Company Description
Friedman Industries, Incorporated (NASDAQ: FRD) is a manufacturer and processor of steel products with a long history as a publicly traded company. According to company disclosures, Friedman became publicly traded in 1972 and has paid a cash dividend every quarter since that time. The company is headquartered in Longview, Texas and is described in multiple releases as a Texas-based business engaged in metals processing, pipe manufacturing, and metals distribution.
Friedman Industries operates through two primary reportable segments: Flat-Roll Products and Tubular Products. These segments reflect the company’s focus on processing steel coils into flat-rolled products and manufacturing electric resistance welded (ERW) pipe, as well as distributing pipe through its Texas Tubular Products division.
Flat-Roll Products Segment
The flat-roll products segment consists of operations at facilities in Hickman, Arkansas; Decatur, Alabama; East Chicago, Indiana; Granite City, Illinois; Sinton, Texas; and Miami, Florida. In its public communications, Friedman states that this segment processes steel coils and, depending on the facility, can handle hot-rolled, ferrous and non-ferrous, carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminum, and other materials.
Company descriptions explain that the Hickman, East Chicago, and Granite City facilities operate temper mills and corrective leveling cut-to-length lines. The Sinton and Decatur facilities operate stretcher leveler cut-to-length lines. The Miami facility operates a corrective leveling cut-to-length line and a slitting line. Through these capabilities, Friedman processes flat-rolled coils into forms suitable for customers that require temper passing, cut-to-length processing, or slitting.
In earlier third-party descriptions, Friedman’s flat-roll related offerings are also described as including Temper Pass, Cut-To-Length, Whole Coils, and Toll Processing. The company has also referenced New Mill Secondary products in connection with its activities. These descriptions align with the operational focus on processing and handling steel coils for a variety of uses.
Tubular Products Segment
The tubular products segment operates in Lone Star, Texas. Company disclosures state that this segment manufactures electric resistance welded (ERW) pipe and distributes pipe through its Texas Tubular Products division. This segment’s operations focus on producing and distributing pipe products that complement the company’s broader metals processing activities.
Friedman has also referenced Pipe Finishing Services in prior descriptions of its products and services, indicating that its tubular operations extend beyond initial pipe manufacturing to additional processing or finishing steps for pipe products.
Geographic Footprint and Facilities
Across its segments, Friedman Industries reports operating plants and facilities in multiple U.S. locations. These include Hickman, Arkansas; Decatur, Alabama; East Chicago, Indiana; Granite City, Illinois; Sinton, Texas; Miami, Florida; Lone Star, Texas; and distribution and warehouse facilities in Orlando, Florida and Tampa, Florida associated with the Century Metals business.
Through the acquisition of Century Metals and Supplies, Inc., Friedman has stated that it expanded its presence in the southeastern United States and Latin American markets, enhanced its core hot-rolled steel business, added coil slitting capabilities, and broadened its product portfolio to include cold-rolled, coated, and stainless steels, as well as non-ferrous materials such as aluminum, copper, and brass. The company has also highlighted that this acquisition provides strategic access to residential and corrosion-resistant markets.
Business Activities and Capabilities
Friedman Industries describes itself in various releases as a manufacturer and processor of steel products, a metals processing company, and a business engaged in steel processing, pipe manufacturing, and steel and pipe distribution. Within this framework, the company’s activities include:
- Processing hot-rolled steel coils at flat-roll facilities.
- Operating temper mills and corrective leveling cut-to-length lines.
- Operating stretcher leveler cut-to-length lines.
- Operating a corrective leveling cut-to-length line and a slitting line at its Miami facility.
- Processing ferrous and non-ferrous coils, including carbon steel, stainless steel, and aluminum flat-rolled products.
- Manufacturing electric resistance welded (ERW) pipe at its Lone Star, Texas facility.
- Distributing pipe through its Texas Tubular Products division.
- Offering toll processing services for customer-owned material, as reflected in reported sales volumes that distinguish between inventory sold and toll processing.
In prior descriptions, the company’s products and services have been summarized as including Temper Pass, Cut-To-Length, Whole Coils, Toll Processing, Electric Resistance Welded Pipe (ERW), New Mill Secondary, and Pipe Finishing Services, which are consistent with the operational capabilities described in its own releases.
Corporate and Capital Markets Profile
Friedman Industries is incorporated in Texas and has been identified in filings with the Commission File Number 1-07521 and Employer Identification Number 74-1504405. The company’s common stock trades under the symbol FRD. In a March 2025 announcement, Friedman stated that it would transfer its common stock listing from NYSE American to the Nasdaq Global Select Market and begin trading on Nasdaq under the symbol FRD.
