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USX Corporation Reports Second Quarter 2001 U. S. Steel Group Results

PRNewswire
PITTSBURGH
07.23.2001

USX-U. S. Steel Group (NYSE: X) today issued the following:

                           Earnings Highlights
           (Dollars in millions except per diluted share data)

                                                  2Q 2001     2Q 2000

  Net income (loss) adjusted for special items      $(30)        $66
                  - per diluted share             $(0.36)      $0.72

  Net income (loss)                                 $(30)        $56

  Net income (loss) per diluted share             $(0.36)      $0.62

  Revenues                                        $1,737      $1,656

USX-U. S. Steel Group (NYSE: X) reported a second quarter 2001 net loss of $30 million, or 36 cents per diluted share, compared with adjusted net income of $66 million, or 72 cents per diluted share, in second quarter 2000.

Net income in second quarter 2000 was $56 million, or 62 cents per diluted share, including after-tax charges of $10 million for certain environmental and legal contingencies.

In second quarter 2001, U. S. Steel Group recorded a loss from reportable segments of $28 million, or $8 per ton, on shipments of 3.7 million tons. U. S. Steel Group's Domestic Steel segment recorded a loss from operations of $69 million, or $26 per ton. Second quarter 2000 Domestic Steel segment income was $68 million, or $23 per ton. U. S. Steel Kosice, s.r.o. (USSK), the Slovak Republic steel operation acquired during the 2000 fourth quarter, reported second quarter 2001 segment income of $41 million, or $38 per ton.

Total Domestic Steel shipments in second quarter 2001 were 2.6 million net tons, down 10 percent from 2.9 million tons in second quarter 2000. Total USSK shipments in second quarter 2001 were 1.1 million net tons, up 43 percent from 749,000 tons in first quarter 2001.

Average domestic steel prices were $429 per ton in second quarter 2001 compared with $451 per ton in the same quarter last year. Average USSK steel prices in the second quarter were $249 per ton, down from $293 per ton in first quarter 2001.

Domestic raw steel capability utilization during second quarter 2001 was 82.1 percent, down from 95.4 percent in second quarter 2000. USSK raw steel capability utilization in the 2001 second quarter was 100.8 percent, compared with 85.8 percent in this year's first quarter. Impacting domestic utilization was refurbishment of the Mon Valley Works No. 3 blast furnace, which began May 30. This facility could resume production in September if business conditions warrant.

On May 31, a major fire damaged the cold rolling mill at the joint venture USS-POSCO plant in Pittsburg, California. USS-POSCO maintains insurance coverage against such losses, including coverage for business interruption. Currently, it is expected that the cold mill will resume production sometime in the first quarter of 2002. Until such time, the plant will continue customer shipments using cold rolled coils from U. S. Steel Group and POSCO as a substitute feedstock.

Commenting on results for Domestic Steel, USX Corporation Board Chairman Thomas J. Usher said, "While domestic commercial conditions remain difficult, demand and pricing appear to have bottomed out in the 2001 second quarter. Since that time, our order book has strengthened and prices have stabilized. A major positive on the cost side is that we are seeing a declining trend in natural gas prices and we have reduced our natural gas usage by approximately 25 percent in this quarter compared to last year. USSK recorded another strong performance in the 2001 second quarter despite a difficult European commercial environment and recorded a significant increase in volume over the first quarter."

Usher added, "The Bush Administration took long-needed actions in June against the unprecedented flood of unfairly traded steel imports. Initiating a Section 201 investigation was a bold, responsive move, which demonstrates the President understands the state of our industry. The President has sent a strong message to our trading partners that the U.S. will no longer be the dumping ground for the world's excess steel capacity. We are optimistic that the Section 201 process could eventually lead to a sustained period of import stability in the U.S."

In looking to the third quarter, Usher said, "We believe conditions for our Domestic Steel operations have found the bottom of this steel cycle and that we have turned the corner. We have seen two sequential quarters of improving volumes and, building on that trend, we anticipate somewhat higher third quarter volumes. We expect our realized prices to be flat or modestly higher in the third quarter. Additionally, domestic natural gas prices have shown downward movement over the last few months. Continuation of this trend could provide a significant positive impact on our costs over the balance of the year."

