Dec 16 (Reuters) - Steel Dynamics ( STLD ) posted its

fourth-quarter earnings guidance on Monday, below Wall Street

estimates, due to continued weakness in average steel pricing

and the impact on volumes from an unexpected outage at its

Butler flat roll mill.

Shares were down 3% before the bell.

The steelmaker is projecting fourth-quarter earnings to be

between $1.26 and $1.30 per share, lower than analysts' estimate

of $1.62 per share, according to data compiled by LSEG.

The Fort Wayne, Indiana-based company, however, notes the

stabilization of flat-rolled steel prices and the underlying

steel demand remaining seasonally steady for the primary

steel-consuming sectors.

"Current order activity is steady with expectations for

improved volumes in 2025, as interest rates decline and the

support from the U.S. infrastructure program and onshoring are

expected to positively impact demand," the company said.

Steel Dynamics ( STLD ) expects to report its fourth-quarter 2024

earnings on January 22, 2025.