NUE vs. KTOS
NUE (Nucor Corporation) and KTOS (Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc.) are both stocks. NUE operates in Steel (Basic Materials), while KTOS operates in Aerospace & Defense (Industrials). Over the past 10 years, NUE returned 20.15%/yr vs 30.73%/yr for KTOS. At a 0.24 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
NUE vs. KTOS - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, NUE achieves a 55.89% return, which is significantly higher than KTOS's -23.95% return. Over the past 10 years, NUE has underperformed KTOS with an annualized return of 20.15%, while KTOS has yielded a comparatively higher 30.73% annualized return.
NUE
- 1D
- -0.39%
- 1M
- 11.38%
- YTD
- 55.89%
- 6M
- 60.16%
- 1Y
- 111.60%
- 3Y*
- 22.06%
- 5Y*
- 20.51%
- 10Y*
- 20.15%
KTOS
- 1D
- -1.35%
- 1M
- -0.28%
- YTD
- -23.95%
- 6M
- -25.06%
- 1Y
- 42.65%
- 3Y*
- 59.41%
- 5Y*
- 16.85%
- 10Y*
- 30.73%
NUE vs. KTOS - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NUE Nucor Corporation | 55.89% | 42.03% | -31.95% | 33.75% | 17.39% | 118.45% | -1.77% | 11.84% | -16.36% | 9.60% |
KTOS Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. | -23.95% | 187.76% | 30.01% | 96.61% | -46.80% | -29.27% | 52.30% | 27.82% | 33.05% | 43.11% |
Correlation
The correlation between NUE and KTOS is 0.13, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.13 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.20 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.25 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.28 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 5, 1999 | 0.24 |
The correlation between NUE and KTOS shifts across timeframes, from 0.13 (1 year) to 0.28 (10 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
NUE:
$58.10B
KTOS:
$10.36B
NUE:
$10.12
KTOS:
$0.17
NUE:
25.03
KTOS:
335.24
NUE:
1.71
KTOS:
6.96
NUE:
2.71
KTOS:
3.04
NUE:
$34.16B
KTOS:
$1.42B
NUE:
$4.77B
KTOS:
$259.40M
NUE:
$3.49B
KTOS:
$78.30M
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Return for Risk
NUE vs. KTOS — Risk / Return Rank
NUE
KTOS
NUE vs. KTOS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Nucor Corporation (NUE) and Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (KTOS). 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.
| NUE | KTOS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +3.20 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +3.08 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.54 | 1.15 | +0.39 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 6.09 | 0.71 | +5.38 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 18.29 | 1.47 | +16.82 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| NUE | KTOS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.80 | 0.60 | +3.20 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.55 | 0.32 | +0.22 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.56 | 0.61 | -0.05 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.41 | -0.14 | +0.55 |
Drawdowns
NUE vs. KTOS - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum NUE drawdown since its inception was -68.34%, smaller than the maximum KTOS drawdown of -99.81%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NUE and KTOS.
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Drawdown Indicators
| NUE | KTOS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -68.34% | -99.81% | +31.47% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -18.43% | -60.15% | +41.72% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -47.79% | -60.15% | +12.36% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -47.79% | -69.39% | +21.60% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -57.21% | -72.74% | +15.53% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -3.39% | -96.34% | +92.95% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -21.14% | -95.94% | +74.80% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 6.12% | 29.04% | -22.92% |
Volatility
NUE vs. KTOS - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Nucor Corporation (NUE) is 7.99%, while Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (KTOS) has a volatility of 23.93%. This indicates that NUE experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than KTOS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| NUE | KTOS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.99% | 23.93% | -15.94% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 20.45% | 56.47% | -36.02% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 29.59% | 71.96% | -42.37% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 37.70% | 52.22% | -14.52% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 35.97% | 50.78% | -14.81% |
Dividends
NUE vs. KTOS - Dividend Comparison
NUE's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.88%, while KTOS has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
KTOS Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
NUE Nucor Corporation | 0.88% | 1.35% | 1.86% | 1.19% | 1.52% | 1.50% | 3.03% | 2.85% | 2.97% | 2.38% | 2.52% | 3.70% |
Financials
NUE vs. KTOS - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Nucor Corporation and Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc.. 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
NUE vs. KTOS - Profitability Comparison
NUE - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 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%.
KTOS - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. reported a gross profit of 34.70M and revenue of 371.00M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 9.4%.
NUE - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Nucor Corporation reported an operating income of 0.00 and revenue of 9.50B, resulting in an operating margin of 0.0%.
KTOS - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. reported an operating income of 4.70M and revenue of 371.00M, resulting in an operating margin of 1.3%.
NUE - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Nucor Corporation reported a net income of 743.00M and revenue of 9.50B, resulting in a net margin of 7.8%.
KTOS - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. reported a net income of 11.90M and revenue of 371.00M, resulting in a net margin of 3.2%.
Frequently Asked Questions
NUE and KTOS have a correlation of 0.13, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
KTOS has higher volatility (23.93%) compared to NUE (7.99%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NUE dropped -68.34% vs KTOS's -99.81%.
NUE currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.80 vs 0.60), 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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