Standard Nuclear Inc. shares declined approximately 10% during their first day of trading on the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday. The Oak Ridge, Tennessee-based company, which processes enriched uranium for advanced reactors, opened at $13.50 per share. This followed an initial public offering (IPO) priced at $15.00 per share, resulting in a market valuation of $2.17 billion.
The company reduced the size of its offering by approximately 50% prior to the debut. This cautious market entry occurred despite recent federal support for the nuclear sector, including May 2025 executive orders intended to accelerate reactor approvals. The administration has stated a goal of quadrupling U.S. nuclear capacity by 2050 to meet rising electricity needs from data centers and electric vehicles.
In an interview, CEO Kurt Terrani stated that the capital raised would be used to expand production capability to meet high demand. He noted that technology companies and data center operators have expressed significant interest in advanced nuclear energy as a reliable power source.
Standard Nuclear is the latest nuclear energy firm to see its stock trade below its IPO price, following similar market performances by reactor developers X-energy and Deep Fission. The firm specializes in converting uranium feedstock into fuel for small modular reactors and microreactors.