Earnings Preview: Nucor's EPS, Revenue Expected to Rise
Nucor (NYSE: NUE) releases its next round of earnings this Thursday, October 20, 2011. Get the latest predictions in Benzinga's essential guide to the company's third quarter earnings report.
Earnings and Revenue:
Analysts are predicting an EPS reading of 50 cents/share and revenues of $4.87 billion. Nucor's latest numbers will no doubt be compared with the company's year-ago quarter, when it reported a profit of 7 cents/share on revenues of $4.14 billion. We'll have to wait for Thursday to see if Nucor has accomplished the estimated 614.3% rise in EPS and 17.6% increase in revenues on a year-over-year basis.
Here's how the company's reported EPS has stacked up against analyst estimates in the past:
| Quarter | Q2 | Q1 | Q4 | Q3 |
| EPS Estimate | $0.81 | $0.35 | -$0.10 | $0.11 |
| EPS Actual | $0.94 | $0.50 | -$0.02 | $0.07 |
Stock Performance:
Shares of Nucor were trading at $35.88 as of October 14, 2011. Shares are down 15.8% year to date. For a full 12 months, the return has declined by 1%. Given that these returns are generally negative, long-term shareholders are probably a little upset going into this earnings release.
- Long-term shareholders are already wary of 12-month losses prior to the announcement
Average Stock Rating:
The average rating by analysts for Nucor is a Moderate Buy. The strength of this rating has risen over the past three months.
Competitors:
Wondering how Nucor compares to rivals in the same sector? Here are a few of the company's peers.
- AK Steel (NYSE: AKS): Hold with a $0.32 recent quarter EPS
- Gerdau S.A. (ADR (NYSE: GGB): Hold with a $0.20 recent quarter EPS
- Schnitzer Steel Industries (NASDAQ: SCHN): Moderate Buy with a $1.17 recent quarter EPS
The steel-producers company's industry has seen price/earnings growth of 2.3% during the current fiscal year.
Finally, a description of the company's main areas of operation: Nucor and its affiliates manufacture steel and steel products for customers mainly located in North America.
Take Action:
Now that you have reviewed all the numbers, be ready to move if the upcoming Nucor earnings report has any surprises. Also, come back to Benzinga after the announcement for a full recap and a guide to your next steps.
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