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Oklo Stock Outperforms the Industry YTD: Is It Worth Investing?

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Shares of Oklo Inc. (OKLO - Free Report) have soared an impressive 87.1% in the year-to-date period, outperforming the Zacks Alternative-Energy industry’s return of 14.8% and the broader Zacks Oils-Energy sector’s decline of 2.7%. It has also outpaced the S&P 500’s rise of 0.7% in the same period.

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A similar stellar performance has been delivered by other industry players, such as Constellation Energy Corporation (CEG - Free Report) and GEV Vernova (GEV - Free Report) , whose shares have surged 31.4% and 35.7%, respectively, year to date.

With OKLO’s robust performance on the bourses, individuals may rush to invest in this stock. However, before making any hasty decision, it would be prudent to take a look at the reasons behind its stellar performance in the share market, does it have the ingredients to continue its growth and if not, then what are the risks that pose a threat to this stock? The idea is to help investors make a more insightful decision.

What Fueled Oklo’s Rally?

OKLO’s stellar performance on the bourses seems to have been influenced by its strong first-quarter 2025 results, strategic acquisitions and agreements.

Notably, the company ended the first quarter on a solid note, with its loss per share being narrower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate for loss by four cents.  Its bottom line also improved significantly year over year. This might have boosted investor confidence in the stock and was duly reflected in its share price performance.

Moreover, in February 2025, the company acquired all of the common stock outstanding of Atomic Alchemy. This merger is aimed at combining Oklo’s expertise in building and operating fast reactors and nuclear fuel recycling with Atomic Alchemy’s expertise in radioisotope production. This should enable OKLO to meet the increasing demands for radioisotopes in medical, energy, industry, defense and Artificial Intelligence applications, and thereby bolster its market presence.

Further, in March, the company entered into an Interface Agreement with Idaho National Laboratory (“INL”), to ensure its strict adherence to environmental regulations throughout the site investigation process, and also finalized a Memorandum of Agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy, as part of its progress toward deploying its first commercial powerhouse in Idaho.

What Lies Ahead for Oklo?

Global electricity demand is rising rapidly due to expanding data centers and increasing consumption in emerging economies driven by economic growth. Amid this surge, the United States leads in nuclear power production, contributing around 30% of global nuclear electricity generation, according to the latest World Nuclear Association report.

To this end, it is imperative to mention that Oklo is developing next-generation fast-fission power plants called “powerhouses.” In particular, its Aurora powerhouse product line is designed to produce 15-50 megawatt electric (MWe) from recycled nuclear fuel and fresh fuel, with the potential to increase the figure to 100 MWe. Notably, in May 2025, Oklo completed borehole drilling for site characterization work at the Idaho National Laboratory site for its first Aurora Powerhouse. This marked a significant step forward in the development and future construction of OKLO’s first powerhouse. So, considering America’s esteemed position in the global nuclear map and the recent progress OKLO has made in terms of constructing its Aurora powerhouses, its long-term growth prospects in the nuclear power generation market remain strong.

Risks to Consider Before Investing in OKLO Stock

The company is yet to start generating revenues. With its first Aurora powerhouse targeted for deployment in 2027, we may not expect it to deliver any solid top-line performance in the near term.

Meanwhile, OKLO continues to incur significant operating expenses to successfully develop its powerhouses, which, in turn, have been putting downward pressure on its bottom line. So, the company's odds of generating formidable revenues and profit remains slim in the near term, which might be a cause of concern for investors eyeing the stock.

Now let’s take a quick sneak peek at its near-term earnings estimates to see if that reflect a similar trend.

OKLO’s Estimates Reflect Mixed Movement

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for OKLO’s 2025 earnings indicates a year-over-year improvement, while the same for 2026 implies a deterioration.

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Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

On the other hand, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for OKLO’s 2025 and 2026 earnings per share has moved down considerably in the past 60 days. These downward revisions indicate analysts’ decreasing confidence in the stock’s earnings-generating capabilities.

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Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

OKLO Shares Trading at a Premium

OKLO shares are expensive on a relative basis, with its trailing 12-month Price/Book (P/B TTM) being 20.53X compared with its industry average of 4.68X.

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Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Its industry peers, Constellation Energy Corporation and GEV Vernova, are also trading at a premium. CEG is trading at a P/B TTM of 6.91X, while GEV is trading at a P/B TTM of 12.60X.

Conclusion

Investors interested in OKLO should wait for a better entry point, considering its premium valuation and declining earnings estimates. However, those who already own this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock may continue to do so, taking into account its robust performance on the bourses, improving quarterly results and benefits of recent acquisitions.

You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.


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Constellation Energy Corporation (CEG) - free report >>

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