Why Is OKLO Stock Rising Pre-Market Today?

BofA upgraded the nuclear startup to ‘Buy’, citing its deal with Meta to power AI data centers.

• A Meta-backed data center deal has prompted BofA to call it the most leveraged public SMR name.
• According to BofA, customer prepayments offer early proof of execution as nuclear gains traction as an AI power solution.
• However, retail sentiment for OKLO remains ‘bearish’ on Stocktwits. 

Oklo Inc. (OKLO) shares rose nearly 4% in pre-market trade on Wednesday after BofA upgraded the stock to ‘Buy’ from ‘Neutral’ and raised the price target to $127, up from $111, following its deal with Meta (META). 

Earlier this month, Meta signed an agreement with Oklo to develop a 1.2-gigawatt nuclear energy campus in Ohio. This campus will specifically power Meta's AI data centers.

The narrative around AI has been veering toward the ‘power’ play over the past few weeks. Nuclear energy is an ideal complement to alternative power sources because it is a low-cost, carbon-efficient source for data centers. 

What Is BofA Seeing In OKLO?

A BofA analyst, as reported by the Fly, noted that the deal incorporates customer prepayments. These prepayments are key to funding the early development phase, even before the final power purchase agreements are established. Although the megawatt output is small, this aspect of the deal offers ‘tangible evidence’ of both execution and the counterparty's commitment, according to the note. 

Meta's willingness to commit capital years ahead of delivery underscores the importance of nuclear as AI and data center demand accelerate, the analyst added, who sees Oklo as the most levered public SMR name to data center demand.

OKLO, supported by OpenAI's Sam Altman, focuses on developing advanced fission power plants. 

Recent News Triggers 

Oklo had recently signed an agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to build and operate a radioisotope pilot plant. 

The stock was also in the news last month, when CEO Jacob DeWitte and his spouse sold shares. Reports also suggest that since December 2025, the stock has seen insider selling worth over $120 million. 

Meanwhile, Cathie Wood’s ARK Invest has been actively increasing its stake in OKLO this month, marking her second investment in the nuclear startup. In December 2025, ARK Investment bought 107,321 shares of Oklo, valued at over $8.9 million.

What Is Retail Thinking?

Stocktwits data shows that retail sentiment on OKLO has been ‘bearish’ for a week. 

OKLO stock is up 15% year-to-date, but up 187% over the past 12 months.

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