Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc S-1, filed Apr 7, 2023
Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc. (CTNT)
As filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on April 7, 2023
Registration No. 333-[●]
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM S-1
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
CHEETAH NET SUPPLY CHAIN SERVICE INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| North Carolina | 5010 | 81-3509120 | ||
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(Primary Standard Industrial Classification Code Number) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
6201 Fairview Road, Suite 225
Charlotte, North Carolina, 28210
(704) 972-0209
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)
Huan Liu
Chief Executive Officer
Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc.
6201 Fairview Road, Suite 225
Charlotte, North Carolina, 28210
(704) 972-0209
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
With a Copy to:
Ying Li, Esq. Guillaume de Sampigny, Esq. Hunter Taubman Fischer & Li
LLC |
Mitchell S. Nussbaum, Esq. Angela Dowd, Esq. Loeb & Loeb LLP 345 Park Avenue New York, NY 10154 212-407-4000 |
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: Promptly after the effective date of this registration statement.
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933 check the following box. x
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ¨
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering ¨
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering ¨
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
| Large accelerated filer ¨ | Accelerated filer | ¨ |
| Non-accelerated filer x | Smaller reporting company | x |
| Emerging growth company | x |
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards† provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act ¨
The Registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or until the registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to such Section 8(a), may determine.
EXPLANATORY NOTE
This Registration Statement contains two prospectuses, as set forth below:
| ● | a prospectus to be used for the public offering of [●](1) shares of Class A common stock of the Registrant (the “Public Offering Prospectus”) through the underwriters named on the cover page of the Public Offering Prospectus; and | |
| ● | a prospectus to be used for the resale by the selling stockholders set forth therein of 1,666,000 shares of Class A common stock of the Registrant (the “Resale Prospectus”). |
The Resale Prospectus is substantively identical to the Public Offering Prospectus, except for the following principal points:
| ● | they contain different outside and inside front covers and back covers; | |
| ● | they contain different Offering sections in the Prospectus Summary section; | |
| ● | they contain different Use of Proceeds sections; | |
| ● | a Selling Stockholders section is included in the Resale Prospectus; | |
| ● | a Selling Stockholders Plan of Distribution is included in the Resale Prospectus; and | |
| ● | the Legal Matters section in the Resale Prospectus deletes the reference to counsel for the underwriters. |
The Registrant has included in this Registration Statement a set of alternate pages after the back cover page of the Public Offering Prospectus (the “Alternate Pages”) to reflect the foregoing differences in the Resale Prospectus as compared to the Public Offering Prospectus. The Public Offering Prospectus will exclude the Alternate Pages and will be used for the public offering by the Registrant. The Resale Prospectus will be substantively identical to the Public Offering Prospectus except for the addition or substitution of the Alternate Pages and will be used for the resale offering by the selling stockholders.
| (1) | Assumes the underwriters’ over-allotment option has not been exercised. |
| The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell the securities until the registration statement filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting any offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where such offer or sale is not permitted. |
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION
PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS DATED APRIL 7, 2023
[●] Shares of Class A Common Stock
CHEETAH NET SUPPLY CHAIN SERVICE INC.
This is an initial public offering on a firm commitment basis of our Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share. Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our Class A common stock. We expect the initial public offering price to be in the range of $[●] to $[●] per share.
We have reserved the symbol “CTNT” for purposes of listing our Class A common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market and have applied to list our Class A common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market. At this time, Nasdaq has not yet approved our application to list our Class A common stock. The closing of this offering is conditioned upon Nasdaq’s final approval of our listing application, and there is no guarantee or assurance that our Class A common stock will be approved for listing on Nasdaq.
As of the date of this prospectus, we have 8,416,000 shares of Class A common stock and 8,250,000 shares of Class B common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, issued and outstanding, respectively. Holders of Class A common stock and Class B common stock have the same rights except for voting and conversion rights. In respect of matters requiring the votes of stockholders, each share of Class A common stock is entitled to one vote, and each share of Class B common stock is entitled to 15 votes and is convertible into Class A common stock at any time after issuance at the option of the holder on a one-to-one basis. Class A common stock is not convertible into shares of any other class.
We are an “emerging growth company” as that term is used in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”) and, as such, have elected to comply with certain reduced public company reporting requirements for this prospectus and future filings. See “Prospectus Summary—Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company.”
Additionally, we are, and following the completion of this offering, will continue to be a “controlled company” as defined under Nasdaq Marketplace Rules 5615(c), because Huan Liu, our Chief Executive Officer and controlling stockholder will be able to exercise [●]% of the aggregate voting power of our issued and outstanding shares of Class A and Class B common stock and will be able to determine all matters requiring approval by our stockholders, immediately after the consummation of this offering, assuming the sales of [●] shares of Class A common stock we are offering, and no exercise of the Representative’s Warrants (defined below) or the underwriters’ over-allotment option. For further information, see “Principal Stockholders.” However, even if we are deemed as a “controlled company,” we do not intend to avail ourselves of the corporate governance exemptions afforded to a “controlled company” under the Nasdaq Marketplace Rules. See “Risk Factors” and “Management—Controlled Company.”
Investing in our Class A common stock involves a high degree of risk. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 9 of this prospectus.
| Per Share of Class A Common Stock | Total Without Over- Allotment Option | Total With Over- Allotment Option | ||||||||||
| Initial public offering price | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||
| Underwriters’ discounts(1) | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||
| Proceeds to our company before expenses(2) | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||
| (1) | Represents underwriting discounts equal to 7.0% per share of Class A common stock. |
| (2) | In addition to the underwriting discounts listed above, we have agreed to issue, upon closing of this offering, warrants to Maxim Group LLC, as representative of the several underwriters (the “Representative”), exercisable beginning from six months following the date of commencement of sales of the public offering and for a three-year period after the date of commencement of sales of our Class A common stock in this offering, entitling the Representative to purchase 5.0% of the total number of shares of Class A common stock sold in this offering (including any shares of Class A common stock sold as a result of the exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option) at a per share price equal to 125.0% of the public offering price (the “Representative’s Warrants”). The registration statement of which this prospectus is a part also covers the Representative’s Warrants and the Class A common stock issuable upon the exercise thereof. See “Underwriting” for additional information regarding total underwriter compensation.
We have granted the underwriters an option for a period of 45 days from the closing of this offering to purchase up to 15.0% of the total number of shares of Class A common stock to be offered by us pursuant to this offering (excluding shares of Class A common stock subject to this option), solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments, if any, at the public offering price less the underwriting discounts. If the underwriters exercise the option in full, the total underwriting discounts payable will be $[●], based on an assumed public offering price of $[●] per share of Class A common stock, which is the midpoint of the estimated initial public offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, and the total gross proceeds to us, before underwriting discounts and expenses, will be $[●]. |
The underwriters expect to deliver the shares of our Class A common stock against payment in U.S. dollars in New York, New York on or about [●], 2023.
Neither the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission nor any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
Maxim Group LLC
Prospectus dated [●], 2023
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS
We and the underwriters have not authorized anyone to provide any information or to make any representations other than those contained in this prospectus or in any free writing prospectuses prepared by us or on our behalf or to which we have referred you. We take no responsibility for and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. This prospectus is an offer to sell only the Class A common stock offered hereby, but only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so. We are not making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted or where the person making the offer or sale is not qualified to do so or to any person to whom it is not permitted to make such offer or sale. The information contained in this prospectus is current only as of the date on the front cover of the prospectus. Our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects may have changed since that date.
Conventions that Apply to this Prospectus
Unless otherwise indicated or the context requires otherwise, references in this prospectus to:
| ● | “4S Stores” are to automobile dealerships authorized by an automobile manufacturer to engage in the four businesses relating to sales, spare parts, service, and survey; | |
| ● | “Cheetah Net” are to Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc., a corporation that was incorporated under the laws of the State of North Carolina; | |
| ● | “customs clearance” are to the act of obtaining permission to export or import merchandise from one country into another; | |
| ● | “freight forwarder” are to an agent that arranges commercial transportation for goods. Freight forwarders usually do not handle the shipments themselves, but offer different modes of transport, including sea/ocean freight, rail freight, road transport, and air freight. In general, freight forwarders assume responsibility for consignments until they reach their destinations; | |
| ● | “letters of credit” are to an instrument of payment, issued by a buyer’s bank, that ensures payment to the seller; | |
| ● | “parallel-import vehicles” are to vehicles purchased by dealers directly from overseas markets and imported into the PRC for sale through channels other than manufacturers’ official distribution systems; | |
| ● | “U.S. dollars,” “USD,” “$,” and “dollars” are to the legal currency of the United States; and | |
| ● | “we,” “us,” “our,” “our Company,” or the “Company” are to Cheetah Net and its subsidiaries, as the case may be. |
Unless the context indicates otherwise, all information in this prospectus assumes no exercise by the underwriters of their over-allotment option.
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The following summary is qualified in its entirety by, and should be read in conjunction with, the more detailed information and financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. In addition to this summary, we urge you to read the entire prospectus carefully, especially the risks of investing in our Class A common stock, discussed under “Risk Factors,” before deciding whether to buy our Class A common stock.
Business Overview
Our Company
We are a supplier of parallel-import vehicles sourced in the U.S. to be sold in the PRC market. In the PRC, parallel-import vehicles refer to those purchased by dealers directly from overseas markets and imported for sale through channels other than brand manufacturers’ official distribution systems. To our knowledge, there are currently no U.S. federal or state laws, regulation, or rules on trade or export that prohibit the export of vehicles that will be parallel imported into foreign countries. Nonetheless, manufacturers and their distributors sometimes regard parallel-import vehicles as a competitor to their network of franchised dealerships, and thus may take measures to limit or reduce the opportunities for third parties, such as parallel-import vehicle dealers, to profit through leveraging the manufacturers’ different pricing strategies across the world. For example, they may add provisions in their sales agreements that restrict the export of the purchased automobiles, or they may build and update a database of customers who they suspect of purchasing vehicles for export (the “Suspect Customer Database”) and monitor and limit the sales of automobiles to those suspect customers. In China, sales of parallel-import vehicles have benefited from a series of related regulations and policies that have been promulgated by the PRC government since 2016, including “Several Opinions on Promoting Pilot Parallel Import of Automobiles,” “Opinions on Further Promoting the Development of Parallel Import of Automobiles,” and the “Circular on Several Measures for Invigorating Automobile Circulation and Promoting Automobile Consumption.” Such regulations and policies are in compliance with U.S. laws on trade and export. See “Business—Our Industry and Business Model.” We purchase automobiles, primarily luxury brands such as Mercedes, BMW, Porsche, Lexus, and Bentley, from the U.S. market and resell them to our customers, including both U.S. and PRC parallel-import car dealers. We derive profits primarily from the price difference between our buying and selling prices for parallel-import vehicles.
The primary driver for our industry is the continued growth of wealthy groups in China. The core of our business is the ability to identify the type of parallel-import vehicles that are in high demand and to procure them in a timely manner. Since our inception in 2016, our management has focused on building our procurement team. We procure our automobiles from U.S. automobile dealers via a network of independent contractors acting as purchasing agents on our behalf. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, we actively worked with 342 and 300 purchasing agents, respectively.
We believe that our corporate focus and dedication to the market, manifested in the size and sophistication of our purchasing agent team and our ability to source and train new purchasing agents, provides us with a significant marketing advantage and sets us apart from our competitors. Although we compete directly with many other companies that sell parallel-import vehicles to the PRC, most of our competitors are small family businesses that obtain U.S. cars through their family members or friends in the U.S. and therefore cannot guarantee a steady supply. We have developed a standardized system of recruiting, training, and managing a large number of professional purchasing agents, enabling us to sell on a recurring basis a large number of automobiles to the PRC market. Since purchasing agents work part-time and are paid on a commission basis, a high turnover rate poses a particular challenge for us, as agents may quit their jobs at any time without prior notice. Nonetheless, with our newly developed referral program that offers referral commissions to existing agents for each successfully closed transaction completed by a new agent whom they referred to us, we are currently able to maintain sufficient purchasing agents to meet our purchasing demand. As a result, we have become a reliable source of parallel-import vehicles and have built long-term relationships with multiple U.S. and PRC parallel-import car dealers, which have contributed significantly to our sales growth. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, we had an active customer base of 17 and eight dealers, respectively. Specifically, we had eight U.S. customers and nine PRC customers in 2022 and had four customers in each of the U.S. and the PRC in 2021. During the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, we sold 434 and 167 parallel-import vehicles to Chinese parallel-import car dealers, respectively. During the same period, we sold 29 and 220 parallel-import vehicles to our U.S. domestic customers, respectively.
We sold 463 and 387 vehicles during the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. For the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, we had total revenue of $55.2 million and $39.2 million, respectively, representing an increase of 40.7% from 2021 to 2022. We earned a net income of $0.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, compared to a net income of $1.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. Sales to the PRC market represent a significant part of our revenue. During the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, sales to the PRC market accounted for approximately 93.1% and 43.9% of our revenue, respectively. See “Risk Factors—Operational Risks—Sales to the PRC market represented approximately 93.1% and 43.9% of our revenue for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively, and we expect such sales to continue to represent a significant part of our revenue. Any negative impact to our ability to sell our products to customers based in China could materially and adversely affect our results of operations.”
Recent Development
To diversify our revenue and further leverage our in-depth expertise in the parallel-import vehicle industry, we launched our financial services to small- and medium-sized traders in the global supply chain industry (primarily other parallel-import vehicle suppliers) in October 2022. Our financial services are provided in the form of inventory financing, for which customers can use their cars as collateral, which will be stored in our warehouse or other locations designated by us, in exchange for a loan from us. Furthermore, we plan to launch our own warehousing and logistics systems within two years upon receiving the proceeds from this offering, which will create synergy with our parallel-import vehicle business and financial services.
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Competitive Strengths
We believe the following competitive strengths are essential for our success and differentiate us from our competitors:
| ● | in-depth industry experience and strong overseas procurement capability enabled by our sizable team of professional purchasing agents; | |
| ● | Scalable operation with systematic approach to procurement which drives better pricing for customers; and | |
| ● | a visionary and experienced management team with strong financial and operational expertise. |
Growth Strategies
We intend to develop our business and strengthen our brand loyalty by implementing the following strategies:
| ● | further develop financial services to small- and medium-sized entities in the global supply chain industry; | |
| ● | build warehouses and launch warehousing and logistics services; | |
| ● | further grow our purchasing agent team and customer base for the parallel-import vehicle business; and | |
| ● | pursue additional strategic and financially attractive acquisitions. |
Our Corporate Structure
We were formed on August 9, 2016 under the laws of the State of North Carolina as a limited liability company known as Yuan Qiu Business Group LLC (“Yuan Qiu”). On March 1, 2022, we filed articles of incorporation including articles of conversion with the Secretary of State of the State of North Carolina to convert from an LLC to a corporation, and changed our name to Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc. We also conduct business under the assumed name of “Elite Motor Group.”
The following diagram illustrates our corporate structure as of the date of this prospectus and upon completion of our initial public offering (“IPO”) based on a proposed number of [●] shares of Class A common stock being offered, assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option. For more details on our corporate history, please refer to “Business—Corporate History and Structure.”
Notes: The percentage of voting interest held by each of our stockholders is calculated on the basis that each holder of Class B common stock is entitled to 15 votes per share of Class B common stock and each holder of Class A common stock is entitled to one vote per share of Class A common stock.
| (1) | Represents 8,250,000 shares of Class B common stock indirectly held by Huan Liu, the 100% owner of FAIRVIEW EASTERN INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS LIMITED, as of the date of this prospectus. |
| (2) | Represents an aggregate of 8,416,000 shares of Class A common stock held by seven stockholders of Cheetah Net, each one of which holds less than 5% of our voting ownership interests, as of the date of this prospectus. |
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Our Securities
On July 11, 2022, our stockholders approved our amended and restated articles of incorporation for reclassification of our authorized shares of common stock into (i) 91,750,000 shares of Class A common stock and (ii) 8,250,000 shares of Class B common stock. Holders of both classes have the same rights except for voting and conversion rights. In respect of matters requiring a stockholder vote, each holder of Class A common stock is entitled to one vote per share of Class A common stock and each holder of Class B common stock is entitled to 15 votes per share of Class B common stock. Due to the voting power of Class B common stock, the holders of Class B common stock currently and may continue to have a concentration of voting power, which limits the ability of holders of Class A common stock to influence corporate matters. See “Risk Factors— Common Stock and Trading Risks—The dual class structure of our common stock has the effect of concentrating voting control with our Chief Executive Officer, and his interests may not be aligned with the interests of our other stockholders.” Shares of Class B common stock are convertible into shares of Class A common stock at any time after issuance at the option of the holder on a one-to-one basis. Shares of Class A common stock are not convertible into shares of any other class. See “Description of Share Capital.”
Unless the context requires otherwise, all references to the number of shares of Class A and Class B common stock to be outstanding after this offering is based on 8,416,000 shares of Class A common stock and 8,250,000 shares of Class B common stock issued and outstanding as of the date of this prospectus.
Corporate Information
Our principal executive offices are located at 6201 Fairview Road, Suite 225, Charlotte, North Carolina, 28210. Our telephone number at our principal executive office is (704) 972-0209. Our corporate website is https://www.cheetah-net.com. The information on our corporate website is not part of, and is not incorporated by reference into, this prospectus.
Summary of Risk Factors
Investing in our Class A common stock involves significant risks. You should carefully consider all of the information in this prospectus before making an investment in our Class A common stock. Below please find a summary of the principal risks we face, organized under relevant headings. These risks are discussed more fully in the section titled “Risk Factors.”
Economic, Political, and Market Risks (for a more detailed discussion, see “Risk Factors—Economic, Political, and Market Risks” beginning on page 9 of this prospectus)
Risks and uncertainties related to our business include, but are not limited to, the following:
| ● | Changes in consumer demand in the PRC market towards fuel-efficient vehicles and electric vehicles, or a general declining purchasing power of PRC consumers, could adversely affect our vehicle sales volumes and our results of operations (see page 10 of this prospectus); | |
| ● | The PRC government policies on the purchase and ownership of automobiles and stricter emission standards, may reduce the market demand for the automobiles we sell and thus negatively affect our business and growth prospects (see page 10 of this prospectus); | |
| ● | We facilitate the import of automobiles of foreign brands into the PRC market as parallel-import vehicles, and any adverse change in political relations between the PRC and the U.S. or any other country where those brands originate, including the ongoing trade conflicts between the U.S. and the PRC, may negatively affect our business (see page 11 of this prospectus); and | |
| ● | We are currently operating in a period of economic uncertainty and capital markets disruption, which has been significantly impacted by geopolitical instability due to the ongoing military conflict between Russia and Ukraine and the increasingly strained relationship between the U.S. and China. Our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected by any negative impact on the global economy and capital markets resulting from the conflict in Ukraine or any other geopolitical tensions (see page 11 of this prospectus). |
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Operational Risks (for a more detailed discussion, see “Risk Factors—Operational Risks” beginning on page 13 of this prospectus)
Risks and uncertainties related to our business include, but are not limited to, the following:
| ● | Our engagement of independent contractors, who serve as purchasing agents to acquire automobiles from U.S. dealers, exposes us to risks beyond our control (see page 13 of this prospectus); | |
| ● | Each of our purchasing agents can usually perform only a limited number of purchases before being recorded in the dealers’ Suspect Customer Database. To that end, we must maintain a sufficient number of purchasing agents for procurement, and if these purchasing agents are unable or unwilling to continue in their present positions, or if we fail to recruit and maintain a sufficient number of new purchasing agents to meet our purchasing demand, our business may be severely disrupted (see page 13 of this prospectus); | |
| ● | We may be subject to losses, penalties, expenses, and damages for indemnifying purchasing agents for losses arising from breach of contract resulting from reselling the automobiles to us for export (see page 14 of this prospectus); | |
| ● | Our business may rely on a few customers that account for more than 10% of our total purchases, and interruption in their operations may have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations (see page 14 of this prospectus); | |
| ● | Sales to the PRC market represented approximately 93.1% and 43.9% of our revenue for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively, and we expect such sales to continue to represent a significant part of our revenue. Any negative impact to our ability to sell our products to our PRC customers could materially and adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition (see page 15 of this prospectus); | |
| ● | We may not be able to manage our inventories effectively, which may affect our operations and financial results (see page 15 of this prospectus); | |
| ● | We recently launched our financial services and plan to provide our warehousing and logistics services, some or all of which may not succeed, and may adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations (see page 15 of this prospectus); | |
| ● | The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has adversely impacted our business, results of operations, and cash flows (see page 16 of this prospectus); | |
| ● | Our business and results of operations may be affected by product defects, vehicle recalls, and warranty claims (see page 16 of this prospectus); | |
| ● | Any negative publicity about us, our products and services, and our management may materially and adversely affect our reputation and business (see page 17 of this prospectus); | |
| ● | If we fail to attract, recruit, or retain our key personnel, including our executive officers, senior management, and key employees, our ongoing operations and growth could be affected (see page 19 of this prospectus); and | |
| ● | Future acquisitions may have an adverse effect on our ability to manage our business (see page 20 of this prospectus). |
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Legal, Regulatory, and Compliance Risks (for a more detailed discussion, see “Risk Factors—Legal, Regulatory, and Compliance Risks” beginning on page 20 of this prospectus)
Risks and uncertainties related to our business include, but are not limited to, the following:
| ● | We are subject to automotive and other laws and regulations in the U.S., which, if we are found to have violated, may adversely affect our business and results of operations (see page 20 of this prospectus); | |
| ● | Non-compliance with laws and regulations on the part of any third parties with which we conduct business could expose us to legal expenses, compensation to third parties, penalties, and disruptions of our business, which may adversely affect our results of operations and financial performance (see page 20 of this prospectus); | |
| ● | Third parties may claim that we infringe their proprietary intellectual property rights, which could cause us to incur significant legal expenses and prevent us from promoting our services (see page 21 of this prospectus); and | |
| ● | We may from time to time be subject to claims, controversies, lawsuits, and legal proceedings, which could adversely affect our business, prospects, results of operations, and financial condition (see page 21 of this prospectus). |
Common Stock and Trading Risks (for a more detailed discussion, see “Risk Factors—Common Stock and Trading Risks” beginning on page 22 of this prospectus)
In addition to the risks described above, we are subject to general risks and uncertainties relating to this offering and the trading market, including, but not limited to, the following:
| ● | There has been no public market for our Class A common stock prior to this offering, and you may not be able to resell our Class A common stock at or above the price you pay for them, or at all (see page 22 of this prospectus); | |
| ● | You will experience immediate and substantial dilution in the net tangible book value of Class A common stock purchased in this offering (see page 22 of this prospectus); | |
| ● | If we fail to implement and maintain an effective system of internal controls or fail to remediate the material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting that have been identified, we may fail to meet our reporting obligations or be unable to accurately report our results of operations or prevent fraud, and investor confidence and the market price of our Class A common stock may be materially and adversely affected (see page 22 of this prospectus); | |
| ● | The dual class structure of our common stock has the effect of concentrating voting control with our Chief Executive Officer, and his interests may not be aligned with the interests of our other stockholders (see page 24 of this prospectus); and | |
| ● | The market price of our Class A common stock may be volatile or may decline regardless of our operating performance, and you may not be able to resell your shares at or above the initial public offering price (see page 25 of this prospectus). |
Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Our Operations and Financial Performance
During the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic had a material impact on our financial positions and operating results. First, the COVID-19 pandemic restricted our purchasing agents in the United States from freely purchasing designated automobiles at U.S. automobile dealerships, either because of the short supply of vehicles or because of store closings or limited opening hours due to the pandemic. Second, the COVID-19 pandemic adversely affected the market demand for our products. Due to the implementation of significant governmental measures in the PRC intended to control the spread of the virus, including lockdowns, closures, quarantines, and travel bans, parallel-import vehicle consumers are less willing to spend and their purchasing power has declined. Consequently, the market demand for luxury cars, which make up the vast majority of our inventory, has decreased dramatically.
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In early December 2022, the PRC government announced a nationwide relaxation of its zero-COVID policy, resulting in a surge in COVID-19 infections across the PRC after related restrictions were lifted. Although the spread of COVID-19 appears to be under control currently, the extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic may impact our future financial results will depend on future developments, such as new information on the effectiveness of the mitigation strategies, the duration, spread, severity, and recurrence of COVID-19 and any COVID-19 variants, the related travel advisories and restrictions, the overall impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global economy and capital markets, and the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines, which may also take extended time to be widely and adequately distributed, all of which remain highly uncertain and unpredictable. Given this uncertainty, we are currently unable to quantify the expected impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our future operations, financial condition, liquidity, and results of operations if the current situation continues.
See “Risk Factors—Operational Risks—The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has adversely impacted our business, results of operations, and cash flows” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Business Overview—COVID-19 Affecting Our Results of Operations.”
Implications of Being an “Emerging Growth Company”
As a company with less than $1.235 billion in revenue during our last fiscal year, we qualify as an “emerging growth company” as defined in the JOBS Act. An “emerging growth company” may take advantage of reduced reporting requirements that are otherwise applicable to larger public companies. In particular, as an emerging growth company, we:
| ● | may present only two years of audited financial statements and only two years of related Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations; |
| ● | are not required to provide a detailed narrative disclosure discussing our compensation principles, objectives, and elements and analyzing how those elements fit with our principles and objectives, which is commonly referred to as “compensation discussion and analysis”; |
| ● | are not required to obtain an attestation and report from our auditors on our management’s assessment of our internal control over financial reporting pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002; |
| ● | are not required to obtain a non-binding advisory vote from our stockholders on executive compensation or golden parachute arrangements (commonly referred to as the “say-on-pay,” “say-on frequency,” and “say-on-golden-parachute” votes); |
| ● | are exempt from certain executive compensation disclosure provisions requiring a pay-for-performance graph and CEO pay ratio disclosure; and |
| ● | are eligible to claim longer phase-in periods for the adoption of new or revised financial accounting standards under §107 of the JOBS Act. |
We intend to take advantage of all of these reduced reporting requirements and exemptions, including the longer phase-in periods for the adoption of new or revised financial accounting standards under §107 of the JOBS Act. Our election to use the phase-in periods may make it difficult to compare our financial statements to those of non-emerging growth companies and other emerging growth companies that have opted out of the phase-in periods under §107 of the JOBS Act.
Under the JOBS Act, we may take advantage of the above-described reduced reporting requirements and exemptions until we no longer meet the definition of an emerging growth company. The JOBS Act provides that we would cease to be an “emerging growth company” at the end of the fiscal year in which the fifth anniversary of our initial sale of common equity pursuant to a registration statement declared effective under the Securities Act occurred, if we have more than $1.235 billion in annual revenue, have more than $700 million in market value of our Class A common stock held by non-affiliates, or issue more than $1 billion in principal amount of non-convertible debt over a three-year period.
