Nucor Corporation vs Wendys Co — how do they compare? Nucor Corporation trades at $256.31 (market cap $58.17B), while Wendys Co trades at $7.55 (market cap $1.45B). The key difference: Nucor Corporation is far larger — about 40.1× Wendys Co's market cap, and Wendys Co pays the higher dividend (3.68%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| NUE | WEN | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $58.17B | $1.45B |
Sector | Basic Materials | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $274.74 | $9.89 |
52-Week Low | $131.78 | $6.17 |
Enterprise Value | $62.58B | $5.18B |
Dividend Yield | 0.87% | 3.68% |
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.
Wendy's stock (WEN) trades at $7.61, down 5.23% over 24 hours, reflecting recent volatility after takeover speculation faded. The stock shows a bearish technical trend with key support at $7 and resistance at $8. Fundamentally, the company has beaten EPS estimates for three consecutive quarters but faces declining net income margins, from 7.58% in 2025 to 5.72% projected for 2026. Recent news highlights CEO Bob Wright's turnaround efforts, including a new marketing chief appointment to address quality and traffic declines.
The outlook is mixed: valuation ratios like P/E of 11.54 and P/S of 0.66 appear attractive relative to peers, but execution risks persist amid competitive pressures. Analyst consensus is cautious with 64.71% hold ratings, though the $8.13 price target implies modest upside. Key risks include sustained traffic declines and high debt levels, with debt-to-asset ratio rising to 55.68% in 2025.
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 →The Wendy's Company is the second-largest burger quick-service restaurant, or QSR, chain in the United States by systemwide sales, with $11.1 billion in 2021, narrowly edging Burger King ($10.3 billion) and clocking in well behind wide-moat McDonald's ($45.7 billion). After divestitures of Tim Hortons (2006) and Arby's (2011), the firm manages just the burger banner, generating sales across a footprint that spans almost 7,000 total units in 30 countries. Wendy's generates revenue from the sale of hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, salads, and fries throughout its company-owned footprint, through franchise royalty and marketing fund payments remitted by its franchisees, which account for 94% of stores, and through franchise flipping and advisory fees.
Read more on WEN →