Sep. 17 at 11:02 PM
Nucor projected third-quarter 2026 diluted earnings of
$5.55-
$5.65 per share for the quarter ending Oct. 3, below Wall Street’s
$5.99 consensus estimate. Although the forecast would represent a sharp increase from
$2.63 per share in Q3 2025, the miss triggered a pullback from the stock’s intraday high of
$268.08.
Investor sentiment was also pressured by the absence of two one-time benefits that boosted Q2 results: a
$61 million non-cash gain from the higher valuation of Nucor’s investment in fusion-energy company Helion, and roughly
$130 million in prior-period raw-material acquisition refunds that reduced costs. Neither benefit is expected to recur in Q3. The raw materials segment is also expected to post lower earnings due to weaker pricing and shipments, partly offsetting gains in steel mills and steel products.
The outlook highlighted continued concerns over margin sustainability amid elevated raw-material costs and a cyclical steel market.
$NUE