STLD, §1A diff (2015 → 2016)

ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS Many factors could have an effect on our financial condition, cash flows and results of operations. We are subject to various risks resulting from changing economic, environmental, political, industry, business and financial conditions. The factors described below represent our principal risks. Risks Related to our Industry Our industry is affected by domestic and global economic factors including the slower than anticipated and uneven recovery from the recent recession and the risk of a new recession. Our financial results are substantially dependent not only upon overall economic conditions in the United States, in Europe and in Asia, but also as they may affect one or more of the industries upon which we depend for the sale of our products. The slower than anticipated and uneven recovery from the recent recession could stifle improving customer confidence and adversely affect demand for our products and further adversely affect our business. Metals industries have historically been vulnerable to significant declines in consumption and product pricing during periods of economic downturn or continued uncertainty, including the pace of domestic non-residential construction activity. Our business is also dependent upon certain industries, such as automotive, construction, manufacturing, transportation, heavy and agriculture equipment, and pipe and tube (including OCTG) markets, and these industries are also cyclical in nature. Therefore, these industries may experience their own fluctuations in demand for our products based on such things as economic conditions, energy prices, consumer demand and infrastructure funding decisions by governments. Many of these factors are beyond our control. As a result of volatility in our industry or in the industries we serve, we may have difficulty increasing or maintaining our level of sales or profitability. If the industries we serve were to suffer a downturn, then our business may be adversely affected. Our level of production and our sales and earnings are subject to significant fluctuations as a result of the cyclical nature of the steel industry and some of the industries we serve. The steel manufacturing business is cyclical in nature, and the selling price of the steel we make may fluctuate significantly due to many factors beyond our control. Furthermore, many of our products are commodities, subject to their own cyclical fluctuations in supply and demand in both metal consuming and metal generating industries, including the construction industry. The timing, magnitude and duration of these cycles and the resulting price fluctuations are difficult to predict. The sale of our manufactured steel products is directly affected by demand for our products in other cyclical industries, such as automotive, construction, manufacturing, transportation, heavy and agriculture equipment, and pipe and tube (including OCTG) markets. Economic difficulties, stagnant global economies, supply/demand imbalances and currency fluctuations in the United States or globally could decrease the demand for our products or increase the amount of imports of steel into the United States, which could decrease our sales, margins and profitability. The scrap metal recycling industry has historically been, and is expected to remain, highly cyclical and this could have a material adverse effect on our metals recycling operations' results. Scrap metal prices have become increasingly volatile, and operating results within the metals recycling industry in general have historically been cyclical, and are expected to remain highly cyclical in nature. Similarly, but not necessarily paralleling the price fluctuations in the steel business, the purchase prices for automobile bodies and various other grades of obsolete and industrial scrap, as well as the selling prices for processed and recycled scrap metals we utilize in our own manufacturing process, or which we resell to others through our metals recycling operations, are also highly volatile. During periods of increased imports, scrap metal prices may become depressed and adversely affect the sales, profitability and margins of our scrap business. As a metals recycler, we may attempt to respond to changing recycled metal selling prices by adjusting the scrap metal purchase prices we pay to others, but our ability to do this may be limited by competitive or other factors during periods of low scrap prices, when inbound scrap flow may slow considerably, as scrap generators hold on to their scrap in hopes of getting higher prices later. As such, a prolonged period of low scrap prices could reduce our ability to obtain, process, and sell recycled materials, and this could adversely affect our metals recycling operations' results. Due to the weak global scrap commodity outlook, during the fourth quarter of 2015, as a part of our annual goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible asset assessment, it was determined that the fair market value of our metals recycling operations was less than its carrying value. This led to the determination that the book value of the metals recycling operations was impaired, resulting in pretax non-cash asset impairment charges related to goodwill, trade name, and other assets of $428.5 million. Conversely, periodic increased foreign demand for scrap can result in an outflow of available domestic scrap, as well as resulting higher scrap prices domestically that cannot always be passed on to domestic scrap consumers, thereby further reducing available domestic scrap flows and scrap margins, all of which could adversely affect our sales and profitability of our scrap business. Additionally during periods of high demand and resulting higher scrap prices, ferrous scrap consumers may seek and develop ferrous scrap alternatives, including pig iron and direct reduced iron. The availability and pricing of these scrap alternatives in the domestic market may have a longer term impact on scrap pricing, particularly in prime grades, which could adversely affect