In the third quarter, Sowell Financial Services LLC reduced its Nucor Corporation stake by 75.4%, selling 6,461 shares and ending the period with 2,105 shares valued at approximately $285,000. Other significant movements included Hudson Capital Management LLC increasing its holding by 6.6% to 34,784 shares, Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. adding 70,581 shares for a 138.5% boost to 121,543 shares, and new positions established by Fidelis Capital Partners LLC and Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. totaling roughly $5.46 million. Overall, institutional investors and hedge funds now control 76.48% of Nucor’s outstanding shares, underscoring their ongoing confidence in the steelmaker’s long-term prospects despite selective profit-taking.

Nucor reported third-quarter revenue of $8.52 billion, up 14.5% year-over-year, driven by strong steel pricing and higher shipments across all major product lines. Adjusted earnings per share of $2.63 surpassed consensus estimates by $0.33, while operating margin expanded to 11.2% from 9.7% a year earlier. Return on equity stood at 7.8%, reflecting disciplined capital allocation and robust cost controls in its electric-arc furnace operations. Management reiterated full-year shipments guidance in a range consistent with prior quarters, signaling stable demand in construction and industrial markets.

The board approved a quarterly dividend increase to $0.56 per share, representing a 1.8% hike from the prior payout and yielding approximately 1.3% on an annualized basis. This marks the 12th consecutive year of dividend growth, with the payout ratio at a conservative 31.5%. In parallel, Nucor repurchased $250 million of shares during the quarter under its existing authorization, demonstrating balanced capital allocation between returning cash to shareholders and funding selective mill expansions, including a planned new beam facility in Texas slated for late 2025 start-up.

Equity research desks have grown increasingly optimistic on Nucor’s earnings trajectory and net cash flow generation. Goldman Sachs raised its target to $182 with a Buy rating, BNP Paribas Exane lifted its objective to $185, and Jefferies increased its forecast to $190, citing structural tightness in domestic scrap supply and favorable international export fundamentals. BMO Capital Markets and Morgan Stanley also maintained Outperform/Overweight recommendations, leaving only one Hold on the consensus. The average analyst price target now stands near $174, reflecting a 7% premium to current levels and underscoring broad buy-side conviction in Nucor’s earnings resilience and dividend accretion potential.