STEEL DYNAMICS INC

Previous wording

Our financial results are substantially dependent not only upon overall economic conditions in the United States and globally, including North America, Europe and in Asia, but also as they may affect one or more of the industries upon which we depend for the sale of our products. Global or domestic actions or conditions, including political actions, trade policies or restrictions, proposed or actual changes in tax laws, such as those introduced, proposed or actual regulation, including those related to the environment, interest rates, terrorism, acts of war or hostility, natural disasters, or pandemics, epidemics, widespread illness or other health issues, could result in changing economic conditions in the United States and globally, disruptions to or slowdowns in our business, our supply chain, or our global or domestic industry, or those of our customers or suppliers upon whom we are dependent. Additionally, periods of slower than anticipated economic growth could reduce customer confidence and adversely affect demand for our products and further adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows. Metals industries have historically been vulnerable to significant declines in consumption and product pricing during periods of economic downturn or continued uncertainty, including the pace of domestic non-residential construction activity.

Current wording

Our financial results are substantially dependent not only upon overall economic conditions in the United States and globally, including North America, Europe and in Asia, but also as they may affect one or more of the industries upon which we depend for the sale of our products. Global or domestic actions or conditions, including political actions, proposed or actual trade policies or restrictions, including tariffs or quotas, proposed or actual changes in tax laws, including the sunset of certain tax laws, proposed or actual regulation, including those related to the environment, interest rates, terrorism, acts of war or hostility, natural disasters, or pandemics, epidemics, widespread illness or other health issues, could result in changing economic conditions in the United States and globally, disruptions to or slowdowns in our business, our supply chain, or our global or domestic industry, or those of our customers or suppliers upon whom we are dependent. Additionally, periods of slower than anticipated economic growth could reduce customer confidence and adversely affect demand for our products and further adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows. Metals industries have historically been vulnerable to significant declines in consumption and product pricing during periods of economic downturn or continued uncertainty.

Previous wording

United States steel producers compete with many foreign producers, including those in China, Vietnam and other Asian and European countries. Competition from foreign producers is typically strong and is periodically exacerbated by weakening of the economies of certain foreign steelmaking countries, at times leading to imports of steel involving dumping and subsidy abuses by foreign steel producers. Some foreign steel producers are owned, controlled or subsidized by foreign governments. As a result, decisions by these producers with respect to their production, sales and pricing are sometimes influenced to a greater degree by political and economic policy considerations than by prevailing market conditions, realities of the marketplace or consideration of profit or loss. Additionally, at times when iron ore prices are low, disruption of the scrap price correlation to iron ore may occur, which may lead to reduced global costs to produce steel, further depressing steel import prices. A higher volume of steel imports into the United States tends to occur at depressed prices when foreign steelmaking countries experience periods of economic difficulty, decreased demand for steel products or excess capacity. The global steelmaking overcapacity is exacerbated by Chinese steel production capacity that far exceeds that country’s demand and has made China a major global exporter of steel, resulting in weakened global steel pricing than otherwise would be expected. While measures to curb unfair trade such as tariffs, duties or quotas, along with trade agreements with other countries, have decreased the volume of steel and steel products imports, domestic steel and steel products prices can be negatively impacted by excessive imports of steel and steel products. Should current tariffs, duties or quotas expire or be relaxed, repealed or circumvented by importers of steel and steel products, or should trade agreements be renegotiated, downward pressure may be exerted on United States steel and steel products prices, which may adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.

