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Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Markets question how soon Nippon Steel will see gains from $15 billion US Steel bid
Nippon Steel investors and analysts are asking if its $15-billion deal to buy U.S. Steel , backed but not yet approved by President Donald Trump , is positive for the near term, even if its hopes for strong U.S. demand materialise. Such a merger would create the world's third-largest steel producer by volume, after China's Baowu Steel Group and Luxembourg-based ArcelorMittal, data from the World Steel Association (WorldSteel) shows. The "planned partnership" would create at least 70,000 jobs and add $14 billion to the U.S. economy via Nippon Steel's additional investments, Trump said last week. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like New Container Houses Indonesia (Prices May Surprise You) Container House | Search ads Search Now While full details of the deal remain unclear, U.S. Steel shares surged 21% on the news and Nippon Steel gained 7%. Also Read: How Nippon Steel's top negotiator fought sleeplessly to revive $14.9 bn US Steel deal Live Events Nippon Steel did not exclude issuing new shares to fund the takeover, Vice Chairman Takahiro Mori said in December, after having already raised some funds through hybrid financing and asset sales. "If the new equity is issued, investors will rightly be asking: is this the best possible use of capital at this moment?" said Fiona Deutsch, lead analyst with Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility (ACCR). The company had pledged an investment of up to $4 billion in a new coal-dependent blast furnace, said Deutsch, whose climate activist group holds less than 1% of Nippon Steel's shares. That plan, part of a wider investment commitment of $14 billion, comes "at a time when the global steel sector is shifting towards low-carbon alternatives", she added. Unveiling the deal in late 2023, Nippon Steel offered $55 for each share of U.S. Steel, for a premium of 40% at the time. U.S. Steel shares closed at $53.3 on Wednesday. "There's a lot of immediate negative effects, even though the long-term effect may be positive," said an adviser to institutional investors on strategies for Nippon Steel. The adviser cited the dilution as a further deterrent, apart from the high offer price and additional investment commitments. Nippon Steel did not reply to a Reuters request for a comment. "In the short term, there are concerns about financing," said Shinichiro Ozaki, a senior analyst at Daiwa Securities. "Given that U.S. Steel reported a net loss for the January-March period, the stock market may worry about the limited likelihood of a short-term return on the investment." Shares of Nippon Steel were up 0.8% in Tokyo afternoon trade, underperforming a rise of 1.9% in the benchmark Nikkei index. STRATEGIC GOALS Projections for domestic demand to stay weak have pushed Nippon Steel, which is Japan's largest steelmaker, and others to look to overseas expansion, while they consider shutting some blast furnaces at home. U.S. Steel is key to Nippon Steel's goal to raise its global output capacity to more than 100 million metric tons a year from 63 million tons now, as it aims to benefit from demand in India and the United States. Both markets are relatively protected from vast steel exports from China, the world's top producer, thanks to protectionist measures they have adopted, such as tariffs. Also Read: China urges US to 'fully cancel wrongful unilateral tariffs' In March, Nippon Steel President Tadashi Imai, who also chairs the Japan Iron and Steel Federation, warned that U.S. auto and steel tariffs could cut several million tons from Japan's annual steel output to below 80 million tons. Ownership of U.S. Steel could provide a shield for Nippon Steel from the impact of tariffs on non-U.S. operations, said Alistair Ramsay, vice president of Rystad Energy. "Should underlying demand in the United States begin and continue to recover, then we would expect the investment to pay off in good time, regardless of the duration of tariffs," he said. "But that's a big if, given how far the U.S. market has shrunk over the past few years, never mind this century." U.S. steel consumption is expected to rise by 2% this year after a drop of 1.5% in 2024, according to WorldSteel. Trump is expected to talk about the deal during a rally on Friday at a U.S. Steel plant in Pennsylvania. If the deal goes ahead, U.S. Steel will have an American chief executive and a majority-U.S. board with a so-called "golden share" for the United States, conferring veto power over key decisions, a U.S. senator has said. This month, Nippon Steel said it would cut its dividend for the current fiscal year to 120 yen ($0.824) a share, off last year's 160 yen, and its lowest since 2021, amid a projected fall in profits, but the overall payout ratio would stay at 30%. "For the investor who cares about the share price today, you wouldn't be looking at factoring in synergies based on what you think might happen in two to three years," said the adviser, who sought anonymity as the matter is a sensitive one.
