AU vs. NUE: AngloGold Ashanti vs. Nucor Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do AngloGold Ashanti (AU) and Nucor (NUE) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

AngloGold Ashanti (AU) and Nucor (NUE) both belong to the Metals & Mining industry, though AU is classified under Gold while NUE falls under Steel.

Company profile comparison for AngloGold Ashanti (AU) and Nucor (NUE)
Profile Item	AU	NUE
Name	AngloGold Ashanti plc	Nucor Corporation
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Materials	Materials
GICS Industry Group	Materials	Materials
GICS Industry	Metals & Mining	Metals & Mining
GICS Sub-Industry	Gold	Steel
Market Capitalization	47.04 billion USD	55.58 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	August 5, 1998	March 17, 1980
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

NUE

GSPC

AngloGold Ashanti (AU) vs. Nucor (NUE), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for AngloGold Ashanti (AU) and Nucor (NUE). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for AngloGold Ashanti (AU) and Nucor (NUE). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for AngloGold Ashanti (AU) and Nucor (NUE)
Metric	AU	NUE
Total Return (1Y)	47.97%	74.82%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	87.34%	19.83%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	42.76%	18.79%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

NUE

GSPC

AngloGold Ashanti (AU) vs. Nucor (NUE), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for AngloGold Ashanti (AU) and Nucor (NUE). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Nucor (NUE) has an aggressive beta of 1.82, indicating higher sensitivity to broad-market moves, while AngloGold Ashanti (AU) is defensive at 0.67 and tends to be less market-sensitive — they sit on opposite ends of the beta spectrum.

Risk profile metrics for AngloGold Ashanti (AU) and Nucor (NUE)
Metric	AU	NUE
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	60.11%	32.37%
Beta (5Y)	0.67	1.82
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-51.75%	-47.79%
Avg. Volume (3M)	2.54M	1.37M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

AU and NUE are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for AngloGold Ashanti (AU) and Nucor (NUE)
Metric	AU	NUE
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	0.73	2.18
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	1.07	3.28

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

AngloGold Ashanti (AU) at 44.33% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Nucor (NUE) at 17.58% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for AU.

AU

Materials industry group

44.33%

Max: 52.88%
AU: 44.33%
Q3: 19.49%
Median: 8.76%
Q1: -3.41%
Min: -32.81%

NUE

Materials industry group

17.58%

Max: 52.88%
Q3: 19.49%
NUE: 17.58%
Median: 8.76%
Q1: -3.41%
Min: -32.81%

AngloGold Ashanti (AU) vs. Nucor (NUE): A comparison of their ROE against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

AngloGold Ashanti (AU) at 32.64% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Nucor (NUE) at 9.26%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

AU

Materials industry group

32.64%

Max: 38.66%
AU: 32.64%
Q3: 15.98%
Median: 5.28%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: -20.40%

NUE

Materials industry group

9.26%

Max: 38.66%
Q3: 15.98%
NUE: 9.26%
Median: 5.28%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: -20.40%

AngloGold Ashanti (AU) vs. Nucor (NUE): A comparison of their net margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

AngloGold Ashanti (AU) at 45.36% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Nucor (NUE) at 16.73%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

AU

Materials industry group

45.36%

Max: 66.70%
AU: 45.36%
Q3: 28.92%
Median: 12.56%
Q1: 3.28%
Min: -14.07%

NUE

Materials industry group

16.73%

Max: 66.70%
Q3: 28.92%
NUE: 16.73%
Median: 12.56%
Q1: 3.28%
Min: -14.07%

AngloGold Ashanti (AU) vs. Nucor (NUE): A comparison of their operating margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for AngloGold Ashanti (AU) and Nucor (NUE)
Metric	AU	NUE
ROE (TTM)	44.33%	17.58%
ROA (TTM)	24.39%	8.82%
Net Margin (TTM)	32.64%	9.26%
Operating Margin (TTM)	45.36%	16.73%
Gross Margin (TTM)	54.84%	17.39%

Growth

Revenue Growth

AngloGold Ashanti (AU) at 70.78% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Nucor (NUE) at 5.73% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for AU.

AngloGold Ashanti (AU) vs. Nucor (NUE): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

AngloGold Ashanti (AU) at 122.32% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while Nucor (NUE) at -11.11% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for AU.

