← NIPPON STEEL overview

NIPPON STEEL vs Reliance Steel & Aluminum: why the prices moved differently

Weekly · monthly · quarterly news summaries, side by side in time

NIPPON STEEL CORP. (5401.JP)

Q3 2026
▲3▼1

US Steel turnaround lifts profit forecast; Toyota price hike adds domestic boost

  • US Steel drives profit swing and forecast raise Nippon Steel swung to a 7.52 billion yen net profit in April–June, helped by US Steel, and raised its full-year net profit forecast by 70 billion yen to 290 billion yen. US Steel is now the group's top earner, with its operating profit outlook lifted to 180 billion yen or more. This directly boosts expected earnings and supports the share price.

    This is the core new financial event that changes the company's earnings outlook and is the main reason the stock is moving.

  • Toyota agrees to first steel price hike in four years Toyota and Nippon Steel agreed to raise steel prices by about 12,000 yen per ton from October, the first increase in four years. Because Toyota's price deal sets a benchmark for other industries, this signals better domestic pricing power and higher revenue ahead, lifting profit expectations.

    This is a new pricing event that directly improves Nippon Steel's domestic revenue and profitability outlook.

  • Defense Ministry buys former Kure steel site Nippon Steel signed a contract to sell its former Setouchi Works site in Kure, about 140 hectares, to Japan's Defense Ministry for a multi-purpose defense base. The land sale brings in cash and removes an idle asset, strengthening the balance sheet and funding other priorities.

    This is a new asset sale that improves capital efficiency and provides a one-time cash inflow.

  • US tariffs remain a risk to US Steel investment Nippon Steel's chairman called new U.S. tariffs unreasonable and a major blow to global manufacturing, noting they affect the company's over 2 trillion yen investment in US Steel. While the tariffs are not new, they remain a real counterweight that could pressure US Steel's earnings and the overall profit recovery.

    This is the main negative force that could offset the positive US Steel earnings story and is important for a fair picture.

August 2026
▲3▼1

US Steel turnaround lifts profit forecast; Toyota price hike adds domestic boost

  • US Steel drives profit swing and forecast raise Nippon Steel swung to a 7.52 billion yen net profit in April–June, helped by US Steel, and raised its full-year net profit forecast by 70 billion yen to 290 billion yen. US Steel is now the group's top earner, with its operating profit outlook lifted to 180 billion yen or more. This directly boosts expected earnings and supports the share price.

    This is the core new financial event that changes the company's earnings outlook and is the main reason the stock is moving.

  • Toyota agrees to first steel price hike in four years Toyota and Nippon Steel agreed to raise steel prices by about 12,000 yen per ton from October, the first increase in four years. Because Toyota's price deal sets a benchmark for other industries, this signals better domestic pricing power and higher revenue ahead, lifting profit expectations.

    This is a new pricing event that directly improves Nippon Steel's domestic revenue and profitability outlook.

  • Defense Ministry buys former Kure steel site Nippon Steel signed a contract to sell its former Setouchi Works site in Kure, about 140 hectares, to Japan's Defense Ministry for a multi-purpose defense base. The land sale brings in cash and removes an idle asset, strengthening the balance sheet and funding other priorities.

    This is a new asset sale that improves capital efficiency and provides a one-time cash inflow.

  • US tariffs remain a risk to US Steel investment Nippon Steel's chairman called new U.S. tariffs unreasonable and a major blow to global manufacturing, noting they affect the company's over 2 trillion yen investment in US Steel. While the tariffs are not new, they remain a real counterweight that could pressure US Steel's earnings and the overall profit recovery.

    This is the main negative force that could offset the positive US Steel earnings story and is important for a fair picture.

Latest
▲3▼1

US Steel turnaround lifts profit forecast; Toyota price hike adds domestic boost

  • US Steel drives profit swing and forecast raise Nippon Steel swung to a 7.52 billion yen net profit in April–June, helped by US Steel, and raised its full-year net profit forecast by 70 billion yen to 290 billion yen. US Steel is now the group's top earner, with its operating profit outlook lifted to 180 billion yen or more. This directly boosts expected earnings and supports the share price.

    This is the core new financial event that changes the company's earnings outlook and is the main reason the stock is moving.

  • Toyota agrees to first steel price hike in four years Toyota and Nippon Steel agreed to raise steel prices by about 12,000 yen per ton from October, the first increase in four years. Because Toyota's price deal sets a benchmark for other industries, this signals better domestic pricing power and higher revenue ahead, lifting profit expectations.

    This is a new pricing event that directly improves Nippon Steel's domestic revenue and profitability outlook.

  • Defense Ministry buys former Kure steel site Nippon Steel signed a contract to sell its former Setouchi Works site in Kure, about 140 hectares, to Japan's Defense Ministry for a multi-purpose defense base. The land sale brings in cash and removes an idle asset, strengthening the balance sheet and funding other priorities.

