Is TMC The Metals Company a Buy, Sell, or Hold in 2026?

By Reuben Gregg Brewer – Mar 1, 2026 at 3:15PM ESTKey PointsThe Metals Company has an exciting project, in terms of both size and technology.The mining operation the company envisions won't be built in 2026.TMC The Metals Company (TMC 5.00%) is a great business development story, but right now, that's largely all the company has to offer. Only the most aggressive investors should be considering it at this point in the company's development. Here's why you might want to buy it in 2026 and why most investors will likely be better off keeping this stock on their watch list for now.

Buy The Metals Company in 2026?

The Metals Company is looking to produce nickel, cobalt, copper, and manganese. These metals are vital for energy, defense, manufacturing, and infrastructure. There is both material demand and increasing interest from countries looking to source the metals from economically and politically stable regions.

The Metals Company boldly claims that it is "unlocking the world's largest undeveloped resource" of these metals. Image source: Getty Images. That's a pretty good story and a potentially huge opportunity. If you like to get in early on things, buying The Metals Company in 2026 could be the right move for you. But there are very big risks to consider. Sell or avoid The Metals Company in 2026? The first major risk to consider is the location of The Metals Company's mining operation, which is underwater. It is hard enough to mine materials when no water is involved; undersea mining is even more difficult. In fact, it has been tried by others, and it didn't work out for them. So there is a material risk that The Metals Company might be taking on more than it can chew. TMC also hasn't progressed very far in its development. That means that this money-losing start-up is likely to continue losing money for years to come, and it almost certainly won't make a profit in 2026. In fact, it is unlikely to generate any revenue in 2026, as it continues to spend on the mine development process. ExpandNASDAQ: TMCTMC The Metals CompanyToday's Change(-5.00%) $-0.33Current Price$6.27Key Data PointsMarket Cap$2.6BDay's Range$6.08 - $6.4852wk Range$1.57 - $11.35Volume4.9MAvg Vol9.2M Hold The Metals Company in 2026? If you already own shares in The Metals Company, you presumably like the business story. You should probably stick around unless you have material losses you'd like to harvest for tax purposes. That said, the stock has been highly volatile, and that's not likely to change anytime soon. And certainly not until the company's mine is actually producing. Stick around only if you can handle the volatility. In the end, most investors will probably be better off watching The Metals Company's development from the sidelines. The company's goal is audacious and carries significant execution risk. Until management has proven it can build and profitably operate an undersea mine, the risk/reward balance is heavily weighted toward risk.Read NextFeb 23, 2026 •By Scott LevineIf You'd Invested $1,000 in The Metals Company 3 Years Ago, Here's How Much You'd Have TodayFeb 18, 2026 •By Reuben Gregg Brewer3 Things Every TMC The Metals Company Investor Needs to KnowJan 27, 2026 •By Scott LevineWhy Shares of TMC the metals company Ripped 450.9% Higher in 2025 and Can Continue Flying Higher in 2026Jan 26, 2026 •By Johnny RiceWhy TMC The Metals Company Stock Dropped 17.7% TodayJan 22, 2026 •By Rich SmithWhy TMC the metals company Stock Just PoppedJan 20, 2026 •By Courtney CarlsenIs TMC The Metals Company a Smart Speculative Bet on Critical Minerals?About the AuthorReuben Gregg Brewer is a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst covering energy, utilities, REITs, and consumer staples. He is the former director of research at Value Line Publishing, where he rose from mutual fund analyst to equity analyst before leading all research operations. Reuben holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from SUNY Purchase, a master’s in social work from Columbia University, and an MBA from Regis University. He has been featured as a financial expert on CNBC and in the Financial Times, Barron’s, and InvestmentNews.TMFReubenGBrewerStocks MentionedTMC The Metals CompanyNASDAQ: TMC$6.27(-5.00%)-$0.33*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.