in Butler, Pennsylvania.

One analyst says nearly every international steel producer interested in moving into the U-S market has looked at buying A-K Steel.

A-K Steel's headquarters are in Middletown, with smaller plants in Coshocton, Zanesville, Mansfield, Kentucky, Indiana and Pennsylvania.

[verwijderd] 1 november 2006 02:51

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STEEL INDUSTRY CONSOLIDATION CONTINUES APACE

Unless a rival bidder emerges soon, Tata Steel seems likely to succeed with its takeover bid for the Corus Group. The acquisition will be a giant leap for the Indian company. It is currently the world’s 56th largest steel maker – albeit one of the lowest cost producers. Adding Corus’s 18 million tonnes of crude steel output to Tata’s 5 million tonnes per year will rank the new company the fifth in global steelmaking.

But the merger will do little to advance the overall consolidation of the main suppliers. Based on their 2005 output, the ten largest steel companies make a total of 316 million tonnes – equivalent to 28 percent of the world total production. Merging Tata with Corus will raise the top ten’s share by 0.4 of a percentage point.

However, Tata has plans for a massive expansion. As well as doubling capacity at its Jamshedpur works to 10 million tonnes per year, it is working on no fewer than three greenfield integrated steelworks projects in India, as well as large-scale projects in Iran and Bangladesh.

The Tata-Corus merger will keep consolidation uppermost in the strategic thinking of steel company executives all around the world. If the formation of Arcelor Mittal made it urgent for other mills to consider expanding by acquisition, Corus-Tata has reduced the number of targets available to acquisitive companies. There is probably room for only a few more acceptable combinations of mid-size steelmakers in Western Europe and North America. It is Asia that has most potential.

Ten of the world’s top 20 steel companies are based in Asia. Of these, Nippon Steel and Posco show little interest in either acquiring or being acquired. In fact the two organisations took steps to strengthen their mutual alliance – in order to fend off hostile takeover bids.

Of the others, Sumitomo Metals has close links with Nippon Steel, and Japan’s JFE recently formed an alliance with Dongkuk of Korea. They are unlikely to be players in any global consolidation unless competitive pressures intensify.

China has five steel companies in the world's top 20 but the industry is hugely fragmented and consolidation is now moving rapidly up the agenda. China’s leading steelmaker, Shanghai Baosteel, has attempted to establish co-operation pacts with some other Chinese mills, and these may eventually result in business combinations. The merger of Anshan and Benxi Steel could be a model for others.

Foreign investment in Chinese steelmaking may also help further consolidation, if the authorities allow it. In a potentially significant move earlier this month, Taiwan’s China Steel Corp signed a strategic co-operation agreement with Wuhan Steel, China’s third largest steel company.

[verwijderd] 1 november 2006 02:55

0

No Corus impact on expansion plans: Tata Steel

www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_stor...

Blijven roepen. Doet Wouter Bos ook.

[verwijderd] 1 november 2006 02:56

0

GLOBAL CRUDE STEEL PRODUCTION WILL TOP 1.2 BILLION TONNES THIS YEAR

www.meps.co.uk/article-key-out-q2-06.htm

[verwijderd] 1 november 2006 10:22

0

he,

kene julie die berichte niet in het engels maar in het nederlands plaatse?

ikke ken geen engels

[verwijderd] 1 november 2006 10:28

0

Nederlands zo te zien ook niet!

[verwijderd] 3 november 2006 00:38

0

Hihi.

Ik zul kieken of ik een vertalprograam maatje kan op snorren voor je.
--------------------------------------
WORLD AVERAGE CARBON STEEL PRICES - LATEST FORECASTS FROM MEPS 2-11

The MEPS - World Average Flat Products Price should hold up in November but start to decline steadily over the next six months. We expect the figure to bottom out at a level 6.5 percent below the current value. Significant decreases in the EU and North America should be offset, to a certain extent, by more stable pricing in Asia. The stability in the latter region is partially the result of increasing exports to all parts of the globe but particularly EU and North America.

Global supply is currently above real demand. This is the background for our forecast of a fall in world prices over the period to July 2007. During the early part of the second half of next year we expect the supply/demand balance to have been partially restored through output curbs. Steel transaction price stability should then be able to be maintained.

The MEPS - World Average Long Products Price declined by around 3 percent in October and significant transaction price decreases are predicted in North America and the EU over the next six months - mainly for seasonal reasons but also the result of increasing import volumes. Asian values should stay firm over the period to mid 2007 due to reasonable demand and higher exports. An upturn is envisaged during the second half of next year when regional import and export activity returns to a more regular pattern and the existing imbalances are rectified.

Source: MEPS - STEEL PRICES ON-LINE (regional steel price tables & forecasts)

Hmmmmmmm. Daling komende 6 maanden?

[verwijderd] 3 november 2006 00:42

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ASIAN AVERAGE CARBON STEEL PRICES - LATEST FORECASTS FROM MEPS

In the flat products category, we have not changed our forecast significantly this month. The Asian Average prices are expected to increase gently for the period up to the end of 2006. High volumes of exports should continue to keep Chinese supply and demand reasonably in balance. Japanese prices should hold up - given current market conditions. Weakness could occur in South Korea but this should be offset by firm consumption in Taiwan.

