Nucor Gives Downbeat Q3 Guidance, Sees Lower Segment Earnings

Nucor Corporation NUE has announced its earnings guidance for the third quarter of 2025, ending Oct. 4, 2025. The projected earnings are in the range of $2.05 to $2.15 per share. Its earnings in the second quarter of 2025 and in the same quarter last year were $2.60 and $1.05 per share, respectively. While the company’s guidance indicates a sequential decline, it suggests year-over-year growth.

The earnings are expected to decrease across all three operating segments compared to the previous quarter. The steel mills segment is expected to witness decreased earnings due to lower volumes and margin compression, while the steel products segment’s earnings are expected to decrease from higher average costs per ton as pricing and demand remain stable. The raw materials segment is also expected to earn lower profits due to weaker profitability in scrap processing operations.

During the quarter, Nucor repurchased approximately 0.7 million shares at an average price of $140.46. Total buybacks stand at 4.8 million shares year to date (YTD) at an average price of $126.26. The company has returned about $985 million to its shareholders so far in 2025, combining share repurchases and dividend payments. Nucor plans to release its full third-quarter results after market close on Oct. 27, 2025.

NUE’s shares have lost 2.5% over the past year compared with the industry’s 18.3% decline.

NUE’s Zacks Rank & Key Picks

NUE currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Some better-ranked stocks in the Basic Materials space are Carpenter Technology Corporation CRS, The Mosaic Company MOS and Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd. ASM, each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CRS’ current fiscal-year earnings is pegged at $9.51 per share, indicating a 27.14% year-over-year increase.Its earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, with an average surprise of 8.38%. CRS’ shares have surged 57.9% in the past year.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for MOS’ 2025 earnings is pegged at $3.17 per share, indicating a rise of 60.10% from year-ago levels. The company’s earnings beat the consensus estimate in one of the trailing four quarters while missing it in the rest. MOS’ shares have gained 31.6% in the past year.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ASM’s current-year earnings is pegged at 11 cents per share. Its earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, with an average surprise of 141.67%. ASM’s shares have jumped 306.5% in the past year.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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