PKX and Factorial Partner to Advance Battery Materials Development

POSCO Holdings Inc.’s PKX unit POSCO Future M and Factorial Inc. have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to partner on the development of all-solid-state battery materials. The agreement was made at the Future Battery Forum in Berlin to explore cooperation in powering progress in next-generation industries such as electric vehicles, robotics, energy storage systems and more.

The partnership followed Factorial’s evaluation of cathode material samples from several suppliers, in which POSCO Future M’s materials demonstrated good rate capability. By combining POSCO Future M’s strengths in cathode and anode materials with Factorial’s solid-state battery cell technology and market reach with global automakers, both companies will generate synergy.

The companies will cooperate to develop materials essential for all-solid-state batteries that use solid electrolytes instead of liquid between the cathode and anode, ensuring improved safety, higher energy density and superior charging performance compared with conventional lithium-ion batteries.

POSCO Future M is already conducting R&D on cathode materials for all-solid-state batteries and silicon anode materials, while the POSCO Group continues R&D on lithium metal anodes and sulfide-based solid electrolytes. Factorial also operates pilot manufacturing in South Korea.

POSCO Future M plans to leverage POSCO Holdings N.EX.T Hub to accelerate the development of next-generation mobility materials. Innovation, stronger supply chains and reduction of costs alongside the expansion of its cathode and anode portfolio for electric vehicles, are expected to benefit Factorial in the long term.

PKX’s shares have gained 14.9% over the past year compared with the industry’s 23.7% growth.

PKX’s Zacks Rank & Key Picks

PKX currently has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).

Some better-ranked stocks in the Basic Materials space are Kinross Gold Corporation KGC, Fortuna Mining Corp. FSM and Harmony Gold Mining Company Limited HMY.

At present, KGC sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), while FSM and HMY carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) each. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for KGC’s current-year earnings is pegged at $1.63 per share, indicating a rise of 139.71%. Its earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the trailing four quarters, with an average surprise of 17.37%. KGC’s shares have risen 176.1% in the past year.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for FSM’s current fiscal-year earnings is pinned at 83 cents per share, indicating 80.4% year-over-year increase.Its shares have surged 94.9% in the past year.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for HMY’s 2026 earnings is pegged at $2.66 per share, indicating a rise of 112% from year-ago levels. HMY’s shares have gained 115.2% in the past year.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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