CLF vs NUE Stock Comparison: AI Score, Valuation, Performance and Upside
CLF is a higher-beta, more leveraged bet on automotive steel demand with vertical integration into iron ore, while NUE is a lower-cost, more diversified, financially conservative EAF steelmaker. NUE has historically offered more balance-sheet safety; CLF offers more torque to an automotive and tariff-driven steel cycle.
CLF vs NUE contrasts a leveraged, automotive-focused integrated steelmaker against a financially disciplined, diversified electric-arc-furnace producer with a lower cost structure.
NUE holds the edge across 4 of 5 key metrics in this comparison. NUE leads on both 1-year return (+99.53%) and forward P/E (16.09x vs 24.50x for CLF), a relatively favorable combination of momentum and valuation. Analyst consensus implies similar upside for both: -4.72% for CLF and -3.58% for NUE.
- →Want concentrated exposure to U.S. automotive steel demand
- →Believe steel tariffs and trade protections will persist
- →Can tolerate higher financial leverage and earnings volatility
- →Prefer a lower-cost, more flexible steel production model
- →Want diversified exposure across construction, energy, and infrastructure
- →Value balance sheet strength and consistent capital returns
| Metric | CLF | NUE |
|---|---|---|
| AI score | 43.1 | 61.6 |
| AI rank | #817 | #133 |
| Latest close | $12.28 | $243.83 |
| 1M return | +20.99% | +9.97% |
| 6M return | -5.03% | +51.74% |
| 1Y return | +67.53% | +99.53% |
How much would $10,000 be worth today if invested at the start of each period, with all dividends reinvested?
| Period | CLF | NUE |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y ago | $16.75K (+67.5%) started 2025-06-18 | $19.32K (+93.2%) started 2025-06-18 |
| 5Y ago | $6.06K (-39.4%) started 2021-06-18 | $28.79K (+187.9%) started 2021-06-21 |
| 10Y ago | $27.19K (+171.9%) started 2016-06-20 | $73.54K (+635.4%) started 2016-06-20 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
| Metric | CLF | NUE |
|---|---|---|
| Market cap | $7B | $60.66B |
| Trailing P/E | N/A | 26.45 |
| Forward P/E | 24.50 | 16.09 |
| Price/Sales | 0.37 | 0.92 |
| EV/Revenue | 0.82 | 1.94 |
| Analyst target | $11.70 | $256.81 |
| Target upside | -4.72% | -3.58% |
| Metric | CLF | NUE |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth | 6.30% | 21.30% |
| Earnings growth | N/A | 382.10% |
| EPS growth | N/A | +382.10% |
| FCF margin | -0.32% | -1.12% |
| Operating margin | N/A | 11.83% |
| Profit margin | -6.44% | 6.82% |
| ROIC proxy | -18.60% | 12.29% |
| Return on equity | -18.60% | 12.29% |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.84% |
| Beta | 2.09 | 1.91 |
| Debt/equity | 129.32 | 31.59 |
| Current ratio | 2.02 | 2.90 |
| Quick ratio | 0.58 | 1.45 |
Lower drawdown and smaller single-period drops generally indicate a smoother ride, though they do not guarantee lower future risk.
| Period | Metric | CLF | NUE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Growth | +67.53% | +93.24% |
| CAGR | +67.59% | +93.42% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.04 | 2.24 | |
| Max drawdown | 51.67% | 18.43% | |
| Max daily drop | 17.24% | 5.95% | |
| Max wkly drop | 29.53% | 7.40% | |
| 5Y | Growth | -39.42% | +170.38% |
| CAGR | -9.54% | +22.05% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.05 | 0.60 | |
| Max drawdown | 82.37% | 47.79% | |
| Max daily drop | 17.24% | 11.31% | |
| Max wkly drop | 29.53% | 18.48% | |
| 10Y | Growth | +157.31% | +485.06% |
| CAGR | +9.92% | +19.33% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.39 | 0.55 | |
| Max drawdown | 82.37% | 57.21% | |
| Max daily drop | 24.27% | 14.51% | |
| Max wkly drop | 34.50% | 22.08% |
| Category | CLF | NUE |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. | Nucor Corporation |
| Sector | Materials - Steel | Basic Materials |
| Industry | N/A | Steel |
| Core business | Cleveland-Cliffs is a vertically integrated U.S. steel producer and the largest flat-rolled steel maker, supplying mainly the automotive industry. It owns its own iron ore mining and pelletizing operations. | Nucor is the largest U.S. steel producer and the largest steel recycler, using electric arc furnace (EAF) mini-mill technology that is more flexible and lower-cost than traditional integrated steelmaking. |
| Investor focus | Investors track automotive steel demand, hot-rolled coil pricing, labor relations, and the company's high financial leverage from past acquisitions. | Investors track scrap steel costs, construction and infrastructure demand, capital allocation discipline, and Nucor's diversified product mix. |
- →Vertically integrated from iron ore mining through finished steel
- →Largest supplier of automotive-grade flat-rolled steel in the U.S.
- →Benefits from tariffs and trade protections on imported steel
- →Lower-cost, more flexible EAF mini-mill production model
- →Diversified end markets including construction, infrastructure, and energy
- →Strong balance sheet and long history of disciplined capital returns
- →High debt load from the AK Steel and ArcelorMittal USA acquisitions
- →Heavy reliance on cyclical automotive production volumes
- →Steel price volatility directly impacts margins given high fixed costs
- →Scrap steel input cost inflation can compress margins
- →Construction and infrastructure spending cycles drive demand
- →New mill investments carry execution and ramp-up risk
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