Cleveland-Cliffs Inc S-3ASR, filed Oct 29, 2025
Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. (CLF)
S-3ASR
2025-10-29
View Original
Added on
October 19, 2026
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 29, 2025
Registration No. 333-
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
_______________________________
FORM S-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
_______________________________
Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
_______________________________
| Ohio | 34-1464672 | |||||||
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) | |||||||
200 Public Square
Suite 3300
Cleveland, Ohio 44114-2315
Telephone: (216) 694-5700
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)
_______________________________
Celso L. Goncalves Jr.
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.
200 Public Square, Suite 3300
Cleveland, Ohio 44114-2315
Telephone: (216) 694-5700
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.
200 Public Square, Suite 3300
Cleveland, Ohio 44114-2315
Telephone: (216) 694-5700
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
_______________________________
Copies to:
Michael J. Solecki, Esq.
Ferrell M. Keel, Esq.
Jones Day
North Point
901 Lakeside Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44114
Telephone: (216) 586-3939
Facsimile: (216) 579-0212
Jones Day
North Point
901 Lakeside Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44114
Telephone: (216) 586-3939
Facsimile: (216) 579-0212
_______________________________
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after the effective date of this registration statement.
If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. ☐
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box. ☒
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☒
If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer ☒ | Accelerated filer | ☐ | ||||||
| Non-accelerated filer ☐ | Smaller reporting company | ☐ | ||||||
| Emerging growth company | ☐ | |||||||
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐
________________________
Prospectus
Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.
Common Shares
Preferred Stock
Depositary Shares
Warrants
Subscription Rights
Debt Securities
Units
We may offer and sell from time to time our common shares, preferred stock, depositary shares, warrants, subscription rights and debt securities, as well as units that include any of these securities.
We will provide the specific terms of the securities to be offered in one or more supplements to this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement carefully before you invest in our securities. This prospectus may not be used to offer and sell our securities unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement describing the method and terms of the offering of those offered securities.
We may sell the securities directly or to or through underwriters or dealers, and also to other purchasers or through agents. The names of any underwriters or agents that are included in a sale of securities to you, and any applicable commissions or discounts, will be stated in an accompanying prospectus supplement.
Investing in any of our securities involves risk. Please read carefully the section entitled “Risk Factors” on page 8 of this prospectus and the information included and incorporated by reference in this prospectus.
________________________
Our common shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “CLF.” If we decide to seek a listing of any securities offered by this prospectus, we will disclose the exchange or market on which the securities will be listed, if any, or where we have made an application for listing, if any, in one or more supplements to this prospectus.
________________________
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
________________________
The date of this prospectus is October 29, 2025.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| Page | |||||
| ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS | |||||
| WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION | |||||
| INFORMATION WE INCORPORATE BY REFERENCE | |||||
| DISCLOSURE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS | |||||
| OUR BUSINESS | |||||
| RISK FACTORS | |||||
| USE OF PROCEEDS | |||||
| DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK | |||||
| DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSITARY SHARES | |||||
| DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS | |||||
| DESCRIPTION OF SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS | |||||
| DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES | |||||
| DESCRIPTION OF UNITS | |||||
| PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION | |||||
| LEGAL MATTERS | |||||
| EXPERTS | |||||
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS
This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, using a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may from time to time sell the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings at prices and on other terms to be determined at the time of offering.
This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we sell such securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain more specific information about the terms of that offering. For a more complete understanding of the offering of the securities, you should refer to the registration statement, including its exhibits. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with additional information under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Information We Incorporate By Reference.”
We have not authorized anyone to provide you with any information other than that contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and in any prospectus supplement or in any free writing prospectus that we may provide to you. We take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or any document incorporated by reference is accurate as of any date other than the date mentioned on the cover page of these documents. We are not making offers to sell the securities in any jurisdiction in which an offer or solicitation is not authorized or in which the person making such offer or solicitation is not qualified to do so or to anyone to whom it is unlawful to make an offer or solicitation.
References in this prospectus to the terms “we,” “us,” “our” or “Cliffs” or other similar terms mean Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries, unless we state otherwise or the context indicates otherwise.
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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We are subject to the informational reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or the Exchange Act. We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Our SEC filings are available over the Internet at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
We make available, free of charge, on our website at www.clevelandcliffs.com, our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, proxy statements and amendments to those reports and statements as soon as reasonably practicable after they are filed with the SEC. The information contained on or accessible through our website is not part of this prospectus, other than the documents that we file with the SEC that are specifically incorporated by reference into this prospectus.
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INFORMATION WE INCORPORATE BY REFERENCE
The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” into this prospectus the information in documents we file with it, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be a part of this prospectus, and information that we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. Any statement contained in any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained in or omitted from this prospectus or any accompanying prospectus supplement, or in any other subsequently filed document that also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein, modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus.
We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings we make with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act until the completion of the offering of securities described in this prospectus:
•our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 (filed with the SEC on February 25, 2025);
•our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarterly periods ended March 31, 2025 (filed with the SEC on May 8, 2025), June 30, 2025 (filed with the SEC on July 23, 2025) and September 30, 2025 (filed with the SEC on October 22, 2025);
•our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on January 3, 2025, January 17, 2025, February 3, 2025 (with respect to Item 8.01 only), February 6, 2025, May 21, 2025, September 3, 2025, September 8, 2025, October 7, 2025 and October 10, 2025;
•our Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A (filed with the SEC on April 2, 2025), to the extent incorporated by reference in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024; and
•the description of our common shares contained in Exhibit 4.27 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 (filed with the SEC on February 25, 2025), and any subsequently filed amendments and reports updating such description.
We do not and will not, however, incorporate by reference in this prospectus any documents or portions thereof that are not deemed “filed” with the SEC, including any information furnished pursuant to Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of our Current Reports on Form 8-K unless, and except to the extent, specified in such Current Reports. You may obtain copies of these filings without charge by accessing the investor relations section of www.clevelandcliffs.com or by requesting the filings in writing or by telephone at the following address and telephone number.
Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.
Investor Relations
200 Public Square
Suite 3300
Cleveland, Ohio 44114
Telephone Number: (216) 694-5700
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DISCLOSURE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus, including the documents incorporated by reference, contains, and any prospectus supplement may contain, statements that constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of predictive, future-tense or forward-looking terminology, such as “anticipate,” “assume,” “believe,” “build,” “continue,” “create,” “design,” “estimate,” “expect,” “focus,” “forecast,” “future,” “goal,” “guidance,” “imply,” “intend,” “look,” “objective,” “opportunity,” “outlook,” “plan,” “position,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “prospective,” “pursue,” “seek,” “strategy,” “target,” “work,” “could,” “may,” “should,” “will,” “would” or the negative of such terms or other variations thereof and words and terms of similar substance used in connection with any discussion of future plans, actions or events identify forward-looking statements with respect to our business, strategy and plans and future financial condition and performance. These statements speak only as of the date of this prospectus or the date of the document incorporated by reference, as applicable, and we undertake no ongoing obligation, other than that imposed by law, to update these statements. These statements appear in a number of places in this prospectus, including the documents incorporated by reference, and relate to, among other things, our intent, belief or current expectations of our directors or our officers with respect to: our future financial condition; results of operations or prospects; our business and growth strategies; and our financing plans and forecasts. You are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve significant risks and uncertainties, and that actual results may differ materially from those contained in or implied by such forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, some of which are unknown, including, without limitation:
•continued volatility of steel, scrap metal and iron ore market prices, which directly and indirectly impact the prices of the products that we sell to our customers;
•uncertainties associated with the highly competitive and cyclical steel industry and our reliance on the demand for steel from the automotive industry;
•potential weaknesses and uncertainties in global economic conditions, excess global steelmaking capacity and production, prevalence of steel imports, reduced market demand and oversupply of iron ore;
•severe financial hardship, bankruptcy, temporary or permanent shutdowns or operational challenges of one or more of our major customers, key suppliers or contractors, which, among other adverse effects, could disrupt our operations or lead to reduced demand for our products, increased difficulty collecting receivables, and customers and/or suppliers asserting force majeure or other reasons for not performing their contractual obligations to us;
•risks related to U.S. government actions and other countries' reactions with respect to Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 (as amended by the Trade Act of 1974), the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement and/or other trade agreements, tariffs, treaties or policies, as well as the uncertainty of obtaining and maintaining effective antidumping and countervailing duty orders to counteract the harmful effects of unfairly traded imports;
•impacts of existing and changing governmental regulation, including actual and potential environmental regulations relating to climate change and carbon emissions, and related costs and liabilities, including failure to receive or maintain required operating and environmental permits, approvals, modifications or other authorizations of, or from, any governmental or regulatory authority and costs related to implementing improvements to ensure compliance with regulatory changes, including potential financial assurance requirements, and reclamation and remediation obligations;
•potential impacts to the environment or exposure to hazardous substances resulting from our operations;
•our ability to maintain adequate liquidity, our level of indebtedness and the availability of capital could limit our financial flexibility and cash flow necessary to fund working capital, planned capital expenditures, acquisitions, and other general corporate purposes or ongoing needs of our business, or to repurchase our common shares;
•our ability to reduce our indebtedness or return capital to shareholders within the currently expected timeframes or at all;
•adverse changes in credit ratings, interest rates, foreign currency rates and tax laws;
•challenges to successfully implementing our business strategy to achieve operating results in line with our guidance;
•the outcome of, and costs incurred in connection with, lawsuits, claims, arbitrations or governmental proceedings relating to commercial and business disputes, antitrust claims, environmental matters, government investigations, occupational or personal injury claims, property-related matters, labor and employment matters, or suits involving legacy operations and other matters;
•supply chain disruptions or changes in the cost, quality or availability of energy sources, including electricity, natural gas and diesel fuel, critical raw materials and supplies, including iron ore, industrial gases, graphite electrodes, scrap metal, chrome, zinc, other alloys, coke and metallurgical coal, and critical manufacturing equipment and spare parts;
•problems or disruptions associated with transporting products to our customers, moving manufacturing inputs or products internally among our facilities, or suppliers transporting raw materials to us;
•the risk that the cost or time to implement a strategic or sustaining capital project may prove to be greater than originally anticipated;
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•our ability to consummate any public or private acquisition or divestiture transactions and the transactions contemplated by the Memorandum of Understanding announced in October 2025 and to realize any or all of the anticipated benefits or estimated future synergies, including any expected accretion, as well as to successfully integrate any acquired businesses into our existing businesses;
•uncertainties associated with natural or human-caused disasters, adverse weather conditions, unanticipated geological conditions, critical equipment failures, infectious disease outbreaks, tailings dam failures and other unexpected events;
•cybersecurity incidents relating to, disruptions in, or failures of, information technology systems that are managed by us or third parties that host or have access to our data or systems, including the loss, theft or corruption of our or third parties' sensitive or essential business or personal information and the inability to access or control systems;
•liabilities and costs arising in connection with any business decisions to temporarily or indefinitely idle or permanently close an operating facility or mine, which could adversely impact the carrying value of associated assets, trigger contractual liabilities or termination costs, and give rise to impairment charges or closure and reclamation obligations, as well as uncertainties associated with restarting any previously idled operating facility or mine;
•our ability to realize the anticipated synergies or other expected benefits of the completed acquisition on November 1, 2024 of Stelco Holdings Inc. (the “Stelco Acquisition”), as well as the impact of additional liabilities and obligations incurred in connection with the Stelco Acquisition;
•our level of self-insurance and our ability to obtain sufficient third-party insurance to adequately cover potential adverse events and business risks;
•uncertainties associated with our ability to meet customers’ and suppliers’ decarbonization goals and reduce our greenhouse gas ("GHG") emissions in alignment with our own announced targets;
•challenges to maintaining our social license to operate with our stakeholders, including the impacts of our operations on local communities, reputational impacts of operating in a carbon-intensive industry that produces GHG emissions, and our ability to foster a consistent operational and safety track record;
•our actual economic mineral reserves or reductions in current mineral reserve estimates, and any title defect or loss of any lease, license, option, easement or other possessory interest for any mining property;
•our ability to maintain satisfactory labor relations with unions and employees;
•unanticipated or higher costs associated with pension and other postretirement benefits obligations resulting from changes in the value of plan assets or contribution increases required for unfunded obligations;
•uncertain availability or cost of skilled workers to fill critical operational positions and potential labor shortages caused by experienced employee attrition or otherwise, as well as our ability to attract, hire, develop and retain key personnel;
•our ability to complete the requisite technical and economic studies to determine the economic potential for extraction of rare earths at our properties, and the risk that rare-earth extraction at our properties may be uneconomical;
•potential significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting; and
•other risks described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024.
These factors and the other risk factors described in this prospectus, including the documents incorporated by reference, are not necessarily all of the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any of our forward-looking statements. Other unknown or unpredictable factors also could harm our results. Consequently, there can be no assurance that the actual results or developments anticipated by us will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, us. Given these uncertainties, prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements.
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OUR BUSINESS
We are a leading North America-based steel producer with focus on value-added sheet products, particularly for the automotive industry. We are vertically integrated from the mining of iron ore, production of pellets and direct reduced iron, and processing of ferrous scrap through primary steelmaking and downstream finishing, stamping, tooling and tubing. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, we employ approximately 30,000 people across our operations in the United States and Canada. More than 90% of our hourly workforce is represented by three prominent unions - United Steelworkers, United Auto Workers and International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.
Our principal executive offices are located at 200 Public Square, Suite 3300, Cleveland, Ohio 44114-2315. Our main telephone number is (216) 694-5700, and our website address is www.clevelandcliffs.com. The information contained on or accessible through our website is not part of this prospectus, other than the documents that we file with the SEC that are incorporated by reference in this prospectus.
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RISK FACTORS
Investing in our securities involves risk. Prior to making a decision about investing in our securities, you should carefully consider the specific factors discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC, in each case as these risk factors are amended or supplemented by subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K, which have been or will be incorporated by reference into this prospectus. The risks and uncertainties we have described are not the only ones we face. Additional risks and uncertainties that are not yet identified may also materially harm our business, operating results and financial condition and could result in a complete loss of your investment.
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USE OF PROCEEDS
Unless we inform you otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, we expect to use the net proceeds from the sale of our securities to which this prospectus relates for general corporate purposes. These purposes may include, but are not limited to:
•reduction or refinancing of outstanding indebtedness or other corporate obligations;
•additions to working capital;
•capital expenditures;
•strategic investments; and
•repurchases of our common shares.
Pending any specific application, we may initially invest funds in short-term, interest-bearing obligations.
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DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK
The following is a summary of the terms and provisions of our capital stock. The rights of our shareholders are governed by the Ohio Revised Code, our Fourth Amended Articles of Incorporation, as amended, which we refer to as our Articles of Incorporation, and our Regulations, which we refer to as our regulations. This summary is qualified by reference to our governing corporate instruments to which we have referred you and applicable provisions of Ohio law. To obtain a copy of our Articles of Incorporation and regulations, see “Where You Can Find More Information.”
Common Shares
We have authorized 1,200,000,000 common shares, par value $0.125 per share. The holders of our common shares are entitled to one vote for each share on all matters upon which shareholders have the right to vote and, upon proper notice, are entitled to cumulative voting rights in the election of directors. Our common shares do not have any preemptive rights, are not subject to redemption and do not have the benefit of any sinking fund. Holders of our common shares are entitled to receive such dividends as our directors from time to time may declare out of funds legally available therefor. Entitlement to dividends is subject to the preferences granted to other classes of securities we have or may have outstanding in the future. In the event of our liquidation, holders of our common shares are entitled to share in any of our assets remaining after satisfaction in full of our liabilities and satisfaction of such dividend and liquidation preferences as may be possessed by the holders of other classes of securities we have or may have outstanding in the future.
The transfer agent and registrar for our common shares is Broadridge Corporate Issuer Solutions.
Preferred Stock
We have authorized 3,000,000 shares of serial preferred stock, Class A, without par value, which we refer to as Class A Preferred Stock, and 4,000,000 shares of serial preferred stock, Class B, without par value, which we refer to as Class B Preferred Stock. Under our Articles of Incorporation, our board of directors can issue, without further shareholder action, up to 3,000,000 shares of Class A Preferred Stock and up to 4,000,000 shares of Class B Preferred Stock, which we refer to collectively as Preferred Stock, in each case, with such rights and restrictions as authorized by our board of directors, subject to any shares of Preferred Stock of the applicable class then outstanding. We will distribute a prospectus supplement with regard to each series of preferred stock offered under this prospectus. Each prospectus supplement will describe, as to the preferred stock to which it relates:
•the title of the series;
•the voting rights of the holders of shares of preferred stock;
•the dividends, if any, which will be payable with regard to the series;
•the terms, if any, on which the series may or will be redeemed;
•the preference, if any, to which holders of the series will be entitled upon our liquidation;
•the right, if any, of holders of the series to convert them into another class of shares or securities; and
•any other material terms of the series.
Ohio Control Share Acquisition Statute
The Ohio Control Share Acquisition Statute requires the prior authorization of the shareholders of certain corporations in order for any person to acquire, either directly or indirectly, shares of that corporation that would entitle the acquiring person to exercise or direct the exercise of 20% or more of the voting power of that corporation in the election of directors or to exceed specified other percentages of voting power. In the event an acquiring person proposes to make such an acquisition, the person is required to deliver to the corporation a statement disclosing, among other things, the number of shares owned, directly or indirectly, by the person, the range of voting power that may result from the proposed acquisition and the identity of the acquiring person. Within 10 days after receipt of this statement, the corporation must call a special meeting of shareholders to vote on the proposed acquisition. The acquiring person may complete the proposed acquisition only if the acquisition is approved by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the voting power of all shares entitled to vote in the election of directors represented at the meeting excluding the voting power of all “interested shares.” Interested shares include any shares held by the acquiring person and those held by officers and directors who are employees of the corporation as well as by certain others, including many holders commonly characterized as arbitrageurs. The Ohio Control Share Acquisition Statute does not apply to a corporation if its articles of incorporation or code of regulations state that the statute does not apply to such corporation. Neither our Articles of Incorporation nor our regulations contain a provision opting out of this statute.
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Ohio Interested Shareholder Statute
Chapter 1704 of the Ohio Revised Code prohibits certain corporations from engaging in a “chapter 1704 transaction” with an “interested shareholder” for a period of three years after the date of the transaction in which the person became an interested shareholder, unless, among other things:
•the articles of incorporation expressly provide that the corporation is not subject to the statute (we have not made this election); or
•the board of directors of the corporation approves the chapter 1704 transaction or the acquisition of the shares before the date the shares were acquired.
After the three-year moratorium period, the corporation may not consummate a chapter 1704 transaction unless, among other things, it is approved by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the voting power in the election of directors and the holders of a majority of the voting shares, excluding all shares beneficially owned by an interested shareholder or an affiliate or associate of an interested shareholder, or the corporation’s shareholders receive certain minimum consideration for their shares. A chapter 1704 transaction includes certain mergers, sales of assets, consolidations, combinations and majority share acquisitions involving an interested shareholder. An interested shareholder is defined to include, with limited exceptions, any person who, together with affiliates and associates, is the beneficial owner of a sufficient number of shares of the corporation to entitle the person, directly or indirectly, alone or with others, to exercise or direct the exercise of 10% or more of the voting power in the election of directors after taking into account all of the person’s beneficially owned shares that are not then outstanding.
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DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSITARY SHARES
General
We may offer depositary shares representing fractional shares of our preferred stock of any series. The following description sets forth certain general terms and provisions of the depositary shares that we may offer pursuant to this prospectus. The particular terms of the depositary shares, including the fraction of a share of preferred stock that such depositary share will represent, and the extent, if any, to which the general terms and provisions may apply to the depositary shares so offered, will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
The shares of preferred stock represented by depositary shares will be deposited under a deposit agreement between us and a bank or trust company that meets certain requirements and is selected by us, which we refer to as the bank depositary. Each owner of a depositary share will be entitled to all the rights and preferences of the shares of preferred stock represented by the depositary share. The depositary shares will be evidenced by depositary receipts issued pursuant to the deposit agreement. Depositary receipts will be distributed to those persons purchasing the fractional shares of preferred stock in accordance with the terms of the offering. The deposit agreement will also contain provisions relating to the manner in which any subscription or similar rights we offer to holders of preferred stock will be made available to the holders of depositary shares.
The following description is a general summary of some common provisions of a deposit agreement and the related depositary receipts. The description below and in any prospectus supplement does not include all of the terms of the deposit agreement and the related depositary receipts. Copies of the form of deposit agreement and the depositary receipts relating to any particular issue of depositary shares will be filed with the SEC each time we issue depositary shares, and you should read those documents for provisions that may be important to you. For more information on how you can obtain copies of the forms of the deposit agreement and the related depositary receipts, if and when they are filed, see “Where You Can Find More Information.”
Dividends and Other Distributions
If we pay a cash distribution or dividend on a series of preferred stock represented by depositary shares, the bank depositary will distribute these dividends to the record holders of these depositary shares. If the distributions are in property other than cash, the bank depositary will distribute the property to the record holders of the depositary shares. However, if the bank depositary determines that it is not feasible to make the distribution of property, the bank depositary may, with our approval, sell this property and distribute the net proceeds from this sale to the record holders of the depositary shares.
Redemption of Depositary Shares
If we redeem a series of preferred stock represented by depositary shares, the bank depositary will redeem the depositary shares from the proceeds received by the bank depositary in connection with the redemption. The redemption price per depositary share will equal the applicable fraction of the redemption price per share of the preferred stock. If fewer than all the depositary shares are redeemed, the depositary shares to be redeemed will be selected by lot or pro rata as the bank depositary may determine.
Voting the Preferred Stock
Upon receipt of notice of any meeting at which the holders of preferred stock represented by depositary shares are entitled to vote, the bank depositary will mail the notice to the record holders of the depositary shares relating to the preferred stock. Each record holder of these depositary shares on the record date (which will be the same date as the record date for the preferred stock) may instruct the bank depositary as to how to vote the preferred stock represented by the holder’s depositary shares. The bank depositary will endeavor, insofar as practicable, to vote the amount of the preferred stock represented by such depositary shares in accordance with these instructions, and we will take all action that the bank depositary deems necessary in order to enable the bank depositary to do so. The bank depositary will abstain from voting shares of the preferred stock to the extent it does not receive specific instructions from the holders of depositary shares representing this preferred stock.
Amendment and Termination of the Deposit Agreement
The form of depositary receipt evidencing the depositary shares and any provision of the deposit agreement may be amended by agreement between the bank depositary and us. However, any amendment that materially and adversely alters the rights of the holders of depositary shares will not be effective unless the amendment has been approved by the holders of at least a majority of the depositary shares then outstanding. The deposit agreement may be terminated by the bank depositary or us only if:
•all outstanding depositary shares have been redeemed; or
•there has been a final distribution in respect of the preferred stock in connection with any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of us and this distribution has been distributed to the holders of depositary receipts.
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Charges of Bank Depositary
We will pay all transfer and other taxes and governmental charges arising solely from the existence of the depositary arrangements. We will pay charges of the bank depositary in connection with the initial deposit of the preferred stock and any redemption of the preferred stock. Holders of depositary receipts will pay other transfer and other taxes and governmental charges and any other charges, including a fee for the withdrawal of shares of preferred stock upon surrender of depositary receipts, as are expressly provided in the deposit agreement to be for their accounts.
Withdrawal of Preferred Stock
Except as may be provided otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, upon surrender of depositary receipts at the principal office of the bank depositary, subject to the terms of the deposit agreement, the owner of the depositary shares may demand delivery of the number of whole shares of preferred stock and all money and other property, if any, represented by those depositary shares. Fractional shares of preferred stock will not be issued. If the depositary receipts delivered by a holder evidence a number of depositary shares in excess of the number of depositary shares representing the number of whole shares of preferred stock to be withdrawn, the bank depositary will deliver to the holder at the same time a new depositary receipt evidencing the excess number of depositary shares. Holders of preferred stock thus withdrawn may not thereafter deposit those shares under the deposit agreement or receive depositary receipts evidencing depositary shares therefor.
Miscellaneous
The bank depositary will forward to holders of depositary receipts all reports and communications from us that are delivered to the bank depositary and that we are required to furnish to the holders of preferred stock.
Neither the bank depositary nor we will be liable if we are prevented or delayed by law or any circumstance beyond our control from performing our obligations under the deposit agreement. The obligations of the bank depositary and us under the deposit agreement will be limited to performance in good faith of our duties thereunder, and we will not be obligated to prosecute or defend any legal proceeding in respect of any depositary shares or shares of preferred stock unless satisfactory indemnity is furnished. We may rely upon written advice of counsel or accountants, or upon information provided by persons presenting shares of preferred stock for deposit, holders of depositary receipts or other persons believed to be competent and on documents believed to be genuine.
Resignation and Removal of Bank Depositary
The bank depositary may resign at any time by delivering to us notice of its election to do so, and we may at any time remove the bank depositary. Any such resignation or removal will take effect upon the appointment of a successor bank depositary and the successor’s acceptance of this appointment. The successor bank depositary must be appointed within 60 days after delivery of the notice of resignation or removal and must be a bank or trust company meeting the requirements of the deposit agreement.
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DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS
General
We may issue warrants for the purchase of common shares, preferred stock, depositary shares or debt securities. The following description sets forth certain general terms and provisions of the warrants that we may offer pursuant to this prospectus. The particular terms of the warrants and the extent, if any, to which the general terms and provisions may apply to the warrants so offered will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Warrants may be issued independently or together with other securities and may be attached to or separate from any offered securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under a separate warrant agreement to be entered into between us and a bank or trust company, as warrant agent. The warrant agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the warrants and will not have any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders or beneficial owners of warrants.
A copy of the forms of the warrant agreement and the warrant certificate relating to any particular issue of warrants will be filed with the SEC each time we issue warrants, and you should read those documents for provisions that may be important to you. For more information on how you can obtain copies of the forms of the warrant agreement and the related warrant certificate, if and when they are filed, see “Where You Can Find More Information.”
