Nucor Corp. issued third-quarter earnings guidance that was mostly above expectations, partly owing to a decline in average inventory costs during the period.

For the quarter ending Oct. 3, Nucor projected per-share earnings of 45 cents to 50 cents, while analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected per-share profit of 46 cents.

Charlotte, N.C.-based Nucor said that its steel mill segment margins—while still under pressure from high levels of imports—improved in the latest quarter from second-quarter. The company also expects quarter-to-quarter improvement in its downstream products segment, which has been benefiting from a gradual improvement in nonresidential construction markets.

Nucor and other U.S. steel makers have sought help from the government in response to a flood of imports that have weighed on steel prices. The companies have said they are the victims of illegal trade practices.

Write to Tess Stynes at tess.stynes@wsj.com

Subscribe to WSJ: http://online.wsj.com?mod=djnwires

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

September 16, 2015 10:15 ET (14:15 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2015 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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