Successful nuclear energy companies have proven business models, substantial liquidity and recurring … [+]
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Investors are excited about the nuclear energy outlook. Energy demand is on the rise, partly due to the rapid buildout of AI data centers. These technology campuses can use as much electricity as small cities. Nuclear energy is an appealing option for serving increased power demand because it has low carbon emissions and cost advantages relative to wind and solar power.
If you expect nuclear energy companies to capitalize on the growing need for cheap, clean energy, then read on. The five best nuclear energy stocks introduced below may be worth a look for your portfolio.
Methodology Used For These Nuclear Energy Stock Picks
These nuclear energy stocks were selected by screening on the following criteria:
- Primary participation in nuclear energy: There are several segments within the nuclear space, including small modular reactors (SMR), support services for nuclear producers, power generation and uranium mining, producing and enrichment. The top nuclear energy stocks selected have primary exposure to at least one of these areas.
- U.S.-listed: All five best energy stocks are listed on a U.S. stock exchange. For a broader range of nuclear stocks, you can look at companies listed in Canada, Australia and Hong Kong.
- Above-average 2024 stock price growth: The MVIS Global Uranium & Nuclear Energy Index grew 18.27% in 2024. Only stocks that performed better than this industry benchmark were considered for inclusion in this list.
- Revenue growth: The five nuclear stocks selected showed positive average annual revenue growth over the past three years.
- Accounting Liquidity: The selected stocks have current ratios higher 1. You can calculate the current ratio as current assets divided by current liabilities. The resulting value quantifies how well the company can cover its near-term debts with cash and other current assets.
- Positive operating cash flow: The selected stocks have generated operating cash flow over the last 12 months. The lowest operating cash flow result is $37 million, and the highest is $4 billion.
- Loved by analysts: All five stocks have average analyst ratings of buy or strong buy.
5 Top Nuclear Energy Stocks To Buy In 2025
The table below includes five U.S.-listed nuclear energy stocks that meet the above criteria, plus the market capitalization and business focus for each.
For more investing ideas, see best stocks for 2025 and best growth stocks.
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1. Vistra Corp. (VST)
- Stock price: $163.12
- Three-year average revenue growth: 7.46%
- TTM operating cash flow: $4.09 billion
- Current ratio: 1.1
- 2024 stock price growth: 262.15%
Vistra Business Overview
Vistra generates power and provides electricity to households and businesses around the country. The company operates natural gas, nuclear, coal, solar assets and battery energy storage facilities. With a total capacity of about 41,000 megawatts, Vistra is one of the largest power producers in the U.S.
Why VST Stock Is A Top Choice
Vistra has been increasing and protecting its nuclear capacity by acquiring the minority interest in its Vistra Vision subsidiary and extending licenses at two owned nuclear facilities. The company created Vistra Vision with an 85% ownership position after purchasing nuclear and retail assets from Energy Harbor in 2023.
Vistra has great liquidity and an active share repurchase program. The third quarter 2024 balance sheet included $905 million of cash and equivalents plus nearly $2.5 billion in availability on a revolving credit facility. Share repurchases over the last three years have totaled $4.58 billion. The company has reduced its share count by 30% in that time, achieving a buyback yield over 7%.
Vistra also pays a small dividend yield of 0.52%.
2. GE Vernova (GEV)
- Stock price: $359.43
- Three-year average revenue growth: 3.42%
- TTM operating cash flow: $2.58 billion
- Current ratio: 1.1
- 2024 stock price growth: 150.61%
GE Vernova Business Overview
GE Vernova is a clean energy spin-off from General Electric (GE). The company generates, transfers, converts and stores electricity in the U.S. and globally. GEV’s power portfolio includes products and services for gas, nuclear, hydro and steam power generation.
Why GEV Stock Is A Top Choice
Since spinning off from GE in 2023, GEV has turned a profit and more than tripled its free cash flow. The company has also published a promising five-year outlook. GEV’s 2028 guidance includes $45 billion in revenue and $14 billion in free cash flow. This represents substantial growth from the 2024 results of $1.4 billion in revenue and $1.7 billion in free cash flow. Capacity expansions and rising EBITDA margins across the power, electrification and wind businesses will be key profit drivers.
