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Why Amentum Stock Is Crashing This Week

newsfeedback@fool.com (Scott Levine)
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⚡ Quantum Brief
Amentum’s stock plunged 19.9% this week after its Q1 2026 earnings report revealed mixed financial results, erasing earlier 2026 gains where shares had surged 27.2% year-to-date. Despite beating EPS estimates ($0.54 vs. $0.52 forecast), revenue fell 5% year-over-year to $3.24 billion, missing the $3.32 billion consensus, signaling weakening top-line growth. Free cash flow turned sharply negative ($-142M in Q1 2026 vs. $102M in Q1 2025), raising concerns about operational efficiency and liquidity amid broader market skepticism. Management projected modest fiscal 2026 growth (3% revenue, 5% EBITDA), but the stock’s 75x trailing P/E ratio deterred investors, making it overvalued compared to nuclear energy peers. Analysts now favor alternative nuclear energy stocks, viewing Amentum as a riskier bet despite its defense and engineering contracts, given its volatile cash flow and premium valuation.
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By Scott Levine – Feb 12, 2026 at 8:00PM ESTKey PointsAmentum reported first quarter fiscal 2026 results this week.Nuclear energy investors have more compelling options right now than Amentum stock.These 10 Stocks Could Mint the Next Wave of Millionaires ›NYSE: AMTMAmentumMarket Cap$7.4BToday's Changeangle-down(-1.51%) $0.46Current Price$29.93Price as of February 12, 2026 at 3:58 PM ETThe company highlighted several bright spots in its first quarter fiscal 2026 financial results. Investors don't seem interested, though.Prior to this week, Amentum (AMTM 1.51%) stock had given investors plenty to celebrate since 2026 had begun. From the start of the year through the end of trading last week, shares of the engineering and technology solutions specialist had risen 27.2%, while the S&P 500 had risen 1.3%. But investors have been steadily clicking the sell button this week in response to the company's first quarter 2026 financial results, reported on Monday. According to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence, Amentum stock is down 19.9% from the end of trading last Friday through the close of Thursday's market session. Image source: Getty Images. Mixed financial results lead to investors feeling "meh" Reporting Q1 2026 adjusted diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $0.54, Amentum exceeded the consensus among analysts that it would post adjusted diluted EPS of $0.52. At the top of the income statement, however, the company failed to achieve the same success. While analysts anticipated the company would book sales of $3.32 billion, Amentum reported Q1 2026 revenue of $3.24 billion, a 5% year-over-year decrease. ExpandNYSE: AMTMAmentumToday's Change(-1.51%) $-0.46Current Price$29.93Key Data PointsMarket Cap$7.4BDay's Range$29.37 - $30.9952wk Range$16.01 - $38.11Volume114KAvg Vol2.5MGross Margin7.21% And it wasn't just the income statement that drew investor interest. In Q1 2026, Amentum reported negative free cash flow of $142 million, a stark reversal from the positive $102 million in free cash flow that it had reported in Q1 2025. In addition to Q1 2026 financial results, the company provided fiscal 2026 guidance that included a revenue forecast of $13.95 billion to $14.3 billion, representing year-over-year growth of about 3%, and adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) of $1.1 billion to $1.14 billion, representing year-over-year growth of about 5%. Is the stock's dip a buying opportunity? While management foresees year-over-year revenue and adjusted EBITDA growth in fiscal 2026, investors would be well-advised to watch Amentum stock from the sidelines. Shares are hardly a bargain right now, trading at 75.2 times trailing earnings. Fortunately, for those seeking exposure to the nuclear energy industry, there are plenty of more compelling nuclear energy stocks to consider. Read NextFeb 10, 2026 •By Rich SmithWhy Amentum Holdings Stock Just CrashedNov 25, 2025 •By Eric VolkmanWhy Amentum Holdings Stock Rocked the Market TodayAbout the AuthorScott Levine is a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst covering energy, industrials, technology, and materials. He is also a high school English teacher and a small business owner. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English and creative writing from Binghamton University, a master’s degree in secondary education from Adelphi University, and an advanced certificate in school building leadership from CUNY Queens College. A crossword puzzle enthusiast, he has solved more than 3,100 New York Times puzzles with a 97% solve rate.TMFProudMonkeyX@TMFProudMonkeyStocks MentionedAmentumNYSE: AMTM$29.93 (1.51%) $0.46S&P 500 IndexSNPINDEX: ^GSPC$6832.76 (1.57%) $108.71*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.

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