Item 1. Business
Overview
FingerMotion Inc. (the “
Company
,” “
we
,” “
us
,” “
our
” or “
FingerMotion
”) is a US fintech company incorporated in Delaware, USA, with its corporate offices in New York, NY. FingerMotion previously operated as a mobile video gaming platform business and as the Company attempted to increase its market share, it discovered new opportunities in the Peoples’ Republic of China (“
China
” or the “
PRC
”) requiring only slight modifications to the existing infrastructure.
FingerMotion ventured into the telecommunications industry by offering Mobile Payment and Recharge services in the China market, beginning in September 2018. Chinese mobile phone consumers often utilize third-party e-marketing websites to pay their phone bills. If the consumer connected directly to the telecommunications provider to pay his or her bill, the consumer would miss out on any benefits or marketing discounts that e-marketers provide. Thus, consumers log on to these emarketers’ websites, click into their respective phone provider’s store, and “top up,” or pay, their telecommunications provider for additional mobile data and talk time.
To connect to the respective mobile telecommunications providers, these e-marketers must utilize a portal licensed by the applicable telecommunication company that processes the payment. We have been granted one of these licenses by China United Network Communications Group Co., Ltd. (“
China Unicom
”) and China Mobile Communications Corporation (“
China Mobile
”), each of which is a major telecommunications provider in China. We principally earn revenue by providing mobile payment and recharge services to customers of China Unicom and China Mobile.
FingerMotion started and commercialized its “Business to Business” (“B2B”) model by integrating with various e-commerce platforms to provide its Mobile Payment and Recharge services to subscribers or end consumers. In the first quarter of 2019, FingerMotion expanded its business by commercializing its first “Business to Consumer” (“B2C”) model, offering Mobile Payment and Recharge services directly to subscribers or customers of the e-commerce company, PinDuoDuo (“PDD”). FingerMotion is planning to further expand its Recharge platform by setting up “B2C” stores on several other major e-commerce platforms in China.
We believe FingerMotion’s ability to offer reliable and efficient Mobile Payment and Recharge services, while providing a high level of customer service, will help solidify the industry’s reliance on the FingerMotion brand.
For scale, China’s top-up market’s gross transaction volume (GTV) is estimated at US$22 billion monthly. FingerMotion’s GTV for February was US$42 million and US$56 million for March. This translated into revenues of US$210,000 and US$280,000, respectively (50 basis points or $0.50 for every $100).
For the Company to continue to grow, the deposit with the telecommunications companies needs to increase, as the GTV processed by the Company is dependent on the size of the deposit residing with each telecom. And since the telecom companies, China Unicom and China Mobile, are AAA-rated and monitored by the government, FingerMotion retains comfort in its deposits by dealing with financially strong and reputable partners.
FingerMotion has initiated other significant revenue streams that are less capital-intensive but could provide greater profits albeit at lower volumes. FingerMotion’s relationship with the telecom companies allows it to acquire bulk SMS bundles at reduced prices, which it can pass along to various clientele. The Company has recently secured the SMS contracts for several enterprise clients including premium car manufacturers, hotel chains and e-commerce companies.
Corporate Information
The Company was initially incorporated as Property Management Corporation of America on January 23, 2014 in Delaware.
On June 21, 2017, the Company amended its certificate of incorporation to effect a 1-for-4 reverse stock split of the Company’s common stock, to increase the authorized shares of common stock to 200,000,000 and to change the name of the Company from Property Management Corporation of America to FingerMotion, Inc. (the “
Corporate Actions
”). The Corporate Actions and the amended certificate of incorporation became effective on June 21, 2017.
Effective July 13, 2017, the Company entered into that certain Share Exchange Agreement (the “
Share Exchange Agreement
”) by and among the Company, Finger Motion Company Limited, a Hong Kong corporation (“
FMCL
”) and certain shareholders of FMCL (the “
FMCL Shareholders
”). Pursuant to the Share Exchange Agreement, the Company agreed to exchange the outstanding equity stock of FMCL held by the FMCL Shareholders for shares of common stock of the Company. On the closing date of the Share Exchange Agreement, the Company issued approximately 12,000,000 shares of common stock to the FMCL shareholders. In addition, the Company issued 600,000 shares to consultants in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Share Exchange Agreement, and 2,562,500 additional shares to accredited investors.
As a result of the Share Exchange Agreement and the other transactions contemplated thereunder, FMCL became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company. FMCL, a Hong Kong corporation, was formed on April 6, 2016 and is an information technology company that specializes in operating and publishing mobile games. We operate our video game division through FMCL.
On October 16, 2018, the Company, through its indirect wholly owned subsidiary, Shanghai JiuGe Business Management Co., Ltd. (“
JiuGe Management
”), entered into a series of agreements known as variable interest agreements (the “
VIE Agreements
”) pursuant to which Shanghai JiuGe Information Technology Co., Ltd. (“
JiuGe Technology
”) became our contractually controlled affiliate. The use of VIE agreements is a common structure used to acquire PRC corporations, particularly in certain industries in which foreign investment is restricted or forbidden by the PRC government. The VIE Agreements include a Consulting Services Agreement, a Loan Agreement, a Power of Attorney Agreement, a Call Option Agreement, and a Share Pledge Agreement in order to secure the connection and commitments of the JiuGe Technology. We operate our mobile payment platform business through JiuGe Technology.
Our principal executive offices are located at 1460 Broadway, New York, New York 10036, and our telephone number at that address is (347) 349-5339.
Our Video Game Division
The video game industry covers multiple sectors and is currently experiencing a move away from physical games towards digital software. Advances in technology and streaming now allow users to download games rather than visiting retailers. Video game publishers are expanding their direct-to-consumer channels with mobile gaming, the current growth leader, and eSports and virtual reality gaining momentum as the next big sectors.
FMCL secured a strategic alliance with Games Development Studio in China to design and develop games for the Company. To date, we have three games licenses and the licenses cover worldwide distribution rights (except China). The two current game genres are Action Role Playing Games and the other is Simulated Life Game.
In June 2018, FMCL temporarily paused its publishing and operating plans for existing games, and the Company’s board of directors decided to re-focus the company’s resources into new business opportunities in China, particularly the mobile phone payment and data business.
