Item 1. Business
Introduction
We are a blank check company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands as a business company with limited liability. This means that our shareholders have no additional liability for the company’s liabilities over and above the amount paid for their shares. We were formed for the purpose of acquiring, engaging in a share exchange, share reconstruction and amalgamation, contractual control arrangement with, purchasing all or substantially all of the assets of, or engaging in any other similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities.
Business Strategy
Our efforts in identifying prospective target businesses will not be limited to a particular country, although we intend to focus on operating businesses that have their primary operations located in Asia (with an emphasis on China). We believe that we will add value to these businesses primarily by providing them with access to the U.S. capital markets. In addition, we believe the target business will benefit from our involvement and increase growth through potential strategic relationships we can introduce, as well as assisting the target in areas such as intellectual property and international joint ventures.
We will seek to capitalize on the strength of our experienced, Asia-focused international management team. Our team consists of experienced financial services professionals, senior operating executives, directors of Asian companies, and specifically a Certified Public Accountant (“CPA”) and a China Certified Tax Accountant (“CTA”). Our Chairman, Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”), and directors have decades of experience in mergers, acquisitions and divestures of privately and publicly-held companies. Both our Chairman and CEO have been actively engaged in cross-border investments/divestments between the U.S. and Asia (with an emphasis on China) for several decades, while also assisting U.S. companies with expansion in China and vice versa since the early 1990s. In addition, our CEO has had significant prior experience with China-focused blank check companies, from 2005 to 2010. Our independent directors are Chinese and Hong Kong natives who have decades of experience in entrepreneurship, asset management/advisory services, and accounting & tax practices in Mainland China and Hong Kong. We believe we will benefit from their accomplishments in Asia, and specifically their current activities in China, in identifying attractive acquisition opportunities. However, there is no assurance that we will complete a business combination.
There is no restriction in the geographic location of targets we can pursue, however we will prioritize geographic locations in Asia, and specifically China initially. We will seek to identify targets that are likely to provide attractive financial returns through business combinations. While it is possible that during our research for business opportunities we may come across a target business located outside of Asia which we believe may yield a more attractive return for our shareholders, we have yet to determine a time frame, an investment amount or any other criteria, which would trigger our search for business opportunities outside of Asia.
Our management team has a broad range of operational experience across a variety of economic sectors, including, without limitation, energy and resources, food processing, retail, manufacturing, and high technology business segments.
Over the course of their careers, the members of our management team have developed a broad international network of contacts and corporate relationships that we believe will serve as a useful source of investment opportunities. This network has been developed through our management team’s:
●experience in sourcing, acquiring, operating, financing and selling businesses;
●reputation for integrity and fair dealing with sellers, capital providers and target management teams;
●significant experience as advisors on transactions;
●experience in executing transactions under varying economic and financial market conditions; and
●experience in operating in developing environments around the world;
We believe that the network of contacts and relationships of our management team will provide us with an important source of investment opportunities. In addition, we anticipate that target business candidates will be brought to our attention from various unaffiliated sources, including investment market participants, private equity groups, investment banking firms, consultants, accounting firms and large business enterprises.
In evaluating a prospective target business, we expect to conduct a thorough due diligence review which will encompass, among other things, meetings with incumbent management and employees, document reviews, inspection of facilities, as well as a review of financial and other information which will be made available to us.
Significant Activities Since Inception
On October 6, 2014, we consummated our initial public offering of 6,000,000 units, each unit consisting one ordinary share, no par value per share (“Ordinary Share”), one right (“Right”) to receive one-tenth (1/10) of one Ordinary Share upon consummation of an initial business combination (a “Business Combination”) and one warrant (“Warrant”) to purchase one-half of one Ordinary Share at an exercise price of $12.00 per full share, pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-197187). The units were sold in our initial public offering at an offering price of $10.00 per unit, generating gross proceeds of $60,000,000 (before underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses). Simultaneously with the consummation of our initial public offering, we completed a private placement of (i) 320,000 units in the aggregate to the underwriter and the Sponsor at $10.00 per unit and (ii) 1,800,000 warrants to the Sponsor at a price of $0.50 per warrant, generating total proceeds of $4,100,000.
On October 14, 2014, the underwriter exercised its over-allotment option in part and purchased 860,063 Over-Allotment Units, which were sold at an offering price of $10.00 per Unit, generating gross proceeds of $8,600,630. Simultaneously with the sale of the Over-Allotment Units, we consummated the private sale of an additional 32,253 private units at a price of $10.00 per unit, for an aggregate purchase price of $322,530, and 258,007 warrants to the Sponsor, at a price of $0.50 per warrant, for an aggregate purchase price of $129,004. Since the underwriter exercised the over-allotment option in part, and purchased 860,063 of the total possible 900,000 additional Units, the Sponsor forfeited 9,985 shares.
A total of $69,972,643 from the net proceeds from our initial public offering (including the Over-Allotment Units), and the private placements on October 6, 2014 and October 14, 2014, were placed in a trust account established for the benefit of our public stockholders.
The units began trading on October 1, 2014 on the NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol “CADTU”. Commencing on October 22, 2014, the securities comprising the units began to trade separately. The units, ordinary shares, warrants and rights are trading on the NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbols “CADTU,” “CADT,” “CADTW” and “CADTR,” respectively.
Effecting our initial business combination
General
We are not presently engaged in, and we will not engage in, any operations for an indefinite period of time. We intend to effectuate our initial business combination using cash from the proceeds of our initial public offering and the private placement of the private units and warrants, our shares, new debt, or a combination of these, as the consideration to be paid in our initial business combination. We may seek to consummate our initial business combination with a company or business that may be financially unstable or in its early stages of development or growth, which would subject us to the numerous risks inherent in such companies and businesses, although we will not be permitted to effectuate our initial business combination with another blank check company or a similar company with nominal operations.
If our initial business combination is paid for using shares or debt securities, or not all of the funds released from the trust account are used for payment of the purchase price in connection with our business combination or used for redemptions of purchases of our ordinary shares, we may apply the cash released to us from the trust account that is not applied to the purchase price for general corporate purposes, including for maintenance or expansion of operations of acquired businesses, the payment of principal or interest due on indebtedness incurred in consummating our initial business combination, to fund the purchase of other companies or for working capital.
Subject to the requirement that our initial business combination must be with one or more target businesses or assets having an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the value of the trust account (excluding any taxes) at the time of the agreement to enter into such initial business combination, we have virtually unrestricted flexibility in identifying and selecting one or more prospective target businesses. Accordingly, there is no current basis for investors to evaluate the possible merits or risks of the target business with which we may ultimately complete our initial business combination. Although our management will assess the risks inherent in a particular target business with which we may combine, this assessment may not result in our identifying all risks that a target business may encounter. Furthermore, some of those risks may be outside of our control, meaning that we can do nothing to control or reduce the chances that those risks will adversely impact a target business.
We may seek to raise additional funds through a private offering of debt or equity securities in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination, and we may effectuate our initial business combination using the proceeds of such offering rather than using the amounts held in the trust account. Subject to compliance with applicable securities laws, we would consummate such financing only simultaneously with the consummation of our business combination. In the case of an initial business combination funded with assets other than the trust account assets, our tender offer documents or proxy materials disclosing the business combination would disclose the terms of the financing and, only if required by law or the Nasdaq Capital Market, we would seek shareholder approval of such financing. There are no prohibitions on our ability to raise funds privately or through loans in connection with our initial business combination. At this time, we are not a party to any arrangement or understanding with any third party with respect to raising any additional funds through the sale of securities or otherwise.
Investment Criteria
Our management team intends to focus on creating shareholder value by leveraging its experience in the management, operation and financing of businesses to improve the efficiency of operations while implement strategies to scale revenue organically and/or through acquisitions. We have identified the following general criteria and guidelines, which we believe are important in evaluating prospective target businesses. While we intend to use these criteria and guidelines in evaluating prospective businesses, we may deviate from these criteria and guidelines should we see the justifications to do so.
●Middle-Market Growth Business. We will primarily seek to acquire one or more growth businesses with a total enterprise value in excess of $300,000,000. We believe that there are a substantial number of potential target businesses within this valuation range that can benefit from new capital for scalable operations to yield significant revenue and earnings growth. We currently do not intend to acquire either a start-up company or a company with negative cash flow.
●Companies with Opportunity to Strengthen Management and Add Value. We will seek to acquire one or more businesses that provide a platform for the existing management team to leverage the experience of our management team. We believe that the operating expertise of our management team is well suited to complement and, if beneficial, replace the target’s management team.
●Companies in Business Segments that are Strategically Significant to China. We will seek to acquire those businesses with strong technological know-how, distribution networks and/or business practices in economic sectors that are currently experiencing significant Asia/China outbound investing. Such sectors include: Energy and resources, food processing, retail, manufacturing, and high technology business segments.
●Business with Revenue and Earnings Growth Potential. We will seek to acquire one or more businesses that have the potential for significant revenue and earnings growth through a combination of brand and new product development, increased production capacity, expense reduction and synergistic follow-on acquisitions resulting in increased operating leverage.
●Companies with Potential for Strong Free Cash Flow Generation. We will seek to acquire one or more businesses that have the potential to generate strong, stable and increasing free cash flow. We intend to focus on one or more businesses that have predictable revenue streams and definable low working capital and capital expenditure requirements. We may also seek to prudently leverage this cash flow in order to enhance shareholder value.
●Benefit from Being a Public Company. We intend to only acquire a business or businesses that will benefit from being publicly traded and which can effectively utilize access to broader sources of capital and a public profile that are associated with being a publicly traded company.
These criteria are not intended to be exhaustive. Any evaluation relating to the merits of a particular initial business combination may be based, to the extent relevant, on these general guidelines as well as other considerations, factors and criteria that our management may deem relevant.
Sources of target businesses
Target business candidates will be brought to our attention from various unaffiliated sources, including investment bankers, venture capital funds, private equity groups, leveraged buyout funds, management buyout funds and other members of the financial community. Target businesses may be brought to our attention by such unaffiliated sources as a result of being solicited by us through calls or mailings. These sources also may introduce us to target businesses in which they think we may be interested on an unsolicited basis, since many of these sources will have read our SEC filings and know what types of businesses we are targeting. Our officers and directors, as well as their affiliates, also may bring to our attention target business candidates that they become aware of through their business contacts as a result of formal or informal inquiries or discussions they may have, as well as attending trade shows or conventions. In addition, we expect to receive a number of proprietary deal flow opportunities that would not otherwise necessarily be available to us as a result of the business relationships of our officers and directors.
We may engage the services of professional firms or other individuals that specialize in business acquisitions on any formal basis, in which event we may pay a finder’s fee, consulting fee or other compensation to be determined in an arm’s length negotiation based on the terms of the transaction. Payment of finder’s fees is customarily tied to completion of a transaction, in which case any such fee will be paid in shares or out of the funds held in the trust account. Although some of our officers and directors may enter into employment or consulting agreements with the acquired business following our initial business combination, the presence or absence of any such arrangements will not be used as a criterion in our selection process of an acquisition candidate.
We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors. In the event we seek to complete our initial business combination with such a company, we, or a committee of independent directors, would obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm that such an initial business combination is fair to our unaffiliated shareholders from a financial point of view.
Selection of a target business and structuring of our initial business combination
Subject to the requirement that our initial business combination must be with one or more target businesses or assets having an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the value of the trust account (excluding any taxes) at the time of the agreement to enter into such initial business combination, our management will have virtually unrestricted flexibility in identifying and selecting one or more prospective target businesses, although we will not be permitted to effectuate our initial business combination with another blank check company or a similar company with nominal operations. In any case, we will only consummate an initial business combination in which we become the majority shareholder of the target (or control the target through contractual arrangements in limited circumstances for regulatory compliance purposes as discussed below) or are otherwise not required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. There is no basis for investors in our initial public offering to evaluate the possible merits or risks of any target business with which we may ultimately complete our initial business combination. To the extent we effect our initial business combination with a company or business that may be financially unstable or in its early stages of development or growth, we may be affected by numerous risks inherent in such company or business. Although our management will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business, we may not properly ascertain or assess all significant risk factors.
In evaluating a prospective target business, we expect to conduct a thorough due diligence review which will encompass, among other things, meetings with incumbent management and employees, document reviews, interviews of customers and suppliers, inspection of facilities, as well as a review of financial and other information which will be made available to us.
The time required to select and evaluate a target business and to structure and complete our initial business combination, and the costs associated with this process, are not currently ascertainable with any degree of certainty. Any costs incurred with respect to the identification and evaluation of a prospective target business with which a business combination is not ultimately completed will result in our incurring losses and will reduce the funds we can use to complete another business combination. We will not pay any finders or consulting fees to members of our management team, or any of their respective affiliates, for services rendered to or in connection with our initial business combination.
Alternative structures to comply with regulations in certain Chinese industries
We may need to adopt alternative structures in the event that we elect to acquire a target company in certain Chinese industries. The Chinese government has restricted or limited direct foreign ownership of certain kinds of assets and companies operating in a wide variety of industries, including certain aspects of telecommunications, advertising, financial institutions, food production, and heavy equipment manufacturers. The competent PRC authorities (i.e. the National Development & Reform Commission and Ministry of Commerce) have been issuing and updating a Catalogue of Industry for the Guidance of Foreign Investment listing the encouraged, restricted and forbidden industries for foreign investment (originally issued in 2002 and amended in 2004, 2007, 2011 and 2015). It is seen from the evolution of such catalogue more industries have become open to foreign investment, though there can be restrictions on the foreign ownership of businesses that are determined from time to time to be in “important industries” that may affect the national economic security or having “famous Chinese brand names” or “well established Chinese brand names”. Subject to the review requirements of the Ministry of Commerce and other relevant agencies for acquisitions of assets and companies in China and subject to the various percentage ownership limitations that exist from time to time, acquisitions involving foreign investors and parties in the various restricted categories of assets and industries may nonetheless sometimes be consummated using contractual arrangements with permitted Chinese parties which could, for example, result in a structure where, in exchange for our payment of the acquisition consideration, the target business would be majority or wholly owned by Chinese residents whom we designate, and the target business would continue to hold the requisite licenses necessary to operate its business. To the extent such agreements are employed, they may be for control of specific assets such as intellectual property or control of blocks of the equity ownership interests of a company. The agreements would be designed to secure for us economic benefits and to assume risk of losses and control over the subject assets or equity interests similar to the rights of full ownership, while leaving the technical ownership in the hands of Chinese parties.
For example, these contracts could result in a structure where, in exchange for our payment of the acquisition consideration: (i) the target company would be majority owned by Chinese residents whom would be likely designated by us and the target company would continue to hold the requisite licenses for the target business and (ii) we would establish a new subsidiary in China which would provide technology, technical support, consulting and related services to the target company in exchange for fees, which would transfer to us substantially all of the economic benefits of ownership of the target company.
These contractual arrangements would be designed to provide the following:
●Our exercise of effective control over the target company;
●We will assume economic benefits and risk of losses of the target company that are substantially similar to full ownership;
●The shareholders of the target company would grant us a pledged interest in all of the issued and outstanding interests of the target company, including the right to vote such shares, as security for the performance of the target company’s obligations under the contractual arrangements;
●The shareholders of the target company would grant us an irrevocable proxy for the maximum period permitted by law, to vote the shareholders’ shares in the target company in such manner and for or against such proposals as we may determine; and
●We, or our designee, would have an exclusive option to purchase all or part of the equity interests in the target company owned by the Chinese residents whom we designate, or all or part of the assets of the target company, in each case when and to the extent permitted by Chinese regulations.
While we cannot predict the terms of any such contract that we will be able to negotiate, at a minimum, any contractual arrangement would need to provide us with effective control over the target’s operations and management either directly through board control or through affirmative and/or negative covenants and veto rights with respect to matters such as entry into material agreements, management changes and issuance of debt or equity securities, among other potential control provisions. We have not, however, established specific provisions which must be in an agreement in order to meet the definition of business combination.
These agreements likely also would provide for increased ownership or full ownership and control by us when and if permitted under Chinese law and regulation. If we choose to effect our initial business combination that employs the use of these types of control arrangements, we may have difficulty in enforcing our rights. Therefore, these contractual arrangements may not be as effective in providing us with the same economic benefits, accounting consolidation or control over a target business as would direct ownership through a merger or shares exchange. For example, if the target business or any other entity fails to perform its obligations under these contractual arrangements, we may have to incur substantial costs and expend substantial resources to enforce such arrangements, and rely on legal remedies under Chinese law, including seeking specific performance or injunctive relief, and claiming damages, which we cannot assure you will be sufficient to off-set the cost of enforcement and may adversely affect the benefits we expect to receive from the business combination.
While we believe under such contractual arrangement, we will be considered the primary beneficiary and be able to consolidate financial results of the target company in our consolidated financial statements. In the event that in the future generally accepted accounting policies in the United States and the SEC accounting regulations change and we are deemed not to be the primary beneficiary by controlling the target company through such contractual arrangement, we would not be able to consolidate line by line the target company’s financial results in our consolidated financial statements.
Moreover, we expect that the contractual arrangements upon which we would be relying would be governed by Chinese law and would be the only basis of providing resolution of disputes which may arise through either arbitration or litigation in China. Accordingly, these contracts would be interpreted in accordance with Chinese law and any disputes would be resolved in accordance with Chinese legal procedures. Uncertainties in the Chinese legal system could limit our ability to enforce these contractual arrangements. In the event we are unable to enforce these contractual arrangements, we may not be able to exert the effective level of control over the target business.
We have not entered into any definitive agreement for a business combination with any potential target business. Accordingly, we are unable to determine at this time what form an acquisition of a target business will take.
Circular of State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) on Foreign Exchange Administration over Overseas Investment and Financing and Round-trip Investment by Domestic Residents via Overseas Special Purpose Vehicles (Circular 37)
If any contractual arrangements as mentioned above is used in an acquisition and one or several direct or indirect shareholders holds shares in the biding company is PRC resident, such acquisition shall be subject to requirement under Circular 37 and other relevant SAFE regulations. Circular 37 became effective as of July 4 2014 to replace the SAFE Circular No75 on Relevant Issues concerning Foreign Exchange Administration for Domestic Residents to Engage in Financing and in Return Investment via Overseas Special Purpose Vehicles dated October 21, 2005. According to Circular 37, a PRC resident can conduct a round-trip investment into a PRC enterprise via overseas special purpose vehicles provided that such resident shall make relevant registration with SAFE.
Security review system for inbound mergers and acquisitions
On February 3, 2011, the State Council issued the Notice of the General Office of the State Council on the Establishment of the Security Review System for Mergers and Acquisitions of Domestic Enterprises by Foreign Investors (No.6 [2011] of the General Office of the State Council) which stipulate a review system for mergers and acquisitions of domestic enterprise by foreign investors. Unlike criteria under anti-trust law and relevant regulations, security review mainly focuses on the influence of mergers and acquisitions on the national security, the stable operation of the national economy, the order of basic social welfare and the capacity of research and development of key technologies involving national security. The security review system covers a wide range of sensitive areas and the foreign investment into such areas is required to be subject to such security review system.
Fair market value of target business or businesses
The target business or businesses or assets with which we effect our initial business combination must have a collective fair market value equal to at least 80% of the value of the trust account (excluding taxes) at the time of the agreement to enter into such initial business combination. If we acquire less than 100% of one or more target businesses in our initial business combination, the aggregate fair market value of the portion or portions we acquire must equal at least 80% of the value of the trust account at the time of the agreement to enter into such initial business combination. However, we will always acquire at least a controlling interest in a target business. The fair market value of a portion of a target business or assets will likely be calculated by multiplying the fair market value of the entire business by the percentage of the target we acquire. We may seek to consummate our initial business combination with an initial target business or businesses with a collective fair market value in excess of the balance in the trust account. In order to consummate such an initial business combination, we may issue a significant amount of debt, equity or other securities to the sellers of such business and/or seek to raise additional funds through a private offering of debt, equity or other securities. If we issue securities in order to consummate such an initial business combination, our shareholders could end up owning a minority of the combined company’s voting securities as there is no requirement that our shareholders own a certain percentage of our company (or, depending on the structure of the initial business combination, an ultimate parent company that may be formed) after our business combination. Since we have no specific business combination under consideration, we have not entered into any such arrangement to issue our debt or equity securities and have no current intention of doing so.
The fair market value of a target business or businesses or assets will be determined by our board of directors based upon standards generally accepted by the financial community, such as actual and potential gross margins, the values of comparable businesses, earnings and cash flow, book value and, where appropriate, upon the advice of appraisers or other professional consultants. If our board of directors is not able to independently determine that the target business or assets has a sufficient fair market value to meet the threshold criterion, we will obtain an opinion from an unaffiliated, independent investment banking firm with respect to the satisfaction of such criterion. Notwithstanding the foregoing, unless we consummate a business combination with an affiliated entity, we are not required to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm that the price we are paying is fair to our shareholders.
Lack of business diversification
For an indefinite period of time after consummation of our initial business combination, the prospects for our success may depend entirely on the future performance of a single business. Unlike other entities that have the resources to complete business combinations with multiple entities in one or several industries, it is probable that we will not have the resources to diversify our operations and mitigate the risks of being in a single line of business. By consummating our initial business combination with only a single entity, our lack of diversification may:
●subject us to negative economic, competitive and regulatory developments, any or all of which may have a substantial adverse impact on the particular industry in which we operate after our initial business combination, and
●cause us to depend on the marketing and sale of a single product or limited number of products or services.
Limited ability to evaluate the target’s management team
Although we intend to closely scrutinize the management of a prospective target business when evaluating the desirability of effecting our initial business combination with that business, our assessment of the target business’ management may not prove to be correct. The future role of members of our management team, if any, in the target business cannot presently be stated with any certainty. Consequently, members of our management team may not become a part of the target’s management team, and the future management may not have the necessary skills, qualifications or abilities to manage a public company. Further, it is also not certain whether one or more of our directors will remain associated in some capacity with us following our initial business combination. Moreover, members of our management team may not have significant experience or knowledge relating to the operations of the particular target business. Our key personnel may not remain in senior management or advisory positions with the combined company. The determination as to whether any of our key personnel will remain with the combined company will be made at the time of our initial business combination.
Following our initial business combination, we may seek to recruit additional managers to supplement the incumbent management of the target business. We may not have the ability to recruit additional managers, or that additional managers will have the requisite skills, knowledge or experience necessary to enhance the incumbent management.
Shareholders may not have the ability to approve our initial business combination
Although we intend to seek shareholder approval before we effect our initial business combination, we may not do so for business or legal reasons (so long as such transaction does not require shareholder approval under the Companies Act or the Nasdaq Capital Market rules). Presented in the table below is a graphic explanation of the types of initial business combinations we may consider and whether we expect shareholder approval would be required under the Companies Act for each such transaction.
We also may be required to obtain shareholder approval if we wish to take certain actions in connection with our initial business combination such as adopting an incentive stock plan or amending our charter.
Redemption rights for public shareholders upon consummation of our initial business combination
We will provide our shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their shares upon the consummation of our initial business combination at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest (net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations described herein. The amount in the trust account is initially anticipated to be $10.20 per share. Our sponsor has agreed to waive its right to receive liquidating distributions if we fail to consummate our initial business combination within the requisite time period. However, if our sponsor or any of our officers, directors or affiliates acquires public shares after our initial public offering, they will be entitled to receive liquidating distributions with respect to such public shares if we fail to consummate our initial business combination within the required time period.
Manner of Conducting Redemptions
We will provide our shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares upon the completion of our initial business combination either (i) in connection with a shareholder meeting called to approve the business combination or (ii) by means of a tender offer.
We intend to hold a shareholder vote in connection with our business combination. In such case, we will:
●conduct the redemptions in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act, which regulates the solicitation of proxies, and not pursuant to the tender offer rules, and
●file proxy materials with the SEC.
In the event that we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, we will distribute proxy materials and, in connection therewith, provide our public shareholders with the redemption rights described above upon consummation of the initial business combination.
If we seek shareholder approval, we will consummate our initial business combination only if a majority of the outstanding ordinary shares voted are voted in favor of the business combination. In such case, our sponsor has agreed to vote its founder shares and any of its public shares purchased after our initial public offering in favor of our initial business combination and our officers and directors have also agreed to vote any public shares purchased during or after our initial public offering in favor of our initial business combination. Each public shareholder may elect to redeem their public shares irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction. In addition, our sponsor has agreed to waive its redemption rights with respect to its founder shares and public shares in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination.
Many blank check companies would not be able to consummate an initial business combination if the holders of the company’s public shares voted against a proposed business combination and elected to redeem more than a specified maximum percentage of the shares sold in such company’s initial public offering, which percentage threshold has typically been between 19.99% and 39.99%. As a result, many blank check companies have been unable to complete business combinations because the amount of shares voted by their public shareholders electing redemption exceeded the maximum redemption threshold pursuant to which such company could proceed with our initial business combination. Since we have no such specified maximum redemption threshold, our structure is different in this respect from the structure that has been used by many blank check companies. However, in no event will we redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001. Furthermore, the redemption threshold may be further limited by the terms and conditions of our initial business combination. In such case, we would not proceed with the redemption of our public shares and the related business combination, and instead may search for an alternate business combination.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if we do not decide to hold a shareholder vote in conjunction with their initial business combination for business or other legal reasons (so long as shareholder approval is not required by the Companies Act or the Nasdaq Capital Market), we will conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC and our memorandum and articles of association. In such case, we will:
●offer to redeem our public shares pursuant to Rule 13e-4 and Regulation 14E of the Exchange Act, which regulate issuer tender offers, and
●file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to consummating our initial business combination which will contain substantially the same financial and other information about the initial business combination and the redemption rights as is required under Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act, which regulates the solicitation of proxies, and we will not be permitted to consummate our initial business combination until the expiration of the tender offer period.
In the event we conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, our offer to redeem shall remain open for at least 20 business days, in accordance with Rule 14e-1(a) under the Exchange Act.
In connection with the successful consummation of our business combination, we may redeem pursuant to a tender offer up to that number of ordinary shares that would permit us to maintain net tangible assets of $5,000,001. However, the redemption threshold may be further limited by the terms and conditions of our proposed initial business combination. For example, the proposed business combination may require: (i) cash consideration to be paid to the target or members of its management team, (ii) cash to be transferred to the target for working capital or other general corporate purposes or (iii) the allocation of cash to satisfy other conditions in accordance with the terms of the proposed business combination. In the event the aggregate cash consideration we would be required to pay for all shares that are validly tendered plus any amount required to satisfy cash conditions pursuant to the terms of the proposed business combination exceed the aggregate amount of cash available to us, we will not consummate the business combination, we will not purchase any shares pursuant to the tender offer and all shares will be returned to the holders thereof following the expiration of the tender offer. Additionally, since we are required to maintain net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 (which may be substantially higher depending on the terms of our potential business combination), the chance that the holders of our ordinary shares electing to redeem in connection with a redemption conducted pursuant to the proxy rules will cause us to fall below such minimum requirement is increased.
When we conduct a tender offer to redeem our public shares upon consummation of our initial business combination, in order to comply with the tender offer rules, the offer will be made to all of our shareholders, not just our public shareholders. Our sponsor has agreed to waive its redemption rights with respect to its founder shares and public shares in connection with any such tender offer.
