Equities Analysts Offer Predictions for Nucor Q2 Earnings

Nucor Corporation (NYSE:NUE) – Stock analysts at Zacks Research upped their Q2 2026 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for Nucor in a note issued to investors on Monday, July 27th. Zacks Research analyst Team now forecasts that the basic materials company will post earnings per share of $4.78 for the quarter, up from their previous forecast of $4.77. Zacks Research has a “Hold” rating on the stock. The consensus estimate for Nucor’s current full-year earnings is $17.53 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Nucor’s FY2026 earnings at $18.32 EPS.

Nucor (NYSE:NUE) last posted its earnings results on Monday, July 27th. The basic materials company reported $4.84 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.46 by $0.38. The firm had revenue of $10.40 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $10.15 billion. Nucor had a return on equity of 12.88% and a net margin of 7.99%.The firm’s revenue was up 23.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm earned $2.60 EPS.

NUE has been the subject of a number of other research reports. KeyCorp upgraded shares of Nucor from a “sector weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and set a $274.00 target price for the company in a research report on Wednesday, June 24th. Seaport Research Partners increased their price target on Nucor from $245.00 to $285.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, June 10th. Citigroup restated a “positive” rating on shares of Nucor in a research note on Wednesday, July 15th. Morgan Stanley raised their target price on shares of Nucor from $227.00 to $258.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Monday, June 22nd. Finally, Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Nucor from a “hold (c)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a report on Thursday, May 14th. Twelve research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $268.77.

Nucor Trading Up 7.1%

Shares of NYSE:NUE opened at $265.51 on Wednesday. Nucor has a twelve month low of $131.32 and a twelve month high of $270.90. The firm has a market cap of $60.47 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.17, a P/E/G ratio of 0.57 and a beta of 1.91. The company has a 50 day moving average of $241.21 and a 200-day moving average of $205.69. The company has a current ratio of 2.90, a quick ratio of 1.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30.

Nucor Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, August 11th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, June 30th will be issued a dividend of $0.56 per share. This represents a $2.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, June 30th. Nucor’s payout ratio is presently 17.86%.

Insider Activity at Nucor

In other news, EVP Randy J. Spicer sold 2,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, May 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $225.00, for a total value of $562,500.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 20,510 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,614,750. This represents a 10.86% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP Bradley Ford sold 2,240 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $232.13, for a total value of $519,971.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 43,649 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $10,132,242.37. The trade was a 4.88% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 82,378 shares of company stock valued at $18,963,930. Corporate insiders own 0.62% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Regent Peak Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Nucor in the 2nd quarter worth about $206,000. Tema ETFs LLC increased its position in shares of Nucor by 8.9% during the 2nd quarter. Tema ETFs LLC now owns 7,091 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $1,580,000 after purchasing an additional 580 shares in the last quarter. Fruth Investment Management bought a new position in Nucor during the 2nd quarter valued at about $256,000. Generali Investments Management Co LLC lifted its holdings in Nucor by 38.1% during the 2nd quarter. Generali Investments Management Co LLC now owns 1,789 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $398,000 after purchasing an additional 494 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Community Financial Services Group LLC acquired a new position in Nucor in the second quarter valued at about $296,000. 76.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Nucor News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Nucor this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Quarterly earnings and revenue exceeded expectations. Nucor reported adjusted EPS of $4.84, above the roughly $4.46–$4.57 analyst estimates, while revenue reached $10.40 billion versus expectations of $10.15 billion. Adjusted earnings rose sharply from $2.60 per share a year earlier, and revenue increased 23%. Nucor Reports Results for the Second Quarter of 2026
• Positive Sentiment: Steel-market fundamentals improved. Record steel mill shipments, stronger average selling prices, and resilient demand drove the earnings increase. Management credited favorable market conditions and aggressive tariffs with helping support domestic steel pricing. Nucor posts record steel shipments on higher pricing, strong demand
• Positive Sentiment: Outlook and shareholder returns were favorable. Nucor expects higher consolidated reported earnings in the third quarter. The company returned approximately $479 million through dividends and share repurchases and reaffirmed its regular cash dividend. Nucor Corp Q2 2026 Earnings Call Highlights
• Neutral Sentiment: Estimates edged higher, but ratings remain cautious. Zacks Research raised its Q2 EPS estimate to $4.78 and its FY2026 estimate to $18.32, above the $17.53 consensus, but maintained a “Hold” rating. Nucor analyst estimates
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and execution risks could limit further gains. UBS raised its price target to $256 but kept a neutral rating, placing the target below the current trading level. Nucor also cited increased imports and startup costs as ongoing challenges. UBS raises Nucor price target

About Nucor

Nucor Corporation (NYSE: NUE) is an American steel producer headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. The company is primarily engaged in the manufacture and sale of steel and steel products, operating a network of steel mills, recycling facilities and fabrication plants across the United States and North America. Nucor’s operations emphasize electric arc furnace steelmaking using recycled scrap metal, which supports a decentralized, mill-based production model focused on efficiency and flexibility.

Product offerings span a broad range of basic and value?added steel items, including sheet, plate, merchant bar, structural beams, reinforcing bar, tubing, fasteners and fabricated components.