Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

CAPITAL STOCK

v3.20.4
CAPITAL STOCK
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020
Equity [Abstract]  
CAPITAL STOCK
Acquisition of AK Steel
As more fully described in NOTE 3 - ACQUISITIONS, we acquired AK Steel on March 13, 2020. At the effective time of the AK Steel Merger, each share of AK Steel common stock issued and outstanding prior to the effective time of the AK Steel Merger was converted into, and became exchangeable for, 0.400 Cliffs common shares, par value $0.125 per share. We issued a total of 127 million Cliffs common shares in connection with the AK Steel Merger at a fair value of $618 million. Following the closing of the AK Steel Merger, AK Steel's common stock was de-listed from the NYSE.
Acquisition of ArcelorMittal USA
As more fully described in NOTE 3 - ACQUISITIONS, we acquired ArcelorMittal USA on December 9, 2020. Pursuant to the terms of the AM USA Transaction Agreement, we issued 78,186,671 common shares and 583,273 shares of a new series of our Serial Preferred Stock, Class B, without par value, designated as the “Series B Participating Redeemable Preferred Stock,” in each case to an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of ArcelorMittal as part of the consideration paid by us in connection with the closing of the AM USA Transaction. Refer to Preferred Stock below for further information.
Preferred Stock
We have 3,000,000 shares of Serial Preferred Stock, Class A, without par value and 4,000,000 shares of Serial Preferred Stock, Class B, without par value, authorized; no Class A preferred shares are issued or outstanding. Pursuant to the terms of the AM USA Transaction Agreement, we issued 583,273 shares of a new series of our Serial Preferred Stock, Class B, without par value, designated Series B Participating Redeemable Preferred Stock, without par value, to an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of ArcelorMittal on December 9, 2020.
Series B Participating Redeemable Preferred Stock Terms
The Series B Participating Redeemable Preferred Stock is classified for accounting purposes as temporary equity as a result of a change in control provision that could, under remote circumstances, require us to redeem the preferred stock for cash.
The Series B Participating Redeemable Preferred Stock ranks senior to our common shares with respect to dividend rights and rights on the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of, and certain bankruptcy events involving, Cliffs. Each share of Series B Participating Redeemable Preferred Stock entitles its holder to receive a multiple, initially equal to 100 (subject to certain anti-dilution adjustments, the “Applicable Multiple”), of the aggregate amount per share of all dividends declared on the common shares. In addition, from and after the 24-month anniversary of the issue date of the Series B Participating Redeemable Preferred Stock (the “24-Month Anniversary”), each holder of a share of Series B Participating Redeemable Preferred Stock is entitled to receive cash dividends (the “Additional Dividends”) accruing and compounding on a daily basis at the initial rate of 10% per annum on the sum of (i) the Applicable Multiple then in effect times the volume-weighted average price of the common shares for the 20 consecutive trading days ending on the trading day immediately preceding the 24-Month Anniversary and (ii) the amount of accumulated and unpaid dividends on the Series B Participating Redeemable Preferred Stock to, but not including, the 24-Month Anniversary, if any, which rate will increase by 2% per annum at the end of each six-month period following the 24-Month Anniversary. Additional Dividends will be payable, when, as and if declared by the Board, in quarterly installments.
The Series B Participating Redeemable Preferred Stock is redeemable, in whole or in part, at our option at any time and from time to time on and after the date that is 180 days after the issue date at a redemption price per share equal to the Applicable Multiple then in effect times the volume-weighted average price of the common shares for the 20 consecutive trading days ending on the trading day immediately preceding the date fixed for redemption, plus accumulated and unpaid dividends to, but not including, the redemption date.
In the event of a change of control of Cliffs, the Series B Participating Redeemable Preferred Stock will be subject to mandatory redemption at a redemption price per share equal to the Applicable Multiple then in effect times the volume-weighted average price of the common shares for the 20 consecutive trading days ending on the trading day immediately preceding the closing date of the transaction constituting such change of control.
In addition, pursuant to the terms of the Series B Participating Redeemable Preferred Stock, we are restricted from effecting any merger or consolidation with or into another entity unless the Series B Participating Redeemable Preferred Stock remains outstanding following the merger or consolidation, is exchanged for new preferred stock with substantially identical terms or is to be redeemed in connection with the closing of such merger or consolidation.
In addition to the foregoing, the Series B Participating Redeemable Preferred Stock is subject to the express terms of the Serial Preferred Stock, Class B, without par value, as set forth in Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.’s Fourth Amended Articles of Incorporation, as amended, except that holders of Series B Participating Redeemable Preferred Stock, in their capacity as such, do not have the right to vote with the other series of Serial Preferred Stock, Class B, without par value, then outstanding, if any, voting separately as a class, for the election of additional directors of Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. upon certain defaults by the Company in the payment of dividends, as provided in Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.’s Fourth Amended Articles of Incorporation, as amended.
Dividends
The below table summarizes our recent dividend activity:
Declaration Date Record Date Payment Date
Dividend Declared per Common Share1
2/18/2020 4/3/2020 4/15/2020 $ 0.06 
12/2/2019 1/3/2020 1/15/2020 0.06 
9/3/2019 10/4/2019 10/15/2019 0.10 
5/31/2019 7/5/2019 7/15/2019 0.06 
2/19/2019 4/5/2019 4/15/2019 0.05 
10/18/2018 1/4/2019 1/15/2019 0.05 
1 The dividend declared on September 3, 2019 included a special cash dividend of $0.04 per common share.
Subsequent to the dividend paid on April 15, 2020, our Board temporarily suspended future dividends as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in order to preserve cash during this time of economic uncertainty.
Share Repurchase Program
In November 2018, we announced that our Board of Directors authorized a program to repurchase outstanding common shares in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions, up to a maximum of $200 million, excluding commissions and fees. In April 2019, we announced that our Board of Directors increased the common share repurchase authorization by an additional $100 million, excluding commissions and fees. During 2019, we repurchased 24 million common shares at a cost of $253 million in the aggregate, including commissions and fees. The share repurchase program was effective until December 31, 2019.