Why Cameco Stock Popped Today

Source Motley_fool

Key Points

  • UBS initiated coverage of Cameco stock this morning.

  • UBS says Cameco stock is worth more than $100 a share -- but is not a buy.

  • 10 stocks we like better than Cameco ›

Shares of Canadian uranium mining company Cameco Corporation (NYSE: CCJ) gained 2.3% through 11:05 a.m. ET Monday after Swiss bank UBS initiated coverage of the nuclear stock. But here's the thing:

UBS didn't tell investors to buy Cameco stock. In fact, it rates Cameco stock as only "neutral."

Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now, when you join Stock Advisor. See the stocks »

Glowing green radioactive nuclear radiation icon.

Image source: Getty Images.

What UBS says about Cameco

UBS gave us a bit of a mixed message on Cameco, though. On the one hand, a neutral rating doesn't seem to be much of an encouragement to buy Cameco shares. On the other hand, though, UBS puts a CA$140 price target on Cameco stock, equivalent to $100.80 US.

Yet Cameco stock only costs $94 and change today, and the higher price target actually does imply Cameco stock might be worth buying.

Is Cameco stock a buy?

So which is it, UBS? Is Cameco stock undervalued or not? Well, it's complicated.

On the one hand, UBS says Cameco "offers strong exposure to the attractive long-term uranium market," as TheFly.com tells us today. Spot uranium prices are above $77 per pound right now, up about 10% from six months ago, and UBS thinks this will help Cameco charge higher prices on long term supply contracts going forward.

On the other hand, though, Cameco's stock price is up 84% over the same six months! So even if UBS is right about Cameco's profits probably increasing, much if not all of the improved earnings this implies have already been priced into the stock.

With Cameco shares now fetching a nosebleed 96-times-earnings valuation, I simply don't see a lot of value in Cameco stock today -- and I cannot call it a buy at this price.

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

Before you buy stock in Cameco, 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 Cameco 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 $595,194!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,153,334!*

Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 1,036% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 191% 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 November 10, 2025

Rich Smith has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Cameco. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Disclaimer: For information purposes only. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
placeholder
Samsung Electronics Forecasts Stronger-Than-Expected Q3 Profit on AI Demand Samsung forecasts Q3 profit of 12.1 trillion won, boosted by strong AI chip demand.
Author  Mitrade
Oct 14, Tue
Samsung forecasts Q3 profit of 12.1 trillion won, boosted by strong AI chip demand.
placeholder
Dollar Gains as US-China Trade Tensions Ease The U.S. dollar remained steady on Tuesday following a shift in President Donald Trump’s harsh stance on tariffs against China.
Author  Mitrade
Oct 14, Tue
The U.S. dollar remained steady on Tuesday following a shift in President Donald Trump’s harsh stance on tariffs against China.
placeholder
Asian Stocks Mixed as Commodities Pause and Yen Draws AttentionAsian equity markets struggled to close the week on a weak note Friday, influenced by ongoing losses on Wall Street that extended into early Asian trading.
Author  Mitrade
Oct 10, Fri
Asian equity markets struggled to close the week on a weak note Friday, influenced by ongoing losses on Wall Street that extended into early Asian trading.
placeholder
Oil Prices Hold Steady Amid Gaza Ceasefire and US Sanctions Oil prices held steady in early Asian trading on Friday following the announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Author  Mitrade
Oct 10, Fri
Oil prices held steady in early Asian trading on Friday following the announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
placeholder
Bitcoin drops below $110K ahead of $22B options expiry; altcoins tumbleBitcoin fell below the $110,000 mark on Friday, heading for a steep weekly loss as nearly $22 billion in cryptocurrency options were set to expire. The drop also comes as traders await key U.S. inflation data that could influence the Federal Reserve’s policy outlook.
Author  Mitrade
Sept 26, Fri
Bitcoin fell below the $110,000 mark on Friday, heading for a steep weekly loss as nearly $22 billion in cryptocurrency options were set to expire. The drop also comes as traders await key U.S. inflation data that could influence the Federal Reserve’s policy outlook.
goTop
quote