Youdao, Inc. (DAO) stock prices plummeted by 29.58% shortly after market trading commenced on July 26th, 2021, bringing the price per share down to USD$8.95 early on in the trading day.
New Guidelines for DAO Stock
July 24th, 2021 saw the General Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the General office of the State Council collaboratively issue a set of guidelines. These guidelines aim to reduce the prevalence of excessive homework and after-school tutoring for students receiving compulsory education.
Guideline Restrictions
The guidelines will require all institutions offering online after-school tutoring on academic subjects in compulsory education register themselves as non-profit organizations. The institutions are also required to obtain approval from the relevant regulatory authorities. The guidelines also made it compulsory to comply with various operational requirements in regard to class hours, faculty qualifications, tuition standards, advertising, and others.
DAO Stock Explores Alternative Funding
Furthermore, the guidelines prohibit any and all institutions from generating capital through stock exchange listings or other capital-related activities. Also prohibited are foreign investments in school curriculum-based tutoring institutions through variable interest entity arrangements, mergers, and acquisitions. Companies that are listed are prohibited from raising capital through equity offerings, with violations already having taken place expected to be corrected as appropriate.
Working to Maintain Compliance
While the interpretation and implementation of the guidelines are not yet completely concretized, they are expected to have material impacts on DAO stock’s K-12 course business, financial condition, and corporate structure. The company continues to investigate ways to comply with the newly introduced requirements for its K-12 course business. It will also continue to work with regulatory authorities in a bid to improve operations while staying in strict compliance with all laws and regulations. DAO also hopes to fulfill its social responsibilities, facilitating the provision of high-quality, innovative products and services to its customers. This will promote the long-term development of the education industry in China.
Future Outlook for DAO Stock
With an expanding umbrella of regulations and restrictions that they now have to maneuver, DAO stock is poised to capitalize on the disruption caused in the marketspace. The company is keen to regain and maintain compliance in a big to consolidate and expand its market footprint. Investors are hopeful that management will be able to effectively generate funds to fund the continue trajectory of the company’s success.