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| Shares of common stock offered | [●] shares of Class A common stock (or [●] shares of Class A common stock if the underwriters exercise the option to purchase additional shares in full) | |
| Price per share | We currently estimate that the initial public offering price will be in the range of $[●] to $[●] per share of Class A common stock. | |
| Shares of common stock outstanding prior to completion of this offering | 8,416,000 shares of Class A common stock; 8,250,000 shares of Class B common stock | |
| Shares of common stock outstanding immediately after this offering | [●] shares of common stock including (i) [●] shares of Class A common stock and (ii) 8,250,000 shares of Class B common stock assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option and excluding [●] shares of Class A common stock underlying the Representative’s Warrants
[●] shares of common stock including (i) [●] shares of Class A common stock and (ii) 8,250,000 shares of Class B common stock, assuming full exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option and excluding [●] shares of Class A common stock underlying the Representative’s Warrants | |
| Listing | We have applied to have our Class A common stock listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market. At this time, Nasdaq has not yet approved our application to list our Class A common stock. The closing of this offering is conditioned upon Nasdaq’s final approval of our listing application, and there is no guarantee or assurance that our Class A common stock will be approved for listing on Nasdaq. | |
| Proposed ticker symbol | “CTNT” | |
| Transfer Agent | Vstock Transfer, LLC | |
| Over-allotment Option | We have granted to the underwriters an option, exercisable within 45 days from the closing of this offering, to purchase up to an aggregate of [●] additional shares of our Class A common stock. | |
| Use of proceeds | We intend to use the proceeds from this offering to fund working capital and for other general corporate purposes in support of our current business to supply parallel-import vehicles sourced in the U.S. to be sold in the PRC market, develop warehousing and logistics services, develop financial services, and develop and improve technology relating to an online platform that facilitates financial, warehousing, and logistics services. See “Use of Proceeds” on page 29 for more information. | |
| Lock-up | We, all of our directors and officers, and our principal stockholders (5% or more stockholders), except those selling stockholders identified in the Resale Prospectus, have agreed with the underwriters, subject to certain exceptions, not to offer, issue, sell, contract to sell, encumber, grant any option for the sale of, or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, any of our common stock or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for our common stock for a period of six months from the date of this prospectus. See “Shares Eligible for Future Sale” and “Underwriting” for more information. | |
| Risk factors | The Class A common stock offered hereby involve a high degree of risk. You should read “Risk Factors,” beginning on page 9 for a discussion of factors to consider before deciding to invest in our Class A common stock. | |
| Representative’s Warrants | We will issue to Maxim Group, LLC, the Representative, upon the closing of this offering, compensation warrants, or the Representative’s Warrants, entitling the Representative to purchase [●] shares of Class A common stock, representing 5.0% of the aggregate number of shares of Class A common stock issued in this offering, including any shares issued pursuant to the exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option, at an exercise price per share equal to 125% of the initial public offering price per share. The Representative’s Warrants will have a term of three years from the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part and may be exercised commencing 180 days following the effective date of this registration statement. The Representative’s Warrants may be exercised on a cash or cashless basis. This prospectus also relates to the offering of the [●] shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the Representative’s Warrants. Please see “Underwriting—The Representative’s Warrants” for a description of these warrants. |
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An investment in our Class A common stock involves a high degree of risk. Before deciding whether to invest in our Class A common stock, you should consider carefully the risks described below, together with all of the other information set forth in this prospectus, including the section titled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our consolidated financial statements and related notes. If any of these risks actually occurs, our business, financial condition, results of operations, or cash flow could be materially and adversely affected, which could cause the trading price of our Class A common stock to decline, resulting in a loss of all or part of your investment. The risks described below and discussed in other parts of this prospectus are not the only ones that we face. Additional risks not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also affect our business. You should only consider investing in our Class A common stock if you can bear the risk of loss of your entire investment.
Economic, Political, and Market Risks
Availability and demand for our products and services may be adversely impacted by economic conditions and other factors.
Currently, we derive almost all of our revenue through the sale of parallel-import vehicles. In particular, we purchase automobiles from the U.S. market via a large team of professional purchasing agents, and resell them to our customers, including both U.S. and PRC parallel-import car dealers. The parallel-import vehicle dealership industry is influenced by general economic conditions, the level of personal discretionary spending, interest rates, exchange rates, fuel prices, supply conditions, and consumer transportation preferences. Uncertainty in the economy can negatively impact consumer spending. Since the first quarter of 2020, there has been a worldwide impact from the COVID-19 pandemic. Global trade conditions that originated during the pandemic continue to persist and may also have long-lasting adverse impacts on us and our industry, independently of the progress of the pandemic. For example, pandemic-related issues have exacerbated port congestion and caused intermittent supplier shutdowns and delays. Increased demand for personal electronics has created a shortfall of semiconductor chips, which in turn, has also adversely impacted the production of new vehicles, parts, and other supplies, reducing vehicle inventories in the U.S. market and increasing new vehicle prices as a result. In addition, local economic, competitive, and other conditions in the PRC affect the performance of Chinese parallel-import vehicle dears, who are our customers. Our operations are heavily influenced by the general economic conditions and consumer spending habits in the PRC market into which our vehicles are ultimately exported.
We are in the relatively competitive parallel-import vehicle dealership industry, and we may not be able to compete successfully against existing or new competitors, which could reduce our market share and adversely affect our competitive position and financial performance.
The parallel-import vehicle dealership industry in the U.S. is relatively competitive and rapidly evolving, with many new companies joining the competition in recent years. We compete directly with other companies that sell parallel-import vehicles to the PRC, although most of our competitors are small family businesses that obtain U.S. cars through their family members or friends in the U.S. Competition can be increasingly intense and is expected to increase significantly in the future. The increased competition may lead to price reductions for vehicle sales, which may result in reduced margins and a loss of market share for us. We compete with other competitors on the following bases:
| ● | brand recognition; |
| ● | quality of services; |
| ● | effectiveness of sales and marketing efforts; |
| ● | pricing and discount policies; and |
| ● | hiring and retention of talented staff. |
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Our competitors may operate with different business models, have different cost structures, and may ultimately prove to be more successful or more adaptable to new regulatory, technological, and other developments. They may in the future achieve greater market acceptance and recognition and gain a greater market share. It is also possible that potential competitors may emerge and acquire a significant market share. If existing or potential competitors develop or offer services that provide significant performance, price, creative optimization, or other advantages over those offered by us, our business, results of operations, and financial condition would be negatively affected. Our existing and potential competitors may enjoy competitive advantages over us, such as longer operating history, greater brand recognition, larger client base, and better value-added services such as providing financial services for customers’ vehicle purchases. We may lose clients if we fail to compete successfully, which could adversely affect our financial performance and business prospects. We cannot guarantee that our strategies will remain competitive or successful in the future. Increasing competition may result in pricing pressure and loss of our market share, either of which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
Changes in consumer demand in the PRC market towards fuel-efficient vehicles and electric vehicles, or a general declining purchasing power of PRC consumers, could adversely affect our vehicle sales volumes and our results of operations.
We primarily generate revenue from the sale of vehicles to both U.S. and PRC parallel-import car dealers, who in turn resell those vehicles to end consumers in the PRC. As such, our sales are highly dependent on the Chinese consumers’ demand. Volatile fuel prices have affected and may continue to affect the Chinese consumers’ preferences in connection with the sales of our vehicles. With rising fuel prices, consumers are less likely to purchase large, expensive vehicles, such as sport utility vehicles or luxury automobiles, and more likely to purchase smaller, less expensive, and more fuel-efficient vehicles. Lower fuel prices, on the other hand, could have the opposite effect. As of December 31, 2022, 12 out of 13 models in our inventory were in the luxury automobile brand segment, including Mercedes GLS450, BMW X7, Porsche Cayenne, and Lexus LX600. See “Business—Brands We Supply.” As such, we could suffer a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations if fuel prices rise sharply. Fuel prices, improvements in electric vehicles, and more electric vehicle options have all contributed to increased consumer demand for fuel-efficient and electric vehicles. As the demand for electric vehicles rises, we may need to adapt by selling more fuel-efficient cars or electric vehicles. In the event that we are unable to meet the consumer demand, our vehicle sales volumes and operating results may be adversely affected. Additionally, as we currently focus on luxury vehicle brands, our operations depend largely on the purchasing power of PRC consumers. The adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the implementation of restrictive governmental measures intended to control the spread of the virus (such as lockdowns, closures, quarantines, and travel bans), have imposed significant challenges to China’s economy, which have caused, and may continue to cause, a declining purchasing power of PRC consumers. In the event that the purchasing power of the PRC consumers continue to decline, and if we are unable to find substitute demand for our vehicles, our business, financial condition, and results of operations may be adversely affected.
The PRC government policies on the purchase and ownership of automobiles and stricter emission standards, may reduce the market demand for the automobiles we sell and thus negatively affect our business and growth prospects.
The PRC government policies on automobile purchase and ownership may negatively affect our business and growth prospects because of their influence on our end consumer’s purchasing behavior. For example, to curb urban traffic congestion, certain cities in the PRC, such as Beijing, have adopted urban regulations and ordinances that limit new automobile registration or restrict automobile use. Specifically, the Beijing municipal government has issued a number of measures effective December 23, 2010 to limit the number of new license plates to be issued each year. These and any future anti-congestion ordinances in China, which is our ultimate market, may restrict the ability of our end consumers to purchase automobiles and in turn reduce customer demand for automobiles.
Furthermore, the PRC government has recently promulgated laws, regulations, and policies to reduce automobile emissions. For example, on July 1, 2020, the PRC government began implementing the “Light Vehicle Pollutant Emission Limits and Measurement Methods (China Phase VI),” also known as the “National VI” emission standards for automobiles (the “National VI Standards”). In comparison to the National V requirements, this standard sets the most stringent emissions limit ever, requiring a 50% reduction in carbon monoxide emissions, total hydrocarbons, and total non-methane hydrocarbon emissions. Due to the implementation of the National VI Emission Standards in 2020, the importation of “National V” light vehicles was banned from July 1, 2020, and the sale of “National V” vehicles was prohibited from January 1, 2021. As the National VI Standards came out, the parallel-import vehicle market suffered a significant decline from July 2020 to June 2021. Due to the non-authorized nature of parallel-import vehicles (that is, parallel-import vehicles are imported into the PRC market for sale through channels other than brand manufacturers’ official distribution systems), dealers of parallel-import cars usually could not provide information that only the car manufacturers could provide, and are thus unable to obtain the emission standard verification and the so-called “environmental protection information with the car list,” which are required for the parallel importation of the vehicles. Such policies also substantially reduced the market demand for the types and models of the parallel-import vehicles we sell, which are generally less fuel-efficient. It took a long time for the entire industry to explore new import methods to solve issues on environmental testing, import customs clearance, and other related processes so that parallel-import vehicles could be imported and sold in the PRC market under the requirements of the National VI Standards. Car dealers were able to adopt new import methods and customs clearance procedures for the PRC market in July 2021 and the market reopened (the “Market Reopening”). There is no guarantee that the PRC government will not continue to issue stricter regulations and policies relating to emission standards for automobiles sold in the PRC, which may substantially reduce the market demand for our products. As a result, our financial condition, results of operations, and growth prospects may be adversely affected.
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We facilitate the import of automobiles of foreign brands into the PRC market as parallel-import vehicles, and any adverse change in political relations between the PRC and the U.S. or any other country where those brands originate, including the ongoing trade conflicts between the U.S. and the PRC, may negatively affect our business.
The brands of automobiles we procure include Mercedes, BMW, Porsche, Lexus, Bentley, and Toyota. See “Business—Brands We Supply.” These brands origin from different countries outside the PRC, and almost all of our vehicles are purchased from the U.S. market and sold to U.S. and PRC parallel-import vehicle dealers. In the event of any significant deterioration in the PRC’s relations with the U.S. or any other countries from which these brands originate, customers in the PRC may refrain from purchasing some of the brands we sell, or legislation may be enacted that would negatively affect our business interests in the PRC. For example, due to the increased tariffs caused by the ongoing trade conflicts between the U.S. and China, the costs of importing and exporting raw materials for automotive manufacturing and finished automobiles have increased. Consequently, we must raise the prices of our vehicles to cover the increase in costs. Given that we cannot predict what actions may ultimately be taken with respect to tariffs or trade relations between the U.S. and China, our supply chain, costs, and profitability may be negatively impacted by the adoption and expansion of trade restrictions, the continuation of the trade conflicts, or other government actions related to tariffs, trade agreements, or related policies. Increasing costs or decreasing availability could slow our growth and negatively affect our financial results and operational metrics.
We are currently operating in a period of economic uncertainty and capital markets disruption, which has been significantly impacted by geopolitical instability due to the ongoing military conflict between Russia and Ukraine and the increasingly strained relationship between the U.S. and China. Our business, financial condition, and results of operations could be materially adversely affected by any negative impact on the global economy and capital markets resulting from the conflict in Ukraine or any other geopolitical tensions.
U.S. and global markets are experiencing volatility and disruption following the escalation of geopolitical tensions and the start of the military conflict between Russia and Ukraine. On February 24, 2022, a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine by Russian troops was reported. Although the length and impact of the ongoing military conflict is highly unpredictable, the conflict in Ukraine could lead to continuing market disruptions, including significant volatility in commodity prices, credit and capital markets, as well as supply chain interruptions.
The recent military conflict in Ukraine has led to sanctions and other penalties being levied by the United States, European Union and other countries against Russia. Additional potential sanctions and penalties have also been proposed or threatened. Russian military actions and the resulting sanctions could adversely affect the global economy and financial markets and lead to instability and lack of liquidity in capital markets, potentially making it more difficult for us to obtain additional funds. Although our business has not been materially impacted by the ongoing military conflict between Russian and Ukraine to date, it is impossible to predict the extent to which our operations, or those of our suppliers and manufacturers, will be impacted in the short and long term, or the ways in which the conflict may impact our business. The extent and duration of the military action, sanctions and resulting market disruptions are impossible to predict, but could be substantial. Any such disruptions may also magnify the impact of other risks described in this prospectus. In addition, the U.S.-China relationship has recently faced a daunting challenge, contributing to geopolitical instability worldwide. Because our sales to the PRC market represent a significant part of our revenue, our business relies on a stable economic and political relationship between the U.S. and China. However, the tensions between the two countries have intensified since the COVID-19 pandemic, exemplified by the ongoing trade conflicts between U.S. and China, and there is significant uncertainty about the future relationship between the two countries with respect to trade policies, treaties, government regulations, and tariffs. A deteriorating relationship between the U.S. and China, or a prolonged stalemate between them, could materially adversely affect our business, results of operations, and financial condition.
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We may be adversely affected by the effects of inflation and a potential recession.
Inflation has the potential to adversely affect our liquidity, business, financial condition, and results of operations by increasing our overall cost structure, particularly if we are unable to achieve commensurate increases in the prices we charge our customers. The existence of inflation in the economy has resulted in, and may continue to result in, higher interest rates and capital costs, shipping costs, supply shortages, increased costs of labor, weakening exchange rates, and other similar effects. As a result of inflation, we have experienced and may continue to experience, cost increases. In addition, poor economic and market conditions, including a potential recession, may negatively impact market sentiment, decreasing the demand for automobiles, which would adversely affect our operating income and results of operations. If we are unable to take effective measures in a timely manner to mitigate the impact of the inflation as well as a potential recession, our business, financial condition, and results of operations could be adversely affected.
Our business, financial condition, and results of operations could be materially adversely affected if luxury car manufacturers decrease prices for vehicles sold in China’s market.
We purchase automobiles from the U.S. market and resell them to our customers, including both U.S. and PRC parallel-import car dealers. As of December 31, 2022, 12 out of 13 models in our inventory were in the luxury automobile brand segment, including Mercedes GLS450, BMW X7, Porsche Cayenne, and Lexus LX600. See “Business—Brands We Supply.” Our success depends, in large part, on a high demand for luxury automobiles from end consumers in the PRC, who prefer parallel-import vehicles because they are cheaper than automobiles of the same brand and model purchased from local distributors authorized by the luxury car manufacturers. However, if these luxury car manufacturers significantly reduce their selling prices for vehicles sold in the PRC market, the end consumers would be much less inclined to purchase parallel-import cars of the same brand and model. In the absence of consumer demand for parallel-import cars, our customers, both the U.S. and PRC parallel-import car dealers, may have to significantly reduce or cancel their orders, and, as a result, our business, financial condition, and results of operations may be adversely affected.
Fluctuations in exchange rates could have a material and adverse effect on our results of operations and the value of your investment.
During the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, our sales to the China market accounted for approximately 93.1% and 43.9% of our revenue, respectively. As our sales to PRC customers are denominated in Renminbi (“RMB”) and we procure almost all of our automobile inventory in USD, we face exposure to foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations.
The value of the RMB against USD may fluctuate and is affected by, among other things, changes in political and economic conditions and the foreign exchange policy adopted by the PRC government. On July 21, 2005, the PRC government changed its decade-old policy of pegging the value of the RMB to the U.S. dollar, and the RMB appreciated more than 20% against the U.S. dollar over the following three years. Between July 2008 and June 2010, this appreciation halted and the exchange rate between the RMB and the U.S. dollar remained within a narrow band. In August 2015, the People’s Bank of China (the “PBOC”) changed the way it calculates the mid-point price of the RMB against the USD, requiring the market-makers who submit for reference rates to consider the previous day’s closing spot rate, foreign-exchange demand and supply, as well as changes in major currency rates. In 2019, the RMB appreciated by approximately 1.9% against the U.S. dollar. In 2020, RMB appreciated by approximately 6.9% against the U.S. dollar. In 2021, RMB depreciated approximately 2.6% against the U.S. dollar. During the year ended December 31, 2022, RMB rapidly depreciated against the U.S. dollar by approximately 9%. It is difficult to predict how market forces or PRC or U.S. government policy, including any interest rate increases by the Federal Reserve, may impact the exchange rate between the RMB and the USD in the future. There remains significant international pressure on the PRC government to adopt a more flexible currency policy, including from the U.S. government, which has threatened to label China as a “currency manipulator,” which could result in greater fluctuation of the RMB against the USD. However, the PRC government may still at its discretion restrict access to foreign currencies for capital account or current account transactions in the future. Therefore, it is difficult to predict how market forces or government policies may impact the exchange rate between the RMB and the USD in the future. In addition, the PBOC regularly intervenes in the foreign exchange market to limit fluctuations in RMB exchange rates and achieve policy goals. To date, we have not entered into any hedging transactions in an effort to reduce our exposure to foreign currency exchange risk. While we may decide to enter into hedging transactions in the future, the availability and effectiveness of these hedges may be limited and we may not be able to adequately hedge our exposure or at all. If the exchange rate between the RMB and USD fluctuates in an unanticipated manner, our business, financial condition, and results of operations could be materially adversely affected.
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If the PRC government imposes further restrictions and limitations on our PRC customers’ ability to transfer or distribute cash from the PRC to the U.S., our business, financial condition, and results of operations could be materially adversely affected.
The PRC government has imposed controls on the convertibility of the RMB into foreign currencies and, in certain cases, the remittance of currency out of China. For instance, the Circular on Promoting the Reform of Foreign Exchange Management and Improving Authenticity and Compliance Review, or “SAFE Circular 3,” issued on January 26, 2017, provides that banks shall, when dealing with dividend remittance transactions from a domestic enterprise to its offshore shareholders of more than $50,000, review the relevant board resolutions, original tax filing form, and audited financial statements of such domestic enterprise based on the principle of genuine transaction. There is no guarantee that the PRC government will not further intervene or impose other restrictions on our PRC customers’ ability to transfer or distribute cash outside the PRC. In the event that the foreign exchange control system prevents our PRC customers from remitting their payments to the U.S., we may not be able to receive a substantial portion of our revenue. As a result, our business, financial condition, and results of operations may be adversely affected.
Operational Risks
Our engagement of independent contractors, who serve as purchasing agents to acquire automobiles from U.S. dealers, exposes us to risks beyond our control.
We procure our automobiles from U.S. automobile dealers through a team of third-party purchasing agents, who serve as independent contractors. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, we worked with approximately 342 and 300 purchasing agents, respectively. We typically enter into an independent contractor agreement with each agent, where the agent agrees to (i) acquire the automobile identified by our Company and promptly transfer possession of the automobile to us; (ii) diligently execute all documents related to the transfer of title and delivery of the automobile; (iii) deliver the automobile without any physical damage, including all purchasing documents, user manuals, window sticker, keys, spare tires, and interior carpets; and (iv) acknowledge that the automobile is at all times the sole property of our Company insofar as we fulfill our obligation to fund all related costs of purchasing the automobile and to pay/reimburse all fees owed pursuant to the independent contractor agreement. Pursuant to the independent contractor agreement, we are required to pay the purchasing agent a service fee calculated according to an agreed-upon payment structure specified in the agreement, which includes (i) a base fee ranging from $500 to $2,000, depending on the model of the purchased automobile, and (ii) an incentive bonus that amounts to 25% of any further discount achieved by the agent beyond the pre-determined benchmark discount required for the purchased automobile. Such agreement also includes liability exemption clauses providing that the purchasing agent shall not be liable for any fines or lawsuits imposed by dealerships or manufacturers due to export infractions or infringements and we agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the purchasing agent from and against any liability, losses, claims, costs, interests, penalties, expenses, and damages arising from any non-negligent execution of the role as purchasing agents on behalf of our Company. See “Business—Our Professional Purchasing Agents.” The purchasing agents are trained by our procurement specialists to negotiate for the best price with the U.S. dealers. While we have implemented a standardized system for recruiting, training, and managing professional purchasing agents, we cannot assure you that we will continue to maintain our cooperation with them at the same level, or at all. Such third-party purchasing agents are subject to their own unique operational and financial risks, which are beyond our control. If such third-party purchasing agents fail to function properly, or breach or terminate their cooperation with us, we will be required to find sufficient substitute purchasing agents to maintain our procurement operations. If we are unable to do so in a timely and cost-effective manner, our business, financial condition, and results of operations may be adversely affected.
Each of our purchasing agents can usually perform only a limited number of purchases before being recorded in the U.S. dealers’ Suspect Customer Database. To that end, we must maintain a sufficient number of purchasing agents for procurement, and if these purchasing agents are unable or unwilling to continue in their present positions, or if we fail to recruit and maintain a sufficient number of new purchasing agents to meet our purchasing demand, our business may be severely disrupted.
Although the PRC government has issued a series of policies to encourage the parallel import of vehicles into the PRC market and, currently, there are no U.S. federal or state laws, regulation, or rules on exports that prohibit the export of vehicles that will be parallel imported into foreign countries, U.S. automobile dealers are generally discouraged by brand manufacturers from selling certain of their vehicles for export outside the U.S., as this may negatively impact their overseas market share. As such, through collecting and analyzing exported vehicle data periodically, U.S. automobile dealers have built and are constantly updating their own Suspect Customer Database and, as a result, a purchasing agent who is on the Suspect Customer Database of a U.S. automobile dealer may be restricted or prohibited from purchasing certain models of new vehicles from that dealer for a period of time. As such, each purchasing agent can likely perform only a limited number of purchases before ending up on such Suspect Customer Database, which requires us to keep recruiting new purchasing agents to meet our purchasing demand. If we are unable to do so in a timely and cost-effective manner, we may lose our appeal to our customers as a stable parallel-import vehicle supplier as we may not be able to provide our customers with automobiles inventories with stable and large quantities. As a result, our business, financial condition, and results of operations may be adversely affected.
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We may be subject to losses, penalties, expenses, and damages for indemnifying purchasing agents for losses arising from breach of contract resulting from reselling the automobiles to us for export.
Because U.S. automobile dealers are generally discouraged by brand manufacturers from selling certain of their vehicles for export outside the U.S., it is possible that a purchasing agreement, entered into between U.S. dealers and our purchasing agents, may contain provisions that restrict the export of the purchased automobiles. As a result, U.S. manufacturers or dealers may sue the purchasing agents for breach of contract for reselling the automobiles to us for export. Accordingly, an independent contractor agreement entered into between a purchasing agent and our Company, typically includes liability exemption clauses providing that the purchasing agent shall not be liable for any fines or lawsuits imposed by dealerships or manufacturers due to export infractions or infringements and we agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the purchasing agent from and against any liability, losses, claims, costs, interests, penalties, expenses, and damages arising from any non-negligent execution of the role as purchasing agents on behalf of our Company. See “—Operational Risks—Our engagement of independent contractors, who serve as purchasing agents to acquire automobiles from U.S. dealers, exposes us to risks beyond our control” and “Business—Our Professional Purchasing Agents.” Accordingly, we may incur losses, penalties, expenses, and damages arising from a breach of contract claim or lawsuit. As of the date of this prospectus, we are not aware whether any of our purchasing agents has been recorded in any U.S. automobile dealer’s Suspect Customer Database, mainly because such database is proprietary to each dealer, and we do not have access to it. There is no assurance or guarantee that we will not suffer any losses, penalties, expenses, or damages resulting from any action, suit, proceeding, inquiry, arbitration, or litigation arising from any alleged export infractions in the foreseeable future, and if those incidents occur and if we are unable to limit such losses or damages to a certain level, our business, financial condition, and results of operations may be adversely affected.
Our business may rely on a few customers that account for more than 10% of our total purchase, and interruption in their operations may have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
During the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, we derived most of our revenue from a few customers. Specifically, for the year ended December 31, 2022, our three largest customers each accounted for 28.4%, 25.7%, and 10.9% of our total revenue, respectively. For the year ended December 31, 2021, our four largest clients accounted for 36.5%, 23.8%, 11.3%, and 10.3% of our total revenue, respectively. Pursuant to a typical sales contract entered into between our Company and a PRC customer, we are required to (i) load the designated automobiles on a vessel by the time of shipment specified in the contract at a U.S. port of loading; (ii) facilitate export customs clearance; (iii) provide the PRC customer with information about the designated automobiles, quantity, invoice amount, vessel name, and departure date, and provide a bill of lading, packaging list, commercial invoice, and other necessary documents; and (iv) ensure that the sold automobiles are new, whereas the PRC customer (i) is responsible for import customs clearance and other relevant import issues; (ii) is required to bear all costs and risks once the designated automobiles arrive at the designated port of destination in the PRC; and (iii) is responsible for arranging payment as specified in the contract. Similarly, our U.S. major customers also enter into sales agreements for each automobile sold with us. According to a typical sales agreement entered into between our Company and a U.S. major customer, we will (i) sell the designated automobile to the U.S. major customer for the amount specified in the agreement and certify that all of the information provided therein is true and accurate to the best of our knowledge; (ii) deliver the automobile to the warehouse requested by the U.S. major customer; and (iii) provide the automobile title within three weeks of the completion of the transaction. Meanwhile, the U.S. major customer acknowledges that the automobile described therein is sold “as is” and that there is no guarantee or warranty, expressed or implied, with respect to the sold automobile. We can lose a major customer due to a variety of factors, including our ability to provide a steady supply of parallel-import vehicles. Even though we have a strong record of performance, we cannot guarantee that we will continue to maintain the business cooperation with these major customers at the same level, or at all. If any significant customer terminates its relationship with us, we cannot assure you that we will be able to secure an alternative arrangement with a comparable customer in a timely manner, or at all. Losing one or more of these major customers could adversely affect our revenue and profitability.
We have a limited source of working capital and may need substantial additional financing. If we do not obtain substantial additional financing, our ability to execute our business plan as outlined in this prospectus will be impaired.
We currently have limited cash and working capital. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, we had cash of $58,381 and approximately $0.5 million, respectively, and had working capital of $2.3 million and a negative $0.2 million, respectively. We reported cash provided by operating activities of $2.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 and cash used in operating activities of $13.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. Given our history of limited sources of working capital, we may need substantial additional financing. As of December 31, 2022, our Company also recorded a total of approximately $11.3 million loans payable—including approximately $4.2 million loans payable from inventory financing and approximately $7.1 million loans payable from letter of credit financing (“LC financing”) and $0.7 million long-term borrowings from various financial institutions and third parties. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Liquidity and Capital Resources.” Although management expects that our Company will be able to continue making such borrowings based on our good credit history and well-established relationships with the lenders, there is no assurance that we will obtain financing on acceptable terms in a timely manner, or at all. In the event we are unable to obtain additional financing, we may have to significantly limit, or even terminate, our primary operations, or delay, reduce, or eliminate certain of our planned operations (including building warehousing and launching warehousing and logistics services), resulting in a complete loss of investment for our stockholders. Our inability to obtain financing on acceptable terms when needed may have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition, and prospects.
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Sales to the PRC market represented approximately 93.1% and 43.9% of our revenue for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively, and we expect such sales to continue to represent a significant part of our revenue. Any negative impact to our ability to sell our products to our PRC customers could materially and adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.
To date we have generated a significant portion of our revenue from sales to the PRC market. During the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, sales to the PRC market accounted for approximately 93.1% and 43.9% of our revenue, respectively. We expect such sales to continue to comprise a significant part of our revenue going forward. As a result, any unforeseen events or circumstances that negatively impact our ability to sell our products to our PRC customers would materially and adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition. These negative events and circumstances include, but may not be limited to, the following:
| ● | an economic downturn in China; | |
| ● | political instability that could adversely affect our ability to deliver our products to consumers in a timely fashion; | |
| ● | changes in laws and regulations, in particular those with little advance notice; | |
| ● | a deterioration of relations or disruption of trade with the U.S., such as anti-U.S. campaigns, and the boycott of U.S. products; | |
| ● | tariffs and other trade barriers which could make it more expensive for us to deliver our products to consumers; and | |
| ● | increases in shipping costs for our products or other service issues with our third-party shippers, such as global availability of shipping containers, and related labor and fuel costs. |
We may not be able to manage our inventories effectively, which may affect our operations and financial results.
