Akero Therapeutics (AKRO) 2025 Conference May 13, 2025 04:40 PM ET Speaker0 And I'm very pleased to have joined me in our first slot of the afternoon session, Andrew Chang, CEO of Vaccaro. Thank you so much for joining us. Speaker1 Thank you for having us, Jason. Well, perfect. Speaker0 Maybe just to start broadly to provide a little context for those newer to the story, Can you describe the role of FGF21 in the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis? Kind of acknowledging that it is somewhat early, but what are so ...

Summary of Conference Call for Apogee Therapeutics Inc (APGE) and Amelix Apogee Therapeutics Inc (APGE) Industry and Company Overview - Focus on developing treatments for atopic dermatitis, asthma, and eosinophilic esophagitis (EOE) with a pipeline that includes phase two trials for multiple indications [1][2][4] Core Points and Arguments - **Atopic Dermatitis Trials**: Aiming for a six-month endpoint with reduced dosing frequency, targeting a market similar to psoriasis [1][4] - **Head-to-Head Trials**: Plans to launch a trial against Dupixent, with results expected next year [2][6] - **Market Dynamics**: The atopic dermatitis market is described as "white space," with Dupixent being the primary competitor [4][14] - **Dosing Innovations**: Emphasis on improving dosing frequency to every three months or better, which is expected to enhance efficacy [5][6][12] - **Efficacy Measures**: Data indicates deep and sustained inhibition of type two inflammation, suggesting potential for longer dosing intervals [7][8] - **Market Potential**: The atopic dermatitis market could reach $50 billion, with significant patient preference for less frequent dosing [14][15] Additional Important Content - **Patient Feedback**: Over 80% of surveyed patients preferred a drug with less frequent dosing compared to Dupixent [14] - **Financial Position**: The company has a strong balance sheet with over $680 million, providing a runway into Q1 2028 [17] Amelix Industry and Company Overview - Focus on developing treatments for rare diseases, including post-bariatric hypoglycemia (PBH) and Wolfram syndrome, with a pipeline that includes Avexatide [19][20] Core Points and Arguments - **Lead Asset - Avexatide**: A GLP-1 receptor antagonist with breakthrough therapy designation for PBH, currently in phase three trials [20][36] - **Clinical Data**: Phase two trials showed significant reductions in hypoglycemic events, with a 53% reduction in level two and a 66% reduction in level three events [38][40] - **Unmet Need**: Approximately 160,000 people in the U.S. suffer from PBH, with no approved treatments available [37][42] Additional Important Content - **Wolfram Syndrome**: Positive phase two data showing stabilization or improvement in C peptide levels, indicating better beta cell function [28][31] - **FDA Discussions**: Ongoing discussions with the FDA regarding trial design and endpoints for potential approval [30][40] - **Patient Experience**: High patient satisfaction reported, with most rating the treatment highly due to improvements in energy and reduction of hypoglycemic events [44] This summary encapsulates the key points from the conference call, highlighting the strategic focus, clinical developments, and market potential for both Apogee Therapeutics and Amelix.

Paymentus (PAY) FY Conference May 13, 2025 04:30 PM ET Speaker0 Alright. Let's get started. My name is Tien Tsin Huang. I follow payments and IT services at JPMorgan, and this is the Paymentus fireside chat. We're happy to take questions at the end and also through the through the portal. But thank you to the Paymentus team for being here. Dushant Sharma, CEO Sanjay Kahara, CFO. Again, thank you both for for being here. I I always say like, Dushant, what you founded Paymentus of what, 02/2004, is that what ...

