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Nucor Reports Results for the Second Quarter of 2025

1. Nucor's Q2 2025 net earnings were $603 million. 2. Sales increased to $8.46 billion, up 8% from Q1 2025. 3. Steel mills segment performed well with increased shipping rates. 4. Nucor's operational efficiency improved with an 85% operating rate. 5. The company plans continued buybacks and a stable dividend policy.

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Why Bullish?

Nucor showed solid earnings growth and improved operational efficiency, driving investor confidence, akin to its previous upward trends in profitable quarters.

How important is it?

The article highlights key financial metrics which directly impact investor perception and demand for NUE stock.

Why Short Term?

Expectations for lower third-quarter earnings could create volatility, but strong Q2 performance offers immediate investor reassurance.

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Second Quarter of 2025 Highlights Net earnings attributable to Nucor stockholders of $603 million, or $2.60 per diluted share. Net sales of $8.46 billion. Net earnings before noncontrolling interests of $706 million; EBITDA of $1.30 billion. , /PRNewswire/ -- Nucor Corporation (NYSE: NUE) today announced consolidated net earnings attributable to Nucor stockholders of $603 million, or $2.60 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2025. By comparison, Nucor reported consolidated net earnings attributable to Nucor stockholders of $156 million, or $0.67 per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2025 and $645 million, or $2.68 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2024. In the first six months of 2025, Nucor reported consolidated net earnings attributable to Nucor stockholders of $759 million, or $3.26 per diluted share, compared with consolidated net earnings attributable to Nucor stockholders of $1.49 billion, or $6.14 per diluted share, in the first six months of 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," said Leon Topalian, Nucor's Chair, President and Chief Executive Officer. "As we head into the second half of 2025, we are encouraged by resilient demand across key end markets, a healthy order backlog and recently enacted tax and trade policies that promote American manufacturing."  Selected Segment DataEarnings (loss) before income taxes and noncontrolling interests by segment for the second quarter and first six months of 2025 and 2024 were as follows (in millions): Three Months (13 Weeks) Ended Six Months (26 Weeks) Ended July 5, 2025 June 29, 2024 July 5, 2025 June 29, 2024 Steel mills $ 843 $ 645 $ 1,074 $ 1,748 Steel products 392 442 680 953 Raw materials 57 39 86 49 Corporate/eliminations (393) (228) (656) (627) $ 899 $ 898 $ 1,184 $ 2,123 Financial ReviewNucor's consolidated net sales increased 8% to $8.46 billion in the second quarter of 2025 compared with $7.83 billion in the first quarter of 2025 and increased 5% compared with $8.08 billion in the second quarter of 2024. Average sales price per ton in the second quarter of 2025 increased 8% compared with the first quarter of 2025 and decreased 3% compared with the second quarter of 2024. A total of approximately 6,820,000 tons were shipped to outside customers in the second quarter of 2025, which was comparable with the first quarter of 2025 and was an 8% increase compared with the second quarter of 2024. Total steel mill shipments in the second quarter of 2025 were comparable to the first quarter of 2025 and increased 10% compared to the second quarter of 2024. Steel mill shipments to internal customers represented 22% of total steel mill shipments in the second quarter of 2025, compared with 19% in the first quarter of 2025 and 21% in the second quarter of 2024. Downstream steel product shipments to outside customers in the second quarter of 2025 increased 9% compared with the first quarter of 2025 and increased 6% compared with the second quarter of 2024. In the first six months of 2025, Nucor's consolidated net sales of $16.29 billion was comparable with consolidated net sales of $16.21 billion reported in the first six months of 2024. Total tons shipped to outside customers in the first six months of 2025 were approximately 13,650,000 tons, an increase of 9% compared with the first six months of 2024, and the average sales price per ton in the first six months of 2025 decreased 8% compared with the first six months of 2024. The average scrap and scrap substitute cost per gross ton used in the second quarter of 2025 was $403, a 2% increase compared to $394 in the first quarter of 2025 and $396 in the second quarter of 2024. The average scrap and scrap substitute cost per gross ton used in the first six months of 2025 was $398, a 3% decrease compared to $409 in the first six months of 2024. Pre-operating and start-up costs related to the Company's growth projects were approximately $136 million, or $0.45 per diluted