Should You Buy, Hold or Sell Energy Fuels Stock Ahead of Q1 Earnings?

Energy Fuels Inc. UUUU is anticipated to witness a year-over-year decline in revenues and incur a loss when it announces first-quarter 2025 results on May 8.The consensus estimate for UUUU’s first-quarter revenues is $15.20 million, indicating a 40% decline from the year-ago quarter's reported figure of $25.43 million.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings is pegged at a loss of 5 cents per share. The estimate has been unchanged over the past 60 days. Energy Fuels reported earnings of 2 cents per share in the year-ago quarter.  Energy Fuels’ Earnings Surprise HistoryUUUU’s earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimates in one of the trailing four quarters, missed in two quarters and matched in one quarter. The company has a trailing four-quarter negative earnings surprise of 2.22%, on average. (Find the latest EPS estimates and surprises on Zacks Earnings Calendar.) Image Source: Zacks Investment Research What the Zacks Model Unveils for UUUU StockOur proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for Energy Fuels this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat. But that is not the case here.Earnings ESP: UUUU has an Earnings ESP of 0.00%. You can uncover the best stocks before they are reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.Zacks Rank: The company currently carries a Zacks Rank of 3. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.Factors Likely to Have Shaped Energy Fuels’ Q1 PerformanceThe company is currently producing from 3 uranium mines — Pinyon Plain in Arizona, La Sal and the Pandora mine in Utah. The expected ore production for 2025 is at 730,000-1,170,000 pounds of contained uranium. The company expects uranium contract sales of 200,000-300,000 pounds in 2025.UUUU had paused ore shipments last year from its Pinyon mine in Arizona following concerns raised by the Navajo Nation about transporting radioactive materials through their lands. Mining, however, continued at Pinyon, with the mined ore stockpiled at the site. On Jan. 29, 2025, Energy Fuels, Navajo Nation Department of Justice and Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency signed a landmark agreement, following which ore transport resumed in February. Energy Fuels has recently announced that production rates at Pinyon have steadily increased over the past few months and reached record levels in April 2025.In the first quarter of 2024, the company sold 300,000 pounds of uranium, generating $25.31 million in revenues at an average realized price of $84.38 per pound. Notably, out of the total 450,000 pounds of uranium sold in 2024, a bulk of sales was made in the first quarter of 2024 as the company took advantage of higher uranium prices at the time.In contrast, uranium prices have declined so far this year amid a landscape of adequate supply and uncertain demand. In the January-March 2025 period, spot prices averaged $66.18 per pound, down 30% year over year.We expect Energy Fuels’ first-quarter 2025 uranium sales volume to be lower than the year-ago quarter’s reported number of 300,000 pounds. Lower uranium sales volumes and prices are expected to get reflected in UUUU’s first-quarter 2025 revenues. This is expected to have been somewhat offset by the contribution of revenues from Heavy Mineral Sands following the acquisition of Base Resources.Recurring operating expenses, and additional expenses associated with the increased headcount of retained Base Resources employees and Kwale HMS mine reclamation costs are expected to have weighed on Energy Fuels’ earnings.UUUU Peer Performance OverviewCameco Corporation's CCJ first-quarter 2025 revenues rose 24% year over year to $550 million (CAD 789 million), beating the Zacks Consensus of $537 million. Adjusted earnings came in at 11 cents (CAD 0.16), falling short of the consensus estimate of 18 cents but increasing 45% from the year-ago quarter.Cameco’s uranium revenues increased 10%. The average realized price for uranium was $62.55, 9% higher year over year, while sales volume declined 5%. Revenues from fuel services soared 88%, driven by a 60% surge in sales volumes and 17% higher average realized prices.Centrus Energy LEU, scheduled to release first-quarter results on May 7, is expected to incur a loss of 10 cents. The company reported a loss of 38 cents in the year-ago quarter. The revenue estimate is pegged at $65.5 million, suggesting 49.8% year-over-year growth. Uranium Energy UEC is expected to witness a loss of 4 cents in second-quarter fiscal 2025 (ended April 30, 2025), whereas it incurred a loss of 5 cents in the year-ago quarter.UUUU’s Price Performance & ValuationShares of Energy Fuels have lost 23.2% in the past year against the industry's 29% decline. In comparison, the Zacks Basic Materials sector has declined 10%, while the S&P 500 has risen 9.7% in the same period.UUUU's One-Year Price Performance Vs Industry & Broader Sector Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Centrus Energy has gained 61.8% in the past year, while Cameco has dipped 10.3%, still faring better than Energy Fuels. Meanwhile, Uranium Energy has underperformed Energy Fuels with a decline of 28%.UUUU's One-Year Price Performance Vs LEU, CCJ & UEC Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Energy Fuels’ Price Performance Against Industry & Broader MarketThe UUUU stock is currently trading at a forward sales multiple of 8.89, well above the industry average of 2.57. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research The company is, however, cheaper than Uranium Energy, which is trading at a price-to-sales ratio of 25.6. Meanwhile, Cameco and Centrus Energy are trading at price-to-sales ratios of 8.29 and 2.69, respectively.UUUU's Valuation Vs LEU, CCJ & UEC Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Investment Thesis on UUUUEnergy Fuels has been a leading U.S. producer of natural uranium concentrate for the past several years, accounting for two-thirds of domestic uranium output since 2017. Backed by its debt-free balance sheet, Energy Fuels is ramping up uranium production while advancing rare earth element (REE) capabilities to capitalize on the surge in demand for both in clean energy technologies.The acquisition of Base Resources Limited supports its target of becoming a leading global producer of REEs. Energy Fuels’ industry-leading mineral resources and a pipeline of high-quality, large-scale development and exploration projects provide a competitive edge. Also, by acquiring RadTran LLC, the company recently made its foray into the medical isotope market.Should You Buy Energy Fuels’ Stock Now?Lower uranium sales and prices are likely to get reflected in the company’s top-line results for the to-be-reported quarter. Even though uranium prices have been down in the first quarter, prices are picking up recently, with the exemption of uranium tariffs. Supply pressure and solid demand fundamentals point to higher sustained uranium prices in the future. Energy Fuels is investing to boost its capacity to meet the increased demand for uranium and REEs on clean energy trends.Those who already own the stock may stay invested, given UUUU’s solid long-term prospects in the uranium and REE markets. However, given its premium valuation and the expected loss in the quarter, prospective investors can wait for a better entry point.Zacks' Research Chief Names "Stock Most Likely to Double"Our team of experts has just released the 5 stocks with the greatest probability of gaining +100% or more in the coming months. Of those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian highlights the one stock set to climb highest.This top pick is among the most innovative financial firms. With a fast-growing customer base (already 50+ million) and a diverse set of cutting edge solutions, this stock is poised for big gains. Of course, all our elite picks aren’t winners but this one could far surpass earlier Zacks’ Stocks Set to Double like Nano-X Imaging which shot up +129.6% in little more than 9 months.Free: See Our Top Stock And 4 Runners UpWant the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Cameco Corporation (CCJ): Free Stock Analysis Report Energy Fuels Inc (UUUU): Free Stock Analysis Report Uranium Energy Corp. (UEC): Free Stock Analysis Report Centrus Energy Corp. (LEU): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks