The Metals Play You're Not Supposed to Notice

Every cycle has a moment before it becomes obvious.

Before the headlines.
Before the TV segments.
Before the "why didn't I see this sooner" conversations.

This metal has already surged over the past several years.

Governments are expanding reserves.

And one high-grade North American deposit is being drilled - yet, it is still under $1.

It doesn't feel crowded.

That's usually when it's most interesting.

Find the ticker while it's still flying under the radar >

Special Report

Rocket Lab Gets Approval to Acquire Mynaric: Why This Matters

Authored by Ryan Hasson. First Published: 4/7/2026.

Rocket Lab (NASDAQ: RKLB) has taken a major step forward in its vertical-integration strategy. The company announced that it has received regulatory approval to acquire Mynaric, a leading provider of laser-optical communications terminals for air, space, and mobile applications. Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy reviewed and approved the transaction, which is expected to close in April. The news arrived at an interesting moment: RKLB had fallen close to 30% from its 52-week high, but the market reacted swiftly and positively. Shares rallied more than 10% on the news, nearly confirming a higher low near $60 and preserving the stock's higher-timeframe uptrend.

So why is this such a big deal? Let's take a closer look.

Rocket Lab Approved to Acquire Mynaric

Rocket Lab has been moving toward vertical integration for several years, methodically acquiring companies and forming partnerships that let it manufacture more satellite components in-house. That approach reduces supply-chain risk and better serves its growing roster of commercial and government customers. The Mynaric acquisition is a meaningful step toward that goal.

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Key Points

Rocket Lab has received regulatory approval to acquire Mynaric, a laser-optical communications specialist, with the deal expected to close in April.
Mynaric is already a subcontractor to Rocket Lab, supplying optical terminals for its $1.3 billion SDA contracts.
The acquisition establishes Rocket Lab's first European footprint and brings laser communications in-house, a critical step in its evolution from launch provider to fully integrated space systems company.
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As Rocket Lab founder and CEO Sir Peter Beck put it, laser communications are a critical enabler for today's and tomorrow's satellite constellations, and the objective is to make them available at scale.

The acquisition also establishes Rocket Lab's first European footprint, with Mynaric remaining headquartered in Munich, Germany. That gives the company a strategic base from which to expand support for German and broader European space programs.

The strategic logic is straightforward. Laser communications offer significant advantages over traditional radio-frequency systems: higher data rates, greater security, improved spectrum efficiency, and better scalability. Despite those benefits, constellation operators have faced supply-chain bottlenecks—high-volume, affordable optical terminals have not come to market at the pace demand requires. Rocket Lab aims to close that gap by scaling production and introducing manufacturing efficiencies to provide customers greater confidence in on-schedule, on-budget delivery.

Mynaric is not a stranger to Rocket Lab's ecosystem: it is already a subcontractor, supplying CONDOR Mk3 optical communication terminals for Rocket Lab's $1.3 billion prime contracts with the Space Development Agency (SDA) to produce 36 satellites across Transport Layer-Beta Tranche 2 and Tracking Layer Tranche 3. Mynaric also supplies other SDA contracts. The companies share many customers across commercial constellation operators, satellite prime contractors, and defense and civil government agencies. In that respect, this deal deepens an existing relationship that already underpins some of Rocket Lab's most important contracts.

What It Means Going Forward

The Mynaric acquisition reinforces a thesis that has been building: Rocket Lab is no longer just a launch company. It is evolving into a fully integrated space-systems provider capable of designing, building, launching, and communicating across satellite constellations end to end.

For investors watching the aerospace sector, the technical picture is also encouraging. The higher low near $60 and the recovery rally suggest the market views this news as a genuine catalyst. If RKLB can hold above that level and continue to build momentum, the path back toward its prior highs could open. The Neutron launch timeline and ongoing execution of the SDA contract remain key catalysts to monitor alongside this acquisition.

Special Report

This New Spinoff Is a Nuclear and AI Chip Beneficiary Worth Watching

Authored by Leo Miller. First Published: 4/1/2026.