    This is a new asset sale that improves capital efficiency and provides a one-time cash inflow.

  • US tariffs remain a risk to US Steel investment Nippon Steel's chairman called new U.S. tariffs unreasonable and a major blow to global manufacturing, noting they affect the company's over 2 trillion yen investment in US Steel. While the tariffs are not new, they remain a real counterweight that could pressure US Steel's earnings and the overall profit recovery.

    This is the main negative force that could offset the positive US Steel earnings story and is important for a fair picture.

Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co (RS)

Q3 2026
▲2▼1

Record shipments and earnings beat, but Canadian tariff cut raises import risk

  • Record Q2 shipments and earnings beat Reliance sold a record 1.79 million tons in Q2, up 10.8% from a year ago, and earned $6.27 per share, beating estimates by 16.5%. Sales rose 26.5% to $4.63 billion. Strong demand and higher prices push the stock up because they show the business is growing and more profitable than expected.

    This is the core new event showing RS's business strength and directly explains the stock's recent gains.

  • Strong Q3 guidance with border wall boost Reliance expects Q3 earnings of $6.40 to $6.60 per share, including about 60 cents from the U.S. border wall project. This tells investors the good times are likely to continue, which supports a higher stock price.

    Forward guidance is new and gives investors confidence about future profits, a key driver of the stock.

  • US to halve Canadian steel and aluminum tariffs The US plans to cut tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum from 50% to 25%, which could let more lower-cost imports into the US. That raises competition for Reliance and may pressure its prices and profits, pushing the stock down.

    This is a new policy change that directly affects RS's competitive position and pricing power.

  • Input cost pressure and softer semiconductor demand Higher aluminum and other input costs, plus weaker semiconductor and commercial aerospace markets, are squeezing margins. This partly offsets the strong demand from construction and data centers, keeping the stock's rise in check.

    It is the main counterweight to the positive demand story and explains why the stock isn't rising even faster.

July 2026
▲2▼1

Record shipments and earnings beat, but Canadian tariff cut raises import risk

  • Record Q2 shipments and earnings beat Reliance sold a record 1.79 million tons in Q2, up 10.8% from a year ago, and earned $6.27 per share, beating estimates by 16.5%. Sales rose 26.5% to $4.63 billion. Strong demand and higher prices push the stock up because they show the business is growing and more profitable than expected.

    This is the core new event showing RS's business strength and directly explains the stock's recent gains.

  • Strong Q3 guidance with border wall boost Reliance expects Q3 earnings of $6.40 to $6.60 per share, including about 60 cents from the U.S. border wall project. This tells investors the good times are likely to continue, which supports a higher stock price.

    Forward guidance is new and gives investors confidence about future profits, a key driver of the stock.

  • US to halve Canadian steel and aluminum tariffs The US plans to cut tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum from 50% to 25%, which could let more lower-cost imports into the US. That raises competition for Reliance and may pressure its prices and profits, pushing the stock down.

    This is a new policy change that directly affects RS's competitive position and pricing power.

  • Input cost pressure and softer semiconductor demand Higher aluminum and other input costs, plus weaker semiconductor and commercial aerospace markets, are squeezing margins. This partly offsets the strong demand from construction and data centers, keeping the stock's rise in check.

    It is the main counterweight to the positive demand story and explains why the stock isn't rising even faster.

Latest
▲2▼1

Record shipments and earnings beat, but Canadian tariff cut raises import risk

  • Record Q2 shipments and earnings beat Reliance sold a record 1.79 million tons in Q2, up 10.8% from a year ago, and earned $6.27 per share, beating estimates by 16.5%. Sales rose 26.5% to $4.63 billion. Strong demand and higher prices push the stock up because they show the business is growing and more profitable than expected.

    This is the core new event showing RS's business strength and directly explains the stock's recent gains.

  • Strong Q3 guidance with border wall boost Reliance expects Q3 earnings of $6.40 to $6.60 per share, including about 60 cents from the U.S. border wall project. This tells investors the good times are likely to continue, which supports a higher stock price.

    Forward guidance is new and gives investors confidence about future profits, a key driver of the stock.

  • US to halve Canadian steel and aluminum tariffs The US plans to cut tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum from 50% to 25%, which could let more lower-cost imports into the US. That raises competition for Reliance and may pressure its prices and profits, pushing the stock down.

    This is a new policy change that directly affects RS's competitive position and pricing power.

  • Input cost pressure and softer semiconductor demand Higher aluminum and other input costs, plus weaker semiconductor and commercial aerospace markets, are squeezing margins. This partly offsets the strong demand from construction and data centers, keeping the stock's rise in check.

    It is the main counterweight to the positive demand story and explains why the stock isn't rising even faster.

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