Debt Warrants
The prospectus supplement relating to a particular issue of warrants to issue debt securities will describe the terms of those warrants, including the following:
•the title of the warrants;
•the offering price for the warrants, if any;
•the aggregate number of the warrants;
•the designation and terms of the debt securities purchasable upon exercise of the warrants;
•if applicable, the designation and terms of the debt securities that the warrants are issued with and the number of warrants issued with each debt security;
•if applicable, the date from and after which the warrants and any securities issued with the warrants will be separately transferable;
•the principal amount of debt securities that may be purchased upon exercise of a warrant and the price at which the debt securities may be purchased upon exercise;
•the dates on which the right to exercise the warrants will commence and expire;
•if applicable, the minimum or maximum amount of the warrants that may be exercised at any one time;
•whether the warrants represented by the warrant certificates or debt securities that may be issued upon exercise of the warrants will be issued in registered or bearer form;
•information relating to book-entry procedures, if any;
•the currency or currency units in which the offering price, if any, and the exercise price are payable;
•if applicable, a discussion of material United States federal income tax considerations;
•anti-dilution provisions of the warrants, if any;
•redemption or call provisions, if any, applicable to the warrants;
•any additional terms of the warrants, including terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of the warrants; and
•any other information we think is important about the warrants.
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Stock Warrants
The prospectus supplement relating to a particular issue of warrants to issue common shares, preferred stock or depositary shares will describe the terms of the common shares warrants, preferred stock warrants and depositary shares warrants, including the following:
•the title of the warrants;
•the offering price for the warrants, if any;
•the aggregate number of the warrants;
•the designation and terms of the common shares, preferred stock or depositary shares that may be purchased upon exercise of the warrants;
•if applicable, the designation and terms of the securities that the warrants are issued with and the number of warrants issued with each security;
•if applicable, the date from and after which the warrants and any securities issued with them will be separately transferable;
•the number of common shares, shares of preferred stock or depositary shares that may be purchased upon exercise of a warrant and the price at which the shares may be purchased upon exercise;
•the dates on which the right to exercise the warrants commence and expire;
•if applicable, the minimum or maximum amount of the warrants that may be exercised at any one time;
•the currency or currency units in which the offering price, if any, and the exercise price are payable;
•if applicable, a discussion of material United States federal income tax considerations;
•anti-dilution provisions of the warrants, if any;
•redemption or call provisions, if any, applicable to the warrants;
•any additional terms of the warrants, including terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of the warrants; and
•any other information we think is important about the warrants.
Exercise of Warrants
Each warrant will entitle the holder of the warrant to purchase at the exercise price set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement the number of common shares, shares of preferred stock or depositary shares or the principal amount of debt securities being offered. Holders may exercise warrants at any time up to the close of business on the expiration date set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the expiration date, unexercised warrants are void. Holders may exercise warrants as set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to the warrants being offered.
Until a holder exercises the warrants to purchase our common shares, preferred stock, depositary shares or debt securities, the holder will not have any rights as a holder of our common shares, preferred stock, depositary shares or debt securities, as the case may be, by virtue of ownership of warrants.
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DESCRIPTION OF SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS
We may issue to our shareholders subscription rights to purchase our common shares, preferred stock, depositary shares or debt securities. The following description sets forth certain general terms and provisions of the subscription rights that we may offer pursuant to this prospectus. The particular terms of the subscription rights and the extent, if any, to which the general terms and provisions may apply to the subscription rights so offered will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Subscription rights may be issued independently or together with any other security offered by this prospectus and may or may not be transferable by the shareholder receiving the rights in the rights offering. In connection with any rights offering, we may enter into a standby underwriting agreement with one or more underwriters pursuant to which the underwriter will purchase any securities that remain unsubscribed for upon completion of the rights offering, or offer these securities to other parties who are not our shareholders. If we do not enter into a standby underwriting agreement, we may retain a dealer-manager to manage a subscription rights offering for us. A copy of the form of subscription rights certificate will be filed with the SEC each time we issue subscription rights, and you should read that document for provisions that may be important to you. For more information on how you can obtain a copy of any subscription rights certificate, see “Where You Can Find More Information.”
The applicable prospectus supplement relating to any subscription rights will describe the terms of the offered subscription rights, including, where applicable, the following:
•the exercise price for the subscription rights;
•the number of subscription rights issued to each shareholder;
•the extent to which the subscription rights are transferable;
•any other terms of the subscription rights, including terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of the subscription rights;
•the date on which the right to exercise the subscription rights will commence and the date on which the right will expire;
•the extent to which the subscription rights include an over-subscription privilege with respect to unsubscribed securities; and
•the material terms of any standby underwriting agreement entered into by us in connection with the subscription rights offering.
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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES
The following description sets forth certain general terms and provisions of the debt securities that we may issue. We will set forth the particular terms of the debt securities we offer in a prospectus supplement and the extent, if any, to which the following general terms and provisions will apply to particular debt securities.
The debt securities will be issued under an indenture, dated as of March 17, 2010, between us and U.S. Bank National Association (predecessor in interest to U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association), as trustee. The indenture, and any supplemental indentures thereto, are subject to, and governed by, the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended. The following description of general terms and provisions relating to the debt securities and the indenture under which the debt securities will be issued is a summary only and therefore is not complete and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by reference to, the terms and provisions of the indenture. A copy of the indenture has been filed with the SEC as an exhibit to the registration statement, of which this prospectus forms a part, and you should read the indenture for provisions that may be important to you. For more information on how you can obtain a copy of the form of the indenture, see “Where You Can Find More Information.”
Capitalized terms used in this section and not defined herein have the meanings specified in the indenture. When we refer to “we,” “us,” “our” or “Cliffs” in this section, we mean Cleveland-Cliffs Inc., excluding, unless the context otherwise requires or as otherwise expressly stated, its subsidiaries.
Unless otherwise specified in a prospectus supplement, the debt securities will be our direct, senior unsecured obligations and will rank equally with all of our other unsecured indebtedness.
General
The terms of each series of debt securities will be established by or pursuant to a resolution of our board of directors and set forth or determined in the manner provided in a resolution of our board of directors, supplemental indenture or officers’ certificate. The particular terms of each series of debt securities will be described in a prospectus supplement relating to such series (including any pricing supplement or term sheet).
We can issue an unlimited amount of debt securities under the indenture that may be in one or more series. Debt securities may differ between series in respect to any matter, but all series of debt securities will be equally and ratably entitled to the benefits of the indenture. We will set forth in a prospectus supplement (including any pricing supplement or term sheet) relating to any series of debt securities being offered the aggregate principal amount and the following terms of the debt securities, if applicable:
•the title of the series of debt securities;
•the price or prices (expressed as a percentage of the principal amount) at which the series of debt securities will be issued;
•any limit on the aggregate principal amount of the series of debt securities;
•the date or dates on which the principal of the series of debt securities is payable;
•the rate or rates (which may be fixed or variable) per annum or, if applicable, the method used to determine such rate or rates (including any commodity, commodity index, stock exchange index or financial index) at which the series of debt securities will bear interest, if any, the date or dates from which such interest, if any, will accrue, the date or dates on which such interest, if any, will commence and be payable and any regular record date for the interest payable on any interest payment date;
•the place or places where the principal of and interest, if any, on the series of debt securities will be payable;
•if applicable, the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which the series of debt securities may be redeemed (in whole or in part) at our option;
•any obligation we may have to redeem or purchase the series of debt securities pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provisions or at the option of a holder of the series of debt securities and the terms and conditions of such obligation;
•the dates, if any, on which and the price or prices at which we will repurchase the series of debt securities at the option of the holders of that series of debt securities and other detailed terms and provisions of such repurchase obligations;
•the denominations in which the series of debt securities will be issued, if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof;
•the form of the series of debt securities and whether the series of debt securities will be issuable as global debt securities and any appropriate legends if the debt securities are discount securities;
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•the portion of principal amount of the series of debt securities payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity date, if other than the principal amount thereof;
•the currency of denomination of the series of debt securities and, if other than U.S. Dollars or the euro, the agency or organization, if any, responsible for overseeing such currency;
•the designation of the currency, currencies or currency units in which payment of principal of and interest, if any, on the series of debt securities will be made;
•if payments of principal of or interest, if any, on the series of debt securities will be made in one or more currencies or currency units other than that or those in which the series of debt securities are denominated, the manner in which the exchange rate with respect to such payments will be determined;
•the manner in which the amounts of payment of principal of or interest, if any, on the series of debt securities will be determined, if such amounts may be determined by reference to an index based on a currency or currencies or by reference to a commodity, commodity index, stock exchange index or financial index;
•any provisions relating to any security provided for the series of debt securities;
•any event of default that applies to the series of debt securities and the rights of the trustee or the requisite holders of the series of debt securities to declare the principal amount thereof due and payable;
•any covenants with respect to the series of debt securities;
•any other terms of the series of debt securities (which may supplement, modify or delete any provision of the indenture as it applies to such series);
•any depositaries, interest rate calculation agents, exchange rate calculation agents or other agents with respect to the series of debt securities, if other than appointed in the indenture;
•any provisions relating to conversion of the series of debt securities (including price, period, whether such conversion is mandatory or is at the option of the holders or at our option, events requiring an adjustment of conversion price and provisions affecting conversion of the series of debt securities redeemed);
•whether the series of debt securities will be senior or subordinated debt securities and, if applicable, a description of the subordination terms thereof; and
•any trustees, authenticating or paying agents, transfer agents or registrars or any other agents with respect to the series of debt securities.
In addition, the indenture does not limit our ability to issue subordinated debt securities. Any subordination provisions of a particular series of debt securities will be set forth in the resolution of our board of directors, the officers’ certificate or supplemental indenture related to that series of debt securities and will be described in the relevant prospectus supplement.
We may issue debt securities that provide for an amount less than their stated principal amount to be due and payable upon declaration of acceleration of their maturity pursuant to the terms of the indenture. We will provide you with information on the federal income tax considerations and other special considerations applicable to any of these debt securities in the applicable prospectus supplement.
If we denominate the purchase price of any of the debt securities in a foreign currency or currencies or a foreign currency unit or units, or if the principal of and interest, if any, on any series of debt securities is payable in a foreign currency or currencies or a foreign currency unit or units, we will provide you with information on the restrictions, elections, general tax considerations, specific terms and other information with respect to that issue of debt securities and such foreign currency or currencies or foreign currency unit or units in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Transfer and Exchange
Each debt security will be represented by either one or more global securities registered in the name of The Depository Trust Company, as Depositary, which we refer to as the Depositary, or a nominee of the Depositary (we will refer to any debt security represented by a global debt security as a book-entry debt security), or a certificate issued in definitive registered form (we will refer to any debt security represented by a certificated security as a certificated debt security) as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. Except as set forth under the heading “—Global Debt Securities and Book-Entry System” below, book-entry debt securities will not be issuable in certificated form.
Certificated Debt Securities. You may transfer or exchange certificated debt securities at any office we maintain for this purpose in accordance with the terms of the indenture. No service charge will be made for any transfer or exchange of certificated debt securities (except as expressly permitted under the indenture), but we may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection with a transfer or exchange.
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You may effect the transfer of certificated debt securities and the right to receive the principal of and interest on certificated debt securities only by surrendering the certificate representing those certificated debt securities and either reissuance by us of the certificate to the new holder or the issuance by us of a new certificate to the new holder.
Global Debt Securities and Book-Entry System. Each global debt security representing book-entry debt securities will be issued to the Depositary or a nominee of the Depositary and registered in the name of the Depositary or a nominee of the Depositary.
The Depositary has indicated it intends to follow the following procedures with respect to book-entry debt securities.
Ownership of beneficial interests in book-entry debt securities will be limited to persons that have accounts with the Depositary for the related global debt security, which we refer to as participants, or persons that may hold interests through participants. Upon the issuance of a global debt security, the Depositary will credit, on its book-entry registration and transfer system, the participants’ accounts with the respective principal amounts of the book-entry debt securities represented by such global debt security beneficially owned by such participants. The accounts to be credited will be designated by any dealers, underwriters or agents participating in the distribution of the book-entry debt securities. Ownership of book-entry debt securities will be shown on, and the transfer of such ownership interests will be effected only through, records maintained by the Depositary for the related global debt security (with respect to interests of participants) and on the records of participants (with respect to interests of persons holding through participants). The laws of some states may require that certain purchasers of securities take physical delivery of such securities in definitive form. These laws may impair the ability to own, transfer or pledge beneficial interests in book-entry debt securities.
So long as the Depositary for a global debt security, or its nominee, is the registered owner of that global debt security, the Depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, will be considered the sole owner or holder of the book-entry debt securities represented by such global debt security for all purposes under the indenture. Except as described below, beneficial owners of book-entry debt securities will not be entitled to have securities registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of a certificate in definitive form representing securities and will not be considered the owners or holders of those securities under the indenture. Accordingly, each person beneficially owning book-entry debt securities must rely on the procedures of the Depositary for the related global debt security and, if such person is not a participant, on the procedures of the participant through which such person owns its interest, to exercise any rights of a holder under the indenture.
