Metallus Inc
For the period ended May 7, 2025. Filed Mar 13, 2025.
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What shareholders are asked to vote on at a company's meeting. It is where to find what directors and top executives are paid, and who owns the most shares.
May 7, 2025 · Filed Mar 13, 2025
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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 14A
(RULE
14a-101)
SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No. )
Filed by the Registrant
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Filed by a Party other than the Registrant
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Check the appropriate box:
| ☐ | Preliminary Proxy Statement |
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| ☐ | Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2)) |
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| ☒ | Definitive Proxy Statement |
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| ☐ | Definitive Additional Materials |
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| ☐ | Soliciting Material Under §240.14a-12 |
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Metallus Inc.
(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)
Payment of Filing Fee (Check all boxes that apply):
| ☒ | No fee required. |
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| ☐ | Fee paid previously with preliminary materials. |
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| ☐ | Fee computed on table in exhibit required by Item 25(b) per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11. |
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Dear Shareholders,
Metallus Inc. invites you to attend its 2025 annual meeting of shareholders at 10 a.m. EDT on May 7, 2025. We will consider matters that are important to our company and to you, our investors.
Weak market demand across many of our end markets in 2024 drove lower ship tons and utilization rates, resulting in financial results well below expectations for 2024. Over the past few years and with a focus on continuous improvement, we have structurally enhanced our business to be more resilient against economic downturns such as those experienced in 2024. As a result, despite challenging market conditions, we delivered positive net income and operating cash flow in 2024 while maintaining a strong balance sheet and returning capital to shareholders through our share repurchase program.
This year underscored the importance of focusing on what we can control – namely investing in our people and our assets and nurturing our valued partnerships with our customers and suppliers. Throughout the year, our team remained focused on maintaining and investing in our world-class assets aimed at improving safety, quality and efficiency. In addition, we continued to provide training and development opportunities for our employees. We believe these actions are not only critical for our long-term growth but will help us emerge from the current downturn stronger and ready to capitalize on opportunities as market conditions improve.
In 2024, Metallus entered into an agreement with the U.S. Army for $99.75 million in funding to support their mission of increasing munitions production for national security in the upcoming years, as well as an agreement for $3.5 million in grants from JobsOhio. The agreements support the commissioning of two major assets: a continuous bloom reheat furnace and a roller hearth heat treat furnace. These assets are expected to enhance production capacity, improve processing efficiencies, increase first-time quality, and reduce yield loss, benefiting all our customers. The company received $53.5 million of the funding in 2024, with additional funding expected throughout 2025 and into early 2026 as mutually agreed upon milestones are achieved. The confidence placed in us by the U.S. Department of Defense has proudly established Metallus as a key materials supplier.
As we conduct our business, we consistently prioritize safety, which remains a core value at Metallus. In 2024, we spent approximately $8 million on safety equipment and comprehensive training programs company-wide, covering critical areas such as machine guarding upgrades, hand safety practices and training to prevent serious injuries or fatalities. Our goal is to ensure that our employees end each day injury and incident free. As a reminder, a significant portion of the annual incentive for each leader in our organization is tied directly to achieving specific safety targets.
In 2024, our teams made significant strides not only in safety but in other areas that we believe will drive long-term shareholder value, including:
| • | broadening our value-added processing services in multi-metals, including stainless steel and other high-alloy steels; |
| • | installing new camera technologies, in-line gauging to improve first-time quality, and an automated grinding line to improve operational efficiency and achieve significant cost reductions; |
| • | enhancing our manufacturing training and cross-training to develop our employees’ capabilities; |
| • | expanding our successful apprentice program to include our facility in Eaton, Ohio; and |
| • | focusing on leadership development and introducing a new cultural framework (Care, Communicate, Collaborate, Follow-Through, and Follow-Up) to support our company’s ongoing transformation. |
We remain committed to delivering value to our shareholders, as demonstrated by our capital allocation strategy which includes strategic reinvestment in our business and our ongoing share repurchase program. In 2024, the company invested $64.8 million in capital expenditures and deployed $54.8 million for shareholder return activities, further reducing diluted shares outstanding.
Despite the challenging market conditions we faced in 2024, Metallus reported 2024 net sales of $1.1 billion and recorded net income of $1.3 million, with adjusted EBITDA of $77.7 million(1)and operating cash flow of $40.3 million.
Looking ahead, our focus will continue to be on safety, exceptional customer service and advancing our strategic imperatives to drive sustainable profitability and cash flow in all market conditions. We are deeply grateful to our employees for their commitment and teamwork, our customers for their consistent trust, our reliable suppliers for their strong partnerships and our shareholders for their ongoing trust and support.
