Centrus Energy (LEU +7.21%) was among the most explosive stocks of 2025 in the energy sector, surging 500% by mid-October and exiting the year with 264.4% gains, according to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence.
2025 was a landmark year for the U.S. nuclear energy industry as President Donald Trump signed a series of executive orders to reform the industry and set an ambitious goal to quadruple domestic nuclear capacity to 400 GW by 2050.
Although nuclear reactors use uranium fuel, mined uranium ore must be milled, converted, and enriched to become usable as nuclear fuel.
As one of the few companies in the U.S. supplying enriched fuel for nuclear energy reactors and operating the only facility in the U.S. licensed to produce HALEU (high-assay, low-enriched uranium) for advanced reactors, Centrus is anchoring President Donald Trump's push for nuclear energy independence in the nation.
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Why 2025 was a transformational year for Centrus
Centrus is working with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory to develop uranium-enrichment gas centrifuge technology. In June 2025, Centrus secured a contract extension from the DOE for an additional year of production through June 30, 2026.
Centrus also hit a milestone last June when it delivered 900 kilograms of HALEU to the DOE under the second phase of its ongoing contract. The company has now proceeded to the next phase of the contract, valued at around $110 million and running through mid-2026.
Centrus also announced major expansions of its Ohio uranium enrichment plant to start manufacturing centrifuges, with the first centrifuges expected to come online in 2029.
NYSE: LEU
Key Data Points
Is Centrus Energy stock a buy for 2026?
Centrus stock has pulled back significantly from its October peak on profit-booking across the industry, but the company hasn't stopped growing.
In the third quarter, Centrus reported 30% year-over-year revenue growth and a massive backlog of $3.9 billion extending through 2040. Backlog includes long-term contracts with major utilities. In the first nine months of 2025, Centrus' operating income surged by over 1,000% to $37.4 million, and net income jumped by more than 200% to $60 million.
With a U.S. ban on Russian uranium imports fully taking effect by 2028, Centrus has a significant growth opportunity ahead, given its dominance in HALEU. Federal backing is a major advantage, as Centrus doesn't have to worry about funds to support expansions and manufacturing of its own centrifuges. All of this makes Centrus a high-conviction play in the nuclear energy space.
