Metallus Enters into Agreement with United States Army for Munitions Expansion

Rhea-AI Summary

Metallus (NYSE: MTUS) secures up to $99 million in funding from the United States Army to enhance artillery shell production capacity, targeting $60 million in annual sales. The company aims to bolster the defense sector while reducing its carbon footprint.

Insights

Financial Analyst

The agreement between Metallus and the United States Army represents a substantial financial commitment that has the potential to significantly impact Metallus's revenue stream. The $99 million funding, with $49.5 million already obligated, will likely result in a direct increase in the company's sales by approximately $60 million annually, which is a considerable figure relative to the firm's overall financials. Investors should note the dependency of these incremental sales on global demand for artillery shells, which is influenced by geopolitical tensions and defense spending trends.

Moreover, the investment's targeting of late 2025 for operational capability suggests a medium-term horizon for these financial benefits to materialize. It's important to consider the execution risks and the time value of money when evaluating this project's contribution to the company's valuation. The funding structure, disbursed throughout the procurement and installation process, may help mitigate some financial risks by aligning cash inflows with project milestones.

Defense Industry Analyst

The Department of Defense's commitment to a modernized defense industrial network, as outlined in the 2022 National Defense Strategy, provides context for the Metallus funding agreement. This strategy indicates an ongoing and potentially increasing demand for defense-related manufacturing capabilities. Metallus's project aligns with this strategic direction by enhancing artillery shell production capacity, a critical component of military readiness.

For stakeholders within the defense sector, this development suggests a strengthening of the industrial base that supports national defense. The ability to increase throughput of high-quality bar-based products is not only relevant to the current geopolitical climate but also to the long-term strategic capabilities of the U.S. military. This could position Metallus as a key player in the defense supply chain, potentially opening doors for future contracts and collaborations.

Environmental Analyst

Metallus's commitment to reducing its carbon footprint while optimizing assets for the Department of Defense's needs is a noteworthy aspect of the agreement. The environmental impact of defense manufacturing is a growing concern and Metallus's initiative could set a precedent for other companies in the sector. The ability to meet heightened demand without proportionally increasing environmental costs will be critical as industries worldwide face pressure to operate more sustainably.

Investors and stakeholders with an interest in environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria may view this positively, as it reflects a proactive approach to balancing operational efficiency with environmental responsibility. The specifics of how Metallus intends to achieve these environmental goals will be key in assessing the long-term sustainability of this project and its alignment with broader industry and societal trends toward reduced carbon emissions.

CANTON, Ohio, Feb. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Metallus (NYSE: MTUS), formerly known as TimkenSteel and a leader in high-quality specialty metals, manufactured components, and supply chain solutions, today announced that the company has entered an agreement for up to $99 million in funding from the United States Army, half of which is currently obligated with the balance subject to mutual agreement during subsequent phases after the final project details are presented to the Army. This funding will support a project aimed at bolstering the Army's mission of ramping up artillery shell production in the coming years.

Specifically, this project will enable the development of additional capacity to help fulfill increased global demand for artillery shells. The new capability is expected to increase throughput of high-quality bar-based products used in artillery applications and support approximately $60 million of incremental base sales annually, demand dependent. The company is targeting late 2025 for this new capability to be operational with funding to be provided throughout the procurement and installation process.

"Metallus is honored to expand our commitment to the defense sector, reliably providing high-quality specialty metals for critical applications. With this funding, we intend to further optimize our assets to meet the Department of Defense's heightened demand while reducing our carbon footprint," affirmed Mike Williams, President and CEO.

The 2022 National Defense Strategy outlines the Department of Defense's commitment to establishing a modernized and coordinated defense industrial network. This initiative aims to develop a reliable and resilient supply chain of industrial partners over the next several years that will significantly enhance the nation's defense capabilities for the long-term.

This press release has been approved by the United States Government: DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A: Approved for public release; distribution unlimited.  PAO Log# 248-24