Business Recorder
2 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
Markets ask how soon Nippon Steel will benefit from $15 billion bid for U.S. Steel
TOKYO: Nippon Steel investors and analysts are asking if its $15-billion deal to buy U.S. Steel, backed but not yet approved by President Donald Trump, is positive for the near term, even if its hopes for strong U.S. demand materialise. Such a merger would create the world's third-largest steel producer by volume, after China's Baowu Steel Group and Luxembourg-based ArcelorMittal, data from the World Steel Association (WorldSteel) shows. The 'planned partnership' would create at least 70,000 jobs and add $14 billion to the U.S. economy via Nippon Steel's additional investments, Trump said last week. While full details of the deal remain unclear, U.S. Steel shares surged 21% on the news and Nippon Steel gained 7%. Nippon Steel did not exclude issuing new shares to fund the takeover, Vice Chairman Takahiro Mori said in December, after having already raised some funds through hybrid financing and asset sales. 'If the new equity is issued, investors will rightly be asking: is this the best possible use of capital at this moment?' said Fiona Deutsch, lead analyst with Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility (ACCR). The company had pledged an investment of up to $4 billion in a new coal-dependent blast furnace, said Deutsch, whose climate activist group holds less than 1% of Nippon Steel's shares. That plan, part of a wider investment commitment of $14 billion, comes 'at a time when the global steel sector is shifting towards low-carbon alternatives', she added. Nippon Steel shares were up 1% by 0405 GMT, outperforming the overall Nikkei index which was up 1.6%. Unveiling the deal in late 2023, Nippon Steel offered $55 for each share of U.S. Steel, for a premium of 40% at the time. U.S. Steel shares closed at $53.3 on Wednesday. 'There's a lot of immediate negative effects, even though the long-term effect may be positive,' said an adviser to institutional investors on strategies for Nippon Steel. He cited the dilution as a further deterrent, besides the high offer price and additional investment commitments. Nippon Steel did not reply to a Reuters request for a comment. 'In the short term, there are concerns about financing,' said Shinichiro Ozaki, a senior analyst at Daiwa Securities. 'Given that U.S. Steel reported a net loss for the January-March period, the stock market may worry about the limited likelihood of a short-term return on the investment.' Strategic goals Projections that domestic demand will stay weak have pushed Nippon Steel, which is Japan's largest steelmaker, and others to look to overseas expansion, while they consider shutting some blast furnaces at home. U.S. Steel is key to Nippon Steel's goal to raise its global output capacity to more than 100 million metric tons a year from 63 million tons now, as it aims to benefit from demand in India and the United States. Nippon Steel shares climb after Trump offers support for U.S. Steel deal Both markets are relatively protected from vast steel exports from China, the world's top producer, thanks to protectionist measures they have adopted, such as tariffs. In March, Nippon Steel President Tadashi Imai, who also chairs the Japan Iron and Steel Federation, warned that U.S. auto and steel tariffs could cut several million tons from Japan's annual steel output to below 80 million tons. Ownership of U.S. Steel could provide a shield for Nippon Steel from the impact of tariffs on non-U.S. operations, said Alistair Ramsay, vice president of Rystad Energy. 'Should underlying demand in the United States begin and continue to recover, then we would expect the investment to pay off in good time, regardless of the duration of tariffs,' he said. 'But that's a big if, given how far the U.S. market has shrunk over the past few years, never mind this century.' U.S. steel consumption is expected to rise by 2% this year after a drop of 1.5% in 2024, according to WorldSteel. This month, Nippon Steel said it would cut its dividend for the current fiscal year to 120 yen a share, off last year's 160 yen, and its lowest since 2021, amid a projected fall in profits, but the overall payout ratio would stay at 30%. 'For the investor who cares about the share price today, you wouldn't be looking at factoring in synergies based on what you think might happen in two to three years,' said the adviser, who sought anonymity as the matter is a sensitive one.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Markets ask how soon Nippon Steel will benefit from $15 billion bid for U.S. Steel