Our
Mobile Payment Platform
As noted above, we conduct our mobile payment business through JiuGe Techology, which became our contractually controlled affiliate through the VIE Agreements in October 2018. The use of VIE agreements is a common structure used to acquire PRC corporations, particularly in certain industries in which foreign investment is restricted or forbidden by the PRC government. The VIE Agreements included:
|
●
|
a Consulting Services Agreement through which JiuGe Management is mainly engaged in data marketing, technical services, technical consulting and business consultancy to JiuGe Technology;
|
|
●
|
a Loan Agreement through which JiuGe Management grants a loan to JiuGe Technology for the purpose of capital contribution;
|
|
●
|
a Power of Attorney Agreement under which the owners of JiuGe Technology have vested their collective voting control over JiuGe Technology to JiuGe Management and will only transfer their equity interests in JiuGe Technology to JiuGe Management or its designee(s);
|
|
●
|
a Call Option Agreement under which the owners of JiuGe Technology have granted to JiuGe Management the irrevocable and unconditional right and option to acquire all of their equity interests in JiuGe Technology or transfer these rights to a third party; and
|
|
●
|
a Share Pledge Agreement under which the owners of JiuGe Technology have pledged all of their rights, titles and interests in JiuGe Technology to JiuGe Management to guarantee JiuGe Technology’s performance of its obligations under the Consulting Services Agreement.
|
In September, JiuGe Technology launched and commercialized mobile payment and recharge services to businesses for China Unicom. The JiuGe Technology mobile payment and recharge platform enables the seamless delivery of real-time payment and recharge services to third-party channels and businesses. We earn a negotiated rebate amount from each of China Unicom and China Mobile for all monies paid by consumers to China Unicom and China Mobile that we process. To encourage consumers to utilize our portal instead of using our competitors’ platforms or paying China Unicom or China Mobile directly, we offer mobile data and talk time at a rate discounted from these companies’ stated rates, which are also the rates we must pay to them to purchase the mobile data and talk time provided to consumers through the use of our platform. Accordingly, we earn income on the rebates we receive from the telecommunications companies, reduced by the amounts by which we discount the mobile data and talk time sold through our platform.
Competition
Our industry is highly competitive, rapidly changing, highly innovative and increasingly subject to regulatory scrutiny and oversight. We compete against a wide range of businesses, including those that are larger than we are, have a dominant and secure position or offer other products and services to consumers and merchants that we do not offer. We believe we are in an advantageous position compared to many of our competitors or potential competitors because we have been granted a license to act as an authorized processor of payments in China for China Unicom and China Mobile.
Our mobile payments business competes principally against two alternatives. First, we compete directly with other holders of licenses from the major mobile telecommunications providers in China. We understand there are a limited number of these licenses, but believe that certain other license holders are large, diversified companies with deep financial resources. We also compete with payment processors that are not authorized licensees of the mobile telecommunications companies but nevertheless provide similar services. Separately, and more generally, we compete with all forms and methods of paying for additional data and minutes, including credit and debit cards, other electronic payment platforms and bank transfers.
Because we have been awarded a contract to process payments for China Unicom and China Mobile and are therefore able to offer services directly to market with value added services, we believe the Company is in an advanced position as compared to its competition. We look to take advantage of the position that we have been afforded.
Intellectual Property
FingerMotion has sufficient intellectual property rights to operate its Mobile Payment and Recharge platform system. The Company will continue to enhance the system to meet market and consumer demands and requirements.
Regulation
We operate in a rapidly evolving regulatory environment characterized by a heightened regulatory focus on all aspects of the payments industry. That focus continues to become even more heightened as regulators on a global basis focus on such important issues as countering terrorist financing, anti-money laundering, privacy, cybersecurity and consumer protection. Some of the laws and regulations to which we are subject were enacted recently, and the laws and regulations applicable to us, including those enacted prior to the advent of digital and mobile payments, are continuing to evolve through legislative and regulatory action and judicial interpretation. New or changing laws and regulations, including how such laws and regulations are interpreted and implemented, as well as increased penalties and enforcement actions related to non-compliance, could have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations, and financial condition. Therefore, as we grow, we will need to develop the capacity to monitor these areas closely to design compliant solutions for our customers who depend on us.
Government regulation impacts key aspects of our business. We are subject to regulations that affect the payments industry in the markets in which we operate.
Payments Regulation
. Various laws and regulations govern the payments industry in China, where our mobile recharge platform principally operates. Our activities in this regard are, or may be, supervised by one or more financial regulatory authorities, including the People’s Bank of China. Other national or provincial regulatory agencies may have or assert jurisdiction over our activities, including agencies and authorities outside of China, if our platform is utilized by consumers in such jurisdictions. The laws and regulations applicable to the payments industry in any given jurisdiction are subject to interpretation and change.
Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing
. FingerMotion is subject to anti-money laundering (“
AML
”) laws and regulations in China, the U.S. and other jurisdictions, as well as laws designed to prevent the use of the financial systems to facilitate terrorist activities. As we grow our business, we will need to develop an AML program designed to prevent our payment network from being used to facilitate money laundering, terrorist financing, and other illicit activities, or to do business in countries or with persons and entities included on designated country or person lists promulgated by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Controls (“
OFAC
”) and equivalent authorities in China and other countries whose jurisdiction we may become subject as a result of our operations. Any AML and sanctions compliance program we put in place will need to involve policies, procedures and internal controls designed to address these legal and regulatory requirements and assist in managing money laundering and terrorist financing risks.
Data Protection and Information Security.
Aspects of our operations or business may be subject to privacy and data protection regulation in China, the U.S. and elsewhere. In the U.S., we are subject to privacy information safeguarding requirements under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act that require the maintenance of a written, comprehensive information security program, among other laws. Regulatory authorities around the world are considering numerous legislative and regulatory proposals concerning privacy and data protection that may contain additional privacy and data protection obligations than exist today. In addition, the interpretation and application of these privacy and data protection laws in China, the U.S. and elsewhere are often uncertain and in a state of flux.
Anti-Corruption
. FingerMotion is subject to applicable anti-corruption laws, such as the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the U.K. Bribery Act, and similar anti-corruption laws in the jurisdictions in which we operate. Anti-corruption laws generally prohibit offering, promising, giving, accepting or authorizing others to provide anything of value, either directly or indirectly, to or from a government official or private party in order to influence official action or otherwise gain an unfair business advantage, such as to obtain or retain business. We have implemented policies, procedures and internal controls that are designed to comply with these laws and regulations.
Additional Regulatory Developments
. Various regulatory agencies continue to examine a wide variety of issues, including virtual currencies, identity theft, account management guidelines, privacy, disclosure rules, cybersecurity and marketing that may impact the Company’s business.
Compliance with Environmental Laws
Compliance with foreign, federal, state and local laws that have been enacted or adopted regulating the discharge of materials into the environment, or otherwise relating to the protection of the environment, have not had a material effect on our capital expenditures, earnings or competitive position.
Employees
As of February 28, 2019, we had 28 total employees, of whom 25 were full time. We have approximately 25 employees in China, 2 employees in Malaysia and 1 employee in Canada. We believe that we enjoy good relations with our employees.
Available Information
We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “
SEC
”) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “
Exchange Act
”). The SEC maintains a website (http://www.sec.gov) that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically through the EDGAR System. You may access the information filed by us with the SEC by visiting its website.
We also maintain a website at http://www.fingermotion.com. Information on our website does not constitute a part of, nor is it incorporated in any way, into this Form 10-K or any other report we file with or furnish to the SEC. We make available, free of charge, on our website our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, proxy statements, current reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, as soon as reasonably practicable after such reports are electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. Our website also includes announcements of investor conferences and events, information on our business strategies and results, corporate governance information, and other news and announcements that investors might find useful or interesting.
Item 1A. Risk Factors
Risks Related to the Business
We have a limited operating history and, as a result, our past results may not be indicative of future operating performance.
We have a limited operating history, which makes it difficult to forecast our future results. You should not rely on our past results of operations as indicators of future performance. You should consider and evaluate our prospects in light of the risks and uncertainty frequently encountered by companies like ours.
If we fail to address the risks and difficulties that we face, including those described elsewhere in this “
Risk Factors
” section, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected. Further, because we have limited historical financial data and operate in an evolving market, any predictions about our future revenue and expenses may not be as accurate as they would be if we had a longer operating history or operated in a more predictable market. We have encountered in the past, and will encounter in the future, risks and uncertainties frequently experienced by growing companies with limited operating histories in rapidly changing industries. If our assumptions regarding these risks and uncertainties are incorrect or change, or if we do not address these risks successfully, our results of operations could differ materially from our expectations and our business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.
We have a history of net losses and we may not be able to achieve or maintain profitability in the future.
For all annual periods of our operating history we have experienced net losses. We generated net losses of approximately $2.9 million and $1.8 million for the years ended February 28, 2019 and 2018, respectively. As of February 28, 2019, we had an accumulated deficit of $4.8 million. We have not achieved profitability, and we may not realize sufficient revenue to achieve profitability in future periods. Our expenses will likely increase in the future as we develop and launch new offerings and platform features, expand in existing and new markets, increase our sales and marketing efforts and continue to invest in our platform. These efforts may be more costly than we expect and may not result in increased revenue or growth in our business. If we are unable to generate adequate revenue growth and manage our expenses, we may continue to incur significant losses in the future and may not be able to achieve or maintain profitability.
If we fail to effectively manage our growth, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.
We are currently experiencing growth in our business. This expansion increases the complexity of our business and has placed, and will continue to place, strain on our management, personnel, operations, systems, technical performance, financial resources and internal financial control and reporting functions. Our ability to manage our growth effectively and to integrate new employees, technologies and acquisitions into our existing business will require us to continue to expand our operational and financial infrastructure and to continue to retain, attract, train, motivate and manage employees. Continued growth could strain our ability to develop and improve our operational, financial and management controls, enhance our reporting systems and procedures, recruit, train and retain highly skilled personnel and maintain user satisfaction. Additionally, if we do not effectively manage the growth of our business and operations, the quality of our offerings could suffer, which could negatively affect our reputation and brand, business, financial condition and results of operations.
We depend on our key personnel and other highly skilled personnel, and if we fail to attract, retain, motivate or integrate our personnel, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.
Our success depends in part on the continued service of our founders, senior management team, key technical employees and other highly skilled personnel and on our ability to identify, hire, develop, motivate, retain and integrate highly qualified personnel for all areas of our organization. We may not be successful in attracting and retaining qualified personnel to fulfill our current or future needs. Our competitors may be successful in recruiting and hiring members of our management team or other key employees, and it may be difficult for us to find suitable replacements on a timely basis, on competitive terms or at all. If we are unable to attract and retain the necessary personnel, particularly in critical areas of our business, we may not achieve our strategic goals.
Our concentration
of earnings from two telecommunications companies
may
have a material adverse
affect
on
our financial condition and results of operations.
We currently derive substantially all
of our revenue from the rebates we earn from China Unicom and China Mobile as a result of our processing payments for these telecommunications companies’ consumers for mobile date and talk time. If we were to lose the business of one or both of these mobile telecommunications companies, if either were to fail to fulfill its obligations to us, if either were to experience difficulty in paying rebates to us on a timely basis, if either negotiated lower pricing terms, or if either increased the number of licensed payment portals it permits to process its payments, it could have a material adverse effect on our competitive position, business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. Additionally, we cannot guarantee that the volume of revenue we earn from China Unicom and China Mobile will remain consistent going forward. Any substantial change in our relationships with either China Uniocom or China Mobile, or both, whether due to actions by our competitors, regulatory authorities, industry factors or otherwise, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Any actual or perceived security or privacy breach could interrupt our operations, harm our brand and adversely affect our reputation, brand, business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our business involves the processing and transmission of our users’ personal and other sensitive data. Because techniques used to obtain unauthorized access to or to sabotage information systems change frequently and may not be known until launched against us, we may be unable to anticipate or prevent these attacks. Unauthorized parties may in the future gain access to our systems or facilities through various means, including gaining unauthorized access into our systems or facilities or those of our service providers, partners or users on our platform, or attempting to fraudulently induce our employees, service providers, partners, users or others into disclosing names, passwords, payment information or other sensitive information, which may in turn be used to access our information technology systems, or attempting to fraudulently induce our employees, partners or others into manipulating payment information, resulting in the fraudulent transfer of funds to criminal actors. In addition, users on our platform could have vulnerabilities on their own mobile devices that are entirely unrelated to our systems and platform, but could mistakenly attribute their own vulnerabilities to us. Further, breaches experienced by other companies may also be leveraged against us. For example, credential stuffing attacks are becoming increasingly common and sophisticated actors can mask their attacks, making them increasingly difficult to identify and prevent. Certain efforts may be state-sponsored or supported by significant financial and technological resources, making them even more difficult to detect.
Although we have developed systems and processes that are designed to protect our users’ data, prevent data loss and prevent other security breaches, these security measures cannot guarantee security. Our information technology and infrastructure may be vulnerable to cyberattacks or security breaches; also, employee error, malfeasance or other errors in the storage, use or transmission of personal information could result in an actual or perceived privacy or security breach or other security incident.
Any actual or perceived breach of privacy or security could interrupt our operations, result in our platform being unavailable, result in loss or improper disclosure of data, result in fraudulent transfer of funds, harm our reputation and brand, damage our relationships with third-party partners, result in significant legal, regulatory and financial exposure and lead to loss of confidence in, or decreased use of, our platform, any of which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. Any breach of privacy or security impacting any entities with which we share or disclose data (including, for example, our third-party providers) could have similar effects.
Additionally, defending against claims or litigation based on any security breach or incident, regardless of their merit, could be costly and divert management’s attention. We cannot be certain that our insurance coverage will be adequate for data handling or data security liabilities actually incurred, that insurance will continue to be available to us on commercially reasonable terms, or at all, or that any insurer will not deny coverage as to any future claim. The successful assertion of one or more large claims against us that exceed available insurance coverage, or the occurrence of changes in our insurance policies, including premium increases or the imposition of large deductible or co-insurance requirements, could have an adverse effect on our reputation, brand, business, financial condition and results of operations.
Systems failures and resulting interruptions in the availability of our platform or offerings could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our systems, or those of third parties upon which we rely, may experience service interruptions or degradation because of hardware and software defects or malfunctions, distributed denial-of-service and other cyberattacks, human error, earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, fires, natural disasters, power losses, disruptions in telecommunications services, fraud, military or political conflicts, terrorist attacks, computer viruses, ransomware, malware or other events. Our systems also may be subject to break-ins, sabotage, theft and intentional acts of vandalism, including by our own employees. Some of our systems are not fully redundant and our disaster recovery planning may not be sufficient for all eventualities. Our business interruption insurance may not be sufficient to cover all of our losses that may result from interruptions in our service as a result of systems failures and similar events.
We have not experienced any system failures or other events or conditions that have interrupted the availability or reduced or affected the speed or functionality of our offerings. These events, were they to occur in the future, could adversely affect our business, reputation, results of operations and financial condition.
The successful operation of our business depends upon the performance and reliability of Internet, mobile, and other infrastructures that are not under our control.
Our business depends on the performance and reliability of Internet, mobile and other infrastructures that are not under our control. Disruptions in Internet infrastructure or the failure of telecommunications network operators to provide us with the bandwidth we need to provide our services and offerings could interfere with the speed and availability of our platform. If our platform is unavailable when platform users attempt to access it, or if our platform does not load as quickly as platform users expect, platform users may not return to our platform as often in the future, or at all, and may use our competitors’ products or offerings more often. In addition, we have no control over the costs of the services provided by national telecommunications operators. If mobile Internet access fees or other charges to Internet users increase, consumer traffic may decrease, which may in turn cause our revenue to significantly decrease.
Our business depends on the efficient and uninterrupted operation of mobile communications systems. The occurrence of an unanticipated problem, such as a power outage, telecommunications delay or failure, security breach or computer virus could result in delays or interruptions to our services, offerings and platform, as well as business interruptions for us and platform users. Furthermore, foreign governments may leverage their ability to shut down directed services, and local governments may shut down our platform at the routing level. Any of these events could damage our reputation, significantly disrupt our operations, and subject us to liability, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and operating results. We have invested significant resources to develop new products to mitigate the impact of potential interruptions to mobile communications systems, which can be used by consumers in territories where mobile communications systems are less efficient. However, these products may ultimately be unsuccessful.
We may be subject to claims, lawsuits, government investigations and other proceedings that may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations
.
We may be subject to claims, lawsuits, arbitration proceedings, government investigations and other legal and regulatory proceedings as our business grows and as we deploy new offerings, including proceedings related to our products or our acquisitions, securities issuances or business practices. The results of any such claims, lawsuits, arbitration proceedings, government investigations or other legal or regulatory proceedings cannot be predicted with certainty. Any claims against us, whether meritorious or not, could be time-consuming, result in costly litigation, be harmful to our reputation, require significant management attention and divert significant resources. Determining reserves for litigation is a complex and fact-intensive process that requires significant subjective judgment and speculation. It is possible that such proceedings could result in substantial damages, settlement costs, fines and penalties that could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. These proceedings could also result in harm to our reputation and brand, sanctions, consent decrees, injunctions or other orders requiring a change in our business practices. Any of these consequences could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. Furthermore, under certain circumstances, we have contractual and other legal obligations to indemnify and to incur legal expenses on behalf of our business and commercial partners and current and former directors and officers.
We may require additional funding to support our business.
To grow our business, FingerMotion currently looks to take advantage of the immense mobile phone payment market, estimated at a monthly gross transaction volume (GTV) of US$22 billion monthly in China. For the Company to continue to grow, the deposit with the Telecoms needs to increase, as the GTV we process is dependent on the size of the deposit we have with each Telecom. We will likely need to raise additional capital to materially increase the amounts of these deposits. If we raise additional funds through the issuance of equity, equity-linked or debt securities, those securities may have rights, preferences or privileges senior to those of our common stock, and our existing stockholders may experience dilution. Any debt financing secured by us in the future could involve restrictive covenants relating to our capital-raising activities and other financial and operational matters, which may make it more difficult for us to obtain additional capital and to pursue business opportunities. We cannot be certain that additional funding will be available to us on favorable terms, or at all. If we are unable to obtain adequate funding or funding on terms satisfactory to us, when we require it, our ability to continue to support our business growth and to respond to business challenges could be significantly limited, and our business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.
Claims by others that we infringed their proprietary technology or other intellectual property rights could harm our business.
Companies in the Internet and technology industries are frequently subject to litigation based on allegations of infringement or other violations of intellectual property rights. In addition, certain companies and rights holders seek to enforce and monetize patents or other intellectual property rights they own, have purchased or otherwise obtained. As we gain a public profile and the number of competitors in our market increases, the possibility of intellectual property rights claims against us grows. From time to time, third parties may assert claims of infringement of intellectual property rights against us. Many potential litigants, including some of our competitors and patent-holding companies, have the ability to dedicate substantial resources to assert their intellectual property rights. Any claim of infringement by a third party, even those without merit, could cause us to incur substantial costs defending against the claim, could distract our management from our business and could require us to cease use of such intellectual property. Furthermore, because of the substantial amount of discovery required in connection with intellectual property litigation, we risk compromising our confidential information during this type of litigation. We may be required to pay substantial damages, royalties or other fees in connection with a claimant securing a judgment against us, we may be subject to an injunction or other restrictions that prevent us from using or distributing our intellectual property, or we may agree to a settlement that prevents us from distributing our offerings or a portion thereof, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
With respect to any intellectual property rights claim, we may have to seek out a license to continue operations found to be in violation of such rights, which may not be available on favorable or commercially reasonable terms and may significantly increase our operating expenses. Some licenses may be non-exclusive, and therefore our competitors may have access to the same technology licensed to us. If a third party does not offer us a license to its intellectual property on reasonable terms, or at all, we may be required to develop alternative, non-infringing technology, which could require significant time (during which we would be unable to continue to offer our affected offerings), effort and expense and may ultimately not be successful. Any of these events could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Risks Related to Our Securities
Our stock has limited liquidity.
Our common stock trades on the OTC market. Trading volume in our shares may be sporadic and the price could experience volatility. If adverse market conditions exist, you may have difficulty selling your shares.