ABOUT METALLUS INC.
Metallus (NYSE: MTUS) manufactures high-performance specialty metals from recycled scrap metal in Canton, OH, serving demanding applications in industrial, automotive, aerospace & defense and energy end markets. The company is a premier U.S. producer of alloy steel bars (up to 16 inches in diameter), seamless mechanical tubing and manufactured components. In the business of making high-quality steel for more than 100 years, Metallus' proven expertise contributes to the performance of our customers' products. The company employs approximately 1,840 people and had sales of $1.4 billion in 2023. For more information, please visit us at www.metallus.com.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This news release includes "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. You can generally identify the company's forward-looking statements by words such as "will," "anticipate," "aspire," "believe," "could," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "outlook," "intend," "may," "plan," "possible," "potential," "predict," "project," "seek," "target," "should," "would," "strategy," or "strategic direction" or other similar words, phrases or expressions that convey the uncertainty of future events or outcomes. The company cautions readers that actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of the company due to a variety of factors, such as: (1) with respect to the continuous bloom reheat furnace investment, whether the funding awarded to support this investment is received on the anticipated timetable, whether the company is able to successfully complete the installation and commissioning of the new assets on the targeted budget and timetable, and whether the anticipated increase in throughput is achieved; (2) the effects of fluctuations in customer demand on sales, product mix and prices in the industries in which the company operates, including the ability of the company to respond to rapid changes in customer demand including but not limited to changes in customer operating schedules due to supply chain constraints or unplanned work stoppages, the ability of customers to obtain financing to purchase the company's products or equipment that contains its products, the effects of customer bankruptcies or liquidations, the impact of changes in industrial business cycles, and whether conditions of fair trade exist in U.S. markets; (3) changes in operating costs, including the effect of changes in the company's manufacturing processes, changes in costs associated with varying levels of operations and manufacturing capacity, availability of raw materials and energy, the company's ability to mitigate the impact of fluctuations in raw materials and energy costs and the effectiveness of its surcharge mechanism, changes in the expected costs associated with product warranty claims, changes resulting from inventory management, cost reduction initiatives and different levels of customer demands, the effects of unplanned work stoppages, availability of skilled labor and changes in the cost of labor and benefits; (4) the success of the company's operating plans, announced programs, initiatives and capital investments, the consistency to meet demand levels following unplanned downtime, and the company's ability to maintain appropriate relations with the union that represents its associates in certain locations in order to avoid disruptions of business; (5) whether the company is able to successfully implement actions designed to improve profitability on anticipated terms and timetables and whether the company is able to fully realize the expected benefits of such actions; (6) the company's pension obligations and investment performance; (7) with respect to the company's ability to achieve its sustainability goals, including its 2030 environmental goals, the ability to meet such goals within the expected timeframe, changes in laws, regulations, prevailing standards or public policy, the alignment of the scientific community on measurement and reporting approaches, the complexity of commodity supply chains and the evolution of and adoption of new technology, including traceability practices, tools and processes; (8) availability of property insurance coverage at commercially reasonable rates or insufficient insurance coverage to cover claims or damages; (9) the availability of financing and interest rates, which affect the company's cost of funds and/or ability to raise capital; (10) the effects of the conditional conversion feature of the convertible notes due December 1, 2025, which, if triggered, entitles holders to convert the notes at any time during specified periods at their option and therefore could result in potential dilution if the holder elects to convert and the company elects to satisfy a portion or all of the conversion obligation by delivering common shares instead of cash; (11) the impacts from any repurchases of our common shares, including the timing and amount of any repurchases; (12) competitive factors, including changes in market penetration, increasing price competition by existing or new foreign and domestic competitors, the introduction of new products by existing and new competitors, and new technology that may impact the way the company's products are sold or distributed; (13) deterioration in global economic conditions, or in economic conditions in any of the geographic regions in which the company conducts business, including additional adverse effects from global economic slowdown, terrorism or hostilities, including political risks associated with the potential instability of governments and legal systems in countries in which the company or its customers conduct business, and changes in currency valuations; (14) the impact of global conflicts on the economy, sourcing of raw materials, and commodity prices; (15) climate-related risks, including environmental and severe weather caused by climate changes, and legislative and regulatory initiatives addressing global climate change or other environmental concerns; (16) unanticipated litigation, claims or assessments, including claims or problems related to intellectual property, product liability or warranty, employment matters, regulatory compliance and environmental issues and taxes, among other matters; (17) cyber-related risks, including information technology system failures, interruptions and security breaches; and (18) the potential impact of pandemics, epidemics, widespread illness or other health issues. Further, this news release represents our current policy and intent and is not intended to create legal rights or obligations. Certain standards of measurement and performance contained in this news release are developing and based on assumptions, and no assurance can be given that any plan, objective, initiative, projection, goal, mission, commitment, expectation or prospect set forth in this news release can or will be achieved. Inclusion of information in this news release is not an indication that the subject or information is material to our business or operating results.

Additional risks relating to the company's business, the industries in which the company operates, or the company's common shares may be described from time to time in the company's filings with the SEC. All of these risk factors are difficult to predict, are subject to material uncertainties that may affect actual results and may be beyond the company's control. Readers are cautioned that it is not possible to predict or identify all of the risks, uncertainties and other factors that may affect future results and that the above list should not be considered to be a complete list. Except as required by the federal securities laws, the company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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SOURCE Metallus Inc.

FAQ

What is the ticker symbol of Metallus?

The ticker symbol of Metallus is MTUS.

How much funding did Metallus secure from the United States Army?

Metallus secured up to $99 million in funding from the United States Army.

What is the purpose of the funding received by Metallus?

The funding aims to enhance artillery shell production capacity and support approximately $60 million in incremental base sales annually.

When is Metallus targeting to have the new capability operational?

Metallus is targeting late 2025 for the new capability to be operational.

Who is the President and CEO of Metallus?

Mike Williams is the President and CEO of Metallus.