SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

(Mark One)

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2003

OR

For the transition period from           to          
Commission file number: 001-13122

RELIANCE STEEL & ALUMINUM CO.

350 South Grand Avenue, Suite 5100
Los Angeles, California 90071
(213) 687-7700
(Address of principal executive offices and telephone number)

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

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
None

     Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes [ü] No o

     Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. o

     Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes [ü] No o

     The aggregate market value of the voting stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant, based on the closing price on the New York Stock Exchange on February 27, 2004 was $949,365,384.

     As of February 27, 2004, 32,304,497 shares of the registrant’s common stock, no par value, were outstanding.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

     Portions of the registrant’s definitive Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held May 19, 2004 (the “Proxy Statement”) are incorporated by reference into Part III of this report.

INDEX

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SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE
SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995

     This Annual Report on Form 10-K and the documents incorporated in this Annual Report on Form 10-K by reference contain forward-looking statements. You should read carefully any statements containing the words “expect,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “project,” “estimate,” “predict,” “intend,” “should,” “could,” “may,” “might,” or similar expressions or the negative of any of these terms.

     Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Various factors, such as the “Risk Factors” listed below may cause our actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements. Among the factors that could cause our results to differ are the following:

	•		Our interest rates on our debt could change. Our variable rate debt is currently at historically low levels, and we anticipate that these rates will increase in the future.
	•		Foreign currency exchange rates could change, which could affect the price we pay for metals and the results of our foreign operations.
	•		Our acquisitions might fail to perform as we anticipate. This could result in an impairment charge to write off some or all of the goodwill for that entity.
	•		Our future operating results depend on a number of factors beyond our control, such as the prices for and the availability of metals, which could cause our results to fluctuate over time. During periods of low customer demand, it could be more difficult for us to pass through price increases to our customers, which could reduce our gross margin and net income. Surcharges have recently been added to the costs of certain metals and it may be difficult for us to fully pass through such charges to our customers. In addition, because of increased foreign demand and closings of some domestic mill capacity, lead times have lengthened and supply has tightened for many of the products that we sell, which may result in our inability to fill all customer orders.
	•		We service industries that are highly cyclical, and any further downturn in our customers’ industries could reduce our revenue and profitability.
	•		The success of our business is affected by general economic conditions, and, accordingly, our business was adversely impacted by the economic slowdown or recession in 2003, 2002 and 2001.
	•		Our business is very competitive and increased competition could reduce our gross margins and net income. The low demand levels in 2003 increased competitive pricing pressures and lowered our gross margin.
	•		As a decentralized business, we depend on both senior management and our operating employees; if we are unable to attract and retain these individuals, our results of operations may decline.
	•		We may not be able to consummate future acquisitions, and those acquisitions which we do complete may be difficult to integrate into our business.
	•		We are subject to various environmental and other governmental regulations which may require us to expend significant capital and incur substantial costs.
	•		If existing shareholders sell their shares, the market price of our common stock could be depressed.
	•		Principal shareholders who own a significant number of our shares may have interests that conflict with yours.
	•		We have implemented a staggered or classified Board that may adversely impact your rights as a shareholder.

     Although we believe the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee future performance or results. We are not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. You should consider these risks when reading any forward-looking statements.

     This Annual Report on Form 10-K includes trademarks, trade names and service marks of the Company and its subsidiaries.

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PART I

Item 1. Business.

     We are one of the five largest metals service center companies in the United States. Our network of 24 divisions, 19 operating subsidiaries and one 50.5%-owned company operates 106 processing and distribution facilities in 30 states, Belgium, France and South Korea. Through this network, we provide metals processing services and distribute a full line of more than 90,000 metal products, including alloy, aluminum, brass, copper, carbon steel, titanium, stainless steel and specialty steel products, to more than 95,000 customers in a broad range of industries. Many of our metals service centers provide processing services for specialty metals only. We deliver products from facilities in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Washington. One of our subsidiaries has two international locations, with a French subsidiary operating a distribution center in Fuveau, France and a 69.5% ownership interest in a joint venture company operating a manufacturing facility near Seoul, South Korea. Another subsidiary opened a metals service center in Gosselies, Belgium in January 2003 to service the European aerospace market.

     Our primary business strategy is to enhance our operating results through strategic acquisitions, expansion of our existing operations and improved operating performance at our locations. This strategy and our proven operating methods have enabled us to outperform most of our competitors in the metals service center industry. In 2003, we had net sales of $1.9 billion and net income of $34.0 million.

Industry Overview

     Metals service centers acquire products from primary metals producers and then process carbon steel, aluminum, stainless steel and other metals to meet customer specifications, using techniques such as blanking, leveling (or cutting-to-length), sawing, shape cutting, shearing and slitting. These processing services save our customers time, labor, and expense and reduce their overall manufacturing costs. Specialized equipment used to process the metals requires high-volume production to be cost effective. Many manufacturers are not able or willing to invest in the necessary technology, equipment, and inventory to process the metals for their own manufacturing operations. Accordingly, industry dynamics have created a niche in the market. Metals service centers purchase, process, and deliver metals to end-users in a more efficient and cost-effective manner than the end-user could achieve by dealing directly with the primary producer or with an intermediate steel processor. Industry analysts estimate that, historically in the United States, based on tonnage, metals service centers and processors annually purchase and distribute approximately:

	•		30% of all carbon industrial steel products produced in the United States;
	•		45% of all stainless steel produced in the United States; and
	•		36% of all aluminum sold in the mill/distributor shared markets (which excludes that sold for aluminum cans, among other things).

     These percentages have not changed significantly in the last five years. In the May 2003 issue, the magazine Purchasing reported that the North American metals distribution industry was estimated to generate about $60 billion in revenues in 2002 (the latest year for which such information is available), down from $72 billion in 2000 and that shipments of steel, aluminum, copper metals and superalloys to domestic buyers fell in 2002 to the lowest tonnage in a decade.

     The metals service center industry is highly fragmented and intensely competitive within localized areas or regions. Many of our competitors operate single stand-alone service centers. According to industry sources, the number of intermediate steel processors and metals service center facilities in North America has decreased from approximately 7,000 locations in 1980 to approximately 3,500 locations operated by more than 1,300 companies in 2003 (Purchasing, May 2003). This consolidation trend could create new opportunities for us to make acquisitions.

     Metals service centers are generally less susceptible to market cycles than producers of the metals, because service centers are usually able to pass on all or a portion of price increases to their customers. In 2002 and 2003, it was more difficult for our industry to pass through price increases of certain carbon steel products, as the increased costs resulted from supply constraints rather than customer demand, which is more typical. Service centers with the most rapid inventory turnover are generally the least vulnerable to changing metals prices.

     Customers purchase from service centers to obtain value-added metals processing, readily available inventory, reliable and timely delivery, flexible minimum order size, and quality control. Many customers deal exclusively with service centers because the quantities of metal products that they purchase are smaller than the minimum orders specified by mills or because

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those customers require intermittent deliveries over long or irregular periods. Metals service centers respond to a niche market created because of the focus of the capital goods and related industries on just-in-time inventory management and materials management outsourcing, and because integrated mills have reduced in-house direct sales efforts to small sporadic purchasers to enhance their production efficiency.

History of Reliance

     Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. was organized as a California corporation on February 3, 1939, and commenced business in Los Angeles, California fabricating steel reinforcing bar. Within ten years, we had become a full-line distributor of steel and aluminum, operating a single metals service center in Los Angeles. In the early 1950’s, we automated our materials handling operations and began to provide processing services to meet our customers’ requirements. In the 1960’s, we began to acquire other companies to establish additional service centers, expanding into other geographic areas.

     In the mid-1970’s, we began to establish specialty metals centers stocked with inventories of selected metals such as aluminum, stainless steel, brass, and copper, and equipped with automated materials handling and precision cutting equipment. We have continued to expand our network, with a focus on servicing our customers as opposed to merely distributing metal. In 2003, we acquired a company that processes metal for a fee without taking ownership of the metal. We have not diversified outside of our core business and we strive to consistently perform as one of the best in our industry. We operate metals service centers under the following trade names:

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     We serve our customers primarily by providing quick delivery, metals processing and inventory management services. We purchase a variety of metals from primary producers and sell these products in smaller quantities based on our customer’s need. For about 40% of our sales, we perform metals processing services, or first stage processing, before distributing the product to manufacturers and other end-users, often within 24 hours from receipt of an order, if the order does not require extensive or customized processing. These services save time, labor, and expense for our customers and reduce their overall manufacturing costs. During 2003, we handled approximately 8,800 transactions per business day, with average revenues of approximately $850 per transaction. Our total revenues for 2003 were $1.9 billion.

