Spanish stainless steel producer Acerinox S.A. has announced its financial and operational results for the second quarter of the current year.
In the given quarter, the company reported a net profit of €71 million, compared to a net profit of €5 million in the second quarter of 2025, while its net sales amounted to €1.58 billion, rising by 14.3 percent year on year. In addition, Acerinox's EBITDA in the second quarter went up by 85.3 percent year on year to €176 million.
In the second quarter, the company's crude steel production increased by 9.4 percent year on year to 540,000 mt. Also, its hot rolled product output rose by nine percent compared to the same quarter of 2025 to 42,000 mt, while its cold rolled product production totaled 318,000 mt, remaining unchanged year on year.
Acerinox has stated that its second-quarter results marked a clear turning point, reflecting a significant improvement compared to the first quarter, supported by the resilience of its business. Commenting on the results, CEO Bernardo Velázquez said the company's operations in North America continued to be the main driver of profitability, while the European market has begun to show signs of improvement following the introduction of new trade measures.
The company also highlighted the impact of the European Union's new trade defense measures. Although final demand remained subdued, steel imports into Europe declined by 31 percent in the first half of the year. Acerinox noted that, alongside the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), which entered into force on January 1, 2026, the European Commission's new steel trade defense measures took effect on July 1, reducing annual tariff-rate quotas by 55 percent and imposing a 50 percent tariff on imports exceeding those quotas. According to Velázquez, these measures are essential to mitigate the impact of steel exports from countries with excess production capacity and to restore the competitiveness of the European steel industry. He added that, amid instability in global supply chains, strategic autonomy and local supply have become increasingly important, placing the steel industry at the center of industrial policy and employment.
Supported by the strong performance of its US business and the gradual recovery of the European market, Acerinox expects its EBITDA in the third quarter of 2026 to be slightly higher than in the second quarter, despite seasonal factors and planned maintenance shutdowns.
