Close menu




October 19th, 2023 | 06:30 CEST

Hydrogen bull market ahead? Are Nel, Nikola and First Hydrogen shares ready for entry?

  • Hydrogen
  • renewableenergies
  • greenhydrogen
Photo credits: First Hydrogen

This year's sell-off in shares related to the energy and mobility transition sectors is tempting investors to enter. This is because the market trend remains positive. For example, the promotion of hydrogen in the US and Europe has taken concrete shape. The EU, Norway and the UK alone want to multiply electrolysis capacities from the current 143 MW to 138 GW by 2030. So, it should only be a matter of time before the next hydrogen boom. Robert Campbell is also confident, stating: "We are entering a renewables supercycle." This comes from the CEO of First Hydrogen at the International Investment Forum. The Canadian company is developing hydrogen fuel cell commercial vehicles and is approaching a significant event. At Nel, the focus is on the upcoming quarterly figures, among other things. Can the Norwegians perhaps surprise? Nikola has reported a milestone, but the stock has given up almost all of its gains from the summer.

time to read: 3 minutes | Author: Fabian Lorenz
ISIN: NEL ASA NK-_20 | NO0010081235 , NIKOLA CORP. | US6541101050 , First Hydrogen Corp. | CA32057N1042

Table of contents:


    First Hydrogen: Potential for a year-end rally

    Is there an exciting entry opportunity for First Hydrogen? If CEO Robert Campbell's remarks at the IIF virtual investor conference were anything to go by, it is. Demand for zero-emission vehicles is currently picking up strongly. Commercial vehicles, in particular, are being sought by more and more companies to reduce fleet emissions in the coming years. The Canadian company aims to provide a hydrogen fuel cell commercial vehicle. Since November 2022, several fleet operators, including RIVUS, have conducted extensive road tests in the UK. The results were all convincing - even compared to battery-powered models. The range exceeds 630 km, and refueling takes place within 5 minutes. Thus, the time is ripe for entering the mass market.

    To boost sales, First Hydrogen invited around 20 UK fleet operators to a "Track Day" at the end of October. On a test track near Birmingham, everyone can witness the performance of First Hydrogen's light commercial vehicles (FCEVs). The potential customers present on-site have a combined fleet of over 250,000 vehicles. In addition to test drives and technical details, First Hydrogen will also provide information on what the transition to a zero-emission fleet might look like in concrete terms.

    Steve Gill, CEO of First Hydrogen Automotive, said, "We are overwhelmed by the interest fleet operators have shown us regarding a trial of our vehicles. There is time pressure for fleets to meet their emissions targets. Our goal is to send participating fleet managers and operations specialists home with a clearer picture of the capabilities of First Hydrogen's hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, which can serve as a basis for their decision to purchase zero-emission fleet vehicles." It is possible that shareholders will enjoy positive newsflow on initial pre-orders before the end of the year. You can watch Robert Campbell's presentation at the IIF by clicking here.

    Nel: The tension is rising

    Shareholders at Nel have been waiting for new order announcements for quite some time. Apart from a "warmed-up" announcement about the planned factory in the US state of Michigan, the otherwise communicative Norwegians have been surprisingly quiet over the summer.

    At best, they have concentrated on working off their order backlog and can report positive quarterly figures accordingly. The publication of the third-quarter report is scheduled for next Wednesday, October 25. In the second quarter, Nel was able to significantly reduce its loss, surprisingly. But the business model remains clearly loss-making. As a result, rumors persist that the hydrogen specialist will need a capital injection until it reaches break-even. The uncertainty regarding the extent of a capital increase has been weighing on the stock for months. It is, therefore, not surprising that the share has slipped below NOK 8, making it the lowest it has been since 2019.

    Nikola: Milestone in North America

    While First Hydrogen focuses on hydrogen fuel cell light commercial vehicles, Nikola aims to revolutionize the heavy truck market with emission-free models. The Company, plagued by scandals, claims to have reached a milestone. They recently celebrated the market launch at their factory in the US state of Arizona. "Today, we celebrate the official market launch of our state-of-the-art hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks in the North American market. This is a testament to our team's relentless 'Can Do' attitude and brings us one step closer to realizing our vision of sustainable and efficient transportation," said Steve Girsky, CEO of Nikola. Large-scale customer vehicle deliveries are expected to occur in the current fourth quarter.

    Nikola and its dealers have received 223 non-binding orders from 23 customers to date. Well-known fleet operators such as J.B. Hunt, AJR Trucking, Biagi Bros. and TTSI are now on the customer list.


    The sell-off in stocks related to the energy and mobility transition sectors is tempting for investors. However, they should proceed cautiously - for example, the market capitalization of Nel is still a sporty NOK 12.9 billion. A substantial capital increase would likely lead to further price declines, but it could help remove uncertainty from the market. With a market capitalization of CAD 95 million, First Hydrogen plays in a different stock market league, and operationally, it is not yet as far along as industry giant Nel. This presents opportunities. In recent months, the Canadians have demonstrated that their vehicles are market-ready. If the first orders are now also reported, the share price should have significant potential. Nikola showed that a stock price can multiply rapidly in a short period during the summer. But this was certainly too much of a good thing. Thus, the share has come back from USD 2.67 to around USD 1. Nonetheless, the Company is still not cheap and needs significantly more orders to support its valuation.


