Stock-Based Compensation (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2021

Disclosure Of Compensation Related Costs Sharebased Payments [Abstract]

Summary of Stock Option Plans Activity

A summary of activity under Nucor’s stock option plans is as follows (shares in thousands):

	2021					2020					2019
				Weighted-					Weighted-					Weighted-
				Average					Average					Average
				Exercise					Exercise					Exercise
Year Ended December 31,	Shares			Price		Shares			Price		Shares			Price
Number of shares under stock options:
Outstanding at beginning of year		3,916		$	50.03		3,892		$	50.78		3,828		$	49.71
Granted		138		$	110.74		529		$	42.46		489		$	48.00
Exercised		(2,868	)	$	50.65		(266	)	$	44.51		(425	)	$	37.97
Canceled		—		$	—		(239	)	$	51.58		—		$	—
Outstanding at end of year		1,186		$	55.58		3,916		$	50.03		3,892		$	50.78
Stock options exercisable at end of year		523		$	54.71		3,168		$	50.85		3,276		$	49.79

Summary of Stock Options Outstanding

The following table summarizes information about stock options outstanding at December 31, 2021 (shares in thousands):

	Options Outstanding					Options Exercisable
			Weighted-
			Average	Weighted-				Weighted-
Range of	Number		Remaining Contractual	Average Exercise		Number		Average Exercise
Exercise Prices	Outstanding		Life	Price		Exercisable		Price
$35.00 - $45.00		570	6.5 years	$	41.43		173	$	39.06
$45.01 - $55.00		232	6.5 years	$	48.07		88	$	48.18
$55.01 - $65.00		47	5.4 years	$	59.07		47	$	59.07
$65.01 - $75.00		199	6.4 years	$	65.80		199	$	65.80
$75.01 - $110.74		138	8.9 years	$	110.74		16	$	110.74
$35.00 - $110.74		1,186	6.7 years	$	55.58		523	$	54.71

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

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

	2021	2020	2019
Exercise price	$110.74	$42.46	$48.00
Expected dividend yield	1.46%	3.79%	3.33%
Expected stock price volatility	32.86%	30.12%	25.57%
Risk-free interest rate	1.28%	0.50%	2.03%
Expected life (years)	6.5	6.5	6.5

Summary of Nucor's RSU Activity

A summary of Nucor’s RSU activity is as follows (shares in thousands):

	2021		2020		2019
		Grant Date		Grant Date		Grant Date
Year Ended December 31,	Shares	Fair Value	Shares	Fair Value	Shares	Fair Value
Restricted stock units:
Unvested at beginning of year	1,830	$47.33	1,776	$52.60	1,246	$59.09
Granted	397	$110.74	1,246	$42.46	1,770	$48.00
Vested	(997)	$57.09	(1,166)	$50.10	(1,207)	$52.43
Canceled	(63)	$49.54	(26)	$49.75	(33)	$57.09
Unvested at end of year	1,167	$60.45	1,830	$47.33	1,776	$52.60

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 (shares in thousands):

	2021					2020					2019
				Grant Date					Grant Date					Grant Date
Year Ended December 31,	Shares			Fair Value		Shares			Fair Value		Shares			Fair Value
Restricted stock units and restricted stock awards:
Unvested at beginning of year		127		$	49.94		147		$	60.81		130		$	62.97
Granted		262		$	65.61		348		$	36.15		316		$	58.04
Vested		(273	)	$	62.17		(368	)	$	41.22		(299	)	$	58.82
Canceled		(9	)	$	48.75		—		$	—		—		$	—
Unvested at end of year		107		$	57.17		127		$	49.94		147		$	60.81