Should I hold off investing in SMR?
8/4/2025 11:10am
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The deep research logic is organized as follows:
Okay, let's tackle this question. The user is asking whether they should hold off investing in NuScale Power (SMR) given the recent stock price drop. First, I need to understand the context from the provided references and background.
From the references, SMR dropped 14.2% on August 1 due to Fluor converting 15 million Class B shares to Class A, which could lead to dilution and increased supply. There's also mention of insider selling, with the CEO selling a significant portion of his shares. The company's financials aren't great either—negative net margin and low return on equity. However, there are positive aspects like regulatory approvals and partnerships, such as the collaboration with Paragon Energy and the uprated SMR design.
The user is a tech enthusiast with a high-risk tolerance, looking for high-growth stocks. They prefer blue-chip stocks and have a short-term horizon. So, I need to balance the short-term risks (dilution, insider selling) with the long-term potential (SMR adoption, government support).
I should structure the answer by first stating the conclusion, then breaking down the analysis into key factors: market reaction, financial health, strategic positioning, and the user's profile. Use tables to present data clearly, and include visualizations where applicable. Make sure to cite the references properly and keep the language engaging but professional.
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### **Conclusion** 🚨
**Hold off on investing in NuScale Power (SMR) for now.** While SMR has long-term potential in the small modular reactor (SMR) market, the recent stock plunge (14.2% drop on August 1) highlights immediate risks tied to **share dilution**, **insider selling**, and **financial underperformance** . However, the company’s **strategic partnerships** and **regulatory approvals** (e.g., NRC design endorsement) position it as a key player in the clean energy transition .
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### **Analysis** 📊
#### 1. **Why the Recent Plunge?**
| **Key Catalysts** | **Details** |
|---------------------|-------------|
| **Fluor Share Conversion** | Fluor (FLR) converted 15M Class B shares to Class A, potentially flooding the market with SMR shares. Fluor’s Q2 profits included $3.2B in mark-to-market gains from SMR, but this volatility is now a liability . |
| **Insider Selling** | CEO John Hopkins sold 34,675 shares (41.43% of his stake), and VP Jacqueline Engel sold 1,565 shares (56.23% of her stake). This signals lack of confidence in SMR’s short-term prospects . |
| **Financial Weakness** | SMR has a **negative net margin (-273.36%)** and **low return on equity (0.09%)**, despite beating Q2 revenue estimates . |
#### 2. **Long-Term Catalysts**
| **Positive Drivers** | **Details** |
|-----------------------|-------------|
| **Regulatory Approval** | SMR is the only U.S. company with NRC approval for its 77 MWe SMR design, a critical advantage in the clean energy race . |
| **Strategic Partnerships** | Collaborations with Paragon Energy (neutron monitoring tech) and ENTRA1 Energy (SMR deployment) enhance SMR’s commercialization prospects . |
| **Market Growth** | The global SMR market is projected to grow at a 4.98% CAGR to $8.37B by 2032, driven by decarbonization efforts . |
#### 3. **Risks vs. Rewards**
| **Risks** | **Rewards** |
|------------|-------------|
| - High dilution risk from Fluor’s share sale . - Uncertain cash flow due to SMR’s pre-revenue stage . | - First-mover advantage in SMR technology . - Potential upside from government subsidies (e.g., DOE’s $900M SMR funding) . |
#### 4. **Key Metrics**
| **Metric** | **SMR** | **Industry Median** |
|-------------|----------|--------------------|
| P/B Ratio | 7.96 | 1.5-2.5 | **Overvalued** . |
| Cash Burn | $13M/Q | N/A | High operational costs . |
| Debt/Equity | 0.26 | 0.5-1.0 | Low leverage, but no debt-free cushion . |
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### **Final Take** 🎯
SMR is a **high-risk, high-reward** play. If you’re a **short-term trader** (like your profile suggests), **wait for stabilization** post-Fluor’s share sale and SMR’s Q2 earnings (August 7). If you’re a **long-term investor**, consider SMR as a **speculative bet** on the clean energy transition, but pair it with more stable AI/tech stocks like NVDA or PLTR for diversification.
|code|Ticker|Name|Date|Turnover Rate|P/E(TTM)|market_code|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|FLR|FLR.N|Fluor|20240805|1.4167|21.111823|169|
|SMR|SMR.N|NuScale Power|20240805|6.6379|-34.121502|169|
|FLR|FLR.N|Fluor|20240806|0.827|21.244286|169|
|SMR|SMR.N|NuScale Power|20240806|5.7734|-31.667558|169|
|FLR|FLR.N|Fluor|20240807|0.9659|21.33564|169|
|SMR|SMR.N|NuScale Power|20240807|7.9633|-33.80989|169|
|FLR|FLR.N|Fluor|20240808|0.7504|22.335962|169|
|SMR|SMR.N|NuScale Power|20240808|8.2428|-33.459326|169|
|FLR|FLR.N|Fluor|20240809|0.662|22.194364|169|
|SMR|SMR.N|NuScale Power|20240809|6.9169|-28.146891|169|
|code|Ticker|Name|Date|Total Revenue|Net Income|market_code|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|FLR|FLR.N|Fluor|2024 Q2|4.227E9|1.53E8|169|
|SMR|SMR.N|NuScale Power|2024 Q2|967000|-7.4438E7|169|
|FLR|FLR.N|Fluor|2024 Q3|4.094E9|2.5E7|169|
|SMR|SMR.N|NuScale Power|2024 Q3|475000|-4.5554E7|169|
|FLR|FLR.N|Fluor|2024 Q4|4.26E9|1.865E9|169|
|SMR|SMR.N|NuScale Power|2024 Q4|3.4224E7|-1.80315E8|169|
|FLR|FLR.N|Fluor|2025 Q1|3.982E9|-2.32E8|169|
|SMR|SMR.N|NuScale Power|2025 Q1|1.3375E7|-3.0395E7|169|