STILLWATER, Okla., Jan. 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- USA Rare Earth, Inc. (Nasdaq: USAR) (USAR or the Company) today announced the selection of Fluor Corp., along with WSP Global Inc., as its Engineering, Procurement and Construction Management (EPCM) partners to advance the Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) for the Round Top Rare Earth Project in Sierra Blanca, Texas. Fluor and WSP are globally recognized leaders in mining, processing, and large-scale infrastructure delivery, with experience executing com ...

Core Viewpoint - USA Rare Earth (USAR) is positioning itself as a key player in the U.S. rare earth supply chain, with significant operational advancements and a focus on domestic production to meet rising demand in high-tech and green energy sectors [5][16][17]. Company Overview - USAR has a market capitalization of $2.2 billion and is focused on building a fully integrated supply chain for rare earth elements and critical minerals [2][3]. - The company is developing the Round Top deposit in West Texas, which contains 15 of the 17 rare earth elements essential for high-tech industries [2][4]. Operational Developments - USAR has fast-tracked the commercialization timeline for its Round Top deposit, moving production to late 2028, two years ahead of schedule [4][16]. - The Stillwater facility is on track for commissioning in the first quarter of 2026, supporting the company's mine-to-magnet strategy [10]. Financial Performance - In Q3 2025, USAR reported a quarterly loss of $0.25 per share, significantly deeper than the previous year's loss of $0.03 and Wall Street's expectation of a $0.06 loss [11][13]. - Operational cash burn increased by 135.5% year-over-year to $2.85 million, but the company ended the quarter with $257.6 million in cash and no significant debt [12]. Market Sentiment and Analyst Ratings - Despite recent stock volatility, analysts maintain a consensus "Strong Buy" rating for USAR, with a price target suggesting a potential upside of 21% to 49% from current levels [15]. - The stock has rebounded nearly 190% from its March lows, indicating renewed investor confidence in the company's prospects [6][4]. Strategic Partnerships - USAR has established strategic partnerships, including an MOU with Enduro Pipeline Services for U.S.-made neodymium magnets and a joint development agreement with ePropelled for sintered neo magnets [10]. Industry Context - The demand for rare earth elements is driven by their critical role in modern technologies, including electric vehicles, wind turbines, and defense systems, while the U.S. seeks to reduce dependence on foreign sources, particularly China [17][5].

Group 1: Acquisition and Strategic Partnerships - USA Rare Earth (USAR) completed the acquisition of Less Common Metals (LCM), aligning with its strategy to create a fully integrated rare-earth supply chain [1] - LCM has established a strategic partnership with Solvay to supply rare-earth metals to Permag, a leading magnetic equipment manufacturer [1] Group 2: Market Context and Trade Relations - Rare-earth metals are gaining attention due to the delicate phase of U.S.-China trade relations, with a recent trade truce leading to a selloff in domestic rare-earth stocks [2] - China's Validated End-User (VEU) system restricts rare earth materials to approved American companies for civilian use, preventing access for the U.S. military, highlighting the importance of USAR in the domestic rare-earth sector [3] Group 3: Company Overview and Operations - USA Rare Earth is headquartered in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and is focused on building a fully integrated domestic supply chain for rare earth elements and neodymium magnets, targeting markets in defense, automotive, and technology [4] - The company operates the Round Top deposit in West Texas, which contains 15 of the 17 rare earth elements essential for high-tech industries and green energy [4] Group 4: Financial Performance - USA Rare Earth has a market capitalization of $1.6 billion [5] - Over the past 52 weeks, USAR's stock has gained 15.36%, driven by interest in rare-earth minerals for electric vehicles, renewable energy, and defense technologies [6] - However, the stock has plunged 47.26% in the past month, primarily due to a drop in share prices following its third-quarter results, and is down 72.17% from its 52-week high of $43.98 [6]

Core Insights - Lucid Group, Inc. (LCID) is maintaining positive momentum towards its production targets despite ongoing challenges in the electric vehicle (EV) sector, particularly in the supply chain [1] - The company produced 3,863 vehicles in Q2 2025, an increase from 2,110 units in Q2 2024 [1] - Lucid revised its 2025 production outlook to a range of 18,000-20,000 vehicles, down from the previous guidance of 20,000 [1] Production and Supply Chain Initiatives - Lucid reaffirmed its commitment to U.S.-based manufacturing to mitigate tariff impacts and geopolitical issues [2] - The company announced a preliminary agreement with Graphite One to source natural and synthetic graphite domestically starting in 2028, complementing a nonbinding supply agreement from April 2024 [2] - Partnerships with Alaska Energy Metals, Electric Metals USA, and RecycLiCo aim to enhance the supply chain and reduce dependence on critical metals [3][4] Strategic Collaborations - Nickel from Alaska Energy Metals will improve vehicle range and battery life while reducing reliance on cobalt [3] - Manganese from Electric Metals will support the development of long-range, high-performance EVs [3] - Collaboration with RecycLiCo will aid in energy storage efforts and promote responsible supply chains [4] Market Performance and Valuation - Lucid has underperformed compared to the Zacks Automotive - Domestic industry, with shares down 24.8% year-to-date versus the industry's decline of 14.4% [7] - The company appears overvalued with a forward price/sales ratio of 3.02, compared to the industry's 2.72 [10] Earnings Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 EPS has decreased by 4 cents in the past week, while the estimate for 2026 EPS has decreased by 1 cent in the past month [11]

Core Insights - Apple has entered a $500 million agreement with MP Materials to purchase US-made rare earth magnets, which are crucial for advanced technology production [2] - This partnership aims to enhance the supply chain of rare earth materials in the United States, as emphasized by Apple CEO Tim Cook [2] - The initiative focuses on reclaiming and recycling neodymium magnets from used consumer electronics and post-industrial scrap, rather than solely relying on newly mined supplies [3] Company Impact - The announcement of the deal resulted in a significant increase in MP Materials' stock price, which surged over 25% [4] - This stock price increase follows a previous multibillion-dollar agreement between MP Materials and the US Department of Defense, which established a price floor for rare earth metals [5] - Apple has committed to spending over $500 billion in the US over the next four years, indicating a broader strategy to invest in domestic manufacturing [11] Industry Implications - Rare earth materials are essential for various electronic functions, including electric motors, generators, and mobile device features [3] - The collaboration with MP Materials includes plans for extensive training at a new factory in Texas to develop a specialized workforce for magnet manufacturing [12] - The deal also reflects a response to political pressure for increased domestic production, particularly from figures like former President Donald Trump [9][10]