Nucor (NYSE: NUE) and Steel Dynamics (NASDAQ: STLD) have a lot of similarities, which makes sense, since Nucor alumni founded Steel Dynamics.
That said, these two U.S. steelmakers are not interchangeable investments. Dividend investors considering stepping into the cyclical steel industry while it is dealing with some industry softness will want to carefully consider what Nucor and Steel Dynamics offer before buying either one.
Here's a quick primer.
From a big-picture perspective, Nucor and Steel Dynamics make steel. But the real story is how they make that steel, which is by using electric arc mini-mills. This technology uses electricity and scrap steel to make "new" steel. It is more flexible than older blast furnace technology, which uses iron ore and metallurgical coal to make primary steel.
While blast furnaces can be highly profitable during industry upturns, their high operating costs mean they can bleed red ink during downturns. Electric arc mini-mills tend to have more consistent and reliable profit margins through the cycle. In other words, Nucor and Steel Dynamics have strong core operations.
