Key Points The Metals Company soared almost 19% in September, contributing to its climb of 560% since the start of 2025. India signed a 15-year agreement with the International Seabed Authority regarding exploration of polymetallic sulphides in the Indian ocean. The Trump administration is in talks with Lithium Americas regarding a possible equity investment. 10 stocks we like better than TMC The Metals Company › After dropping 10% and 9.8%, respectively, in July and August, shares of The Metals ...

Summary of Odyssey Marine Exploration Conference Call Company Overview - **Company**: Odyssey Marine Exploration Inc. (NASDAQ: OMEX) - **Industry**: Seafloor critical minerals exploration, focusing on polymetallic nodules for battery metals and subsea phosphate deposits for fertilizers [1] Core Insights and Arguments - **Macro Environment**: The macro environment for seafloor minerals is highly favorable, with significant government support for acquiring critical minerals [2] - **Government Investment**: The U.S. Department of Defense has invested $400 million in MP Materials, highlighting government backing through price guarantees and offtake agreements, which facilitate capital raising [2] - **Funding Allocation**: Estimates suggest that between $1 billion and $5 billion is being allocated by the U.S. for critical minerals acquisition, positioning Odyssey to capitalize on this opportunity [3] - **Unique Investment Opportunity**: Odyssey is one of the only publicly traded companies in the U.S. focused on seafloor minerals, providing a unique investment avenue for investors [3] - **Experience and Team**: The company boasts 30 years of deep ocean exploration experience and a team with an average tenure of over 15 years, enhancing its operational capabilities [4] - **Proprietary Tools**: Odyssey has developed proprietary tools to analyze and predict mineral opportunities, having assessed over 120 exclusive economic zones [4] - **Diversified Portfolio**: The company has a diverse portfolio of projects across different minerals and jurisdictions, mitigating commodity and geopolitical risks [5] - **Multiple Catalysts**: Odyssey's strategy involves multiple projects that can generate various catalysts for shareholder value, reducing dependency on a single outcome [5] Financial Position - **Debt Conversion**: Approximately $2.4 million of debt has converted into equity, with a total of $12 million (about 60% of original debt) converted year-to-date, strengthening the company's financial position [6] - **Funding Outlook**: Odyssey is funded into 2026, allowing for continued investment in various projects [7] Project Highlights - **Cook Islands Investments**: Odyssey has established relationships with the Cook Islands government and is involved with two of the three license holders, utilizing advanced tools for exploration [7] - **Environmental Data Collection**: The deployment of autonomous benthic mini landers (ABMLs) is crucial for gathering environmental data, a necessary step for transitioning from exploration to extraction [8] - **U.S.-Cook Islands Partnership**: A cooperation agreement between the U.S. and Cook Islands governments is in place, enhancing exploration efforts and benefiting Odyssey's investments [9] Project Valuations - **FOSACMEX Project**: Odyssey owns 35% of the Mexican phosphate project, valued conservatively at $1.3 billion [9] - **Cook Islands Valuations**: - OML project has a net present value (NPV) of $4.7 billion based on independent evaluations [10] - CIC project, adjacent to OML, is also valued at $4.7 billion, with Odyssey holding 7% of OML and 14% of CIC [10] - **Potential Value Range**: The combined potential value from these projects ranges from $700 million to $1.4 billion, with any project moving to production significantly impacting the current market cap [11] Near-Term Progress Indicators - **FOSACMEX Update**: Progress is being made in recovering mining concessions, with expectations for announcements soon [12] - **Cook Islands Developments**: The partnership with the U.S. government is driving advancements in exploration projects [12] Conclusion - The deep-sea mineral extraction sector is gaining strong governmental and investor support, positioning Odyssey Marine Exploration favorably for future growth and investment opportunities [14]

Company Overview - TMC the metals company is a Canada-based pre-revenue mining company focused on deep-sea collection of polymetallic nodules containing high levels of nickel, manganese, copper, and cobalt [1] Investment Focus - The company aims to capitalize on the growing demand for metals used in technology and renewable energy sectors, positioning itself as a key player in the mining industry [1] Market Position - TMC operates through its subsidiary, The Metals Company USA LLC, indicating a strategic presence in the U.S. market [1] Investor Profile - The company attracts long-term investors focused on growth markets, particularly in sectors like AI, biotech, and mining, suggesting a diverse investment strategy [1] Growth Potential - TMC is identified as an undervalued stock with significant growth potential, particularly in the semiconductor and mining spaces, appealing to aggressive investors [1]

