INVENTORIES: Inventories consist of approximately 42% raw materials and supplies and 58% finished and semi-finished products at March 31, 2012 (40% and 60%, respectively at December 31, 2011). Nucor's manufacturing process consists of a continuous, vertically integrated process from which products are sold to customers at various stages throughout the process. Since most steel products can be classified as either finished or semi-finished products, these two categories of inventory are combined.

Inventories valued using the last-in, first-out (LIFO) method of accounting represent approximately 50% of total inventories as of March 31, 2012 (47% as of December 31, 2011). If the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method of accounting had been used, inventories would have been $777.7 million higher at March 31, 2012 ($763.2 million higher at December 31, 2011). Use of the lower of cost or market methodology reduced inventories by $4.2 million at March 31, 2012 ($6.8 million at December 31, 2011).