Mesabi Trust (MSB)

[Lowjack]

Still, the revenue hit Cliffs Natural has endured was evident throughout the company's results. In the U.S. iron ore segment, sales volumes fell 18% to 5.6 million long tons, while production volume fell an even steeper 30% to just 4.1 million long tons. Revenues per ton fell by nearly 25%, and falling cash production costs weren't enough to offset that decline, squeezing margins from their previous level of $32 per ton all the way down to $8.70.

Still, Cliffs Natural's outlook includes plenty of uncertainty. The company is cutting its sales projections for the U.S. iron ore market by another 1.5 million tons to 17.5 million tons, reflecting the termination of its agreement with Essar Algoma. The company still expects cash costs on the production side of $55 to $60 per ton, and on the sales side of $60 to $65 per ton. Offsetting that drop is a 500,000-ton guidance increase in volumes for the Asia-Pacific region, where it now expects 11.5 million tons of production and sales, with production costs of $30 to $35 per ton, and costs per ton sold of $35 to $40.

http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2015/10/29/cliffs-natural-shows-signs-of-life-but-for-how-lon.aspx?source=eptadnlnk0000002&utm_source=advfn&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=investorshub