Nucor sees tighter margins to close out 2025

Charlotte, North Carolina-based recycled steelmaker Nucor Corp. has announced guidance for this year’s fourth quarter that has the firm’s profits narrowing by about 35 percent compared with results from the third quarter of 2025.

The company, which also owns the David J. Joseph (DJJ) network of metals recycling facilities, has predicted its fourth-quarter 2025 earnings per share will be in the range of $1.65 to $1.75 per diluted share.

The $1.70 figure in the middle of that range is down 35 percent from the $2.63 per diluted share Nucor earned in the third quarter of this year, however it represents a 39 percent increase compared with the $1.22 per diluted share the steelmaker earned in the fourth quarter of 2024.

In the quarter now underway, Nucor expects earnings to decrease across all three of its operating segments compared with the prior quarter, driven by seasonal effects and fewer shipping days in its fiscal quarter.

Nucor says earnings in its steel mills segment are projected to decrease because of lower volumes and margin compression, primarily in its sheet steel operations.

In its raw materials segment, which includes the DJJ operations, Nucor cites scheduled outages at its direct-reduced iron (DRI) facilities as the predominant cause of the expected lower earnings.

“In the steel products segments, earnings are expected to decline on lower volumes and higher average costs per ton, partially offset by higher average realized pricing,” the company says of its business unit that makes building and construction products.

Looking ahead, Nucor is “encouraged by backlogs that are materially higher than they were a year ago at this time, reflecting continuing momentum in select construction market segments such as energy, infrastructure, data centers and manufacturing.

"We are also optimistic that monetary, tax and trade policy will lead to continued gradual improvement in business conditions for Nucor.”

Nucor plans to release its fourth-quarter 2025 results Jan. 26 and to host a conference call the following day.