Nucor Corp. issued fourth-quarter earnings guidance well below Wall Street views amid expectations that the operating performance of its steel mills segment will weaken from the previous quarter.

The Charlotte, N.C., company's shares fell 4.3% to $38.44 in recent premarket trading.

For the current quarter, the company forecast per-share earnings of 15 cents to 20 cents. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters had expected per-share profit of 49 cents.

Nucor said that margins at its sheet and bar steel mills have been hurt by low selling prices owing to a deterioration in global markets and high import levels.

Nucor and other U.S. steelmakers 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.

In its news release Wednesday, the company said that U.S. efforts to curb the inflow of low priced exports haven't moved as quickly as Nucor would like. However, Nucor also stated that it expects that preliminary antidumping duties and other developments should have a positive impact on domestic steel mills in the first half of next year.

The company also said the automotive market remains strong, though energy, heavy-equipment and agricultural markets remain weak. Nonresidential construction markets, while improved from last year, have been slowing as a result of seasonal factors.

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

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

December 16, 2015 10:05 ET (15:05 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2015 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Nucor (NYSE:NUE)
Historical Stock Chart
From Mar 2024 to Apr 2024 Click Here for more Nucor Charts.
Nucor (NYSE:NUE)
Historical Stock Chart
From Apr 2023 to Apr 2024 Click Here for more Nucor Charts.