our sales, profitability and margins. Imports of steel into the United States have adversely affected, and may again adversely affect, United States steel prices, which could impact our sales, margins and profitability. Global steelmaking capacity currently exceeds global consumption of steel products. Such excess capacity sometimes results in steel manufacturers in certain countries exporting steel at prices that are lower than prevailing domestic prices, and sometimes at or below their cost of production. Excessive imports of steel into the United States, such as in 2015 and 2014, have exerted, and may continue to exert, downward pressure on U.S. steel prices which negatively affects our ability to increase our sales, margins, and profitability. This may also adversely impact domestic demand for ferrous scrap and our ferrous metallics margins. U.S. steel producers compete with many foreign producers, including those in China. Competition from foreign producers is typically strong and is periodically exacerbated by weakening of the economies of certain foreign steelmaking countries. A higher volume of steel exports to the U.S. tend to occur at depressed prices when steel producing countries experience periods of economic difficulty, decreased demand for steel products or excess capacity. In addition, we believe the downward pressure on, and periodically depressed levels of U.S. steel prices in recent years have been further exacerbated by imports of steel involving dumping and subsidy abuses by foreign steel producers. Some foreign steel producers are owned, controlled or subsidized by foreign governments. As a result, decisions by these producers with respect to their production, sales and pricing are sometimes influenced to a greater degree by political and economic policy considerations than by prevailing market conditions, realities of the marketplace or consideration of profit or loss. However, while some tariffs and quotas have recently been put into effect for certain steel products imported from a number of countries that have been found to have been unfairly pricing steel imports to the U.S., there is no assurance that tariffs and quotas will always be levied, even if otherwise justified, and even when imposed many of these are only short-lived. When such tariffs or duties expire or if others are further relaxed or repealed, or if relatively higher U.S. steel prices make it attractive for foreign steelmakers to export their steel products to the U.S., despite the presence of duties or tariffs, the resurgence of substantial imports of foreign steel could create downward pressure on U.S. steel prices. China's current steelmaking overcapacity in relation to its steel consumption could have a material adverse effect on domestic and global steel pricing and could result in increased steel imports into the United States. The significant growth of new Chinese steel production capacity that began in the 2000s, coupled with the slowdown in Chinese steel consumption, has resulted in Chinese steel production capacity that far exceeds that country's current demand and has made China a major global exporter of steel. This combination of a slowdown in China's economic growth and steel consumption and its own expansion of steelmaking capacity generally results in a weakening of steel pricing. Should Chinese steelmaking capacity remain the same or further increase in relation to its demand, China might not only remain a net exporter of steel, but many Asian and European steel producers whose steel output previously fed China's steel import needs could redirect their steel into the U.S. market through increased steel imports, causing a further erosion of margins or negatively impacting our ability to increase our prices. The recent global economic downturn and the difficult conditions in the global industrial, capital and credit markets that resulted, have adversely affected and may continue to adversely affect our industry, as well as the industries of many of our customers and suppliers upon whom we are dependent. Many of the markets in which our customers participate, such as automotive, construction, manufacturing, transportation, heavy and agriculture equipment, and pipe and tube (including OCTG) markets, are cyclical in nature and experience significant fluctuations in demand for our steel products based on economic conditions, consumer demand, raw material and energy costs, and decisions by our government to fund or not fund infrastructure projects such as highways, bridges, schools, energy plants, railroads and transportation facilities. Many of these factors are beyond our control. These markets are highly competitive, to a large extent driven by end-use markets, and may experience overcapacity, all of which may affect demand for and pricing of our products. A decline in consumer and business confidence and spending, together with reductions in the availability of credit or increased cost of credit, as well as volatility in the capital and credit markets, could adversely affect the business and economic environment in which we operate and the profitability of our business. We are also exposed to risks associated with the creditworthiness of our suppliers and customers. If the availability of credit to fund or support the continuation and expansion of our customers' business operations is curtailed or if the cost of that credit is increased the resulting inability of our customers or of their customers to access either credit or absorb the increased cost of that credit could adversely affect our business by reducing our sales or by increasing our exposure to losses from uncollectible customer accounts. A renewed disruption of the credit markets could also result in financial instability of some of our suppliers and customers. The consequences of such adverse effects could include the interruption of production at the facilities of our customers, the reduction, delay or cancellation of customer orders, delays or interruptions of the supply of raw materials we purchase, and bankruptcy of customers, suppliers or other creditors. Any of