Earnings Guidance Decline: Nucor expects Q4 2025 earnings to range between $1.65 and $1.75 per diluted share, down from $2.63 in Q3 2025, primarily due to seasonal effects and fewer shipping days, indicating pressure on the company's performance in the current market environment.
Segment Impact: Earnings across all three operating segments—steel mills, steel products, and raw materials—are projected to decline, particularly in steel mills due to lower volumes and margin compression, reflecting challenges from intensified industry competition and weak market demand.
Capital Returns: In Q4 2025, Nucor repurchased approximately 700,000 shares at an average price of $145.23, totaling about 5.4 million shares year-to-date, demonstrating a proactive approach to capital management despite declining earnings.
Optimistic 2026 Outlook: Nucor expresses optimism for 2026, citing significantly higher backlogs in the construction market, particularly in energy and infrastructure, suggesting potential benefits from market recovery in the near future.
NUE
$162.26+Infinity%1D
Analyst Views on NUE
Wall Street analysts forecast NUE stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for NUE is 171.00 USD with a low forecast of 165.00 USD and a high forecast of 180.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
9 Analyst Rating
Wall Street analysts forecast NUE stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for NUE is 171.00 USD with a low forecast of 165.00 USD and a high forecast of 180.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
8 Buy
1 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 162.020
Low
165.00
Averages
171.00
High
180.00
Current: 162.020
Low
165.00
Averages
171.00
High
180.00
Jefferies
Christopher LaFemina
Buy
maintain
$170 -> $190
2025-12-10
Reason
Jefferies
Christopher LaFemina
Price Target
$170 -> $190
2025-12-10
maintain
Buy
Reason
Jefferies analyst Christopher LaFemina raised the firm's price target on Nucor to $190 from $170 and keeps a Buy rating on the shares. The analyst notes that U.S. steel prices have risen in recent weeks as imports continue to decline and inventory levels fall, arguing that risk to consensus forecasts is "to the upside."
JPMorgan
Bill Peterson
Overweight
maintain
$175 -> $200
2025-12-05
Reason
JPMorgan
Bill Peterson
Price Target
$175 -> $200
2025-12-05
maintain
Overweight
Reason
JPMorgan analyst Bill Peterson raised the firm's price target on Nucor to $200 from $175 and keeps an Overweight rating on the shares. The firm adjusted price targets in the North America metals and mining group as part of its 2026 outlook.
BofA
Buy
maintain
$165 -> $180
2025-11-24
Reason
BofA
Price Target
$165 -> $180
2025-11-24
maintain
Buy
Reason
BofA raised the firm's price target on Nucor to $180 from $165 and keeps a Buy rating on the shares. The firm is refreshing its price forecasts for North American Metals & Mining stocks under its coverage, the analyst tells investors. The firm sees the macro backdrop as challenging due to China's slowing commodity demand but notes this may be offset by a rebound in demand in U.S. and Europe.
Wells Fargo
Equal Weight -> Overweight
upgrade
2025-11-14
Reason
Wells Fargo
Price Target
2025-11-14
upgrade
Equal Weight -> Overweight
Reason
Wells Fargo upgraded Nucor to Overweight from Equal Weight.
About NUE
Nucor Corporation is a manufacturer of steel and steel products, with operating facilities in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The Company also produces and procures ferrous and non-ferrous materials primarily for use in its steel manufacturing business. Its segments include steel mills, steel products and raw materials. Its products include carbon and alloy steel in bars, beams, sheet and plate; hollow structural section tubing; electrical conduit; steel racking; steel piling; steel joists and joist girders; steel deck; fabricated concrete reinforcing steel; cold finished steel; precision castings; steel fasteners; metal building systems; insulated metal panels; overhead doors; steel grating; wire and wire mesh; and utility structures. The Company, through The David J. Joseph Company and its affiliates, also brokers ferrous and nonferrous metals, pig iron and hot briquetted iron / direct reduced iron; supplies ferro-alloys; and processes ferrous and nonferrous scrap.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