Limitation on redemption rights upon consummation of our initial business combination if we seek shareholder approval
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our memorandum and articles of association provides that a public shareholder, individually or together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from seeking redemption rights with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in our initial public offering. We believe this restriction will discourage shareholders from accumulating large blocks of shares, and subsequent attempts by such holders to use their ability to exercise their redemption rights as a means to force us or our management to purchase their shares at a significant premium to the then-current market price or on other undesirable terms. Absent this provision, a public shareholder holding more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in our initial public offering could threaten to exercise its redemption rights if such holder’s shares are not purchased by us or our management at a premium to the then-current market price or on other undesirable terms. By limiting our shareholders’ ability to redeem no more than 15% of the shares sold in our initial public offering, we believe we will limit the ability of a small group of shareholders to unreasonably attempt to block our ability to consummate our initial business combination, particularly in connection with our initial business combination with a target that requires as a closing condition that we have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. We will resolve any disputes relating to whether a public shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” either by requiring certifications under the penalty of perjury to such effect by public shareholders or via adjudication in court.
Permitted purchases of our securities by our affiliates
If we seek shareholder approval of our business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase shares in privately negotiated transactions either prior to or following the consummation of our initial business combination. Such a purchase would include a contractual acknowledgement that such shareholder, although still the record holder of our shares is no longer the beneficial owner thereof and therefore agrees not to exercise its redemption rights. In the event that our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates purchase shares in privately negotiated transactions from public shareholders who have already elected to exercise their redemption rights, such selling shareholders would be required to revoke their prior elections to redeem their shares. Although very unlikely, our initial shareholders, officers, directors and their affiliates could purchase sufficient shares so that the initial business combination may be approved without the majority vote of public shares held by non-affiliates. It is intended that purchases will comply with Rule 10b-18 under the Exchange Act, which provides a safe harbor for purchases made under certain conditions, including with respect to timing, pricing and volume of purchases.
The purpose of such purchases would be to (1) increase the likelihood of obtaining shareholder approval of the business combination or (2) to satisfy a closing condition in an agreement with a target that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash at the closing of the business combination, where it appears that such requirement would otherwise not be met. This may result in the consummation of an initial business combination that may not otherwise have been possible.
As a consequence of any such purchases, the public “float” of our ordinary shares may be reduced and the number of beneficial holders of our securities may be reduced, which may make it difficult to obtain the listing or trading of our securities on a national securities exchange.
Tendering share certificates in connection with a tender offer or redemption rights
We will require our public shareholders seeking to exercise their redemption rights, whether they are record holders or hold their shares in “street name,” to either tender their certificates to our transfer agent prior to the expiration date set forth in the tender offer documents or proxy materials mailed to such holders, or in the event we distribute proxy materials, up to two business days prior to the vote on the proposal to approve the business combination in the event we distribute proxy materials, or to deliver their shares to the transfer agent electronically using Depository Trust Company’s DWAC (Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian) System, at the holder’s option. Accordingly, a public shareholder would have from the time we send out our tender offer materials until the close of the tender offer period, or up to two days prior to the vote on the business combination if we distribute proxy materials, as applicable, to tender its shares if it wishes to seek to exercise its redemption rights. Given the relatively short exercise period, it is advisable for shareholders to use electronic delivery of their public shares.
There is a nominal cost associated with the above-referenced tendering process and the act of certificating the shares or delivering them through the DWAC System. The transfer agent will typically charge the tendering broker $45.00 and it would be up to the broker whether or not to pass this cost on to the redeeming holder. However, this fee would be incurred regardless of whether or not we require holders seeking to exercise redemption rights to tender their shares. The need to deliver shares is a requirement of exercising redemption rights regardless of the timing of when such delivery must be effectuated.
The foregoing is different from the procedures used by many blank check companies. In order to perfect redemption rights in connection with their business combinations, many blank check companies would distribute proxy materials for the shareholders’ vote on our initial business combination, and a holder could simply vote against a proposed business combination and check a box on the proxy card indicating such holder was seeking to exercise his redemption rights. After the business combination was approved, the company would contact such shareholder to arrange for him to deliver his certificate to verify ownership. As a result, the shareholder then had an “option window” after the consummation of the business combination during which he could monitor the price of the company’s shares in the market. If the price rose above the redemption price, he could sell his shares in the open market before actually delivering his shares to the company for cancellation. As a result, the redemption rights, to which shareholders were aware they needed to commit before the shareholder meeting, would become “option” rights surviving past the consummation of the business combination until the redeeming holder delivered its certificate. The requirement for physical or electronic delivery prior to the meeting ensures that a redeeming holder’s election to redeem is irrevocable once the business combination is approved.
Any request to redeem such shares, once made, may be withdrawn at any time up to the date set forth in the tender offer materials or the date of the shareholder meeting set forth in our proxy materials, as applicable. Furthermore, if a holder of a public share delivered its certificate in connection with an election of redemption rights and subsequently decides prior to the applicable date not to elect to exercise such rights, such holder may simply request that the transfer agent return the certificate (physically or electronically). It is anticipated that the funds to be distributed to holders of our public shares electing to redeem their shares will be distributed promptly after the completion of our initial business combination.
If the initial business combination is not approved or completed for any reason, then our public shareholders who elected to exercise their redemption rights would not be entitled to redeem their shares for the applicable pro rata share of the trust account. In such case, we will promptly return any certificates delivered by public holders who elected to redeem their shares.
If our initial proposed business combination is not consummated, we may continue to try to consummate our initial business combination with a different target until 18 months from the closing of our initial public offering.
Redemption of public shares and liquidation if no initial business combination
Our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed that we must complete our initial business combination within 18 months from the closing of our initial public offering. We may not be able to find a suitable target business and consummate our initial business combination within such time period. If we are unable to consummate our initial business combination within 18 months from the closing of our initial public offering, we will, as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than five business days thereafter, distribute the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account (less up to $20,000 of the net interest earned thereon to pay dissolution expenses), pro rata to our public shareholders by way of redemption and cease all operations except for the purposes of winding up of our affairs. This redemption of public shareholders from the trust account shall be done automatically by function of our memorandum and articles of association and prior to any voluntary winding up, although at all times subject to the Companies Act.
Following the redemption of public shares, we intend to enter “voluntary liquidation” which is the statutory process for formally closing and dissolving a company under the laws of the British Virgin Islands. Given that we intend to enter voluntary liquidation following the redemption of public shareholders from the trust account, we do not expect that the voluntary liquidation process will cause any delay to the payment of redemption proceeds from our trust account. In connection with such a voluntary liquidation, the liquidator would give notice to creditors inviting them to submit their claims for payment, by notifying known creditors (if any) who have not submitted claims and by placing a public advertisement in at least one newspaper published in the British Virgin Islands newspaper and in at least one newspaper circulating in the location where the company has its principal place of business, and taking any other steps he considers appropriate to identify the company’s creditors, after which our remaining assets would be distributed. As soon as the affairs of the company are fully wound-up, the liquidator must complete his statement of account and make a notificational filing with the Registrar. We would be dissolved once the Registrar issues a Certificate of Dissolution.
Our sponsor has agreed to waive its redemption rights with respect to its founder shares if we fail to consummate our initial business combination within the applicable period from the closing of our initial public offering.
However, if our sponsor, or any of our officers, directors or affiliates acquire public shares after our initial public offering, they will be entitled to redemption rights with respect to such public shares if we fail to consummate our initial business combination within the required time period. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions with respect to our rights or warrants, which will expire worthless in the event we do not consummate our initial business combination within the 18 month time period. We will pay the costs of our liquidation from our remaining assets outside of the trust account. However, if those funds are not sufficient to cover these costs and expenses, we may request the trustee to release to us an amount of up to $20,000 of such accrued interest to pay those costs and expenses. However, the liquidator may determine that he or she requires additional time to evaluate creditors’ claims (particularly if there is uncertainty over the validity or extent of the claims of any creditors). Also, a creditor or shareholder may file a petition with the BVI court which, if successful, may result in our liquidation being subject to the supervision of that court. Such events might delay distribution of some or all of our remaining assets.
Additionally, in any liquidation proceedings of the company under British Virgin Islands law, the funds held in our trust account may be included in our estate and subject to the claims of third parties with priority over the claims of our shareholders. To the extent any such claims deplete the trust account, we may not be able to return to our public shareholders the liquidation amounts payable to them.
If we were to expend all of the net proceeds of our initial public offering, other than the proceeds deposited in the trust account, and without taking into account interest, if any, earned on the trust account, the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders upon our dissolution would be $10.20. The proceeds deposited in the trust account could, however, become subject to the claims of our creditors, which would have higher priority than the claims of our public shareholders. The actual per-share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than $10.20, plus interest (net of any taxes payable).
Although we will seek to have all vendors, service providers, prospective target businesses or other entities with which we do business execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the trust account for the benefit of our public shareholders, there is no guarantee that they will execute such agreements or even if they execute such agreements that they would be prevented from bringing claims against the trust account including but not limited to fraudulent inducement, breach of fiduciary responsibility or other similar claims, as well as claims challenging the enforceability of the waiver, in each case in order to gain an advantage with respect to a claim against our assets, including the funds held in the trust account. If any third party refuses to execute an agreement waiving such claims to the monies held in the trust account, our management will perform an analysis of the alternatives available to it and will only enter into an agreement with a third party that has not executed a waiver if management believes that such third party’s engagement would be significantly more beneficial to us than any alternative. Examples of possible instances where we may engage a third party that refuses to execute a waiver include the engagement of a third party consultant whose particular expertise or skills are believed by management to be significantly superior to those of other consultants that would agree to execute a waiver or in cases where management is unable to find a service provider willing to execute a waiver. In addition, there is no guarantee that such entities will agree to waive any claims they may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any negotiations, contracts or agreements with us and will not seek recourse against the trust account for any reason. In order to protect the amounts held in the trust account, Ms. Winnie Lai Ling Ng agreed that she will be liable to us, if and to the extent any claims by a vendor for services rendered or products sold to us, or a prospective target business with which we have discussed entering into a transaction agreement, reduce the amounts in the trust account to below $10.20 per share, except as to any claims by a third party who executed a waiver of any and all rights to seek access to the trust account and except as to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of our initial public offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. In the event that an executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against a third party, Ms. Ng will not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third party claims. However, Ms. Ng may not be able to satisfy those obligations. None of our other officers or directors will indemnify us for claims by third parties including, without limitation, claims by vendors and prospective target businesses. We have not independently verified whether Ms. Ng. has sufficient funds to satisfy her indemnity obligations. We believe the likelihood of Ms. Ng having to indemnify the trust account is limited because we will endeavor to have all vendors and prospective target businesses as well as other entities execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to monies held in the trust account.
In the event that the proceeds in the trust account are reduced below $10.20 per share and Ms. Ng asserts that she is unable to satisfy any applicable obligations or that she has no indemnification obligations related to a particular claim, our independent directors would determine whether to take legal action against Ms. Ng to enforce her indemnification obligations. While we currently expect that our independent directors would take legal action on our behalf against Ms. Ng to enforce her indemnification obligations to us, it is possible that our independent directors in exercising their business judgment may choose not to do so in any particular instance. Accordingly, due to claims of creditors, the actual value of the per-share redemption price may be less than $10.20 per share.
We will seek to reduce the possibility that Ms. Ng will have to indemnify the trust account due to claims of creditors by endeavoring to have all vendors, service providers, prospective target businesses or other entities with which we do business execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to monies held in the trust account. Ms. Ng will also not be liable as to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of our initial public offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. As of March 31, 2015, we had access to $224,629 not placed in the trust account, and the interest income earned on the balance of the trust account (net of taxes payable) with which to pay any such potential claims (including costs and expenses incurred in connection with our liquidation, currently estimated to be no more than approximately $20,000). In the event that we liquidate and it is subsequently determined that the reserve for claims and liabilities is insufficient, shareholders who received funds from our trust account could be liable for claims made by creditors.
If we are deemed insolvent for the purposes of the Insolvency Act (i.e. (i) we fail to comply with the requirements of a statutory demand that has not been set aside under section 157 of the Insolvency Act; (ii) execution or other process issued on a judgment, decree or order of a British Virgin Islands Court in favor of a creditor of the company is returned wholly or partly unsatisfied; or (iii) either the value of the company’s liabilities exceeds its assets, or the company is unable to pay its debts as they fall due), then there are very limited circumstances where prior payments made to shareholders or other parties may be deemed to be a “voidable transaction” for the purposes of the Insolvency Act. A voidable transaction would include, for these purposes, payments made as “unfair preferences” or “transactions at an undervalue”. A liquidator appointed over an insolvent company who considers that a particular transaction or payment is a voidable transaction under the Insolvency Act could apply to the British Virgin Islands Courts for an order setting aside that payment or transaction in whole or in part.
Additionally, if we enter insolvent liquidation under the Insolvency Act, the funds held in our trust account will likely be included in our estate and subject to the claims of third parties with priority over the claims of our shareholders. To the extent any insolvency claims deplete the trust account you may not be able to return to our public shareholders the liquidation amounts due them.
Our public shareholders will be entitled to receive funds from the trust account only in the event of a redemption to public shareholders prior to any winding up in the event we do not consummate our initial business combination or our liquidation or if they redeem their shares in connection with an initial business combination that we consummate. In no other circumstances shall a shareholder have any right or interest of any kind to or in the trust account. In the event we seek shareholder approval in connection with our initial business combination, a shareholder’s voting in connection with the business combination alone will not result in a shareholder’s redeeming its shares to us for an applicable pro rata share of the trust account. Such shareholder must have also exercised its redemption rights described above.
Competition
In identifying, evaluating and selecting a target business for our initial business combination, we may encounter intense competition from other entities having a business objective similar to ours, including other blank check companies, private equity groups and leveraged buyout funds, and operating businesses seeking strategic acquisitions. Many of these entities are well established and have significant experience identifying and effecting business combinations directly or through affiliates. Moreover, many of these competitors possess greater financial, technical, human and other resources than us. Our ability to acquire larger target businesses will be limited by our available financial resources. This inherent limitation gives others an advantage in pursuing the acquisition of a target business. Furthermore, the requirement that we acquire a target business or businesses having a fair market value equal to at least 80% of the value of the trust account at the time of the agreement to enter into the business combination, our obligation to pay cash in connection with our public shareholders who exercise their redemption rights and the number of our outstanding rights and the future dilution they potentially represent, may not be viewed favorably by certain target businesses. Any of these factors may place us at a competitive disadvantage in successfully negotiating our initial business combination.
Employees
We currently have one executive officer. This individual is not obligated to devote any specific number of hours to our matters but he intends to devote as much of his time as he deems necessary to our affairs until we have completed our initial business combination. The amount of time he will devote in any time period will vary based on whether a target business has been selected for our initial business combination and the stage of the business combination process we are in. We do not intend to have any full time employees prior to the consummation of our initial business combination.
Periodic Reporting and Financial Information
We have registered our units, ordinary shares, rights and warrants under the Exchange Act and have reporting obligations, including the requirement that we file annual, quarterly and current reports with the SEC. In accordance with the requirements of the Exchange Act, our annual reports will contain financial statements audited and reported on by our independent registered public accountants.
We will provide shareholders with audited financial statements of the prospective target business as part of the tender offer materials or proxy solicitation materials sent to shareholders to assist them in assessing the target business. In all likelihood, these financial statements will need to be prepared in accordance with GAAP. A particular target business identified by us as a potential acquisition candidate may not have financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP or that the potential target business will be able to prepare its financial statements in accordance with GAAP. To the extent that this requirement cannot be met, we may not be able to acquire the proposed target business. While this may limit the pool of potential acquisition candidates, we do not believe that this limitation will be material.
We will be required to have our internal control procedures evaluated for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2016 required by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. A target company may not be in compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act regarding adequacy of their internal controls. The development of the internal controls of any such entity to achieve compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may increase the time and costs necessary to complete any such acquisition.
We are an “emerging growth company” as defined in the JOBS Act, and we may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not “emerging growth companies” including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. We will remain an “emerging growth company” for up to five years after the date of the closing of our initial public offering, although if our non-convertible debt issued within a three year period or revenues exceeds $1 billion, or if the market value of our ordinary shares that are held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million on the last day of our second fiscal quarter, we would cease to be an “emerging growth company” as of the following fiscal year.
Item 1A.
Item 1A. Risk Factors
You should carefully consider the following risk factors and all other information contained in this Report, including the financial statements. If any of the following events occur, our business, financial condition or results of operations may be materially and adversely affected. In that event, the trading price of our securities could decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment. The risk factors described below are not necessarily exhaustive and you are encouraged to perform your own investigation with respect to us and our business.
Risks Associated with Our Business and our Securities
We are a newly formed blank check company in the development stage with no operating history and no revenues, and you have no basis on which to evaluate our ability to achieve our business objective.
We are a recently formed blank check company with no operating results and we will not commence operations until consummating our initial business combination. Because we lack an operating history, you have no basis upon which to evaluate our ability to achieve our business objective of completing our initial business combination with one or more target businesses. We have no plans, arrangements or understandings with any prospective target business concerning our initial business combination and may be unable to complete our initial business combination. If we fail to complete our initial business combination, we will never generate any operating revenues.
The requirement that the target business or businesses that we acquire must collectively have a fair market value equal to at least 80% of the balance of the funds in the trust account at the time of the execution of a definitive agreement for our initial business combination may limit the type and number of companies that we may complete such a business combination with.
Pursuant to the Nasdaq listing rules, the target business or businesses that we acquire must collectively have a fair market value equal to at least 80% of the balance of the funds in the trust account at the time of the execution of a definitive agreement for our initial business combination. This restriction may limit the type and number of companies that we may complete a business combination with. If we are unable to locate a target business or businesses that satisfy this fair market value test, we may be forced to liquidate and you will only be entitled to receive your pro rata portion of the funds in the trust account.
Our public shareholders may not be afforded an opportunity to vote on our proposed business combination, which means we may consummate our initial business combination even though a majority of our public shareholders do not support such a combination.
We intend to hold a shareholder vote before we consummate our initial business combination. However, if a shareholder vote is not required, for business or legal reasons, we may conduct redemptions via a tender offer. Accordingly, we may consummate our initial business combination even if holders of a majority of our public shares do not approve of the business combination.
Your only opportunity to affect the investment decision regarding a potential business combination may be limited to the exercise of your right to redeem your shares from us for cash.
Because our board of directors may consummate our initial business combination without seeking shareholder approval, public shareholders may not have the right or opportunity to vote on the business combination. Accordingly, your only opportunity to affect the investment decision regarding a potential business combination may be limited to exercising your redemption rights within the period of time (which will be at least 20 business days) set forth in our tender offer documents mailed to our public shareholders in which we describe our business combination.
The ability of our public shareholders to redeem their shares for cash may make our financial condition unattractive to potential business combination targets, which may make it difficult for us to enter into our initial business combination with a target.
We may enter into a transaction agreement with a prospective target that requires as a closing condition that we have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. If too many public shareholders exercise their redemption rights, we may not be able to meet such closing condition, and as a result, would not be able to proceed with the business combination. Furthermore, in no event will we redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001. Our memorandum and articles of association requires us to provide all of our public shareholders with an opportunity to redeem all of their shares in connection with the consummation of any initial business combination. Consequently, if accepting all properly submitted redemption requests would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 or such greater amount necessary to satisfy a closing condition as described above, we would not proceed with such redemption and the related business combination and may instead search for an alternate business combination. Prospective targets would be aware of these risks and, thus, may be reluctant to enter into our initial business combination transaction with us.
The ability of a large number of our shareholders to exercise redemption rights may not allow us to consummate the most desirable business combination or optimize our capital structure.
In connection with the successful consummation of our business combination, we may redeem pursuant to a tender offer up to that number of ordinary shares that would permit us to maintain net tangible assets of $5,000,001. If our business combination requires us to use substantially all of our cash to pay the purchase price, the redemption threshold may be further limited. Alternatively, we may need to arrange third party financing to help fund our business combination in case a larger percentage of shareholders exercise their redemption rights than we expect. If the acquisition involves the issuance of our shares as consideration, we may be required to issue a higher percentage of our shares to the target or its shareholders to make up for the failure to satisfy a minimum cash requirement. Raising additional funds to cover any shortfall may involve dilutive equity financing or incurring indebtedness at higher than desirable levels. This may limit our ability to effectuate the most attractive business combination available to us.
The requirement that we maintain a minimum net worth or retain a certain amount of cash could increase the probability that our business combination would be unsuccessful and that you would have to wait for liquidation in order to redeem your shares.
If, pursuant to the terms of our proposed business combination, we are required to maintain a minimum net worth or retain a certain amount of cash in trust in order to consummate the business combination and regardless of whether we proceed with redemptions under the tender or proxy rules, the probability that our business combination would be unsuccessful is increased. If our business combination is unsuccessful, you would not receive your pro rata portion of the trust account until we liquidate. If you are in need of immediate liquidity, you could attempt to sell your shares in the open market; however, at such time our shares may trade at a discount to the pro rata amount in our trust account. In either situation, you may suffer a material loss on your investment or lose the benefit of funds expected in connection with our redemption until we liquidate or you are able to sell your shares in the open market.
The requirement that we complete our initial business combination within 18 months from the closing of our initial public offering may give potential target businesses leverage over us in negotiating our initial business combination and may decrease our ability to conduct due diligence on potential business combination targets as we approach our dissolution deadline, which could undermine our ability to consummate our initial business combination on terms that would produce value for our shareholders.
Any potential target business with which we enter into negotiations concerning our initial business combination will be aware that we must consummate our initial business combination within 18 months from the closing of our initial public offering. Consequently, such target businesses may obtain leverage over us in negotiating our initial business combination, knowing that if we do not complete our initial business combination with that particular target business, we may be unable to complete our initial business combination with any target business. This risk will increase as we get closer to the timeframe described above. In addition, we may have limited time to conduct due diligence and may enter into our initial business combination on terms that we would have rejected upon a more comprehensive investigation.
We may not be able to consummate our initial business combination within 18 months from the closing of our initial public offering, in which case we would cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up and we would redeem our public shares and liquidate.
Our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed that we must complete our initial business combination within 18 months from the closing of our initial public offering. We may not be able to find a suitable target business and consummate our initial business combination within such time period. If we are unable to consummate our initial business combination within 18 months from the closing of our initial public offering, we will, as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than five business days thereafter, distribute the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account (less up to $20,000 of the net interest earned thereon to pay dissolution expenses), pro rata to our public shareholders by way of redemption and cease all operations except for the purposes of winding up of our affairs, as further described herein. This redemption of public shareholders from the trust account shall be done automatically by function of our memorandum and articles of association and prior to any voluntary winding up.
If we seek shareholder approval of our business combination, our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors and their affiliates may elect to purchase shares from shareholders, in which case we or they may influence a vote in favor of a proposed business combination that you do not support.
If we seek shareholder approval of our business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase shares in privately negotiated transactions either prior to or following the consummation of our initial business combination. Such a purchase would include a contractual acknowledgement that such shareholder, although still the record holder of our shares is no longer the beneficial owner thereof and therefore agrees not to exercise its redemption rights. In the event that our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates purchase shares in privately negotiated transactions from public shareholders who have already elected to exercise their redemption rights, such selling shareholders would be required to revoke their prior elections to redeem their shares.
The purpose of such purchases would be to (1) increase the likelihood of obtaining shareholder approval of the business combination or (2) satisfy a closing condition in an agreement with a target that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash at the closing of the business combination, where it appears that such requirement would otherwise not be met. This may result in the consummation of an initial business combination that may not otherwise have been possible.
Purchases of ordinary shares in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions by our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may make it difficult for us to list our ordinary shares on a national securities exchange.
If our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates purchase ordinary shares in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions, the public “float” of our ordinary shares and the number of beneficial holders of our securities would both be reduced, possibly making it difficult to obtain the listing or trading of our securities on a national securities exchange if we determine to apply for such listing in connection with the business combination.
You will not have any rights or interests in funds from the trust account, except under certain limited circumstances. To liquidate your investment, therefore, you may be forced to sell your public shares or rights, potentially at a loss.
Our public shareholders shall be entitled to receive funds from the trust account only in the event of a redemption to public shareholders prior to any winding up in the event we do not consummate our initial business combination or our liquidation or if they redeem their shares pursuant to a tender offer in connection with an initial business combination that we consummate. In no other circumstances will a shareholder have any right or interest of any kind to the funds in the trust account. Accordingly, to liquidate your investment, you may be forced to sell your public shares or rights, potentially at a loss.
You will not be entitled to protections normally afforded to investors of many other blank check companies.
Since the net proceeds of our initial public offering are intended to be used to complete our initial business combination with a target business that has not been identified, we may be deemed to be a “blank check” company under the United States securities laws. However, because we have net tangible assets in excess of $5,000,000, we are exempt from rules promulgated by the SEC to protect investors in blank check companies, such as Rule 419. Accordingly, investors will not be afforded the benefits or protections of those rules. Among other things, this means our units were immediately tradable and we may have a longer period of time (if our time to consummate our initial business combination is extended) to complete our initial business combination than do companies subject to Rule 419. Moreover, if our initial public offering were subject to Rule 419, that would prohibit the release of any interest earned on funds held in the trust account to us unless and until the funds in the trust account were released to us in connection with our completion of an initial business combination.
If we seek shareholder approval of our business combination and we do not conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, and if you or a “group” of shareholders are deemed to hold in excess of 15% of our ordinary shares, you will lose the ability to redeem all such shares in excess of 15% of our ordinary shares.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our memorandum and articles of association provides that a public shareholder, individually or together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from seeking redemption rights with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in our initial public offering. Your inability to redeem more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in our initial public offering will reduce your influence over our ability to consummate our initial business combination and you could suffer a material loss on your investment in us if you sell such excess shares in open market transactions. As a result, you will continue to hold that number of shares exceeding 15% and, in order to dispose of such shares, you would be required to sell your shares in an open market transaction, potentially at a loss.
If the net proceeds of our initial public offering that are not being held in the trust account, together with the interest in the trust account (net of taxes payable) which may be released to us for working capital purposes, are insufficient to allow us to operate at least until April 6, 2016, we may be unable to complete our initial business combination.
The funds available to us outside of the trust account, plus the interest earned on the funds held in the trust account that may be available to us, may not be sufficient to allow us to operate for at least until April 6, 2016. All the interest income (net of taxes payable) earned on the trust account may be released to us to fund our working capital requirements; however, based on the current interest rate environment, we anticipate that approximately $72,720 of interest income (net of taxes payable) will be available to us; however, our estimate may not be accurate. Of the funds available to us, we could use a portion of the funds available to us to pay fees to consultants to assist us with our search for a target business. We could also use a portion of the funds as a down payment or to fund a “no-shop” provision (a provision in letters of intent designed to keep target businesses from “shopping” around for transactions with other companies on terms more favorable to such target businesses) with respect to a particular proposed business combination, although we do not have any current intention to do so. If we are unable to fund such down payments or “no shop” provisions, our ability to close a contemplated transaction could be impaired. Furthermore, if we entered into a letter of intent where we paid for the right to receive exclusivity from a target business and were subsequently required to forfeit such funds (whether as a result of our breach or otherwise), we might not have sufficient funds to continue searching for, or conduct due diligence with respect to, a target business. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may only receive $10.20 per share on our redemption, and our rights and warrants will expire worthless.
The current low interest rate environment could limit the amount available to fund our search for a target business or businesses and complete our initial business combination since we will use interest earned on the trust account to fund our search, to pay our taxes and to complete our initial business combination.
As of March 31, 2015, $224,629 was available to us outside the trust account to fund our working capital requirements. The current interest rate environment makes it more difficult for us to generate sufficient interest from the proceeds in the trust account to structure, negotiate or close our initial business combination. In such event, we would need to borrow funds from our sponsor or management team to operate or may be forced to liquidate. Neither our sponsor nor our management team is under any obligation to advance funds to us in such circumstances. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may only receive $10.20 per share on our redemption, and our rights and warrants will expire worthless.
