The BusinessWeek 50 Ranking
1
Nucor
When the U.S. steel industry was in a downward spiral four years ago, Nucor was ready. The industry's lowest-cost producer embarked on an aggressive buying spree, shelling out more than $1.1 billion to acquire 10 steel plants from troubled sellers, snapping up assets at an average of 17 cents on the dollar. Last year, steel was booming again, and Nucor, based in Charlotte, N.C., was in position to reap the rewards. A combination of massive steel-plant closures coupled with the Chinese manufacturing boom caused steel prices to soar from the $200-to-$300-a-ton range common in the late 1990s to as much as $700 in 2004. Nucor's profits soared from $62.8 million in 2003 to $1.1 billion in 2004, and it delivered a sector-leading 32.5% return on equity. Shareholders made out well, too: The company's stock has returned 100.5% in the 12 months that ended on Feb. 28.
Company Info
| 2004 Rank | 251 |
| STOCK INFO | NUE |
| Market Value | $9.9 BILLION |
| Total Return | (1-yr.) 100.5%
(3-yr.) 130.6% |
| 2004 sales | $11.4 BILLION |
| Sales Growth | (1-yr.) 82%
(3-yr.) 39.1% |
| Net income | $1.1 BILLION |
| Net Income Growth | (1-yr.) 1,686%
(3-yr.) 81.1% |
| Net Margin* | 9.9% |
| Return on Equity* | 32.5% |
| Industry | MATERIALS |
| CORPORATE WEB SITE | |
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*Trailing 12 months
Company data as of 2/28/05 provided by Standard & Poor's Compustat
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Company Snapshot
Nucor Corporation engages in the manufacture and sale of steel and steel products in the United States. The company’s products from its steel mills include hot-rolled steel in angles, rounds, flats, channels, sheet, wide-flange beams, pilings, billets, blooms, beam blanks, and plate, as well as cold-rolled steel. Its steel products include steel joists and joist girders, steel deck, cold finished steel, steel fasteners, metal building systems, and light gauge steel framing. The company sells its hot-rolled steel and cold-rolled steel to steel service centers, fabricators, and manufacturers; steel joists and joist girders, and steel deck to general contractors and fabricators; and cold finished steel and steel fasteners to distributors and manufacturers. Nucor was incorporated in 1958 and is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.
No. of Employees
10,600
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