Nucor (NYSE:NUE) Reaches New 52-Week High – Here’s Why

Nucor Corporation (NYSE:NUE)’s share price reached a new 52-week high during trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $172.26 and last traded at $171.1140, with a volume of 129454 shares. The stock had previously closed at $169.48.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts recently weighed in on the company. UBS Group lifted their price target on Nucor from $165.00 to $168.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 29th. Morgan Stanley restated an “equal weight” rating and issued a $180.00 price target (up from $165.00) on shares of Nucor in a research report on Friday. BMO Capital Markets reiterated an “outperform” rating on shares of Nucor in a research note on Wednesday, October 29th. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price objective on Nucor from $170.00 to $190.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. Finally, Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Nucor from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, December 20th. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $175.09.

Nucor Price Performance

The business has a fifty day moving average price of $158.72 and a 200 day moving average price of $147.32. The company has a market cap of $38.97 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.88, a PEG ratio of 0.90 and a beta of 1.87. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30, a quick ratio of 1.51 and a current ratio of 2.77.

Nucor (NYSE:NUE) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Monday, October 27th. The basic materials company reported $2.63 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.30 by $0.33. Nucor had a return on equity of 7.80% and a net margin of 5.18%.The company had revenue of $8.52 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $8.27 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.49 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up 14.5% compared to the same quarter last year. Nucor has set its Q4 2025 guidance at -2.630 EPS. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Nucor Corporation will post 7.64 earnings per share for the current year.

Nucor Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, February 11th. Investors of record on Wednesday, December 31st will be issued a dividend of $0.56 per share. This is a positive change from Nucor’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.55. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, December 31st. This represents a $2.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.3%. Nucor’s payout ratio is currently 31.46%.

Insider Activity at Nucor

In related news, EVP Thomas J. Batterbee sold 2,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $165.28, for a total value of $330,560.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 17,952 shares in the company, valued at $2,967,106.56. The trade was a 10.02% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP Allen C. Behr sold 5,950 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Friday, December 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $157.89, for a total transaction of $939,445.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 67,711 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $10,690,889.79. This trade represents a 8.08% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 25,995 shares of company stock valued at $3,990,634. 0.71% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Trading of Nucor

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC lifted its holdings in Nucor by 21.1% during the first quarter. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC now owns 3,266 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $393,000 after buying an additional 568 shares during the period. Dynamic Technology Lab Private Ltd purchased a new position in shares of Nucor in the 1st quarter valued at about $259,000. Focus Partners Wealth grew its position in shares of Nucor by 3.5% in the first quarter. Focus Partners Wealth now owns 16,500 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $1,986,000 after purchasing an additional 559 shares during the period. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Nucor by 81.8% in the first quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 340 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $41,000 after acquiring an additional 153 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Thurston Springer Miller Herd & Titak Inc. raised its holdings in Nucor by 49.8% in the 2nd quarter. Thurston Springer Miller Herd & Titak Inc. now owns 442 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $57,000 after acquiring an additional 147 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 76.48% of the company’s stock.

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.