JL MAG Rare-Earth's July 15 investor relations activity record shows: 1. Please elaborate on the company's expected H1 2026 performance growth? JL MAG Rare-Earth responded: In H1 2026, the company's management upheld the annual operating policy of "adhering to compliance and integrity, staying customer-oriented, focusing on the magnetic material core business, building 20,000 mt of capacity on schedule, actively deploying embodied robot motor rotors, and scaling new heights." Through measures such as technological innovation, organizational optimization, digitalization, and lean management, while fully ensuring contract fulfillment and delivery to a broad client base, the company achieved steady growth in operating performance. The company continued to consolidate its leading position in the new energy and environmental protection sectors and actively explored emerging markets, with operating revenue expected to grow approximately 30% YoY. In the NEV and parts sector, revenue grew approximately 30% YoY; in the robot and industrial servo motor sector, revenue grew approximately 90% YoY, with small-volume deliveries of embodied robot motor rotors already underway. In H1 2026, net profit attributable to the parent is expected to be 400 million to 460 million yuan, up 31% to 51% YoY; deducted non-recurring net profit attributable to the parent is expected to be 370 million to 430 million yuan, up 57% to 83% YoY. In Q2 2026, net profit attributable to the parent is expected to be 210 million to 270 million yuan, up 43% to 85% YoY and up 7% to 39% QoQ; deducted non-recurring net profit attributable to the parent is expected to be 190 million to 250 million yuan, up 50% to 97% YoY and up 9% to 44% QoQ. 2. What is the latest progress of the company's embodied robot business? JL MAG Rare-Earth responded: Robots liberate human productivity and represent a key direction in the new wave of technological change, with broad industry development prospects. The company is actively cooperating with world-renowned tech companies in the R&D of embodied robot motor rotors and has made small-volume product deliveries. In addition, through direct investment or participation in industrial funds, the company is making strategic deployments in key links of the relevant industry chain to accelerate industrial synergy and commercialization. 3. What about the company's raw material supply and recycling layout? JL MAG Rare-Earth responded: The company has established long-term strategic partnerships with major rare earth raw material suppliers, including China Northern Rare Earth Group and China Rare Earth Group, and fully leverages the advantage of controlling Yin Hai New Materials to deploy upstream rare earth recycling business, building a diversified rare earth resource supply system. The company was an early mover in rare earth recycling in the industry and currently holds a 51% stake in Yin Hai New Materials. Leveraging the group's manufacturing system, recyclable materials such as magnetic sludge and off-cuts generated during production at the company's various plants can be steadily supplied to Yinhai New Materials for recycling and processing, meeting its production needs while providing strong assurance for the company's raw material supply. In 2025, the company recovered a total of 3,681 mt of rare earth raw materials. Yinhai New Materials has already generated operating revenue and profit contributions. In 2025, it achieved operating revenue of 195 million yuan and net profit of 50.5 million yuan (the above are actual operating results, excluding adjustments related to purchase price allocation). Currently, Yinhai New Materials has passed ISO 14021 certification, and its main products have received certification for 100% recycled content under international standards. 4. Please elaborate on the situation regarding the company's planned acquisition of a partial stake in Baotou Rare Earth Products Exchange Co., Ltd.? JL MAG Rare-Earth responded: In order to implement the company's development strategy and enhance its overall competitiveness, the company plans to acquire, through public listing and transfer on the Inner Mongolia Property Rights Exchange Center, a 9.24% equity interest in Baotou Rare Earth Products Exchange Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as the "Rare Earth Exchange") held by China Northern Rare Earth (Group) High-Tech Co., Ltd. According to the appraisal report issued by Northern Asia Asset Appraisal Co., Ltd., as of the valuation date of December 31, 2025, the total equity value of the Rare Earth Exchange assessed using the market approach was 239 million yuan, a premium of 27.86 million yuan over the net asset book value of 211.14 million yuan as of the valuation date, representing an appreciation rate of 13.19%. The estimated transaction price for the target equity is 22.08 million yuan. Rare earths are the core raw material for producing NdFeB permanent magnet