Summary of Calix (CALX) FY Conference Call - May 13, 2025 Company Overview - **Company**: Calix (CALX) - **Industry**: Broadband Equipment and Services Key Points and Arguments Industry Dynamics - The company is experiencing a wave of disruption in the broadband equipment landscape, particularly post-COVID, with a return to sequential growth and gross margin expansion [1][6] - Larger public companies are losing broadband subscribers to "broadband experience providers," which are gaining market share due to superior customer experiences [5][6] Customer Engagement and Strategy - Calix focuses on helping broadband experience providers enhance their service offerings, which leads to high net promoter scores and low churn rates among subscribers [6][7] - The company emphasizes the importance of deployment rates and customer success, indicating that they have direct relationships with customers to monitor and support their growth [17][18] Financial Performance - Calix reported a 16% continuous annual growth rate from Q1 2019 to the present, with gross margins expanding by 175 basis points annually [13][14] - Gross margins have improved from 50% during the pandemic to 56.2% currently, indicating recovery and growth in profitability [15] Market Trends and Customer Behavior - Higher interest rates are seen as beneficial for Calix, as they prompt customers to optimize their network infrastructure and subscriber acquisition strategies [8][9] - The company has observed lumpiness in customer spending patterns, which is attributed to varying deployment schedules among small, medium, and large customers [12][16] Growth Drivers - The primary growth driver for Calix is the expansion of existing customers rather than acquiring new ones, focusing on a "land and expand" model [28] - The deployment of GigaSpire systems is a key indicator of new subscriber acquisition and overall business health [26][27] Supply Chain and Tariff Management - Calix is proactively managing supply chain challenges and tariffs, with plans to move manufacturing to Mexico to mitigate costs [30][31] - The company aims to minimize disruption to customers and will only pass on tariff costs as a last resort [32][36] Future Outlook - The company expects to maintain a long-term growth rate of 10% to 15% annually, with margin expansion of 100 to 200 basis points, despite uncertainties in the macroeconomic environment [71][72] - The potential relaxation of technology rules in government funding programs is anticipated, which could further benefit the broadband sector [64][67] Managed Services and Cloud Offerings - Adoption of managed services is increasing, with a notable ramp-up in customer deployments, which is expected to positively impact gross margins [48][51] - The Service Cloud is the most advanced offering, while the Engagement Cloud is growing as customers evolve into broadband experience providers [54][56] Government Funding and BEAD Program - There is ongoing uncertainty regarding the BEAD program, but no indications of cancellation have been reported, suggesting continued investment opportunities in the broadband space [62][63] Additional Important Insights - The company has a strong focus on cash flow management, emphasizing the importance of maintaining gross profit neutrality amidst changing market conditions [75][78] - Calix's strategic positioning and customer-centric approach are expected to provide a competitive advantage in the evolving broadband landscape [36][67]

Pegasystems (PEGA) FY Conference Summary Company Overview - **Company**: Pegasystems (PEGA) - **Industry**: Software, specifically AI-driven decisioning and workflow automation - **Founding Year**: 1983 - **Key Executives**: Alan Troughler (Founder and CEO), Ken Stilwell (CEO and CFO) [3][5] Core Points and Arguments Business Model Transition - Transitioned to a subscription-based business model and focused on cloud services, aiming to be a "Rule of 40" company [5] - Introduction of **Blueprint**, a tool designed to streamline application development and expand the addressable market [5][7] Blueprint Tool - **Blueprint** compresses the application development lifecycle, allowing for faster client engagement and project initiation [9][10] - It enables users to input business goals and existing documentation, significantly reducing the time from weeks to mere hours for conceptualization [9][10] - Blueprint is positioned to engage users unfamiliar with Pega's offerings, facilitating new client acquisition [10] AI Differentiation - Pega's approach to AI emphasizes pre-design reasoning and workflow mapping, contrasting with competitors that rely on runtime reasoning [14][15] - The use of **Large Language Models (LLMs)** is integrated into Blueprint to enhance workflow design and predictability, minimizing risks associated with AI hallucinations [15][16][17] Legacy Transformation - Blueprint is being utilized for legacy transformation projects, allowing clients to upload existing system documentation to create new workflows and cloud-native databases [28][29] - The slow pace of digital transformation in the industry presents a significant opportunity for Pega to accelerate client projects [30][34] Customer Engagement and Market Dynamics - High engagement levels with customers, with a focus on efficiency and cost-saving measures, particularly in uncertain economic conditions [58][61] - Pega's sales strategy has shifted to emphasize Pega Cloud and Blueprint, with a notable increase in deals involving Blueprint [45][50] Financial Performance - Q1 results showed strong performance with $61 million in ACV growth, exceeding initial expectations [70] - The company anticipates a more traditional seasonal sales pattern, with Q4 expected to be stronger than Q2 and Q3 [72] Cash Flow and Growth Potential - Pega has achieved a free cash flow level around 30%, with plans to expand selling capacity while increasing growth rates and margins [74] Other Important Insights - The introduction of **adaptive subscription** models allows clients to engage with Pega flexibly, reducing contractual hurdles [52][53] - The company has a high single-digit exposure to the US federal market, indicating a stable client base [67] - The executives expressed confidence in navigating macroeconomic uncertainties, leveraging Pega's cloud solutions to reassure clients [58][60] This summary encapsulates the key points discussed during the Pegasystems FY Conference, highlighting the company's strategic initiatives, market positioning, and financial outlook.

