U.S. Steel Executives Exercise Stock Options and Liquidate Shares Near Price Peaks

Allen C. Behr, a vice president at U.S. steelmaker Nucor Corporation (NYSE: NUE), exercised stock options on February 2 and 3 to acquire roughly 15,000 shares, then sold them at $181 to $188 per share, raising about $2.84 million (approximately ₩4 billion at current exchange rates). He still holds roughly $12.7 million (around ₩18 billion) worth of Nucor shares at today’s prices, having spent about $640,000 (roughly ₩900 million) to exercise the options. Meanwhile, Kenneth Rex Query, another vice president, sold about 7,400 shares on February 11 at around $196 per share, netting $1.46 million (approximately ₩2 billion), and regulatory filings show he continues to own more than 76,000 shares.

In its late-January release for the fourth quarter of 2025, Nucor reported adjusted earnings per share of $1.73, slightly below market expectations. The company noted that order backlogs for its steel mills and finished-products divisions grew by about 40% and 15%, respectively, year-over-year, and it forecasts a 5% increase in shipments and improved demand in 2026.

Reports that the Trump administration may roll back the steel and aluminum import tariffs it doubled in 2025 have added volatility to U.S. steel stocks. Shares of Nucor and its peers opened down between 2% and 5% as investors weighed the potential impact of tariff policy changes.

Founded in 1955 and headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Nucor is the largest steel producer in the United States and North America’s leading scrap recycler. Using electric-arc mini-mills, it manufactures a diverse range of products—including plate, rebar and structural steel. With demand driven by infrastructure, construction and energy projects—and U.S. trade and tariff policy playing a critical role in its performance and valuation—Nucor has attracted renewed investor interest amid analyst price-target upgrades and fresh 52-week highs.