INLAND STEEL INDUSTRIES INC /DE/
DEF 14A, 1996-04-15
STEEL WORKS, BLAST FURNACES & ROLLING MILLS (COKE OVENS)
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<PAGE>   1
 
                            SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
          PROXY STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 14(A) OF THE SECURITIES
                              EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
 
     Filed by the registrant /X/
 
     Filed by a party other than the registrant / /
 
     Check the appropriate box:
 
     / / Preliminary proxy statement        / / Confidential, for Use of the
                                                Commission Only (as permitted by
                                                Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
 
     /X/ Definitive proxy statement
 
     / / Definitive additional materials
 
     / / Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-11(c) or Rule 14a-12
                         INLAND STEEL INDUSTRIES, INC.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                (Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
 
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)
 
Payment of filing fee (Check the appropriate box):
 
     /X/ $125 per Exchange Act Rule 0-11(c)(1)(ii), 14a-6(i)(1), or 14a-6(i)(2)
or Item 22(a)(2) of Schedule 14A.
 
     / / $500 per each party to the controversy pursuant to Exchange Act Rule
14a-6(i)(3).
 
     / / Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(4) and
0-11.
 
     (1) Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:
 
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
     (2) Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:
 
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
     (3) Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed
pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (Set forth the amount on which the filing fee
is calculated and state how it was determined):
 
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
     (4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:
 
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
     (5) Total fee paid:
 
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
     / / Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.
 
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
     / / Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act
Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid
previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or
the form or schedule and the date of its filing.
 
     (1) Amount previously paid:
 
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
     (2) Form, schedule or registration statement no.:
 
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
     (3) Filing party:
 
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
     (4) Date filed:
 
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<PAGE>   2
 
INLAND STEEL INDUSTRIES, INC.
 
ROBERT J. DARNALL
Chairman, President and
Chief Executive Officer
 
                                                                  April 15, 1996
 
Dear Stockholder:
 
     On Wednesday, May 22, 1996, we will hold our Annual Meeting of Stockholders
beginning at 10:30 a.m., Chicago time, at the First Chicago Center, One First
National Plaza, Chicago, Illinois. Hopefully, you will be able to join us.
 
     At the meeting we will review our 1995 performance and present an overview
of our materials management services strategy. In addition, you will have an
opportunity to ask questions. The attached notice of meeting and proxy statement
describe the formal business of the meeting.
 
     I am looking forward to seeing you on May 22. However, if you do not expect
to attend the meeting, please take a moment now to complete and return the
enclosed proxy card in the envelope provided.
 
                                          Cordially,
 
                                          Robert J. Darnall
                                          Chairman, President and
                                          Chief Executive Officer
 
                 30 West Monroe Street, Chicago, Illinois 60603
<PAGE>   3
 
          INLAND STEEL INDUSTRIES, INC.
          30 WEST MONROE STREET
          CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60603
 
          NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
          TO BE HELD ON MAY 22, 1996
 
          To the Stockholders of INLAND STEEL INDUSTRIES, INC.:
 
               The Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Inland Steel
          Industries, Inc., a Delaware corporation, will be held at
          the First Chicago Center, One First National Plaza, Chicago,
          Illinois, on Wednesday, May 22, 1996, at 10:30 a.m., Chicago
          time, for the following purposes:
 
               1. To elect directors of the Company;
 
               2. To elect a firm of independent public accountants to
                  audit the accounts of the Company and its
                  subsidiaries for the year 1996; and
 
               3. To transact any other business that may properly
                  come before the meeting.
               The close of business on April 2, 1996 has been fixed
          as the record date for determination of holders of voting
          securities entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual
          Meeting.
               A Proxy Statement with respect to the Annual Meeting
          accompanies and forms a part of this Notice. The Annual
          Report of the Company for the fiscal year ended December 31,
          1995 was previously mailed to holders of voting securities.
 
                                        By order of the Board of
                                        Directors,
 
                                        CHARLES B. SALOWITZ, Secretary
 
          April 15, 1996
          Chicago, Illinois
 
          Holders of voting securities are cordially invited to attend
          this meeting. Each holder of voting securities, whether or
          not he or she expects to be present in person at the Annual
          Meeting, is requested to SIGN, DATE AND RETURN THE ENCLOSED
          PROXY in the accompanying envelope as promptly as possible.
          A holder of voting securities may revoke his or her proxy at
          any time prior to voting.
<PAGE>   4
 
                         INLAND STEEL INDUSTRIES, INC.
                             30 WEST MONROE STREET
                            CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60603
 
                                PROXY STATEMENT
 
     The enclosed proxy is solicited on behalf of the Board of Directors of the
Company. Such solicitation is being made by mail commencing approximately April
15, 1996, and also may be made by directors, officers and regular employees of
the Company. The expense of such solicitation will be paid by the Company. In
addition, the Company has retained Kissel-Blake Inc. to assist in the
solicitation of proxies for a fee of $10,500 plus out-of-pocket expenses.
Brokers, banks and similar organizations will be reimbursed for out-of-pocket
and reasonable clerical expenses incurred in obtaining instructions from
beneficial owners.
 
     A holder of voting securities giving a proxy may revoke it at any time
prior to the voting of the proxy. Voting securities represented by an effective
proxy given by the holder thereof will be voted as directed by such holder. The
voting securities of the Company outstanding on the record date (April 2, 1996),
together with the vote to which each is entitled, consist of 48,781,477 shares
of common stock (one vote per share), 93,831 shares of Series A $2.40 Cumulative
Convertible Preferred Stock (one vote per share), 3,074,556 shares of Series E
ESOP Convertible Preferred Stock (1.25 votes per share), and $185,000,000
principal amount of the Company's 10.23% Subordinated Voting Note (30.604 votes
per $1,000 of principal amount). All such voting securities vote together
without regard to class on the matters expected to be voted upon at the Annual
Meeting.
 
     Shares standing to the credit of a participant in the Shareholder
Investment Service for the automatic reinvestment of common stock dividends will
be voted only if and in the same manner as such participant shall vote his or
her shareholdings of record. In the event a participant is not a stockholder of
record, Harris Trust and Savings Bank, as custodian, will vote shares held for
his or her account only in accordance with his or her instructions. Shares
standing to the credit of a participant in the Inland Steel Industries Thrift
Plan will be voted as such participant directs, provided that any such direction
(or any revocation of a prior direction) must be received by Harris Trust and
Savings Bank, as Trustee under the Thrift Plan, by 5:00 p.m., Chicago time, on
May 21, 1996. Shares in the Thrift Plan as to which no direction is received by
such time will be voted in the same proportion as shares in the Thrift Plan that
have been timely directed.
 
     It is the policy of the Company that proxies, consents, ballots and voting
materials that identify the vote of specific holders of voting securities are
kept confidential until the final vote is tabulated, except in a contested proxy
or consent solicitation or to meet applicable legal requirements. All such
documents are returned to the tabulator and are available to
<PAGE>   5
 
the inspectors of election to enable them to certify the results of the vote.
Harris Trust and Savings Bank acts as the tabulator, and one or more officers or
employees of the Harris Bank will serve as inspectors of election. Comments
written on or accompanying proxy cards will be provided to the Company without
indication of the vote of the holder of the voting securities except where the
vote is included in the comment or is necessary for an understanding of the
comment.
 
                             ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
 
     Proxies not limited to the contrary will be voted for the ten nominees
listed below as directors of the Company for terms expiring on the date of the
Annual Meeting of the Company in 1997 and until their successors are duly
elected and qualified. Directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes of
the voting securities present in person or by proxy at the Annual Meeting and
entitled to vote in the election, and the outcome of the election will therefore
not be affected by holders of voting securities who abstain from voting or
withhold authority to vote in the election, or by broker non-votes. All such
nominees are presently serving as directors of the Company and of Inland Steel
Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company. Mr. Maurice S. Nelson, Jr., a
director since 1995, resigned from the Board of Directors effective with his
April 1, 1996 retirement as Executive Vice President of the Company and as
President and Chief Executive Officer of Inland Steel Company. The period of
service as a director shown for each nominee includes the period for which such
nominee served as a director of Inland Steel Company prior to the effective date
(May 1, 1986) of the plan of restructuring pursuant to which the Company became
a holding company for Inland Steel Company and its subsidiaries. The Board of
Directors held six meetings during 1995. All incumbent directors attended at
least 75% of the combined total number of meetings of the Board of Directors and
committees on which they served.
 
     In conjunction with the six-year labor agreement finalized in July 1993
between Inland Steel Company and the United Steelworkers of America, the
Steelworkers were provided the ability, through 1999, to designate as a director
nominee an individual acceptable to the Board of Directors of the Company. Dr.
McKersie was so designated and was elected to the Board of Directors by
stockholders in 1994.
 
     If any nominee should become unavailable for election (an event that is not
anticipated), proxies may be voted for the election of such other person or
persons as may be designated by the Board of Directors of the Company, unless
the Board has taken prior action to reduce its membership.
 
                                        2
<PAGE>   6
 
INFORMATION CONCERNING NOMINEES
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
<TABLE>
<S><C>
               A. ROBERT ABBOUD                                 Director since 1974

               Mr. Abboud, age 66, is President of A. Robert Abboud and Company, a
               private investment firm established by him in 1984. From April 1988
               until March 1991 Mr. Abboud was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of
               First City Bancorporation of Texas, Inc., a bank holding company, which
               in November 1992 consented to an involuntary bankruptcy petition, had
               its plan of reorganization confirmed by the bankruptcy court in May
               1995, and completed the plan of reorganization in July 1995. He is
               Chairman of Inland's Finance and Retirement Committee and a member of
               its Audit Committee. Mr. Abboud is also a director of AAR Corp.,
               Alberto-Culver Company, and Hartmarx Corporation.

               JAMES W. COZAD                                   Director since 1991

               Mr. Cozad, age 69, was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Whitman
               Corporation, a diversified producer of consumer and commercial products,
               prior to his retirement in May 1992. He was elected to that position in
               January 1990. Mr. Cozad previously had been employed, starting in 1969,
               by Amoco Corporation, a producer and distributor of petroleum products,
               natural gas and chemicals, was its Chief Financial Officer from 1976 and
               in addition served as Vice Chairman from 1983 until joining Whitman.
               He is Chairman of Inland's Compensation Committee and a member of its
               Nominating and Executive Committees. Mr. Cozad is also a director of Eli
               Lilly and Company, GATX Corporation, Sears, Roebuck and Co., and Whitman
               Corporation.