Subsequent to our consummation of our initial business combination, we may be required to subsequently take write-downs or write-offs, restructuring and impairment or other charges that could have a significant negative effect on our financial condition, results of operations and our share price, which could cause you to lose some or all of your investment.
Even if we conduct thorough due diligence on a target business with which we combine, this diligence may not surface all material issues that may be present inside a particular target business, that it would be possible to uncover all material issues through a customary amount of due diligence, or that factors outside of the target business and outside of our control will not later arise. As a result of these factors, we may be forced to later write-down or write-off assets, restructure our operations, or incur impairment or other charges that could result in our reporting losses. Even if our due diligence successfully identifies certain risks, unexpected risks may arise and previously known risks may materialize in a manner not consistent with our preliminary risk analysis. Even though these charges may be non-cash items and not have an immediate impact on our liquidity, the fact that we report charges of this nature could contribute to negative market perceptions about us or our securities. In addition, charges of this nature may cause us to violate net worth or other covenants to which we may be subject as a result of assuming pre-existing debt held by a target business or by virtue of our obtaining post-combination debt financing.
If we liquidate, distributions, or part of them, may be delayed while the liquidator determines the extent of potential creditor claims.
Pursuant to, among other documents, our memorandum and articles of association, if we do not complete our initial business combination within 18 months from the closing of our initial public offering, this will trigger an automatic redemption of our ordinary shares using the available funds in the trust account pursuant to our memorandum and articles of association, resulting in our repayment of available funds in the trust account. Following which, we will proceed to commence a voluntary liquidation and thereby a formal dissolution of the company. In connection with such a voluntary liquidation, the liquidator would give notice to our creditors inviting them to submit their claims for payment, by notifying known creditors (if any) who have not submitted claims and by placing a public advertisement in at least one newspaper published in the British Virgin Islands newspaper and in at least one newspaper circulating in the location where the company has its principal place of business, and taking any other steps he considers appropriate, after which our remaining assets would be distributed.
As soon as our affairs are fully wound-up, if we were to liquidate, the liquidator must complete his statement of account and will then notify the Registrar of Corporate Affairs in the British Virgin Islands (the “Registrar”) that the liquidation has been completed. However, the liquidator may determine that he or she requires additional time to evaluate creditors’ claims (particularly if there is uncertainty over the validity or extent of the claims of any creditors). Also, a creditor or shareholder may file a petition with the British Virgin Islands Court, which, if successful, may result in our liquidation being subject to the supervision of that court. Such events might delay distribution of some or all of our remaining assets.
In any liquidation proceedings of the company under British Virgin Islands law, the funds held in our trust account may be included in our estate and subject to the claims of third parties with priority over the claims of our shareholders. To the extent any such claims deplete the trust account we may not be able to return to our public shareholders the redemption amounts payable to them.
Our directors may decide not to enforce indemnification obligations against Ms. Winnie Lai Ling Ng, resulting in a reduction in the amount of funds in the trust account available for distribution to our public shareholders.
In the event that the proceeds in the trust account are reduced below $10.20 per share and Ms. Winnie Lai Ling Ng asserts that she is unable to satisfy her obligations or that she has no indemnification obligations related to a particular claim, our independent directors would determine on our behalf whether to take legal action against Ms. Ng to enforce her indemnification obligations. While we currently expect that our independent directors would take legal action on our behalf against Ms. Ng to enforce her indemnification obligations to us, it is possible that our independent directors in exercising their business judgment may choose not to do so in any particular instance. If our independent directors choose not to enforce these indemnification obligations on our behalf, the amount of funds in the trust account available for distribution to our public shareholders may be reduced below $10.20 per share.
If we are deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act, we may be required to institute burdensome compliance requirements and our activities may be restricted, which may make it difficult for us to complete our initial business combination.
If we are deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act, our activities may be restricted, including restrictions on the nature of our investments and restrictions on the issuance of securities, each of which may make it difficult for us to complete our initial business combination. In addition, we may have imposed upon us burdensome requirements, including registration as an investment company, adoption of a specific form of corporate structure and reporting, record keeping, voting, proxy and disclosure requirements and other rules and regulations.
If we were deemed to be subject to the Investment Company Act, compliance with these additional regulatory burdens would require additional expenses for which we have not allotted funds and may hinder our ability to consummate our initial business combination.
Changes in laws or regulations, or a failure to comply with any laws and regulations, may adversely affect our business, investments and results of operations.
We are subject to laws and regulations enacted by national, regional and local governments. In particular, we will be required to comply with certain SEC and other legal requirements. Compliance with, and monitoring of, applicable laws and regulations may be difficult, time consuming and costly. Those laws and regulations and their interpretation and application also may change from time to time and those changes could have a material adverse effect on our business, investments and results of operations. In addition, a failure to comply with applicable laws or regulations, as interpreted and applied, could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
We are not subject to the supervision of the Financial Services Commission of the British Virgin Islands and so our shareholders are not protected by any regulatory inspections in the British Virgin Islands.
We are not an entity subject to any regulatory supervision in the British Virgin Islands by the Financial Services Commission. As a result, shareholders are not protected by any regulatory supervision or inspections by any regulatory agency in the British Virgin Islands and we are not required to observe any restrictions in respect of its conduct save as disclosed in our memorandum and articles of association.
If we are unable to consummate our initial business combination, our public shareholders may be forced to wait up to 18 months from the closing of our initial public offering before redemption from our trust account.
If we are unable to consummate our initial business combination within 18 months from the closing of our initial public offering, we will, as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than five business days thereafter, distribute the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account (less up to $20,000 of the net interest earned thereon to pay dissolution expenses), pro rata to our public shareholders by way of redemption and cease all operations except for the purposes of winding up of our affairs by way of a voluntary liquidation, as further described herein. Any redemption of public shareholders from the trust account shall be effected automatically by function of our memorandum and articles of association prior to our commencing any voluntary liquidation. If we are required to liquidate prior to distributing the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account (less up to $20,000 of the net interest earned thereon to pay dissolution expenses) pro rata to our public shareholders, then such winding up, liquidation and distribution must comply with the applicable provisions of the Companies Act. In that case, investors may be forced to wait beyond 18 months from the closing of our initial public offering before the redemption proceeds of our trust account become available to them, and they receive the return of their pro rata portion of the proceeds from our trust account. We have no obligation to return funds to investors prior to the date of our redemption or liquidation unless we consummate our initial business combination prior thereto and only then in cases where investors have sought to redeem their ordinary shares. Only upon our redemption or any liquidation will public shareholders be entitled to distributions if we are unable to complete our initial business combination.
If we are deemed to be insolvent, distributions, or part of them, may be delayed while the insolvency liquidator determines the extent of potential creditor claims. In these circumstances, prior payments made by the company may be deemed “voidable transactions.”
If we do not complete our initial business combination within 18 months from the closing of our initial public offering, this will trigger an automatic redemption of public shareholders from the trust account pursuant to our memorandum and articles of association.
However, if at any time we are deemed insolvent for the purposes of the Insolvency Act (i.e. (i) we fail to comply with the requirements of a statutory demand that has not been set aside under section 157 of the Insolvency Act; (ii) execution or other process issued on a judgment, decree or order of a British Virgin Islands Court in favor of a creditor of the company is returned wholly or partly unsatisfied; or (iii) either the value of the company’s liabilities exceeds its assets, or the company is unable to pay its debts as they fall due), we are required to immediately enter insolvent liquidation. In these circumstances, a liquidator will be appointed who will give notice to our creditors inviting them to submit their claims for payment, by notifying known creditors (if any) who have not submitted claims and by placing a public advertisement in at least one newspaper published in the British Virgin Islands newspaper and in at least one newspaper circulating in the location where the company has its principal place of business, and taking any other steps he considers appropriate, after which our assets would be distributed. Following the process of insolvent liquidation, the liquidator will complete its final report and accounts and will then notify the Registrar of Corporate Affairs in the British Virgin Islands (the “Registrar”). The liquidator may determine that he requires additional time to evaluate creditors’ claims (particularly if there is uncertainty over the validity or extent of the claims of any creditors). Also, a creditor or shareholder may file a petition with the British Virgin Islands Court which, if successful, may result in our liquidation being subject to the supervision of that court. Such events might delay distribution of some or all of our assets to our public shareholders. In such liquidation proceedings, the funds held in our trust account may be included in our estate and subject to the claims of third parties with priority over the claims of our shareholders. To the extent any such claims deplete the trust account we cannot assure you we will be able to return to our public shareholders the amounts otherwise payable to them.
If we are deemed insolvent, then there are also limited circumstances where prior payments made to shareholders or other parties may be deemed to be a “voidable transaction” for the purposes of the Insolvency Act. A voidable transaction would be, for these purposes, payments made as “unfair preferences” or “transactions at an undervalue.” Where a payment was a risk of being a voidable transaction, a liquidator appointed over an insolvent company could apply to the British Virgin Islands Court for an order, inter alia, for the transaction to be set aside as a voidable transaction in whole or in part.
Our initial shareholders have waived their right to participate in any liquidation distribution with respect to the initial shares. We will pay the costs of our liquidation and distribution of the trust account from our remaining assets outside of the trust account and may request the trustee to release to us up to $20,000 of the net interest earned on the trust account to pay dissolution expenses. In addition, Ms. Winnie Ng has agreed that she will be liable to us, for all claims of creditors to the extent that we fail to obtain executed waivers from such entities in order to protect the amounts held in trust, except as to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of our initial public offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. However, we cannot assure you that the liquidator will not determine that he or she requires additional time to evaluate creditors’ claims (particularly if there is uncertainty over the validity or extent of the claims of any creditors). We also cannot assure you that a creditor or shareholder will not file a petition with the British Virgin Islands Court which, if successful, may result in our liquidation being subject to the supervision of that court. Such events might delay distribution of some or all of our assets to our public shareholders.
If deemed to be insolvent, distributions made to public shareholders, or part of them, from our trust account may be subject to claw back in certain circumstances.
If we do not complete our initial business combination within 18 months from the closing of our initial public offering, and instead distribute the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account (less up to $20,000 of the net interest earned thereon to pay dissolution expenses), pro rata to our public shareholders by way of redemption, it will be necessary for our directors to pass a board resolution approving the redemption of those ordinary shares and the payment of the proceeds to public shareholders. Such board resolutions are required to confirm that we satisfy the solvency test prescribed by the Companies Act, (namely that our assets exceed our liabilities; and that we are able to pay our debts as they fall due). If, after the redemption proceeds are paid to public shareholders, it transpires that our financial position at the time was such that it did not satisfy the solvency test, the Companies Act provides a mechanism by which those proceeds could be recovered from public shareholders. However, the Companies Act also provides for circumstances where such proceeds could not be subject to claw back, namely where (a) the public shareholders received the proceeds in good faith and without knowledge of our failure to satisfy the solvency test; (b) a public shareholder altered its position in reliance of the validity of the payment of the proceeds; or (c) it would be unfair to require repayment of the proceeds in full or at all.
The grant of registration rights to our initial shareholders may make it more difficult to complete our initial business combination, and the future exercise of such rights may adversely affect the market price of our ordinary shares.
Pursuant to an agreement entered into concurrently with the issuance and sale of the securities in our initial public offering, our initial shareholders and their permitted transferees can demand that we register the founder shares, the holders of our insider units and their permitted transferees can demand that we register the insider units and the ordinary shares and warrants included in the insider units (or issuable under the rights or upon exercise of the warrants), and the holders of our sponsor warrants and their permitted transferees can demand that we register the sponsor warrants and the underlying shares issuable upon exercise of such warrants. We will bear the cost of registering these securities. The registration and availability of such a significant number of securities for trading in the public market may have an adverse effect on the market price of our ordinary shares. In addition, the existence of the registration rights may make our initial business combination more costly or difficult to conclude. This is because the shareholders of the target business may increase the equity stake they seek in the combined entity or ask for more cash consideration to offset the negative impact on the market price of our ordinary shares that is expected when the securities owned by our sponsor, holders of our insider units or their respective permitted transferees are registered.
Because we may pursue business combination opportunities in any geographic region and in any business industry or sector, you will be unable to ascertain the merits or risks of any particular target business’ operations.
We may pursue acquisition opportunities in any geographic region, but may rely upon our management team’s background. While we may pursue an acquisition opportunity in any business industry or sector, we intend to initially focus on those industries or sectors that complement our management team’s background. Except for the limitations that a target business have a fair market value of at least 80% of the value of the trust account and that we are not permitted to effectuate our initial business combination with another blank check company or similar company with nominal operations, we will have virtually unrestricted flexibility in identifying and selecting a prospective acquisition candidate. To the extent we consummate our initial business combination, we may be affected by numerous risks inherent in the business operations with which we combine. For example, if we combine with a financially unstable business or an entity lacking an established record of sales or earnings, we may be affected by the risks inherent in the business and operations of a financially unstable or a development stage entity. Although our officers and directors will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business, we may not properly ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors or that we will have adequate time to complete due diligence. Furthermore, some of these risks may be outside of our control and leave us with no ability to control or reduce the chances that those risks will adversely impact a target business. An investment in our units may not ultimately prove to be more favorable to investors than a direct investment, if such opportunity were available, in an acquisition target.
We may seek investment opportunities outside of our management’s area of expertise and our management may not be able to adequately ascertain or assess all significant risks associated with the target company.
There is no limitation on the industry or business sector we may consider when contemplating our initial business combination. We may therefore be presented with a business combination candidate in an industry unfamiliar to our management team, but determine that such candidate offers an attractive investment opportunity for our company. In the event we elect to pursue an investment outside of our management’s expertise, our management’s experience may not be directly applicable to the target business or their evaluation of its operations.
Although we identified general criteria and guidelines that we believe are important in evaluating prospective target businesses, we may enter into our initial business combination with a target that does not meet such criteria and guidelines, and as a result, the target business with which we enter into our initial business combination may not have attributes entirely consistent with our general criteria and guidelines.
Although we have identified specific criteria and guidelines for evaluating prospective target businesses, it is possible that a target business with which we enter into our initial business combination will not have all of these positive attributes. If we consummate our initial business combination with a target that does not meet some or all of these guidelines, such combination may not be as successful as a combination with a business that does meet all of our general criteria and guidelines. In addition, if we announce our initial business combination with a target that does not meet our general criteria and guidelines, a greater number of shareholders may exercise their redemption rights, which may make it difficult for us to meet any closing condition with a target business that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. In addition, if shareholder approval of the transaction is required by law or the Nasdaq Capital Market, or we decide to obtain shareholder approval for business or other legal reasons, it may be more difficult for us to attain shareholder approval of our initial business combination if the target business does not meet our general criteria and guidelines. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may only receive $10.20 per share on our redemption, and our rights and warrants will expire worthless.
Management’s flexibility in identifying and selecting a prospective acquisition candidate, along with our management’s financial interest in consummating our initial business combination, may lead management to enter into an acquisition agreement that is not in the best interest of our shareholders.
Subject to the requirement that our initial business combination must be with one or more target businesses or assets having an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the value of the trust account (excluding any taxes) at the time of the agreement to enter into such initial business combination, we will have virtually unrestricted flexibility in identifying and selecting a prospective acquisition candidate. Investors will be relying on management’s ability to identify business combinations, evaluate their merits, conduct or monitor diligence and conduct negotiations. Management’s flexibility in identifying and selecting a prospective acquisition candidate, along with management’s financial interest in consummating our initial business combination, may lead management to enter into an acquisition agreement that is not in the best interest of our shareholders, which would be the case if the trading price of our ordinary shares after giving effect to such business combination was less than the per-share trust liquidation value that our shareholders would have received if we had dissolved without consummating our initial business combination.
We are not required to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm, and consequently, an independent source may not confirm that the price we are paying for the business is fair to our shareholders from a financial point of view.
Unless we consummate our initial business combination with an affiliated entity, we are not required to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm that the price we are paying is fair to our shareholders from a financial point of view. If no opinion is obtained, our shareholders will be relying on the judgment of our board of directors, who will determine fair market value based on standards generally accepted by the financial community. Such standards used will be disclosed in our tender offer documents or proxy solicitation materials, as applicable, related to our initial business combination.
We may issue additional ordinary or preferred shares to complete our initial business combination or under an employee incentive plan after consummation of our initial business combination, which would dilute the interest of our shareholders and likely present other risks.
Our memorandum and articles of association authorize the issuance of an unlimited amount of both ordinary shares of no par value and preferred shares of no par value. We may issue a substantial number of additional ordinary or preferred shares to complete our initial business combination or under an employee incentive plan after consummation of our initial business combination. Although no such issuance of ordinary or preferred shares will affect the per share amount available for redemption from the trust account, the issuance of additional ordinary or preferred shares:
●may significantly dilute the equity interest of investors in our initial public offering, who will not have pre-emption rights in respect of such an issuance;
●may subordinate the rights of holders of ordinary shares if preferred shares are issued with rights created by amendment of our memorandum and articles of association by resolution of the directors senior to those afforded our ordinary shares;
●could cause a change in control if a substantial number of ordinary shares is issued, which may affect, among other things, our ability to use our net operating loss carry forwards, if any, and could result in the resignation or removal of our present officers and directors; and
●may adversely affect prevailing market prices for our units, ordinary shares and/or rights.
Resources could be wasted in researching acquisitions that are not consummated, which could materially adversely affect subsequent attempts to locate and acquire or merge with another business.
We anticipate that the investigation of each specific target business and the negotiation, drafting, and execution of relevant agreements, disclosure documents, and other instruments will require substantial management time and attention and substantial costs for accountants, attorneys and others. If we decide not to complete a specific initial business combination, the costs incurred up to that point for the proposed transaction likely would not be recoverable. Furthermore, if we reach an agreement relating to a specific target business, we may fail to consummate our initial business combination for any number of reasons including those beyond our control. Any such event will result in a loss to us of the related costs incurred, which could materially adversely affect subsequent attempts to locate and acquire or merge with another business. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may only receive $10.20 per share on our redemption, and our rights and warrants will expire worthless.
We may qualify as a passive foreign investment company, or “PFIC,” which could result in adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences to U.S. investors.
If we are determined to be a PFIC for any taxable year (or portion thereof) that is included in the holding period of a U.S. Holder (as defined below) of our ordinary shares or rights, the U.S. Holder may be subject to increased U.S. federal income tax liability and may be subject to additional reporting requirements. Our PFIC status may depend on whether we qualify for the PFIC start-up exception (discussed further below). If we have gross income during our initial taxable year ending March 31, 2015, we likely will be a PFIC for such taxable year unless we complete our initial business combination before the end of our taxable year ending March 31, 2016 and are not treated as a PFIC for either of our taxable years ending March 31, 2016 or March 31, 2017. Our actual PFIC status for any taxable year, however, will not be determinable until after the end of such taxable year. In addition, we may not provide timely financial information that would be required for U.S. investors to make a potentially favorable qualified electing fund (“QEF”) election, and such election would be unavailable with respect to our rights in all cases. We urge U.S. investors to consult their own tax advisors regarding the possible application of the PFIC rules.
The discussion below of the U.S. federal income tax consequences to “U.S. Holders” will apply to a beneficial owner of our securities that is for U.S. federal income tax purposes (i) an individual citizen or resident of the United States; (ii) a corporation (or other entity treated as a corporation) that is created or organized (or treated as created or organized) in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia; (iii) an estate whose income is includible in gross income for U.S. federal income tax purposes regardless of its source; or (iv) a trust if (A) a U.S. court can exercise primary supervision over the trust’s administration and one or more U.S. persons are authorized to control all substantial decisions of the trust, or (B) it has a valid election in effect under applicable U.S. Treasury regulations to be treated as a U.S. person.
A foreign (i.e., non-U.S.) corporation will be a PFIC for U.S. tax purposes if at least 75% of its gross income in a taxable year, including its pro rata share of the gross income of any corporation in which it is considered to own at least 25% of the shares by value, is passive income. Alternatively, a foreign corporation will be a PFIC if at least 50% of its assets in a taxable year of the foreign corporation, ordinarily determined based on fair market value and averaged quarterly over the year, including its pro rata share of the assets of any corporation in which it is considered to own at least 25% of the shares by value, are held for the production of, or produce, passive income. Passive income generally includes dividends, interest, rents and royalties (other than rents or royalties derived from the active conduct of a trade or business) and gains from the disposition of passive assets.
Because we are a blank check company, with no current active business, we believe that it is likely that we will meet the PFIC asset or income test for our initial taxable year ending March 31, 2015. However, pursuant to a start-up exception, a corporation will not be a PFIC for the first taxable year the corporation has gross income, if (1) no predecessor of the corporation was a PFIC; (2) the corporation satisfies the IRS that it will not be a PFIC for either of the first two taxable years following the start-up year; and (3) the corporation is not in fact a PFIC for either of those years. The applicability of the start-up exception to us will not be known until a future time.
If we are determined to be a PFIC for any taxable year (or portion thereof) that is included in the holding period of a U.S. Holder of our ordinary shares, rights or warrants and, in the case of our ordinary shares, the U.S. Holder did not make either a timely QEF election for our first taxable year as a PFIC in which the U.S. Holder held (or was deemed to hold) ordinary shares, as described below, such holder generally will be subject to special rules with respect to:
●any gain recognized by the U.S. Holder on the sale or other disposition of its ordinary shares, rights or warrant; and
●any “excess distribution” made to the U.S. Holder (generally, any distributions to such U.S. Holder during a taxable year of the U.S. Holder that are greater than 125% of the average annual distributions received by such U.S. Holder in respect of the ordinary shares during the three preceding taxable years of such U.S. Holder or, if shorter, such U.S. Holder’s holding period for the ordinary shares).
Under these rules,
●the U.S. Holder’s gain or excess distribution will be allocated ratably over the U.S. Holder’s holding period for the ordinary shares, rights or warrants;
●the amount allocated to the U.S. Holder’s taxable year in which the U.S. Holder recognized the gain or received the excess distribution, or to the period in the U.S. Holder’s holding period before the first day of our first taxable year in which we are a PFIC, will be taxed as ordinary income;
●the amount allocated to other taxable years (or portions thereof) of the U.S. Holder and included in its holding period will be taxed at the highest tax rate in effect for that year and applicable to the U.S. Holder; and
●the interest charge generally applicable to underpayments of tax will be imposed in respect of the tax attributable to each such other taxable year of the U.S. Holder.
In general, if we are determined to be a PFIC, a U.S. Holder may avoid the PFIC tax consequences described above in respect to our ordinary shares (but not our warrants) by making a timely QEF election (if eligible to do so) to include in income its pro rata share of our net capital gains (as long-term capital gain) and other earnings and profits (as ordinary income), on a current basis, in each case whether or not distributed, in the taxable year of the U.S. Holder in which or with which our taxable year ends. A U.S. Holder may make a separate election to defer the payment of taxes on undistributed income inclusions under the QEF rules, but if deferred, any such taxes will be subject to an interest charge.
A U.S. Holder may be permitted to make a QEF election with respect to its rights to acquire our ordinary shares (but not our warrants). As a result, if a U.S. Holder sells or otherwise disposes of such rights (other than pursuant to the terms of such rights), any gain recognized generally will be subject to the special tax and interest charge rules treating the gain as an excess distribution, as described above, if we were a PFIC at any time during the period the U.S. Holder held the rights. If a U.S. Holder that receives ordinary shares pursuant to such rights properly makes a QEF election with respect to the newly acquired ordinary shares (or has previously made a QEF election with respect to our ordinary shares), the QEF election will apply to the newly acquired ordinary shares, but the adverse tax consequences relating to PFIC shares, adjusted to take into account the current income inclusions resulting from the QEF election, will continue to apply with respect to such newly acquired ordinary shares (which generally will be deemed to have a holding period for purposes of the PFIC rules that includes the period the U.S. Holder held the rights), unless the U.S. Holder makes a purging election under the PFIC rules. The purging election creates a deemed sale of such shares at their fair market value. The gain recognized by the purging election will be subject to the special tax and interest charge rules treating the gain as an excess distribution, as described above. As a result of the purging election, the U.S. Holder will have a new basis and holding period in the ordinary shares acquired pursuant to the terms of rights for purposes of the PFIC rules.
In order to comply with the requirements of a QEF election, a U.S. Holder must receive a PFIC annual information statement from us. If we determine we are a PFIC for any taxable year, we will endeavor to provide to a U.S. Holder such information as the IRS may require, including a PFIC annual information statement, in order to enable the U.S. Holder to make and maintain a QEF election. However, there is no assurance that we will have timely knowledge of our status as a PFIC in the future or of the required information to be provided.
Although a determination as to our PFIC status will be made annually, an initial determination that we are a PFIC will generally apply for subsequent years to a U.S. Holder who held ordinary shares, rights or warrants while we were a PFIC, whether or not we meet the test for PFIC status in those subsequent years. A U.S. Holder who makes the QEF election discussed above for our first taxable year as a PFIC in which the U.S. Holder holds (or is deemed to hold) our ordinary shares, however, will not be subject to the PFIC tax and interest charge rules discussed above in respect to such shares. In addition, such U.S. Holder will not be subject to the QEF inclusion regime with respect to such shares for any taxable year of us that ends within or with a taxable year of the U.S. Holder and in which we are not a PFIC. On the other hand, if the QEF election is not effective for each of our taxable years in which we are a PFIC and the U.S. Holder holds (or is deemed to hold) our ordinary shares, the PFIC rules discussed above will continue to apply to such shares unless the holder makes a purging election, as described above, and pays the tax and interest charge with respect to the gain inherent in such shares attributable to the pre-QEF election period.
An investor may be subject to adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences in the event the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) were to disagree with the U.S. federal income tax consequences described herein.
We have not sought a ruling from the IRS as to any U.S. federal income tax consequences described herein. The IRS may disagree with the descriptions of U.S. federal income tax consequences contained herein, and its determination may be upheld by a court. Any such determination could subject an investor or our company to adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences that would be different than those described herein. Accordingly, each prospective investor is urged to consult a tax advisor with respect to the specific tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of our ordinary shares, rights and units, including the applicability and effect of state, local or non-U.S. tax laws, as well as U.S. federal tax laws.
After our initial business combination, it is likely that a majority of our directors and officers will live outside the United States and all of our assets will be located outside the United States; therefore investors may not be able to enforce federal securities laws or their other legal rights.
It is likely that after our initial business combination, a majority of our directors and officers will reside outside of the United States and all of our assets will be located outside of the United States. As a result, it may be difficult, or in some cases not possible, for investors in the United States to enforce their legal rights, to effect service of process upon all of our directors or officers or to enforce judgments of United States courts predicated upon civil liabilities and criminal penalties on our directors and officers under United States laws.
Our ability to successfully effect our initial business combination and to be successful thereafter will be largely dependent upon the efforts of our officers, directors and key personnel, some of whom may join us following our initial business combination. The loss of our officers, directors, or key personnel could negatively impact the operations and profitability of our business.
Our operations are dependent upon a relatively small group of individuals and, in particular, our officers and directors. We believe that our success depends on the continued service of our officers and directors, at least until we have consummated our initial business combination. In addition, our officers and directors are not required to commit any specified amount of time to our affairs and, accordingly, will have conflicts of interest in allocating management time among various business activities, including identifying potential business combinations and monitoring the related due diligence. We do not have an employment agreement with, or key-man insurance on the life of, any of our directors or officers. The unexpected loss of the services of one or more of our directors or officers could have a detrimental effect on us.
The role of such persons in the target business, however, cannot presently be ascertained. Although some of such persons may remain with the target business in senior management or advisory positions following our initial business combination, it is likely that some or all of the management of the target business will remain in place. While we intend to closely scrutinize any individuals we engage after our initial business combination, our assessment of these individuals may not prove to be correct. These individuals may be unfamiliar with the requirements of operating a company regulated by the SEC, which could cause us to have to expend time and resources helping them become familiar with such requirements.
