Independent research on the U.S. markets, Baptista Research

Baptista Research

Independent research on the U.S. markets

Baptista Research is an independent financial research house focused on the U.S. markets. We provide equity research as well as credit research reports on the top-listed U.S. companies with most of our focus on technology, consumer goods and services, automobiles, industrials, oil and gas, pharma, and healthcare. Our research has served more than 3000 institutional investors including mutual funds, hedge funds, banks, family offices, and various buy-side firms. We operate a research subscription service where institutions, as well as retail investors, can have priority access to all our research. We also have a wide distribution of our research reports across some of the top global financial platforms. Apart from equity research and credit research, we also provide advisory services with respect to mergers & acquisitions (M&A), private equity/ venture capital fundraising, valuation reports, and investment management services for corporates.
Baptista Research is owned and managed by Ishan Majumdar, an ex-Venture Capitalist/ Investment Banker, a Chartered Accountant, and a Masters’ degree holder in Management from HEC Paris. Ishan has nearly a decade of experience in Mergers and Acquisitions, Leveraged Buyouts (LBOs), Venture Capital Investing, Corporate Strategy, and Valuation in front-office roles at the likes of BNP Paribas CIB, Credit Agricole CIB, Groupe Danone, and TIW Private Equity. He has worked on and closed multiple acquisition deals, leveraged buyouts, and start-up investment transactions.

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul><li>MP Materials reported a significant transformation in its operations and strategic positioning during the second quarter of 2025.</li><li>The company has embarked on strategic partnerships with the Department of Defense (DoD) and Apple, marking a new chapter in its operational history.</li><li>These partnerships serve as significant validations of MP Materials' strategic mission and reflect substantial steps towards enhancing its supply chain capabilities and vertical integration.</li></ul>

MP Materials reported a significant transformation in its operations and strategic positioning during the second quarter of 2025.The company has embarked on strategic partnerships with the Department of Defense (DoD) and Apple, marking a new chapter in its operational history.These partnerships serve as significant validations of MP Materials' strategic mission and reflect substantial steps towards enhancing its supply chain capabilities and vertical integration.

MP Materials: Initiation of Coverage- Partnership With Apple & the DoD—Are These Deals a Guaranteed Growth Engine?

AI | Semiconductors | Commodities, Mint Finance

Raghav Vashisht

AI | Semiconductors | Commodities

Deep Fundamental Analysis

Mint Finance

Mint Finance's investment research blends deep fundamental analysis with technical & quant insights. Investment strategies straddle across multiple asset classes with risk management embedded into every trade to deliver an outsized reward-to-risk ratio.

Mint Finance's research is centered around three key themes. First, energy transition and climate change. Second, artificial intelligence. Third, shifting world order with its impact across politics and monetary economics.

<ul>
<li>Nvidia and AMD are set to resume scaled-down AI chip exports to China, marking a partial reversal of earlier U.S. export bans.</li>
<li>China retains a near-monopoly on REE refining, controlling roughly 90% of global capacity, and its March 2025 export halt highlighted the leverage it holds over high-tech and defence supply chains.</li>
<li>While markets rallied on the chip announcements, IV data suggests diverging risk expectations across Nvidia, AMD, and MP Materials, reflecting broader uncertainty around the durability and scope of this reopening.</li>
</ul>


Nvidia and AMD are set to resume scaled-down AI chip exports to China, marking a partial reversal of earlier U.S. export bans.
China retains a near-monopoly on REE refining, controlling roughly 90% of global capacity, and its March 2025 export halt highlighted the leverage it holds over high-tech and defence supply chains.
While markets rallied on the chip announcements, IV data suggests diverging risk expectations across Nvidia, AMD, and MP Materials, reflecting broader uncertainty around the durability and scope of this reopening.


Strategic Trade-Offs Define Chipmakers’ Limited China Reopening

Global Materials | Industrials | Commodities

Rahul Jain

<ul>
<li>The U.S. Department of Defense has committed $550 million to MP Materials through preferred equity, a loan, and offtake guarantees to build a fully domestic rare earth magnet supply chain.</li>
<li>This positions MP as the U.S. government’s strategic partner for critical magnet materials, accelerating its shift from miner to fully integrated magnet producer.</li>
<li>With a 10-year NdPr price floor, guaranteed offtake, and minimum EBITDA protections, MP now has robust downside protection and earnings predictability through 2035.</li>
</ul>


The U.S. Department of Defense has committed $550 million to MP Materials through preferred equity, a loan, and offtake guarantees to build a fully domestic rare earth magnet supply chain.
This positions MP as the U.S. government’s strategic partner for critical magnet materials, accelerating its shift from miner to fully integrated magnet producer.
With a 10-year NdPr price floor, guaranteed offtake, and minimum EBITDA protections, MP now has robust downside protection and earnings predictability through 2035.


MP Materials (NYSE: MP) | Defense-Backed Integration Anchors Strategic Rerating

Research from Water Tower Research, Water Tower Research

Water Tower Research

Research from Water Tower Research

Water Tower Research is a leading equity research firm that provides research on micro, small and mid cap companies.