               ROBERT J. DARNALL                                Director since 1983

               Mr. Darnall, age 58, is Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
               of the Company and Chairman of the Executive Committee. He was elected
               President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company in 1986 and assumed
               his present position in 1992. He is also Chairman, President and Chief
               Executive Officer of Inland Steel Company. He joined Inland Steel
               Company in 1962, has served as its Chairman since 1992, as its Chief
               Executive Officer from 1992 to 1995 and since April 1, 1996, and as its
               President from 1984 to 1986, 1987 to 1992, and again since April 1,
               1996. Mr. Darnall is also a director of Cummins Engine Company, Inc. and
               Household International, Inc.
</TABLE>
 
                                        3
<PAGE>   7
 
INFORMATION CONCERNING NOMINEES (CONTINUED)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
<TABLE>
<S><C>
               JAMES A. HENDERSON                            Director since 1978

               Mr. Henderson, age 61, is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of
               Cummins Engine Company, Inc., a manufacturer of diesel engines. He
               joined that company in 1964, was elected Executive Vice President in
               1971, and was elected Executive Vice President and Chief Operating
               Officer in 1975. In 1977 he was elected President and Chief Operating
               Officer, was elected President and Chief Executive Officer in 1994, and
               assumed his present position in 1995. He is Chairman of Inland's Audit
               Committee and a member of Inland Steel Company's Partnership Oversight
               Committee. Mr. Henderson is also a director of Cummins Engine Company,
               Inc., Ameritech Corporation, and Rohm and Haas Company.

               ROBERT B. MCKERSIE                            Director since 1994

               Dr. McKersie, age 66, is a professor at the Sloan School of Management
               at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dr. McKersie was also Deputy
               Dean at the Sloan School of Management from 1991 to 1994. Prior to
               joining MIT in 1980, he served as Dean of the New York State School of
               Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University, and prior to that
               was on the faculty of the Graduate School of Business at the University
               of Chicago. He is a member of Inland's Audit Committee and Inland Steel
               Company's Partnership Oversight Committee.

               DONALD S. PERKINS                             Director since 1967

               Mr. Perkins, age 69, was Chairman of Jewel Companies, Inc., a
               diversified retailer, prior to his retirement in 1980. He is Chairman
               of Inland's Nominating Committee and a member of its Compensation and
               Executive Committees. Mr. Perkins is also a director of Aon Corporation,
               Lucent Technologies Inc., Cummins Engine Company, Inc., Illinova
               Corporation, LaSalle Street Fund Incorporated, the Putnam Funds, Springs
               Industries, Inc., and Time Warner Inc.
</TABLE>
 
                                        4
<PAGE>   8
 
INFORMATION CONCERNING NOMINEES (CONTINUED)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
<TABLE>
<S><C>
               JEAN-PIERRE ROSSO                                  Director since 1995

               Mr. Rosso, age 55, is Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of
               Case Corporation, a worldwide designer, manufacturer and distributor of
               farm and construction machinery, and was President and Chief Executive
               Officer of that company from April 1994 to March 1996. Prior to joining
               that company, he was President of the Home and Building Control Division
               of Honeywell Inc., a producer of advanced technology products, from 1991
               to 1994 and President of Honeywell Europe from 1987 until 1991. He is a
               member of Inland's Audit and Finance and Retirement Committees. Mr.
               Rosso also is a director of Case Corporation, ADC Telecommunications
               Inc., and the Principal Financial Group.

               JOSHUA I. SMITH                                    Director since 1991

               Mr. Smith, age 55, is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The MAXIMA
               Corporation, an information management service company established by
               him in 1978. He serves as a trustee or director of a number of
               professional, educational, and business boards and associations and
               was formerly Chairman of the U. S. Commission on Minority Business
               Development. He is a member of Inland's Compensation, Finance and
               Retirement, and Nominating Committees. Mr. Smith is also a director of
               Caterpillar, Inc., and Federal Express Corporation.

               NANCY H. TEETERS                                   Director since 1991

               Ms. Teeters, age 65, was Vice President and Chief Economist of IBM
               Corporation, a manufacturer of business machines, from 1984 until her
               retirement in 1990. Prior to 1984, she was a Governor of the Federal
               Reserve System and served as an economist in positions in both the
               Executive and Legislative branches of the Federal government. She was
               also a Senior Fellow of the Brookings Institute. She is a member of
               Inland's Audit and Finance and Retirement Committees. Ms. Teeters is
               also a director of a number of registered investment companies managed
               by Prudential Securities Mutual Funds and advised by Prudential
               Securities Mutual Funds, Wellington Management, or Blackrock Group.
</TABLE>
 
                                        5
<PAGE>   9
 
INFORMATION CONCERNING NOMINEES (CONTINUED)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
<TABLE>
<S><C>
               ARNOLD R. WEBER                                 Director since 1985

               Dr. Weber, age 66, is Chancellor of Northwestern University. He began
               his career in education in 1958 in the field of urban and labor
               economics, served as a professor at the University of Chicago and Dean
               of the Graduate School of Industrial Administration at Carnegie-Mellon
               University, was President of the University of Colorado from 1980 until
               1985, and was President of Northwestern University from 1985 until he
               assumed his present position in January 1995. He has served as an
               economic advisor to four national administrations and as a consultant to
               several governmental agencies. He is a member of Inland's Compensation,
               Executive and Nominating Committees, as well as Chairman of Inland Steel
               Company's Partnership Oversight Committee. Dr. Weber is also a director
               of Aon Corporation, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation, Deere &
               Company, PepsiCo, Inc., and Tribune Company.
</TABLE>
 
                           COMPENSATION OF DIRECTORS
 
     Directors who are not employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries
receive an annual retainer of $35,000, of which $11,000 is paid in shares of
common stock of the Company pursuant to the Inland 1992 Stock Plan for
Non-Employee Directors. Such directors also receive $1,000 for each special
meeting of the Board of Directors of the Company and of Inland Steel Company
attended by them, except that if special meetings of both Boards are held on the
same day, only one meeting attendance fee is paid. In addition, each such
director who serves as a member of a standing committee of the Board of
Directors is paid an annual fee of $3,000 for service on each such committee on
which he or she serves, except that membership on the Compensation and
Nominating Committees is regarded as membership on only one committee for
purposes of the payment of such additional fee and that only one meeting
attendance fee is paid if standing committee meetings of both Boards are held on
the same day. Such directors also receive $1,000 for each special committee
meeting attended that is not held in connection with a regular or special
meeting of the Board of Directors, except that only one meeting attendance fee
is paid if special meetings of the same committees of both Boards are held on
the same day and that membership on the Compensation and Nominating Committees
is regarded as membership on only one committee for purposes of the payment of
such additional fee. No fees are paid for any meeting of the Executive
Committee. Each such director who is the chairman of a standing committee of the
Board of Directors of the Company receives an additional annual retainer of
$5,000 except that a chairman of the same committee of both Boards receives only
one fee. A director may elect to defer payment of all or a portion of such fees
until he or she ceases to be a director of the Company. Interest on the cash
portion of any fees with respect to which payment is deferred is accrued at the
prime rate
 
                                        6
<PAGE>   10
 
in effect from time to time at The First National Bank of Chicago. Amounts
equivalent to dividends that would have been paid on the stock portion of any
deferred fees are credited to the account of such director and converted into
additional deferred shares at market prices. The Company also pays the premiums
on a business accident insurance policy insuring each non-employee director for
amounts up to $500,000.
 
     In January 1996, the Company terminated its director retirement plan except
as to accrued benefits of those non-employee directors with one or more years of
service at January 1, 1996. Vested benefit accruals under the terminated plan
will be paid at the later of a director's retirement from Board service or his
or her attaining age 65 and will continue for the number of full years of
service as a non-employee director completed at January 1, 1996, up to a maximum
of ten years. The amount of the annual benefit is equal to the amount of the
annual retainer paid for services as a member of the Board in effect at the last
Board meeting attended by such director. This plan provides that in the case of
a director who is 60 or older, the Company may purchase annuities (and provide a
tax gross-up payment to the director at the time of purchase) either prior to or
at the time of retirement to satisfy the Company's obligations under this plan.
Any annuities purchased for a director would be designed to provide an after-tax
benefit equivalent to the benefit provided under the plan.
 
     The Company established a Deferred Phantom Stock Unit Plan for Non-Employee
Directors in January 1996 for each present and future non-employee director who
has served on the Board of Directors for less than ten years as of January 1,
1996 or who first becomes a director after January 1, 1996. The plan provides
that 1,000 phantom stock units (with common stock dividends credited as
additional units on each dividend payment date) will be credited to
participants' accounts as of the date of each of the first ten annual meetings
of stockholders of the Company at which such participant is elected as a
director, commencing with the May 22, 1996 annual meeting and continuing until
and including the tenth consecutive annual meeting of stockholders at which the
participant is elected a director. However, each participant who was a director
on and before October 1, 1995 will be credited with phantom stock units on
annual meeting dates only until the participant reaches his or her ninth
anniversary as a director. Except for a change in control, these benefits will
vest for each participant on the earlier of: (a) the tenth consecutive annual
meeting of stockholders at which the participant is elected a director, or (b)
the last date of the participant's service as a director, provided the
participant remains on the Board of Directors (i) until at least the fifth
consecutive annual meeting of stockholders after which the participant was first
elected a director and (ii) either until the participant reaches age 70 or until
his or her death at age 65 or older. Vested benefits are paid in cash in a lump
sum or, at the election of the participant, in up to 40 quarterly installments,
commencing at the later of age 65 or ceasing to serve on the Board. The cash
value of each phantom stock unit is equal to the fair market value of one share
of Company common stock on the payment date.
 
                                        7
<PAGE>   11
 
                      COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
 
     Among the standing committees of the Board of Directors, the Company has an
Audit Committee, a Compensation Committee and a Nominating Committee. The
members of these three committees, none of whom is an employee of the Company or
any of its subsidiaries, are identified above under "Election Of Directors."
 
     The duties of the Audit Committee are to review the proposed scope of the
annual audit and the results and recommendations of the independent auditors on
completion of the annual audit; to review the financial review sections of the
Company's annual report to stockholders and annual report on Form 10-K; to
review the minutes of the quarterly audit review of the independent auditors and
each quarterly report on Form 10-Q; to nominate a firm of independent auditors
to be submitted to the holders of voting securities for election at the annual
meeting; to approve all non-audit services to be performed by the independent
auditors; to approve the compensation of the independent auditors; to review the
Company's system of internal accounting controls and its system of internal
operating controls and the performance of its internal auditors; to monitor
compliance by management with the Company's Code of Business Conduct; and to
review registration statements prepared in connection with financings by the
Company and its subsidiaries. The Audit Committee held four meetings in 1995.
 