Our key personnel may negotiate employment or consulting agreements with a target business in connection with a particular business combination. These agreements may provide for them to receive compensation following our initial business combination and as a result, may cause them to have conflicts of interest in determining whether a particular business combination is the most advantageous.
Our key personnel may be able to remain with the company after the consummation of our initial business combination only if they are able to negotiate employment or consulting agreements in connection with the business combination. Such negotiations would take place simultaneously with the negotiation of the business combination and could provide for such individuals to receive compensation in the form of cash payments and/or our securities for services they would render to us after the consummation of the business combination. The personal and financial interests of such individuals may influence their motivation in identifying and selecting a target business. However, we believe the ability of such individuals to remain with us after the consummation of our initial business combination will not be the determining factor in our decision as to whether or not we will proceed with any potential business combination. There is no certainty, however, that any of our key personnel will remain with us after the consummation of our initial business combination. Our key personnel may not remain in senior management or advisory positions with us. The determination as to whether any of our key personnel will remain with us will be made at the time of our initial business combination.
We may have a limited ability to assess the management of a prospective target business and, as a result, may effect our initial business combination with a target business whose management may not have the skills, qualifications or abilities to manage a public company.
When evaluating the desirability of effecting our initial business combination with a prospective target business, our ability to assess the target business’ management may be limited due to a lack of time, resources or information. Our assessment of the capabilities of the target’s management, therefore, may prove to be incorrect and such management may lack the skills, qualifications or abilities we suspected. Should the target’s management not possess the skills, qualifications or abilities necessary to manage a public company, the operations and profitability of the post-combination business may be negatively impacted.
The officers and directors of an acquisition candidate may resign upon consummation of our initial business combination. The loss of an acquisition target’s key personnel could negatively impact the operations and profitability of our post-combination business.
The role of an acquisition candidate’s key personnel upon the consummation of our initial business combination cannot be ascertained at this time. Although we contemplate that certain members of an acquisition candidate’s management team will remain associated with the acquisition candidate following our initial business combination, it is possible that some members of the management team of an acquisition candidate will not wish to remain in place.
Certain of our officers and directors are now, and all of them may in the future become, affiliated with entities engaged in business activities similar to those intended to be conducted by us and, accordingly, may have conflicts of interest in allocating their time and determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented.
Until we consummate our business combination, we intend to engage in the business of identifying and combining with one or more businesses. Our executive officers and directors are, or may in the future become, affiliated with entities that are engaged in a similar business.
Our officers may become involved with subsequent blank check companies similar to our company. Our officers also may become aware of business opportunities, which may be appropriate for presentation to us and the other entities to which they owe certain fiduciary duties. Accordingly, they may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented. These conflicts may not be resolved in our favor or that a potential target business would not be presented to another entity prior to its presentation to us.
Our officers, directors, security holders and their respective affiliates may have competitive pecuniary interests that conflict with our interests.
We have not adopted a policy that expressly prohibits our directors, officers, security holders or affiliates from having a direct or indirect pecuniary or financial interest in any investment to be acquired or disposed of by us or in any transaction to which we are a party or have an interest. In fact, we may enter into our initial business combination with a target business that is affiliated with our sponsor, our directors or officers, although we do not intend to do so. Nor do we have a policy that expressly prohibits any such persons from engaging for their own account in business activities of the types conducted by us.
The shares beneficially owned by our officers and directors will not participate in liquidation distributions and, therefore, our officers and directors may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is appropriate for our initial business combination.
Our officers and directors have waived their right to redeem their founder shares, private shares or any other ordinary shares acquired in our initial public offering or thereafter, or to receive distributions with respect to their founder shares or private shares upon our liquidation if we are unable to consummate our initial business combination. Accordingly, these securities will be worthless if we do not consummate our initial business combination. Any rights and warrants they hold, like those held by the public, will also be worthless if we do not consummate an initial business combination. The personal and financial interests of our directors and officers may influence their motivation in timely identifying and selecting a target business and completing a business combination. Consequently, our directors’ and officers’ discretion in identifying and selecting a suitable target business may result in a conflict of interest when determining whether the terms, conditions and timing of a particular business combination are appropriate and in our shareholders’ best interest.
We may engage in our initial business combination with one or more target businesses that have relationships with entities that may be affiliated with our executive officers, directors or existing holders, which may raise potential conflicts of interest.
In light of the involvement of our sponsor, officers and directors with other entities, we may decide to acquire one or more businesses affiliated with our sponsor, officers and directors. Our directors also serve as officers and board members for other entities. Our sponsor, officers and directors are not currently aware of any specific opportunities for us to consummate our initial business combination with any entities with which they are affiliated, and there have been no preliminary discussions concerning a business combination with any such entity or entities. Although we will not be specifically focusing on, or targeting, any transaction with any affiliated entities, we would pursue such a transaction if we determined that such affiliated entity met our criteria for our initial business combination and such transaction was approved by a majority of our disinterested directors. Despite our agreement to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm regarding the fairness to our shareholders from a financial point of view of a business combination with one or more domestic or international businesses affiliated with our executive officers, directors or existing holders, potential conflicts of interest still may exist and, as a result, the terms of the business combination may not be as advantageous to our public shareholders as they would be absent any conflicts of interest. Our directors have a fiduciary duty to act in the best interests of our shareholders, whether or not a conflict of interest may exist.
Since our sponsor will lose its entire investment in us if our initial business combination is not consummated and our officers and directors have significant financial interests in us, a conflict of interest may arise in determining whether a particular acquisition target is appropriate for our initial business combination.
In June 2014, our initial shareholders purchased an aggregate of 1,725,000 founder shares for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000 (of which 9,985 founder shares were forfeited due to the underwriter’s partial exercise of its over-allotment option in connection with our initial public offering). The founder shares will be worthless if we do not consummate an initial business combination. In addition, our sponsor purchased an aggregate of 319,119 insider units, each consisting of one ordinary share, a right to receive 1/10 of an ordinary share, and a warrant to purchase 1/2 of one ordinary share, for an aggregate purchase price of $3,191,190, as well as 2,058,007 sponsor warrants for an aggregate purchase price of $1,029,003.50, that will also be worthless if we do not consummate our initial business combination.
We may issue notes or other debt securities, or otherwise incur substantial debt, to complete our initial business combination, which may adversely affect our financial condition and thus negatively impact the value of our shareholders’ investment in us.
Although we have no commitments as of the date of this Report to issue any notes or other debt securities, or to otherwise incur outstanding debt, we may choose to incur substantial debt to complete our initial business combination. We and our officers and directors have agreed that we will not incur any indebtedness unless we have obtained from the lender a waiver of any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the trust account. As such, no issuance of debt will affect the per share amount available for redemption from the trust account. Nevertheless, the incurrence of debt could have a variety of negative effects, including:
●default and foreclosure on our assets if our operating revenues after our initial business combination are insufficient to repay our debt obligations;
●acceleration of our obligations to repay the indebtedness even if we make all principal and interest payments when due if we breach certain covenants that require the maintenance of certain financial ratios or reserves without a waiver or renegotiation of that covenant;
●our immediate payment of all principal and accrued interest, if any, if the debt security is payable on demand;
●our inability to obtain necessary additional financing if the debt security contains covenants restricting our ability to obtain such financing while the debt security is outstanding;
●our inability to pay dividends on our ordinary shares;
●using a substantial portion of our cash flow to pay principal and interest on our debt, which will reduce the funds available for dividends on our ordinary shares if declared, expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions and other general corporate purposes;
●limitations on our flexibility in planning for and reacting to changes in our business and in the industry in which we operate;
●increased vulnerability to adverse changes in general economic, industry and competitive conditions and adverse changes in government regulation; and
●limitations on our ability to borrow additional amounts for expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions, debt service requirements, execution of our strategy and other purposes and other disadvantages compared to our competitors who have less debt.
We may only be able to complete one business combination with the proceeds of our initial public offering, which will cause us to be solely dependent on a single business, which may have a limited number of products or services. This lack of diversification may negatively impact our operations and profitability.
The net proceeds from our initial public offering have provided us with approximately $69,972,643 that we may use to complete our initial business combination.
We may effectuate our initial business combination with a single target business or multiple target businesses simultaneously. However, we may not be able to effectuate our initial business combination with more than one target business because of various factors, including the existence of complex accounting issues and the requirement that we prepare and file pro forma financial statements with the SEC that present operating results and the financial condition of several target businesses as if they had been operated on a combined basis. By consummating our initial business combination with only a single entity, our lack of diversification may subject us to numerous economic, competitive and regulatory developments. Further, we would not be able to diversify our operations or benefit from the possible spreading of risks or offsetting of losses, unlike other entities, which may have the resources to complete several business combinations in different industries or different areas of a single industry. Accordingly, the prospects for our success may be:
●solely dependent upon the performance of a single business, property or asset, or
●dependent upon the development or market acceptance of a single or limited number of products, processes or services.
This lack of diversification may subject us to numerous economic, competitive and regulatory developments, any or all of which may have a substantial adverse impact upon the particular industry in which we may operate subsequent to our initial business combination.
We may attempt to simultaneously consummate business combinations with multiple prospective targets, which may hinder our ability to consummate our initial business combination and give rise to increased costs and risks that could negatively impact our operations and profitability.
If we determine to simultaneously acquire several businesses that are owned by different sellers, we will need for each of such sellers to agree that our purchase of its business is contingent on the simultaneous closings of the other business combinations, which may make it more difficult for us, and delay our ability, to complete the initial business combination. With multiple business combinations, we could also face additional risks, including additional burdens and costs with respect to possible multiple negotiations and due diligence investigations (if there are multiple sellers) and the additional risks associated with the subsequent assimilation of the operations and services or products of the acquired companies in a single operating business. If we are unable to adequately address these risks, it could negatively impact our profitability and results of operations.
We may attempt to consummate our initial business combination with a private company about which little information is available, which may result in our initial business combination with a company that is not as profitable as we suspected, if at all.
In pursuing our acquisition strategy, we may seek to effectuate our initial business combination with a privately held company. By definition, very little public information exists about private companies, and we could be required to make our decision on whether to pursue a potential initial business combination on the basis of limited information, which may result in our initial business combination with a company that is not as profitable as we suspected, if at all.
We may not be able to maintain control of a target business after our initial business combination.
We may structure our initial business combination to acquire less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business, but we will only consummate such business combination if we will become the majority shareholder of the target (or control the target through contractual arrangements in limited circumstances for regulatory compliance purposes) or are otherwise not required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. Even though we may own a majority interest in the target, our shareholders prior to the business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post business combination company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in the business combination transaction. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new shares in exchange for all of the outstanding capital stock of a target. In this case, we acquire a 100% controlling interest in the target. However, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new shares, our shareholders immediately prior to such transaction could own less than a majority of our outstanding shares subsequent to such transaction. In addition, other minority shareholders may subsequently combine their holdings resulting in a single person or group obtaining a larger share of the company’s stock than we initially acquired. Accordingly, this may make it more likely that we will not be able to maintain our control of the target business.
Unlike many blank check companies, we do not have a specified maximum redemption threshold. The absence of such a redemption threshold will make it easier for us to consummate our initial business combination with which a substantial majority of our shareholders do not agree.
Since we have no specified percentage threshold for redemption contained in our memorandum and articles of association, our structure is different in this respect from the structure that has been used by many blank check companies. Many blank check companies would not be able to consummate an initial business combination if the holders of the company’s public shares voted against a proposed business combination and elected to redeem more than a specified percentage of the shares sold in such company’s initial public offering, which percentage threshold has typically been between 19.99% and 39.99%. As a result, many blank check companies have been unable to complete business combinations because the amount of shares voted by their public shareholders electing redemption exceeded the maximum redemption threshold pursuant to which such company could proceed with our initial business combination. Unlike these blank check companies, we may be able to consummate our initial business combination even though a substantial majority of our public shareholders do not agree with the transaction and have redeemed their shares or, if we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and do not conduct redemptions in connection with our business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, have entered into privately negotiated agreements to sell their shares to us or our sponsor, officers, directors, advisors or their affiliates. However, in no event will we redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001. Furthermore, the redemption threshold may be further limited by the terms and conditions of our initial business combination. In such case, we would not proceed with the redemption of our public shares and the related business combination, and instead may search for an alternate business combination.
Holders of rights and warrants will not participate in liquidating distributions if we are unable to complete an initial business combination within the required time period.
If we are unable to complete an initial business combination within the required time period and we liquidate the funds held in the trust account, the rights and warrants will expire and holders will not receive any of such proceeds with respect to the rights and warrants. In this case, holders of rights and warrants are treated in the same manner as holders of rights and warrants of blank check companies whose units are comprised of shares, rights and warrants, as the rights and warrants in those companies do not participate in liquidating distributions. Nevertheless, the foregoing may provide a financial incentive to public shareholders to vote in favor of any proposed initial business combination as their rights would entitle the holder to receive one-tenth of a share of ordinary shares upon consummation of such business combination or to purchase one-half of one ordinary share, resulting in an increase in their overall economic stake in our company. If a business combination is not approved, the rights and warrants will expire and will be worthless.
If we do not maintain a current and effective prospectus relating to the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants, public holders will only be able to exercise such warrants on a “cashless basis” which would result in a fewer number of shares being issued to the holder had such holder exercised the warrants for cash.
If we do not maintain a current and effective prospectus relating to the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the public warrant at the time that holders wish to exercise such warrants, they will only be able to exercise them on a “cashless basis” provided that an exemption from registration is available. As a result, the number of ordinary shares that a holder will receive upon exercise of its public warrants will be fewer than it would have been had such holder exercised its warrant for cash. Further, if an exemption from registration is not available, holders would not be able to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis and would only be able to exercise their warrants for cash if a current and effective prospectus relating to the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants is available. Under the terms of the warrant agreement, we have agreed to use our best efforts to meet these conditions and to maintain a current and effective prospectus relating to the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants until the expiration of the warrants. However, we cannot assure you that we will be able to do so. If we are unable to do so, the potential “upside” of the holder’s investment in our company may be reduced or the warrants may expire worthless. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the private warrants and sponsor warrants may be exercisable for unregistered ordinary shares for cash even if the prospectus relating to the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants is not current and effective.
An investor will only be able to exercise a warrant if the issuance of ordinary shares upon such exercise has been registered or qualified or is deemed exempt under the securities laws of the state of residence of the holder of the warrants.
No public warrants will be exercisable for cash and we will not be obligated to issue ordinary shares unless the ordinary shares issuable upon such exercise has been registered or qualified or deemed to be exempt under the securities laws of the state of residence of the holder of the warrants. At the time that the warrants become exercisable, we expect to continue to be listed on a national securities exchange, which would provide an exemption from registration in every state. However, we cannot assure you of this fact. If the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants are not qualified or exempt from qualification in the jurisdictions in which the holders of the warrants reside, the warrants may be deprived of any value, the market for the warrants may be limited and they may expire worthless if they cannot be sold.
Our management’s ability to require holders of our warrants to exercise such warrants on a cashless basis will cause holders to receive fewer ordinary shares upon their exercise of the warrants than they would have received had they been able to exercise their warrants for cash.
If we call our public warrants for redemption after the redemption criteria has been satisfied, our management will have the option to require any holder that wishes to exercise his warrant (including any warrants held by our initial shareholders or their permitted transferees) to do so on a “cashless basis.” If our management chooses to require holders to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis, the number of ordinary shares received by a holder upon exercise will be fewer than it would have been had such holder exercised his warrant for cash. This will have the effect of reducing the potential “upside” of the holder’s investment in our company.
We may amend the terms of the warrants in a way that may be adverse to holders with the approval by the holders of a majority of the then outstanding warrants.
Our warrants were issued pursuant to a warrant agreement between Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as warrant agent, and us. The warrant agreement provides that the terms of the warrants may be amended without the consent of any holder to cure any ambiguity or correct any defective provision. The warrant agreement requires the approval by the holders of a majority of the then outstanding warrants (including the private warrants and the sponsor warrants) in order to make any change that adversely affects the interests of the registered holders.
The ability of our public shareholders to exercise their redemption rights may not allow us to effectuate the most desirable business combination or optimize our capital structure.
If our initial business combination requires us to use substantially all of our cash to pay the purchase price, because we will not know how many public shareholders may exercise redemption rights, we may either need to reserve part of the trust account for possible payment upon such redemption, or we may need to arrange third party financing to help fund our initial business combination. In the event that the acquisition involves the issuance of our stock as consideration, we may be required to issue a higher percentage of our stock to make up for a shortfall in funds. Raising additional funds to cover any shortfall may involve dilutive equity financing or incurring indebtedness at higher than desirable levels. This may limit our ability to effectuate the most attractive business combination available to us.
We may be unable to consummate an initial business combination if a target business requires that we have a certain amount of cash at closing, in which case public shareholders may have to remain shareholders of our company and wait until our redemption of the public shares to receive a pro rata share of the trust account or attempt to sell their shares in the open market.
A potential target may make it a closing condition to our initial business combination that we have a certain amount of cash in excess of the $5,000,001 of net tangible assets we are required to have pursuant to our organizational documents available at the time of closing. If the number of our public shareholders electing to exercise their redemption rights has the effect of reducing the amount of money available to us to consummate an initial business combination below such minimum amount required by the target business and we are not able to locate an alternative source of funding, we will not be able to consummate such initial business combination and we may not be able to locate another suitable target within the applicable time period, if at all. In that case, public shareholders may have to remain shareholders of our company and wait the full 18 months after the closing of our initial public offering in order to be able to receive a portion of the trust account, or attempt to sell their shares in the open market prior to such time, in which case they may receive less than they would have in a liquidation of the trust account.
We will offer each public shareholder the option to vote in favor of the proposed business combination and still seek redemption of his, her or its shares.
In connection with any meeting held to approve an initial business combination, we will offer each public shareholder (but not our initial shareholders, officers or directors) the right to have his, her or its ordinary shares redeemed for cash (subject to certain limitations) regardless of whether such shareholder votes for or against such proposed business combination; provided that a shareholder must in fact vote for or against a proposed business combination in order to have his, her or its ordinary shares redeemed for cash. If a shareholder fails to vote for or against a proposed business combination, that shareholder would not be able to have his ordinary shares so redeemed. We will consummate our initial business combination only if we have net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 upon such consummation and a majority of the outstanding ordinary shares voted are voted in favor of the business combination. This is different than other similarly structured blank check companies where shareholders are offered the right to redeem their shares only when they vote against a proposed business combination. This threshold and the ability to seek redemption while voting in favor of a proposed business combination may make it more likely that we will consummate our initial business combination.
A public shareholder that fails to vote either in favor of or against a proposed business combination will not be able to have his shares redeemed for cash.
In order for a public shareholder to have his shares redeemed for cash in connection with any proposed business combination, that public shareholder must vote either in favor of or against a proposed business combination. If a public shareholder fails to vote in favor of or against a proposed business combination, whether that shareholder abstains from the vote or simply does not vote, that shareholder would not be able to have his ordinary shares so redeemed to cash in connection with such business combination.
We will require public shareholders who wish to redeem their ordinary shares in connection with a proposed business combination to comply with specific requirements for redemption that may make it more difficult for them to exercise their redemption rights prior to the deadline for exercising their rights.
We will require public shareholders who wish to redeem their ordinary shares in connection with a proposed business combination to either tender their certificates to our transfer agent at any time prior to the vote taken at the shareholder meeting relating to such business combination or to deliver their shares to the transfer agent electronically using the Depository Trust Company’s DWAC (Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian) System, at the holder’s option. In order to obtain a physical stock certificate, a shareholder’s broker and/or clearing broker, DTC and our transfer agent will need to act to facilitate this request. It is our understanding that shareholders should generally allot at least two weeks to obtain physical certificates from the transfer agent. However, because we do not have any control over this process or over the brokers or DTC, it may take significantly longer than two weeks to obtain a physical stock certificate. While we have been advised that it takes a short time to deliver shares through the DWAC System, this may not be the case. Under our memorandum and articles of association, we are required to provide at least 10 days advance notice of any shareholder meeting, which would be the minimum amount of time a shareholder would have to determine whether to exercise redemption rights. Accordingly, if it takes longer than we anticipate for shareholders to deliver their shares, shareholders who wish to redeem may be unable to meet the deadline for exercising their redemption rights and thus may be unable to redeem their shares.
Redeeming shareholders may be unable to sell their securities when they wish to in the event that the proposed business combination is not approved.
We will require public shareholders who wish to redeem their ordinary shares in connection with any proposed business combination to comply with the delivery requirements discussed above for redemption. If such proposed business combination is not consummated, we will promptly return such certificates to the tendering public shareholders. Accordingly, investors who attempted to redeem their shares in such a circumstance will be unable to sell their securities after the failed acquisition until we have returned their securities to them. The market price for our ordinary shares may decline during this time and you may not be able to sell your securities when you wish to, even while other shareholders that did not seek redemption may be able to sell their securities.
Because of our structure, other companies may have a competitive advantage and we may not be able to consummate an attractive business combination.
We expect to encounter intense competition from entities other than blank check companies having a business objective similar to ours, including venture capital funds, leveraged buyout funds and operating businesses competing for acquisitions. Many of these entities are well established and have extensive experience in identifying and effecting business combinations directly or through affiliates. Many of these competitors possess greater technical, human and other resources than we do and our financial resources will be relatively limited when contrasted with those of many of these competitors. Therefore, our ability to compete in acquiring certain sizable target businesses may be limited by our available financial resources. This inherent competitive limitation gives others an advantage in pursuing the acquisition of certain target businesses. Furthermore, seeking shareholder approval of our initial business combination may delay the consummation of a transaction. Additionally, our rights, and the future dilution they represent (entitling the holders to receive ordinary shares on consummation of our initial business combination), may not be viewed favorably by certain target businesses. Any of the foregoing may place us at a competitive disadvantage in successfully negotiating our initial business combination.
The provisions of our memorandum and articles of association relating to the rights and obligations attaching to our ordinary shares may be amended prior to the consummation of our initial business combination with the approval of the holders of 65% (or 50% if for the purposes of approving, or in conjunction with, the consummation of our initial business combination) of our outstanding ordinary shares attending and voting on such amendment at the relevant meeting, which is a lower amendment threshold than that of many blank check companies. It may be easier for us, therefore, to amend our memorandum and articles of association to facilitate the consummation of our initial business combination that a significant number of our shareholders may not support.
Many blank check companies have a provision in their charter, which prohibits the amendment of certain of its provisions, including those, which relate to a company’s pre-business combination activity, without approval by a certain percentage of the company’s shareholders. Typically, amendment of these provisions requires approval by between 90% and 100% of the company’s public shareholders. Our memorandum and articles of association provides that, prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, its provisions related to pre-business combination activity and the rights and obligations attaching to the ordinary shares, may be amended if approved by holders of 65% (or 50% if approved in connection with our initial business combination) of our outstanding ordinary shares attending and voting on such amendment. Prior to our initial business combination, if we seek to amend any provisions of our memorandum and articles of association relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-business combination activity, we will provide dissenting public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares in connection with any such vote on any proposed amendments to our memorandum and articles of association. Other provisions of our memorandum and articles of association may be amended prior to the consummation of our initial business combination if approved by a majority of the votes of shareholders attending and voting on such amendment or by resolution of the directors. Following the consummation of our initial business combination, the rights and obligations attaching to our ordinary shares and other provisions of our memorandum and articles of association may be amended if approved by a majority of the votes of shareholders attending and voting on such amendment or by resolution of the directors. Our initial shareholders, which beneficially own approximately 19.21% of our ordinary shares will participate in any vote to amend our memorandum and articles of association and will have the discretion to vote in any manner they choose. As a result, we may be able to amend the provisions of our memorandum and articles of association which govern our pre-business combination and the rights and obligations attaching to the ordinary shares behavior more easily that many blank check companies, and this may increase our ability to consummate our initial business combination with which you do not agree. However, we and our directors and officers have agreed not to propose any amendment to our memorandum and articles of association that would affect the substance and timing of our obligation to redeem the public shares of any public shareholder without the consent of that holder, if we are unable to consummate our initial business combination within 18 months from the closing of our initial public offering.
We may be unable to obtain additional financing to complete our initial business combination or to fund the operations and growth of a target business, which could compel us to restructure or abandon a particular business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may only receive $10.20 per share on our redemption, and the rights and the warrants will expire worthless.
Although we believe that the net proceeds from our initial public offering, including the interest earned on the proceeds held in the trust account that may be available to us for our initial business combination, will be sufficient to allow us to consummate our initial business combination, because we have not yet entered into any definitive agreement for a business combination with any prospective target business, we cannot ascertain the capital requirements for any particular transaction. If the net proceeds of our initial public offering prove to be insufficient, either because of the size of our initial business combination, the depletion of the available net proceeds in search of a target business, the obligation to repurchase for cash a significant number of shares from shareholders who elect redemption in connection with our initial business combination or the terms of negotiated transactions to purchase shares in connection with our initial business combination, we may be required to seek additional financing or to abandon the proposed business combination. Financing may not be available on acceptable terms, if at all. The current economic environment has made it especially difficult for companies to obtain acquisition financing. To the extent that additional financing proves to be unavailable when needed to consummate our initial business combination, we would be compelled to either restructure the transaction or abandon that particular initial business combination and seek an alternative target business candidate. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may only receive $10.20 per share on our redemption, and the rights and the warrants will expire worthless. In addition, even if we do not need additional financing to consummate our initial business combination, we may require such financing to fund the operations or growth of the target business. The failure to secure additional financing could have a material adverse effect on the continued development or growth of the target business. None of our officers, directors or shareholders is required to provide any financing to us in connection with or after our initial business combination.
Our initial shareholders control a substantial interest in us and thus may exert a substantial influence on actions requiring a shareholder vote, potentially in a manner that you do not support.
Our initial shareholders own 19.21% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares. Accordingly, they may exert a substantial influence on actions requiring a shareholder vote, potentially in a manner that you do not support, including amendments to our memorandum and articles of association. If our initial shareholders purchase any additional ordinary shares in the aftermarket or in privately negotiated transactions, this would increase their control. Neither our sponsor nor, to our knowledge, any of our officers or directors, has any current intention to purchase additional securities. Factors that would be considered in making such additional purchases would include consideration of the current trading price of our ordinary shares. In addition, our board of directors is divided into three classes, each of which will generally serve for a term of three years with only one class of directors being elected in each year. It is unlikely that there will be an annual meeting of shareholders to elect new directors prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, in which case all of the current directors will continue in office until at least the consummation of the business combination. If there is an annual meeting, as a consequence of our “staggered” board of directors, only a minority of the board of directors will be considered for election and our sponsor, because of its ownership position, will have considerable influence regarding the outcome. Accordingly, our sponsor will continue to exert control at least until the consummation of our initial business combination.
If we do not hold an annual meeting of shareholders until after the consummation of our initial business combination, shareholders will not be afforded an opportunity to elect directors and to discuss company affairs with management until such time.
Unless otherwise required by law or the Nasdaq Capital Market, we do not currently intend to call an annual meeting of shareholders until after we consummate our initial business combination. If our shareholders want us to hold a meeting prior to our consummation of our initial business combination, they may do so by members holding not less than thirty percent of voting rights in respect of the matter for which the meeting is requested making a request in writing to the directors in accordance with Section 82(2) of the Companies Act. Under British Virgin Islands law, we may not increase the required percentage to call a meeting above thirty percent. Until we hold an annual meeting of shareholders, public shareholders may not be afforded the opportunity to elect directors and to discuss company affairs with management.
There is currently a limited market for our securities and an active market for our securities may not develop, which would adversely affect the liquidity and price of our securities.
