Cloud Peak Energy

What Cloud Peak Energy does

Cloud Peak Energy Inc. is a U.S.-domiciled holding company that, through its wholly owned subsidiary Cloud Peak Energy Resources, historically operated as a major producer of low-sulfur thermal coal and metallurgical coal, supplying domestic electric utilities, steelmakers, and industrial customers. The company was founded in 2009 and headquartered in Gillette, Wyoming, with mining operations concentrated in the Powder River Basin across Wyoming and Montana — a region that benefits from thick, low-sulfur coal seams and rail-linked logistics to utility demand centers.

The company functioned as a commodity producer in a horizontal market structure, monetizing coal tonnage via long-term supply relationships with enterprise buyers in the power generation and steelmaking sectors. Its primary customer segments included domestic electric utilities (thermal coal for power generation) and steelmakers (metallurgical coal for steel production), with a secondary industrial segment for various low-sulfur coal applications. The firm's primary value proposition rested on reliable, domestic supply of low-sulfur coal, a regulatory and emissions-compliance advantage relative to higher-sulfur Eastern U.S. coal and to imports.

As of April 2026 the company is in bankruptcy proceedings: its stock trades on OTC Markets under the ticker CLDPQ (the Q suffix denoting bankruptcy) at approximately $0.0035 per share, with operating status reported as closed. The source data discloses no current revenue figure, no active products or services, no active management team beyond a CIO reference, and no ongoing M&A, partnerships, or product launches — consistent with a company in wind-down rather than active operations.

Name

Cloud Peak Energy

Legal name

Cloud Peak Energy Inc.

Website

https://cloudpeakenergy.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Closed

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Cloud Peak Energy Inc. was a U.S. public coal producer (founded 2009, headquartered in Gillette, Wyoming) that mined low-sulfur thermal and metallurgical coal in the Powder River Basin of Wyoming and Montana, supplying domestic electric utilities, steelmakers, and industrial customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Coal Mining

NAICS

Surface Coal Mining (212114)

SIC

Bituminous Coal & Lignite Mining (1220), Bituminous Coal & Lignite Surface Mining (1221)

akta.pro primary industry

Thermal Coal Mining (Steam Coal) (IMAKAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Metallurgical Coal Mining (Coking/PCI Coal) (IMAKAIAB)

Keywords

• Thermal coal production
• Metallurgical coal supply
• Coal mining operations
• Low-sulfur coal
• Powder river basin coal

Headquarters

HQ city

Gillette

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Infrastructure

Core offering

Cloud Peak Energy produced and sold low-sulfur thermal coal for electricity generation and metallurgical coal for steelmaking, with operations in Wyoming and Montana. The company sold coal to domestic electric utilities, steel manufacturers, and industrial customers as a major U.S. coal producer.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Low-sulfur thermal coal Coal product produced and sold for use in electricity generation by domestic electric utilities.
• Metallurgical coal Coal product sold to steel manufacturers for use in steel production.
• Industrial coal supply Low-sulfur coal supplied for industrial applications and processes.

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves3 records

Direct peers

• Peabody Energy: One of the world's largest coal producers with significant Powder River Basin thermal coal exposure alongside metallurgical coal operations. Directly comparable to Cloud Peak as a US-listed producer of both thermal and metallurgical coal.
• Arch Resources: Major US coal producer with the largest Powder River Basin thermal coal position and metallurgical coal operations. Closest direct peer given overlapping geography and product mix with Cloud Peak.
• CONSOL Energy: US producer of both thermal and metallurgical coal with operations across multiple basins. Comparable to Cloud Peak in producing the same dual coal product types for utility and steel customers.
• Contura Energy: US producer of both metallurgical and thermal coal prior to its merger with Alpha Metallurgical Resources. Comparable to Cloud Peak in producing dual coal types for domestic and export markets.
• Alpha Metallurgical Resources: Largest US metallurgical coal producer supplying global steelmakers. Overlaps with Cloud Peak's metallurgical coal segment and faces similar end-market dynamics.
• Alliance Resource Partners: US thermal coal producer operating in the Illinois Basin and Appalachia, serving utility and industrial customers. Comparable in thermal coal end-market exposure though geographically distinct from Cloud Peak's Powder River Basin footprint.
• Hallador Energy: US thermal coal producer focused on supplying electric utilities in the Midwest. Comparable as a domestic thermal coal supplier to utility customers.
• Warrior Met Coal: Pure-play metallurgical coal producer supplying global steel industry. Comparable to Cloud Peak's metallurgical coal business unit.
• Bowie Resource Partners: Previously a major Powder River Basin thermal coal producer (entered bankruptcy in 2019). Comparable as a former PRB-focused operator that also underwent bankruptcy restructuring.

Broad incumbents

• NACCO Industries: Diversified holding company with coal mining operations (North American Coal) serving utility and industrial customers. Comparable in the coal mining segment though operating under a broader holding-company structure similar to Cloud Peak.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights4 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cloud-peak-energy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cloud Peak Energy