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Huize Holding (HUIZ) Risk Analysis
Risk Overview Q4, 2023
Source: the company's latest filing for the period ended Dec 31, 2023, filed Apr 19, 2024
Risk Change Over Time
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 1If we fail to regain compliance on Nasdaq's minimum bid price requirement, or fail to meet other continued listing requirements, our ADSs could be subject to delisting, which may significantly reduce the liquidity of our ADSs and cause further declines to the market price of our ADSs.
Our ADSs are currently listed on the Nasdaq Global Market, or Nasdaq. The Nasdaq Listing Rules have minimum requirements that a company must meet for continued listing on Nasdaq. These requirements include, among others, maintaining a minimum bid price of US$1.00 per ADS for a period of 30 consecutive trading days. On October 12, 2022, we received a written notification from Nasdaq indicating that for the last 30 consecutive business days, the closing bid price for our ADSs was below the minimum bid price of US$1.00 per share requirement. We regained compliance with the minimum bid price requirement on December 13, 2022. On January 5, 2024, we received another written notification from Nasdaq indicating that for the last 30 consecutive business days, the closing bid price for our ADSs was below the minimum bid price of US$1.00 per share requirement. We were granted a grace period of 180 calendar days, expiring on July 3, 2024, to regain compliance. If we fail to satisfy Nasdaq Global Market's continued listing requirements and fail to regain compliance on a timely basis, our ADSs could be delisted from Nasdaq Global Market, and we may need to transfer the listing or trading of our ADSs to other stock exchange or trading venues. However, there can be no assurance that our ADSs will be eligible for trading on any such alternative exchanges or markets in the United States. If Nasdaq determines to delist our ADSs, or if we fail to list our ADSs on other stock exchanges or find alternative trading venue for our ADSs, the market liquidity and the price of our ADSs and our ability to obtain financing for our operations could be materially and adversely affected.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 2We are a "controlled company" within the meaning of the Nasdaq Stock Market Rules and, as a result, may rely on exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements that provide protection to shareholders of other companies.
We are a "controlled company" as defined under the Nasdaq Stock Market Rules because Mr. Cunjun Ma, our chairman and chief executive officer, beneficially owns more than 50% of our total voting power. For so long as we remain a controlled company under that definition, we are permitted to elect to rely on, and may rely on, certain exemptions from corporate governance rules, including (i) an exemption from having the majority of our board of directors composed of independent directors, (ii) having a compensation committee composed entirely of independent directors, and (iii) having a nominating and corporate governance committee composed entirely of independent directors. As a result, you may not have the same protection afforded to shareholders of companies that are subject to these corporate governance requirements.
- Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 3We incurred operating losses and net losses in the past, and we may not be able to stay profitable in the future.
For the years ended December 31, 2021, 2022 and 2023, we had net loss of RMB107.7 million, net loss of RMB33.7 million and net profit of RMB70.6 million (US$9.9 million), respectively, and we had operating loss of RMB114.4 million, operating loss of RMB43.7 million and operating profit of RMB51.0 million (US$7.2 million), respectively. Although we generated net profit in 2023, we cannot assure you that we will remain profitable in the future. Our operating costs and expenses may increase in the foreseeable future as we continue to grow our business, acquire new clients and further develop our insurance product and service offering and increase brand recognition. These efforts may prove more costly than we currently anticipate, and we may not succeed in increasing our revenue sufficiently to offset these higher expenses. There are other factors that could negatively affect our financial condition. For example, if we fail to compete successfully with our existing or potential competitors, or if our tailor-made insurance products are not accepted by the market as we expect, we will receive lower-than-expected insurance brokerage income, and our financial results will be adversely affected. If regulatory authorities promulgate new laws, regulations and regulatory requirements that limit our business operations, especially with regard to our fee or cost model, our results of operations will suffer. As a result of the foregoing and other factors, our net profit margins may decline or we may incur net losses again in the future, and may not be able to maintain profitability on a quarterly or annual basis.
Risk Highlights Q4, 2023
Risk Word Cloud
Risk Factors Full Breakdown - Total Risks 97
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 1ChangedIf we fail to regain compliance on Nasdaq's minimum bid price requirement, or fail to meet other continued listing requirements, our ADSs could be subject to delisting, which may significantly reduce the liquidity of our ADSs and cause further declines to the market price of our ADSs.
