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BALL vs. NUE: Ball vs. Nucor Stock Comparison

How do Ball (BALL) 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

Ball (BALL) and Nucor (NUE) both fall under the Materials industry group, but BALL is classified in Containers & Packaging while NUE is classified in Metals & Mining.

Company profile comparison for Ball (BALL) and Nucor (NUE)
Profile ItemBALLNUE
NameBall CorporationNucor Corporation
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorMaterialsMaterials
GICS Industry GroupMaterialsMaterials
GICS IndustryContainers & PackagingMetals & Mining
GICS Sub-IndustryMetal, Glass & Plastic ContainersSteel
Market Capitalization17.16 billion USD55.58 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateFebruary 21, 1973March 17, 1980
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

BALL
NUE
GSPC
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Ball (BALL) 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 Ball (BALL) and Nucor (NUE). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Ball (BALL) and Nucor (NUE)
MetricBALLNUE
Total Return (1Y)38.59%74.82%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)12.78%19.83%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-4.75%18.79%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

BALL
NUE
GSPC
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Ball (BALL) 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 Ball (BALL) and Nucor (NUE). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Ball (BALL) and Nucor (NUE)
MetricBALLNUE
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)27.54%32.37%
Beta (5Y)0.941.82
Max Drawdown (5Y)-54.87%-47.79%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.12M1.37M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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BALL 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 Ball (BALL) and Nucor (NUE)
MetricBALLNUE
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.252.18
Sortino Ratio (1Y)2.023.28

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Ball (BALL) at 9.49% and Nucor (NUE) at 17.58% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

BALL

Materials industry group

9.49%

Max
52.88%
Q3
19.49%
BALL
9.49%
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%
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Ball (BALL) vs. Nucor (NUE): A comparison of their ROE against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Ball (BALL) at 3.52% and Nucor (NUE) at 9.26% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

BALL

Materials industry group

3.52%

Max
38.66%
Q3
15.98%
Median
5.28%
BALL
3.52%
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%
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Ball (BALL) vs. Nucor (NUE): A comparison of their net margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Ball (BALL) at 9.67% and Nucor (NUE) at 16.73% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

BALL

Materials industry group

9.67%

Max
66.70%
Q3
28.92%
Median
12.56%
BALL
9.67%
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%
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Ball (BALL) vs. Nucor (NUE): A comparison of their operating margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Ball (BALL) and Nucor (NUE)
MetricBALLNUE
ROE (TTM)9.49%17.58%
ROA (TTM)4.65%8.82%
Net Margin (TTM)3.52%9.26%
Operating Margin (TTM)9.67%16.73%
Gross Margin (TTM)17.84%17.39%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Ball (BALL) at 11.58% and Nucor (NUE) at 5.73% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Ball (BALL) vs. Nucor (NUE): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Nucor (NUE) at -11.11% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while Ball (BALL) at -74.62% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

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Ball (BALL) vs. Nucor (NUE): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Ball (BALL) and Nucor (NUE)
MetricBALLNUE
Revenue Growth (YoY)11.58%5.73%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-0.53%-7.84%
EPS Growth (YoY)-74.62%-11.11%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)13.62%-36.08%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Nucor (NUE) at 2.46 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Ball (BALL) at 1.04 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for BALL.

BALL

Materials industry group

1.04

Max
5.96
Q3
3.30
Median
2.24
Q1
1.45
BALL
1.04
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
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Ball (BALL) vs. Nucor (NUE): A comparison of their current ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Nucor (NUE) at 0.29 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Ball (BALL) at 1.33 uses more debt funding than most peers.

BALL

Materials industry group

1.33

Max
1.98
BALL
1.33
Q3
0.89
Median
0.47
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
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Ball (BALL) vs. Nucor (NUE): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Ball (BALL) and Nucor (NUE)
MetricBALLNUE
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.042.46
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.330.29
Net Debt / EBITDA3.450.52

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Ball (BALL) at 1.20% and Nucor (NUE) at 0.91% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

BALL

Materials industry group

1.20%

Max
4.52%
Q3
1.85%
BALL
1.20%
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%
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Ball (BALL) vs. Nucor (NUE): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Ball (BALL) at 40.20% and Nucor (NUE) at 17.78% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

BALL

Materials industry group

40.20%

Max
83.62%
Q3
41.37%
BALL
40.20%
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%
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Ball (BALL) vs. Nucor (NUE): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Ball (BALL) and Nucor (NUE)
MetricBALLNUE
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.20%0.91%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)40.20%17.78%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Nucor (NUE) at 15.60 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Ball (BALL) at 33.13 sits in the richer quartile — BALL needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

BALL

Materials industry group

33.13

Max
59.00
BALL
33.13
Q3
32.93
Median
18.82
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
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Ball (BALL) 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 Ball (BALL) at 1.13 and Nucor (NUE) at 1.43 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

BALL

Materials industry group

1.13

Max
9.62
Q3
4.34
Median
1.87
BALL
1.13
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
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Ball (BALL) vs. Nucor (NUE): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both Ball (BALL) at 3.02 and Nucor (NUE) at 2.43 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

BALL

Materials industry group

3.02

Max
6.59
Q3
3.55
BALL
3.02
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
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Ball (BALL) vs. Nucor (NUE): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Ball (BALL) and Nucor (NUE)
MetricBALLNUE
P/E Ratio (TTM)33.1315.60
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.131.43
P/B Ratio (MRQ)3.022.43
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)1.54%2.77%