We understand, however, that under existing industry practice, the Depositary will authorize the persons on whose behalf it holds a global debt security to exercise certain rights of holders of debt securities, and the indenture provides that we, the trustee and our respective agents will treat as the holder of a debt security the persons specified in a written statement of the Depositary with respect to such global debt security for purposes of obtaining any consents, declarations, waivers or directions required to be given by holders of the debt securities pursuant to the indenture.
We will make payments of principal of and premium and interest, if any, on book-entry debt securities to the Depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered holder of the related global debt security. We, the trustee and any other agent of ours or agent of the trustee will not have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in a global debt security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to beneficial ownership interests.
We expect that the Depositary, upon receipt of any payment of principal of or premium or interest, if any, on a global debt security, will immediately credit participants’ accounts with payments in amounts proportionate to the respective amounts of book-entry debt securities held by each participant as shown on the records of such Depositary. We also expect that payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in book-entry debt securities held through those participants will be governed by standing customer instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with the securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in “street name,” and will be the responsibility of those participants.
We will issue certificated debt securities in exchange for each global debt security only if (i) the Depositary notifies us that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for such global debt security or if at any time such Depositary ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, and, in either case, we fail to appoint a successor Depositary registered as a clearing agency under the Exchange Act within 90 days of such event or (ii) we execute and deliver to the trustee an officers’ certificate to the effect that such global debt security shall be so exchangeable. Any certificated debt securities issued in exchange for a global debt security will be registered in such name or names as the Depositary shall instruct the trustee. We expect that such instructions will be based upon directions received by the Depositary from participants with respect to ownership of book-entry debt securities relating to such global debt security.
We have obtained the foregoing information concerning the Depositary and the Depositary’s book-entry system from sources we believe to be reliable, but we take no responsibility for the accuracy of this information.
Governing Law
The indenture and the debt securities will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of New York.
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DESCRIPTION OF UNITS
We may issue units comprising one or more securities described in this prospectus in any combination. The following description sets forth certain general terms and provisions of the units that we may offer pursuant to this prospectus. The particular terms of the units and the extent, if any, to which the general terms and provisions may apply to the units so offered will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Each unit will be issued so that the holder of the unit also is the holder of each security included in the unit. Thus, the unit will have the rights and obligations of a holder of each included security. Units will be issued pursuant to the terms of a unit agreement, which may provide that the securities included in the unit may not be held or transferred separately at any time or at any time before a specified date. Copies of the forms of the unit agreement and the unit certificate relating to any particular issue of units will be filed with the SEC each time we issue units, and you should read those documents for provisions that may be important to you. For more information on how you can obtain copies of the forms of the unit agreement and the related unit certificate, if and when they are filed, see “Where You Can Find More Information.”
The prospectus supplement relating to any particular issuance of units will describe the terms of those units, including, to the extent applicable, the following:
•the designation and terms of the units and the securities comprising the units, including whether and under what circumstances those securities may be held or transferred separately;
•any provision for the issuance, payment, settlement, transfer or exchange of the units or of the securities comprising the units; and
•whether the units will be issued in fully registered or global form.
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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
We may sell the offered securities in and outside the United States:
•through underwriters or dealers;
•directly to purchasers;
•in a rights offering;
•in “at the market” offerings, within the meaning of Rule 415(a)(4) of the Securities Act of 1933, or the Securities Act, to or through a market maker or into an existing trading market on an exchange or otherwise;
•through agents; or
•through a combination of any of these methods.
The prospectus supplement will include the following information:
•the terms of the offering;
•the names of any underwriters or agents;
•the name or names of any managing underwriter or underwriters;
•the purchase price or initial public offering price of the securities;
•the net proceeds from the sale of the securities;
•any delayed delivery arrangements;
•any underwriting discounts, commissions and other items constituting underwriters’ compensation;
•any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers;
•any commissions paid to agents; and
•any securities exchanges on which the securities may be listed.
Sale through Underwriters or Dealers
If underwriters are used in the sale, we will execute an underwriting agreement with them regarding the securities. The underwriters will acquire the securities for their own account, subject to conditions in the underwriting agreement. The underwriters may resell the securities from time to time in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. Underwriters may offer the securities to the public either through underwriting syndicates represented by one or more managing underwriters or directly by one or more firms acting as underwriters. Unless we inform you otherwise in the prospectus supplement, the obligations of the underwriters to purchase the securities will be subject to certain conditions, and the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all the offered securities if they purchase any of them. The underwriters may change from time to time any initial public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers.
If we offer securities in a subscription rights offering to our existing security holders, we may enter into a standby underwriting agreement with one or more underwriters pursuant to which the underwriter will purchase any securities that remain unsubscribed for upon completion of the rights offering, or offer these securities to other parties who are not our security holders. We may pay the underwriters a commitment fee for the securities they commit to purchase on a standby basis. If we do not enter into a standby underwriting agreement, we may retain a dealer-manager to manage a subscription rights offering for us.
During and after an offering through underwriters, the underwriters may purchase and sell the securities in the open market. To the extent expressly set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement, these transactions may include over-allotment and stabilizing transactions and purchases to cover syndicate short positions created in connection with the offering. The underwriters may also impose a penalty bid, which means that selling concessions allowed to syndicate members or other broker-dealers for the offered securities sold for their account may be reclaimed by the syndicate if the offered securities are repurchased by the syndicate in stabilizing or covering transactions. These activities may stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the market price of the offered securities, which may be higher than the price that might otherwise prevail in the open market. If commenced, the underwriters may discontinue these activities at any time.
Some or all of the securities that we offer though this prospectus may be new issues of securities with no established trading market. Any underwriters to whom we sell our securities for public offerings may make a market in those securities, but they will
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not be obligated to do so and they may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. Accordingly, we cannot assure you of the liquidity of, or continued trading markets for, any securities that we offer.
If dealers are used in the sale of the securities, we will sell the securities to them as principals. They may then resell the securities to the public at varying prices determined by the dealers at the time of resale. We will include in the prospectus supplement the names of the dealers and the terms of the transaction.
Direct Sales and Sales through Agents
We may sell the securities directly. In this case, no underwriters or agents would be involved. We may also sell the securities through agents designated from time to time at fixed prices or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. In the prospectus supplement, we will name any agent involved in the offer or sale of the offered securities, and we will describe any commissions payable to the agent. Unless we inform you otherwise in the prospectus supplement, any agent will agree to use its reasonable best efforts to solicit purchases for the period of its appointment.
We may sell the securities directly to institutional investors or others who may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act with respect to any sale of those securities. We will describe the terms of any sales of these securities in the prospectus supplement.
Remarketing Arrangements
Offered securities may also be offered and sold, if so indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, in connection with a remarketing upon their purchase, in accordance with a redemption or repayment pursuant to their terms, or otherwise, by one or more remarketing firms, acting as principals for their own accounts or as agents for us. Any remarketing firm will be identified and the terms of its agreements, if any, with us and its compensation will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Delayed Delivery Contracts
If we so indicate in the prospectus supplement, we may authorize agents, underwriters or dealers to solicit offers from certain types of institutions to purchase securities from us at the public offering price under delayed delivery contracts. These contracts would provide for payment and delivery on a specified date in the future. The contracts would be subject only to those conditions described in the prospectus supplement. The prospectus supplement will describe the commission payable for solicitation of those contracts.
General Information
We may have agreements with the agents, dealers, underwriters and remarketing firms to indemnify them against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute with respect to payments that the agents, dealers, underwriters or remarketing firms may be required to make. Agents, dealers, underwriters and remarketing firms may be customers of, engage in transactions with or perform services for us in the ordinary course of their businesses.
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LEGAL MATTERS
Jones Day will pass upon the validity of the securities being offered hereby.
EXPERTS
The financial statements of Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. incorporated by reference in this prospectus, and the effectiveness of Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.’s internal control over financial reporting, have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their reports. Such financial statements are incorporated by reference in reliance upon the reports of such firm, given their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
The consolidated financial statements of Stelco Holdings Inc. as at December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, and for the years then ended, incorporated by reference in this prospectus, have been audited by KPMG LLP, independent auditors, as stated in their report which is incorporated by reference herein.
Information relating to Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. and its subsidiaries’ mineral properties contained in the documents incorporated by reference herein was derived from the technical report summaries prepared by, and has been incorporated by reference upon the authority of, SLR International Corporation, as qualified person with respect to the matters covered by such reports and in giving such reports.
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PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.
The following are the estimated expenses, other than underwriting discounts, if any, of the issuance and distribution of the securities being registered, all of which are payable by us.
| Securities and Exchange Commission registration fee | * | ||||
| Trustee’s fees and expenses | ** | ||||
| Transfer agent and registrar fees | ** | ||||
| Printing expenses | ** | ||||
| Accountant’s fees and expenses | ** | ||||
| Rating agency fees | ** | ||||
| Legal fees and expenses | ** | ||||
| Miscellaneous | ** | ||||
| Total | $ ** | ||||
__________________________________
* Because the amount to be registered consists of an unspecified amount of the securities as may from time to time be offered at indeterminate prices, in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) under the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant is deferring payment of the registration fee.
** Estimated expenses are presently not known and cannot be estimated.
Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
Cleveland-Cliffs Inc., which is referred to as Cliffs, is incorporated under the laws of the State of Ohio.
Cliffs will indemnify, to the full extent permitted by law, any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of Cliffs, or is or was serving at Cliffs’ request as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, domestic or foreign, nonprofit or for profit, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise; provided, however, that Cliffs will indemnify any such agent (as opposed to any director, officer or employee) of Cliffs to an extent greater than required by law only if and to the extent that the directors may, in their discretion, so determine. The indemnification Cliffs gives will not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking indemnification may be entitled under any law, Cliffs’ Fourth Amended Articles of Incorporation, as amended, or any agreement, vote of shareholders or of disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action in official capacities and as to action in another capacity while such person is a director, officer, employee or agent, and shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of heirs, executors and administrators of such a person.
Cliffs may, to the full extent permitted by law and authorized by the directors, purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any persons described in the paragraph above against any liability asserted against and incurred by any such person in any such capacity, or arising out of the status as such, whether or not Cliffs would have the power to indemnify such person against such liability. Cliffs has purchased and currently maintains, at its expense, directors’ and officers’ liability insurance, providing coverage, within certain limits, for liabilities that may be incurred by its directors and officers in their capacities as such.
Under the Ohio Revised Code, Ohio corporations are authorized to indemnify directors, officers, employees and agents within prescribed limits and must indemnify them under certain circumstances. The Ohio Revised Code does not provide statutory authorization for a corporation to indemnify directors, officers, employees and agents for settlements, fines or judgments in the context of derivative suits. However, it provides that directors (but not officers, employees or agents) are entitled to mandatory advancement of expenses, including attorneys’ fees, incurred in defending any action, including derivative actions, brought against the director, provided that the director agrees to cooperate with the corporation concerning the matter and to repay the amount advanced if it is proved by clear and convincing evidence that the director’s act or failure to act was done with deliberate intent to cause injury to the corporation or with reckless disregard for the corporation’s best interests.
The Ohio Revised Code does not authorize indemnification to a director, officer, employee or agent after a finding of negligence or misconduct in a derivative suit absent a court order. Indemnification is permitted, however, to the extent such person succeeds on the merits. In all other cases, if a director, officer, employee or agent acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, indemnification is discretionary except as otherwise provided by a corporation’s articles of incorporation, code of regulations or by contract except with respect to the advancement of expenses of directors.
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Under the Ohio Revised Code, a director is not liable for monetary damages unless it is proved by clear and convincing evidence that his or her action or failure to act was undertaken with deliberate intent to cause injury to the corporation or with reckless disregard for the best interests of the corporation. There is, however, no comparable provision limiting the liability of officers, employees or agents of a corporation. The statutory right to indemnification is not exclusive in Ohio, and Ohio corporations may, among other things, procure insurance for such persons.
Item 16. Exhibits.
