United States Steel Corporation Reports Third Quarter 2018 Results

• Net earnings of $291 million, or $1.62 per diluted share
• Adjusted net earnings of $321 million, or $1.79 per diluted share
• Adjusted EBITDA of $526 million

PITTSBURGH, Nov. 01, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- United States Steel Corporation (NYSE: X) reported third quarter 2018 net earnings of $291 million, or $1.62 per diluted share.  Adjusted net earnings were $321 million, or $1.79 per diluted share.  This compares to third quarter 2017 net earnings of $147 million, or $0.83 per diluted share.  Adjusted net earnings for third quarter 2017 were $161 million, or $0.92 per diluted share.

^(a) Please refer to the non-GAAP Financial Measures section of this document for the reconciliation of these amounts.

Commenting on U. S. Steel's results, President and Chief Executive Officer David B. Burritt said, "Our third quarter results were in line with our expectations, with a significant improvement in earnings from our Flat-rolled segment and a return to profitability for our Tubular segment."

2018 Guidance

Commenting on U. S. Steel's guidance for 2018, Burritt said, "Market conditions remain solid, with stable end-user steel consumption.  We experienced lower customer order rates for an extended period, driven by falling spot and index prices. However, we expect continued strength in steel demand will support favorable market conditions as we enter 2019."

We expect results for our Flat-rolled segment to continue to improve primarily due to increased shipments and lower maintenance and outage costs, partially offset by lower average realized prices. Despite a softening in the energy tubulars market, we expect Tubular to continue to improve primarily due to increased shipments, partially offset by lower average realized prices. We expect results for our European segment to decrease primarily due to inventory revaluation adjustments related to raw material price volatility.

We currently expect fourth quarter 2018 adjusted EBITDA to be approximately $575 million, which would result in full-year 2018 adjusted EBITDA of approximately $1.8 billion.

The Company will conduct a conference call on third quarter 2018 earnings on Friday, November 2, at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Daylight.  To listen to the webcast of the conference call, and to access the company's slide presentation and prepared remarks, visit the U. S. Steel website, www.ussteel.com, and click on the “Investors” section. Replays of the conference call will be available on the website after 10:30 a.m. on November 2.

Please refer to the non-GAAP Financial Measures section of this document for the reconciliation of Guidance net earnings to consolidated Guidance adjusted EBITDA.

 ^(a) Excludes intersegment shipments.
 ^(b) Based on annual raw steel production capability of 17.0 million net tons for Flat-Rolled and 5.0 million net tons for U. S. Steel Europe.

^(a) Includes $19 million and $15 million for the three months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017, respectively, and $53 million and $47 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017, respectively, of postretirement benefit expense (other than service cost) related to the retrospective presentation change of net periodic benefit cost of our defined benefit pension and other post-employment benefits as a result of the adoption of Accounting Standards Update 2017-07, Compensation - Retirement Benefits on January 1, 2018.

^(a) Includes restricted cash in the beginning-of-period and end-of-period amounts as a result of the retrospective adoption of Accounting Standards Update 2016-18, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Restricted Cash on January 1, 2018.

^(a) The adjustments included in this table have been tax effected at a 0% tax rate due to the recognition of a full valuation allowance.

^(a) Note: projected adjusted EBITDA included in Guidance excludes one-time costs resulting from the future ratification of a new collective bargaining agreement.

We present adjusted net earnings (loss), adjusted net earnings (loss) per diluted share, earnings (loss) before interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) and adjusted EBITDA, which are non-GAAP measures, as additional measurements to enhance the understanding of our operating performance.  We believe that EBITDA, considered along with net earnings (loss), is a relevant indicator of trends relating to our operating performance and provides management and investors with additional information for comparison of our operating results to the operating results of other companies.  EBITDA is also used by analysts to refine and improve the accuracy of their financial models that utilize enterprise value.

Adjusted net earnings (loss) and adjusted net earnings (loss) per diluted share are non-GAAP measures that exclude the effects of gains (losses) on the sale of ownership interests in equity investees, facility restart costs, gains (losses) associated with our retained interest in U. S. Steel Canada Inc., restructuring charges, significant temporary idling charges and debt extinguishment and other related costs that are not part of the Company's core operations.  Adjusted EBITDA is also a non-GAAP measure that excludes the effects of gains (losses) on the sale of ownership interests in equity investees, facility restart costs, gains (losses) associated with our retained interest in U. S. Steel Canada Inc., restructuring charges and significant temporary idling charges.  We present adjusted net earnings (loss), adjusted net earnings (loss) per diluted share and adjusted EBITDA to enhance the understanding of our ongoing operating performance and established trends affecting our core operations, by excluding the effects of gains (losses) on the sale of ownership interests in equity investees, facility restart costs, gains (losses) associated with our retained interest in U. S. Steel Canada Inc., restructuring charges, significant temporary idling charges and debt extinguishment and other related costs that can obscure underlying trends.  U. S. Steel's management considers adjusted net earnings (loss), adjusted net earnings (loss) per diluted share and adjusted EBITDA as alternative measures of operating performance and not alternative measures of the Company's liquidity.  U. S. Steel’s management considers adjusted net earnings (loss), adjusted net earnings (loss) per diluted share and adjusted EBITDA useful to investors by facilitating a comparison of our operating performance to the operating performance of our competitors.  Additionally, the presentation of adjusted net earnings (loss), adjusted net earnings (loss) per diluted share and adjusted EBITDA provides insight into management’s view and assessment of the Company’s ongoing operating performance, because management does not consider the adjusting items when evaluating the Company’s financial performance or in preparing the Company’s annual financial guidance.  Adjusted net earnings (loss), adjusted net earnings (loss) per diluted share and adjusted EBITDA should not be considered a substitute for net earnings (loss), earnings (loss) per diluted share or other financial measures as computed in accordance with U.S. GAAP and is not necessarily comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies.  A consolidated statement of operations (unaudited), consolidated cash flow statement (unaudited), condensed consolidated balance sheet (unaudited) and preliminary supplemental statistics (unaudited) for U. S. Steel are attached.

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This release contains information that may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.  We intend the forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements in those sections.  Generally, we have identified such forward-looking statements by using the words “believe,” “expect,” “intend,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “project,” “target,” “forecast,” “aim,” “should,” “will” and similar expressions or by using future dates in connection with any discussion of, among other things, operating performance, trends, events or developments that we expect or anticipate will occur in the future, statements relating to volume growth, share of sales and earnings per share growth, and statements expressing general views about future operating results.  However, the absence of these words or similar expressions does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking.  Forward-looking statements are not historical facts, but instead represent only the Company’s beliefs regarding future events, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of the Company’s control.  It is possible that the Company’s actual results and financial condition may differ, possibly materially, from the anticipated results and financial condition indicated in these forward-looking statements.  Management believes that these forward-looking statements are reasonable as of the time made.  However, caution should be taken not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements because such statements speak only as of the date when made.  Our Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.  In addition, forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from our Company's historical experience and our present expectations or projections.  These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to the risks and uncertainties described in “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2018, and those described from time to time in our future reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  References to "we," "us," "our," the "Company," and "U. S. Steel," refer to United States Steel Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries.