Nokia (HEL:NOKIA) shares fall 13% after earnings as AI growth meets cash test

Nokia (HEL:NOKIA) shares fall 13% after earnings as AI growth meets cash test

HELSINKI, August 2, 2026, 18:02 EEST.

  • Nokia closed Friday at €7.958, down 3.2% last week and 13.2% since July 22.
  • AI and cloud sales rose 105% to €446 million, supplying an estimated 62% of Nokia’s sales increase.
  • Nasdaq Helsinki reopens Monday. Nokia’s €0.04-per-share dividend is due Thursday.

Nokia Oyj closed Friday at €7.958, down 3.2% for the week. It has fallen 13.2% since July 22, before its second-quarter report.

Stock chart for HEL:NOKIA

The retreat came despite a clear earnings beat. Comparable operating profit rose 18% to €434 million. That topped the LSEG consensus by €52 million, or 13.6%.

The more revealing number sits inside revenue. AI and cloud sales rose 105% to €446 million. Group comparable sales increased by €367 million.

Calculated from company data, AI and cloud supplied about 62% of that increase.

Q2 growth measure20262025Change
AI and cloud net sales€446mAbout €218m€228m, or 105%
Group comparable net sales€4.815bn€4.448bn€367m, or 8%
AI and cloud share of group sales9.3%About 4.9%4.4 percentage points
Share of group sales increaseAbout 62%

Calculated estimate from Nokia’s disclosed figures.

That concentration raises the bar for execution. Chief Executive Justin Hotard said about half of €2.8 billion in AI and cloud orders should convert within twelve months.

“Demand remains strong, while supply continues to be the main industry constraint,” Hotard said. Nokia Corporation | Nokia

The adjusted result was strong. The reported result was not. Faster restructuring pushed reported operating profit to a €50 million loss.

Q2 measure20262025Change or benchmark
Comparable net sales€4.815bn€4.448bnUp 8%
Comparable gross margin46.0%45.3%Up 70 basis points
Comparable operating profit€434m€367mUp 18%; LSEG estimate €382m
Comparable diluted EPS€0.07€0.04Up 75%
Reported operating profit-€50m€147mDown €197m
Reported profit for the period€5m€96mDown 95%

Nokia expects €800 million of restructuring charges this year. Related cash outflows should reach €700 million to €800 million. That burden helps explain the market’s focus on free cash flow.

The guidance headline also carried less upside than it appeared. Nokia lifted the range to €2.1 billion-€2.6 billion. Management called the €100 million increase a technical revision. The underlying operating outlook stayed unchanged.

Outlook measureCompany statementComparison or calculated effect
Full-year comparable operating profit€2.1bn-€2.6bnPreviously €2.0bn-€2.5bn; operationally unchanged
Q3 net salesUp 3%-7% quarter-on-quarterImplied €4.96bn-€5.15bn
Q3 comparable operating profitLargely flat from Q2About €434m if flat
Q3 comparable operating marginNot formally guidedAbout 8.4%-8.8%
2026 free-cash-flow conversion55%-75% of comparable operating profitSensitive to customer payments
2026 capital spending€800m-€900mOptical capacity investment continues

*Preliminary calculation based on Q2 sales and management’s assumptions. “Largely flat” is not a formal €434 million forecast. Nokia Corporation | Nokia

On those assumptions, Q3 comparable margin could slip below 9%. That would reflect higher sales without a matching quarterly profit increase.

Relative performance sharpened the signal. Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson gained 2.5% last week. The OMX Helsinki 25 rose 0.3%. Nokia lost 3.2%.

MarketJuly 24 closeJuly 31 closeWeekly move
Nokia€8.222€7.958-3.2%
EricssonSEK91.52SEK93.82+2.5%
OMX Helsinki 256,200.366,220.08+0.3%

Ericsson had already warned that AI demand was lifting memory costs. CFO Lars Sandström said the build-out was pressuring the wider industry.

Nasdaq Helsinki was closed Sunday. Regular equity trading resumes Monday at 10:00 EEST. Thursday brings Nokia’s €0.04-per-share dividend payment. The next scheduled results arrive October 22.

Risks remain concentrated. Supply delays could slow order conversion. Component inflation, tariffs and currency swings could squeeze margins. Restructuring may absorb more cash than planned.

The near-term test is simple. Nokia must turn orders into reported profit and cash. The 13% post-results fall shows investors still want that proof.

TS2 TECH • EXTENDED COVERAGE

Further analysis

Is Nokia able to turn its increased AI orders into revenue?

Second-quarter AI and cloud revenue rose to €446 million, marking a 105% increase from a year earlier. Orders totaled €2.8 billion, with about 50% anticipated to be delivered within twelve months. Constraints are currently supply-driven rather than demand-related. Nokia Corporation | Nokia

How challenging is Nokia’s maintained 2026 guidance?

The updated outlook is €2.1–€2.6 billion, with the rise attributed to technical factors. Comparable operating profit for the first half totaled €735 million. To hit the €2.35 billion midpoint, the company needs €1.62 billion in H2. Following a Q3 figure of around €434 million, Q4 must deliver approximately €1.18 billion. Nokia Corporation | Nokia

Could AI expansion significantly impact Nokia by 2028?

AI and cloud services comprised just 9% of the group’s revenue in the second quarter. Mobile Infrastructure accounted for €2.68 billion in sales and €310 million in operating profit. Nokia aims for €2.7–€3.2 billion in comparable operating profit by 2028. AI expansion must not impact main mobile profits. Nokia Corporation | Nokia

Is Nokia appealing after the recent selloff?

The NYSE ADR ended the session at $9.14, down 48% from the $17.45 high in June. FactSet projects 2026 EPS at $0.39, putting the valuation near 23 times earnings. The consensus price target stands at $12.81, indicating potential gains of about 40%. Forecasts range from $6.30 to $20.47, reflecting an unusually wide degree of uncertainty. The Wall Street Journal

What are the key downside risks?

Nokia forecasts restructuring cash outflows between €700 million and €800 million in 2026. The company posted a reported Q2 operating margin of negative 1%, compared with a 9% margin on a comparable basis. Guidance for free-cash-flow conversion is still given as a wide range, from 55% to 75%. Ongoing supply constraints and increased memory-chip expenses continue to pose risks to margins. Nokia Corporation | Nokia

Shan Ahmed Khan is a senior markets reporter at TS2.tech, specializing in stocks, technology and macroeconomic trends. A graduate of the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), he previously worked in investment research and market analysis. His coverage helps readers understand the key developments influencing global financial markets and emerging industries.

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