Latest news with #HALEU
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Centrus Energy (NYSEAM:LEU) Extends HALEU Contract With U.S. Energy Department
Centrus Energy has recently experienced significant share price growth, surging 221% over the last quarter. A key catalyst was the U.S. Department of Energy's decision to extend Centrus' contract for HALEU production until June 2026. This extension highlights a strengthened partnership with the DOE, reinforcing Centrus' role in nuclear energy advancements. Additionally, the appointment of Richard Emery as Acting General Counsel following Shahram Ghasemian's resignation may add continuity to the management team. These developments, coupled with the company's strong earnings, contrast the broader market's flat performance and underscore this notable quarterly increase. You should learn about the 3 risks we've spotted with Centrus Energy (including 1 which is significant). Uncover the next big thing with financially sound penny stocks that balance risk and reward. The recent extension of Centrus Energy's contract with the U.S. Department of Energy is likely to bolster the company's revenue prospects and validate its ongoing investment in HALEU production. This partnership could further solidify Centrus Energy's standing as a leader in domestic nuclear enrichment. The contract extension may also align with existing $2 billion LEU commitments, potentially driving increased revenue and improving the company's overall market position. Over the past five years, Centrus Energy's total shareholder returns have exceeded 1,000%, showcasing remarkable long-term value creation despite the inherent volatility in the nuclear energy sector. Looking at recent performance, the company has outpaced both the broader U.S. market and its industry with substantial share price appreciation over the past year. These gains are notable given the market's more subdued returns during this period. The company's longer-term financial prospects appear promising, particularly given the anticipated revenue growth from DOE contracts and investments in centrifuge manufacturing. However, these developments must be viewed in light of the earnings forecasts, which anticipate an earnings decline over the next three years. The consensus analyst price target of US$141.74, while higher than today's share price, reflects the potential for future growth, contingent upon successful execution against substantial commitments and strategic initiatives. Get an in-depth perspective on Centrus Energy's performance by reading our balance sheet health report here. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Companies discussed in this article include NYSEAM:LEU. This article was originally published by Simply Wall St. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Centrus Energy Soars 197% YTD: Buy, Sell or Hold the Stock?
Centrus Energy LEU has surged 196.5% so far this year, outpacing the non-ferrous mining industry's 7.3% growth. The Zacks Basic Materials sector has gained 12.4%, while the S&P 500 has risen 5.9% in the same time frame. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Looking at its peer performances, Cameco CCJ has gained 37.8%, Energy Fuels UUUU has risen 26.9% while Uranium Energy UEC has dipped 6.3% year to date. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Centrus Energy has been trading above the 200-day simple moving average (SMA) and the 50-day SMA, indicating a bullish trend. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research With Centrus Energy stock riding high, investors may rush to add it to their portfolios. However, before making a decision, it would be prudent to take a look at the reasons behind the surge, the company's growth prospects and risks (if any) in investing. Fulfills Commitments on DOE Contract: Centrus Energy recently achieved a major milestone in the advancement of High-Assay, Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) by successfully delivering 900 kilograms of this advanced nuclear fuel to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). This marks the completion of Phase II of its three-phase contract with the DOE. Centrus Energy had signed the contract in 2022 with the DOE to pioneer production of HALEU at the Piketon, OH facility. The company has delivered 920 kilograms in Phase I and Phase II, and has now moved into Phase III. On June 20, 2025, Centrus Energy secured a contract extension from the DOE authorizing an additional year of production through June 30, 2026. The contract includes provisions for up to eight additional years of production beyond that, contingent