TMC Keeps Narrowing Losses While the Permit Everyone's Pricing In Remains Unissued

Barchart · 1d ago
Barchart -16.67% Miss Sep 2025 $-0.06 $-0.14 -133.33% Miss Dec 2025 $-0.06 $-0.08 -33.33% Miss Mar 2026 $-0.06 $-0.05 +16.67% Beat

Note: These figures reflect diluted GAAP earnings per share, reported before non-recurring items, and may differ from the non-GAAP figures used by some sources.

Part 2.1: Price Behavior Around Earnings

TMC typically reports earnings after market close, meaning Day 0 reflects pre-announcement anticipation while Day +1 captures the market's first full reaction to results.

Earnings Date Day 0 Move Day 0 Range Day +1 Move Day +1 Range
2026-05-14 +$0.07 (+1.24%) $0.54 (9.49%) -$0.29 (-5.08%) $0.32 (5.60%)
2026-03-27 -$0.34 (-7.38%) $0.59 (12.80%) -$0.17 (-3.98%) $0.37 (8.67%)
2025-11-13 -$0.47 (-8.33%) $0.53 (9.40%) -$0.09 (-1.74%) $0.32 (6.19%)
2025-08-14 -$0.03 (-0.55%) $0.23 (4.23%) -$0.49 (-9.06%) $0.44 (8.15%)
2025-05-14 +$0.02 (+0.67%) $0.25 (8.25%) +$0.31 (+10.37%) $0.46 (15.38%)
2025-03-27 +$0.04 (+2.41%) $0.09 (5.42%) +$0.02 (+1.18%) $0.41 (24.12%)
2024-11-14 -$0.00 (-0.04%) $0.06 (6.27%) +$0.04 (+4.08%) $0.08 (8.37%)
2024-08-14 +$0.04 (+4.39%) $0.08 (8.49%) +$0.12 (+12.10%) $0.11 (11.20%)
Avg Abs Move 3.13% 8.04% 5.95% 10.96%

TMC exhibits significant post-earnings volatility, with an average absolute Day 0 move of 3.13% and Day +1 move of 5.95%. The Day 0 trading range averages 8.04%, while Day +1 expands to 10.96%, indicating heightened uncertainty and active repositioning as investors digest results.

The directional pattern is mixed but leans negative, with five of the eight most recent reports showing Day 0 declines and four showing Day +1 declines. The most dramatic moves occurred in May 2025 (Day +1: +10.37%) and August 2024 (Day +1: +12.10%), both following positive surprises. Conversely, the March 2026 report triggered a sharp Day 0 decline of -7.38% despite a modest beat, suggesting the market was disappointed by guidance or operational commentary.

The recent May 2026 report showed relatively muted Day 0 action (+1.24%) but a Day +1 decline of -5.08%, indicating initial optimism gave way to profit-taking or concern. Given the stock's tendency toward double-digit intraday ranges around earnings, investors should prepare for substantial price swings regardless of whether TMC beats or misses estimates.

Part 2.2: Options Market Expected Move

Metric Value
Expiration Date 08/14/26 (DTE 2)
Expected Move $0.37 (8.18%)
Expected Range $4.10 to $4.84
Implied Volatility 151.77%

The options market is pricing an 8.18% expected move for this week's expiration, which sits above the average Day 0 move of 3.13% but below the average Day +1 move of 5.95%. This suggests options traders are anticipating moderate volatility, though historical patterns indicate the stock could easily exceed this range given its average Day +1 trading range of 10.96%.

Part 3: What Analysts Are Saying

Analyst sentiment on TMC remains strongly bullish despite the company's pre-revenue status and ongoing losses. The consensus rating stands at 4.67 out of 5.0, reflecting overwhelmingly positive conviction. The breakdown shows 5 Strong Buy ratings, 0 Moderate Buys, 1 Hold rating, and no Sell or Strong Sell ratings among the 6 analysts covering the stock.

The mean price target of $10.33 represents 131% upside from the current price of $4.47, with estimates ranging from a low of $6.00 (34% upside) to a high of $12.25 (174% upside). This wide target range reflects differing views on TMC's timeline to commercialization and the ultimate value of its deep-sea mineral resources, but even the most conservative target implies meaningful appreciation potential.

Sentiment has remained unchanged over the past month, with the rating distribution and average recommendation holding steady at 4.67. This stability suggests analysts are maintaining their bullish thesis heading into earnings, likely anchored on TMC's strategic positioning in the critical minerals supply chain rather than near-term financial performance. The lack of any Sell-rated coverage is notable given the company's execution challenges and regulatory uncertainties, indicating the analyst community views current losses as an acceptable cost of advancing a potentially transformative mining technology.

Part 4: Technical Picture

TMC enters earnings with deteriorating technical momentum after a recent rally attempt has stalled. The Barchart Technical Opinion currently shows a 56% Sell signal, representing a notable improvement from last week's 88% Sell and last month's 100% Sell, suggesting some stabilization after a prolonged downtrend.

Timeframe Analysis:

  • Short-term (50% Sell): Moderate sell signal indicates near-term momentum remains negative despite recent improvement
  • Medium-term (50% Sell): Moderate sell signal suggests the intermediate trend has not yet turned bullish
  • Long-term (100% Sell): Strong sell signal reflects persistent weakness in the longer-term trend structure

Trend Characteristics: The trend is characterized by Average strength and is Weakening, indicating the recent bounce lacks conviction and the stock remains vulnerable to renewed selling pressure heading into earnings.

The stock is trading at $4.47, positioned above its 5-day ($4.43), 10-day ($4.10), 20-day ($3.92), and 50-day ($4.43) moving averages, but remains below its 100-day ($4.80) and 200-day ($5.71) moving averages. This configuration shows short-term resilience but confirms the stock is still in a longer-term downtrend, having failed to reclaim key resistance levels.

Period Value Period Value
5-Day MA $4.43 50-Day MA $4.43
10-Day MA $4.10 100-Day MA $4.80
20-Day MA $3.92 200-Day MA $5.71

The 50-day moving average at $4.43 is now providing immediate support, while the 100-day at $4.80 represents the first significant overhead resistance. A strong earnings beat could propel TMC through the $4.80 level and potentially challenge the $5.00 psychological barrier, but failure to impress would likely send the stock back toward the 20-day moving average at $3.92. The overall technical setup is cautionary, with the stock showing signs of stabilization but lacking the momentum to suggest a sustained breakout is imminent. The weakening trend characteristics and persistent long-term sell signal suggest investors should approach this earnings release with defensive positioning, as the technical foundation remains fragile despite the recent bounce.

This article was generated using Barchart’s automated content technology and existing data APIs. As a result, we are able to provide readers with timely, actionable, in-depth analysis on more equities, allowing them to make more informed decisions. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information, please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here. And, if you would like to report any inaccuracies, please contact news@barchart.com.