    Conflict of interest

    Pursuant to §85 of the German Securities Trading Act (WpHG), we point out that Apaton Finance GmbH as well as partners, authors or employees of Apaton Finance GmbH (hereinafter referred to as "Relevant Persons") may hold shares or other financial instruments of the aforementioned companies in the future or may bet on rising or falling prices and thus a conflict of interest may arise in the future. The Relevant Persons reserve the right to buy or sell shares or other financial instruments of the Company at any time (hereinafter each a "Transaction"). Transactions may, under certain circumstances, influence the respective price of the shares or other financial instruments of the Company.

    In addition, Apaton Finance GmbH is active in the context of the preparation and publication of the reporting in paid contractual relationships.

    For this reason, there is a concrete conflict of interest.

    The above information on existing conflicts of interest applies to all types and forms of publication used by Apaton Finance GmbH for publications on companies.

    Risk notice

    Apaton Finance GmbH offers editors, agencies and companies the opportunity to publish commentaries, interviews, summaries, news and the like on news.financial. These contents are exclusively for the information of the readers and do not represent any call to action or recommendations, neither explicitly nor implicitly they are to be understood as an assurance of possible price developments. The contents do not replace individual expert investment advice and do not constitute an offer to sell the discussed share(s) or other financial instruments, nor an invitation to buy or sell such.

    The content is expressly not a financial analysis, but a journalistic or advertising text. Readers or users who make investment decisions or carry out transactions on the basis of the information provided here do so entirely at their own risk. No contractual relationship is established between Apaton Finance GmbH and its readers or the users of its offers, as our information only refers to the company and not to the investment decision of the reader or user.

    The acquisition of financial instruments involves high risks, which can lead to the total loss of the invested capital. The information published by Apaton Finance GmbH and its authors is based on careful research. Nevertheless, no liability is assumed for financial losses or a content-related guarantee for the topicality, correctness, appropriateness and completeness of the content provided here. Please also note our Terms of use.


    Der Autor

    Fabian Lorenz

    For more than twenty years, the Cologne native has been intensively involved with the stock market, both professionally and privately. He is particularly passionate about national and international small and micro caps.

    About the author



    Related comments:

    Commented by Fabian Lorenz on October 22nd, 2025 | 07:30 CEST

    SHARE PRICE EXPLOSION for commodity gems!? Nordex, Aurubis, Salzgitter, and Power Metallic Mines!

    • Mining
    • Lithium
    • Copper
    • Commodities
    • Steel
    • Wind
    • renewableenergies

    Shares in the commodities and precious metals sector have been unstoppable in recent weeks. Power Metallic Mines could soon become an explosive latecomer to the rally. There are good reasons for this, as the CEO recently made clear. At Aurubis, the rally appears to be over for now. Analysts are skeptical, and the major shareholder is cashing in his shares - albeit in an unusual way. So should you sell now, too? The past few months have been unusually positive for Nordex. There is currently no sign of a slump in the wind business. What are analysts saying after the latest order intake?

    Read

    Commented by Fabian Lorenz on October 22nd, 2025 | 07:15 CEST

    HYDROGEN IS ALIVE! Bloom Energy, thyssenkrupp nucera, and dynaCERT! 1,000% not enough?

    • Hydrogen
    • greenhydrogen
    • cleantech
    • renewableenergies

    Plug Power has gained nearly 500% since May, proving that hydrogen is very much alive. The applications may be different from what was expected in the hype a few years ago - more specific and niche-focused. Investors are speculating that hydrogen will benefit from the energy boom driven by artificial intelligence. The same applies to Bloom Energy, whose stock has exploded by 1,000% over the past year. dynaCERT is active in an exciting niche, offering conversion kits for diesel engines ranging from trucks to container ships. Initial sales successes give hope for more. Will emission certificates follow? And what is Germany's hydrogen hope, thyssenkrupp nucera, doing? It remains in the shadow of TKMS. Still, one analyst sees upside potential of around 50%.

    Read

    Commented by André Will-Laudien on October 21st, 2025 | 07:35 CEST

    Gold USD 4,300 and Silver USD 53 – Buying frenzy at Silver North, First Majestic, Nel ASA, and JinkoSolar

    • Mining
    • Silver
    • Gold
    • renewableenergies
    • Solar
    • Energy

    Silver has been shorted by many investment banks for several years because sufficient supply was available from Mexico and other producing countries. The tide has turned. Over the past 12 months, the precious metal has caught up with its big brother gold, gaining 54%. There are several reasons for the scarcity-driven rally: there are only around 250 active silver mines worldwide, compared to around 1,400 gold mines. In addition, silver has massively expanded its importance as an industrial metal: it is indispensable in high-tech, e-mobility, defense, and medical technology. As a result, less and less physical silver is available to investors, while inventories on the futures markets continue to decline. Now is the time to take a position in silver. Alongside industry giants such as First Majestic, Silver North is among the most promising beneficiaries of the new silver boom.

    Read