Nucor reports results for the Third Quarter of 2024
- Consolidated net earnings attributable to Nucor stockholders of $249.9 million, or $1.05 per diluted share
- Adjusted net earnings attributable to Nucor stockholders of $353.0 million, or $1.49 per diluted share
- Net sales of $7.44 billion
- Net earnings before noncontrolling interests of $302.8 million; EBITDA of $869.0 million
Nucor Corporation announced consolidated net earnings attributable to Nucor stockholders of $249.9 million, or $1.05 per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2024. Excluding non-cash impairment charges taken during the quarter, Nucor’s third quarter of 2024 adjusted net earnings attributable to Nucor stockholders were $353.0 million, or $1.49 per diluted share. By comparison, Nucor reported consolidated net earnings attributable to Nucor stockholders of $645.2 million, or $2.68 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2024 and $1.14 billion, or $4.57 per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2023.
Reflected in the third quarter of 2024, losses and impairments of assets are non-cash charges of $83.0 million, or $0.27 per diluted share, and $40.0 million, or $0.17 per diluted share, related to the impairment of certain noncurrent assets in the raw materials and steel products segments, respectively.
In the first nine months of 2024, Nucor reported consolidated net earnings attributable to Nucor stockholders of $1.74 billion, or $7.22 per diluted share, compared with consolidated net earnings attributable to Nucor stockholders of $3.74 billion, or $14.83 per diluted share, in the first nine months of 2023.
“Thank you to our Nucor teammates for continuing to set new records for safety performance while generating over $1.30 billion of cash from operations for the quarter,” said Leon Topalian, Nucor’s Chair, president, and Chief Executive Officer. “Nucor’s market leadership, product diversity, and strong balance sheet enable us to provide
meaningful returns to shareholders and execute our growth strategy even in the face of market uncertainty.”
Selected Segment Data
Earnings (loss) before income taxes and noncontrolling interests by segment for the third quarter and first nine months of 2024 and 2023 were as follows (in thousands):
|
Three Months (13 Weeks) Ended |
Nine Months (39 Weeks) Ended |
|||||||||||||||
|
September 28, 2024 |
September 30, 2023 |
September 28, 2024 |
September 30, 2023 |
|||||||||||||
|
Steel mills |
$ |
309,123 |
$ |
882,614 |
$ |
2,056,689 |
$ |
3,124,549 |
||||||||
|
Steel products |
313,972 |
806,731 |
1,266,922 |
2,788,322 |
||||||||||||
|
Raw materials |
(66,332) |
71,367 |
(17,355) |
267,918 |
||||||||||||
|
Corporate/eliminations |
(168,490) |
(212,630) |
(794,479) |
(986,141) |
||||||||||||
|
$ |
388,273 |
$ |
1,548,082 |
$ |
2,511,777 |
$ |
5,194,648 |
|||||||||
Financial Review
Nucor’s consolidated net sales decreased 8% to $7.44 billion in the third quarter of 2024 compared with $8.08 billion in the second quarter of 2024 and decreased 15% compared with $8.78 billion in the third quarter of 2023. Average sales price per ton in the third quarter of 2024 decreased 6% compared with the second quarter of 2024 and decreased 15% compared with the third quarter of 2023. Approximately 6,196,000 tons were shipped to outside customers in the third quarter of 2024, a 1% decrease compared with the second quarter of 2024 and the third quarter of 2023. Total steel mill shipments in the third quarter of 2024 decreased 3% compared with the second quarter of 2024 and were comparable to the third quarter of 2023. Steel mill shipments to internal customers represented 19% of total steel mill shipments in the third quarter of 2024, compared with 21% in the second quarter of 2024 and 20% in the third quarter of 2023. Downstream steel product shipments to outside customers in the third quarter of 2024 decreased 6% compared with the second quarter of 2024 and decreased 11% compared with the third quarter of 2023.
