Kyle Mowery's questions to Ferroglobe PLC (GSM) leadership • Q4 2024
Question
Kyle Mowery questioned the potential impact of increased utilization on European production costs if proposed quotas are finalized. He also asked if the effects of U.S. ferrosilicon rulings are visible yet and what rate of return the company would require to proceed with its potential new U.S. facility.
Answer
CEO Marco Levi stated that while the exact EU measures are unknown, any safeguards would likely involve quotas, which would increase demand for European producers, improve capacity utilization, and lead to better cost absorption. Regarding U.S. ferrosilicon, he noted that while Russian imports are down, inventories have impacted pricing, but he sees signs of depletion and has signed new customer contracts. For the new U.S. facility, Levi expects a return significantly higher than the company's cost of capital.