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© 2026 Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. All Rights Reserved. CLEVELAND-CLIFFS INC. Third-Quarter 2026 Earnings Presentation October 19, 2026
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© 2026 Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. All Rights Reserved.2 This presentation contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws. As a general matter, forward-looking statements relate to anticipated trends and expectations rather than historical matters. Forward-looking statements are subject to uncertainties and factors relating to our operations and business environment that are difficult to predict and may be beyond our control. Such uncertainties and factors may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These statements speak only as of the date of this release, and we undertake no ongoing obligation, other than that imposed by law, to update these statements. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Uncertainties and risk factors that could affect our future performance and cause results to differ from the forward-looking statements in this release include, but are not limited to: continued volatility of steel, scrap metal and iron ore market prices, which directly and indirectly impact the prices of the products that we sell to our customers; uncertainties associated with the highly competitive and cyclical steel industry and our reliance on the demand for steel from the automotive industry; potential weaknesses and uncertainties in global economic conditions, excess global steelmaking capacity and production, prevalence of steel imports and reduced market demand; severe financial hardship, bankruptcy, temporary or permanent shutdowns or operational challenges of one or more of our major customers, key suppliers or contractors, which, among other adverse effects, could disrupt our operations or lead to reduced demand for our products, increased difficulty collecting receivables, and customers and/or suppliers asserting force majeure or other reasons for not performing their contractual obligations to us; risks related to U.S. and Canadian government actions and other countries' reactions with respect to Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 (as amended by the Trade Act of 1974), the United States-Mexico- Canada Agreement and/or other trade agreements, tariffs, treaties or policies, as well as the uncertainty of obtaining and maintaining effective antidumping and countervailing duty orders to counteract the harmful effects of unfairly traded imports; impacts of extensive governmental regulation, including actual and potential environmental regulations relating to climate change and carbon emissions, and related costs and liabilities, including failure to receive or maintain required operating and environmental permits, approvals, modifications or other authorizations of, or from, any governmental or regulatory authority and costs related to implementing improvements to ensure compliance with regulatory changes, including potential financial assurance requirements, and reclamation and remediation obligations; potential impacts to the environment or exposure to hazardous substances resulting from our operations; our ability to maintain adequate liquidity, our level of indebtedness and the availability of capital could limit our financial flexibility and cash flow necessary to fund working capital, planned capital expenditures, acquisitions, and other general corporate purposes or ongoing needs of our business, or to repurchase our common shares; our ability to reduce our indebtedness or return capital to shareholders within the currently expected timeframes or at all; adverse changes in credit ratings, interest rates, foreign currency rates and tax laws; risks and uncertainties related to our ability to realize the anticipated synergies or other expected benefits of any acquisitions, including the acquisition of Stelco, any potential transaction arising out of our Memorandum of Understanding with POSCO and completing any proposed asset divestiture transactions; challenges to successfully implementing our business strategy to achieve operating results in line with our guidance; the outcome of, and costs incurred in connection with, lawsuits, claims, arbitrations or governmental proceedings relating to commercial and business disputes, antitrust claims, environmental matters, government investigations, occupational or personal injury claims, property-related matters, labor and employment matters, mineral royalty disputes, or suits involving legacy operations and other matters; supply chain disruptions or changes in the cost, quality or availability of energy sources, including electricity, natural gas and diesel fuel, water, critical raw materials and supplies, including iron ore, industrial gases, graphite electrodes, scrap metal, chrome, zinc, other alloys, coke and metallurgical coal, and critical manufacturing equipment and spare parts, including as a result of geopolitical conflicts; problems or disruptions associated with transporting products to our customers, moving manufacturing inputs or products internally among our facilities, or suppliers transporting raw materials and spare parts to us; our ability to implement strategic or sustaining capital projects on time and