New York, February 13, 2026, 19:36 EST — After-hours
Shares of Moolec Science SA (Nasdaq: MLEC) surged 69.2% to finish Friday at $8.63, up from $5.10 the previous session, after the company spotlighted new data from its GLASO1 safflower program. The stock’s session ranged from $8.12 to $12.23, with trading volume crossing 50 million shares. By 7:21 p.m. EST, the stock slipped 7.9% to $7.95 in after-hours action.
This matters for Moolec, raising the core question: can the company actually take its engineered crop beyond the lab and small test plots, and get it through commercial processing? Crushing—the step where harvested oilseeds are pressed for oil—stands as a critical bottleneck in crop ingredient production. Investors often chase after companies that say they’ve solved it.
Gamma-linolenic acid—GLA for short—shows up in a handful of seed oils and usually finds its way into supplement shelves. Moolec is betting on an engineered safflower to deliver a high‑GLA oil, saying production could ramp up on current infrastructure, provided quality remains consistent year after year.
The company said early Friday that commercial-scale crushing of GLASO1 safflower turned up approximately 45% GLA concentration and worked with typical U.S. crushing setups. For 2025, its U.S. campaign spans 1,100 acres, with yields coming in at around 2,200 pounds per acre—up from the roughly 1,400 pounds per acre reported for 2024.
“The U.S. GLASO1 platform has reached an inflection point,” chief executive Alejandro Antalich said. Now, he’s looking to shift that momentum toward “sustainable, recurring revenue.” Nasdaq
Friday’s action had all the marks of a microcap squeeze—heavy volume, sharp swings, quick flips. After-hours, shares faded, a sign that plenty of the day’s buyers were just in for the short-term move.
This was an operational update, not a financial one. So the main issue remains: who’s actually buying the oil, and under what conditions? With that still unknown, expect the stock to react to headlines and shifts in positioning.
The leap from an impressive harvest to actual commercial sales isn’t always smooth. Weather throws curveballs, logistics get tangled, and supplement buyers want reliability—consistent quality, predictable deliveries—not just a single standout season.
Markets in the U.S. won’t open Monday because of Presidents Day, giving investors in a stock known for volatile gaps an extra day off. When trading comes back on Tuesday, expect thinner liquidity—price swings could easily overshoot.
Moolec’s standing with Nasdaq is getting plenty of attention from investors. In a January filing, the company outlined key dates: it has until the end of February 2026 to update the hearings panel on its “derecognition” process—a move that takes certain items off the balance sheet. Updated pro forma financials are due by the end of March. Required public disclosures and compliance? Those are set for May 13.
