HCA Health Inc vs Nucor Corporation — how do they compare? HCA Health Inc trades at $371.96 (market cap $82.17B), while Nucor Corporation trades at $231 (market cap $52.55B). The key difference: HCA Health Inc is the larger of the two by market cap, and Nucor Corporation pays the higher dividend (0.97%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| HCA | NUE | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $82.17B | $52.55B |
Sector | Health | Basic Materials |
52-Week High | $545.13 | $266.35 |
52-Week Low | $334.32 | $131.78 |
Enterprise Value | $131.08B | $57.19B |
Dividend Yield | 0.84% | 0.97% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
HCA Healthcare trades at $370.74, down 0.12% on the day, with a bearish technical signal but strong fundamentals including consistent earnings beats and revenue growth to $75.6 billion in 2025. The stock faces headwinds from lowered 2026 guidance and negative news flow, but maintains a solid valuation with a P/E of 12.79 and positive analyst consensus.
The outlook is mixed: attractive valuation and operational strength support upside to the $469.40 price target, but near-term risks from payer mix shifts and legal investigations warrant caution. Long-term growth drivers include capacity expansion and medical advancements, though investor sentiment is currently pressured.
Nucor (NUE) trades at $231.86, down 2.01% today, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and a consensus analyst price target of $263.11. Recent earnings beat expectations in Q1 2026 with EPS of $3.23 versus $2.82 forecast, though Q4 2025 missed. Revenue trends show recovery from $30.7B in 2024 to $32.5B in 2025, with net income margin improving to 6.82% in 2026 projections. The company maintains a strong balance sheet with a debt-to-asset ratio of 20.23% in 2025 and recently announced a joint venture to support AI power infrastructure.
Outlook remains positive driven by higher steel prices and strategic expansions, but risks include cyclical demand weakness and volatile cash flows. Analyst sentiment is bullish with 62.5% buy ratings, supporting potential upside from current levels, though investors should monitor execution on Q2 2026 earnings expected at $4.45 EPS.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
HCA Healthcare is a Nashville-based healthcare provider organization operating the largest collection of acute-care hospitals in the U.S. As of December 2021, the firm owned and operated 182 hospitals, 125 freestanding outpatient surgery centers, and a broad network of physician offices, urgent care clinics, and freestanding emergency rooms across nearly 20 states and a small foothold in England.
Read more on HCA →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 →