Why Is Nuclear Energy Stock Centrus Bleeding Red?

Centrus Energy stock cracks on weak numbers. Here's what investors should do.Shares of Centrus Energy (LEU 11.59%) slumped over 11% on Thursday, extending their previous day's losses and losing 20% value so far in 2025, as of this writing. This is the same stock that was up over 500% in 2025 through mid-October. What's happening to the once red-hot nuclear energy stock? Image source: Getty Images.

Behind Centrus Energy's earnings miss Centrus Energy supplies nuclear fuel and services for the nuclear energy industry. It is among the few companies in the U.S. producing HALEU (high-assay, low-enriched uranium), a critical fuel for advanced nuclear reactors. Expectations from Centrus have been running high, especially amid President Donald Trump's pro-nuclear moves and the company's backing from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). On Feb. 11, Centrus even announced a partnership with engineering, procurement, and construction giant, Fluor to engineer and design the expansion of its facility in Ohio to support large-scale production of HALEU. Surely, that's a step in the right direction, as Centrus has already signed definitive sale commitments for low-enriched uranium (LEU) worth $2.1 billion and must scale up production to fulfill the contracts. Its total backlog So why's the stock plunging? ExpandNYSE: LEUCentrus EnergyToday's Change(-11.59%) $-24.35Current Price$185.81Key Data PointsMarket Cap$3.8BDay's Range$184.00 - $211.0452wk Range$49.40 - $464.25Volume115KAvg Vol1.1MGross Margin25.34% Centrus failed to meet analysts' expectations and reported a 3.5% drop in revenue for its fourth quarter on Feb. 11. Its revenue was almost flat while net income slipped 6.3% for the whole year. Centrus is also guiding for flat revenue for 2026. Is Centrus stock a buy on the dip? The danger with stocks like Centrus Energy is that expectations get priced in too fast, triggering a heavy sell-off on any miss. The real story for Centrus, though, isn't a single quarter or even a few quarters, which explains why most analysts remain bullish even after earnings. Analysts at Roth Capital, for instance, even raised their price target on the nuclear energy stock to $137 apiece from $125 per share after earnings. That price target, however, is significantly below Centrus Energy's Wednesday closing price of around $210 per share, which is perhaps why the stock fell further on Thursday. Centrus Energy's backlog, however, already extends to 2040, and its dominance in HALEU is a significant competitive advantage. Those are the things investors should keep in mind while ignoring the short-term noise. Read NextFeb 12, 2026 •By Courtney CarlsenThis Nuclear Stock Could Be a Big Winner as the U.S. Rushes to Secure Its Fuel SupplyFeb 11, 2026 •By Scott LevineWhy Centrus Energy Stock Is in Free Fall TodayFeb 6, 2026 •By Neha ChamariaCentrus Energy Stock Surged 264% in 2025. What's Next?Feb 5, 2026 •By Leo SunThe Nuclear Stock Everyone's Talking About -- But Almost No One Is Pricing in Its Income PotentialFeb 3, 2026 •By Rich SmithWhy Centrus Energy Stock Popped TodayJan 26, 2026 •By Rich SmithWhy Centrus Energy Stock Dropped TodayAbout the AuthorNeha Chamaria is a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst covering energy, industrials, utilities, and materials sectors, with a focus on dividend stocks. Prior to The Motley Fool, Neha worked on portfolio valuations for hedge funds at HSBC and authored articles as a journalist. She holds a master’s degree in finance from ICFAI and an MBA from Symbiosis University, along with certifications from the National Stock Exchange of India. Neha was honored with an all-India gold medal for her M.S. in Finance and was the first woman in her family to pursue a professional career.TMFNehamsX@nehamschamariaStocks MentionedCentrus EnergyNYSE: LEU$185.81 (11.59%) $24.35FluorNYSE: FLR$45.74 (3.38%) $1.60*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.