upon federal appropriations and DOE discretion. Solid Q1 Results: Centrus Energy generated total revenues of $73.1 million in the first quarter of 2025, a 67% year-over-year surge. Revenues from the LEU segment skyrocketed 117% year over year to $51.3 million, driven by a 46% increase in the average price of Separative Work Units (SWU) sold and a 49% increase in the sales volume of SWU. There were no uranium sales in the quarter. Revenues from the Technical Solutions segment rose 8% year over year to $21.8 million, led by a $2-million increase in revenues generated by the HALEU Operation Contract. Revenues from the HALEU Operation Contract are recorded on a cost-plus-incentive-fee basis and include a target fee for Phase 2 of the contract. Robust Backlog: Centrus Energy currently has a $3.8-billion revenue backlog, which includes long-term sales contracts with major utilities through 2040. The LEU segment's backlog is $2.8 billion. Centrus Energy is the only source of HALEU enrichment in the Western world. HALEU is expected to be needed in the next few years to power both existing reactors and a new generation of advanced reactors to meet the world's growing need for carbon-free electricity. Unlike low-enriched uranium, which contains uranium concentration below 5%, HALEU contains uranium enriched to between 5% and 20%. It offers advantages such as improved efficiency, extended fuel cycles and lower waste. The market opportunity is substantial, with the HALEU market value expected to grow from $0.26 billion in 2025 to $6.2 billion by 2035. Centrus Energy is planning to expand production capacity in Ohio so that it can meet the domestic demand for HALEU as well as low-enriched uranium. LEU had a total debt-to-total capital ratio of 0.68 as of March 31, 2025, higher than Cameco's 0.13. Meanwhile, Energy Fuels and Uranium Energy have debt free balance sheets. The charts below show the trend in Centrus Energy's revenues and earnings over the past three years. While LEU has seen a CAGR of 22.6% in its top line, the bottom line grew at a slower pace, seeing a CAGR of 12.6%. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Image Source: Zacks Investment Research The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Centrus Energy's 2025 earnings is pegged at $3.43 per share, indicating a 23.3% year-over-year decline. The same for 2026 is $2.90, indicating a decline of 15.41%. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research .However, both the EPS estimates for 2025 and 2026 have been revised upward over the past 60 days. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research LEU is trading at a forward 12-month price/sales multiple of 7.46X, a significant premium to the industry's 2.91X. It is also higher than its three-year median of 2.18X. It has a Value Score of F. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Meanwhile, Energy Fuels is trading higher at 14.06X, Cameco at 11.85X and Uranium Energy at 34.72X. As the only company with a Nuclear Regulatory Commission license for HALEU enrichment, Centrus Energy has a clear first-mover advantage to capitalize on the expected surge in demand. Investors holding LEU shares should continue to do so to benefit from the solid long-term fundamentals. However, new investors can wait for a better entry point, considering the premium valuation and the expected decline in earnings for the current year. The company's higher debt level than its peers is also concerning. Centrus Energy stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Cameco Corporation (CCJ) : Free Stock Analysis Report Energy Fuels Inc (UUUU) : Free Stock Analysis Report Uranium Energy Corp. (UEC) : Free Stock Analysis Report Centrus Energy Corp. (LEU) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Int'l Business Times
09-07-2025
- Science
- Int'l Business Times
Laser-Focused: How LIS Technologies Is Turning Science Into Scalable Nuclear Solutions
