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IP vs. NUE: International Paper vs. Nucor Stock Comparison

How do International Paper (IP) 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

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

Company profile comparison for International Paper (IP) and Nucor (NUE)
Profile ItemIPNUE
NameInternational Paper Co.Nucor Corporation
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorMaterialsMaterials
GICS Industry GroupMaterialsMaterials
GICS IndustryContainers & PackagingMetals & Mining
GICS Sub-IndustryPaper & Plastic Packaging Products & MaterialsSteel
Market Capitalization18.29 billion USD55.58 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateJanuary 2, 1962March 17, 1980
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

IP
NUE
GSPC
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International Paper (IP) 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 International Paper (IP) and Nucor (NUE). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for International Paper (IP) and Nucor (NUE)
MetricIPNUE
Total Return (1Y)-2.70%74.82%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)6.64%19.83%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-2.14%18.79%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

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

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for International Paper (IP) and Nucor (NUE)
MetricIPNUE
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)42.71%32.37%
Beta (5Y)0.961.82
Max Drawdown (5Y)-48.61%-47.79%
Avg. Volume (3M)5.09M1.37M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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IP 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 International Paper (IP) and Nucor (NUE)
MetricIPNUE
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.162.18
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.243.28

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

International Paper (IP) reports a negative ROE of -22.30%; negative ROE can reflect losses or negative shareholders’ equity, so it is harder to read as capital efficiency. Meanwhile Nucor (NUE) reports 17.58%, ranking against industry peers normally.

IP

Materials industry group

-22.30%

Max
52.88%
Q3
19.49%
Median
8.76%
Q1
-3.41%
IP
-22.30%
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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International Paper (IP) vs. Nucor (NUE): A comparison of their ROE against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

International Paper (IP) reports a negative net margin of -14.32%, usually indicating a net loss over the period. Meanwhile Nucor (NUE) reports 9.26%, ranking against industry peers normally.

IP

Materials industry group

-14.32%

Max
38.66%
Q3
15.98%
Median
5.28%
Q1
0.00%
IP
-14.32%
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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International Paper (IP) vs. Nucor (NUE): A comparison of their net margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both International Paper (IP) at 5.89% and Nucor (NUE) at 16.73% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

IP

Materials industry group

5.89%

Max
66.70%
Q3
28.92%
Median
12.56%
IP
5.89%
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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International Paper (IP) vs. Nucor (NUE): A comparison of their operating margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for International Paper (IP) and Nucor (NUE)
MetricIPNUE
ROE (TTM)-22.30%17.58%
ROA (TTM)1.60%8.82%
Net Margin (TTM)-14.32%9.26%
Operating Margin (TTM)5.89%16.73%
Gross Margin (TTM)29.78%17.39%

Growth

Revenue Growth

International Paper (IP) at 49.25% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Nucor (NUE) at 5.73% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for IP.

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International Paper (IP) 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 International Paper (IP) at -542.68% falls below its industry range, a notably weak earnings reading.

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International Paper (IP) vs. Nucor (NUE): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for International Paper (IP) and Nucor (NUE)
MetricIPNUE
Revenue Growth (YoY)49.25%5.73%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)3.75%-7.84%
EPS Growth (YoY)-542.68%-11.11%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)---36.08%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Nucor (NUE) at 2.46 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while International Paper (IP) at 0.99 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for IP.

IP

Materials industry group

0.99

Max
5.96
Q3
3.30
Median
2.24
Q1
1.45
IP
0.99
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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International Paper (IP) vs. Nucor (NUE): A comparison of their current ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both International Paper (IP) at 0.79 and Nucor (NUE) at 0.29 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

IP

Materials industry group

0.79

Max
1.98
Q3
0.89
IP
0.79
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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International Paper (IP) vs. Nucor (NUE): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for International Paper (IP) and Nucor (NUE)
MetricIPNUE
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.992.46
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.790.29
Net Debt / EBITDA2.400.52

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Nucor (NUE) at 0.91% pays an industry-typical yield; International Paper (IP) at 5.40% 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.

IP

Materials industry group

5.40%

IP
5.40%
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%
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International Paper (IP) vs. Nucor (NUE): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

International Paper (IP) reports payout ratio above 100% at 402.17%, meaning dividends exceeded current-period earnings and sustainability needs extra context. Meanwhile Nucor (NUE) reports 17.78%, ranking against industry peers normally.

IP

Materials industry group

402.17%

IP
402.17%
Max
83.62%
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%
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International Paper (IP) vs. Nucor (NUE): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for International Paper (IP) and Nucor (NUE)
MetricIPNUE
Dividend Yield (TTM)5.40%0.91%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)402.17%17.78%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

An earnings multiple is available for just one side: Nucor (NUE) trades at 15.60 times trailing earnings, ranked against its peers, while International Paper (IP) has no P/E ratio this period.

IP

Materials industry group

--

Max
59.00
Q3
32.93
Median
18.82
Q1
11.96
Min
3.93
IP
--

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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International Paper (IP) vs. Nucor (NUE): IP does not report P/E ratio, so it has no value marker; NUE is benchmarked against the Materials industry group.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both International Paper (IP) at 0.76 and Nucor (NUE) at 1.43 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

IP

Materials industry group

0.76

Max
9.62
Q3
4.34
Median
1.87
IP
0.76
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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International Paper (IP) 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 International Paper (IP) at 1.39 and Nucor (NUE) at 2.43 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

IP

Materials industry group

1.39

Max
6.59
Q3
3.55
Median
2.08
IP
1.39
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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International Paper (IP) vs. Nucor (NUE): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for International Paper (IP) and Nucor (NUE)
MetricIPNUE
P/E Ratio (TTM)--15.60
P/S Ratio (TTM)0.761.43
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.392.43
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)12.53%2.77%