Sincerely,
| Ron Rice | Mike Williams |
|---|---|
| Chairman of the Board | President and Chief Executive Officer |
March 13, 2025
Enclosure
| (1) | Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure. Please see Appendix A for a reconciliation of this financial measure to the most comparable GAAP financial measure. |
Notice of annual meeting
of shareholders
Annual meeting information
Date: May 7, 2025
Time: 10 a.m. EDT
Place: The meeting will be held “virtually” over the internet atwww.cesonlineservices.com/mtus25_vm. There will be no in-person annual meeting.
Record date: February 28, 2025
Agenda
| 1. | Election of four directors to hold office for a three-year term expiring at the 2028 annual meeting |
| 2. | Ratification of the selection of Ernst & Young LLP as the company’s independent auditor for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025 |
| 3. | Approval, on an advisory basis, of the compensation of the company’s named executive officers |
Admission to the meeting
Only Metallus shareholders as of the close of business on February 28, 2025 (the record date for the annual meeting) are entitled to join the virtual meeting. To attend the virtual annual meeting, please follow the instructions set forth below under “Additional information.”
This proxy statement and the accompanying proxy card are being made available to shareholders beginning on or about March 20, 2025.
March 13, 2025
Kristine C. Syrvalin
Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Human Resources Officer
Your vote is important Please vote as soon as possible. Whether or not you plan to participate in the 2025 annual meeting of shareholders, please promptly vote on the internet, by phone or by mail. Voting early will help avoid additional solicitation costs and will not prevent you from voting electronically during the annual meeting if you wish to do so. How to vote:
Online: www.cesvote.com
Mail: If you received a printed version of the proxy materials, you may vote by mail.
During the annual meeting: If you participate in the virtual annual meeting, you may vote during the annual meeting by following the instructions set forth below under “Additional Information.”
Additional voting instructions are provided in this proxy statement and on the accompanying proxy card or on the notice of internet availability.
Important notice regarding the availability of proxy materials for the 2025 annual meeting of shareholders to be held on May 7, 2025: This proxy statement and our 2024 annual report to shareholders are available free of charge on the following website: www.proxydocs.com/mtus.
If you have not already done so, please consider signing up to receive proxy materials electronically by following the instructions when you vote your shares over the internet. Enrolling in electronic delivery reduces printing and mailing expenses and environmental impact.
Additional information
To register to attend the virtual annual meeting, please follow these instructions:
Registered Shareholders: If your shares are registered in your name with the company’s transfer agent or you are a participant holding Metallus shares in a 401(k) plan sponsored by Metallus and you wish to attend the virtual meeting, go towww.cesonlineservices.com/mtus25_vm. Please have your proxy card or notice of internet availability containing your 11- digit control number available and follow the instructions to complete your registration request. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with a link and instructions for accessing the virtual annual meeting. Requests to register to participate in the virtual annual meeting must be received no later than 10 a.m. EDT on May 6, 2025.
Beneficial Shareholders (those holding shares through a stock brokerage account or by a bank or other holder of record): Beneficial shareholders who wish to attend the virtual meeting may register by visiting the websitewww.cesonlineservices.com/mtus25_vm. Please have your voting instruction form, notice or other communication containing your control number available and follow the instructions to complete your registration request. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with a link and instructions for accessing the virtual annual meeting. Requests to register to participate in the virtual annual meeting must be received no later than 10 a.m. EDT on May 6, 2025.
If you do not register in advance following the instructions above, you will not be able to attend the annual meeting. If you need assistance registering, please contact our proxy solicitor, Innisfree M&A Incorporated, toll-free at (888)750-5834. The annual meeting will begin promptly at 10 a.m. EDT on May 7, 2025. We encourage you to access the annual meeting prior to the start time. Online access will begin at 9:30 a.m. EDT.
The virtual annual meeting platform is fully supported across browsers (Microsoft Edge, Firefox, Chrome and Safari) and devices (desktops, laptops, tablets and cell phones) running the most updated version of applicable software and plugins. Participants should ensure they have a strong internet connection wherever they intend to participate in the annual meeting. Participants also should allow plenty of time to log in and ensure that they can hear streaming audio prior to the start of the annual meeting.
In order to maintain the interactive nature of the virtual meeting, attendees will be able to vote during the annual meeting by clicking on the ‘Shareholder Ballot’ link located under the ‘Meeting Links’ section of the virtual meeting website.
If you wish to submit a question to be addressed at the annual meeting, please do so by submitting your question to MTUSRegister@Proxy-Agent.com in advance of the meeting. Questions will be accepted until 12 p.m. EDT on May 6, 2025.
