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MP Materials Corp.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 7 May 2026: press release. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Record NdPr production and sales: NdPr production and sales both set records in the quarter, up 63% and 117% year over year. Sales include volume sold to the Magnetics Segment. Source
  • Revenue up 49% to $90.6 million: Total revenue was $90.6 million, up 49%, driven by higher NdPr oxide and metal sales. Magnetic precursor revenue also increased, partly offset by the end of concentrate sales. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA reached $36.6 million: Adjusted EBITDA was $36.6 million, compared with a $2.7 million loss a year earlier, driven mainly by higher total revenue and PPA Income. Source
  • Materials Adjusted EBITDA reached $36.7 million: Materials Segment Adjusted EBITDA was $36.7 million, against $3.8 million a year earlier, after higher segment cost of sales. Source
  • PPA Income reached Adjusted EBITDA: Price protection agreement income of $42.3 million was recorded in the Materials Segment and contributed to Adjusted EBITDA. Source
  • Cash and investments $1.74 billion: Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments were $1.74 billion at March 31, 2026, down from $1.83 billion at December 31, 2025. Source

“MP Materials delivered record NdPr production and sales with solid Adjusted EBITDA generation in the first quarter,”

James Litinsky, Founder, Chairman and CEO of MP Materials

What changed from last quarter

  • New: The NdPr Sales Volume conversion ratio for NdPr metal changed to 1.25 from 1.20. Prior-period amounts were not recast. Source
  • New: The company reported groundbreaking on the 10X magnetics facility in the first quarter. The prior release had said it expected to break ground in 2026. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Record NdPr production and sales: NdPr production and sales both set records in the quarter, up 63% and 117% year over year. Sales include volume sold to the Magnetics Segment. Source
  • Revenue up 49% to $90.6 million: Total revenue was $90.6 million, up 49%, driven by higher NdPr oxide and metal sales. Magnetic precursor revenue also increased, partly offset by the end of concentrate sales. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA reached $36.6 million: Adjusted EBITDA was $36.6 million, compared with a $2.7 million loss a year earlier, driven mainly by higher total revenue and PPA Income. Source
  • Net loss narrowed to $8.0 million: Net loss was $8.0 million, improved $14.7 million from a year earlier, mainly from the same drivers as Adjusted Net Income. Source
  • Adjusted Diluted EPS turned positive: Adjusted Diluted EPS was $0.03 against $(0.12) a year earlier. Diluted loss per share was $(0.04) against $(0.14). Source

Segments and regions

  • Materials revenue up 30%: Materials Segment revenue was $72.2 million, up 30%, driven by a $46.8 million increase in NdPr oxide and metal sales. Source
  • Materials Adjusted EBITDA reached $36.7 million: Materials Segment Adjusted EBITDA was $36.7 million, against $3.8 million a year earlier, after higher segment cost of sales. Source
  • Magnetics revenue rose to $21.1 million: Magnetics Segment revenue was $21.1 million, up $15.9 million, on higher production of magnetic precursor products. Source
  • Corporate costs and eliminations: Corporate and other costs were $9.6 million, against $6.9 million a year earlier. Intercompany eliminations removed $2.6 million of revenue. Source

“We advanced key growth initiatives, expanding operations at Independence and breaking ground on 10X, with scaled heavy rare earth separation commissioning activities set to begin imminently at Mountain Pass.”

James Litinsky, Founder, Chairman and CEO of MP Materials

Products and volumes

  • REO production up 6%: REO production was 12,983 metric tons, up 6% year over year. Source
  • No concentrate revenue this quarter: The company recognized no rare earth concentrate revenue in the quarter, following the end of third-party REO sales in July 2025. Source
  • Conversion ratio changed for NdPr metal: NdPr Sales Volume now converts NdPr metal to oxide-equivalent at 1.25, up from the 1.20 used before. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • PPA Income reached Adjusted EBITDA: Price protection agreement income of $42.3 million was recorded in the Materials Segment and contributed to Adjusted EBITDA. Source
  • PPA upfront amortization offset gains: Amortization of the price protection agreement upfront asset, with no prior-year cost, partly offset the Adjusted Net Income gain. Source
  • Materials cost of sales rose $22.3M: Materials Segment cost of sales increased $22.3 million, in line with higher NdPr Sales Volume. Source
  • Market prices above prior year: Management attributed higher NdPr sales to continued ramp of separated products and higher market prices than in the first quarter of 2025. Source
  • SG&A and D&A higher: Selling, general and administrative expense was $33.6 million and depreciation, depletion and amortization was $32.1 million, both above the prior-year quarter. Source

Capital, cash and balance sheet

  • Cash and investments $1.74 billion: Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments were $1.74 billion at March 31, 2026, down from $1.83 billion at December 31, 2025. Source
  • Operating cash outflow narrowed: Net cash used in operating activities was $1.9 million, against $63.2 million in the first quarter of 2025. Source
  • Capital spending rose: Additions to property, plant and equipment were $77.4 million, up from $30.5 million a year earlier. Source
  • Tax withholding on equity awards: Tax withholding on stock-based awards was $17.6 million in financing outflows, up from $3.6 million, alongside $0.9 million of debt principal payments. Source

Strategy and investment

  • NdFeB magnet manufacturing began: Independence commenced NdFeB permanent magnet manufacturing in December 2025, and the Magnetics Segment also sells magnetic precursor products. Source
  • Growth initiatives advanced: Management listed the quarter's growth initiatives as expanded operations at Independence and groundbreaking on the 10X facility. Source
  • Vertical integration as the strategy: Management framed the quarter's progress as part of its vertically integrated strategy, spanning mining through magnets. Source

One-off items and adjustments

  • Litigation settlement of $8.8M: Transaction-related and other costs were $10.5 million, including $8.8 million for settling a construction-related litigation matter. Source
  • Initial start-up costs excluded: Initial start-up costs of $4.9 million were excluded from Adjusted EBITDA; they relate to commissioning initial magnet-making capabilities at Independence. Source
  • Adjusted tax rate 39.4%: The adjusted effective tax rate used for tax on adjustments was 39.4%, against 17.4% a year earlier. Source

Coming up, as management said on 7 May 2026

  • Heavy rare earth commissioning to start: Management said scaled heavy rare earth separation commissioning at Mountain Pass is set to begin imminently. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
NdPr Production Volume (MTs) Source917
NdPr Sales Volume (MTs) Source1,006
REO Production Volume (MTs) Source12,983

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: The prior release said the company expected to break ground on the 10X facility in 2026. This release reports groundbreaking without using a status term.
  • Not stated: The prior release expected continued growth in NdPr output in 2026. This release reports NdPr production of 917 metric tons, up 63% year over year.

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.