Nucor Corp
Q2 2025 Earnings
Market Reaction
S&P 500 over the same 30 days: +2.15%.
Did NUE Beat Earnings? Q2 2025 Results
Nucor posted a solid sequential rebound in Q2 2025 but narrowly missed Wall Street expectations, reporting earnings of $2.60 per diluted share against a consensus estimate of $2.70, a miss of 3.70%, while revenue of $8.46 billion came in just 0.27% below the $8.48 billion forecast despite rising 4.7% year over year. The most material driver of the quarter was a sharp recovery in the steel mills segment, where pre-tax earnings surged to $843.00 million from an adjusted $241.00 million in Q1, fueled by an 8% sequential increase in average selling prices and mill operating rates climbing to 85%. EBITDA reached $1.29 billion, and the company returned $329.00 million to shareholders through buybacks and dividends. Still, shares slipped as rising raw material costs weighed on margins and management guided Q3 2025 earnings to come in nominally below Q2 levels, citing expected margin compression in the steel mills segment even as backlogs remain approximately 30% higher year over year and newly enacted 50% Section 232 tariffs are expected to support domestic demand.
- Higher average selling prices at sheet and plate mills drove steel mills segment earnings improvement
- Steel mill operating rates increased to 85% from 80% in Q1 and 75% in Q2 2024
- Record sheet shipments achieved in Q2 2025
- Steel products segment benefited from higher volumes, stable pricing, and lower average costs per ton
- Raw materials segment improved from stronger scrap processing operations
- Total tons shipped to outside customers increased 8% year-over-year to approximately 6.82 million tons
- Mill backlogs of approximately 3.7 million tons at end of Q2, 30% higher year-over-year
- Steel imports approximately 9% lower year-to-date through June versus 2024
“Our team delivered a solid second quarter, with sequential earnings growth from all three of Nucor's reporting segments, and did so while setting another safety record in the first half of 2025.”
Nucor CEO, on the earnings call
Forward Guidance & Outlook
Nucor expects Q3 2025 earnings to be nominally lower than Q2 2025, driven by decreased earnings in the steel mills segment due to expected margin compression despite resilient backlogs and stable demand. Steel products and raw materials segments are expected to deliver similar earnings to Q2. The company sees resilient demand across key end markets, a healthy order backlog approximately 30% higher year-over-year, and recently enacted trade and tax policies as supportive. Section 232 tariffs of 50% on all steel imports are expected to curb unfairly traded imports and increase demand for domestically produced steel. Multiple growth projects are on track for completion in Q3 and Q4 2025, with full-year capital expenditure guidance reaffirmed at approximately $3 billion.
NUE YoY Financials
Figures from SEC filings and company reports. Not investment advice.