     The duties of the Compensation Committee are to make recommendations to the
Board of Directors with respect to the salaries of the officers of the Company
and approve the salary of the president of each of the Company's major
subsidiaries; to administer the Inland Steel Industries, Inc. Annual Incentive
Plan, the Inland 1984 Incentive Stock Plan, the Inland 1988 Incentive Stock
Plan, the Inland 1992 Incentive Stock Plan, and the Inland 1995 Incentive Stock
Plan; and to make recommendations to the Board of Directors with respect to the
establishment or modification of executive compensation plans and programs. The
Compensation Committee held six meetings in 1995.
 
     The duties of the Nominating Committee are to prepare and maintain a list
of qualified candidates to fill vacancies on the Board of Directors and
recommend to the Board of Directors candidates to fill any such vacancies; to
recommend to the Board of Directors annually a slate of candidates for election
as directors by the holders of voting securities at the annual meeting; and to
recommend the compensation to be paid to non-management directors for their
services as directors. The Nominating Committee held four meetings in 1995.
 
     The Nominating Committee will consider qualified candidates recommended by
the holders of voting securities for designation as nominees for election at the
Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held in 1997 and subsequent years. In order
for a candidate recommended by a holder of voting securities to be considered by
the Nominating Committee for designation as a nominee for election at the Annual
Meeting of Stockholders to be held in 1997, the name of such candidate, together
with a written description of his or her qualifications, must be received by the
Secretary of the Company prior to January 1, 1997.
 
                                        8
<PAGE>   12
 
The By-laws of the Company provide a formal procedure, including an advance
notice requirement, for nominations by holders of voting securities of persons
for election as directors at annual meetings of the Company.
 
                 SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF DIRECTORS AND MANAGEMENT
 
     The following table presents, as of April 2, 1996, the equity securities
beneficially owned (as that term is defined by the Securities and Exchange
Commission) by all directors of the Company, the other named executive officers
of the Company (including Mr. Nelson, who retired effective April 1, 1996), and
the directors and executive officers of the Company as a group, in each case,
except as indicated, with sole voting and investment power. Common stock, in
each case, includes preferred stock purchase rights distributed in 1987 to
holders of common stock. The shares of Series E ESOP Preferred Stock shown as
beneficially owned by the executive officers are held for their respective
accounts in the Inland Steel Industries Thrift Plan and could be converted upon
retirement or other termination of employment into an equal number of shares of
common stock of the Company (subject to adjustment in certain events). Excluded
from the number of shares listed as beneficially owned are allocated shares of
Series E ESOP Preferred Stock that the ESOP Trustee is required to vote or
dispose of in the manner and proportion in which allocated shares are directed
to be voted or disposed of.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                        AMOUNT AND NATURE
                                                                          OF BENEFICIAL
                                                AMOUNT AND NATURE         OWNERSHIP OF
                                                  OF BENEFICIAL           SERIES E ESOP
                                                  OWNERSHIP OF              PREFERRED
                                                 COMMON STOCK(1)            STOCK(2)
                                                -----------------       -----------------
<S>                                             <C>                     <C>
Directors
  A. Robert Abboud............................         5,985                      --
  James W. Cozad..............................         1,485                      --
  Robert J. Darnall...........................       230,094                   1,774
  James A. Henderson..........................         1,985                      --
  Robert B. McKersie..........................           742                      --
  Donald S. Perkins...........................         3,485                      --
  Jean-Pierre Rosso...........................           500                      --
  Joshua I. Smith.............................           985                      --
  Nancy H. Teeters............................         1,285                      --
  Arnold R. Weber.............................         1,085                      --
Named Executive Officers
  Maurice S. Nelson, Jr.......................        76,307                   1,151
  Earl L. Mason...............................        78,078                   1,293
  Neil S. Novich..............................        41,876                     284
</TABLE>
 
                                        9
<PAGE>   13
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                        AMOUNT AND NATURE
                                                                          OF BENEFICIAL
                                                AMOUNT AND NATURE         OWNERSHIP OF
                                                  OF BENEFICIAL           SERIES E ESOP
                                                  OWNERSHIP OF              PREFERRED
                                                 COMMON STOCK(1)            STOCK(2)
                                                -----------------       -----------------
<S>                                             <C>                     <C>
  Judd R. Cool................................       106,742                   1,676
All Directors and Executive Officers
  as a Group..................................       684,276                  10,424
</TABLE>
 
- ---------------
(1) Excludes shares of common stock into which Series E ESOP Convertible
    Preferred Stock may be converted. No director or named executive officer
    individually owns 1% or more of the outstanding common stock of the Company;
    all directors and executive officers as a group own 1.40% of the outstanding
    common stock of the Company. Includes shares held jointly with other
    persons, as follows -- Mr. McKersie - 375, Mr. Darnall - 290, Mr. Nelson -
    7,763, and all directors and executive officers as a group - 9,034; shares
    which the following have the right to acquire under options exercisable
    within 60 days after April 2, 1996 -- Mr. Darnall - 169,000, Mr. Nelson -
    67,500, Mr. Mason - 69,000, Mr. Novich - 31,000, Mr. Cool -84,000, and all
    executive officers as a group - 531,935; and shares held under restricted
    stock awards as follows -- Mr. Darnall - 12,000, Mr. Mason - 5,800, Mr.
    Novich - 10,800, Mr. Cool - 4,800, and all executive officers as a group -
    44,600.
 
(2) Each named executive officer individually owns and all executive officers as
    a group collectively own less than 1% of the Series E ESOP Preferred Stock
    of the Company.
 
     Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 requires the Company's
directors, officers and certain stockholders to file with the Securities and
Exchange Commission an initial statement of beneficial ownership and certain
statements of changes in beneficial ownership of equity securities of the
Company. A late filing for one open-market acquisition of 500 shares of Company
common stock was made on behalf of Mr. Rosso.
 
              ADDITIONAL INFORMATION RELATING TO VOTING SECURITIES
 
     The following table sets forth, as of December 31, 1995, the only holders
known to the Company to own beneficially more than 5% of its common stock,
Series E ESOP Preferred Stock, and its 10.23% Subordinated Voting Note.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                               NUMBER OF SHARES
                  NAME AND ADDRESS OF                            OR AMOUNT OF       PERCENT OF
                   BENEFICIAL OWNER                            SECURITIES OWNED       CLASS
- -------------------------------------------------------        ----------------     ----------
<S>                                                            <C>                  <C>
Common Stock
  Bankmont Financial Corp. ............................             3,733,727(1)        7.67
  111 West Monroe Street
  Chicago, IL 60603
</TABLE>
 
                                       10
<PAGE>   14
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                               NUMBER OF SHARES
                  NAME AND ADDRESS OF                            OR AMOUNT OF       PERCENT OF
                   BENEFICIAL OWNER                            SECURITIES OWNED       CLASS
- -------------------------------------------------------        ----------------     ----------
<S>                                                            <C>                  <C>
  Brinson Partners, Inc. ..............................
  209 South LaSalle Street
  Chicago, IL 60604                                                 3,457,918(2)        7.09  
     Swiss Bank Corporation............................
     Aeschenplatz 6 CH-4002
     Basel, Switzerland

  FMR Corp. ...........................................             6,518,317(3)       13.38(3)
  82 Devonshire Street
  Boston, MA 02109

  Norwest Corporation..................................             5,132,224(4)       10.53
  Norwest Center Sixth and Marquette
  Minneapolis, MN 55479

  Northern Trust Corporation...........................             3,973,410(5)        8.15
  50 South LaSalle Street
  Chicago, IL 60675

  Vanguard/Windsor Fund, Inc...........................
  100 Vanguard Boulevard
  Malvern, PA 19355
     Wellington Management Co. ........................             2,901,300(6)        5.95 
     75 State Street
     Boston, MA 02109                                                                                               
  
Series E ESOP Preferred Stock
  Bankmont Financial Corp. ............................             3,118,601(1)         100

10.23% Subordinated Voting Note
  NS Finance III, Inc. ................................          $185,000,000(7)         100
  c/o Nippon Steel U.S.A., Inc.
  10 East 50th Street, 29th Floor
  New York, NY 10022
</TABLE>
 
- ---------------
(1) Bankmont Financial Corp. (which is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Bank of
    Montreal), filing on behalf of itself and its subsidiaries (including Harris
    Bankcorp, Inc., Harris Trust and Savings Bank, and Harris Investment
    Management, Inc.), reported aggregate sole voting power as to 3,733,727
    shares of common stock and sole dispositive power as to 3,730,727 shares of
    common stock (including both 3,048,793 shares issuable upon conversion of
    the Series E ESOP Preferred Stock and 684,934 shares of common stock held by
    Harris Trust and Savings Bank as Trustee of the employee stock ownership
    plan contained within the Inland Steel Industries Thrift Plan) and shared
    dispositive power as to 900 shares of common stock, expressly denying
    beneficial ownership of all shares held in the Thrift Plan. As of December
    31,
 
                                       11
<PAGE>   15
 
    1995, the outstanding shares of Series E ESOP Preferred Stock represented
    approximately 6.68% of the voting power of the Company's outstanding voting
    securities.
 
(2) Brinson Partners, Inc. filed on behalf of itself and its subsidiary Brinson
    Trust Company, its parent Brinson Holdings, Inc., the latter's parent SBC
    Holding (USA), Inc. and Swiss Bank Corporation, the parent of SBC Holding
    (USA), Inc. Brinson Partners, Inc. reported that Swiss Bank Corporation had
    shared voting and dispositive power as to 3,457,918 shares and that Brinson
    Partners, Inc. had shared voting and dispositive power as to 3,449,500
    shares.
 
(3) FMR Corp., on behalf of itself, Edward C. Johnson 3rd, Abigail P. Johnson,
    Fidelity Management & Research Company, and the Fidelity Magellan Fund
    reported aggregate sole voting power as to 11,530 shares of common stock and
    sole dispositive power as to 6,518,317 shares as of January 31, 1996.
 
(4) Norwest Corporation on behalf of itself and Norwest Colorado, Inc., Norwest
    Bank Colorado, National Association, and certain other subsidiaries,
    reported aggregate sole voting power as to 4,319,467 shares of common stock,
    shared voting power as to 4,760 shares, sole dispositive power as to
    5,127,049 shares, and shared dispositive power as to 2,415 shares.
 
(5) Northern Trust Corporation, reporting on behalf of itself and its subsidiary
    The Northern Trust Company, reported sole voting power as to 3,973,310
    shares of common stock and sole dispositive power as to 3,972,110 shares of
    common stock. The Northern Trust Company held 3,909,185 of such shares as of
    April 2, 1996, as Trustee of the Inland Steel Industries Pension Trust.
 
