Applied Materials, Inc. vs Nucor Corporation — how do they compare? Applied Materials, Inc. trades at $576.79 (market cap $478.36B), while Nucor Corporation trades at $227.37 (market cap $51.78B). The key difference: Applied Materials, Inc. is far larger — about 9.2× Nucor Corporation's market cap, and Nucor Corporation pays the higher dividend (0.99%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AMAT | NUE | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $478.36B | $51.78B |
Sector | Technology | Basic Materials |
52-Week High | $723.00 | $266.35 |
52-Week Low | $156.25 | $131.78 |
Enterprise Value | $477.39B | $56.42B |
Dividend Yield | 0.35% | 0.99% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Applied Materials (AMAT) trades at $602.50, up 2.35% recently, with strong technical support near $573 and resistance at $617. The company demonstrates robust fundamentals, including a 29.31% net income margin and consistent earnings beats, while benefiting from AI-driven semiconductor demand highlighted in recent CEO commentary (CNBC, 2026-05-28).
Outlook remains positive given analyst consensus of $644.33 price target and 76.9% buy ratings, though elevated P/E of 56.68 poses valuation risk. Key opportunities include AI infrastructure growth, while risks involve cyclical semiconductor demand and execution challenges in scaling operations.
Nucor (NUE) trades at $227.37, up 2.29% today, with a bearish technical signal despite recent earnings beats. The stock shows mixed fundamentals with a P/E of 22.56 and net margin of 6.82%, while revenue has declined from $41.5B in 2022 to $32.5B in 2025. Recent news highlights a joint venture for AI power infrastructure and a 53-year dividend growth streak, supporting shareholder returns amid steel price volatility.
Outlook remains cautiously optimistic with a consensus price target of $262.89 (15.6% upside), driven by expansion projects and pricing strength. Risks include cyclical demand weakness and declining operating cash flow, but analyst sentiment is 59% buy-rated. The stock offers value through dividends and buybacks, though investors should monitor steel market dynamics and execution on growth initiatives.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
Applied Materials is the world's largest supplier of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, providing materials engineering solutions to help make nearly every chip in the world. The firm's systems are used in nearly every major process step with the exception of lithography. Key tools include those for chemical and physical vapor deposition, etching, chemical mechanical polishing, wafer- and reticle-inspection, critical dimension measurement, and defect-inspection scanning electron microscopes.
Read more on AMAT →Nucor Corp manufactures steel and steel products. The company also produces direct reduced iron for use in its steel mills. The operations include international trading and sales companies that buy and sell steel and steel products manufactured by the company and others. The operating business segments are: steel mills, steel products and raw materials, the steel mills segment derives maximum revenue.
Read more on NUE →