In the medium term, exports to North America and the EU should subside as Asian selling values become less competitive and overall export demand slips. A modest decrease in price is forecast to follow. However, we do not envisage prices in the Asian market following the highly volatile pattern likely to be experienced in the EU and North American steel sectors.

The October MEPS Asian Average Long Products Carbon Steel Price was stable. Modest gains are anticipated over the next few months now that the hot summer weather in many countries is past. Chinese demand has recovered. Japanese mills are limiting supply by a series of output curbs to counter relatively weak building demand. South Korean sales of long products are forecast to keep recovering through into early next year. Rising scrap prices should also give an impetus to higher steel prices in the short/medium term.

Through the first nine months of 2007 we envisage stable pricing in the long products sector. Consumption across the region should stay reasonably solid - in line with the situation over most of the past two years. Temporary oversupply could develop but, as in recent times, the producers have responded by production cuts to minimise the difficulties.

Our forecasts are based on stable scrap costs. However, it is conceivable that the recent rises could be reversed over the forecast period.

Source: MEPS - STEEL PRICES ON-LINE (regional steel price tables & forecasts)

[verwijderd] 3 november 2006 01:24

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STAINLESS STEEL PRICES AT RECORD HIGHS - MORE RISES IMMINENT

Stainless steel prices have reached record levels, and look set to advance still further in the next few months. Including raw material surcharges, MEPS transaction prices for cold rolled 304 in Europe and North America now exceed $US4,500 per tonne – an unprecedented high value.

In Asia, the MEPS cold rolled 304 price is rather lower at $US3,706 per tonne, and has some catching up to do. Significantly, some major Asian mills have announced plans to raise prices further during the fourth quarter.

Cold rolled 304 prices have virtually doubled since the start of this year, and have more than tripled since they touched their most recent historical low point in the period December 2001 to February 2002. At that time transaction prices were as low as $US1,300 per tonne in North America, $US1,173 per tonne in Asia and $US1,234 per tonne in Europe. The price of nickel in those days was around $US5,000 per tonne – today it is over $US30,000 per tonne.

Basis prices have certainly increased this year, and may rise further during the fourth quarter. But most of the recent advance is attributable to raw material costs. The alloy surcharges that North American and European mills add to their basis figures have jumped by over 160 percent since the start of this year. The alloy surcharge today accounts for the majority of the transaction price.

Buyers of stainless steel appear to have become much more cautious as prices have risen. The steep increase this year has added a greater element of uncertainty to trading conditions. Users who had de-stocked when alloy surcharges reached $US1,500 per tonne – in the expectation that the climb in the nickel price would go into reverse – now find themselves obliged to pay a lot more for new orders.

However, this does not appear to have kept buyers out of the market to any severe degree. Mills report steady demand from end-users, with delivery lead-times for some products stretching into January and even February. Some supply constraints are also affecting current market dynamics.

Source: MEPS - Stainless Steel Review - click here for a free sample copy.

[verwijderd] 3 november 2006 14:23

0

lekker hapje;

Four interested in 51.89% of Paz del Río - Colombia
Published: Tuesday, October 31, 2006 17:48 (GMT -0400)

Three large steelmakers joined the ranks alongside Brazilian long steel producer Gerdau (NYSE: GGB) by purchasing the right to access a data room with information about Colombian steelmaker Acerías Paz del Río (APR) for a possible acquisition of 51.89% of the company.

"There are three other companies interested who asked for confidentiality agreements. Gerdau was the only one that made its interest known," APR board member Andrés Obregón told BNamericas.

The APR controlling stake will likely be sold during an auction on Colombia's stock exchange in the second week of December, according to the executive.

However, he said that the timeline is subject to changes, "depending on the depth of the questions that interested parties have on certain issues. That is why it could be moved to January."

Last week a group of APR shareholders agreed to sell their interest, increasing to 51.89% the stake sitting on the auction block.

The vendors of an initial 42.5% share package include APR employees, who hold 33.4%, Colombia's industrial development institute IFI with 6.9% and the finance ministry with 2.2%.

Obregón expects the number of companies interested in acquiring the APR stake to increase between now and December.

In 2005, APR registered output of 304,222t, an increase of 5.1% over 289,572t produced in 2004. Paz del Río manufactures drawn wire rods, hot rolled plates, bars and cylinders.

[verwijderd] 3 november 2006 14:30

0

yahoo.reuters.com/news/articlehybrid....

Gaat dus wel goed komen daar in Liberia. Nu Royal Dutch nog op Sakhalin. Eigenlijk onsportief van die (onbetrouwbare) overheden van dit soort landen. Deal is deal.

Groet
Coert

Vertraagd	7 feb 2025 17:35
Koers	27,360
Verschil	-0,250 (-0,91%)
Hoog	28,170
Laag	27,180
Volume	7.160.096
Volume gemiddeld	2.546.894
Volume gisteren	11.236.094

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