(6) Vanguard/Windsor Fund, Inc. reported sole voting power and shared
    dispositive power as to 2,901,300 shares. Wellington Management Co., in its
    capacity as investment adviser to its clients, including Vanguard/Windsor
    Fund, also reported beneficial ownership of these shares with shared
    dispositive power as to 2,901,300 shares.
 
(7) NS Finance III, Inc., is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Nippon Steel
    Corporation ("NSC"). NS Finance III, Inc. has agreed that it will be deemed
    to be present for quorum purposes at all stockholder meetings. As of
    December 31, 1995, the outstanding principal amount of the Company's 10.23%
    Subordinated Voting Note represented approximately 9.69% of the voting power
    of the Company's outstanding voting securities. In addition, as of December
    31, 1995, NS Finance III, Inc. owned 352,400 shares, or approximately 0.72%
    of the outstanding shares, of common stock of the Company. See "Certain
    Relationships and Related Transactions" below.
 
     Certain persons were also known to the Company to be the beneficial owners
of more than 5% of the outstanding shares of Series A $2.40 Cumulative
Convertible Preferred Stock. Such persons vote together with the holders of the
common stock, the Series E ESOP Preferred Stock, and the 10.23% Subordinated
Voting Note as a single class on each matter being submitted to holders of the
Company's voting securities, and none of the owners of the Series A Preferred
Stock owns shares of Series A Preferred Stock having more than 1% of the
combined voting power of the Company's outstanding voting securities.
 
                                       12
<PAGE>   16
 
     On May 1, 1995, the Company contributed 3,946,385 shares of common stock of
the Company, with a fair market value of approximately $100 million, to the
Inland Steel Industries Pension Trust, of which The Northern Trust Company is
trustee. If such contribution were not made, the Pension Plan expected to have a
funding requirement related to 1995 of approximately $25 million under the
pension reform legislation contained in the General Agreement on Tariffs and
Trade enacted in late 1994. The contribution of common stock to the Pension
Trust was intended to satisfy the funding requirement and to provide for future
funding.
 
     On August 1, 1995, the Company issued $185 million aggregate principal
amount of a 10.23% Subordinated Voting Note of the Company in exchange for all
outstanding shares of Series F Exchangeable Preferred Stock, which had been sold
to a subsidiary of Nippon Steel Corporation in 1989. Such sale transaction is
described below under "Certain Relationships and Related Transactions." The
Series F Exchangeable Preferred Stock had been required to be redeemed by the
Company in stages in December 1996 and December 1999 at a total cost of
$185,000,000. The 10.23% Subordinated Voting Note must be redeemed in two stages
on the same dates and cannot be prepaid.
 
                 CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
 
     During 1995 subsidiaries of the Company maintained credit facilities with
banking groups that include both Harris Trust and Savings Bank and The Northern
Trust Company, each of which is a beneficial owner of more than 5% of certain
classes of the Company's securities, primarily in their capacities as trustees
of certain employee benefit plan assets, as described above. There were
borrowings under one such facility for five days in 1995, peaking at $5,000,000.
In 1995, subsidiaries of the Company incurred approximately $176,500 in fees and
interest payable to Harris Trust and Savings Bank and approximately $182,400 in
fees and interest payable to The Northern Trust Company in connection with such
facilities and other cash management services.
 
     Brinson Partners, Inc., which also is a beneficial owner of more than 5% of
certain classes of the Company's securities, as described above, has provided
investment management services to the Company's pension plan trust. The pension
trust incurred approximately $433,000 in fees for such investment management
services in 1995.
 
     During 1989, the Company and NSC, through its indirect wholly owned
subsidiary NS Finance, Inc., each purchased in the open market approximately
$15,000,000 of the other company's common stock. The Company purchased 2,500,000
shares of NSC common stock, representing 0.04% of the then outstanding shares of
NSC. NS Finance, Inc. later transferred ownership of its Company common stock to
NS Finance III, Inc., also an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of NSC. On
December 18, 1989, the Company sold 185,000 shares of its Series F Exchangeable
Preferred Stock to NS Finance III, Inc., for $1,000 per share. NSC, on behalf of
itself and its affiliates, had agreed not to acquire additional shares of the
Company's stock prior to the redemption of the Series F Exchangeable Preferred
Stock or
 
                                       13
<PAGE>   17
 
to transfer such Preferred Stock without the Company's approval. Such Preferred
Stock was exchangeable at the Company's option, with the consent of NS Finance
III, Inc., for $185,000,000 principal amount of a 10.23% Subordinated Voting
Note and on August 1, 1995 the Company exchanged its 10.23% Subordinated Voting
Note for such preferred stock. The Company paid NSC approximately $13,150,000 in
dividends on such Preferred Stock and $4,730,000 in interest on the Subordinated
Voting Note in 1995. So long as NS Finance III, Inc. and certain transferees
beneficially own at least $100,000,000 aggregate principal amount of such
Subordinated Voting Notes, the Company has agreed to nominate a mutually
agreeable individual as NSC's designee for election to the Board of Directors.
No such individual is being nominated by the Company at this time. In connection
with such sale, the Company agreed to repurchase $185,000,000 of its common
stock. At year-end 1995, a total of approximately $150,500,000 had been spent to
buy back approximately 4,800,000 shares of common stock. The Company suspended
open-market stock purchases in December 1990. Until the repurchase is completed,
the Company has agreed to maintain cash, certain securities, a surety bond or
letter of credit, or some combination thereof, currently equal to $15,500,000,
in order to meet its remaining repurchase obligation.
 
     The Company and NSC or their respective affiliates previously had entered
into a number of agreements related primarily to certain joint ventures and
certain technical projects concerning the Company's steel manufacturing
operations, and additional transactions have been and may be entered into in the
future upon terms to be determined through negotiation between the parties. The
following is a summary of arrangements and transactions between the Company and
NSC or their affiliates in effect since at least the beginning of 1995 or
presently proposed.
 
JOINT VENTURES
 
     In July 1987, the Company and NSC entered into a joint venture for a
cold-rolling facility to be constructed near New Carlisle, Indiana. I/N Tek, the
general partnership formed for this joint venture, is 60% owned by a wholly
owned subsidiary of Inland Steel Company ("ISC") and 40% owned by an indirect
wholly owned subsidiary of NSC. The facility was completed in April 1990 at a
cost of approximately $525,000,000. Funds for the project were provided by
capital contributions by the two partners ($111,600,000 by ISC's subsidiary and
$74,400,000 by NSC's subsidiary) and by third-party financing. The partners made
subordinated loans to the partnership for capital projects in the aggregate
amount of approximately $7,390,000 (in proportion to their respective
partnership interests) in 1995. The partnership made payments to the partners in
1995 in proportion to their partnership interests of approximately $2,870,000 in
connection with subordinated loans the partners had previously made to the
partnership. Further subordinated loans of approximately $4,580,000 are expected
to be made by the partners in 1996 for capital projects. I/N Tek made equity
distributions in 1995 totaling approximately $34,618,000 to the partners in
proportion to their partnership interests. ISC generally has exclusive rights to
the production capacity of the facility and an obligation to use the facility
for its
 
                                       14
<PAGE>   18
 
production of cold-rolled steel through a tolling arrangement with I/N Tek. I/N
Tek charged ISC approximately $147,500,000 in tolling fees during 1995. NSC has
the right to purchase up to 400,000 tons of cold-rolled steel from ISC in each
year at market-based negotiated prices, including steel processed by I/N Tek.
During 1995, NSC, through NS Sales, Inc., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of
NSC, made purchases from ISC of cold-rolled steel, including I/N Tek products,
totalling approximately $132,800,000. The joint venture will terminate on
December 31, 2009, unless otherwise terminated or extended pursuant to the
provisions of the joint venture agreement. I/N Tek and its partners have entered
into various technology, management, administrative services and commercial
agreements with respect to the project, which agreements will terminate upon
termination of the joint venture. Pursuant to such agreements, I/N Tek paid to
NSC approximately $609,000 in 1995 and expects to pay to NSC approximately
$500,000 annually for certain personnel support services through the term of the
partnership. I/N Tek also paid ISC approximately $1,236,000 in 1995 for various
administrative and personnel support services and $3,580,000 for certain
production supplies. In addition to the transactions described above, during
1995 I/N Tek made purchases from Company subsidiaries of approximately
$3,335,000.
 
     In September 1989, the Company and NSC entered into a joint venture for a
400,000-ton electrogalvanizing line and 500,000-ton hot-dip galvanizing line
adjacent to the I/N Tek venture. I/N Kote, the general partnership formed for
this joint venture, is 50% owned by subsidiaries of each of ISC and NSC. The
electrogalvanizing line began start-up operations in September 1991 and the
hot-dip galvanizing line began start-up operations in November 1991. The project
cost approximately $554,000,000. Permanent financing for the project, as well as
for capitalized interest and a portion of the working capital, was provided by
third-party long-term financing, by capital contributions by the two partners of
$60,000,000 each and by subordinated partner loans of $30,000,000 each. The
partners made subordinated loans to the partnership for capital projects in the
aggregate amount of approximately $1,770,000 (in proportion to their respective
partnership interests) in 1995. Further subordinated loans of approximately
$1,292,000 are expected to be made by the partners (in proportion to their
respective partnership interests) in 1996 for capital projects. Equity
distributions of $26,200,000 were made in 1995 to the partners in proportion to
their partnership interests. ISC and NSC have each guaranteed the share of
project indebtedness attributable to their respective subsidiaries. I/N Kote had
approximately $452,000,000 outstanding under its long-term financing agreement
at December 31, 1995. The joint venture will terminate on December 31, 2007,
unless otherwise terminated or extended pursuant to provisions of the joint
venture agreement. I/N Kote is required to buy all of its cold-rolled steel from
ISC, which is required to furnish such cold-rolled steel at a price that results
in an annual return on equity to the partners of I/N Kote, depending upon
operating levels, of up to 10% after operating and financing costs; this price
is subject to upward price adjustments if I/N Kote's operating rate falls below
a certain level or if ISC's return on sales is less than I/N Kote's return on
sales, and downward price adjustments, to the extent of previously recorded
upward return-on-sales adjustments, if
 
                                       15
<PAGE>   19
 
I/N Kote's return on sales is less than ISC's. Prices of cold-rolled steel sold
by ISC to I/N Kote are determined pursuant to the terms of the joint venture
agreement and are based, in part, on operating costs of I/N Kote. In 1995, the
prices at which ISC sold cold-rolled sheet steel to I/N Kote exceeded production
costs, but were less than the market prices for cold-rolled steel products.
During 1995, an adjustment payment of $10,670,000 was made by ISC to the
partnership based on the relative levels of return on sales of I/N Kote and ISC
during 1994. Further payments by ISC of approximately $1,300,000 with respect to
1995 production and $881,000 with respect to 1996 production are anticipated to
be made to the partnership during 1996. ISC acts as sales agent for I/N Kote's
products in North America, and NSC has agreed to certain limitations on its
shipment of similar products into the U.S. and Canada. ISC incurred costs of
approximately $35,473,000 to I/N Kote for certain tolling services and scrap
purchases in 1995. I/N Kote and its partners also have entered into various
technology, management, administrative services and other agreements with
respect to the project. All of these agreements will terminate upon termination
of the joint venture. I/N Kote paid ISC approximately $303,700,000 for cold-
rolled sheet steel during 1995. I/N Kote paid approximately $1,290,000 to NSC in
1995 for engineering services and technology transfers. I/N Kote anticipates
paying NSC approximately $1,200,000 annually for such services through the term
of the partnership. I/N Kote made payments of approximately $6,650,000 to ISC in
1995 in connection with various administrative, engineering and sales services
provided to I/N Kote by ISC. In addition to the transactions described above,
Company subsidiaries made purchases of approximately $3,200,000 from I/N Kote in
1995 and during the year I/N Kote made purchases from Company subsidiaries of
approximately $239,000. I/N Kote paid I/N Tek approximately $9,200,000 in 1995
for shared utilities, maintenance material and services.
 
