Plug Power Stock: Dead or Ready for Revival?

Source The Motley Fool

Key Points

  • Plug Power is a leader in the hydrogen fuel cell industry, but the company has incurred large losses.

  • The stock has tumbled 92% over the past five years.

  • The company recently teased plans to pursue more business with AI data centers.

  • 10 stocks we like better than Plug Power ›

Plug Power (NASDAQ: PLUG) is a key player in the hydrogen fuel cell market, and the company proudly proclaims that it's "leading the green hydrogen revolution." But with mainstream adoption of green hydrogen likely a decade or two away, Plug Power seems like the belle of a ball that hasn't happened yet.

Unfortunately, Plug Power has been a wretched investment. Since debuting as a publicly traded company in 1999, Plug Power stock has plummeted 99%. Plug's operational losses have been persistent, and the company frequently issues new shares of common stock just to keep the lights on.

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 »

Management recently announced plans to pursue more business with data centers. Could a pivot to the booming artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure market reverse Plug Power's fortunes and revive the stock?

An image of a bull and a bear, illustrating the possibility of a stock going up or down.

Image source: Getty Images.

Plug has a viable solution for backup electricity

Earlier this month, Plug Power said it signed a nonbinding letter of intent to sell its electricity rights in New York and another location to energy-starved AI data centers. The deal is expected to generate over $275 million in badly needed liquidity for Plug, which lost $364 million in its third quarter.

Also, the company is working with a developer to explore opportunities for Plug to supply backup electricity to U.S. data centers via its hydrogen fuel cell generators. At the same time, it's halting work on multiple clean hydrogen projects that were supposed to be funded by a $1.7 billion loan from the Department of Energy that the Trump administration recently canceled.

In my opinion, this move makes a ton of sense for Plug Power. Over the next decade, data center electricity demand is projected to skyrocket beyond what the existing power grid can supply. Plug's zero-emission fuel cell systems could be a strong fit for data centers and other facilities that require always-on electricity, with the added benefit of being more environmentally friendly than traditional combustion generators. However, it's way too early to tell if this will be enough to turn things around for Plug Power or its stock. I would stay away for now.

Should you invest $1,000 in Plug Power right now?

Before you buy stock in Plug Power, 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 Plug Power 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 $562,536!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,096,510!*

Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 981% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 187% 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 24, 2025

Josh Cable 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.

Disclaimer: For information purposes only. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
placeholder
Trump Withdrawal Intent Reshapes Liquidity, Bitcoin Breaks $68,000 MarkUS and Iran signal ceasefire talks; Bitcoin breaks $68,000, expected to continue rebounding in the short term.On April 1, Bitcoin ( BTC) prices continued to rebound, strengthening further
Author  TradingKey
7 hours ago
US and Iran signal ceasefire talks; Bitcoin breaks $68,000, expected to continue rebounding in the short term.On April 1, Bitcoin ( BTC) prices continued to rebound, strengthening further
placeholder
Today’s Market Recap: US and Iran Signal Willingness to End Conflict, Three Major US Stock Indexes Surge, Dollar Ends Five-Day Winning StreakAs the U.S. and Iran signaled a de-escalation of their conflict, market risk appetite recovered significantly, with the three major U.S. stock indices rebounding sharply to record their l
Author  TradingKey
16 hours ago
As the U.S. and Iran signaled a de-escalation of their conflict, market risk appetite recovered significantly, with the three major U.S. stock indices rebounding sharply to record their l
placeholder
Brent: Forecast lifted with $150 risk – Societe GeneraleSociete Generale’s commodities team has revised its Oil outlook, warning Brent could spike towards $150/bbl in a higher‑for‑longer scenario if the Strait of Hormuz is shut for two months.
Author  FXStreet
Mar 31, Tue
Societe Generale’s commodities team has revised its Oil outlook, warning Brent could spike towards $150/bbl in a higher‑for‑longer scenario if the Strait of Hormuz is shut for two months.
placeholder
Australian Dollar advances as RBA Minutes flag more tighteningAUD/USD halts its five-day losing streak, trading around 0.6860 during the Asian hours on Tuesday. The pair advances as the Australian Dollar (AUD) receives support after the Reserve Bank of Australia released its March Meeting Minutes.
Author  FXStreet
Mar 31, Tue
AUD/USD halts its five-day losing streak, trading around 0.6860 during the Asian hours on Tuesday. The pair advances as the Australian Dollar (AUD) receives support after the Reserve Bank of Australia released its March Meeting Minutes.
placeholder
USD/JPY Hits 160.00 Mark, Will Japanese Government Intervene? Will the Currency’s Rally Be Contained?As of March 30, the US Dollar against the Japanese Yen ( USDJPY) continues to fluctuate at high levels near the 160 mark, with the Yen having fallen to a nearly one-year low. Expectations
Author  TradingKey
Mar 30, Mon
As of March 30, the US Dollar against the Japanese Yen ( USDJPY) continues to fluctuate at high levels near the 160 mark, with the Yen having fallen to a nearly one-year low. Expectations
goTop
quote