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Bull of the Day: Nucor Corp. (NUE)

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The Zacks Steel – Producers industry is currently ranked in the top 8% (21 out of 250) of all Zacks Industries.

And as we’re all aware, 50% of a stock's price movement can be attributed to its group, making it clear why it’s critical for investors to target stocks in a thriving industry.

A company residing in the industry and a part of the Zacks Basic Materials sector, Nucor Corp. (NUE - Free Report) , has seen its near-term earnings outlook shift positively across all timeframes over the last 60 days.

Zacks Investment Research
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Nucor is a leading producer of structural steel, steel bars, steel joists, steel deck, and cold-finished bars in the United States.

How does the company currently shape up? Let’s take a closer look.

Share Performance

Nucor shares have been hot year-to-date, tacking on nearly 25% in value and crushing the S&P 500’s impressive 7.5% gain.

Zacks Investment Research
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

And over the last year, Nucor shares have gained 37%, again crushing the S&P 500’s performance.

Zacks Investment Research
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The positive price action within shares tells us that buyers have been active, something that was a rarity for most stocks over the last year.

Quarterly Results

Nucor has consistently exceeded quarterly expectations, exceeding both earnings and revenue expectations in four consecutive quarters.

Just in its latest release on January 26th, Nucor penciled in a steep 17% earnings surprise and reported sales more than 10% above expectations. Below is a chart illustrating the company’s revenue on a quarterly basis.

Zacks Investment Research
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Dividends & Cash Flow

Many stocks in the Zacks Basic Materials sector pay dividends, and Nucor is no different; NUE’s annual dividend currently yields 1.2% paired with a sustainable payout ratio sitting at 6% of its earnings.

While the yield is below the sector average, Nucor’s 6.2% five-year annualized dividend growth rate helps to fill the gap.

Zacks Investment Research
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Further, Nucor has been a cash-generating machine as of late, posting free cash flow of $2 billion in its latest quarterly release.

Zacks Investment Research
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Bottom Line

Investors can implement a stellar strategy to find expected winners by taking advantage of the Zacks Rank – one of the most powerful market tools that provides a massive edge.

Additionally, the top 5% of all stocks receive the highly coveted Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). These stocks should outperform the market more than any other rank.

Nucor Corp. (NUE - Free Report) would be an excellent stock for investors to keep on their watchlists, as displayed by its Zack Rank #1 (Strong Buy).


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