TLDR
- Oklo (OKLO) surged 30% this week, with NuScale Power (SMR) also jumping over 30%
- The White House released guidance for faster development of nuclear power systems for space missions
- A December 2028 in-orbit reactor demo and a 2030 lunar reactor are the key targets
- Oklo completed a board overhaul, adding four directors with deep nuclear experience
- Despite the rally, Oklo missed its latest quarterly EPS and insiders sold over $50M in stock in 90 days
Oklo has had a week to remember. The small modular reactor company saw its stock climb 30% in just five trading days, riding a wave of policy news, a sector-wide rally, and a fresh board shake-up.
The catalyst? The White House released new guidance this week aimed at speeding up the development of nuclear power systems for use in space. The plan targets an in-orbit reactor demonstration by December 2028 and a moon-based reactor by 2030.
NuScale Power (SMR) also jumped more than 30% over the same period. Nano Nuclear Energy (NNE) rose around 20%, while uranium producer Uranium Energy (UEC) gained roughly 10%.
The broader nuclear sector has been on a roll, with back-to-back rally days pulling capital into the space.
White House Space Nuclear Policy Drives the Move
The White House initiative has given traders a clear timeline to work with. A 2028 in-orbit demo and a 2030 lunar surface reactor put potential contracts and supply chain opportunities on the calendar.
Andrew Chanin, co-founder and CEO of ProcureAM, told Yahoo Finance that reliable energy is non-negotiable for space operations. “Lunar bases, orbiting space stations, orbiting data centers — all these require energy,” he said.
The rally also follows NASA’s successful Artemis II fly-around mission to the moon, completed earlier this month, which kept the space theme front and center for investors.
Oklo also reshuffled its board this week, adding four directors with nuclear and industrial backgrounds. The company named a Lead Independent Director and moved its CTO into a senior technical advisory role. Investors took that as a sign the company is getting serious about execution.
Fundamentals Tell a Different Story
While the stock is flying, the numbers on the ground are harder to ignore.
Oklo missed its most recent quarterly earnings, posting a loss of $0.27 per share against analyst estimates of -$0.17. Analysts currently forecast a full-year EPS of -$8.20.
Insider activity has raised some eyebrows. CEO Jacob DeWitte sold 140,000 shares in February at $75.18 each, a total of around $10.5 million. CFO Richard Bealmear sold 72,090 shares in March at $60 each. In total, insiders offloaded over $50.8 million worth of stock in the past 90 days.
On the institutional side, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group opened a new position in Q4, buying 222,510 shares worth approximately $15.97 million. Institutional investors now hold around 85% of the company.
Analyst ratings are mixed. Citigroup cut its price target from $95 to $73.50 with a neutral rating. Canaccord Genuity trimmed its target from $175 to $125 but kept a buy rating. The consensus sits at “Moderate Buy” with an average target of $84.30.
OKLO opened at $66.92 on Friday, with a 52-week range of $19.89 to $193.84.
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