By Katya Golubkova and Anton Bridge TOKYO (Reuters) -Nippon Steel investors and analysts are asking if its $15-billion deal to buy U.S. Steel, backed but not yet approved by President Donald Trump, is positive for the near term, even if its hopes for strong U.S. demand materialise. Such a merger would create the world's third-largest steel producer by volume, after China's Baowu Steel Group and Luxembourg-based ArcelorMittal, data from the World Steel Association (WorldSteel) shows. The "planned partnership" would create at least 70,000 jobs and add $14 billion to the U.S. economy via Nippon Steel's additional investments, Trump said last week. While full details of the deal remain unclear, U.S. Steel shares surged 21% on the news and Nippon Steel gained 7%. Nippon Steel did not exclude issuing new shares to fund the takeover, Vice Chairman Takahiro Mori said in December, after having already raised some funds through hybrid financing and asset sales. "If the new equity is issued, investors will rightly be asking: is this the best possible use of capital at this moment?" said Fiona Deutsch, lead analyst with Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility (ACCR). The company had pledged an investment of up to $4 billion in a new coal-dependent blast furnace, said Deutsch, whose climate activist group holds less than 1% of Nippon Steel's shares. That plan, part of a wider investment commitment of $14 billion, comes "at a time when the global steel sector is shifting towards low-carbon alternatives", she added. Nippon Steel shares were up 1% by 0405 GMT, outperforming the overall Nikkei index which was up 1.6%. Unveiling the deal in late 2023, Nippon Steel offered $55 for each share of U.S. Steel, for a premium of 40% at the time. U.S. Steel shares closed at $53.3 on Wednesday. "There's a lot of immediate negative effects, even though the long-term effect may be positive," said an adviser to institutional investors on strategies for Nippon Steel. He cited the dilution as a further deterrent, besides the high offer price and additional investment commitments. Nippon Steel did not reply to a Reuters request for a comment. "In the short term, there are concerns about financing," said Shinichiro Ozaki, a senior analyst at Daiwa Securities. "Given that U.S. Steel reported a net loss for the January-March period, the stock market may worry about the limited likelihood of a short-term return on the investment." STRATEGIC GOALS Projections that domestic demand will stay weak have pushed Nippon Steel, which is Japan's largest steelmaker, and others to look to overseas expansion, while they consider shutting some blast furnaces at home. U.S. Steel is key to Nippon Steel's goal to raise its global output capacity to more than 100 million metric tons a year from 63 million tons now, as it aims to benefit from demand in India and the United States. Both markets are relatively protected from vast steel exports from China, the world's top producer, thanks to protectionist measures they have adopted, such as tariffs. In March, Nippon Steel President Tadashi Imai, who also chairs the Japan Iron and Steel Federation, warned that U.S. auto and steel tariffs could cut several million tons from Japan's annual steel output to below 80 million tons. Ownership of U.S. Steel could provide a shield for Nippon Steel from the impact of tariffs on non-U.S. operations, said Alistair Ramsay, vice president of Rystad Energy. "Should underlying demand in the United States begin and continue to recover, then we would expect the investment to pay off in good time, regardless of the duration of tariffs," he said. "But that's a big if, given how far the U.S. market has shrunk over the past few years, never mind this century." U.S. steel consumption is expected to rise by 2% this year after a drop of 1.5% in 2024, according to WorldSteel. This month, Nippon Steel said it would cut its dividend for the current fiscal year to 120 yen a share, off last year's 160 yen, and its lowest since 2021, amid a projected fall in profits, but the overall payout ratio would stay at 30%. "For the investor who cares about the share price today, you wouldn't be looking at factoring in synergies based on what you think might happen in two to three years," said the adviser, who sought anonymity as the matter is a sensitive one. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Germany: Aroundtown posts $360.21 million profit in Q1 2025
