Which Fuel Cell Stock Has Dominated in 2026: Plug Power, FuelCell, or Bloom Energy?

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By David Moadel Published

Quick Read

  • BE has surged 219% YTD on 130% revenue growth and a $20 billion backlog, while FCEL trails at 135% with mounting operating losses.

  • Bloom's $5 billion Brookfield AI partnership confirms that CEO KR Sridhar's "bring-your-own-power" thesis is driving real hyperscaler demand.

  • Plug Power burned $150 million in Q1 operating cash, but new CEO Jose Luis Crespo targets positive EBITDAS by Q4 2026.

  • Act now: the analyst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 AI stocks — and Bloom Energy didn't make the cut. Grab the names FREE today.

Which Fuel Cell Stock Has Dominated in 2026: Plug Power, FuelCell, or Bloom Energy?

© Andrei Stanescu / Getty Images

Fuel cell stocks have been one of 2026’s loudest comeback trades, but the leaderboard isn’t close. Bloom Energy (NYSE:BE) stock has crushed its two main peers year to date (YTD), riding AI data center demand and a string of earnings beats. FuelCell Energy (NASDAQ:FCEL) stock sits in a distant second, and Plug Power (NASDAQ:PLUG) stock rounds out the trio.

All three are higher in the midday session today, Monday, June 15, with BE stock up 7%, FCEL stock up 1%, and PLUG stock up 2%. The tone matches a broader risk-on bid across alternative energy names.

Here’s the 2026 scoreboard for BE, FCEL, and PLUG, ranked by YTD performance and paired with the fundamental picture behind each move.

Bloom Energy: The Clear 2026 Leader

Bloom Energy stock is up 219% YTD in 2026, far ahead of its fuel cell peers. Shares trade at around $278, and the company carries a market cap of roughly $79.09 billion, which dwarfs Bloom Energy’s rivals.

The company’s fundamental story supports the chart. Bloom Energy’s Q1 2026 revenue jumped 130% year over year (YoY) to $751.05 million, non-GAAP EPS of $0.44 crushed the $0.13 estimate, and management raised FY2026 revenue guidance to $3.4 billion to $3.8 billion. Total backlog sits near $20 billion.

Bloom Energy CEO KR Sridhar framed the demand backdrop bluntly, asserting, “Bring-your-own-power has shifted from a slogan to a business necessity for AI hyperscalers and manufacturing facilities.” The $5 billion Brookfield AI infrastructure partnership and an Oracle (NYSE:ORCL | ORCL Price Prediction) collaboration are central catalysts behind the rally.

FuelCell Energy: A Distant Second

FuelCell Energy stock is up 135% YTD in 2026, a strong rebound but well behind Bloom Energy stock. Shares trade at $17 and change, with a market cap near $1.16 billion.

FuelCell Energy’s fundamentals remain mixed. Fiscal Q2 2026 revenue came in at $35.59 million, down 5% YoY, with an operating loss of $77.91 million that included a $42.57 million non-cash impairment on the Groton Project. The commercial pipeline did expand sharply to 4 GW, up 267% from Q1 2026, with data centers making up roughly 90% of proposals.

Taking a longer view, FCEL stock is still down more than 99% over ten years. The 2026 rally is best read as a rebound off of deeply depressed levels rather than a fresh breakout.

Plug Power: Third Place

Plug Power stock is up 42% YTD in 2026, the weakest finish among the three names. Shares trade at $2.81, making PLUG stock a low-priced name that could swing hard on news.

Plug Power’s Q1 2026 results showed some progress, with revenue of $163.51 million topping estimates and gross margin improving to -13% from -55% YoY. However, the cash burn at Plug Power remains heavy, with $150 million of operating outflows in the quarter and an FY2025 net loss of $1.63 billion. New CEO Jose Luis Crespo is targeting positive EBITDAS in Q4 2026 and full profitability by the end of 2028.

Like FCEL, PLUG stock has had a long road back from depressed levels. The 2026 move for Plug Power belongs in the rebound bucket.

What to Watch From Here

The 2026 scoreboard for BE, FCEL, and PLUG tells a clear story. Bloom Energy leads on both share-price performance and underlying business momentum, while FuelCell and Plug Power are riding sector enthusiasm off low bases. Investors weighing their exposure may want to moderate their position sizes given how far these names have already run.

Key catalysts ahead include Bloom Energy’s execution on its raised FY2026 guidance and the Brookfield ramp, FuelCell’s ability to convert its 4 GW pipeline into firm contracts, and Plug Power’s progress toward its Q4 2026 EBITDAS-positive target and pending asset monetization closings. Watch for whether today’s bid across the group holds throughout the week.

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About the Author David Moadel →

David Moadel is financial writer specializing in stocks, ETFs, options, precious metals, and Bitcoin. David has written well over 1,000 articles for leading online publications, helping investors understand markets, income strategies, and risk.

His work has appeared in The Motley Fool, InvestorPlace, U.S. News & World Report, TipRanks, ValueWalk, Benzinga, Market Realist, TalkMarkets, Finmasters, 24/7 Wall St., and others.

With a master’s degree in education, David has taught at the elementary, high school, and college levels. That teaching background shapes his writing style: clear, educational, and practical. David has also built a loyal social-media audience by providing trustworthy financial content on YouTube, X/Twitter, and StockTwits.

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