Why investors should sell ABAT stock on a 35% DOE driven rally today

American Battery Technology ABAT shares are ripping higher on Jun. 8 after the company won its formal appeal with the US Department of Energy (DOE) to fully reinstate its previously canceled $115 million grant.

This five-year federal grant is a direct lifeline for ABAT’s ambitious Tonopah Flats Lithium Project in Nevada.

The contract will fund Phase 1 construction of a commercial-scale facility designed to output 5,000 metric tons of battery-grade lithium hydroxide annually.

The DOE originally terminated this award back in October 2025 during an aggressive sweep of clean-energy spending reviews.

Today’s unconditional reinstatement keeps the original project milestones and funding intact without any concerning adjustments.

Despite a sharp rally this morning, ABAT stock remains down more than 20% versus its year-to-date high.

Why ABAT stock remains a ‘sell’

Beneath the glittering headline of federal funding lies a company structurally plagued by massive operational losses and heavy cash burn.

ABAT remains deeply unprofitable – recording a trailing twelve-month net loss of $63 million and a negative earnings per share (EPS) of -$0.52.

Even with a $115 million government match, building a capital-intensive lithium refinery requires hundreds of millions more in upfront capital.

Historically, micro-cap miners bridge this cash gap by aggressively issuing new equity – diluting retail shareholders into oblivion.

ABAT shares’ price-to-sales (P/S) ratio sits at an incredibly bloated 118x, forcing investors to pay a steep premium for an unproven commercial operation.

Risks of owning ABAT shares in 2026

ABAT stock remains unattractive at current levels – with its “speculative” nature compounded by deeply unstable trading dynamics.

Despite a recent bounce past $4.00, American Battery Technology Inc exhibits the hallmarks of a highly volatile penny stock; institutional ownership of less than 10%, and a wild 52-week trading range of $1 to $12, reflecting sentiment-driven speculation – not fundamental conviction.

Latecomers chasing the momentum risk being left holding the bag as ABAT has a history of sharp price spikes followed by brutal reversals

Plus, while the lithium market has partially recovered from its 2025 lows, prices remain well below the 2022 peak, and the path to sustained profitability for an early-stage refiner like ABAT remains uncertain.

Meanwhile, several corporate insiders have filed Form 4 disposals over the past 12 months; though most appear linked to tax-withholding obligations on vested stock awards rather than open-market sells, offering a limited directional signal on management's true conviction.

How Wall Street recommends playing ABAT

All in all, chasing a 35% single-day stock price increase driven entirely by “regulatory relief” is a classic retail investor trap.

Caution is warranted in playing ABAT shares here also because it currently receives coverage from just one Wall Street analyst.

This means price discovery is almost entirely driven by retail sentiment rather than institutional research, leaving the stock uniquely vulnerable to hype cycles, sudden reversals, and the kind of momentum-fueled volatility that historically burns latecomers the most.