Equities Analysts Set Expectations for Nucor Q3 Earnings

Nucor Corporation (NYSE:NUE) – Equities researchers at Zacks Research lowered their Q3 2026 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for shares of Nucor in a report issued on Tuesday, September 8th. Zacks Research analyst Team now expects that the basic materials company will post earnings per share of $5.90 for the quarter, down from their previous forecast of $5.95. Zacks Research has a “Hold” rating on the stock. The consensus estimate for Nucor’s current full-year earnings is $17.95 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Nucor’s Q4 2026 earnings at $4.81 EPS, Q2 2028 earnings at $5.55 EPS and FY2028 earnings at $20.40 EPS.

Nucor (NYSE:NUE) last posted its earnings results on Monday, July 27th. The basic materials company reported $4.84 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.46 by $0.38. The company had revenue of $10.40 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $10.15 billion. Nucor had a net margin of 7.99% and a return on equity of 12.73%. Nucor’s quarterly revenue was up 23.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $2.60 EPS.

Several other research analysts have also recently weighed in on the company. BMO Capital Markets increased their price objective on Nucor from $285.00 to $295.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 29th. CICC Research assumed coverage on shares of Nucor in a research note on Monday, May 25th. They issued an “outperform” rating on the stock. Barclays lifted their price objective on shares of Nucor from $272.00 to $295.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 29th. Morgan Stanley set a $270.00 target price on shares of Nucor in a research report on Wednesday, July 29th. Finally, Argus raised their target price on shares of Nucor from $200.00 to $262.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, May 15th. Thirteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $274.38.

Nucor Price Performance

Shares of NYSE NUE opened at $257.99 on Thursday. The firm has a market cap of $58.53 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.57, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.95 and a beta of 1.87. The company has a current ratio of 2.51, a quick ratio of 1.36 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27. Nucor has a 1-year low of $131.32 and a 1-year high of $280.11. The business’s 50 day moving average is $250.27 and its 200-day moving average is $223.20.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Transamerica Financial Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Nucor in the 2nd quarter valued at $25,000. Stance Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of Nucor during the 3rd quarter worth $25,000. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Nucor during the 2nd quarter worth $27,000. Strive Financial Group LLC acquired a new stake in Nucor in the fourth quarter valued at about $27,000. Finally, Bell Investment Advisors Inc bought a new position in Nucor in the second quarter valued at about $28,000. 76.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Insider Activity

In other Nucor news, EVP Thomas Batterbee sold 4,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $261.02, for a total transaction of $1,044,080.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 16,138 shares in the company, valued at $4,212,340.76. This represents a 19.86% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, COO Stephen Laxton sold 3,968 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, July 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $256.96, for a total transaction of $1,019,617.28. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer directly owned 77,867 shares in the company, valued at approximately $20,008,704.32. This represents a 4.85% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Corporate insiders own 0.62% of the company’s stock.

Key Nucor News

Here are the key news stories impacting Nucor this week:

• Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan raised its price target on Nucor from $294 to $308 and maintained an “overweight” rating, implying approximately 19.4% upside from the referenced $257.99 price. The target increase signals greater confidence in Nucor’s earnings outlook and industry positioning. JPMorgan raises Nucor price target
• Positive Sentiment: Nucor has outperformed major steel-industry peers over the past year, while Wall Street sentiment remains broadly bullish. Investors may view the relative strength as evidence of better execution and resilience compared with competitors. How Is Nucor’s Stock Performance Compared to Other Steel Stocks
• Positive Sentiment: Higher steel prices could help offset softer demand. Zacks identified Nucor among the producers best positioned to navigate sluggish Chinese activity and muted demand in some end markets, alongside ArcelorMittal, Steel Dynamics and L.B. Foster. Zacks Industry Outlook Highlights ArcelorMittal, Nucor, Steel Dynamics and L.B. Foster
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts at Zacks Research lowered their 2027 EPS forecasts for each quarter and for the full year, reducing the FY2027 estimate from $19.15 to $18.83. Zacks kept a “Hold” rating, suggesting the revisions reflect caution rather than a fundamental change in its overall view.
• Negative Sentiment: Industry conditions remain challenging. Weakness in China and subdued demand in key markets could pressure steel volumes, pricing and margins, creating a headwind despite Nucor’s stronger performance relative to peers. 4 Steel Producer Stocks to Watch Amid Industry Challenges

Nucor Company Profile

Nucor Corporation is a Charlotte, North Carolina-based steel and steel products company. It manufactures carbon, alloy and stainless steel products, including sheet, plate, bar, structural steel, rail, wire rod, rebar and merchant bar. The company also produces steel joists, deck, beams, piling, wire products, fasteners, grating, metal building systems and other fabricated steel products.

Nucor operates an integrated network of electric arc furnace steel mills, recycling facilities and downstream manufacturing operations.