U.S. Steel Received Multiple Bids in Excess of $40 a Share, Sources Say

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): U.S. Steel has received multiple bids for the steelmaker in excess of $40 a share, sources familiar told CNBC’s David Faber Wednesday.

U.S. Steel shares rose more than 3% on the news. The company’s stock closed Tuesday at $36.39 a share.

The sale process started in August when rival Cleveland-Cliffs made an unsolicited bid of $7.3 billion. U.S. Steel rejected that offer.

CNBC previously reported U.S. Steel has attracted five bidders, including ArcelorMittal.

U.S. Steel’s board is meeting Wednesday, the sources said. The sale process is coming to a conclusion, but this does not mean there will be an announcement of the outcome Thursday morning.

Cleveland-Cliffs’ current bid is above $40 a share which is higher than its original offer of $35 a share made last summer, the sources said.

The composition of Cleveland-Cliffs’ original bid was $17.50 in cash per share and the rest in stock. The current bid has a similar composition though it may be weighted more toward cash, the sources said.

Cleveland-Cliffs is expected to structure its bid to mitigate the risk of antitrust review. This could potentially include a reverse termination fee or a divestiture package, though nothing is certain.

If Cleveland-Cliffs prevails, its combination with U.S. Steel would account for 40% of flat-rolled steel and 60% of auto-grade steel in the U.S. The combined company would be the 10th-largest steel producer worldwide.

The details of ArcelorMittal’s bid are less clear, though the company apparently had financing that would have allowed it to offer $45 a share in all cash.

Courtesy: www.cnbc.com