In the first nine months of 2024, Nucor’s consolidated net sales of $23.66 billion decreased 12% compared with consolidated net sales of $27.01 billion in the first nine months of 2023. Total tons shipped to outside customers in the first nine months of 2024 were approximately 18,709,000 tons, a decrease of 3% compared with the first nine months of 2023, and the average sales price per ton in the first nine months of 2024 decreased 10% compared with the first nine months of 2023.
The average scrap and scrap substitute cost per gross ton used in the third quarter of 2024 was $378, a 5% decrease compared to $396 in the second quarter of 2024 and a 9% decrease compared to $415 in the third quarter of 2023. The average scrap and scrap substitute cost per gross ton used in the first nine months of 2024 was $399, a 7% decrease compared to $429 in the first nine months of 2023.
Pre-operating and start-up costs related to the Company’s growth projects were approximately $168 million, or $0.54 per diluted share, in the third quarter of 2024, compared with approximately $137 million, or $0.43 per diluted share, in the second quarter of 2024 and approximately $101 million, or $0.31 per diluted share, in the third quarter of 2023.
In the first nine months of 2024, pre-operating and start-up costs related to the Company’s growth projects were approximately $430 million, or $1.36 per diluted share, compared with approximately $273 million, or $0.83 per diluted share, in the first nine months of 2023.
Overall, operating rates at the Company’s steel mills were 75% in the third quarter and second quarter of 2024 and 77% in the third quarter of 2023. Operating rates in the first nine months of 2024 decreased to 77%, compared to 80% in the first nine months of 2023.
Financial Strength
At the end of the third quarter of 2024, we had $4.86 billion in cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments on hand. The Company’s $1.75 billion revolving credit facility remains undrawn and does not expire until November 2026. Nucor continues to have the strongest credit ratings in the North American steel sector (A-/A-/Baa1), with stable outlooks at Standard & Poor’s and Fitch Ratings and a positive outlook at Moody’s.
Commitment to Returning Capital to Stockholders
Nucor repurchased approximately 2.5 million shares of its common stock during the third quarter of 2024 at an average price of $156.07 per share (approximately 11.0 million shares year-to-date at an average price of $172.36 per share). Nucor has returned approximately $2.29 billion to stockholders in the form of share repurchases and dividend payments during the first nine months of 2024. As of September 28, 2024, Nucor had approximately $1.42 billion remaining authorized and available for repurchases under its share repurchase program. This share repurchase authorization is discretionary and has no scheduled expiration date.
On September 12, 2024, Nucor’s Board of Directors declared a cash dividend of $0.54 per share. This cash dividend is payable on November 8, 2024, to stockholders of record as of September 27, 2024, and is Nucor’s 206th consecutive quarterly cash dividend.
Third Quarter of 2024 Analysis
The largest driver for the decrease in earnings in the third quarter of 2024 compared to the second quarter of 2024 is the decreased earnings of the steel mills segment, primarily due to lower average selling prices. The steel products segment’s earnings decreased in the third quarter of 2024 as compared to the second quarter of 2024 due to lower average selling prices and lower volumes. Earnings in the raw materials segment are lower in the third quarter of 2024 as compared to the second quarter of 2024 due primarily to the non-cash impairment charge taken in the third quarter of 2024.
Fourth Quarter of 2024 Outlook
We expect consolidated net earnings attributable to Nucor stockholders in the fourth quarter of 2024 to decrease compared to earnings per diluted share of $1.05 reported for the third quarter of 2024. The largest driver for the expected decrease in earnings in the fourth quarter of 2024 is the decreased earnings of the steel mills segment caused by lower average selling prices and decreased volumes. We expect earnings in the steel products segment to decrease in the fourth quarter of 2024 as compared to the third quarter of 2024 due to lower average selling prices and decreased volumes. The earnings of the raw materials segment are expected to increase in the fourth quarter of 2024 as compared to the third quarter of 2024 (excluding the impairment charge taken during the third quarter of 2024).
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