“Neo Performance Materials’ organization today is the closest that North America has yet come to a totally vertically integrated rare earth permanent magnet supplier. Now, the company has acquired and is moving to bring a significant rare earth deposit in Greenland into production. When that occurs, it will be the first company outside of China, ever, to be a totally vertically integrated manufacturer of rare earth permanent magnets. We should all be watching Neo Performance as if our (self-sufficient and secure) independent economic lives depend on it.” — Jack Lifton, Co-Chairman, Critical Minerals Institute

Neo Performance Materials Inc. (TSX: NEO) (“Neo”) produces specialty materials that incorporate specialty materials that are mostly rare earth based, but also include other technology metals, such as gallium and cobalt, all of which are necessary in its feature product, bonded rare earth permanent magnets. Neo is the only company in the world that operates dual supply chains inside and outside of China for rare earth elements (REE) separation and REE advanced materials. Neo owns the only operating commercial rare earth separation facility in Europe, located in Estonia. Neo operates globally with sales and production across 10 countries.

Neo’s advanced materials are essential components of many of the world’s fastest growing cleantech applications

Source: Neo company presentation

Neo’s growth plans and acquisitions

Neo continues to grow and expand its business and now has several projects in the pipeline.

These include the following:

1. Growth of Neo’s existing operations – Magnequench (a global leader in bonded neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) magnetic powders and magnets), Chemicals and Oxides, and Rare Metals (gallium, indium, rhenium, tantalum, niobium, and hafnium).
2. An EU Magnet Manufacturing Plant with ground breaking in June 2023 and planned production of sintered rare earth magnets in Estonia to begin in 2025.
3. Controlling interest (90%) in newly acquired SG Technologies Group Limited (“SGTec“), one of Europe’s leading advanced, specialty manufacturers of rare-earth-based and other high-performance magnets.
4. Various rare earths supply chain projects and agreements – Sarfartoq Project exploration license in Greenland, Yangibana Project in Australia (the owner Hastings Technology Metals Limited (ASX: HAS) is Neo’s largest shareholder so a supply arrangement looks highly probable, Koppamurra Project in Australia non-binding MOU for off-take of potentially 50% of the planned production of mixed rare earth carbonate, supply agreement with Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE American: UUUU | TSX: EFR) (from USA) of mixed REE carbonate.

Q1 2023 Financials weaker due to weaker pricing dynamics

Some investors may have been disappointed that Neo’s Q1, 2023 financials were weaker than a year earlier. Consolidated revenue was US$135.5 million in Q1, 2023, compared to US$166.3 million for the same period in the prior year.

However, it needs to be factored in that the key magnet rare earths prices have fallen heavily over the past year (neodymium is down 50.21%).

Looking on the positive side Neo still has a very healthy balance sheet with cash and cash equivalents of US$145.7 million (as of March 31, 2023) and Neo generated positive net cash of US$12.2 million in Q1, 2023.

The fall in neodymium prices in the past year is fairly similar to the lithium price fall. Both had a huge run-up, then slower China EV sales in early 2023 sent prices crashing as manufacturers chose to wind down inventory and delay purchases until prices were back at low levels. All of this bodes well for some stabilization of prices now and potential to move higher from here if demand accelerated in H2, 2023.

Investors can listen to the Neo Q1, 2023 earnings call here. Neo’s President & CEO Constantine Karayannopoulos discusses the causes for lower magnet rare earths demand (China property slowdown, higher interest rates impacting negatively on wind farms, China EV sales slowdown) and the impact of lower rare earths pricing and the Company’s growth plans. He says “I believe we are nearing the end of that restabilisation” in rare earth prices. Meaning the rare earth price falls are near the end.

Neodymium 10 year price chart

Source: Trading Economics

Closing remarks

Neo has just weathered a challenging past few quarters caused mostly by rare earths price declines as China EV sales slowed and manufacturers reduced inventory. Despite this Neo finished Q1, 2023 in a very strong cash position and continues to make progress on their growth plans.

As the macro picture hopefully starts to improve in H2 2023, especially for China EV sales, Neo should once again be a winner of the macro trend of increased global use of the magnet rare earth products and the specialty rare metals, that are all needed to drive the cleantech revolution.

Neo Performance Materials trades on a market cap of C$377 million.

Investors love companies that under promise and over deliver. Today’s company is a classic example as it continues to grow its highly valuable global advanced materials business that includes rare earth alloy powders and magnets.

