Nucor Corporation (NUE) vs Vulcan Materials Company (VMC)
NUE leads on 9 of 17 compared metrics.
A side-by-side comparison of Nucor Corporation and Vulcan Materials 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
VMC
Vulcan Materials Company
$286.47Basic Materials
Total return — NUE vs VMC
growth of $100 · last 30yNUE +1967.9%VMC +1391.3%NUE compounded faster
NUE VMC
NUE vs VMC: by the numbers
- •NUE is the larger company ($60.66B vs $37.17B market cap).
- •NUE trades at the lower earnings multiple (26.37 vs 34.06 P/E).
- •VMC converts more revenue to profit (13.88% vs 6.82% net margin).
- •VMC grew revenue faster over the past five years (10.56% vs 9.67% CAGR).
- •NUE pays the higher dividend yield (0.83% vs 0.71%).
Which is better, NUE or VMC?
Metric tally: NUE 9 · VMC 8It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueNUE(lower P/E)
GrowthVMC(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeNUE(higher dividend yield)
QualityVMC(higher ROIC)
Valuation
| Metric | NUE | VMC |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 26.37● | 34.06 |
| Forward P/E | 16.16● | 26.49 |
| P/S ratio | 1.79● | 4.69 |
| P/B ratio | 2.85● | 4.47 |
| PEG ratio | 1.01● | 1.90 |
| EV / EBITDA | 13.38● | 16.47 |
| FCF yield | 0.87% | 2.95%● |
Profitability
| Metric | NUE | VMC |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 13.98% | 27.61%● |
| Operating margin | 10.04% | 20.62%● |
| Net margin | 6.82% | 13.88%● |
| ROE | 10.87% | 13.22%● |
| ROIC | 6.74% | 8.02%● |
Dividends
| Metric | NUE | VMC |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 0.83%● | 0.71% |
| Payout ratio | 29.48% | 24.79% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | NUE | VMC |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 9.67% | 10.56%● |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 26.02%● | 13.07% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | -19.62% | 5.93%● |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 21.93%● | 11.33% |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, NUE or VMC?
- It depends on your goal. value: NUE (lower P/E); growth: VMC (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: NUE (higher dividend yield); quality: VMC (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, NUE leads 9 to 8.
- Is NUE or VMC cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, NUE is cheaper: NUE trades at a 26.37 P/E and VMC at 34.06.
- Which has grown faster, NUE or VMC?
- Over the past five years, VMC grew revenue faster — NUE at a 9.67% CAGR versus VMC at 10.56%.
- Does NUE or VMC pay a bigger dividend?
- NUE yields 0.83% and VMC yields 0.71% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is NUE or VMC more profitable?
- VMC runs the higher net margin — NUE at 6.82% versus VMC at 13.88%.
- Which has been the better investment, NUE or VMC?
- Over the past 10-year, NUE delivered the higher annualized total return — NUE at 20.73% versus VMC at 10.45%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Nucor P/E ratioVulcan Materials P/E ratioNucor dividend yieldVulcan Materials dividend yieldNucor ROEVulcan Materials ROENucor operating marginVulcan Materials operating marginNucor revenue growthVulcan Materials revenue growthNucor free cash flowVulcan Materials free cash flow
Nucor & Vulcan Materials 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.