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H.O. Woltz

Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Insteel Industries, Inc.

Search every verified H.O. Woltz interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. H.O. Woltz III, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Insteel Industries, discussed the company's fiscal third quarter 2026 results, noting that while the company fell short of its expected financial performance, the previously reported upturn in business activity remains intact. During the call, Woltz addressed the impact of Section 232 tariffs on steel imports, stating that U.S. hot-rolled steel prices have risen 50 to 100% above global market prices. He indicated that the company intends to point out to trade policymakers that these elevated domestic prices compromise the effectiveness of the derivative tariffs, as foreign competitors can still acquire hot-rolled steel at world market prices and pay the tariff while maintaining viable economics. Woltz also commented on the company's pricing strategy, noting multiple price increases through fiscal 2026 to recover rising wire rod and other costs, with the most recent increase effective July 13. He acknowledged that nobody likes price increases but stated that when the cost to send a product to a destination now reaches $3,000, someone must pay the bill. Regarding tariff refunds, Woltz said the company will record them when received, noting that Insteel was the importer of record on a vast majority of the tariffs paid, and that the repayment scheme mandated by the Court of International Trade has been appealed by the Trump administration, meaning the adjudication of the tariffs' legality has a long way to run.

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