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NTR vs. STLD: Nutrien vs. Steel Dynamics Stock Comparison

How do Nutrien (NTR) and Steel Dynamics (STLD) 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

Nutrien (NTR) and Steel Dynamics (STLD) both fall under the Materials industry group, but NTR is classified in Chemicals while STLD is classified in Metals & Mining.

Company profile comparison for Nutrien (NTR) and Steel Dynamics (STLD)
Profile ItemNTRSTLD
NameNutrien Ltd.Steel Dynamics, Inc.
Country/RegionCanadaUnited States
GICS SectorMaterialsMaterials
GICS Industry GroupMaterialsMaterials
GICS IndustryChemicalsMetals & Mining
GICS Sub-IndustryFertilizers & Agricultural ChemicalsSteel
Market Capitalization33.89 billion USD31.70 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateJanuary 2, 2018November 22, 1996
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

NTR
STLD
GSPC
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Nutrien (NTR) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD), 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 Nutrien (NTR) and Steel Dynamics (STLD). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Nutrien (NTR) and Steel Dynamics (STLD). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Nutrien (NTR) and Steel Dynamics (STLD)
MetricNTRSTLD
Total Return (1Y)30.80%52.02%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)13.84%29.83%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)4.29%30.20%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

NTR
STLD
GSPC
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Nutrien (NTR) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD), 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 Nutrien (NTR) and Steel Dynamics (STLD). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Steel Dynamics (STLD) has an aggressive beta of 1.46, indicating higher sensitivity to broad-market moves, while Nutrien (NTR) is defensive at 0.64 and tends to be less market-sensitive — they sit on opposite ends of the beta spectrum.

Risk profile metrics for Nutrien (NTR) and Steel Dynamics (STLD)
MetricNTRSTLD
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)32.77%36.62%
Beta (5Y)0.641.46
Max Drawdown (5Y)-58.17%-32.20%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.56M1.06M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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NTR and STLD 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 Nutrien (NTR) and Steel Dynamics (STLD)
MetricNTRSTLD
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.811.30
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.181.92

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Steel Dynamics (STLD) at 20.81% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Nutrien (NTR) at 8.76% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for STLD.

NTR

Materials industry group

8.76%

Max
52.88%
Q3
19.49%
NTR
8.76%
Median
8.76%
Q1
-3.41%
Min
-32.81%

STLD

Materials industry group

20.81%

Max
52.88%
STLD
20.81%
Q3
19.49%
Median
8.76%
Q1
-3.41%
Min
-32.81%
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Nutrien (NTR) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their ROE against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Nutrien (NTR) at 8.04% and Steel Dynamics (STLD) at 8.82% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

NTR

Materials industry group

8.04%

Max
38.66%
Q3
15.98%
NTR
8.04%
Median
5.28%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-20.40%

STLD

Materials industry group

8.82%

Max
38.66%
Q3
15.98%
STLD
8.82%
Median
5.28%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-20.40%
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Nutrien (NTR) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their net margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Nutrien (NTR) at 10.97% and Steel Dynamics (STLD) at 15.46% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

NTR

Materials industry group

10.97%

Max
66.70%
Q3
28.92%
Median
12.56%
NTR
10.97%
Q1
3.28%
Min
-14.07%

STLD

Materials industry group

15.46%

Max
66.70%
Q3
28.92%
STLD
15.46%
Median
12.56%
Q1
3.28%
Min
-14.07%
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Nutrien (NTR) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their operating margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Nutrien (NTR) and Steel Dynamics (STLD)
MetricNTRSTLD
ROE (TTM)8.76%20.81%
ROA (TTM)4.24%9.45%
Net Margin (TTM)8.04%8.82%
Operating Margin (TTM)10.97%15.46%
Gross Margin (TTM)31.60%15.90%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Nutrien (NTR) at 3.52% and Steel Dynamics (STLD) at 3.63% 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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Nutrien (NTR) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Nutrien (NTR) at 242.65% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while Steel Dynamics (STLD) at -18.80% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for NTR.