     Historically, we have expanded both through acquisitions and internal growth. Since our initial public offering in September 1994, we have successfully purchased more than thirty businesses including our largest acquisition to date in 2003. From 1984 to September 1994, we acquired twenty businesses.

Acquisitions

     On July 1, 2003 we acquired all of the outstanding stock of Precision Strip, Inc. a privately-held metals processing company, and its related entity, Precision Strip Transport, Inc. (collectively “Precision Strip”), for approximately $220 million in cash, plus the assumption of approximately $26 million of debt. Precision Strip’s processing activities consist primarily of slitting and blanking flat-rolled products, approximately 65% of which are carbon steel products, 20% aluminum products and 15% stainless steel products on a “toll” basis, processing the metal for a fee, without taking ownership of the metal. Precision Strip is headquartered in Minster, Ohio, with additional facilities in Kenton, Middletown and Tipp City, Ohio; Anderson and Rockport, Indiana; Bowling Green, Kentucky; and Talladega, Alabama. Precision Strip had net sales of approximately $62 million for the six-months ended December 31, 2003. On a volume basis, Precision Strip processes approximately $2 billion of metal per year.

     On September 9, 2002, through a newly-formed company, we purchased certain assets of a Metals USA, Inc. business, Metals USA Specialty Metals Northwest, Inc., for approximately $30 million, after final approval of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, through the Metals USA bankruptcy procedures. The business is now operating under its original name, Pacific Metal Company. Pacific Metal Company has locations in Portland, Eugene and Medford, Oregon; Kent (Seattle) and Spokane, Washington; Billings, Montana; and Boise, Idaho and processes and distributes mainly aluminum and coated carbon steel products. Pacific Metal Company had net sales of approximately $70 million for the year ended December 31, 2003.

     On April 1, 2002, we purchased substantially all of the net assets and business of Central Plains Steel Co. through a newly-formed subsidiary that is now operating under the same name. Central Plains Steel Co. is a full-line carbon steel

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service center operating facilities in Kansas City and Wichita, Kansas, and had net sales of approximately $27 million for the year ended December 31, 2003.

     Also, on April 1, 2002, we acquired all of the outstanding stock of Olympic Metals, Inc., a metals service center in Denver, Colorado. Effective December 31, 2002, we merged Olympic Metals, Inc. into the Company and it now operates under the same name as a division of Reliance. Olympic Metals specializes in the processing and distribution of aluminum, copper, brass and stainless steel products and had net sales of approximately $7 million for the year ended December 31, 2003.

     Effective May 1, 2002, we obtained one additional membership unit of American Steel giving us a 50.5% ownership interest. In addition, the Operating Agreement was amended to eliminate all super–majority and unanimous voting rights, among other changes. Due to these changes, we began consolidating American Steel’s financial results as of May 1, 2002. There was no cost involved in this transaction, which was completed to facilitate the renewal of American Steel’s credit facility. In November 2003, American Steel’s credit facility was paid off and terminated by Reliance. American Steel had net sales of approximately $52 million for the year ended December 31, 2003.

Recent Developments

     In January 2003, AMI Metals, Inc. opened a new subsidiary, AMI Metals Europe, SPRL, in Gosselies, Belgium. This location distributes and processes heat-treated aluminum products primarily to the aerospace market. AMI Metals, Inc. also opened a new facility in St. Louis, Missouri, and closed its facility near Atlanta, Georgia during 2003. This change better positioned AMI Metals to support its customer base.

     In March 2003, PDM Steel Service Centers, Inc. opened a new facility near Las Vegas, Nevada, to further penetrate that market. In March 2004, the PDM Las Vegas facility is moving to a larger facility to better support its increased business in this area.

     Valex Corp., our 97%-owned subsidiary, is a leading domestic manufacturer of electropolished stainless steel tubing and fittings primarily used in the construction and maintenance of semiconductor manufacturing plants. Valex formed a joint venture in 1999 establishing a Korean company, Valex Korea Co., Ltd., and increased Valex Corp.’s ownership interest to 69.5% in February 2003, from 66.5%. In 2003, Valex closed its distribution facility near Phoenix, Arizona and will now service its customers in that area directly from its headquarters operation in Ventura, California. Valex Corp. is servicing the growing semiconductor market in China through a third-party warehouse provider.

     We formed RSAC Management Corp., a California corporation, in 1999 to operate as a holding company for our subsidiaries and to provide administrative and management services to our metals service centers. Our executive officers maintain financial controls and establish general policies and operating guidelines, while our division managers and subsidiary officers have virtual autonomy with respect to day-to-day operations. This balanced, yet entrepreneurial management style has enabled us to improve the productivity and profitability both of acquired businesses and of our own expanded operations. Division managers and other management personnel are eligible for incentive compensation based in part on the profitability of their particular division or subsidiary and in part on our overall profitability.

     We seek to increase our profitability by expanding our existing operations and acquiring businesses that diversify or enhance our customer base, product range, processing services and geographic coverage. We have developed an excellent reputation in the industry for our integrity and the quality and timeliness of our service to customers.

Customers

     Our customers purchase from us and other metals service centers to obtain value-added metals processing, readily available inventory, reliable and timely delivery, flexible minimum order size, and quality control. Many of our customers deal exclusively with service centers because the quantities of metal products that they purchase are smaller than the minimum orders specified by mills or because those customers require intermittent deliveries over long or irregular periods or because those customers require specialized processing services. We believe that metals service centers have also enjoyed an increasing share of total metal shipments because of the focus of the capital goods and related industries on just-in-time inventory management and materials management outsourcing and because metal producers have reduced in-house direct sales efforts to small sporadic purchasers in order to enhance their production efficiency.

     We have more than 95,000 metals service center customers in various industries. In 2003, no single customer accounted for more than 2% of our sales and more than 85% of our orders were from repeat customers. Our customers are manufacturers and end users in the general manufacturing, construction (both commercial and residential), transportation (rail,

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truck and auto), aerospace and semiconductor fabrication industries. In 2003, many of our suppliers became our customers as a result of our purchase of Precision Strip, which typically sells processing services to larger customers, such as mills and OEM’s, and in larger annual volumes than we have experienced historically. Precision Strip has also indirectly increased our penetration of the auto and appliance end markets. Our metals service centers wrote and delivered over 2,230,000 orders during 2003 at an average price of approximately $850. Most of our metals service center customers are located within a 150-mile radius of the metals service center serving them. The proximity of our centers to our customers helps us provide just-in-time delivery to our customers. With our fleet of approximately 720 trucks (some of which are leased) we are able to service many smaller customers. Moreover, our computerized order entry system and flexible production scheduling enable us to meet customer requirements for short lead times and just-in-time delivery. Less than 2% of our sales were to international customers in 2003, with approximately 45% of these sales from AMI Metals’ and Valex’s international locations, serving the European and Asian markets.

     We believe that our long-term relationships with many of our customers significantly contribute to the success of our business. Providing prompt and efficient services and quality products at reasonable prices are important factors in maintaining these relationships.

     Our customers’ demand may change from time to time based on, among other things, general economic conditions and industry capacity. Many of the industries in which our customers compete are cyclical in nature. Because we sell to a wide variety of customers in several industries, we believe that the effect of such changes on us is significantly reduced. However, since 2001, we have experienced lower sales levels due to a broad-based economic downturn that affected all industries. We experienced lower demand in each successive year since 2000. We experienced some improvement in sales volumes in the first half of 2002, but the volume deteriorated in the second half of 2002. In 2003 our demand levels remained fairly consistent with the low levels experienced in the second half of 2002 and competitive pressures increased significantly during the first half of 2003. Metals pricing declined for most of our products in 2001 and remained at low levels through 2002 and 2003, except that we experienced increased pricing for certain of the carbon steel products that we sell beginning in late 2002, due to U. S. Government tariffs on imported steel and also due to reduced domestic production capacity, as discussed below. Near the end of 2002, many metals service center companies bought high volumes of carbon steel products in advance of expected price increases from the steel producers. The prices did not increase and, in fact, they decreased in early 2003. This caused many companies to reduce prices so they could sell this inventory and replace it with lower-priced products. The reduced pricing in the market pressured Reliance to reduce prices which negatively impacted our gross profit margins in the first half of 2003. In September 2003, we experienced an improvement in our customer demand as well as pricing for most of the products that we sell. This improvement has continued through February 2004.

