Nucor Corporation (NUE) Stock Analysis — Fair Value, Risk & Moat Rating
NYQ · Basic Materials · Steel
Is Nucor Corporation a safe investment right now?
Trading at $208.06, Nucor Corporation (NUE) in the Basic Materials sector carries a FairValueLabs fair value estimate of $220.02 — a margin of safety of 5.4%, placing it in the Watch Zone. An Altman Z-Score of 4.90 confirms the company is in the safe zone — financial distress is unlikely near-term. Our moat rating stands at 3.1/5 stars (Narrow moat), indicating moderate competitive positioning. On the income side, NUE currently pays a dividend with a safety grade of .
Could Nucor Corporation go bankrupt? Altman Z-Score analysis
Z-Score of 4.9 is above 3.0, indicating the company is financially healthy by this metric.
- Below 1.8 — Distress Zone (high bankruptcy risk)
- 1.8 to 3.0 — Gray Zone (elevated uncertainty)
- Above 3.0 — Safe Zone (financially healthy)
What drives NUE's Z-Score?
| Component | Formula | Value | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A · Working Capital / Total Assets | WC / TA | 0.2211 | 1.2 | 0.27 |
| B · Retained Earnings / Total Assets | RE / TA | 0.8974 | 1.4 | 1.26 |
| C · EBIT / Total Assets | EBIT / TA | 0.078 | 3.3 | 0.26 |
| D · Market Cap / Total Liabilities | MCap / TL | 3.6511 | 0.6 | 2.19 |
| E · Revenue / Total Assets | Rev / TA | 0.9256 | 1.0 | 0.93 |
How has NUE's financial health changed over time?
| Year | Z-Score | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 6.0 | Safe |
| 2023 | 5.28 | Safe |
| 2024 | 4.99 | Safe |
| 2025 | 4.9 | Safe |
Source: Calculated from NUE's latest 10-K filing on SEC EDGAR.
What is Nucor Corporation actually worth?
How we calculated this
| Input | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Predicted EPS (α) | $9.65 | Proprietary blend of reported actuals + analyst consensus, weighted by α |
| Last Year EPS | $7.52 | Annual report (SEC EDGAR) |
| Analyst Consensus EPS (This Year) | $12.85 | 13 analysts consensus |
| Trailing P/E | 26.9x | Current market pricing |
| Fair P/E (β discount) | 22.8x | Trailing PE adjusted by value discount factor β, hard-capped |
| Earnings Trend (γ) | Accelerating | Directional signal: predicted vs trailing EPS |
Wall Street Reference: Analyst consensus target price is $192.55 (13 analysts). This is shown for reference only and is not used in our valuation model.
Source: Earnings data from SEC EDGAR filings. Market data via Yahoo Finance.
Does Nucor Corporation have a durable competitive advantage?
Moat rating: 3.1/5.
What makes up NUE's moat score?
ROIC Stability
ROIC variability over the past decade. Score: 4/5.
Gross Margin Trend
Gross margin trajectory over the past decade. Score: 2/5.
Switching Costs
Estimated customer lock-in based on margin level. Score: 3/5.
How stable is NUE's return on invested capital?
| Year | ROIC | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 42.2% | — |
| 2023 | 23.6% | Declining |
| 2024 | 11.6% | Declining |
| 2025 | 9.8% | Declining |
Source: ROIC calculated from SEC EDGAR filings.
Is Nucor Corporation's dividend safe?
Can Nucor Corporation afford its dividend?
Payout ratio is 29.4%. FCF covers the dividend 15.2x. 44 consecutive years of payments.
Nucor Corporation's key financial metrics
| Metric | Latest | 1Y Ago | 3Y Ago | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $32.5B | $30.7B | $41.5B | Declining |
| Net Income | $1.7B | $2.0B | $7.6B | Declining |
| Free Cash Flow | −$0.2B | $0.8B | $8.1B | Declining |
| Gross Margin | 11.9% | 13.4% | 30.1% | Declining |
Common questions about Nucor Corporation
Is Nucor Corporation at risk of going bankrupt?
Nucor Corporation's Altman Z-Score of 4.9 places it in the safe zone. This metric uses balance sheet ratios to predict bankruptcy probability within 2 years. A score below 1.8 signals distress, while above 3.0 indicates safety.
What is Nucor Corporation's estimated fair value?
Our valuation model estimates Nucor Corporation's fair value at $220.02 per share. The current margin of safety is 5.4%. This estimate uses a PE-based approach with analyst consensus earnings.
Does Nucor Corporation have a competitive moat?
Nucor Corporation receives a moat rating of 3.1 out of 5 stars, based on ROIC stability, gross margin trends, and estimated switching costs. A rating above 3.5 suggests a durable competitive advantage.
Is Nucor Corporation's dividend safe?
Our dividend safety analysis examines payout ratio, free cash flow coverage, and the company's streak of consecutive dividend payments to determine whether the current payout is sustainable.
FairValueLabs Disclaimer
All valuations, scores, ratings, and classifications on this page are produced by the FairValueLabs internal valuation system. They do not represent actual market value, guaranteed outcomes, or professional investment advice. These are analytical estimates for educational and research purposes only.
This is not financial advice. All data is sourced from SEC EDGAR public filings. Always consult a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions.
Last updated: Apr 20, 2026. Data sources: SEC EDGAR (financial statements), Yahoo Finance (market data, analyst consensus). Data may not reflect the most recent quarter.
NUE analysis methodology: How we calculate fair value, Z-Scores, and moat ratings