Should I Buy NUE? NUE 2026 Analysis

Should You Buy Nucor Corp (NUE) Today? Analysis, Price Targets, and 2026 Outlook.

Conclusion

Buy

Latest Price

179.910

1 Day change

3.89%

52 Week Range

183.320

Analysis Updated At

2026/01/26

Nucor Corp (NUE) is a good buy for a beginner investor with a long-term strategy and $50,000-$100,000 available for investment. The stock shows strong financial performance, positive technical indicators, and hedge fund interest, making it a promising investment despite some short-term headwinds.

Technical Analysis

The technical indicators for NUE are bullish. The MACD histogram is positive and expanding, indicating upward momentum. The RSI is at 83.467, signaling an overbought condition, but this is consistent with strong bullish trends. Moving averages are aligned bullishly (SMA_5 > SMA_20 > SMA_200), and the stock is trading near its resistance level of 180.96, suggesting potential for further upside.

Options Data

Bullish

Open Interest Put-Call Ratio

Bullish

Option Volume Put-Call Ratio

Options data indicates bullish sentiment with a low put-call ratio, suggesting traders are favoring calls over puts.

Technical Summary

Sell

Buy

Positive Catalysts

Hedge funds are significantly increasing their positions in NUE, with buying activity up 1257.47% last quarter.
Strong financial performance in Q3 2025, with revenue up 14.47% YoY and net income up 143.17% YoY.
Consistent EPS beats over the past year, demonstrating operational reliability.
Analysts like JPMorgan and Jefferies have raised price targets recently, reflecting confidence in the stock's potential.

Neutral/Negative Catalysts

Analysts have made six downward EPS revisions for Q4 2025 in the past three months, indicating caution about near-term earnings.
Overbought RSI suggests potential for a short-term pullback.
Morgan Stanley downgraded the stock to Equal Weight, citing muted demand outlook despite elevated steel prices.

Financial Performance

In Q3 2025, Nucor reported a 14.47% YoY increase in revenue to $8.52 billion, a 143.17% YoY increase in net income to $605 million, and a 150.48% YoY increase in EPS to $2.63. Gross margin improved by 36.94% YoY to 13.94%. These figures highlight strong growth and operational efficiency.

Growth

Profitability

Efficiency

Analyst Ratings and Price Target Trends

Analyst ratings are mixed but lean positive. Recent upgrades and price target increases from firms like JPMorgan ($200) and Jefferies ($190) reflect optimism about the stock's potential. However, Morgan Stanley downgraded the stock to Equal Weight with a price target of $180, citing muted demand outlook. Overall, the consensus suggests cautious optimism with a focus on long-term growth.

10 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 179 USD with a low forecast of 168 USD and a high forecast of 200 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

2 Hold

0 Sell

Strong Buy

Current: 173.180

Low

168

Averages

179

High

200

Current: 173.180

Low

168

Averages

179

High

200

UBS

Andrew Jones

Buy

Neutral

downgrade

$168 -> $183

AI Analysis

2026-01-28

New

Reason

UBS

Andrew Jones

Price Target

$168 -> $183

AI Analysis

2026-01-28

New

downgrade

Buy

Neutral

Reason

UBS analyst Andrew Jones downgraded Nucor to Neutral from Buy with a price target of $183, up from $168.

UBS

Andrew Jones

Buy

Neutral

downgrade

$168 -> $183

2026-01-28

New

Reason

UBS

Andrew Jones

Price Target

$168 -> $183

2026-01-28

New

downgrade

Buy

Neutral

Reason

UBS analyst Andrew Jones downgraded Nucor to Neutral from Buy with a price target of $183, up from $168. The downgrade is based on "full" valuation and pricing, the analyst tells investors in a research note. The shares are up 32% since mid-October, despite a soft Q4, amid strong price moves in flat and longs and a $130/st in announced plate increases, the firm adds.

Unlock Full Analyst Thesis， Get the complete breakdown of rating reason for NUE

Unlock Now

NUE Should I Buy

NUE Should I Buy

Should You Buy Nucor Corp (NUE) Today? Analysis, Price Targets, and 2026 Outlook.

Technical Analysis

Options Data

Technical Summary

Positive Catalysts

Neutral/Negative Catalysts

Financial Performance

Growth

Profitability

Efficiency

Analyst Ratings and Price Target Trends

People Also Watch