With a market cap of $28.8 billion, Nucor Corporation (NUE) is a leading North American manufacturer of steel and steel products. Operating through its Steel Mills, Steel Products, and Raw Materials segments, Nucor produces a wide range of materials, including sheet steel, structural beams, steel joists, and direct reduced iron (DRI). 

Companies worth more than $10 billion are generally described as “large-cap” stocks, and Nucor fits this criterion perfectly. With a strong presence across the United States and Canada, the company has expanded through acquisitions and a strategic network of mini-mills to serve diverse industrial markets.

Shares of the Charlotte, North Carolina-based company have decreased 26.9% from its 52-week high of $170.52. NUE’s shares have fallen 1.6% over the past three months, underperforming the VanEck Steel ETF’s (SLX) 9.1% gain over the same time frame. 

In the longer term, NUE stock is up 6.8% on a YTD basis, lagging behind SLX’s 12.8% increase. In addition, shares of the steelmaker have declined 20.7% over the past 52 weeks, compared to SLX’s 2.4% dip over the same time frame.

Despite a few fluctuations, the stock has been trading mostly below its 50-day and 200-day moving averages since last year. 

Shares of Nucor rose 1.9% following its Q1 2025 results on Apr. 28 due to stronger-than-expected financial performance, including an adjusted profit of $0.77 per share and revenue of $7.8 billion. The 10% increase in shipments from its steel mills segment to 6.4 million tonnes, driven by higher domestic demand and rising spot prices of hot-rolled coil (HRC), also boosted investor confidence. 

However, NUE stock has performed weaker than its rival, Steel Dynamics, Inc. (STLD). STLD stock soared 17.3% on a YTD basis and 8.2% over the past 52 weeks. 

Despite the stock’s underperformance, analysts remain bullish about its prospects. The stock has a consensus rating of “Strong Buy” from 13 analysts' coverage, and as of writing, NUE is trading below the mean price target of $147.18.