Nucor stock gained 1.87 percent on October 2 as Q3 guidance set the next test

Published on 10/04/2026 at 23:28 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Nucor stock was last at USD 240.39 on October 2, 14.18 percent below its 52-week high. Q3 EPS guidance of USD 5.55-5.65 compares with Q2 net EPS of USD 5.04.

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Nucor Corporation (ISIN US6703461052) was last at USD 240.39 on the NYSE on October 2, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. ET, up 1.87 percent on the session. The stock was 14.18 percent below its 52-week high of USD 280.11, putting the next earnings release at the center of the investment case.

Guidance sets the next test

On September 17, 2026, Nucor guided for third-quarter earnings of USD 5.55-5.65 per diluted share. That range compares with USD 5.04 of net earnings per diluted share in the second quarter and USD 2.63 in the third quarter of 2025.

The company expects earnings to increase in its steel mills and steel products segments, while raw materials earnings are expected to decrease. Nucor linked the steel mills outlook to higher average selling prices and stable volumes, while higher costs of products sold remain a counter-factor.

Consensus stays above the quote

MarketBeat reported on October 2, 2026, that 13 analysts rated Nucor Buy and four rated it Hold, producing a Moderate Buy consensus from 17 analysts. Its average price target was USD 276.07, which lies 14.83 percent above the USD 240.39 reference price.

The target range shows why the earnings release matters: Nucor's USD 240.39 price stood USD 39.72 below the consensus average, while the 52-week high remained USD 39.72 above the stock. The operating outlook therefore has to convert higher steel pricing into earnings while absorbing raw-material and corporate costs.

JPMorgan target reaches USD 308

TipRanks reported on September 9, 2026, that JPMorgan analyst Bill Peterson raised the Nucor target from USD 294 to USD 308 and kept an Overweight rating. The analyst cited better pricing in the steel group and described tariff support as a factor in the research view.

Nucor also said it repurchased 2.03 million shares at an average USD 247.04 during the third quarter and returned USD 1.36 billion through buybacks and dividends during 2026 through the guidance update. That capital return figure adds shareholder support, but the next report will show whether operating earnings can justify the premium to the latest quarterly result.

Stock awaits the October report

Nucor stock was last at USD 240.39 on the NYSE on October 2, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. ET, with a session high of USD 242.88, a session low of USD 238.54 and volume of 1,049,971 shares.