Although our securities are currently listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market, there is currently a limited market for our securities. The price of our securities may vary significantly due to one or more potential business combinations and general market or economic conditions. Although listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market, an active trading market for our securities may never develop or, if developed, it may not be sustained. Additionally, if our securities become delisted from the Nasdaq Capital Market for any reason, and are quoted on the OTC Bulletin Board, the liquidity and price of our securities may be more limited than if we were listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market or another national exchange. You may be unable to sell your securities unless a market can be established and sustained.
Although initially listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market, our securities may not continue to be listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market in the future, which could limit investors’ ability to make transactions in our securities and subject us to additional trading restrictions.
Our securities are currently listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market. However, we cannot assure you that our securities will continue to be listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market in the future. Additionally, in connection with our business combination, the Nasdaq Capital Market will require us to file a new initial listing application and meet its initial listing requirements as opposed to its more lenient continued listing requirements. We cannot assure you that we will be able to meet those initial listing requirements at that time.
If the Nasdaq Capital Market delists our securities from trading on its exchange, we could face significant material adverse consequences, including:
●a limited availability of market quotations for our securities;
●a reduced liquidity with respect to our securities;
●a determination that our ordinary shares are a “penny stock” which will require brokers trading in our ordinary shares to adhere to more stringent rules, possibly resulting in a reduced level of trading activity in the secondary trading market for our ordinary shares;
●a limited amount of news and analyst coverage for our company; and
●a decreased ability to issue additional securities or obtain additional financing in the future.
Because we must furnish our shareholders with target business financial statements, we may lose the ability to complete an otherwise advantageous initial business combination with some prospective target businesses.
The United States federal proxy rules require that a proxy statement with respect to a vote on a business combination meeting certain financial significance tests include historical and/or pro forma financial statement disclosure in periodic reports. We will include the same financial statement disclosure in connection with our tender offer documents, whether or not they are required under the tender offer rules. These financial statements must be prepared in accordance with, or be reconciled to, accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, or GAAP, and the historical financial statements must be audited in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), or PCAOB. These financial statement requirements may limit the pool of potential target businesses we may acquire because some targets may be unable to provide such statements in time for us to disclose such statements in accordance with federal proxy rules and consummate our initial business combination within our time frame of 18 months from the closing of our initial public offering.
Compliance obligations under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 may make it more difficult for us to effectuate our initial business combination, require substantial financial and management resources, and increase the time and costs of completing an acquisition.
Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, requires that we evaluate and report on our system of internal controls beginning with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ending March 31, 2016. The fact that we are a blank check company makes compliance with the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act particularly burdensome on us as compared to other public companies because a target company with which we seek to complete our initial business combination may not be in compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act regarding adequacy of its internal controls. The development of the internal controls of any such entity to achieve compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may increase the time and costs necessary to complete any such acquisition.
We may re-incorporate in another jurisdiction in connection with our initial business combination, and the laws of such jurisdiction will likely govern all of our material agreements and we may not be able to enforce our legal rights.
In connection with our initial business combination, we may relocate the home jurisdiction of our business from the British Virgin Islands to another jurisdiction. If we determine to do this, the laws of such jurisdiction would likely govern all of our material agreements. The system of laws and the enforcement of existing laws in such jurisdiction may not be as certain in implementation and interpretation as in the United States. The inability to enforce or obtain a remedy under any of our future agreements could result in a significant loss of business, business opportunities or capital. Any such reincorporation and the international nature of our business will likely subject us to foreign regulation.
You may face difficulties in protecting your interests, and your ability to protect your rights through the U.S. federal courts may be limited, because we are incorporated under British Virgin Islands law.
We are a company incorporated under the laws of the British Virgin Islands. As a result, it may be difficult for investors to enforce judgments obtained in the United States courts against our directors or officers.
Our corporate affairs are governed by our memorandum and articles of association, the Companies Act and the common law of the British Virgin Islands. The rights of shareholders to take action against the directors, actions by minority shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors to us under British Virgin Islands law are governed by the Companies Act and the common law of the British Virgin Islands. The common law of the British Virgin Islands is derived from English common law, and whilst the decisions of the English courts are of persuasive authority, they are not binding on a court in the British Virgin Islands. The rights of our shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors under British Virgin Islands law may not be as clearly established as they would be under statutes or judicial precedent in some jurisdictions in the United States. In particular, the British Virgin Islands has a less developed body of securities laws as compared to the United States, and some states, such as Delaware, have more fully developed and judicially interpreted bodies of corporate law. In addition, while statutory provisions do exist in British Virgin Islands law for derivative actions to be brought in certain circumstances, shareholders in BVI companies may not have standing to initiate a shareholder derivative action in a federal court of the United States. The circumstances in which any such action may be brought, and the procedures and defenses that may be available in respect to any such action, may result in the rights of shareholders of a BVI company being more limited than those of shareholders of a company organized in the United States. Accordingly, shareholders may have fewer alternatives available to them if they believe that corporate wrongdoing has occurred.
The British Virgin Islands Courts are also unlikely:
●to recognize or enforce against us judgments of courts of the United States based on certain civil liability provisions of U.S. securities laws where that liability is in respect of penalties, taxes, fines or similar fiscal or revenue obligations of the company; and
●to impose liabilities against us, in original actions brought in the British Virgin Islands, based on certain civil liability provisions of U.S. securities laws that are penal in nature.
There is no statutory recognition in the British Virgin Islands of judgments obtained in the United States, although the courts of the British Virgin Islands will in certain circumstances recognize such a foreign judgment and treat it as a cause of action in itself which may be sued upon as a debt at common law so that no retrial of the issues would be necessary provided that the U.S. judgment:
●the U.S. court issuing the judgment had jurisdiction in the matter and the company either submitted to such jurisdiction or was resident or carrying on business within such jurisdiction and was duly served with process;
●is final and for a liquidated sum;
●the judgment given by the U.S. court was not in respect of penalties, taxes, fines or similar fiscal or revenue obligations of the company;
●in obtaining judgment there was no fraud on the part of the person in whose favor judgment was given or on the part of the court;
●recognition or enforcement of the judgment would not be contrary to public policy in the British Virgin Islands; and
●the proceedings pursuant to which judgment was obtained were not contrary to natural justice.
In appropriate circumstances, a British Virgin Islands Court may give effect in the British Virgin Islands to other kinds of final foreign judgments such as declaratory orders, orders for performance of contracts and injunctions.
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 management or controlling shareholders than they would as public shareholders of a U.S. company. For a discussion of certain differences between the provisions of the Companies Act, remedies available to shareholders and the laws applicable to companies incorporated in the United States and their shareholders, see “British Virgin Islands Company Considerations.”
Our memorandum and articles of association permit the board of directors by resolution to amend our memorandum and articles of association, including to create additional classes of securities, including shares with rights, preferences, designations and limitations as they determine which may have an anti-takeover effect.
Our memorandum and articles of association permits the board of directors by resolution to amend the memorandum and articles of association including to designate rights, preferences, designations and limitations attaching to the preferred shares as they determine in their discretion, without shareholder approval with respect the terms or the issuance. If issued, the rights, preferences, designations and limitations of the preferred shares would be set by the board of directors and could operate to the disadvantage of the outstanding ordinary shares the holders of which would not have any pre-emption rights in respect of such an issue of preferred shares. Such terms could include, among others, preferences as to dividends and distributions on liquidation, or could be used to prevent possible corporate takeovers. We may issue some or all of such preferred shares in connection with our initial business combination. Notwithstanding the foregoing, we and our directors and officers have agreed not to propose any amendment to our memorandum and articles of association that would affect the substance and timing of our obligation to redeem our public shares if we are unable to consummate our initial business combination within 18 months from the closing of our initial public offering.
We are an “emerging growth company” and we cannot be certain if the reduced disclosure requirements applicable to emerging growth companies will make our securities less attractive to investors.
We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the JOBS Act. We will remain an “emerging growth company” for up to five years from the closing of our initial public offering. However, if our non-convertible debt issued within a three-year period or revenues exceeds $1 billion, or the market value of our ordinary shares that are held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million on the last day of the second fiscal quarter of any given fiscal year, we would cease to be an emerging growth company as of the following fiscal year. As an emerging growth company, we are not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, we have reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and we are exempt from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved.
Further, Section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act exempts emerging growth companies from being required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies (that is, those that have not had a Securities Act registration statement declared effective or do not have a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act) are required to comply with the new or revised financial accounting standards. The JOBS Act provides that a company can elect to opt out of the extended transition period and comply with the requirements that apply to non-emerging growth companies but any such an election to opt out is irrevocable. We have elected not to opt out of such extended transition period which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, we, as an emerging growth company, will not adopt the new or revised standard until the time private companies are required to adopt the new or revised standard. This may make comparison of our financial statements with another public company which is neither an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company which has opted out of using the extended transition period difficult or impossible because of the potential differences in accountant standards used. We cannot predict if investors will find our ordinary shares less attractive because we may rely on these provisions. If some investors find our ordinary shares less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our shares and our share price may be more volatile.
Risks Associated with Acquiring and Operating a Business outside of the United States
If we effect our initial business combination with a company located outside of the United States, we would be subject to a variety of additional risks that may negatively impact our operations.
If we effect our initial business combination with a company located outside of the United States, we would be subject to any special considerations or risks associated with companies operating in the target business’ home jurisdiction, including any of the following:
●rules and regulations or currency redemption or corporate withholding taxes on individuals;
●laws governing the manner in which future business combinations may be effected;
●exchange listing and/or delisting requirements;
●tariffs and trade barriers;
●regulations related to customs and import/export matters;
●longer payment cycles;
●tax issues, such as tax law changes and variations in tax laws as compared to the United States;
●currency fluctuations and exchange controls;
●rates of inflation;
●challenges in collecting accounts receivable;
●cultural and language differences;
●employment regulations;
●crime, strikes, riots, civil disturbances, terrorist attacks and wars; and
●deterioration of political relations with the United States. We may not be able to adequately address these additional risks. If we were unable to do so, our operations might suffer.
Because of the costs and difficulties inherent in managing cross-border business operations, our results of operations may be negatively impacted.
Managing a business, operations, personnel or assets in another country is challenging and costly. Any management that we may have (whether based abroad or in the U.S.) may be inexperienced in cross-border business practices and unaware of significant differences in accounting rules, legal regimes and labor practices. Even with a seasoned and experienced management team, the costs and difficulties inherent in managing cross-border business operations, personnel and assets can be significant (and much higher than in a purely domestic business) and may negatively impact our financial and operational performance.
If social unrest, acts of terrorism, regime changes, changes in laws and regulations, political upheaval, or policy changes or enactments occur in a country in which we may operate after we effect our initial business combination, it may result in a negative impact on our business.
Political events in another country may significantly affect our business, assets or operations. Social unrest, acts of terrorism, regime changes, changes in laws and regulations, political upheaval, and policy changes or enactments could negatively impact our business in a particular country.
Many countries have difficult and unpredictable legal systems and underdeveloped laws and regulations that are unclear and subject to corruption and inexperience, which may adversely impact our results of operations and financial condition.
Our ability to seek and enforce legal protections, including with respect to intellectual property and other property rights, or to defend ourselves with regard to legal actions taken against us in a given country, may be difficult or impossible, which could adversely impact our operations, assets or financial condition.
Rules and regulations in many countries are often ambiguous or open to differing interpretation by responsible individuals and agencies at the municipal, state, regional and federal levels. The attitudes and actions of such individuals and agencies are often difficult to predict and inconsistent.
Delay with respect to the enforcement of particular rules and regulations, including those relating to customs, tax, environmental and labor, could cause serious disruption to operations abroad and negatively impact our results.
If relations between the United States and foreign governments deteriorate, it could cause potential target businesses or their goods and services to become less attractive.
The relationship between the United States and foreign governments could be subject to sudden fluctuation and periodic tension. For instance, the United States may announce its intention to impose quotas on certain imports. Such import quotas may adversely affect political relations between the two countries and result in retaliatory countermeasures by the foreign government in industries that may affect our ultimate target business. Changes in political conditions in foreign countries and changes in the state of U.S. relations with such countries are difficult to predict and could adversely affect our operations or cause potential target businesses or their goods and services to become less attractive. Because we are not limited to any specific industry, there is no basis for investors to evaluate the possible extent of any impact on our ultimate operations if relations are strained between the United States and a foreign country in which we acquire a target business or move our principal manufacturing or service operations.
If any dividend is declared in the future and paid in a foreign currency, you may be taxed on a larger amount in U.S. dollars than the U.S. dollar amount that you will actually ultimately receive.
If you are a U.S. holder of our ordinary shares, you will be taxed on the U.S. dollar value of your dividends, if any, at the time you receive them, even if you actually receive a smaller amount of U.S. dollars when the payment is in fact converted into U.S. dollars. Specifically, if a dividend is declared and paid in a foreign currency, the amount of the dividend distribution that you must include in your income as a U.S. holder will be the U.S. dollar value of the payments made in the foreign currency, determined at the spot rate of the foreign currency to the U.S. dollar on the date the dividend distribution is includible in your income, regardless of whether the payment is in fact converted into U.S. dollars. Thus, if the value of the foreign currency decreases before you actually convert the currency into U.S. dollars, you will be taxed on a larger amount in U.S. dollars than the U.S. dollar amount that you will actually ultimately receive.
If our management following our initial business combination is unfamiliar with United States securities laws, they may have to expend time and resources becoming familiar with such laws, which could lead to various regulatory issues.
Following our initial business combination, our management will likely resign from their positions as officers or directors of the company and the management of the target business at the time of the business combination will remain in place. Management of the target business may not be familiar with United States securities laws. If new management is unfamiliar with our laws, they may have to expend time and resources becoming familiar with such laws. This could be expensive and time-consuming and could lead to various regulatory issues, which may adversely affect our operations.
After our initial business combination, substantially all of our assets will likely be located in a foreign country and substantially all of our revenue will be derived from our operations in such country. Accordingly, our results of operations and prospects will be subject, to a significant extent, to the economic, political and legal policies, developments and conditions in the country in which we operate.
The economic, political and social conditions, as well as government policies, of the country in which our operations are located could affect our business. The economies in Asia differ from the economies of most developed countries in many respects. For the most part, such economies have grown at a rate in excess of the United States; however, (1) such economic growth has been uneven, both geographically and among various sectors of the economy and (2) such growth may not be sustained in the future. If in the future such country’s economy experiences a downturn or grows at a slower rate than expected, there may be less demand for spending in certain industries. A decrease in demand for spending in certain industries could materially and adversely affect our ability to find an attractive target business with which to consummate our initial business combination and if we effect our initial business combination, the ability of that target business to become profitable.
Currency policies may cause a target business’ ability to succeed in the international markets to be diminished.
In the event we acquire a non-U.S. target, all revenues and income would likely be received in a foreign currency, the dollar equivalent of our net assets and distributions, if any, could be adversely affected by reductions in the value of the local currency. The value of the currencies in our target regions fluctuate and are affected by, among other things, changes in political and economic conditions. Any change in the relative value of such currency against our reporting currency may affect the attractiveness of any target business or, following consummation of our initial business combination, our financial condition and results of operations. Additionally, if a currency appreciates in value against the dollar prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, the cost of a target business as measured in dollars will increase, which may make it less likely that we are able to consummate such transaction.
Because foreign law could govern almost all of our material agreements, we may not be able to enforce our rights within such jurisdiction or elsewhere, which could result in a significant loss of business, business opportunities or capital.
Foreign law could govern almost all of our material agreements. The target business may not be able to enforce any of its material agreements or that remedies will be available outside of such foreign jurisdiction’s legal system. The system of laws and the enforcement of existing laws and contracts in such jurisdiction may not be as certain in implementation and interpretation as in the United States. The judiciaries in Asia are relatively inexperienced in enforcing corporate and commercial law, leading to a higher than usual degree of uncertainty as to the outcome of any litigation. As a result, the inability to enforce or obtain a remedy under any of our future agreements could result in a significant loss of business and business opportunities.
Many of the economies in Asia are experiencing substantial inflationary pressures which may prompt the governments to take action to control the growth of the economy and inflation that could lead to a significant decrease in our profitability following our initial business combination.
While many of the economies in Asia have experienced rapid growth over the last two decades, they currently are experiencing inflationary pressures. As governments take steps to address the current inflationary pressures, there may be significant changes in the availability of bank credits, interest rates, limitations on loans, restrictions on currency conversions and foreign investment. There also may be imposition of price controls. If prices for the products of our ultimate target business rise at a rate that is insufficient to compensate for the rise in the costs of supplies, it may have an adverse effect on our profitability. If these or other similar restrictions are imposed by a government to influence the economy, it may lead to a slowing of economic growth. Because we are not limited to any specific industry, the ultimate industry that we operate in may be affected more severely by such a slowing of economic growth.
Many industries in Asia are subject to government regulations that limit or prohibit foreign investments in such industries, which may limit the potential number of acquisition candidates.
Governments in many Asian countries have imposed regulations that limit foreign investors’ equity ownership or prohibit foreign investments altogether in companies that operate in certain industries. As a result, the number of potential acquisition candidates available to us may be limited or our ability to grow and sustain the business, which we ultimately acquire will be limited.
If a country in Asia enacts regulations in industry segments that forbid or restrict foreign investment, our ability to consummate our initial business combination could be severely impaired.
Many of the rules and regulations that companies face concerning foreign ownership are not explicitly communicated. If new laws or regulations forbid or limit foreign investment in industries in which we want to complete our initial business combination, they could severely impair our candidate pool of potential target businesses. Additionally, if the relevant central and local authorities find us or the target business with which we ultimately complete our initial business combination to be in violation of any existing or future laws or regulations, they would have broad discretion in dealing with such a violation, including, without limitation:
●levying fines;
●revoking our business and other licenses;
●requiring that we restructure our ownership or operations; and
●requiring that we discontinue any portion or all of our business.
Any of the above could have an adverse effect on our company post-business combination and could materially reduce the value of your investment.
Corporate governance standards in Asia may not be as strict or developed as in the United States and such weakness may hide issues and operational practices that are detrimental to a target business.
General corporate governance standards in some countries are weak in that they do not prevent business practices that cause unfavorable related party transactions, over-leveraging, improper accounting, family company interconnectivity and poor management. Local laws often do not go far enough to prevent improper business practices. Therefore, shareholders may not be treated impartially and equally as a result of poor management practices, asset shifting, conglomerate structures that result in preferential treatment to some parts of the overall company, and cronyism. The lack of transparency and ambiguity in the regulatory process also may result in inadequate credit evaluation and weakness that may precipitate or encourage financial crisis. In our evaluation of a business combination we will have to evaluate the corporate governance of a target and the business environment, and in accordance with United States laws for reporting companies take steps to implement practices that will cause compliance with all applicable rules and accounting practices. Notwithstanding these intended efforts, there may be endemic practices and local laws that could add risk to an investment we ultimately make and that result in an adverse effect on our operations and financial results.
Risks Associated with Acquiring and Operating a Target Business with its Primary Operation in China
As set forth herein, our efforts in identifying a prospective target business will not be limited to a particular country, although we intend to focus initially on companies located in Asia, with an emphasis in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Accordingly, in addition to the risk factors referred above, we have set forth some of the primary risks we have identified in seeking to consummate our initial business combination with a company having its primary operations in the PRC.
As a result of merger and acquisition regulations implemented on September 8, 2006 (amended on June 22, 2009) relating to acquisitions of assets and equity interests of Chinese companies by foreign persons, it is expected that acquisitions will take longer and be subject to economic scrutiny by the PRC government authorities such that we may not be able to complete a transaction.
On September 8, 2006, the Ministry of Commerce, together with several other government agencies, promulgated the Regulations on Merger and Acquisition of Domestic Enterprises by Foreign Investors (the “M&A Regulations”, including its amendment on June 22, 2009), which implemented a comprehensive set of procedures governing the approval process by which a Chinese company may participate in an acquisition of its assets or its equity interests and by which a Chinese company may obtain public trading of its securities on a securities exchange outside the PRC. Although there was a complex series of regulations in place prior to September 8, 2006 for approval of Chinese enterprises that were administered by a combination of provincial and centralized agencies, the M&A Regulations have largely centralized and expanded the approval process to the Ministry of Commerce, the State Administration of Industry and Commerce (SAIC), the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) or its branch offices, the State Asset Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC), and the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC). Depending on the structure of the transaction, these M&A Regulations require the Chinese parties to make a series of applications and supplemental applications to one or more of the aforementioned agencies, some of which must be made within strict time limits and depending on approvals from one or the other of the aforementioned agencies. The application process has been supplemented to require the presentation of economic data concerning a transaction, including appraisals of the business to be acquired and evaluations of the acquirer which will permit the government to assess the economics of a transaction in addition to the compliance with legal requirements. If obtained, approvals will have expiration dates by which a transaction must be completed. Also, completed transactions must be reported to the Ministry of Commerce and some of the other agencies within a short period after closing or be subject to an unwinding of the transaction. Therefore, acquisitions in China may not be able to be completed because the terms of the transaction may not satisfy aspects of the approval process and may not be completed, even if approved, if they are not consummated within the time permitted by the approvals granted.
Compliance with the PRC Antitrust law may limit our ability to effect our initial business combination.
The PRC Antitrust Law became effective on August 1, 2008. The government authorities in charge of antitrust matters in China are the Antitrust Commission and other antitrust authorities under the State Council. The PRC Antitrust Law regulates (1) monopoly agreements, including decisions or actions in concert that preclude or impede competition, entered into by business operators; (2) abuse of dominant market position by business operators; and (3) concentration of business operators that may have the effect of precluding or impeding competition. To implement the Antitrust Law, in 2008, the State Council formulated the regulations that require filing of concentration of business operators, pursuant to which concentration of business operators refers to (1) merger with other business operators; (2) gaining control over other business operators through acquisition of equity interest or assets of other business operators; and (3) gaining control over other business operators through exerting influence on other business operators through contracts or other means. In 2009, the Ministry of Commerce, to which the Antitrust Commission is affiliated, promulgated the Measures for Filing of Concentration of Business Operators (amended by the Guidelines for Filing of Concentration of Business Operators in 2014), which set forth the criteria of concentration and the requirement of miscellaneous documents for the purpose of filing. The business combination we contemplate may be considered the concentration of business operators, and to the extent required by the Antitrust Law and the criteria established by the State Council, we must file with the antitrust authority under the PRC State Council prior to conducting the contemplated business combination. If the antitrust authority decides not to further investigate whether the contemplated business combination has the effect of precluding or impeding competition or fails to make a decision within 30 days from receipt of relevant materials, we may proceed to consummate the contemplated business combination. If antitrust authority decides to prohibit the contemplated business combination after further investigation, we must terminate such business combination and would then be forced to either attempt to complete a new business combination if it was prior to 18 months from the consummation of our initial public offering or we would be required to return any amounts which were held in the trust account to our shareholders. When we evaluate a potential business combination, we will consider the need to comply with the Antitrust Law and other relevant regulations which may limit our ability to effect an acquisition or may result in our modifying or not pursuing a particular transaction.
If, due to restrictions on foreign investment in a target business, we have to acquire the business through the use of contractual arrangements and the PRC government determines that such contractual arrangements do not comply with foreign investment regulations, or if these regulations or the interpretation of existing regulations in the PRC change or new restrictive or prohibitive regulations come into force in the future, we could be subject to significant penalties or be forced to relinquish our interests in those operations.
Because of the above mentioned industrial restrictions, foreign investors often acquire control of PRC business through the use of contractual arrangements pursuant to which they effectively control the PRC business. There are uncertainties as to whether such contractual arrangements comply with the regulations prohibiting or restricting foreign ownership in certain industries. In addition, even if such arrangements are not in violation of current regulations, such regulations are subject to change in the future and may be broadened to further restrict foreign investments in new industries or new category of assets.
If we or any of our potential future target businesses are found to be in violation of any existing or future local laws or regulations with respect to foreign investment in local entities (for example, if we are deemed to be holding equity interests in certain of our affiliated entities in which direct foreign ownership is prohibited), the relevant regulatory authorities might have the discretion to:
●revoke the business and operating licenses of the potential future target business;
●confiscate relevant income and impose fines and other penalties;
●discontinue or restrict the operations of the potential future target business;
●require us or potential future target business to restructure the relevant ownership structure or operations;
●restrict or prohibit our use of the proceeds of our initial public offering to finance the target businesses and its operations;
●impose conditions or requirements with which we or potential future target business may not be able to comply; or
●require us to discontinue a portion or all of our business.
The imposition of any of the above penalties could result in a material and adverse effect on our ability to conduct our business as well as our financial situation and we might be forced to relinquish our interests in operations.
If we have to acquire a target business through contractual arrangements with, or which results in, one or more operating businesses in China, such contracts may not be as effective in providing operational control as direct ownership of such businesses.
The government of the PRC has restricted or limited foreign ownership of certain kinds of assets and companies operating in certain industries. The industry groups that are restricted are wide ranging, including certain aspects of telecommunications, advertising, food production and heavy equipment manufacturers, for example. In addition, there can be restrictions on the foreign ownership of businesses that are determined from time to time to be in “important industries” that may affect the national economic security or having “famous Chinese brand names” or “well established Chinese brand names.” Subject to the review and approval requirements of the Ministry of Commerce and other relevant agencies as discussed elsewhere for acquisitions of assets and companies in the PRC and subject to the various percentage ownership limitations that exist from time to time, acquisitions involving foreign investors and parties in the various restricted categories of assets and industries may nonetheless sometimes be consummated using contractual arrangements with permitted Chinese parties. To the extent such agreements are employed, they may be for control of specific assets such as intellectual property or control of blocks of the equity ownership interests of a company which may provide exceptions to the merger and acquisition regulations mentioned above since these types of arrangements typically do not involve a change of equity ownership in PRC operating company. The agreements would be designed to provide our company with the economic benefits of and control over the subject assets or equity interests similar to the rights of full ownership, while leaving the technical ownership in the hands of Chinese parties who would be our nominees and, therefore, may exempt the transaction from the merger and acquisition regulations, including the application process required thereunder. However, there has been limited implementation guidance provided with respect to the merger and acquisition regulations. There can be no assurance the relevant government agencies would not apply them to a business combination effected through contractual arrangements. If such an agency determines such an application should have made, consequences may include levying fines, revoking business and other licenses, requiring restructure of ownership or operations and requiring discontinuation of any portion of all of the acquired business. These agreements likely also would provide for increased ownership or full ownership and control by us when and if permitted under PRC law and regulation. If we choose to effect our initial business combination that employs the use of these types of control arrangements, we may have difficulty in enforcing our rights. Therefore, these contractual arrangements may not be as effective in providing us with the same economic benefits, accounting consolidation or control over a target business as would direct ownership. For example, if the target business or any other entity fails to perform its obligations under these contractual arrangements, we may have to incur substantial costs and expend substantial resources to enforce such arrangements, and rely on legal remedies under Chinese law, including seeking specific performance or injunctive relief, and claiming damages, which we cannot assure will be sufficient to off-set the cost of enforcement and may adversely affect the benefits we expect to receive from the business combination.
Regulations relating to the transfer of state-owned property rights in enterprises may increase the cost of our acquisitions and impose an additional administrative burden on us.
The legislation governing the acquisition of a China state-owned company contains stringent governmental regulations. The transfer of state-owned property rights in enterprises must take place through a government approved “state-owned asset exchange,” and the value of the transferred property rights must be evaluated by those Chinese appraisal firms qualified to do “state-owned assets evaluation.” The final price must not be less than 90% of the appraisal price. Additionally, bidding/auction procedures are essential in the event that there is more than one potential transferee. In the case of an acquisition by foreign investors of state-owned enterprises, the acquirer and the seller must make a resettlement plan to properly resettle the employees, and the resettlement plan must be approved by the Employees’ Representative Congress. The seller must pay all unpaid wages and social welfare payments from the existing assets of the target company to the employees. These regulations may adversely affect our ability to acquire a state-owned business or assets.