Our ADSs are currently listed on the Nasdaq Global Market, or Nasdaq. The Nasdaq Listing Rules have minimum requirements that a company must meet for continued listing on Nasdaq. These requirements include, among others, maintaining a minimum bid price of US$1.00 per ADS for a period of 30 consecutive trading days. On October 12, 2022, we received a written notification from Nasdaq indicating that for the last 30 consecutive business days, the closing bid price for our ADSs was below the minimum bid price of US$1.00 per share requirement. We regained compliance with the minimum bid price requirement on December 13, 2022. On January 5, 2024, we received another written notification from Nasdaq indicating that for the last 30 consecutive business days, the closing bid price for our ADSs was below the minimum bid price of US$1.00 per share requirement. We were granted a grace period of 180 calendar days, expiring on July 3, 2024, to regain compliance. If we fail to satisfy Nasdaq Global Market's continued listing requirements and fail to regain compliance on a timely basis, our ADSs could be delisted from Nasdaq Global Market, and we may need to transfer the listing or trading of our ADSs to other stock exchange or trading venues. However, there can be no assurance that our ADSs will be eligible for trading on any such alternative exchanges or markets in the United States. If Nasdaq determines to delist our ADSs, or if we fail to list our ADSs on other stock exchanges or find alternative trading venue for our ADSs, the market liquidity and the price of our ADSs and our ability to obtain financing for our operations could be materially and adversely affected.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 2ChangedWe are a "controlled company" within the meaning of the Nasdaq Stock Market Rules and, as a result, may rely on exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements that provide protection to shareholders of other companies.
We are a "controlled company" as defined under the Nasdaq Stock Market Rules because Mr. Cunjun Ma, our chairman and chief executive officer, beneficially owns more than 50% of our total voting power. For so long as we remain a controlled company under that definition, we are permitted to elect to rely on, and may rely on, certain exemptions from corporate governance rules, including (i) an exemption from having the majority of our board of directors composed of independent directors, (ii) having a compensation committee composed entirely of independent directors, and (iii) having a nominating and corporate governance committee composed entirely of independent directors. As a result, you may not have the same protection afforded to shareholders of companies that are subject to these corporate governance requirements.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 3We have granted and may continue to grant options, restricted share units and other types of awards under our share option plan, which may result in increased share-based compensation expenses.
We adopted a global share incentive plan in June 2019, which we refer to as the Global Plan, for the purpose of granting share-based compensation awards to employees, directors and consultants to incentivize their performance and align their interests with ours. We recognize expenses in our consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Under our Global Plan, we are authorized to grant options, restricted share units and other types of share incentive awards. The maximum aggregate number of common shares which may be issued pursuant to all awards under the Global Plan is 57,501,813 common shares. As of February 29, 2024, 18,513,727 restricted shares and options to purchase a total of 31,146,421 common shares were outstanding under the Global Plan. We adopted a 2019 share incentive plan in June 2019, which we refer to as the 2019 Plan. In September 2021, May 2023 and November 2023, respectively, our board of directors approved the amendments to the 2019 Plan to increase the maximum number of Class A common shares that may be issued under the 2019 Plan. Under the currently effective Third Amended and Restated 2019 Share Incentive Plan, or the Third Amended and Restated 2019 Plan, the maximum aggregate number of Class A common shares that may be issued shall be 187,559,565, plus an annual increase on June 1 of each of 2024, 2025, 2026 and 2027, by (i) 31,351,400 Class A common shares or (ii) such number of Class A common shares as may be determined by our board. As of February 29, 2024, options to purchase a total of 12,791,945 common shares were outstanding under the Third Amended and Restated 2019 Plan. We believe the granting of share-based compensation is of significant importance to our ability to attract and retain key personnel and employees, and we will continue to grant share-based compensation to employees in the future. As a result, our expenses associated with share-based compensation may increase, which may have an adverse effect on our results of operations. We may re-evaluate the vesting schedules, lockup period, exercise price or other key terms applicable to the grants under our currently effective share incentive plans from time to time. If we choose to do so, we may experience substantial change in our share-based compensation charges.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 4Our ability to enforce the equity pledge agreements between us and the shareholders of the VIE may be subject to limitations based on PRC laws and regulations.
