International Stocks Outperform U.S. Markets: Is It Time to Increase Your Overseas Investments?
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Feb 18 2026
0mins
Should l Buy USAR?
Source: Barron's
U.S. Stock Performance: The S&P 500 has had a challenging year, remaining flat due to high valuations, concentration in certain indices, and a weaker dollar.
Foreign Equities Outperforming: The iShares MSCI ACWI ex U.S. ETF has outperformed the State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust by eight percentage points in 2025 and continues to lead by over seven points this year.
Shift in Market Dynamics: This marks a significant shift after nearly two decades of U.S. stock market dominance, raising questions about the sustainability of this trend.
Investment Professionals' Perspectives: Investment professionals are being surveyed on whether they will continue to allocate more resources to foreign markets amidst these changes.
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Analyst Views on USAR
Wall Street analysts forecast USAR stock price to rise
5 Analyst Rating
5 Buy
0 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 18.910
Low
15.00
Averages
22.75
High
28.00
Current: 18.910
Low
15.00
Averages
22.75
High
28.00
About USAR
USA Rare Earth, Inc. is a supplier of sintered neo magnets and other rare earth metals. The Company is engaged in developing a NdFeB magnet manufacturing plant in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and intends to establish domestic rare earth and critical minerals supply, extraction, and processing capabilities to both supply its magnet manufacturing plant and market surplus materials to third parties. It is focused on developing domestic rare earth production that offers sustainable and secure domestic supply of materials critical to key industries. Its vertically integrated approach consists of sourcing rare earth elements (REEs), in addition to other critical minerals such as gallium, to producing finished NdFeB magnets. The Company serve a variety of industries, such as defense, robotics, electric vehicles, wind power, appliances, cordless tools and computing and semiconductors. The Company owns, Less Common Metals Ltd., which is a scaled ex-China rare earth metal and alloy manufacturer.
About the author

Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
- Acquisition Overview: USA Rare Earth (USAR) announced its agreement to acquire Texas Mineral Resources (TMRC) for approximately 3.8 million shares of USAR common stock, with an implied total deal value of about $73 million, marking a strategic expansion in the rare earth sector.
- Operational Integration: This acquisition positions USA Rare Earth as the sole operator of the Round Top heavy rare earth and critical minerals project in Texas, simplifying governance and unifying strategic decision-making, which enhances resource management efficiency.
- Production Outlook: Under an accelerated mining plan, USA Rare Earth expects to extract approximately 40,000 metric tons per day of rare earth and critical mineral feedstock from Round Top by 2030, significantly boosting its market supply capabilities.
- Strategic Implications: By acquiring TMRC's 18.6% interest in the project, USA Rare Earth will optimize capital planning and execution, further solidifying its leadership position in North America's heavy rare earth and critical minerals market.
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- Acquisition Overview: USA Rare Earth announced its plan to acquire Texas Mineral Resources Corp. in an all-stock deal valued at approximately $73 million, aimed at strengthening the stability of the U.S. critical mineral supply chain.
- Share Issuance Details: Under the agreement, USA Rare Earth will issue about 3.82 million shares to acquire all outstanding shares of Texas Mineral Resources, thereby achieving full control over the Round Top Project.
- Production Expectations: Following the acquisition, USA Rare Earth will fully control the Round Top Project in Texas, where commercial production is expected to commence in 2028, further advancing the company's positioning in the critical minerals sector.
- Transaction Timeline: The transaction is expected to close no later than the third quarter of fiscal 2026, marking a significant step forward for USA Rare Earth in the consolidation of critical mineral resources.
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- Acquisition Overview: USA Rare Earth has agreed to acquire Texas Mineral Resources in an all-stock deal valued at approximately $73 million, with the transaction expected to close by the third quarter of 2026, marking a strategic expansion in the rare earth mining sector.
- Share Exchange Details: Under the terms of the agreement, USA Rare Earth will exchange 3,823,328 shares of its stock for all outstanding shares of Texas Mineral Resources, further strengthening its market position in the rare earth resources sector.
- Exclusive Project Rights: This acquisition will make USA Rare Earth the sole operator and 100% economic beneficiary of the Round Top heavy rare earth and critical minerals project, enhancing the company's future profitability and strategic advantage.
- Market Reaction: In pre-market trading on Nasdaq, USA Rare Earth shares rose by 0.79% to $19.06, while Texas Mineral Resources closed at $0.8600 on the OTC market, indicating a positive market response to the acquisition news.
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- Stock Decline: USA Rare Earth experienced a significant 15.7% drop in February, contrasting with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq's minor declines of 0.9% and 3.4%, indicating a notable underperformance that could undermine investor confidence in the company.
- Government Support Plan: Despite the announcement of the 'Project Vault' initiative, which aims to bolster domestic mineral resources with a $10 billion loan, the stock's decline was exacerbated by Vice President Vance's news of forming a trading coalition with 50 countries, raising concerns about the company's anticipated reliance.
- Market Dynamics Impact: The stock pullback was influenced by profit-taking among investors and macroeconomic developments, particularly following the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling against many tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, which negatively affected market sentiment and contributed to price volatility.
- Geopolitical Factors: The recent U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran have heightened market volatility, and while USA Rare Earth stock has risen 2% in March, the increasing geopolitical instability may lead investors to prioritize domestic mineral sourcing capabilities, impacting future investment strategies.
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- Stock Decline: USA Rare Earth's stock fell 15.7% in February, contrasting with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq's declines of only 0.9% and 3.4%, indicating unique pressures faced by the company.
- Government Project Impact: The U.S. government's announcement of the 'Project Vault' program, which will receive a $10 billion loan to build critical mineral reserves, initially boosted stock prices but led to sell-offs due to concerns about future reliance on the company.
- Geopolitical Factors: The recent U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran have increased market volatility, which, while supporting infrastructure and mining stocks, has raised investor doubts about USA Rare Earth's outlook.
- Market Reaction: Despite facing multiple pressures, USA Rare Earth’s stock has rebounded by 2% in March, reflecting a growing investor focus on domestic mineral sourcing capabilities amid rising geopolitical instability.
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- Market Potential: USA Rare Earth plans to manufacture 5,000 tons of rare earth magnets annually at its Oklahoma facility, with expectations of tripling market size in the next decade, although it remains pre-revenue, indicating long-term growth potential.
- Resource Estimates: The Round Top site in Texas is estimated to contain tens of millions of tons of rare earth elements and enough lithium hydroxide to produce 20,000 tons daily, potentially generating $400 million annually at 2019 prices, translating to over $8 billion in total revenue over 20 years.
- Funding Challenges: The company requires several hundred million dollars to commence production at Round Top and has secured up to $1.3 billion in federal loans and $1.5 billion in private funding, highlighting the high costs and risks associated with developing new mines.
- Valuation Risks: Despite USA Rare Earth's market capitalization exceeding $4 billion, much of its long-term upside appears priced in, and given the complexities and time required for new mine development, investors should carefully weigh the risks against potential rewards.
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