Our business and financial condition depends on our ability to effectively manage our inventories, which may be subject to changing market conditions. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, inventories represented approximately 41% and 91% of our total current assets, respectively. To ensure adequate inventory, we must forecast inventory needs and expenses, and purchase automobiles sufficiently in advance through our purchasing agents. Our ability to accurately forecast demand for our automobiles could be affected by many factors, including the accuracy of the forecasts that we receive from our U.S. and PRC customers, a change in end-consumer demand for our automobiles, the emergence of new competitors, the COVID-19 pandemic, outbreaks of other epidemics, unanticipated changes in general market conditions, and a general weakening of economic conditions or consumer confidence. In the event that we understock inventories, we may be unable to satisfy customer demand on a timely basis, which may lead to damage to our brand and customer relationships, and adversely affect our revenue and operating results. On the other hand, inventory levels in excess of customer demand may result in insufficient cash flow, additional inventory maintenance costs, and inventory write-downs or write-offs, which would adversely affect our financial results, including our gross margin, and have a negative effect on our brand.
We recently launched our financial services in October 2022 and plan to provide our warehousing and logistics services, some or all of which may not succeed, and may adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
As an adjunct business opportunity to our parallel-import vehicle business and to broaden and diversify our revenue sources, we launched our financial services in October 2022 and plan to provide our own warehousing and logistics services after this offering. We plan to develop these services initially to support our core business of supplying luxury vehicles to be imported into the PRC, and thereafter to build economies of scale by providing these new services to small- and medium-sized companies exporting vehicles from the U.S. or those engaged in the import or export of other products between the U.S. and the PRC or other destinations around the world. However, we have relatively limited operating history and experience regarding these new services, and we may encounter difficulties as we advance our business operations, such as in marketing, selling, and deploying our financial services, maintaining our warehousing and logistics systems, and keeping pace with new technological trends and advances in the warehouse and logistics management.
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The warehousing and logistics industry is highly competitive. We will compete against major players in the market that have greater customer bases, volume, scale, resources, and market share than we do. Because convenience and reliability are a major concern for warehousing and logistics services users, they tend to select a brand with a relatively large market share and proven reputation. For that reason, we may incur substantial expenses in accruing, retaining and expanding our customer base through robust marketing campaigns and promotional activities, and we cannot assure you that these promotional efforts will be effective. With respect to our financial services, although we need not conduct extensive marketing campaigns to find new customers since we have existing contacts with our peers and Chinese parallel import car dealers who are interested in obtaining inventory financing from us, there is no assurance that our financial services will be successful because of our limited experience and operating history in this industry, as well as the substantial risk of delinquent debt. See “—We are subject to various risks associated with commercial lending business due to our limited operating history of our newly launched financial services, and it is difficult to accurately forecast the future operating results and evaluate the business prospects of our financial service business.” and “—Given that we have had negative cash flow in the past and we have historically funded our working capital needs primarily from financing activities, there is no assurance that we will achieve positive cash flow in the near future or at all.” We also plan to develop an online platform to facilitate our warehousing services, logistics services, and financial services, enabling us to automate and digitalize key steps of supply chain for our customers. These efforts, however, are costly and time-consuming, and may divert our resources from our parallel-import vehicle business. There can be no guarantee that these efforts will be successful and generate the expected return.
We are subject to various risks associated with commercial lending business due to our limited operating history of our newly launched financial services, and it is difficult to accurately forecast the future operating results and evaluate the business prospects of our financial service business.
As we launched our financial service business (commercial lending business) in October 2022, we only have a limited operating history. Our management may still be in the process of exploring approaches to running this line of business, which may affect the efficiency and results of our operations associated with our financial service business. Due to our limited operating history, our future performance may be more susceptible to certain risks than a company with a longer operating history in the commercial lending business. Many of the factors discussed below could adversely affect our business and prospects and future performance, including:
| · | our ability to comply with applicable laws, regulations, and rules regarding commercial lending (see “—Legal, Regulatory, and Compliance Risks—We are subject to automotive, commercial lending, and other laws and regulations in the U.S., which, if we are found to have violated, may adversely affect our business and results of operations” and “Business—Governmental Regulations”); | |
| · | our ability to obtain a license in order to engage in the business of making loans if we are required to obtain such a license in the future (see “Business—Governmental Regulations—Regulations Affecting Our Financial Services”); |
| · | our ability to maintain sufficient funds for commercial lending (see “—Operational Risks—Given that we have had negative cash flow in the past and we have historically funded our working capital needs primarily from financing activities, there is no assurance that we will achieve positive cash flow in the near future or at all”); |
| · | the continued growth and development of the commercial lending industry; |
| · | our ability to attract and retain long-term, quality customers with good credit and whether they can timely repay their borrowing from us; |
| · | our ability to properly maintain the automobiles used by our financial service customers as collateral for commercial loans before the loans are repaid (see “—Operational Risks—Our business and financial condition may be substantially harmed by inventory losses caused by theft, vandalism, or accidents during transportation and/or warehousing”); and |
| · | our ability to compete effectively with our competitors in the commercial lending industry. |
We may not be successful in addressing the risks and uncertainties listed above, among others, which may materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition, and future prospects.
Given that we have had negative cash flow in the past and we have historically funded our working capital needs primarily from financing activities, there is no assurance that we will achieve positive cash flow in the near future or at all.
As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, we had working capital of approximately $2.3 million and a negative working capital of $0.2 million, respectively. As the date of this prospectus, we have funded our working capital needs primarily from financing activities. Specifically, as of December 31, 2022, our Company had cash of approximately $58,000, and we recorded a total of approximately $11.3 million loans payable (including approximately $4.2 million loans payable from inventory financing and approximately $7.1 million loans payable from LC financing), and $0.7 million long-term borrowings from various financial institutions and third parties.
Our newly launched financial services, in which we provide commercial lending to our customers, do not violate any of our loan agreements with our debtors. However, given that our business typically requires significant amounts of working capital to support our procurement of automobiles and provision of commercial lending, there is no assurance that we will achieve positive cash flow in the near future or at all, as we expect to continually expand our two lines of businesses. An inability to generate positive cash flow for the near term may adversely affect our ability to raise needed capital for our business on reasonable terms, diminish customer willingness to enter into transactions with us, and have other adverse effects that may decrease our long-term viability.
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has adversely impacted our business, results of operations, and cash flows.
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the implementation of significant governmental measures, including lockdowns, closures, quarantines, and travel bans, intended to control the spread of the virus. Such governmental actions, together with the development of the COVID-19 pandemic, could materially disrupt our business and operations, slow down the overall economy, curtail consumer spending, and make it difficult to adequately staff our operations.
During the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic had a material impact on our financial positions and operating results. First, the COVID-19 pandemic restricted our purchasing agents in the United States from freely purchasing designated automobiles at U.S. automobile dealerships, either due to the short supply of vehicles, store closings, or limited opening hours. Second, the COVID-19 pandemic adversely affected the market demand for our products. Specifically, people’s lifestyles have substantially changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the implementation of significant governmental measures in the PRC intended to control the spread of the virus, parallel-import vehicle consumers are less willing to spend and their purchasing power has declined. Consequently, the market demand for luxury cars, which make up the vast majority of our inventory due to their high margin per vehicle, has decreased dramatically.
In early December 2022, the PRC government announced a nationwide relaxation of its zero-COVID policy, resulting in a surge in COVID-19 infections across the PRC after related restrictions were lifted. Although the spread of COVID-19 appears to be under control currently, the extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic may impact our future financial results will depend on future developments, such as new information on the effectiveness of the mitigation strategies, the duration, spread, severity, and recurrence of COVID-19 and any COVID-19 variants, the related travel advisories and restrictions, the overall impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global economy and capital markets, and the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines, which may also take extended time to be widely and adequately distributed, all of which remain highly uncertain and unpredictable. Given this uncertainty, we are currently unable to quantify the expected impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our future operations, financial condition, liquidity, and results of operations if the current situation continues.
Our business and results of operations may be affected by product defects, vehicle recalls, warranty claims, and chip shortage.
Vehicle recalls are conducted by automobile brands from time to time to remedy product defects or other problems with one or more vehicle models. After we sell the vehicles to our customers including both the U.S. and PRC parallel-import car dealers, we are generally not liable for any costs associated with repairs or product recalls of the brands we sell. However, product defects or vehicle recalls may damage the reputation of automobile brands conducting such recalls and negatively affect customers’ confidence in the safety and quality of automobiles manufactured by such brands. Therefore, any recalls by such brands as BMW, Porsche, Lexus, Bentley, and Toyota, which are all brands we sell, may adversely affect our business, financial condition, and operating results. Additionally, because parallel-import vehicles in the PRC may not be eligible for the same level of warranty claims as those purchased from local distributors authorized by the brand, an increasing number of recalls or reports of product defects may encourage end consumers to purchase from local authorized dealers instead of Chinese parallel-import car dealers. This may in turn result in a decrease in demand for parallel-import vehicles, which may adversely impact our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
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Furthermore, due to a global semiconductor chip shortage, automobile manufacturers worldwide, including the brands we sell, produced and delivered fewer automobiles from 2020 through 2022 compared with previous years. The semiconductor chip shortage is impacting the automobile industry’s new vehicle production, which, in turn, has resulted in fewer automobiles available worldwide including in the U.S. market. As we purchase almost all of our automobile inventory from U.S. automobile dealerships, the continued global chip shortage has impacted and is likely to continue to impact, our ability to meet customer demand, by driving up the purchasing prices and causing the vehicle arrival time to be delayed. It is impossible to predict with certainty the duration of the semiconductor chip shortage or when normalized production will resume at these manufacturers. In the event that manufacturing levels of the brands we sell remain at current reduced levels or continue to decline, we may be unable to meet the immediate needs of our customers, resulting in a material and adverse impact on our financial and operating results.
Our business and results of operations may be harmed by the misconduct of authorized employees or third-party purchasing agents that have access to assets of our Company such as inventory, bank accounts, credit cards, and confidential information.
During the course of our business operations, some of our employees have access to certain valuable assets of our Company, such as automobile inventory, bank accounts, and confidential information. In the event of misconduct by such authorized employees, our Company could suffer significant losses. Employee misconduct may include misappropriating automobile inventory or bank accounts, falsifying inventory records or bank accounts, improper use or disclosure of confidential information to the public or our competitors, and failure to comply with our code of conduct or other policies or with federal or state laws or regulations regarding the use and safeguarding of classified or other protected information, import-export controls, and any other applicable laws or regulations. Third-party purchasing agent misconduct may include misappropriating automobile inventory or Company-issued credits cards, improper use or disclosure of confidential information to the public or our competitors, and failure to transfer the title of the purchased automobiles to our Company as required by the independent contractor agreement entered into between independent purchasing agents and our Company. See “Note 15—Commitments and Contingencies.” Although we have implemented policies, procedures, and controls to prevent and detect these activities, these precautions may not prevent all intentional or negligent misconduct, and as a result, we could face unknown risks or losses. For example, a purchasing agent usually pays the deposit to automobile dealers using a Company-issued credit card. See “Business—Services and Operational Flow—Procurement.” Although we have taken precautionary measures such as requesting each purchasing agent to sign a corporate card usage agreement to restrict the use of Company credit cards, an agent may violate the agreement and use the credit card for his or her own purposes, resulting in loss or damage to our Company. Furthermore, such unethical, unprofessional, or even criminal behavior by employees or agents could damage our reputation, result in fines, penalties, restitution, or other damages, and lead to the loss of current and future customers, all of which would adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results.
Our insurance does not fully cover all of our operational risks, and changes in the cost of insurance or the availability of insurance could materially increase our insurance costs or result in a decrease in our insurance coverage.
We currently have insurance on our real property, comprehensive coverage for our vehicle inventory, general liability insurance, workers compensation and employer liability insurance. In certain instances, our insurance may not fully cover an insured loss depending on the magnitude and nature of the claim. Additionally, changes in the cost of insurance or the availability of insurance in the future could substantially increase our costs to maintain our current level of coverage or could cause us to reduce our insurance coverage and increase the portion of our risks that we self-insure.
Any negative publicity about us, our products and services, and our management may materially and adversely affect our reputation and business.
We may from time to time receive negative publicity about us, our management, or our business. Certain of such negative publicity may be the result of malicious harassment or unfair competitive acts by third parties. We may even be subject to government or regulatory investigations as a result of such third-party conduct and may be required to spend significant time and incur substantial costs to defend ourselves against such third-party conduct, and we may not be able to conclusively refute each of the allegations within a reasonable period of time, or at all. Harm to our reputation and confidence of our customers can also arise for other reasons, including misconduct of our employees or any third-party business partners with whom we conduct business, including purchasing agents and logistics service providers. Our reputation may be materially and adversely affected as a result of any negative publicity, which in turn may cause us to lose market share, customers, industry partners, and other business partnerships.
Cybersecurity incidents could disrupt our business operations, result in the loss of critical and confidential information, adversely impact our reputation, and harm our business.
Cybersecurity threats and incidents directed at us could range from uncoordinated individual attempts to gain unauthorized access to information technology systems to sophisticated and targeted measures aimed at disrupting business or gathering personal data of customers. In the ordinary course of our business, we collect and store business information about our customers such as their names, addresses, and business licenses in Google Drive, a file storage platform developed by Google. The systems of third-party providers, such as Google, may experience material interruptions or failures due to a variety of events beyond our control. See “—We may experience operational system failures or interruptions that could materially harm our ability to conduct our operations.”
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In addition, our business is reliant on the uninterrupted functioning of our Office Automation System, an information technology system we use to track our order status and monitor our business workflow (the “OA System”). The secure processing, maintenance, and transmission of information are critical to our operations, especially the processing and tracking of automobile orders. Although we employ measures designed to prevent, detect, address, and mitigate these threats (including access controls, data encryption, vulnerability assessments, and maintenance of backup and protective systems), cybersecurity incidents, depending on their nature and scope, could potentially result in the misappropriation, destruction, corruption, or unavailability of critical data and confidential or proprietary information (our own or that of third parties, including potentially sensitive personal information of our customers) and the disruption of business operations. Any such compromises to our security could cause harm to our reputation, which could cause customers to lose trust and confidence in us or could cause agents to stop working for us. In addition, we may incur significant costs for remediation that may include liability for stolen assets or information, repair of system damage, and compensation to customers and business partners. We may also be subject to legal claims, government investigation, and additional state and federal statutory requirements.
The potential consequences of a material cybersecurity incident include regulatory violations of applicable U.S. and international privacy and other laws, reputational damage, loss of market value, litigation with third parties (which could result in our exposure to material civil or criminal liability), diminution in the value of the services we provide to our customers, and increased cybersecurity protection and remediation costs (that may include liability for stolen assets or information), which in turn could have a material adverse effect on our competitiveness and results of operations.
Our business, financial condition, and reputation may be substantially harmed by security breaches, interruptions, delays, and failures in our systems and operations.
With our OA System, we follow up on our business workflow and track the status of all orders. The performance and reliability of our systems and operations are critical to our business. Our systems and operations are vulnerable to security breaches, interruption, or malfunction due to certain events beyond our control, including natural disasters, such as earthquakes, fires, floods, power outages, telecommunication failures, break-ins, sabotage, computer viruses, and intentional acts of vandalism. Security breaches, interruptions, delays, or failures in our systems or operations can lead to lower quality service, increased costs, litigation and other consumer claims, and damage our reputation, all of which could have a significant impact on our financial condition and operating results.
Our business and financial condition may be substantially harmed by inventory losses caused by theft, vandalism, or accidents during transportation and/or warehousing.
Vehicles in our inventory comprise a large share of our total assets. As of December 31, 2022, the value of our overall inventory amounted to approximately $6.0 million. Additionally, we also stored in our warehouses a number of automobiles owned by our customers for our financial service in the form of inventory financing. See “Business—Overview—Recent Development.” As we maintain a large automobile inventory, we bear the risk of damage and loss before delivering sold automobiles to the warehouse designated by our U.S. customers or to the port for the shipping of the automobiles to our PRC customers by third-party logistics providers. Despite our efforts to increase control by renting more secure warehouses space and hiring more qualified drivers for transportation, we remain subject to inventory losses caused by theft, vandalism, or accidents during transportation and/or warehousing. In addition, force majeure events such as flooding, fires, or hail may affect a large number of our automobiles. Such events may cause us to incur large damages, deprive us of a significant portion of our inventory, and reduce customer satisfaction if it leads to our failure to deliver sold automobiles. If any of the foregoing occurs, our business, financial condition, and results of operations may be adversely affected.
We may experience operational system failures or interruptions that could materially harm our ability to conduct our operations.
We rely on the capacity, reliability, and security of third-party systems and software to support our operations. For example, we employ Google Drive to process, transmit, and store critical information. The systems of third-party providers may experience material interruptions or failures due to a variety of events beyond our control, including but not limited to, natural disasters, telecommunications failures, employee or customer error or misuse, targeted attacks, unauthorized access, fraud, computer viruses, denial of service attacks, terrorism, firewall or encryption failures, and other security problems. If any of the systems do not operate properly, are compromised, or are disabled, we could suffer adverse impact on our operations.
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If we fail to manage our growth or execute our strategies and future plans effectively, we may not be able to take advantage of market opportunities or meet the demand of our customers.
Our business has grown substantially since our inception, and we expect it to continue to grow in terms of scale and diversity of operations. For example, we recently launched our financial services in October 2022 and plan to provide our own warehousing and logistics services after this offering. We plan to develop these services initially to support our core business of supplying luxury vehicles to be imported into the PRC, and thereafter to build economies of scale by providing these services to small- and medium-sized companies exporting vehicles from the U.S. or those engaged in the import or export of other products between the U.S. and the PRC or other destinations around the world. This expansion increases the complexity of our operations and may cause strain on our managerial, operational, and financial resources. We must continue to hire, train, and effectively manage new employees. In the event that our new hires fail to perform as expected, or if we fail to hire, train, manage, and integrate new employees, our business, financial condition, and results of operations may be materially adversely affected. The expansion of our services will also require us to maintain consistency in the quality of our services so that our market reputation is not damaged by any deviations in quality, whether actual or perceived.
Our future results of operations also depend largely on our ability to execute our future plans successfully. In particular, our continued growth may subject us to the following additional challenges and constraints:
| ● | we face challenges in ensuring the productivity of a large employee base and recruiting, training, and retaining highly skilled personnel, including areas of procurement, sales and marketing, and information technology for our growing operations; |
| ● | we face challenges in responding to evolving industry standards and government regulation that impact our business and the parallel-import vehicle dealership industry in general; |
| ● | we may have limited experience for certain new services including financial services and warehousing and logistics services, and our expansion into these new services may not be profitable; |
| ● | the technological or operational challenges may arise from the new services; |
| ● | the execution of our future plans will be subject to the availability of funds to support the relevant capital investment and expenditures; and |
| ● | The successful execution of our strategies is subject to factors beyond our control, such as general market conditions, and economic and political developments in the U.S. and globally. |
All of these endeavors involve risks and will require significant management, financial, and human resources. We cannot assure you that we will be able to effectively manage our growth or to implement our strategies successfully. There is no assurance that the investment to be made by our Company as contemplated under our future plans will be successful and generate the expected return. If we are not able to manage our growth or execute our strategies effectively, or at all, our business, results of operations, and prospects may be materially and adversely affected.
If we fail to attract, recruit, or retain our key personnel, including our executive officers, senior management, and key employees, our ongoing operations and growth could be affected.
Our success depends, to a large extent, on the efforts of our key personnel, including Huan Liu, our founder and Chief Executive Officer, our other executive officers, senior management, and other key employees who have valuable experience, knowledge, and connections in cross-border trade as well as the automobile dealership industry. There is no assurance that these key personnel will not voluntarily terminate their employment with us. We do not carry, and do not intend to procure, key person insurance on any of our senior management team. The loss of any of our key personnel could be detrimental to our ongoing operations. Our success will also depend on our ability to attract and retain qualified personnel to manage our existing operations as well as our future growth. We may not be able to successfully attract, recruit, or retain key personnel, and this could adversely impact our financial condition, operating results, and business prospects.
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Our ongoing operations and growth may be affected by the high percentage of foreign employees who do not have permanent work permits in the U.S., which may increase our turnover ratio.
The successful operation of our business depends on our ability to attract, motivate, and retain a sufficient number of skilled employees. From time to time, there may be a shortage of skilled labor in the parallel-import vehicle industry we operate. As of December 31, 2022, we had 20 full-time employees, including nine foreign employees who currently do not have permanent work permits in the U.S. In the event that some of our employees’ temporary work permits expire, we may face increased turnover rates and labor shortages, which could result in higher labor costs. In this case, if we are unable to recruit and retain sufficiently qualified individuals, our business, results of operations, financial condition, and growth prospects could be materially and adversely affected.
Future acquisitions may have an adverse effect on our ability to manage our business.
We may acquire businesses, technologies, services, or products that are complementary to our parallel-import vehicle business. Future acquisitions may expose us to potential risks, including risks associated with the integration of new operations, services, and personnel, unforeseen or hidden liabilities, the diversion of resources from our existing business and technology, our potential inability to generate sufficient revenue to offset new costs, the expenses of acquisitions, or the potential loss of or harm to relationships with both employees and customers resulting from our integration of new businesses.
Any of the potential risks listed above could have a material adverse effect on our ability to manage our business, revenue, and net income. We may need to raise additional debt funding or sell additional equity securities to make such acquisitions. The raising of additional debt funding by our Company, if required, would result in increased debt service obligations and could result in additional operating and financing covenants, or liens on our assets, that would restrict our operations. The sale of additional equity securities could result in additional dilution to our stockholders.
Legal, Regulatory, and Compliance Risks
We are subject to automotive, commercial lending, and other laws and regulations in the U.S., which, if we are found to have violated, may adversely affect our business and results of operations.
A number of U.S. federal and state laws and regulations applicable to automotive companies affect our business and conduct, including, but not limited to, our sales, operations, financing, insurance, and employment practices. The regulatory bodies that regulate our business include the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Federal Trade Commission, the United States Department of Transportation, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Department of Justice, the Federal Communications Commission, various state dealer licensing authorities, various state consumer protection agencies, and various state financial regulatory agencies. For example, the Federal Trade Commission has jurisdiction to investigate and enforce our compliance with certain consumer protection laws and has brought enforcement actions against auto dealers relating to a broad range of practices, including the sale and financing of value-added or add-on products and the collection, storage, and use of consumer personal information. Currently, we have a dealer license in North Carolina under Allen-Boy International LLC, which allows us to sell vehicles nationwide and export them worldwide. As we expand to other states, we may be subject to applicable vehicle dealer licensing laws in those states. See “Business—Governmental Regulations—Automotive Dealing and Other Laws and Regulations.” In addition, the exportation aspect of our business is subject to the Code of Federal Regulation’s requirements for exportation under 19 CFR § 192.2 and the inspection of Customs. See “Business—Governmental Regulations—Automobile Exportation Laws and Regulations.” Furthermore, we are affected by federal and state laws and regulations that apply to commercial lending. In particular, our loans are governed by New York law. Under Article 9 of the New York Banking Law, a person or entity is required to obtain a license in order to engage in the business of making loans in the principal amount of $50,000 or less for business and commercial loans with an interest rate of over 16% per year. As the business and commercial loans in our financial services do not have a principal of $50,000 or less with an interest rate of over 16% per year, we are currently not required to obtain such a license. See “Business—Governmental Regulations—Regulations Affecting Our Financial Services” and “—Operational Risks—We are subject to various risks associated with commercial lending business due to our limited operating history of our newly launched financial services, and it is difficult to accurately forecast the future operating results and evaluate the business prospects of our financial service business.” Moreover, we may also be subject to laws and regulations involving taxes, tariffs, pricing, content protection, electronic contracts and communications, mobile communications, consumer protection, and information-reporting requirements, as well as privacy laws, anti-money laundering laws, and federal and state wage-hour, anti-discrimination, and other employment practices laws. For example, under the Immigration and Nationality Act, a foreign national is eligible for employment authorization in the U.S. only with an employment-related green card (permanent residency), an exchange visitor work and study visa, or a temporary (non-immigrant) worker visa, such as an H-1B visa. In particular, the H-1B visa is a nonimmigrant work visa that allows U.S. employers to hire foreign workers for specialty jobs that require a bachelor’s degree or equivalent. H-1B status can be granted initially for up to three years, and can be extended for another three years. H-1B holders who reach that six-year maximum must leave the U.S. and remain outside for at least one year before being eligible for a new six years of H-1B. As of December 31, 2022, we had 20 full-time employees, including nine foreign employees who do not have permanent work permits in the U.S. and currently work under H-1B visas or student visas. In the event that some of our employees’ temporary work permits expire, we may face increased turnover rates and labor shortages, which could result in higher labor costs. See “Operational Risks—Our ongoing operations and growth may be affected by the high percentage of foreign employees who do not have permanent work permits in the U.S., which may increase our turnover ratio.” Upon completion of this offering, we are also subject to laws and regulations affecting public companies, including securities laws and exchange listing rules. See “Business—Governmental Regulations—Automotive Dealing and Other Laws and Regulations.” Any failure to comply with these laws and regulations may result in the assessment of administrative, civil or criminal penalties, the imposition of investigatory remedial obligations or the issuance of injunctions limiting or prohibiting our operations.
Non-compliance with laws and regulations on the part of any third parties with which we conduct business could expose us to legal expenses, compensation to third parties, penalties, and disruptions of our business, which may adversely affect our results of operations and financial performance.
Third parties with which we conduct business, including purchasing agents, logistics service providers, and our customers may be subject to regulatory penalties or punishments because of their regulatory compliance failures or infringement upon other parties’ legal rights, which may, directly or indirectly, disrupt our business. We cannot be certain whether such third parties have violated any regulatory requirements or infringed or will infringe on any other parties’ legal rights, which could expose us to legal expenses or compensation to third parties, or both.
We, therefore, cannot rule out the possibility of incurring liabilities or suffering losses due to any non-compliance by third parties. There is no assurance that we will be able to identify irregularities or non-compliance in the business practices of third parties with which we conduct business, or that such irregularities or non-compliance will be corrected in a prompt and proper manner. Any legal liabilities and regulatory actions affecting third parties involved in our business may affect our business activities and reputation, and may in turn affect our business, results of operations, and financial performance.
Moreover, regulatory penalties or punishments against our business stakeholders such as vehicle suppliers and consumers, whether or not resulting in any legal or regulatory implications upon us, may nonetheless cause business interruptions or even suspension of these business stakeholders, which could in turn disrupt our usual course of business and result in material negative impact on our business operations, results of operation and financial condition.
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Third parties may claim that we infringe their proprietary intellectual property rights, which could cause us to incur significant legal expenses and prevent us from promoting our services.
We cannot be certain that our operations or any aspects of our business do not or will not infringe upon or otherwise violate trademarks, patents, copyrights, know-how, or other intellectual property rights held by third parties. We may from time to time in the future be subject to legal proceedings and claims relating to the intellectual property rights of others. In addition, there may be third-party trademarks, patents, copyrights, know-how, or other intellectual property rights that are infringed by our products and services. There could also be existing intellectual property of which we are not aware that our products and services may inadvertently infringe.
If any third-party infringement claims are brought against us, we may be forced to divert management’s time and other resources from our business and operations to defend against these claims, regardless of their merits. Additionally, the application and interpretation of intellectual property right laws and the procedures and standards for granting trademarks, patents, copyrights, know-how, or other intellectual property rights are evolving and may be uncertain, and we cannot assure you that courts or regulatory authorities would agree with our analysis. Such claims, even if they do not result in liability, may harm our reputation. If we were found to have violated the intellectual property rights of others, we may be subject to liability for our infringement activities or may be prohibited from using such intellectual property, and we may incur licensing fees or be forced to develop alternatives of our own. As a result, our business and financial performance may be materially and adversely affected.
