ÐÓ°ÉÊÓƵ¹ÙÍø

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of

The Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): December 18, 2023

ÐÓ°ÉÊÓƵ¹ÙÍø Corporation

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

600 Grant Street,

Pittsburgh, PA 15219-2800

(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

(412) 433-1121

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

N/A 

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934:

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter):

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 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ¨

On December 18, 2023, representatives of ÐÓ°ÉÊÓƵ¹ÙÍø Corporation (the “Company”) and Nippon Steel Corporation (“NSC”) will present to investors an investor presentation (the “Investor Presentation”) in connection with the announcement of the Merger Agreement (as defined below). A copy of the investor presentation is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated by reference herein.

The information contained in this Current Report on Form 8-K that is furnished under this Item 7.01, including the accompanying Exhibit 99.1, is being furnished pursuant to Item 7.01 of Form 8-K and shall not be deemed to be “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liability of that section. The information contained in this Current Report on Form 8-K that is furnished under this Item 7.01, including the accompanying Exhibit 99.1, shall not be incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, whether made before or after the date hereof, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing.

On December 18, 2023, the Company and NSC issued a joint press release (the “Press Release”) announcing the signing of the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of December 18, 2023 (the “Merger Agreement”), by and among the Company, Nippon Steel North America, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of NSC (“Parent”), 2023 Merger Subsidiary, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent, and solely as provided in Section 9.13 of the Merger Agreement, NSC. The copy of the Press Release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.2 and is incorporated herein by reference.

Additional Information and Where to Find It

This Current Report on Form 8-K relates to the proposed transaction between the Company and Parent, a wholly owned subsidiary of NSC.  In connection with the proposed transaction, the Company will file relevant materials with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including the Company’s proxy statement on Schedule 14A (the “Proxy Statement”).  The information in the preliminary Proxy Statement will not be complete and may be changed. The definitive Proxy Statement will be delivered to stockholders of the Company. The Company may also file other documents with the SEC regarding the proposed transaction. This Current Report on Form 8-K is not a substitute for the Proxy Statement or for any other document that may be filed with the SEC in connection with the proposed transaction.  The proposed transaction will be submitted to the Company’s stockholders for their consideration.  BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING DECISION, THE COMPANY’S STOCKHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ ALL RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED OR TO BE FILED WITH THE SEC, INCLUDING THE PROXY STATEMENT, AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THOSE DOCUMENTS, CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY IF AND WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMPANY, NSC AND THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION.

The Company’s stockholders will be able to obtain free copies of the preliminary Proxy Statement and the definitive Proxy Statement (in each case, if and when available), as well as other documents containing important information about the Company, NSC and the proposed transaction once such documents are filed with the SEC, without charge, at the SEC’s website (www.sec.gov).  Copies of the Proxy Statement and the other documents filed with the SEC by the Company can also be obtained, without charge, by directing a request to ÐÓ°ÉÊÓƵ¹ÙÍø Corporation, 600 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219, Attention: Corporate Secretary; telephone 412-433-1121, or from the Company’s website www.ussteel.com.

Participants in the Solicitation

NSC, the Company and their directors, and certain of their executive officers and employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the Company’s stockholders in respect of the proposed transaction.  Information regarding the directors and executive officers of the Company who may, under the rules of the SEC, be deemed participants in the solicitation of the Company’s stockholders in connection with the proposed transaction, including a description of their direct or indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be set forth in the Proxy Statement when it is filed with the SEC.  Information about these persons is included in each company’s annual proxy statement and in other documents subsequently filed with the SEC, and will be included in the Proxy Statement when filed. Free copies of the Proxy Statement and such other materials may be obtained as described in the preceding paragraph.

