1 Nuclear Energy Stock Up Over 900% in the Past 365 Days

Key Points

• Oklo is developing small modular reactors called Aurora powerhouses.

• The company has received steady interest from data center developers.

• While the stock's rise is impressive, there are substantial risks with investments in Oklo stock.

• 10 stocks we like better than Oklo ›

Several years ago, nuclear energy investments were a rarely discussed niche of the renewable energy market that held little promise for serious growth.

Boy, have things changed.

Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue »

Image source: Getty Images.

Today, escalating generative artificial intelligence (AI) usage and other sorts of AI computing are starting to strain the electrical grid. Fretful of how they will ensure adequate power supply, AI companies are investing heavily in data center infrastructure.

Couple this with the fact that nuclear companies are making steady progress toward making their small modular reactors commercially viable, and it's no wonder why Oklo (NYSE: OKLO) stock has soared 940% over the past year.

A tide of catalysts has helped buoy Oklo stock higher

Over the past year, investors have consistently celebrated Oklo's success in growing its backlog. In November, it announced it had received letters of intent from two customers to deliver up to 750 megawatts of power for data centers across the U.S. The following month, Oklo announced an agreement with Switch, an AI data center developer, to deploy 12 gigawatts of Oklo's Aurora powerhouse projects through 2044.

Contributing further to Oklo stock's rise -- and the rise of other nuclear energy stocks -- President Donald Trump signed executive orders last May that are intended to spur development of the nuclear energy industry.

Can Oklo stock continue to soar over the next year?

While Oklo stock has skyrocketed higher over the past year, shares can certainly maintain the same upward trajectory. Unlike NuScale Power, Oklo doesn't have a design approved by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Should the company make substantial progress toward receiving the requisite certifications, it's likely that Oklo stock will race higher. Similarly, if Oklo inks more agreements with data center companies, investors will likely bid the stock higher.

Despite the potential for shares to continue rising, investors should recognize the fact that the company's not generating revenue and there's no certainty that, if it does, it will subsequently generate profits. Those looking to mitigate those considerable risks may be more interested in a nuclear energy exchange-traded fund (ETF) to gain industry exposure.

Should you invest $1,000 in Oklo right now?

Before you buy stock in Oklo, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Oklo wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $649,657!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,090,993!*

Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 1,057% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 185% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.

See the 10 stocks »

*Stock Advisor returns as of August 25, 2025

Scott Levine has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.