The following documents are exhibits to the registration statement:
| Exhibit Number | Description | |||||||
| 1.1 | Underwriting Agreement* | |||||||
| Fourth Amended Articles of Incorporation of Cliffs, as filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Ohio on September 25, 2020 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to Cliffs’ Current Report on Form 8-K filed on September 28, 2020) | ||||||||
| Certificate of Amendment to Fourth Amended Articles of Incorporation of Cliffs, as filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Ohio on December 7, 2020 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to Cliffs’ Current Report on Form 8-K filed on December 9, 2020) | ||||||||
| Certificate of Amendment to Fourth Amended Articles of Incorporation of Cliffs, as amended, as filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Ohio on April 29, 2021 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to Cliffs’ Current Report on Form 8-K filed on April 30, 2021) | ||||||||
| Regulations of Cliffs (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to Cliffs’ Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011) | ||||||||
| Indenture between Cliffs and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee, dated as of March 17, 2010 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to Cliffs’ Registration Statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-186617) filed on February 12, 2013) | ||||||||
| Seventh Supplemental Indenture, dated as of May 7, 2013, between Cliffs and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association, as trustee (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to Cliffs’ Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2013) | ||||||||
| 4.7 | Preferred Stock Certificate of Amendment* | |||||||
| 4.8 | Form of Warrant Agreement* | |||||||
| 4.9 | Form of Warrant Certificate* | |||||||
| 4.10 | Form of Deposit Agreement* | |||||||
| 4.11 | Form of Depositary Receipt* | |||||||
| 4.12 | Form of Subscription Rights Certificate* | |||||||
| 4.13 | Form of Unit Agreement* | |||||||
| 4.14 | Form of Unit Certificate* | |||||||
| Opinion of Jones Day | ||||||||
| List of Guarantor Subsidiaries (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 22 to Cliffs’ Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024) | ||||||||
| Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm | ||||||||
| Consent of KPMG LLP, Independent Auditors | ||||||||
| Consent of SLR International Corporation regarding Hibbing Taconite Property, Minnesota, USA (filed herewith) | ||||||||
| Consent of SLR International Corporation regarding Minorca Property, Minnesota, USA (filed herewith) | ||||||||
| Consent of SLR International Corporation regarding Northshore Property, Minnesota, USA (filed herewith) | ||||||||
| Consent of SLR International Corporation regarding United Taconite Property, Minnesota, USA (filed herewith) | ||||||||
| Consent of SLR International Corporation regarding Tilden Property, Michigan, USA (filed herewith) | ||||||||
| Consent of Jones Day (included in Exhibit 5.1 to this Registration Statement) | ||||||||
| Power of Attorney | ||||||||
| Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility under Trust Indenture Act of 1939 of Trustee under Debt Securities Indenture | ||||||||
| Filing Fee Table | ||||||||
__________________________________
* To be filed either by amendment or as an exhibit to a report filed under the Exchange Act, and incorporated herein by reference.
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Item 17. Undertakings.
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:
1. To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:
i. To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;
ii. To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and
iii. To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;
provided, however, that paragraphs (1)(i), (1)(ii) and (1)(iii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the SEC by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in this registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of this registration statement.
2. That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
3. To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.
4. That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:
i. Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and
ii. Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.
5. That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:
i. Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;
ii. Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;
II-3
iii. The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and
iv. Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.
6. That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in this registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
7. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Cleveland, State of Ohio, on the 29th day of October, 2025.
| CLEVELAND-CLIFFS INC. | ||||||||||||||
| By: | /s/ James D. Graham | |||||||||||||
| Name: | James D. Graham | |||||||||||||
| Title: | Executive Vice President, Chief Legal and Administrative Officer & Secretary | |||||||||||||
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
| Signatures | Title | Date | ||||||
| /s/ Lourenco Goncalves | Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer (principal executive officer) and Director | October 29, 2025 | ||||||
Lourenco Goncalves | ||||||||
| /s/ Celso L. Goncalves Jr. | Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer (principal financial officer) | October 29, 2025 | ||||||
Celso L. Goncalves Jr. | ||||||||
| /s/ Kimberly A. Floriani | Senior Vice President, Controller & Chief Accounting Officer (principal accounting officer) | October 29, 2025 | ||||||
Kimberly A. Floriani | ||||||||
| * | Director | October 29, 2025 | ||||||
John T. Baldwin | ||||||||
| * | Director | October 29, 2025 | ||||||
Ron A. Bloom | ||||||||
| * | Director | October 29, 2025 | ||||||
Jane M. Cronin | ||||||||
| * | Director | October 29, 2025 | ||||||
Susan M. Green | ||||||||
| * | Director | October 29, 2025 | ||||||
Ralph S. Michael, III | ||||||||
| * | Director | October 29, 2025 | ||||||
Ben Oren | ||||||||
| * | Director | October 29, 2025 | ||||||
Gabriel Stoliar | ||||||||
| * | Director | October 29, 2025 | ||||||
Douglas C. Taylor | ||||||||
| * | Director | October 29, 2025 | ||||||
Arlene M. Yocum | ||||||||
* The undersigned, by signing his name hereto, does sign and execute this registration statement on Form S-3 pursuant to a Power of Attorney executed on behalf of the above-indicated directors of the registrant and filed herewith as Exhibit 24.1 on behalf of the registrant.
| By: | /s/ James D. Graham | ||||
| (James D. Graham, as Attorney-in-Fact) | |||||
II-5
EXHIBIT 5.1
October 29, 2025
Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.
200 Public Square, Suite 3300
Cleveland, Ohio 44114-2315
Re: Registration Statement on Form S-3 Filed by Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel for Cleveland-Cliffs Inc., an Ohio corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the authorization of the possible issuance and sale from time to time, on a continuous or delayed basis, by the Company of an indeterminate amount of: (i) common shares, par value $0.125 per share, of the Company (the “Common Shares”); (ii) shares of preferred stock, without par value, of the Company (the “Preferred Stock”), in one or more series, certain of which may be convertible into or exchangeable for Common Shares; (iii) debt securities of the Company (the “Debt Securities”), in one or more series, certain of which may be convertible into or exchangeable for Common Shares; (iv) depositary shares representing fractional interests in shares of Preferred Stock (the “Depositary Shares”); (v) warrants to purchase Common Shares, Preferred Stock, Depositary Shares or Debt Securities or any combination thereof (the “Warrants”); (vi) subscription rights to purchase Common Shares, Preferred Stock, Depositary Shares or Debt Securities or any combination thereof (the “Subscription Rights”); and (vii) units consisting of one or more of the securities described in clauses (i) through (vi) above (the “Units”), in each case as contemplated by the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S‑3 to which this opinion is filed as an exhibit (as the same may be amended from time to time, the “Registration Statement”). The Common Shares, the Preferred Stock, the Debt Securities, the Depositary Shares, the Warrants, the Subscription Rights and the Units are collectively referred to herein as the “Securities.” The Securities may be offered and sold from time to time pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”). The Debt Securities are to be issued under an indenture, dated as of March 17, 2010 (the “Indenture”), between the Company and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”).
In connection with the opinions expressed herein, we have examined such documents, records and matters of law as we have deemed relevant or necessary for purposes of such opinions. Based on the foregoing and subject to the further assumptions, qualifications and limitations set forth herein, we are of the opinion that:
1.The Common Shares, upon receipt by the Company of such lawful consideration therefor having a value not less than the par value thereof as the Company’s Board of Directors (or an authorized committee thereof) may determine, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.
October 29, 2025
Page 2
2.The shares of Preferred Stock, upon receipt by the Company of such lawful consideration therefor as the Company’s Board of Directors (or an authorized committee thereof) may determine, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
3.The Debt Securities, upon receipt by the Company of such lawful consideration therefor as the Company’s Board of Directors (or an authorized committee thereof) may determine, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company.
4.The Depositary Shares, upon receipt by the Company of such lawful consideration therefor as the Company’s Board of Directors (or an authorized committee thereof) may determine, will be validly issued, and the depositary receipts representing the Depositary Shares will entitle the holders thereof to the rights specified therein and in the Deposit Agreement (as defined below) pursuant to which they are issued.
5.The Warrants, upon receipt by the Company of such lawful consideration therefor as the Company’s Board of Directors (or an authorized committee thereof) may determine, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company.
6.The Subscription Rights, upon receipt by the Company of such lawful consideration therefor as the Company’s Board of Directors (or an authorized committee thereof) may determine, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company.
7.The Units, upon receipt by the Company of such lawful consideration therefor as the Company’s Board of Directors (or an authorized committee thereof) may determine, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company.
In rendering the foregoing opinions, we have assumed that: (i) the Registration Statement, and any amendments thereto, will have become effective (and will remain effective at the time of issuance of any Securities thereunder); (ii) a prospectus supplement describing each class and/or series of Securities offered pursuant to the Registration Statement, to the extent required by applicable law and relevant rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”), will be timely filed with the Commission; (iii) the definitive terms of each class and/or series of Securities will have been established in accordance with the authorizing resolutions adopted by the Company’s Board of Directors (or an authorized committee thereof), the Company’s Fourth Amended Articles of Incorporation, as amended (the “Articles of Incorporation”) and applicable law; (iv) the Company will issue and deliver the Securities in the manner contemplated by the Registration Statement and any Securities that consist of shares of capital stock will have been authorized and reserved for issuance, in each case within the limits of the then remaining authorized but unissued and unreserved amounts of such capital stock; (v) the resolutions authorizing the Company to issue, offer and sell the Securities will have been adopted by the Company’s Board of Directors (or an authorized committee thereof) and will be in full force and effect at all times at which the Securities are offered or sold by the Company; (vi) all Securities will be issued in compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws; and (vii) any Deposit Agreement, Warrant Agreement, Subscription Rights Agreement (each as defined below) or Unit agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York and will constitute a valid and binding obligation of each party thereto other than the Company.
Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.
October 29, 2025
Page 3
With respect to any Securities consisting of Preferred Stock, we have further assumed that the Company will issue and deliver the shares of the Preferred Stock being issued and delivered after the filing with the Secretary of State of the State of Ohio of a certificate of amendment to the Articles of Incorporation, approved by us, establishing the designations, preferences and rights of the class or series of the Preferred Stock being issued and delivered.
With respect to any Securities consisting of any series of Debt Securities, we have further assumed that: (i) any Debt Securities will have been issued pursuant to the Indenture; (ii) all terms of such Debt Securities not provided for in the Indenture will have been established in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and reflected in appropriate documentation approved by us and, if applicable, executed and delivered by the Company and the Trustee; and (iii) such Debt Securities will be executed, authenticated, issued and delivered in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture.
With respect to any Securities consisting of Depositary Shares, we have further assumed that the Depositary Shares will be: (i) issued and delivered after authorization, execution and delivery of the deposit agreement, approved by us, relating to the Depositary Shares (the “Deposit Agreement”) to be entered into between the Company and an entity selected by the Company to act as depository (the “Depositary”); and (ii) issued after the Company deposits with the Depositary shares of the Preferred Stock to be represented by such Depositary Shares that are authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable as contemplated by the Registration Statement and the Deposit Agreement.
With respect to any Securities consisting of Warrants, we have further assumed that: (i) the warrant agreement, approved by us, relating to the Warrants (the “Warrant Agreement”) to be entered into between the Company and an entity selected by the Company to act as the warrant agent (the “Warrant Agent”) will have been authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the Warrant Agent; and (ii) the Warrants will be authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the Warrant Agent in accordance with the provisions of the Warrant Agreement.
With respect to any Securities consisting of Subscription Rights, we have further assumed that: (i) the subscription rights agreement, approved by us, relating to the Subscription Rights (the “Subscription Rights Agreement”) to be entered into between the Company and an entity selected by the Company to act as the subscription rights agent (the “Subscription Rights Agent”) will have been authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the Subscription Rights Agent; and (ii) the Subscription Rights will be authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the Subscription Rights Agent in accordance with the provisions of the Subscription Rights Agreement.
With respect to any Securities consisting of Units, we have further assumed that each component of such Unit will be authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable (to the extent applicable) and will constitute a valid and binding obligation of the Company or any third party (to the extent applicable) as contemplated by the Registration Statement and the applicable Unit agreement, if any.
The opinions expressed herein are limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, fraudulent transfer and fraudulent conveyance, voidable preference, moratorium or other similar laws and related regulations and judicial doctrines from time to time in effect relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally, and by general equitable principles and public policy considerations, whether such principles and considerations are considered in a proceeding at law or at equity.
Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.
October 29, 2025
Page 4
As to facts material to the opinions and assumptions expressed herein, we have relied upon oral or written statements and representations of officers and other representatives of the Company and others. The opinions expressed herein are limited to the laws of the State of Ohio and the laws of the State of New York, in each case as currently in effect, and we express no opinion as to the effect of the laws of any other jurisdiction.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement and to the reference to Jones Day under the caption “Legal Matters” in the prospectus constituting a part of the Registration Statement. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are included in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Jones Day
EXHIBIT 23.1
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form S-3 of our reports dated February 25, 2025, relating to the financial statements of Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. and the effectiveness of Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.’s internal control over financial reporting, appearing in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. for the year ended December 31, 2024. We also consent to the reference to us under the heading "Experts" in such Registration Statement.
/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP
Cleveland, Ohio
October 29, 2025
EXHIBIT 23.2
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
The Board of Directors
Stelco Holdings Inc.
We consent to the incorporation by reference in the registration statement on Form S-3 dated October 29, 2025 of Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. (the “Registration Statement”), of our report dated January 17, 2025, with respect to the consolidated financial statements of Stelco Holdings Inc., which report appears in the Current Report on Form 8-K of Cleveland-Cliffs Inc., filed on January 17, 2025, and to the reference to our firm under the heading “Experts” in the prospectus included in the Registration Statement.
