A week ago, Nucor Corporation (NYSE:NUE) came out with a strong set of quarterly numbers that could potentially lead to a re-rate of the stock. It was overall a positive result, with revenues beating expectations by 7.6% to hit US$7.8b. Nucor reported statutory earnings per share (EPS) US$0.67, which was a notable 10% above what the analysts had forecast. Earnings are an important time for investors, as they can track a company's performance, look at what the analysts are forecasting for next year, and see if there's been a change in sentiment towards the company. We've gathered the most recent statutory forecasts to see whether the analysts have changed their earnings models, following these results.

Our free stock report includes 2 warning signs investors should be aware of before investing in Nucor. Read for free now.NYSE:NUE Earnings and Revenue Growth April 30th 2025

Taking into account the latest results, the most recent consensus for Nucor from twelve analysts is for revenues of US$31.4b in 2025. If met, it would imply a reasonable 3.3% increase on its revenue over the past 12 months. Statutory earnings per share are predicted to surge 43% to US$8.22. Before this earnings report, the analysts had been forecasting revenues of US$31.7b and earnings per share (EPS) of US$8.40 in 2025. So it looks like there's been a small decline in overall sentiment after the recent results - there's been no major change to revenue estimates, but the analysts did make a small dip in their earnings per share forecasts.

Check out our latest analysis for Nucor

The consensus price target held steady at US$146, with the analysts seemingly voting that their lower forecast earnings are not expected to lead to a lower stock price in the foreseeable future. It could also be instructive to look at the range of analyst estimates, to evaluate how different the outlier opinions are from the mean. Currently, the most bullish analyst values Nucor at US$169 per share, while the most bearish prices it at US$120. There are definitely some different views on the stock, but the range of estimates is not wide enough as to imply that the situation is unforecastable, in our view.

One way to get more context on these forecasts is to look at how they compare to both past performance, and how other companies in the same industry are performing. It's pretty clear that there is an expectation that Nucor's revenue growth will slow down substantially, with revenues to the end of 2025 expected to display 4.4% growth on an annualised basis. This is compared to a historical growth rate of 8.0% over the past five years. Compare this to the 246 other companies in this industry with analyst coverage, which are forecast to grow their revenue at 4.4% per year. Factoring in the forecast slowdown in growth, it looks like Nucor is forecast to grow at about the same rate as the wider industry.

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The Bottom Line

The most important thing to take away is that the analysts downgraded their earnings per share estimates, showing that there has been a clear decline in sentiment following these results. They also reconfirmed their revenue estimates, with the company predicted to grow at about the same rate as the wider industry. The consensus price target held steady at US$146, with the latest estimates not enough to have an impact on their price targets.

With that said, the long-term trajectory of the company's earnings is a lot more important than next year. At Simply Wall St, we have a full range of analyst estimates for Nucor going out to 2027, and you can see them free on our platform here..

You still need to take note of risks, for example - Nucor has  2 warning signs  we think you should be aware of.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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