Gerdau Looking Toward Better Results

Brazil’s Gerdau (GGB) offers a curious investment proposition today. Although the shares have lagged Ternium (TX) over the past three months, Gerdau has been the best-performing steel stock of the group I follow closely, and by a fairly wide margin (outperforming #2 Ternium by close to 15%). Gerdau is also one of the few steel companies/stocks where there is basically a unanimous expectation of EBITDA heading higher for the next two to three years, largely on the back of an expected recovery in Brazil.

Metal spreads may well have peaked in the U.S. (where Gerdau generates close to a third of its EBITDA), but volume demand growth is expected to continue and Gerdau has under-utilized capacity it can bring into action. What’s more, spreads in Brazil could still improve and Gerdau is still reaping the cost savings benefits of digital investments. Gerdau’s valuation doesn’t scream “bargain”, but in the real world of stock performance, this is still a name to consider given its potential for further upward earnings revisions and its capacity to grow at a time when many peers will see earnings contraction.

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Gerdau Looking Toward Better Results