2 Nuclear Energy Stocks to Buy Before 2026 Ends

The nuclear energy market sputtered out for roughly a decade after the Fukushima disaster in 2011. As more countries paused their nuclear expansion plans, the price of uranium plummeted, many miners shut down their mines, and nuclear plant builders went bankrupt.

But over the past few years, the nuclear market warmed up again as the power-hungry cloud infrastructure and artificial intelligence (AI) markets expanded, governments launched new decarbonization initiatives, and companies introduced safer and cleaner nuclear technologies.

According to Grand View Research, the global nuclear market could still expand at a steady 4.9% CAGR from 2026 to 2033. If you want to profit from that recovery, you should consider investing in Uranium Energy (NYSEMKT: UEC) and BWX Technologies (NYSE: BWXT).

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Uranium Energy

The nuclear market's expansion boosted uranium's spot price from $43.08 at the end of Jan. 2022 to $89.68 at the end of Aug. 2026. That's why shares of Uranium Energy, a provider of uranium extraction services, have rallied 274% over the past five years.

Uranium Energy pumps an oxygen-enriched solution into the earth to dissolve and recover uranium. These In-Situ Recovery (ISR) plants, which are located across the U.S., Canada, and Paraguay, are cheaper and more environmentally friendly than the underground and open-pit mines used by conventional uranium miners.

Unlike conventional miners, which typically lock customers into long-term, fixed-price contracts, Uranium Energy sells all of its output at uranium's spot price. Therefore, Uranium Energy is better-positioned to profit from rising uranium prices than its mining peers -- but it's also more exposed to declining spot prices.

Therefore, if you expect the nuclear energy market's resurgence to boost uranium's price to new record highs within the next few years, Uranium Energy is a good long-term investment. Bank of America's analysts expect uranium's spot price to rise to $130 per pound in 2027.

From 2025 to 2028, Wall Street expects Uranium Energy's revenue to grow at a 59% CAGR to $270 million. They also expect its adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) to turn positive in 2027 and more than double to $199 million in 2028.

With an enterprise value of $5.2 billion, Uranium Energy's stock isn't cheap at 43 times next year's sales. But if uranium's spot price continues to rise, its rally should persist as more governments and utilities recognize the value of cleaner, cheaper uranium.

BWX Technologies

BWX Technologies was spun off from Babcock & Wilcox (NYSE: BW) in 2015. It's the only large-scale manufacturer of specialized nuclear components, fuel systems, and naval reactor systems in North America. It's authorized to work with regulated nuclear materials, handle high-assay enriched uranium (HALEU) and tri-structural isotropic (TRISO) fuel, operate large precision nuclear fabrication facilities, and develop naval nuclear components for the U.S. Navy.

That diversification and scale enable BWX to control a crucial part of North America's nuclear supply chain. It generates most of its revenue from the defense sector, so it was better insulated from the post-Fukushima nuclear slowdown than many of its industry peers.

To expand and evolve after its spin-off from Babcock & Wilcox, BWX acquired six more companies, launched engineering support services for developers of small modular reactors (SMRs), and secured additional U.S. Navy contracts. By the end of 2025, its backlog had swelled 50% year over year to $7.3 billion, driven by the robust market demand for its naval propulsion components, commercial nuclear power components, and specialty materials. That's more than double its $3.2 billion in revenue in 2025.

From 2025 to 2028, analysts expect BWX's revenue and adjusted EBITDA to grow at CAGRs of 12% and 11%, respectively. With an enterprise value of $15.9 billion, it trades at less than four times next year's sales -- but it could command a higher valuation as its government and commercial businesses expand.

Bank of America is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Leo Sun has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends BWX Technologies. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.