Pursuant to the equity pledge agreements relating to the VIE, shareholders of the VIE pledged their equity interests in the VIE to our WFOE to secure the VIE's and its shareholders' performance of the obligations and indebtedness under the Exclusive Business Cooperation Agreement, Exclusive Option and Equity Custody Agreement. As of the date of this annual report, we have registered such equity pledges with the local branch of the State Administration for Market Regulation. Under the Civil Code of the PRC, when an obligor fails to pay its debt when due, the pledgee may choose to either conclude an agreement with the pledger to obtain the pledged equity or seek payments from the proceeds of the auction or sell-off of the pledged equity. If the VIE fails to perform its obligations secured by the pledges under the equity pledge agreements, one remedy in the event of default under the agreements is to require the pledger to sell the equity interests in the VIE, as applicable, in an auction or private sale and remit the proceeds to our subsidiary in China, net of related taxes and expenses. Such an auction or private sale may not result in our receipt of the full value of the equity interests in the VIE. We consider it very unlikely that the public auction process would be undertaken since, in an event of default, our preferred approach would be to ask our WFOE that is a party to the Exclusive Option and Equity Custody Agreement to designate another PRC person or entity to acquire the equity interests in such VIE and replace the existing shareholders pursuant to the Exclusive Option and Equity Custody Agreement. In addition, in the registration forms of the local branch of the State Administration for Market Regulation for the pledges over the equity interests under the equity pledge agreements, the amount of registered equity interests pledged to our WFOE shall be designated as a fixed figure. The equity pledge agreements with the shareholders of the VIE provide that the pledged equity interest constitutes continuing security for any and all of the indebtedness, obligations and liabilities of the VIE under the contractual arrangements, and therefore it is possible that the amount of registered equity interests cannot cover the secured obligation as a whole. However, there is no guarantee that a PRC court will not take the position that the amount listed on the equity pledge registration forms represents the full amount of the collateral that has been registered and perfected. If this is the case, the obligations that are supposed to be secured in the equity pledge agreements in excess of the amount listed on the equity pledge registration forms could be determined by the PRC court to be unsecured debt, which takes last priority among creditors and often does not have to be paid back at all. We do not have agreements that pledge the assets of the VIE and its subsidiaries for the benefit of us or our WFOE, although the VIE grants our WFOE options to purchase the assets of the VIE and its equity interests in its subsidiaries under the Exclusive Option and Equity Custody Agreement.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 5The shareholders and directors of the VIE may have potential conflicts of interest with us, and if any such conflicts of interest are not resolved in our favor, our business may be materially and adversely affected.
The shareholders of the VIE may have potential conflicts of interest with us. These shareholders may breach, or cause the VIE to breach, or refuse to renew, the existing contractual arrangements we have with them and the VIE, which would have a material and adverse effect on our ability to effectively control the VIE and receive economic benefits from it. For example, the shareholders may be able to cause our agreements with the VIE to be performed in a manner adverse to us by, among other things, failing to remit payments due under the contractual arrangements to us on a timely basis. In addition, PRC laws and regulations provide that a director owes a fiduciary duty to the company to which he or she acts as a director. The directors of the VIE, including Mr. Cunjun Ma, our Chief Executive Officer, must act in good faith and in the best interests of the VIE and must not use his position for personal gains. On the other hand, as a director of our company, Mr. Cunjun Ma has a duty of care and loyalty to our company and to our shareholders as a whole under the Cayman Islands law. We control the VIE through contractual arrangements, and the business and operations of the VIE are closely integrated with our subsidiaries' business and operations. Nevertheless, conflicts of interests for these individuals may arise due to their dual roles both as directors of the VIE and as directors of our company. We cannot assure you that should any conflicts of interest arise, any or all of the shareholders and directors will act in the best interests of our company or such conflicts will be resolved in our favor. Currently, we do not have any arrangements to address potential conflicts of interest between these shareholders and directors and our company. If we cannot resolve any conflicts of interest or disputes between us and them, we would have to rely on legal proceedings, which could result in disruption of our business and subject us to substantial uncertainty as to the outcome of any such legal proceedings.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 6The PCAOB had historically been unable to inspect our auditor in relation to their audit work performed for our financial statements and the inability of the PCAOB to conduct inspections of our auditor in the past has deprived our investors with the benefits of such inspections.