/s/ KPMG LLP
October 29, 2025
Hamilton, Canada
| EXHIBIT 23.3 | |||||
SLR International Corporation 1658 Cole Blvd, Suite 100, Lakewood, Colorado, 80401 |  | ||||
October 29, 2025
CONSENT OF QUALIFIED PERSON
Re: Form S-3 of Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. (the “Company”)
SLR International Corporation (“SLR”), in connection with the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-3 and any amendments or supplements and/or exhibits thereto (collectively, the “Form S-3”), consents to:
•the incorporation by reference by the Company and use of the technical report titled “Technical Report Summary on the Hibbing Taconite Property, Minnesota, USA” (the “Technical Report Summary”), with an effective date of December 31, 2021 and dated February 7, 2022, that was prepared in accordance with Subpart 1300 of Regulation S-K promulgated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, as an exhibit to and referenced in the Form S-3;
•the use of and references to our name, including our status as an expert or “qualified person” (as defined in Subpart 1300 of Regulation S-K promulgated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission), in connection with the Form S-3 and the Technical Report Summary; and
•any extracts from or a summary of the Technical Report Summary included or incorporated by reference in the Form S-3 and the use of any information derived, summarized, quoted, or referenced from the Technical Report Summary, or portions thereof, that was prepared by us, that we supervised the preparation of, and/or that was reviewed and approved by us, that is included or incorporated by reference in the Form S-3.
SLR is responsible for authoring, and this consent pertains to, the Technical Report Summary. SLR certifies that it has read the Form S-3 and that it fairly and accurately represents the information in the Technical Report Summary for which it is responsible.
SLR International Corporation
Per:
(Signed) Grant A. Malensek
Grant A. Malensek, M.Eng., P.Eng.
Technical Director - U.S. Mining Advisory
| EXHIBIT 23.4 | |||||
SLR International Corporation 1658 Cole Blvd, Suite 100, Lakewood, Colorado, 80401 |  | ||||
October 29, 2025
CONSENT OF QUALIFIED PERSON
Re: Form S-3 of Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. (the “Company”)
SLR International Corporation (“SLR”), in connection with the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-3 and any amendments or supplements and/or exhibits thereto (collectively, the “Form S-3”), consents to:
•the incorporation by reference by the Company and use of the technical report titled “Technical Report Summary on the Minorca Property, Minnesota, USA” (the “Technical Report Summary”), with an effective date of December 31, 2021 and dated February 7, 2022, that was prepared in accordance with Subpart 1300 of Regulation S-K promulgated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, as an exhibit to and referenced in the Form S-3;
•the use of and references to our name, including our status as an expert or “qualified person” (as defined in Subpart 1300 of Regulation S-K promulgated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission), in connection with the Form S-3 and the Technical Report Summary; and
•any extracts from or a summary of the Technical Report Summary included or incorporated by reference in the Form S-3 and the use of any information derived, summarized, quoted, or referenced from the Technical Report Summary, or portions thereof, that was prepared by us, that we supervised the preparation of, and/or that was reviewed and approved by us, that is included or incorporated by reference in the Form S-3.
SLR is responsible for authoring, and this consent pertains to, the Technical Report Summary. SLR certifies that it has read the Form S-3 and that it fairly and accurately represents the information in the Technical Report Summary for which it is responsible.
SLR International Corporation
Per:
(Signed) Grant A. Malensek
Grant A. Malensek, M.Eng., P.Eng.
Technical Director - U.S. Mining Advisory
| EXHIBIT 23.5 | |||||
SLR International Corporation 1658 Cole Blvd, Suite 100, Lakewood, Colorado, 80401 |  | ||||
October 29, 2025
CONSENT OF QUALIFIED PERSON
Re: Form S-3 of Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. (the “Company”)
SLR International Corporation (“SLR”), in connection with the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-3 and any amendments or supplements and/or exhibits thereto (collectively, the “Form S-3”), consents to:
•the incorporation by reference by the Company and use of the technical report titled “Technical Report Summary on the Northshore Property, Minnesota, USA” (the “Technical Report Summary”), with an effective date of December 31, 2021 and dated February 7, 2022, that was prepared in accordance with Subpart 1300 of Regulation S-K promulgated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, as an exhibit to and referenced in the Form S-3;
•the use of and references to our name, including our status as an expert or “qualified person” (as defined in Subpart 1300 of Regulation S-K promulgated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission), in connection with the Form S-3 and the Technical Report Summary; and
•any extracts from or a summary of the Technical Report Summary included or incorporated by reference in the Form S-3 and the use of any information derived, summarized, quoted, or referenced from the Technical Report Summary, or portions thereof, that was prepared by us, that we supervised the preparation of, and/or that was reviewed and approved by us, that is included or incorporated by reference in the Form S-3.
SLR is responsible for authoring, and this consent pertains to, the Technical Report Summary. SLR certifies that it has read the Form S-3 and that it fairly and accurately represents the information in the Technical Report Summary for which it is responsible.
SLR International Corporation
Per:
(Signed) Grant A. Malensek
Grant A. Malensek, M.Eng., P.Eng.
Technical Director - U.S. Mining Advisory
| EXHIBIT 23.6 | |||||
SLR International Corporation 1658 Cole Blvd, Suite 100, Lakewood, Colorado, 80401 |  | ||||
October 29, 2025
CONSENT OF QUALIFIED PERSON
Re: Form S-3 of Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. (the “Company”)
SLR International Corporation (“SLR”), in connection with the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-3 and any amendments or supplements and/or exhibits thereto (collectively, the “Form S-3”), consents to:
•the incorporation by reference by the Company and use of the technical report titled “Technical Report Summary on the United Taconite Property, Minnesota, USA” (the “Technical Report Summary”), with an effective date of December 31, 2021 and dated February 7, 2022, that was prepared in accordance with Subpart 1300 of Regulation S-K promulgated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, as an exhibit to and referenced in the Form S-3;
•the use of and references to our name, including our status as an expert or “qualified person” (as defined in Subpart 1300 of Regulation S-K promulgated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission), in connection with the Form S-3 and the Technical Report Summary; and
•any extracts from or a summary of the Technical Report Summary included or incorporated by reference in the Form S-3 and the use of any information derived, summarized, quoted, or referenced from the Technical Report Summary, or portions thereof, that was prepared by us, that we supervised the preparation of, and/or that was reviewed and approved by us, that is included or incorporated by reference in the Form S-3.
SLR is responsible for authoring, and this consent pertains to, the Technical Report Summary. SLR certifies that it has read the Form S-3 and that it fairly and accurately represents the information in the Technical Report Summary for which it is responsible.
SLR International Corporation
Per:
(Signed) Grant A. Malensek
Grant A. Malensek, M.Eng., P.Eng.
Technical Director - U.S. Mining Advisory
| EXHIBIT 23.7 | |||||
SLR International Corporation 1658 Cole Blvd, Suite 100, Lakewood, Colorado, 80401 |  | ||||
October 29, 2025
CONSENT OF QUALIFIED PERSON
Re: Form S-3 of Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. (the “Company”)
SLR International Corporation (“SLR”), in connection with the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-3 and any amendments or supplements and/or exhibits thereto (collectively, the “Form S-3”), consents to:
•the incorporation by reference by the Company and use of the technical report titled “Technical Report Summary on the Tilden Property, Michigan, USA” (the “Technical Report Summary”), with an effective date of December 31, 2021 and dated February 7, 2022, that was prepared in accordance with Subpart 1300 of Regulation S-K promulgated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, as an exhibit to and referenced in the Form S-3;
•the use of and references to our name, including our status as an expert or “qualified person” (as defined in Subpart 1300 of Regulation S-K promulgated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission), in connection with the Form S-3, and the Technical Report Summary; and
•any extracts from or a summary of the Technical Report Summary included or incorporated by reference in the Form S-3 and the use of any information derived, summarized, quoted, or referenced from the Technical Report Summary, or portions thereof, that was prepared by us, that we supervised the preparation of, and/or that was reviewed and approved by us, that is included or incorporated by reference in the Form S-3.
SLR is responsible for authoring, and this consent pertains to, the Technical Report Summary. SLR certifies that it has read the Form S-3 and that it fairly and accurately represents the information in the Technical Report Summary for which it is responsible.
SLR International Corporation
Per:
(Signed) Grant A. Malensek
Grant A. Malensek, M.Eng., P.Eng.
Technical Director - U.S. Mining Advisory
EXHIBIT 24.1
POWER OF ATTORNEY
Each of the undersigned directors and officers of Cleveland-Cliffs Inc., an Ohio corporation (the “Registrant”), hereby constitutes and appoints each of Lourenco Goncalves, Celso L. Goncalves Jr., James D. Graham, Kimberly A. Floriani and Adam D. Munson, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, as the true and lawful attorney-in-fact or attorneys-in-fact of the undersigned to execute and file with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933 one or more registration statements on Form S-3 relating to the registration of the issuance of certain debt and equity securities of the Registrant, with any and all amendments, supplements and exhibits thereto, including pre-effective and post-effective amendments or supplements or any additional registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, with full power and authority to do and perform any and all acts and things necessary, appropriate or desirable to be done in the premises, or in the name, place and stead of the undersigned, as fully to all intents and purposes as such person might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and approving all that said attorneys-in-fact or any of them and any substitute therefor may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue thereof.
This Power of Attorney may be executed in multiple counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original with respect to the person executing it.
Executed as of the 29th day of October, 2025.
| Signature | Title | |||||||
| /s/ Lourenco Goncalves | Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) and Director | |||||||
| Lourenco Goncalves | ||||||||
| /s/ Celso L. Goncalves Jr. | Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer) | |||||||
| Celso L. Goncalves Jr. | ||||||||
| /s/ Kimberly A. Floriani | Senior Vice President, Corporate Controller & Chief Accounting Officer (Principal Accounting Officer) | |||||||
| Kimberly A. Floriani | ||||||||
| /s/ John T. Baldwin | Director | |||||||
| John T. Baldwin | ||||||||
| /s/ Ron A. Bloom | Director | |||||||
| Ron A. Bloom | ||||||||
| /s/ Jane M. Cronin | Director | |||||||
| Jane M. Cronin | ||||||||
| /s/ Susan M. Green | Director | |||||||
| Susan M. Green | ||||||||
| /s/ Ralph S. Michael, III | Director | |||||||
| Ralph S. Michael, III | ||||||||
| /s/ Ben Oren | Director | |||||||
| Ben Oren | ||||||||
| /s/ Gabriel Stoliar | Director | |||||||
| Gabriel Stoliar | ||||||||
| /s/ Douglas C. Taylor | Director | |||||||
| Douglas C. Taylor | ||||||||
| /s/ Arlene M. Yocum | Director | |||||||
| Arlene M. Yocum | ||||||||
EXHIBIT 25.1
_____________________________________________________________________
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
__________________________
FORM T-1
Statement of Eligibility Under
The Trust Indenture Act of 1939 of a
Corporation Designated to Act as Trustee
Check if an Application to Determine Eligibility of
a Trustee Pursuant to Section 305(b)(2) ☐
_______________________________________________________
U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
(Exact name of Trustee as specified in its charter)
91-1821036
I.R.S. Employer Identification No.
| 800 Nicollet Mall Minneapolis, Minnesota | 55402 | ||||
| (Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) | ||||
Christina Bruno
U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association
425 Walnut Street
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
(732) 321-2516
(Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)
Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.
(Issuer with respect to the Securities)
| Ohio | 34-1464672 | ||||
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) | ||||
| 200 Public Square, Suite 3300 Cleveland, Ohio | 44114 | ||||
| (Address of Principal Executive Offices) | (Zip Code) | ||||
Debt Securities
(Title of the Indenture Securities)
FORM T-1
Item 1. GENERAL INFORMATION. Furnish the following information as to the Trustee.
a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.
Comptroller of the Currency
Washington, D.C.
b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.
Yes
Item 2. AFFILIATIONS WITH THE OBLIGOR. If the obligor is an affiliate of the Trustee, describe each such affiliation.
None
Items 3-15 Items 3-15 are not applicable because to the best of the Trustee's knowledge, the obligor is not in default under any Indenture for which the Trustee acts as Trustee.
Item 16. LIST OF EXHIBITS: List below all exhibits filed as a part of this statement of eligibility and qualification.
1. A copy of the Articles of Association of the Trustee, attached as Exhibit 1.
2. A copy of the certificate of authority of the Trustee to commence business, attached as Exhibit 2.
3. A copy of the authorization of the Trustee to exercise corporate trust powers, included as Exhibit 2.
4. A copy of the existing bylaws of the Trustee, attached as Exhibit 4.
5. A copy of each Indenture referred to in Item 4. Not applicable.
6. The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, attached as Exhibit 6.
7. Report of Condition of the Trustee as of June 30, 2025, published pursuant to law or the requirements of its supervising or examining authority, attached as Exhibit 7.
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, the Trustee, U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, a national banking association organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, has duly caused this statement of eligibility and qualification to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in the City of Cincinnati, State of Ohio on the 29th of October, 2025.
| By: | /s/ Christina Bruno | |||||||
| Christina Bruno | ||||||||
| Vice President | ||||||||
Exhibit 1
ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
OF
U. S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
For the purpose of organizing an association (the "Association") to perform any lawful activities of national banks, the undersigned enter into the following Articles of Association:
FIRST. The title of this Association shall be U. S. Bank Trust Company, National Association.
SECOND. The main office of the Association shall be in the city of Portland, county of Multnomah, state of Oregon. The business of the Association will be limited to fiduciary powers and the support of activities incidental to the exercise of those powers. The Association may not expand or alter its business beyond that stated in this article without the prior approval of the Comptroller of the Currency.
