Data as of:
LIVE
BWXT
BWX Technologies, Inc. · Nuclear Components and Fuel
$152.29
-9.59% this month
VERSUS
COMPARE
LTBR
Lightbridge Corporation · Nuclear Fuel Technology
$7.53
-8.62% this month
Scoreboard verdict
Across AI score, momentum, valuation, upside, operating margin
BWXT
3
LTBR
0
Comparison scoreboard
BWXT LEADS 3/5AI Score
BWXT ✓47.1
LTBR 21.5
1Y Return
BWXT ✓-5.48%
LTBR -50.23%
Fwd P/E
BWXT 28.99
LTBR N/A
Target Up.
BWXT +53.95%
LTBR N/A
Op. Margin
BWXT ✓10.39%
LTBR 0.00%
Metrics last refreshed: 8/31/2026
Quick take
BWXT vs LTBR Stock Comparison: AI Score, Valuation, Performance and Upside
BWX Technologies is an established, revenue-generating nuclear component and fuel manufacturer with a deep government contract backlog, while Lightbridge is a pre-revenue, speculative developer of next-generation nuclear fuel technology still working toward commercialization. The comparison contrasts a stable, diversified nuclear industrial base against a small, high-risk bet on a novel fuel technology.
Use this BWXT vs LTBR comparison to separate an established, cash-generating nuclear industrial supplier from a speculative, pre-revenue fuel-technology developer: BWXT offers durable government-backed revenue visibility, while Lightbridge offers optionality on a differentiated fuel technology that has yet to reach commercial scale.
Live analysis · updated 8/31/2026
BWXT holds the edge across 3 of 5 key metrics in this comparison. BWXT has delivered stronger 1-year price return (-5.48% vs -50.23% for LTBR).
Normalized 1Y performance
BWXT
LTBR
Recent returns
BWXT
LTBR
Analyst price targets & sentiment
BWXT · 14 analysts
STRONG BUYHOLDSTRONG SELL
Buy (1.8/5.0)
Price target range
analyst low$190.00
analyst high$290.00
analyst mean$234.45
current price$152.29
+53.9% upside to analyst mean
LTBR
Price target data unavailable
N/A
Who should consider this stock?
BWXT may suit investors who:
- Want durable, government-backed revenue visibility in the nuclear sector
- Value diversification across defense, commercial nuclear, and medical isotopes
- Prefer an established, profitable industrial supplier over a pre-revenue developer
- Seek indirect exposure to the broader nuclear and SMR growth theme through an established player
LTBR may suit investors who:
- Believe next-generation metallic nuclear fuel could meaningfully improve reactor economics
- Are comfortable with a pre-revenue, small-cap, high-volatility profile
- Want optionality tied to partnerships with newer reactor developers like Oklo
- Can tolerate a long, uncertain path to commercial fuel fabrication
Performance & AI score
| Metric | BWXT | LTBR |
|---|---|---|
| AI score | 47.1 | 21.5 |
| AI rank | #616 | #4724 |
| Latest close | $152.29 | $7.53 |
| 1M return | -9.59% | -8.62% |
| 6M return | -25.75% | -41.76% |
| 1Y return | -5.48% | -50.23% |
$10,000 invested — hypothetical growth (dividends reinvested)
How much would $10,000 be worth today if invested at the start of each period, with all dividends reinvested?
| Period | BWXT | LTBR |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y ago | $9.63K (-3.7%) started 2025-09-02 | $4.98K (-50.2%) started 2025-09-02 |
| 5Y ago | $29.64K (+196.4%) started 2021-08-31 | $11.99K (+19.9%) started 2021-08-31 |
| 10Y ago | $49.55K (+395.5%) started 2016-08-31 | $2.48K (-75.2%) started 2016-08-31 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
Valuation & upside potential
| Metric | BWXT | LTBR |
|---|---|---|
| Market cap | $13.95B | $282.06M |
| Trailing P/E | 39.35 | N/A |
| Forward P/E | 28.99 | N/A |
| Price/Sales | 3.97 | 1852.09 |
| EV/Revenue | 4.39 | N/A |
| Analyst target | $234.45 | N/A |
| Target upside | +53.95% | N/A |
Growth, profitability & risk
| Metric | BWXT | LTBR |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth | 18.00% | N/A |
| Earnings growth | 14.10% | N/A |
| EPS growth | +14.10% | N/A |
| FCF margin | +4.14% | N/A |
| Operating margin | 10.39% | 0.00% |
| Profit margin | 10.11% | 0.00% |
| ROIC proxy | 28.29% | -13.91% |
| Return on equity | 28.29% | -13.91% |
| Dividend yield | 0.69% | 0.00% |
| Beta | 0.76 | 2.18 |
| Debt/equity | 151.40 | N/A |
| Current ratio | 2.40 | 116.56 |
| Quick ratio | 2.26 | 116.06 |
Drawdown & downside risk
Lower drawdown and smaller single-period drops generally indicate a smoother ride, though they do not guarantee lower future risk.
