The Rise of Small Modular Reactors
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 3 days ago
0mins
Should l Buy SMR?
Source: Fool
- Market Volatility: NuScale Power's stock has plummeted over 75% in the past six months, dropping from a peak of over $50/share to below $10/share, resulting in a market cap decline from nearly $9 billion to just under $3 billion, reflecting waning investor confidence in nuclear stocks.
- Technological Progress: Despite challenges, NuScale has signed agreements with the Romanian government and the Tennessee Valley Authority to deploy its small modular reactor technology, although final approvals are still pending, indicating potential market opportunities in the nuclear sector.
- Industry Outlook: The rise of small modular reactors (SMRs) brings new hope to the nuclear industry, particularly with a nuclear-friendly administration in the U.S., suggesting that NuScale's stock could attract renewed investor interest, especially among risk-tolerant investors.
- Financial Metrics: NuScale's market capitalization stands at $3.1 billion with a gross margin of 33.84%, and while its stock remains highly volatile, its potential in the nuclear market continues to appeal to investors seeking high-risk, high-reward opportunities.
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Analyst Views on SMR
Wall Street analysts forecast SMR stock price to rise
13 Analyst Rating
5 Buy
6 Hold
2 Sell
Hold
Current: 9.300
Low
18.50
Averages
32.77
High
60.00
Current: 9.300
Low
18.50
Averages
32.77
High
60.00
About SMR
NuScale Power Corporation is a provider of proprietary advanced small modular reactor (SMR) nuclear technology. The NuScale Power Module, the Company's SMR technology, is a small pressurized water reactor that can generate approximately 77 megawatts of electricity (MWe) or 250 megawatts thermal (gross) and can be scaled to meet customer needs through an array of flexible configurations of up to 924 MWe (12 modules) of output. In addition to the sale of NPMs, it offers a diversified suite of services throughout the development and operating life of the power plant. The Company's suite of services is planned to include licensing support, testing, training, fuel supply services and program management, among others. It serves a range of customers consisting of domestic and international governments, utilities, state-owned enterprises and technology and industrial companies in need of carbon-free, reliable energy.
About the author

Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
- Earnings Announcement Date: NuScale Power is set to announce its next quarterly earnings on May 7, 2026, which could be the most significant earnings report for the nuclear stock in years, prompting investors to pay close attention.
- Project Pipeline Updates: Specializing in small modular reactors (SMRs) with a power capacity of up to 300 MW per unit, NuScale aims to meet the rising energy demand, particularly from AI data centers, which is becoming increasingly critical.
- Market Competition Landscape: While NuScale has signed promising contracts with ENTRA1 and the Tennessee Valley Authority, it has yet to secure any major data center deals this year, in contrast to competitor Oklo, which has booked several significant data center contracts.
- Long-Term Growth Potential: With an expected addition of 18GW of nuclear capacity annually until 2040, and SMR construction not anticipated to accelerate until 2035, NuScale's long-term growth potential remains substantial, especially with its current valuation at just $3.1 billion, appealing to patient investors.
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- Earnings Announcement Preview: NuScale Power has announced its quarterly earnings will be released on May 7, 2026, which could be the most significant earnings report for the nuclear stock in years, prompting investors to pay close attention.
- Project Pipeline Updates: Specializing in small modular reactors (SMRs), NuScale is expected to provide critical updates on its project pipeline, particularly in light of surging demand from data centers, which could positively impact the company's stock price.
- Market Competition Dynamics: While NuScale has signed promising contracts with ENTRA1 and the Tennessee Valley Authority, it has yet to secure any major data center deals this year, in contrast to competitor Oklo, which has booked several significant data center contracts.
- Long-Term Growth Potential: According to Bank of America's Global Research team, 18GW of new nuclear capacity is expected to be added annually from 2025 to 2040, with SMR construction not anticipated to accelerate until 2035; however, NuScale holds substantial long-term growth potential, making it appealing for patient investors.
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- Earnings Announcement Preview: NuScale Power has announced its quarterly earnings will be released on May 7, 2026, which could be the most significant earnings report in years, prompting investors to closely monitor its potential impact on stock price.
- SMR Advantages: Specializing in small modular reactors (SMRs), NuScale's units can generate up to 300 MW, about one-third of traditional nuclear plants, indicating faster and cheaper construction, which is crucial given the rising energy demands.
- Growing Market Demand: Global spending on data centers is projected to reach $7 trillion by 2030, creating urgent demand for new electricity sources, positioning NuScale's SMR technology to attract new customers and contracts.
- Long-Term Growth Potential: Although NuScale has yet to secure major data center contracts, its long-term strategy in the nuclear market and the upcoming earnings report may provide critical growth signals for investors, especially as nuclear energy demand is expected to rise significantly over the coming decades.
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- Earnings Miss: NuScale Power's latest earnings report revealed a significant miss on both sales and earnings, primarily due to a $507 million accounting hit from an expected milestone payment, resulting in a more than 30% decline in stock value.
- Project Pipeline Update: Although NuScale Power's project pipeline has struggled recently, with the largest project's start date pushed from 2030 to 2033 or 2034, the collaboration agreement with ENTRA1 and TVA holds promise, and converting this into firm orders could positively impact stock prices.
- Growing Data Center Demand: The company anticipates that U.S. data center power demand will surge from 25 GW in 2024 to over 80 GW by 2030, necessitating over $500 billion in investment, which presents a significant market opportunity for NuScale Power's SMR technology.
- Customer Conversion Challenges: Despite signing five exploratory NDAs with tier one hyperscalers, NuScale Power has yet to secure any new data center customers as of 2026, and management's insights on the anticipated spending spree from AI operators will significantly influence stock price movements.
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- Earnings Miss: NuScale Power's February earnings report revealed significant misses on both sales and earnings, resulting in a $507 million accounting hit, which has led to a more than 30% decline in stock value, raising concerns about the company's financial health.
- Project Delays: The timeline for one of the company's largest projects has been pushed from 2030 to 2033 or 2034, and while the collaboration with ENTRA1 and TVA holds promise, it remains largely conceptual with a lack of specific details, potentially undermining investor confidence.
- Rising Data Center Demand: U.S. data center power demand is projected to surge from 25 GW in 2024 to over 80 GW by 2030, requiring over $500 billion in investment, positioning NuScale Power's SMR technology as a critical solution that could unlock new growth opportunities.
- Customer Conversion Challenges: Despite signing five exploratory NDAs with tier one hyperscalers, NuScale Power has yet to secure any new data center customers as of 2026, and management's commentary on future customer conversion will significantly impact the stock price.
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- Lawsuit Background: Robbins LLP reminds all investors who purchased NuScale Power (NYSE: SMR) Class A shares between May 13, 2025, and November 6, 2025, that a class action has been filed, alleging the company misled investors regarding its business prospects.
- Financial Missteps: During the class period, NuScale revealed that its general and administrative expenses surged over 3,000% to $519 million in Q3, primarily due to a $495 million payment to ENTRA1, resulting in a quarterly net loss skyrocketing to $532 million, up from $46 million in the prior year.
- Stock Price Volatility: This news caused NuScale Class A shares to decline over 12% within two days, dropping from approximately $32 on November 6, 2025, to about $28 on November 10, and continued to fall to a low of $17 by November 21, 2025, representing a more than 70% drop from the class period high.
- Risk Exposure: Plaintiffs allege that NuScale failed to disclose ENTRA1's lack of significant project experience in nuclear energy, exposing its commercialization strategy to undisclosed risks of failure, delays, and regulatory challenges, which could severely impact the company's future growth.
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