Stock-Based Compensation (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2014

Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]

Summary of Stock Option Plans Activity

A summary of activity under Nucor’s stock option plans is as follows:

	(shares in thousands)
	2014					2013				2012
	Shares			Weighted- Average Exercise Price		Shares		Weighted- Average Exercise Price		Shares			Weighted- Average Exercise Price
Number of shares under option:
Outstanding at beginning of year		2,089		$	40.47		1,543	$	39.03		1,156		$	38.26
Granted		469		$	50.63		546	$	44.51		741		$	35.76
Exercised		(136	)	$	41.30		—		—		(354	)	$	29.67
Canceled		—			—		—		—		—			—
Outstanding at end of year		2,422		$	42.39		2,089	$	40.47		1,543		$	39.03
Options exercisable at end of year		1,263		$	40.40		1,012	$	39.75		—			—

Summary of Stock Options Outstanding

The following table summarizes information about stock options outstanding at December 31, 2014:

					(shares in thousands)
Exercise Price	Options Outstanding		Options Exercisable		Weighted- Average Remaining Contractual Life
$35.76		689		391		7.4 years
$41.43		242		242		5.4 years
$42.34		530		530		6.3 years
$44.51		506		80		8.4 years
$50.63		455		20		9.0 years
$35.76 - $50.63		2,422		1,263		7.5 years

Schedule of Grant Date Fair Value Black-Scholes Option-Pricing Model Assumptions

The fair value was estimated using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model with the following assumptions:

	2014			2013			2012
Exercise price	$	50.63		$	44.51		$	35.76
Expected dividend yield		2.92	%		3.30	%		4.08	%
Expected stock price volatility		45.00	%		46.94	%		48.99	%
Risk-free interest rate		2.03	%		1.51	%		1.06	%
Expected life (in years)		6.5			6.5			6.5

Summary of Nucor's Restricted Stock Unit Activity

A summary of Nucor’s restricted stock unit activity is as follows:

	(shares in thousands)
	2014					2013					2012
	Shares			Grant Date Fair Value		Shares			Grant Date Fair Value		Shares			Grant Date Fair Value
Restricted stock units:
Unvested at beginning of year		1,122		$	42.51		1,106		$	40.80		962		$	46.09
Granted		655		$	50.63		789		$	44.51		1,101		$	35.76
Vested		(752	)	$	44.90		(762	)	$	42.15		(915	)	$	40.36
Canceled		(13	)	$	42.66		(11	)	$	39.08		(42	)	$	39.41
Unvested at end of year		1,012		$	45.98		1,122		$	42.51		1,106		$	40.80
Shares reserved for future grants (stock options and RSUs)		11,851					10,486					11,839

Summary of Nucor's Restricted Stock Activity under AIP and LTIP

A summary of Nucor’s restricted stock activity under the AIP and LTIP is as follows:

	(shares in thousands)
	2014					2013					2012
	Shares			Grant Date Fair Value		Shares			Grant Date Fair Value		Shares			Grant Date Fair Value
Restricted stock awards and units:
Unvested at beginning of year		73		$	45.49		72		$	43.72		94		$	42.46
Granted		127		$	50.35		122		$	47.36		122		$	42.20
Vested		(135	)	$	48.76		(121	)	$	46.32		(144	)	$	41.62
Canceled		—			—		—			—		—			—
Unvested at end of year		65		$	48.20		73		$	45.49		72		$	43.72
Shares reserved for future grants		1,111					1,238					1,360