these events may adversely affect our profitability, cash flow, and financial condition. Volatility and major fluctuations in scrap metal and pig iron prices and our potential inability to pass higher costs on to our customers may constrain operating levels and reduce profit margins. Steel producers require large amounts of raw materials, including scrap metal and scrap substitute products such as pig iron, pelletized iron and other supplies such as graphite electrodes and ferroalloys. Our principal raw material is scrap metal derived primarily from junked automobiles, industrial scrap, railroad cars, railroad track materials, agricultural machinery and demolition scrap from obsolete structures, containers and machines. The prices for scrap are subject to market forces largely beyond our control, including demand by U.S. and international steel producers, freight costs and speculation. The prices for scrap have varied significantly, may vary significantly in the future and do not necessarily fluctuate in tandem with the price of steel. Moreover, some of our integrated steel producer competitors are not as dependent as we are on scrap as a part of their raw material melt mix, which, during periods of high scrap costs relative to the cost of blast furnace iron used by the integrated producers, give them a raw material cost advantage over mini-mills. While our vertical integration into the metals recycling business, through our OmniSource operations, and into the ironmaking business, through our Iron Dynamics facility, should enable us to continue being a cost-effective supplier to our steelmaking operations, for some of our metallics requirements, we will still need to rely on other metallics and raw material suppliers, as well as upon general industry supply conditions for the balance of our needs. The idling of our Minnesota ironmaking operations in May 2015 may hinder or delay our ability to be a cost-effective supplier to our steelmaking operations during periods of high raw material costs. Purchase prices for auto bodies, scrap metal and scrap substitute products such as pig iron that we consume, and selling prices for scrap and recycled metals that we sell to third parties are volatile and beyond our control. While OmniSource attempts to respond to changing recycled metal selling prices through adjustments to its metal purchase prices, its ability to do so is limited by competitive and other market factors. Changing prices could potentially impact the volume of scrap metal available to us and the volume and realized margins of processed metals we sell. The availability and prices of raw materials may also be negatively affected by new laws and regulations, allocation by suppliers, interruptions in production, accidents or natural disasters, changes in exchange rates, global price fluctuations, and the availability and cost of transportation. If prices for ferrous metallics increase by a greater margin than corresponding price increases for the sale of our steel products, we may not be able to recoup such cost increases from increases in the selling prices of steel products. Conversely, depressed prices for ferrous scrap may constrain its supply, which may adversely affect our metals recycling operations and also the availability of certain grades of scrap for our steelmaking operations. Additionally, our inability to pass on all or any substantial part of any cost increases during periods of rapidly rising scrap prices, through scrap or other surcharges, or to provide for our customers' needs because of the potential unavailability of key raw materials or other inputs, may result in production curtailments or may otherwise have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or prospects. The cost and availability of electricity and natural gas are also subject to volatile market conditions. Steel producers like us consume large amounts of energy, inasmuch as mini-mills melt ferrous scrap in electric arc furnaces and use natural gas to reheat steel or steel billets for rolling into finished products. We rely on third parties for the supply of energy resources we consume in our steelmaking activities. The prices for and availability of electricity, natural gas, oil and other energy resources are also subject to volatile market conditions, often affected by weather conditions as well as political and economic factors beyond our control. As large consumers of electricity and gas, we must have dependable delivery in order to operate. Accordingly, we are at risk in the event of an energy disruption. Prolonged black-outs or brown-outs or disruptions caused by natural disasters or by political considerations would substantially disrupt our production. In addition, a significant portion of our finished steel products are delivered by truck. Unforeseen fluctuations in the price of fuel attributable to fluctuations in crude oil prices would also have a negative impact on our costs or on the costs of many of our customers. In addition, changes in certain environmental regulations in the U.S., including those that may impose output limitations or higher costs associated with climate change or greenhouse gas emissions legislation could substantially increase the cost of manufacturing and raw materials, such as energy, to us and other U.S. steel producers. Fluctuations in the value of the United States dollar relative to other currencies may adversely affect our business. Fluctuations in the value of the dollar can be expected to affect our business. A strong U.S. dollar, such as was experienced in 2015, makes imported products less expensive, potentially resulting in more imports of steel products into the U.S. by our foreign competitors, while a weak U.S. dollar may have the opposite impact on imports. Compliance with and changes in environmental and remediation requirements could result in substantially increased capital requirements and operating costs. Existing laws or regulations, as currently interpreted or as may be interpreted in the future, as well as future laws or regulations, may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. We