on budget, including our ability to successfully complete the optimization and modernization project at our Middletown Works steel plant; uncertainties associated with natural or human-caused disasters, adverse weather conditions, unanticipated geological conditions, critical equipment failures, infectious disease outbreaks, tailings dam failures and other unexpected events; cybersecurity incidents relating to, disruptions in, or failures of, information technology systems that are managed by us or third parties that host or have access to our data or systems, including the loss, theft or corruption of our or third parties' sensitive or essential business or personal information and the inability to access or control systems; emerging risks related to the adoption and regulation of artificial intelligence, including our ability to achieve the expected benefits of our adoption of information technology platforms that use artificial intelligence; liabilities and costs arising in connection with business decisions to temporarily or indefinitely idle or permanently close an operating facility or mine, which could adversely impact the carrying value of associated assets and give rise to impairment charges or closure and reclamation obligations, as well as uncertainties associated with resuming production at any previously idled operating facility or mine; our level of self-insurance and our ability to obtain sufficient third-party insurance to adequately cover potential adverse events and business risks; uncertainties associated with our ability to meet customers’ and suppliers’ decarbonization goals and reduce our emissions in alignment with our own announced targets; challenges to maintaining our social license to operate with our stakeholders, including the impacts of our operations on local communities, reputational impacts of operating in a carbon-intensive industry that produces greenhouse gas emissions, and our ability to foster a consistent operational and safety track record; our actual economic mineral reserves or reductions in current mineral reserve estimates, and any title defect or loss of any lease, license, option, easement or other possessory interest for any mining property; our ability to complete technical and economic studies to determine the potential for economic extraction of rare earth minerals at our mining properties, and the risk that rare-earth extraction at our properties may not be economically viable; our ability to maintain satisfactory labor relations with unions and our employees and to successfully renew expiring collective bargaining agreements; unanticipated or higher costs associated with pension and other postretirement benefits obligations resulting from changes in the value of plan assets or contribution increases required for unfunded obligations, including for multiemployer plan withdrawal liability; uncertain availability or cost of skilled workers to fill critical operational positions and potential labor shortages caused by experienced employee attrition or otherwise, as well as our ability to attract, hire, develop and retain key personnel; and potential significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting. For additional factors affecting the business of Cliffs, refer to Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, and other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
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© 2026 Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. All Rights Reserved.3 Revenues $5.6 Billion Shipments 4.2 million net tons THIRD-QUARTER 2026 © 2026 Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. All Rights Reserved.3 Adj. EBITDA $612 Million Liquidity $3.2 Billion Unit costs reduced by $17 per ton quarter-over-quarter Average selling price $53 per ton higher than prior quarter $326 million improvement in quarter-over-quarter Adj. EBITDA Clear path to achieve leverage target by end of Q2 2027 Highest Adj. EBITDA and Revenues in 3 years Note: Reconciliation for Adjusted EBITDA can be found on last page of this presentation $469 million improvement in year-over-year Adj. EBITDA
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© 2026 Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. All Rights Reserved.4 Note: Based on Q3 2026 Steelmaking Results – Product Mix includes steel products shipments Highlights 31% Coated 15% Cold-Rolled 4% Stainless & Electrical 4% Plate Product Mix (Shipments) End Market Mix (Revenue) 28% Direct Automotive 34% Distributors & Converters 28% Infrastructure & Manufacturing 10% Steel Producers © 2026 Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. All Rights Reserved.4 46% Hot-Rolled Q3 2026 END MARKET AND PRODUCT OVERVIEW (primarily galvanized) Shipments increased 125k net tons from Q2 2026 to Q3 2026 Highest total shipments since Q2 2025 and third quarter in a row with shipments above 4 million net tons Automotive volume continued to increase quarter-over-quarter and reached its highest level since Q3 2023
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© 2026 Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. All Rights Reserved.5 Adjusted EBITDA RESULTS TREND 4,029 3,770 4,108 4,025 4,150 Q3 2025 Q4 2025 Q1 2026 Q2 2026 Q3 2026 $143 ($21) $95 $286 $612 Q3 2025 Q4 2025 Q1 2026 Q2 2026 Q3 2026 $1,032 $993 $1,048 $1,124 $1,177 Q3 2025 Q4 2025 Q1 2026 Q2 2026 Q3 2026 Dollars Per Net Ton Net Tons (Thousands) Millions $3,128 $3,270 $3,141 $3,084 $3,246 Q3 2025 Q4 2025 Q1 2026 Q2 2026 Q3 2026 Steelmaking External Sales Volumes LiquiditySteelmaking Average Selling Price Millions Note: Reconciliations for Adjusted EBITDA can be found on last page of presentation
