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NUE vs. VALE: Nucor vs. Vale Stock Comparison

How do Nucor (NUE) and Vale (VALE) 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 Vale (VALE) 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 Vale (VALE) 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 Vale (VALE)
Profile ItemNUEVALE
NameNucor CorporationVale S.A. American Depositary Shares
Country/RegionUnited StatesBrazil
GICS SectorMaterialsMaterials
GICS Industry GroupMaterialsMaterials
GICS IndustryMetals & MiningMetals & Mining
GICS Sub-IndustrySteelSteel
Market Capitalization55.58 billion USD49.32 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateMarch 17, 1980March 21, 2002
Security TypeCommon StockADR

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

NUE
VALE
GSPC
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Nucor (NUE) vs. Vale (VALE), 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 Vale (VALE). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Nucor (NUE) and Vale (VALE)
MetricNUEVALE
Total Return (1Y)74.82%6.20%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)19.83%3.12%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)18.79%8.31%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

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

Risk Metrics

Nucor (NUE) has an aggressive beta of 1.82, indicating higher sensitivity to broad-market moves, while Vale (VALE) is defensive at 0.48 and tends to be less market-sensitive — they sit on opposite ends of the beta spectrum.

Risk profile metrics for Nucor (NUE) and Vale (VALE)
MetricNUEVALE
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)32.37%33.88%
Beta (5Y)1.820.48
Max Drawdown (5Y)-47.79%-49.81%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.37M32.62M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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NUE and VALE 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 Vale (VALE)
MetricNUEVALE
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)2.180.06
Sortino Ratio (1Y)3.280.08

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Nucor (NUE) at 17.58% and Vale (VALE) at 0.26% 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%

VALE

Materials industry group

0.26%

Max
52.88%
Q3
19.49%
Median
8.76%
VALE
0.26%
Q1
-3.41%
Min
-32.81%
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Nucor (NUE) vs. Vale (VALE): A comparison of their ROE against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Nucor (NUE) at 9.26% and Vale (VALE) at 1.01% 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%

VALE

Materials industry group

1.01%

Max
38.66%
Q3
15.98%
Median
5.28%
VALE
1.01%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-20.40%
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Nucor (NUE) vs. Vale (VALE): A comparison of their net margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Nucor (NUE) at 16.73% and Vale (VALE) at 19.31% 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%

VALE

Materials industry group

19.31%

Max
66.70%
Q3
28.92%
VALE
19.31%
Median
12.56%
Q1
3.28%
Min
-14.07%
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Nucor (NUE) vs. Vale (VALE): A comparison of their operating margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Nucor (NUE) and Vale (VALE)
MetricNUEVALE
ROE (TTM)17.58%0.26%
ROA (TTM)8.82%6.97%
Net Margin (TTM)9.26%1.01%
Operating Margin (TTM)16.73%19.31%
Gross Margin (TTM)17.39%32.06%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Nucor (NUE) at 5.73% and Vale (VALE) at 0.91% 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. Vale (VALE): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Nucor (NUE) at -11.11% and Vale (VALE) at -61.81% 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. Vale (VALE): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Nucor (NUE) and Vale (VALE)
MetricNUEVALE
Revenue Growth (YoY)5.73%0.91%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-7.84%-4.32%
EPS Growth (YoY)-11.11%-61.81%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-36.08%-48.60%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Nucor (NUE) at 2.46 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Vale (VALE) at 1.10 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for VALE.

NUE

Materials industry group

2.46

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

VALE

Materials industry group

1.10

Max
5.96
Q3
3.30
Median
2.24
Q1
1.45
VALE
1.10
Min
0.16
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Nucor (NUE) vs. Vale (VALE): A comparison of their current ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Nucor (NUE) at 0.29 and Vale (VALE) at 0.55 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

VALE

Materials industry group

0.55

Max
1.98
Q3
0.89
VALE
0.55
Median
0.47
Q1
0.13
Min
0.00
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Nucor (NUE) vs. Vale (VALE): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Nucor (NUE) and Vale (VALE)
MetricNUEVALE
Current Ratio (MRQ)2.461.10
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.290.55
Net Debt / EBITDA0.521.20

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Nucor (NUE) at 0.91% pays an industry-typical yield; Vale (VALE) at 49.02% 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%

VALE

Materials industry group

49.02%

VALE
49.02%
Max
4.52%
Q3
1.85%
Median
0.38%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Nucor (NUE) vs. Vale (VALE): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Vale (VALE) reports payout ratio above 100% at 526.96%, meaning dividends exceeded current-period earnings and sustainability needs extra context. Meanwhile Nucor (NUE) reports 17.78%, ranking against industry peers normally.

NUE

Materials industry group

17.78%

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

VALE

Materials industry group

526.96%

VALE
526.96%
Max
83.62%
Q3
41.37%
Median
9.54%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Nucor (NUE) vs. Vale (VALE): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Nucor (NUE) and Vale (VALE)
MetricNUEVALE
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.91%49.02%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)17.78%526.96%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Nucor (NUE) at 15.60 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Vale (VALE) at 72.44 sits above its peer range — an unusually expensive price for VALE’s trailing earnings.

NUE

Materials industry group

15.60

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

VALE

Materials industry group

72.44

VALE
72.44
Max
59.00
Q3
32.93
Median
18.82
Q1
11.96
Min
3.93
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Nucor (NUE) vs. Vale (VALE): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Vale (VALE) at 0.23 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while Nucor (NUE) at 1.43 prices around its industry’s middle — VALE 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

VALE

Materials industry group

0.23

Max
9.62
Q3
4.34
Median
1.87
Q1
0.73
VALE
0.23
Min
0.00
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Nucor (NUE) vs. Vale (VALE): 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 Vale (VALE) at 1.27 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

VALE

Materials industry group

1.27

Max
6.59
Q3
3.55
Median
2.08
VALE
1.27
Q1
1.26
Min
-0.17
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Nucor (NUE) vs. Vale (VALE): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Nucor (NUE) and Vale (VALE)
MetricNUEVALE
P/E Ratio (TTM)15.6072.44
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.430.23
P/B Ratio (MRQ)2.431.27
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)2.77%17.51%