GDANSK: Aroundtown , one of Germany 's largest-listed landlords, posted a first-quarter profit of 318.6 million euros ($360.21 million) on Wednesday, up three times year-on-year, as German commercial and residential property prices start to recover. The profit, up from 102.3 million euros in the same period in 2024, follows Aroundtown's return to annual profitability in March after two years of losses as the country's real estate sector grappled with its worst crisis in decades. Last month, German officials announced the loosening of a regulatory measure designed to soften the blow of a property crisis, a sign they are somewhat less worried about fallout from the country's troubled real estate sector. The Luxembourg-based company said it had revalued 15% of its portfolio in the first quarter, reporting a 0.8% like-for-like value gain compared to December 2024. First-quarter funds from operations (FFO I), a key metric for real estate companies, was almost unchanged from the same period a year earlier. Aroundtown, which holds mostly office, residential and hotel properties, said it was benefiting from declining supply in its residential property locations, which include Berlin and London. Like-for-like rental growth increased by 4.5% compared with 1.6% for its office portfolio. Aroundtown said it is seeing a growing "return to office" trend and expects office take-up growth of 8% in 2025, but it cautioned that geopolitical and economic uncertainties are making occupiers reluctant to make long-term commitments. Though offices still make up the bulk of its portfolio, Frankfurt's largest listed office landlord is bolstering its residential business - partly by turning office spaces into serviced apartments. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the company has been converting some of its less sought-after office rentals. It said on Wednesday it expects most of its conversion projects to begin operations in 2026. The realtor reaffirmed its 2025 outlook but opted not to recommend a dividend for 2024 for a third consecutive year, citing the need to "maintain a conservative financial position." Shares in Aroundtown were up by 2.9% in morning trade.
The Star
3 days ago
- Business
- The Star
German landlord Aroundtown looks to convert offices into data centres
FILE PHOTO: The skyline of the banking district is seen during sunset in Frankfurt, Germany, April 21, 2024. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach/File Photo (Reuters) -Aroundtown, one of the largest German-listed landlords, is planning to convert office spaces into data centres as demand for them grows in Europe, the group said on Wednesday after announcing it had tripled its first-quarter profit. Aroundtown has been facing higher vacancy rates in its office spaces, the biggest segment of its portfolio, since the COVID-19 pandemic led to a shift to remote work. It has already been converting some of its less sought-after office rentals into serviced apartments, most of which are expected to enter operation in 2026. Timothy Wright, Aroundtown's Head of Investor Relations, said the Luxembourg-based company was in the early stages of obtaining regulatory approvals for data centre conversions and it hoped to team up with more specialised companies. Potential tenants could be companies active in businesses ranging from cloud computing to autonomous driving, he said. "In five years time, let's hope we have some data centres in our portfolio," Wright said in an interview. "It's a different asset class for us ... We need to build up the IT know-how for the setup." The main challenges for data centre conversions in Germany include municipal regulatory permit approvals and obtaining confirmation from power providers that required energy needs can be met, he said. "It takes a few years until we can get to, let's say, crystalising the gains," Wright said. So far Aroundtown has received one regulatory permit to convert an office space into a data centre in Frankfurt, though it has not yet received the go-ahead for its electricity usage. Upon obtaining the required approvals, Aroundtown could either sell the properties for quick cash or undertake the conversions itself, Wright said. Data centre tenants typically have their own specific requirements, he added, so Aroundtown would aim to ensure they are already leasing the properties before the construction to convert them begins. "You can build a data center and go to Amazon, and they're like, 'Yeah, actually, this is not really what we need,'" he said. (Reporting by Marleen Kaesebier in Gdansk; Editing by Joe Bavier)