are subject to comprehensive local, state, federal and international statutory and regulatory environmental requirements relating to, among other things: • the acceptance, storage, treatment, handling and disposal of solid and hazardous waste; • the discharge of materials into the air, including periodic changes to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards and to emission standards; • the management and treatment of wastewater and storm water; • the remediation of soil and groundwater contamination; • global climate change legislation or regulation; • the need for and the ability to timely obtain air, water or other operating permits; • the timely reporting of certain chemical usage, content, storage and releases; • the remediation and reclamation of land used for iron mining; • natural resource damages; and • the protection of our employees' health and safety. Compliance with environmental laws and regulations, which affect our steelmaking, metals recycling and ironmaking operations, is a significant factor in our business. We are required to obtain and comply with environmental permits and licenses, and failure to obtain or renew or the violation of any permit or license could result in substantial fines and penalties, suspension of operations and/or the closure of a subject facility. Similarly, delays, increased costs and/or the imposition of onerous conditions to the securing or renewal of operating permits could have a material adverse effect on these operations. Private parties might also bring claims against us under citizen suit provisions and/or for alleged property damage or personal injury resulting from the environmental impacts of our operations. Moreover, legal requirements change frequently, are subject to interpretation and have tended to become more stringent over time. Uncertainty regarding adequate pollution control levels, testing and sampling procedures, and new pollution control technology are factors that may increase our future compliance expenditures. We are unable to predict the ultimate cost of future compliance with these requirements or their effect on our operations. Although we work hard to be in substantial compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, legal requirements frequently change and are subject to interpretation. New laws, regulations and changing interpretations by regulatory authorities, together with uncertainty regarding adequate pollution control levels, testing and sampling procedures, and evolving pollution control technology are among the factors that may increase our future expenditures to comply with environmental requirements. The cost of complying with existing laws or regulations as currently interpreted or reinterpreted in the future, or with future laws or regulations, may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. Our manufacturing and metals recycling operations produce significant amounts of by-products, some of which are handled as solid or hazardous waste. For example, our mills generate electric arc furnace (EAF) dust, which the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) and other regulatory authorities classify as hazardous waste and regulate accordingly. In addition, the primary feed materials for the shredders operated by our metals recycling operations include automobile hulks and obsolete household appliances. A portion of the feed materials consist of unrecyclable material known as shredder residue. If laws or regulations, the interpretation of the laws or regulations, or testing methods change with regard to EAF dust or shredder residue, we may incur significant additional expenditures. The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act ("CERCLA" or "Superfund") enables the U.S. EPA, state agencies and certain private parties to recover from owners, operators, generators and transporters the cost of investigation and cleanup of sites at which hazardous substances were disposed. In connection with CERCLA and analogous state laws, we may be required to clean up contamination discovered at our sites including contamination that may have been caused by former owners or operators of the sites, to conduct additional cleanup at sites that have already had some cleanup performed, and/or to perform cleanup with regard to sites formerly used in connection with our operations. In addition, we may be required to pay for, or to pay a portion of, the costs of cleanup at sites to which we sent materials for disposal or recycling, notwithstanding that the original disposal or recycling activity may have complied with all regulatory requirements then in effect. Pursuant to CERCLA, a party can be held jointly and severally liable for all of the cleanup costs associated with a disposal site. In practice, a liable party often splits the costs of cleanup with other potentially responsible parties. We have received notices from the U.S. EPA, state agencies and third parties that we have been identified as potentially responsible for the cost of investigating and cleaning up a number of disposal sites. In most cases, many other parties are also named as potentially responsible parties. Because CERCLA can be imposed retroactively on shipments that occurred many years ago, and because the U.S. EPA and state agencies are still discovering sites that pose a threat to public health or the environment, we can provide no assurance that we will not become liable for significant costs associated with investigation and remediation of CERCLA cleanup sites. CERCLA, including the Superfund Recycling Equity Act of 1999, limits the exposure of scrap metal recyclers for sales of certain recyclable material under certain circumstances. However, the recycling defense is subject to a number of limitations and may be found not to apply to all instances of recycling activity that we conduct. Increased regulation associated with climate change and greenhouse gas emissions could impose significant additional costs on both our steelmaking and metals recycling operations. The United States government or various governmental agencies may