Neo Performance Materials Inc. (TSX: NEO) (“Neo”) is a profitable processor and manufacturer of advanced industrial materials including rare earth metals, alloys, and “bonded” rare earth permanent magnets, specialty chemicals, technology metals, and alloys. These are all critical to the performance of many everyday products and emerging technologies such as the high-powered magnets used in electric vehicles and in direct drive wind turbine electric generators. Neo operates globally with sales and production across 10 countries including Japan, China, Thailand, Estonia, Singapore, Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, and South Korea.

Neo is the only company in the world that operates dual supply chains inside and outside of China for rare earths, rare earths separation and the commercial production of rare earths advanced materials. Neo owns and operates the only operating commercial rare earth separation facility in Europe.

Furthermore, Neo’s Magnequench unit is the global leader in bonded neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) alloy powder based magnets and their applications. Its powders and magnets are used in high-performance components for the OEM automotive, factory automation, high-efficiency motors, residential appliances, and in many other applications.

Neo Performance Materials global operations that manufacture advanced materials that incorporate rare earths and other rare element metals

Source: Company presentation

Establishing a new Western rare earths supply chain incorporating USA and Europe

As a reminder, in July 2021 Neo announced the commencement of commercial shipments of mixed rare earth carbonates produced from monazite from which the uranium and thorium had been removed by Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE American: UUUU | TSX: EFR) in the USA, to Neo’s rare earth separations facility in Estonia, Europe. This first shipment was a landmark for establishing a new non-Chinese Western rare earths supply chain. Energy Fuels has been sourcing ore from third parties such as from Chemours’ (NYSE: CC) heavy minerals sands operations in Georgia, USA; then processing the monazite residue at their White Mesa Mill in Utah, USA, to extract the rare earths, remove the radioactive elements, and then process the rare earths  into a solid mixed carbonate form ready for delivery, in this case, to Neo’s operation in Estonia according to its specification. The news stated:

“This new supply chain will initially produce rare earth products from monazite that is processed into mixed RE Carbonate at Energy Fuels’ Mill in Utah. This RE Carbonate is then further processed by Neo at its Silmet rare earth processing facility in Sillamäe, Estonia (“Silmet“) into separated rare earth oxides and other value-added rare earth compounds. Neo is the only commercial producer of separated rare earth oxides in Europe.”

Neo’s CEO, Constantine Karayannopoulos, stated: “This innovative U.S.-to-Europe supply chain will supplement Neo’s existing rare earth supply from our long-time Russian supplier. It will enable Neo to expand value-added rare earth production in Estonia to meet growing demand in Europe for these materials.”

Neo’s financials keep getting stronger

As announced on August 12, 2021, Neo produced another stellar financial result in Q2, 2021. Highlights included production volumes increasing 59.6% YoY, revenue reaching US$135.1 million and up 99.5% YoY, adjusted EBITDA of US$22.2 million massively up YoY (an increase of $21.0 million), and adjusted net income of US$14.1 million, or US$0.37 per share. The chart below highlights the financial improvement in Neo’s financials over the past year.

Neo’s consolidated revenue and adjusted EBITDA keep rising due to a very strong operational performance

Neo’s revenue by segment and geography is led by Magnequench and China

Source: Company presentation

Neo’s CEO, Constantine Karayannopoulos, stated: “We had an outstanding second quarter that exceeded our expectations, with record revenue and robust profitability, while our plants operated at near-record output…….With the organic growth we are seeing across all business units, the significant macro tailwinds boosting the entire rare earths sector, and a number of strategic growth opportunities on the radar screen, we remain confident in the sustainability of our long term vision and growth strategy.”

Looking ahead to the rest of the calendar year 2021 analyst’s forecasts remain strong with CY2021 revenue forecast at US$503 million, net income US$39 million, and 7.82% net profit margin. These estimates may soon need to be increased given Neo has already achieved US$266 million in H1 2021. In terms of multiples, they are also appealing with Neo trading on a 2021 PE of 16.7x and an EV/Revenue multiple of 0.92x.

Closing remarks

Neo is currently riding a wave of demand for its advanced materials as we move to a greener economy, especially for the high-value rare earth alloy powders and magnets made with neodymium. These magnets are key to achieving greater power and efficiency from electric motors, the demand for which in the large drive motors for electric vehicles is surging.

Neo Performance Materials trades on a market cap of C$670 million and a very reasonable 16.7x PE. One to definitely consider.