share, in the second quarter of 2025, compared with approximately $170 million, or $0.56 per diluted share, in the first quarter of 2025 and approximately $137 million, or $0.43 per diluted share, in the second quarter of 2024. In the first six months of 2025, pre-operating and start-up costs related to the Company's growth projects were approximately $306 million, or $1.00 per diluted share, compared with approximately $262 million, or $0.82 per diluted share, in the first six months of 2024. Overall operating rates at the Company's steel mills increased to 85% in the second quarter of 2025 as compared to 80% in the first quarter of 2025 and 75% in the second quarter of 2024. Operating rates in the first six months of 2025 increased to 82% as compared to 79% in the first six months of 2024. Financial StrengthAt the end of the second quarter of 2025, we had $2.48 billion in cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments on hand. The Company's $2.25 billion revolving credit facility remains undrawn and does not expire until March 2030.  Nucor continues to have the strongest credit ratings in the North American steel sector (A-/A-/Baa1) with stable outlooks at Standard & Poor's and Fitch Ratings and a positive outlook at Moody's. Commitment to Returning Capital to StockholdersDuring the second quarter of 2025, Nucor repurchased approximately 1.8 million shares of its common stock at an average price of $111.89 per share (approximately 4.0 million shares during the first six months of 2025 at an average price of $123.75 per share). As of July 5, 2025, Nucor had approximately $606 million remaining authorized and available for repurchases under its share repurchase program. This share repurchase authorization is discretionary and has no scheduled expiration date. On June 10, 2025, Nucor's Board of Directors declared a cash dividend of $0.55 per share. This cash dividend is payable on August 11, 2025, to stockholders of record as of June 30, 2025 and is Nucor's 209th consecutive quarterly cash dividend. Second Quarter of 2025 AnalysisEarnings in the second quarter of 2025 increased across all three of our operating segments as compared to the first quarter of 2025. The increase in earnings for the steel mills segment was primarily due to higher average selling prices at our sheet and plate mills. Earnings in the steel products segment increased in the second quarter of 2025 as compared to the first quarter of 2025 due to a combination of stable overall pricing, higher volumes and lower average costs per ton. The raw materials segment had increased earnings in the second quarter of 2025 as compared to the first quarter of 2025 due primarily to our scrap processing operations. Third Quarter of 2025 OutlookWe expect earnings in the third quarter of 2025 to be nominally lower than the second quarter of 2025, due to decreased earnings in the steel mills segment and similar earnings in the steel products and raw materials segments. In the steel mills segment, despite resilient backlogs and a stable demand outlook, we expect margin compression in the third quarter of 2025 as compared to the second quarter of 2025. Earnings Conference CallAn earnings call is scheduled for July 29, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time to review Nucor's second quarter of 2025 financial results and provide a business update. The call can be accessed via webcast from the Investor Relations section of Nucor's website (nucor.com/investors). A presentation with supplemental information to accompany the call has been posted to Nucor's Investor Relations website. A playback of the webcast will be posted to the same site within one day of the live event.  About NucorNucor and its affiliates are manufacturers of steel and steel products, with operating facilities in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Products produced include: carbon and alloy steel -- in bars, beams, sheet and plate; hollow structural section tubing; electrical conduit; steel racking; steel piling; steel joists and joist girders; steel deck; fabricated concrete reinforcing steel; cold finished steel; precision castings; steel fasteners; metal building systems; insulated metal panels; overhead doors; steel grating; wire and wire mesh; and utility structures. Nucor, through The David J. Joseph Company and its affiliates, also brokers ferrous and nonferrous metals, pig iron and hot briquetted iron / direct reduced iron; supplies ferro-alloys; and processes ferrous and nonferrous scrap. Nucor is North America's largest recycler. Non-GAAP Financial MeasuresThe Company uses certain non-GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) financial measures in this news release, including EBITDA. Generally, a non-GAAP financial measure is a numerical measure of a company's performance or financial position that either excludes or includes amounts that are not normally excluded or included in the most directly comparable financial