Lamar Advertising Company (LAMR) FY Conference May 13, 2025 04:30 PM ET Speaker0 Okay. Great. Happy to have back at the conference from Lamar Advertising, Sean Reilly, President and CEO. Sean, thanks for being here. Hey. Thanks for having me, David. Appreciate it. Let's start with this. So we could go, you were right here in Boston for the OAAA Industry Conference. How was the mood at the event? Any interesting learnings coming out of it? Speaker1 Yeah. The mood was very constructive. I'm not saying it was ...

SS&C (SSNC) FY Conference May 13, 2025 04:30 PM ET Speaker0 Great. Hello everyone. My name is Alexey Gogolov, and today I'm delighted to welcome at our Boston TMC conference SS and C CFO, Brian Shell, and company IR, Chand Madaca. Wonderful to see you both at our conference. And, I hope that you, Brian and Chand, are getting along well since that Broncos Chiefs game back in January. And speaking of competition, Brian, maybe you could start by elaborating a bit more on the competitive environment for each of ...

Duolingo (DUOL) FY Conference Summary Company Overview - **Company**: Duolingo - **Industry**: Mobile Learning Platform - **Key Offerings**: Language learning, math, music, and chess courses - **User Metrics**: - 130 million monthly active users - 47 million daily active users - Over 10 million subscribers - **Financial Projections**: Expected to generate over $1 billion in bookings with 28% adjusted EBITDA margins and $360 million in free cash flow in the current year [2][2][2] Key Points and Arguments User Growth and Engagement - Duolingo's freemium model effectively converts users into subscribers, with a strong user growth trajectory, particularly in mature markets [5][6] - Daily Active Users (DAUs) are expected to grow by 40% to 45% in Q2, following a near 60% growth in the same quarter last year [5][6] - The company employs a two-pronged approach for user acquisition: 1. **Social Media Strategy**: Viral content and user-generated content enhance brand visibility [7][8] 2. **Resurrected Users**: Engaging users who have previously stopped using the app contributes significantly to user growth [9][10] Retention Strategies - Duolingo focuses on optimizing user retention through various strategies, including daily engagement nudges and app improvements [11][12] - A dedicated team runs experiments to enhance user experience and retention metrics [12][13] Market Expansion - 46% of DAUs are currently learning English, with a goal to increase this to over 60% by enhancing advanced English content and introducing new features like video calls [21][22][24] - The Duolingo Score, an English proficiency measure, is expected to further drive user engagement and retention [26] Subscription Tiers and Monetization - The introduction of the Max subscription tier, priced at twice the Super tier, is aimed at increasing platform Lifetime Value (LTV) [28][30] - The Family Plan has shown strong retention characteristics and is expected to grow as marketing efforts increase [37][39] - Recent price increases for new subscribers are part of a broader strategy to optimize ARPU while maintaining user conversion rates [41][46] AI and Content Creation - Generative AI is being leveraged for content creation, allowing for rapid expansion of course offerings [56][57] - The company is focused on maintaining incremental margins while investing in growth through AI [59] New Product Verticals - Duolingo has recently launched chess as a new offering, aiming to replicate the success seen in language learning by gamifying the experience [70][73] - The integration of chess into the main app allows for leveraging existing user engagement mechanics [73][74] Additional Insights - The company has a strong historical ethos of prudent spending and organic growth, which contributes to its operational leverage [66][67] - Future strategies will involve experimenting with alternative payment methods and assessing their impact on user conversion and retention [60][62] This summary encapsulates the key insights from Duolingo's FY conference, highlighting the company's growth strategies, user engagement tactics, and future opportunities in the mobile learning space.