The market price of our common stock may fluctuate significantly in response to numerous factors, some of which are beyond our control, including the following:
|
●
|
actual or anticipated fluctuations in our operating results;
|
|
●
|
changes in financial estimates by securities analysts or our failure to perform in line with such estimates;
|
|
●
|
changes in market valuations of other companies, particularly those that market services such as ours;
|
|
●
|
announcements by us or our competitors of significant innovations, acquisitions, strategic partnerships, joint ventures or capital commitments;
|
|
●
|
introduction of product enhancements that reduce the need for our products; and
|
|
●
|
departure of key personnel.
|
We do not intend to pay dividends for the foreseeable future.
We have never declared nor paid cash dividends on our capital stock. We currently intend to retain any future earnings to finance the operation and expansion of our business, and we do not expect to declare or pay any dividends in the foreseeable future. As a result, stockholders must rely on sales of their common stock after price appreciation as the only way to realize any future gains on their investment.
If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, the market price and trading volume of our common stock could decline
.
The trading market for our common stock may depend in part on the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish about us, our business, our market or our competition. The analysts’ estimates are based upon their own opinions and are often different from our estimates or expectations. If one or more of the analysts who cover us downgrade our common stock, provide a more favorable recommendation about our competitors or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, the price of our securities would likely decline. If few securities analysts commence coverage of us, or if one or more of these analysts cease coverage of us or fail to publish reports on us regularly, demand for our securities could decrease, which might cause the price and trading volume of our common stock to decline.
We are subject to federal legislation to protect investors against corporate fraud.
Federal legislation, such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the Dodd- Frank Act, has resulted in the adoption of various corporate governance measures designed to promote the integrity of the corporate management and the securities markets. Some of these measures have been adopted in response to legal requirements. Others have been adopted by companies in response to the requirements of national securities exchanges, such as the NYSE or the Nasdaq Stock Market, on which their securities are listed. Among the corporate governance measures that are required under the rules of national securities exchanges are those that address board of directors’ independence, audit committee oversight and the adoption of a code of ethics.
We have not yet adopted any of these corporate governance measures such as an audit or other independent committees of our board of directors. Additionally, since our securities are not yet listed on a national securities exchange, we are not required to do so. If we expand our board membership in future periods to include independent directors, we may seek to establish an audit and other committees of our board of directors. It is possible that if we were to adopt some or all of these corporate governance measures, stockholders would benefit from somewhat greater assurances that internal corporate decisions were being made by disinterested directors and that policies had been implemented to define responsible conduct. For example, in the absence of audit, nominating and compensation committees comprised of at least a majority of independent directors, decisions concerning matters such as compensation packages to our senior officers and recommendations for director nominees are made by a majority of directors who have an interest in the outcome of the matters being decided. Prospective investors should consider our current lack of corporate governance measures in making their investment decisions.
If we fail to maintain an effective system of disclosure controls and internal control over financial reporting, our ability to produce timely and accurate financial statements or comply with applicable regulations could be impaired.
As a public company, we are subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires, among other things, that we maintain effective disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting. We are continuing to develop and refine our disclosure controls and other procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us in the reports that we will file with the SEC is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in SEC rules and forms and that information required to be disclosed in reports under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to our principal executive and financial officers. We are also continuing to improve our internal control over financial reporting. We have expended, and anticipate that we will continue to expend, significant resources in order to maintain and improve the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting.
Our current controls and any new controls that we develop may become inadequate because of changes in the conditions in our business. Further, weaknesses in our disclosure controls or our internal control over financial reporting may be discovered in the future. Any failure to develop or maintain effective controls, or any difficulties encountered in their implementation or improvement, could harm our results of operations or cause us to fail to meet our reporting obligations and may result in a restatement of our financial statements for prior periods. Any failure to implement and maintain effective internal control over financial reporting could also adversely affect the results of periodic management evaluations and annual independent registered public accounting firm attestation reports regarding the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting that we will eventually be required to include in our periodic reports that will be filed with the SEC. Ineffective disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting could also cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial and other information, which would likely adversely affect the market price of our common stock.
Risks Related to the VIE Agreements
The PRC government may determine that the VIE Agreements are not in compliance with applicable PRC laws, rules and regulations
JiuGe Management manages and operates the mobile data business through JiuGe Technology pursuant to the rights its holds under the VIE Agreements. Almost all economic benefits and risks arising from JiuGe Technology’s operations are transferred to JiuGe Management under these agreements.
There are risks involved with the operation of our business in reliance on the VIE Agreements, including the risk that the VIE Agreements may be determined by PRC regulators or courts to be unenforceable. Our PRC counsel has provided a legal opinion that the VIE Agreements are binding and enforceable under PRC law, but has further advised that if the VIE Agreements were for any reason determined to be in breach of any existing or future PRC laws or regulations, the relevant regulatory authorities would have broad discretion in dealing with such breach, including:
|
●
|
imposing economic penalties;
|
|
●
|
discontinuing or restricting the operations of JiuGe Technology or JiuGe Management;
|
|
●
|
imposing conditions or requirements in respect of the VIE Agreements with which JiuGe Technology or JiuGe Management may not be able to comply;
|
|
●
|
requiring our company to restructure the relevant ownership structure or operations;
|
|
●
|
taking other regulatory or enforcement actions that could adversely affect our company’s business; and
|
|
●
|
revoking the business licenses and/or the licenses or certificates of JiuGe Management, and/or voiding the VIE Agreements.
|
Any of these actions could adversely affect our ability to manage, operate and gain the financial benefits of JiuGe Technology, which would have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our ability to manage and operate JiuGe Technology under the VIE Agreements may not be as effective as direct ownership
.
We conduct our mobile data business in the PRC and generate virtually all of our revenues through the VIE Agreements. Our plans for future growth are based substantially on growing the operations of JiuGe Technology. However, the VIE Agreements may not be as effective in providing us with control over JiuGe Technology as direct ownership. Under the current VIE arrangements, as a legal matter, if JiuGe Technology fails to perform its obligations under these contractual arrangements, we may have to (i) incur substantial costs and resources to enforce such arrangements, and (ii) rely on legal remedies under PRC law, which we cannot be sure would be effective. Therefore, if we are unable to effectively control JiuGe Technology, it may have an adverse effect on our ability to achieve our business objectives and grow our revenues.
As the VIE Agreements are governed by PRC law, we would be required to rely on PRC law to enforce our rights and remedies under them; PRC law may not provide us with the same rights and remedies as are available in contractual disputes governed by the law of other jurisdictions.
The VIE Agreements are governed by the PRC law and provide for the resolution of disputes through arbitral proceedings pursuant to PRC law. If JiuGe Technology or its shareholders fail to perform the obligations under the VIE Agreements, we would be required to resort to legal remedies available under PRC law, including seeking specific performance or injunctive relief, or claiming damages. We cannot be sure that such remedies would provide us with effective means of causing JiuGe Technology to meet its obligations, or recovering any losses or damages as a result of non-performance. Further, the legal environment in China is not as developed as in other jurisdictions. Uncertainties in the application of various laws, rules, regulations or policies in PRC legal system could limit our liability to enforce the VIE Agreements and protect our interests.
