Nucor reports record second-quarter earnings and raises outlook for Q3

Nucor reported second-quarter 2026 net earnings of $1.16 billion, or $5.04 per diluted share, on $10.40 billion in sales for the quarter ended July 4, up from $603 million and $8.46 billion a year earlier; adjusted earnings were $1.11 billion, or $4.84 per share, excluding a $61 million pre-tax benefit tied to its Helion investment. The company expects higher reported earnings in the third quarter, driven by higher steel pricing and volumes, while raw-material margins are expected to decline; Nucor also returned $479 million to shareholders during the quarter through $350 million of buybacks and $129 million of dividends.