We may from time to time be subject to claims, controversies, lawsuits, and legal proceedings, which could adversely affect our business, prospects, results of operations, and financial condition.
We may from time to time become subject to or involved in various claims, controversies, lawsuits, and legal proceedings. However, claims and threats of lawsuits are subject to inherent uncertainties, and we are uncertain whether any of these claims would develop into a lawsuit. Lawsuits, or any type of legal proceeding, may cause our Company to incur defense costs, utilize a significant portion of our resources, and divert management’s attention from our day-to-day operations, any of which could harm our business. Any settlements or judgments against our Company could have a material adverse impact on our financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows. In addition, negative publicity regarding claims or judgments made against our Company may damage our reputation and may result in a material adverse impact on us.
We may be the subject of allegations, harassment, or other detrimental conduct by third parties, which could harm our reputation and cause them to lose market share and customers.
We may be subject to allegations by third parties or purported former employees, negative Internet postings, and other adverse public exposure on our business, operations, and staff compensation. We may also become the target of harassment or other detrimental conduct by third parties or disgruntled former or current employees. Such conduct may include complaints, anonymous or otherwise, to regulatory agencies, media, or other organizations. We may be subject to government or regulatory investigation or other proceedings as a result of such third-party conduct and may be required to spend significant time and incur substantial costs to address such third-party conduct, and there is no assurance that we will be able to conclusively refute each of the allegations within a reasonable period of time, or at all. Additionally, allegations, directly or indirectly against our Company, may be posted on the Internet, including social media platforms by anyone on an anonymous basis. Any negative publicity on our Company or our management can be quickly and widely disseminated. Social media platforms and devices immediately publish the content of their users’ posts, often without filters or checks on the accuracy of the content posted. The information posted may be inaccurate and adverse to our Company, and it may harm our reputation, business, or prospects. The harm may be immediate without affording us an opportunity for redress or correction. Our reputation may be negatively affected as a result of the public dissemination of negative and potentially false information about our business and operations, which in turn may cause them to lose market shares and customers.
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Common Stock and Trading Risks
There has been no public market for our Class A common stock prior to this offering, and you may not be able to resell our Class A common stock at or above the price you pay for them, or at all.
Prior to this offering, there has not been a public market for our Class A common stock. We have applied for the listing of our Class A common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market. An active public market for our Class A common stock, however, may not develop or be sustained after the offering, in which case the market price and liquidity of our Class A common stock will be materially and adversely affected.
The initial public offering price for our Class A common stock may not be indicative of prices that will prevail in the trading market and such market prices may be volatile.
The initial public offering price for our Class A common stock will be determined by negotiations between us and the underwriters and may not bear a direct relationship to our earnings, book value, or any other indicia of value. We cannot assure you that the market price of our Class A common stock will not decline significantly below the initial public offering price. The financial markets in the United States and other countries have experienced significant price and volume fluctuations in the last few years. Volatility in the price of our Class A common stock may be caused by factors outside of our control and may be unrelated or disproportionate to changes in our results of operations.
An active trading market may not develop for our securities.
This is the initial public offering of our securities. Prior to this offering, and there was no public market for our Class A common stock. We have applied to list our Class A common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market. Even if our Class A common stock is approved for listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market, we cannot predict the extent to which investor interest in our Company will lead to the development of an active trading market in our Class A common stock or how liquid that market might become. If such a market does not develop or is not sustained, it may be difficult for you to sell your shares of Class A common stock at the time you wish to sell them, at a price that is attractive to you, or at all.
The trading market for our Class A common stock in the future could be subject to wide fluctuations in response to several factors, including, but not limited to:
| ● | actual or anticipated variations in our results of operations; |
| ● | our ability or inability to generate revenue or profit; |
| ● | the number of shares of our Class A common stock in our public float; and |
| ● | increased competition. |
Furthermore, our stock price may be impacted by factors unrelated or disproportionate to our operating performance. These market fluctuations, as well as general economic, political, and market conditions, such as recessions, interest rates, or international currency fluctuations, may adversely affect the market price of our Class A common stock. Additionally, moving forward we anticipate having a limited number of shares in our public float, and as a result, there could be extreme fluctuations in the price of our Class A common stock.
You will experience immediate and substantial dilution in the net tangible book value of Class A common stock purchased in this offering.
The initial public offering price of our Class A common stock is substantially higher than the (as adjusted) net tangible book value per share of our Class A common stock. Consequently, when you purchase our Class A common stock in the offering, upon completion of the offering you will incur immediate dilution of $[●] per share, assuming an initial public offering price of $[●]. See “Dilution.” In addition, you may experience further dilution to the extent that additional shares of Class A common stock are issued upon exercise of outstanding options we may grant from time to time.
The offering price of the primary offering and resale offering could differ.
The offering price of our Class A common stock in the initial public offering will be determined by negotiations between our Company and the underwriters. The offering price in the initial public offering bears no relationship to our assets, earnings, or book value, or any other objective standard of value. The selling stockholders may sell the resale shares at prevailing market prices or privately negotiated prices after close of the offering and listing of the Class A common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market. Therefore, the offering prices of the initial public offering and resale offering could differ. As a result, the purchasers in the resale offering could pay more or less than the offering price in the primary offering.
The resale by the selling stockholders may cause the market price of our Class A common stock to decline.
The resale of shares of Class A common stock by the selling stockholders, as well as the issuance of shares of Class A common stock in this initial public offering could result in resales of shares of Class A common stock by our current stockholders who are concerned about the potential dilution of their holdings. In addition, the resale by the selling stockholders could have the effect of depressing the market price for our Class A common stock.
If we fail to implement and maintain an effective system of internal controls or fail to remediate the material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting that have been identified, we may fail to meet our reporting obligations or be unable to accurately report our results of operations or prevent fraud, and investor confidence and the market price of our Class A common stock may be materially and adversely affected.
Prior to this offering, we were a private company with limited accounting personnel and other resources with which to address our internal controls and procedures. Our management has not completed an assessment of the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting, and our independent registered public accounting firm has not conducted an audit of our internal control over financial reporting. In the course of auditing our consolidated financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, we identified several material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting and other control deficiencies as of December 31, 2022. A “material weakness” is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the company’s annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. The material weaknesses identified to date relate to (i) a lack of accounting staff and resources with appropriate knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”) and SEC reporting and compliance requirements; (ii) a lack of sufficient documented financial closing policies and procedures and (iii) a lack of an effective review process by the accounting manager which may lead to material audit adjustments to the financial statements.
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Following the identification of the material weaknesses and control deficiencies, our board of directors has adopted a resolution to appoint Robert Cook, who has extensive experience in corporate finance, SEC reporting, public accounting, investor relations, and corporate administration including management of internal controls, as our Chief Financial Officer, effective October 26, 2022. We plan to take further remedial measures including (i) hiring more qualified accounting personnel with relevant U.S. GAAP and SEC reporting experience and qualifications to strengthen the financial reporting function and to set up a financial and system control framework; (ii) implementing regular and continuous U.S. GAAP accounting and financial reporting training programs for our accounting and financial reporting personnel; (iii) setting up an internal audit function as well as engaging an external consulting firm to assist us with the assessment of Sarbanes-Oxley compliance requirements and improvement of overall internal control; and (iv) appointing independent directors and strengthening corporate governance.
However, the implementation of these measures may not fully address the material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting. Our failure to correct the material weaknesses or our failure to discover and address any other material weaknesses or control deficiencies could result in inaccuracies in our financial statements and could also impair our ability to comply with applicable financial reporting requirements and related regulatory filings on a timely basis. As a result, our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects, as well as the trading price of our Class A common stock, may be materially and adversely affected. Moreover, ineffective internal control over financial reporting significantly hinders our ability to prevent fraud.
Upon completion of this offering, we will become a public company in the United States subject to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 will require that we include a report of management on our internal control over financial reporting in our annual report on 10-K beginning with our annual report for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023. In addition, once we cease to be an “emerging growth company,” as such term is defined in the JOBS Act, our independent registered public accounting firm must attest to and report on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. Our management may conclude that our internal control over financial reporting is not effective. Moreover, even if our management concludes that our internal control over financial reporting is effective, our independent registered public accounting firm, after conducting its own independent testing, may issue a report that is qualified, if it is not satisfied with our internal controls or the level at which our controls are documented, designed, operated, or reviewed, or if it interprets the relevant requirements differently from us. In addition, after we become a public company, our reporting obligations may place a significant strain on our management, operational, and financial resources and systems for the foreseeable future. We may be unable to complete our evaluation testing and any required remediation in a timely manner.
We will incur substantial increased costs as a result of being a public company.
Upon consummation of this offering, we will incur significant legal, accounting, and other expenses as a public company that we did not incur as a private company. These additional costs could negatively affect our financial results. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as well as rules subsequently implemented by the SEC and Nasdaq, impose various requirements on the corporate governance practices of public companies.
Compliance with these laws, rules, and regulations increases our legal and financial compliance costs and makes some corporate activities more time-consuming and costlier. These laws, regulations, and standards are subject to varying interpretations and, as a result, their application in practice may evolve over time as new guidance is provided by regulatory and governing bodies. We intend to invest resources to comply with evolving laws, regulations, and standards, and this investment may result in increased general and administrative expenses and a diversion of management’s time and attention from revenue-generating activities to compliance activities. We have incurred additional costs in obtaining director and officer liability insurance. In addition, we incur additional costs associated with our public company reporting requirements. It may also be more difficult for us to find qualified persons to serve on our board of directors or as executive officers.
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We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the JOBS Act and will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier of (1) the last day of the fiscal year (a) following the fifth anniversary of the completion of this offering, (b) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.235 billion, or (c) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means the market value of our Class A common stock that is held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30, and (2) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt during the prior three-year period. An emerging growth company may take advantage of specified reduced reporting and other requirements that are otherwise applicable generally to public companies. These provisions include exemption from the auditor attestation requirement under Section 404 in the assessment of the emerging growth company’s internal control over financial reporting and permission to delay adopting new or revised accounting standards until such time as those standards apply to private companies.
After we are no longer an “emerging growth company,” or until five years following the completion of our initial public offering, whichever is earlier, we expect to incur significant additional expenses and devote substantial management effort toward ensuring compliance with the requirements of Section 404 and the other rules and regulations of the SEC. For example, as a public company, we have been required to increase the number of independent directors and adopt policies regarding internal controls and disclosure controls and procedures.
We are currently evaluating and monitoring developments with respect to these rules and regulations, and we cannot predict or estimate with any degree of certainty the amount of additional costs we may incur or the timing of such costs.
We may not be able to maintain the listing of our Class A common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market.
Even if our Class A common stock is approved for listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market, there can be no assurance that we will be able to maintain the listing standards of that exchange, which includes requirements that we maintain our stockholders’ equity, total value of shares held by unaffiliated stockholders, and market capitalization above certain specified levels. If we fail to conform to the Nasdaq listing requirements on an ongoing basis, our Class A common stock might cease to trade on the Nasdaq Capital Market exchange, and may move to the OTCQB or OTC Pink Markets operated by OTC Markets Group, Inc. These quotation services are generally considered to be markets that are less efficient and that provide less liquidity in the shares than the Nasdaq Capital Market.
Substantial future sales of our Class A common stock or the anticipation of future sales of our Class A common stock in the public market could cause the price of our Class A common stock to decline.
Sales of substantial amounts of our Class A common stock in the public market after this offering, or the perception that these sales could occur, could cause the market price of our Class A common stock to decline. An aggregate of 8,416,000 shares of Class A common stock are outstanding before the consummation of this offering. An aggregate of [●] shares of Class A common stock will be outstanding immediately after the consummation of this offering, assuming no exercise of the over-allotment option, and [●] shares of Class A common stock will be outstanding immediately after the consummation of this offering, assuming the full exercise of the over-allotment option. Sales of these shares into the market could cause the market price of our Class A common stock to decline.
The dual class structure of our common stock has the effect of concentrating voting control with our Chief Executive Officer, and his interests may not be aligned with the interests of our other stockholders.
We have a dual-class voting structure consisting of Class A and Class B common stock. Under this structure, holders of Class A common stock are entitled to one vote per share of Class A common stock, and holders of Class B common stock are entitled to 15 votes per share of Class B common stock, which may cause the holders of Class B common stock to have an unbalanced, higher concentration of voting power. Immediately prior to completion of this offering, Mr. Huan Liu, our Chief Executive Officer and the sole stockholder of Class B common stock, beneficially owns 8,250,000 shares, or 100%, of our issued Class B common stock, representing approximately 93.6% of the voting rights in our Company. After this offering, Mr. Liu will beneficially own 8,250,000 shares of Class B common stock, representing approximately [●]% of the voting rights in our Company, assuming the sales of all shares of the Class A common stock we are offering at an assumed public offering price of $[●] per share, and no exercise of the Representative’s Warrants or the underwriters’ over-allotment option. As a result, until such time as his voting power is below 50%, Mr. Liu as the controlling stockholder has substantial influence over our business, including decisions regarding mergers, consolidations, and the sale of all or substantially all of our assets, election of directors, and other significant corporate actions. He may take actions that are not in the best interests of us or our other stockholders. These corporate actions may be taken even if they are opposed by our other stockholders. Further, such concentration of voting power may discourage, prevent, or delay the consummation of transactions that stockholders may consider favorable, including ones in which stockholders might otherwise receive a premium for their shares. Future issuances of shares of Class B common stock may also be dilutive to the holders of Class A common stock. As a result, the market price of our Class A common stock could be adversely affected.
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If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or reports about our business, or if they publish a negative report regarding our Class A common stock, the price of our Class A common stock and trading volume could decline.
Any trading market for our Class A common stock may depend in part on the research and reports that industry or securities analysts publish about us or our business. We do not have any control over these analysts. If one or more of the analysts who cover us downgrade us, the price of our Class A common stock would likely decline. If one or more of these analysts cease coverage of our Company or fail to regularly publish reports on us, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which could cause the price of our Class A common stock and the trading volume to decline.
The market price of our Class A common stock may be volatile or may decline regardless of our operating performance, and you may not be able to resell your shares at or above the initial public offering price.
The initial public offering price for our Class A common stock will be determined through negotiations between the underwriters and us and may vary from the market price of our Class A common stock following our initial public offering. If you purchase our Class A common stock in our initial public offering, you may not be able to resell those shares at or above the initial public offering price. We cannot assure you that the initial public offering price of our Class A common stock, or the market price following our initial public offering, will equal or exceed prices in privately negotiated transactions of our shares that have occurred from time to time prior to our initial public offering. The market price of our Class A common stock may fluctuate significantly in response to numerous factors, many of which are beyond our control, including:
| ● | actual or anticipated fluctuations in our revenue and other operating results; | |
| ● | the financial projections we may provide to the public, any changes in these projections or our failure to meet these projections; | |
| ● | actions of securities analysts who initiate or maintain coverage of us, changes in financial estimates by any securities analysts who follow our Company, or our failure to meet these estimates or the expectations of investors; |
| ● | announcements by us or our competitors of significant products or features, technical innovations, acquisitions, strategic partnerships, joint ventures, or capital commitments; | |
| ● | price and volume fluctuations in the overall stock market, including as a result of trends in the economy as a whole; | |
| ● | lawsuits threatened or filed against us; and | |
| ● | other events or factors, including those resulting from war or incidents of terrorism, or responses to these events. |
In addition, the stock markets have experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that have affected and continue to affect the market prices of equity securities of many companies. Stock prices of many companies have fluctuated in a manner unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of those companies. In the past, stockholders have filed securities class litigation following periods of market volatility. If we were to become involved in securities litigation, it could subject us to substantial costs, divert resources and the attention of management from our business, and adversely affect our business.
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The price of our Class A common stock could be subject to rapid and substantial volatility.
There have been instances of extreme stock price run-ups followed by rapid price declines and strong stock price volatility with recent initial public offerings, especially among those with relatively smaller public floats. As a relatively small-capitalization company with a relatively small public float, we may experience greater stock price volatility, extreme price run-ups, lower trading volume, and less liquidity than large-capitalization companies. In particular, our Class A common stock may be subject to rapid and substantial price volatility, low volumes of trades, and large spreads in bid and ask prices. Such volatility, including any stock run-ups, may be unrelated to our actual or expected operating performance and financial condition or prospects, making it difficult for prospective investors to assess the rapidly changing value of our Class A common stock.
In addition, if the trading volumes of our Class A common stock are low, persons buying or selling in relatively small quantities may easily influence the price of our Class A common stock. This low volume of trades could also cause the price of our Class A common stock to fluctuate greatly, with large percentage changes in price occurring in any trading day session. Holders of our Class A common stock may also not be able to readily liquidate their investment or may be forced to sell at depressed prices due to low volume trading. Broad market fluctuations and general economic and political conditions may also adversely affect the market price of our Class A common stock. As a result of this volatility, investors may experience losses on their investment in our Class A common stock. A decline in the market price of our Class A common stock also could adversely affect our ability to issue additional shares of Class A common stock or other of our securities and our ability to obtain additional financing in the future. No assurance can be given that an active market in our Class A common stock will develop or be sustained. If an active market does not develop, holders of our Class A common stock may be unable to readily sell the shares they hold or may not be able to sell their shares at all.
Our management has broad discretion to determine how to use the funds raised in the offering and may use them in ways that may not enhance our results of operations or the price of our Class A common stock.
We anticipate that we will use the net proceeds from this offering to build warehouses and develop warehousing and logistics services, develop financial services, develop and improve technology relating to an online platform that facilitates financial, warehousing, and logistics services, and for working capital and other general corporate purposes. Our management will have significant discretion as to the use of the net proceeds to us from this offering and could spend the proceeds in ways that do not improve our results of operations or enhance the market price of our Class A common stock.
Anti-takeover provisions in our amended and restated articles of incorporation and bylaws may discourage, delay, or prevent a change in control.
Some provisions of our amended and restated articles of incorporation and bylaws, which will become effective on or before the completion of this offering, may discourage, delay, or prevent a change in control of our Company or management that stockholders may consider favorable, including, among other things, the following:
| ● | provisions that authorize our board of directors to issue shares with preferred, deferred or other special rights or restrictions without any further vote or action by our stockholders; and | |
| ● | provisions that restrict the ability of our stockholders to call meetings and to propose special matters for consideration at stockholder meetings. |
We will be a “controlled company” within the meaning of the Nasdaq listing rules, and may follow certain exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements that could adversely affect our public stockholders.
Following this offering, our largest stockholder, Mr. Huan Liu, will continue to indirectly own more than a majority of the voting power of our outstanding common stock shares and will be able to determine all matters requiring approval by our stockholders. Under the Nasdaq listing rules, a company of which more than 50% of the voting power is held by an individual, group, or another company is a “controlled company” and is permitted to phase in its compliance with the independent committee requirements. Although we do not intend to rely on the “controlled company” exemptions under the Nasdaq listing rules even if we are deemed a “controlled company,” we could elect to rely on these exemptions in the future. If we were to elect to rely on the “controlled company” exemptions, a majority of the members of our board of directors might not be independent directors and our nominating and corporate governance and compensation committees might not consist entirely of independent directors. Accordingly, if we rely on the exemptions, during the period we remain a controlled company and during any transition period following a time when we are no longer a controlled company, you would not have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to all of the corporate governance requirements of Nasdaq.
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Because we are an “emerging growth company,” we may not be subject to requirements that other public companies are subject to, which could affect investor confidence in us and our Class A common stock.
For as long as we remain an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the JOBS Act, we will elect to 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 of 2002, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. Because of these lessened regulatory requirements, our stockholders would be left without information or rights available to stockholders of more mature companies. Further, we elected to use the extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards that have different effective dates for public and private companies until the earlier of the date that we (1) are no longer an emerging growth company or (2) affirmatively and irrevocably opt out of the extended transition period provided in the JOBS Act. As a result, these financial statements may not be comparable to companies that comply with the new or revised accounting pronouncements as of public company effective dates. If some investors find our Class A common stock less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our Class A common stock and our share price may be more volatile. See “Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company.”
Our pre-IPO stockholders will be able to sell their shares of Class A common stock upon completion of this offering subject to restrictions under Rule 144 under the Securities Act.
Our pre-IPO stockholders may be able to sell their shares of Class A common stock under Rule 144 after the completion of this offering. See “Shares Eligible for Future Sale” below. Because these stockholders have paid a lower price per share of our Class A common stock than participants in this offering, when they are able to sell their pre-IPO shares under Rule 144, they may be more willing to accept a lower sales price than the IPO price. This fact could impact the trading price of the Class A common stock following the completion of the offering, to the detriment of participants in this offering. Under Rule 144, before our pre-IPO stockholders can sell their shares, in addition to meeting other requirements, they must meet the required holding period. We do not expect any of the Class A common stock to be sold pursuant to Rule 144 during the pendency of this offering.
Nasdaq may apply additional and more stringent criteria for our initial and continued listing since we plan to have a relatively small public offering and insiders will hold a large portion of our listed securities.
Nasdaq Listing Rule 5101 provides Nasdaq with broad discretionary authority over the initial and continued listing of securities on Nasdaq and Nasdaq may use such discretion to deny initial listing, apply additional or more stringent criteria for the initial or continued listing of particular securities, or suspend or delist particular securities based on any event, condition, or circumstance that exists or occurs that makes initial or continued listing of the securities on Nasdaq inadvisable or unwarranted in the opinion of Nasdaq, even though the securities meet all enumerated criteria for initial or continued listing on Nasdaq. In addition, Nasdaq has used its discretion to deny initial or continued listing or to apply additional and more stringent criteria in the instances, including: (i) where the company engaged an auditor that has not been subject to an inspection by the PCAOB, an auditor that PCAOB cannot inspect, or an auditor that has not demonstrated sufficient resources, geographic reach, or experience to adequately perform the company’s audit; (ii) where the company planned a small public offering, which would result in insiders holding a large portion of the company’s listed securities. Nasdaq was concerned that the offering size was insufficient to establish the company’s initial valuation, and there would not be sufficient liquidity to support a public market for the company; and (iii) where the company did not demonstrate sufficient nexus to the U.S. capital market, including having no U.S. shareholders, operations, or members of the board of directors or management. Since we plan to have a relatively small public offering and our insiders will hold a large portion of our listed securities, Nasdaq may apply additional and more stringent criteria for our initial and continued listing, which may cause delay or even denial of our listing application.
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DISCLOSURE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus contains forward-looking statements that reflect our current expectations and views of future events, all of which are subject to risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements give our current expectations or forecasts of future events. You can identify these statements by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. You can find many (but not all) of these statements by the use of words such as “approximates,” “believes,” “hopes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “projects,” “intends,” “plans,” “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” “may,” or other similar expressions in this prospectus. These statements are likely to address our growth strategy, financial results, and product and development programs. You must carefully consider any such statements and should understand that many factors could cause actual results to differ from our forward-looking statements. These factors may include inaccurate assumptions and a broad variety of other risks and uncertainties, including some that are known and some that are not. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual future results may vary materially. Factors that could cause actual results to differ from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to:
| ● | assumptions about our future financial and operating results, including revenue, income, expenditures, cash balances, and other financial items; | |
| ● | our ability to execute our growth strategies, including our ability to meet our goals; | |
| ● | current and future economic and political conditions; | |
| ● | our capital requirements and our ability to raise any additional financing which we may require; | |
| ● | our ability to attract clients and further enhance our brand recognition; | |
| ● | our ability to hire and retain qualified management personnel and key employees in order to enable us to develop our business; | |
| ● | the COVID-19 pandemic; | |
| ● | our ability to maintain the listing of our securities on Nasdaq; | |
| ● | the potential liquidity and trading of our Class A common stock; | |
| ● | the lack of an established market for our Class A common stock | |
| ● | our expectations regarding the period during which we qualify as an emerging growth company under the JOBS Act | |
| ● | our anticipated use of the proceeds from this offering; | |
| ● | our financial performance following this offering; | |
| ● | trends and competition in the parallel-import vehicle dealership industry; and | |
| ● | other assumptions described in this prospectus underlying or relating to any forward-looking statements. |
We describe certain material risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could affect our business, including our financial condition and results of operations, under “Risk Factors.” We base our forward-looking statements on our management’s beliefs and assumptions based on information available to our management at the time the statements are made. We caution you that actual outcomes and results may, and are likely to, differ materially from what is expressed, implied, or forecast by our forward-looking statements. Accordingly, you should be careful about relying on any forward-looking statements. Except as required under the federal securities laws, we do not have any intention or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements after the distribution of this prospectus, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, or otherwise.
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Based upon an assumed initial public offering price of $[●] per share of our Class A common stock, which is the midpoint of the estimated initial public offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, we estimate that we will receive net proceeds from this offering, after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and the estimated offering expenses payable by us, of approximately $[●] if the underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment option, and $[●] if the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full.
We plan to use the net proceeds we receive from this offering for the following purposes:
| ● | approximately 45% for working capital and other general corporate purposes in support of our current business to supply parallel-import vehicles sourced in the U.S. to be sold in the PRC market; | |
| ● | approximately 30% for developing our warehousing and logistics services; | |
| ● | approximately 20% for developing financial services; and | |
| ● | approximately 5% for developing and improving technology relating to an online platform that facilitates financial, warehousing, and logistics services. |
The foregoing represents our current intentions based upon our present plans and business conditions to use and allocate the net proceeds of this offering. Our management, however, will have significant flexibility and discretion to apply the net proceeds of this offering. If an unforeseen event occurs or business conditions change, we may use the proceeds of this offering differently than as described in this prospectus. To the extent that the net proceeds we receive from this offering are not immediately used for the above purposes, we intend to invest our net proceeds in short-term, interest-bearing bank deposits or debt instruments.
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As of the date of this prospectus, we have not paid any cash dividends on our Class A or Class B common stock. We are organized under the North Carolina Business Corporation Act, which prohibits the payment of a dividend if, after giving it effect, we would not be able to pay our debts as they become due in the usual course of business or our total assets would be less than the sum of our total liabilities plus the amount that would be needed, if we were to be dissolved, to satisfy the preferential rights upon dissolution of any preferred stockholders. Our board of directors may decide to pay dividends in the future. Any determination by our board of directors to pay dividends in the future to stockholders will be dependent upon our operational results, financial condition, capital requirements, business projections, general business conditions, statutory and regulatory restrictions, and any other factors deemed appropriate by our board of directors.
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The following table sets forth our capitalization as of December 31, 2022:
| ● | on an actual basis; and | |
| ● | on an as adjusted basis to reflect the issuance and sale of [●] shares of Class A common stock by us in this offering at the assumed initial public offering price of $[●] per share, which is the midpoint of the estimated initial public offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, after deducting the estimated discounts to the underwriters and the estimated offering expenses payable by us. |
You should read this capitalization table in conjunction with “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and the consolidated financial statements and the related notes appearing elsewhere in this prospectus.
| December 31, 2022 | ||||||||
| Actual | As adjusted |
|||||||
| Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 58,381 | ||||||
| Long-term debt, including current portion(2) | 12,874,049 | |||||||
| Stockholders’ Deficit: | ||||||||
| Class A Common stock, $0.0001 par value, 91,750,000 shares authorized, 8,416,000 shares issued and outstanding; [●] shares issued and outstanding, as adjusted | $ | 842 | ||||||
| Class B Common stock, $0.0001 par value, 8,250,000 shares authorized, 8,250,000 shares issued and outstanding; 8,250,000 shares issued and outstanding, as adjusted | $ | 825 | ||||||
| Additional paid-in capital(1) | $ | 3,269,317 | ||||||
| Subscription receivable | $ | (1,800,000 | ) | |||||
| Retained earnings | $ | 374,371 | ||||||
| Total Stockholders’ Equity | $ | 1,845,355 | ||||||
| Total Capitalization | $ | 14,719,404 | ||||||
| (1) | Reflects the sale of the Class A common stock in this offering at an assumed initial public offering price of $[●] per share, and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and estimated offering expenses payable by us. The as adjusted as adjusted information is illustrative only, and we will adjust this information based on the actual initial public offering price and other terms of this offering determined at pricing. Additional paid-in capital reflects the net proceeds we expect to receive, after deducting the underwriting discounts and estimated offering expenses payable by us. We estimate that such net proceeds will be approximately $[●]. |
| (2) | Includes current and long-term portions of borrowings, $4.2 million in loans payable from inventory financing, $7.1 million in loans payable from letter of credit financing, $41,747 in loans payable from dealers finance, $0.8 million in other payables and other current liabilities, current and non-current portions of operating lease liabilities. |
A $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $[●] per share would increase (decrease) each of additional paid-in capital, total stockholders’ equity and total capitalization by $[●] million, assuming the number of the Class A common stock offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and estimated expenses payable by us.
