U.S. Steel (X -1.78%) saw a thinner loss in Q4, albeit on a drop in revenue. The company reported that it booked a net shortfall of $50 million ($0.35 per diluted share), an improvement from the $211 million it lost in the same period the previous year. Net sales for this most recent quarter were just under $4.5 billion, down from $4.8 billion in Q4 2011.
The net showing was substantially better than analysts had expected; on average, they were anticipating negative EPS of $0.75.
For fiscal 2012, U.S. Steel's loss actually widened. It was $124 million ($0.86 diluted EPS), versus the $53 million ($0.37 diluted EPS) of 2011. Net sales also declined, to $19.3 billion from $19.9 billion.
The company also declared its first dividend for 2013. It is to pay $0.05 per share on March 8 to shareholders of record as of the end of Feb. 12.