The payment arrangement under the VIE Agreements may be challenged by the PRC tax authorities
.
We generate our revenues through the payments we receive pursuant to the VIE Agreements. We could face adverse tax consequences if the PRC tax authorities determine that the VIE Agreements were not entered into based on arm’s length negotiations. For example, PRC tax authorities may adjust our income and expenses for PRC tax purposes which could result in our being subject to higher tax liability or cause other adverse financial consequences.
Shareholders
of JiuGe Technology
have potential conflicts of interest with our company which may adversely affect our business
.
Li Li is our senior vice president, and is also the shareholder of JiuGe Technology. There could be conflicts that arise from time to time between our interests and the interests of Ms. Li. There could also be conflicts that arise between us and JiuGe Technology that would require our shareholders and JiuGe Technology’s shareholders to vote on corporate actions necessary to resolve the conflict. There can be no assurance in any such circumstances that Ms. Li will vote her shares in our best interest or otherwise act in the best interests of our company. If Ms. Li fails to act in our best interests, our operating performance and future growth could be adversely affected.
We rely on the approval certificates and business license held by JiuGe Management and any deterioration of the relationship between JiuGe Management and JiuGe Technology could materially and adversely affect our business operations
.
We operate our mobile data business in China on the basis of the approval certificates, business license and other requisite licenses held by JiuGe Management and JiuGe Technology. There is no assurance that JiuGe Management and JiuGe Technology will be able to renew their licenses or certificates when their terms expire with substantially similar terms as the ones they currently hold.
Further, our relationship with JiuGe Technology is governed by the VIE Agreements that are intended to provide us with effective control over the business operations of JiuGe Technology. However, the VIE Agreements may not be effective in providing control over the application for and maintenance of the licenses required for our business operations. JiuGe Technology could violate the VIE Agreements, go bankrupt, suffer from difficulties in its business or otherwise become unable to perform its obligations under the VIE Agreements and, as a result, our operations, reputations and business could be severely harmed.
If JiuGe Management exercises the purchase option it holds over JiuGe Technology’s share capital pursuant to the VIE Agreements, the payment of the purchase price could materially and adversely affect our financial position.
Under the VIE Agreements, JiuGe Technology’s shareholders have granted JiuGe Management an option for the maximum period of time permitted by law to purchase all of the equity interest in JiuGe Technology at a price equal to one dollar or the lowest applicable price allowable by PRC laws and regulations. As JiuGe Technology is already our contractually controlled affiliate, JiuGe Management’s exercising of the option would not bring immediate benefits to our company, and payment of the purchase prices could adversely affect our financial position.
Risks Related to Doing Business in China
Changes in China's political or economic situation could harm us and our operating results.
Economic reforms adopted by the Chinese government have had a positive effect on the economic development of the country, but the government could change these economic reforms or any of the legal systems at any time. This could either benefit or damage our operations and profitability. Some of the things that could have this effect are:
|
●
|
Level of government involvement in the economy;
|
|
●
|
Control of foreign exchange;
|
|
●
|
Methods of allocating resources;
|
|
●
|
Balance of payments position;
|
|
●
|
International trade restrictions; and
|
|
●
|
International conflict.
|
The Chinese economy differs from the economies of most countries belonging to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, or OECD, in many ways. For example, state-owned enterprises still constitute a large portion of the Chinese economy and weak corporate governance and a lack of flexible currency exchange policy still prevail in China. As a result of these differences, we may not develop in the same way or at the same rate as might be expected if the Chinese economy was similar to those of the OECD member countries.
Uncertainties with respect to the PRC legal system could limit the legal protections available to you and us.
We conduct substantially all of our business through our operating subsidiary and affiliate in the PRC. Our principal operating subsidiary and affiliate, JiuGe Management and JiuGe Technology, are subject to laws and regulations applicable to foreign investments in China and, in particular, laws applicable to foreign-invested enterprises. The PRC legal system is based on written statutes, and prior court decisions may be cited for reference but have limited precedential value. Since 1979, a series of new PRC laws and regulations have significantly enhanced the protections afforded to various forms of foreign investments in China. However, since the PRC legal system continues to evolve rapidly, the interpretations of many laws, regulations and rules are not always uniform and enforcement of these laws, regulations and rules involves uncertainties, which may limit legal protections available to you and us. In addition, any litigation in China may be protracted and result in substantial costs and diversion of resources and management attention. In addition, most of our executive officers and all of our directors are not residents of the United States, and substantially all the assets of these persons are located outside the United States. As a result, it could be difficult for investors to effect service of process in the United States or to enforce a judgment obtained in the United States against our Chinese operations, subsidiary and affiliate.
You may have difficulty enforcing judgments against us.
We are a Delaware holding company, but Finger Motion (CN) Limited is a Hong Kong company, and our principal operating affiliate and subsidiary, JiuGe Technology and JiuGe Management, are located in the PRC. Most of our assets are located outside the United States and most of our current operations are conducted in the PRC. In addition, most of our directors and officers are nationals and residents of countries other than the United States. A substantial portion of the assets of these persons is located outside the United States. As a result, it may be difficult for you to effect service of process within the United States upon these persons. It may also be difficult for you to enforce in U.S. courts judgments predicated on the civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities laws against us and our officers and directors, most of whom are not residents in the United States and the substantial majority of whose assets are located outside the United States. In addition, there is uncertainty as to whether the courts of the PRC would recognize or enforce judgments of U.S. courts. The recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments are provided for under the PRC Civil Procedures Law. Courts in China may recognize and enforce foreign judgments in accordance with the requirements of the PRC Civil Procedures Law based on treaties between China and the country where the judgment is made or on reciprocity between jurisdictions. China does not have any treaties or other arrangements that provide for the reciprocal recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments with the United States. In addition, according to the PRC Civil Procedures Law, courts in the PRC will not enforce a foreign judgment against us or our directors and officers if they decide that the judgment violates basic principles of PRC law or national sovereignty, security or the public interest. Therefore, it is uncertain whether a PRC court would enforce a judgment rendered by a court in the United States.
The PRC government exerts substantial influence over the manner in which we must conduct our business activities.
The PRC government has exercised and continues to exercise substantial control over virtually every sector of the Chinese economy through regulation and state ownership. Our ability to operate in China may be harmed by changes in its laws and regulations, including those relating to taxation, import and export tariffs, environmental regulations, land use rights, property and other matters. We believe that our operations in China are in material compliance with all applicable legal and regulatory requirements. However, the central or local governments of the jurisdictions in which we operate may impose new, stricter regulations or interpretations of existing regulations that would require additional expenditures and efforts on our part to ensure our compliance with such regulations or interpretations.