Usher added, "For USSK, we expect third quarter 2001 shipments to be slightly lower and realized prices to be flat compared to the 2001 second quarter.

"For the full year 200l, we expect total shipments to be approximately 14 to 14.5 million net tons with Domestic Steel shipments of approximately 10.5 to 11 million net tons and USSK shipments of about 3.5 million net tons."

This release contains forward-looking statements with respect to the expected restart of the USS-POSCO cold rolling mill, market conditions, costs, shipments and prices. One factor, among others, that may affect the restart of the cold rolling mill at the USS-POSCO joint venture is completion of repairs. Some factors, among others, that could affect third quarter and full year 2001 market conditions, costs, shipments and prices include import levels, customer inventory levels, plant operating performance, domestic natural gas prices and usage, and U.S. and European economic performance. In accordance with "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, USX has included in Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2000, in Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2001, and in subsequent form 8-K's, cautionary statements identifying important factors, but not necessarily all factors, that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

A Statement of Operations and Preliminary Supplemental Statistics for the U. S. Steel Group and a Consolidated Statement of Operations for USX Corporation are attached.

The company will conduct a conference call on second quarter earnings on Monday, July 23 at 11 a.m. EDST. To listen to the webcast of the conference call, visit the USX website, http://www.usx.com/ and click on the "U. S. Steel Group" button, then the "Investor Services" button. Replays of the conference call will be available until July 30.

For more information on USX Corporation and U. S. Steel Group, visit their websites at http://www.usx.com/ or http://www.ussteel.com/. USX Corporation press releases are available through Company News On-Call at http://www.prnewswire.com/gh/cnoc/comp/929150.html.

                   U. S. STEEL GROUP OF USX CORPORATION
                   STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS (Unaudited)
                   ------------------------------------

                             Second Quarter                Six Months
                                  Ended                       Ended
  (Dollars in millions,           June 30                    June 30
   except per share amounts)  2001         2000         2001         2000

  REVENUES AND OTHER INCOME:
   Revenues                 $1,733        $1,629       $3,243      $3,211
   Income (loss)
    from investees              (7)           14           40           7
   Net gains on
    disposal of assets          10            13           16          28
   Other income (loss)           1             -            2          (2)
                            ------        ------       ------      ------
    Total revenues
     and other income        1,737         1,656        3,301       3,244
                            ------        ------       ------      ------
  COSTS AND EXPENSES:
   Cost of revenues
    (excludes items
    shown below)             1,599         1,462        3,148       2,890
   Selling, general and
    administrative
    expenses (credits)          11           (57)          (6)       (120)
   Depreciation, depletion
    and amortization            79            78          152         153
   Taxes other than
    income taxes                67            61          126         118
   Costs related to
    Proposed Separation          8             -            9           -
                            ------        ------       ------      ------
    Total costs
     and expenses            1,764         1,544        3,429       3,041
                            ------        ------       ------      ------
  INCOME (LOSS)
   FROM OPERATIONS             (27)          112         (128)        203
  Net interest and
   other financial costs        48            24           36          48
                            ------        ------       ------      ------
  INCOME (LOSS)
   BEFORE INCOME TAXES         (75)           88         (164)        155
  Provision (credit)
   for income taxes            (45)           32         (143)         56
                            ------        ------       ------      ------
  NET INCOME (LOSS)            (30)           56          (21)         99
  Dividends on
   preferred stock               2             2            4           4
                            ------        ------       ------      ------
  NET INCOME (LOSS)
   APPLICABLE TO
   STEEL STOCK                $(32)          $54         $(25)        $95
                            ======        ======       ======      ======

  STEEL STOCK DATA:
   Net income (loss)          $(32)          $54         $(25)        $95
    - Per share - basic       (.36)          .62         (.28)       1.08
                - diluted     (.36)          .62         (.28)       1.07

   Dividends paid
    per share                  .10           .25          .35         .50

   Weighted average
    shares, in thousands
    - Basic                 89,005        88,499       88,906      88,461
    - Diluted               89,005        92,755       88,906      92,721


  The following notes are an integral part of this financial statement.