Nuclear power has long been a whisper in the alternative energy conversation. While many experts consider it a viable successor to fossil fuels, one problem has historically gotten in the way: a lack of scalability. Now, U.S.-based LIS Technologies is finally developing a process to manufacture nuclear fuel on a commercial basis. As a result, the dream of large-scale nuclear power just might become a reality. It's the culmination of the life's work of two luminaries in the field of nuclear energy, Dr. Jeff Eerkens (often regarded as the Father of Laser Enrichment) and laser enrichment scientist Christo Liebenberg. The journey began with Eerkens's development of the CRISLA (Condensation Repression Isotope Selective Laser Activation) process of uranium enrichment in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Uranium enrichment is the process of taking natural uranium and increasing the concentration of U-235, the isotope needed to create fuel for nuclear reactors. Natural uranium is about 0.7% U-235. The current fleet of lightwater reactors (LWRs) run on low-enriched uranium (LEU), which is up to 5% U-235. The new generation of small, highly efficient advanced reactors typically requires high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU), which is up to 20% U-235. Research in CRISLA's development stopped when the U.S. started purchasing its nuclear fuel from Russia. "They funded this technology back in the '90s," says Jay Yu, LIS Technologies Chairman and President. "They scrapped it because the Iron Curtain fell, and Russia flooded the markets with cheap uranium." In 2013, Eerkens met Christo Liebenberg, a laser enrichment scientist who was involved in several laser enrichment programs since the mid 80s. Together they founded CRISLA, Inc and continued to develop the process. In 2023, they met Jay Yu, who realized the potential of CRISLA, and the three founded LIS Technologies , with Liebenberg as the chief executive officer, and Eerkens as chief technical officer. Eerkens and Liebenberg firmly believed in a nuclear renaissance, holding that nuclear power was the future of energy in the United States and possibly the world. To realize that vision, they had to overcome the problem of scalability. Although laser enrichment had proven to be an effective way to create LEU and HALEU, historically, alternative laser enrichment methods have shown that it was either too complex or too unreliable to implement on a commercial scale. "Laser enrichment has been around for more than 50 years, and no one has been able to successfully scale it, to take it to commercialization," says Liebenberg. "Not one out of any of the 26 countries that have tried it." That is all now changing, as Liebenberg, Eerkens, and the LIS Technologies' technical team are in the process of developing a new and improved laser systems architecture. "We plan to demonstrate single-stage LEU and double-stage HALEU," Liebenberg explains. "That means you irradiate the uranium in a single stage only, and it's enriched from natural all the way to the LEU level. If you take that LEU and irradiate it again in a second stage, you can go all the way to HALEU." LIS Technologies Current enrichment technologies can take hundreds or even thousands of cycles to enrich uranium in a commercial setting to the desired concentration of U-235. Now, with the ultra-efficient approach developed by LIS Technologies , large-scale nuclear power is within reach. However, it will take at least a few years to get to that point. "In the next three to four years, we are scaling our laser systems, separators, and gas handling systems," says Liebenberg. "We're going to scale the whole process and then show that we can do LEU single-stage, HALEU double-stage with scaled and industrialized equipment. And next is building a commercial facility." When imagining large-scale nuclear power many picture vast, centralized power plants, but the future of nuclear energy will likely look very different. As Eerkens and Liebenberg have been perfecting the CRISLA process, nuclear technology startups have been hard at work creating a new generation of nuclear reactors. These reactors are smaller and more efficient than their predecessors, and some are even portable. Bringing power to remote areas will become simpler, and the reactors' smaller footprints mean far less environmental damage than old-school nuclear power plants. It may have taken decades to get to this point, but Christo Liebenberg notes that now is the time for the U.S. to establish a domestic supply chain of nuclear fuel in order to develop the nation's next generation of advanced reactors and produce clean energy. "The energy demand is huge and will get much higher while the supply is going down because we are cutting out supply from Russia. We can't depend on Russia or China for our imports because that's a national security issue," he says. "There's also global warming. We want to produce new energy that's clean and get that online so we can combat global warming" It may take some time, but Liebenberg is confident that the United States is headed toward a domestic nuclear pipeline. "There are all these reasons why there's a huge resurrection, a huge resurgence of nuclear power," he says. "We are literally in the middle of a second nuclear age."
