Stock-Based Compensation (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

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:

	2015					2014					(shares in thousands) 2013
	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		2,422		$	42.39		2,089		$	40.47		1,543	$	39.03
Granted		700		$	47.59		469		$	50.63		546	$	44.51
Exercised		(10	)	$	42.34		(136	)	$	41.30		—		—
Canceled		(20	)	$	50.63		—			—		—		—
Outstanding at end of year		3,092		$	43.51		2,422		$	42.39		2,089	$	40.47
Options exercisable at end of year		1,531		$	39.35		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, 2015:

					(shares in thousands)
	Options Outstanding
Exercise Price	Options Outstanding		Options Exercisable		Weighted- Average Remaining Contractual Life
$35.76		689		689		6.4 years
$41.43		242		242		4.4 years
$42.34		520		520		5.4 years
$44.51		506		80		7.4 years
$47.59		700		—		9.4 years
$50.63		435		—		8.4 years
$35.76 - $50.63		3,092		1,531		7.2 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:

	2015			2014			2013
Exercise price	$	47.59		$	50.63		$	44.51
Expected dividend yield		3.13	%		2.92	%		3.30	%
Expected stock price volatility		33.32	%		45.00	%		46.94	%
Risk-free interest rate		1.86	%		2.03	%		1.51	%
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:

	2015					2014					(shares in thousands) 2013
	Shares			Grant Date Fair Value		Shares			Grant Date Fair Value		Shares			Grant Date Fair Value
Restricted stock units:
Unvested at beginning of year		1,012		$	45.98		1,122		$	42.51		1,106		$	40.80
Granted		790		$	47.59		655		$	50.63		789		$	44.51
Vested		(756	)	$	44.99		(752	)	$	44.90		(762	)	$	42.15
Canceled		(15	)	$	46.61		(13	)	$	42.66		(11	)	$	39.08
Unvested at end of year		1,031		$	47.93		1,012		$	45.98		1,122		$	42.51
Shares reserved for future grants (stock options and RSUs)		10,349					11,851					10,486

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

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

	2015					2014					(shares in thousands) 2013
	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		65		$	48.20		73		$	45.49		72		$	43.72
Granted		136		$	47.07		127		$	50.35		122		$	47.36
Vested		(138	)	$	47.15		(135	)	$	48.76		(121	)	$	46.32
Canceled		—			—		—			—		—			—
Unvested at end of year		63		$	48.07		65		$	48.20		73		$	45.49
Shares reserved for future grants		975					1,111					1,238