Our auditor, the independent registered public accounting firm that issues the audit report included elsewhere in this annual report, as an auditor of companies that are traded publicly in the United States and a firm registered with the PCAOB, is subject to laws in the United States pursuant to which the PCAOB conducts regular inspections to assess its compliance with the applicable professional standards. The auditor is located in mainland China, a jurisdiction where the PCAOB was historically unable to conduct inspections and investigations completely before 2022. As a result, we and investors in the ADSs were deprived of the benefits of such PCAOB inspections. The inability of the PCAOB to conduct inspections of auditors in China in the past has made it more difficult to evaluate the effectiveness of our independent registered public accounting firm's audit procedures or quality control procedures as compared to auditors outside of China that are subject to the PCAOB inspections. On December 15, 2022, the PCAOB issued a report that vacated its December 16, 2021 determination and removed mainland China and Hong Kong from the list of jurisdictions where it is unable to inspect or investigate completely registered public accounting firms. However, if the PCAOB determines in the future that it no longer has full access to inspect and investigate completely accounting firms in mainland China and Hong Kong, and we use an accounting firm headquartered in one of these jurisdictions to issue an audit report on our financial statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, we and investors in our ADSs would be deprived of the benefits of such PCAOB inspections again, which could cause investors and potential investors in the ADSs to lose confidence in our audit procedures and reported financial information and the quality of our financial statements.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 7If the custodians or authorized users of controlling non-tangible assets of our company, including our corporate chops and seals, fail to fulfill their responsibilities, or misappropriate or misuse these assets, our business and operations could be materially and adversely affected
Under PRC law, legal documents for corporate transactions, including contracts such as consulting service agreements we enter into with wealth management product providers, which are important to our business, are executed using the chops (a Chinese stamp or seal) or seals of the signing entity, or with the signature of a legal representative whose designation is registered and filed with the local branch of the State Administration for Market Regulation. Although we usually utilize chops to enter into contracts, the designated legal representatives of each of our WFOE and consolidated entities have the power to enter into contracts on behalf of such entities without chops and bind such entities. All designated legal representatives of our WFOE and consolidated entities have signed employment undertaking letters with us or our WFOE and consolidated entities under which they agree to abide by various duties they owe to us. In order to maintain the physical security of our chops and the chops of our PRC entities, we generally store these items in secured locations accessible only by the authorized personnel of each of our WFOE and consolidated entities. Although we monitor such authorized personnel, there is no assurance such procedures will prevent all instances of abuse or negligence. We also use electronic chops for certain transactions. While we have in place internal procedures and rules to secure our electronic chops, including to ensure that only authorized signatories are permitted to deploy them, electronic chops are inherently susceptible to misuse. Any misuse of our electronic chops could have severe financial and legal implications, and could materially and adversely affect our business and financial performance. Accordingly, if any of our authorized personnel misuse or misappropriate our corporate chops or seals, whether physical or electronic, we could encounter difficulties in maintaining control over the entities and experience significant disruption to our operations. If a designated legal representative obtains control of the chops in an effort to obtain control over any of our WFOE or consolidated entities, we, our WFOE or consolidated entities would need to pass a new shareholder or board resolution to designate a new legal representative and we would need to take legal actions to seek the return of the chops, apply for new chops with the authorities, or otherwise seek legal redress for the violation of the representative's fiduciary duties to us, which could involve significant time and resources and divert management attention away from our regular business. In addition, the affected entity may not be able to recover corporate assets that are sold or transferred out of our control in the event of such a misappropriation if a transferee relies on the apparent authority of the representative and acts in good faith.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 8The trading price of our ADSs has been and may continue to be volatile, which could result in substantial losses to investors.
Since our ADSs became listed on the Nasdaq Global Market on February 11, 2020, the trading price of our ADSs been subject to side fluctuations. In 2023, the trading prices of our ADS on the Nasdaq Global Market have ranged from US$0.79 to US$2.08 per ADS. The trading price of other Chinese companies' securities, including internet-based companies, may affect the attitudes of investors toward Chinese companies listed in the United States, which consequently may impact the trading performance of our ADSs, regardless of our actual operating performance. In addition, any negative news or perceptions about inadequate corporate governance practices or fraudulent accounting, corporate structure or matters of the Chinese companies may also negatively affect the attitudes of investors towards Chinese companies in general, including us, regardless of our conduct. The trading price of our ADSs may fluctuate widely due to factors beyond our control. This may happen because of broad market and industry factors, including the performance and fluctuation of the market prices of other companies with business operations located mainly in China that have listed their securities in the United States. In addition to market and industry factors, the price and trading volume for our ADSs may be volatile for factors specific to our own operations, including the following: - variations in our net revenues, earnings and cash flow;- our or our competitors' announcements of new investments, acquisitions, strategic partnerships, or joint ventures;- our or our competitors' announcements of new products and services and expansions;- changes in financial estimates by securities analysts;- failure on our part to realize monetization opportunities as expected;- additions or departures of key personnel;- release of lock-up or other transfer restrictions on our outstanding equity securities or sales of additional equity securities;- detrimental negative publicity about us, our management, our competitors or our industry;- regulatory developments affecting us or our industry; and - actual or potential litigation or regulatory investigations. Any of these factors may result in large and sudden changes in the trading volume and price of the ADSs. In the past, shareholders of public companies have often brought securities class action suits against those companies following periods of instability in the market price of their securities. If we were involved in a class action suit, it could divert a significant amount of our management's attention and other resources from our business and operations and require us to incur significant expenses to defend the suit, which could harm our results of operations. Any such class action suit, whether or not successful, could harm our reputation and restrict our ability to raise capital in the future. In addition, if a claim is successfully made against us, we may be required to pay significant damages, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 9If securities or industry analysts do not publish or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, or if they adversely change their recommendations regarding our ADSs, the market price for our ADSs and trading volume could decline.
