SMR earnings missed expectations but did not shake investor enthusiasm for nuclear AI power; retail investors are watching OKLO and NNE.
NuScale Power Corp's weak quarterly earnings on Thursday failed to damp retail enthusiasm around nuclear-energy stocks tied to the AI infrastructure boom. Retail commentary on Stocktwits indicates that investors are increasingly prioritizing long-term AI demand over near-term fundamentals.
NuScale Power reported first-quarter 2026 revenue of $0.57 million, a 96% decline from the $13.38 million reported in the same quarter of 2025. The result also fell well below the $5.57 million consensus estimate. Despite the weak print, NuScale shares fell only modestly, gaining 4% on the week. Retail chatter surrounding the stock surged over 197% in the past week.
Bullish investors on Stocktwits noted that NuScale is positioned at the intersection of two powerful trends: artificial intelligence infrastructure and clean energy. The company remains the only nuclear reactor developer in the U.S. with an NRC-approved small modular reactor design. Several commenters suggested the market should judge the company on fundamentals 18 months out, as it remains in its nascent stages.
Attention is now turning to Oklo Inc and Nano Nuclear Energy Inc, both facing earnings catalysts next week. Shares of Oklo Inc rose more than 2% in premarket trading on Friday. The company is scheduled to report first-quarter financial results after the market close on Tuesday, May 12, with analysts expecting a loss of $0.19 per share. Oklo also awaits the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's safety evaluation for its Product-Based Operator Licensing (PBOL) process, expected on May 11. The 12-month average analyst target on Oklo stock is $91.36, implying approximately 27% upside from current levels. Retail sentiment on the stock has been neutral amid normal message volumes.
Shares of Nano Nuclear Energy also rose more than 2% premarket on Friday. The company is scheduled to announce quarterly results on May 14, with analysts forecasting a loss of $0.26 per share. Earlier this week, Nano Nuclear signed a memorandum of understanding with Super Micro for AI data centers powered by nuclear energy. Retail sentiment surrounding the stock is extremely bullish, with high message volumes on Stocktwits.
Nuclear energy developers have attracted heightened investor attention over the past year as hyperscalers and AI companies seek reliable, carbon-free energy sources to support rapidly expanding data center demand. Year-to-date performance shows NuScale Power down 22%, Oklo down 7%, and Nano Nuclear Energy down 3%.