Affirm (AFRM) FY Conference Summary Company Overview - **Company**: Affirm (AFRM) - **Industry**: Fintech, specifically focused on Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) services Key Highlights - **Strong GMV Growth**: Affirm reported a 36% year-on-year growth in Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV) for the quarter, marking the third consecutive quarter of acceleration in GMV growth [2][3] - **Revenue Growth**: Revenue growth was in line with GMV growth, indicating a healthy business model [2] - **Unit Economics**: Affirm's unit economics showed a 53% year-on-year growth, significantly above the expected range of 3% to 4% [3] - **Operating Margin**: The adjusted operating margin was consistent with expectations, with a commitment to achieving GAAP profitability by Q4 [3] User Engagement and Market Dynamics - **User Growth**: There was a 20% increase in users and transaction frequency, indicating robust network dynamics [4] - **Consumer Sentiment**: Despite low consumer sentiment reported in the market, Affirm observed strong demand and credit quality, suggesting a disconnect between sentiment and actual spending behavior [9][10] - **Monitoring Consumer Behavior**: Affirm actively monitors credit and volume data to assess consumer stress, ensuring readiness to react to market changes [10][11] Product Engagement - **User Journey**: The typical user journey begins at the point of sale, with a seamless application process leading to loan approval and servicing primarily through the Affirm app [15][16] - **Affirm Card Usage**: The Affirm card has become a significant part of the business, with most transactions being repeat users, leading to profitable outcomes [20][21] Competitive Landscape - **Market Position**: Affirm views the competitive landscape as consistently challenging but not uniquely heightened at this time. The company emphasizes its leadership in profitability and sustainable growth [52][56] - **Partnerships**: Affirm has secured partnerships with major retailers like Costco, enhancing brand visibility and consumer trust [40][42] Financial Strategy - **0% Financing Offers**: Affirm is successfully offering 0% financing options, which have proven to be effective in driving consumer engagement and conversion rates [23][24] - **Capital Market Conditions**: The company has maintained strong relationships with capital partners, resulting in oversubscribed ABS deals and favorable financing conditions [62][66] Future Opportunities - **Expansion Potential**: Affirm is exploring opportunities in new markets, including partnerships with airlines, indicating a strategy for diversification and growth [70] Conclusion - Affirm's recent performance reflects strong growth in GMV and user engagement, supported by effective product offerings and strategic partnerships. The company remains vigilant in monitoring market conditions and consumer behavior, positioning itself for continued success in the competitive fintech landscape.

Cars.com (CARS) FY Conference May 13, 2025 04:30 PM ET Speaker0 All right. Great. Thanks everyone for joining. Thanks everyone on the webcast for joining as well. My name is Rajat Gupta, member of the Automotive Equity Research team at JPMorgan. Very pleased to have with us the team from Cars.com, Alex Wetter and Sonya, CFO, as well as Catherine from IR in the audience. So maybe Alex, if you want to spend like a couple of quick minutes just to quickly go through last quarter results, just give us like a Sta ...