     California was our largest market for many years, but we have expanded our geographic coverage in recent years and the Southeast region of the United States was our largest market in 2002 and 2003. California represented 25% of our 2003 sales, which was a significant decrease from 45% of our 1997 sales. The Southeast region of the United States represented 26% of our 2003 sales compared to 18% of our 1997 sales and the Midwest region, that we entered in 1999, represented 18% of our 2003 sales.

Suppliers

     We purchase our inventory from the major metals mills, both domestic and foreign, and have multiple suppliers for all of our product lines. Our major suppliers of domestic carbon steel products include California Steel Industries, Inc., Chapparal Steel, Hanna Steel Corporation, International Steel Group, Inc., IPSCO, Inc., Nucor Corporation and USS-POSCO Industries. Allegheny Technologies Incorporated, International Stainless Steel Co. and North American Stainless supply stainless steel products. We are a recognized distributor for various major aluminum companies, including Alcoa Inc., Alcan Aluminum Limited, Commonwealth Aluminum Corp., Kaiser Aluminum Corp., Ormet Aluminum Mill Products Corporation and Pechiney Rolled Products.

     During the last three years, many domestic steel mills entered bankruptcy proceedings and certain of those mills temporarily closed a portion of their production capacity in 2002. Also in 2001, the Bush Administration enacted tariffs on certain metal products from specified countries under Section 201 of the Trade Act of 1974 to provide protection for the United States steel industry. The combination of reduced domestic production capacity and fewer imports resulted in significant increases in the cost of carbon steel flat-rolled products during 2002. The most significant increases in our costs occurred near the end of 2002 and then decreased in early 2003 due to continued low demand and due to increased domestic capacity as many of the bankrupt mill facilities were acquired and production was re-started. Mill pricing for steel products stabilized in mid-2003. Elimination of the tariffs had little impact on mill pricing. Consolidation that occurred at the mill level improved capacity and mill pricing discipline. Costs for aluminum, stainless steel and carbon steel products increased in the second half of 2003. The increases in the costs of aluminum and stainless steel products are consistent with patterns we have experienced before when market conditions improve. In addition, supply constraints at both aluminum and stainless steel mills contributed to the

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increased costs. Our cost for carbon steel has increased significantly and has resulted from increases in scrap, raw material, and energy costs at the mill level. Scrap and raw material costs have increased due to shortages in U.S. supply because of the high global usage, mainly in China.

     Because of our total volume of purchases and our long-term relationships with our suppliers, we believe that we were able to purchase inventory at the best prices offered by the suppliers, given the order size. We believe that we are not dependent on any one of our suppliers for metals and that our relationships with our suppliers are very strong. We have worked closely with our suppliers in order to become an important customer for each major supplier of metals for our core product lines. However, the significant increase in global steel usage along with supply constraints for aluminum and stainless steel may cause difficulties for metals service centers, including us, and their customers in obtaining the volume of metal desired. In addition, mill consolidation has somewhat reduced the number of suppliers available to us.

Backlog

     Because of the just-in-time delivery policy and the short lead time nature of our business, we do not believe the information on backlog of orders is material to an understanding of our metals service center business.

Products and Processing Services

     We provide a wide variety of processing services to each customer’s specifications and deliver products to fabricators, manufacturers and other end users. We maintain a wide variety of products in inventory. For orders other than those requiring extensive or specialized processing, we often deliver to the customer within 24 hours after receiving the order. Our 2003 sales were comprised of the following approximate percentages:

	•		10% carbon steel structurals
	•		9% carbon steel plate
	•		9% carbon steel tubing
	•		9% stainless steel plate, sheet and coil
	•		9% galvanized steel sheet and coil
	•		9% heat treated aluminum plate, sheet and coil
	•		9% common alloy aluminum plate, sheet and coil
	•		7% carbon steel bar
	•		6% aluminum bar and tube
	•		6% hot rolled steel sheet and coil
	•		5% miscellaneous, including brass, copper and titanium
	•		4% stainless steel bar and tube
	•		4% cold rolled steel sheet and coil
	•		3% toll processing of aluminum, carbon steel and stainless steel
	•		1% electropolished stainless steel tubing and fittings

     We do not depend on any particular customer group or industry because we process a variety of metals. Because of this diversity of product type and material, we believe that we are less exposed to fluctuations or other weaknesses in the financial or economic stability of particular customers or industries. We also are less dependent on particular suppliers.

     For our largest product type (sheet and coil), we purchase coiled metal from primary producers in the form of a continuous sheet, typically 36 to 60 inches wide, between .015 and .25 inches thick, and rolled into 3 to 20 ton coils. The size and weight of these coils require specialized equipment to move and process the coils into smaller sizes and various products. Few of our customers have the capability of processing the metal into the desired products.

     After receiving an order, we enter it into our computerized order entry system, select appropriate inventory and schedule the processing to meet the specified delivery date. About 45% of the orders specify delivery within 24 hours. We attempt to maximize the yield from the various metals that we process by combining customer orders to use each purchased product to the fullest extent practicable.

     Few metals service centers offer the full scope of processing services and metals that we provide. In 2003, approximately 40% of our sales orders required us to perform processing services. Our primary processing services are described below:

	•		Bar turning involves machining a metal bar into a smaller diameter.
	•		Bending is the forming of metals into various angles.

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	•		Blanking is the cutting of metals into close tolerance square or rectangular shapes.
	•		Deburring is the process used to smooth the sharp, jagged edges of a cut piece of metal.
	•		Electropolishing is the process used on stainless steel tubing and fittings to simultaneously smooth, brighten, clean, and passivate the interior surfaces of these components. Electropolishing is an electrochemical removal process that selectively removes a thin layer of metal, including surface flaws and imbedded impurities. Electropolishing is a required surface treatment process for all ultra high-purity components used in the gas distribution systems of semiconductor manufacturers worldwide and many sterile water distribution systems of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.
	•		Fabricating includes performing second and/or third stage processing per customer specifications, typically to provide a part, casing or kit, which is used in the customer’s end product.
	•		Forming involves bending and forming plate or sheet products into customer specified shapes and sizes with press brakes.
	•		Grinding or blanchard grinding involves grinding the top and/or bottom of carbon or alloy steel plate or bars into close tolerance.
	•		Leveling (cutting-to-length) involves cutting metal along the width of a coil into specified lengths of sheets or plates.
	•		Machining refers to performing multiple processes to a piece of metal to produce a customer specified component part.
	•		Oscillate slitting involves slitting the metal into specified widths and then oscillating the slit coil when it is wound. The oscillated coil winds the strip metal similar to the way fishing line is wound on a reel rather than standard ribbon winding. An oscillate coil can typically hold five to six times more coil than a standard coil, which allows customers to achieve longer production run times by reducing the number of equipment shut-downs to change coils.
	•		Pipe threading refers to the cutting of threads around the circumference of the pipe.
	•		Precision plate sawing involves sawing plate (primarily aluminum plate products) into square or rectangular shapes to tolerances as close as 0.003 of an inch.
	•		Punching is the cutting of holes into carbon steel beams or plates by pressing or welding per customer specifications.
	•		Routing produces various sizes and shapes of aluminum plate according to customer-supplied drawings through the use of CNC controlled machinery.
	•		Sawing involves cutting metal into customer specified lengths, shapes or sizes.
	•		Shape cutting, or burning, can produce various shapes according to customer-supplied drawings through the use of CNC controlled machinery. This procedure can include the use of oxy-fuel, plasma, high-definition plasma, laser burning or water jet cutting for carbon, aluminum and stainless steel sheet and plate.
	•		Shearing is the cutting of metal into small precise pieces.
	•		Skin milling grinds the top and/or bottom of a large aluminum plate into close tolerance.
	•		Slitting involves cutting metal to specified widths along the length of the coil.
	•		Tee splitting involves splitting metal beams. Tee straightening is the process of straightening split beams.
	•		Twin milling grinds one or all six sides of a small square or rectangular piece of aluminum plate into close tolerance.
	•		Welding is the joining of two or more pieces of metal.
	•		Wheelabrating, shotblasting and bead blasting involve pressure blasting metal grid into carbon steel products to remove rust and scale from the surface.

     We generally process specific metals to non-standard sizes only at the request of customers pursuant to purchase orders. We do not maintain an inventory of finished products, but we carry a wide range of metals to meet the short lead time and just-in-time delivery requirements of our customers. Each of our metals service centers maintains inventory and equipment selected to meet the needs of that facility’s customers.

Marketing

     We have approximately 730 sales personnel located in thirty-five states, Belgium, France, South Korea, the United Kingdom and Wales that provide marketing services throughout each of those locations. The sales personnel are organized by division or subsidiary among our profit centers and are divided into two groups. We consider those sales personnel who travel throughout a specified geographic territory to maintain relationships with our existing customers and develop new customers our outside sales personnel. Those sales personnel who remain at the facilities to write and price orders are our inside sales personnel. The inside sales personnel generally receive incentive compensation, in addition to their base salary, based on the gross profit or pretax profit of their particular profit center. The outside sales personnel generally receive incentive compensation based on the gross profit from their particular geographic territories.

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50.5%-Owned Company

     Beginning July 1, 1995, we owned 50% and had operational control of American Steel, L.L.C., a limited liability company. Effective May 1, 2002, we increased our ownership interest to 50.5% and amended the Operating Agreement to eliminate all super-majority and unanimous voting rights, among other things. There was no cost involved in this transaction, which was completed to facilitate the renewal of American Steel’s credit agreement. In November 2003, we terminated the American Steel credit agreement and paid off the outstanding balance of approximately $20 million with borrowings from Reliance’s syndicated credit facility. American Steel operates metals service centers in Portland, Oregon and Kent, Washington. American Industries, Inc. owns the other 49.5% of American Steel. We are entitled to purchase the remaining 49.5% of American Steel during the ninety days following the earlier of the death of the owner of American Industries or April 1, 2006 and are required to purchase the remaining 49.5% of American Steel if American Industries so elects during the 90 days following the earlier of the death of the owner of American Industries or January 1, 2006. From July 1, 1995 through April 30, 2002, we accounted for our 50% investment in American Steel by the equity method, and included 50% of American Steel’s earnings in our net income and earnings per share amounts. Beginning May 1, 2002, we consolidate American Steel’s financial results and record American Industries 49.5% ownership as minority interest.

Industry and Market Cycles

     We distribute metal products to our customers in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, transportation, aerospace and semiconductor fabrication. Many of the industries our customers compete in are cyclical in nature and are subject to changes in demand based on general economic conditions. We sell to a wide variety of customers in diverse industries to reduce the effect of changes in these cyclical industries on our results. During the 2003 and 2002 years, all of the industries that we sell to experienced lower demand levels due to the poor economic conditions. The United States economy began to experience a general slowing in the second half of 2000 that led to an economic recession in 2001 with a slight improvement early in 2002. Later in 2002, particularly near the year’s end, demand for our products weakened further. In 2003 demand remained at the low levels experienced in the second half of 2002. Beginning in September 2003, demand for our products improved and the improvement has continued through February 2004. Our results have been significantly impacted by the economic downturn in 2001, 2002 and 2003. If the recent improvements in demand ends or, if the economic downturn worsens in 2004, the negative impact to our financial results may increase.

     The semiconductor fabrication industry, aerospace industry and truck trailer and rail car industries have historically experienced cycles that may have a significant impact on our results. The semiconductor fabrication industry is highly cyclical in nature and is subject to changes in demand based on, among other things, general economic conditions and industry capacity. After a substantial period of growth from 1993 to 1996, this industry experienced a significant slowdown from mid-1996 through mid-1999. In the second half of 1999, the semiconductor industry began to improve and provided strong demand throughout 2000. In early 2001, there was a sudden and significant decline in demand from the semiconductor and related industries. This demand continued to decline throughout 2001 and remained at these low levels during 2002 and 2003. We did experience slight improvement late in 2003 and we expect some further improvement in this market in 2004.

     The aerospace industry experienced a substantial slowdown during 1999 and the first nine months of 2000 from its strong markets during 1997 and 1998. The slowdown in the aerospace industry that began in 1999 resulted primarily from decreased buying patterns of certain of the major aerospace companies due to overcapacity of existing commercial planes and lower demand for new planes. This trend continued into 2000 with an increase in demand experienced in the fourth quarter of 2000 that continued through 2001 until the tragic events of September 11^th. Aerospace demand declined in the fourth quarter of 2001 and continued to decline further in each quarter of 2002. In 2003, demand remained fairly consistent with the low levels experienced in 2002. We do not anticipate aerospace demand improving significantly until late 2005.

     The truck trailer and rail car industries experienced a substantial slowing in demand beginning in 2000 that continued through 2002, which materially impacted our operations in the Pacific Northwest. We did experience some improvement for short periods during 2003 and improvements in truck trailer demand have continued into 2004.

     Fluctuations in the costs of our materials also affect the prices we can charge to our customers. By selling a diverse product mix, we are able to somewhat offset fluctuations in our costs of materials. However, during 2001, metals costs of most products reached their lowest levels experienced in over twenty years. This occurred due to overcapacity at the producer level in both domestic and foreign markets, along with the weak demand experienced in 2001. Due to the continued low demand in 2002 and 2003, costs of most metals remained at or near the 2001 levels throughout 2002 and most of 2003. However, costs of carbon steel flat-rolled products increased significantly in the second half of 2002 due to supply constraints, as certain producers reduced capacity and because of government restrictions on foreign imports. These increased costs began to decline slightly near the end of 2002 and early 2003 because of the continued low end-user demand.

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In the second half of 2003, costs for carbon steel products again increased significantly and rapidly due to increased scrap, raw material and energy costs for steel producers. Costs for aluminum and stainless steel products also increased in the second half of 2003 due to supply constraints and improved customer demand.

     We have historically been able to pass increases in metal costs on to our customers as costs typically increase due to strong demand. However, the carbon steel flat-rolled cost increases in 2002 occurred while demand for these products declined. Although we were able to pass on most of these cost increases to our customers, we did experience some margin pressure, especially late in 2002 due to the lower demand levels of our customers. Lower customer demand caused some of our competitors to dump their product into the market at low prices, especially those who had purchased large quantities of carbon steel products near the end of 2003. This continued through the first half of 2003, and negatively impacted our gross margins, as we lowered our prices to meet competitor pricing. As carbon steel pricing stabilized and our competitors lowered their inventory levels of higher cost materials, we were able to increase our gross margin levels in the second half of 2003. Customer demand improved for most products in September 2003, and that improved demand should allow us to be more successful in passing through increases in our costs. We cannot guarantee that the margin between our metal costs and selling prices will remain at the levels experienced during the second half of 2003 especially if demand does not continue to improve and if domestic carbon steel costs continue to increase at their current rates. Increased metals costs and related selling prices should, however, allow us to record increased revenue and gross margin dollars on a consistent volume basis.

Competition

     The metals distribution industry is highly fragmented and competitive. We have numerous competitors in each of our product lines and geographic locations, although competition is most frequently local or regional. Most of our competitors are smaller than we are, but we still face strong competition from national, regional and local independent metals distributors, subsidiaries of metal producers and the producers themselves, some of which have greater resources than us. In the first half of 2003, we experienced greater competitive pressures than in prior years. We believe the low customer demand and overstocking by certain of our competitors caused them to significantly reduce their selling prices, and ultimately caused us to reduce our selling prices. As reported in the May 2003 issue of the magazine Purchasing, it is estimated that there were approximately 3,500 intermediate steel processors and metals service center facilities in North America in 2003. Industry magazines have identified us as one of the five largest metals service center companies in North America. According to the May 2003 issue of the magazine Purchasing, the 2002 (most recent year available) revenues for the five largest North American metals service center companies ranged from $1.1 billion to $2.1 billion for total revenues of $8.4 billion, which represents approximately 14% of the estimated $60 billion of total revenue for the metals service center industry in 2002. Reliance’s 2002 sales of $1.7 billion represented approximately 3% of the estimated $60 billion industry total. We compete with other companies on price, service, quality and availability of products. We maintain centralized relationships with our suppliers and a decentralized operational structure. We believe that this division of responsibility has increased our ability to obtain competitive prices of metals and to provide more responsive service to our customers. In addition, we believe that the size of our inventory, the different metals and products we have available and the wide variety of processing services we provide distinguish us from our competition. We believe that we increased our market share during 2003 and 2002 due to our strong financial condition, as many of our competitors were facing capital constraints.

Quality Control

     Procuring high quality metal from suppliers on a consistent basis is critical to our business. We have instituted strict quality control measures to assure that the quality of purchased raw materials will enable us to meet our customers’ specifications and to reduce the costs of production interruptions. We perform physical and chemical analyses on selected raw materials to verify that their mechanical and dimensional properties, cleanliness and surface characteristics meet our requirements. We conduct similar analyses on selected processed metal before delivery to the customer. We believe that maintaining high standards for accepting metals ultimately results in reduced return rates from our customers.

     Nineteen divisions and five subsidiaries of Reliance, for a total of thirty facilities, have maintained ISO 9002 certifications and were recertified for ISO 9001-2000, but we have determined not to obtain the certification for any additional facilities at this time. As of December 15, 2003, ISO 9001-2000 replaced ISO 9002. The ISO 9001-2000 quality standard has added a matrix to record and review customer satisfaction and has reorganized the requirements for the quality standard from twenty elements to eight elements. The certification takes approximately one year to obtain. Each facility seeking ISO certification is required to establish a quality system that is documented in a quality control manual, and that affects all aspects of the facility’s operations, including sales, product inspections, product storage, delivery, and documentation. A certifying agent performs a physical audit of each facility every six months to determine that the facility is in fact following the procedures set forth in the quality control manual. A recertification is required for each facility every three years. Initially in 1996, when we first began the certification process, we expected that more customers would require such certification, but we have learned that, for the types of products and services that most of our facilities provide, very few of our customers require such certifi-

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cation and most of our customers have responded that they would purchase products from Reliance or its subsidiaries regardless of such certification. However, we believe that going through the certification process allowed our facilities to improve their efficiency and the quality of products and services provided to our customers.

Systems

     We have converted our Reliance divisions and certain of our subsidiaries from various software programs to the Stelplan™ manufacturing and distribution information system. Stelplan™ is a registered trademark of Invera, Inc. Stelplan™ is an integrated business application system with functions ranging from order entry to the generation of financial statements. Stelplan™ was developed specifically for the metals service center and processor industry. Stelplan™ also provides information in real time, such as inventory availability, location and cost. With this information, our marketing and sales personnel can respond to the customer’s needs more efficiently and more effectively and quickly provide a product price.

     Certain of our subsidiaries use other vendor packages or in-house developed systems to support their operations. The basic functionality of the software is similar to Stelplan™. A common financial reporting system is used company-wide.

Government Regulation

     Our metals service centers are subject to many federal, state and local requirements to protect the environment, including hazardous waste disposal and underground storage tank regulations. The only hazardous wastes that we use in our operations are lubricants and cleaning solvents. We frequently examine ways to minimize any impact on the environment and to effect cost savings relating to environmental compliance. We pay state certified private companies to haul and dispose of our hazardous waste.

     Our operations are also subject to laws and regulations relating to workplace safety and worker health, principally the Occupational Health and Safety Act and related regulations, which, among other requirements, establish noise, dust and safety standards. We have a very strict safety policy, which we believe is one of the best in the industry. We are in material compliance with applicable laws and regulations and do not anticipate that future compliance with such laws and regulations will have a material adverse effect on our results of operations or financial condition.

Environmental

     We have no material outstanding unresolved issues with environmental regulators, and our products and processes present no environmental concerns. We do not expect any material expenditures to meet environmental requirements. Some of the properties we own or lease are located in industrial areas, however, with histories of heavy industrial use. We may incur some environmental liabilities because of the location of these properties. Any such liabilities would arise from causes other than our operations, but we do not expect that these liabilities would have a material adverse impact on our results of operations, financial condition or liquidity.

Employees

     As of March 1, 2004, we had approximately 5,200 employees. Approximately 715 employees are covered by collective bargaining agreements, which expire at various times over the next four years. We have entered into collective bargaining agreements with twenty-three union locals at twenty-three of our locations. These collective bargaining agreements have not had a material impact either favorably or unfavorably on our revenues or profitability at our various locations. We have always maintained excellent relations with our employees. We had work stoppages at two of our locations in 2002 and one in early 2003, but these were short term and did not have a material impact on our operations at these locations. We have never experienced a significant work stoppage.

Available Information

     The Company files annual, quarterly, and current reports, proxy statements, and other documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“the Exchange Act”). The public may read and copy any materials that the Company files with the SEC at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 450 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20549. The public may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. Also, the SEC maintains an Internet website that contains reports, proxy information statements, and other information regarding issuers, including the Company, that file electronically with the SEC. The public can obtain any documents that the Company files with the SEC at http://www.sec.gov.

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     The Company also makes available free of charge on or through its Internet website (http://www.rsac.com) the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and, if applicable, amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act as soon as reasonably practicable after the Corporation electronically files such material with, or furnishes it to, the SEC.

Item 2. Properties.

     We maintain 106 metals service center processing and distribution facilities in 30 states, Belgium, France and South Korea, plus our corporate headquarters. All of our service center facilities are in good or excellent condition and are adequate for our existing operations. These facilities generally operate at about 60% of capacity based upon a 24-hour seven day week, with each location averaging slightly less than two shifts operating at full capacity for a five-day work week. Thirty-eight of these facilities are leased. In addition, we lease our corporate headquarters in Los Angeles, California. Siskin leases a portion of its facilities in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Liebovich leases a portion of its facilities in Rockford, Illinois. AMI Metals leases its corporate office space in Brentwood, Tennessee. The lease terms expire at various times through 2013 and the aggregate monthly rent is approximately $911,000. We own all other properties. We are in the process of relocating our Pacific Metal Company Portland location and expect to be completed in the first half of 2004. Our Jacksonville, Florida facility is for sale, because we closed its operation in mid-2002. A facility in Houston, Texas that was previously leased to a third party and about nine acres of vacant land in Tampa, Florida are also listed for sale. The following table sets forth certain information with respect to each facility:

FACILITIES AND PLANT SIZE

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                         * Leased. All other facilities owned.

Item 3. Legal Proceedings.

     From time to time, we are named as a defendant in legal actions. Generally, these actions arise out of our normal course of business. We are not a party to any pending legal proceedings other than routine litigation incidental to the business. We expect that these matters will be resolved without having a material adverse effect on our results of operations or financial condition. We maintain liability insurance against risks arising out of our normal course of business.

Item 4. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

     No matters were submitted to a vote of security holders during the fourth quarter of the fiscal year.

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PART II

Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity and Related Stockholder Matters.

     Our common stock is listed on The New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) under the symbol “RS” and was first traded on September 16, 1994. The following table sets forth the high and low reported closing sale prices of the common stock on the NYSE Composite Tape for the stated calendar quarters.

     As of March 2, 2004, there were 282 record holders of the common stock.

     We have paid quarterly cash dividends on our common stock for 44 years. The Board of Directors may reconsider or revise this policy from time to time based on conditions then existing, including our earnings, financial condition, and capital requirements, or other factors the Board may deem relevant. We expect to continue to declare and pay dividends in the future, if earnings are available to pay dividends, but we also intend to continue to retain a portion of earnings for reinvestment in our operations and the expansion of our business. We cannot assure you that either cash or stock dividends will be paid in the future, or that, if paid, the dividends will be at the same amount or frequency as paid in the past.

     The private placement debt agreements for our unsecured senior notes and our syndicated credit facility contain covenants which, among other things, require us to maintain a minimum net worth and limit cash dividends based upon our earnings, which may restrict our ability to pay dividends. Since our initial public offering in September 1994 through 2003, we have paid between 6% and 25% of earnings to our shareholders as dividends. In 2003 and 2002, our dividend payments represented 22% and 25%, respectively, of our earnings due to the low earnings in 2003 and 2002 as a result of the poor economic conditions.

     The following table sets forth certain information with respect to our cash dividends declared during the past two fiscal years:

     Although we have not offered any securities for sale in the last three years, other than through a registered offering, we have issued restricted stock on exercise of stock options granted pursuant to the Directors’ Stock Option Plan, which was approved by shareholders. Proceeds from the exercise of these options were used for working capital. Common stock was issued only to directors in the following transactions exempt from registration under Sections 4(2) and 4(6) of the Securities Act:

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Item 6. Selected Financial Data.

     We have derived the following selected summary financial and operating data for the five years ended December 31, 2003 from our audited consolidated financial statements. You should read the information below with our Consolidated Financial Statements, including the notes related thereto, and Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”

SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA

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Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF
FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Overview

     For most of 2003, the metals service center industry continued to experience low levels of customer demand, primarily related to the economic downturn in the United States. Demand for our products began to slow in the second half of 2000, but only in certain geographic areas. In early 2001, we felt a sudden slowdown in demand for the semiconductor and related markets, and demand continued to decline throughout 2001 for all of our product end markets except aerospace. Aerospace demand and pricing were strong in 2001, but fell off significantly after September 11^th. The low demand levels in all areas continued into 2002, fell further in the second half of 2002 and continued into 2003. In September 2003, customer demand improved somewhat across most products and end markets.

     Metals pricing for most of 2003 and all of 2002 remained at the historically low levels reached in 2001, with the exception of carbon steel flat-rolled products. Although end market demand was low, domestic carbon steel flat-rolled costs increased significantly in the second half of 2002 due to supply constraints resulting from tariffs on imported material and domestic capacity shutdowns. These costs remained high in early 2003 and then decreased. However, late in the 2003 third quarter, carbon steel costs began to increase at very rapid rates. These increases were due to high scrap and other raw material costs caused by the increased global demand for steel, especially in China, and due to increased energy costs at the producer level. Aluminum and stainless steel costs also increased in the second half of 2003 due to supply constraints and improved customer demand. There were significant competitive pressures in the first half of 2003 that caused us to reduce our selling prices at a more rapid rate than our costs were declining, resulting in lower gross profit margins.

     Our performance was significantly impacted by these factors; however, we are proud of our consistently profitable returns and our ability to manage our working capital and to generate cash flow to expand and strengthen our business and reduce debt during this challenging environment. We completed one acquisition during 2003. This acquisition contributed significantly to our financial results and allowed our 2003 performance to improve from our 2002 results. This acquisition did require us to increase our leverage and to provide security under our credit agreements. However, our strong cash flow in 2003 has allowed us to reduce our leverage more quickly than we had expected.

     We believe that we are positioned to take full advantage of improved economic conditions, while at the same time we are poised to continue to operate efficiently in less favorable economies, such as that experienced during 2003, because of our focus on cost controls and inventory turnover, and our product and geographic diversification. In January and February 2004, we experienced improvement in both demand and pricing for our products, and we have been able to pass most of our increased costs through to our customers, allowing us to increase our gross margins. We anticipate that demand will remain strong through the first quarter of 2004 and that prices will continue to increase in the first half of 2004. Supply of many of our products is expected to be tight for most of 2004. If we cannot pass our cost increases on to our customers, or if demand declines, this could pressure our gross margins in 2004. Also, if we cannot obtain a sufficient supply of metals for our customers in 2004, this could negatively impact our 2004 financial results.

     Customer demand can have a significant impact on our results of operations. When volume increases our revenue dollars increase, which contributes to increased gross profit dollars. However, variable costs may also increase with volume including increases in our warehouse, delivery, selling, general and administrative expenses. Conversely, when volume declines we typically produce fewer revenue dollars, which can reduce our gross profit dollars. We can reduce certain expenses when volumes decline; however, we cannot easily reduce our fixed costs.

     Pricing for our products can have a more significant impact on our results of operations than customer demand levels. As pricing increases, so do our revenue dollars. Our pricing usually increases when the cost of our materials increase. We attempt to obtain the same gross profit percentage on our sales, so if prices increase and we are successful in maintaining the same gross profit percentage, we generate higher levels of gross profit and pre-tax income dollars. Conversely, if pricing declines, we will typically generate lower levels of gross profit and pre-tax income dollars. Because changes in pricing do not require us to adjust our expense structure, the impact on our results of operations is much greater than the effect of volume changes.

     Also, when volume or pricing increases, our working capital requirements typically increase, which may require us to increase our outstanding debt. This could increase our interest expense. When our customer demand falls, we can typically generate strong levels of cash flow from operations as our working capital needs decrease.

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Recent Developments

     We completed our largest acquisition to date in 2003. Through this transaction, we entered into new geographic markets in Indiana and Kentucky, strengthened our presence in the Midwest region of the United States and expanded our service offerings. The acquisition made in 2003 of a metals processor did not result in a new segment.

     On July 1, 2003 we purchased all of the outstanding stock of Precision Strip, Inc. and its related entity, Precision Strip Transport, Inc. (collectively “Precision Strip”) for $220 million in cash, plus the assumption of approximately $26 million of debt. Precision Strip is a privately-held metals processing company founded in 1977 whose processing activities consist primarily of slitting and blanking carbon steel, stainless steel and aluminum flat-rolled products on a “toll” basis, that is, processing the metal for a fee without taking ownership of the metal. Precision Strip’s revenues for the six months ended December 31, 2003 were $62 million. The business has facilities in Minster, Kenton, Middletown and Tipp City, Ohio; Anderson and Rockport, Indiana; Bowling Green, Kentucky; and Talladega, Alabama. Precision Strip’s customers include carbon steel, stainless steel and aluminum mills, as well as companies in the automotive, appliance, metal furniture and capital goods industries. On a volume basis, Precision Strip processes approximately $2 billion of metal per year.

Results of Operations

     The following table sets forth certain income statement data for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2003 (dollars are shown in thousands and certain amounts may not calculate due to rounding):

(1)

Excludes other income, amortization expense, equity in earnings of 50%-owned company, minority interest, interest expense and income tax expense.

Year Ended December 31, 2003 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2002

     Net Sales. Our 2003 consolidated net sales were $1.88 billion, an increase of 7.9%, compared to $1.75 billion in 2002. This increase includes the additional sales from the companies we acquired in 2002 and 2003. This includes a decrease in tons sold of 1.1% and an increase in the average selling price per ton sold of 5.7% (the tons sold and average selling price per ton sold exclude amounts related to Precision Strip). The decrease in our tons sold is mainly due to reduced customer demand in all markets through the first eight months of 2003. Our sales volumes continued at the low levels experienced in the second half of 2002 until September 2003 when we began to experience some improvement in demand across most product and customer markets. This improvement continued through the remainder of 2003.

     The increase in our average selling price per ton sold of 5.7% resulted mainly from costs of carbon steel flat-rolled products increasing significantly in the second half of 2002 due to supply constraints resulting from the temporary closure of a few mills and due to tariffs placed on imports. These prices remained high in early 2003 and then declined somewhat until late in the third quarter of 2003 when carbon steel costs increased significantly due to a shortage of scrap and other raw materials and high energy costs for the producers. The scrap shortage is a result of the increase in global steel demand, especially in China. The costs for carbon steel continued to increase very rapidly in the fourth quarter of 2003, and we increased our selling prices accordingly. We also increased our prices for aluminum and stainless steel products due to reduced supply and improved customer demand that resulted in increased costs in the second half of 2003.

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     Our same-store sales (excludes sales of businesses we acquired in 2003 and 2002) increased $10.1 million, or 0.6%, with year 2003 tons sold declining 3.8% as compared to 2002, and the average selling price per ton sold increasing by 3.8%. These changes were due to the factors discussed above.

     Gross Profit. Our total gross profit of $510.6 million increased 7.1% from 2002 mainly because of our increase in sales due to our 2003 and 2002 acquisitions and due to our increased selling prices. Our gross profit as a percentage of sales was 27.1% in 2003 compared to 27.3% in 2002. The decline in our gross margin percentage occurred primarily due to competitive pressures resulting from low levels of customer demand in the first half of 2003 when we reduced our selling prices at a more rapid rate than our material costs were declining. This resulted in lower gross margin levels. Beginning in September 2003, we experienced improved customer demand that allowed us to increase our selling prices and expand our gross margin levels.

     Expenses. Warehouse, delivery, selling, general and administrative expenses (“S,G&A expenses”) for 2003 increased $16.6 million, or 4.4%, from 2002. This increase includes the S,G&A expenses of the company we acquired in 2003 plus a full year of expenses for our 2002 acquisitions. We were able to reduce our same-store S,G&A expenses by $3.2 million in 2003 as compared to 2002. These expenses represented 21.0% and 21.7% of sales in 2003 and 2002, respectively. The improvement as a percentage of sales resulted from our continued focus on expense reduction and an increase in our average selling price per ton sold.

     Depreciation expense increased $7.4 million for 2003 compared to 2002 because of the inclusion of depreciation expense related to the companies we acquired in 2003 and 2002.

     Operating Profit. Operating profit, calculated as gross profit less S,G&A expenses and depreciation expense, increased $9.9 million, or 14.0%, in 2003 compared to 2002. This occurred mainly due to the operating profit from our 2003 acquisition.

     Other Income and Expense. Interest expense increased by 18.3% to $26.7 million in 2003 compared to 2002, due to increased borrowing levels to fund our acquisition of Precision Strip for $220 million plus the assumption of approximately $26 million of outstanding debt on July 1, 2003.

