Nel ASA Secures Major Contracts Amid Mixed Market Sentiment

Norwegian hydrogen technology firm Nel ASA has broken through a challenging period with significant contract wins totaling over $50 million in early November. These developments potentially signal a turning point for the company, which has faced substantial headwinds in recent times. However, questions remain about whether these achievements can address the underlying business challenges.

Landmark Order and Subsequent Partnership

The company’s US division, Nel Hydrogen US, secured the second-largest order in its corporate history on November 5th—a $50 million equipment purchase agreement for Norway’s HyFuel and Kaupanes Hydrogen initiatives. This transaction involves 40 MW of Nel MC 500 containerized systems, representing the company’s largest proton exchange membrane equipment sale to date.

Just five days following this major announcement, Nel revealed another strategic partnership with GreenH AS for additional Enova-supported projects in Kristiansund and Slagentangen. This collaboration will contribute another 20 MW of electrolyzer capacity to the company’s order book.

Substantial Government Backing

Both the 20 MW HyFuel and Kaupanes Hydrogen developments receive significant governmental support through Norway’s Enova program. The HyFuel project alone secured approximately 180 million Norwegian kroner in Enova funding, highlighting the strong institutional commitment to advancing hydrogen infrastructure.

Market Reaction and Analyst Caution

The consecutive contract announcements initially propelled Nel’s share price to approximately €0.22. However, this upward movement proved temporary as profit-taking activity drove the stock back down to around €0.20 by November 11th, representing a decline exceeding 6%.

Should investors sell immediately? Or is it worth buying Nel ASA?

Despite these operational successes, financial analysts maintain a cautious outlook. On November 5th, ten market researchers collectively reduced their 2026 revenue projection for Nel to 1.0 billion Norwegian kroner, marking a 3.2% downward revision. Their estimates also point to deeper per-share losses of 0.25 kroner.

Industry experts currently anticipate Nel’s revenue will decline at an annual rate of 2.6% through 2026. This projected performance contrasts sharply with the broader sector’s expected annual growth of 7.3% during the same period.

Insider Confidence and Financial Position

Amid the mixed signals, supervisory board member Hans Hide demonstrated confidence in the company’s direction by acquiring 10,000 shares on November 6th at an average price of 2.44 Norwegian kroner. This transaction increased his total holdings to 40,000 shares plus 600,000 options, serving as a vote of confidence from company leadership during volatile market conditions.

The recent contract wins arrive at a crucial juncture for Nel. The company’s third-quarter 2025 financial results showed revenue of 303 million kroner—a 74% improvement over the previous quarter but a 17% decrease compared to the same period last year. With 1.8 billion kroner in liquid assets, Nel maintains a stable financial foundation while advancing over 500 MW of paid front-end engineering design studies for major projects.