HESPERIA, CA / ACCESS Newswire / February 18, 2026 / 5E Advanced Materials, Inc. ("5E" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: FEAM)(ASX:5EA), a company focused on becoming a vertically integrated global leader and supplier of refined borates and advanced boron derivative materials, today summarized key takeaways from its second-quarter shareholder update call.

During the call, Chief Executive Officer Paul Weibel outlined continued execution across federal financing initiatives, advancing customer discussions, specialty boron derivative workstreams, engineering advancement, and capital planning initiatives designed to strengthen the long-term foundation and differentiate the Fort Cady Project.

Highlights from the call included:

• Customer validation continues to advance - Management continues to convert customer validation into structured offtake discussions. Management noted that engagement is progressing with planned roadshows in the current quarter.
  

• Structural demand environment - Management reaffirmed that demand growth for boron is supported by long-term trends in energy, glass, technology, and defense-related applications. Customers are placing increasing emphasis on supply chain security and jurisdictional reliability.
  

• Expanded specialty boron workstream - Management highlighted continued engagement across additional boron applications, including specialty markets such as ferroboron specific to permanent magnet supply chains, with a goal of providing magnet-grade ferroboron to potential customers for testing in late spring.
  

• DOE Mines of the Future Application Submitted - The Company applied for a US$31 million grant under the U.S. Department of Energy's Mines of the Future - Proving Ground Initiative to support development of a scalable, domestic critical-minerals production platform. The application aligns with national priorities focused on supply chain security, advanced manufacturing, and strategic materials independence. Any award remains subject to DOE review and approval processes.
  

• Engineering and construction-readiness workstreams advancing - The Company continues progressing FEED-related engineering and construction-readiness activities. Previously disclosed Phase 1 project economics continue to support a methodical and de-risked development pathway.
  

• Disciplined roadmap toward FID - The Company's near-term priorities remain: (1) advancing federal financing initiatives, (2) progressing customer discussions toward structured commercial agreements, and (3) executing engineering and pre-FID milestones to position Fort Cady for construction readiness.
  

• Advancement of federal financing and non-dilutive pathways - Following boron's inclusion on the U.S. Critical Minerals List, 5E continues to engage multiple federal agencies designed to strengthen domestic mineral supply chains and advanced manufacturing. Management reiterated its disciplined approach to capital structure, prioritizing non-dilutive and low-cost financing options aligned with national policy frameworks.

"This quarter reflects steady, disciplined execution with target milestones achieved," said Paul Weibel, Chief Executive Officer. "We are actively aligned with U.S. critical mineral policy priorities and advancing a secure, domestic supply chain for boron. Our focus remains on methodically de-risking the project to strategically position Fort Cady as a scalable, U.S.-based construction-ready boron asset."

A replay of the Second Quarter Fiscal Year 2026 shareholder call is now available HERE.

About 5E Advanced Materials, Inc.

5E Advanced Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ: FEAM)(ASX:5EA) is focused on becoming a vertically integrated global leader and supplier of refined borates and advanced boron materials, complemented by calcium-based co-products, and potentially other by-products such as lithium carbonate. The Company's mission is to become a supplier of these critical materials to industries addressing global decarbonization, energy independence, food, national security, and the defense sector. The Company believes factors such as government regulation and incentives focused on domestic manufacturing and supply chains and capital investments across industries will drive demand for end-use applications like solar and wind energy infrastructure, neodymium-ferro-boron magnets, defense applications, lithium-ion batteries, and other critical material applications. The business is based on the Company's large domestic boron resource, which is located in Southern California and designated as Critical Infrastructure by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and boron was included on the U.S. Government's 2025 Critical Minerals List.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this press release may contain "forward-looking statements" that are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release may be identified by the use of words such as "may," "will," "should," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," "could," "intend," "target," "project," "contemplate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential" or "continue" or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions, and include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the Company's development plans, production capabilities, commercialization strategy, offtake discussions, customer qualification processes and success thereof, market demand for boron and lithium, the potential applications of its products across energy, defense, agriculture and industrial markets, and ability to access and secure any government-based financing. Any forward-looking statements are based on 5E's current expectations, forecasts, and assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially and adversely from those set forth in or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the Company's development plans, production capabilities, commercialization strategy, offtake discussions, customer qualification processes, market demand for boron and lithium, and potential applications of its products across energy, defense, and industrial markets, and ability to access and secure any government-based financing. For a discussion of other risks and uncertainties, and other important factors, any of which could cause our actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see the section entitled "Risk Factors" in 5E's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and its other reports filed with the SEC. Forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are based on information available to 5E as of the date hereof and are made only as of the date of this release. 5E undertakes no obligation to update such information except as required under applicable law. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing 5E's views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release. In light of the foregoing, investors are urged not to rely on any forward-looking statement in reaching any conclusion or making any investment decision about any securities of 5E.

For further information contact:

Investor Relations
Brett Maas
Hayden IR, LLC
FEAM@haydenir.com
Ph: +1 (480) 861-2425

Media Relations
Paola Ashton
PRA Communications
team@pracommunications.com
Ph: +1 (604) 681-1407

SOURCE: 5E Advanced Materials, Inc.