Oklo Stock Soars 115% on Strong Q1 Results and AI-Focused Nuclear Plans
Oklo, the nuclear-power startup focused on small modular reactors (SMRs), saw its stock soar by over 115% following the announcement of a better-than-expected first-quarter loss as reported by Investor’s Business Daily.
The Santa Clara, California-based company reported a Q1 loss of 7 cents per share, down from a $4.79 per share loss in the same period last year, and significantly better than the expected 10 cents per share loss. This positive performance has resulted in Oklo's stock jumping to $37.02, up approximately 60% in May.
Positive Full-Year Guidance
Despite the loss, Oklo reiterated its full-year guidance, maintaining its projected cash usage for 2025 at $65 million to $80 million. The company also confirmed that its first commercial small modular reactor (SMR), the Aurora SMR, is expected to come online between late 2027 and early 2028.
CEO Jacob DeWitte expressed confidence in the growing momentum around nuclear energy, especially in light of increased political support for the industry.
Stock Performance and Market Impact
Oklo’s stock performance has been volatile. Although the company has seen significant growth in 2024 and early 2025, with a 70% increase this year, it has also faced setbacks. Oklo's stock has declined by 38% from its all-time high of $59.14 in February. Still, the latest surge reflects investor confidence, with the company securing a 101% gain in 2024.
The announcement also follows the departure of Sam Altman, former OpenAI CEO, from his role as chairman of Oklo.
Altman’s resignation comes amid Oklo's increased focus on nuclear energy’s role in AI infrastructure. In his statement, Altman highlighted the importance of nuclear energy in meeting the growing energy demands of AI and other critical industries. Oklo's leadership, led by DeWitte, emphasized that the company is well-positioned to continue its trajectory.
Also read: Oklo Upsizes Aurora Reactor to 75MW to Power AI Data Centers
According to Investor’s Business Daily, Oklo has been actively pursuing partnerships with data centers to supply nuclear energy through its SMR technology. The firm reported a pipeline of over 14 gigawatts of customer interest, across industries such as data centers and defense.
Oklo's SMRs are viewed as a fundamental solution to delivering power on the user site level, providing a more efficient and affordable means to replace conventional nuclear power plants.
The SMR market has experienced robust growth, with entities such as Nano Nuclear Energy and NuScale Power witnessing high stock price growths in 2024. However, the market is still volatile, particularly with new entrants like DeepSeek, which said it had built a viable AI model for a fraction of the price.