measure calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP. We define EBITDA as net earnings before noncontrolling interests, adding back the following items: interest expense (income), net; provision for income taxes; losses and impairments of assets; depreciation; and amortization. Please note that other companies might define their non-GAAP financial measures differently than we do. Management presents the non-GAAP financial measure of EBITDA in this news release because it considers it to be an important supplemental measure of performance. Management believes that this non-GAAP financial measure provides additional insight for analysts and investors evaluating the Company's financial and operational performance by providing a consistent basis of comparison across periods. Forward-Looking StatementsCertain statements contained in this news release are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties which we expect will or may occur in the future and may impact our business, financial condition and results of operations. The words "anticipate," "believe," "expect," "intend," "project," "may," "will," "should," "could" and similar expressions are intended to identify those forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect the Company's best judgment based on current information, and, although we base these statements on circumstances that we believe to be reasonable when made, there can be no assurance that future events will not affect the accuracy of such forward-looking information. As such, the forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results may vary materially from the projected results and expectations discussed in this news release. Factors that might cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: (1) competitive pressure on sales and pricing, including pressure from imports and substitute materials; (2) U.S. and foreign trade policies affecting steel imports or exports; (3) the sensitivity of the results of our operations to general market conditions, and in particular, prevailing market steel prices and changes in the supply and cost of raw materials, including pig iron, iron ore and scrap steel; (4) the availability and cost of electricity and natural gas, which could negatively affect our cost of steel production or result in a delay or cancellation of existing or future drilling within our natural gas drilling programs; (5) critical equipment failures and business interruptions; (6) market demand for steel products, which, in the case of many of our products, is driven by the level of nonresidential construction activity in the United States; (7) impairment in the recorded value of inventory, equity investments, fixed assets, goodwill or other long-lived assets; (8) uncertainties and volatility surrounding the global economy, including excess world capacity for steel production, inflation and interest rate changes; (9) fluctuations in currency conversion rates; (10) significant changes in laws or government regulations affecting environmental compliance, including legislation and regulations that result in greater regulation of greenhouse gas emissions that could increase our energy costs, capital expenditures and operating costs or cause one or more of our permits to be revoked or make it more difficult to obtain permit modifications; (11) the cyclical nature of the steel industry; (12) capital investments and their impact on our performance; (13) our safety performance; (14) our ability to integrate businesses we acquire; and (15) the impact of any pandemic or public health situation. These and other factors are discussed in Nucor's regulatory filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, including those in "Item 1A. Risk Factors" of Nucor's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release speak only as of this date, and Nucor does not assume any obligation to update them, except as may be required by applicable law. Tonnage Data (In thousands) Three Months (13 Weeks) Ended Six Months (26 Weeks) Ended July 5, 2025 June 29,2024 Percent Change July 5, 2025 June 29, 2024 Percent Change Steel mills total shipments: Sheet 3,057 2,869 7 % 6,038 5,843 3 % Bars 2,148 2,005 7 % 4,438 3,917 13 % Structural 635 512 24 % 1,212 1,062 14 % Plate 606 448 35 % 1,183 860 38 % Other 28 33 -15 % 66 75 -12 % 6,474 5,867 10 % 12,937 11,757 10 % Sales tons to outside customers:           Steel mills 5,044 4,617 9 % 10,270 9,293 11 % Joist and deck 217 185 17 % 399 365 9 % Rebar fabrication products 306 265 15 % 553 503 10 % Tubular products 243 214 14 % 513 422 22 % Building Systems 64 66 -3 % 112 121 -7 % Other steel products 311 344 -10 % 612 628 -3 % Raw materials 635 598 6 % 1,191 1,181 1 % 6,820 6,289 8 % 13,650 12,513 9 % Condensed Consolidated Statements of Earnings (Unaudited) (In millions, except per share data) Three Months (13 Weeks) Ended Six Months (26 Weeks) Ended July 5, 2025 June 29, 2024 July 5, 2025 June 29, 2024 Net sales $ 