NU
NUE
Latest · Apr 4, 2026
Quarter ended Apr 4, 2026 · FY2026 Q1

Nucor Corporation stock research

Nucor (NUE) Free Cash Flow — Quarter Ended Apr 4, 2026

Revenue, operating cash flow, and free cash flow all improved compared with both the prior quarter and the same quarter last year. The free cash flow margin turned positive, reflecting stronger cash generation relative to sales.

Free cash flow takeaway

A quick read on the company's cash generation and what it means for investors.

Revenue, operating cash flow, and free cash flow all improved compared with both the prior quarter and the same quarter last year. The free cash flow margin turned positive, reflecting stronger cash generation relative to sales.

  • Operating cash flow as a proportion of revenue was higher than both the preceding quarter and the year-ago quarter, while capital expenditure declined sequentially. This combination resulted in positive free cash flow and an improved free cash flow margin.
  • Compared with the immediately preceding quarter, revenue, operating cash flow, and free cash flow were all higher, and capital expenditure was lower, yielding a significant sequential improvement in free cash flow margin from near zero to positive. Versus the same quarter one year earlier, all metrics improved, especially free cash flow, which reversed from a negative to a positive figure.

FCF snapshot

Quarterly and TTM cash-flow metrics with the minimum valuation context.

TTM free cash flow

$532.0M

Trailing twelve-month free cash flow.

Quarter free cash flow

$225.0M

Free cash flow in the selected fiscal quarter.

Operating cash flow

$886.0M

Cash generated by operations before capital spending.

CapEx

$661.0M

Capital spending and related asset purchases.

FCF margin

2.4%

The share of revenue converted into free cash flow.

TTM FCF yield

1.0%

TTM FCF divided by market capitalization.

Cash flow trend

A short quarterly history shows whether FCF is scaling with revenue or only spiking for one period.

PeriodRevenueOperating CFCapExFCFFCF margin
2025-07-05$8.5B$732.0M$954.0M-$222.0M-2.6%
2025-10-04$8.5B$1.3B$807.0M$532.0M6.2%
2025-12-31$7.7B$799.0M$802.0M-$3.0M-0.0%
2026-04-04$9.5B$886.0M$661.0M$225.0M2.4%

Cash conversion quality

Checks that separate high-quality free cash flow from accounting noise or working-capital timing.

FCF / net income30.3%Shows whether accounting earnings convert into cash.
CapEx / revenue7.0%Lower capital intensity usually supports FCF margin.
Net cashn/aCash and equivalents minus total debt.

Recent events shaping cash flow

Near-term business events that help explain the free cash flow result.

Supportive

Stronger Operating Cash Flow

Operating cash flow increased substantially from both the prior quarter and the year-ago quarter. According to the filing, the year-over-year increase was driven by net earnings before noncontrolling interests.

Higher operating cash flow directly enabled positive free cash flow despite a moderate capital expenditure level.

What the cash flow says

How to interpret the company's free cash flow beyond the headline number.

Operating cash flow as a proportion of revenue was higher than both the preceding quarter and the year-ago quarter, while capital expenditure declined sequentially. This combination resulted in positive free cash flow and an improved free cash flow margin.

Compared with the immediately preceding quarter, revenue, operating cash flow, and free cash flow were all higher, and capital expenditure was lower, yielding a significant sequential improvement in free cash flow margin from near zero to positive. Versus the same quarter one year earlier, all metrics improved, especially free cash flow, which reversed from a negative to a positive figure.

Monitor whether capital expenditure remains lower in subsequent periods, as it was a key factor in the current quarter's positive free cash flow.

Valuation context

A cash-flow page should show how much investors are paying for the cash stream, without turning into a full DCF.

Market capitalization$53.9BUsed as the denominator for FCF yield.
TTM FCF yield1.0%TTM free cash flow divided by market capitalization.
EV / TTM FCFn/aA quick valuation bridge, not a full DCF.

Peer context

Free cash flow quality is easier to read against related public companies.

NU
NUE

Nucor Corporation

FCF margin

2.4%

FCF yield

1.0%

NUE Free Cash Flow — Quarter Ended Apr 4, 2026