New York, Feb 18, 2026, 15:13 EST — Regular session.
- Bloom Energy shares climbed roughly 6% in afternoon trading, outstripping gains seen by other fuel-cell stocks.
- Form 144 notices: two executives plan to unload small stock blocks.
- Data-center power stocks remain in focus, with investors circling even as policy scrutiny intensifies.
Bloom Energy Corp shares climbed roughly 6% to $154.08 Wednesday afternoon, tacking on gains from a volatile run that’s turned the fuel-cell maker into a standout among momentum stocks.
Why does this matter? The data-center power squeeze isn’t just a headache for utilities anymore — it’s landing in boardrooms and state capitals. Developers are scrambling for generation capacity wherever possible, and more are labeling projects as “on-site” just to dodge grid holdups.
Zeo Energy announced Wednesday it’s teaming up with privately owned Creekstone Energy, signing an MOU to bring roughly 280 megawatts of generation online for a data center project now going up in Utah. The deal highlights surging demand for power as AI expands. Zeo CEO Tim Bridgewater told Reuters the current federal subsidies keep projects like this affordable—for now. Those economics could shift if the incentives disappear. (Reuters)
Illinois threw a curveball. Governor JB Pritzker wants a two-year pause on tax breaks for data centers, stating, “We need to think critically about our future energy usage with the needs of Illinois households at the forefront.” (Axios)
Fuel-cell stocks didn’t move in sync. Plug Power rose 1.4%, FuelCell Energy tacked on 1.0%. Ballard Power, though, dropped around 1.4%.
Bloom shares have seen sharp moves ever since the company reported results earlier this month and set its sights on 2026 revenue between $3.1 billion and $3.3 billion. (Bloomenergy)
Bloom’s solid-oxide fuel cell units are aimed at providing on-site power—a selling point that’s resonated with data center operators who want to avoid the slow wait for grid hookups. (Bloomberg)
Late Tuesday, a regulatory filing revealed that Shawn M. Soderberg—an officer at the company—filed a Form 144 to sell 3,332 shares, valuing the stake at roughly $465,012. (SEC)
Chief Commercial Officer Aman Joshi, according to a separate Form 144 filing, is looking to offload 3,746 shares—total market value comes in around $523,738. (SEC)
Form 144 signals a proposed sale under SEC Rule 144—that’s the rule covering resales of restricted or control shares. Filing doesn’t guarantee a sale, but when traders spot a batch of these filings while a stock is on the move, they tend to pay attention.
The risk? Data-center demand could fade just as fast as it took off. Pushback on energy use, incentives, and grid expenses threatens to stall new projects. With Bloom’s stock already rallying, there’s not much cushion if orders disappoint or deadlines slip.
Investors want to see new data center customer deals, project financing clarity, and delivery timeline updates. They’re also eyeing insider-sale notices to see if those actually lead to any shares hitting the market.
Coming up, CERAWeek lands in Houston from March 23–27—a key date for Bloom, which plans to connect with customers and power industry players there. The annual gathering is a frequent hotspot for sector deal talk. (Bloomenergy)
