United States Steel Corporation (NYSE:X) Q2 2023 Earnings Call Transcript

Continuing to deliver them on-time and on-budget and really remain focused on the processes that allow us to get to run rate EBITDA and generate run rate cash flow across the current in-flight initiatives. And then direct returns. We’ve said it a few times today. I’ll put a very much finer point on it. Direct returns are a priority for us in terms of being able to provide those returns back to our stockholders. And that’s going to be — we don’t want to get ahead of our board. But our current authorization is winding down. And we feel very, very comfortable and positive about what’s next in terms of a next share repurchase program and a fresh dust off to our dividend policy, given the resiliency of the cash flow that’s coming, right? And that doesn’t even touch on 2025, which pun intended is when the cash really starts flowing off of all of these investments.

David Burritt: And Jess let me just kind of add to that because I want to make sure everybody understands the tone that we have on this. And we’ve got a great Board, very Challenging board, but there’s no distance between us and the Board. And they know our strategy, our best for all strategy. And they know our three big goals are about best operations with safety and environment, quality, delivery, so on. Best relationships with our customers and our employees and the communities where we live and work and also with the stockholders, which gets to the really key thing which you guys care about. We’re going to have the best improvement in EBITDA multiple. I feel very strongly about this, and we’re going to make the kinds of improvements that you’re going to be very pleased with.

Operator: Thank you very much. We’ll get to our next question on the line from the line of Alex Hacking with Citi. Go right ahead.

Alexander Hacking: Yes, good morning. Jess, just to quickly follow-up on your last answer. So there would be virtually no CapEx from existing strategic projects that would carry over into 2025. Is that correct?

Jessica Graziano: Yes, that’s right. Listen, there may be some straggling in just in terms of the timing of some of that cash going out the door, but it will be substantially done in ’24.

Alexander Hacking: Okay. And then a follow-up, just on the Tubular segment. If I look at the index price for welded, it’s effectively fallen in half since the beginning of the year. And it suggests that — with your comments around inventory and so on, it does suggest that there’s going to be kind of a continued squeeze on tubular profits headed into the end of the year and into 2024, like we know this is historically a very cyclical segment. Could you maybe discuss the kind of longer term or the midterm outlook for that segment? Thanks.

David Burritt: Yes. Just first, just kind of level set here. Just to remind everybody that the Tubular segment had the best first half in the recent history with $1,700 a ton EBITDA in the first half. And this showcases the improvements that we’ve made over the last few years. We’ve narrowed the footprint, become very focused. We improved the cost structure with the new electric arc furnace, and we’ve prioritized the strategic basis to capitalize on the strong market backdrop, especially with premium connections, which are performing very well. So Jess, maybe a little bit more, if you could, on what we expect here.