Jan 26 (Reuters) - U.S. steelmaker Nucor's NUE.N fourth-quarter profit and revenue missed Wall Street expectations on Monday as rising costs pressured margins in its steel-producing segments, sending its shares down 3% in aftermarket trading.

While President Donald Trump's sweeping import duties are helping U.S. steel spot pricing, steelmakers continued to see lower selling prices during the quarter because their long‑term contracts update slowly, based on older prices. This meant the companies did not benefit right away when tariffs caused steel prices to rise.

"Looking ahead to 2026, we are encouraged by robust demand in several key end markets, historically strong backlogs, and federal policies that support a vibrant domestic steel industry," CEO Leon Topalian said.

Charlotte, North Carolina-based Nucor reported profit of $1.73 per share for the fourth quarter, below analysts' estimate of $1.91 per share, according to data compiled by LSEG.

Its revenue rose 9% to $7.69 billion during the quarter ended December 31, compared with analysts' average estimate of $7.87 billion, according to data compiled by LSEG.