Billionaire Stanley Druckenmiller Boosts US Steel Stake By 143%: Is He Betting On Merger?

United States Steel Corp X, a giant of American industry, fell into tough times in recent decades. As company management explores merger opportunities, hedge fund manager Stanley Druckenmiller made a large bet on the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based company.

What Happened: Druckenmiller’s Duquesne Family Office’s latest 13f filing showed an increased stake in the steel giant.

The hedge fund manager owned 1,610,040 company shares as of Dec. 31, 2024, up from 663,090 in 2024’s third quarter. Thus, Druckenmiller increased his stake by 143% just a few months after initiating his position.

United States Steel has frequently been in the headlines in recent months. The company planned to be acquired for $15 billion by Japanese company Nippon Steel, but the Biden Administration blocked the deal.

The odds of a deal between the two companies clearing regulators appeared low during much of 2024. Another bidder challenged Nippon Steel to acquire the company in January.

However, President Donald Trump has recently contemplated supporting the deal after meeting with Japanese officials. The Trump Administration recently granted the companies a 21-day extension in their lawsuit over the proposed merger.

Druckenmiller, famously a top-down investor, could have invested in United States Steel due to possible Trump Administration tailwinds. The company’s stock has also benefitted from Trump’s steel tariffs.

Shares of United States Steel are trading up over 25% in 2025, one of the top-performing stocks according to Benzinga Pro.

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