(CHARLOTTE) -- Nucor Corp. expects its third quarter results to be in the range of $0.30 to $0.35 per diluted share.  These projected results are lower than the third quarter of 2011 earnings of $0.57 per diluted share and similar to the second quarter of 2012 earnings of $0.35 per diluted share.

Third quarter of 2012 projected results for the Charlotte-based steel company include the negative impact of approximately $26 million of inventory purchase adjustments related to the acquisition of Skyline Steel LLC and a loss on the sale of the assets of Nucor Wire Products Pennsylvania, Inc. of $17.6 million.

"Our projected earnings for the third quarter of 2012 excluding one-time charges are consistent with the qualitative guidance included in our earnings release for the second quarter of 2012," stated a press release on Tuesday.

The lower projection for the third quarter of 2012 comes as the company experiences decreased operating performance at its steel mills, compared to the second quarter of 2012. According to Tuesday's press release, the lower steel mill margins are primarily the result of rising imports, which began trending up at the end of 2011 and have continued through the first nine months of 2012.