1Y risk snapshot
BWXT max drawdown37.10%
LTBR max drawdown74.03%
BWXT max wkly drop12.70%
LTBR max wkly drop35.10%
5Y risk snapshot
BWXT max drawdown37.10%
LTBR max drawdown83.72%
BWXT max wkly drop12.70%
LTBR max wkly drop35.79%
10Y risk snapshot
BWXT max drawdown47.74%
LTBR max drawdown95.63%
BWXT max wkly drop30.21%
LTBR max wkly drop41.92%
Performance metrics by period
| Period | Metric | BWXT | LTBR |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Growth | -4.29% | -50.23% |
| CAGR | -4.32% | -50.45% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.02 | -0.34 | |
| Max drawdown | 37.10% | 74.03% | |
| Max daily drop | 9.85% | 22.42% | |
| Max wkly drop | 12.70% | 35.10% | |
| 5Y | Growth | +180.15% | +19.90% |
| CAGR | +22.88% | +3.70% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.65 | 0.51 | |
| Max drawdown | 37.10% | 83.72% | |
| Max daily drop | 12.68% | 25.51% | |
| Max wkly drop | 12.70% | 35.79% | |
| 10Y | Growth | +339.50% | -75.20% |
| CAGR | +15.96% | -13.02% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.49 | 0.32 | |
| Max drawdown | 47.74% | 95.63% | |
| Max daily drop | 23.75% | 26.90% | |
| Max wkly drop | 30.21% | 41.92% |
Business comparison
| Category | BWXT | LTBR |
|---|---|---|
| Company | BWX Technologies, Inc. | Lightbridge Corporation |
| Sector | Nuclear Components and Fuel | Nuclear Fuel Technology |
| Industry | N/A | N/A |
| Core business | BWX Technologies manufactures nuclear reactor components and fuel for U.S. Navy submarines and aircraft carriers, and supplies commercial nuclear components, medical isotopes, and advanced reactor and government nuclear services. | Lightbridge is developing a proprietary metallic nuclear fuel technology designed to improve the economics, safety margins, and proliferation resistance of existing and future nuclear reactors, and is still in the testing and development stage. |
| Investor focus | Investors watch BWXT's long-term government (Navy and Department of Energy) contract backlog, growth in its commercial nuclear and medical isotope segments, and its role supplying components for emerging advanced reactor and SMR programs. | Investors watch Lightbridge's fuel irradiation testing milestones, progress finding a commercial fabrication partner, and partnerships such as its collaboration with Oklo on co-located fuel fabrication. |
BWXT strengths
- Long-duration, highly visible government contract backlog tied to Navy nuclear propulsion
- Diversified revenue across defense, commercial nuclear, and medical isotopes
- Established manufacturing scale and decades-long customer relationships with government agencies
LTBR strengths
- Differentiated, patent-protected metallic fuel technology aimed at improving reactor economics
- Partnerships with organizations like Oklo and Studsvik Scandpower advancing development
- Direct exposure to the broader nuclear-fuel-innovation and SMR investment theme
Risks to watch — BWXT
- Revenue growth is more measured than smaller pure-play nuclear-technology peers
- Dependent on continued government defense and DOE budget allocations
- Execution risk in scaling new advanced reactor and SMR-related component programs
Risks to watch — LTBR
- Pre-commercial company with no meaningful product revenue yet
- Has spent years seeking a commercial-scale fabrication partner
- Highly speculative, small-cap stock subject to large swings on news flow
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