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If you invest in our Class A common stock, your ownership interest will be diluted to the extent of the difference between the initial public offering price per share of our Class A common stock in this offering and the net tangible book value per share of Class A common stock upon completion of this offering. Dilution results from the fact that the initial public offering price per share is substantially in excess of the net tangible book value per share attributable to the existing stockholders for our presently outstanding shares of Class A common stock.
Holders of Class A common stock and Class B common stock have the same rights except for voting and conversion rights. In respect of matters requiring a stockholder vote, each holder of Class A common stock will be entitled to one vote per share of Class A common stock and each holder of Class B common stock will be entitled to 15 votes per share of Class B common stock. Shares of Class B common stock are convertible into shares of Class A common stock at any time after issuance at the option of the holder on a one-to-one basis. Shares of Class A common stock are not convertible into shares of any other class. Shares of Class B common stock are not being converted as part of this offering.
Our net tangible book value as of December 31, 2022 was $1,845,355, or $0.11 per share of Class A or Class B common stock. Net tangible book value represents the amount of our total consolidated tangible assets, less the amount of our total consolidated liabilities. Dilution is determined by subtracting the net tangible book value per share of Class A common stock (as adjusted for the offering) from the initial public offering price per share and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and the estimated offering expenses payable by us. Because the shares of Class A common stock and Class B common stock have the same dividend and other rights, except for voting and conversion rights, the dilution is presented based on all issued and outstanding shares of common stock, including Class A and Class B common stock.
After giving effect to our sale of [●] shares of Class A common stock offered in this offering based on the initial public offering price of $[●] per share after deduction of the estimated underwriting discounts and the estimated offering expenses payable by us, our as adjusted net tangible book value as of December 31, 2022, would have been $[●], or $[●] per outstanding share of Class A common stock. This represents an immediate increase in net tangible book value of $[●] per share of Class A common stock to the existing stockholders, and an immediate dilution in net tangible book value of $[●] per share to investors purchasing the Class A common stock in this offering. The as adjusted information discussed above is illustrative only.
The following table illustrates such dilution:
| Post- Offering | ||||
| Assumed Initial public offering price per share of Class A common stock | $ | |||
| Net tangible book value per share of Class A common stock as of December 31, 2022 | $ | |||
| As adjusted net tangible book value per share of Class A common stock attributable to payments by new investors | $ | |||
| As adjusted net tangible book value per share of Class A common stock immediately after this offering | $ | |||
| Amount of dilution in net tangible book value per share of Class A common stock to new investors in the offering | $ | |||
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The following tables summarize, on an as adjusted basis as of December 31, 2022, the differences between existing stockholders and the new investors with respect to the number of shares of our Class A common stock purchased from us, the total consideration paid and the average price per share before deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and the estimated offering expenses payable by us.
| Shares of Class A common stock purchased |
Total consideration | Average price |
||||||||||||||||||
| Number | Percent | Amount | Percent | Per share | ||||||||||||||||
| Existing stockholders | % | $ | % | $ | ||||||||||||||||
| New investors | % | $ | % | $ | ||||||||||||||||
| Total | % | $ | % | $ | ||||||||||||||||
The as adjusted information as discussed above is illustrative only. Our net tangible book value following the completion of this offering is subject to adjustment based on the actual initial public offering price of our Class A common stock and other terms of this offering determined at the pricing.
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MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
You should read the following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and the related notes included in this prospectus. This discussion contains forward-looking statements reflecting our current expectations that involve risks and uncertainties. See “Disclosure Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” for a discussion of the uncertainties, risks and assumptions associated with these statements. Our actual results and the timing of selected events could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including those set forth under “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this prospectus.
Overview
We are a supplier of parallel-import vehicles sourced in the U.S. to be sold in the PRC market, mainly focusing on luxury vehicle brands such as Mercedes, BMW, Porsche, Lexus, and Bentley. In the PRC, parallel-import vehicles are vehicles purchased by traders/dealers from overseas markets and imported into the PRC market for sale through channels other than brand manufacturers’ official distribution systems. We procure automobiles from U.S. automobile dealers and resell them to our customers. We have two main types of customers, parallel-import vehicle dealers based in China and parallel-import vehicle exporters located in the U.S., who typically purchase vehicles from us or other U.S.-based companies or persons and resell them to China. We derive profits primarily from the price difference between our buying and selling prices for those vehicles.
The core of our business is the ability to identify the type of parallel-import vehicles that are in high demand and to procure them in a timely manner. Since our inception in 2016, our management has focused on building our procurement team. We procure our automobiles from U.S. automobile dealers via a network of independent contractors who act as our purchasing agents. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, we actively worked with approximately 340 and 300 purchasing agents, respectively. As we plan to maintain the high quality of procurement professionals and full-time employees to increase procurement efficiency and minimize the procurement cost, we expect the procurement team to be maintained at approximately 350 members during 2023.
We believe that our corporate focus and dedication to the market, manifested in the size and sophistication of our purchasing agent team and our ability to source and train new purchasing agents, provides us with a significant marketing advantage and sets us apart from our competitors. Although we compete directly with many other companies that sell parallel-import vehicles to the PRC, most of our competitors are small family businesses that obtain U.S. cars through their family members or friends in the U.S. and therefore cannot guarantee a steady supply. We have developed a standardized system of recruiting, training, and managing a large number of professional purchasing agents, enabling us to sell on a recurring basis a large number of automobiles to the PRC market. Since purchasing agents work part-time and are paid on a commission basis, a high turnover rate poses a particular challenge for us, as agents may quit their jobs at any time without prior notice. Nonetheless, with our newly developed referral program that offers referral commissions to existing agents for each successfully closed transaction completed by a new agent whom they referred to us, we are currently able to maintain sufficient purchasing agents to meet our purchasing demand. As a result, we have become a reliable source of parallel-import vehicles and have built long-term relationships with multiple U.S. and PRC parallel-import car dealers, which have contributed significantly to our sales growth. Our operating principle is to maximize sales margins rather than volume, so we mainly focus on luxury vehicle brands because of the strong purchasing power of the end consumers in the PRC and higher markups for pricing. This strategy allows us to maintain efficient operations and effective management while keeping the size of our Company within reasonable limits.
We continued to experience rapid growth from 2021 to 2022. In 2022, we sold 463 vehicles, a 19.6% increase compared with 2021, of which 434 were sold to PRC parallel-import car dealers and 29 were sold to U.S. domestic customers. In 2021 we sold 387 vehicles, of which 167 were sold to PRC parallel-import car dealers and 220 were sold to U.S. domestic customers. We believe our current purchasing team can support an annual sales volume of 600 vehicles. As of December 31, 2022, we had an active customer base of 17 dealers compared with eight dealers as of December 31, 2021. Our total revenue increased by $15.9 million, or 40.7%, from $39.2 million in 2021 to $55.2 million in 2022. We earned a net income of $0.8 million in year 2022 compared with net income of $1.2 million in year 2021. We expect our total revenue to increase during 2023 due to an increase in vehicles sold and a higher average selling price per vehicle based on our current operating figures for the first two months of 2023.
Key Factors Affecting our Results of Operations
We believe the following key factors may affect our financial condition and results of operations:
| ● | Changes in consumer demand and consumption power in the PRC market. We primarily generate revenue from the sale of vehicles to parallel-import vehicle dealers in China, directly or through U.S. based exporters. We currently focus on luxury brands and gasoline-powered vehicles. Our industry is primarily driven by the increased number of wealthy consumers in the PRC market. If the consumption and purchasing power of Chinese customers declines, or if they are less inclined to purchase large, expensive vehicles, such as sport utility vehicles or luxury automobiles, and more inclined to purchase smaller, less expensive, and more fuel-efficient vehicles, our business and results of operations could be adversely affected. See “Risk Factors—Economic, Political, and Market Risks—Changes in consumer demand in the PRC market towards fuel-efficient vehicles and electric vehicles, or a general declining purchasing power of PRC consumers, could adversely affect our vehicle sales volumes and our results of operations.” |
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| ● | Fluctuations in the average selling price per vehicle and the number of vehicles available for sale caused by competition. The parallel-import vehicle dealership industry in the U.S. is relatively competitive and rapidly evolving, with many new companies joining the competition in recent years. We compete directly with other U.S. companies that sell parallel-import vehicles to the PRC, although most of our competitors are small family businesses that obtain U.S. cars through their family members or friends in the U.S. It is expected that competition will intensify in the future, and the increased competition may lead to price reductions for vehicle sales, which may result in reduced margins and a loss of market share. We purchase our inventory of vehicles from U.S. automobile dealers via third-party professional purchasing agents, and each of them can purchase a limited number of vehicles before being placed on the “exporters list.” If these purchasing agents are unable or unwilling to continue in their present positions, or if we fail to recruit new purchasing agents or maintain a sufficient number of purchasing agents to meet our purchasing demand, our business may be severely disrupted. If our procurement capabilities are impacted and we are unable to purchase popular vehicle models at reasonable procurement costs, our business and results of operations could be adversely affected. We may lose customers if we cannot successfully compete, which could adversely affect our financial performance and business prospects. | |
| ● | Our ability to expand markets. During the year ended December 31, 2022, our three largest customers accounted for approximately 65% of our total revenue, while for the year ended December 31, 2021, our four largest customers accounted for 81.9% of our total revenue. While we have a strong record of performance, we cannot guarantee that we will continue to maintain our business relationships with these major customers at the same level, or at all. In the event that a significant customer terminates its relationship with us, we cannot assure that we will be able to secure an alternative arrangement with another comparable customer in a timely manner, or at all. Losing one or more of these major customers could adversely affect our revenue and profitability. | |
| ● | China’s industrial Policies. Changes in consumer demand in the PRC market for fuel-efficient vehicles and electric vehicles could adversely affect our vehicle sales volumes and results of operations. Furthermore, government policies on the purchase and ownership of automobiles in the PRC, as well as stricter emission standards, may reduce the market demand for the automobiles we sell and thus negatively affect our business and growth prospects. | |
| ● |
Macroeconomic conditions. We facilitate the import of automobiles of foreign brands into the PRC market as parallel-import vehicles, and any adverse change in political relations between the PRC and the U.S. or any other country where those brands originate, including the ongoing trade conflicts between the U.S. and the PRC, may negatively affect our business. We are currently operating in a period of economic uncertainty and capital market disruption, which has been significantly impacted by geopolitical instability due to the ongoing military conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Our business, financial condition, and results of operations could be materially adversely affected by any negative impact on the global economy and capital markets resulting from the conflict in Ukraine or any other geopolitical tensions. |
COVID-19 Pandemic Affecting Our Results of Operations
During the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic adversely impacted our financial positions and operating results. First, the COVID-19 pandemic has restricted our purchasing agents in the United States from freely purchasing designated automobiles at U.S. automobile dealers, either because of the short supply of vehicles or because of store closings or limited opening hours due to the pandemic. Second, the COVID-19 pandemic adversely affected the market demand for our products. Due to the implementation of significant governmental measures in the PRC intended to control the spread of the virus, including lockdowns, closures, quarantines, and travel bans, parallel-import vehicle consumers are less willing to spend and their purchasing power has declined. Consequently, the market demand for luxury cars, which make up the vast majority of our inventory, was significantly affected.
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In early December 2022, the PRC government announced a nationwide relaxation of its zero-COVID policy, resulting in a surge in COVID-19 infections across the PRC after related restrictions were lifted. Although the spread of COVID-19 appears to be under control currently, the extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic may impact our future financial results may depend on future developments, such as new information on the effectiveness of the mitigation strategies, the duration, spread, severity, and recurrence of COVID-19 and any COVID-19 variants, the related travel advisories and restrictions, the overall impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global economy and capital markets, and the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines, which may also take an extended time to be widely and adequately distributed, all of which remain highly uncertain and unpredictable. Given this uncertainty, we are currently unable to quantify the expected impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our future operations, financial condition, liquidity, and results of operations should a resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic occur. For additional information regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, see “Risk Factors—Operational Risks—The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has adversely impacted our business, results of operations, and cash flows.”
Major Components of Results of Operations
Overall, the parallel import market is still a seller’s market, and the automobile models we plan to purchase and sell are among the most popular ones in the market, which provide lucrative profit opportunities. Our selection of customers and the models we plan to purchase are based on our efforts to maximize the overall profitability of each vehicle sale. We will continue to use this principle in developing our procurement and sales strategy. As such, we consider market conditions, capital costs, and other factors when determining the models and categories we purchase and the prices at which we sell them. While the brands, models, and price ranges we sell may be adjusted, we intend to maintain the highest gross profit opportunities to improve the overall efficiency of our capital and maximize our earnings potential.
Revenue
We generate our revenue by selling vehicles to U.S. parallel-import vehicle exporters and PRC parallel-import vehicle dealers. A specific vehicle model’s pricing and profitability vary based on the market demand and supply for that model. We set our selling prices based on multiple factors, including the price of the same model sold by authorized dealers in China, the normal commercial terms, customer payment methods, and anticipated workload for trading activities. The selling price is finalized as the manufacturer's suggested retail price (“MSRP”) plus adjustments, which are determined upon comprehensive consideration of the overall market conditions for vehicles as well as the customer’s payment method.
| 2022 | 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. of Cars Sold |
Ave. Selling Price |
Total Revenue |
No. of Cars Sold |
Ave. Selling Price |
Total Revenue |
|||||||||||||||||||
| Q1 | 121 | $ | 105,934 | $ | 12,818,071 | 71 | $ | 97,016 | $ | 6,888,164 | ||||||||||||||
| Q2 | 175 | 118,794 | 20,788,964 | 110 | 99,880 | 10,986,753 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Q3 | 90 | 132,351 | 11,911,614 | 68 | 101,323 | 6,889,934 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Q4 | 77 | 125,126 | 9,634,686 | 138 | 104,632 | 14,439,185 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 463 | $ | 119,122 | $ | 55,153,335 | 387 | $ | 101,302 | $ | 39,204,036 | ||||||||||||||
Our revenue increased by $15.9 million, or 40.7%, from $39.2 million in 2021 to $55.2 million in 2022. The increase in revenue was driven by an increase in both the average selling price per vehicle and the number of vehicles sold. For the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, we sold 463 and 387 cars, with an average selling price of $119,122 and $101,302, respectively. As measured by average selling prices for the main models we sold in both years, the prices increased by approximately 17.6% year-over-year. We expect the number of cars to be sold and the average selling price per vehicle to continue to increase for 2023 according to our current operating figures for the first two months of 2023, as we have observed more biddings from our customers and a trend of increasing sales prices from the U.S. market.
Sales volumes increased by 76 cars, or 19.6%, from 387 cars sold in 2021 to 463 cars sold in 2022, which were mainly attributable to rising customer demands in the first three quarters of 2022. Sales slowed during the fourth quarter of 2022 compared with the same period in 2021 due to (i) unfavorable movements in the USD/RMB exchange rate, (ii) a slowdown in import customs clearance procedures due to China’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and (iii) reduced customer demand resulting from that response. With the easing of these factors in early 2023, we are witnessing a surge in demand and currently expect sales growth compared with 2022.
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The average selling price per vehicle increased by $17,820, or 17.6%, from $101,302 in 2021 to $119,122 in 2022. This increase was mainly due to the higher selling prices of the models that we sold and our ability to increase prices to cover rising vehicle procurement costs.
Cost of Revenue
Our cost of revenue mainly comprises (i) the purchase cost of vehicles including dealership service fees and non-refundable taxes incurred during procurement, and (ii) fulfillment expenses, mainly including (a) compensation and bonuses for staff in the purchasing department, (b) commission paid to purchasing agents, (c) transportation and storage costs for vehicles, and (d) consulting fees paid to dealer experts to assist us in making the best purchase decisions. Allowance for slow moving inventories is also included in the cost of revenue when our cost of inventory is higher than net realizable value.
Our cost of revenue increased by $14.5 million, or 40.0%, to $50.7 million in 2022 from $36.2 million in 2021, primarily as a result of our growth in sales. Generally, our procurement costs for the same model or brand increased from 2021 to 2022, with a price increase typically ranging from 3% to 18%, while for the same periods, our average selling price per vehicle increased by approximately 17.6%. We expect the purchase cost of a single vehicle to continue to increase in the future, primarily as a result of rising price levels, chip shortages, and reduced production by manufacturers. The cost of revenue as a percentage of total revenue was 91.9% and 92.3% in the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The cost revenue ratio decreased in 2022 mainly due to our well-controlled fulfillment expense, particularly as more purchases were completed by our own employees with less reliance on third-party consultants.
Interest Expense, Net
To improve our cash flow and expand our business, we obtain loans from financing companies both (i) through inventory financing by keeping inventories not intended for immediate sale as collateral, and (ii) through LC financing by using letters of credit received from our international customers in overseas sales of parallel-import vehicles as collateral. Accrued interest is recorded as interest expense. Currently, our inventory financing annual interest rates range from 16.2% to 27.6%, and our LC financing annual interest rates range from 15.0% to 27.6%.
Interest expense increased by $1.4 million, or 131.9%, from approximately $1.1 million in 2021 to $2.4 million in 2022, which were mainly due to increased financing activities through LC financing and inventory financing. With sales growing, we expect inventory financing and LC financing to continue to increase in order to improve our liquidity, resulting in higher interest expense.
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Comparison of Results of Operations for the Years Ended December 31, 2022 and 2021
| For the Years Ended December 31, | Changes | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | 2021 | Amount | % | |||||||||||||||||||||
| USD | % | USD | % | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Revenue | $ | 55,153,335 | 100 | % | $ | 39,204,036 | 100 | % | $ | 15,949,299 | 40.7 | % | ||||||||||||
| Cost of Revenue | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cost of vehicles | 48,534,282 | 88 | % | 34,508,079 | 88 | % | 14,026,203 | 40.6 | % | |||||||||||||||
| Fulfillment expenses | 2,149,672 | 3.9 | % | 1,694,615 | 4.3 | % | 455,057 | 26.9 | % | |||||||||||||||
| Total Cost of Revenue | 50,683,954 | 91.9 | % | 36,202,694 | 92.3 | % | 14,481,260 | 40.0 | % | |||||||||||||||
| Gross Profit | 4,469,381 | 8.1 | % | 3,001,342 | 7.7 | % | 1,468,039 | 48.9 | % | |||||||||||||||
| Operating Expenses | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Selling expenses | 898,852 | 1.6 | % | 294,169 | 0.8 | % | 604,683 | 205.6 | % | |||||||||||||||
| General, and administrative expenses | 1,430,917 | 2.6 | % | 589,701 | 1.5 | % | 841,216 | 142.7 | % | |||||||||||||||
| Total operating expenses | 2,329,769 | 4.2 | % | 883,870 | 2.3 | % | 1,445,899 | 163.6 | % | |||||||||||||||
| Income From Operations | 2,139,612 | 3.9 | % | 2,117,472 | 5.4 | % | 22,140 | 1.0 | % | |||||||||||||||
| Other Income (Expense) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Interest expense, net | (2,441,443 | ) | (4.4 | )% | (1,052,913 | ) | (2.7 | )% | (1,388,530 | ) | 131.9 | % | ||||||||||||
| Other income, net | 12,974 | - | % | 1,722 | - | % | 11,252 | 653.4 | % | |||||||||||||||
| Subsidy income from Business Recovery Grant Program | 1,340,316 | 2.4 | % | - | - | % | 1,340,316 | 100 | % | |||||||||||||||
| Gain on forgiveness of loans under Paycheck Protection Program | - | - | % | 327,796 | 0.8 | % | (327,796 | ) | (100 | )% | ||||||||||||||
| Total other expenses, net | (1,088,153 | ) | (2.0 | )% | (723,395 | ) | (1.9 | )% | (364,758 | ) | 50.4 | % | ||||||||||||
| Income before Income Tax Provision | 1,051,459 | 1.9 | % | 1,394,077 | 3.5 | % | (342,618 | ) | (24.6 | )% | ||||||||||||||
| Provision for Income Taxes | 234,479 | 0.4 | % | 223,872 | 0.6 | % | 10,607 | 4.7 | % | |||||||||||||||
| Net Income | $ | 816,980 | 1.5 | % | $ | 1,170,205 | 2.9 | % | $ | (353,225 | ) | (30.2 | )% | |||||||||||
Revenue
| Years Ended December 31, | Change | |||||||||||||||
| 2022 | 2021 | Amount | % | |||||||||||||
| Total Revenue | $ | 55,153,335 | $ | 39,204,036 | $ | 15,949,299 | 40.7 | % | ||||||||
Revenue from our operations increased by $15.9 million, or 40.7%, from approximately $39.2 million in 2021 to $55.2 million in 2022. The increase was primarily due to the increase in sales volume and average selling prices. Specifically:
| (i) | In 2022, we sold 463 vehicles compared with 387 in 2021, mainly due to an increase in direct demand from customers in China. Based on our judgment of market trends, we were able to source the models preferred by our target customers and offer competitive prices in a timely manner, thus increasing our sales volume. |
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| (ii) | Our average selling price per vehicle for 2022 and 2021 was $119,122 and $101,302, respectively, representing an increase of $17,820, or 17.6%, per vehicle. The increase was mainly attributable to the following reasons: (a) we increased our overall selling prices in 2022 as we need to cover the rising purchase costs of vehicles from U.S. dealerships; (b) as we anticipated the market's preferences accurately, we could offer popular brands and models in a timely manner, thus we were able to pass on higher prices to our customers; and (c) the following changes in the brands we supply affected our average selling price per vehicle: |
| 2022 | 2021 | Average Selling Price Changes |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. | Sales Amount |
Ave Selling Price |
No. | Sales Amount |
Ave Selling Price |
Amount | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bentley | 2 | $ | 537,448 | $ | 268,724 | 1 | $ | 212,563 | $ | 212,563 | $ | 56,161 | 26.4 | % | ||||||||||||||||||
| BMW X7 | 72 | 6,426,881 | 89,262 | 66 | 6,139,796 | 93,027 | (3,765 | ) | (4.0 | )% | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Porsche Cayenne | 26 | 2,405,244 | 92,509 | 30 | 2,660,824 | 88,694 | 3,815 | 4.3 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mercedes G550 | 8 | 1,538,944 | 192,368 | 4 | 647,113 | 161,778 | 30,590 | 18.9 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mercedes G63 | 8 | 1,917,066 | 239,633 | 13 | 2,590,230 | 199,249 | 40,385 | 20.3 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mercedes GLS 450 | 204 | 21,690,333 | 106,325 | 260 | 24,497,644 | 94,222 | 12,103 | 12.9 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mercedes Maybach | 1 | 273,603 | 273,603 | 9 | 1,909,816 | 212,202 | 61,401 | 28.9 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| MB S500 | 51 | 6,976,494 | 136,794 | 4 | 546,050 | 136,513 | 281 | 0.2 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| RAM Trucks | 7 | 864,644 | 123,521 | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Land Rover Range Rover | 5 | 800,931 | 160,186 | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Toyota Sequoia | 2 | 202,383 | 101,192 | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mercedes-Benz Sprinter | 3 | 238,847 | 79,616 | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LEXUS LX570 | 3 | 318,503 | 106,168 | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LEXUS LX600 | 71 | 10,962,014 | 154,395 | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 463 | $ | 55,153,335 | $ | 119,122 | 387 | $ | 39,204,036 | $ | 101,302 | $ | 17,820 | 17.6 | % | ||||||||||||||||||
In 2022, the average selling prices for the majority of models increased compared with comparable models in 2021. In addition, we were able to add several new models to our sales lineup. Sales of the Lexus LX600, which were not sold in 2021, accounted for 71 of 463, or 15.3%, of vehicles sold in 2022.
| (iii) | Sales to U.S. market dealers/exporters accounted for 6.3%, or 29 cars, and 56.1%, or 220 cars of our total revenue/vehicles in the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively, and sales to overseas markets, which was mainly the PRC market in the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, accounted for 93.1%, or 434 cars, and 43.9%, or 167 cars, of our total revenue/vehicles, respectively. |
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| Years Ended December 31, | Change | |||||||||||||||
| 2022 | 2021 | Amount | % | |||||||||||||
| Revenue: | ||||||||||||||||
| U.S. domestic market | $ | 3,821,261 | $ | 22,001,230 | $ | (18,179,969 | ) | (82.6 | )% | |||||||
| Overseas market | 51,332,074 | 17,202,806 | 34,129,268 | 198.4 | % | |||||||||||
| Total | $ | 55,153,335 | $ | 39,204,036 | $ | 15,949,299 | 40.7 | % | ||||||||
Supported by our strong procurement group, we are able to purchase a large number of vehicles in a short period of time, so many of our U.S.-based peers turn to us to assist in vehicle purchasing. Even though our sales prices are sometimes higher than other dealers, U.S. exporters are still willing to work with us because we do not require them to provide advance funds to purchase vehicles, thus reducing their cash flow pressure and interest costs, especially when the market demand is strong. We may work with selected U.S. counterparts to improve our cash flow without compromising our ability to deliver vehicles to our PRC clients. With favorable market conditions in 2021, U.S. exporters increased their purchases from us, so many of our cars were sold directly to exporters in the U.S. with better price terms because (a) the exporters we cooperated with in 2021 had their own direct sales channels in China to sell cars to end customers without going through local parallel-import vehicle dealers in China, and they could afford higher prices than other intermediaries; (b) the exporters who purchased vehicles from us in 2021 were not our long-term customers, and therefore, we did not offer them preferential prices to establish a long-term relationship with them; and (c) in order to speed up our turnover rate and collect funds in a market where demand was strong, as in 2021, we sold many of our inventory vehicles directly to U.S. exporters since we did not have a complete sales channel in China. As we expanded our sales channels and strategically prioritized our long-term customers in 2022, our direct sales to PRC markets increased and accounted for 93.1% of our total sales.
Even so, we intend to continue to maintain a presence in the U.S. market in order to reduce otherwise higher costs of capital. Our strategy is still to maximize the overall profit of each vehicle through efficient allocation of our limited amount of capital. Therefore, the percentage of sales to our U.S. customers will fluctuate depending on specific market conditions.
Cost of Revenue
| Years Ended December 31, | Change | |||||||||||||||
| 2022 | 2021 | Amount | % | |||||||||||||
| Cost of Revenue | ||||||||||||||||
| Cost of Vehicles | $ | 48,534,282 | $ | 34,508,079 | $ | 14,026,203 | 40.6 | % | ||||||||
| Fulfillment Expenses | 2,149,672 | 1,694,615 | 455,057 | 26.9 | % | |||||||||||
| Total Cost of Revenue | $ | 50,683,954 | $ | 36,202,694 | $ | 14,481,260 | 40.0 | % | ||||||||
Our total cost of revenue increased by $14.5 million, or 40.0%, from $36.2 million in 2021 to $50.7 million in 2022. For the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, our total cost as a percentage of our total revenue was 91.9% and 92.3%, respectively. The change was mainly due to the increase in both vehicle purchase costs and fulfillment expense. Specifically:
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Cost of Vehicles
| Years Ended December 31, | Change | |||||||||||||||
| 2022 | 2021 | Amount | % | |||||||||||||
| Total Cost of Vehicles | $ | 48,534,282 | $ | 34,508,079 | $ | 14,026,203 | 40.6 | % | ||||||||
Total cost of vehicles sold increased by $14.0 million, or 40.6%, from $34.5 million in 2021 to $48.5 million in 2022. We sold 463 vehicles in 2022, and 387 vehicles in 2021. The average purchase price per vehicle increased from $89,256 in 2021 to $104,826 in 2022. This was primarily driven by the higher prices of vehicles we sold in 2022.
