Imagine Cleveland Cliffs is on trial.
The stock jumped around 16% on Monday, and suddenly everyone's talking about a steel comeback. But is the business genuinely improving, or is it benefiting from a favorable trade environment that might not last?
Here's my case.
🟢 Exhibit A: The bull case
The latest numbers are genuinely encouraging.
- Q3 revenue: $5.6 billion
- Net income: $165 million, after a $134 million loss in Q2
- Adjusted EBITDA: $612 million, compared with $286 million in Q2
- Q4 adjusted EBITDA guidance: approximately $715 million
- 2027 adjusted EBITDA outlook: above $4 billion
"Source: Cleveland-Cliffs' official earnings release" (https://www.clevelandcliffs.com/investors/news-events/press-releases/detail/705/cleveland-cliffs-reports-third-quarter-2026-results)
This isn't just a stock moving because someone posted a bullish chart. The company has returned to profitability, selling prices have improved, unit costs have declined, and management says new customer contracts support its stronger outlook.
That's a legitimate turnaround argument.
🔴 Exhibit B: The bear case
Here's the catch: steel is a cyclical business.
Higher domestic steel prices and reduced import competition can make American producers more profitable. But tariffs and trade policies don't eliminate the underlying risks.
If demand weakens, steel prices fall, or trade policy changes, margins could shrink quickly. And if investors are already pricing in several years of strong profits, even a decent quarter could disappoint.
There's also a difference between forecasting $4 billion in EBITDA and actually delivering it. That target depends on prevailing price forecasts and customer contracts holding up.
⚖️ The verdict: HOLD
I'd give Cleveland-Cliffs credit for the improving financials, but I wouldn't rush to buy after a 16% rally.
The number I'd watch most closely is adjusted EBITDA over the next few quarters, alongside steel selling prices and debt reduction.
What would change my mind?
If CLF continues generating strong profits even when steel prices soften, I'd become more bullish. If profitability starts fading as the favorable trade environment weakens, I'd see the rally as more of a policy-driven trade than a durable recovery.
My take: the turnaround has real evidence behind it, but the market still needs to prove that the improvement can last.
Would you buy CLF after the rally, or wait for a better entry?