Investors seemed little impressed with an announcement from Centrus Energy (LEU 12.51%) yesterday. Shares actually closed marginally lower on Monday from where they were at when trading ended on Friday. Today, however, investors seem more confident about the company's new deal thanks to Evercore ISI's positive take.

As of 12:47 p.m., shares of Centrus Energy are up 12.9%.

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A deal that seems more "credible" is fueling investors' enthusiasm

On Monday, Centrus Energy announced that it had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) "to explore potential investment to support expansion of Centrus' uranium enrichment plant in Piketon, Ohio."

In addition, the two companies announced they were raising the volume of a supply contract that the two companies agreed to in February 2025 in support of construction of new uranium enrichment capacity at Centrus' American Centrifuge Plant in Ohio.

While investors shrugged off the announcement yesterday, they're giving more credence to it since Evercore ISI commented that while the MoU is not binding, KHNP is "a very credible nuclear counterparty" and its signing of the MoU "suggests a confidence in Centrus and in centrifugal enrichment," according to The Fly.

Evercore further commented that the MOU suggests "significant support and confidence behind the company's ability to place itself as a foundational piece of the inevitable domestic nuclear fuel supply chain buildout."

Is now a good time to fuel your holdings with Centrus Energy stock?

The market's appetite for all things related to the nuclear energy industry remains vast. The MoU is a positive development, but the company's allure as a route to gaining nuclear energy exposure transcends the potential partnership with KHNP. As one of the few producers of high-assay low-enriched uranium, Centrus Energy provides investors with an less speculative option for gaining nuclear energy industry exposure.