introduce additional regulatory changes in response to the potential impacts of climate change. International treaties or agreements may also result in increasing regulation of greenhouse gas emissions, including the introduction of carbon emissions trading mechanisms. Any such regulation regarding climate change and greenhouse gas, or GHG emissions, could impose significant costs on our steelmaking and metals recycling operations and on the operations of our customers and suppliers, including increased energy, capital equipment, environmental monitoring and reporting and other costs in order to comply with current or future laws or regulations concerning and limitations imposed on our operations by virtue of climate change and GHG emissions laws and regulations. Any adopted future climate change and GHG regulations could negatively impact our ability (and that of our customers and suppliers) to compete with companies situated in areas not subject to such limitations. From a medium and long-term perspective, we are likely to see an increase in costs relating to our assets that emit significant amounts of greenhouse gases as a result of these regulatory initiatives. These regulatory initiatives may impact our operations directly or through our suppliers or customers. Until the timing, scope and extent of any future regulation becomes known, we cannot predict the effect on our financial condition, operating performance and ability to compete. Risks Related to the Business Our senior secured credit facility contains, and any future financing agreements may contain, restrictive covenants that may limit our flexibility. Restrictions and covenants in our existing debt agreements, including our senior secured credit facility, and any future financing agreements, may impair our ability to finance future operations or capital needs or to engage in other business activities. Specifically, these agreements may limit or restrict our ability to: • incur additional indebtedness; • pay dividends or make distributions with respect to our capital stock, in excess of certain amounts; • repurchase or redeem capital stock; • make some investments; • create liens on property; • make some capital expenditures; • enter into transactions with affiliates or related persons; • issue or sell stock of certain subsidiaries; • sell or transfer assets; and • enter into mergers, acquisitions or consolidations, or some joint ventures. A breach of any of the restrictions or covenants could cause a default under our senior secured credit facility, our senior notes, or our other debt. A significant portion of our indebtedness then may become immediately due and payable if the default is not remedied. Under our senior secured credit facility, we are required to maintain certain financial covenants tied to our leverage and profitability. Our ability to meet such covenants or other restrictions can be affected by events beyond our control. If a default were to occur, the lenders could elect to declare all amounts then outstanding to be immediately due and payable and terminate all commitments to extend further credit. If we are unable to repay those amounts, the lenders could proceed against the collateral granted to them to secure such indebtedness. We have pledged substantially all of our receivables and inventories and all shares of capital stock or other equity interests of our subsidiaries and intercompany debt held by us as collateral for our senior secured credit facility. We may face significant price and other forms of competition from other steel producers, scrap processors and alternative materials, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operation, or prospects. The global markets in which steel companies and scrap processors conduct business are highly competitive and became even more so due to the slow and uneven recovery from the global economic downturn and consolidations in the steel and scrap industries. Additionally, in many applications, steel competes with other materials, such as aluminum, cement, composites, plastics, carbon fiber, glass and wood. Increased use of alternative materials could decrease demand for steel and combined with increased competition could cause us to lose market share, increase expenditures or reduce pricing, any one of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or prospects. The global steel industry suffers from over-capacity, and that excess capacity intensifies price competition in some of our products. A decrease in the global demand for steel scrap, due to market or other conditions, generally causes a decrease in the price of scrap metals. A decrease in price could result in some scrap generators exiting the marketplace which could further decrease the availability of scrap. This shortage in availability of scrap could have a material adverse effect on both our steelmaking and our metals recycling operations and thus on our business, financial condition, results of operations or prospects. We are subject to significant risks relating to changes in commodity prices and may not be able to effectively protect against these risks. We are exposed to commodity price risk during periods where we hold title to scrap metal products that we may hold in inventory for processing or resale. Prices of commodities, including scrap, can be volatile due to numerous factors beyond our control. In an increasing price environment for raw materials, competitive conditions may limit our ability to pass on price increases to our consumers. In a decreasing price environment for processed scrap, we may not have the ability to fully recoup the cost of raw materials that we procure, process, and sell to our customers. In addition, new entrants into the market areas we serve could result in higher purchase prices for raw materials and lower margins from our scrap. We have not hedged positions in certain commodities, such as ferrous scrap, where futures markets are not well established. Thus, our sales and inventory position will be vulnerable to adverse changes in commodity prices, which could materially adversely impact our