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Nutrien (NTR) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Nutrien (NTR) and Steel Dynamics (STLD)
MetricNTRSTLD
Revenue Growth (YoY)3.52%3.63%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-10.80%-6.53%
EPS Growth (YoY)242.65%-18.80%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-30.99%-27.45%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Steel Dynamics (STLD) at 3.15 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Nutrien (NTR) at 1.41 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for NTR.

NTR

Materials industry group

1.41

Max
5.96
Q3
3.30
Median
2.24
Q1
1.45
NTR
1.41
Min
0.16

STLD

Materials industry group

3.15

Max
5.96
Q3
3.30
STLD
3.15
Median
2.24
Q1
1.45
Min
0.16
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Nutrien (NTR) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their current ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Nutrien (NTR) at 0.55 and Steel Dynamics (STLD) at 0.45 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

NTR

Materials industry group

0.55

Max
1.98
Q3
0.89
NTR
0.55
Median
0.47
Q1
0.13
Min
0.00

STLD

Materials industry group

0.45

Max
1.98
Q3
0.89
Median
0.47
STLD
0.45
Q1
0.13
Min
0.00
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Nutrien (NTR) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Nutrien (NTR) and Steel Dynamics (STLD)
MetricNTRSTLD
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.413.15
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.550.45
Net Debt / EBITDA2.381.09

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Nutrien (NTR) at 3.03% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Steel Dynamics (STLD) at 0.94% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, NTR the richer one.

NTR

Materials industry group

3.03%

Max
4.52%
NTR
3.03%
Q3
1.85%
Median
0.38%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

STLD

Materials industry group

0.94%

Max
4.52%
Q3
1.85%
STLD
0.94%
Median
0.38%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Nutrien (NTR) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Steel Dynamics (STLD) at 15.44% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Nutrien (NTR) at 47.93% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

NTR

Materials industry group

47.93%

Max
83.62%
NTR
47.93%
Q3
41.37%
Median
9.54%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

STLD

Materials industry group

15.44%

Max
83.62%
Q3
41.37%
STLD
15.44%
Median
9.54%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Nutrien (NTR) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Nutrien (NTR) and Steel Dynamics (STLD)
MetricNTRSTLD
Dividend Yield (TTM)3.03%0.94%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)47.93%15.44%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Nutrien (NTR) at 15.61 and Steel Dynamics (STLD) at 16.46 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

NTR

Materials industry group

15.61

Max
59.00
Q3
32.93
Median
18.82
NTR
15.61
Q1
11.96
Min
3.93

STLD

Materials industry group

16.46

Max
59.00
Q3
32.93
Median
18.82
STLD
16.46
Q1
11.96
Min
3.93
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Nutrien (NTR) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both Nutrien (NTR) at 1.24 and Steel Dynamics (STLD) at 1.43 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

NTR

Materials industry group

1.24

Max
9.62
Q3
4.34
Median
1.87
NTR
1.24
Q1
0.73
Min
0.00

STLD

Materials industry group

1.43

Max
9.62
Q3
4.34
Median
1.87
STLD
1.43
Q1
0.73
Min
0.00
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Nutrien (NTR) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both Nutrien (NTR) at 1.32 and Steel Dynamics (STLD) at 3.23 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

NTR

Materials industry group

1.32

Max
6.59
Q3
3.55
Median
2.08
NTR
1.32
Q1
1.26
Min
-0.17

STLD

Materials industry group

3.23

Max
6.59
Q3
3.55
STLD
3.23
Median
2.08
Q1
1.26
Min
-0.17
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Nutrien (NTR) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Nutrien (NTR) and Steel Dynamics (STLD)
MetricNTRSTLD
P/E Ratio (TTM)15.6116.46
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.241.43
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.323.23
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)5.77%1.36%