In a June 2025 release, Friedman reported that it had been added as a member of the broad-market Russell 3000 Index and, as a result, included in the Russell 2000 Index and related style indexes. The company noted that index inclusion and the transfer to Nasdaq were intended to improve its visibility in capital markets and its potential for trading liquidity and diversified share ownership.
Dividend History
Friedman’s dividend history is a notable aspect of its profile. In multiple dividend announcements, the company has stated that it has paid a cash dividend every quarter since becoming a public company in 1972. Recent releases describe quarterly cash dividends of $0.04 per share and identify these payments as the 214th, 215th, and 216th consecutive quarterly cash dividends.
The company emphasizes that dividends are declared at the discretion of the Board of Directors and are reviewed on a quarterly basis. In its communications, Friedman notes that the Board considers factors such as financial condition, operating results, anticipated cash needs, and growth plans when determining dividend levels, and that there is no guarantee that dividend payments will always continue in the future.
Acquisitions and Growth
Friedman Industries has publicly reported growth initiatives that include acquisitions and facility investments. On August 29, 2025, the company completed the acquisition of certain real estate, operations, equipment, inventory, and other assets from Century Metals & Supplies, Inc. and related entities in Miami, Tampa, and Orlando, Florida. The company has described this acquisition as expanding its geographic reach into the southeastern U.S. and Latin American markets, enhancing its hot-rolled steel business, adding coil slitting capabilities, and broadening its product portfolio to include additional steel and non-ferrous materials.
In its own commentary, Friedman has also referenced the performance of its Sinton, Texas facility, noting that this facility reached full capacity levels and contributed the highest profit margin among its facilities during a reported fiscal year. The company has highlighted efforts to improve capacity utilization across its operations and has reported record sales volumes in certain quarters.
Risk Management and Hedging
In several financial results releases, Friedman describes its use of hot-rolled coil (HRC) futures, options, and swaps to manage price risk on unsold inventory and longer-term fixed price sales agreements. The company states that it typically accounts for hedging activities under mark-to-market accounting treatment and that these activities are intended to protect the value of inventory and produce more consistent financial results over price cycles. It also notes that, under this accounting treatment, hedging-related gains or losses may be recognized in different periods than the corresponding changes in physical margins.
Governance and Shareholder Matters
Friedman’s proxy materials and Form 8-K filings provide additional context on governance. The company holds an annual meeting of shareholders at which shareholders vote on the election of directors, advisory resolutions on executive compensation, the frequency of advisory votes, the ratification of the independent registered public accounting firm, and other matters such as long-term incentive plans and proposed amendments to the Articles of Incorporation.
In a September 2025 Form 8-K, Friedman reported the results of shareholder votes, including the election of seven directors, approval of an advisory resolution on executive compensation, selection of the frequency of advisory votes, ratification of Baker Tilly US, LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026, and approval of the company’s 2025 Long-Term Incentive Plan. An amendment to the Articles of Incorporation to allow shareholders to amend the company’s Bylaws did not receive the required level of affirmative votes.
Credit Facilities and Financing
Friedman Industries has disclosed details of its credit arrangements in its Form 8-K filings. The company is party to an Amended and Restated Credit Agreement originally dated May 19, 2021, which has been amended multiple times. In connection with the Century Metals acquisition, Friedman entered into a Fifth Amendment that, among other changes, permitted the acquisition, adjusted the aggregate commitments under the credit facility, modified lender participation, extended the maturity date, and made borrowing base adjustments.
In December 2025, the company entered into a Sixth Amendment to the same credit agreement, which increased the aggregate commitments from $125 million to $140 million, made conforming changes to threshold amounts, and modified the definition of “Eligible Accounts.” These credit facility amendments are described as supporting the company’s operations and growth activities.
Industry Classification
Based on the provided industry classification, Friedman Industries is associated with Iron and Steel Pipe and Tube Manufacturing from Purchased Steel within the broader manufacturing sector. This aligns with the company’s own descriptions of its activities in steel processing, pipe manufacturing, and steel and pipe distribution, as well as its focus on flat-roll and tubular products.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
The following questions and answers summarize key aspects of Friedman Industries, Incorporated based on publicly available information included in the provided materials.
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Short Interest History
Short interest in Friedman Inds (FRD) currently stands at 114.0 thousand shares, down 0.7% from the previous reporting period, representing 1.7% of the float. Over the past 12 months, short interest has increased by 280.3%. This relatively low short interest suggests limited bearish sentiment. The 7.5 days to cover indicates moderate liquidity for short covering.
Days to Cover History
Days to cover for Friedman Inds (FRD) currently stands at 7.5 days, up 67.1% from the previous period. This moderate days-to-cover ratio suggests reasonable liquidity for short covering, requiring about a week of average trading volume. The days to cover has increased 227.6% over the past year, indicating either rising short interest or declining trading volume. The ratio has shown significant volatility over the period, ranging from 1.0 to 9.3 days.