     In the event of certain changes in control of either the Company or NSC, or
if the Company makes or permits certain dispositions of specified portions of
ISC's business or interests in ISC, the other party has the right to purchase
the first party's interests in these ventures or to require the first party to
buy its interests, in each case at fair market value.
 
OTHER AGREEMENTS
 
     Commencing in 1981, the Company and NSC have entered into various
agreements pursuant to which NSC has provided technical services and licenses
with respect to specific Company research and engineering projects. Pursuant to
certain of such agreements, ISC paid approximately $2,390,000 for technical
services and engineering services provided to ISC by NSC in 1995 and for related
administrative costs, and anticipates paying at least $1,000,000 in 1996 for
such NSC services (and related costs) to be provided under such agreements. ISC
also purchased approximately $68,000,000 of steel slabs from NSC in 1995 and
anticipates additional purchases of steel slabs in 1996 at prices which
approximate market prices.
 
                                       16
<PAGE>   20
 
                             EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
 
SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE
 
     The following table presents the compensation for fiscal 1993, 1994 and
1995 paid by the Company or its subsidiaries to the chief executive officer and
the four other most highly compensated executive officers of the Company.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                 LONG-TERM
                                                                                COMPENSATION
                                                                                   AWARDS
                                                                          ------------------------
                                             ANNUAL COMPENSATION                        SECURITIES
                                      ---------------------------------   RESTRICTED    UNDERLYING
           NAME AND                                        OTHER ANNUAL      STOCK        STOCK        ALL OTHER
      PRINCIPAL POSITION       YEAR    SALARY     BONUS    COMPENSATION    AWARDS(3)    OPTIONS(#)   COMPENSATION(4)
- ------------------------------ ----   --------   --------  ------------   -----------   ----------   --------------
<S>                            <C>    <C>        <C>       <C>            <C>           <C>          <C>
Robert J. Darnall              1995   $690,961   $515,800    $       0     $ 169,500      30,000        $ 34,545
Chairman, President and        1994    602,389    363,000            0       185,250      30,000          30,122
Chief Executive Officer        1993    548,522          0            0       267,000      40,000          27,431

Maurice S. Nelson, Jr.(1)      1995    552,121    371,961(5)         0             0      20,000          27,601
Executive Vice President       1994    505,148    267,700            0       247,000      20,000          25,272
                               1993    448,589          0      210,519(6)    222,500      25,000         282,237

Earl L. Mason                  1995    389,037    289,900            0        84,750      14,000          19,445
Senior Vice President          1994    346,581    167,300            0        86,450      14,000          17,336
and Chief Financial Officer    1993    317,740          0            0       111,250      18,000          15,895

Neil S. Novich(2)              1995    387,113    400,400            0        84,750      14,000          19,351
Senior Vice President          1994    174,054    212,900(7)    94,034(8)    265,825      34,000           1,266

Judd R. Cool                   1995    322,385    225,877(5)         0             0      12,000          16,128
Vice President-                1994    297,213    144,600            0       148,200      12,000          14,866
Human Resources                1993    266,476          0      123,932(6)    111,250      18,000         178,053
</TABLE>
 
- ---------------
(1) Mr. Nelson retired from the Company effective April 1, 1996.
 
(2) Mr. Novich became an executive officer of the Company in June 1994, so
    compensation for 1993 is not shown and compensation for 1994 reflects the
    portion of that year during which he was employed by the Company.
 
(3) Awards consist of restricted common stock and are valued at the aggregate
    market value as of the date of grant, based on the closing market price of
    the Company's common stock on such date. Dividends are paid on such shares
    to the extent paid on the Company's common stock. The vesting schedule for
    the restricted stock awards made in 1994 and 1995 to the executives
    identified in the table provides that all shares will vest at the end of
    three-year periods beginning May 25, 1994 and May 24, 1995, respectively.
    However, vesting may be accelerated at the discretion of the Compensation
    Committee in the event of exceptional individual performance and (or)
    significant progress by the Company or the appropriate business unit in
    meeting its operating and financial objectives. The number and value of the
    aggregate restricted stock holdings at December 31, 1995, based on the
    closing market price of the Company's common stock on December 29, 1995,
    were: Mr. Darnall, 24,000 shares/$603,000; Mr. Nelson, 18,000
    shares/$452,250; Mr. Mason, 10,800 shares/$271,350; Mr. Novich, 10,800
    shares/$271,350; and Mr. Cool,
 
                                       17
<PAGE>   21
 
    9,800 shares/$246,225. All of Mr. Nelson's restricted shares vested
    effective April 1, 1996 in connection with his retirement.
 
(4) Amounts for 1995 represent the value of vested and unvested employer
    contributions and allocations to the Inland Steel Industries Thrift Plan and
    the Inland Steel Industries Non-Qualified Thrift Plan.
 
(5) Includes the dollar value of short term incentive performance award payouts.
    Payouts consist of common stock pursuant to awards that are subject to
    performance-based conditions on vesting, and are valued at the aggregate
    market value as of the date of payment, based on the closing market price of
    the Company's common stock on such date. An amount equal to any dividend
    that would be payable with respect to performance shares is converted into
    additional shares of common stock and credited to the participant's account
    based on the fair market value of the common stock on the dividend payment
    date and paid in a ratio equal to the proportion that the paid-out
    performance shares bear to the aggregate number of performance shares
    originally awarded.
 
(6) Includes primarily tax gross-up payments in connection with the purchase of
    annuities or with establishment of a letter of credit for funding
    non-qualified retirement benefits, as follows: Mr. Nelson, $200,595; Mr.
    Cool, $122,182.
 
(7) Includes bonus pursuant to employment agreement.
 
(8) Reimbursement of moving expenses including tax gross-up payments of $30,515.
 
INDIVIDUAL OPTION GRANTS IN 1995
 
     The following table presents information with respect to (a) individual
grants of options that were made during the last fiscal year to the named
executive officers and (b) the grant date present value of such options.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                             INDIVIDUAL GRANTS
                                   ---------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   NUMBER OF     PERCENT OF
                                   SECURITIES   TOTAL OPTIONS
                                   UNDERLYING    GRANTED TO
                                    OPTIONS     EMPLOYEES IN    EXERCISE   EXPIRATION      GRANT DATE
              NAME                 GRANTED(1)    FISCAL YEAR    PRICE(2)    DATE(1)     PRESENT VALUE(3)
- ---------------------------------  ----------   -------------   --------   ----------   ----------------
<S>                                <C>          <C>             <C>        <C>          <C>
Robert J. Darnall................    30,000          6.4%        $28.50     5/23/2005       $376,200
Maurice S. Nelson, Jr. ..........    20,000          4.3          28.50     3/31/2001        250,800
Earl L. Mason....................    14,000          3.0          28.50     5/23/2005        175,560
Neil S. Novich...................    14,000          3.0          28.50     5/23/2005        175,560
Judd R. Cool.....................    12,000          2.6          28.50     5/23/2005        150,480
</TABLE>
 
- ---------------
(1) All options are for common stock and were granted on May 24, 1995. They
    become exercisable with respect to 50% of the shares after May 24, 1996, and
    are fully exercisable after May 24, 1997. All options granted to Mr. Nelson
    in 1995 became exercisable on April 1, 1996, and expire March 31, 2001, due
    to his retirement. Options granted in 1995 to Messrs. Darnall, Novich and
    Nelson are transferable, with the
 
                                       18
<PAGE>   22
 
    advance written consent of the Compensation Committee of the Board of
    Directors, (a) to a spouse or descendants, (b) to a trust for the benefit of
    the optionee, his spouse or descendants, or (c) as a charitable
    contribution. See "Change in Control of the Company" for option provisions
    regarding any change in control of the Company.
 
(2) The exercise price is equal to the average of the high and low price of the
    Company's common stock on the New York Stock Exchange Composite Transactions
    on the date of grant. The exercise price may be paid by delivery of
    already-owned shares, and an optionee may elect to have the Company withhold
    shares of stock (or accept already-owned shares) to satisfy tax withholding
    obligations with respect to option exercises or payments.
 
(3) In accordance with Securities and Exchange Commission rules, the
    Black-Scholes option pricing model was chosen to estimate the grant date
    present value of the options granted during 1995. The Company's use of this
    model should not be construed as an endorsement of the model's accuracy at
    valuing options. The following assumptions were made for purposes of
    calculating the present value of the options as of the grant date: the
    option term is 10 years, the volatility of Company common stock is 35.215%
    (calculated using daily stock prices for the one-year period prior to the
    grant date), the ten-year risk-free interest rate is 6.63%, the annualized
    dividend rate is $0.20 per share, and a reduction of approximately 20.16%
    reflects the probability of (i) forfeiture due to termination prior to
    vesting, and (ii) a shortened option term due to termination of employment
    prior to the option expiration date. The value of the options granted in
    1995 depends upon the actual performance of the Company's common stock
    during the applicable period; the actual value, if any, that an optionee
    will realize upon exercise of an option will depend on the excess of the
    market value of the Company's stock over the exercise price on the date the
    option is exercised.
 