operating and financial performance. The profitability of our metals recycling operations depends, in part, on the availability of an adequate source of supply. We procure our scrap inventory from numerous sources. These suppliers generally are not bound by long-term contracts and have no obligation to sell recyclable metal to us. In periods of low industry prices, suppliers may elect to hold recyclable metal to wait for higher prices or intentionally slow their metal collection activities. If a substantial number of suppliers cease selling recyclable metal to us, we will be unable to recycle metal at desired levels and our results of operations and financial condition could be materially adversely affected. In addition, a slowdown of industrial production in the U.S. reduces the supply of industrial grades of metal to the metal recycling industry, resulting in our having less recyclable metal available to process and market. We may face risks associated with the implementation of our growth strategy. Our growth strategy subjects us to various risks. As part of our growth strategy, we may expand existing facilities, enter into new product or process initiatives, acquire or build additional plants, acquire other businesses and assets, enter into joint ventures, or form strategic alliances that we believe will complement our existing business. These transactions will likely involve some or all of the following risks: • the risk of entering markets in which we have little experience; • the difficulty of competing for acquisitions and other growth opportunities with companies having materially greater financial resources than us; • the inability to realize anticipated synergies or other benefits expected from an acquisition; • the difficulty of integrating the new or acquired operations and personnel into our existing operations; • the potential disruption of ongoing operations; • the diversion of financial resources to new operations or acquired businesses; • the diversion of management attention from other business concerns to new operations or acquired businesses; • the loss of key employees and customers of acquired businesses; • the potential exposure to unknown liabilities; • the inability of management to maintain uniform standards, controls, procedures and policies; • the difficulty of managing the growth of a larger company; • the risk of becoming involved in labor, commercial, or regulatory disputes or litigation related to the new operations or acquired businesses; • the risk of becoming more highly leveraged; • the risk of contractual or operational liability to other venture participants or to third parties as a result of our participation; • the inability to work efficiently with joint venture or strategic alliance partners; and • the difficulties of terminating joint ventures or strategic alliances. These initiatives or transactions might be required for us to remain competitive, but we may not be able to complete any such transactions on favorable terms or obtain financing, if necessary. Future transactions may not improve our competitive position and business prospects as anticipated, and if they do not, our sales and earnings may be significantly reduced. Impairment charges could adversely affect our results of operations. We periodically test goodwill, intangible assets and long-lived assets to determine whether their estimated fair value is less than their value recorded on our balance sheet. If we determine that the fair value of any of these assets is less than the value recorded on our balance sheet, we will incur non-cash impairment charges that could adversely affect our results of operations. During the fourth quarter of 2014, we assessed the carrying value of the Minnesota ironmaking operations' fixed assets, and determined that the future estimated cash flow did not support the value in place. Therefore, we recorded a pre-tax, non-cash asset impairment charge of $260 million, and based on our joint venture ownership percentage, reduced consolidated company net income by $132.6 million. Due to a significant and sustained decline in global pig iron pricing, which resulted in the cost of iron nugget production being higher than product selling values, we indefinitely idled our Minnesota ironmaking operations in May 2015. During the fourth quarter of 2015, as a part of our annual goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible asset assessment, it was determined that the fair market value of our metals recycling operations was less than its carrying value, due to the sustained weak global scrap commodity outlook. We determined that the carrying value of the metals recycling operations was impaired, resulting in pretax non-cash goodwill, trade name, and other related asset impairment charges of $428.5 million. We are subject to litigation and legal compliance risks which could adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations and liquidity. We are involved, along with two other remaining steel manufacturing company defendants, in a class action antitrust suit in federal court in Chicago, Illinois, originally against eight companies. The Complaint alleges a conspiracy on the part of the original defendants to fix, raise, maintain and stabilize the price at which steel products were sold in the United States during a specified period between 2005 and 2007, by artificially restricting the supply of such steel products. All but one of the Complaints were brought on behalf of a purported class consisting of all direct purchasers of steel products. The other Complaint was brought on behalf of a purported class consisting of all indirect purchasers of steel products within the same time period. In addition, another similar complaint was filed in December 2010 purporting to be on behalf of indirect purchasers of steel products in Tennessee. All Complaints have been consolidated in the Chicago action and seek treble damages and costs, including reasonable attorney fees, pre- and post-judgment interest and injunctive relief. Following an extensive period of discovery and related motions concerning