The cost of vehicles sold was approximately 88.0% of revenue in both 2022 and 2021. The ratio was maintained at a stable level as we were able to pass on vehicle cost increases to our customers. Our average procurement cost per vehicle increased by 17.6%, in line with the increase in our average selling price per vehicle of 17.6%.
Fulfillment Expenses
| Years Ended December 31, | Change | |||||||||||||||
| 2022 | 2021 | Amount | % | |||||||||||||
| Fulfillment expenses | ||||||||||||||||
| Payroll and Benefits | $ | 1,300,581 | $ | 819,997 | $ | 480,584 | 58.6 | % | ||||||||
| Buyer Commission | 308,948 | 326,053 | (17,105 | ) | (5.2 | )% | ||||||||||
| Vehicle Storage and Towing | 354,683 | 110,318 | 244,365 | 221.5 | % | |||||||||||
| Vehicle Insurance Expense | 88,982 | 96,820 | (7,838 | ) | (8.1 | )% | ||||||||||
| Consulting Fee | 73,619 | 322,856 | (249,237 | ) | (77.2 | )% | ||||||||||
| Others | 22,859 | 18,571 | 4,288 | 23.1 | % | |||||||||||
| Total Fulfillment Expenses | $ | 2,149,672 | $ | 1,694,615 | $ | 455,057 | 26.9 | % | ||||||||
Fulfillment expenses increased by $0.5 million, or 26.9%, from $1.7 million in 2021 to $2.2 million in 2022. This increase was largely due to (i) increased payroll, incentives, and bonuses paid to our staff due to a larger number of acquired vehicles; (ii) increased vehicle towing and storage expenses as a result of the increase in vehicles purchased, and (iii) less commission and consulting fees paid to procurement agents or outside procurement experts.
Gross Profit
| Years Ended December 31, | Change | |||||||||||||||
| 2022 | 2021 | Amount | % | |||||||||||||
| Gross Profit | $ | 4,469,381 | $ | 3,001,342 | $ | 1,468,039 | 48.9 | % | ||||||||
| Gross Margin % | 8.1 | % | 7.7 | % | — | 0.4 | % | |||||||||
As a result of the foregoing, our gross profit increased by $1.5 million, or 48.9%, from a profit of $3.0 million in 2021 to a profit of $4.5 million in 2022. As of percentage of revenue, the gross margin increased from7.7% in 2021 to 8.1% in 2022. The gross profit increased from 2021 to 2022 mainly because (i) revenue grew faster than costs as a result of the selling price increase and (ii) we controlled well our fulfillment expenses through relying more on our own staff other than agents or experts that were not our staff.
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Operating Expenses
Selling Expenses
| Years Ended December 31, | Change | |||||||||||||||
| 2022 | 2021 | Amount | % | |||||||||||||
| Selling Expenses | ||||||||||||||||
| Payroll and benefits | $ | 180,212 | $ | 158,243 | $ | 21,969 | 13.9 | % | ||||||||
| Ocean Freight | 710,265 | 135,926 | 574,339 | 422.5 | % | |||||||||||
| Others | 8,375 | - | 8,375 | 100.0 | % | |||||||||||
| Total Selling expenses | $ | 898,852 | $ | 294,169 | $ | 604,683 | 205.6 | % | ||||||||
Selling expenses increased by $0.6 million, or 205.6%, to $0.9 million in 2022 as compared to $0.3 million in 2021, primarily due to increased ocean freight fees caused by the surge in vehicles directly sold to PRC markets. During 2022, ocean freight increased by $0.6 million, or 422.5%, to $0.7 million in 2022, mainly driven by the increased number of cars shipped. Payroll and benefits were maintained at a stable level as the number of employees and incentive rules remained relatively unchanged during the period. Selling expenses as a percentage of revenue were 1.6% and 0.8% in 2022 and 2021, respectively. The ratio increased in 2022 mainly because more revenue was realized from the PRC market, which resulted in high ocean freight. We expect our selling expenses to increase as we plan to hire more staff in the sales department in China and to increase marketing activities to expand direct sales to the PRC market.
General and Administrative Expenses
| Years Ended December 31, | Change | |||||||||||||||
| 2022 | 2021 | Amount | % | |||||||||||||
| General and Administrative Expenses | ||||||||||||||||
| Payroll and Benefits | $ | 418,420 | $ | 265,575 | $ | 152,845 | 57.6 | % | ||||||||
| Rental and Leases | 218,305 | 134,680 | 83,625 | 62.1 | % | |||||||||||
| Travel & Entertainment | 32,846 | 60,690 | (27,844 | ) | (45.9 | )% | ||||||||||
| Legal & Accounting Fees | 544,863 | 25,074 | 519,784 | 2,073.0 | % | |||||||||||
| Recruiting Fees | 30,258 | 15,384 | 14,874 | 96.7 | % | |||||||||||
| Bank charges and fees | 47,915 | 22,632 | 25,283 | 111.7 | % | |||||||||||
| Others | 138,309 | 65,666 | 77,603 | 110.6 | % | |||||||||||
| Total General and Administrative Expenses | $ | 1,430,917 | $ | 589,701 | $ | 841,216 | 142.7 | % | ||||||||
General and administrative expenses increased by $0.8 million, or 142.7%, to $1.4 million in 2022 from $0.6 million in 2021, primarily due to (i) increased legal and accounting fees related to our planned IPO; and (ii) an increase in personnel-related expenses of $0.2 million, or 57.6%, which was driven by more employees hired in 2022. We expect our general and administrative expenses to continue to increase in 2023 due to increasing expenditures related to hiring additional employees, legal services, and other professional services. For the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, our general and administrative expenses as a percentage of revenue were 2.6% and 1.5%, respectively, due to the above-mentioned expense growth.
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Other Income (Expense)
Interest Expense, net
| Years Ended December 31, | Change | |||||||||||||||
| 2022 | 2021 | Amount | % | |||||||||||||
| Inventory Financing | $ | 747,298 | $ | 436,808 | $ | 310,490 | 71.1 | % | ||||||||
| Letter of Credit Financing | 1,669,931 | 519,746 | 1,150,185 | 221.3 | % | |||||||||||
| Dealers Finance Charges | 2,332 | 14,093 | (11,761 | ) | (83.5 | )% | ||||||||||
| Other Loan Interest Expenses | 18,641 | 65,685 | (47,045 | ) | (71.6 | )% | ||||||||||
| Credit Card Interest | 3,241 | 16,581 | (13,339 | ) | (80.5 | )% | ||||||||||
| Total | $ | 2,441,443 | $ | 1,052,913 | $ | 1,388,530 | 131.9 | % | ||||||||
Interest expense increased by approximately $1.4 million, or 131.9%, to $2.4 million in 2022 from $1.1 million in 2021, primarily driven by a combination of more inventory financing and LC financing activities.
In order to improve our liquidity and retain more cash to acquire new cars, we may enter into short-term loans from time to time, pledging our inventory as collateral before the vehicles are delivered to our customers. We incur interest expense on such inventory financing, provided mainly by small lenders, generally at a rate of 1.35% to 1.80% per month. In 2021, the total weighted average balance of funds we obtained through inventory financing increased to $2.6 million, the interest expense incurred was $0.4 million, and the weighted average annual interest rate was 17.0%. In 2022, the total weighted average balance of funds we obtained through inventory financing was $4.5 million, the interest expense incurred was $0.7 million, and the weighted average annual interest rate was 16.6%.
We may finance our operations from time to time through short-term loans using letters of credit, typically received from our international customers in overseas sales of parallel-import vehicles, as collateral. Generally, we borrow approximately 90% or more of the LC amount with a monthly interest rate of approximately 1.25%. In 2021, the total weighted average balance of funds we obtained through LC financing increased to $3.1 million, the interest expense incurred was $0.5 million, and the weighted average annual interest rate was 16.7%. In 2022, the total weighted average balance of funds we obtained through letters of credit financing was $9.0 million, the interest expense incurred was $1.7 million, and the weighted average annual interest rate was 18.5%.
In 2022, we shipped over 90% of vehicles sold to the PRC market, resulting in the increase in interest expense from inventory financing activities and LC financing activities. As our sales and purchases increase, we expect interest on these two types of financing to continue to increase.
Gain on Forgiveness of Loans
| Years Ended December 31, | Change | |||||||||||||||
| 2022 | 2021 | Amount | % | |||||||||||||
| Gain on forgiveness of loans under Paycheck Protection Program | $ | - | $ | 327,796 | $ | (327,796 | ) | (100.0 | )% | |||||||
On May 11, 2020, we received a loan totaling $221,500 from Customers Bank under the U.S. Small Business Administration (the “SBA”) Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), which is part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”), enacted on March 27, 2020. For the year ended December 31, 2021, the total amount forgiven by the SBA was $223,460, including $221,500 of principal and $1,960 of interest. On February 26, 2021, we received funding for a Second Draw PPP loan totaling $103,851 from Transportation Alliance Bank. For the year ended December 31, 2021, the total amount forgiven by the SBA was $104,336, including $103,851 of principal and $485 of interest. For the year ended December 31, 2021, total amount forgiven by the SBA of the above two loans were $327,796, including $325,351 of principal and $2,445 of interest. Under the terms of the SBA PPP loan, up to 100% of the principal and accrued interest may be forgiven if certain criteria are met and the loan proceeds are used for qualifying expenses such as payroll costs, benefits, rent, and utilities as described in the CARES Act.
During the year ended December 31, 2021, the gain on forgiveness of loans under the PPP program was $0.3 million, due to forgiveness of two PPP loans while there was no such preferential treatment in 2022. Our application for the forgiveness of SBA loans was approved as our employee and compensation levels were maintained, and the loan proceeds were spent on payroll costs and other eligible expenses.
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Subsidy income from Business Recovery Grant Program
| Years Ended December 31, | Change | |||||||||||||||
| 2022 | 2021 | Amount | % | |||||||||||||
| Subsidy income from Business Recovery Grant Program | $ | 1,340,316 | $ | - | $ | 1,340,316 | 100.0 | % | ||||||||
On September 28, 2022, we received a grant from the N.C. Department of Revenue (NCDOR) under its Business Recovery Grant Program. The Business Recovery Grant Program issued payments to eligible North Carolina businesses that experienced a significant economic loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There was no such grant program for the year ended December 31, 2021.
Income Tax Expense
We recognized income tax expense of $0.2 million in both 2022 and 2021. Income tax expense was stable as there were no major differences in our taxable income for both years.
Net Income
As a result of the foregoing, our net income was $0.8 million and $1.2 million in 2022 and 2021, respectively.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Cash Flows and Working Capital
We assess our liquidity in terms of our ability to generate adequate amounts of cash to meet current and future needs. We have relied primarily upon cash provided by financing activities supported by our operations, supplemented as necessary by third-party loans and financial support from our founders, to finance our operations and fund our capital needs.
As reflected in the accompanying consolidated financial statements, we reported cash provided by operating activities of $2,189,605 for the year ended December 31, 2022, a positive working capital of $2,296,918 and total stockholders’ equity of $1,845,355 as of December 31, 2022. However, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic may continue to negatively impact our business operations. A resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic may again give rise to economic downturns and other significant changes in regional and global economic conditions, and negatively affect our ability to execute the sales contracts, fulfill customer orders, and collect customer payments timely. As a result, there is a possibility that our revenue and cash flows may underperform in the next 12 months.
In assessing our liquidity, we monitor and analyze our cash on-hand, our ability to generate sufficient revenue sources, the collection of our accounts receivable, our ability to obtain additional financial support in the future, and our operating and capital expenditure commitments. We reported cash of $58,381 as of December 31, 2022. As of the date of this prospectus, the December 31, 2022 balance of our accounts receivable has been fully collected. As of December 31, 2022, we also recorded a total of approximately $11.3 million loans payable (including approximately $4.2 million loans payable from inventory financing, approximately $7.1 million loans payable from LC financing and approximately $42,000 in loans payable from dealers finance), and $0.7 million long-term borrowings from various financial institutions and third parties. We expect that we will be able to continue borrowing under our existing facilities based on past experience, our good credit history, and well-established relationship with the lenders. We have also from time to time in the past several years been supported with loans from our principal stockholder, and we believe such support would be available in the future, if needed. In addition, on June 27, 2022, we entered into a subscription agreement with a group of investors (the “Investors”), whereby we agreed to sell, and the Investors agreed to purchase, up to 1,666,000 shares of Class A common stock at a purchase price of $1.80 per share. The gross proceeds were approximately $3.0 million, before deducting the offering expenses of approximately $0.3 million. The net proceeds were approximately $2.7 million, of which approximately $0.6 million was received in September 2022, $0.5 million in November 2022, $0.1 million in December 2022, and $0.7 million in March 2023 for a total receipt of approximately $1.9 million. The remaining $1.1 million proceeds are expected to be received in full before our successful IPO in accordance with certain milestones contained in the subscription agreement. On October 5, 2022, we entered into two Revolving Line of Credit Agreements (the “Agreements”) with two third-party companies that have been providing financial support to us since 2021. Pursuant to the Agreements, we can borrow under revolving lines of credit of up to $10.0 million and $5.0 million, respectively, from these two third-party companies with a total of $15.0 million for a period of 12 months at a fixed interest rate of 1.5% per month. On December 12, 2022, we amended the Agreements to extend the maturity date to April 2024.
Currently, we are working to improve our liquidity and capital sources primarily through cash flows from operation, debt financing, and financial support from our principal stockholder. In order to fully implement our business plan and sustain continued growth, we may also seek equity financing from outside investors. Based on the current operating plan, management believes that the above-mentioned measures collectively will provide sufficient liquidity for our Company to meet its future liquidity and capital requirement for at least 12 months from the issuance date of the consolidated financial statements.
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Cash Flows for the Years Ended December 31, 2022 and 2021
The following table summarizes our cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021:
| Year Ended December 31, |
||||||||
| 2022 | 2021 | |||||||
| Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities | $ | 2,189,605 | $ | (13,084,037 | ) | |||
| Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities | (2,632,201 | ) | 13,576,580 | |||||
| Net (decrease) increase in cash | $ | (442,596 | ) | $ | 492,543 | |||
To date, we have financed our operating activities primarily through (i) cash generated from financing activities through inventory financing and LC financing; and (ii) cash generated from operating activities and proceeds from issuance of common stock in 2022.
Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities was $2.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. This was primarily attributable to a net profit of $0.8 million, adjusted by a $10.5 million reduction in inventory and offset by a $1.8 million decrease deferred revenue because customer prepayment and deposit has been recognized as revenue during 2022 when revenue recognition criteria have been met, and offset by a $7.1 million increase in accounts receivable and other factors of less significance.
Net cash used in operating activities of $13.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 was due to net income of $1.2 million, adjusted primarily by a $12.9 million increase in inventory, $0.3 million in PPP loan forgiveness, and a $0.8 million reduction in deferred revenue as well as other less significant factors.
Financing Activities
Net cash used in financing activities of $2.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 consisted of (i) net repayments of LC financing of $0.9 million; (ii) net repayments of inventory financing of $1.9 million; (iii) repayment made to a related party, which were partially offset by (iv) proceeds from issuance of common stock of $1.2 million.
Net cash provided by financing activities of $13.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 consisted of (i) net proceeds from LC financing of $7.7 million; (ii) net proceeds from inventory financing of $6.0 million; (iii) net financing support from founders of $0.8 million, less (iv) repayments of installment loans from dealers finance of $1.1 million.
Debt
We entered into a series of loan agreements with third parties to supplement our working capital during the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, pursuant to which we pledged a portion of our inventory vehicles as collateral for each of the loan agreements. The loans were also guaranteed by our founders. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, our inventory vehicles with book values of $4,095,132 and $9,031,105 were pledged as collateral to guaranty our borrowings, respectively.
We entered into a series of loan agreements with third-party companies for working capital purposes during the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021. Pursuant to the agreements, loan payables from LC financing were collateralized by letters of credit from overseas sales of parallel-import vehicles. The accounts receivable in connection with letters of credit with book values of $7,502,291 and $8,588,560 were pledged as collateral to guaranty our borrowings from these third-party companies as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.
On May 11, 2020, we received a loan totaling $221,500 from Customers Bank under the U.S. SBA Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), which is part of the CARES Act, enacted on March 27, 2020. Under the terms of the SBA PPP loan, up to 100% of the principal and accrued interest may be forgiven if certain criteria are met and the loan proceeds are used for qualifying expenses such as payroll costs, benefits, rent, and utilities as described in the CARES Act. The loan accrues interest at a rate of 1.0%. We filed an application for forgiveness of the loan’s principal and interests, and the application was approved by the bank and the SBA in March 2021. For the year ended December 31, 2021, the total amount forgiven by the SBA was $223,460, including $221,500 of principal and $1,960 of interest, which was included in gain on forgiveness of loans under the PPP in the consolidated statements of operations.
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On February 26, 2021, we received funding for a Second Draw SBA PPP loan totaling $103,851 from Transportation Alliance Bank. Under the terms of the Second Draw PPP loan, up to 100% of the principal and accrued interest may be forgiven if certain criteria are met and the loan proceeds are used for qualifying expenses such as payroll costs, benefits, rent, and utilities as described in the CARES Act. The loan accrued interest at a rate of 1.0%. We filed an application for forgiveness of the loan’s principal and interests, and the application was approved by the bank and the SBA in August 2021. For the year ended December 31, 2021, the total amount forgiven by the SBA was $104,336, including $103,851 of principal and $485 of interest, which was included in gain on forgiveness of loans under the PPP in the consolidated statements of operations.
Contractual Obligations
The following table sets forth our contractual obligations as of December 31, 2022:
| Total | Less than 1 Year | 1 to 5 years | Above 5 years | |||||||||||||
| Lease commitment | $ | 149,458 | $ | 149,458 | $ | - | $ | - | ||||||||
| Long-term borrowings | 709,723 | 31,281 | 142,046 | 536,396 | ||||||||||||
| Total | $ | 859,181 | $ | 180,739 | $ | 142,046 | $ | 536,396 | ||||||||
Except for those disclosed above, we did not have any significant capital or other commitments, long-term obligations, or guarantees as of December 31, 2022.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
We did not have during the period presented, and we do not currently have, any off-balance sheet financing arrangements as defined under the rules and regulations of the SEC, or any relationships with unconsolidated entities or financial partnerships, including entities sometimes referred to as structured finance or special purpose entities, that were established for the purpose of facilitating off-balance sheet arrangements or other contractually narrow or limited purposes.
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
We are exposed to market risk in the ordinary course of our business. Market risk represents the risk of loss that may impact our financial position due to adverse changes in financial market prices and rates.
Inflation Risk
We do not believe that inflation has had a material effect on our business, financial condition, or results of operations, other than its impact on the general economy. Nonetheless, if our costs were to become subject to inflationary pressures, we might not be able to fully offset such higher costs through price increases. Our inability or failure to do so could harm our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
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Interest Rate Risk and Market Risk
We are subjected to interest rate exposure on interest rates on our debt, especially our LC financing and inventory financing activities. Interest rate risk is highly sensitive due to many factors, including domestic and foreign monetary policies, U.S. and international economic factors and other factors beyond our control. The vast majority of our debt bears interest at fixed rates. As of December 31, 2022, we had a total outstanding debt balance of $12.9 million. Based on the amounts outstanding, a 100-basis point increase or decrease in market interest rates over a 12-month period would cause an increase or decrease in interest expense of approximately $22,094 on an annual basis.
Foreign Exchange risk
As our sales to PRC customers are denominated in RMB and we procure almost all of our automobile inventory in USD, we face exposure to foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations. The value of the RMB against USD may fluctuate and is affected by, among other things, changes in political and economic conditions and the foreign exchange policy adopted by the PRC government. In 2019, the RMB appreciated by approximately 1.9% against the U.S. dollar. In 2020, RMB appreciated by approximately 6.9% against the U.S. dollar. In 2021, RMB depreciated approximately 2.6% against the U.S. dollar. During year ended December 31, 2022, RMB rapidly depreciated against the U.S. dollar by approximately 10%. It is difficult to predict how market forces or government policies may impact the exchange rate between the RMB and the USD in the future. To date, we have not entered into any hedging transactions in an effort to reduce our exposure to foreign currency exchange risk. While we may decide to enter into hedging transactions in the future, the availability and effectiveness of these hedges may be limited, and we may not be able to adequately hedge our exposure or at all. If the exchange rate between the RMB and USD fluctuates in an unanticipated manner, our business, financial condition, and results of operations could be materially adversely affected.
Critical Accounting Estimates
Estimated allowance for double accounts receivable
Management reviews the accounts receivable on a periodic basis and makes general and specific allowances when there is doubt as to the collectability of individual balances. Our Company determines the adequacy of reserves for doubtful accounts based on individual account analysis and historical collection trend. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, there was no allowance for doubtful accounts recorded as our Company considers all of the outstanding accounts receivable fully collectible.
Estimated allowance for inventories obsolescence
Management’s estimated allowance for the inventory obsolescence reserves is based on management’s assessment of realization of inventory. Any excess of the cost over the realizable value of each items of inventories recognized as a provision for diminution in the value of inventories. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, we recorded nil and $92,811 of reserves of inventories from the carrying amount to their net realizable values, respectively.
Estimate of the valuation allowance of deferred tax assets
Our Company recognizes deferred tax assets to the extent that it believes that these assets are more likely than not to be realized. In making such a determination, our Company considers all available positive and negative evidence, including future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences, projected future taxable income, tax-planning strategies, and results of recent operations. We have not assessed a valuation allowance as it determine it is more likely than not that all deferred tax assets will be realized before expiration.
Critical Accounting Policies
Revenue Recognition
ASC 606 establishes principles for reporting information about the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from the entity’s contracts to provide goods or services to customers. The core principle requires an entity to recognize revenue to depict the transfer of goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration that it expects to be entitled to receive in exchange for those goods or services recognized as performance obligations are satisfied. ASC 606 requires the use of a new five-step model to recognize revenue from customer contracts. The five-step model requires that our Company (i) identify the contract with the customer, (ii) identify the performance obligations in the contract, (iii) determine the transaction price, including variable consideration to the extent that it is probable that a significant future reversal will not occur, (iv) allocate the transaction price to the respective performance obligations in the contract, and (v) recognize revenue when (or as) our Company satisfies the performance obligation. The application of the five-step model to the revenue streams compared to the prior guidance did not result in significant changes in the way our Company records its revenue. Under the new guidance, revenue is recognized when a customer obtains control of promised goods or services and is recognized in an amount that reflects the consideration which the entity expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services. In addition, the new guidance requires disclosure of the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers.
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Our Company is primarily engaged in the parallel-import vehicle dealership business and generates our revenue from the sales of parallel-import vehicles to both domestic and oversea parallel-import car dealers. We purchase automobiles from the U.S. market through our large team of professional purchasing agents, and mainly resell them to parallel-import car dealers in the U.S. and PRC. In accordance with ASC 606, our Company recognizes revenue at the point in time when the performance obligation has been satisfied and control of the vehicles has been transferred to the dealers. For sales to U.S. domestic parallel-import car dealers, revenue is recognized when a vehicle is delivered and its title has been transferred to the dealers. For overseas sales, our Company sells vehicles under Cost and Freight (“CFR”) shipping point term, and revenue is recognized when a vehicle is loaded on a cargo ship and its title has been transferred to the dealers. Our Company accounts for the revenue generated from sales of vehicles on a gross basis as our Company is acting as a principal in these transactions, is subject to inventory risk, has latitude in establishing prices, and is responsible for fulfilling the promise to provide customers the specified goods, which our Company has control of the goods and has the ability to direct the use of goods to obtain substantially all the benefits. All of our Company’s contracts have one single performance obligation as the promise is to transfer the individual vehicle to parallel-import car dealers, and there is no separately identifiable other promises in the contracts. Our Company’s vehicles are sold with no right of return and our Company does not provide other credits or sales incentives to parallel-import car dealers. Historically, no customer returns have occurred. Therefore, our Company did not provide any sales return allowances as of December 31, 2022 and 2021.
Contract balances and remaining performance obligations
Contract balances typically arise when a difference in timing between the transfer of control to the parallel-import car dealers and receipt of consideration occurs. Our Company did not have contract assets as of December 31, 2022 and 2021. Our Company’s contract liabilities, which are reflected in its consolidated balance sheets as deferred revenue of nil and $1,805,073 as of December 31, 2022 and 2021 respectively, consisted primarily of payments received in advance of delivery of vehicles to the automobile dealers. These amounts represented our Company’s unsatisfied performance obligations as of the balance sheet dates. The amount of revenue recognized in the years ended December 31 2022 and 2021 that was included in the opening deferred revenue was $1,805,073 and $2,575,895, respectively. Our Company expects to recognize revenue when vehicles are delivered to our automobile dealers, which is expected to occur within six months.
Accounts receivable, net
Accounts receivable represent the amounts that our Company has an unconditional right to consideration, which are stated at the original amount less an allowance for doubtful accounts. Our Company reviews the accounts receivable on a periodic basis and makes general and specific allowances when there is doubt as to the collectability of individual balances. Our Company determines the adequacy of reserves for doubtful accounts based on individual account analysis and historical collection trends. Our Company establishes a provision for doubtful receivables when there is objective evidence that our Company may not be able to collect amounts due. The allowance is based on management’s best estimate of specific losses on individual exposures, as well as a provision on historical trends of collections. Actual amounts received may differ from management’s estimate of credit worthiness and the economic environment. Delinquent account balances are written-off against the allowance for doubtful accounts after management has determined that the collection is not probable. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, there was no allowance for doubtful accounts recorded as our Company considers all of the outstanding accounts receivable fully collectible.
Inventories, net
Inventories consist of new vehicles held for sale, and are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value using the specific identification method. The cost of inventory mainly includes the cost of auto vehicles purchased from U.S. automobile dealers, non-refundable sales tax, and dealership service fees. Our Company reviews its inventory periodically if any reserves are necessary for potential shrinkage. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, we recorded nil and $92,811 of reserves of inventories from the carrying amount to their net realizable values, respectively.
Income taxes
Our Company accounts for income taxes under the asset and liability method, which requires the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of events that have been included in the financial statements. Under this method, our Company determines deferred tax assets and liabilities on the basis of the differences between the financial statement and tax bases of assets and liabilities by using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse. The effect of a change in tax rates on deferred tax assets and liabilities is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date.
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Our Company recognizes deferred tax assets to the extent that it believes that these assets are more likely than not to be realized. In making such a determination, our Company considers all available positive and negative evidence, including future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences, projected future taxable income, tax-planning strategies, and results of recent operations. We have not assessed a valuation allowance as it determine it is more likely than not that all deferred tax assets will be realized before expiration.
Our Company records uncertain tax positions in accordance with ASC 740 (“ASC 740”), Income Taxes, on the basis of a two-step process in which (1) our Company determines whether it is more likely than not that the tax positions will be sustained on the basis of the technical merits of the position and (2) for those tax positions that meet the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold, our Company recognizes the largest amount of tax benefit that is more than 50 percent likely to be realized upon ultimate settlement with the related tax authority. Our Company does not believe that there were any uncertain tax positions at December 31, 2022 and 2021.
Our Company and its operating subsidiaries in the United States are subject to the tax law of the United States. Our Company elected to file income taxes as a corporation instead of an LLC for the tax years ended December 31, 2020 through December 31, 2021. As of December 31, 2022, the tax years ended December 31, 2020 through December 31, 2022 for our Company’s consolidated income tax returns remain open for statutory examination by U.S. tax authorities.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
See Note 2 to our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus for additional details regarding recent accounting pronouncements.