                                       19
<PAGE>   23
 
YEAR-END OPTION/SAR VALUES
 
     The following table presents the number of securities underlying the
option/SAR holdings of the named executive officers at the end of 1995 and the
value of such holdings. No options were exercised by them in 1995.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                               VALUE OF
                                                                              UNEXERCISED
                                                NUMBER OF SECURITIES         IN-THE-MONEY
                                               UNDERLYING UNEXERCISED       OPTIONS/SARS AT
                                               OPTIONS/SARS AT FISCAL     FISCAL YEAR-END(1)
                                               YEAR-END (EXERCISABLE/        (EXERCISABLE/
                    NAME                           UNEXERCISABLE)           UNEXERCISABLE)
- ---------------------------------------------  ----------------------     -------------------
<S>                                            <C>                        <C>
Robert J. Darnall............................      125,667/58,333             $101,250/$0
Maurice S. Nelson, Jr.(2)....................       29,167/38,333                    0/ 0
Earl L. Mason................................       49,000/27,000               56,250/ 0
Neil S. Novich...............................       17,000/31,000                    0/ 0
Judd R. Cool.................................       66,000/24,000               56,250/ 0
</TABLE>
 
- ---------------
(1) All such options are for common stock of the Company; value is based on the
    closing price of Company common stock on the New York Stock Exchange
    Composite Transactions on December 29, 1995.
 
(2) All options held by Mr. Nelson became exercisable on his retirement date of
    April 1, 1996.
 
PENSION BENEFITS; RETIREMENT AND TERMINATION AGREEMENTS
 
     The following table shows the maximum annual pension benefits payable on a
straight life annuity basis to employees in various earnings classifications
upon retirement at age 65. All benefit amounts shown in such table are subject
to offset based upon Social Security earnings.
 
                               PENSION PLAN TABLE
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
    AVERAGE ANNUAL
     EARNINGS FOR
    THE APPLICABLE                  ANNUAL PENSION BENEFITS FOR YEARS OF SERVICE SHOWN
   YEAR-OF-SERVICE      --------------------------------------------------------------------------
        PERIOD          5 YEARS    10 YEARS   15 YEARS   20 YEARS   25 YEARS   30 YEARS   35 YEARS
- ----------------------  --------   --------   --------   --------   --------   --------   --------
<S>                     <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>
$ 200,000.............  $ 17,000   $ 34,000   $ 51,000   $ 68,000   $ 85,000   $102,000   $119,000
   400,000............    34,000     68,000    102,000    136,000    170,000    204,000    238,000
   600,000............    51,000    102,000    153,000    204,000    255,000    306,000    357,000
   800,000............    68,000    136,000    204,000    272,000    340,000    408,000    476,000
 1,000,000............    85,000    170,000    255,000    340,000    425,000    510,000    595,000
 1,200,000............   102,000    204,000    306,000    408,000    510,000    612,000    714,000
 1,400,000............   119,000    238,000    357,000    476,000    595,000    714,000    833,000
 1,600,000............   136,000    272,000    408,000    544,000    680,000    816,000    952,000
</TABLE>
 
                                       20
<PAGE>   24
 
     As of April 2, 1996, the executive officers named in the Summary
Compensation Table were credited with the following years of service under the
plan: Mr. Darnall -- 33 years; Mr. Nelson, Jr. -- 4 years; Mr. Mason -- 4 years;
Mr. Novich -- 1 year; and Mr. Cool -- 8 years.
 
     Pensions are provided by the Company and certain of its subsidiaries and
affiliates under a non-contributory plan to eligible employees (including
employees who are directors or officers) who, at retirement, have met certain
service or service and age requirements. In general for salaried employees,
benefits are based on years of service and individual earnings for the highest
consecutive 36-month period of earnings during the last ten 12-month periods of
service prior to retirement. For this purpose, earnings generally consist of
salary compensation plus bonus compensation.
 
     Certain pension benefits in excess of limitations imposed by the Internal
Revenue Code will be paid by the Company pursuant to unfunded non-contributory
supplemental retirement plans. For any officer or employee with at least five
years of service (including in the case of Maurice S. Nelson, Jr., service with
his prior employer), annual compensation in excess of $150,000, and age 55 or
older, these plans permit the Company to satisfy its obligations for benefits
payable upon retirement at age 65 by (a) purchase of annuities either prior to
or at the time of retirement (and a tax gross-up payment to the officer or
employee at the time of purchase), or (b) the payment of a lump-sum amount at
the time of retirement. The Company did not establish any such annuities or
individual letters of credit for named executive officers in 1995.
 
     All accrued benefits under the pension plan vest, and all benefits accrued
under the supplemental retirement plans will become fully and irrevocably vested
and distributable to participants as provided by the terms of such plans then in
effect, in the event of a change in control of the Company. Any surplus assets
under the plan are to be used to provide additional benefits in the event of a
termination, merger or consolidation of the plan, or a transfer of assets to
another plan, within three years of such a change in control, and limitations
have been placed on amendments to the plan within such three-year period.
 
     The Company has entered into an Agreement with Mr. Nelson regarding his
retirement effective April 1, 1996. Under the Agreement, the Company has made
payments to Mr. Nelson in lieu of severance and certain other benefits totalling
approximately $1,723,000 and has agreed to continue for two years certain life
insurance, dental and health care, and financial counseling services currently
being provided. The Company also has purchased at fair market value from Mr.
Nelson all restricted shares outstanding in his name on April 1, 1996 for a
purchase price of $447,750 and has agreed to purchase at fair market value all
performance shares that may be paid to Mr. Nelson in connection with the
performance period ended March 31, 1996. The Company paid lump sum pension
replacement benefits of approximately $2,078,000 as if Mr. Nelson's retirement
date were April 1, 1998 and in accordance with a pre-existing Agreement with Mr.
Nelson, which Agreement provides that he will receive supplemental pension
benefits equal to the excess, if any, of the amounts he would receive under the
Company's pension plans if he were credited under
 
                                       21
<PAGE>   25
 
those plans with his 21 years of service and his earnings with his prior
employer over the sum of his actual benefits under the Company's pension plans
plus those received by him under his prior employer's pension plans.
 
     The Company has an Agreement with Mr. Cool under which he will receive the
excess, if any, of the amounts he would receive under the Company's pension
plans if he were credited under those plans with his years of service and his
earnings with his prior employer over the sum of actual payments he would
receive from the Company's pension plans plus those received by him under his
prior employer's pension plans. In the event of his death before age 62, Mr.
Cool's spouse will be entitled to receive such supplemental pension payments as
if he had continued to be employed until age 62; further, his spouse will be
deemed to be immediately eligible to receive a surviving spouse benefit in the
event of his death before or after retirement. Mr. Cool is entitled to a salary
continuation benefit if he retires at age 60 or earlier, 61 or 62 respectively
equal to 360%, 380% or 400% of his annual base salary at retirement, paid in 240
equal monthly installments commencing at age 60 or his later applicable date of
retirement, or to his spouse in the event of his death. The Agreement also
provides that Mr. Cool (or his spouse, if applicable), if not eligible on
retirement to participate in the Company's retiree health care program, will be
entitled to equivalent health care coverage upon the same terms, limits,
coverages and costs generally required of retirees eligible for such coverage,
plus a tax gross up payment to the extent of the value of health care coverage
includible in gross income. The Agreement also provides Mr. Cool with life
insurance having a death benefit of 300% of his then annual base salary
determined as of January 1 of each year during his employment and, on his
retirement, of 60% of the death benefit in force at his retirement.
 
     The Company has entered into an Employment Agreement with Mr. Novich
providing that, in the event of termination of his employment for any reason
other than malfeasance prior to the third anniversary of his employment, the
Company will pay the present value of (a) his monthly base salary in effect at
the time of such termination times the number of months remaining in the
36-month period, plus (b) 1/12th of the average annual award paid to him under
the Company's Annual Incentive Plan times the number of months remaining in the
36-month period. In addition, all of his restricted stock will become fully
vested, all options will become fully exercisable, and the Company will continue
life insurance, disability insurance, and dental and health care coverage
consistent with such coverages for active employees until such third anniversary
date.
 
CHANGE IN CONTROL OF THE COMPANY
 
     Upon the occurrence of an event constituting a change in control of the
Company, with certain exceptions, (i) the value of all outstanding stock
options, stock appreciation rights and restricted stock awards (whether or not
then fully exercisable or vested) will be cashed out at specified prices as of
the date of the change in control, except that (a) any stock options or stock
appreciation rights outstanding for less than six months are not
 
                                       22
<PAGE>   26
 
cashed out until six months after the applicable date of grant and (b) the
Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors may provide for immediate
vesting instead of cashing out of restricted stock awards; and (ii) all
outstanding performance awards will be cashed out in the amounts and manner
determined by the Compensation Committee.
 
     The Company has entered into agreements with each of the named executive
officers, the present terms of which expire on December 31, 1996 (except Mr.
Nelson, whose agreement terminated concurrent with his retirement), but are
automatically extended for additional one-year periods thereafter unless the
Company gives notice prior to June 30 that it does not wish to extend such
agreements for another year. The Company has not given such notice. These
agreements provide that if such executive's employment is terminated within two
years after a change in control of the Company either (i) by the Company other
than for "cause" or other than as a consequence of death, disability or
retirement (all as defined in such agreements) or (ii) by such executive for
reasons relating to a diminution of responsibilities, compensation or benefits
or a substantial relocation of the executive's principal place of business, he
will receive: (a) a lump-sum payment equal to two times the sum of (1) his
current annual base salary plus (2) the average annual incentive bonus paid in
the five years preceding termination of employment (computed by dividing the
aggregate amount of all such incentive bonuses by the number of years in which
such bonuses were paid); (b) an amount in cash in lieu of any allocations,
unpaid awards or rights under the Company's annual or other incentive
compensation plans; (c) an amount in cash equal to the value of outstanding
stock options granted under the Company's stock option plans; (d) an amount in
cash equal to the value of shares of common stock awarded or issuable as
performance and/or restricted shares under the Company's incentive stock plans;
(e) life, disability, accident and health insurance as provided in the Company's
insurance programs for a period of 24 months after termination of employment;
and (f) an amount in cash in lieu of two years of additional accrued benefits
under the Company pension plan. Mr. Novich's agreement provides, in addition,
that the agreement will not limit or reduce any benefits that he may be entitled
to receive pursuant to his Employment Agreement (discussed above). The severance
agreements contain an excise tax "gross-up" provision pursuant to which the
executive will be paid an additional amount upon the imposition of any excise
tax. While this provision will preserve the benefits receivable under the
severance agreements for the executives, the Company will not be entitled to a
federal income tax deduction for a portion of the severance payment.
 