8,456 $ 8,077 $ 16,286 $ 16,214 Costs, expenses and other: Cost of products sold 7,233 6,883 14,458 13,497 Marketing, administrative and other expenses 304 294 585 639 Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates (10) (10) (14) (19) Losses and impairments of assets 11 14 40 14 Interest expense (income), net 19 (2) 33 (40) 7,557 7,179 15,102 14,091 Earnings before income taxes and noncontrolling interests  899 898 1,184 2,123 Provision for income taxes 193 186 252 452 Net earnings before noncontrolling interests 706 712 932 1,671 Earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests 103 67 173 181 Net earnings attributable to Nucor stockholders $ 603 $ 645 $ 759 $ 1,490 Net earnings per share: Basic $ 2.60 $ 2.68 $ 3.26 $ 6.15 Diluted $ 2.60 $ 2.68 $ 3.26 $ 6.14 Average shares outstanding: Basic 230.6 239.6 231.7 241.3 Diluted 230.8 240.0 231.9 241.5 Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) (In millions) July 5, 2025 Dec. 31, 2024 ASSETS Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 1,946 $ 3,558 Short-term investments 537 581 Accounts receivable, net 3,388 2,675 Inventories, net 5,462 5,106 Other current assets 386 555 Total current assets 11,719 12,475 Property, plant and equipment, net 14,303 13,243 Goodwill 4,299 4,288 Other intangible assets, net 3,006 3,134 Other assets 890 800 Total assets $ 34,217 $ 33,940 LIABILITIES Current liabilities: Short-term debt $ 157 $ 225 Current portion of long-term debt and finance lease obligations  32 1,042 Accounts payable 2,183 1,832 Salaries, wages and related accruals 745 903 Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 1,029 975 Total current liabilities 4,146 4,977 Long-term debt and finance lease obligations due after one year 6,692 5,683 Deferred credits and other liabilities 1,887 1,863 Total liabilities 12,725 12,523 Commitments and contingencies EQUITY Nucor stockholders' equity: Common stock 152 152 Additional paid-in capital 2,213 2,223 Retained earnings 30,775 30,271 Accumulated other comprehensive loss,    net of income taxes (167) (208) Treasury stock (12,584) (12,144) Total Nucor stockholders' equity 20,389 20,294 Noncontrolling interests 1,103 1,123 Total equity 21,492 21,417 Total liabilities and equity $ 34,217 $ 33,940 Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) (In millions) Six Months (26 Weeks) Ended July 5, 2025 June 29, 2024 Operating activities: Net earnings before noncontrolling interests $ 932 $ 1,671 Adjustments: Depreciation 606 528 Amortization 128 120 Impairment of assets 20 14 Stock-based compensation 78 83 Deferred income taxes (17) (78) Distributions from affiliates 6 8 Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates (14) (19) Changes in assets and liabilities (exclusive of acquisitions and dispositions):  Accounts receivable (706) (154) Inventories (352) 333 Accounts payable 375 (315) Federal income taxes 135 133 Salaries, wages and related accruals (135) (426) Other operating activities 40 47 Cash provided by operating activities 1,096 1,945 Investing activities: Capital expenditures (1,813) (1,471) Investment in and advances to affiliates (1) - Disposition of plant and equipment 39 10 Acquisitions (net of cash acquired) (1) (109) Purchases of investments (666) (887) Proceeds from the sale of investments 717 856 Other investing activities 2 - Cash used in investing activities (1,723) (1,601) Financing activities: Net change in short-term debt (68) 49 Repayment of long-term debt (1,007) (5) Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt, net of discount 997 - Bond issuance costs (9) - Proceeds from exercise of stock options - 3 Payment of tax withholdings on certain stock-based compensation (31) (47) Distributions to noncontrolling interests (214) (315) Cash dividends (258) (264) Acquisition of treasury stock (500) (1,501) Proceeds from government incentives 77 - Other financing activities 17 (7) Cash used in financing activities (996) (2,087) Effect of exchange rate changes on cash 11 (5) Decrease in cash and cash equivalents (1,612) (1,748) Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of year 3,558 6,387 Cash and cash equivalents - end of six months $ 1,946 $ 4,639 Non-cash investing activity: Change in accrued plant and equipment purchases $ (27) $ 37 Non-GAAP Financial Measures Reconciliation of EBITDA (Unaudited) (In millions) Three Months (13 Weeks) Ended Six Months (26 Weeks) Ended July 5, 2025 June 29, 2024 July 5, 2025 June 29, 2024 Net earnings before noncontrolling interests $ 706 $ 712 $ 932 $ 1,671 Depreciation 303 271 606 528 Amortization 63 61 128 120 Losses and impairments of assets 11 14 40 14 Interest expense (income), net 19 (2) 33 (40) Provision for income taxes 193 186 252 452 EBITDA $ 1,295 $ 1,242 $ 1,991 $ 2,745 SOURCE Nucor Corporation WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM? 440k+ Newsrooms & Influencers 9k+ Digital Media Outlets 270k+ Journalists Opted In

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