We recently published a list of 11 Best Performing Energy Stocks So Far In 2025. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Centrus Energy Corp. (NYSE:LEU) stands against other best performing energy stocks so far in 2025.
The United States of America is currently producing more oil and gas than any other country ever. The country’s oil production has surged by almost 50% in the last ten years, reaching just over 13.45 million barrels per day in October 2024.
That said, President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canada and Mexico, due to take effect on Tuesday, will have serious consequences on the American economy which is highly dependent on imports of crude oil. Canada is the source of about 20% of oil used by Americans, while Canada and Mexico together account for 70% of US crude imports, so the upcoming tariffs could significantly raise gas prices for American consumers. Moreover, oil refiners in the Midwest depend heavily on Canadian crude and the said tariffs will force them to pay either more for their feedstock, or slash production, further squeezing an industry that already had a tough time last year.
President Trump wants to make America self-sufficient and independent when it comes to energy, but no matter how much oil the United States pumps, its refineries are configured to run heavier grades, such as those coming in from Mexico and Canada. Converting those refineries to process American light oil will require significant time and investments, making it an unlikely scenario.
The President has made repeated calls to American oil producers to ramp up their production, but it doesn’t seem to be going as planned, as companies appear reluctant to shell out the big bucks at a time when the global crude prices are in decline. The US Energy Information Administration stated in January that it expects Brent crude oil prices to fall 8% to average $74 a barrel in 2025, then fall further to $66 a barrel in 2026.
Things are looking much better for the country’s natural gas industry though, which has witnessed a surge in demand due to a sharp uptick in LNG exports, coupled with the ongoing AI data center boom. According to energy data provider Enverus, a total of 80 new gas power plants could be constructed in America by 2030, adding about 46 GW of new capacity – 20% higher than the gas capacity additions in the last five years. Moreover, growth is also expected to come from new LNG export facilities coming online soon, like Plaquemines LNG and Corpus Christi Stage 3, while the Golden Pass LNG project is also anticipated to begin operations by mid-2026. Having said that, Donald Trump has recently vowed to slap the EU with tariffs of 25%, and since the bloc remains the top destination for American LNG, the future of this industry isn’t clear either anymore.
The energy sector has outperformed the broader market so far this year, with gains of 1.31% against the general market’s surge of 0.41%. This comes after a disappointing 2024 when the energy sector lagged significantly behind gains of 25% by the wider market.
Methodology
To collect data for this article, we have referred to several stock screeners to find energy stocks that have surged the most YTD as of the close of February 28, 2025. The stocks are ranked according to their YTD gains.
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Is Centrus Energy Corp. (LEU) The Best Performing Energy Stock So Far In 2025?
A vast construction site with heavy machinery, materials, and workers, showcasing the company's global presence.
Centrus Energy Corp. (NYSE:LEU) is a trusted supplier of nuclear fuel and services for the nuclear power industry. Shares of the company have surged by over 152% over the last six months amid growing momentum around building additional nuclear power sources in the US. Nuclear provides carbon-free energy, making it the preferred option to meet the surging data-center power demand driven by artificial intelligence.
Centrus Energy Corp. (NYSE:LEU) had a strong Q4 2024, posting a revenue of $151.6 million, up 46.33% and beating market expectations by over $44.9 million. The company’s EPS of $3.2 was also above analysts’ estimates by a significant $1.56. LEU also generated an operating cash flow of $37 million in 2024 and ended the year with an unrestricted cash balance of $671.4 million.
Centrus Energy Corp. (NYSE:LEU) is the only American company with proven enrichment technology, giving it a significant competitive advantage in the current geopolitical landscape. As a result, LEU has secured new government contracts for low-enriched uranium as well as high-assay low-enriched uranium production and deconversion. The company is making significant progress in advancing the country’s uranium enrichment capabilities with a $60 million investment at its Oak Ridge facility.
Overall, LEU ranks 4th on our list of best performing energy stocks so far in 2025. While we acknowledge the potential for LEU as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than LEU but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