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Overview
We are a supplier of parallel-import vehicles sourced in the U.S. to be sold in the PRC market. In the PRC, parallel-import vehicles refer to those purchased by dealers directly from overseas markets and imported for sale through channels other than brand manufacturers’ official distribution systems. To our knowledge, there are currently no U.S. federal or state laws, regulation, or rules on trade or export that prohibit the export of vehicles that will be parallel imported into foreign countries. Nonetheless, manufacturers and their distributors sometimes regard parallel-import vehicles as a competitor to their network of franchised dealerships, and thus may take measures to limit or reduce the opportunities for third parties, such as parallel-import vehicle dealers, to profit through leveraging the manufacturers’ different pricing strategies across the world. For example, they may add provisions in their sales agreements that restrict the export of the purchased automobiles, or they may build and update their Suspect Customer Database and monitor and limit the sales of automobiles to those suspect customers. In China, sales of parallel-import vehicles have benefited from a series of related regulations and policies that have been promulgated by the PRC government since 2016, including “Several Opinions on Promoting Pilot Parallel Import of Automobiles,” “Opinions on Further Promoting the Development of Parallel Import of Automobiles,” and the “Circular on Several Measures for Invigorating Automobile Circulation and Promoting Automobile Consumption.” Such regulations and policies are in compliance with U.S. laws on trade and export. See “—Our Industry and Business Model.” We purchase automobiles, primarily luxury brands such as Mercedes, BMW, Porsche, Lexus, and Bentley, from the U.S. market and resell them to our customers, including both U.S. and PRC parallel-import car dealers. We derive profits primarily from the price difference between our buying and selling prices for parallel-import vehicles.
The primary driver for our industry is the continued growth of wealthy groups in China. The core of our business is the ability to identify the type of parallel-import vehicles that are in high demand and to procure them in a timely manner. Since our inception in 2016, our management has focused on building our procurement team. We procure our automobiles from U.S. automobile dealers via a network of independent contractors acting as purchasing agents on our behalf. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, we actively worked with 342 and 300 purchasing agents, respectively.
We believe that our corporate focus and dedication to the market, manifested in the size and sophistication of our purchasing agent team and our ability to source and train new purchasing agents, provides us with a significant marketing advantage and sets us apart from our competitors. Although we compete directly with many other companies that sell parallel-import vehicles to the PRC, most of our competitors are small family businesses that obtain U.S. cars through their family members or friends in the U.S. and therefore cannot guarantee a steady supply. We have developed a standardized system of recruiting, training, and managing a large number of professional purchasing agents, enabling us to sell on a recurring basis a large number of automobiles to the PRC market. Since purchasing agents work part-time and are paid on a commission basis, a high turnover rate poses a particular challenge for us, as agents may quit their jobs at any time without prior notice. Nonetheless, with our newly developed referral program that offers referral commissions to existing agents for each successfully closed transaction completed by a new agent whom they referred to us, we are currently able to maintain sufficient purchasing agents to meet our purchasing demand. As a result, we have become a reliable source of parallel-import vehicles and have built long-term relationships with multiple U.S. and PRC parallel-import car dealers, which have contributed significantly to our sales growth. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, we had an active customer base of 17 and eight dealers, respectively. Specifically, we had eight U.S. customers and nine PRC customers in 2022 and had four customers in each of the U.S. and the PRC in 2021. During the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, we sold 434 and 167 parallel-import vehicles to Chinese parallel-import car dealers, respectively. During the same period, we sold 29 and 220 parallel-import vehicles to our U.S. domestic customers, respectively.
We sold 463 and 387 vehicles during the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. We believe our current purchasing team can support an annual sales volume of approximately 600 vehicles. For the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, we had total revenue of $55.2 million and $39.2 million, respectively, representing an increase of 40.7% from 2021 to 2022. We earned a net income of $0.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, compared to a net income of $1.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. Sales to the PRC market represent a significant part of our revenue. During the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, sales to the China market accounted for approximately 93.1% and 43.9% of our revenue, respectively. See “Risk Factors—Operational Risks—Sales to the PRC market represented approximately 93.1% and 43.9% of our revenue for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively, and we expect such sales to continue to represent a significant part of our revenue. Any negative impact to our ability to sell our products to customers based in China could materially and adversely affect our results of operations.”
Recent Development
To diversify our revenue and further leverage our in-depth expertise in the parallel-import vehicle industry, we launched our financial services to small- and medium-sized traders in the global supply chain industry (primarily other parallel-import vehicle suppliers) in October 2022. Our financial services are provided in the form of inventory financing, for which customers can use their cars as collateral, which will be stored in our warehouse or other locations designated by us, in exchange for a loan from us. Furthermore, we plan to launch our own warehousing and logistics systems, which will create synergy with our parallel-import vehicle business and financial services.
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Our Competitive Strengths
We believe the following competitive strengths are essential for our success and differentiate us from our competitors:
In-depth Industry Insight and Strong Overseas Procurement Capability Enabled by a Large Team of Professional Purchasing Agents
We are capable of providing a large, stable source of parallel-import vehicles. With in-depth knowledge of the Chinese luxury car market, we have built a large team of independent contractors, who serve as professional purchasing agents, to facilitate our procurement of vehicles, enabling us to become a growing supplier of parallel-import vehicles. Specifically, we hold weekly management meetings to analyze the Chinese luxury car market demand and allocate the required models and quantities to our purchasing agents. We have designed and developed our own referral program to attract more qualified agents and to grow our purchasing agent base. Furthermore, we provide training in luxury car knowledge and business negotiation skills to our purchasing agents to enable them to negotiate with the dealers. As of December 31, 2022, we had 342 professional purchasing agents who are experts in both luxury cars and negotiation skills. Due to our in-depth industry insight and strong procurement capability enabled by our sizable team of purchasing agents, we have built long-term relationships with five Chinese parallel-import car dealers. We have entered into a two-year purchase agreement with one of those PRC customers, in which the PRC customer states its intent to purchase up to 200 and 300 vehicles each year, respectively, during the tenure of the agreement. This agreement is only expressing an intent to purchase by the customer and the customer is under no obligation, but only to use its best efforts, to purchase. In accordance with the agreement, we are required to supply the vehicles and offer the best price to the PRC customer based on market conditions and vehicle types and models. Pursuant to the purchase agreement, price information and payment instructions are to be determined upon confirmation of each sale, and both parties are required to enter into separate sales contracts for each sales transaction. For the other four PRC customers, we do not have any agreements with those PRC customers that require them to continue to source vehicles to us on an advantageous basis or at all. Instead, we rely on the business relationships we have built over the years while working with those PRC customers, many of which have cooperated with us for over three years. Since our inception in 2016, we have developed a standardized system of recruiting, training, and managing a large number of professional purchasing agents, enabling us to sell on a recurring basis a large number of automobiles to the PRC market. We believe that our corporate focus and dedication to the market, manifested in the size and sophistication of our purchasing agent team and our ability to source and train new purchasing agents, sets us apart from our competitors. Although we compete directly with many other companies that sell parallel-import vehicles to the PRC, most of our competitors are small family businesses that obtain U.S. cars through their family members or friends in the U.S. and therefore cannot guarantee a steady supply. See “—Our Professional Purchasing Agents.” The standardized system has been tested for the past four years and has propelled us into a strong market position in parallel-import car sales. As a result, Chinese parallel-import car dealers that we work with proactively choose to source luxury vehicles to us.
Scalable Operation with Systematic Approach to Procurement Which Drives Better Pricing for Customers
We have substantial customer demand for our parallel-import vehicles, largely because our selling prices are lower than those offered by other suppliers of parallel-import vehicles to the PRC market, driven by our scalable operation with a systematic approach to procurement. We acquired automobiles from U.S. automobile dealers via our purchasing agents. See “—Sales of Parallel-Import Vehicles—Services and Operational Flow—Procurement.” Since we have a large number of professional purchasing agents with excellent negotiation skills, we believe we are able to supply stable and large quantities of cars at reasonable prices to Chinese parallel-import car dealers and maintain a long-term relationship with them. See “—In-depth Industry Insight and Strong Overseas Procurement Capability Enabled by a Large Team of Professional Purchasing Agents.” We purchased and sold 356 and 463 vehicles, respectively, during the years ended December 31, 2022. As a stable parallel-import vehicle supplier, we are able to offer our customers a lower price than our competitors, which in turn increases our customers’ demand for our automobiles.
A Visionary and Experienced Management Team with Strong Financial and Operational Expertise
Our senior management team has extensive experience in finance and imports and exports of automobiles. Mr. Huan Liu, our Chief Executive Officer, has extensive experience in real estate, private equity, and car imports and exports. As the founder and CEO of Cheetah Net, Mr. Liu has been responsible for the management of day-to-day operations and high-level strategizing and business planning, as well as implementing proposed plans and evaluating the success of our Company in achieving its goals. From 2014 to 2015, Mr. Liu served as the chief executive officer at Beijing Xinyongjia Technology Co., where he was responsible for identifying opportunities for expansion and analyzing operations to identify areas in need of reorganization. From 2012 to 2013, Mr. Liu served as the senior investment manager at Beijing Wanze Investment Management Co. Ltd., and was responsible for developing and implementing risk-based asset allocation models and performance analytics. He received his master’s degree in Finance from the International Business School at Brandeis University in 2012.
Our Growth Strategies
Taking the niche market of parallel-import vehicle trade as an entry point, we will continuously consolidate our upstream and downstream customer resources. By leveraging these resources and our industry expertise, we plan to launch and develop our warehousing and logistics services and provide financial services to the upstream and downstream dealers across the entire parallel-import vehicle trade value chain. Ultimately, we aim to become a global supply chain platform that offers an integrated package of warehousing, logistics, and financial services to small- and medium-sized import and export companies. Specifically, we intend to develop our business and strengthen our brand loyalty by implementing the following strategies:
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Further Develop Financial Services to Small- and Medium-Sized Traders in the Global Supply Chain Industry
To diversify our revenue, we recently launched our financial services in October 2022. See “—Recent Development.” We plan to further develop our financial services by expanding our customer base. In addition, we plan to develop an online platform where customers of our financial services can upload their certificates, IDs, and notarized contracts, and have their financing applications approved within three hours. Currently, we fund our financial services with our working capital and LC financing from third-party companies. We expect to reserve approximately 20% of the proceeds from this offering for the further development of our financial service business. Furthermore, by leveraging the large amounts of data we hope to collect from our financial services, we expect to further improve our financial services and parallel-import vehicle services. For example, when we provide financial services to a small supplier of parallel-imported vehicles, we will obtain its bank statements, financial information, car models purchased and sold, and other data related to its financial status and business. With the customer’s consent, we will analyze the data to understand the parallel-import car market so that we can adjust interest rates and provide other value-added services to paid customers. We will protect customer data in compliance with related privacy and data laws and regulations, and only use the data in a manner agreed upon by them.
Build Warehouses and Launch Warehousing and Logistics Services
We plan to build at least two warehouses, one on the east coast of the United States within a year upon receiving the proceeds from this offering, and the other on the west coast of the United States within two years after that. Meanwhile, we plan to build our own logistics team and are currently interviewing candidates with rich freight forwarding experience for the team leader. We expect to have our own warehousing and logistics systems in one to two years after receiving our IPO proceeds. We plan to develop such services initially to support our core business of supplying luxury vehicles to be imported into the PRC, and thereafter to build economies of scale by providing these services to small- and medium-sized traders in the global supply chain industry. Our first customers will be parallel-import vehicle businesses with whom we have established relationships. Not only can we use our self-operated warehousing and logistics systems to deliver vehicles to the customers of our parallel-import vehicle business, but we can also offer such services to other small- and medium-sized suppliers of parallel-import vehicles or those engaged in the import or export of other products between the U.S. and the PRC or other destinations around the world without such a system.
We also plan to develop an online Service-as-a-Service (“SaaS”) platform to facilitate our warehousing services, logistics services, and financial services, enabling us to automate and digitalize key steps of the supply chain for our customers. The SaaS platform will include a warehouse management system, which monitors the entire flow of inventory, labor force, and information in and out of our warehouse network, resulting in improved operational efficiency by providing real-time inventory visibility. Our warehousing and logistics systems and SaaS platform will enable us to warehouse, manage, and deliver the goods of our customers. In addition, since we hold our customers’ goods in our own warehouses and monitor their inventory, we are able to access real-time data related to customer’s inventory, purchases, and financial information with their prior consent, allowing us to make efficient decisions as to whether to approve customers’ application for our financial services. See “—Our Growth Strategies—Launch Financial Services to Small- and Medium-Sized Traders in the Global Supply Chain Industry.” Once we have established a relatively mature warehouse and logistical services in the parallel-import vehicle industry, we may expand our SaaS platform to other industries, such as textiles, medical products, and tires.
Moreover, after we build our warehouses, we plan to provide warehousing and order fulfillment services to small businesses, such as e-commerce merchants, who can send their products/merchandise to our warehouses in advance, and when their customers make a purchase, we will be responsible for picking, packing, and shipping the specific products to the customers based on their order information. By outsourcing their warehousing and order fulfillment functions to us, these small businesses may be relieved of their logistics burdens and have greater flexibility and agility when it comes to marketing and selling practices. We expect to generate revenue and profits by charging those small businesses storage, packing, and shipping service fees. We expect to further develop our SaaS platform with respect to the warehousing and order fulfillment services we plan to launch. Specifically, we plan to utilize our SaaS platform for marketing purposes by advertising small business sellers’ merchandise on our platform to help them promote and gain more exposure to potential or target customers. We expect to generate profits by charging small businesses services fees for our marketing efforts.
The estimated cost for building warehouses and launching warehousing and logistics services under our plan is approximately $20,000,000. Funding for our warehousing and logistics services is expected to be derived from our cash flow generated by our operations and from the proceeds we receive from this offering.
Further Grow our Purchasing Agent Team and Customer Base for the Parallel-Import Vehicle Business
We endeavor to continue to expand our parallel-import vehicle business. Retaining quality purchasing agents with excellent negotiation skills is the first and most essential part of our business. To grow our team of professional purchasing agents, we will continue to devote significant resources to personnel recruitment and training. In addition, we will maintain and grow our customer base by identifying and engaging more parallel-import car dealers in China to further increase our sales. Moreover, we will continue to monitor the constantly changing PRC market demand for vehicle models and expand our brand coverage accordingly to strengthen our strong market position as a supplier of luxury automobiles to the parallel-import car dealers in China.
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Pursue Additional Strategic and Financially Attractive Acquisitions
We endeavor to identify, acquire, and integrate businesses that will expand our parallel-import vehicle business, warehousing services, and financial services while achieving synergies and generating attractive returns. Using our disciplined approach to screening and evaluating potential opportunities, we intend to seek strategically and financially attractive acquisition targets that provide us with new capabilities. We have significant internal resources dedicated to tracking potential acquisition prospects which are formally reviewed by senior management on a regular basis. Since we are a stable parallel-import vehicle supplier with a wide network of contacts and have been involved in the industry for more than eight years, we believe we will be an acquirer of choice in our industry at attractive valuations.
Recent Development
To diversify our revenue, we launched our financial services in October 2022. Our target customers are small- and medium-sized traders in the global supply chain industry, primarily other suppliers of parallel-import vehicles, for whom we provide standardized short-term loans, typically lasting between three and six months. As a result of our growth, we understand the obstacles presented by insufficient funds. Additionally, we will provide financial services to other Chinese parallel-import car dealers so they are able to order vehicles in the U.S. for resale in China.
Our financial services are provided in the form of inventory financing, for which customers can use their cars as collateral, which will be stored in our warehouse or other locations designated by us. Based on our experience in the parallel-import vehicle dealership industry, we understand such financial services are in high demand. Since we have existing contacts with our peer companies and Chinese parallel-import car dealers who are interested in our financial services, we do not have to conduct extensive marketing to find new customers.
As an example of a typical transaction, under a vehicle pledge loan agreement entered into by and between Pacific, one of our subsidiaries, and a financial service customer (the “Financial Service Customer”), Pacific is obligated to lend the Financial Service Customer a certain amount of pledge loans for an initial term of 90 calendar days with a monthly interest rate of 1.2%. The value of pledge loans is typically determined as 90% of the MSRP of the collateral owned and provided by the Financial Service Customer, which is required to be stored in a warehouse designated by Pacific. The loan is guaranteed by the actual controllers of the Financial Service Customer, who have unlimited joint and several liability. The initial term of the loan will be extended automatically if the Financial Service Customer repays the loan before the initial loan term expires. For collateral over 90 calendar days, the Financial Service Customer is obligated to repay the loan and interest as soon as possible at an adjusted monthly interest rate of 1.5%, and Pacific reserves the right to sell or auction the collateral or claim the debt to guarantors in the event that the Financial Service Customer cannot pay off the debt and interest.
Corporate History and Structure
Cheetah Net was originally formed on August 9, 2016 under the laws of the State of North Carolina as a limited liability company known as Yuan Qiu Business Group LLC. On March 1, 2022, we filed articles of incorporation including articles of conversion with the Secretary of State of the State of North Carolina to convert from an LLC to a corporation, and changed our name to Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc. Cheetah Net also conducts business under the marketing name of “Elite Motor Group.” As of the date of this prospectus, Cheetah Net holds 100% of the equity interests in the following entities:
| ● | (i) Allen-Boy International LLC (“Allen-Boy”), a limited liability company organized on August 31, 2016 under the laws of the State of Delaware, which was acquired by Cheetah Net from Yingchang Yuan, the previous owner of Allen-Boy who beneficially owns 1,200,000 shares of Class A common stock of Cheetah Net, for a total consideration of $100 on January 1, 2017. Allen-Boy did not have any business activities until acquired by Cheetah Net; |
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| ● | (ii) Canaan International LLC (“Fairview”), a limited liability company organized on December 5, 2018 under the laws of the State of North Carolina, known as Fairview International Business Group, LLC before changing its name by filing articles of amendment on July 21, 2020. Fairview was acquired by Cheetah Net from Yiming Wang, a former employee of Cheetah Net, for a total consideration of $100 on January 1, 2019. Fairview did not have any business activities until acquired by Cheetah Net; |
| ● | (iii) Canaan Limousine LLC (“Limousine”), a limited liability company organized on February 10, 2021 under the laws of the State of South Carolina, which was acquired by Cheetah Net from Yingchang Yuan, the previous owner of Limousine who beneficially owns 1,200,000 shares of Class A common stock of Cheetah Net, for a total consideration of $100 on February 19, 2021. Limousine did not have any business activities until acquired by Cheetah Net; |
| ● | (iv) Pacific Consulting LLC (“Pacific”), a limited liability company organized on January 17, 2019 under the laws of the State of New York, which was acquired by Cheetah Net from Yingchang Yuan, the previous owner of Pacific who beneficially owns 1,200,000 shares of Class A common stock of Cheetah Net, for a total consideration of $100 on February 15, 2019. Pacific did not have any business activities until acquired by Cheetah Net; |
| ● | (v) Entour Solutions LLC (“Entour”), a limited liability company organized on April 8, 2021 under the laws of the State of New York, which was acquired by Cheetah Net from Daihan Ding, the previous owner of Entour, and a current employee of Cheetah Net, for a total consideration of $100 on April 9, 2021. Entour did not have any business activities until acquired by Cheetah Net; and |
| ● | (vi) Cheetah Net Logistics LLC (“Logistics”), a limited liability company organized on October 12, 2022 under the laws of the State of New York, whose previous sole member and owner, Hanzhang Li, a current employee of Cheetah, assigned all his membership interests in Logistics to Cheetah Net for a total consideration of $100 through a membership interest assignment agreement dated October 19, 2022. |
The following diagram illustrates our corporate structure upon completion of this offering based on a proposed number of [●] shares of Class A common stock being offered, assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option.
Notes: The percentage of voting interest held by each of our stockholders is calculated on the basis that each holder of Class B common stock is entitled to 15 votes per share of Class B common stock and each holder of Class A common stock is entitled to one vote per share of Class A common stock.
| (1) | Represents 8,250,000 shares of Class B common stock indirectly held by Huan Liu, the 100% owner of FAIRVIEW EASTERN INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS LIMITED, as of the date of this prospectus. |
| (2) | Represents an aggregate of 8,416,000 shares of Class A common stock held by seven stockholders of Cheetah Net, each one of which holds less than 5% of our voting ownership interests, as of the date of this prospectus. |
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For details of our principal stockholders’ ownership, please refer to the beneficial ownership table in the section captioned “Principal Stockholders.”
Our Industry and Business Model
We generate revenue from the sales of parallel-import vehicles. In the PRC, parallel-import vehicles refer to those purchased directly by dealers from overseas markets and imported into the PRC market for sale through channels other than brand manufacturers’ official distribution systems. Models and prices of parallel-import vehicles vary from mid-range to high-end brands, with MSRPs typically not less than $40,000. Parallel-import cars are popular in China because they are relatively cheaper and offer a wider variety of models and versions with more customization possibilities than regular imported cars. Specifically, because parallel-import vehicles do not have to pass through multiple levels of distributors, such as China general distributors, regional distributors, and 4S stores, to reach their end consumers, they can be priced at least 10% to 15% lower than regular imported cars. Parallel-import cars are popular also because some overseas models cannot be produced and sold in China due to certain regulations concerning environmental protection and emission standards, and can only be introduced into the PRC market through parallel imports. As manufacturers frequently arbitrage markets, setting the price according to local market conditions so the same vehicle will have different prices in different territories, this enables parallel-import vehicle dealers to utilize a profit maximization strategy to drive profit from the industry. Currently, there are no U.S. federal or state laws, regulation, or rules on trade or export that prohibit the export of vehicles that will be parallel imported into foreign countries. Nonetheless, manufacturers and their distributors sometimes regard parallel-import vehicles as a competitor to their network of franchised dealerships, and thus may take measures to limit or reduce the opportunities for third parties, such as parallel-import vehicle dealers, to profit through leveraging the manufacturers’ different pricing strategies across the world. For example, they may add provisions in their sales agreements that restrict the export of the purchased automobiles, or they may build and update their Suspect Customer Database and monitor and limit the sales of automobiles to those suspect customers. See “Risk Factors—Operational Risks—Each of our purchasing agents can usually perform only a limited number of purchases before being recorded in the U.S. dealers’ Suspect Customer Database. To that end, we must maintain a sufficient number of purchasing agents for procurement, and if these purchasing agents are unable or unwilling to continue in their present positions, or if we fail to recruit and maintain a sufficient number of new purchasing agents to meet our purchasing demand, our business may be severely disrupted.”
Parallel-import vehicles in China are generally divided into three categories based on the original country of procurement, including the U.S. version, the Middle East version, and the European version. All of the cars we sell are of the U.S. version with MSRPs typically not less than $80,000. Generally, the suppliers of the U.S. version of parallel-import cars are unable to purchase large quantities of vehicles, so most of the industry's participants are small family businesses who purchase cars from local dealers and resell them to local dealers/exporters in the U.S. or to dealers/importers in China. For U.S. dealers of parallel-import vehicles, vehicle sourcing capabilities are critical.
In order to rein in prices of foreign luxury cars in the PRC market, which are typically higher than elsewhere in the world, the PRC government has issued policies to promote the development of the parallel-import car industry. Since the PRC government issued policies to promote the layout of parallel-import vehicle trials in October 2014, the parallel-import vehicle market began to grow. In 2016, the Ministry of Commerce of the PRC and other seven departments issued “Several Opinions on Promoting Pilot Parallel Import of Automobiles” to speed up the implementation of the pilot policy measures to promote parallel-import cars. China began piloting parallel imports of automobiles in February 2016, where the first cities to pilot parallel imports of cars were Shanghai, Tianjin, Fuzhou, Shenzhen, and Huangpu, followed by Chengdu, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Dalian, and Ningbo. As a result of these government policies, more Chinese consumers have access to foreign premium cars, such as Porsche and Land Rover, which have spurred sales despite overall softening sales in the broader market. The market liberalization in 2016 was partly driven by the PRC government’s desire to break up monopolies, benefit consumers, and encourage more cooperation between suppliers and dealers in a fairer and more reasonable environment. In 2017, China's new “Measures for the Administration of Automobile Sales” (the “Measures”) were released. Article 36 of the Measures provides a regulatory basis for the parallel importation of automobiles. This document contributed to the rapid development of the parallel import model in China. The new regulation defines the supplier of imported cars as “the operator who imports cars from abroad,” and the authorization of the manufacturer is no longer required for importing cars. Under the traditional brand authorization model, the car manufacturer is in control of the product types and specifications of the imported cars. With the development of the parallel import model, however, a growing number of PRC end consumers choose to bypass the brand-authorized dealers in favor of non-authorized dealers for a variety of reasons such as price and special needs. The development of the parallel-import vehicle industry has since grown significantly. Furthermore, in 2019, the Ministry of Commerce of the PRC and six other departments issued the “Opinions on Further Promoting the Development of Parallel Import of Automobiles,” which emphasizes the need to (i) permit and support establishment of compliance and modification sites for parallel-import automobiles to ensure the automobiles meet the national standards; (ii) promote the normalization and institutionalization of the parallel import of automobiles; (iii) further improve trade facilitation for parallel-import automobiles; and (iv) further strengthen the supervision and accountability of parallel-import automobiles. In 2022, the Ministry of Commerce of the PRC and 16 other departments promulgated the “Circular on Several Measures for Invigorating Automobile Circulation and Promoting Automobile Consumption,” which provides that the PRC government will further promote the sustainable and healthy development of parallel import of automobiles by supporting the parallel import of automobiles in ports that permit automobile imports and improving the mandatory product certification and information disclosure system for parallel-import automobiles. Such regulations and policies are in compliance with U.S. laws on trade and exports.
Currently, we are primarily engaged in parallel-import vehicle dealership business, where we purchase automobiles from the U.S. market through our large team of professional purchasing agents, and resell them to our customers, including both U.S. and PRC parallel-import car dealers. We derive profits primarily from the price difference between our buying and selling prices for parallel-import vehicles. Our operating principle is to maximize sales margins rather than volume, so we mainly focus on luxury vehicle brands because of the strong purchasing power of the end consumers in the PRC and higher markups for pricing. This strategy allows us to maintain efficient operations and effective management by keeping the size and scope of our Company within reasonable limits.
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Our Customers
We primarily serve two types of customers: (i) PRC customers and (ii) U.S. domestic customers. Specifically, our PRC customers refer to those Chinese automobile dealers/importers who intend to import automobiles into the PRC market as parallel-import vehicles. Our U.S. domestic customers are parallel-import car dealers/exporters based in the U.S., which are typically the branches or upstream suppliers of Chinese parallel-import vehicle car dealers, who often lack purchasing capabilities in the U.S. market and need to purchase vehicles from us to transport to their PRC branches or sell to their PRC customers. Our customers are willing to work with us because we are able to provide them with a large number of vehicles having a wide variety of models, thus greatly reducing the difficulty of collecting and managing vehicles for them. Our PRC and U.S. customers generated approximately 93.1% and 6.9% of our revenue, respectively, during the year ended December 31, 2022, and approximately 43.9% and 56.1% of our revenue, respectively, during the year ended December 31, 2021. We had a total of 17 and eight customers for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. In 2022, our three largest customers accounted for approximately 65% of our total revenue, while for the year ended December 31, 2021, our four largest customers accounted for 81.9% of our total revenue.
As an example of a typical transaction, under a sales contract entered into by and between our Company and a PRC customers, we are required to (i) load the designated automobiles on a vessel by the time of shipment specified in the contract at a U.S. port of loading; (ii) facilitate export customs clearance; (iii) provide the PRC customer with information about the designated automobiles, quantity, invoice amount, vessel name, and departure date, and provide a bill of lading, packaging list, commercial invoice, and other necessary documents; and (iv) ensure that the sold automobiles are brand new. Pursuant to the sales contract, the PRC customer (i) is responsible for import customs clearance and other relevant import issues; (ii) is required to bear all costs and risks once the designated automobiles arrive at the designated port of destination in the PRC; and (iii) is responsible for arranging payment as specified in the contract. In the event of any dispute, controversy, or claim arising out of or relating to such sales contracts, both parties agree (i) they will first try to resolve such disputes through friendly consultation; and that (ii) the validity, interpretation, and implementation of such contracts shall be governed by the laws of the State of North Carolina in the U.S.