materials. The Rare Earth Exchange serves as a specialized trading platform for rare earth (metal) resources. If this equity acquisition is successfully completed, it will further enhance the company's ability to secure rare earth raw material supply, strengthen its overall competitiveness, and consolidate its market position in the rare earth permanent magnet industry. The company will, in accordance with the principle of cooperative co-construction and mutual benefit, fully leverage its own strengths to assist the Rare Earth Exchange in becoming a national-level rare earth (metal) resource trading platform. This planned acquisition of part of the Rare Earth Exchange's equity constitutes a state-owned asset transfer matter, and the transaction must strictly follow the statutory procedures for state-owned asset transactions, including approvals and listing. The company will monitor progress and fulfill its information disclosure obligations in accordance with relevant regulations. JL MAG Rare-Earth's semi-annual performance forecast released on July 1 showed: Net profit attributable to shareholders of the parent company is estimated to be between 400 million yuan and 460 million yuan in H1 2026, up 31.17% to 50.84% YoY. Regarding the reasons for the performance change, JL MAG Rare-Earth stated in its announcement: 1. In H1 2026, the company's management adhered to the annual operating policy of "upholding legal compliance, maintaining client focus, concentrating on the core magnetic materials business, adding 20,000 tons of capacity on schedule, proactively developing motor rotors for embodied robots, and scaling new heights." Through measures such as technological innovation, organizational optimization, digital transformation, and lean management, while ensuring full performance of contracts and delivery to a broad client base, the company achieved steady growth in its operating results. The company continued to strengthen its leading position in the new energy and environmental protection sectors and actively explored emerging markets. Revenue is expected to rise by approximately 30% YoY. Specifically, in the NEV and auto parts segment, revenue rose by about 30% YoY; in the robotics and industrial servo motor segment, revenue rose by approximately 90% YoY, and embodied robot motor rotor products have already seen small-batch deliveries. 2. During the reporting period, the estimated impact of non-recurring gains and losses on net profit was approximately 32 million yuan, compared with non-recurring gains and losses (after tax) of 70.94 million yuan in the same period last year. 3. During this reporting period, due to A-share and H-share equity incentives and the issuance of H-share convertible bonds, related expenses such as share-based compensation costs and financial expenses totaled approximately 121 million yuan. No such expenses existed in the same period last year. A recently issued announcement by JL MAG Rare-Earth showed that, to implement its development strategy and enhance overall competitiveness, it planned to acquire a 9.24% stake in Baotou Rare Earth Products Exchange Co., Ltd. held by China Northern Rare Earth (Group) High-Tech Co., Ltd. through a public listing and transfer process on the Inner Mongolia Equity Exchange , According to the appraisal report issued by Northern Asia Assets Appraisal Co., Ltd., the total equity value of the Rare Earth Exchange assessed using the market approach as of the valuation reference date of December 31, 2025, was 239 million yuan, representing an increase of 27.8551 million yuan over the net asset book value of 211.1449 million yuan on that date, an appreciation rate of 13.19%. The expected transaction price for the target equity stake is 22.0836 million yuan. In accordance with the Shenzhen Stock Exchange ChiNext Listing Rules, the Company’s Articles of Association, and other relevant regulations, this external investment falls within the approval authority of the CEO. It does not constitute a connected transaction, nor does it constitute a major asset restructuring as defined under the Administrative Measures for Major Asset Restructurings of Publicly Listed Companies. In its 2025 annual report, JL MAG described its main business and product applications as follows: The company is a high-tech enterprise integrating R&D, production and sales of high-performance NdFeB permanent magnet materials, magnetic assemblies, embodied robot motor rotors, and comprehensive recycling of rare earths. It is a leading supplier of rare earth permanent magnet materials for the new energy and environmental protection sectors. Its products are widely used in NEVs and auto parts, energy-efficient inverter air conditioners, wind power generation, robotics and industrial servo motors, 3C electronics, low-altitude aircraft, energy-saving elevators, rail transit, and other fields, and it has established long-term and stable partnerships with leading