Exchange controls that exist in the PRC may limit our ability to utilize our cash flow effectively following our initial business combination.
Following our initial business combination with a PRC target company, we will be subject to the PRC’s rules and regulations on currency conversion. In the PRC, the SAFE regulates the conversion of the Renminbi into foreign currencies. Currently, FIEs are required to apply to the SAFE for “Foreign Exchange Registration Certificates for FIEs.” Following our initial business combination, we will likely be an FIE as a result of our ownership structure. With such registration certificates, which need to be renewed annually, FIEs are allowed to open foreign currency accounts including a “basic account” and “capital account.” Currency conversion within the scope of the “basic account,” such as remittance of foreign currencies for payment of dividends, can be effected without requiring the approval of the SAFE. However, conversion of currency in the “capital account,” including capital items such as direct investment, loans and securities, still require approval of the SAFE. We cannot assure you the PRC regulatory authorities will not impose further restrictions on the convertibility of the Renminbi. Any future restrictions on currency exchanges may limit our ability to use our cash flow for the distribution of dividends to our shareholders or to fund operations we may have outside of the PRC.
Our initial business combination may be subject to national security review by the PRC government and we may have to spend additional resources and incur additional time delays to complete any such business combination or be prevented from pursuing certain investment opportunities.
On February 3, 2011, the PRC government issued a Notice Concerning the Establishment of Security Review Procedure on Mergers and Acquisitions of Domestic Enterprises by Foreign Investors, or Security Review Regulations, which became effective on March 5, 2011. The Security Review Regulations cover acquisitions by foreign investors of a broad range of PRC enterprises if such acquisitions could result in de facto control by foreign investors and the enterprises are relating to military, national defense, important agriculture products, important energy and natural resources, important infrastructures, important transportation services, key technologies and important equipment manufacturing. The scope of the review includes whether the acquisition will impact the national security, economic and social stability, and the research and development capabilities on key national security related technologies. Foreign investors should submit a security review application to the Department of Commerce for its initial review for contemplated acquisition. If the acquisition is considered to be within the scope of the Security Review Regulations, the Department of Commerce will transfer the application to a joint security review committee within five business days for further review. The joint security review committee, consisting of members from various PRC government agencies, will conduct a general review and seek comments from relevant government agencies. The joint security review committee may initiate a further special review and request the termination or restructuring of the contemplated acquisition if it determines that the acquisition will result in significant national security issue.
The Security Review Regulations will potentially subject a large number of mergers and acquisitions transactions by foreign investors in China to an additional layer of regulatory review. Currently, there is significant uncertainty as to the implication of the Security Review Regulations. Neither the Department of Commerce nor other PRC government agencies have issued any detailed rules for the implementation of the Security Review Regulations. If, for example, our potential initial business combination is with a target company operating in the PRC in any of the sensitive sectors identified above, the transaction will be subject to the Security Review Regulations, and we may have to spend additional resources and incur additional time delays to complete any such acquisition. We may also be prevented from pursuing certain investment opportunities if the PRC government considers that the potential investments will result in a significant national security issue.
In the event we successfully consummated business combination with a target business with primary operation in PRC, we will be subject to restrictions on dividend payments following consummation of our initial business combination.
After we consummate our initial business combination, we may rely on dividends and other distributions from our operating company to provide us with cash flow and to meet our other obligations. Current regulations in China would permit our operating company in China to pay dividends to us only out of its accumulated distributable profits, if any, determined in accordance with Chinese accounting standards and regulations. In addition, our operating company in China will be required to set aside at least 10% (up to an aggregate amount equal to half of its registered capital) of its accumulated profits each year. Such cash reserve may not be distributed as cash dividends. In addition, if our operating company in China incurs debt on its own behalf in the future, the instruments governing the debt may restrict its ability to pay dividends or make other payments to us.
If we make equity compensation grants to persons who are PRC citizens, they may be required to register with the State Administration of Foreign Exchange of the PRC (“SAFE”). We may also face regulatory uncertainties that could restrict our ability to adopt equity compensation plans for our directors and employees and other parties under PRC laws.
On April 6, 2007, SAFE issued the “Operating Procedures for Administration of Domestic Individuals Participating in the Employee Stock Ownership Plan or Stock Option Plan of An Overseas Listed Company, also know as “Circular 78.” It is not clear whether Circular 78 covers all forms of equity compensation plans or only those which provide for the granting of shares options. For any plans which are so covered and are adopted by a non-PRC listed company, such as our company, after April 6, 2007, Circular 78 requires all participants who are PRC citizens to register with and obtain approvals from SAFE prior to their participation in the plan. In addition, Circular 78 also requires PRC citizens to register with SAFE and make the necessary applications and filings if they participated in an overseas listed company’s covered equity compensation plan prior to April 6, 2007. We believe that the registration and approval requirements contemplated in Circular 78 will be burdensome and time consuming.
Upon consummation of business combination with a target business with primary operations in PRC, we may adopt an equity incentive plan and make shares option grants under the plan to our officers, directors and employees, whom may be PRC citizens and be required to register with SAFE. If it is determined that any of our equity compensation plans are subject to Circular 78, failure to comply with such provisions may subject us and participants of our equity incentive plan who are PRC citizens to fines and legal sanctions and prevent us from being able to grant equity compensation to our PRC employees. In that case, our ability to compensate our employees and directors through equity compensation would be hindered and our business operations may be adversely affected.
Item 1B.
Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments
None.
Item 2.
Item 2. Properties
We do not own any real estate or other physical properties materially important to our operation. Our executive office is located at Room 1102, 11/F., Beautiful Group Tower, 77 Connaught Road Central, Hong Kong. The cost for such space is included in the $10,000 per month fee that we pay to our sponsor, an entity controlled by Ms. Winnie Lai Ling Ng, for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative services. We consider our current office space adequate for our current operations.
Item 3.
Item 3. Legal Proceedings
To the knowledge of our management, there is no litigation currently pending or contemplated against us, any of our officers or directors in their capacity as such or against any of our property.
Item 4.
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures
Not applicable.
PART II
Item 5.
Item 5. 	Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters, and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
(a) Market Information
Our units, ordinary shares, rights and warrants are each traded on the NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbols “CADTU,” “CADT,” “CADTR” and “CADTW”, respectively. Our units commenced public trading on October 1, 2014, and our ordinary shares, rights and warrants commenced public trading on October 22, 2014.
The table below sets forth, for the calendar quarter indicated, the high and low bid prices of our units, ordinary shares, rights and warrants as reported on the Nasdaq for the period October 1, 2014 through March 31, 2015.
On May 1, 2015 our units had a closing price of $10.01, our ordinary shares had a closing price of $9.98, our warrants had a closing price of $0.10 and our rights had a closing price of $0.16.
(b) Holders
On May 1, 2015, there were 2 holders of record of our units, 8 holders of record of our ordinary shares, 2 holders of record of our warrants and 2 holders of record of our rights.
(c) Dividends
We have not paid any cash dividends on our ordinary shares to date and do not intend to pay cash dividends prior to the completion of our initial business combination. The payment of cash dividends in the future will be dependent upon our revenues and earnings, if any, capital requirements and general financial condition subsequent to completion of our initial business combination. The payment of any cash dividends subsequent to our initial business combination will be within the discretion of our board of directors at such time. In addition, our board of directors is not currently contemplating and does not anticipate declaring any stock dividends in the foreseeable future. Further, if we incur any indebtedness in connection with our business combination, our ability to declare dividends may be limited by restrictive covenants we may agree to in connection therewith.
(d) Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans.
None.
(e) Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities
None.
(f) Purchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer and Affiliated Purchasers
None.
Item 6.
Item 6. Selected Financial Data
The following table summarizes the relevant financial data for our business and should be read with our financial statements, which are included in this Report. We have not had any significant operations to date, so only balance sheet and cash flow data is presented.
Item 7.
Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and the notes thereto contained elsewhere in this Report. Certain information contained in the discussion and analysis set forth below includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties.
Overview
We are a blank check company incorporated on April 8, 2014 in the British Virgin Islands with limited liability (meaning our public shareholders have no liability, as members of the Company, for the liabilities of the Company over and above the amount paid for their shares) formed for the purpose of acquiring, engaging in a share exchange, share reconstruction and amalgamation, purchasing all or substantially all of the assets of, or engaging in any other similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities. We intend to effectuate our initial business combination using cash from the proceeds of our initial public offering and the private placement of the private units, our shares, debt securities or a combination of cash, shares and debt securities.
The issuance of additional shares in our initial business combination:
●may significantly dilute the equity interest of investors in our initial public offering who would do not have pre-emption rights in respect of any such issue;
●may subordinate the rights of holders of ordinary shares if the rights, preferences, designations and limitations attaching to the preferred shares are created by amendment of our memorandum and articles of association by resolution of the board of directors and preferred shares are issued with rights senior to those afforded our ordinary shares;
●could cause a change in control if a substantial number of ordinary shares is issued, which may affect, among other things, our ability to use our net operating loss carry forwards, if any, and could result in the resignation or removal of our present officers and directors;
●may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change of control of us by diluting the share ownership or voting rights or a person seeking to obtain control of us; and
●may adversely affect prevailing market prices for our ordinary shares and/or rights.
Similarly, if we issue debt securities, it could result in:
●default and foreclosure on our assets if our operating revenues after our initial business combination are insufficient to repay our debt obligations;
●acceleration of our obligations to repay the indebtedness even if we make all principal and interest payments when due if we breach certain covenants that require the maintenance of certain financial ratios or reserves without a waiver or renegotiation of that covenant;
●our immediate payment of all principal and accrued interest, if any, if the debt security is payable on demand;
●our inability to obtain necessary additional financing if the debt security contains covenants restricting our ability to obtain such financing while the debt security is outstanding;
●our inability to pay dividends on our ordinary shares;
●our using a substantial portion of our cash flow to pay principal and interest on our debt, which will reduce the funds available for dividends on our ordinary shares if declared, expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions and other general corporate purposes;
●limitations on our flexibility in planning for and reacting to changes in our business and in the industry in which we operate;
●increased vulnerability to adverse changes in general economic, industry and competitive conditions and adverse changes in government regulation; and
●limitations on our ability to borrow additional amounts for expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions, debt service requirements, execution of our strategy and other purposes and other disadvantages compared to our competitors who have less debt.
We expect to continue to incur significant costs in the pursuit of our acquisition plans. We cannot assure you that our plans to raise capital or to complete our initial business combination will be successful.
Results of Operations
Our entire activity from inception up to October 6, 2014 was in preparation for our initial public offering, which was consummated on October 6, 2014. Following the offering, our activity has been limited to the evaluation of business combination candidates, and we will not be generating any operating revenues until the closing and completion of our initial business combination. We expect to generate small amounts of non-operating income in the form of interest income on cash and cash equivalents. Interest income is not expected to be significant in view of current low interest rates on risk-free investments (treasury securities). We expect to incur increased expenses as a result of being a public company (for legal, financial reporting, accounting and auditing compliance), as well as for due diligence expenses. Thus, we expect our operating expenses to increase substantially after the closing of the initial public offering.
For the period from April 8, 2014 (inception) to March 31, 2015, we had net losses of $246,857, which consisted of operating expenses offset by interest income from our trust account. Operating expenses generally consist of the $10,000 monthly payment to our Sponsor for office and administrative support, monthly professional fees owed to our service providers, travel expenses, Nasdaq market listing fees and amortization of our directors and officers insurance policy. Operating expenses after our initial public offering increased dramatically due to our having commenced operations, and certain professional expenses no longer being charged directly against paid-in-capital on our balance sheet, but now being expensed in the statement of operations.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
As of March 31, 2015, we had cash of $224,629. Through March 31, 2015, our liquidity needs have been satisfied to date primarily through net proceeds from our initial public offering (including the private units issued in connection with the underwriter’s partial exercise of its over-allotment option) and all related private placements not held in the trust account.
The Company received total gross proceeds of $73,152,164 from the sale of units in our initial public offering (including the private units issued in connection with the underwriter’s partial exercise of its over-allotment option) and all related private placements on October 6, 2014 and October 14, 2014. A total of $69,972,643 of the net proceeds were placed in a trust account established for the benefit of the Company’s public shareholders and as of March 31, 2015, the carrying value of cash and investments held in trust account is $69,984,444 (including earned interest income of $11,802). The Company incurred offering costs totaling approximately $4,440,838.
We intend to use substantially all of our cash, including the funds held in the trust account, to acquire a target business or businesses and to pay our expenses relating thereto, including a fee payable to EarlyBirdCapital in an amount equal to 4% of the total gross proceeds raised in our initial public offering (approximately $2,400,000) for its services in connection with the our initial business combination. We believe that our cash not held in the trust account, plus the interest earned on the trust account balance (net of income, and other tax obligations) that may be released to us to fund our working capital requirements, will be sufficient to allow us to operate for at least 18 months from the closing of our initial public offering, assuming that a business combination is not consummated during that time.
In addition, if our funds not held in the trust account are insufficient, the sponsor, an affiliate of the sponsor or the Company’s officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan the Company funds, from time to time or at any time, in whatever amount they deem reasonable in their sole discretion, as described in Note 4 - Expense Advance Agreement, of the Notes to Financial Statements included in this Report.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements and Contractual Obligations
As of March 31, 2015, we did not have any off-balance sheet arrangements. We do not have any long-term debt, capital lease obligations, operating lease obligations or long-term liabilities other than an agreement to pay our sponsor a total of $10,000 per month for office space, utilities, secretarial support and administrative services.
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
Management’s discussion and analysis of our results of operations and liquidity and capital resources are based on our financial information. We describe our significant accounting policies in Note 2 -- Significant Accounting Policies, of the Notes to Financial Statements included in this Report. Our financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) have been made that are necessary to present fairly the financial position, the results of its operations and its cash flows. Certain of our accounting policies require that management apply significant judgments in defining the appropriate assumptions integral to financial estimates. On an ongoing basis, management reviews the accounting policies, assumptions, estimates and judgments to ensure that our financial statements are presented fairly and in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Judgments are based on historical experience, terms of existing contracts, industry trends and information available from outside sources, as appropriate. However, by their nature, judgments are subject to an inherent degree of uncertainty, and, therefore, actual results could differ from our estimates.
Item 7A.
Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
As of March 31, 2015, we were not subject to any market or interest rate risk.
Following the consummation of the our initial public offering, the net proceeds held in the trust account were invested in U.S. government treasury bills, notes or bonds with a maturity of 180 days or less with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee. Due to the short-term nature of these investments, we believe there will be no associated material exposure to interest rate risk. The net proceeds not held in the trust account, are held in US Dollars and Hong Kong Dollars as cash deposits in a bank in Hong Kong SAR.
Item 8.
Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
The financial statements are filed as part of this Report beginning on page.
Item 9.
Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure.
None.
Item 9A.
Item 9A. Controls and Procedures
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us in our Exchange Act reports is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”), we conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures, as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) promulgated under the Exchange Act. Based on this evaluation, our CEO concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of March 31, 2015.
Management’s Report on Internal Controls Over Financial Reporting
This Report does not include a report of management’s assessment regarding internal control over financial reporting or an attestation report of our registered public accounting firm due to a transition period established by the rules of the Commission for newly public companies.
Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
There was no change in our internal control over financial reporting for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2015 that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
Item 9B.
Item 9B. Other Information.
None.
PART III
Item 10.
Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance
Directors and Executive Officers
Our directors and executive officers as of the date of this Report are as follows:
Ms. Emily Tong, 61, has been our Chairwoman since June 2014. Ms. Tong served as the President of Method Investments & Advisory, LLC in New York from January 2012 to December 2014. She served as the President of Method Investments & Advisory, LLC in New York from January 2012 to December 2014. She was the Managing Director of Kildare Capital, Inc. from June 2010 to June 2011. She was the co-founder and President of EastGate Securities, LLC from 2008 to March 2010. During her tenure with Method, Kildare and EastGate Securities, all of which are U.S. securities firms, Ms. Tong was responsible for those firms’ China related transactions. In addition, Ms. Tong was the co-founder and President of EastGate Financial, Inc. (from 2006 to December 2013) and was the co-founder and President of The Jade Cricket Company Inc. (from 1993 to 2006), both of which were U.S. financial advisory firms specializing in China related transactions. She holds Series 7, 24, 63, 79, and 99 licenses. In the 1990’s, Ms. Tong was the co-founder and President of a joint venture between The Jade Cricket Company, Inc. and Lenovo Computers, a Chinese multinational computer technology company with headquarters in China and United States. Ms. Tong worked for IBM, an American multinational technology and consulting corporation, between 1978 and 1993. Her last position at IBM was in its Wall Street office leading its sales and marketing efforts from 1988 to 1993. Ms. Tong graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a Master degree in Computer Science and from Hunter College, City University of New York, with a Bachelor degree in Computer Science. We believe Ms. Tong is well-qualified to serve as a member of the board due to her in-depth knowledge and experience in the U.S. and China capital markets and her experience in the field of financial services in the U.S. for over 20 years.
Mr. Stephen N. Cannon, 47, has been our President, CEO and director since June 2014. Since April 2010, Mr. Cannon has been a Partner and Head of China for RedBridge Group Ltd, a boutique merchant banking firm focused on Chinese and Arabian Gulf cross-border investments, and since June 2009, Mr. Cannon has been a senior advisor at Ackrell & Co, a U.S. broker-dealer. From 2007 until April 2010, Mr. Cannon served in various capacities with Hambrecht Asia Acquisition Corp., a Nasdaq-listed SPAC. Mr. Cannon was a co-founder, initial CFO and director, and then VP of Acquisitions, for the SPAC. In addition to having responsibility for the formation and IPO process of the SPAC, Mr. Cannon identified the SPAC’s ultimate acquisition target (SGOCO Group Limited (NASD: SGOC) and negotiated a transaction with that company. In addition, in 2008, Mr. Cannon was a co-founder and CFO of Ruslan Acquisition Corp, a Russia-focused SPAC that filed a $300 million IPO with Euronext regulators that was never funded due to market conditions. The committed underwriters of the offering, Credit Suisse & Morgan Stanley postponed the offering as a result of the global financial crisis. From 2005 until 2008, Mr. Cannon served as a Managing Director of Asian investment banking for WR Hambrecht & Co. In addition to founding and heading the firm’s Shanghai office, he had overall responsibility for corporate finance transactions for Asian clients. During his tenure, WR Hambrecht& Co grew to be one of the most active U.S.-based investment banks of U.S. public offerings for private Chinese middle market companies. Through a combination of underwriting IPOs, providing M&A advisory services, and fairness opinions, the firm was involved with a significant portion of the Chinese-focused SPACs consummated during this period. Prior to WR Hambrecht & Co, Mr. Cannon worked at the following investment banking firms: Ackrell & Co (2003-2005); ABN-Amro Securities (2000-2002); Donaldson Lufkin & Jenrette (1994-2000); Smith Barney (1993-1994); and Salomon Brothers (1991-1993). Mr. Cannon’s career has spanned several industry and product groups, including M&A, public equity and debt, private equity and debt, high yield financings, leveraged buy-outs and restructurings. He holds Series 7, 63, and 24 licenses with FINRA. Mr. Cannon graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a Bachelor degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Bachelor degree in Economics. We believe Mr. Cannon is well-qualified to serve as a member of the board due to his in depth knowledge and experience in the U.S. and-China capital markets and his prior experience with SPACs.
Mr. Haibin Wang, 49, has been our director since September 30, 2014. Mr. Wang is the founder of San Glory International Hotel, Beijing, and has been its Director and the majority shareholder since May 2009. San Glory International Hotel is a four-star business hotel located in Daxing District, Beijing, China. He has also served as the Executive Director of the Star Group, China, since 2005. The Star Group is a conglomerate engaged in businesses involving hotels, golf courses, real estate developments, direct investments, fund management, and manufacturing. The Star Group has 11 subsidiaries and over 1,600 employees. One of its subsidiaries, Xing Pai Sports Goods Co. Ltd., is the largest billiard table manufacturer in China and the official table supplier to ‘World Snooker’. He has also served as the General Manager of the Star Group Investment Holdings Limited since 2005. Star Group Investment Holdings Limited is a direct investment company that focuses on financial and mining sectors in China. From August 2009 to August 2010, he was an independent non-executive Director of Bo Ying Investment Co., Ltd. headquartered in Hubei, China, which is a public company (SZSE: 000760) listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, China. From 2006 to 2008, he served as Chairman of the Investment Committee of CITIC Star Group Fund, a China based investment company. From 2003 to 2005, Mr. Wang founded Beijing Day Skandia Technology Co, a company engaged in the distribution of electronic tax machines, certified by the Beijing tax authority. Between 1999 and 2005, he founded several tax accounting firms, including: Beijing Sino CTA Firm, Beijing Capital CTA Firm, Beijing China Water Valuation Firm, and Beijing Guang Zhang CTA Firm. Among those firms, the Beijing Sino CTA Firm merged with Unitax Certified Tax Agent Co. Ltd. in 2009, which has become one of the largest tax accounting firms in China with over one thousand employees. He was a tax officer in the Beijing Tax Bureau of China from 1994 to 1999. He has been a Certified Tax Accountant of China since 2002. We believe Mr. Wang is well-qualified to serve as a member of the board due to his entrepreneurship and his financial expertise as a Certified Tax Accountant (CTA).
Dr. Foelan Wong, 45, has been our director and the chairman of our compensation committee since September 30, 2014. Mr. Wong has served as the Managing Director of Great Wall Pan Asia International Investment Company Limited since October 2013, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of China Great Wall Asset Management Corporation Limited. The China Great Wall Asset Management Corporation is one of the four largest state owned asset management companies in China. His responsibility includes assisting corporations, state owned enterprises and multi-national companies across Asia in advising direct capital market transactions involving bonds, syndicated debt, mezzanine debt, liability management, leveraged buyouts, private placements, and structured high-yield credits. His role involves end-to-end deal origination, structuring, and pitching. From December 2012 to July 2013, Mr. Wong was the Director of ABCI Asset Management Limited, a subsidiary of Agricultural Bank of China Limited (HKSE: 1288), which is one of the four largest banks in China. From February 2010 to July 2012 and June 2007 to July2008, he was the Managing Director of HEC Group Ltd., which was registered with the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission and had subsidiaries including Enerchine Investment Management Limited, formerly known as CU Investment Management Ltd., Enerchine Securities Limited, formerly known as Radland International Limited, and HEC Commodities Limited, formerly known as Chung Nam Commodities Limited. During this period, he served as investment manager for three Hong Kong public listed companies. Between 2008 and 2009, he was Senior Executive of Total Securities (HK) Limited and Qi Yuan Asset Management (H.K.) Limited, both of which are well known regional investment boutiques registered with Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission. From 2004 to 2007, he was a Manager of Okasan International (Asia) Limited, which was a subsidiary of Okasan Securities Group (8609.JP). The Group is a well-known financial institution in Tokyo, Japan. He was awarded the Executive Financial Professional Award in 2007 by the Society of International Registered Financial Practitioner. Mr. Wong is registered with the Hong Kong Securities & Futures Commission and holds licenses of RA1 Dealing in Securities (responsible officer), RA2 Dealing in Futures Contracts (responsible officer), RA4 Advising on Securities (responsible officer), RA5 Advising on Futures Contracts (responsible officer) and RA9 Asset Management (responsible officer). He also obtained a license from the Chinese Gold & Silver Exchange Society of Hong Kong. He is a member of the China Business Manager Association and fellow member of The Hong Kong Institute of Directors. Mr. Wong graduated from the International American University in the U.S. with a Doctorate degree in Business Administration (finance), from the Edith Cowan University in Australia with a Master Degree of Management Information System, from University of Wolverhampton in UK with Master of Laws in International Corporate and Financial Law and from the Hong Kong Institute of Director with the Professional Diploma in Corporate Governance. We believe Dr. Wong is well-qualified to serve as a member of the board because of his experience in Asian financial advisory and asset management activities.
Mr. Hai Wang, 38, has been our director since September 30, 2014. Mr. Wang founded Top (HK) Investment & Development Ltd. in September 2009. Mr. Wang has been the Company’s Executive Director and led all of its investments since its inception. The company manages a private equity fund focused on emerging market sectors involving the online business, online video and online gaming, green energy, and financial industry sectors. From April 2008 to June 2009, Mr. Wang was the Chief Operating Officer of MTV China, one of the largest subsidiaries of MTV, the world’s largest music television network and owned by Viacom. Mr. Wang was responsible for MTV China’s overall operations, as well as Viacom’s investments and M&A activities in China. From November 2006 to March 2008, Mr. Wang was the Senior Vice President of PPLIVE, one of the largest point-to-point (P2P) technology based online video companies in China with over 90 million users globally and over 700 distribution channels featuring movies, TV drama, sports, and cartoon, which founded in 2005. From September 2005 to October 2006, Mr. Wang was the Head of Strategy and Investment Development of BESTV in China. From September 2003 to March 2005, he was the Director of Digital Media Investment, Family Fund of Bertalsmann, Austria, a joint venture company of Bertalsmann and Orf in Austria specialized in investing, promoting, and operating digital media, interactive media and mobile TV. From December 1997 to September 2001, he worked as a producer for Zhejiang Television Station, Hangzhou, China. Mr. Wang graduated from the Peking (Beijing) University with an Executive Master of Business Administration degree, from the University of ART Linz, Austria with a Master degree in Business Administration and Director of Movie, and from Media College of Zhejiang in China with a Bachelor degree. We believe Mr. Wang is well-qualified to serve as a member of the board due to his wide range of experience in investing, managing, and assisting Chinese companies with their offshore IPOs.
Mr. Jason Kon Man Wong, 51, has been our director and the chairman of our audit committee since September 30, 2014. Mr. Wong has served as a member of the board of directors of Whiz Partners Asia Ltd., an investment advisory company focused on assisting Japanese companies expand their business operations in Asia, since April 2013. He has also served as a member of the board of directors of Fortune Capital Group Ltd., an investment company, since 2000. From 2004 to March 2015, Mr. Wong was an independent and Non-Executive Director of Group Sense International Limited (HKSE: 601), a manufacturer of electronic dictionaries and other handheld information devices. From November 2011 to September 2014, He was the independent and Non-Executive Director and Chairman of Audit Committee of Neo-Neon Holdings Limited (HKSE: 1868), a decorative lighting company based in Hong Kong. From May 2010 to November 2013, Mr. Wong was the Independent and Non-Executive director and Chairman of the Audit Committee of Polyard Petroleum International Group Limited (Hong Kong Stock Exchange Listed: 8011.hk), which mainly engages in the exploration, development and production of oil and gas, provision of professional technical services, and trading of petroleum-related products. From July 2009 to December 2011, he was the Independent Director and Chairman of Audit Committee of China Shen Zhou Mining & Resources, Inc. (American Stock Exchange Listed: SHZ). Prior to that, he was a financial consultant of Transpac Capital Limited, one of the largest and oldest private equity funds and venture capital funds in Asia, from 1993 to 2000. From 1992 to 1993, Mr. Wong was an auditor for Ernst & Young CPA, Hong Kong and was an auditor for Clay & Co. in the USA from 1989 to 1992. He has been a member of AICPA and HKICPA since 1992 and 1993, respectively. Mr. Wong graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa with a Bachelor degree in Accounting. We believe Mr. Wong is well-qualified to serve as a member of the board due to his listed company experience and experience as a fund manager, investment adviser as well as a member of American Institute of CPA (AICPA).