     Because of our increased ownership interest in American Steel, we began to consolidate their results beginning May 1, 2002. Prior to that date, we accounted for our investment using the equity method. On our income statement, the 2002 equity in earnings of 50%-owned company represents our 50% of American Steel’s net income from January 1 through April 30. The minority interest amount represents 49.5% of American Steel’s net income or loss beginning May 1, 2002 for the portion that we do not own. Minority interest also includes the net income or loss from the 30.5% interest in Valex Korea Co., Ltd. and the 3% interest in Valex Corp. that we do not own. American Steel incurred a loss in 2003 due to the continued depressed economic conditions in the northwest region of the United States, including the loss of certain large carbon steel customers in that area over the past few years.

     Income Tax Rate. Our effective income tax rate decreased from 39.3% in 2002 to 38.0% in 2003, mainly due to shifts in the geographic composition of our 2003 income, and due to the resolution of open tax issues.

Year Ended December 31, 2002 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2001

     Net Sales. Our 2002 consolidated net sales were $1.75 billion, an increase of 5.3%, compared to $1.66 billion in 2001. This includes an increase in tons sold of 10.3% and a decrease in the average selling price per ton of 4.5%. The increase in our tons sold is mainly due to the sales from the companies we acquired in 2002. We continued to experience reduced customer demand in all markets during 2002.

     The decrease in our average selling price per ton sold of 4.5% resulted mainly from shifts in product mix due to both acquisitions and reductions in our sales of higher priced products to the semiconductor, electronics and aerospace markets. Although metals costs had decreased significantly for most of our products during 2001, we experienced further declines in 2002 with the exception of carbon steel flat-rolled products. In the second half of 2002, costs of carbon steel flat-rolled products increased significantly due to supply constraints resulting from the temporary closure of a few mills and due to tariffs placed on imports. Carbon steel flat-rolled products represented approximately 20.0% of our 2002 sales.

     Our same-store sales (excludes sales of businesses we acquired in 2002 and 2001) decreased $90.4 million, or 6.1%, with year 2002 tons sold declining 4.1% as compared to 2001, and the average selling price per ton decreasing by 2.0%. These decreases were due to the poor economic conditions in 2002 and shifts in our product mix with significant declines in same-store sales to the semiconductor and aerospace industries impacting both the tons sold and the average selling price.

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     Gross Profit. Our total gross profit of $476.8 million increased 3.1% from 2001 due to our 2002 acquisitions. Our gross profit as a percentage of sales was 27.3% in 2002 compared to 27.9% in 2001. The decline in our gross margin percentage occurred primarily due to competitive pressures resulting from the low level of customer demand throughout the year, especially in the fourth quarter and due to LIFO expense of $8.0 million in 2002 compared to LIFO income of $11.7 million in 2001. LIFO expense and income is reflected as part of our costs of sales. Although we were successful in passing through most of our cost increases, we did experience some margin pressure due to increased costs of carbon steel flat-rolled products, coupled with the low demand in the latter part of the year. The reduction in sales of our higher priced products to the aerospace and semiconductor markets also impacted our gross margins.

     Expenses. S,G&A expenses for 2002 increased $32.0 million, or 9.2%, from 2001. This increase includes the S,G&A expenses of the companies we acquired in 2002 plus a full year of expenses of our 2001 acquisitions. These expenses represented 21.7% and 21.0% of sales in 2002 and 2001, respectively. We were able to reduce our same-store S,G&A expenses by 2.3% in 2002 as compared to 2001. The majority of the decrease in same-store S,G&A expenses relates to headcount reductions, as personnel costs are the most significant component of our variable costs. For the 2002 year, we reduced our work force by 5.8%, with half of the reductions, or approximately 130 employees, occurring in the fourth quarter in response to declines in demand. This reduction was in addition to the 13% reduction that occurred in 2001.

     Depreciation expense increased $3.5 million for 2002 compared to 2001, mainly because of the inclusion of depreciation expense related to the companies we acquired in 2002 and 2001, along with depreciation expense on current year capital expenditures.

     Operating Profit. Operating profit, calculated as gross profit less S,G&A expenses and depreciation expense, decreased as a percentage of sales to 4.0% in 2002 compared to 5.5% in 2001. Although consolidated sales increased, our gross profit margin declined and our operating expenses increased due to a larger network of service centers, as discussed above.

     Other Income and Expense. Interest expense decreased by 15.5% to $22.6 million in 2002 compared to 2001, due to lower borrowing levels and lower interest rates. We used the July 2001 equity offering proceeds of approximately $150 million to pay down debt. The 2002 year included borrowings for our acquisitions of Central Plains Steel Co. and Pacific Metal Company which were paid off with cash from operations and included $19.7 million of debt upon consolidation of American Steel.

     Amortization expense decreased $7.3 million because of the change in accounting rules for goodwill. In 2001, we had $7.1 million of goodwill amortization expense that was not recorded in 2002, in accordance with the new rules. The new accounting rules adopted in 2002 also require us to measure our goodwill annually for impairment of value. We did not experience any goodwill impairment in 2002, and therefore did not record any impairment charges.

     Income Tax Rate. Our effective income tax rate decreased from 39.6% in 2001 to 39.3% in 2002, mainly due to shifts in the geographic composition of our 2002 income, resulting from both acquisitions and current economic conditions.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

     At December 31, 2003, working capital was $341.8 million, compared to $389.6 million at December 31, 2002. The decrease was primarily due to a reduction in our inventory levels of $20.0 million, an increase in our accounts payable and accrued expenses of $25.2 million and an increase in our current debt maturities of $22.1 million. The additional working capital from our 2003 acquisition was $12.7 million on July 1, 2003. To manage our working capital, we focus on our days sales outstanding to monitor accounts receivable and on our inventory turnover rate to monitor our inventory levels, as receivables and inventory are our two most significant elements of working capital. At December 31, 2003, our accounts receivable days sales outstanding were 44 days, consistent with our rate at December 31, 2002. (We calculate our days sales outstanding as an average of the most recent two-month period.) Our inventory turnover rate was about 4.7 times in 2003, improved from about 4.25 times in 2002. The increase in accounts payable of $25.2 million was due to managing our payments to vendors to maximize our cash flow, combined with increased costs for the metals we purchased late in 2003. As demand and pricing for our products improves, our working capital needs will increase. We expect to finance this with increased borrowings on our syndicated credit facility.

     Our primary sources of liquidity are generally from our internally generated funds from operations and our revolving line of credit. Our operations provided cash of $106.4 million in 2003 compared to $90.1 million in 2002. Along with our earnings, the reductions in our inventory levels and increases in our accounts payable were the primary factors in providing cash flow from operations. The cash generated from operations in 2003 was used to fund our capital expenditures and to pay down debt, including debt used to fund the purchase of Precision Strip and to pay off the American Steel credit facility. On

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January 2, 2004 (date of maturity), we paid off $22.0 million of private placement notes with borrowings on our syndicated credit facility.

     On July 1, 2003, we borrowed $248.0 million to fund the acquisition of Precision Strip, with $113.0 million borrowed on our syndicated credit facility and with $135.0 million of proceeds from issuing new senior secured notes in a private placement. Excluding the $113.0 million borrowed to fund the acquisition, we made net repayments on our credit facility of $79.0 million during 2003. At December 31, 2003 our net debt-to-total capital ratio was 43.1% compared to 35.4% at December 31, 2002.

     Our syndicated credit facility allows for $335 million in borrowings. As of December 31, 2003, $72 million was outstanding under this credit facility. The $335 million five-year secured syndicated credit facility, as amended effective July 1, 2003, is with ten banks and may be increased to $400 million. At December 31, 2003, we had $14.6 million of letters of credit outstanding under our syndicated credit facility. American Steel had a syndicated credit agreement with a borrowing limit of $24 million. This credit facility was paid off and cancelled in November 2003. We borrowed $20.0 million under the Reliance syndicated credit facility to fund the American Steel pay off.

     At December 31, 2003, we had agreements with insurance companies for private placements of senior secured notes in the aggregate amount of $415.0 million, including the new notes issued on July 1, 2003. Those outstanding senior notes have maturity dates ranging from 2004 to 2013, and bear interest at an average rate of 6.3% per annum.

     The syndicated credit facility and senior note agreements were amended effective July 1, 2003 to provide, among other things, for the Company to grant a security interest in certain personal property to the lenders named therein. The security interest will terminate when we meet certain conditions, including a required leverage ratio. The syndicated credit facility and senior note agreements, as amended, also require that we maintain a minimum net worth and interest coverage ratio, and a maximum leverage ratio, and include restrictions on the amount of cash dividends we may pay.