THIRD. The board of directors of the Association shall consist of not less than five nor more than twenty-five persons, the exact number to be fixed and determined from time to time by resolution of a majority of the full board of directors or by resolution of a majority of the shareholders at any annual or special meeting thereof. Each director shall own common or preferred stock of the Association or of a holding company owning the Association, with an aggregate par, fair market, or equity value of not less than $1,000, as of either (i) the date of purchase, (ii) the date the person became a director, or (iii) the date of that person's most recent election to the board of directors, whichever is more recent. Any combination of common or preferred stock of the Association or holding company may be used.
Any vacancy in the board of directors may be filled by action of a majority of the remaining directors between meetings of shareholders. The board of directors may increase the number of directors up to the maximum permitted by law. Terms of directors, including directors selected to fill vacancies, shall expire at the next regular meeting of shareholders at which directors are elected, unless the directors resign or are removed from office. Despite the expiration of a director's term, the director shall continue to serve until his or her successor is elected and qualified or until there is a decrease in the number of directors and his or her position is eliminated.
Honorary or advisory members of the board of directors, without voting power or power of final decision in matters concerning the business of the Association, may be appointed by resolution of a majority of the full board of directors, or by resolution of shareholders at any annual or special meeting. Honorary or advisory directors shall not be counted to determined the number of directors of the Association or the presence of a quorum in connection with any board action, and shall not be required to own qualifying shares.
FOURTH. There shall be an annual meeting of the shareholders to elect directors and transact whatever other business may be brought before the meeting. It shall be held at the main office or any other convenient place the board of directors may designate, on the day of each year specified therefor in the Bylaws, or if that day falls on a legal holiday in the state in which the Association is located, on the next following banking day. If no election is held on the day fixed or in the event of a legal holiday on the following banking day, an election may be held on any subsequent day within 60 days of the day fixed, to be designated by the board of directors, or, if the directors fail to fix the day, by shareholders representing two-thirds of the shares issued and outstanding. In all cases, at least 10 days’ advance notice of the meeting shall be given to the shareholders by first-class mail.
In all elections of directors, the number of votes each common shareholder may cast will be determined by multiplying the number of shares he or she owns by the number of directors to be elected. Those votes may be cumulated and cast for a single candidate or may be distributed among two or more candidates in the manner selected by the shareholder. On all other questions, each common shareholder shall be entitled to one vote for each share of stock held by him or her.
A director may resign at any time by delivering written notice to the board of directors, its chairperson, or to the Association, which resignation shall be effective when the notice is delivered unless the notice specifies a later effective date.
A director may be removed by the shareholders at a meeting called to remove him or her, when notice of the meeting stating that the purpose or one of the purposes is to remove him or her is provided, if there is a failure to fulfill one of the affirmative requirements for qualification, or for cause; provided, however, that a director may not be removed if the number of votes sufficient to elect him or her under cumulative voting is voted against his or her removal.
FIFTH. The authorized amount of capital stock of the Association shall be 1,000,000 shares of common stock of the par value of ten dollars ($10) each; but said capital stock may be increased or decreased from time to time, according to the provisions of the laws of the United States. The Association shall have only one class of capital stock.
No holder of shares of the capital stock of any class of the Association shall have any preemptive or preferential right of subscription to any shares of any class of stock of the Association, whether now or hereafter authorized, or to any obligations convertible into stock of the Association, issued, or sold, nor any right of subscription to any thereof other than such, if any, as the board of directors, in its discretion, may from time to time determine and at such price as the board of directors may from time to time fix.
Transfers of the Association's stock are subject to the prior written approval of a federal depository institution regulatory agency. If no other agency approval is required, the approval of the Comptroller of the Currency must be obtained prior to any such transfers.
Unless otherwise specified in the Articles of Association or required by law, (1) all matters requiring shareholder action, including amendments to the Articles of Association must be approved by shareholders owning a majority voting interest in the outstanding voting stock, and (2) each shareholder shall be entitled to one vote per share.
Unless otherwise specified in the Articles of Association or required by law, all shares of voting stock shall be voted together as a class, on any matters requiring shareholder approval.
Unless otherwise provided in the Bylaws, the record date for determining shareholders entitled to notice of and to vote at any meeting is the close of business on the day before the first notice is mailed or otherwise sent to the shareholders, provided that in no event may a record date be more than 70 days before the meeting.
The Association, at any time and from time to time, may authorize and issue debt obligations, whether subordinated, without the approval of the shareholders. Obligations classified as debt, whether subordinated, which may be issued by the Association without the approval of shareholders, do not carry voting rights on any issue, including an increase or decrease in the aggregate number of the securities, or the exchange or reclassification of all or part of securities into securities of another class or series.
SIXTH. The board of directors shall appoint one of its members president of this Association and one of its members chairperson of the board and shall have the power to appoint one or more vice presidents, a secretary who shall keep minutes of the directors' and shareholders' meetings and be responsible for authenticating the records of the Association, and such other officers and employees as may be required to transact the business of this Association. A duly appointed officer may appoint one or more officers or assistant officers if authorized by the board of directors in accordance with the Bylaws.
The board of directors shall have the power to:
(1)Define the duties of the officers, employees, and agents of the Association.
(2)Delegate the performance of its duties, but not the responsibility for its duties, to the officers, employees, and agents of the Association.
(3)Fix the compensation and enter employment contracts with its officers and employees upon reasonable terms and conditions consistent with applicable law.
(4)Dismiss officers and employees.
(5)Require bonds from officers and employees and to fix the penalty thereof.
(6)Ratify written policies authorized by the Association's management or committees of the board.
(7)Regulate the manner any increase or decrease of the capital of the Association shall be made; provided that nothing herein shall restrict the power of shareholders to increase or decrease the capital of the Association in accordance with law, and nothing shall raise or lower from two-thirds the percentage required for shareholder approval to increase or reduce the capital.
(8)Manage and administer the business and affairs of the Association.
(9)Adopt initial Bylaws, not inconsistent with law or the Articles of Association, for managing the business and regulating the affairs of the Association.
(10)Amend or repeal Bylaws, except to the extent that the Articles of Association reserve this power in whole or in part to the shareholders.
(11)Make contracts.
(12)Generally perform all acts that are legal for a board of directors to perform.
SEVENTH. The board of directors shall have the power to change the location of the main office to any authorized branch within the limits of the city of Portland, Oregon, without the approval of the shareholders, or with a vote of shareholders owning two-thirds of the stock of the Association for a location outside such limits and upon receipt of a certificate of approval from the Comptroller of the Currency, to any other location within or outside the limits of the city of Portland, Oregon, but not more than thirty miles beyond such limits. The board of directors shall have the power to establish or change the location of any office or offices of the Association to any other location permitted under applicable law, without approval of shareholders, subject to approval by the Comptroller of the Currency.
EIGHTH. The corporate existence of this Association shall continue until termination according to the laws of the United States.
NINTH. The board of directors of the Association, or any shareholder owning, in the aggregate, not less than 25 percent of the stock of the Association, may call a special meeting of shareholders at any time. Unless otherwise provided by the Bylaws or the laws of the United States, or waived by shareholders, a notice of the time, place, and purpose of every annual and special meeting of the shareholders shall be given by first-class mail, postage prepaid, mailed at least 10, and no more than 60, days prior to the date of the meeting to each shareholder of record at his/her address as shown upon the books of the Association. Unless otherwise provided by the Bylaws, any action requiring approval of shareholders must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting.
TENTH. These Articles of Association may be amended at any regular or special meeting of the shareholders by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the stock of the Association, unless the vote of the holders of a greater amount of stock is required by law, and in that case by the vote of the holders of such greater amount; provided, that the scope of the Association's activities and services may not be expanded without the prior written approval of the Comptroller of the Currency. The Association's board of directors may propose one or more amendments to the Articles of Association for submission to the shareholders.
In witness whereof, we have hereunto set our hands this 11th of June, 1997.
Exhibit 2
Exhibit 4
U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS
ARTICLE I
Meetings of Shareholders
Section 1.1. Annual Meeting. The annual meeting of the shareholders, for the election of directors and the transaction of any other proper business, shall be held at a time and place as the Chairman or President may designate. Notice of such meeting shall be given not less than ten (10) days or more than sixty (60) days prior to the date thereof, to each shareholder of the Association, unless the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (the “OCC”) determines that an emergency circumstance exists. In accordance with applicable law, the sole shareholder of the Association is permitted to waive notice of the meeting. If, for any reason, an election of directors is not made on the designated day, the election shall be held on some subsequent day, as soon thereafter as practicable, with prior notice thereof. Failure to hold an annual meeting as required by these Bylaws shall not affect the validity of any corporate action or work a forfeiture or dissolution of the Association.
Section 1.2. Special Meetings. Except as otherwise specially provided by law, special meetings of the shareholders may be called for any purpose, at any time by a majority of the board of directors (the “Board”), or by any shareholder or group of shareholders owning at least ten percent of the outstanding stock. Every such special meeting, unless otherwise provided by law, shall be called upon not less than ten (10) days nor more than sixty (60) days prior notice stating the purpose of the meeting.
Section 1.3. Nominations for Directors. Nominations for election to the Board may be made by the Board or by any shareholder.
Section 1.4. Proxies. Shareholders may vote at any meeting of the shareholders by proxies duly authorized in writing. Proxies shall be valid only for one meeting and any adjournments of such meeting and shall be filed with the records of the meeting.
Section 1.5. Record Date. The record date for determining shareholders entitled to notice and to vote at any meeting will be thirty days before the date of such meeting, unless otherwise determined by the Board.
Section 1.6. Quorum and Voting. A majority of the outstanding capital stock, represented in person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of shareholders, unless otherwise provided by law, but less than a quorum may adjourn any meeting, from time to time, and the meeting may be held as adjourned without further notice. A majority of the votes cast shall decide every question or matter submitted to the shareholders at any meeting, unless otherwise provided by law or by the Articles of Association.
Section 1.7. Inspectors. The Board may, and in the event of its failure so to do, the Chairman of the Board may appoint Inspectors of Election who shall determine the presence of quorum, the validity of proxies, and the results of all elections and all other matters voted upon by shareholders at all annual and special meetings of shareholders.
Section 1.8. Waiver and Consent. The shareholders may act without notice or a meeting by a unanimous written consent by all shareholders.
Section 1.9. Remote Meetings. The Board shall have the right to determine that a shareholder meeting not be held at a place, but instead be held solely by means of remote communication in the manner and to the extent permitted by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
ARTICLE II
Directors
Section 2.1. Board of Directors. The Board shall have the power to manage and administer the business and affairs of the Association. Except as expressly limited by law, all corporate powers of the Association shall be vested in and may be exercised by the Board.
Section 2.2. Term of Office. The directors of this Association shall hold office for one year and until their successors are duly elected and qualified, or until their earlier resignation or removal.
Section 2.3. Powers. In addition to the foregoing, the Board shall have and may exercise all of the powers granted to or conferred upon it by the Articles of Association, the Bylaws and by law.
Section 2.4. Number. As provided in the Articles of Association, the Board of this Association shall consist of no less than five nor more than twenty-five members, unless the OCC has exempted the Association from the twenty-five- member limit. The Board shall consist of a number of members to be fixed and determined from time to time by resolution of the Board or the shareholders at any meeting thereof, in accordance with the Articles of Association. Between meetings of the shareholders held for the purpose of electing directors, the Board by a majority vote of the full Board may increase the size of the Board but not to more than a total of twenty-five directors, and fill any vacancy so created in the Board; provided that the Board may increase the number of directors only by up to two directors, when the number of directors last elected by shareholders was fifteen or fewer, and by up to four directors, when the number of directors last elected by shareholders was sixteen or more. Each director shall own a qualifying equity interest in the Association or a company that has control of the Association in each case as required by applicable law. Each director shall own such qualifying equity interest in his or her own right and meet any minimum threshold ownership required by applicable law.
Section 2.5. Organization Meeting. The newly elected Board shall meet for the purpose of organizing the new Board and electing and appointing such officers of the Association as may be appropriate. Such meeting shall be held on the day of the election or as soon thereafter as practicable, and, in any event, within thirty days thereafter, at such time and place as the Chairman or President may designate. If, at the time fixed for such meeting, there shall not be a quorum present, the directors present may adjourn the meeting until a quorum is obtained.
Section 2.6. Regular Meetings. The regular meetings of the Board shall be held, without notice, as the Chairman or President may designate and deem suitable.
Section 2.7. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Board may be called at any time, at any place and for any purpose by the Chairman of the Board or the President of the Association, or upon the request of a majority of the entire Board. Notice of every special meeting of the Board shall be given to the directors at their usual places of business, or at such other addresses as shall have been furnished by them for the purpose. Such notice shall be given at least twelve hours (three hours if meeting is to be conducted by conference telephone) before the meeting by telephone or by being personally delivered, mailed, or electronically delivered. Such notice need not include a statement of the business to be transacted at, or the purpose of, any such meeting.
