Nucor (NUE) Stock Just Hit an All-Time High. Here’s Why Wall Street Isn’t Done Yet

TLDR

• Nucor stock hit an all-time high of $235.92, up 117% over the past year
• Q1 2026 EPS of $3.23 beat estimates of $2.82; revenue of $9.5B beat the $8.88B forecast
• BMO Capital raised its price target to $250, maintaining an Outperform rating
• Nucor’s board authorized a $4 billion share buyback plan
• Consensus analyst rating is Moderate Buy with an average price target of $247.50

Nucor (NUE) stock hit an all-time high of $235.92 on Tuesday, extending a run that has seen the stock climb 117% over the past year.

Nucor Corporation, NUE

The stock opened at $231.99 and has a 12-month low of $106.21, putting the scale of the move in sharp relief. Its 50-day moving average sits at $197.40, and its 200-day at $178.40.

The rally comes on the back of a strong Q1 2026 earnings report. Nucor posted EPS of $3.23, beating the $2.82 consensus estimate by $0.41.

Revenue came in at $9.5 billion, ahead of the $8.88 billion forecast and up 21.3% year-over-year. In the same period last year, the company earned just $0.77 EPS.

The company’s return on equity stands at 10.68%, with a net margin of 6.82%. Analysts now expect full-year EPS of $14.58.

Analyst Reaction

BMO Capital raised its price target on Nucor to $250 from $235 after the earnings beat, keeping an Outperform rating. Analyst Katja Jancic pointed to positive outlook commentary from management.

Barclays initiated coverage with an Overweight rating and a $270 price target. CICC Research also initiated with an Outperform rating.

Morgan Stanley lifted its target from $180 to $227, though it kept an Equal Weight rating. UBS moved the other way, downgrading from Buy to Neutral while raising its target to $224.

The consensus across analysts is a Moderate Buy, with an average price target of $247.50. Two analysts rate it Strong Buy, ten have Buy, and four have Hold.

Institutional Activity

Institutional investors are piling in. Seaview Investment Managers opened a new position in Q4, buying 49,546 shares worth around $8.08 million. The stock now makes up 3% of its portfolio.

AQR Capital Management boosted its stake by 580.9% in Q2, now holding 653,845 shares worth $84.7 million. Vaughan Nelson increased its position by 169% in Q4, and M&T Bank Corp grew its holdings by 494.5% in the same period.

Overall, 76.48% of Nucor stock is held by institutional investors.

Nucor’s board also authorized a $4 billion share buyback plan in February, allowing the company to repurchase up to 9.7% of its outstanding stock.

On the insider side, EVP David A. Sumoski sold 33,068 shares on April 30 at an average of $225.67, totaling around $7.46 million. Insider Michael D. Keller sold 4,554 shares on May 4 at $225.86.

Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 71,818 shares worth roughly $16.2 million. Insiders own 0.62% of the company.

Nucor carries a market cap of $52.83 billion, a P/E of 22.97, and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30.

Wall Street Zen upgraded Nucor from Buy to Strong Buy on May 16.

The post Nucor (NUE) Stock Just Hit an All-Time High. Here’s Why Wall Street Isn’t Done Yet appeared first on CoinCentral.