Current wording

United States steel producers compete with many foreign producers, including those in China, Vietnam and other Asian and European countries. Competition from foreign producers is typically strong and is periodically exacerbated by weakening of the economies of certain foreign steelmaking countries, at times leading to imports of steel involving dumping and subsidy abuses by foreign steel producers. Some foreign steel producers are owned, controlled or subsidized by foreign governments. As a result, decisions by these producers with respect to their production, sales and pricing are sometimes influenced to a greater degree by political and economic policy considerations than by prevailing market conditions, realities of the marketplace or consideration of profit or loss. Additionally, at times when iron ore prices are low, disruption of the scrap price correlation to iron ore may occur, which may lead to reduced global costs to produce steel, further depressing steel import prices. A higher volume of steel imports into the United States tends to occur at depressed prices when foreign steelmaking countries experience periods of economic difficulty, decreased demand for steel products or excess capacity. The global steelmaking overcapacity is exacerbated by Chinese steel production capacity that far exceeds that country’s demand and has made China a major global exporter of steel, resulting in weakened global steel pricing than otherwise would be expected. While measures to curb unfair trade such as tariffs, duties or quotas, along with trade agreements with other countries, have decreased the volume of steel and steel products imports, domestic steel and steel products prices can be negatively impacted by excessive imports of steel and steel products. Should current or new tariffs, duties or quotas expire or be relaxed, repealed or circumvented by importers of steel and steel products, or should trade agreements be renegotiated, downward pressure may be exerted on United States steel and steel products prices, which may adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.

Previous wording

Pandemics, epidemics, widespread illness or other health issues may adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition, cash flows, liquidity and stock price. Government actions globally, including United States federal and state governmental actions, related to pandemics, epidemics, widespread illness or other health issues have historically impacted demand for our products, our supply chain, our employees, the economy generally, inflation and high interest rates, and any similar future actions may result in similar or additional impacts.

Current wording

Pandemics, epidemics, widespread illness or other health issues may adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition, cash flows, liquidity and stock price. Government actions globally, including United States federal and state governmental actions, related to pandemics, epidemics, widespread illness or other health issues have historically impacted demand for our products, our supply chain, our employees, the economy generally, inflation and interest rates, and any similar future actions may result in similar or additional impacts.

Previous wording

we require in our production activities. The prices for and availability of electricity, natural gas, oil and other energy resources, including renewable or other clean energy sources, are subject to regulation and volatile market conditions, often affected by weather conditions as well as political, environmental and economic factors beyond our control. As large consumers of electricity and natural gas, we must have dependable delivery in order to operate. Accordingly, we are at risk in the event of an energy disruption, including power outages, power unavailability or inability to obtain power at a reasonable price or with sufficient desired environmental attributes. Prolonged blackouts, curtailments or disruptions caused by natural disasters or by political or environmental considerations would substantially disrupt our production. Since a significant portion of our finished products are delivered by truck, unforeseen fluctuations in the price of fuel would also adversely affect our costs or the costs of many of our customers.

Current wording

We consume large amounts of energy to melt scrap, reheat semi-finished products for rolling into finished products and perform other steps necessary to our production process. We rely on third parties for the supply of energy resources we require in our production activities. The prices for and availability of electricity, natural gas, oil and other energy resources, including renewable or other clean energy sources, are subject to regulation and volatile market conditions, often affected by weather conditions as well as political, environmental and economic factors beyond our control. As large consumers of electricity and natural gas, we must have dependable delivery in order to operate. Accordingly, we are at risk in the event of an energy disruption, including power outages, power unavailability or inability to obtain power at a reasonable price or with sufficient desired environmental attributes. Prolonged blackouts, curtailments or disruptions caused by natural disasters or by political or environmental considerations would substantially disrupt our production. Since a significant portion of our finished products are delivered by truck, unforeseen fluctuations in the price of fuel would also adversely affect our costs or the costs of many of our customers.

Previous wording

Increased environmental, GHG emissions and sustainability considerations from our customers or related regulations could affect demand for our products and add significant costs.

Current wording

Increased environmental, GHG emissions and sustainability considerations from our customers and investors or related regulations could affect demand for our products and add significant costs.