Forward-Looking Statements

This Current Report on Form 8-K contains information regarding the Company and NSC that may constitute “forward-looking statements,” as that term is defined under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other securities laws, that are subject to risks and uncertainties.  We intend the forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements in those sections. Generally, we have identified such forward-looking statements by using the words “believe,” “expect,” “intend,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “project,” “target,” “forecast,” “aim,” “should,” “plan,” “goal,” “future,” “will,” “may” and similar expressions or by using future dates in connection with any discussion of, among other things, statements expressing general views about future operating or financial results, operating or financial performance, trends, events or developments that we expect or anticipate will occur in the future, anticipated cost savings, potential capital and operational cash improvements and changes in the global economic environment. However, the absence of these words or similar expressions does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not historical facts, but instead represent only the Company’s beliefs regarding future goals, plans and expectations about our prospects for the future and other events, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of the Company’s or NSC’s control, as well as, statements regarding the proposed transaction and the timing of the completion of the transaction. It is possible that the Company’s or NSC’s actual results and financial condition may differ, possibly materially, from the anticipated results and financial condition indicated in these forward-looking statements. Management of the Company or NSC, as applicable, believes that these forward-looking statements are reasonable as of the time made. However, caution should be taken not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements because such statements speak only as of the date when made. In addition, forward looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's or NSC’s historical experience and our present expectations or projections. Risks and uncertainties include without limitation: the ability of the parties to consummate the proposed transaction on a timely basis or at all; the timing, receipt and terms and conditions of any required governmental and regulatory approvals of the proposed transaction that could cause the parties to terminate the Merger Agreement; the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the Merger Agreement; the possibility that the Company’s stockholders may not approve the proposed transaction; the risks and uncertainties related to securing the necessary stockholder approval; the risk that the parties to the Merger Agreement may not be able to satisfy the conditions to the proposed transaction in a timely manner or at all; risks related to disruption of management time from ongoing business operations due to the proposed transaction; certain restrictions during the pendency of the proposed transaction that may impact the Company’s ability to pursue certain business opportunities or strategic transactions; the risk that any announcements relating to the proposed transaction could have adverse effects on the market price of the Company’s common stock or NSC’s common stock or American Depositary Receipts; the risk of any unexpected costs or expenses resulting from the proposed transaction; the risk of any litigation relating to the proposed transaction; and the risk that the proposed transaction and its announcement could have an adverse effect on the ability of the Company or NSC to retain customers and retain and hire key personnel and maintain relationships with customers, suppliers, employees, stockholders and other business relationships and on its operating results and business generally; and the risk the pending proposed transaction could distract management of the Company.  The Company directs readers to its Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2023, and the other documents it files with the SEC for other risks associated with the Company’s future performance.  These documents contain and identify important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements.  Risks related to NSC’s forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, changes in regional and global macroeconomic conditions, particularly in Japan, China and the United States; excess capacity and oversupply in the steel industry; unfair trade and pricing practices in NSC’s home markets; the possibility of low steel prices or excess iron ore supply; the possibility of significant increases in market prices of essential raw materials; the possibility of depreciation of the value of the Japanese yen against the U.S. dollar and other major foreign currencies; the loss of market share to substitute materials; NSC’s ability to reduce costs and improve operating efficiency; the possibility of not completing planned alliances, acquisitions or investments, or such alliances, acquisitions or investments not having the anticipated results; natural disasters and accidents or unpredictable events which may disrupt NSC’s supply chain as well as other events that may negatively impact NSC’s business activities; risks relating to CO2 emissions and NSC’s challenge for carbon neutrality; the economic, political, social and legal uncertainty of doing business in emerging economies; the possibility of incurring expenses resulting from any defects in our products or incurring additional costs and reputational harm due to product defects of other steel manufacturers; the possibility that we may be unable to protect our intellectual property rights or face intellectual property infringement claims by third parties; changes in laws and regulations of countries where we operate, including trade laws and tariffs, as well a tax, environmental, health and safety laws; and the possibility of damage to our reputation and business due to data breaches and data theft. All information in this Current Report on Form 8-K is as of the date above.  Neither the Company nor NSC undertakes any duty to update any forward-looking statement to conform the statement to actual results or changes in the Company’s or NSC’s expectations whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.