Questions submitted by shareholders in accordance with the foregoing instructions and pertinent to the annual meeting will be answered during the annual meeting, subject to time constraints. We will respond to questions relevant to meeting matters that we do not have time to address during the meeting by posting the questions and answers on our investor relations website soon after the meeting. Questions regarding personal matters or matters not relevant to meeting matters will not be answered. Additional information regarding the ability of shareholders to ask questions during the annual meeting, related rules of conduct and other materials for the annual meeting will be available online during the meeting.
Even if you plan on attending the virtual annual meeting, we encourage you to vote your shares in advance using one of the methods described in this proxy statement to ensure that your vote will be represented at the annual meeting.
Technical Difficulties: If you experience any technical difficulties during the registration process, please access the ‘FAQ and System Test’ link on the login screen for support. If you experience technical difficulties during the virtual meeting, please access the ‘?’ link on the meeting website for support. In the event of technical difficulties with the virtual annual meeting, we expect that an announcement will be made onwww.cesonlineservices.com/mtus25_vm. If necessary, the announcement will provide updated information regarding the date, time and location of the annual meeting. Any updated information regarding the annual meeting will also be posted on our investor relations website atwww.metallus.com.
| Proxy summary | Our annual meeting | 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Director nominees | 1 | |
| Board skills and composition | 2 | |
| 2024 Performance | 3 | |
| Sustainability highlights | 4 | |
| Aligning pay with performance | 8 | |
| Looking ahead in 2025 | 10 | |
| Proposal 1 | Election of directors | 11 |
| Our knowledgeable Board of Directors | 12 | |
| Nominees for election | 13 | |
| Continuing directors | 15 | |
| Board of Directors information | Meetings and committees | 18 |
| Audit Committee | 18 | |
| Audit Committee report | 19 | |
| Compensation Committee | 20 | |
| Compensation Committee interlocks and insider participation | 21 | |
| Compensation Committee report | 21 | |
| Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee | 22 | |
| Director compensation | Cash compensation | 24 |
| Stock compensation | 25 | |
| Compensation deferral | 25 | |
| 2024 Director compensation table | 25 | |
| Our commitment to sustainability | Sustainability update disclosures | 27 |
| Investor outreach and shareholder engagement | 28 |
| Sustainability oversight and risk management | 28 | |
| Areas of focus | 30 | |
| Environmental stewardship | 31 | |
| Social commitment | 32 | |
| Corporate governance | Corporate Governance Guidelines | 35 |
|---|---|---|
| Code of Conduct | 35 | |
| Insider trading policy | 35 | |
| Anti-hedging policy | 36 | |
| Director independence | 36 | |
| Board leadership structure | 36 | |
| Annual board and committee evaluations | 37 | |
| Director tenure | 37 | |
| Director overboarding policy | 38 | |
| Risk oversight | 38 | |
| Related-party transactions approval policy | 40 | |
| Beneficial ownership of common stock | Directors and officers ownership | 41 |
| Five percent shareholders | 42 | |
| Proposal 2 | Ratification of selection of independent auditor | 43 |
| Appointment of independent auditor for 2025 | 43 | |
| Services of independent auditor for 2024 | 44 | |
| Audit Committee pre-approval policies and procedures | 44 | |
| Proposal 3 | Approval, on an advisory basis, of named executive officer compensation | 45 |
| Compensation discussion and analysis | Executive summary | 47 |
| Our compensation philosophy | 51 | |
| Determining compensation for 2024 | 52 |
| Primary elements of our executive compensation program | 54 | |
| Analysis of 2024 compensation | 55 | |
| Retirement and other benefits | 66 | |
| Other compensation program features | 67 | |
| Compensation ofnamed executive officers | 2024 Summary compensation table | 69 |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 Grants of plan-based awards table | 71 | |
| Outstanding equity awards at 2024 year-end table | 72 | |
| 2024 Option exercises and stock vested table | 74 | |
| Pension benefits | 75 | |
| 2024 Nonqualified deferred compensation table | 77 | |
| Potential payments upon termination or change in control | 78 | |
| CEO pay ratio | 82 | |
| Pay versus performance | 83 | |
| Annual meetinginformation | Questions and answers | 88 |
| Delinquent Section 16(a) reports | 92 | |
| General information | 92 | |
| Appendix A | Non-GAAP financial measures | A-1 |
Although we include references to our website throughout this proxy statement, information contained on or accessible through, including any reports available on, our website is not a part of, and is not incorporated by reference into, this proxy statement or any other report or document we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Any reference to our website throughout this proxy statement is intended to be an inactive textual reference only. “Material” or “materiality,” as used in the “Our commitment to sustainability” section, should not be read as equating to any use of the word in our other reporting or filings with the SEC.