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© 2026 Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. All Rights Reserved.6 CONTRACT MIX FOR 2026 U.S. Spot 12% Stelco (Spot) 15% U.S. Index Linked - Quarter Lag 7% U.S. Index Linked - Month Lag 23% Fixed Price 43% Contract Mix Percent of Volume Contract Mix Has Evolved Following Expiration of Slab Contract and Additonal Automotive Volume
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© 2026 Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. All Rights Reserved.7 WELL-POSITIONED BALANCE SHEET Leverage Target (Net debt / TTM Adj. EBITDA) 2.5x Leverage target Commitment to utilize 100% of cash flow towards debt repayment Liquidity (As of September 30, 2026) $3.2 billion 3-Year Note Maturities 2026 2027 2028 Zero note maturities from 2026-2028 Clear path to reach leverage target by Q2 2027 Debt reduction is #1 priority Intend to continue paying down debt when we reach leverage target Maintain ample liquidity above $2.0 billion Continue to extend debt maturities and keep a manageable stack Keep a flexible capital structure to navigate all economic environments
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© 2026 Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. All Rights Reserved.8 CURRENT GLOBAL STEEL INDUSTRY Stronger Domestic Steel Demand Reduced import competitiveness has increased demand for domestically produced steel, with data center and energy tube as specific bright spots Higher U.S. Prices Increased domestic demand, higher global steel costs and lower imports have supported the U.S. HRC price Rising Freight Costs and Logistics Issues Oil and gas prices remain elevated and key global shipping routes are still disrupted Higher Global Steel Costs Global steel producers are experiencing higher energy and other costs Imported Steel Less Attractive U.S. imports are less attractive due to higher global steel and freight costs, ongoing logistics disruptions, and tariffs Recent Global Tensions The war with Iran along with other global tensions has further disrupted the global steel industry
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© 2026 Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. All Rights Reserved.9 CANADIAN HRC MARKET CONTINUING TO IMPROVE Source: Fastmarkets pricing as of 10/15/26 U.S. Dollars Per Net Ton U.S. vs. Canadian HRC Pricing through 10/15/26 U.S. HRC $1,259 Canadian HRC $1,226 $700 $800 $900 $1,000 $1,100 $1,200 $1,300 4/2/2026 4/30/2026 5/28/2026 6/25/2026 7/23/2026 8/20/2026 9/17/2026 10/15/2026
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© 2026 Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. All Rights Reserved.10 2027 EARNINGS POTENTIAL $612 ~$2,450 ~$4,500 ~$2,700 $350 $850 $1,100 ($250) ($1,800) Q3 26 Adj. EBITDA Q3 26 Annualized Adj. EBITDA Lower Discounts and Increased Extras on Index- Linked Contracts 2027 Fixed Price Contract Improvement Prevailing Price Forecasts Cost Impact 2027E Adj. EBITDA Interest Expense, Capex, Pension/OPEB Payments Estimated 2027 Free Cash Flow Dollars in Millions Fixed Price Resets Prevailing Price Forecasts Illustrative Bridge to 2027 Adjusted EBITDA and Free Cash Flow Note: Prevailing Price Forecasts represents current futures curve and current Canadian order book. See last page of presentat ion for commentary regarding non-GAAP measures 4x Lower Discounts and Increased Extras on Index- Linked Contracts Cost Impact (Inflation and MRO)
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© 2026 Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. All Rights Reserved.11 Five Major Projects Through 2030 REINVESTMENTS INTO OUR FACILITIES Middletown Works energy optimization project Butler Works GOES expansion Burns Harbor blast furnace reline Burns Harbor coke plant rebuild Lake Erie Works blast furnace stove investment $500 million DOE grant $75 million DOE grant Moved from mid-2027 to early 2028 Improving efficiency and cost structure Maintains efficiency and low-cost structure
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© 2026 Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. All Rights Reserved.12 RE-SCOPED MIDDLETOWN PROJECT $500M $500M 2,300 2030 Net Capital Cost Department of Energy Award Jobs Preserved Expected Completion Blast Furnace Upgrades Material Handling Infrastructure AI-Enabled Process Controls Improved Efficiency MODERNIZING MIDDLETOWN THROUGH ADVANCED EQUIPMENT AND AI-ENABLED CONTROLS
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© 2026 Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. All Rights Reserved.13 Hosted U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and Other Government Officials at Butler Works BUTLER WORKS GOES EXPANSION Showcased our $200 million investment at our Butler Works facility Grain Oriented Electrical Steel expansion project supported by $75 million award from the U.S. Department of Energy Project will enhance steel quality, increase operating efficiency and expand production volume by up to 25 percent Installing new induction reheat furnaces and improving infrastructure Project expected to be completed in early 2028
