On the stock market since 1987, it operates in the world of raw materials. It has 25,000 employees. Now — the numbers.
The company closed last year at a loss: costs ran above sales. The picture changes only if spending is reined in.
That much dependence is a risk in itself: if this one line weakens, the whole company feels it directly.
Before the clock runs out, either sales must climb sharply or new money must come in. This is the most critical line in the whole picture.
We compared this company with its own sector across five subjects.
A score of 50 means class average.
Clearly below the class average.
Clearly below the class average.
Clearly below the class average.
Clearly below the class average.
Clearly below the class average.
Financial Strength: The cash-and-debt balance is thin; the buffer for hard times is slim.
Business Quality: Profit power and business quality trail similar companies in the sector.
angles, checked one by one.
The 4 that stand out are on screen; the rest came back neutral.
The council scores out of 10; report-card grades are out of 100.
Revenue Growth: Sales are growing slowly.
An investor who bought at the very peak is down 73% today. The business is the same; what changed most is the price — and the expectations — the market pins on it.
Over the last 12 months, company executives reported 32 buys and 13 sells. Management buying with its own money is usually read as a good sign.
The average analyst price target is $11.42 — 27% above today’s price.
It pays out $0.24 per share each year — regular cash for whoever holds the stock.
A loss of $1.5B against $18.6B in annual sales. And on top of that, sales fell from the year before.
This stock swings about 2.1 times as much as the market average. Big rallies — and big drops — can both happen fast.
At the current pace of spending, the cash lasts less than a year. After that, the company needs to find new money.
On our five-subject report card, CLF sits behind the class. A low grade doesn’t mean “doomed” — it means “big claim, small proof.”
The takeaway: CLF has solid sales but closed last year at a loss. The road back to profit runs through spending discipline.
Analysts’ average target sits above today’s price, yet the valuation grade (21/100) says the stock isn’t cheap.