Certain statements set forth in this proxy statement (including our forecasts, beliefs and expectations) that are not historical in nature are “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally will be accompanied by words such as “anticipate,” “aspire,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “outlook,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “strategic direction,” “strategy,” “target,” “will,” “would,” or other similar words, phrases or expressions that convey the uncertainty of future events or outcomes. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this proxy statement. We caution readers that actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of us due to a variety of factors, such as:
| • | the effects of fluctuations in customer demand on sales, product mix and prices in the industries in which we operate. This includes: our ability 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 the U.S. markets; |
| • | changes in operating costs, including the effect of changes in our manufacturing processes; changes in costs associated with varying levels of operations and manufacturing capacity; availability of raw materials and energy; our ability to mitigate the impact of fluctuations in raw materials and energy costs and the effectiveness of our 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; |
| • | the success of our operating plans, announced programs, initiatives and capital investments; the consistency to meet demand levels following unplanned downtime; and our ability to maintain appropriate relations with the union that represents our associates in certain locations in order to avoid disruptions of business; |
| • | whether we are able to successfully implement actions designed to improve profitability on anticipated terms and timetables and whether we are able to fully realize the expected benefits of such actions; |
| • | the company’s pension obligations and investment performance; |
| • | 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; |
| • | availability of property insurance coverage at commercially reasonable rates or insufficient insurance coverage to cover claims or damages; |
| • | the availability of financing and interest rates, which affect the company’s cost of funds and/or ability to raise capital; |
| • | the effects of the conditional conversion feature of the Convertible Senior Notes due 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; |
| • | the impacts from any repurchases of our common shares and convertible notes, including the timing and amount of any repurchases; |
| • | 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 our products are sold or distributed; |
| • | deterioration in global economic conditions, or in economic conditions in any of the geographic regions in which we conduct business, including additional adverse effects from global economic slowdown, terrorism or hostilities. This includes: political risks associated with the potential instability of governments and legal systems in countries in which we or our customers conduct business, and changes in currency valuations; |
| • | the impact of global conflicts on the economy, sourcing of raw materials, and commodity prices; |
| • | 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; |
| • | 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; |
| • | cyber-related risks, including information technology system failures, interruptions and security breaches; |
| • | the potential impact of pandemics, epidemics, widespread illness or other health issues; |
| • | with respect to the equipment investments to support the U.S. Army’s mission of ramping up munitions production in the coming years, whether the funding awarded to support these investments 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; and |
You 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, we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Further, information included in this proxy statement 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 proxy statement are developing and based on assumptions, and no assurance can be given that any plan, objective, initiative, projection, goal, target, mission, commitment, expectation, or prospect set forth in this proxy statement can or will be achieved. Inclusion of information in this proxy statement is not an indication that the subject or information is material to our business or operating results.
Proxy summary
This summary highlights information contained elsewhere in this proxy statement and contains only a portion of the information you should consider. You should read the entire proxy statement carefully before voting.
Our annual meeting
| Date and time | Record date | Place | Who can vote |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 7, 2025 10 a.m. EDT | February 28, 2025 | There will be no in-person meeting. The meeting will be held “virtually” over the internet. | Shareholders of record of common shares at the close of business on February 28, 2025. |
| Item | Proposals | Board vote recommendations | Page # |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Election of four directors to a three-year term expiring at the 2028 annual meeting | FOR ALL director nominees | 11 |
| 2 | Ratification of the selection of Ernst & Young LLP as the company’s independent auditor for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025 | FOR | 43 |
| 3 | Approval, on an advisory basis, of the compensation of the company’s named executive officers | FOR | 45 |
Director nominees
| Name · Age · Director since · Principal occupation · Independent · Current committee memberships · Other publiccompany boards | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audit · Compensation · Nominating andCorporateGovernance | ||||||||
| Kenneth V. Garcia | 55 | 2021 | Co-Founder & President, WarmHub, Inc. | ● | ● | 0 | ||
| Ellis A. Jones | 59 | 2021 | Retired Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer, The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company | ● | ● | ● | 0 | |
| Melissa M. Miller | 53 | 2024 | Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, Arconic Corporation | ● | ● | 1 | ||
| Donald T. Misheff | 68 | 2014 | Retired Managing Partner - Northeast Ohio, Ernst & Young LLP | ● | ● | 0 | ||
Board skills and composition
Our directors and director nominees possess a broad mix of executive leadership, strategic, financial, human resources, sustainability and industry experience and skills that enable them to effectively oversee the management of the business and drive strategy that creates long-term, sustainable shareholder value.
The text of this filing, as the company filed it with the SEC, without its images or exhibits. This is not investment advice.