                   U. S. STEEL GROUP OF USX CORPORATION
                  SELECTED NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENT
                  --------------------------------------

  1.   The statement of operations of the U. S. Steel Group includes the
       results of operations for the businesses of USX other than
       businesses included in the Marathon Group and a portion of USX's net
       financial costs, general and administrative costs and income taxes
       attributed to the groups in accordance with USX's accounting and tax
       allocation policies.  This statement should be read in connection
       with the consolidated statement of operations of USX.

  2.   On March 1, 2001, USX completed the purchase of East Chicago Tin,
       the tin mill products business of LTV Corporation.  In this noncash
       transaction, USX assumed certain employee related obligations of
       East Chicago Tin.  The acquisition was accounted for using the
       purchase method of accounting.  Results of operations for the six
       months of 2001 include the operations of East Chicago Tin from the
       date of acquisition.

       On March 23, 2001, Transtar, Inc. (Transtar) completed its
       previously announced reorganization with its two voting
       shareholders, USX and Transtar Holdings, L.P. (Holdings), an
       affiliate of Blackstone Capital Partners L.P.  As a result of this
       transaction, USX became sole owner of Transtar and certain of its
       subsidiaries.  Holdings became owner of the other subsidiaries of
       Transtar.  USX accounted for the change in its ownership interest in
       Transtar using the purchase method of accounting.  The U. S. Steel
       Group recognized in the six months of 2001, a pretax gain of
       $68 million (included in income (loss) from investees) and a
       favorable deferred tax adjustment of $33 million related to this
       transaction.  USX previously accounted for its investment in
       Transtar under the equity method of accounting.

  3.   USX has a 16% investment in Republic Technologies International LLC
       (Republic) which was accounted for under the equity method of
       accounting.  During the first quarter of 2001, USX discontinued
       applying the equity method since investments in and advances to
       Republic had been reduced to zero.  Also, USX has recognized certain
       debt obligations of $14 million previously assumed by Republic.  On
       April 2, 2001, Republic filed a voluntary petition with the U.S.
       Bankruptcy Court to reorganize its operations under Chapter 11 of
       the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.  In the first quarter of 2001, as a result
       of Republic's action, the U. S. Steel Group recorded a pretax
       provision of $74 million for potentially uncollectible receivables
       from Republic.

  4.   Interest and other financial costs in the six months of 2001
       includes a favorable adjustment of $67 million and provision for
       income taxes includes an unfavorable adjustment of $15 million
       related to prior years' taxes.

  5.   On April 24, 2001, USX announced that its board of directors
       authorized management to proceed with the necessary steps to
       implement a plan of reorganization to separate the energy and steel
       businesses of USX (Proposed Separation).  The Proposed Separation
       envisions a tax-free spin-off of the steel and steel-related
       businesses of USX into a freestanding, publicly traded company to be
       known as United States Steel Corporation.  Holders of current
       USX-U. S. Steel Group Common Stock will become holders of United
       States Steel Corporation Common Stock.  Holders of current
       USX-Marathon Group Common Stock will become holders of Marathon Oil
       Corporation Common Stock.  Costs related to the Proposed Separation
       include professional fees and certain other expenses.

  6.   On July 2, 2001, a corporate reorganization was implemented to
       create a new holding company structure.  USX became a holding
       company that owns all of the outstanding equity of Marathon Oil
       Company, an Ohio Corporation which, directly and indirectly, owns
       and operates the businesses of the USX-Marathon Group, and United
       States Steel LLC, a Delaware limited liability company which owns
       and operates the businesses of the USX-U. S. Steel Group.  The
       reorganization will not have any impact on the results of operations
       or financial position of USX Corporation, the Marathon Group or the
       U. S. Steel Group.

       This reorganization in corporate form is independent of the Proposed
       Separation of the energy and steel businesses of USX Corporation
       that was announced on April 24, 2001.