Number and Terms of Office of Officers and Directors
Our board of directors is divided into three classes with only one class of directors being elected in each year and each class serving a three-year term. The term of office of the first class of directors, consisting of Foelan Wong and Hai Wang, will expire at our first annual meeting of shareholders. The term of office of the second class of directors, consisting of Jason Kon Man Wong and Haibin Wang, will expire at the second annual meeting. The term of office of the third class of directors, consisting of Emily Chui-Hung Tong and Stephen N. Cannon, will expire at the third annual meeting. We do not currently intend to hold an annual meeting of shareholders until after we consummate our initial business combination (unless we do not consummate our initial business combination prior to March 31, 2016, in which case Nasdaq rules require that we hold an annual meeting prior to March 31, 2016).
Our officers are elected by the board of directors and serve at the discretion of the board of directors, rather than for specific terms of office. Our board of directors is authorized to appoint persons to the offices set forth in our memorandum and articles of association as it deems appropriate. Our memorandum and articles of association provide that our officers may consist of a Chief Executive Officer, President, Chief Financial Officer, one or more vice-presidents, secretaries and treasurers and such other offices as may be determined by the board of directors.
Committees of the Board of Directors
Audit Committee
The members of our audit committee are Messrs. Jason Kon Man Wong, Foelan Wong, and Hai Wang. Mr. Jason Kon Man Wong serves as chairman of the audit committee. Under the Nasdaq listing standards and applicable SEC rules, we are required to have three members of the audit committee, all of whom must be independent. Messrs. Jason Kon Man Wong, Foelan Wong, and Hai Wang are independent.
Each member of the audit committee is financially literate and our board of directors has determined that Mr. Jason Kon Man Wong qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” as defined in applicable SEC rules.
We have adopted an audit committee charter, which details the responsibilities of the audit committee, including:
●the appointment, compensation, retention, replacement, and oversight of the work of the independent auditors and any other independent registered public accounting firm engaged by us;
●pre-approving all audit and non-audit services to be provided by the independent auditors or any other registered public accounting firm engaged by us, and establishing pre-approval policies and procedures;
●reviewing and discussing with the independent auditors all relationships the auditors have with us in order to evaluate their continued independence;
●setting clear hiring policies for employees or former employees of the independent auditors;
●setting clear policies for audit partner rotation in compliance with applicable laws and regulations;
●obtaining and reviewing a report, at least annually, from the independent auditors describing (i) the independent auditor’s internal quality-control procedures and (ii) any material issues raised by the most recent internal quality-control review, or peer review, of the audit firm, or by any inquiry or investigation by governmental or professional authorities, within, the preceding five years respecting one or more independent audits carried out by the firm and any steps taken to deal with such issues;
●reviewing and approving any related party transaction required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404 of Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC prior to us entering into such transaction; and
●reviewing with management, the independent auditors, and our legal advisors, as appropriate, any legal, regulatory or compliance matters, including any correspondence with regulators or government agencies and any employee complaints or published reports that raise material issues regarding our financial statements or accounting policies and any significant changes in accounting standards or rules promulgated by the Financial Accounting Standards Board, the SEC or other regulatory authorities.
Compensation Committee
The members of our compensation committee are Messrs. Foelan Wong, Hai Wang and Haibin Wang. Mr. Foelan Wong will serve as chairman of the compensation committee. We have adopted a compensation committee charter, which details the principal functions of the compensation committee, including:
●reviewing and approving on an annual basis the corporate goals and objectives relevant to our Chief Executive Officer’s compensation, evaluating our Chief Executive Officer’s performance in light of such goals and objectives and determining and approving the remuneration (if any) of our Chief Executive Officer’s based on such evaluation in executive session at which the Chief Executive Officer is not present;
●reviewing and approving the compensation of all of our other executive officers;
●reviewing our executive compensation policies and plans;
●implementing and administering our incentive compensation equity-based remuneration plans;
●assisting management in complying with our proxy statement and annual report disclosure requirements;
●approving all special perquisites, special cash payments and other special compensation and benefit arrangements for our executive officers and employees;
●producing a report on executive compensation to be included in our annual proxy statement; and
●reviewing, evaluating and recommending changes, if appropriate, to the remuneration for directors.
The charter also provides that the compensation committee may, in its sole discretion, retain or obtain the advice of a compensation consultant, legal counsel or other adviser and will be directly responsible for the appointment, compensation and oversight of the work of any such adviser. However, before engaging or receiving advice from a compensation consultant, external legal counsel or any other adviser, the compensation committee will consider the independence of each such adviser, including the factors required by Nasdaq and the SEC.
Director Nominations
We do not have a standing nominating committee, though we intend to form a corporate governance and nominating committee as and when required to do so by law or Nasdaq rules. In accordance with Rule 5605(e)(2) of the Nasdaq rules, a majority of the independent directors may recommend a director nominee for selection by the board of directors. The board of directors believes that the independent directors can satisfactorily carry out the responsibility of properly selecting or approving director nominees without the formation of a standing nominating committee. The directors who shall participate in the consideration and recommendation of director nominees are Jason Kon Man Wong, Foelan Wong, Haibin Wang and Hai Wang. In accordance with Rule 5605(e)(1)(A) of the Nasdaq rules, all such directors are independent. As there is no standing nominating committee, we do not have a nominating committee charter in place.
The board of directors will also consider director candidates recommended for nomination by our shareholders during such times as they are seeking proposed nominees to stand for election at the next annual meeting of shareholders (or, if applicable, a special meeting of shareholders). Our shareholders that wish to nominate a director for election to the board of directors should follow the procedures set forth in our memorandum and articles of association.
We have not formally established any specific, minimum qualifications that must be met or skills that are necessary for directors to possess. In general, in identifying and evaluating nominees for director, the board of directors considers educational background, diversity of professional experience, knowledge of our business, integrity, professional reputation, independence, wisdom, and the ability to represent the best interests of our shareholders.
Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation
None of our executive officers currently serves, and in the past year has not served, as a member of the board of directors or compensation committee of any entity that has one or more executive officers serving on our board of directors.
Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance
Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, requires our officers, directors and persons who beneficially own more than ten percent of our ordinary shares to file reports of ownership and changes in ownership with the SEC. These reporting persons are also required to furnish us with copies of all Section 16(a) forms they file. Based solely upon a review of such Forms, we believe that during the year ended March 31, 2015 there were no delinquent filers.
Code of Conduct and Ethics
We have adopted a code of conduct and ethics applicable to our directors, officers and employees in accordance with applicable federal securities laws. We have filed copies of our code of ethics, our audit committee charter and our compensation committee charter as exhibits to our registration statement in connection with our initial public offering. You may review these documents by accessing our public filings at the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov. In addition, a copy of the code of ethics will be provided without charge upon request to us in writing at Room 1102, 11/F., Beautiful Group Tower, 77 Connaught Road Central, Hong Kong, or by telephone at (852) 2110-0081.
Item 11.
Item 11. Executive Compensation
Compensation Discussion and Analysis
None of our executive officers or directors has received any cash (or non-cash) compensation for services rendered to us. Commencing on October 1, 2014 through the earlier of consummation of our initial business combination and our liquidation, we agreed to pay our sponsor, a total of $10,000 per month for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative services. Our sponsors, executive officers and directors, or any of their respective affiliates, will be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with activities on our behalf such as identifying potential target businesses and performing due diligence on suitable business combinations. Our audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made to our sponsors, officers, directors or our or their affiliates.
After the completion of our initial business combination, directors or members of our management team who remain with us may be paid consulting, management or other fees, or a salary, from the combined company. All of these fees will be fully disclosed to shareholders, to the extent then known, in the tender offer materials or proxy solicitation materials furnished to our shareholders in connection with a proposed business combination. It is unlikely the amount of such compensation will be known at the time, because the directors of the post-combination business will be responsible for determining executive and director compensation. Any compensation to be paid to our officers will be determined by our compensation committee.
We do not intend to take any action to ensure that members of our management team maintain their positions with us after the consummation of our initial business combination, although it is possible that some or all of our executive officers and directors may negotiate employment or consulting arrangements to remain with us after the initial business combination. The existence or terms of any such employment or consulting arrangements to retain their positions with us may influence our management’s motivation in identifying or selecting a target business but we do not believe that the ability of our management to remain with us after the consummation of our initial business combination will be a determining factor in our decision to proceed with any potential business combination. We are not party to any agreements with our executive officers and directors that provide for benefits upon termination of employment.
Item 12.
Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters
The following table sets forth information regarding the beneficial ownership of our ordinary shares as of May 1, 2015 based on information obtained from the persons named below, with respect to the beneficial ownership of shares of our ordinary shares, by:
●each person known by us to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of our outstanding shares of ordinary shares;
●each of our executive officers and directors that beneficially owns shares of our ordinary shares; and
●all our executive officers and directors as a group.
Unless otherwise indicated, we believe that all persons named in the table have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares of ordinary shares beneficially owned by them.
(1)
Unless otherwise indicated, the business address of each of the individuals is Room 1102, 11/F., Beautiful Group Tower, 77 Connaught Road Central, Hong Kong.
(2)
The shares held by DeTiger Holdings Limited, our sponsor, are beneficially owned by Ms. Winnie Lai Ling Ng. Ms. Ng is the sole director and 100% owner of DeTiger Holdings Limited and exercises voting and dispositive power over the shares held by such entity.
(3)
According to a Schedule 13G/A filed with the SEC on February 13, 2015 on behalf of Polar Securities Inc., a Canadian corporation (“Polar Securities”) and North Pole Capital Master company, a Cayman Islands fund (“North Pole”). Polar Securities serves as investment manager to North Pole with respect to the shares held by this shareholder. The business address of this shareholder is 401 Bay Street, Suite 1900, PO Box 19, Toronto, Ontario M5H 2Y4, Canada.
(4)
According to Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on October 1, 2014 on behalf of Davidson Kempner Partners (“DKP”), Davidson Kempner Institutional Partners, L.P. (“DKIP”), Davidson Kempner International, Ltd. (“DKIL”), Davidson Kempner Capital Management LP, Thomas L. Kempner, Jr. and Stephen M. Dowicz. Davidson Kempner Capital Management LP (“DKCM”), a Delaware limited partnership and a registered investment adviser with the SEC, acts as investment manager to each of DKP, DKIP, and DKIL. DKCM GP LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, is the general partner of DKCM. The managing members of DKCM are Thomas L. Kempner, Jr., Stephen M. Dowicz, Timothy I. Levart, Robert J. Brivio, Jr., Anthony A. Yoseloff, Eric P. Epstein, Avram Z. Friedman, Conor Bastable, Shulamit Leviant, Morgan Blackwell and Patrick W. Dennis and Gabriel T. Schwartz. Messrs. Thomas L. Kempner, Jr., and Stephen M. Dowicz through DKCM, are responsible for the voting and investment decisions relating to the securities held by DKP, DKIP and DKIL. The business address of this shareholder is c/o Davidson Kempner Partners, 65 East 55th Street, 19th Floor, New York, New York 10022.
The table above does not include the ordinary shares underlying the sponsor warrants because these securities are not exercisable within 60 days of this Report.
Changes in Control
N/A
Item 13.
Item 13.	 Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence
Certain Relationships and Related Transactions
In June 2014, we issued an aggregate of 1,725,000 founder shares to our initial shareholders for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000 in cash, or approximately $0.014 per share. On or about June 9, 2014, our sponsor transferred 25,000 ordinary shares to each of our independent directors. On October 20, 2014, our sponsor forfeited 9,985 founder shares as a result of the underwriter’s partial exercise of its over-allotment option in connection with our initial public offering.
Our initial shareholders have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of the founder shares (except to certain permitted transferees as described below) until, with respect to 50% of the founder shares, the earlier of (i) one year after the date of the consummation of our initial business combination or (ii) the date on which the closing price of our ordinary shares equals or exceeds $12.50 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations and recapitalizations) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing after our initial business combination, with respect to the remaining 50% of the founder shares, upon one year after the date of the consummation of our initial business combination, or earlier, in either case, if, subsequent to our initial business combination, we consummate a subsequent liquidation, merger, stock exchange or other similar transaction which results in all of our shareholders having the right to exchange their ordinary shares for cash, securities or other property.
Our sponsor purchased an aggregate of 319,199 insider units (including 290,000 insider units purchased in a private placement that occurred simultaneously with our initial public offering and 29,119 insider units purchased in connection with the underwriter’s partial exercise of its over-allotment option). In addition, our sponsor purchased from us an aggregate of 2,058,007 sponsor warrants (including 1,800,00 sponsor warrants purchased at the closing of our initial public offering and 258,007 sponsor warrants purchased in connection with the underwriter’s exercise of its over-allotment option) at a price of $0.50 per warrant ($1,029,003.50 in the aggregate). Our sponsor has agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of the sponsor warrants and their underlying shares and the shares included in the insider units and the respective ordinary shares underlying the rights and the warrants included in the insider units until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination.
Our sponsor agreed, from the date that our securities were first listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market through the earlier of our consummation of our initial business combination and our liquidation, to make available to us office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative services, as we may require from time to time. We have agreed to pay our sponsor $10,000 per month for these services. However, this arrangement is solely for our benefit and is not intended to provide our sponsor with compensation in lieu of salary. We believe, based on rents and fees for similar services in the Hong Kong metropolitan area, that the fee charged by our sponsor is at least as favorable as we could have obtained from an unaffiliated person.
Other than the $10,000 per-month administrative fee as described above, reimbursement of any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with activities on our behalf such as identifying potential target businesses and performing due diligence on suitable business combinations, no compensation or fees of any kind, including finder’s fees, consulting fees or other similar compensation, will be paid to our sponsor, officers or directors, or to any of their respective affiliates, prior to or with respect to our initial business combination (regardless of the type of transaction that it is). Our independent directors will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made to our sponsor, officers, directors or their affiliates and will be responsible for reviewing and approving all related party transactions as defined under Item 404 of Regulation S-K, after reviewing each such transaction for potential conflicts of interests and other improprieties.
Prior to our initial public offering, our sponsor advanced to us an aggregate of $175,000 to cover expenses related to the offering. This advance was repaid in the full upon the consummation of our initial public offering.
In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required. If we consummate our initial business combination, we would repay such loaned amounts. In the event that the initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion of the offering proceeds held outside the trust account to repay such loaned amounts but no proceeds from our trust account would be used for such repayment, other than the interest on such proceeds that may be released to us for working capital purposes. Such loans would be evidenced by promissory notes. The notes would either be paid upon consummation of our initial business combination, without interest, or, at the lender’s discretion, up to $500,000 of the notes may be converted upon consummation of our business combination into additional private units at a price of $10.00 per unit (which, for example, would result in the holders being issued 55,000 ordinary shares if $500,000 of notes were so converted since the 50,000 rights included in the private units would result in the issuance of 5,000 ordinary shares upon the closing of our business combination as well as 50,000 warrants to purchase 25,000 ordinary shares).
After our initial business combination, members of our management team who remain with us may be paid consulting, management or other fees from the combined company with any and all amounts being fully disclosed to our shareholders, to the extent then known, in the tender offer or proxy solicitation materials, as applicable, furnished to our shareholders. It is unlikely the amount of such compensation will be known at the time of distribution of such tender offer materials or at the time of a shareholder meeting held to consider our initial business combination, as applicable, as it will be up to the directors of the post-combination business to determine executive and director compensation.
All ongoing and future transactions between us and any member of our management team or his or her respective affiliates will be on terms believed by us at that time, based upon other similar arrangements known to us, to be no less favorable to us than are available from unaffiliated third parties. It is our intention to obtain estimates from unaffiliated third parties for similar goods or services to ascertain whether such transactions with affiliates are on terms that are no less favorable to us than are otherwise available from such unaffiliated third parties. If a transaction with an affiliated third party were found to be on terms less favorable to us than with an unaffiliated third party, we would not engage in such transaction.
We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors. In the event we seek to complete our initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors, we, or a committee of independent directors, would obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm that our initial business combination is fair to our shareholders from a financial point of view.
We have entered into a registration rights agreement with respect to the founder shares and insider units. Pursuant to the registration rights agreement, the initial shareholders will be entitled to registration rights with respect to their initial shares and the purchasers of the Private Units and sponsor warrants will be entitled to registration rights with respect to the private units and sponsor warrants (and underlying securities). The holders of the majority of the initial shares are entitled to demand that the Company register these shares at any time commencing three months prior to the first anniversary of the consummation of a Business Combination. The holders of the private units and sponsor warrants (or underlying securities) are entitled to demand that the Company register these securities at any time after the Company consummates a Business Combination. In addition, the holders have certain “piggy-back” registration rights on registration statements filed after the Company’s consummation of a Business Combination.
Director Independence
The Nasdaq Capital Market requires that a majority of our board must be composed of “independent directors,” which is defined generally as a person other than an officer or employee of the company or its subsidiaries or any other individual having a relationship, which, in the opinion of the company’s board of directors would interfere with the director’s exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director.
Messrs. Jason Kon Man Wong, Foelan Wong, Haibin Wang, Hai Wang are our independent directors. Our independent directors will have regularly scheduled meetings at which only independent directors are present.
Any affiliated transactions will be on terms no less favorable to us than could be obtained from independent parties. Any affiliated transactions must be approved by a majority of our independent and disinterested directors.
Item 14.
Item 14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services
During the period from April 8, 2014 (inception) through March 31, 2015, the firm of UHY LLP, has acted as our principal independent registered public accounting firm. The following is a summary of fees paid or to be paid to UHY LLP for services rendered.
Audit Fees. Audit fees consist of fees billed for professional services rendered for the audit of our year-end financial statements and services that are normally provided by UHY LLP in connection with regulatory filings. The aggregate fees billed by UHY LLP for professional services rendered for the audit of our annual financial statements, review of the financial information included in our Forms 10-Q for the respective periods, the registration statement, the closing 8-K and other required filings with the SEC for the period from April 8, 2014 (inception) through March 31, 2015 totaled $45,000. The above amounts include interim procedures and audit fees, as well as attendance at audit committee meetings.
Audit-Related Fees. We did not pay UHY LLP for consultations concerning financial accounting and reporting standards during the period from April 8, 2014 (inception) through March 31, 2015.
Tax Fees. We did not pay UHY LLP for tax planning and tax advice for the period from April 8, 2014 (inception) through March 31, 2015.
All Other Fees. We did not pay UHY LLP for other services for the period from April 8, 2014 (inception) through March 31, 2015.
Pre-Approval Policy
Our audit committee was formed upon the consummation of our initial public offering. As a result, the audit committee did not pre-approve all of the foregoing services, although any services rendered prior to the formation of our audit committee were approved by our board of directors. Since the formation of our audit committee, and on a going-forward basis, the audit committee has approved and will pre-approve all auditing services and permitted non-audit services to be performed for us by our auditors, including the fees and terms thereof (subject to the de minimis exceptions for non-audit services described in the Exchange Act which are approved by the audit committee prior to the completion of the audit).
PART IV
Item 15.
Item 15. Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules
(a) The following documents are filed as part of this Report:
(1) Financial Statements
(2) Financial Statements Schedule
All financial statement schedules are omitted because they are not applicable or the amounts are immaterial and not required, or the required information is presented in the financial statements and notes thereto in is Item 15 of Part IV below.
(3) Exhibits
We hereby file as part of this Report the exhibits listed in the attached Exhibit Index. Exhibits which are incorporated herein by reference can be inspected and copied at the public reference facilities maintained by the SEC, 100 F Street, N.E., Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549. Copies of such material can also be obtained from the Public Reference Section of the SEC, 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549, at prescribed rates or on the SEC website at www.sec.gov.
* Filed herewith
** Furnished herewith
(1)Incorporated by reference to the Company’s Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on October 6, 2014.
(2)Incorporated by reference to the Company’s Form S-1, filed with the Commission on July 1, 2014.
(3)Incorporated by reference to the Company’s Form S-1/A, filed with the Commission on August 27, 2014.
(4)Incorporated by reference to the Company’s Form S-1/A, filed with the Commission on September 11, 2014.
(5)Incorporated by reference to the Company’s Form S-1/A, filed with the Commission on September 23, 2014.
DT Asia Investments Limited
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Board of Directors and Stockholders
DT Asia Investments Limited
We have audited the accompanying balance sheet of DT Asia Investments Limited (the “Company”) as of March 31, 2015, and the related statements of operations, changes in stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for period from April 8, 2014 to March 31, 2015. The Company’s management is responsible for these financial statements. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audit.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. Our audit included consideration of internal control over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit also includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of DT Asia Investments Limited as of March 31, 2015, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for period from April 8, 2014 to March 31, 2015 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
The accompanying financial statements have been prepared assuming the Company will continue as a going concern. As discussed in Note 1 to the financial statements, the Company has no present revenue, its business plan is dependent on the completion of a financing transaction and the Company’s cash and working capital as of March 31, 2015 are not sufficient to complete its planned activities for the upcoming year. These conditions raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. Management’s plans regarding these matters are also described in Notes 1 and 3. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.
/s/ UHY LLP
May 7, 2015
New York, New York
DT ASIA INVESTMENTS LIMITED
BALANCE SHEET
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
DT ASIA INVESTMENTS LIMITED
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
DT ASIA INVESTMENTS LIMITED
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
For the period from April 8, 2014 to March 31, 2015
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
DT ASIA INVESTMENTS LIMITED
STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
DT ASIA INVESTMENTS LIMITED
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
For the period from April 8, 2014 to March 31, 2015
Note 1 - Organization and Business Operations
Organization and General
DT Asia Investments Limited (the “Company”, “we”, “us” and “our”) is a newly organized blank check company incorporated on April 8, 2014, under the laws of the British Virgin Islands for the purpose of acquiring, engaging in a share exchange, share reconstruction and amalgamation, purchasing all or substantially all of the assets of, entering into contractual arrangements, or engaging in any other similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities (an “Initial Business Combination”). The Company has selected March 31 as its fiscal year end and tax year end.
Financings
The registration statement for the Company’s initial public offering (the “Public Offering” as described in Note 3) was declared effective by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on September 30, 2014. The Company consummated the Public Offering on October 6, 2014 with the sale of 6,000,000 units at $10.00 per unit (the “Units”) and received net proceeds of approximately $62,150,000 which includes $4,100,000 received from the private placements of (i) an aggregate 320,000 Units to DeTiger Holdings Limited (the “Sponsor”) and EarlyBirdCapital, Inc. (“EBC”) (the “Private Units”) at $10.00 per unit ($3,200,000 in the aggregate) and (ii) an aggregate of 1,800,000 warrants to the Sponsor (the “Sponsor Warrants”) at a price of $0.50 per warrant ($900,000 in the aggregate), less underwriter fees of approximately $1,950,000).
Contained in the underwriting agreement for the Public Offering was an overallotment option allowing the underwriters to purchase from the Company up to an additional 900,000 Units (the “Over-Allotment Units”) (as described in Note 3 - Public Offering), and in addition, the Company received a commitment from the Sponsor and EBC to purchase additional Private Units and Sponsor Warrants in order to maintain the amount of cash in the Trust Account equal to $10.20 per Public Share. The underwriters exercised the option in part, on October 14, 2014, and purchased 860,063 Over-Allotment Units, which were sold at an offering price of $10.00 per Unit, generating gross proceeds of $8,600,630 before deduction of underwriter fees of $279,520.
On October 14, 2014, simultaneously with the sale of the Over-Allotment Units, the Company consummated the private placement of an additional 32,253 Private Units at a price of $10.00 per unit, for an aggregate purchase price of $322,530, and an additional 258,007 Sponsor Warrants at a price of $0.50 per warrant, for an aggregate purchase price of $129,004. The private placements on October 14, 2014 generated total additional proceeds of $451,534.
Trust Account
The Company received total gross proceeds of $73,152,164 from the sale of Units in the Public Offering (including Over-Allotment Units) and all related private placements closed on October 6, 2014 and October 14, 2014. Management deposited $10.20 per Unit acquired by shareholders in the Public Offering (“Public Shareholders”), or $69,972,643 in the aggregate in a trust account in the United States with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee (the “Trust Account”).
The Company incurred offering costs totaling approximately $4,440,838, consisting of $2,229,520 in underwriters’ fees, plus $442,218 of other cash expenses, $100,000 in deferred legal fees and a non-cash charge of $1,669,100 representing the fair value of unit purchase option sold to EBC (see Note 3, accounting for UPO).
The funds in the Trust Account can be invested only in U.S. government treasury bills, notes and bonds with a maturity of 180 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and which will invest solely in U.S. Treasuries. Except for all interest income that may be released to the Company (net of taxes payable) to fund its working capital requirements and pay its tax obligations, none of the funds held in the Trust Account will be released from the Trust Account, until the earlier of: (1) the completion of an Initial Business Combination within the required time period and (2) the redemption of 100% of the outstanding public shares if the Company has not completed an Initial Business Combination in the required time period. Therefore, unless and until an Initial Business Combination is consummated, the proceeds held in the Trust Account will not be available for the Company’s use for any expenses related to the Public Offering or expenses which the Company may incur related to the investigation and selection of a target business and the negotiation of an agreement to acquire a target business.
DT ASIA INVESTMENTS LIMITED
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
For the period from April 8, 2014 to March 31, 2015
The placing of the funds in the Trust Account may not protect those funds from third party claims against the Company. Although the Company will seek to have all vendors, prospective target businesses or other entities it engages, execute agreements with the Company waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the Trust Account, there is no guarantee that they will execute such agreements. Ms. Winnie Lai Ling Ng, the 100% shareholder of the Sponsor, agreed that she will be liable under certain circumstances to ensure that the proceeds in the Trust Account are not reduced by the claims of target businesses or vendors or other entities that are owed money by the Company for services rendered, contracted for or products sold to the Company. However, there can be no assurance that she will be able to satisfy those obligations should they arise. The remaining proceeds in the amount of approximately $493,000 (not held in the Trust Account) were available to be used for paying business, legal and accounting, due diligence on prospective acquisitions and continuing general and administrative expenses (as of March 31, 2015 the amount not held in the Trust Account was $224,629). In addition, interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account (after payment of taxes owed on such interest income) may be released to the Company to fund its working capital requirements in searching for an Initial Business Combination and to pay its tax obligations.
Initial Business Combination
The Company’s management has broad discretion with respect to the specific application of the net proceeds of the Public Offering, the Private Units and the Sponsor Warrants, although substantially all of the net proceeds are intended to be generally applied toward consummating an Initial Business Combination. Although the Company is not limited to a particular geographic region, the Company intends to focus on operating businesses with primary operations in Asia (with an emphasis in China). The Company’s efforts to identify a prospective target business will not be limited to a particular industry or geographic location. Furthermore, there is no assurance that the Company will be able to successfully effect an Initial Business Combination.
The Company, after signing a definitive agreement for the acquisition of a target business, is required to provide Public Shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their Units for a pro rata share of the Trust Account.
In connection with any proposed Initial Business Combination, the Company intends to seek shareholder approval of such Initial Business Combination at a meeting called for such purpose at which shareholders may seek to redeem their shares, regardless of whether they vote for or against the proposed business combination. In such case, the Company will consummate an Initial Business Combination only if it has net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 upon such consummation and a majority of the outstanding ordinary shares voted are voted in favor of the Business Combination. The Company’s Sponsor, officers and directors that hold Founder Shares (“Initial Shareholders”) have waived any redemption rights they may have in connection with the Initial Business Combination.
With respect to an Initial Business Combination which is consummated, any Public Shareholder can demand that the Company redeem his or her Units.
● If the Company holds a shareholder vote to approve an Initial Business Combination, any Public Shareholder seeking redemption will have his or her Unit redeemed for a full pro rata portion of the Trust Account (initially expected to be $10.20 per Unit) net of (i) taxes payable and (ii) interest income earned on the Trust Account previously released to the Company for working capital requirements.
