September 07, 2008
SDI updates earnings guidance for Q4 of 2007
Steel Dynamics Inc announced that it expects fourth quarter 2007 earnings to be within the range of guidance provided in October 2007, excluding the October 26th 2007 acquisition of OmniSource Corporation.
SDI said that “This update is based on current information regarding the financial impact of the purchase of OmniSource, as well as quarter to date performance of the company’s operations.”
Mr Keith Busse chairman & CEO of Steel Dynamics said that "At the time of our October guidance, we promised a December update of our fourth quarter earnings estimates to reflect the anticipated financial impact of the OmniSource acquisition. Outside of the adjustments we are making today to reflect the OmniSource acquisition, our previous estimates of earnings per diluted share would be unchanged, with our current expectation being at the middle to low end of guidance. We are still in the process of determining final purchase price allocations for the OmniSource acquisition and the resulting impact on our fourth quarter earnings. However, based on current estimates we believe the acquisition to be dilutive to earnings by approximately USD 0.07 per diluted share, resulting in an updated fourth quarter earnings range of USD 0.95 to USD 1.00 per diluted share as compared to the USD 1.02 to USD 1.07 range that we provided in October. The October guidance did not include an estimate of OmniSource operations or purchase accounting adjustments.”
Mr Busse said that “Various positive factors exist to suggest a stronger year for flat rolled steels, including low inventories, limited imports, high steel prices abroad, and high ocean freight costs. We expect that by the beginning of the second quarter, shipping volumes and prices will have improved markedly. We also expect continued strength in structural and bar steels, which should benefit from continued North American investment in infrastructure, in institutional, industrial and distribution buildings, and energy projects. Of course, there are risks related to possible further deterioration in the U.S. economy and to specific steel-consuming sectors, but we believe the steel markets should strengthen in 2008 even without significant improvement in the US economy.”