Key Points

Since splitting off from a massive industrial leader, shares of Solstice Advanced Materials are on a hot streak.
The company holds impressive positions in nuclear energy and advanced semiconductor supply chains, generating strong growth from these industries.
However, does the company's overall growth justify its soaring share price?
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Solstice Advanced Materials (NASDAQ: SOLS) is a relatively new public company that has gotten off to a blistering start. At the end of October 2025, the $100+ billion industrial conglomerate Honeywell International (NASDAQ: HON) spun out Solstice.

Since the spinout, Solstice shares have climbed more than 50%, helped by strong tailwinds in both the nuclear energy and semiconductor industries.

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Investors should temper enthusiasm, though, because the current share price appears to price in years of rapid growth. Still, operating at the intersection of two major investment themes makes Solstice a name to watch if its valuation pulls back meaningfully.

U.S. Uranium Conversion Runs Through Solstice

Rapid deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) data centers is boosting demand for both nuclear power and advanced semiconductors. Many hyperscalers are pushing to accelerate nuclear adoption to meet rising electricity needs, which serves two purposes.

First, nuclear energy is low-carbon, helping companies meet clean-energy targets. Second, unlike intermittent renewables such as wind and solar, nuclear plants can run continuously, supporting the persistent power demands of AI workloads.

Solstice owns the Metropolis Works uranium hexafluoride (UF6) conversion facility, making it the only domestic provider of UF6 conversion services. Solstice converts raw uranium into UF6 before the material moves to fuel fabrication.

That ownership gives Solstice strategic importance for national energy security. There are only four other UF6 conversion sites worldwide; 2022 data show at least one facility in Russia and another in China—countries that have adversarial relations with the United States.

Rising nuclear demand has left capacity at Metropolis nearly sold out through 2030, and the facility carries an order backlog topping $2 billion. Bank of America estimates global nuclear capacity could triple by 2050, creating a sizable opportunity for Solstice in a fragmented market.

New competitors are a potential threat, but Solstice notes that bringing a UF6 conversion plant to production readiness typically takes four to five years, which supports its near-term competitive position.

SOLS’s Copper Manganese: A Vital Input for AI Semiconductors

Advanced semiconductors are essential to AI, and Solstice holds a strong position as a supplier of key chip materials.

The company produces copper-manganese sputtering targets, which are critical for making semiconductors at process nodes below seven nanometers (nm). Solstice says it is "really the only producer that has copper manganese at scale," and that there are only two or three global suppliers overall.

Shrinking process nodes is a primary way to boost semiconductor performance, and smaller nodes increase demand for copper manganese. The U.S. push to onshore advanced semiconductor manufacturing also benefits Solstice by making proximity a buying advantage for domestic customers. Major industry players are investing heavily:

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (NYSE: TSM) is producing its 4nm chips in Arizona and plans to bring a 3nm process online by 2027.
Samsung Electronics (OTCMKTS: SSNLF) plans to produce 2nm chips at its Taylor, Texas, facility.
Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) plans to invest $100 billion to expand U.S. capacity, with Fab 52 designed to make 1.8nm chips.

To support rising demand, Solstice is investing $200 million to double sputtering-target manufacturing capacity at its Washington State facility. Copper-manganese demand represents a meaningful growth runway the company is positioning to capture.

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In its latest quarter, Solstice’s nuclear business grew 39% year over year (YOY), while its Electronic Materials division—home to sputtering-target revenue—grew 19% YOY. That said, Solstice is a diversified company, not a pure play on nuclear and semiconductors: in 2024 those two end markets accounted for just 22% of total revenue.

As a result, total sales rose only 3% in 2025 (and 8% in Q4 2025). Management's 2026 revenue guidance is near 4%, which looks modest relative to the current valuation and makes the stock's near-term outlook less compelling at today’s levels.

Still, Solstice is an interesting company that serves as a key supplier in both the nuclear and semiconductor supply chains. It warrants attention from investors, particularly if its fundamentals improve or its valuation retreats.

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