The IperionX Ltd (ASX: IPX) share price is in focus today after the company issued a detailed response to a short seller report, reaffirming its operational progress and robust U.S. Government support for its titanium manufacturing technologies.
What did IperionX report?
- Completion of the Virginia Titanium Manufacturing Campus commissioning, with nameplate production capacity raised to 200 tonnes per annum (tpa)
- Secured over US$59 million in recent U.S. Department of Defense awards to help expand operations and advance feasibility studies
- Held US$79.2 million cash and equivalents at 30 September 2025, plus access to US$43 million in obligated government funding
- Received U.S. Army SBIR Phase III contract for up to US$99 million in procurement, with the first task order already issued
- Secured commercial agreements with Ford, Panerai, and the U.S. Army for titanium product supply
- Advancing a pipeline of over 90 active customer programs and 22 final-stage commercial negotiations
What else do investors need to know?
IperionX addressed the short seller's report directly, noting that Spruce Point Capital did not contact or visit management or operational sites before its release. The company emphasised its strong data-security, intellectual property, and compliance controls, meeting U.S. Government requirements.
The business highlighted ongoing support and validation from multiple U.S. Government agencies, including ARPA-E and the Department of Defense, with several funding and production contracts supporting its expansion and commercialisation efforts.
IperionX is scaling its Virginia operations with plans to boost titanium production from the current 200 tpa to approx. 1,400 tpa by mid-2027. Meanwhile, the Titan Critical Minerals Project in Tennessee is progressing towards a definitive feasibility study.
What's next for IperionX?
Management's near-term priorities include increasing production capacity at the Virginia facility, delivering on government task orders, and lowering costs through process improvements. The Titan Project aims to reach shovel-ready status by mid-2026, potentially supplying rare earths, titanium, and zircon to support U.S. critical mineral security.
Looking further ahead, IperionX is targeting high-growth end markets with its low-cost, lower-carbon titanium components, expanding its high-value product offering for sectors such as defence, automotive, and electronics.
IperionX share price snapshot
IperionX shares have risen 38% over the past 12 months, significantly outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has increased 4% over the same period.
