In this article, we will take a look at the 12 Best Nuclear Energy Stocks to Buy Now.
According to McKinsey & Co., capital spending tied to data centers could reach $6.7 trillion globally by 2030, driven largely by the acceleration of AI workloads. That figure matters because AI infrastructure does not just need more power. It needs electricity that is reliable, continuous, and scalable. As hyperscalers plan larger and denser data centers, nuclear energy has become a more central part of the discussion as one of the few sources capable of delivering steady baseload electricity at scale.
Recent demand forecasts have reinforced that view. BloombergNEF updated its outlook in December 2025, estimating that U.S. data center electricity demand could reach 106 gigawatts by 2035. That represents a 36% increase from a forecast published just seven months earlier, suggesting earlier assumptions underestimated how quickly AI-related power needs are rising.
Policy signals have followed a similar path. Executive orders issued last year by Donald Trump focused on accelerating nuclear deployment, supporting domestic fuel supply, and streamlining permitting. Those steps eased some of the regulatory friction that has long weighed on the sector.
Taken together, growing AI-driven power demand and a more supportive policy backdrop have pushed nuclear energy into focus.
Photo by Frédéric Paulussen on Unsplash
Our Methodology
We shortlisted the uranium and nuclear energy stocks using VanEck’s NLR ETF. Then we ranked these stocks using Insider Monkey’s proprietary hedge fund sentiment data, as of Q3 2025. Our article presents the best nuclear energy stocks to buy, according to the 1,000 hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey.
Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 427.7% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 264 percentage points (see more details here).
12. NuScale Power Corporation (NYSE:SMR)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 26
On January 28, 2026, Texas Capital initiated coverage of NuScale Power Corporation (NYSE:SMR) with a Buy rating and a $23 price target. The firm highlighted NuScale’s position as the only small modular reactor developer with U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission approval, noting that its design relies on conventional low-enriched uranium that is already widely available. That fuel choice was cited as a key differentiator, reducing supply chain risk compared with many advanced nuclear peers. Texas Capital said NuScale offers differentiated exposure to advanced nuclear development with comparatively lower regulatory, supply chain, and execution risk.
Earlier, on January 9, 2026, Bank of America upgraded NuScale to Neutral from Underperform and set a $28 price target, down from $34. The firm said the recent pullback in the stock brings deployment expectations closer to its base case. BofA pointed to the derisked light-water reactor design and the company’s first-mover licensing position, anchored by Tennessee Valley Authority as credibility drivers. At the same time, it flagged front-loaded dilution tied to ENTRA1 and limited contract visibility as constraints on near-term upside. More broadly, the firm described 2026 as a screening year rather than a build year for small modular reactors, arguing that policy momentum reduces friction but does not materially accelerate timelines.
In the third quarter of 2025, TVA and ENTRA1, NuScale’s exclusive global strategic partner, announced an agreement covering the potential deployment of up to 6 gigawatts of new nuclear capacity using NuScale’s SMR technology.
NuScale Power Corporation (NYSE:SMR) develops small modular reactor systems centered on its NuScale Power Module, a light-water reactor design capable of generating 77 megawatts per unit, positioning the company as one of the more advanced public plays in the SMR space.
11. Centrus Energy Corp. (NYSE:LEU)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 31
On January 24, 2026, Tennessee state officials announced a major expansion involving Centrus Energy Corp. (NYSE:LEU) in East Tennessee, with plans to transition the company’s Oak Ridge facility into a high-rate manufacturing plant. The expansion is expected to create nearly 430 jobs and involve more than $560 million in investment in Anderson County over the coming years, supporting workforce growth and the production of thousands of advanced centrifuges.
The Tennessee announcement aligns with Centrus’ previously outlined plans to expand its Ohio uranium enrichment operations, which are positioned as a key piece of the U.S. commercial and national security fuel supply. The first centrifuges manufactured in Tennessee are expected to be deployed in Ohio starting in 2029.
On January 8, 2026, Roth Capital raised its price target on Centrus Energy to $125 from $117 and maintained a Neutral rating. The firm pointed to the $900 million award from the Department of Energy as a catalyst that positions Centrus to move forward with capacity expansion tied to high-assay low-enriched uranium production.
A day earlier, on January 7, 2026, Northland raised its price target to $325 from $300 and reiterated an Outperform rating after Centrus received the official $900 million DOE award to help jump-start the domestic nuclear fuel supply chain. Northland said the higher target reflects a faster path to market in 2029, compared with its prior 2030 expectation, along with reduced funding risk.
Centrus Energy Corp. (NYSE:LEU) is a U.S.-based supplier of nuclear fuel and related services, focused on supporting the nuclear power industry as demand for domestic, carbon-free energy and secure fuel supply continues to grow.
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