● If the Company commences a tender offer in connection with an Initial Business Combination, Public Shareholders seeking redemption will have his or her Units redeemed for a pro rata portion of the Trust Account (initially expected to be $10.20 per Unit) net of (i) taxes payable and (ii) interest income earned on the Trust Account previously released to the Company for working capital requirements.
DT ASIA INVESTMENTS LIMITED
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
For the period from April 8, 2014 to March 31, 2015
The Company’s Memorandum and Articles of Association were amended prior to the consummation of the Public Offering to provide that if the Company is unable to complete an Initial Business Combination within 18 months from the closing of the Public Offering, it will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than five business days thereafter, redeem 100% of the outstanding public shares which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the Company’s remaining holders of ordinary shares and its board of directors, proceed to commence a voluntary liquidation and thereby a formal dissolution of the Company, subject (in the case of (ii) and (iii) above) to our obligations to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of applicable law.
In connection with the redemption of 100% of the Company’s outstanding public shares for a portion of the funds held in the Trust Account, each shareholder will receive a full pro rata portion of the amount then in the Trust Account, plus any pro rata interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account and not previously released to the Company for its working capital requirements or necessary to pay its taxes payable on such funds. Holders of rights will receive no proceeds in connection with the liquidation with respect to such rights, which will expire worthless.
The holders of the Founder Shares and Private Units will not participate in any redemption distribution with respect to their securities.
Liquidation
If the Company is unable to conclude an Initial Business Combination and it expends all of the net proceeds of the Public Offering not deposited in the Trust Account, without taking into account any interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account, the initial per-share redemption price is expected to be $10.20. The proceeds deposited in the Trust Account could, however, become subject to claims of creditors that are in preference to the claims of shareholders. In addition, if the Company is forced to file a bankruptcy case or an involuntary bankruptcy case is filed against the Company that is not dismissed, the proceeds held in the Trust Account could be subject to applicable bankruptcy law, and may be included in the Company’s bankruptcy estate and subject to the claims of third parties with priority over the claims of shareholders. Therefore, the actual per-share redemption price may be less than $10.20.
The Company will pay the costs of any subsequent liquidation from the remaining assets outside of the Trust Account together with up to $20,000 of interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account and available for such use. If such funds are insufficient, Ms. Lai Ling Winnie Ng has agreed to pay the funds necessary to complete such liquidation and has agreed not to seek repayment for such expenses.
Emerging Growth Company
Section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act exempts emerging growth companies from being required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies (that is, those that have not had a Securities Act registration statement declared effective or do not have a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act) are required to comply with the new or revised financial accounting standards. The JOBS Act provides that a company can elect to opt out of the extended transition period and comply with the requirements that apply to non-emerging growth companies but any such election to opt out is irrevocable. The Company has elected not to opt out of such extended transition period which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, the Company, as an emerging growth company, can adopt the new or revised standard at the time private companies adopt the new or revised standard.
DT ASIA INVESTMENTS LIMITED
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
For the period from April 8, 2014 to March 31, 2015
Note 2 - Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying financial statements of the Company are presented in U.S. dollars in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“US GAAP”) and pursuant to the accounting and disclosure rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) have been made that are necessary to present fairly the financial position, and the results of its operations and its cash flows.
Foreign Currency Translation
The Company’s reporting currency is the United States (“U.S.”) dollar. Although the Company maintains a cash account with a bank in Hong Kong, denominated in U.S. dollars, its expenditures to date have been primarily, and are expected to continue to be, denominated in U.S. dollars. Accordingly, the Company has designated its functional currency as the U.S. dollar.
In accordance with ASC 830, “Foreign Currency Translation”, foreign currency balance sheets, if any, will be translated using the exchange rates as of the balance sheet date, and revenue and expense amounts in the statements of operations are translated at the transaction date or the average exchange rate for each period. The resulting foreign currency translation adjustments are recognized into the balance sheet as accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) within shareholders' equity.
Foreign currency transaction gains and losses will be included in the statement of operations as they occur. For the periods presented, there were no local currency financial statements and, therefore, no such gains or losses and translation adjustments.
Development Stage Company
The Company complies with the reporting requirements of the FASB ASC 915, “Development Stage Entities” and early adopted Accounting Standards Update 2014-10 (“ASU 2014-10”). On March 31, 2015, the Company has not commenced any operations nor generated revenue to date. All activity through March 31, 2015 relates to the Company formation, the Public Offering and pursuit of an acquisition target for its Initial Business Combination. Following the Public Offering, the Company will not generate any operating revenues until after the completion of the Initial Business Combination, at the earliest. The Company will generate non-operating income in the form of interest income on the Trust Account after the Public Offering.
Concentration of Credit Risk
Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist of cash accounts in a financial institution, which at times, may exceed the U.S. Federal depository insurance coverage of $250,000, or other limits of protection if held in financial institutions outside of the U.S., such as in Hong Kong SAR which provides coverage of HK$500,000. The Company has not experienced losses on these accounts and management believes the Company is not exposed to significant risks on such accounts.
Securities Held in Trust Account
Investment securities consist of United States Treasury securities. The Company classifies its securities as held-to-maturity in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 320 “Investments - Debt and Equity Securities.” Held-to-maturity securities are those securities which the Company has the ability and intent to hold until maturity. Held-to-maturity treasury securities are recorded at amortized cost and adjusted for the amortization or accretion of premiums or discounts.
DT ASIA INVESTMENTS LIMITED
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
For the period from April 8, 2014 to March 31, 2015
A decline in the market value of held-to-maturity securities below cost that is deemed to be other than temporary, results in an impairment that reduces the carrying costs to such securities' fair value. The impairment is charged to earnings and a new cost basis for the security is established. To determine whether an impairment is other than temporary, the Company considers whether it has the ability and intent to hold the investment until a market price recovery and considers whether evidence indicating the cost of the investment is recoverable outweighs evidence to the contrary. Evidence considered in this assessment includes the reasons for the impairment, the severity and the duration of the impairment, changes in value subsequent to year-end, forecasted performance of the investee, and the general market condition in the geographic area or industry the investee operates in.
Premiums and discounts are amortized or accreted over the life of the related held-to-maturity security as an adjustment to yield using the effective-interest method. Such amortization and accretion is included in the “interest income” line item in the statements of operations. Interest income is recognized when earned.
Fair Value Measurements
FASB ASC Topic 820 “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures” defines fair value, the methods used to measure fair value and the expanded disclosures about fair value measurements. Fair value is the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between the buyer and the seller at the measurement date. In determining fair value, the valuation techniques consistent with the market approach, income approach and cost approach shall be used to measure fair value. FASB ASC Topic 820 establishes a fair value hierarchy for inputs, which represent the assumptions used by the buyer and seller in pricing the asset or liability. These inputs are further defined as observable and unobservable inputs. Observable inputs are those that buyer and seller would use in pricing the asset or liability based on market data obtained from sources independent of the Company. Unobservable inputs reflect the Company’s assumptions about the inputs that the buyer and seller would use in pricing the asset or liability developed based on the best information available in the circumstances.
The fair value hierarchy is categorized into three levels based on the inputs as follows:
Level 1 - Valuations based on unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Company has the ability to access. Valuation adjustments and block discounts are not being applied. Since valuations are based on quoted prices that are readily and regularly available in an active market, valuation of these securities does not entail a significant degree of judgment.
Level 2 - Valuations based on (i) quoted prices in active markets for similar assets and liabilities, (ii) quoted prices in markets that are not active for identical or similar assets, (iii) inputs other than quoted prices for the assets or liabilities, or (iv) inputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by market through correlation or other means.
Level 3 - Valuations based on inputs that are unobservable and significant to the overall fair value measurement.
The fair value of the Company’s certain assets and liabilities, which qualify as financial instruments under ASC 820, “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures,” approximates the carrying amounts represented in the balance sheet. The fair values of cash and cash equivalents, and other current assets, accrued expenses, due to sponsor and directors and deferred legal fee are estimated to approximate the carrying values as of March 31, 2015 due to the short maturities of such instruments.
The following table presents information about the Company’s assets and liabilities that were measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of March 31, 2015, and indicates the fair value hierarchy of the valuation techniques the Company utilized to determine such fair value.
*included in cash and investments held in trust account on the Company’s balance sheet.
DT ASIA INVESTMENTS LIMITED
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
For the period from April 8, 2014 to March 31, 2015
Offering Costs
The Company complies with the requirements of the ASC 340-10-S99-1 and SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin (“SAB”) Topic 5A - “Expenses of Offering”. Offering costs consist principally of professional and registration fees incurred through the balance sheet date that are related to the Public Offering and that were charged to stockholders’ equity upon the completion of the Public Offering.
Redeemable Ordinary Shares
As discussed in Note 3, all of the 6,860,063 ordinary shares sold as part of the units in the Public Offering and Over-Allotment exercise contain a redemption feature which allows for the redemption of ordinary shares under the Company’s liquidation or tender offer/shareholder approval provisions. In accordance with ASC 480, redemption provisions not solely within the control of the Company require the security to be classified outside of permanent equity. Ordinary liquidation events, which involve the redemption and liquidation of all of the entity’s equity instruments, are excluded from the provisions of ASC 480. However, the Company will consummate an Initial Business Combination only if it has net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 upon such consummation and a majority of the outstanding ordinary shares are voted in favor of the business combination. As a result of this requirement for the Company to maintain at least $5,000,001 of net tangible assets, the amount of the security to be classified outside of permanent equity is limited. As of March 31, 2015, the number of Ordinary Shares classified outside of permanent equity was limited to 6,388,104.
Accounting for Warrants
Since the Company is not required to net-cash settle any of the Public Warrant, Sponsor Warrants or EBC Warrants, the Company recorded all such warrants at their relative fair value and classified within shareholders’ equity as “Additional paid-in capital” upon their issuance in accordance with FASB ASC 815-40 (“Derivatives and Hedging”).
Use of estimates
The preparation of the financial statements in conformity with US GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Income taxes
The Company accounts for income taxes under ASC 740 Income Taxes (“ASC 740”). ASC 740 requires the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for both the expected impact of differences between the financial statement and tax basis of assets and liabilities and for the expected future tax benefit to be derived from tax loss and tax credit carry forwards. ASC 740 additionally requires a valuation allowance to be established when it is more likely than not that all or a portion of deferred tax assets will not be realized.
ASC 740 also clarifies the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes recognized in an enterprise’s financial statements and prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement process for financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. For those benefits to be recognized, a tax position must be more-likely-than-not to be sustained upon examination by taxing authorities. ASC 740 also provides guidance on derecognition, classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim periods, disclosure and transition. The Company has identified the British Virgin Islands as its only “major” tax jurisdiction, as defined. Based on the Company’s evaluation, it has been concluded that there are no significant uncertain tax positions requiring recognition in the Company’s financial statements. Since the Company was incorporated on April 8, 2014, the evaluation was performed for the tax year ended March 31, 2015 which will be the only period subject to examination. The Company believes that its income tax positions and deductions would be sustained on audit and does not anticipate any adjustments that would result in a material changes to its financial position. The Company’s policy for recording interest and penalties associated with audits is to record such items as a component of income tax expense.
The Company is incorporated under the BVI Business Companies Act, 2004 (No. 16 of 2004) and is exempted from BVI taxes.
DT ASIA INVESTMENTS LIMITED
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
For the period from April 8, 2014 to March 31, 2015
Net Loss Per Share
Basic net loss per share is computed by dividing net loss by the weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding during the period. Diluted net loss per share is computed by dividing net loss by the weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding, adjusted to include any dilutive effect from ordinary share equivalents. In the periods where losses are reported, there were no dilutive effect from ordinary share equivalents. As a result, dilutive loss per ordinary share is equal to basic loss per ordinary share.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
In June 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update 2014-10 (“ASU 2014-10”), Development Stage Entities (Topic 915): Elimination of Certain Financial Reporting Requirements. ASU 2014-10 eliminates the distinction of a development stage entity and certain related disclosure requirements, including the elimination of inception-to-date information on the statements of operations, cash flows and stockholders’ equity. The amendments in ASU 2014-10 will be effective prospectively for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2014, and interim periods within those annual periods, however early adoption is permitted. The Company adopted this ASU as of April 8, 2014 and the impacts of this adoption are reflected in this report.
In August 2014, the FASB issued a new standard, Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-15, Disclosure of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern. This new standard will explicitly require management to assess an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern and to provide footnote disclosures in certain cases. Currently there is no guidance in GAAP about management’s responsibility to evaluate whether there is substantial doubt about an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern. The new standard applies to all entities and provides an explicit requirement that management assesses and discloses going concern uncertainties. Previous guidance in auditing standards required auditors to evaluate going concern. The new standard will be effective for all entities in the first annual period ending after December 15, 2016. Earlier application is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the new guidance to determine the impact it may have to the Company's financial statement presentation and disclosures.
Management does not believe that any recently issued, but not effective, accounting standards, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on the Company’s financial statements.
DT ASIA INVESTMENTS LIMITED
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
For the period from April 8, 2014 to March 31, 2015
Note 3 - Public Offering
On October 6, 2014, in its Public Offering, the Company sold 6,000,000 Units at an offering price of $10.00 per Unit and on October 14, 2014 the Company sold an additional 860,063 Units upon the underwriters’ exercise of its Over-Allotment option. Each Unit consists of one ordinary share (“Share”), one right (“Right(s)”), and one warrant (“Warrant”). Each Right entitles the holder to receive one-tenth (1/10) of a Share upon consummation of an Initial Business Combination. Each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one-half of one ordinary share at a price of $12.00 per full share commencing on the later of the Company’s completion of its Initial Business Combination or 12 months from September 30, 2014, the effective date of the registration statement relating to the Public Offering (the “Effective Date”), and expiring five years from the completion of the Company’s Initial Business Combination. As a result, investors must exercise Warrants in multiples of two Warrants, at a price of $12.00 per full share, subject to adjustment, to validly exercise the Warrants. The Company may redeem the Warrants at a price of $0.01 per Warrant upon 30 days’ notice, only in the event that the last sale price of the ordinary shares is at least $18.00 per share for any 20 trading days within a 30-trading day period (“30-Day Trading Period”) ending on the third day prior to the date on which notice of redemption is given, provided there is a current registration statement in effect with respect to the ordinary shares underlying such Warrants commencing five business days prior to the 30-Day Trading Period and continuing each day thereafter until the date of redemption. If the Company redeems the Warrants as described above, management will have the option to require all holders that wish to exercise Warrants to do so on a “cashless basis.” In accordance with the warrant agreement relating to the Warrants sold and issued in the Public Offering the Company is only required to use its best efforts to maintain the effectiveness of the registration statement covering the Warrants. If a registration statement is not effective within 90 days following the consummation of an Initial Business Combination, Warrant holders may, until such time as there is an effective registration statement and during any period when the Company shall have failed to maintain an effective registration statement, exercise Warrants on a cashless basis. In the event that a registration statement is not effective at the time of exercise, the holder of such Warrant shall not be entitled to exercise such Warrant for cash and in no event (whether in the case of a registration statement being effective or otherwise) will the Company be required to net cash settle the Warrant exercise.
The Units sold in the Public Offering began trading on October 1, 2014, the day after the Effective Date. Each of the Shares, Rights and Warrants were eligible to trade separately effective as of October 22, 2014. Security holders now have the option to continue to hold Units or separate their Units into the component pieces. Holders will need to have their brokers contact the Company’s transfer agent in order to separate the Units into Shares, Rights and Warrants. Upon consummation of an Initial Business Combination, the units will cease trading.
If the Company is unable to consummate an Initial Business Combination, there would be no distribution from the Trust Account with respect to the Rights and Warrants, and such Rights and Warrants would expire worthless.
Underwriting Agreement
The Company paid an underwriting discount on Units sold in the Public Offering, of 3.25% of the Unit offering price, to the underwriters at the closing of the Public Offering (or an aggregate of $2,229,520, including discounts for the Public Units sold in the Over-Allotment exercise). The Company also sold to EBC and/or its designees, at the time of the closing of the Public Offering, for an aggregate of $100.00, an option (“Unit Purchase Option” or “UPO”) to purchase 600,000 Units. The UPO will be exercisable at any time, in whole or in part, during the period commencing on the later of the first anniversary of the Effective Date and the closing of the Company’s Initial Business Combination and terminating on the fifth anniversary of the Effective Date (September 30, 2019) at a price per Unit equal to $11.75. Accordingly, after the Initial Business Combination, the purchase option will be to purchase 660,000 ordinary shares (which includes 60,000 ordinary shares to be issued for the rights included in the units) and 600,000 Warrants to purchase 300,000 ordinary shares. The Units issuable upon exercise of this option are identical to the Units in the Offering.
Accounting for UPO
The Company accounted for the fair value of the UPO, inclusive of the receipt of a $100 cash payment, as an expense of the Offering resulting in a charge directly to shareholders’ equity. The Company estimated that the fair value of the unit purchase option when issued was approximately $1,669,000 (or $2.782 per unit) using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. The fair value of the unit purchase option was estimated as of the date of grant using the following assumptions: (1) expected volatility of 35%, (2) risk-free interest rate of 1.73% and (3) expected life of five years. The UPO may be exercised for cash or on a “cashless” basis, at the holder’s option (except in the case of a forced cashless exercise upon the Company’s redemption of the Warrants, as described above), such that the holder may use the appreciated value of the UPO (the difference between the exercise prices of the UPO and the underlying Warrants and the market price of the Units and underlying ordinary shares) to exercise the UPO without the payment of any cash. The Company will have no obligation to net cash settle the exercise of the UPO or the Warrants underlying the UPO. The holder of the UPO will not be entitled to exercise the UPO or the Warrants underlying the UPO unless a registration statement covering the securities underlying the UPO is effective or an exemption from registration is available. If the holder is unable to exercise the UPO or underlying Warrants, the UPO or Warrants, as applicable, will expire worthless.
The Company granted to the holders of the UPO demand and “piggy back” registration rights for periods of five and seven years, respectively, from the Effective Date, including securities directly and indirectly issuable upon exercise of the UPO.
DT ASIA INVESTMENTS LIMITED
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
For the period from April 8, 2014 to March 31, 2015
Note 4 - Related Party Transactions
Due to Sponsor and Directors
The Sponsor and the Directors paid the travel expenses in advance on behalf of the Company. As of March 31, 2015, the Company did not have any payable due to Sponsor and Directors.
Private Placement - Founding
In June 2014, the Company’s Initial Shareholders purchased an aggregate of 1,725,000 of ordinary shares, (“Founder Shares”) for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, or approximately $0.014 per share. The 1,725,000 Founder Shares held by our initial shareholders included an aggregate of up to 225,000 shares subject to forfeiture by our Sponsor to the extent that the underwriters’ over-allotment option was not exercised in full or in part, so that the initial shareholders would collectively own 20.0% of issued and outstanding shares of the Company (excluding the sale of the Private Units and Sponsor Warrants). Since the underwriters exercised the over-allotment option in part on October 14, 2014, and purchased 860,063 of the total possible 900,000 additional Units, the Sponsor forfeited 9,985 shares, which were canceled by the Company, in order to maintain this 20.0% limitation.
Shares Escrowed
The Founder Shares were placed into an escrow account maintained by Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as escrow agent. Subject to certain limited exceptions, 50% of these shares will not be transferred, assigned, sold or released from escrow until the earlier of (i) one year after the date of the consummation of our Initial Business Combination or (ii) the date on which the closing price of our ordinary shares equals or exceeds $12.50 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations and recapitalizations) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing after our Initial Business Combination and the remaining 50% of the Founder Shares will not be transferred, assigned, sold or released from escrow until one year after the date of the consummation of our Initial Business Combination, or earlier in certain situations.
Private Placements - Concurrent with Public Offering & Over-Allotment Exercise
Simultaneously with the closing of our Public Offering, the Company consummated a private placement of (i) 320,000 Private Units, at $10.00 per unit, of which 290,000 units were purchased by our Sponsor and 30,000 units were purchased by EBC, and (ii) 1,800,000 Sponsor Warrants, at $0.50 per warrant, purchased by our Sponsor.
Simultaneously with the sale of the Over-Allotment Units, the Company consummated a private placement of (i) 32,253 Private Units, at $10.00 per unit, of which 29,119 units were purchased by our Sponsor and 3,134 units were purchased by EBC, and (ii) 258,007 Sponsor Warrants, at $0.50 per warrant, purchased by our Sponsor.
Each Private Unit is comprised of one Share, one Right, and one Warrant, each with the same terms as the securities comprising the Units sold in our Public Offering. The Sponsor Warrants also have the same terms as the Warrants contained in the Units sold in our Public Offering.
DT ASIA INVESTMENTS LIMITED
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
For the period from April 8, 2014 to March 31, 2015
Terms of Private Placement Securities
The Founder Shares and the Private Units are identical to the Shares included in the Units that were sold in the Public Offering except that (i) the Founder Shares and the Private Units are subject to certain transfer restrictions, and (ii) each of the Initial Shareholders and EBC has agreed not to redeem any of the Founder Shares and the Private Units, as the case may be, held by them in connection with the consummation of an Initial Business Combination, and each has also waived its rights to participate in any redemption with respect to its Founder Shares and the Private Units, as the case may be, if the Company fails to consummate an Initial Business Combination.
However, each of the Initial Shareholders and EBC (as applicable) will be entitled to redeem any public shares it acquires in or after the Public Offering in the event the Company fails to consummate an Initial Business Combination within the required time period.
In connection with a shareholder vote to approve an initial business transaction, if any, each of the Company’s Initial Shareholders has agreed to vote their Initial Shares and/or Private Units, as the case may be, in favor of the initial business transaction. In addition, the Company’s Initial Shareholders, officers and directors have each also agreed to vote any ordinary shares acquired in the Public Offering or in the aftermarket in favor of the initial business transaction submitted to shareholders for approval, if any.
The initial holders of the Founder Shares, the Private Units and the Sponsor Warrants, and their permitted transferees, will be entitled to registration rights pursuant to a registration rights agreement. Such holders are entitled to demand registration rights and certain “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to the Founder Shares, the Private Units, the Sponsor Warrants and the ordinary shares underlying the Sponsor Warrants, Private Units and Rights, commencing, in the case of the Founder Shares, one year after the consummation of the Initial Business Combination and commencing, in the case of the Private Units, the Sponsor Warrants and the ordinary shares underlying the Sponsor Warrants, Private Units and Rights, 30 days after the consummation of the Initial Business Combination.
Related Party Loan
The Sponsor, an entity controlled by Winnie Lai Ling Ng, had committed to advance to the Company an aggregate of $175,000 on a non-interest bearing basis. All advances were repaid on October 6, 2014.
Expense Advance Agreement
All expenses incurred by the Company prior to an Initial Business Combination may be paid only from the net proceeds of the Public Offering and related private placements not held in the Trust Account.
Thus, in order to meet the Company’s working capital needs following the consummation of the Public Offering if the funds not held in the Trust Account and interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account available to the Company are insufficient, the Sponsor, an affiliate of the Sponsor or the Company’s officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan the Company funds, from time to time or at any time, in whatever amount they deem reasonable in their sole discretion. Each loan would be evidenced by a promissory note. The notes would either be paid upon consummation of an Initial Business Combination, without interest, or, at the lender’s discretion, up to $500,000 of the notes may be converted upon consummation of an business combination into additional Insider Units at a price of $10.00 per unit (which, for example, would result in the holders being issued 55,000 ordinary shares if $500,000 of notes were so converted since the 50,000 rights included in the Insider Units would result in the issuance of 5,000 ordinary shares upon the closing of an Initial Business Combination as well as 50,000 warrants to purchase 25,000 shares). The Company’s shareholders have approved the issuance of the ordinary shares upon conversion of such notes, to the extent the holder wishes to so convert them at the time of the consummation of an Initial Business Combination. If we do not complete an Initial Business Combination, the loans will only be repaid with funds not held in the Trust Account, to the extent available.
Administrative Service Agreement
The Company agreed to pay an aggregate of $10,000 a month for office space and general and administrative services to the Sponsor commencing on October 1, 2014 and will terminate upon the earlier of: (i) the consummation of an Initial Business Combination; or (ii) the liquidation of the Company. During the year ended March 31, 2015 the Company paid an aggregate of $60,000 under the Administrative Services Agreement.
DT ASIA INVESTMENTS LIMITED
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
For the period from April 8, 2014 to March 31, 2015
Note 5 - Cash and Investment held in Trust Account
As of October 21, 2014, investment securities in the Company’s Trust Account consisted of $69,972,030 in United States Treasury Bills and $615 in cash. As of March 31, 2015, investment securities in the Company’s Trust Account consisted of $69,983,829 in United States Treasury Bills and $615 in cash. The Company classifies its United States Treasury and equivalent securities as held-to-maturity in accordance with FASB ASC 320 “Investments - Debt and Equity Securities”. Held-to-maturity treasury securities are recorded at amortized cost on the accompanying March 31, 2015 balance sheet and adjusted for the amortization or accretion of premiums or discounts. The carrying value, excluding gross unrealized holding gain and fair value of held to maturity securities on March 31, 2015 is as follows:
Note 6 - Commitments and Contingencies
Deferred Legal Fees
The Company has committed to pay its attorneys a deferred legal fee of $100,000 upon the consummation of the Initial Business Combination relating to services performed in connection with the Public Offering. This amount has been accrued in the accompanying financial statements.
Underwriters M&A Engagement
The Company agreed to engage EBC as an investment banker in connection with its Initial Business Combination to provide it with assistance in negotiating and structuring the terms of the Initial Business Combination. The Company anticipates that these services will include holding meetings with the Company’s shareholders to discuss the potential Initial Business Combination and the target business’ attributes, introducing the Company to potential investors that are interested in purchasing the Company’s securities, assisting the Company in obtaining shareholder approval for the Initial Business Combination and assisting the Company with its press releases and public filings in connection with the Initial Business Combination. The Company will pay EBC a fee pursuant to such agreement upon the consummation of the Initial Business Combination in an amount equal to 4% of the total gross proceeds raised in the Public Offering (approximately $2,400,000). The Company will have the option to pay up to 25% of the aforementioned fee in Shares at $10.00 per Share.
Note 7 - Stockholders’ Equity
Ordinary Shares
The Company is authorized to issue unlimited ordinary shares. Holders of the Company’s ordinary shares are entitled to one vote for each share. As of March 31, 2015, there were 8,927,331 ordinary shares issued and outstanding (including 6,388,104 shares subject to possible redemption).
Preferred Shares
The Company is authorized to issue unlimited preferred shares, in one or more series, with such designations, voting and other rights and preferences as may be determined from time to time by the board of directors. As of March 31, 2015, the Company has not issued any shares of preferred shares.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this Report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
May 7, 2015
DT ASIA INVESTMENTS LIMITED
/s/ Stephen N. Cannon
Name: Stephen N. Cannon
Title: Chief Executive Officer, President and Director
(Principal Executive Officer)
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this Report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Name
Position
Date
/s/ Stephen N. Cannon
Chief Executive Officer, President and Director
May 7, 2015
Stephen N. Cannon
(Principal Executive Officer, Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)
/s/ Emily Chui-Hung Tong
Chairman of the Board of Directors
May 7, 2015
Emily Chui-Hung Tong
/s/ Haibin Wang
Director
May 7, 2015
Haibin Wang
/s/ Foelan Wong
Director
May 7, 2015
Foelan Wong
/s/ Hai Wang
Director
May 7, 2015
Hai Wang
/s/ Jason Kon Man Wong
Director
May 7, 2015
Jason Kon Man Wong