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© 2026 Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. All Rights Reserved.14 ASSET SALES PROCESS Under contract or closed on all major non-EBITDA contributing assets Highlights Assets that are well-positioned geographically with infrastructure in place and access to power and water Accomplishments to date Total Value ~$500 million (~$130 million received) 100% of net cash proceeds of any sale is expected to be used to pay down debt 1GW+ of Powered Land Currently Idled
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© 2026 Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. All Rights Reserved.15 TRADE AND TARIFFS Canada 6,557 4,524 (31%) Exempt 25% Tariff 50% Tariff Brazil 4,498 4,126 (8%) Quota 25% Tariff 50% Tariff Mexico 3,517 2,823 (20%) Exempt 25% Tariff 50% Tariff South Korea 2,810 2,662 (5%) Quota 25% Tariff 50% Tariff Vietnam 1,364 869 (36%) 25% Tariff 25% Tariff 50% Tariff Japan 1,180 1,075 (9%) Quota 25% Tariff 50% Tariff Germany 1,074 1,128 5% Quota 25% Tariff 50% Tariff Taiwan 1,011 1,093 8% 25% Tariff 25% Tariff 50% Tariff Netherlands 614 526 (14%) Quota 25% Tariff 50% Tariff China 508 442 (13%) 25% Tariff 25% Tariff 50% Tariff Trump Administration’s Continued Focus on Strengthening Domestic Steel Jan. 20, 2025 Status Top 10 Importing Countries 2024 Imports (Thousand Net Tons) Current Mar. 12, 2025 Status Source: AISI 2025 Imports (Thousand Net Tons) % Change
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© 2026 Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. All Rights Reserved.16 794 656 821 842 865 717 750755 711724 619 712 770 564 620 437 554 453 504 398 341 413 261270 340 278 361 324 385 430 350 2024 Avg. ~750K EFFECTIVENESS OF TARIFFS FOR STEEL Total Flat-Rolled Imports (HRC, CRC, Coated) Thousand Net Tons Source: USITC, YTD through July 2026 Section 232 tariffs reinstated 750 465 352 2024 Avg. 2025 Avg. 2026 YTD Avg. 53% Lower
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© 2026 Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. All Rights Reserved.17 STEEL IMPORT LEVEL SINCE 2009 Total Quarterly U.S. Steel Imports Million Net Tons Source: AISI 2009-2024 Avg. 5.8 million net tons 5.0 2.8 2.6 3.2 4.0 4.8 4.9 4.3 4.8 5.8 5.4 4.9 6.3 6.8 6.0 5.75.8 6.06.2 5.9 6.9 8.2 8.6 9.0 9.4 7.9 7.1 6.16.26.2 6.7 6.3 6.7 7.9 7.6 6.3 6.6 6.9 5.9 5.4 5.9 5.4 5.0 4.0 4.3 4.0 3.6 3.6 4.3 5.4 6.4 6.9 6.3 6.5 6.0 5.4 5.6 5.6 5.1 4.8 5.5 5.8 5.3 5.0 5.5 4.8 4.1 3.4 3.6 4.2 Q1 2009 Q3 2009 Q1 2010 Q3 2010 Q1 2011 Q3 2011 Q1 2012 Q3 2012 Q1 2013 Q3 2013 Q1 2014 Q3 2014 Q1 2015 Q3 2015 Q1 2016 Q3 2016 Q1 2017 Q3 2017 Q1 2018 Q3 2018 Q1 2019 Q3 2019 Q1 2020 Q3 2020 Q1 2021 Q3 2021 Q1 2022 Q3 2022 Q1 2023 Q3 2023 Q1 2024 Q3 2024 Q1 2025 Q3 2025 Q1 2026
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© 2026 Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. All Rights Reserved.18 EFFECTIVENESS OF TARIFFS FOR AUTOS 700 564 527 2024 Avg. 2025 Avg. 2026 YTD Avg. 25% Lower U.S. Monthly Imports of Cars and Light Trucks U.S. Production and Investment Announcements Units in Thousands Source: USITC, YTD through July 2026
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© 2026 Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. All Rights Reserved.19 Total Capital Expenditures CAPEX DISCIPLINE $893 $1,093 $791 $800 $561 $700 2021 Pro Forma 2022 Pro Forma 2023 Pro Forma 2024 Pro Forma 2025 2026E $ in millions Note: All years inclusive of Stelco
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© 2026 Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. All Rights Reserved.20 $4,207 $2,872 $813 $586 $416 $299 $110 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 Current PENSION AND OPEB LIABILITY REDUCTION $4.1 billion reduction in pension/OPEB net liabilities since AM USA acquisition Net Liabilities in $ Millions Historical Net Pension and OPEB Liabilities 97% Reduction
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© 2026 Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. All Rights Reserved.21 CLEVELAND-CLIFFS’ NON-GAAP RECONCILIATION Three Months Ended ($ in millions) September 30, 2026 June 30, 2026 March 31, 2026 December 31, 2025 September 30, 2025 Net income (loss) $165 $(134) $(229) $(235) $(234) Less: Interest expense, net (148) (156) (148) (152) (153) Income tax benefit (expense) (46) 20 81 206 78 Depreciation, depletion and amortization (259) (262) (259) (272) (288) Total EBITDA $618 $264 $97 $(17) $129 Less: EBITDA from noncontrolling interests $19 $16 $15 $15 $23 Idled facilities credits (charges) (4) (5) 10 6 3 Currency exchange (4) (19) (14) 11 (20) Changes in fair value of derivatives, net (15) (12) (10) (11) (10) Gain (loss) on disposal of assets, net 14 2 7 (1) (2) Loss on extinguishment of debt - - - (10) - Severance (2) - (1) - (5) Other, net (2) (4) (5) (6) (3) Total Adjusted EBITDA $612 $286 $95 $(21) $143 Note: We are unable to reconcile, without unreasonable effort, our non-GAAP measures for future periods to their most directly comparable GAAP financial measure due to the uncertainty and inherent difficulty of predicting the occurrence and the financial impact of i tems impacting comparability.
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© 2026 Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. All Rights Reserved.