GERDAU PRF

Gerdau's preferred share lost 5.2% and fell to around R$22.94, driven by Itaú BBA's downgrade from "Outperform" to "Market Perform" and reduced EBITDA forecasts. Analysts see a cooling in the steel market and limited upside after a rise of more than 33% since March. Additional selling pressure came from several insider sales and structurally pressured EBITDA margins in Brazil, although North America is performing better. » More on de.investing.com

Gerdau reported adjusted consolidated EBITDA of BRL 3.4bn for Q2 and an adjusted net income of BRL 1.5bn (+45% vs. the prior quarter). North America contributed materially with a 7% volume increase and a 15% rise in EBITDA quarter-on-quarter. Free cash flow improved by BRL 2.3bn in H1, net debt stands at 0.69x EBITDA; dividends and share buybacks were continued. The stock fell slightly by around 1.8% to USD 10.23 after management warned of a possible margin normalization and flagged one-off costs as well as higher freight costs. » More on de.investing.com

Gerdau stock has risen over 5% since fiscal Q1 2026 results and about 25% in six months, trading at a forward P/E of 8 versus the sector average of 16.76. Q1 adjusted EPS of R$0.51 and revenue of R$16.72 billion missed estimates, but North America delivered its best performance since 2022, contributing over 75% of adjusted EBITDA. The company kept 2026 CapEx guidance at R$4.7 billion and expects positive free cash flow for the year, while Wall Street sees modest upside from current levels. » More on finance.yahoo.com