Fort Wayne, Indiana-based Steel Dynamics, Inc. (SDI) announced Thursday Q1 2012 net income of $46 million on net sales of $2 billion, down substantially from the $106 million earnings in the same quarter a year ago, but still up sequentially from Q4 2011 income of $30 million. SDI president and CEO Mark Millet noted that "Given the mid-quarter disruption in the flat roll markets, we believe this was a solid performance."
Metals recycling margins, through SDI's Omnisource Corporation, increased compared to Q4 2011, as operating income increased $9 million to $25 million in Q1 2012. Aside from metals recycling, Q1 volumes in each of the company's operating segments decreased when compared to Q4 2011, while consolidated operating income increased 45 percent. The increase in sequential quarterly operating income was primarily the result of improvements in steel and metals recycling margins. Despite decreased volumes, earnings from flat roll operations increased 22 percent, as increases in selling prices in the beginning of the quarter were greater than corresponding increases in the cost of raw materials. Flat rolled earnings were nonetheless tempered by mid-quarter price reductions resulting from increased supply brought about by additional domestic flat roll production capacity and increased import activity.
Likewise, operating income from long product operations increased 17 percent, with the company's Structural and Rail Division achieving the largest increase. Rail shipments increased from 8 percent of the mill's product mix in Q4 2011 to 13 percent in Q1 2012. The average selling price per ton shipped increased $22 per ton to $875/nt, and the average ferrous scrap cost per ton melted increased $10 per ton.