Wedbush Projects $90 for MP Materials: Is This the Only Real Play on American Rare Earth Independence?

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By David Moadel Published

Quick Read

  • Wedbush initiated MP Materials (MP) stock at Outperform with a $90 price target, as MP Materials represents the only fully integrated rare earth producer in the U.S. operating the Mountain Pass Mine and Independence magnet facility with $224.44M in 2025 revenue and record NdPr oxide production of 2,599 metric tons.

  • The U.S. government is actively funding domestic rare earth supply chains, making MP Materials’ vertical integration from mining through magnet manufacturing a structural competitive moat against China’s dominance.

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Wedbush Projects $90 for MP Materials: Is This the Only Real Play on American Rare Earth Independence?

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MP Materials (NYSE:MP) stock just earned a strong endorsement from Wedbush, which initiated coverage with an Outperform rating and a $90 price target. The call frames MP as the only fully integrated rare earth producer in the U.S., a distinction that carries growing weight as Washington pushes to break China’s grip on critical minerals.

MP Materials stock is trading around $64.20 as of today, and the Wedbush target sits well above the current analyst consensus of $77.69. With 15 Buy ratings and zero Sell ratings across the analyst community, Wedbush is staking out the most aggressive target of the group.

Ticker Company Firm Action Old Rating New Rating Old Target New Target
MP MP Materials Wedbush Initiation N/A Outperform N/A $90

The Analyst’s Case

Wedbush’s core argument centers on vertical integration as the most underappreciated dimension of the MP Materials story. The cross-pollination between Mountain Pass and Independence creates cost and quality advantages that flow in both directions, meaning the mine makes the magnet facility better, and the magnet facility makes the mine more valuable. That’s a structural moat most commodity miners can’t claim.

The firm sees MP’s mine-to-magnet capability as a genuine competitive advantage at a time when the U.S. government is actively funding domestic rare earth supply chains. The Department of War price protection agreement, which sets a $110/kg floor for NdPr products and generated $51.02 million in PPA income during Q4 2025, is exactly the kind of contractual backstop that makes this thesis more durable than a typical mining play.

Company Snapshot

MP Materials operates the Mountain Pass Mine in California and its Independence magnet manufacturing facility in Fort Worth, Texas. Mountain Pass is the only scaled rare earth mining and processing site in the Western Hemisphere. The company recorded full-year 2025 revenue of $224.44 million, up 10% year over year, alongside record NdPr oxide production of 2,599 metric tons, more than doubling the prior year’s output.

Anchor customers include Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL | AAPL Price Prediction) and General Motors (NYSE:GM), with magnet production for GM ramping through 2026. A 10X magnetics facility in Northlake, Texas, backed by a $200 million incentive package, is expected to break ground this year.

Why the Move Matters Now

MP Materials stock has risen 27% year to date, reflecting growing investor recognition of the company’s strategic position. The Wedbush $90 target exceeds the broader analyst consensus by a meaningful margin, signaling the firm sees the vertical integration story as not yet fully priced in. With the heavy rare earth separation facility targeting a mid-2026 commissioning, the next catalyst is closer than many investors may realize.

What It Means for Your Portfolio

MP Materials occupies a rare position: it’s a critical infrastructure play dressed up as a mining stock. The government-backed revenue floor and blue-chip customer roster provide visibility that’s unusual in the materials sector. That said, the company posted a full-year 2025 net loss of $85.87 million, and execution risk on the Northlake facility remains real.

If you believe the U.S. is serious about rare earth independence and that MP can scale its magnetics business on schedule, the Wedbush initiation makes a compelling case for adding exposure. Watch the Independence facility ramp and the Northlake groundbreaking as the two clearest signals of whether this thesis is on track.

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About the Author David Moadel →

David Moadel is financial writer specializing in stocks, ETFs, options, precious metals, and Bitcoin. David has written well over 1,000 articles for leading online publications, helping investors understand markets, income strategies, and risk.

His work has appeared in The Motley Fool, InvestorPlace, U.S. News & World Report, TipRanks, ValueWalk, Benzinga, Market Realist, TalkMarkets, Finmasters, 24/7 Wall St., and others.

With a master’s degree in education, David has taught at the elementary, high school, and college levels. That teaching background shapes his writing style: clear, educational, and practical. David has also built a loyal social-media audience by providing trustworthy financial content on YouTube, X/Twitter, and StockTwits.

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