Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
FERRARA ALBERT E JR
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
AK STEEL HOLDING CORP [AKS]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Vice President Finance and CFO
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
9227 CENTRE POINTE DR
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
01/21/2009
(Street)

WEST CHESTER, OH 45069
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 01/21/2009   A   14,967 A $ 0 68,874 D  

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Performance Shares (1) 01/21/2009   A   11,225 (2)   12/31/2011 12/31/2011 Common Stock 11,225 (3) 11,225 D  
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 9.21 01/21/2009   A   14,952 (4)   01/21/2010 01/21/2019 Common Stock 14,952 $ 9.21 14,952 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
FERRARA ALBERT E JR
9227 CENTRE POINTE DR
WEST CHESTER, OH 45069
      Vice President Finance and CFO  

Signatures

 /s/ Albert E. Ferrara, Jr.   01/23/2009
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Each Performance Share represents a contingent right to receive 0 to 1.5 shares of Common Stock. The conversion rate(0, .5, 1 or 1.5) ultimately applied to these Performance Shares will be determined based on the compounded annual growth rate ("CAGR") of the Common Stock between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2011 (the "Performance Period").
(2) This represents one half of the Performance Shares which were awarded on January 21, 2009 and are required to be reported at this time because they constitute derivative securities. The other half do not constitute derivative securities and therefore are not required to be reported at this time.
(3) The number of shares of Common Stock underlying this grant of the Performance Shares will be 0 to 1.5 times the number of Performance Shares granted depending on the CAGR achieved during the Performance Period.
(4) Options vest in three equal annual installments beginning one year after grant date.

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