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Stockchase Opinions

Jim Cramer - Mad MoneyNucor Corp.NUEBUYJan 26, 2024

With so few steel companies, Nucor and Cleveland Cliffs enjoy scarcity value with enough business to keep pricing up, though Nucor has a much better balance sheet. It reports Monday.

$175.10

Stock price when the opinion was issued

$243.40

As of Jun 18, 2026. Market Open.

steel
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BUY

Steel tariffs that the U.S. has placed on China are good for Cleveland Cliffs but great for Nucor. Also, Nucor benefit from being a low-costs producer.

BUY ON WEAKNESS

The best steel company, but nobody will buy this if we enter a recession. This could go even lower, so wait for a lower price.

BUY

Has outlasted all its steel peers over time. Superior balance sheet and has raised its dividend for 50 years. Trades at only 5x trailing earnings. However, the street predicts EPS to fall by half between 2022's peak and this year, and even lower in 2024. His take: if we avoid recession, shares will soar. Also, Nucor will supply most of the steel needed during the coming wave of infrastructure spending, driven by the IRA act. A long-term investment.

BUY ON WEAKNESS

Buy at $160-165. Shares have moved up too fast, but it's the best steel stock. Warning: can be volatile.

BUY
America's best steelmaker. Is up this year by 15% and has enjoyed monster earnings growth as the economy earlier this year. Therefore, shares peaked last April the plunged by July. The market expected much weaker numbers, but that didn't happen. They just announced a light forecast, so shares fell 10% in a single day. Remember that the street under-estimated their earnings a year ago, and he wouldn't be surprised if Nucor beat again. Nucor would benefit hugely from the infrastructure bill that kicks in next year.
BUY
They announced several new factories, producing a lot more steel--highest quality in the world--and have hired a lot more people.
BUY
The country's biggest steelmaker just put up great numbers, driven by an extraordinary demand for cars.
BUY ON WEAKNESS
Too much negativity around steel now. His steel play is Nucor, but wait till it comes down further.
DON'T BUY
Steel prices are coming down, so don't buy Nucor at this point at the economic cycle. If energy comes back, so will Nucor, but he would buy energy before Nucor.
COMMENT
Steel prices are falling. If energy prices come back, so will Nucor.
WATCH
Likes it but has sold shares from February to early April, because cyclicals get hit when the Fed tightens aggressively. Shares have fallen so far that it trades under 5x earnings; Wall St. worries earnings will plunge in 2023 after the Fed kills inflation (and high steel prices). The stock could be attractive now. Today, Nucor announced it will buy C.H.I. Overhead Doors (makes garage doors) and shares fell because it puzzled investors.
PARTIAL SELL
He recently trimmed his position in order to be ready to seize opportunities both in tech and non-tech, if the Fed raises rates and the market comes down. Nucor was up a lot, so he took some profits.
BUY
Among the 10 top performers on the S&P of 2021 #10, up 115%. This boasts multi-year rallies, so he thinks this has a chance of repeating 115%. Pricing in steel will stay strong this year. Earnings estimates are way too low. The street disagrees with him which makes him like this even more.
BUY
It sold off hard this week. They last reported margin pressure which freaked out the street. He bought when this sank at $14 and his since risen, like 6% today. People get way too negative, too quickly, but take longer to get positive. Pays an okay dividend. It's an cyclical, but as extreme as others. Take advantage on the protective steel tariffs, which lets this stock blossom. This stock does well early in a rate-hike cycle. Also, Biden has passed his infrastructure bill, so that's a tailwind. Secondly, autos are in short supply at least for a quarter or two, and NUE makes steel for those. Thirdly, oil drillers need steel. It should be a core position, and it's levered to several industries. Strong management. It's a rare growth-cyclical stock which the market craves now. Trades at a low PE.