Nucor (NUE) is trading higher today as the market continues to react to its late-March profit outlook and improving steel pricing. On March 19, 2026, Nucor guided first-quarter earnings to $2.70–$2.80 per diluted share for the quarter ending April 4, 2026, versus adjusted EPS of $1.73 in Q4 2025, and said results should improve across all three segments, led by steel mills on higher average selling prices and volumes. (investors.nucor.com)

Nucor attributed the expected steel-mills step-up primarily to better realized pricing and stronger shipments across product groups, while the steel products segment was expected to benefit from higher volumes with stable realized pricing. That narrative has been reinforced by a firm U.S. flat-rolled market, where Nucor’s published consumer spot pricing actions through March have kept attention on tightening lead times and sustained pricing power. (investors.nucor.com)

The company also highlighted ongoing capital returns, disclosing that it repurchased about 0.7 million shares in Q1 2026 at an average price of $175.19 and returned about $250 million to shareholders year-to-date via buybacks and dividends. Nucor is scheduled to report earnings after the close on April 27, 2026, with a conference call on April 28, 2026, which is the next major catalyst for confirming whether volumes, pricing, and segment margins are tracking to the higher guide. (investors.nucor.com)