Company Overview - TMC the metals company is a Canada-based pre-revenue mining company focused on deep-sea collection of polymetallic nodules containing high levels of nickel, manganese, copper, and cobalt [1] Investment Focus - The company aims to capitalize on growth markets, particularly in sectors such as AI, biotech, mining, and shipping, while seeking undervalued stocks with significant potential [1] Market Position - TMC operates through its subsidiary, The Metals Company USA LLC, and is positioned to benefit from the increasing demand for metals essential for technology and renewable energy [1]

Group 1: Mining Industry Overview - Mining stocks are typically cyclical and not usually associated with consistent growth, but the demand for metals, especially rare-earth metals, is increasing due to technological advancements [1][2] - The U.S. is focusing on building a domestic rare earth supply chain, which has been largely dominated by Chinese companies [4][5] Group 2: MP Materials - MP Materials operates the only active rare-earth metal mining and processing facility in the U.S. at the Mountain Pass site in California, which is crucial for the domestic supply chain [4][6] - The company specializes in neodymium-praseodymium (NdPr), essential for EV motors, wind turbines, electronics, and defense systems [5] - MP is scaling up its processing capacity and aims to control the entire operational chain from mining to magnet production on U.S. soil [6] - Recent partnerships include a $500 million long-term supply agreement with Apple and a $400 million preferred stock deal with the U.S. Department of Defense, establishing a price floor for NdPr oxide [7] - The stock has seen significant growth, up over 340% year-to-date and about 460% year-over-year, although the company reported an adjusted EPS loss of $0.13 [8][9] Group 3: The Metals Company - The Metals Company is pursuing deep-sea mining of polymetallic nodules, which are rich in nickel, cobalt, copper, and manganese [10][11] - The company is currently pre-revenue and faces regulatory challenges as the International Seabed Authority has not finalized rules for commercial deep-sea mining [12] - TMC has about $116 million in cash but is burning approximately $20 million quarterly, giving it a runway of five to six quarters before needing additional capital [13] - Despite a recent sell-off, TMC has a market cap of $2 billion, which could be justified if it successfully begins harvesting its mineral reserves [14]

Core Viewpoint - The Metals Company (TMC) is positioned as a potential leader in deep-sea mining, aiming to extract metal-rich nodules from the Pacific Ocean, which could significantly impact the supply chain for clean energy technologies and reduce reliance on Chinese rare-earth sources [3][6][14]. Industry Overview - Rare-earth metals are crucial for various technologies, including electric vehicle batteries and renewable energy systems, but their supply is heavily concentrated in a few countries, particularly China, which controls about 70% of global rare-earth mining and nearly 90% of processing [2][7]. - The U.S. imports approximately 80% of its rare earths, with over 75% sourced from China, highlighting the urgent need for alternative supply sources due to recent export restrictions from China [7]. Company Analysis - TMC plans to operate in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, which contains trillions of polymetallic nodules rich in nickel, manganese, copper, zinc, and cobalt, essential for various applications [6][10]. - The company has secured exploration rights and mapped potential mining sites but faces significant hurdles in obtaining mining permits from the International Seabed Authority (ISA), which is still finalizing its regulations [10][11]. - TMC is attempting to navigate regulatory challenges by applying for a mining permit under an older U.S. offshore minerals law, potentially allowing it to bypass some ISA requirements if national interests are involved [12]. Financial Considerations - TMC is currently pre-revenue, with a market capitalization of approximately $2.1 billion, and reported a net loss of $20.6 million in the first quarter of the year [14]. - The company has about $43.8 million in total liquidity, including $2.3 million in cash, which may diminish quickly without progress on securing mining permits [14]. - For an investor to see a significant return, such as growing a $5,320 investment to $1 million, TMC would need to achieve a 188-fold increase in share price, equating to a compound annual growth rate of 68.8% over ten years, which is highly uncommon in public markets [13].

Financial Performance & Projections - The Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) shows a Net Present Value (NPV) of $5.5 billion [9], while the Initial Assessment (IA) indicates an NPV of $18.1 billion [9] - The PFS estimates a 27% Internal Rate of Return (IRR), and the IA projects a 36% IRR [47, 63] - The PFS anticipates steady-state production of 11 million wet tonnes of nodules per annum from 2031 to 2043 [47] - The PFS projects an EBITDA margin of 43% during steady-state production years, translating to $254 per dry tonne of nodules [56] - The company estimates C1 cash costs of $1,065 per tonne of nickel, including byproduct credits, placing it in the 1st quartile of the nickel cost curve [54] Resource & Production - The PFS focuses on the NORI-D area, with probable reserves of 51 million tonnes [10] and a total resource of 352 million tonnes [47] - The IA covers the TOML and NORI areas (excluding NORI-D), estimating a resource of 1,276 million tonnes [63] - The company anticipates first production in Q4 2027 [15] - The combined PFS and IA cover an estimated resource of 1.6 billion tonnes of nodules [65] Strategic Investments & Partnerships - Korea Zinc made a strategic equity investment of $85.2 million in exchange for 19.6 million common shares at $4.34 per share [25] - The company has a pro forma cash balance of $120.7 million as of June 30, 2025, and total liquidity of $165 million including borrowing capacity [72]