                   U. S. STEEL GROUP OF USX CORPORATION
             PRELIMINARY SUPPLEMENTAL STATISTICS (Unaudited)
             -----------------------------------------------

                               Second Quarter              Six Months
                               Ended June 30              Ended June 30
  (Dollars in millions)     2001          2000         2001          2000

  INCOME (LOSS)
   FROM OPERATIONS
  Domestic Steel(a)(b)      $(69)          $68        $(220)         $122
  U. S. Steel Kosice(c)       41             -           82             -
                           -----         -----        -----         -----
  Income (loss) from
   reportable segments      $(28)          $68        $(138)         $122
   Items not allocated
    to segment:
    Net pension credits       31            67           72           132
    Administrative Expenses   (8)           (5)         (15)          (11)
    Costs related to former
     business activities(d)  (14)          (18)         (38)          (40)
    Costs related to
     proposed separation(e)   (8)            -           (9)            -
                           -----         -----        -----         -----
     Total U. S.
      Steel Group           $(27)         $112        $(128)         $203

  CAPITAL EXPENDITURES
   Domestic Steel            $95           $52         $127           $97
   U. S. Steel Kosice          9             -           14             -
                           -----         -----        -----         -----
     Total U. S.
      Steel Group           $104           $52         $141           $97

  OPERATING STATISTICS
   Average steel price
    per ton: ($/net ton)
     Domestic Steel         $429          $451         $434          $445
     U. S. Steel Kosice      249             -          267             -
   Steel Shipments:(f)
     Domestic Steel        2,616         2,904        5,048         5,884
     U. S. Steel Kosice    1,069             -        1,818             -
                           -----         -----        -----         -----
      Total Steel
       Shipments           3,685         2,904        6,866         5,884
   Raw Steel-Production:(f)
     Domestic Steel        2,621         3,034        5,244         6,186
     U. S. Steel Kosice    1,131             -        2,083             -
                           -----         -----        -----         -----
      Total Raw Steel-
       Production          3,752         3,034        7,327         6,186
   Raw Steel-Capability
    Utilization:(g)
     Domestic Steel        82.1%         95.4%        82.6%         97.2%
     U. S. Steel Kosice   100.8%             -        93.4%             -
   Iron ore shipments
    - Domestic Steel(f)    5,189         4,656        7,100         6,685

  (a)  The first six months of 2001 include a favorable $68 million for
       USX's share of gain on the Transtar reorganization and a $74 million
       charge for a substantial portion of accounts receivable from
       Republic.  Results in the second quarter and first six months of
       2000 include charges totaling $15 million for certain environmental
       and legal accruals.
  (b)  Includes the sale, domestic production and transportation of steel
       products, coke, taconite pellets and coal; the management of mineral
       resources; real estate development; engineering and consulting
       services; and equity income from joint ventures and partially owned
       companies.
  (c)  Includes the production and sale of steel products and coke from
       facilities primarily located in the Slovak Republic.
  (d)  Includes other postretirement benefit costs and certain other
       expenses principally attributable to former business units of the
       U. S. Steel Group.
  (e)  Includes professional fees and expenses, and certain other costs
       related to the proposed separation.
  (f)  Thousands of net tons.
  (g)  Based on annual raw steel production capability of 12.8 million tons
       for Domestic Steel and 4.5 million tons for U. S. Steel Kosice.


                 USX CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES
             CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS (Unaudited)
             ------------------------------------------------

                             Second Quarter               Six Months
                                 Ended                       Ended
                                June 30                     June 30
  (Dollars in millions)    2001          2000         2001          2000

