KOP vs. NUE
KOP (Koppers Holdings Inc.) and NUE (Nucor Corporation) are both stocks. Both are in the Basic Materials sector — KOP in Specialty Chemicals, NUE in Steel. Over the past 10 years, KOP returned 4.29%/yr vs 17.71%/yr for NUE. At a 0.49 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
KOP vs. NUE - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, KOP achieves a 77.21% return, which is significantly higher than NUE's 43.69% return. Over the past 10 years, KOP has underperformed NUE with an annualized return of 4.29%, while NUE has yielded a comparatively higher 17.71% annualized return.
KOP
- 1D
- 0.44%
- 1M
- 10.04%
- 6M
- 65.88%
- YTD
- 77.21%
- 1Y
- 41.79%
- 3Y*
- 11.22%
- 5Y*
- 10.13%
- 10Y*
- 4.29%
NUE
- 1D
- 2.48%
- 1M
- -12.31%
- 6M
- 41.21%
- YTD
- 43.69%
- 1Y
- 65.82%
- 3Y*
- 13.41%
- 5Y*
- 21.43%
- 10Y*
- 17.71%
KOP vs. NUE - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
KOP Koppers Holdings Inc. | 77.21% | -15.52% | -36.33% | 82.84% | -9.24% | 0.45% | -18.47% | 124.30% | -66.52% | 26.30% |
NUE Nucor Corporation | 43.69% | 42.03% | -31.95% | 33.75% | 17.39% | 118.45% | -1.77% | 11.84% | -16.36% | 9.60% |
Correlation
The correlation between KOP and NUE is 0.38, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.38 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.42 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.44 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.48 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 1, 2006 | 0.49 |
The correlation between KOP and NUE shifts across timeframes, from 0.38 (1 year) to 0.49 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
KOP:
$918.70M
NUE:
$53.06B
KOP:
$3.80
NUE:
$10.13
KOP:
12.56
NUE:
23.00
KOP:
0.51
NUE:
1.57
KOP:
1.75
NUE:
2.49
KOP:
$1.88B
NUE:
$34.16B
KOP:
$287.50M
NUE:
$4.77B
KOP:
$260.13M
NUE:
$3.49B
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Return for Risk
KOP vs. NUE — Risk / Return Rank
KOP
NUE
KOP vs. NUE - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Koppers Holdings Inc. (KOP) and Nucor Corporation (NUE). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| KOP | NUE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.08 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.26 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.21 | 1.34 | -0.13 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.78 | 3.59 | -1.81 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.27 | 9.47 | -6.20 |
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Drawdowns
KOP vs. NUE - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum KOP drawdown since its inception was -83.71%, which is greater than NUE's maximum drawdown of -68.34%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for KOP and NUE.
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Drawdown Indicators
| KOP | NUE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -83.71% | -68.34% | -15.37% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -23.61% | -18.43% | -5.18% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -58.44% | -47.79% | -10.65% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -58.44% | -47.79% | -10.65% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -83.71% | -57.21% | -26.50% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -14.45% | -12.31% | -2.14% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -31.53% | -21.11% | -10.42% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 12.80% | 6.97% | +5.83% |
Volatility
KOP vs. NUE - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Koppers Holdings Inc. (KOP) is 8.73%, while Nucor Corporation (NUE) has a volatility of 11.53%. This indicates that KOP experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than NUE based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| KOP | NUE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.73% | 11.53% | -2.80% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 26.61% | 22.11% | +4.50% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 37.53% | 30.14% | +7.39% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 38.24% | 37.73% | +0.51% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 48.78% | 35.98% | +12.80% |
Dividends
KOP vs. NUE - Dividend Comparison
KOP's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.71%, less than NUE's 0.96% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
KOP Koppers Holdings Inc. | 0.71% | 1.18% | 0.86% | 0.47% | 0.71% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
NUE Nucor Corporation | 0.96% | 1.35% | 1.86% | 1.19% | 1.52% | 1.50% | 3.03% | 2.85% | 2.97% | 2.38% | 2.52% | 3.70% |
Financials
KOP vs. NUE - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Koppers Holdings Inc. and Nucor Corporation. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
KOP vs. NUE - Profitability Comparison
KOP - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, Koppers Holdings Inc. reported a gross profit of 0.00 and revenue of 455.30M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 0.0%.
NUE - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, Nucor Corporation reported a gross profit of 1.50B and revenue of 9.50B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 15.8%.
KOP - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, Koppers Holdings Inc. reported an operating income of 22.00M and revenue of 455.30M, resulting in an operating margin of 4.8%.
NUE - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, Nucor Corporation reported an operating income of 0.00 and revenue of 9.50B, resulting in an operating margin of 0.0%.
KOP - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, Koppers Holdings Inc. reported a net income of 7.10M and revenue of 455.30M, resulting in a net margin of 1.6%.
NUE - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jul 2026, Nucor Corporation reported a net income of 743.00M and revenue of 9.50B, resulting in a net margin of 7.8%.
Frequently Asked Questions
KOP and NUE have a correlation of 0.38, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
NUE has higher volatility (11.53%) compared to KOP (8.73%). In terms of maximum drawdown, KOP dropped -83.71% vs NUE's -68.34%.
NUE currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.20 vs 1.12), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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