Nucor Corporation (NUE) vs The Sherwin-Williams Company (SHW)
NUE leads on 9 of 17 compared metrics.
A side-by-side comparison of Nucor Corporation and The Sherwin-Williams Company across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 13, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
NUE
Nucor Corporation
$266.35Basic Materials
SHW
The Sherwin-Williams Company
$317.30Basic Materials
Total return — NUE vs SHW
growth of $100 · last 30yNUE +1967.9%SHW +4300.8%SHW compounded faster
NUE SHW
NUE vs SHW: by the numbers
- •SHW is the larger company ($78.26B vs $60.66B market cap).
- •NUE trades at the lower earnings multiple (26.37 vs 30.45 P/E).
- •SHW converts more revenue to profit (10.86% vs 6.82% net margin).
- •NUE grew revenue faster over the past five years (9.67% vs 4.87% CAGR).
- •SHW pays the higher dividend yield (1.00% vs 0.83%).
Which is better, NUE or SHW?
Metric tally: NUE 9 · SHW 8It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueNUE(lower P/E)
GrowthNUE(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeSHW(higher dividend yield)
QualitySHW(higher ROIC)
Valuation
| Metric | NUE | SHW |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 26.37● | 30.45 |
| Forward P/E | 16.16● | 27.07 |
| P/S ratio | 1.79● | 3.29 |
| P/B ratio | 2.85● | 17.77 |
| PEG ratio | 1.01● | 4.52 |
| EV / EBITDA | 13.38● | 20.64 |
| FCF yield | 0.87% | 3.69%● |
Profitability
| Metric | NUE | SHW |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 13.98% | 49.12%● |
| Operating margin | 10.04% | 16.13%● |
| Net margin | 6.82% | 10.86%● |
| ROE | 10.87% | 58.66%● |
| ROIC | 6.74% | 15.21%● |
Dividends
| Metric | NUE | SHW |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 0.83% | 1.00%● |
| Payout ratio | 29.48% | 30.64% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | NUE | SHW |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 9.67%● | 4.87% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 26.02%● | 6.74% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | -19.62% | -2.44%● |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 21.93%● | 3.70% |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, NUE or SHW?
- It depends on your goal. value: NUE (lower P/E); growth: NUE (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: SHW (higher dividend yield); quality: SHW (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, NUE leads 9 to 8.
- Is NUE or SHW cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, NUE is cheaper: NUE trades at a 26.37 P/E and SHW at 30.45.
- Which has grown faster, NUE or SHW?
- Over the past five years, NUE grew revenue faster — NUE at a 9.67% CAGR versus SHW at 4.87%.
- Does NUE or SHW pay a bigger dividend?
- NUE yields 0.83% and SHW yields 1.00% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is NUE or SHW more profitable?
- SHW runs the higher net margin — NUE at 6.82% versus SHW at 10.86%.
- Which has been the better investment, NUE or SHW?
- Over the past 10-year, NUE delivered the higher annualized total return — NUE at 20.73% versus SHW at 13.58%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Nucor P/E ratioSherwin-Williams P/E ratioNucor dividend yieldSherwin-Williams dividend yieldNucor ROESherwin-Williams ROENucor operating marginSherwin-Williams operating marginNucor revenue growthSherwin-Williams revenue growthNucor free cash flowSherwin-Williams free cash flow
Nucor & Sherwin-Williams appear in these rankings
Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified June 13, 2026.