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NUE vs. PKX: Nucor vs. POSCO Stock Comparison

How do Nucor (NUE) and POSCO (PKX) 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

Nucor (NUE) and POSCO (PKX) are both classified in the Steel sub-industry within the broader Metals & Mining industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Nucor (NUE) trades as ordinary local shares, while POSCO (PKX) trades as an ADR — compare with FX exposure, depositary-program fees, and dividend-withholding-tax differences in mind.

Company profile comparison for Nucor (NUE) and POSCO (PKX)
Profile ItemNUEPKX
NameNucor CorporationPOSCO Holdings Inc. American Depositary Receipt
Country/RegionUnited StatesSouth Korea
GICS SectorMaterialsMaterials
GICS Industry GroupMaterialsMaterials
GICS IndustryMetals & MiningMetals & Mining
GICS Sub-IndustrySteelSteel
Market Capitalization55.58 billion USD14.79 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateMarch 17, 1980October 14, 1994
Security TypeCommon StockADR

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

NUE
PKX
GSPC
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Nucor (NUE) vs. POSCO (PKX), 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 Nucor (NUE) and POSCO (PKX). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Nucor (NUE) and POSCO (PKX)
MetricNUEPKX
Total Return (1Y)74.82%-4.84%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)19.83%-15.65%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)18.79%-1.81%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

NUE
PKX
GSPC
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Nucor (NUE) vs. POSCO (PKX), 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 Nucor (NUE) and POSCO (PKX). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Nucor (NUE) and POSCO (PKX)
MetricNUEPKX
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)32.37%46.00%
Beta (5Y)1.821.71
Max Drawdown (5Y)-47.79%-68.71%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.37M216.95K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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NUE and PKX 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 Nucor (NUE) and POSCO (PKX)
MetricNUEPKX
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)2.18-0.20
Sortino Ratio (1Y)3.28-0.30

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Nucor (NUE) at 17.58% and POSCO (PKX) at 2.21% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

NUE

Materials industry group

17.58%

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

PKX

Materials industry group

2.21%

Max
52.88%
Q3
19.49%
Median
8.76%
PKX
2.21%
Q1
-3.41%
Min
-32.81%
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Nucor (NUE) vs. POSCO (PKX): A comparison of their ROE against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Nucor (NUE) at 9.26% and POSCO (PKX) at 1.89% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

NUE

Materials industry group

9.26%

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

PKX

Materials industry group

1.89%

Max
38.66%
Q3
15.98%
Median
5.28%
PKX
1.89%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-20.40%
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Nucor (NUE) vs. POSCO (PKX): A comparison of their net margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Nucor (NUE) at 16.73% and POSCO (PKX) at 4.26% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

NUE

Materials industry group

16.73%

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

PKX

Materials industry group

4.26%

Max
66.70%
Q3
28.92%
Median
12.56%
PKX
4.26%
Q1
3.28%
Min
-14.07%
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Nucor (NUE) vs. POSCO (PKX): A comparison of their operating margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Nucor (NUE) and POSCO (PKX)
MetricNUEPKX
ROE (TTM)17.58%2.21%
ROA (TTM)8.82%1.31%
Net Margin (TTM)9.26%1.89%
Operating Margin (TTM)16.73%4.26%
Gross Margin (TTM)17.39%7.87%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Nucor (NUE) at 5.73% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while POSCO (PKX) at -6.09% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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

EPS Growth

Both Nucor (NUE) at -11.11% and POSCO (PKX) at -29.00% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Nucor (NUE) and POSCO (PKX)
MetricNUEPKX
Revenue Growth (YoY)5.73%-6.09%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-7.84%-6.72%
EPS Growth (YoY)-11.11%-29.00%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-36.08%-39.42%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Nucor (NUE) at 2.46 and POSCO (PKX) at 1.98 carry current ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges, suggesting balanced short-term liquidity relative to peers.

NUE

Materials industry group

2.46

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

PKX

Materials industry group

1.98

Max
5.96
Q3
3.30
Median
2.24
PKX
1.98
Q1
1.45
Min
0.16
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Nucor (NUE) vs. POSCO (PKX): A comparison of their current ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Nucor (NUE) at 0.29 and POSCO (PKX) at 0.50 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

NUE

Materials industry group

0.29

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

PKX

Materials industry group

0.50

Max
1.98
Q3
0.89
PKX
0.50
Median
0.47
Q1
0.13
Min
0.00
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Nucor (NUE) vs. POSCO (PKX): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Nucor (NUE) and POSCO (PKX)
MetricNUEPKX
Current Ratio (MRQ)2.461.98
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.290.50
Net Debt / EBITDA0.522.81

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Nucor (NUE) at 0.91% pays an industry-typical yield; POSCO (PKX) at 18,518.52% 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.

NUE

Materials industry group

0.91%

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

PKX

Materials industry group

18,518.52%

PKX
18,518.52%
Max
4.52%
Q3
1.85%
Median
0.38%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Nucor (NUE) vs. POSCO (PKX): 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 POSCO (PKX) at 51.60% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

NUE

Materials industry group

17.78%

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

PKX

Materials industry group

51.60%

Max
83.62%
PKX
51.60%
Q3
41.37%
Median
9.54%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Nucor (NUE) vs. POSCO (PKX): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Nucor (NUE) and POSCO (PKX)
MetricNUEPKX
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.91%18,518.52%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)17.78%51.60%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Nucor (NUE) at 15.60 and POSCO (PKX) at 15.57 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

NUE

Materials industry group

15.60

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

PKX

Materials industry group

15.57

Max
59.00
Q3
32.93
Median
18.82
PKX
15.57
Q1
11.96
Min
3.93
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Nucor (NUE) vs. POSCO (PKX): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

POSCO (PKX) at 0.00 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while Nucor (NUE) at 1.43 prices around its industry’s middle — PKX costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.

NUE

Materials industry group

1.43

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

PKX

Materials industry group

0.00

Max
9.62
Q3
4.34
Median
1.87
Q1
0.73
PKX
0.00
Min
0.00
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Nucor (NUE) vs. POSCO (PKX): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both Nucor (NUE) at 2.43 and POSCO (PKX) at 1.36 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

NUE

Materials industry group

2.43

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

PKX

Materials industry group

1.36

Max
6.59
Q3
3.55
Median
2.08
PKX
1.36
Q1
1.26
Min
-0.17
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Nucor (NUE) vs. POSCO (PKX): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Nucor (NUE) and POSCO (PKX)
MetricNUEPKX
P/E Ratio (TTM)15.6015.57
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.430.00
P/B Ratio (MRQ)2.431.36
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)2.77%-23,410.34%