Altfest L J & Co. Inc. Boosts Stake in USA Rare Earth Inc.

Investment firm increases holdings in critical minerals company by over 50%

Apr. 12, 2026 at 7:14am

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An extreme close-up of industrial machinery and equipment used in rare earth element processing, conveying the scale and complexity of this critical infrastructure.Altfest L J & Co. Inc.'s increased investment in USA Rare Earth underscores the strategic importance of domestic critical mineral processing capabilities.Round Top Today

Altfest L J & Co. Inc., a New York-based investment management firm, has increased its stake in USA Rare Earth Inc. (NASDAQ:USAR) by 53.9% in the fourth quarter, according to a recent SEC filing. The firm now owns 1,213,854 shares of the critical minerals company, making it one of the largest institutional investors.

Why it matters

USA Rare Earth is developing a fully integrated rare earth element (REE) and lithium project in West Texas, which is seen as a strategic asset for reducing U.S. reliance on foreign sources of critical minerals. Altfest's increased investment signals confidence in the company's long-term potential.

The details

Altfest acquired an additional 425,377 shares of USA Rare Earth during the fourth quarter, bringing its total holdings to approximately 1.2 million shares. This represents around 0.92% of the company's outstanding shares, valued at $14.4 million as of the most recent SEC filing.

  • Altfest increased its stake in USA Rare Earth during the fourth quarter of 2025.
  • USA Rare Earth's shares trade on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol USAR.

The players

Altfest L J & Co. Inc.

A New York-based investment management firm that has increased its stake in USA Rare Earth Inc. to become one of the company's largest institutional investors.

USA Rare Earth Inc.

A development-stage critical minerals company focused on advancing a fully integrated rare earth element (REE) and lithium project in West Texas.

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What they’re saying

“We believe USA Rare Earth's project has significant long-term potential to help address the growing domestic demand for secure critical mineral supply chains.”

— David Altfest, CEO, Altfest L J & Co. Inc.

What’s next

USA Rare Earth is currently working to advance its Round Top project in West Texas through resource delineation, pilot-scale processing, and eventual commercial production. The company is also exploring opportunities to expand its midstream rare earth processing capabilities in Europe through a recent strategic partnership.

The takeaway

Altfest's increased investment in USA Rare Earth underscores the growing importance of domestic critical mineral production and processing capabilities. As the U.S. seeks to reduce reliance on foreign sources, companies like USA Rare Earth that are developing integrated supply chains could play a key role in the future of the critical minerals industry.