New York, NY, Aug. 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Following a challenge brought by Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated, BBB National Programs’ National Advertising Division will refer claims made by Maze Therapeutics, Inc. to the appropriate regulatory authorities for review and possible enforcement action for failure to submit a substantive response to the National Advertising Division’s (NAD) inquiry. Vertex and Maze are competitors developing clinical-stage treatments for APOL1-Mediated Kidney Disease (AMK ...

Daqo New Energy (DQ) Q2 2025 Earnings Call August 26, 2025 08:00 AM ET Company ParticipantsJessie Zhao - Director - IRAnita Zhu - Deputy Chief Executive OfficerMing Yang - CFOAlan Hon - Head of Asia Power & Utilities and Renewables Equity ResearchMatthew Ingraham - Equity Research AssociateAlan Young - SVPGordon Johnson - Founder & CEOConference Call ParticipantsMengwen Wang - Securities Representative & AnalystZihui Hu - AnalystOperatorGood day and welcome to the DAACO New Energy Second Quarter twenty twen ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Company recorded revenues of $75.2 million for Q2 2025, a decrease from $123.9 million in Q1 2025 and $219.9 million in Q2 2024 [17] - Gross loss was $81.4 million, with a gross margin of negative 108%, compared to negative 65.8% in Q1 2025 and negative 72% in Q2 2024 [18] - Net loss attributable to shareholders was $76.5 million, with a loss per basic ADS of $1.14, compared to $1.07 in Q1 2025 and $1.81 in Q2 2024 [20] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total production volume for the quarter was 29,012 metric tons, with sales volume decreasing to 18,126 metric tons from 28,008 metric tons in Q1 2025 [10] - Cash cost per kilogram decreased by 4% to $5.12, while polysilicon unit production cost also decreased by 4% to $7.26 per kilogram [11][12] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Poly market prices trended downward, falling from RMB39-45 per kilogram in April to RMB32-35 per kilogram by June [13] - Despite a surge in installations in May, installations plummeted to 14 gigawatts in June, indicating volatility in demand [12] Company Strategy and Development Direction - Company aims to enhance efficiency through digital transformation and AI adoption, positioning itself as a low-cost producer with high-quality products [16] - The company is optimistic about the long-term growth of the solar PV industry and is focused on navigating current market challenges [16] Management Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that the solar PV industry is facing challenges due to overcapacity and low prices, but they expect a recovery supported by government initiatives [8][15] - The company anticipates a production volume of approximately 27,000 to 30,000 metric tons for 2025, with a full-year guidance of 110,000 to 130,000 metric tons [12] Other Important Information - The company has a strong balance sheet with no financial debt and a cash balance of CNY599 million as of June 30, 2025 [9] - A new share repurchase program of $100 million was authorized, reflecting management's confidence in the industry's future [40] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you share updates on policy development regarding the consolidation fund? - Management discussed recent government meetings aimed at curbing irrational competition and promoting industry self-regulation [29][30] Question: How sustainable do you think the higher pricing can be with anti-involution initiatives? - Management expressed that selling below cash cost is unsustainable and emphasized the need for industry players to align on pricing above production costs [34][35] Question: What is the strategy behind the recently announced share repurchase program? - The program aims to strengthen shareholder confidence and reflects optimism about the industry's future [40][41] Question: How do you see the balance between price and inventory dynamics? - Management indicated that industry policies will help balance supply and demand, and they are actively managing inventory levels [55][56] Question: Will the company sell more polysilicon in Q3? - Management confirmed that they intend to adjust sales strategies based on market conditions and regulatory developments [70][71]

Core Viewpoint - The self-regulation of the loot box industry in the UK has failed, leading to widespread noncompliance and lack of enforcement, particularly affecting consumer protection for children [2][4][5] Group 1: Industry Self-Regulation - The previous Conservative UK government encouraged the gaming industry, represented by Ukie, to self-regulate instead of imposing legislation [1] - A study published in Royal Society Open Science indicates that compliance with self-regulation is very poor, with only 23.5% of the top 100 iPhone games disclosing the presence of loot boxes in their marketing [2] - Only 8.6% of these games consistently disclosed the probabilities of obtaining different rewards, highlighting a significant lack of transparency [2] Group 2: Enforcement Issues - Noncompliant games were reported to Ukie and the UK government over six months ago, yet no enforcement actions have been taken, allowing these games to remain available for download [3] - Ukie had previously promised that noncompliant games would face "severe fines" and "delisting" from app stores, but these promises have not been fulfilled [3] Group 3: Consumer Protection - The current state of noncompliance and lack of enforcement fails to protect consumers, especially children, as initially promised by the industry [4] - Companies are not only breaching self-regulation but also advertising regulations and consumer laws, indicating a need for more proactive enforcement by other regulators [4]