Nucor Corporation vs Smith & Nephew plc — how do they compare? Nucor Corporation trades at $257.08 (market cap $58.17B), while Smith & Nephew plc trades at $27.72 (market cap $11.63B). The key difference: Nucor Corporation is far larger — about 5× Smith & Nephew plc's market cap, and Smith & Nephew plc pays the higher dividend (2.85%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| NUE | SNN | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $58.17B | $11.63B |
Sector | Basic Materials | Health |
52-Week High | $274.74 | $38.53 |
52-Week Low | $131.78 | $27.80 |
Enterprise Value | $62.58B | $14.66B |
Dividend Yield | 0.87% | 2.85% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Nucor Corporation (NUE) trades at $256.40, down 1.79% on the day, with a bullish technical signal supported by moving averages and strong institutional interest. The company shows improving fundamentals with recent earnings beats (Q1 and Q2 2026) and projected revenue growth to $36.1B in 2026. Analyst consensus remains positive with a $277.57 price target, though recent trade tensions and cyclical steel industry challenges present headwinds.
NUE offers value with reasonable valuation multiples (P/E 20.46, P/S 1.63) and strong profitability metrics (ROE 13.52%). Key risks include exposure to steel price volatility and macroeconomic sensitivity, but infrastructure demand and tariff protections provide tailwinds. Institutional accumulation and dividend stability support the investment case for long-term investors.
Smith & Nephew (SNN) trades at $27.87, down 3.46% over 24 hours and near its 52-week low. The stock shows a bearish technical trend with mixed sentiment; recent earnings have mostly beaten expectations, but Q2 2026 revenue growth missed and guidance was cut. Fundamentals are solid with revenue rising to $6.16B in 2025 and net income margin improving to 10.08%, though debt levels have increased. The company faces competitive pressures in key markets like U.S. Orthopaedics.
Outlook is cautious: valuation ratios like P/E of 18.96 are reasonable, but analyst consensus is Hold (65%) due to execution risks and CFO departure. Opportunities include innovation in surgical robotics and new product launches, but investors should monitor U.S. market weakness and debt management for sustained recovery.
Trailing returns across standard periods
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 →Smith & Nephew designs, manufactures, and markets orthopedic devices, sports medicine and arthroscopic technologies, and wound-care solutions. Roughly 42% of the U.K.-based firm's revenue comes from orthopedic products, and another 30% is sports medicine and ENT. The remaining 28% of revenue is from the advanced wound therapy segment. Roughly half of Smith & Nephew's total revenue comes from the United States, just over 30% is from other developed markets, and emerging markets account for the remainder.
Read more on SNN →