Nucor Corporation ($NUE) reported its fourth quarter and full year 2024 earnings, revealing a diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $1.22, surpassing analysts' expectations of $0.64. The company's net sales for the fourth quarter reached $7.08 billion, exceeding the estimated $6.76 billion. Nucor's net income for the quarter was $287 million. For the full year, Nucor's diluted EPS was $8.46, with total net sales amounting to $30.73 billion. Despite these positive results, Nucor indicated that its outlook for the first quarter of 2025 suggests flat to potentially lower earnings compared to the fourth quarter of 2024, citing softened steel demand throughout 2024, although market conditions are starting to improve. The company returned $2.74 billion to stockholders in 2024 through dividends and buybacks while maintaining strong credit ratings.