Nucor triples quarterly profit
Charlotte-based steel producer Nucor Corporation announced that the company's earnings rose from $113.2 million in the first quarter of 2004 to $354.7 million in the first quarter of 2005. Sharply higher steel prices allowed to the steelmaker to triple its earnings. First quarter sales totaled $3.32 billion, up 45% from $2.29 billion in the same quarter last year.