The trading market for the ADSs will be influenced by research or reports that industry or securities analysts publish about our business. If one or more analysts who cover us downgrade the ADSs, the market price for the ADSs would likely decline. If one or more of these analysts cease to cover us or fail to regularly publish reports on us, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which, in turn, could cause the market price or trading volume for the ADSs to decline.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 10Our dual-class voting structure will limit your ability to influence corporate matters and could discourage others from pursuing any change of control transactions that holders of our Class A common shares and the ADSs may view as beneficial.
We have a dual-class common share structure. Our common shares are divided into Class A common shares and Class B common shares. Holders of Class A common shares are entitled to one vote per share, while holders of Class B common shares are entitled to 15 votes per share on all matters subject to the vote at general meetings of the Company. Each Class B common share is convertible into one Class A common share at any time by the holder thereof, while Class A common shares are not convertible into Class B common shares under any circumstances. Upon any sale, transfer, assignment or disposition of Class B common shares by a holder thereof to any person or entity that is not an affiliate of such holder, such Class B common shares shall be automatically and immediately converted into an equal number of Class A common shares. As of February 29, 2024, Mr. Cunjun Ma, the chairman of our board of directors and our chief executive officer, beneficially owned all of the 150,591,207 Class B common shares and 9,321,540 Class A common shares in the form of ADSs. Together with 137,153,306 Class A common shares, the voting power of which has been delegated to Mr. Cunjun Ma, Mr. Cunjun Ma is able to exercise in aggregate 77.4% of our total voting power. Therefore, Mr. Cunjun Ma has decisive influence over matters requiring shareholders' approval, including election of directors and significant corporate transactions, such as a merger of our company. This concentrated control will limit your ability to influence corporate matters and could discourage others from pursuing any potential merger, takeover or other change of control transactions that holders of our Class A common shares and the ADSs may view as beneficial.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 11You may not have the same voting rights as the holders of our Class A common shares and may not receive voting materials in time to be able to exercise your right to vote.
Holders of our ADSs do not have the same rights as our registered shareholders. As a holder of ADSs, you will not have any direct right to attend general meetings of our shareholders or to cast any votes at such meetings. You will only be able to exercise the voting rights that are carried by the underlying Class A common shares represented by your ADSs indirectly by giving voting instructions to the depositary in accordance with the provisions of the deposit agreement. Under the deposit agreement, you may vote only by giving voting instructions to the depositary. If we instruct the depositary to ask for your instructions, then upon receipt of your voting instructions, the depositary will try, as far as practicable, to vote the underlying Class A common shares represented by your ADSs in accordance with your instructions. If we do not instruct the depositary to ask for your instructions, the depositary may still vote in accordance with instructions you give, but it is not required to do so. You will not be able to directly exercise your right to vote with respect to the underlying Class A common shares represented by your ADSs unless you withdraw the shares and become the registered holder of such shares prior to the record date for the general meeting. Under our memorandum and articles of association, the minimum notice period required to be given by our company to our registered shareholders for convening a general meeting is ten clear days. When a general meeting is convened, you may not receive sufficient advance notice of the meeting to withdraw the Class A common shares underlying your ADSs and become the registered holder of such shares to allow you to vote directly with respect to any specific matter or resolution to be considered and voted upon at the general meeting. In addition, under our memorandum and articles of association, for the purposes of determining those shareholders who are entitled to attend and vote at any general meeting, our directors may close our register of members and fix in advance a record date for such meeting, and such closure of our register of members or the setting of such a record date may prevent you from withdrawing the Class A common shares underlying your ADSs and becoming the registered holder of such shares prior to the record date, so that you would not be able to attend the general meeting or to vote directly. If we ask for your instructions, the depositary will notify you of the upcoming vote and will arrange to deliver our voting materials to you. We have agreed to give the depositary at least 30 days' prior notice of shareholder meetings. Nevertheless, we cannot assure you that you will receive the voting materials in time to ensure that you can instruct the depositary to vote the underlying Class A common shares represented by your ADSs. In addition, the depositary and its agents are not responsible for failing to carry out voting instructions or for their manner of carrying out your voting instructions. This means that you may not be able to exercise your right to direct how the Class A common shares underlying your ADSs are voted and you may have no legal remedy if the Class A common shares underlying your ADSs are not voted as you requested.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 12The depositary will give us a discretionary proxy to vote the Class A common shares underlying your ADSs if you do not give voting instructions to the depositary to direct how the Class A common shares underlying your ADSs are voted, except in limited circumstances, which could adversely affect your interests.
