Lithium Americas Corp. (LAC.US) experienced a dramatic drop of 21.72% in its share price on Thursday. Earlier, the stock surged over threefold following news that the U.S. government would take a stake in the company and its Thacker Pass project. However, JPMorgan downgraded the stock rating from "Neutral" to "Underweight," setting a target price of $5, citing that the stock's current valuation is significantly inflated. Analyst Bill Peterson expressed that he still sees strong potential in the Thacker Pass project, supported by low-cost debt financing, a strong purchase agreement with General Motors (GM.US), and the project's strategic positioning as a "representative of the Western lithium industry," especially amid a backdrop of rising lithium prices in the coming years. However, after considering revised loan terms and equity dilution factors, he believes there is not enough visible upside in the model to justify Lithium Americas Corp.'s current valuation. Peterson pointed out that the U.S. government's investment in Lithium Americas is more about shielding itself from potential losses rather than a true strategic investment like that seen with MP Materials (MP.US). He noted that retail and momentum-driven buying have led to a disconnection between the stock and its fundamentals, suggesting that a correction may occur once signs of normalization in U.S.-China trade relations emerge in the short term.