Accordingly, government actions in the future, including any decision not to continue to support recent economic reforms and to return to a more centrally planned economy or regional or local variations in the implementation of economic policies, could have a significant effect on economic conditions in China or particular regions thereof and could require us to divest ourselves of any interest we then hold in Chinese properties or joint ventures.
Future inflation in China may inhibit our ability to conduct business in China.
In recent years, the Chinese economy has experienced periods of rapid expansion and highly fluctuating rates of inflation. During the past ten years, the rate of inflation in China has been as high as 20.7% and as low as -2.2%. These factors have led to the adoption by the Chinese government, from time to time, of various corrective measures designed to restrict the availability of credit or regulate growth and contain inflation. High inflation may in the future cause the Chinese government to impose controls on credit and/or prices, or to take other action, which could inhibit economic activity in China, and thereby harm the market for our products and our company.
Restrictions on currency exchange may limit our ability to receive and use our revenues effectively.
The majority of our revenues will be settled in Chinese Renminbi (RMB), and any future restrictions on currency exchanges may limit our ability to use revenue generated in RMB to fund any future business activities outside China or to make dividend or other payments in U.S. dollars. Although the Chinese government introduced regulations in 1996 to allow greater convertibility of the RMB for current account transactions, significant restrictions still remain, including primarily the restriction that foreign-invested enterprises may only buy, sell or remit foreign currencies after providing valid commercial documents, at those banks in China authorized to conduct foreign exchange business. In addition, conversion of RMB for capital account items, including direct investment and loans, is subject to governmental approval in China, and companies are required to open and maintain separate foreign exchange accounts for capital account items. We cannot be certain that the Chinese regulatory authorities will not impose more stringent restrictions on the convertibility of the RMB.
Fluctuations in exchange rates could adversely affect our business and the value of our securities.
The value of our common stock will be indirectly affected by the foreign exchange rate between U.S. dollars and RMB and between those currencies and other currencies in which our sales may be denominated. Appreciation or depreciation in the value of the RMB relative to the U.S. dollar would affect our financial results reported in U.S. dollar terms without giving effect to any underlying change in our business or results of operations. Fluctuations in the exchange rate will also affect the relative value of any dividend we issue that will be exchanged into U.S. dollars as well as earnings from, and the value of, any U.S. dollar-denominated investments we make in the future.
Since July 2005, the RMB is no longer pegged to the U.S. dollar. Although the People’s Bank of China regularly intervenes in the foreign exchange market to prevent significant short-term fluctuations in the exchange rate, the RMB may appreciate or depreciate significantly in value against the U.S. dollar in the medium to long term. Moreover, it is possible that in the future PRC authorities may lift restrictions on fluctuations in the RMB exchange rate and lessen intervention in the foreign exchange market.
Very limited hedging transactions are available in China to reduce our exposure to exchange rate fluctuations. To date, we have not entered into any hedging transactions. While we may enter into hedging transactions in the future, the availability and effectiveness of these transactions may be limited, and we may not be able to successfully hedge our exposure at all. In addition, our foreign currency exchange losses may be magnified by PRC exchange control regulations that restrict our ability to convert RMB into foreign currencies.
Restrictions under PRC law on our PRC subsidiary’s ability to make dividends and other distributions could materially and adversely affect our ability to grow, make investments or acquisitions that could benefit our business, pay dividends to
our shareholders
, and otherwise fund and conduct our businesses.
Substantially all of our revenues are earned by JiuGe Management, our PRC subsidiary. PRC regulations restrict the ability of our PRC subsidiary to make dividends and other payments to its offshore parent company. PRC legal restrictions permit payments of dividends by our PRC subsidiary only out of its accumulated after-tax profits, if any, determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations. Our PRC subsidiary is also required under PRC laws and regulations to allocate at least 10% of our annual after-tax profits determined in accordance with PRC GAAP to a statutory general reserve fund until the amounts in said fund reaches 50% of our registered capital. Allocations to these statutory reserve funds can only be used for specific purposes and are not transferable to us in the form of loans, advances or cash dividends. Any limitations on the ability of our PRC subsidiary to transfer funds to us could materially and adversely limit our ability to grow, make investments or acquisitions that could be beneficial to our business, pay dividends and otherwise fund and conduct our business.
Failure to comply with PRC regulations relating to the establishment of offshore special purpose companies by PRC residents may subject our PRC resident shareholders to personal liability, limit our ability to acquire PRC companies or to inject capital into our PRC subsidiary or affiliate, limit our PRC subsidiary’s and affiliate’s ability to distribute profits to us or otherwise materially adversely affect us.
In October 2005, the Chinese State Administration of Foreign Exchange (“
SAFE
”), issued the Notice on Relevant Issues in the Foreign Exchange Control over Financing and Return Investment Through Special Purpose Companies by Residents Inside China, generally referred to as Circular 75, which required PRC residents to register with the competent local SAFE branch before establishing or acquiring control over an offshore special purpose company, or SPV, for the purpose of engaging in an equity financing outside of China on the strength of domestic PRC assets originally held by those residents. Internal implementing guidelines issued by SAFE, which became public in June 2007 (known as Notice 106), expanded the reach of Circular 75 by (1) purporting to cover the establishment or acquisition of control by PRC residents of offshore entities which merely acquire “control” over domestic companies or assets, even in the absence of legal ownership; (2) adding requirements relating to the source of the PRC resident’s funds used to establish or acquire the offshore entity; covering the use of existing offshore entities for offshore financings; (3) purporting to cover situations in which an offshore SPV establishes a new subsidiary in China or acquires an unrelated company or unrelated assets in China; and (4) making the domestic affiliate of the SPV responsible for the accuracy of certain documents which must be filed in connection with any such registration, notably, the business plan which describes the overseas financing and the use of proceeds. Amendments to registrations made under Circular 75 are required in connection with any increase or decrease of capital, transfer of shares, mergers and acquisitions, equity investment or creation of any security interest in any assets located in China to guarantee offshore obligations, and Notice 106 makes the offshore SPV jointly responsible for these filings. In the case of an SPV which was established, and which acquired a related domestic company or assets, before the implementation date of Circular 75, a retroactive SAFE registration was required to have been completed before March 31, 2006; this date was subsequently extended indefinitely by Notice 106, which also required that the registrant establish that all foreign exchange transactions undertaken by the SPV and its affiliates were in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Failure to comply with the requirements of Circular 75, as applied by SAFE in accordance with Notice 106, may result in fines and other penalties under PRC laws for evasion of applicable foreign exchange restrictions. Any such failure could also result in the SPV’s affiliates being impeded or prevented from distributing their profits and the proceeds from any reduction in capital, share transfer or liquidation to the SPV, or from engaging in other transfers of funds into or out of China.