enterprises in these fields both within and outside China. The company has been actively deploying in the robotics field: on one hand, it collaborates with internationally renowned technology companies on the R&D and capacity building for embodied robot motor rotors, with small-batch product deliveries; on the other hand, through direct investment or participation in industry funds, it makes strategic moves in key links of the relevant industry chain to accelerate industrial synergy and commercialization. Regarding the 2026 annual operating plan, JL MAG Rare-Earth stated in its 2025 annual report: The company's 2026 business guideline: "Adhere to legal compliance, uphold customer orientation, focus on the core business of magnetic materials, build new capacity of 20,000 mt as scheduled, actively position in embodied robot motor rotors, and scale new heights." In accordance with the company's business guideline and on the premise of legal compliance, the company will focus on advancing the following efforts: 1. Orderly release of capacity under construction. In 2026, some of the company's projects under construction will gradually release capacity. The specific release progress will comprehensively consider factors such as equipment commissioning and market demand, advancing the commissioning and ramp-up of new capacity in an orderly manner. 2. Continuous enhancement of R&D capabilities. 3. Continuous optimization of product structure. The company will center on client needs, continuously enrich the product portfolio for different application scenarios, and enhance the resilience of the product structure and client stickiness. At the same time, it will steadily advance the layout of projects such as magnetic components and embodied robot motor rotors, equip dedicated production lines and professional teams, and drive the upgrade of small-batch production lines to large-scale, standardized manufacturing and quality systems. 4. Continuous improvement of operational capabilities. 5. Strengthening capital expenditure efficiency. 6. Improving incentive mechanisms and shareholder returns. 7. Advancing ESG system construction. As for the risks the company may face, JL MAG Rare-Earth stated when introducing the risk of price fluctuations in rare earth raw materials: Rare earth metals are the main raw materials for producing NdFeB magnetic steel. China is an important global supply hub for rare earth raw materials. Wild swings in rare earth raw material prices will adversely impact the company's production and sales in the short term. Countermeasures: The company has built manufacturing plants in Ganzhou, Jiangxi, a major production area for heavy rare earth, and Baotou, Inner Mongolia, a major production area for light rare earth. The company has established long-term cooperative relationships with major rare earth raw material suppliers, including China Northern Rare Earth Group and China Rare Earth Group. At the same time, the company strives to mitigate the adverse impact of rare earth raw material price fluctuations on its operating performance through measures such as pre-purchasing rare earth raw materials based on orders on hand, establishing price adjustment mechanisms with key clients, optimizing formulations, and improving processes. Looking back at the price performance of Pr-Nd alloy in H1 this year, it can be seen that: : The average price of Pr-Nd alloy on June 30 was 905,000 yuan/mt. Compared with its average price of 735,000 yuan/mt on December 31, 2025, the increase in H1 was 23.13%. The annual daily average price of Pr-Nd alloy in H1 this year was 904,650.86 yuan/mt, compared with 529,559.83 yuan/mt in H1 2025, with the semi-annual daily average price increasing by 375,091.03 yuan/mt, for a YoY increase of 70.83%. According to SMM's price quotes, on July 17, the price of Pr-Nd alloy was 920,000-930,000 yuan/mt, with an average price of 925,000 yuan/mt, down 0.54% from the previous trading day. Currently, rare earth market prices are trending slightly downward. Focusing on the Pr-Nd market, Pr-Nd oxide futures prices declined, while spot market inquiries were sluggish. Affected by this, suppliers lowered their offers for Pr-Nd oxide. However, most industry participants remain confident about the market outlook and show a strong willingness to hold prices firm, resulting in a relatively small actual decline in oxide prices, with low-priced goods still scarce and hard to find. Metal market prices also slipped. New orders at magnetic material enterprises were poor, limiting their capacity to accept high-priced metals, with procurement mainly driven by rigid restocking demand, leading to sluggish metal market inquiries. The upstream-downstream stalemate persisted in negotiations, with the metal side continuing to face pressure. It is expected that in the short term, due to sluggish trading activity, Pr-Nd product prices will likely move sideways in a narrow range. Recommended Reads:

[SMM Analysis: VC Supply-Demand Tight Balance to Persist in Short Term; HSC 60,000 mt Project Adjustment May Reshape Industry's Long-Term Competitive Landscape] On July 11, 2026, HSC New Energy Materials issued an announcement, making a major adjustment to the construction plan for the 60,000 mt vinylene carbonate (VC) project in Yunmeng, Hubei: The original phased construction plan for 30,000 mt in Phase I and 30,000 mt in Phase II was canceled and changed to a one-time overall construction of 60,000 mt VC capacity. The total project investment remains unchanged at 1.6 billion yuan, and the construction site, investment entity, and overall time to reach full production remain unchanged.

Latest data released by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) shows that China’s fuel cell vehicle (FCV) market posted a distinct pattern of “strong start followed by a steep decline, with both supply and demand contracting” in the first half of 2026. After a rush of deliveries at the end of 2025, production and sales volumes slumped sharply in H1, sending the industry into a phase of profound adjustment. Beneath the disappointing headline figures, however, this cooling-off period marks a pivotal turning point for the sector to deflate speculative bubbles and solidify its fundamentals. I. H1 Production & Sales Data: Multiple Signals Behind the Sharp Downturn Plunging Overall Volumes: A Grim Market Reality Production: Cumulative output from January to June 2026 stood at only 401 units, averaging fewer than 70 units per month, representing a precipitous 71.8% year-on-year drop from H1 2025 — nearly a three-quarters decline. Sales: Total sales reached 550 units, falling 63.5% year-on-year. The once sky-high growth trajectory has stalled abruptly, with market sentiment cooling markedly. Monthly Volatility: Wildly Contrasting Market Dynamics Rock-bottom start in January: Production and sales hit a trough, weighed down by the Spring Festival holiday and widespread market wait-and-see sentiment. Anomalous rebound in February: Sales surged to 300 units, nearly four times the month’s production. This surge was likely driven by concentrated deliveries of backlogged orders carried over from late 2025 or bulk purchases by major regional corporate clients, creating a false impression of robust demand. Prolonged slump from March to June: Both production and sales retreated to sub-100-unit monthly ranges. June saw output hold steady at 100 units, while sales dwindled to merely 50 units, building up mounting inventory pressure. Year-on-Year Disparity: Double Headwinds of High Comparative Base and Policy Void The late half of 2025, particularly Q4, saw monthly production and sales exceed 3,000 units at peak frenzy, creating an inflated comparative base for 2026. Compounding this headwind, subsidy incentives have been phased down, while detailed implementation rules for the new round of demonstration city cluster evaluations remain unclarified. Manufacturers have adopted conservative production schedules, and end-users have held off purchases pending new supportive policies, locking the market in a policy-driven stalemate. II. Industry Growing Pains: Concentration of Structural Bottlenecks Misalignment between Policy Cycles and Local Fiscal Timelines The fuel cell vehicle sector remains heavily reliant on policy financial support. The year-end rush to claim subsidies in 2025 drained short-term demand. In 2026, local governments have slowed the disbursement of subsidy funds. Manufacturers hesitate to ramp up production, while buyers delay purchases in anticipation of updated policy frameworks, trapping the market in a standoff. Lagging Hydrogen Refueling Infrastructure Restricts Overall Expansion Vehicle technologies have matured considerably, yet the rollout of hydrogen refueling stations has failed to keep pace with market demand. The February sales spike was largely confined to designated demonstration cities, creating isolated hotspots. Regions outside these pilot zones face limited refueling access, stifling wider adoption and fragmenting the national market geographically. Seasonal and One-off Distortions The Spring Festival holiday suppressed manufacturing output in January and February, yet February’s counterintuitive sales surge underscores that short-term market performance is dominated by irregular factors such as ad-hoc bulk corporate orders. The subsequent months’ return to subdued volumes reveals a lack of sustained organic market demand. Cost and Operational Economic Viability Crunch Slower-than-expected cost reductions for fuel cell systems, paired with volatile hydrogen fuel prices, weigh heavily on commercial fleet operators highly sensitive to running costs. Weak economic returns have dampened corporate purchasing appetite and constrained demand growth. III. H2 2026 Outlook: The Downturn Nears Its End, Recovery on the Horizon Based on weak H1 performance and historical market patterns, the second half is projected to follow a trajectory of “muted early months followed by mild recovery” Q3: A lull phase focused on inventory destocking and policy waiting: Monthly production and sales are expected to hover between 100 and 200 units, as manufacturers hold back output pending formal policy rollouts or new demonstration project launches. Q4: Restorative rebound amid traditional peak season and policy windows: While volumes will unlikely match the late 2025 monthly peak of 3,000 units, monthly output and sales are highly likely to recover to a range of 500–1,000 units, reigniting industry growth momentum. SMM’s analysis concludes that the bleak H1 2026 data represents an inevitable rationalization phase for the industry to move past speculative overheating. Once speculative bubbles are squeezed out, genuine competitiveness will be rooted in technological upgrades, expanded hydrogen infrastructure and optimized real-world commercial deployment. In H2, as supportive policy frameworks take shape and infrastructure gaps narrow, the market is set to stabilize by late Q3, with tangible recovery emerging in the fourth quarter.

