10 Best Nuclear Energy Stocks to Buy as SMRs Go Mainstream

7. Fluor Corporation (NYSE:FLR)

Fluor Corporation (NYSE:FLR) is one of the best nuclear energy stocks to buy as SMRs go mainstream, with a median upside potential of 17.4%.

Two contrasting themes emerged when Fluor Corporation (NYSE:FLR) announced its Q1 2026 results: short-term headwinds hurting quarterly performance, while long-term opportunities tied to nuclear energy projects are steadily developing in the background.

Both top-line and bottom-line numbers for the quarter were weighed down by a $96 million litigation impact in the Mission Solutions business and rising costs on a mining project in the company’s Urban Solutions segment. Accordingly, the company posted revenue of $3.7 billion (-8% year-over-year), with adjusted EBITDA of $61 million and adjusted EPS of $0.14.

Acting as a silver lining, operating cash flow was the strongest first-quarter operating cash flow in Fluor Corporation’s (NYSE:FLR) history, reaching $110 million. Furthermore, backlog reached $25.7 billion, with 82% of it cited as reimbursable by the management, which kept the full-year operating cash flow guidance of $300 million unchanged. Meanwhile, they lowered the top end of the adjusted EBITDA guidance from $585 million to $560 million, while maintaining the bottom end of $525 million.

Management cited strong momentum in nuclear-related business, with the company’s Mission Solutions unit winning a significant Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) award for the expansion of LEU’s uranium enrichment plant. Last month, Fluor Corporation (NYSE:FLR) also announced a partnership with X-energy, which will require Fluor to provide engineering work for four small modular reactor units at Dow’s Seadrift facility in Texas.

On May 11, 2026, Citi expressed disappointment following the earnings release, lowering the firm’s price target on Fluor Corporation (NYSE:FLR) to $56 from $61, while reiterating a “Buy” rating. However, the investment bank flagged the company’s awards upcycle as a silver lining.

Fluor Corporation (NYSE:FLR) provides engineering, procurement, and construction; fabrication and modularization; and project management services worldwide. The company operates through three segments: Urban Solutions, Energy Solutions, and Mission Solutions.