  REVENUES AND OTHER INCOME:
   Revenues              $10,844       $10,293      $20,960       $19,600
   Dividend and
    investee income           32            31          112            35
   Net gains on
    disposal of assets        17            15           38           122
   Other income               10            11           78            22
                          ------        ------       ------        ------
    Total revenues
     and other income     10,903        10,350       21,188        19,779
                          ------        ------       ------        ------
  COSTS AND EXPENSES:
   Cost of revenues
    (excludes items
    shown below)           7,791         7,710       15,560        14,923
   Selling, general and
    administrative expenses  181            67          304           138
   Depreciation, depletion
    and amortization         385           318          761           639
   Taxes other than
    income taxes           1,269         1,237        2,450         2,400
   Exploration expenses       26            46           49            91
   Costs related to
    Proposed Separation       23             -           25             -
                          ------        ------       ------        ------
    Total costs
     and expenses          9,675         9,378       19,149        18,191
                          ------        ------       ------        ------
  INCOME FROM OPERATIONS   1,228           972        2,039         1,588
  Net interest and
   other financial costs      86            92          109           187
  Minority interest in
   income of Marathon Ashland
   Petroleum LLC             320           203          427           258
                          ------        ------       ------        ------
  INCOME BEFORE INCOME
   TAXES AND CUMULATIVE
   EFFECT OF CHANGE IN
   ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLE      822           677        1,503         1,143
  Provision for
   income taxes              270           254          434           423
                          ------        ------       ------        ------
  INCOME BEFORE CUMULATIVE
   EFFECT OF CHANGE IN
   ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLE      552           423        1,069           720
  Cumulative effect of
   change in accounting
   principle                   -             -           (8)            -
                          ------        ------       ------        ------
  NET INCOME                 552           423        1,061           720
  Dividends on
   preferred stock             2             2            4             4
                          ------        ------       ------        ------
  NET INCOME APPLICABLE
   TO COMMON STOCKS         $550          $421       $1,057          $716
                          ======        ======       ======        ======

                 USX CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES
       CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS (Continued) (Unaudited)
                         INCOME PER COMMON SHARE
       ------------------------------------------------------------

                                Second Quarter              Six Months
                                    Ended                      Ended
  (Dollars in millions,            June 30                    June 30
   except per share amounts)  2001         2000        2001          2000

  APPLICABLE TO
   MARATHON STOCK:

   Income before
    cumulative effect
    of change in
    accounting principle      $582         $367       $1,090         $621
     - Per share - basic      1.88         1.18         3.53         1.99
                 - diluted    1.88         1.18         3.52         1.99

   Cumulative effect of
    change in accounting
    principle                    -            -           (8)           -
     - Per share - basic         -            -         (.03)           -
                 - diluted       -            -         (.02)           -

   Net income                 $582         $367       $1,082         $621
     - Per share - basic
        and diluted           1.88         1.18         3.50         1.99

   Dividends paid per share    .23          .21          .46          .42

   Weighted average
    shares, in thousands
     - Basic               309,101      312,233      308,928      312,180
     - Diluted             309,627      312,431      309,338      312,359


  APPLICABLE TO STEEL STOCK:

   Net income (loss)          $(32)         $54         $(25)         $95
     - Per share - basic      (.36)         .62         (.28)        1.08
                 - diluted    (.36)         .62         (.28)        1.07

   Dividends paid
    per share                  .10          .25          .35          .50

   Weighted average
    shares, in thousands
     - Basic                89,005       88,499       88,906       88,461
     - Diluted              89,005       92,755       88,906       92,721


  The following notes are an integral part of this financial statement.

                 USX CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES
                  SELECTED NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENT
                 ----------------------------------------

  1.   Effective January 1, 2001, USX adopted Statement of Financial
       Accounting Standards No. 133, "Accounting for Derivative Instruments
       and Hedging Activities" (SFAS No. 133), which was amended by SFAS
       Nos. 137 and 138.  This Standard requires recognition of all
       derivatives as either assets or liabilities at fair value.

       The transition adjustment related to adopting SFAS No. 133 on
       January 1, 2001, was recognized as a cumulative effect of change in
       accounting principle.  The unfavorable cumulative effect on net
       income, net of a tax benefit of $5 million, was $8 million.  The
       unfavorable cumulative effect on other comprehensive income (OCI),
       net of a tax benefit of $4 million, was $8 million.  The amounts
       reported as OCI will be reflected in net income when the anticipated
       physical transactions are consummated.

