JPMorgan analyst Michael Gambardella lowered his 2019 estimates for AK Steel (AKS), Nucor (NUE), Steel Dynamics (STLD) and U.S. Steel (X) to reflect the "steeper than expected" price decline for steel sheet prices in Q4 of 2018 and the lagged impact on Q1 of 2019. However, the analyst believes prices have bottomed and he sees improving steel prices going into Q2. Demand remains solid, and global iron ore prices have moved higher along with U.S. scrap prices, Gambardella tells investors in a research note. He keeps an Overweight rating on all four names while lowering his price target for Nucor to $81 from $83, for Steel Dynamics to $46 from $51 and for U.S. Steel to $33 from $34.

BMO Capital lowered the firm's price target on Nucor to $200 from $210 and keeps a Market Perform rating on the shares after its Q1 earnings miss. Following nine consecutive quarters of beating expectations, Nucor's results and outlook disappointed, while its Q2 results are also expected to moderate sequentially, the analyst tells investors in a research note. Nucor remains well-positioned to benefit from positive longer-term demand tailwinds, but its capex spending elevated, BMO adds.