Company profiles · Steel, Aluminum & Copper

Century Aluminum (CENX): US–Canada Tariff Exposure, Government Contracts, and Risk

WINNERCORE TIER
Price · Aug 28, 2026 close$46.59
Market cap$4.6B
52-wk range21–70

Why it’s on the map

Largest US primary aluminum producer; sole US high-purity supplier. US imports ~60% of the aluminum it uses and Canada is ~56% of those imports (USGS 2026; US primary output ~660kt in 2025) — no near-term domestic replacement. The failed Canada deal (which would have cut the Canadian rate to 25%) is estimated (CRU) to be worth ~30–40¢/lb of Midwest premium.

Government money & contracts

$500M DOE funding for Inola OK 750kt smelter (JV with EGA being formalized). New half-rate import program for firms building US smelters.

Customers & commercial

US rolling mills, defense/aerospace high-purity buyers.

Catalysts

Inola FID (pending; not yet dated by the company); Midwest premium (~95¢/lb pre-collapse, record >$1.00 Jan 2026); Q3 late Oct.

Risk

A future US–Canada deal cutting the 232 rate; stock fell 4.6% (Aug 19 close) on deal hopes and rose ~5% Aug 24 when they died.

Tariff durability

Section 232 (durable) — the most direct Canada-round beneficiary we found.