Nucor Corporation vs Upstart Holdings Inc — how do they compare? Nucor Corporation trades at $272.23 (market cap $61.93B), while Upstart Holdings Inc trades at $29.33 (market cap $2.91B). The key difference: Nucor Corporation is far larger — about 21.3× Upstart Holdings Inc's market cap, and Nucor Corporation pays a 0.82% dividend while Upstart Holdings Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| NUE | UPST | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $61.93B | $2.91B |
Sector | Basic Materials | Financials |
52-Week High | $274.74 | $73.76 |
52-Week Low | $131.78 | $24.22 |
Enterprise Value | $66.34B | — |
Dividend Yield | 0.82% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Nucor (NUE) trades at $269.50, down 1.86% on the day, with a bullish technical outlook supported by moving averages. The company reported strong Q2 2026 earnings with EPS of $4.84 beating estimates of $4.46, driven by record steel mill shipments and higher prices. Revenue trends show recovery from 2024 lows, with 2026 projections indicating $36.1B revenue and improved margins. Analyst consensus remains positive with 59% buy ratings and a $279.63 price target, representing 3.8% upside potential.
Nucor presents a compelling investment case with earnings momentum, favorable analyst sentiment, and technical strength. Key opportunities include continued demand recovery and operational efficiency gains. However, risks include cyclical steel industry exposure, tariff policy uncertainties, and declining operating cash flow trends from 2022 peaks. The stock offers moderate upside to consensus targets but faces macroeconomic headwinds affecting industrial demand.
UPST trades at $28.97, down 4.1% today, with a bearish technical signal despite recent Q2 2026 earnings beating estimates. The company returned to GAAP profitability with 42% revenue growth and 50% loan origination growth, though it has missed earnings expectations in three consecutive quarters. Analyst consensus is divided with a $47.20 price target suggesting significant upside potential from current levels.
The outlook remains mixed with strong AI-driven lending growth offset by high valuation metrics (P/E 57.5) and negative cash flow from operations. Key risks include interest rate sensitivity and competitive pressures in fintech lending, while institutional sentiment shows cautious optimism with 45% buy ratings.
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 →Upstart Holdings Inc provides credit services. The company provides a proprietary, cloud-based, artificial intelligence lending platform. The platform aggregates consumer demand for loans and connects it to the network of Upstart AI-enabled bank partners. The revenue of the company is primarily comprised of fees paid by banks.
Read more on UPST →