AngloGold Ashanti (AU) vs. Nucor (NUE): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for AngloGold Ashanti (AU) and Nucor (NUE)
Metric	AU	NUE
Revenue Growth (YoY)	70.78%	5.73%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	30.02%	-7.84%
EPS Growth (YoY)	122.32%	-11.11%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	93.95%	-36.08%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both AngloGold Ashanti (AU) at 2.55 and Nucor (NUE) at 2.46 carry current ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges, suggesting balanced short-term liquidity relative to peers.

AU

Materials industry group

2.55

Max: 5.96
Q3: 3.30
AU: 2.55
Median: 2.24
Q1: 1.45
Min: 0.16

NUE

Materials industry group

2.46

Max: 5.96
Q3: 3.30
NUE: 2.46
Median: 2.24
Q1: 1.45
Min: 0.16

AngloGold Ashanti (AU) vs. Nucor (NUE): A comparison of their current ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both AngloGold Ashanti (AU) at 0.16 and Nucor (NUE) at 0.29 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

AU

Materials industry group

0.16

Max: 1.98
Q3: 0.89
Median: 0.47
AU: 0.16
Q1: 0.13
Min: 0.00

NUE

Materials industry group

0.29

Max: 1.98
Q3: 0.89
Median: 0.47
NUE: 0.29
Q1: 0.13
Min: 0.00

AngloGold Ashanti (AU) vs. Nucor (NUE): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for AngloGold Ashanti (AU) and Nucor (NUE)
Metric	AU	NUE
Current Ratio (MRQ)	2.55	2.46
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	0.16	0.29
Net Debt / EBITDA	-0.17	0.52

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Nucor (NUE) at 0.91% pays an industry-typical yield; AngloGold Ashanti (AU) at 4.88% is above its entire peer range — the higher number, but one that calls for a look at payout sustainability before treating it as an advantage.

AU

Materials industry group

4.88%

AU: 4.88%
Max: 4.52%
Q3: 1.85%
Median: 0.38%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

NUE

Materials industry group

0.91%

Max: 4.52%
Q3: 1.85%
NUE: 0.91%
Median: 0.38%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

AngloGold Ashanti (AU) vs. Nucor (NUE): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Nucor (NUE) at 17.78% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while AngloGold Ashanti (AU) at 58.78% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

AU

Materials industry group

58.78%

Max: 83.62%
AU: 58.78%
Q3: 41.37%
Median: 9.54%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

NUE

Materials industry group

17.78%

Max: 83.62%
Q3: 41.37%
NUE: 17.78%
Median: 9.54%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

AngloGold Ashanti (AU) vs. Nucor (NUE): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for AngloGold Ashanti (AU) and Nucor (NUE)
Metric	AU	NUE
Dividend Yield (TTM)	4.88%	0.91%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	58.78%	17.78%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both AngloGold Ashanti (AU) at 12.09 and Nucor (NUE) at 15.60 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

AU

Materials industry group

12.09

Max: 59.00
Q3: 32.93
Median: 18.82
AU: 12.09
Q1: 11.96
Min: 3.93

NUE

Materials industry group

15.60

Max: 59.00
Q3: 32.93
Median: 18.82
NUE: 15.60
Q1: 11.96
Min: 3.93

AngloGold Ashanti (AU) vs. Nucor (NUE): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both AngloGold Ashanti (AU) at 3.91 and Nucor (NUE) at 1.43 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

AU

Materials industry group

3.91

Max: 9.62
Q3: 4.34
AU: 3.91
Median: 1.87
Q1: 0.73
Min: 0.00

NUE

Materials industry group

1.43

Max: 9.62
Q3: 4.34
Median: 1.87
NUE: 1.43
Q1: 0.73
Min: 0.00

AngloGold Ashanti (AU) vs. Nucor (NUE): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Nucor (NUE) at 2.43 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while AngloGold Ashanti (AU) at 5.01 carries an above-peer premium to book — AU is pricier on assets.

AU

Materials industry group

5.01

Max: 6.59
AU: 5.01
Q3: 3.55
Median: 2.08
Q1: 1.26
Min: -0.17

NUE

Materials industry group

2.43

Max: 6.59
Q3: 3.55
NUE: 2.43
Median: 2.08
Q1: 1.26
Min: -0.17

AngloGold Ashanti (AU) vs. Nucor (NUE): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for AngloGold Ashanti (AU) and Nucor (NUE)
Metric	AU	NUE
P/E Ratio (TTM)	12.09	15.60
P/S Ratio (TTM)	3.91	1.43
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	5.01	2.43
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	7.61%	2.77%