United States Steel Corporation Reports Second Quarter 2019 Results

• Net earnings of $68 million, or $0.39 per diluted share
  
  
• Adjusted net earnings of $78 million, or $0.45 per diluted share
  
  
• Adjusted EBITDA of $278 million
  
  
• Returned $37 million of capital to stockholders, including $28 million of share repurchases

PITTSBURGH, Aug. 01, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- United States Steel Corporation (NYSE: X) reported second quarter 2019 net earnings of $68 million, or $0.39 per diluted share.  Adjusted net earnings were $78 million, or $0.45 per diluted share.  This compares to second quarter 2018 net earnings of $214 million, or $1.20 per diluted share.  Adjusted net earnings for second quarter 2018 were $262 million, or $1.46 per diluted share.           

"Our execution in the second quarter was strong despite challenging market conditions,” commented President and Chief Executive Officer David B. Burritt.  “We overcame logistics headwinds from severe weather and delivered for our customers, exceeding even our own expectations.  We also completed several Asset Revitalization outages across the flat-rolled footprint on time and on budget, including upgrades to our Mon Valley steel shop.  We expect these investments to enhance operating performance and reliability to provide high quality, low cost liquid steel for our future endless casting and rolling investment."

Burritt added, “Execution of our technology investments, including the Mon Valley endless casting and rolling line, Tubular electric arc furnace, and USSK Dynamo Line, are on track to deliver almost $400 million of incremental run-rate EBITDA benefits when completed.  With each passing quarter, we are making the company more competitive and our continued execution is proof that our strategy is working.”            

The Company will conduct a conference call on second quarter 2019 earnings on Friday, August 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, 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 August 2.

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.

Adjusted net earnings (loss) and adjusted net earnings (loss) per diluted share are non-GAAP measures that exclude the financial effects of items such as the December 24, 2018 Clairton coke making facility fire, the effects of gains on equity investee transactions, facility restart costs, significant temporary idling charges and adjustments to those charges and debt extinguishment and other related costs that are not part of the Company's core operations (Adjustment Items).  Adjusted EBITDA is also a non-GAAP measure that excludes the financial effects of the Adjustment Items. 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 Adjustment Items. 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.  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 condensed consolidated statement of operations (unaudited), condensed 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 27A 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 changes, share of sales and earnings per share changes, 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, 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.