Core Insights - TMC The Metals Company has seen a significant increase in stock value, rising 576% this year, indicating strong investor interest in the deep-sea minerals sector [1][10] - The company focuses on harvesting polymetallic nodules from the ocean floor, which are rich in critical metals such as nickel, cobalt, manganese, and copper, essential for various industries and a lower-carbon future [3][4] Company Overview - TMC is based in Vancouver and holds exploration rights in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, a mineral-rich area in the Pacific Ocean [7] - The company has not yet commenced mining operations, pending regulatory approval from the International Seabed Authority (ISA) [7][9] Industry Context - The U.S. relies heavily on foreign sources for critical minerals, with over 80% of its supply coming from abroad, raising national security and environmental concerns [4][5] - Deep-sea mining is presented as a less disruptive alternative to land-based mining, which threatens sensitive ecosystems [6] Financial Performance - TMC reported a net loss of $20.6 million in Q1 2025 and has invested over $500 million in developing deep-sea mining technology [11] - The company has $2.3 million in cash and $41.5 million in available credit, which is expected to sustain operations until at least May 2026 [11] Future Projections - TMC has ambitious projections for its NORI-D project, estimating nearly $2 billion in EBITDA by 2027 and annual revenue of $4.7 billion from 2030 to 2046, although these estimates are based on numerous assumptions [13]

Core Insights - TMC the metals company Inc. reported significant advancements in the deep-sea critical minerals industry, highlighted by the submission of the first-ever application for a commercial recovery permit under U.S. law, marking a pivotal moment for the company and the industry as a whole [4][9] - The company announced a strategic investment of $37 million through a registered direct offering, aimed at advancing its deep-sea mineral development initiatives [8] - TMC's financial results for Q1 2025 showed a net loss of $20.6 million, an improvement from the previous year's loss, alongside a decrease in exploration and evaluation expenses [16][17] Financial Highlights - Total liquidity as of March 31, 2025, was approximately $43.8 million, including cash of $2.3 million [7] - The company reported a net loss of $20.6 million for Q1 2025, compared to a net loss of $25.1 million for the same period in 2024 [16] - Exploration and evaluation expenses decreased to $9.5 million in Q1 2025 from $18.1 million in Q1 2024, attributed to reduced environmental study costs [16] Operational Highlights - TMC USA submitted applications for a commercial recovery permit and two exploration licenses covering a total area of 25,160 square kilometers, with estimated resources of 1.635 billion wet tonnes of polymetallic nodules [9] - The company welcomed Rutger Bosland as Chief Innovation and Offshore Technology Officer to lead offshore innovation and scale technologies for commercial production [10] - A partnership with PAMCO achieved a processing milestone, successfully smelting 450 tonnes of calcine into critical alloy products [11] Industry Developments - The signing of an Executive Order by President Trump aimed at expediting the permitting process for seabed mining, which is expected to bolster domestic supply chains for critical minerals [12][13] - TMC CEO Gerard Barron testified before the U.S. House Natural Resources Subcommittee, emphasizing the importance of deep-sea minerals for U.S. industrial future and national security [14]

Core Viewpoint - The Metals Company (TMC) is advocating for the United States to reclaim its leadership in deep-sea mining to enhance energy and supply chain security, as well as national defense, by responsibly unlocking critical minerals from the deep seabed [2][3][4]. Group 1: Deep-Sea Mining Potential - TMC's CEO Gerard Barron testified that the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, located 2.5 miles deep in the ocean, contains polymetallic nodules rich in nickel, cobalt, manganese, and copper, which hold more minerals than all known land-based reserves combined [3][4]. - The company estimates that seabed mineral extraction could create over 100,000 American jobs and generate over $300 billion in GDP [3][4]. Group 2: Regulatory Framework - The U.S. has a long-established regulatory framework for deep-sea mining through the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act of 1980 (DSHMRA), which empowers NOAA to regulate exploration and commercial recovery [5]. - TMC USA has submitted the first-ever application for a commercial recovery permit under DSHMRA, marking a significant milestone in establishing a U.S.-regulated supply of critical seabed minerals [4][5]. Group 3: Environmental Considerations - Barron emphasized that real-world data dispels common environmental myths regarding deep-sea mining, asserting that the U.S. can develop these resources without sacrificing landscapes or communities [3][4]. - Dr. Thomas Peacock from MIT highlighted the need for decisions on deep-sea mining to be based on the latest scientific findings, countering misinformation about environmental impacts [3][4].