Oklo’s Reactor: A Cooling Situation

The shares of Oklo (OKLO 12.58%) experienced a rather brisk descent today, tumbling some 13% by mid-afternoon. One might say they lost their radiative glow. The cause, as is so often the case on these exchanges, is a pronouncement from the oracle of Goldman Sachs, who’ve revised their price target downwards – a modest 14% reduction, to $91 per share. A curious calculation, really.

A Target, But Not Quite Bullish

To predict a 34% gain over twelve months, yet remain stubbornly neutral? It’s akin to admiring a well-crafted samovar, then politely declining the tea. One suspects a hidden calculation, a subtle distrust of the underlying currents. After all, optimism is a perfectly reasonable emotion, but in finance, it’s often a prelude to disappointment.

Goldman Sachs cites “developments across North America, Europe, and Asia” indicating a surge in nuclear interest. A perfectly logical observation. But logic, my friends, is a slippery eel in the hands of a financier. They also note a “strong start-of-year rally in uranium spot prices.” Ah, uranium. The fuel of dreams, and increasingly, of expense.

This isn’t a direct indictment of Oklo, of course. It’s merely a suggestion that the cost of powering the future may be higher than anticipated. If atomic fuel becomes prohibitively dear, even the most ingenious small modular reactors might find themselves gathering dust. A pity, naturally. Innovation is a lovely thing, until it encounters the cold reality of market forces.

A Reactor Still Under Construction

Let us be clear: Oklo isn’t expected to generate revenue until sometime next year. Profits? Those are a distant mirage, shimmering on the horizon around 2030. A considerable wait. In the world of high finance, that’s practically geological time. One might build a new civilization in the interim.

And if uranium prices are already climbing before Oklo’s reactors even hum to life, well, that’s a rather ominous sign. It suggests that the cost structure may be less favorable than originally projected. The promised profits of 2030 might, shall we say, require a further refinement of the calculations. Or perhaps a generous helping of optimism. A commodity, I assure you, readily available on Wall Street.

2026-02-05 00:05

A Target, But Not Quite Bullish

A Reactor Still Under Construction

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