Previous wording

Additionally, governmental agencies, regulators, investors or other groups have introduced, and may request or require, environmental monitoring, disclosures or regulations in response to the potential impacts of climate change. International treaties or agreements may also result in increasing regulation of GHG emissions, including the introduction of carbon emissions limitations or trading mechanisms. Any such regulation or disclosure requirement could impose significant costs on our operations and on the operations of our customers and suppliers, including increased energy, capital equipment, emissions controls, environmental monitoring and reporting and other costs in order to comply with current or future laws, regulations or demands concerning the environment, climate change, GHG emissions and sustainability. Any adopted regulations could negatively impact our ability, and that of our customers and suppliers, to compete with companies situated in areas not subject to or not complying with such regulations, or could affect our environmental disclosures for any allowances, offsets or credits. We may see an increase in costs relating to our assets that emit GHGs as a result of these initiatives, which may impact our operations directly or through our customers and suppliers.

Current wording

Additionally, governmental agencies, regulators, investors or other groups have introduced, and may request or require, environmental monitoring, disclosures or regulations in response to the potential impacts of climate change. International treaties or agreements may also result in increasing regulation of GHG emissions, including carbon emissions limitations or trading mechanisms. Any such regulation or disclosure requirement could impose significant costs on our operations and on the operations of our customers and suppliers, including increased energy, capital equipment, emissions controls, environmental monitoring and reporting and other costs in order to comply with current or future laws, regulations or demands concerning the environment, climate change, GHG emissions and sustainability. Any adopted regulations could negatively impact our ability, and that of our customers and suppliers, to compete with companies situated in areas not subject to or not complying with such regulations, or could affect our environmental disclosures for any allowances, offsets or credits. We may see an increase in costs relating to our assets that emit GHGs as a result of these initiatives, which may impact our operations directly or through our customers and suppliers.

Previous wording

●the generation, storage, treatment, handling and disposal of solid and hazardous waste and secondary materials;

Current wording

●the generation, storage, treatment, handling and disposal of solid and hazardous wastes and secondary materials;

Previous wording

Compliance with environmental laws and regulations, which affect our EAF steelmaking, metals recycling, liquid pig-iron, and copper and aluminum production operations, is a significant factor in our business. We are required to obtain and comply with environmental permits and licenses, and failure to obtain or renew or the violation of any permit or license may result in substantial fines and penalties, capital expenditures, operational changes, suspension of operations and/or the closure of a subject facility. Similarly, delays, increased costs and/or the imposition of onerous conditions to the securing or renewal of permits may adversely affect these operations.

Current wording

Compliance with environmental laws and regulations, which affect our EAF steelmaking, metals recycling, liquid pig-iron, and copper and aluminum production operations, is a significant factor in our business. We are required to obtain and comply with environmental permits and licenses, and failure to obtain or renew or the violation of any permit or license may result in substantial fines and penalties, capital expenditures, operational changes, suspension of operations or the closure of a subject facility. Similarly, delays, increased costs or the imposition of onerous conditions to the securing or renewal of permits may adversely affect these operations.

Previous wording

Federal and state environmental laws enable federal and state agencies and certain private parties to recover from owners, operators, generators and transporters the cost of investigation and cleanup of sites at which wastes or hazardous substances were disposed and/or migrated. In connection with these laws, we may be required to clean up contamination discovered at our sites including contamination that may have been caused by former owners or operators of the sites, to conduct additional cleanup at sites that have already had some cleanup performed, to address emerging and newly-regulated contaminants such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and 1,4-dioxane, and/or to perform cleanup with regard to sites formerly used in connection with our operations.

Current wording

Federal and state environmental laws enable federal and state agencies and certain private parties to recover from owners, operators, generators and transporters the cost of investigation and cleanup of sites at which wastes or hazardous substances were disposed and/or migrated. In connection with these laws, we may be required to clean up contamination discovered at our sites including contamination that may have been caused by former owners or operators of the sites, to conduct additional cleanup at sites that have already had some cleanup performed, to address emerging and newly-regulated contaminants such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and 1,4-dioxane, or to perform cleanup with regard to sites formerly used in connection with our operations.

Previous wording

In addition, we may be required to pay for, or to pay a portion of, the costs of cleanup at sites to which we sent materials for disposal or recycling, notwithstanding that the original disposal or recycling activity may have complied with all regulatory requirements then in effect. Under certain laws, a party can be held jointly and severally liable for all of the cleanup costs associated with a disposal site. In practice, a liable party often splits the costs of cleanup with other potentially responsible parties. We have received notices from the United States EPA, state agencies and third parties that we have been identified as potentially responsible for the costs of investigating and cleaning up a number of disposal sites. In most cases, many other parties are also named as potentially responsible parties and also contribute to payment of those costs.

Current wording

In addition, we may be required to pay for, or to pay a portion of, the costs of cleanup at sites to which we sent materials for disposal or recycling, notwithstanding that the original disposal or recycling activity may have complied with all regulatory requirements then in effect. Under certain laws, a party can be held jointly and severally liable for all of the cleanup costs associated with a disposal site. In practice, a liable party often splits the costs of cleanup with other

Previous wording

Additionally, during 2022 we announced our planned project to construct and operate a recycled aluminum flat rolled products mill with an anticipated annual production capacity of 650,000 tonnes of finished products to be located in Columbus, Mississippi, with two supporting satellite recycling aluminum slab centers. Although we anticipate being able to effectively compete in the aluminum industry, along with the other risks described herein, we may face unexpected and enhanced competition, which may adversely affect the expected contributions of our aluminum operations and our resulting business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Current wording

Additionally, our recycled aluminum flat rolled products mill with an anticipated annual production capacity of 650,000 metric tons of finished products located in Columbus, Mississippi is expected to produce commercially viable products by mid-year 2025. Although we anticipate being able to effectively compete in the aluminum industry, along with the other risks described herein, including delays or difficulties with our start-up, we may face unexpected and enhanced competition, which may adversely affect the expected contributions of our aluminum operations and our resulting business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Previous wording

Increased cybersecurity and information technology security requirements, vulnerabilities and threats and a rise in sophisticated and targeted cybercrime, all of which may be heightened during times of war or hostilities, pose a risk to the security and functionality of our systems and information networks, and to the confidentiality, availability and integrity of sensitive data, including intellectual property, proprietary information, financial information, customer and supplier information, and personally identifiable information. Additionally, cybersecurity vulnerabilities or attacks could result in an interruption of the functionality of our automated and electronically controlled manufacturing operating systems, which, if compromised, could cease, threaten, delay or slow down our ability to melt, roll or otherwise process steel or any of our other products for the duration of such interruption. Our customers and suppliers may also store certain of our sensitive information on their information technology systems, which if breached or attacked, could likewise expose our sensitive information. Similarly, information system vendors and software suppliers may experience a cybersecurity or information technology breach that exposes our systems or sensitive data. Any of these cybersecurity

Current wording

Increased cybersecurity and information technology security requirements, vulnerabilities and threats and a rise in sophisticated and targeted cybercrime, all of which may be heightened during times of war or hostilities, pose a risk to the security and functionality of our systems and information networks, and to the confidentiality, availability and integrity of sensitive data, including intellectual property, proprietary information, financial information, customer and supplier information, and personally identifiable information. Additionally, cybersecurity vulnerabilities or attacks could result in an interruption of the functionality of our automated and electronically controlled manufacturing operating systems, which, if compromised, could cease, threaten, delay or slow down our ability to melt, roll or otherwise process

Previous wording

Our growth strategy subjects us to various risks. As part of our growth strategy, we may expand existing facilities, enter into new business lines, products or process initiatives, acquire or build additional plants, acquire other businesses and assets, enter into joint ventures, or form strategic alliances that we believe will complement our existing business. These expansions and transactions, including our planned recycled aluminum flat rolled products mill with an anticipated annual production capacity of 650,000 tonnes of finished products to be located in Columbus, Mississippi, may involve some or all of the following risks:

Current wording

Our growth strategy subjects us to various risks. As part of our growth strategy, we may expand existing facilities, enter into new business lines, territories, products or process initiatives, acquire or build additional plants, acquire other businesses and assets, enter into joint ventures, or form strategic alliances that we believe will complement our existing business. These expansions and transactions, including our recycled aluminum flat rolled products mill with an anticipated annual production capacity of 650,000 metric tons of finished products located in Columbus, Mississippi, may involve some or all of the following risks:

Previous wording

● the risk of a newly constructed facility being completed over budget or not on time, including due to equipment delays or labor shortages;

Current wording

● the risk of a newly constructed facility being completed over budget or not on time, including due to equipment delays or labor shortages, or having delays or difficulties with its start-up;

Previous wording

Delays in achieving full operational capacity at our Sinton Flat Roll Division has and may continue to, and any delays in our announced planned recycled aluminum flat rolled products mill may, adversely affect our prospects, business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Current wording

Delays in achieving full operational capacity at our Sinton Flat Roll Division has and may continue to, and any delays in our recycled aluminum flat rolled products mill may, adversely affect our prospects, business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Previous wording

Interruptions in our production capabilities may adversely affect our production costs, products available for sale and earnings during the affected period. In addition to equipment failures, our facilities are subject to the risk of catastrophic loss due to unanticipated events such as fires, explosions or violent weather conditions. Our manufacturing processes are dependent upon critical pieces of steelmaking equipment, such as our EAFs, continuous casters and rolling equipment, some of which are controlled by our information technology systems, as well as electrical equipment, such as transformers. This equipment may, on occasion, be out of service as a result of unanticipated failures or other events, including equipment failure, power surges, cybersecurity breaches or attacks or system failures. Further, we have experienced and may continue to experience ramp-up inefficiencies at our Sinton Flat Roll Division, including those related to major equipment failures. We have experienced and in the future may experience plant shutdowns or periods of reduced production as a result of equipment failures or other events. Supply chain disruptions and labor shortages have and may continue to exacerbate the effects of equipment failures. These disruptions may adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Current wording

Interruptions in our production capabilities may adversely affect our production costs, products available for sale and earnings during the affected period. In addition to equipment failures, our facilities are subject to the risk of catastrophic loss due to unanticipated events such as fires, explosions or violent weather conditions. Our manufacturing processes are dependent upon critical pieces of steelmaking equipment, such as our EAFs, continuous casters and rolling equipment, some of which are controlled by our information technology systems, as well as electrical equipment, such as transformers. This equipment may, on occasion, be out of service as a result of unanticipated failures or other events, including equipment failure, power surges, cybersecurity breaches or attacks or system failures. Further, we have experienced and may continue to experience inefficiencies at our Sinton Flat Roll Division, including those related to major equipment failures. We have experienced and in the future may experience plant shutdowns or periods of reduced production as a result of equipment failures or other events. Supply chain disruptions and labor shortages have and may continue to exacerbate the effects of equipment failures. These disruptions may adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Previous wording

Accordingly, we periodically test goodwill, and other assets such as long-lived tangible and intangible assets, right of use assets and equity method investments when indicators of impairment are present, to determine whether their estimated fair value is in fact less than their value recorded on our balance sheet. If we determine that the fair value of any of these assets, from whatever cause, is less than the value recorded on our balance sheet, we are required to incur non-cash asset impairment charges that adversely affect our results of operations. There can be no assurances that market dynamics or other factors may not result in future impairment charges.

Current wording

Accordingly, we periodically test goodwill, and other assets such as long-lived tangible assets and intangible assets, right of use assets and equity method investments when indicators of impairment are present, to determine whether their estimated fair value is in fact less than their value recorded on our balance sheet. If we determine that the fair value of any of these assets, from whatever cause, is less than the value recorded on our balance sheet, we are required to incur non-cash asset impairment charges that adversely affect our results of operations. There can be no assurances that market dynamics or other factors may not result in future impairment charges.