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James H. Litinsky, the Chairman and CEO of MP Materials Corp. (NYSE:MP), has recently sold a significant portion of his holdings in the company. According to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Litinsky sold 386,223 shares of common stock on February 4, 2025. These shares were sold at a weighted average price of $24.01, resulting in a total transaction value of approximately $9.27 million. The sale comes as MP’s stock trades near its 52-week high of $24.80, having delivered an impressive 130% return over the past six months.
The sales were executed under a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan, which allows insiders to set up a predetermined schedule for selling stocks. Following this transaction, Litinsky holds 15,643,076 shares indirectly through a trust and 412,344 shares directly.
MP Materials Corp., headquartered in Las Vegas, is a leading player in the metal mining industry. The company focuses on the production of rare earth materials, which are critical components in various high-tech applications.
In other recent news, MP Materials has been the subject of several analyst updates. BMO Capital raised its stock target for the company to $22, maintaining its Market Perform rating. This follows a recent visit by analysts to the company’s facilities, which provided insights into the operations and future prospects of MP Materials. The company reported a record year for the production of Rare Earth Oxides (REO) and Neodymium-Praseodymium (NdPr) at its Mountain Pass facility.
Canaccord Genuity maintained its Buy rating on MP Materials and set a price target of $26, highlighting the company’s leading role in the West’s efforts to achieve independence from Chinese dominance in the rare earths market. Baird analyst George Gianarikas increased the price target on MP Materials shares to $30, reflecting the company’s recent achievements, including the commencement of commercial production at the Independence magnet facility.
TD Cowen reaffirmed its positive stance on MP Materials, raising the price target to $25 and maintaining a Buy rating on the stock. The upgrade reflects the company’s performance and market dynamics over the trailing twelve months. Despite the near-term cash burn, TD Cowen believes that MP Materials will maintain a strong balance sheet.
MP Materials has commenced commercial production of neodymium-praseodymium (NdPr) metal at its flagship Independence facility in Fort Worth, Texas. The company also reported the trial production of automotive-grade sintered neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) magnets. The company’s progress in reestablishing a domestic supply chain for rare earth magnets aligns with broader efforts to enhance U.S. manufacturing capabilities and reduce dependence on international suppliers for critical resources.
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