Why Oklo Stock Popped Today

Nuclear reactor builder Oklo (NYSE: OKLO) stock jumped 2.4% through 11:25 a.m. ET Thursday.

For that, you can thank the friendly analysts at Canaccord Genuity.

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Canaccord loves Oklo

Canaccord Genuity initiated coverage of nuclear company Oklo with a buy rating and a $175 price target on this $137 stock, as StreetInsider.com reports today. That may sound like a high price for a start-up with no revenue that isn't expected to have revenue for another couple years, nor earn its first profit before 2030. But here's the thing:

Canaccord isn't thinking about 2030 here. It's looking much farther out, with "our model stretching to 2050."

Peering 25 years into the future, Canaccord sees "a new nuclear age emerging; one where nuclear assets grow not only in volume but as a percentage of the global energy mix." Canaccord expects Oklo to play an outsize role in this future. "Vertically integrated," boasting a "deftly constructed strategy" for rolling out small nuclear plants, and good "technology capabilities," Canaccord is placing a bet on Oklo not just surviving until 2030, but going on to profit from the new nuclear renaissance.

Is Oklo stock a risky buy?

What makes Canaccord so confident about Oklo? With $530 million in the bank and a $53 million cash burn rate, it looks at first glance like Oklo has all the money it needs (and more) to last until profits arrive in 2030.

Problem is, most analysts think Oklo's cash burn will accelerate dramatically as it approaches commercialization (and profit). Cash consumption over the next five years could actually reach $1.5 billion, which is more than Oklo has handy just right now.

Bright as its future looks, Oklo still needs to come up with even more cash, or else it will go bust.

Rich Smith 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.