This article is part of our Rising Stars Portfolios series.
About two weeks ago, I anxiously began managing my real-money Motley Fool portfolio by offering readers and investors my first piece of advice: Buy Nucor (NYSE: NUE).
I outlined numerous reasons why I thought this mini-mill steel operator was best-in-class and provided the catalysts for growth. Based on that analysis, I publicly purchased $1,000 worth of shares.
I highlighted in my article that this a long-term play on a recovery in North America, and that buying shares would require patience. I'm a buy-and-hold investor, so this fits well with my risk tolerance and time threshold. However, like any impulsive, normal person, I eagerly checked the markets every day to see how Nucor was performing.
So what are the results thus far?
We really shouldn't focus on short-term price fluctuations -- especially within a two-week period! Still, it was hard for me to ignore that my stock had dropped by more than 6% since my recommendation. To add insult to injury, it had performed worse than peers U.S. Steel (NYSE: X), AK Steel (NYSE: AKS), and Commercial Metals (NYSE: CMC).
But first, let's keep things in context. Since my recommendation, the Market Vectors Steel ETF (SLX), which holds international players like Posco (NYSE: PKX) and Vale (NYSE: VALE), has also managed to drop by about 3.4%. This is particularly noteworthy because it signifies that North American steel producers aren't the only ones are feeling the heat; companies with emerging-market exposure are getting slagged as well.
Be greedy when others are fearful!
The steel industry is cyclical, and no one quite knows when the recovery will occur. Picking any steel company, especially one most concentrated in the U.S., can be a difficult pill to swallow. As I said in my original buy recommendation, "anticipate a few ups and downs in the interim." Well, this is a perfect illustration of a down period. No one likes the steel industry right now. Prices are depressed. Europe is a mess. American deficits are scaring the beejezus out of everyone.
That's why today is an even better time to buy Nucor. Fundamentals are exactly the same as they were two weeks ago. Nucor still has the best balance sheet among its peers; it still pays a great dividend; management remains extremely shareholder-friendly; and nothing has changed its industry-leading cost structure or its impressive margins. The only difference is that today the stock trades near $38; when I recommended it, shares were above $40.
Do I still love Nucor? You bet I do. Even more than I did two weeks ago.
This article is part of our Rising Star Portfolios series, where we give some of our most promising stock analysts cold, hard cash to manage on the Fool's behalf. We'd like you to track our performance and benefit from these real-money, real-time free stock picks. See all of our Rising Star analysts (and their portfolios).