class certification matters, the Court, on September 9, 2015, certified a class, limited, however, to the issue of the alleged conspiracy alone, and denied class certification on the issue of antitrust impact and damages. As a result, some additional discovery is ongoing. We have also filed a motion for summary judgment, as has co-defendant SSAB, and this is currently pending. Due to the uncertain nature of litigation, we cannot presently determine the ultimate outcome of this litigation. Based on the information available at this time, we have determined that there is not presently a "reasonable possibility" (as that term is defined in ASC 450-20-20), that the outcome of these legal proceedings would have a material impact on our financial condition, results of operations, or liquidity. Although not presently necessary or appropriate to make a dollar estimate of exposure to loss, if any, in connection with the above matter, we may in the future determine that a loss accrual is necessary. Although we may make loss accruals, if and as warranted, any amounts that we may accrue from time to time could vary significantly from the amounts we actually pay, due to inherent uncertainties and the inherent shortcomings of the estimation process, the uncertainties involved in litigation and other factors. Additionally, an adverse result could have a material effect on our financial condition, results of operations and liquidity. We are involved in various routine litigation matters, including administrative proceedings, regulatory proceedings, governmental investigations, environmental matters, and commercial and construction contract disputes. In addition to risks associated with our environmental and other regulatory compliance, our international operations are subject to complex foreign and U.S. laws and regulations, including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, regulations related to import-export controls, the Office of Foreign Assets Control, and other laws and regulations, each of which may increase our cost of doing business and expose us to increased risk. Unexpected equipment downtime or shutdowns could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. Interruptions in our production capabilities could adversely affect our production costs, products available for sale and earnings during the affected period. In addition to equipment failures, our facilities are also subject to the risk of catastrophic loss due to unanticipated events such as fires, explosions or violent weather conditions. Our manufacturing processes are dependent upon critical pieces of steelmaking equipment, such as our furnaces, continuous casters and rolling equipment, as well as electrical equipment, such as transformers. This equipment may, on occasion, be out of service as a result of unanticipated failures or other events. We have experienced and may in the future experience plant shutdowns or periods of reduced production as a result of such equipment failures or other events. These disruptions could have an adverse effect on our operations, customer service levels, financial results and prospects. We have incurred, and may incur in the future, costs to idle facilities, idled facility carrying costs, or increased costs to resume production at idled facilities. Due to a significant and sustained decline in global pig iron pricing, which resulted in the cost of iron nugget production being higher than product selling values, we indefinitely idled our Minnesota ironmaking operations in May 2015. We incurred approximately $34.8 million (inclusive of noncontrolling interest of $5.1 million) of expenses related to the idling, including $21.0 million of non-cash inventory valuation adjustments. We currently incur minor ongoing carrying costs related to these idled facilities and, should we in the future resume production, we would incur further costs related to preparing the Minnesota ironmaking operations for operation, perform any required repairs and maintenance, and training employees. Should economic or market conditions dictate, we may in the future idle additional facilities, which may require us to incur additional idling and carrying costs related to those facilities, as well as further increased costs should production be resumed at any idled facility, which could have an adverse effect on our financial results and results of operations. We may face risks to the security of our information technology. Increased global information technology security requirements, vulnerabilities, threats and a rise in sophisticated and targeted cybercrime pose a risk to the security of our systems, our information networks, and to the confidentiality, availability and integrity of our data, as well as to the functionality of our automated and electronically controlled manufacturing operating systems. Although we have adopted procedures and controls to protect our information and operating technology, including sensitive proprietary information and confidential and personal data, there can be no assurance that a system or network failure, or security breach, will be prevented. This could lead to system interruption, production delays or downtimes and operational disruptions, the disclosure, modification or destruction of proprietary and other key information, which could have an adverse effect on our reputation, financial results and results of operations. Governmental agencies may refuse to grant or renew some of our licenses and permits. We must receive licenses, air, water and other permits and approvals from state and local governments to conduct certain of our operations or to develop or acquire new facilities. Governmental agencies sometimes resist the establishment of certain types of facilities in their communities, including scrap metal collection and processing facilities. There can be no assurance that future approvals, licenses and permits will be granted or that we will be able to maintain and renew the approvals, licenses and permits we currently hold. Failure to do so could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. ITEM 1B.