Under the deposit agreement for the ADSs, if you do not give voting instructions to the depositary to direct how the Class A common shares underlying your ADSs are voted, the depositary will give us a discretionary proxy to vote the Class A common shares underlying your ADSs at shareholders' meetings unless: - we have failed to timely provide the depositary with notice of meeting and related voting materials;- we have instructed the depositary that we do not wish a discretionary proxy to be given;- we have informed the depositary that there is substantial opposition as to a matter to be voted on at the meeting;- a matter to be voted on at the meeting would have a material adverse impact on shareholders; or - the voting at the meeting is to be made on a show of hands. The effect of this discretionary proxy is that if you do not give voting instructions to the depositary to direct how the Class A common shares underlying your ADSs are voted, you cannot prevent the Class A common shares underlying your ADSs from being voted, except under the circumstances described above. This may make it more difficult for shareholders to influence the management of our company. Holders of our Class A common shares are not subject to this discretionary proxy.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 13We and the depository are entitled to amend the deposit agreement and to change the rights of ADS holders under the terms of such agreement, and we may terminate the deposit agreement, without the prior consent of the ADS holders.
We and the depository are entitled to amend the deposit agreement and to change the rights of the ADS holders under the terms of such agreement, without the prior consent of the ADS holders. We and the depositary may agree to amend the deposit agreement in any way we decide is necessary or advantageous to us. Amendments may reflect, among other things, operational changes in the ADS program, legal developments affecting ADSs or changes in the terms of our business relationship with the depositary. In the event that the terms of an amendment are disadvantageous to ADS holders, ADS holders will only receive 30 days' advance notice of the amendment, and no prior consent of the ADS holders is required under the deposit agreement. Furthermore, we may decide to terminate the ADS facility at any time for any reason. For example, terminations may occur when we decide to list our shares on a non-U.S. securities exchange and determine not to continue to sponsor an ADS facility or when we become the subject of a takeover or a going-private transaction. If the ADS facility will terminate, ADS holders will receive at least 90 days' prior notice, but no prior consent is required from them. Under the circumstances that we decide to make an amendment to the deposit agreement that is disadvantageous to ADS holders or terminate the deposit agreement, the ADS holders may choose to sell their ADSs or surrender their ADSs and become direct holders of the underlying Class A common shares, but will have no right to any compensation whatsoever.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 14ADSs holders may not be entitled to a jury trial with respect to claims arising under the deposit agreement or relating to our shares or the ADSs, which could result in less favorable outcomes to the plaintiff(s) in any such action.