  2.   In the first quarter 2001, Marathon Oil Company (Marathon) acquired
       Pennaco Energy, Inc. (Pennaco), a natural gas producer.  Marathon
       acquired 87% of the outstanding stock of Pennaco through a tender
       offer completed on February 7, 2001 at $19 a share.  On March 26,
       2001, Pennaco was merged with a wholly owned subsidiary of Marathon.
       Under the terms of the merger, each share not held by Marathon was
       converted into the right to receive $19 in cash.  The total purchase
       price of Pennaco was $506 million.  The acquisition was accounted
       for under the purchase method of accounting.  Results of operations
       for the six months of 2001 include the results of Pennaco from
       February 7, 2001.

       On March 1, 2001, USX completed the purchase of East Chicago Tin,
       the tin mill products business of LTV Corporation.  In this noncash
       transaction, USX assumed certain employee related obligations of
       East Chicago Tin.  The acquisition was accounted for using the
       purchase method of accounting.  Results of operations for the six
       months of 2001 include the operations of East Chicago Tin from the
       date of acquisition.

       On March 23, 2001, Transtar, Inc. (Transtar) completed its
       previously announced reorganization with its two voting
       shareholders, USX and Transtar Holdings, L.P. (Holdings), an
       affiliate of Blackstone Capital Partners L.P.  As a result of this
       transaction, USX became sole owner of Transtar and certain of its
       subsidiaries.  Holdings became owner of the other subsidiaries of
       Transtar.  USX accounted for the change in its ownership interest in
       Transtar using the purchase method of accounting.  USX recognized in
       the six months of 2001, a pretax gain of $68 million (included in
       dividend and investee income) and a favorable deferred tax
       adjustment of $33 million related to this transaction.  USX
       previously accounted for its investment in Transtar under the equity
       method of accounting.

  3.   USX has a 16% investment in Republic Technologies International LLC
       (Republic) which was accounted for under the equity method of
       accounting.  During the first quarter of 2001, USX discontinued
       applying the equity method since investments in and advances to
       Republic had been reduced to zero.  Also, USX has recognized certain
       debt obligations of $14 million previously assumed by Republic.  On
       April 2, 2001, Republic filed a voluntary petition with the U.S.
       Bankruptcy Court to reorganize its operations under Chapter 11 of
       the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.  In the first quarter of 2001, as a result
       of Republic's action, USX recorded a pretax provision of $74 million
       for potentially uncollectible receivables from Republic.

  4.   On April 24, 2001, USX announced that its board of directors
       authorized management to proceed with the necessary steps to
       implement a plan of reorganization to separate the energy and steel
       businesses of USX (Proposed Separation).  The Proposed Separation
       envisions a tax-free spin-off of the steel and steel-related
       businesses of USX into a freestanding, publicly traded company to be
       known as United States Steel Corporation.  Holders of current
       USX-U. S. Steel Group Common Stock will become holders of United
       States Steel Corporation Common Stock.  Holders of current
       USX-Marathon Group Common Stock will become holders of Marathon Oil
       Corporation Common Stock.  Costs related to the Proposed Separation
       include professional fees and certain other expenses.

  5.   On July 2, 2001, a corporate reorganization was implemented to
       create a new holding company structure.  USX became a holding
       company that owns all of the outstanding equity of Marathon Oil
       Company, an Ohio Corporation which, directly and indirectly, owns
       and operates the businesses of the USX-Marathon Group, and United
       States Steel LLC, a Delaware limited liability company which owns
       and operates the businesses of the USX-U. S. Steel Group.  The
       reorganization will not have any impact on the results of operations
       or financial position of USX Corporation, the Marathon Group or the
       U. S. Steel Group.

       This reorganization in corporate form is independent of the Proposed
       Separation of the energy and steel businesses of USX Corporation
       that was announced on April 24, 2001.

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SOURCE: USX-U. S. Steel Group

Contact: William E. Keslar or Don H. Herring of USX-U. S. Steel Group,
+1-412-433-6870

Website: http://www.usx.com/

Website: http://www.ussteel.com/

Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/gh/cnoc/comp/929150.html