Nuclear will play a role in GEV’s growth. The company’s alliance GE Hitachi produces the BWRX-300 small modular reactor, which offers scale and size advantages. Specifically, the reactor can be constructed in 36 months and requires a much smaller plant footprint than other options. The BWRX-300 will be deployable globally as early as 2029.
3. Talen Energy Corporation (TLN)
- Stock price: $236.43
- Three-year average revenue growth: 12.47%
- TTM operating cash flow: $468 million
- Current ratio: 4.1
- 2024 stock price growth: 209.00%
Talen Energy Business Overview
Talen Energy sells electricity produced by its nuclear, fossil, solar and coal power plants. The company’s power generation capacity is approximately 10.7 gigawatts, including 2.2 gigawatts of nuclear power.
Why TLN Stock Is A Top Choice
Talen Energy has a relationship with Amazon’s cloud computing division AWS. The power company sold a nuclear-powered data center campus to AWS in 2023. Talen also signed a 15-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with AWS. In November 2024, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) blocked the PPA due to transparency issues. Talen has subsequently filed a lawsuit against the ruling.
Despite the FERC disagreement, the investment community is excited about Talen’s ability to supply carbon-free power to data centers. Analysts expect a revenue dip for Talen in 2025, followed by four years of double-digit growth. The average revenue growth expectation in 2026 is nearly 93%.
The company also has a strong share repurchase program and good liquidity. The share repurchase target is 70% of adjusted free cash flow. At September 30, 2024, Talen had $648 million of cash and cash equivalents on the balance sheet.
4. BWX Technologies (BWXT)
- Stock price: $104.82
- Three-year average revenue growth: 5.91%
- TTM operating cash flow: $352 million
- Current ratio: 2.2
- 2024 stock price growth: 45.91%
BWX Technologies Business Overview
BWX Technologies supplies nuclear components and services, primarily to the U.S. government. The offering includes naval nuclear reactors, commercial nuclear components and nuclear facility management.
Why BWXT Stock Is A Top Choice
BWXT recently announced it would acquire Kinetrics, a leading nuclear services company. The acquisition, to close mid-2025, should add $300 million to BWX’s commercial segment. This complements the company’s government business, which recently secured $2.1 billion in new naval nuclear contracts.
Strength in the company’s government business drove 14% revenue growth and 15% GAAP EPS growth in the third quarter 2024. The company raised its full-year 2024 revenue and non-GAAP EPS guidance based on the strong performance through the third quarter.
The consensus price target for BWXT is $127.50, 18.4% higher than the stock’s current value.
5. Centrus Energy Corporation (LEU)
- Stock price: $103.91
- Three-year average revenue growth: 16.81%
- TTM operating cash flow: $37 million
- Current ratio: 2.9
- 2024 stock price growth: 29.09%
Centrus Energy Business Overview
Centrus Energy provides uranium enrichment and nuclear reactor engineering services. Nuclear reactors require enriched uranium fuel, which has a higher concentration of the uranium-235 isotope.
Why LEU Stock Is A Top Choice
LEU is the only U.S.-owned, U.S.-technology uranium enrichment company. Centrus’s leadership team believes this is an advantage in winning U.S. federal contracts. The future opportunity in federal work could be substantial. There is currently $3.4 billion in federal funding already approved by Congress. However, $700 million of that is appropriated under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which President Trump paused by an executive order in January.
Centrus already has multiple contracts with the Department of Energy, including one with a recently expanded Phase 2 contract value of $129 million.
The company has sales momentum, too. 2024 revenue grew 38% to $442 million. However, higher cost of sales led to a profit decline in the period. Centrus does have a $3.7 billion backlog that extends to 2040.
Bottom Line
Nuclear companies are uniquely positioned to provide cost-effective, low-carbon energy to power the future. The ones that will rise to the top—whether they’re power generators, reactor and component makers or service providers—will have proven business models, substantial liquidity and recurring cash flow to support capacity expansion and innovation.