1 Brilliant Energy Stock to Buy Now and Hold for the Long Term

As of this writing, Bloom Energy's (NYSE: BE) stock price has skyrocketed nearly 250% in 2026. But that pales in comparison to the company's return of more than 1,400% over the past 12 months.

With those kinds of returns, it's fair to wonder if there's any more meat left on the bone for investors thinking about starting a position. A stock running up that high that quickly may experience some short-term pullbacks, but as Bloom's 2026 first-quarter earnings report showed, this company may just be getting started.

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Being at the right place at the right time

Bloom Energy was founded in 2001 as Ion America and changed its name in 2006, but it wasn't until more recently that most investors discovered the company. That's because, as data centers strain traditional grids, Bloom was already there, ready with an answer.

With its solid oxide fuel cells, businesses looking to meet their power needs don't have to wait years for traditional grid upgrades or seek other alternatives. Instead, they can generate on-site power with Bloom's servers, which can be up and running in 90 days.

Companies and data centers can rely almost entirely on Bloom for power generation. For example, eBay was an early customer, using Bloom's servers as the primary power source for one of its new data centers in 2013. Bloom's servers can also provide backup power in the event of an outage.

What the first quarter showed us

Over the last few years, Bloom's story has centered around continuous revenue growth. In 2020, it reported full-year revenue of $794.2 million; by 2025, its full-year revenue had skyrocketed to more than $2 billion. Part of that story was also losses, with a net loss attributable to common stockholders of $29.2 million in 2024 that jumped to $88.4 million in 2025. The losses, however, are starting to turn into profits.

Revenue for its 2026 first quarter once again showed massive growth at a record $751.1 million, an increase of 130.4% from 2025. But what was even more impressive was the $70.6 million in net income attributable to common stockholders Bloom reported for the quarter. Compare that to the $23.8 million loss it posted in Q1 2025.

Be prepared for volatility

The global data center market is expected to grow from over $300 billion in 2026 to more than $699 billion by 2034, according to Fortune Business Insights. That means there will be even more data centers, creating a larger market for Bloom's servers. That's why Bloom can still reward long-term investors.

The short-term picture, however, involves dealing with plenty of volatility. With a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 147, Bloom is beyond richly valued. For comparison, Nvidia, another company that also typically has a high bar to meet, has a forward P/E of 24.5. For Bloom, this just means there is little room for missteps, as an underwhelming quarter could quickly send the stock price significantly lower. With a beta of 3.8, this stock is 3.8 times more volatile than the broader market, so there are a lot of price swings to stomach.

But as long as investors understand the risks and can handle the price swings, Bloom still has a solution for a growing market that makes it a long-term buy.

Jack Delaney has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bloom Energy, Nvidia, and eBay. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.