The deposit agreement governing the ADSs representing our Class A common shares provides that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, ADS holders waive the right to a jury trial of any claim that they may have against us or the depositary arising out of or relating to our Class A common shares, our ADSs or the deposit agreement, including any claim under the U.S. federal securities laws. If we or the depositary opposed a jury trial demand based on the waiver, the court would determine whether the waiver was enforceable based on the facts and circumstances of that case in accordance with the applicable state and federal law. To our knowledge, the enforceability of a contractual pre-dispute jury trial waiver in connection with claims arising under the federal securities laws has not been finally adjudicated by the United States Supreme Court. However, we believe that a contractual pre-dispute jury trial waiver provision is generally enforceable, including under the laws of the State of New York, which govern the deposit agreement, by a federal or state court in the City of New York, which has non-exclusive jurisdiction over matters arising under the deposit agreement. In determining whether to enforce a contractual pre-dispute jury trial waiver provision, courts will generally consider whether a party knowingly, intelligently and voluntarily waived the right to a jury trial. We believe that this is the case with respect to the deposit agreement and our ADSs. It is advisable that you consult legal counsel regarding the jury waiver provision before entering into the deposit agreement. If you or any other holders or beneficial owners of ADSs bring a claim against us or the depositary in connection with matters arising under the deposit agreement or our ADSs, including claims under federal securities laws, you or such other holder or beneficial owner may not be entitled to a jury trial with respect to such claims, which may have the effect of limiting and discouraging lawsuits against us or the depositary. If a lawsuit is brought against us or the depositary under the deposit agreement, it may be heard only by a judge or justice of the applicable trial court, which would be conducted according to different civil procedures and may result in different outcomes than a trial by jury would have had, including results that could be less favorable to the plaintiff(s) in any such action. Nevertheless, if this jury trial waiver provision is not permitted by applicable law, an action could proceed under the terms of the deposit agreement with a jury trial. No condition, stipulation or provision of the deposit agreement or ADSs serves as a waiver by any holder or beneficial owner of ADSs or by us or the depositary of compliance with any substantive provision of the U.S. federal securities laws and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 15Certain judgments obtained against us by our shareholders may not be enforceable.
We are an exempted company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands. We conduct our operations outside the United States and substantially all of our assets are located outside the United States. In addition, substantially all of our directors and executive officers and the experts named in this annual report reside outside the United States, and most of their assets are located outside the United States. As a result, it may be difficult or impossible for you to bring an action against us or against them in the United States in the event that you believe that your rights have been infringed under the U.S. federal securities laws or otherwise. Legal claims, including federal securities law claims, against China-based Issuers, or their directors and officers based in China, may be difficult or impossible for investors to pursue in U.S. courts. Even if you are successful in bringing an action of this kind, the laws of the Cayman Islands, the PRC or other certain jurisdictions may render you unable to enforce a judgment against our assets or the assets of our directors and officers. In that case, you may have to rely on legal claims and remedies available in China, where we and our directors and officers maintain substantially all of our assets. The claims and remedies available in these jurisdictions are significantly different from those available in the United States and are difficult to pursue. For risks relating to enforcing foreign judgments or bringing actions in China against us or our directors and officers, see "Item 3. Key Information-D. Risk Factors-Risks Relating to Doing Business in China-You may experience difficulties in effecting service of legal process, enforcing foreign judgments or bringing actions in China against us or our directors and management named in the annual report based on foreign laws."
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 16You may face difficulties in protecting your interests, and your ability to protect your rights through U.S. courts may be limited, because we are incorporated under Cayman Islands law.
We are an exempted company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands. Our corporate affairs are governed by, among other things, our memorandum and articles of association, the Companies Act and the common law of the Cayman Islands. The rights of shareholders to take action against our directors, actions by our minority shareholders and the fiduciary duties of our directors to us under the Cayman Islands law are to a large extent governed by the common law of the Cayman Islands. The common law of the Cayman Islands is derived in part from comparatively limited judicial precedent in the Cayman Islands as well as from the common law of England, the decisions of whose courts are of persuasive authority, but are not binding, on a court in the Cayman Islands. The rights of our shareholders and the fiduciary duties of our directors under Cayman Islands law are not as clearly established as they would be under statutes or judicial precedent in some jurisdictions in the United States. In particular, the Cayman Islands has a less developed body of securities laws than the United States. Some U.S. states, such as Delaware, have more fully developed and judicially interpreted bodies of corporate law than the Cayman Islands. In addition, with respect to Cayman Islands companies, plaintiffs may face special obstacles, including but not limited to those relating to jurisdiction and standing, in attempting to assert derivative claims in state or federal courts of the United States. Under Cayman Islands law, the notice of registered office is a matter of public record. A list of the names of the current directors and alternate directors (if applicable) are made available by the Registrar of Companies in the Cayman Islands for inspection by any person on payment of a fee. The register of mortgages and charges is open to inspection by creditors and members of the company. Shareholders of Cayman Islands companies like us have no general rights under the Cayman Islands law to inspect corporate records, or to obtain copies of lists of shareholders of these companies. Our directors have discretion under our articles of association to determine whether or not, and under what conditions, our corporate records may be inspected by our shareholders, but are not obliged to make them available to our shareholders. This may make it more difficult for you to obtain the information needed to establish any facts necessary for a shareholder motion or to solicit proxies from other shareholders in connection with a proxy contest. Certain corporate governance practices in the Cayman Islands, which is our home country, differ significantly from requirements for companies incorporated in other jurisdictions such as the United States. We may in the future rely on home country practice with respect to our corporate governance. If we choose to follow home country practice in the future, our shareholders may be afforded less protection than they otherwise would under rules and regulations applicable to U.S. domestic issuers. As a result of all of the above, public shareholders may have more difficulty in protecting their interests in the face of actions taken by our management, members of our board of directors or our controlling shareholders than they would as public shareholders of a company incorporated in the United States.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 17Our memorandum and articles of association contains anti-takeover provisions that could discourage a third party from acquiring us and adversely affect the rights of holders of our Class A common shares and ADSs.