     Our net capital expenditures, excluding acquisitions, were $20.9 million for the 2003 year. We had no material commitments for capital expenditures or capital leases as of December 31, 2003. Our 2004 capital expenditures are budgeted at $36 million. Historically, our actual capital expenditures have been less than our budgeted amount. Any capital expenditure commitments that existed at December 31, 2003 are included in the below table of contractual obligations. Our operating lease commitments are discussed in Note 11 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. We expect to make an additional payment of approximately $13 million to the Precision Strip sellers in the first quarter of 2004 to reimburse them for the tax differential related to our election of Section 338(h)(10) treatment, per the terms of the Acquisition Agreement. Our capital requirements are primarily for working capital, acquisitions, and capital expenditures for continued improvements in plant capacities and materials handling and processing equipment.

     We anticipate that funds generated from operations and funds available under our line of credit will be sufficient to meet our working capital needs for the foreseeable future. We do not anticipate acquiring additional companies until we have further reduced our leverage ratio, which is expected to be by the end of 2004.

     The following table summarizes our contractual cash obligations as of December 31, 2003. Certain of these contractual obligations are reflected on our balance sheet, while others are disclosed as future obligations under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States.

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	(1)		Amounts include principal payments only. See Note 6 of the Consolidated Financial Statements for information regarding interest rates and payment dates.
	(2)		Includes capital expenditure items committed to as of December 31, 2003, including a lease buy out option at fair market value. The fair market value has been estimated at $4.5 million based upon market comparisons. Includes non-cancelable purchase or service contracts with a term of one year or greater that existed at December 31, 2003. The majority of our material purchases are completed within 30 to 120 days and therefore are not included in this table. Also includes the amount of the put option to purchase the remaining 49.5% interest in American Steel, L.L.C., per the terms of the Operating Agreement.
	(3)		Includes the estimated benefit payments or contribution amounts for the Company’s defined benefit pension plans and SERP plans for the next five years. These amounts are limited to the information provided by our actuaries. Information was not available for all plans or for all years.

     On August 31, 1998, our Board of Directors approved the purchase of up to an additional 3,750,000 shares of our outstanding common stock through our Stock Repurchase Plan, for a total of 6,000,000 shares. Since inception of the Stock Repurchase Plan, we have purchased a total of 5,538,275 shares of our common stock, at an average purchase price of $14.94 per share, as of December 31, 2003, all of which are being treated as authorized but unissued shares. In 2003 and 2002, we did not repurchase any shares of our common stock. We believe such purchases, given appropriate circumstances, enhance shareholder value and reflect our confidence in the long-term growth potential of our Company.

Inflation

     Our operations have not been, and we do not expect them to be, materially affected by general inflation. Historically, we have been successful in adjusting prices to our customers to reflect changes in metal prices.

Seasonality

     Some of our customers may be in seasonal businesses, especially customers in the construction industry. As a result of our geographic, product and customer diversity, however, our operations have not shown any material seasonal trends. Revenues in the months of November and December traditionally have been lower than in other months because of a reduced number of working days for shipments of our products and holiday closures of some of our customers. In 2002, many customers extended their holiday closures which we believe was due to both the poor business conditions and the holidays occurring mid-week. We cannot assure you that period-to-period fluctuations will not occur in the future. Results of any one or more quarters are therefore not necessarily indicative of annual results.

Goodwill

     Goodwill, which represents the excess of cost over the fair value of net assets acquired, amounted to $325.3 million at December 31, 2003, or approximately 23.8% of total assets or 50.2% of consolidated shareholders’ equity. In June 2001, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (“SFAS” or “Statement”) No. 142, Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets. Under this Statement, goodwill deemed to have indefinite lives is no longer amortized but will be subject to annual impairment tests in accordance with the Statement. Other intangible assets continue to be amortized over their useful lives. We adopted the provisions of SFAS No. 142 effective January 1, 2002. We review the recoverability of goodwill annually or whenever significant events or changes occur which might impair the recovery of recorded costs. We measure possible impairment based on either significant losses of an entity or the ability to recover the balance of the long-lived asset from expected future operating cash flows on an undiscounted basis. If impairment is identified, we would calculate the amount of such impairment based upon the discounted cash flows or the market values as compared to the recorded costs. We have performed impairment tests of goodwill as of January 1, 2002, November 1, 2002

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and November 1, 2003, and believe that the recorded amounts for goodwill are recoverable and that no impairment currently exists.

Critical Accounting Estimates

     Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations discusses our Consolidated Financial Statements, which have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. When we prepare these consolidated financial statements, we are required to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. On an on-going basis, we evaluate our estimates and judgments, including those related to accounts receivable, inventories, deferred tax assets, goodwill and intangible assets and long-lived assets. We base our estimates and judgments on historical experience and on various other factors that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for our judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Our actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.

     We believe the following critical accounting estimates, as discussed with the Audit Committee, affect our more significant judgments and estimates used in preparing our consolidated financial statements. (See Note 1 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for our Summary of Significant Accounting Policies.) There have been no material changes made to the critical accounting estimates during the periods presented in the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Accounts Receivable

We maintain an allowance for doubtful accounts to reflect our estimate of the uncollectibility of accounts receivable based on our past collection history and the identification of specific potential customer risks. If the financial condition of our customers were to deteriorate beyond our estimates, resulting in an impairment of their ability to make payments, we may be required to increase our allowance for doubtful accounts.

Inventories

We maintain allowances for estimated obsolescence or unmarketable inventory to reflect the difference between the cost of inventory and the estimated market value based on an evaluation of slow moving products and current replacement costs. If actual market conditions are less favorable than those anticipated by management, additional allowances may be required.

Deferred Tax Assets

We currently have significant deferred tax assets, which are subject to periodic recoverability assessments. Realizing our deferred tax assets principally depends upon our achieving projected future taxable income. We may change our judgments regarding future profitability due to future market conditions and other factors. We may adjust our deferred tax asset balances if our judgments change.

For information concerning our provision for income taxes as well as information regarding differences between our effective tax rate and statutory rates, see Note 7 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

Goodwill and Intangible Assets

In assessing the recoverability of our goodwill and other intangibles we must make assumptions regarding estimated future cash flows and other factors to determine the fair value of the respective assets. Effective January 1, 2002, we adopted SFAS No. 142 and have performed impairment testing in accordance with the Statement. We estimated future cash flows at the reporting unit level. A key assumption made is that our business will grow at 3% to 5% per year, adjusted for the current economic outlook. If these estimates or their related assumptions change in the future, we may be required to record impairment charges for these assets not previously recorded.

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Long-Lived Assets

We review the recoverability of our long-lived assets as required by SFAS No. 144 and must make assumptions regarding estimated future cash flows and other factors to determine the fair value of the respective assets. If these estimates or their related assumptions change in the future, we may be required to record impairment charges for these assets not previously recorded. Effective January 1, 2002, we adopted SFAS No. 144 and have reviewed recoverability of our long-lived assets in accordance with this Statement.

Item 7a. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.

     In the ordinary course of business, we are exposed to various market risk factors, including changes in general economic conditions, domestic and foreign competition, foreign currency exchange rates, and metals pricing and availability. Additionally, we are exposed to market risk primarily related to our fixed rate long-term debt. Market risk is the potential loss arising from adverse changes in market rates and prices, such as interest rates. Decreases in interest rates may affect the market value of our fixed rate debt. Under our current policies, we do not use interest rate derivative instruments to manage exposure to interest rate changes. Based on our debt, we do not consider the exposure to interest rate risk to be material. Our fixed rate debt obligations are not callable until maturity.

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Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.

RELIANCE STEEL & ALUMINUM CO.

AUDITED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

     All other schedules are omitted because either they are not applicable, not required or the information required is included in the Consolidated Financial Statements, including the notes thereto.

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REPORT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS

Shareholders and Board of Directors
Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co.

     We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. and its subsidiaries as of December 31, 2003 and 2002, and the related consolidated statements of income, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2003. Our audits also included the financial statement schedule listed in the Index at Item 15(a). These financial statements and schedule are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements and schedule based on our audits.

     We conducted our audits in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

     In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. and its subsidiaries at December 31, 2003 and 2002, and the consolidated results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2003, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. Also, in our opinion, the related financial statement schedule, when considered in relation to the basic financial statements taken as a whole, presents fairly, in all material respects the information set forth therein.

Los Angeles, California
February 10, 2004

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RELIANCE STEEL & ALUMINUM CO.

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(In thousands except share amounts)

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

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RELIANCE STEEL & ALUMINUM CO.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
(In thousands except share and per share amounts)

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

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RELIANCE STEEL & ALUMINUM CO.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
(In thousands except share and per share amounts)

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

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RELIANCE STEEL & ALUMINUM CO.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(In thousands)