| FORT WAYNE, INDIANA, April 16, 2007 — Steel Dynamics, Inc. (NASDAQ:
STLD) today announced first quarter earnings of $102 million, or $1.01
per diluted share, an increase of 34 percent when compared to $76
million in the first quarter of 2006. Net income per share was
relatively unchanged from the fourth quarter. Revenues increased 30
percent to $866 million from $666 million in the first quarter of 2006,
largely due to the acquired Roanoke facilities not being included in
first quarter 2006 results. First quarter consolidated shipments of 1.3
million tons were 19 percent higher than the first quarter of 2006 and 8
percent higher than the fourth quarter of 2006. Three of the company’s
long products divisions each achieved record shipments in the first
quarter due to continued strong demand within the non-residential
construction and industrial markets.
“The first quarter was another excellent quarter for Steel
Dynamics,” said Keith Busse, President and CEO of Steel Dynamics.
“First quarter results came in comfortably above our most recent
guidance of $0.94 to $0.98 per diluted share. Operating results were
strong at each of our mills, with sustained strength in the long
products markets and continued recovery in the flat rolled market. SDI’s
operating margin was 20 percent in the first quarter, and cash flow
from operations was $148 million. The cost of ferrous resources
increased moderately during the quarter. However, higher scrap costs
were somewhat offset by scrap surcharges, increased shipping volumes,
and product mix.”
First quarter operating profit per ton shipped was $136, down from
$150 in the fourth quarter of 2006. Market softness for flat-rolled
steel caused the first quarter’s average consolidated selling price to
decrease to $689 per ton shipped, compared to $720 for the fourth
quarter. The decline in average selling price was principally offset by
cost declines due to mix, cost improvement, and cost compression.
Average scrap costs were up $15 per net ton charged and were a factor in
the operating margin decline.
In January, Flat Roll Division shipments began their recovery from
the fourth quarter’s slower pace of 581,000 tons, reaching 612,000 tons
for the first quarter. During the quarter the Iron Dynamics Division
performed well, feeding 56,000 tonnes of liquid pig iron and
hot-briquetted iron into the Flat Roll Division’s electric-arc furnaces.
Order entry rates remain steady for flat-rolled products for the second
quarter with prices increasing moderately due to improving market
conditions. All of SDI’s long products divisions (52 percent of
shipments in the first quarter) are experiencing strong shipping rates,
increased selling values, and solid order books.
“Our outlook for the second quarter remains positive,” Busse said.
“Our current expectation is for earnings to be in the range of $0.95 to
$1.00 per diluted share, after taking into consideration an estimated
reduction of $0.08 per diluted share due to the redemption of our $300
million 9½% Senior Unsecured Notes. The cost for ferrous resources for
delivery mid-to-late second quarter is trending down, which should
provide some relief from the margin compression we expect to experience
early in the quarter.
“Just over a year ago we completed the merger of the Roanoke Electric
Steel Corporation into Steel Dynamics,” Busse said. “We are very
pleased with the integration of the Roanoke operations with SDI, which
began with the approval of the merger by Roanoke shareholders on April
11, 2006. Since the date of the merger, both of the steelmaking
operations we acquired, the Roanoke Bar Division and Steel of West
Virginia, Inc., have produced at record levels, achieving shipments
totaling 941,000 tons over the last four quarters. The Roanoke
acquisition has made a positive contribution to our revenue and
operating income while providing SDI with a more diversified product
mix.”
In April, the company completed an offering of unsecured $500 million
6¾% Senior Notes due 2015. A portion of the proceeds from this
offering will be used to redeem the company’s $300 million 9½% Senior
Unsecured Notes due 2009 on May 3, 2007. The remainder of the proceeds
will be used to repay amounts outstanding on the company’s revolving
credit facility and for general corporate purposes. During the first
quarter of 2007, the company purchased approximately 2.8 million shares
of its common stock in open market trades, after which approximately 2.9
million shares remained available for purchase pursuant to the
company’s current repurchase program.
Download Unaudited Financial Statements (RTF File)
Conference Call and Webcast
On Tuesday, April 17, 2007 at 11:00 am EDT, Steel
Dynamics will host a conference call in which Steel Dynamics’ management
will discuss first quarter 2007 results. You are invited to listen to
the live audio broadcast of the conference call over the Internet,
accessible from Steel Dynamics’ Web site: www.steeldynamics.com.
Dial-in information is available on our Web site. No telephone replay
will be available. An audio replay of the Webcast will be available
from the SDI Web site.
Contact:
Fred Warner, Investor Relations Manager
(260) 969-3564 or fax (260) 969-3590
f.warner@steeldynamics.com
Forward Looking Statements
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