Water Tower Research was founded by Wall Street veterans after witnessing a fundamental shift in the investment research industry with the result being a declining knowledge base among investors, a lack of awareness and a shrinking pool of fundamental research being conducted on companies across the small-cap and micro-cap spectrum. The same issues are now increasingly occurring in the mid-cap space. This sea change within the investment community is impacting not only the companies themselves but also current shareholders and potential investors. With significantly less active sell-side sponsorship by Wall Street, a substantial information gap has developed between companies and various constituents in the financial community. The net result is fewer channels for insight and information to flow between companies and investors.

Equity Research Firm

<ul>
<li>The WTR Sustainable Index was up 0.3% W/W versus the S&amp;P 500 Index (down 0.2%), the Russell 2000 Index (up 0.4%), and the Nasdaq Index (flat).</li>
<li>Energy Technology (13.4% of th  index) was down 3.0%, while Industrial Climate and Ag Technology (47.7% of the index) was down 0.1%, ClimateTech Mining was down 0.3%, and Advanced Transportation Solutions (20.8% of the index) was up 0.5%.</li>
<li>
<strong>Top 10 Performers</strong>: TMC, FGPHF, INVZ, GCEH, NXH, MP, WWR, PSIX, OUST, ADSE</li>
</ul>


The WTR Sustainable Index was up 0.3% W/W versus the S&amp;P 500 Index (down 0.2%), the Russell 2000 Index (up 0.4%), and the Nasdaq Index (flat).
Energy Technology (13.4% of th  index) was down 3.0%, while Industrial Climate and Ag Technology (47.7% of the index) was down 0.1%, ClimateTech Mining was down 0.3%, and Advanced Transportation Solutions (20.8% of the index) was up 0.5%.

Top 10 Performers: TMC, FGPHF, INVZ, GCEH, NXH, MP, WWR, PSIX, OUST, ADSE


Sustainable Investing Surveyor Focus on T1 Energy (TE)

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

David Blennerhassett

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>China recently escalated restrictions on the export of rare earths. Not just to the US as the two global players go toe-to-toe on tariffs; but to all countries.</li>
<li>China’s latest round of restrictions target critical materials used in defense, electronics, and EVs.</li>
<li>Apart from China, the world's largest refining - not just the largest miner - who else refines rare earth elements, specifically heavy rare earths?</li>
</ul>


China recently escalated restrictions on the export of rare earths. Not just to the US as the two global players go toe-to-toe on tariffs; but to all countries.
China’s latest round of restrictions target critical materials used in defense, electronics, and EVs.
Apart from China, the world's largest refining - not just the largest miner - who else refines rare earth elements, specifically heavy rare earths?


Know Your Rare Earth Elements As China Restricts Exports

United States

MP Materials Corp. produces and markets rare earth specialty materials. The Company is building a fully-integrated supply chain for high strength permanent magnets for the electrification and sustainability industries.

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MP Materials Corp (MP US)

MP Materials: Initiation of Coverage- Partnership With Apple & the DoD—Are These Deals a Guaranteed Growth Engine?

MP Materials reported a significant transformation in its operations and strategic positioning during the second quarter of 2025. The company has...

Baptista Research

Strategic Trade-Offs Define Chipmakers’ Limited China Reopening

Nvidia and AMD to resume AI chip exports to China, but uncertainty remains over supply chain leverage and market risks.

Mint Finance

MP Materials (NYSE: MP) | Defense-Backed Integration Anchors Strategic Rerating

The U.S. Department of Defense invests $550 million in MP Materials to establish a domestic rare earth magnet supply chain, securing strategic...

Rahul Jain

Sustainable Investing Surveyor Focus on T1 Energy (TE)

The WTR Sustainable Index was up 0.3% W/W versus the S&P 500 Index (down 0.2%), the Russell 2000 Index (up 0.4%), and the Nasdaq Index (flat).

Water Tower Research

Know Your Rare Earth Elements As China Restricts Exports

As the world largest non-PRC rare-earth refiner, don't bet against Lynas as a strategic long-term supplier of critical materials in modern energy,...

David Blennerhassett

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52-week Range

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MP Materials: Initiation of Coverage- Partnership With Apple & the DoD—Are These Deals a Guaranteed Growth Engine?

MP Materials reported a significant transformation in its operations and strategic positioning during the second quarter of 2025. The company has...

Baptista Research

Strategic Trade-Offs Define Chipmakers’ Limited China Reopening

​Nvidia and AMD to resume AI chip exports to China, but uncertainty remains over supply chain leverage and market risks.

Mint Finance

MP Materials (NYSE: MP) | Defense-Backed Integration Anchors Strategic Rerating

​The U.S. Department of Defense invests $550 million in MP Materials to establish a domestic rare earth magnet supply chain, securing strategic...

Rahul Jain

Sustainable Investing Surveyor Focus on T1 Energy (TE)

The WTR Sustainable Index was up 0.3% W/W versus the S&P 500 Index (down 0.2%), the Russell 2000 Index (up 0.4%), and the Nasdaq Index (flat).

Water Tower Research

Know Your Rare Earth Elements As China Restricts Exports

As the world largest non-PRC rare-earth refiner, don't bet against Lynas as a strategic long-term supplier of critical materials in modern energy,...

David Blennerhassett

Nvidia and AMD to resume AI chip exports to China, but uncertainty remains over supply chain leverage and market risks.

The U.S. Department of Defense invests $550 million in MP Materials to establish a domestic rare earth magnet supply chain, securing strategic...