STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2024

Share-Based Payment Arrangement [Abstract]

STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY AND STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION

Treasury Stock

In March 2024, the Company’s Board of Directors approved a share repurchase program (the “Program”) effective for one year under which the Company became authorized to repurchase up to an aggregate amount of $300.0 million of the Company’s outstanding common stock. In August 2024, the Company’s Board of Directors approved a $300.0 million increase to the Program, bringing the total authorized amount to $600.0 million. The Program was also extended and is effective until August 30, 2026. The authorization does not require the purchase of any minimum number of shares.

During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024, the Company repurchased 2.2 million and 15.2 million shares, respectively, of its common stock at an aggregate cost of $24.3 million and $225.1 million, respectively. Of the number of shares repurchased during the nine months ended September 30, 2024, 12.3 million were repurchased in March 2024 contemporaneous with the 2030 Notes offering using $191.6 million of the net proceeds from such offering. The shares repurchased in connection with the 2030 Notes offering were privately negotiated transactions with or through one of the initial purchasers of the 2030 Notes or its affiliate at a price of $15.53 per share, which was equal to the closing price per share of common stock on the date of such transactions.

As of September 30, 2024, $375.0 million was available for additional share repurchases under the Program.

Capped Call Options

In March 2024, in connection with the offering of the 2030 Notes, the Company entered into the Capped Call Options with the Counterparties, which cover, subject to anti-dilution adjustments substantially similar to those in the 2030 Notes, 34.4 million shares of the Company’s common stock, the same number of shares that initially underlie the 2030 Notes. The Capped Call Options meet the criteria for classification as equity and, as such, are not remeasured each reporting period. During the first quarter of 2024, the Company paid $65.3 million for the Capped Call Options, which was recorded as a reduction to APIC within the Company’s unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets along with the offsetting associated deferred tax impact of $16.1 million. See Note 10, “Debt Obligations,” for additional information.

Stock-Based Compensation

2020 Incentive Plan: In November 2020, the Company’s stockholders approved the MP Materials Corp. 2020 Stock Incentive Plan (the “2020 Incentive Plan”), which permits the Company to issue stock options (incentive and/or non-qualified); stock appreciation rights (“SARs”); restricted stock, restricted stock units (“RSUs”) and other stock awards (collectively, the “Stock Awards”); and performance awards, which vest contingent upon the attainment of either or a combination of market- or performance-based goals. As of September 30, 2024, the Company has not issued any stock options or SARs and there were 5,332,696 shares available for future grants under the 2020 Incentive Plan.

Market-Based PSUs: In January 2024, pursuant to the 2020 Incentive Plan, the Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors adopted a performance share plan (the “2024 Performance Share Plan”). Pursuant to the 2024 Performance Share Plan, during the nine months ended September 30, 2024, the Company granted 177,766 of market-based

performance stock units (“PSUs”) at target, all of which cliff vest after a requisite performance and service period of three years. The PSUs have the potential to be earned at between 0% and 200% of the number of awards granted depending on the level of growth of the Company’s total shareholder return (“TSR”) as compared to the TSR of the S&P 400 Index and the S&P 400 Materials Group over the performance period. The fair value of the market-based PSUs was determined using a Monte Carlo simulation technique.

The Company’s stock-based compensation was recorded as follows:


	For the three months ended September 30,				For the nine months ended September 30,
(in thousands)	2024		2023		2024		2023
Cost of sales (excluding depreciation, depletion and amortization) (including related party)	$	713	$	842	$	2,789	$	2,759
Selling, general and administrative	4,532		5,193		15,070		15,603
Start-up costs	134		254		369		651
Advanced projects and development	74		9		395		28
Total stock-based compensation expense	$	5,453	$	6,298	$	18,623	$	19,041

Stock-based compensation capitalized to property, plant and equipment, net	$	491	$	367	$	597	$	1,566