Our currently effective memorandum and articles of association contain certain provisions that could limit the ability of others to acquire control of our company, including a provision that grants authority to our board of directors to issue from time to time one or more series of preferred shares without action by our shareholders and to determine, with respect to any series of preferred shares, the terms and rights of that series. These provisions could have the effect of depriving our shareholders and ADS holders of the opportunity to sell their shares or ADSs at a premium over the prevailing market price by discouraging third parties from seeking to obtain control of our company in a tender offer or similar transactions.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 18We are an emerging growth company and may take advantage of certain reduced reporting requirements.
We are an "emerging growth company," as defined in the JOBS Act, and we may take advantage of certain exemptions from various requirements applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies including, most significantly, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 for so long as we are an emerging growth company. As a result, if we elect not to comply with such auditor attestation requirements, our investors may not have access to certain information they may deem important. The JOBS Act also provides that an emerging growth company does not need to comply with any new or revised financial accounting standards until such date that a private company is otherwise required to comply with such new or revised accounting standards. Further, as an emerging growth company, we elect to use the extended transition period for complying with new or revised financial accounting standards.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 19We are a foreign private issuer within the meaning of the rules under the Exchange Act, and as such we are exempt from certain provisions applicable to U.S. domestic public companies.
Because we qualify as a foreign private issuer under the Exchange Act, we are exempt from certain provisions of the securities rules and regulations in the United States that are applicable to U.S. domestic issuers, including: - the rules under the Exchange Act requiring the filing with the SEC of quarterly reports on Form 10-Q or current reports on Form 8-K;- the sections of the Exchange Act regulating the solicitation of proxies, consents, or authorizations in respect of a security registered under the Exchange Act;- the sections of the Exchange Act requiring insiders to file public reports of their stock ownership and trading activities and liability for insiders who profit from trades made in a short period of time; and - the selective disclosure rules by issuers of material non-public information under Regulation FD. We are required to file an annual report on Form 20-F within four months of the end of each fiscal year. In addition, we intend to publish our results on a quarterly basis as press releases, distributed pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Nasdaq Global Market. Press releases relating to financial results and material events will also be furnished to the SEC on Form 6-K. However, the information we are required to file with or furnish to the SEC will be less extensive and less timely compared to that required to be filed with the SEC by U.S. domestic issuers. As a result, you may not be afforded the same protections or information that would be made available to you were you investing in a U.S. domestic issuer.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 20As an exempted company incorporated in the Cayman Islands, we are permitted to adopt certain home country practices in relation to corporate governance matters that differ significantly from the Nasdaq listing standards; these practices may afford less protection to shareholders than they would enjoy if we complied fully with the Nasdaq listing standards.
As a Cayman Islands exempted company listed on the Nasdaq Global Market, we are subject to the Nasdaq Stock Market corporate governance listing standards. However, the Nasdaq Stock Market Rules permit a foreign private issuer like us to follow the corporate governance practices of its home country. Certain corporate governance practices in the Cayman Islands, which is our home country, may differ significantly from the Nasdaq Stock Market corporate governance listing standards. We have relied on the exemption available to foreign private issuers for the requirement under Nasdaq Rule 5635(c) that shareholders' approval must be obtained prior to the issuance of securities when a stock option or purchase plan is to be established or materially amended or when other equity compensation arrangement is to be made or materially amended, pursuant to which stock may be acquired by officers, directors, employees, or consultants. We have elected to follow our home country practice and did not obtain shareholders' approval for the material amendment to our 2019 Plan. If we continue to rely on this and other exemptions available to foreign private issuers in the future, our shareholders may be afforded less protection than they otherwise would under the Nasdaq corporate governance listing standards applicable to U.S. domestic issuers.
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