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Oklo (OKLO) Partners for HALEU Production with AVLIS Technology
Oklo Inc. (NYSE:OKLO) is one of the top 10 nuclear energy stocks to invest in for the next decade. On June 25, the company announced strategic collaborations aimed at accelerating the domestic production of High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU). Photo by Frédéric Paulussen on Unsplash The company partnered with Hexium, a company specializing in isotope enrichment, and TerraPower, a nuclear innovation company, to evaluate Atomic Vapor Laser Isotope Separation (AVLIS) technology for commercial-scale uranium enrichment. The collaboration includes Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), which is working with the three companies to assess the potential of AVLIS as a scalable uranium enrichment technology. According to Oklo, this initiative aims to develop 'a validated conceptual design and technoeconomic assessment of AVLIS-based HALEU production.' Oklo's stock has gained over 500% this year, which, according to the CEO, is driven by three key factors: an advanced nuclear focus, AI and data center demand, and a cost and deployment edge. Jacob DeWitte, the CEO, emphasized Oklo's role as an energy infrastructure disruptor, likening their microreactor tech to a 'data center revolution' in energy. Oklo Inc. (NYSE:OKLO) is a nuclear energy company. It develops advanced fission power plants—specifically compact, modular reactors designed to deliver clean, reliable, and affordable electricity. Its flagship product is the Aurora Powerhouse, which uses recycled nuclear waste as fuel. While we acknowledge the potential of OKLO as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 10 Best Healthcare Penny Stocks to Buy According to Analysts and Goldman Sachs Energy Stocks: 10 Stocks to Buy. Disclosure: None. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Oklo Just Announced a New Nuclear Fuel Deal. Is OKLO Stock a Buy Here?
Last week, Oklo (OKLO) announced a strategic partnership with Hexium and TerraPower to develop domestic High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) production, addressing a critical shortage for advanced nuclear reactors. The collaboration will evaluate laser isotope separation technology that could revolutionize uranium enrichment. Investors are optimistic about Oklo's widening nuclear capabilities given the shift toward nuclear energy over the next two decades. The Department of Energy estimates that demand for HALEU will hit 40 metric tons by the early 2030s, whereas only 700 kilograms have been produced domestically since 2023. This massive supply-demand imbalance represents a market opportunity. Jeff Bezos Unloads $5.4B in Amazon Shares: Should You Buy or Sell AMZN Stock Now? Elon Musk's Tesla Makes History With 'First Time That a Car Has Delivered Itself to Its Owner' This Defense Stock Could Be the Next Palantir. Should You Buy It Now? Get exclusive insights with the FREE Barchart Brief newsletter. Subscribe now for quick, incisive midday market analysis you won't find anywhere else. OKLO stock has surged more than 500% in the last 12 months, valuing the company at a market cap of $7.7 billion. Let's see if OKLO stock is still a good buy right now. Oklo is working to develop advanced fission power plants to provide clean, reliable, and affordable energy at scale. It also is aiming to commercialize nuclear fuel recycling technology that could convert nuclear waste into usable fuel for its reactors. Oklo reported significant operational progress during its first-quarter earnings call, positioning the nuclear technology company to capitalize on growing government support and surging AI-driven energy demand. It completed crucial site preparation work at Idaho National Laboratory, wrapping up drilling and geophysical studies that will support its combined license application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This represents the final technical siting step before submitting Phase 1 of its application for the Aurora powerhouse, with commercial operations targeted for late 2027 to early 2028. The regulatory environment appears favorable, with the current administration under President Donald Trump prioritizing nuclear energy through multiple executive orders. Potential future orders could quadruple the U.S. nuclear fleet by 2050 and establish data centers as defense-critical infrastructure, directly benefiting Oklo's mission. Oklo reported a first quarter operating loss of $17.9 million, with cash and marketable securities totaling $260.7 million. Management indicated potential capital needs due to expanded reactor designs and growing customer demand, although it emphasized that any fundraising would be strategic rather than reactive. With over 14 gigawatts in its customer pipeline spanning data centers and defense applications, Oklo appears well-positioned as nuclear energy gains unprecedented federal backing. Oklo is still pre-revenue and is forecast to increase sales from $13.33 million in 2027 to $94 million in 2029. Out of the nine analysts covering OKLO stock, five recommend 'Strong Buy,' one recommends 'Moderate Buy,' and three recommend 'Hold.' The average target price for OKLO stock is $60, 7.7% above the current price. On the date of publication, Aditya Raghunath did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on
