CHICAGO - Ryerson Holding Corporation (NYSE: RYI), an industrial metals processor and distributor, announced its fourth-quarter and full-year financial results for the period ending December 31, 2023. The company reported a fourth-quarter net income of $26 million with an Adjusted EBITDA, excluding LIFO, of the same amount.
Despite a decrease in quarterly revenue to $1.1 billion, a 10.8% drop from the previous quarter, Ryerson achieved a diluted earnings per share of $0.74.
The company\'s operating cash flow for the quarter stood at $90 million, contributing to a full-year operating cash flow of $365 million. Ryerson\'s free cash flow for the fourth quarter was $65 million, part of a full-year total of $244 million. This financial performance comes amidst the backdrop of three acquisitions in the fourth quarter: Norlen Incorporated, TSA Processing, and Hudson (NYSE:HUD) Tool Steel Corporation.
Ryerson also published its 2023 Sustainability Report and announced a first-quarter 2024 dividend of $0.1875 per share, marking the tenth consecutive quarter of dividend growth. The company\'s net leverage ratio was reported within the target range at 1.7x, with a debt of $436 million and net debt of $382 million as of December 31, 2023.
For the full year, Ryerson\'s net income attributable to the corporation was $146 million, with an Adjusted EBITDA, excluding LIFO, of $231 million. The company delivered a full-year diluted earnings per share of $4.10 on revenue of $5.1 billion.
Ryerson\'s management pointed out that the year 2023 marked a significant investment cycle for the company, emphasizing their focus on creating a next-generation operating model and improving customer experience. Despite a slowdown in manufacturing activity and corrections in industry volumes, the company believes its investments will yield higher through-cycle earnings with less volatility.
Looking ahead to the first quarter of 2024, Ryerson anticipates a seasonal uptick in demand with customer shipments expected to rise by 8% to 10% quarter-over-quarter. The company forecasts first-quarter revenue to be in the range of $1.21 to $1.25 billion, with average selling prices expected to increase by 1% to 3%.
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