     A "change in control of the Company" shall generally be deemed to occur if
(i) any person becomes the owner of 40% or more of the combined voting power of
the Company's voting securities (30% or more in the case of the Inland 1988
Incentive Stock Plan); (ii) during any two-year period the majority of the
membership of the Company's Board changes without the approval of two-thirds of
the directors who either were directors at the beginning of the period or whose
election was previously so approved; (iii) the Company's holders of voting
securities approve a merger or consolidation with another company in which the
Company's voting securities, in combination with voting securities
 
                                       23
<PAGE>   27
 
of any trustee or fiduciary under any Company employee benefit plan, do not
continue to represent at least 60% of the combined voting power of the voting
securities of the surviving entity (excepting certain recapitalizations of the
Company); (iv) the Company's holders of voting securities approve a liquidation,
sale or disposition of all or substantially all of the Company's assets; or (v)
there occurs with respect to a "Related Company" (A) a sale or disposition of
securities representing 50% or more of the combined voting power of the Related
Company's securities, (B) a merger or consolidation of a Related Company with a
person in which a majority-owned direct or indirect subsidiary of the Company
does not own at least 50% or more the combined voting power of the surviving
entity; or (C) the sale or disposition of all or substantially all of the assets
of a Related Company to a person other than a majority-owned subsidiary of the
Company. No change in control of the Company is deemed to occur if the
transaction includes or involves a sale to the public or a distribution to
Company holders of voting securities of more than 50% of the voting securities
of the employee's employer or a parent of that employer, and such employer or
parent agrees to become a successor to the Company under the employee's
severance agreement. A "Related Company" is an employee's employer, a direct or
indirect parent of the employer, or a subsidiary of the employer that is also a
significant subsidiary of the Company within the meaning of Rule 405 of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
 
     The agreements also provide benefits in the event the employee is
terminated by the Company for a reason other than cause within twelve months
after the occurrence of a "potential change in control" of the Company if a
change in control occurs within six months after his termination. A "potential
change in control" shall be deemed to have occurred for purposes of the
agreements if (A) the Company enters into an agreement, the consummation of
which would result in the occurrence of a change in control, (B) any person
(including the Company) publicly announces an intention to take or to consider
taking actions which, if consummated, would constitute a change in control, (C)
any person becomes the owner of securities of the Company representing 9.5% or
more of the combined voting power of the Company's then outstanding securities,
or increases his beneficial ownership of such securities by 5% or more over the
percentage so owned on the date of the agreement, or (D) the Board of Directors
of the Company adopts a resolution that a potential change in control of the
Company has occurred for purposes of the agreements.
 
              REPORT OF THE COMPENSATION COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD OF
                   DIRECTORS REGARDING EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
 
     The Company's executive compensation programs are designed to attract and
retain outstanding individuals as officers and key employees and to reward such
individuals based on their personal performance and contributions and on the
financial performance of the Company and its business units. Such programs
consist of three elements -- base salary compensation, short-term incentive
compensation, and long-term incentive compensation -- and are administered by
the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors. The
 
                                       24
<PAGE>   28
 
Compensation Committee consists of four directors, none of whom is or has been
an employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries. The Committee currently
employs and periodically meets with outside compensation consultants for
assistance regarding the Company's executive compensation programs.
 
     Total compensation opportunities are intended to be competitive with those
offered by manufacturing companies of comparable size, with particular attention
paid to the compensation practices of steel manufacturing companies, including
those in the S&P Steel Index (see "Comparison of Five-Year Cumulative Total
Return" below), and other metals companies. In recent years, as a result of
economic difficulties in the steel industry in general and for the Company
specifically, the Compensation Committee has been concerned about the retention
of talented executive and management personnel. The Committee has addressed this
concern by paying particular attention to base salary compensation and by the
limited but important use of restricted stock.
 
     Base salary compensation of executive officers is reviewed annually by the
Compensation Committee, and recommendations of the Committee in that regard are
acted upon by the Board of Directors. Base salaries are targeted at the 50th
percentile of comparable positions in the comparison group of companies
described in the immediately preceding paragraph. Such base compensation
generally represents approximately one-half of the total target compensation
opportunity for executive officers of the Company. The other one-half of such
target compensation, consisting of short-term and long-term incentive
compensation in accordance with the factors described below, is variable and
fluctuates significantly from year to year as a result of the highly cyclical
condition of the steel industry. Mr. Darnall's base salary was increased to
$685,000 in February 1995 in recognition of his leading the Company to
significantly improved financial performance, his launching the globalization of
the Company to serve key customers worldwide, and his unwavering commitment to
"best in class" performance throughout the Company.
 
     Short-term incentive compensation is payable to officers and other key
employees under the Inland Steel Industries, Inc. Annual Incentive Plan. This
Plan, which is administered by the Compensation Committee, provides for cash
awards based on a specified percentage of a participant's salary earnings and
the extent to which corporate and (or) business unit performance standards are
achieved for the year. In 1995, all major corporate units of the Company
achieved the target levels of return on operating assets established for such
units. The award payments to Messrs. Darnall, Mason and Cool were computed based
upon the 1995 return on operating assets achieved by the corporate units of the
Company, weighted with respect to the relative asset value of each such unit.
Mr. Nelson's award payment was computed based upon the 1995 return on operating
assets achieved by Inland Steel Company, of which he was president and chief
executive officer. As the President and Chief Operating Officer of Inland
Materials Distribution Group, Inc., the award payment to Mr. Novich was computed
based upon the 1995 return on operating
 
                                       25
<PAGE>   29
 
assets achieved by the Materials Distribution corporate units, weighted with
respect to the relative asset value of each such unit.
 
     Long-term incentive compensation grants and awards may be made by the
Compensation Committee under the Inland 1995 Incentive Stock Plan. These grants
and awards consist of stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock
awards, and performance awards, or combinations thereof. Stock options and stock
appreciation rights may be granted at not less than 100% of the fair market
value of the Company's common stock on the date of grant and are generally
exercisable for a period not exceeding ten years. Restricted stock awards,
consisting of shares of common stock, are contingent on continuing employment
with the Company for specified periods, and performance awards, payable in
shares of common stock or cash, are contingent on the achievement over specified
periods of such performance objectives as shall be established by the
Compensation Committee. Restricted stock awards may also be contingent upon the
achievement of performance measures. Grants and awards made by the Compensation
Committee under the Plan are intended to provide executive officers not only
with additional incentives for outstanding individual performance but also with
an opportunity to acquire an ownership stake in the Company and thereby more
closely align their interests with those of the stockholders.
 
     Options to purchase a total of 90,000 shares of common stock and restricted
stock awards totaling 12,000 shares of common stock were granted to named
executive officers by the Compensation Committee in 1995, including options to
purchase 30,000 shares and a restricted stock award of 6,000 shares to Mr.
Darnall. The Compensation Committee considered the amount and terms of prior
awards of options when deciding on option awards for 1995. Such grants of
options and restricted stock, including those made to Mr. Darnall, were targeted
at the 50th percentile of comparable positions based on a compensation analysis
for officer positions of the Company, a comparative company survey of
compensation practices at 26 industrial companies (including two companies in
the S&P Steel Index) with median sales revenues of $2.7 billion and a summary of
executive compensation issues prepared by the Company's outside executive
compensation consultants. Grants to named executive officers in 1995 were
approximately 88% stock options and 12% restricted stock awards. These grants
were intended to provide incentives to improve stockholder value, to encourage
executive retention in a highly cyclical industry and to remain competitive in
executive recruitment. The restrictions on the restricted stock awards will
lapse, and the shares vest, at the end of the three-year period beginning May
24, 1995. However, vesting may be accelerated at the discretion of the
Compensation Committee in the event of exceptional individual performance and
(or) significant progress by the Company or the respective business unit in
meeting its operating and financial objectives. No performance awards were
granted to named executive officers in 1995. Performance award payouts were made
to two named executive officers in August 1995 based on success in achieving,
during the period ended June 30, 1995, safety and cost control performance
criteria.
 
                                       26
<PAGE>   30
 
     The Compensation Committee established in 1994 a Stock Ownership Guidelines
Program for approximately 260 executive officers and key employees. The Program
is designed to align the interest of the Company's executive officers and key
employees with those of Company stockholders to create value for stockholders.
The Program establishes stock ownership goals to be met by such officers and key
employees by December 31, 1998. Stock ownership goals are satisfied by Company
stock held by executives and their families, Company stock held in the Inland
Steel Industries Thrift Plan, and stock options, based on the difference between
the market price and the exercise price.
 
     Mr. Darnall meets frequently with the Compensation Committee and with the
non-management directors. These meetings include an annual review, by all of the
outside directors, of his financial, operating, and organization goals for the
Company for the year and an evaluation of his performance as it relates to the
Company's achievement of the previous year's goals. The results of that
evaluation are an important element in compensation decisions made by the
Committee and the Board of Directors, both with respect to Mr. Darnall and with
respect to the other executive officers of the Company.
 
                            James W. Cozad, Chairman             Joshua I. Smith
                            Donald S. Perkins                    Arnold R. Weber
 
                                       27
<PAGE>   31
 
                COMPARISON OF FIVE-YEAR CUMULATIVE TOTAL RETURN
 
     The following chart compares the Company's cumulative total stockholder
return on its common stock for the five-year period ended December 31, 1995,
with the cumulative total return of the Standard & Poor's 500 Composite Stock
Price Index (the "S&P 500 Index") and the Standard & Poor's Steel Index (the
"S&P Steel Index"), both of which indices include the Company. This comparison
assumes the investment of $100 on December 31, 1990 and the reinvestment of
dividends. In addition to the Company, the S&P Steel Index includes Armco, Inc.,
Bethlehem Steel Corporation, Nucor Corp., the U.S. Steel Group of USX
Corporation, and Worthington Industries, Inc.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
      Measurement Period
    (Fiscal Year Covered)           INLAND          S&P 500        S&P STEEL
<S>                              <C>             <C>             <C>
1990                                       100             100             100
1991                                        88          130.29          122.82
1992                                     92.07          140.03          160.65
1993                                     134.8           153.8          211.25
1994                                    142.94          155.48          205.44
1995                                    102.84          213.11          190.38
</TABLE>
 
                                       28
<PAGE>   32
 
                              ELECTION OF AUDITORS
 
     Proxies not limited to the contrary will be voted for the election of Price
Waterhouse LLP to audit the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries for the
year 1996. Any proxy indicating a contrary choice will be voted in accordance
with that choice. Price Waterhouse LLP has audited the accounts of the Company
since January 1, 1918.
 