We have advised our shareholders who are PRC residents, as defined in Circular 75, to register with the relevant branch of SAFE, as currently required, in connection with their equity interests in us and our acquisitions of equity interests in our PRC subsidiary and affiliate. However, we cannot provide any assurances that their existing registrations have fully complied with, and they have made all necessary amendments to their registration to fully comply with, all applicable registrations or approvals required by Circular 75. Moreover, because of uncertainty over how Circular 75 will be interpreted and implemented, and how or whether SAFE will apply it to us, we cannot predict how it will affect our business operations or future strategies. For example, our present and prospective PRC subsidiary’s and affiliate’s ability to conduct foreign exchange activities, such as the remittance of dividends and foreign currency-denominated borrowings, may be subject to compliance with Circular 75 by our PRC resident beneficial holders. In addition, such PRC residents may not always be able to complete the necessary registration procedures required by Circular 75. We also have little control over either our present or prospective direct or indirect shareholders or the outcome of such registration procedures. A failure by our PRC resident beneficial holders or future PRC resident shareholders to comply with Circular 75, if SAFE requires it, could subject these PRC resident beneficial holders to fines or legal sanctions, restrict our overseas or cross-border investment activities, limit our subsidiary’s and affiliate’s ability to make distributions or pay dividends or affect our ownership structure, which could adversely affect our business and prospects.
Under the New EIT Law, we may be classified as a “resident enterprise” of China. Such classification will likely result in unfavorable tax consequences to us and our non-PRC shareholders.
Under the New EIT Law effective on January 1, 2008, an enterprise established outside China with “de facto management bodies” within China is considered a “resident enterprise,” meaning that it can be treated in a manner similar to a Chinese enterprise for enterprise income tax purposes. The implementing rules of the New EIT Law define de facto management as “substantial and overall management and control over the production and operations, personnel, accounting, and properties” of the enterprise.
On April 22, 2009, the State Administration of Taxation issued the Notice Concerning Relevant Issues Regarding Cognizance of Chinese Investment Controlled Enterprises Incorporated Offshore as Resident Enterprises pursuant to Criteria of de facto Management Bodies, or the Notice, further interpreting the application of the New EIT Law and its implementation non-Chinese enterprise or group controlled offshore entities. Pursuant to the Notice, an enterprise incorporated in an offshore jurisdiction and controlled by a Chinese enterprise or group will be classified as a “non-domestically incorporated resident enterprise” if (i) its senior management in charge of daily operations reside or perform their duties mainly in China; (ii) its financial or personnel decisions are made or approved by bodies or persons in China; (iii) its substantial assets and properties, accounting books, corporate chops, board and shareholder minutes are kept in China; and (iv) at least half of its directors with voting rights or senior management often resident in China. A resident enterprise would be subject to an enterprise income tax rate of 25% on its worldwide income and must pay a withholding tax at a rate of 10% when paying dividends to its non-PRC shareholders. However, it remains unclear as to whether the Notice is applicable to an offshore enterprise incorporated by a Chinese natural person. Nor are detailed measures on imposition of tax from non-domestically incorporated resident enterprises are available. Therefore, it is unclear how tax authorities will determine tax residency based on the facts of each case.
Given the above conditions, although unlikely, we may be deemed to be a resident enterprise by Chinese tax authorities. If the PRC tax authorities determine that we are a “resident enterprise” for PRC enterprise income tax purposes, a number of unfavorable PRC tax consequences could follow. First, we may be subject to the enterprise income tax at a rate of 25% on our worldwide taxable income as well as PRC enterprise income tax reporting obligations. In our case, this would mean that income such as interest on financing proceeds and non-China source income would be subject to PRC enterprise income tax at a rate of 25%. Second, although under the New EIT Law and its implementing rules dividends paid to us from our PRC subsidiary would qualify as “tax-exempt income,” we cannot guarantee that such dividends will not be subject to a 10% withholding tax, as the PRC foreign exchange control authorities, which enforce the withholding tax, have not yet issued guidance with respect to the processing of outbound remittances to entities that are treated as resident enterprises for PRC enterprise income tax purposes. Finally, it is possible that future guidance issued with respect to the new “resident enterprise” classification could result in a situation in which a 10% withholding tax is imposed on dividends we pay to our non-PRC shareholders and with respect to gains derived by our non-PRC shareholders from transferring our shares. We are actively monitoring the possibility of “resident enterprise” treatment.
If we were treated as a “resident enterprise” by PRC tax authorities, we would be subject to taxation in both the U.S. and China, and our PRC tax may not be creditable against our U.S. tax.
We may be exposed to liabilities under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and Chinese anti-corruption laws, and any determination that we violated these laws could have a material adverse effect on our business.
We are subject to the Foreign Corrupt Practice Act, or FCPA, and other laws that prohibit improper payments or offers of payments to foreign governments and their officials and political parties by U.S. persons and issuers as defined by the statute, for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business. We have operations, agreements with third parties and we earn the majority of our revenue in China. PRC also strictly prohibits bribery of government officials. Our activities in China create the risk of unauthorized payments or offers of payments by our executive officers, employees, consultants, sales agents or other representatives of our Company, even though they may not always be subject to our control. It is our policy to implement safeguards to discourage these practices by our employees. However, our existing safeguards and any future improvements may prove to be less than effective, and the executive officers, employees, consultants, sales agents or other representatives of our Company may engage in conduct for which we might be held responsible. Violations of the FCPA or Chinese anti-corruption laws may result in severe criminal or civil sanctions, and we may be subject to other liabilities, which could negatively affect our business, operating results and financial condition. In addition, the U.S. government may seek to hold our Company liable for successor liability FCPA violations committed by companies in which we invest or that we acquire.
Because our business is located in the PRC, we may have difficulty establishing adequate management, legal and financial controls, which we are required to do in order to comply with U.S. securities laws.
PRC companies have historically not adopted a Western style of management and financial reporting concepts and practices, which includes strong corporate governance, internal controls and, computer, financial and other control systems. Some of our staff is not educated and trained in the Western system, and we may have difficulty hiring new employees in the PRC with such training. As a result of these factors, we may experience difficulty in establishing management, legal and financial controls, collecting financial data and preparing financial statements, books of account and corporate records and instituting business practices that meet Western standards. Therefore, we may, in turn, experience difficulties in implementing and maintaining adequate internal controls as required under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. This may result in significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in our internal controls, which could impact the reliability of our financial statements and prevent us from complying with Commission rules and regulations and the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Any such deficiencies, weaknesses or lack of compliance could have a materially adverse effect on our business.