Advertisement
NUE vs RS
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Nucor Corporation (NUE) vs. Reliance, Inc. (RS) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- NUE has delivered stronger year-to-date (YTD) performance at approximately 30%, outpacing RS's 20% gain, driven by robust momentum in recent weeks.
- Both stocks operate in the metals sector, with NUE as a steel producer benefiting from tight supply conditions and RS as a distributor posting a recent quarterly earnings beat.
- NUE exhibits higher volatility with a beta of 1.75, compared to RS's more stable 0.87 (beta measures a stock's volatility relative to the market).
- Analysts have raised price targets for both, signaling positive sentiment amid steel sector dynamics.
- RS offers a higher dividend yield at 1.43% versus NUE's 1.05%.
- Recent market activity highlights NUE's outperformance in one-month returns around 30%.
Introduction
This stock comparison examines NUE and RS, two key players in the metals and steel sector. NUE, a leading steel producer, and RS, a prominent metals distributor, offer investors exposure to industrial cycles, supply chain dynamics, and commodity price fluctuations. Traders seeking relative performance insights, sector rotation opportunities, or hedges against economic shifts will find value here. In the current market environment, both reflect broader trends in manufacturing demand and raw material pricing, aiding decisions on positioning in industrials.
NUE Overview and Recent Performance
NUE (Nucor Corporation) is the largest steel producer in the United States, specializing in steel products for construction, automotive, and energy sectors through electric arc furnace technology. Trading around $212 per share with a market capitalization of approximately $48 billion, it maintains a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 28.2 and earnings per share (EPS) of $7.52. Recent market activity has propelled NUE to a 52-week high near $216, with YTD gains exceeding 30% and one-month returns around 30%. Sentiment has improved due to tight steel supply conditions, analyst price target increases (e.g., JPMorgan to $212, Wells Fargo to $213), and anticipation for upcoming quarterly results showing expected EPS growth. New capacity expansions and a strong safety record further bolster long-term positioning, though higher beta introduces volatility tied to economic cycles.
RS Overview and Recent Performance
RS (Reliance, Inc.), formerly Reliance Steel & Aluminum, operates as a metals service center, distributing carbon steel, aluminum, and specialty alloys to manufacturers across aerospace, energy, and infrastructure. Shares trade near $345, with a $17.8 billion market cap, P/E of 24.7, and EPS of $13.96. Performance has been solid with YTD returns of about 20%, within a 52-week range of $260 to $366. Recent weeks saw a quarterly earnings beat, with EPS of $5.16 surpassing estimates, alongside raised guidance and analyst targets (e.g., BofA to $355, Argus to $356). Positive cash flow and share repurchases support stability, influenced by steady demand in end-markets despite sector headwinds. Lower beta reflects resilience in distribution model versus production risks.
Trending AI Robots
Tickeron’s Trending AI Robots page showcases 25 top-performing AI trading bots curated from over 350 available bots that trade thousands of tickers across stocks, ETFs, and crypto. These bots excel in current volatile conditions, featuring diverse strategies like swing trading industrials or semiconductors, with annualized returns ranging from +26% to +115%, win rates of 55-88%, profit factors of 1.5-7, and profit-to-drawdown ratios up to 8+. Examples include bots with 60-70% win rates over 1-8 day holds and drawdowns under $30,000. Tailored for short-term trends, long-term fundamentals, or sector plays, they adapt to market shifts. Explore these high-conviction signals to enhance your trading edge.
Head-to-Head Comparison
NUE and RS both thrive in metals exposure but differ in business models: NUE as a vertically integrated producer captures upstream pricing power, while RS leverages distribution margins with lower capital intensity. Growth drivers include NUE's capacity expansions versus RS's acquisition strategy. Recent momentum favors NUE with superior YTD and short-term gains, though RS shows earnings stability. Risk profiles contrast via beta—NUE more sensitive to steel prices and cycles, RS buffered by diversification. Market sentiment leans positive for both amid supply tightness, but trade-offs hinge on volatility tolerance and industrial outlook.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Tickeron’s AI currently favors NUE with higher probability due to consistent upward trend, superior recent momentum, analyst upgrades, and steel supply catalysts positioning it ahead of RS in relative performance metrics.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer. Disclaimers and Limitations
To compare these two companies we present long-term analysis, their fundamental ratings and make comparative short-term technical analysis which are presented below. The conclusion is NUE is a Hold and RS is a Hold.
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is undervalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
NUE’s FA Score shows that 3 FA rating(s) are green whileRS’s FA Score has 2 green FA rating(s).
- NUE’s FA Score: 3 green, 2 red.
- RS’s FA Score: 2 green, 3 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
NUE’s TA Score shows that 4 TA indicator(s) are bullish while RS’s TA Score has 3 bullish TA indicator(s).
- NUE’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 4 bearish.
- RS’s TA Score: 3 bullish, 5 bearish.
Price Growth
NUE (@Steel) experienced а -5.55% price change this week, while RS (@Steel) price change was -0.60% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Steel industry was -6.08%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +144.49%, and the average quarterly price growth was +13.91%.
Reported Earning Dates
NUE is expected to report earnings on Jul 27, 2026.
RS is expected to report earnings on Jul 22, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Steel (-6.08% weekly)The steel industry includes manufacturers of steel and steel-related products. Companies use iron ore and scrap steel to produce steel. The industry also includes companies involved in mining and marketing of steel products. Along with serving some of the domestic markets, U.S. steel output has, over the years, been used by international economies as well. Competition from imported steel has also increased over time. The industry could be susceptible to business cycles, since the element is an important input in industrial production. Some of the globally-renowned steel behemoths include Nucor Corporation, Vale, and ArcelorMittal SA.
| NUE | RS | NUE / RS | |
| Capitalization | 55.8B | 20.6B | 271% |
| EBITDA | 5.03B | 1.5B | 335% |
| Gain YTD | 50.675 | 40.725 | 124% |
| P/E Ratio | 24.30 | 26.30 | 92% |
| Revenue | 34.2B | 14.8B | 231% |
| Total Cash | 2.48B | 250M | 992% |
| Total Debt | 7.12B | 2.03B | 351% |
NUE | RS | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 85 | 36 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 22 Undervalued | 19 Undervalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 30 | 9 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 68 | 67 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 5 | 41 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 42 | 34 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 50 | 50 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
RS's Valuation (19) in the Steel industry is in the same range as NUE (22). This means that RS’s stock grew similarly to NUE’s over the last 12 months.
RS's Profit vs Risk Rating (9) in the Steel industry is in the same range as NUE (30). This means that RS’s stock grew similarly to NUE’s over the last 12 months.
RS's SMR Rating (67) in the Steel industry is in the same range as NUE (68). This means that RS’s stock grew similarly to NUE’s over the last 12 months.
NUE's Price Growth Rating (5) in the Steel industry is somewhat better than the same rating for RS (41). This means that NUE’s stock grew somewhat faster than RS’s over the last 12 months.
RS's P/E Growth Rating (34) in the Steel industry is in the same range as NUE (42). This means that RS’s stock grew similarly to NUE’s over the last 12 months.
| NUE | RS | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 67% | 2 days ago 60% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 64% | 2 days ago 60% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 68% | 2 days ago 70% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 74% | 2 days ago 60% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 65% | 2 days ago 55% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 73% | 2 days ago 68% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 12 days ago 76% | 12 days ago 68% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 6 days ago 63% | 6 days ago 55% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 64% | 2 days ago 57% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 76% | 2 days ago 66% |
Advertisement
RS and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, RS has been closely correlated with CMC. These tickers have moved in lockstep 68% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if RS jumps, then CMC could also see price increases.