Jun. 26, 2025 3:03 AM ETCleveland-Cliffs Inc. (CLF) StockNUE, STLD, CLFBlake Winiecki279 Followers(9min)Cleveland-Cliffs' vertical integration is a key strength, but the stock underperforms peers and steel indexes, down 23% YTD despite favorable tariffs.Profitability and revenue growth are major concerns, with three straight unprofitable quarters and gross margins far below competitors like Nucor and Steel Dynamics.Tariffs may help CLF domestically, but global competition and Nippon Steel's acquisition of U.S. Steel pose additional headwinds for the company.Given its already depressed price and industry stature, I rate CLF a hold—there's little upside now, but it's too beaten down to sell.mediaphotosAs a critical pillar to the world economy through infrastructure, manufacturing, and automotive, steel is used everywhere we look. Its cyclicality on the economic cycle has always been evident, although there are several benchmarks’ investors can use when tracking the spot price for steel.This article was written byBlake Winiecki279 FollowersI am an investment author with passion for finance and global markets. I enjoy gearing toward economic analysis, specifically on a macro level. Through current and forward looking market trends, fundamental and technical analysis, my goal is to provide investors and readers with the tools and knowledge to make informed and confident investment decisions. I am always open to feedback and hope you enjoy my writing!Analyst’s Disclosure:I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.Comments