NUE to Report Q1 Earnings: What's in the Cards for the Stock?
Nucor Corporation NUE is set to release first-quarter 2026 results after the closing bell on April 27.
The U.S. steel giant surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in two of the trailing four quarters and missed twice. It has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of roughly 7.5%, on average. It posted a negative earnings surprise of 4.9% in the last reported quarter. NUE is expected to have benefited from favorable steel prices and higher earnings across its segments in the first quarter.
Nucor’s shares have gained 85.8% over the past year compared with the Zacks Steel Producers industry’s 72.5% growth.
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Let’s see how things are shaping up for this announcement.
What do NUE’s Revenue Estimates Say?
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for first-quarter consolidated revenues for Nucor is currently pegged at $8,657.6 million, indicating a year-over-year rise of 10.6%.
Factors at Play for NUE Stock
Higher segment earnings are likely to have aided NUE’s performance in the March quarter. Nucor, last month, said that it expects earnings to increase across all three operating segments compared to the previous quarter, especially the steel mills.
Earnings in the steel mills segment are expected to increase sequentially on higher average selling prices and volumes. The steel products segment is also projected to see improved performance due to stronger volumes and stable prices. The raw materials segment is forecast to deliver modestly higher earnings.
Meanwhile, U.S. steel prices recovered in the fourth quarter of 2025 after the lows witnessed in the third quarter, and the momentum continued in the first quarter. Benchmark hot-rolled coil (HRC) prices rebounded on major steel mills' price hikes, extending lead times and tightening supply, partly due to plant outages and reduced imports driven by tariffs. The recovery, which has been more pronounced since November, has led to HRC prices surging to near $1,100 per short ton.
Higher selling prices are expected to have supported Nucor’s performance in the quarter to be reported. Our estimate for first-quarter average sales price per ton for the company’s steel mills unit stands at $1,022, indicating a 9% year-over-year increase.
Nucor Corporation Price and EPS Surprise
Nucor Corporation price-eps-surprise | Nucor Corporation Quote
What Our Model Unveils for NUE Stock
Our proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for Nucor this season. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the chances of an earnings beat. But that’s not the case here.
Earnings ESP: Earnings ESP for NUE is -0.19%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the first quarter is currently pegged at $2.79. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
Zacks Rank: NUE currently carries a Zacks Rank #3.
Basic Materials Stocks That Warrant a Look
Here are some companies in the basic materials space you may want to consider, as our model shows they have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this quarter:
CF Industries Holdings, Inc.CF, scheduled to release earnings on May 6, has an Earnings ESP of +7.21% and carries a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The consensus estimate for CF’s earnings for the first quarter is currently pegged at $2.22.
Albemarle CorporationALB, scheduled to release earnings on May 6, has an Earnings ESP of +55.37% and carries a Zacks Rank #2 at present.
The consensus mark for ALB’s first-quarter earnings is currently pegged at $1.03.
Kinross Gold CorporationKGC, slated to release earnings on April 29, has an Earnings ESP of +8.68%.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for KGC's earnings for the first quarter is currently pegged at 67 cents. KGC currently carries a Zacks Rank #3.
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