SMM Cobalt Morning Briefing: This week, the cobalt industry chain remained in the doldrums overall, with market transactions generally sluggish. Refined cobalt returned to grinding lower, and despite smelters raising EXW prices to 390,000 yuan/mt, downstream only maintained just-in-time procurement, affected by the summer break and traditional consumption off-season; cobalt intermediate product prices were temporarily stable, while the disagreement between miners holding prices firm and smelters’ low-price procurement remained significant. Demand for cobalt sulphate, cobalt chloride, and Co3O4 all saw no significant improvement, with downstream inventories ample, and restocking may have to wait until after August. Mainstream cobalt powder transaction prices fell to 460,000 yuan/mt, with some low prices reaching 440,000–450,000 yuan/mt. The market remained in a weak stage of seeking a bottom.

[SMM Cobalt-Lithium Morning Briefing: This week, prices in the new energy industry chain continued to diverge. The lithium industry chain was generally weak. The transaction center of lithium ore shifted lower alongside lithium chemical prices, and lithium carbonate fell to around 150,000 yuan/mt. Downstream firms bought the dip at low price levels, but upstream producers held prices firm and held back from selling, intensifying the market tug-of-war. Lithium hydroxide transaction prices declined in tandem, and overall trading remained sluggish. In the cobalt industry chain, demand was weak. Refined cobalt, cobalt sulphate, and cobalt chloride all lacked effective transaction support, while prices of intermediate products and Co3O4 temporarily held steady. Nickel sulphate inventory continued to decline, but downstream stockpiling willingness was insufficient, and prices still faced pressure.]

[SMM Lithium Battery Anode Raw Material Market Weekly Review: Artificial Graphite Stable with Upside Potential, Natural Graphite Sideways and Hard to Break Out] July 16 news: This week, the artificial graphite market maintained a stable price trend.

[SMM Aluminum Alloy Flash] This week, China's social inventory of cast aluminum alloy ingots fell 5,600 mt WoW to 29,700 mt, marking the seventh consecutive week of destocking. Cumulative destocking reached 33,200 mt, but the pace slowed compared to the prior two weeks. The industry operating rate remains low, with limited new warehouse inflows. Meanwhile, the spot-futures price spread stayed in a relatively favorable range, prompting traders to focus on selling, which drove continuous destocking. However, as the traditional consumption off-season deepens, overall market demand remains weak, constraining the destocking magnitude to some extent.

This week, ternary cathode material prices continued their downward trend. On the raw material front, nickel sulfate and cobalt sulfate edged lower amid subdued trading activity, while manganese sulfate prices rose slightly. Lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide saw notable declines recently, influenced by capital market volatility. In terms of transaction sentiment, some manufacturers restocked at lower price levels last week when lithium salt prices fell sharply, leading to relatively active trading. However, entering this week, raw material prices continued to decline with no clear signs of stabilization. With sufficient inventories on hand, downstream battery cell manufacturers generally turned cautious and slowed their procurement pace, resulting in subdued transaction sentiment this week. On the payable front, influenced by the continued decline in absolute nickel sulfate prices, some ternary cathode manufacturers saw upward adjustments in nickel sulfate payables during settlements. Payables for other metals remained relatively stable. On the demand side, EV market demand remained at high levels recently, with orders being executed as normal, while consumer market demand continued to stay subdued.

[Xingye Silver & Tin H1 2026 Earnings Guidance] According to Xingye Silver & Tin's earnings guidance, the company expects net profit attributable to shareholders of RMB 2.14-2.37 billion for the first half of 2026, up 168.95%-197.86% year on year. The company stated that, during the reporting period, selling prices of its primary products, including silver and tin concentrates, increased from a year earlier, supported by changes in the macroeconomic environment and market demand, significantly boosting profitability.

Ganfeng Lithium announced on July 14 that it expects its net profit attributable to shareholders of the publicly listed firm for the first half of 2026 to be between 3.65 billion yuan and 4.6 billion yuan, representing a YoY turnaround to profitability. During the reporting period, benefiting from the rapid development of the global new energy industry and rising demand for lithium chemicals from downstream clients, the selling prices of the company's lithium chemical products rose significantly YoY. Meanwhile, with the gradual release of capacity from lithium resource projects, the company's cost structure was effectively optimized. Coupled with sustained growth in energy storage market demand, the lithium battery segment's production and sales volumes increased noticeably, together driving a YoY increase in the company's operating performance.