     Representatives of Price Waterhouse LLP will be present at the Annual
Meeting and will be given the opportunity to make a statement if they desire to
do so. They will also be available to respond to appropriate questions.
 
     THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR APPROVAL OF THE
ELECTION OF PRICE WATERHOUSE LLP AS AUDITORS.
 
                   PROPOSALS OF HOLDERS OF VOTING SECURITIES
 
     Proposals of holders of voting securities must be received in writing by
the Secretary of the Company no later than December 16, 1996 and must comply
with the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission in order to be
considered for inclusion in the Company's proxy statement and form of proxy
relating to the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held in 1997. Proposals not
included in a proxy statement for an annual meeting must comply with an advance
notice procedure set forth in the By-laws of the Company in order to be properly
brought before that annual meeting of stockholders.
 
                                 OTHER MATTERS
 
     The Board of Directors does not know of any matters to be presented at the
Annual Meeting other than those set forth in the Notice of the Annual Meeting.
However, if any other matters do come before the meeting, it is intended that
the holders of the proxies will vote thereon in their discretion.
 
                                           By order of the Board of Directors,
 
                                           CHARLES B. SALOWITZ, Secretary
 
April 15, 1996
Chicago, Illinois
 
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Each holder of voting securities, whether or not he or she expects to be present
in person at the Annual Meeting, is requested to SIGN, DATE AND RETURN THE
ENCLOSED PROXY in the accompanying envelope as promptly as possible. A holder of
voting securities may revoke his or her proxy at any time prior to voting.
 
                                       29
<PAGE>   33
 
                                                               NOTICE OF
                                                          ANNUAL MEETING
                                                         OF STOCKHOLDERS
                                                     AND PROXY STATEMENT
               ---------------------------------------------------------
 
                                           INLAND STEEL INDUSTRIES, INC.
                                                                    1996
<PAGE>   34
                        INLAND STEEL INDUSTRIES, INC.
             PROXY SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The undersigned hereby appoints Robert J. Darnall, George A. Ranney, Jr., and
Charles B. Salowitz, and each of them, as attorneys and proxies (with full
power of substitution in each) to vote all common stock of the Company  that
the undersigned is entitled to vote (including any common stock credited to the
account of the undersigned under the Company's Shareholder Investment Service)
and all Series A $2.40 Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock that the
undersigned is entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the
Company to be held May 22, 1996 and at any adjournment thereof. UNLESS  
OTHERWISE SPECIFIED, THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED FOR THE ELECTION OF DIRECTORS,    
FOR THE ELECTION OF PRICE WATERHOUSE LLP AS AUDITORS, AND AT THE DISCRETION OF
THE PROXIES ON ANY AND ALL OTHER MATTERS THAT MAY PROPERLY COME BEFORE SUCH
ANNUAL MEETING OR ANY ADJOURNMENT THEREOF. 

                       (PLEASE COMPLETE ON OTHER SIDE)
<PAGE>   35
                         INLAND STEEL INDUSTRIES, INC.
  PLEASE MARK VOTE IN OVAL IN THE FOLLOWING MANNER USING DARK INK ONLY. [X]

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR ITEMS 1 AND 2.

1. ELECTION OF DIRECTORS.
   A. Robert Abboud, James W. Cozad, Robert J. Darnall, James A. Henderson,
   Robert B. McKersie, Donald S. Perkins, Jean-Pierre Rosso, Joshua I.
   Smith, Nancy H. Teeters and Arnold R. Weber.

                             For All
   For        Withheld       Except                    ________________________
   [ ]          [ ]           [ ]                      Nominee Exception


2. THE ELECTION OF PRICE WATERHOUSE LLP AS AUDITORS FOR THE YEAR 1996.

   For       Against         Abstain
   [ ]         [ ]             [ ]

3. IN THE DISCRETION OF THE PROXIES, TO VOTE UPON ANY AND ALL OTHER MATTERS     
   WHICH MAY PROPERLY COME BEFORE SUCH ANNUAL MEETING OR ANY ADJOURNMENT
   THEREOF.


                                   ____________________________________________
                                                   Signature                    

                                   ____________________________________________
                                          Signature (if held jointly)          

                                   Dated:________________________________, 1996
                                   PLEASE DATE, SIGN, AND RETURN PROMPTLY.     
<PAGE>   36
                         INLAND STEEL INDUSTRIES, INC.
                         CONFIDENTIAL VOTING DIRECTIONS
                 SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

As a Participant in the Inland Steel Industries Thrift Plan, I hereby direct    
Harris Trust and Savings Bank, as Trustee of the Employee Stock Ownership Plan
contained within the Thrift Plan, to vote all shares of common stock and all
shares of Series E ESOP Convertible Preferred Stock of Inland Steel Industries,
Inc. that are credited to my accounts in the Plan as of April 2, 1996 at the
Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the Company to be held May 22, 1996 and at
any adjournment thereof. UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED, ALL SHARES ALLOCATED TO
THE UNDERSIGNED'S THRIFT PLAN ACCOUNTS WILL BE VOTED FOR THE ELECTION OF
DIRECTORS, FOR THE ELECTION OF PRICE WATERHOUSE LLP AS AUDITORS, AND AT THE
DISCRETION OF THE TRUSTEE OR ITS PROXIES UPON ANY AND ALL OTHER MATTERS THAT
MAY PROPERLY COME BEFORE SUCH ANNUAL MEETING OR ANY ADJOURNMENT THEREOF.

                       (PLEASE COMPLETE ON OTHER SIDE)

                                                                                
<PAGE>   37
                         INLAND STEEL INDUSTRIES, INC.
  PLEASE MARK VOTE IN OVAL IN THE FOLLOWING MANNER USING DARK INK ONLY. [X]

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR ITEMS 1 AND 2.

1. ELECTION OF DIRECTORS.
   A. Robert Abboud, James W. Cozad, Robert J. Darnall, James A. Henderson,
   Robert B. McKersie, Donald S. Perkins, Jean-Pierre Rosso, Joshua I. Smith,
   Nancy H. Teeters and Arnold R. Weber.

                             For All
   For        Withheld       Except                    ________________________
   [ ]          [ ]           [ ]                      Nominee Exception

2. THE ELECTION OF PRICE WATERHOUSE LLP AS AUDITORS FOR THE YEAR 1996.

   For       Against         Abstain
   [ ]         [ ]             [ ]

3. IN THE DISCRETION OF THE PROXIES, TO VOTE UPON ANY AND ALL OTHER MATTERS     
   WHICH MAY PROPERLY COME BEFORE SUCH ANNUAL MEETING OR ANY ADJOURNMENT
   THEREOF.


                                   ____________________________________________
                                                   Signature                    


                                   Dated:________________________________, 1996
                                   PLEASE DATE, SIGN, AND RETURN PROMPTLY.     


<PAGE>   38
 
DEAR STOCKHOLDER:
 
     Enclosed are your Proxy and Proxy Statement for the 1996 Annual Meeting of
Stockholders of Inland Steel Industries, Inc. Voting with respect to any common
stock held by you of record in certificate form, any common stock credited to
your account under the Shareholder Investment Service, and any Series A $2.40
Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock held by you of record is consolidated on
the enclosed Proxy.
 
     If, in addition to being a stockholder of the Company on April 2, 1996, you
are a participant in the Company's Thrift Plan, you also will receive
Confidential Voting Directions and Instructions to Thrift Plan Participants from
the Company. You are requested to sign, date and return the Confidential Voting
Directions in the postage-paid envelope provided with such Directions.
 
     PLEASE SIGN, DATE AND RETURN YOUR PROXY PROMPTLY IN THE ENCLOSED
POSTAGE-PAID ENVELOPE, WHETHER OR NOT YOU DECIDE TO ATTEND THE MEETING, TO
ENSURE THAT YOUR VOTE IS REPRESENTED.
<PAGE>   39
 
                    INSTRUCTIONS TO THRIFT PLAN PARTICIPANTS
 
    Please date and sign your name (exactly as it appears on the accompanying
Confidential Voting Directions) in the space provided and return the
Confidential Voting Directions in the enclosed postage-paid envelope to direct
Harris Trust and Savings Bank, as Trustee of the Employee Stock Ownership Plan
contained within the Thrift Plan, to vote your shares in the Plan.
 
    All shares of both the Company's common stock and its Series E ESOP
Convertible Preferred Stock allocated to your Thrift Plan accounts, whether
vested or unvested, will be voted by Harris Trust and Savings Bank, Chicago,
Illinois, as the Trustee, according to your directions. IF THE CONFIDENTIAL
VOTING DIRECTIONS ARE RETURNED SIGNED WITH NO VOTING DIRECTIONS MARKED, YOU WILL
BE DEEMED TO HAVE DIRECTED THE TRUSTEE TO VOTE ALL SHARES ALLOCATED TO YOUR
ACCOUNTS IN THE MANNER SPECIFIED IN BOLDFACE TYPE ON THE FRONT OF THE
CONFIDENTIAL VOTING DIRECTIONS. THE TRUSTEE SHALL VOTE ALL SHARES ALLOCATED TO
PARTICIPANTS' ACCOUNTS FOR WHICH PROPERLY COMPLETED CONFIDENTIAL VOTING
DIRECTIONS ARE NOT RECEIVED PRIOR TO 5:00 P.M., CHICAGO TIME, ON MAY 21, 1996
AND ALL UNALLOCATED SHARES HELD IN THE THRIFT PLAN IN THE SAME PROPORTION AS THE
SHARES WITH RESPECT TO WHICH PROPERLY COMPLETED CONFIDENTIAL VOTING DIRECTIONS
HAVE BEEN TIMELY RECEIVED FROM PARTICIPANTS IN THE PLAN.
 
    PLEASE DATE, SIGN AND RETURN THE CONFIDENTIAL VOTING DIRECTIONS PROMPTLY,
WHETHER OR NOT YOU EXPECT TO ATTEND THE ANNUAL MEETING, SO THAT YOUR SHARES WILL
BE VOTED IN THE MANNER YOU DESIRE. YOU MAY REVOKE YOUR VOTING DIRECTIONS AT ANY
TIME PRIOR TO 5:00 P.M., CHICAGO TIME, ON MAY 21, 1996.
 
    If, in addition to being a Participant in the Thrift Plan, you were a
stockholder of the Company on April 2, 1996, you will receive a separate Proxy
and Proxy Statement from the Company. You are requested to sign, date and return
that Proxy in the postage-paid envelope provided. Legal requirements provide for
the separate solicitation of Participants in the Plan who are also stockholders
of the Company.


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