Nucor Reports Record Numbers for Year

Nucor's net sales for 2005 increased 12 percent to $12.7 billion, compared with $11.38 billion in 2004. Average sales price per ton increased 4 percent while total tons shipped to outside customers increased 7 percent from 2004.

For the fourth quarter, Nucor's consolidated net sales increased 4 percent to $3.21 billion, compared with $3.09 billion in the fourth quarter of 2004 and increased 6 percent compared with $3.03 billion from the third quarter of 2005. Average sales price per ton decreased 10 percent from the fourth quarter of 2004 and increased 10 percent from the third quarter of 2005. Total tons shipped to outside customers were 5,089,000 tons in the fourth quarter of 2005, an increase of 15 percent over the fourth quarter of 2004 and a decrease of 4 percent from the third quarter of 2005.

The average scrap and scrap substitute cost per ton used increased 3 percent from $238 in 2004 to $244 in 2005, decreased 14 percent from $278 in the fourth quarter of 2004 to $240 in the fourth quarter of 2005, and increased 11 percent from $217 in the third quarter of 2005. Total energy costs increased approximately $7 per ton from 2004 to 2005, increased approximately $10 per ton from the fourth quarter of 2004 to the fourth quarter of 2005, and increased approximately $3 per ton from the third quarter of 2005 to the fourth quarter of 2005. Nucor is partially hedged against exposure to increases in energy costs.

For the year Nucor reported total steel production of 20,332,000 tons, compared with 19,737,000 tons produced in 2004, an increase of 3 percent. Total steel shipments increased 6 percent to 20,669,000 tons in 2005, compared with 19,464,000 tons in 2004.