Section 2.8. Quorum and Necessary Vote. A majority of the directors shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of the Board, except when otherwise provided by law; but less than a quorum may adjourn any meeting, from time to time, and the meeting may be held as adjourned without further notice. Unless otherwise provided by law or the Articles or Bylaws of this Association, once a quorum is established, any act by a majority of those directors present and voting shall be the act of the Board.
Section 2.9. Written Consent. Except as otherwise required by applicable laws and regulations, the Board may act without a meeting by a unanimous written consent by all directors, to be filed with the Secretary of the Association as part of the corporate records.
Section 2.10. Remote Meetings. Members of the Board, or of any committee thereof, may participate in a meeting of such Board or committee by means of conference telephone, video or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other and such participation shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.
Section 2.11. Vacancies. When any vacancy occurs among the directors, the remaining members of the Board may appoint a director to fill such vacancy at any regular meeting of the Board, or at a special meeting called for that purpose.
ARTICLE III
Committees
Section 3.1. Advisory Board of Directors. The Board may appoint persons, who need not be directors, to serve as advisory directors on an advisory board of directors established with respect to the business affairs of either this Association alone or the business affairs of a group of affiliated organizations of which this Association is one. Advisory directors shall have such powers and duties as may be determined by the Board, provided, that the Board's responsibility for the business and affairs of this Association shall in no respect be delegated or diminished.
Section 3.2. Trust Audit Committee. At least once during each calendar year, the Association shall arrange for a suitable audit (by internal or external auditors) of all significant fiduciary activities under the direction of its trust audit committee, a function that will be fulfilled by the Audit Committee of the financial holding company that is the ultimate parent of this Association. The Association shall note the results of the audit (including significant actions taken as a result of the audit)
in the minutes of the Board. In lieu of annual audits, the Association may adopt a continuous audit system in accordance with 12 C.F.R. § 9.9(b).
The Audit Committee of the financial holding company that is the ultimate parent of this Association, fulfilling the function of the trust audit committee:
(1)Must not include any officers of the Association or an affiliate who participate significantly in the administration of the Association’s fiduciary activities; and
(2)Must consist of a majority of members who are not also members of any committee to which the Board has delegated power to manage and control the fiduciary activities of the Association.
Section 3.3. Executive Committee. The Board may appoint an Executive Committee which shall consist of at least three directors and which shall have, and may exercise, to the extent permitted by applicable law, all the powers of the Board between meetings of the Board or otherwise when the Board is not meeting.
Section 3.4. Trust Management Committee. The Board of this Association shall appoint a Trust Management Committee to provide oversight of the fiduciary activities of the Association. The Trust Management Committee shall determine policies governing fiduciary activities. The Trust Management Committee or such sub-committees, officers or others as may be duly designated by the Trust Management Committee shall oversee the processes related to fiduciary activities to assure conformity with fiduciary policies it establishes, including ratifying the acceptance and the closing out or relinquishment of all trusts. The Trust Management Committee will provide regular reports of its activities to the Board.
Section 3.5. Other Committees. The Board may appoint, from time to time, committees of one or more persons who need not be directors, for such purposes and with such powers as the Board may determine; however, the Board will not delegate to any committee any powers or responsibilities that it is prohibited from delegating under any law or regulation. In addition, either the Chairman or the President may appoint, from time to time, committees of one or more officers, employees, agents or other persons, for such purposes and with such powers as either the Chairman or the President deems appropriate and proper. Whether appointed by the Board, the Chairman, or the President, any such committee shall at all times be subject to the direction and control of the Board.
Section 3.6. Meetings, Minutes and Rules. An advisory board of directors and/or committee shall meet as necessary in consideration of the purpose of the advisory board of directors or committee, and shall maintain minutes in sufficient detail to indicate actions taken or recommendations made; unless required by the members, discussions, votes or other specific details need not be reported. An advisory board of directors or a committee may, in consideration of its purpose, adopt its own rules for the exercise of any of its functions or authority.
ARTICLE IV
Officers
Section 4.1. Chairman of the Board. The Board may appoint one of its members to be Chairman of the Board to serve at the pleasure of the Board. The Chairman shall supervise the carrying out of the policies adopted or approved by the Board; shall have general executive powers, as well as the specific powers conferred by these Bylaws; and shall also have and may exercise such powers and duties as from time to time may be conferred upon or assigned by the Board.
Section 4.2. President. The Board may appoint one of its members to be President of the Association. In the absence of the Chairman, the President shall preside at any meeting of the Board. The President shall have general executive powers, and shall have and may exercise any and all other powers and duties pertaining by law, regulation or practice, to the office of President, or imposed by these Bylaws. The President shall also have and may exercise such powers and duties as from time to time may be conferred or assigned by the Board.
Section 4.3. Vice President. The Board may appoint one or more Vice Presidents who shall have such powers and duties as may be assigned by the Board and to perform the duties of the President on those occasions when the President is absent, including presiding at any meeting of the Board in the absence of both the Chairman and President.
Section 4.4. Secretary. The Board shall appoint a Secretary, or other designated officer who shall be Secretary of the Board and of the Association, and shall keep accurate minutes of all meetings. The Secretary shall attend to the giving of all notices required by these Bylaws to be given; shall be custodian of the corporate seal, records, documents and papers of the Association; shall provide for the keeping of proper records of all transactions of the Association; shall, upon request, authenticate any records of the Association; shall have and may exercise any and all other powers and duties pertaining by law, regulation or practice, to the Secretary, or imposed by these Bylaws; and shall also perform such other duties as may be assigned from time to time by the Board. The Board may appoint one or more Assistant Secretaries with such powers and duties as the Board, the President or the Secretary shall from time to time determine.
Section 4.5. Other Officers. The Board may appoint, and may authorize the Chairman, the President or any other officer to appoint, any officer as from time to time may appear to the Board, the Chairman, the President or such other officer to be required or desirable to transact the business of the Association. Such officers shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as pertain to their several offices, or as may be conferred upon or assigned to them by these Bylaws, the Board, the Chairman, the President or such other authorized officer. Any person may hold two offices.
Section 4.6. Tenure of Office. The Chairman or the President and all other officers shall hold office until their respective successors are elected and qualified or until their earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal from office, subject to the right of the Board or authorized officer to discharge any officer at any time.
ARTICLE V
Stock
Section 5.1. The Board may authorize the issuance of stock either in certificated or in uncertificated form. Certificates for shares of stock shall be in such form as the Board may from time to time prescribe. If the Board issues certificated stock, the certificate shall be signed by the President, Secretary or any other such officer as the Board so determines. Shares of stock shall be transferable on the books of the Association, and a transfer book shall be kept in which all transfers of stock shall be recorded. Every person becoming a shareholder by such transfer shall, in proportion to such person's shares, succeed to all rights of the prior holder of such shares. Each certificate of stock shall recite on its face that the stock represented thereby is transferable only upon the books of the Association properly endorsed. The Board may impose conditions upon the transfer of the stock reasonably calculated to simplify the work of the Association for stock transfers, voting at shareholder meetings, and related matters, and to protect it against fraudulent transfers.
ARTICLE VI
Corporate Seal
Section 6.1. The Association shall have no corporate seal; provided, however, that if the use of a seal is required by, or is otherwise convenient or advisable pursuant to, the laws or regulations of any jurisdiction, the following seal may be used, and the Chairman, the President, the Secretary and any Assistant Secretary shall have the authority to affix such seal:
ARTICLE VII
Miscellaneous Provisions
Section 7.1. Execution of Instruments. All agreements, checks, drafts, orders, indentures, notes, mortgages, deeds, conveyances, transfers, endorsements, assignments, certificates, declarations, receipts, discharges, releases, satisfactions, settlements, petitions, schedules, accounts, affidavits, bonds, undertakings, guarantees, proxies and other instruments or documents may be signed, countersigned, executed, acknowledged, endorsed, verified, delivered or accepted on behalf of the Association, whether in a fiduciary capacity or otherwise, by any officer of the Association, or such employee or agent as may be designated from time to time by the Board by resolution, or by the Chairman or the President by written instrument, which resolution or instrument shall be certified as in effect by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Association. The provisions of this section are supplementary to any other provision of the Articles of Association or Bylaws.
Section 7.2. Records. The Articles of Association, the Bylaws as revised or amended from time to time and the proceedings of all meetings of the shareholders, the Board, and standing committees of the Board, shall be recorded in appropriate minute books provided for the purpose. The minutes of each meeting shall be signed by the Secretary, or other officer appointed to act as Secretary of the meeting.
Section 7.3. Trust Files. There shall be maintained in the Association files all fiduciary records necessary to assure that its fiduciary responsibilities have been properly undertaken and discharged.
Section 7.4. Trust Investments. Funds held in a fiduciary capacity shall be invested according to the instrument establishing the fiduciary relationship and according to law. Where such instrument does not specify the character and class of investments to be made and does not vest in the Association a discretion in the matter, funds held pursuant to such instrument shall be invested in investments in which corporate fiduciaries may invest under law.
Section 7.5. Notice. Whenever notice is required by the Articles of Association, the Bylaws or law, such notice shall be by mail, postage prepaid, e- mail, in person, or by any other means by which such notice can reasonably be expected to be received, using the address of the person to receive such notice, or such other personal data, as may appear on the records of the Association.
Except where specified otherwise in these Bylaws, prior notice shall be proper if given not more than 30 days nor less than 10 days prior to the event for which notice is given.
ARTICLE VIII
Indemnification
Section 8.1. The Association shall indemnify such persons for such liabilities in such manner under such circumstances and to such extent as permitted by Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, as now enacted or hereafter amended. The Board may authorize the purchase and maintenance of insurance and/or the execution of individual agreements for the purpose of such indemnification, and the Association shall advance all reasonable costs and expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred in defending any action, suit or proceeding to all persons entitled to indemnification under this Section 8.1. Such insurance shall be consistent with the requirements of 12 C.F.R. § 7.2014 and shall exclude coverage of liability for a formal order assessing civil money penalties against an institution-affiliated party, as defined at 12 U.S.C. § 1813(u).
Section 8.2. Notwithstanding Section 8.1, however, (a) any indemnification payments to an institution-affiliated party, as defined at 12 U.S.C. § 1813(u), for an administrative proceeding or civil action initiated by a federal banking agency, shall be reasonable and consistent with the requirements of 12 U.S.C. § 1828(k) and the implementing regulations thereunder; and (b) any indemnification payments and advancement of costs and expenses to an institution-affiliated party, as defined at 12 U.S.C. § 1813(u), in cases involving an administrative proceeding or civil action not initiated by a federal banking agency, shall be in accordance with Delaware General Corporation Law and consistent with safe and sound banking practices.
ARTICLE IX
Bylaws: Interpretation and Amendment
Section 9.1. These Bylaws shall be interpreted in accordance with and subject to appropriate provisions of law, and may be added to, altered, amended, or repealed, at any regular or special meeting of the Board.
Section 9.2. A copy of the Bylaws and all amendments shall at all times be kept in a convenient place at the principal office of the Association, and shall be open for inspection to all shareholders during Association hours.
ARTICLE X
Miscellaneous Provisions
Section 10.1. Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Association shall begin on the first day of January in each year and shall end on the thirty-first day of December following.
Section 10.2. Governing Law. This Association designates the Delaware General Corporation Law, as amended from time to time, as the governing law for its corporate governance procedures, to the extent not inconsistent with Federal banking statutes and regulations or bank safety and soundness.
***
(February 8, 2021)
Exhibit 6
CONSENT
In accordance with Section 321(b) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, the undersigned, U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION hereby consents that reports of examination of the undersigned by Federal, State, Territorial or District authorities may be furnished by such authorities to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon its request therefor.
Dated: October 29, 2025
| By: | /s/ Christina Bruno | |||||||
| Christina Bruno | ||||||||
| Vice President | ||||||||
Exhibit 7
U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association
Statement of Financial Condition
As of 6/30/2025
($000’s)
| 6/30/2025 | ||||||||
| Assets | ||||||||
Cash and Balances Due From Depository Institutions | $ | 1,823,165 | ||||||
| Securities | 4,619 | |||||||
| Federal Funds | — | |||||||
| Loans & Lease Financing Receivables | — | |||||||
| Fixed Assets | 804 | |||||||
| Intangible Assets | 575,138 | |||||||
| Other Assets | 172,200 | |||||||
| Total Assets | $ | 2,575,926 | ||||||
| Liabilities | ||||||||
| Deposits | $ | — | ||||||
| Fed Funds | — | |||||||
| Treasury Demand Notes | — | |||||||
| Trading Liabilities | — | |||||||
| Other Borrowed Money | — | |||||||
| Acceptances | — | |||||||
| Subordinated Notes and Debentures | — | |||||||
| Other Liabilities | 213,000 | |||||||
| Total Liabilities | $ | 213,000 | ||||||
| Equity | ||||||||
| Common and Preferred Stock | $ | 200 | ||||||
| Surplus | 1,171,635 | |||||||
| Undivided Profits | 1,191,091 | |||||||
| Minority Interest in Subsidiaries | — | |||||||
| Total Equity Capital | $ | 2,362,926 | ||||||
| Total Liabilities and Equity Capital | $ | 2,575,926 | ||||||