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NUE vs. PPG: Nucor vs. PPG Industries Stock Comparison

How do Nucor (NUE) and PPG Industries (PPG) 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 PPG Industries (PPG) both fall under the Materials industry group, but NUE is classified in Metals & Mining while PPG is classified in Chemicals.

Company profile comparison for Nucor (NUE) and PPG Industries (PPG)
Profile ItemNUEPPG
NameNucor CorporationPPG Industries, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorMaterialsMaterials
GICS Industry GroupMaterialsMaterials
GICS IndustryMetals & MiningChemicals
GICS Sub-IndustrySteelSpecialty Chemicals
Market Capitalization55.58 billion USD27.03 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateMarch 17, 1980March 17, 1980
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

NUE
PPG
GSPC
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Nucor (NUE) vs. PPG Industries (PPG), 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 PPG Industries (PPG). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Nucor (NUE) and PPG Industries (PPG)
MetricNUEPPG
Total Return (1Y)74.82%33.84%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)19.83%1.70%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)18.79%-2.93%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

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

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Nucor (NUE) and PPG Industries (PPG)
MetricNUEPPG
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)32.37%31.28%
Beta (5Y)1.820.97
Max Drawdown (5Y)-47.79%-43.55%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.37M1.73M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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NUE and PPG 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 PPG Industries (PPG)
MetricNUEPPG
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)2.180.95
Sortino Ratio (1Y)3.281.45

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Nucor (NUE) at 17.58% and PPG Industries (PPG) at 19.49% 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%

PPG

Materials industry group

19.49%

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

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Nucor (NUE) at 9.26% and PPG Industries (PPG) at 9.41% 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%

PPG

Materials industry group

9.41%

Max
38.66%
Q3
15.98%
PPG
9.41%
Median
5.28%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-20.40%
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Nucor (NUE) vs. PPG Industries (PPG): A comparison of their net margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Nucor (NUE) at 16.73% and PPG Industries (PPG) at 14.66% 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%

PPG

Materials industry group

14.66%

Max
66.70%
Q3
28.92%
PPG
14.66%
Median
12.56%
Q1
3.28%
Min
-14.07%
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Nucor (NUE) vs. PPG Industries (PPG): A comparison of their operating margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Nucor (NUE) and PPG Industries (PPG)
MetricNUEPPG
ROE (TTM)17.58%19.49%
ROA (TTM)8.82%6.22%
Net Margin (TTM)9.26%9.41%
Operating Margin (TTM)16.73%14.66%
Gross Margin (TTM)17.39%41.18%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Nucor (NUE) at 5.73% and PPG Industries (PPG) at 0.19% 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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Nucor (NUE) vs. PPG Industries (PPG): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Nucor (NUE) at -11.11% and PPG Industries (PPG) at 46.11% 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. PPG Industries (PPG): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Nucor (NUE) and PPG Industries (PPG)
MetricNUEPPG
Revenue Growth (YoY)5.73%0.19%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-7.84%0.55%
EPS Growth (YoY)-11.11%46.11%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-36.08%17.12%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Nucor (NUE) at 2.46 and PPG Industries (PPG) at 1.58 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

PPG

Materials industry group

1.58

Max
5.96
Q3
3.30
Median
2.24
PPG
1.58
Q1
1.45
Min
0.16
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Nucor (NUE) vs. PPG Industries (PPG): A comparison of their current ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Nucor (NUE) at 0.29 and PPG Industries (PPG) at 0.87 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

PPG

Materials industry group

0.87

Max
1.98
Q3
0.89
PPG
0.87
Median
0.47
Q1
0.13
Min
0.00
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Nucor (NUE) vs. PPG Industries (PPG): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Nucor (NUE) and PPG Industries (PPG)
MetricNUEPPG
Current Ratio (MRQ)2.461.58
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.290.87
Net Debt / EBITDA0.522.11

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

PPG Industries (PPG) at 2.33% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Nucor (NUE) at 0.91% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, PPG the richer one.

NUE

Materials industry group

0.91%

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

PPG

Materials industry group

2.33%

Max
4.52%
PPG
2.33%
Q3
1.85%
Median
0.38%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Nucor (NUE) vs. PPG Industries (PPG): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Nucor (NUE) at 17.78% and PPG Industries (PPG) at 40.31% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

NUE

Materials industry group

17.78%

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

PPG

Materials industry group

40.31%

Max
83.62%
Q3
41.37%
PPG
40.31%
Median
9.54%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Nucor (NUE) vs. PPG Industries (PPG): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Nucor (NUE) and PPG Industries (PPG)
MetricNUEPPG
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.91%2.33%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)17.78%40.31%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Nucor (NUE) at 15.60 and PPG Industries (PPG) at 17.19 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

PPG

Materials industry group

17.19

Max
59.00
Q3
32.93
Median
18.82
PPG
17.19
Q1
11.96
Min
3.93
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Nucor (NUE) vs. PPG Industries (PPG): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both Nucor (NUE) at 1.43 and PPG Industries (PPG) at 1.62 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

NUE

Materials industry group

1.43

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

PPG

Materials industry group

1.62

Max
9.62
Q3
4.34
Median
1.87
PPG
1.62
Q1
0.73
Min
0.00
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Nucor (NUE) vs. PPG Industries (PPG): 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 PPG Industries (PPG) at 3.19 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

PPG

Materials industry group

3.19

Max
6.59
Q3
3.55
PPG
3.19
Median
2.08
Q1
1.26
Min
-0.17
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Nucor (NUE) vs. PPG Industries (PPG): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Nucor (NUE) and PPG Industries (PPG)
MetricNUEPPG
P/E Ratio (TTM)15.6017.19
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.431.62
P/B Ratio (MRQ)2.433.19
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)2.77%4.06%