Is There Collusion in the Baby-Formula Industry?: FTC Scrutinizes State Contracts Bidding Process
Is There Collusion in the Baby-Formula Industry?: FTC Scrutinizes State Contracts Bidding Process
嬰兒配方奶粉行業是否存在串通行爲？: 聯邦貿易委員會審查州合同招標程序
- The Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) investigation concerns potential collusion among baby-formula manufacturers as it examines whether companies like Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) and other formula manufacturers have engaged in collusion or coordination while bidding for state contracts.
- Furthermore, the agency is also exploring whether the coordination among these companies has had a broader impact on sales outside of the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) formula-supply program, as stated by FTC Commissioner Alvaro Bedoya.
- Related: Abbott's Baby Formula Brouhaha: Judge Says No Harm, No Foul in Contamination Controversy.
- Abbott Laboratories has stated its cooperation with the FTC's investigation, Wall Street Journal reported.
- In previous correspondence, Abbott's lawyers denied any knowledge of collusion or coordination and expressed confusion regarding the factual basis of the agency's investigation.
- In January, the FTC had initially requested information from Abbott as a part of its investigation into companies bidding for state infant-formula supply contracts.
- Nestlé SA (OTC:NSRGF) (OTC:NSRGY) also received a request for information from the FTC and has responded accordingly.
- Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc (OTC:RBGLY) (OTC:RBGPF), another company frequently awarded WIC contracts, has not commented on the specific government investigations but stated its commitment to complying with regulatory and enforcement agencies' requests.
- While the FTC declined to provide further details, labeling them as nonpublic, the investigation is one among several initiated by federal agencies against Abbott, including a criminal investigation by the Justice Department prompted by the closure of one of Abbott's manufacturing plants last year, which contributed to a nationwide formula shortage.
- The recently revealed FTC documents shed light on Abbott's attempts to limit the information request and the FTC's rejection of their request.
- Price Action: ABT shares closed at $105.74 on Tuesday.
- 聯邦貿易委員會（FTC）的調查涉及嬰兒配方奶粉製造商之間的潛在串通行爲，該調查正在調查各公司是否喜歡 雅培實驗室 紐約證券交易所代碼：ABT）和其他配方奶粉製造商在競標州合同時進行了串通或協調。
- 此外，正如聯邦貿易委員會專員阿爾瓦羅·貝多亞所說，該機構還在探討這些公司之間的協調是否對婦女、嬰兒和兒童（WIC）配方奶粉供應計劃之外的銷售產生了更廣泛的影響。
- 相關： 雅培的嬰兒配方奶粉 Brouhaha：法官說污染爭議沒有傷害，沒有犯規。
- 據《華爾街日報》報道，雅培實驗室已表示將配合聯邦貿易委員會的調查。
- 在先前的信函中，雅培的律師否認對串通或協調一無所知，並對該機構調查的事實依據表示困惑。
- 1月，聯邦貿易委員會最初要求雅培提供信息，這是其對競標州嬰兒配方奶粉供應合同的公司的調查的一部分。
- NestleSA （OTC: NSRGF）（OTC: NSRGY）也收到了聯邦貿易委員會的信息請求，並做出了相應的回應。
- Reckitt Benckiser 集團有限公司 另一家經常獲得WIC合同的公司（OTC: RBGLY）（OTC: RBGPF）沒有對政府的具體調查發表評論，但表示承諾遵守監管和執法機構的要求。
- 儘管聯邦貿易委員會拒絕提供更多細節，將其標記爲非公開調查，但該調查是聯邦機構對雅培發起的幾項調查之一，包括司法部因雅培一家制造工廠去年關閉而引發的刑事調查，這導致了全國範圍的配方奶短缺。
- 最近公佈的聯邦貿易委員會文件揭示了雅培試圖限制信息請求以及聯邦貿易委員會拒絕其請求的情況。
- 價格走勢： ABT股價週二收於105.74美元。