Similarly, our U.S. customers enter into sales agreements for each automobile sold with us. According to a typical sales agreement entered into between our U.S. customers and our Company, we will (i) sell the designated automobile to the U.S. customer for the amount specified in the agreement and certify that all of the information provided therein is true and accurate to the best of our knowledge; (ii) deliver the automobile to the warehouse requested by the U.S. customer; and (iii) provide the automobile title within three weeks of the completion of the transaction. Meanwhile, the U.S. customer acknowledges that the automobile described therein is sold “as is” and that there is no guarantee or warranty either expressed or implied with respect to the automobile.
Our Suppliers
We do not have typical suppliers, because we purchase all of our automobiles via our team of professional purchasing agents from U.S. automobile dealers that have the designated automobile model in stock. The designated brands and models are usually luxury or mid- to high-end vehicles that are in high demand in the PRC market such as Mercedes GLS450, Mercedes G63, BMW X7, and Porsche Cayenne.
Our Professional Purchasing Agents
As of December 31, 2022, we worked with approximately 342 independent contractors as our professional purchasing agents, responsible for purchasing designated models of vehicles using the knowledge and negotiating skills they have acquired from our training. We have developed a standardized system of recruiting, training, and managing professional purchasing agents. Specifically, we post job listings on various job platforms to attract qualified potential candidates, and assign received resumes to our full-time procurement specialists, who will schedule interviews by telephone or in person. A second interview will be conducted by a procurement manager and/or human resources manager to further review the candidate’s background and qualifications. Upon reviewing the applicant’s experience in the industry, knowledge of our Company, and other qualifications, we will determine whether a candidate is a good fit. In addition, we have designed and developed our own referral program that incentivizes our existing agents to utilize their network to attract additional qualified agents and thus further expand our purchasing agent base. In particular, we encourage our purchasing agents to introduce such positions to their connections and forward their resumes or contact information to our Company if consent is granted. The candidates so referred, if retained, will receive our training and start working as purchasing agents, and the referral agent will earn a $200 commission for each deal the referred agents close. There is no limit or cap on how many referrals can be made in our referral program. In the referral program, existing agents act as mentors to new agents by providing them with initial training and helping them become familiar with our Company.
Since most of the purchasing agents have other part-time employment, training sessions are provided to accommodate their schedules. In a training session, our procurement specialists outline the details, such as models with specifications, buying procedures, commission structure, and agent conduct when visiting a dealership. The agents are trained continuously after each deal is completed to improve their skills and knowledge. To determine whether a new purchasing agent has been fully trained and understands well his or her responsibilities, workflow, and company procedures and policies, a procurement manager will schedule an assessment test or call with the new agent before the agent places his or her first order with a dealership. We manage our purchasing agents through a variety of communication tools including texts, phone calls, emails, and zoom meetings. Each purchasing agent is assigned to a procurement specialist in charge, who leads and trains a group of agents. Depending on the agent’s schedule, the procurement specialists in charge are in direct communication with their agents on a weekly basis for updates on active deals, leads for new potential deals, and scheduling vehicle pick-ups.
As each of our purchasing agents may only be able to perform a limited number of purchases before being recorded in the U.S. dealers’ Suspect Customer Database, we may encounter difficulty maintaining a sufficient number of purchasing agents to meet our purchasing demand. See “Risk Factors—Operational Risks—Each of our purchasing agents can usually perform only a limited number of purchases before being recorded in the U.S. dealers’ Suspect Customer Database. To that end, we must maintain a sufficient number of purchasing agents for procurement, and if these purchasing agents are unable or unwilling to continue in their present positions, or if we fail to recruit and maintain a sufficient number of new purchasing agents to meet our purchasing demand, our business may be severely disrupted.” We are especially challenged by a potentially high turnover rate of purchasing agents. All purchasing agents work part-time and are paid on a commission basis. Consequently, they may quit their jobs anytime without prior notice. However, our newly established referral program helps us maintain sufficient purchasing agents by offering incentives to existing agents in the form of a referral commission on each successfully concluded transaction completed by a new agent whom they referred to us. As a result, agents are more motivated to work and stay with our Company.
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In accordance with a typical independent contractor agreement entered between a professional purchasing agent and our Company, the purchasing agent agrees to (i) acquire the automobile identified by our Company and promptly transfer possession of the automobile to us; (ii) diligently execute all documents related to the transfer of title and delivery of the automobile; (iii) deliver the automobile without any physical damage, including all purchasing documents, user manuals, window sticker, keys, spare tires, and interior carpets; and (iv) acknowledge that the automobile is at all times the sole property of our Company insofar as we fulfill our obligation to fund all related costs of purchasing the automobile and to pay/reimburse all fees owed pursuant to the independent contractor agreement. Pursuant to the independent contractor agreement, we are required to pay the purchasing agent a service fee calculated according to an agreed-upon payment structure specified in the agreement, which includes (i) a base fee ranging from $500 to $2,000, depending on the model of the purchased automobile, and (ii) an incentive bonus that amounts to 25% of any further discount achieved by the purchasing agent beyond the pre-determined benchmark discount required for the purchased automobile. Such agreement also includes liability exemption clauses providing that the purchasing agent shall not be liable for any fines or lawsuits imposed by dealerships or manufacturers due to export infractions or infringements and we agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the purchasing agent from and against any liability, losses, claims, costs, interests, penalties, expenses, and damages arising from any non-negligent execution of the role as purchasing agents on behalf of our Company.
Brands We Supply
The brands of automobiles we have procured include Mercedes, BMW, Porsche, Lexus, Bentley, and Toyota.
The following table sets forth a breakdown of brands purchased during the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021.
| Brands/Models: | Number of Automobiles Purchased During the Year Ended December 31, 2022 |
Percentages of Total Purchase During the Year Ended December 31, 2022 |
Number of Automobiles Purchased During the Year Ended December 31, 2021 |
Percentages of Total Purchase During the Year Ended December 31, 2021 |
||||||||||||
| Luxury Brands | ||||||||||||||||
| Mercedes Benz GLS450 | 153 | 43.0 | % | 298 | 57.1 | % | ||||||||||
| Mercedes Benz S500 | 16 | 4.5 | % | 39 | 7.4 | % | ||||||||||
| Mercedes Benz G63 | 4 | 1.1 | % | 11 | 2.1 | % | ||||||||||
| Mercedes Benz G550 | 7 | 2.0 | % | 5 | 1.0 | % | ||||||||||
| Mercedes Benz GLS600 | 1 | 0.3 | % | 9 | 1.7 | % | ||||||||||
| BMW X7 | 28 | 7.9 | % | 115 | 22.1 | % | ||||||||||
| Porsche Cayenne | 15 | 4.2 | % | 41 | 7.8 | % | ||||||||||
| Lexus LX600 | 83 | 23.3 | % | 3 | 0.6 | % | ||||||||||
| Bentley | 2 | 0.6 | % | 1 | 0.2 | % | ||||||||||
| Land Rover Range Rover | 10 | 2.8 | % | - | - | % | ||||||||||
| Ram 1500 TRX | 20 | 5.6 | % | - | - | % | ||||||||||
| Toyota Sequoia | 14 | 3.9 | % | - | - | % | ||||||||||
| Subtotal | 353 | 99.2 | % | 522 | 100 | % | ||||||||||
| Mid- to High-End Brands | ||||||||||||||||
| Sprinter | 3 | 0.8 | % | - | ||||||||||||
| Subtotal | 0 | % | 0 | 0 | % | |||||||||||
| Total | 356 | 100 | % | 522 | 100 | % | ||||||||||
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Services and Operational Flow
Procurement
We make procurement decisions based on our extensive experience and insight into the PRC parallel-import vehicle industry. In order to avoid overstocking or understocking inventory, we must forecast inventory needs and expenses through meticulous market analysis and weekly sales department meetings. Specifically, our management estimates, based on the data from the General Administration of Customs of China, that approximately 20,000 parallel-import cars have been exported annually from the U.S. to China in recent years, most of which are of low-end and mid-range brands. Our founding team understands the factors driving the growth of the luxury-car segment in China and the desires of the Chinese consumer. In addition, we have some close business partners in China who are parallel-import car traders or dealers, including some of our PRC customers and some third parties or potential customers. They provide us with timely information on the PRC market and often offer us more favorable terms of settlement. To develop our sales strategy and support our procurement department's purchasing plans, the sales department meets weekly with our procurement department to discuss the latest market needs and dynamics, including sales prices, brand composition, and inventory changes. Nonetheless, in the event that we overstock or understock our inventory, our business, financial condition, and results of operations may be adversely harmed. See “Rick Factors—Operational Risks—We may not be able to manage our inventories effectively, which may affect our operations and financial results.”
We primarily procure automobiles through our team of professional purchasing agents, who serve as independent contractors, from U.S. automobile dealers that have the designated automobile model in stock. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, we worked with approximately 342 and 300 professional purchasing agents, respectively. Mr. Walter Folker, who currently serves as our Vice President of Procurement, manages a team of two full-time procurement managers, who in turn supervise eight full-time procurement specialists, as of December 16, 2022. Those full-time procurement specialists are responsible for training our purchasing agents and providing them with timely phone coaching and on-site support. Due to our standardized recruitment, training, and management of professional purchasing agents, we believe our efficient procurement management and organizational skills set us apart from other competitors in the industry. See “—Our Professional Purchasing Agents.” Our purchasing agents negotiate the best price for our designated automobile models using the knowledge and negotiating skills they received from our training. We decide which automobiles to purchase primarily based on the demand for specific automobile models in the PRC market and their availability in the U.S. market. We regularly issue instructions about the brands and models of vehicles to be purchased, as well as the maximum acceptable prices and pick-up time limits. Professional purchasing agents can visit dealerships across the U.S. for quotes based on their schedules and convenience, and provide us with the price information they obtain. We then select the lowest prices for models in demand and assist those purchasing agents who provide such quotes in completing the purchases. Once the purchases are completed, the purchasing agents sell automobiles to our Company at their purchase prices and charge us a service fee per automobile based on the model of the vehicle and the discount they obtained from the automobile dealers. See “—Our Professional Purchasing Agents.” A purchasing agent usually pays the deposit to automobile dealers using a Company-issued credit and pays the remaining balance via bank cashier check from our Company's bank account. The purchasing agents may occasionally advance funds to the automobile dealers, which will be reimbursed once they provide a receipt and other required documents. In addition, we will fund any other costs, fees, and taxes incurred by purchasing agents related to the purchase and transfer of automobiles. Once the purchasing agents receive the titles of the purchased automobiles from the Department of Motor Vehicles, they immediately sign the titles over to Cheetah Net. Automobiles purchased from U.S. automobile dealers are picked up by our purchasing agents and delivered to us at a designated warehouse or other agreed delivery location.
Below is a diagram showing the procurement process:
The following chart demonstrates the number of the vehicles we acquired each year since 2016. We are able to support an annual purchase volume of 500 to 600 cars with our current team size and working capital reserves. Due to recent supply chain disruptions, high inflation rates, and the shortage of vehicles, we expect to purchase approximately 500 vehicles in 2022. In the future, if our client base expands, we may adjust our brands of luxury cars. This could result in more cars to be acquired, with a higher or lower average purchase price per vehicle than the current level. Nevertheless, we will primarily focus on vehicles with MSRPs between $80,000 and $300,000.
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Note: Year 2020 was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and China’s Implementation of National VI Standards.
We actively monitor our automobile inventory as part of our inventory management process. It is our policy to keep our inventory levels as low as possible while maintaining reasonable levels. The balance of our inventory as of December 31, 2022 and 2021 accounted for approximately 41.17% and 90.66% of our total current assets, respectively. The automobiles are stored in our warehouses until they are shipped to China or delivered to our U.S. customers.
Financing for Procurement
Our business requires a large amount of capital. To maintain our liquidity, we sometimes use the following financing instruments for procurement, including inventory financing and LC financing:
| ● | Inventory Financing: In order to improve our liquidity and retain more cash to buy new cars, we may borrow short-term loans from time to time against the vehicles we purchased (namely, our inventory) as collateral. We incur interest expense on such inventory financing, provided by funding companies, which are usually small lenders, generally at a rate of 1.35% to 1.80% per month. In most cases, we first look for inventory financing from a lender who understands our business and the luxury car market, and then negotiate the loan terms with them. Different lenders and funding companies charge different interest rates, fees, and repayment terms for inventory financing. Generally, we receive approximately 70% of the MSRP value of a car if we pledge it in a lender's warehouse and apply for financing. Interest expense is calculated based on the agreed interest rate and the actual number of days borrowed. We generally need to clear all loans prior to customs clearance to further deliver cars to our PRC customers. For the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, our interest expense accrued through inventory financing was approximately $750,000 and $440,000, respectively. |
| ● | LC Financing: To increase our liquidity, we finance our operations from time to time through short-term loans using letters of credit, typically received from our international customers in overseas sales of parallel-import vehicles, as collateral. Generally, we receive approximately 90% or more of the LC amount with a monthly interest rate of 1.25% or higher. For the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, our interest expense accrued through LC financing was approximately $1,670,000 and $520,000, respectively. |
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Sales and Services
We sell our automobile inventories to our U.S. customers (parallel-import vehicle exporters based in the U.S.) or PRC customers (Chinese parallel-import car dealers who purchase cars from us and import them into the PRC to resell them to other dealers or end consumers). A specific vehicle model’s pricing and profitability vary based on the market demand and supply for that model. We set our selling prices based on multiple factors, including the price of the same model sold by authorized dealers in China, normal commercial terms, market pricing adjustments, customer payment methods, operational efficiency of our Company, and anticipated workload for trading activities. The selling price is finalized as the MSRP plus service fees, which are determined upon comprehensive consideration of the overall market adjustments for vehicles as well as the customer’s payment method. For example, for the year ended December 31, 2022, the total selling price for customers using letters of credit as payment method ranged from 110% to 130% of the MSRP plus a market adjustment of up to $75,000, while the total selling price for customers using telegraphic transfer (wire transfer) as the payment method was the MSRP plus an adjustment price ranging from $9,820 to $102,900 as determined on a case-by-case basis. During the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, the sales price of our vehicles ranged between $77,230 and $284,300.
The following table sets forth the breakdown of our sales revenue by brands and models during the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021.
| Brands/Models: | Sales Revenue During the Year Ended December 31, 2022 |
Revenue Share of Total Sales for the Year Ended December 31, 2022 |
Sales Revenue During the Year Ended December 31, 2021 |
Revenue Share of Total Sales for the Year Ended December 31, 2021 |
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| Luxury Brands | ||||||||||||||||
| Mercedes Benz GLS450 | $ | 21,690,333 | 39.3 | % | $ | 24,497,644 | 62.5 | % | ||||||||
| Mercedes Benz S500 | $ | 6,976,494 | 12.6 | % | $ | 546,050 | 1.4 | % | ||||||||
| Mercedes Benz G63 | $ | 1,917,066 | 3.5 | % | $ | 2,590,230 | 6.6 | % | ||||||||
| Mercedes Benz G550 | $ | 1,538,944 | 2.8 | % | $ | 647,113 | 1.6 | % | ||||||||
| Mercedes Benz GLS600 | $ | 273,603 | 0.5 | % | $ | 1,909,816 | 4.9 | % | ||||||||
| BMW X7 | $ | 6,426,881 | 11.6 | % | $ | 6,139,796 | 15.7 | % | ||||||||
| Porsche Cayenne | $ | 2,405,244 | 4.4 | % | $ | 2,660,824 | 6.8 | % | ||||||||
| Bentley | $ | 537,448 | 1.0 | % | $ | 212,563 | 0.5 | % | ||||||||
| Lexus LX570 | $ | 318,503 | 0.6 | % | $ | - | - | |||||||||
| Lexus LX 600 | $ | 10,962,014 | 19.9 | % | $ | - | 0 | % | ||||||||
| Land Rover Range Rover | $ | 800,931 | 1.4 | % | $ | - | 0 | % | ||||||||
| Ram 1500 RTX | $ | 864,644 | 1.6 | % | $ | - | 0 | % | ||||||||
| Toyota Sequoia | $ | 202,383 | 0.4 | % | - | 0 | % | |||||||||
| Subtotal | $ | 54,914,488 | 99.6 | % | $ | 39,204,036 | 100 | % | ||||||||
| Mid- to High-End Brands | ||||||||||||||||
| Sprinter | $ | 238,847 | 0.4 | % | $ | 0 | 0 | % | ||||||||
| Subtotal | $ | 238,847 | $ | 0.4 | % | $ | 0 | 0 | % | |||||||
| Total | $ | 55,153,335 | 100 | % | $ | 39,204,036 | 100 | % | ||||||||
Typically, we enter into sales contracts with our PRC and U.S. customers. See “—Our Customers.” Our U.S. customers usually pay the full amount to us within two days before or after the automobile is delivered to the appointed warehouse. In most cases, our PRC customers make their payments one or two weeks after we arrange for a freight forwarding company to load the automobile and provide them with the ocean bill of lading and other related documents.
Fulfillment and U.S. Customs Clearance
For our domestic sales, we deliver the purchased vehicles to U.S. customers or their designated warehouses, and provide the original copy of the title to them within the agreed timeframe. Our U.S. customers are responsible for export and cross-border transportation matters on their own after purchasing automobiles. In this case, we bear the risk of damage and loss before delivering the automobile to the warehouse designated by the U.S. customer.
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For our PRC customers, it is our responsibility to arrange for the ocean freight forwarder to load the automobile to be shipped and provide them with the ocean bill of lading and related documents. As such, we bear the risk of damage and loss prior to arranging for the shipping of automobiles by third-party logistics service providers, but these risks pass to our PRC customers once the automobile is dispatched on board. Our PRC customers, namely, Chinese parallel-import car dealers, will be responsible for after-sale services for the end consumers of those parallel-import vehicles. Prior to shipping the automobiles, we generally require PRC customers to make the majority of the amount owed (typically the MSRP amount) upfront via a letter of credit, where the release of payment is contingent upon our submission of a bill of lading and other required documents to the issuing bank underlying the letter of credit for its review. Once we confirm receipt of the letter of credit, we will settle the loan (if any) and arrange for customs clearance and shipping by third-party logistics service providers. In the event that all customs clearance procedures have been completed with all forms filled out and accepted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“Customs”), we will ship the automobiles and provide the issuing bank with the bill of landing and related documents for its review. Upon completion of the review, the issuing bank releases payment to us, and the bill of landing and related documents to PRC customers, which are necessary to obtain the automobiles from the freight forwarder. We cooperate with third-party logistics service providers whose primary responsibility is to provide cross-border logistics services, typically by sea, for the delivery of our automobiles to our PRC customers. We also plan to offer self-operated warehousing and logistics services following our initial public offering. With our self-operated logistics system, we expect to create synergy by combining parallel-import vehicles and logistics services to reduce costs and increase profits.
Technology and Intellectual Property
The success of our business depends on our proprietary technologies. We have developed an information technology system, the OA System, to track our order status and monitor our business workflow. The OA system facilitates the storage, exchange, and management of order data, thereby increasing our productivity and efficiency. Currently, the OA System has four main modules: Dashboard, Resume, Orders, and Pick-Up.
| ● | Dashboard. The Dashboard module is designed for publishing company policies, operational guidelines, and vehicle specifications. Additionally, it can display the daily numbers of new orders so that employees can keep track of trends over time. |
| ● | Resume. The Human Resources Department of our Company selects resumes from job posting platforms and uploads them to the OA System with scores based on company resume scoring instructions. The scored resumes are assigned to our procurement specialists daily for the purpose of hiring talent purchasing agents on a continuous basis. |
| ● | Orders. Once the purchasing agents have placed orders with U.S. automobile dealers, our procurement specialist creates a new order in this module and uploads the required documents for back office review. The back office carefully reviews the information and documents and makes notes or comments when further information is needed. As soon as the back office collects and confirms all required information and documents, it will approve or cancel the order in accordance with our order review policy. |
| ● | Pick-Up. When an approved order is ready for pick-up, procurement specialists submit a Pick-Up Form and upload additional or updated information and documents under this module for final review by the back office. It is the responsibility of the back office to finalize the cost and specifications before approving the order and preparing for pick-up. After the vehicle has been successfully picked up, its relevant information is moved to the next module, Logistics, which is currently under construction. |
We plan to improve the OA system by adding more modules, such as logistics and accounting, which are currently under development. We expect to register the software copyright for the OA system after the additional modules are installed.
As of the date of this prospectus, we have registered three domain names in the U.S., including (i) Cheetah-net.com, a domain name registered on August 17, 2022 and associated with the Cheetah Net website; (ii) Pacificconsultingusa.com, a domain name registered on January 7, 2019 and associated with the Pacific Consulting LLC website; and (iii) Allen-boy.com, a domain name registered on December 5, 2018 and currently not in use. The information on, or that can be accessed through, the above websites is not part of this prospectus.
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Competition
The automobile dealership industry in the U.S. is highly competitive and rapidly evolving, with many new companies constantly entering the market. We are committed to the niche market of selling automobiles to U.S. and PRC parallel-import vehicle dealers. We compete with other U.S. companies that sell parallel-import vehicles sourced in the U.S. to be sold in the PRC market. Our ability to compete effectively in the parallel-import vehicle dealership industry depends upon many factors, including our experience and in-depth insight into the industry, as well as the ability to provide vehicles in large quantities to Chinese parallel-import car dealers on a recurring basis. Generally, we do not have major competitors, because most of our competitors are small family businesses that obtain U.S. cars through their family members or friends in the U.S., and thus cannot guarantee recurring large supplies. With a large purchasing agent team responsible for our procurement, we have become a stable supplier for Chinese parallel-import car dealers. Accordingly, we believe we are well-positioned to effectively compete in the parallel-import vehicles dealership industry. It is possible, however, that some of our current or future competitors may have a greater brand recognition, or more financial, technical, or marketing resources. We may lose clients if we fail to compete successfully, which could adversely affect our financial performance and business prospects. We cannot guarantee that our strategies will remain competitive or successful in the future. For a discussion of risks relating to competition, see “Risk Factors—Economic, Political, and Market Risks—We are in the relatively competitive parallel-import vehicle dealership industry, and we may not be able to compete successfully against existing or new competitors, which could reduce our market share and adversely affect our competitive position and financial performance.”
Employees
As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, we had 20 and 23 full-time employees, respectively. The following table sets forth the number of our full-time employees as of December 31, 2022:
| Function: | Number | |||
| Procurement | 11 | |||
| Customer Services and Operations | 3 | |||
| Sales and Marketing | 3 | |||
| General and Administration | 3 | |||
| Total | 20 | |||
Our employment contracts with full-time employees include a confidentiality clause.
In addition to our full-time employees, we were working with approximately 342 and 300 independent contractors as of December 31, 2022 and 2021. These independent contractors serve as our professional purchasing agents, primarily responsible for visiting the U.S. automobile dealers and negotiating the best price to purchase vehicles.
We believe that we maintain a good working relationship with our employees and our independent contractors, and we have not experienced material labor disputes in the past. None of our employees is represented by labor unions.
Governmental Regulations
Automotive Dealing and Other Laws and Regulations
We operate in the highly regulated automobile dealership and commercial lending industries. A number of U.S. federal, state, and local laws and regulations affect our business. Numerous laws and regulations govern our business, including those relating to our sales, operations, financing, insurance, advertising, transportation of vehicles, and employment practices. The regulatory bodies that regulate our business include the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Federal Trade Commission, the United States Department of Transportation, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Department of Justice, the Federal Communications Commission, various state dealer licensing authorities, various state consumer protection agencies, and various state financial regulatory agencies. We are subject to compliance audits of our operations by many of these authorities. For example, the Federal Trade Commission has jurisdiction to investigate and enforce our compliance with certain consumer protection laws and has brought enforcement actions against auto dealers relating to a broad range of practices, including the sale and financing of value-added or add-on products and the collection, storage and use of consumer personal information.
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Currently, we have a dealer license in North Carolina under Allen-Boy International LLC, which allows us to sell vehicles nationwide and export them worldwide. As we expand to other states, we may be subject to applicable vehicle dealer licensing laws in those states. Some states regulate retail installment sales, including setting a maximum interest rate, caps on certain fees, or maximum amounts financed. All domestic vehicle sale transactions and applicable retail installment financings are conducted under our dealer licenses. As we expand to other states, we may be required to obtain additional finance licenses or other licenses, and we may not be able to obtain such licenses within the time frame we expect or at all. We may also be subject to certain states’ laws related to titling and registration and wholesale vehicle sales. These laws can vary from state to state. The applicability of these regulatory and legal compliance obligations to our business depends on evolving interpretations of these laws and regulations and how our operations are, or are not, subject to them, and we may face regulatory action if regulators believe that we are not in compliance with such obligations. In addition to these laws and regulations that apply specifically to the sale and financing of vehicles, our facilities and business operations are subject to laws and regulations relating to environmental protection, occupational health and safety, and other broadly applicable business regulations. We may also be subject to laws and regulations involving taxes, tariffs, pricing, content protection, electronic contracts and communications, mobile communications, consumer protection, and information-reporting requirements, as well as privacy laws, anti-money laundering laws, and federal and state wage-hour, anti-discrimination, and other employment practices laws. For example, under the Immigration and Nationality Act, a foreign national is eligible for employment authorization in the U.S. only with an employment-related green card (permanent residency), an exchange visitor work and study visa, or a temporary (non-immigrant) worker visa, such as an H-1B visa. In particular, the H-1B visa is a nonimmigrant work visa that allows U.S. employers to hire foreign workers for specialty jobs that require a bachelor’s degree or equivalent. H-1B status can be granted initially for up to three years, and can be extended for another three years. H1B holders who reach that six-year maximum must leave the U.S. and remain outside for at least one year before being eligible for a new six years of H1B. As of December 31, 2022, we had 20 full-time employees, including nine foreign employees who do not have permanent work permits in the U.S. and currently work under H-1B visas or student visas. Upon completion of this offering, we are also subject to laws and regulations affecting public companies, including securities laws and exchange listing rules.
Automobile Exportation Laws and Regulations
The exportation aspect of our business is subject to the Code of Federal Regulation’s requirements for exportation under 19 CFR § 192.2 and the inspection of Customs. We may be required to present to Customs, at the port of exportation, both the vehicle and the documentation describing the vehicle, including the vehicle identification number (the “VIN”) or the product identification number at least 72 hours prior to export for Customs to determine the authenticity of the documents. Specifically, for exportation of U.S.-titled vehicles, we are required to provide to Customs the vehicle’s original certificate of title. If the vehicle to be exported is leased or has recorded liens in the U.S., separate writing from the third-party-in-interest is also required, which expressly provides that the vehicle may be exported and contains a complete description of the vehicle (including the VIN and the name and contact of the owner or lienholder) and the original signatures.
Regulations Affecting Our Financial Services
We are affected by laws and regulations that apply to commercial lending. This includes a range of laws, regulations, and standards that address information security, data protection, privacy, licensing, and interest rates, among other things.
Federal Lending Regulations
We are a commercial lender and as such there are federal laws and regulations that affect our lending operations. These laws include, among others, portions of the Dodd Frank Act, Anti-Money Laundering requirements (Bank Secrecy Act and USA PATRIOT Act), Equal Credit Opportunity Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act, Privacy Regulations (Right to Financial Privacy Act), Telephone Consumer Protection Act, and requirements relating to unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts or practices.
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State Lending Regulations
| · | Interest Rate Regulations. Although the federal government does not regulate the maximum interest rates that may be charged on commercial loan transactions, some states have enacted commercial rate laws specifying the maximum legal interest rate at which loans can be made in the state. We currently originate commercial loans and provide our financial services under the laws of New York. New York Usury Law stipulates two maximum interest rates: 16% per year for civil usury and 25% per year for criminal usury. In other words, borrowers can sue to invalidate a loan or plead usury as a defense to a nonpayment action to loans charging rates above 16% per year. Additionally, lenders who charge interest over 25% per year may be subject to criminal liability. However, loans under $2,500,000 to incorporated entities, such as corporations, limited liability companies, and the like, are typically exempt from the 16% civil usury cap, but are subject to the 25% criminal cap. Accordingly, loans made to those entities can include interest rates up to 25%. In addition, all loans, whether to business entities or to individuals, in a principal amount over $2.5 million are exempt from both the criminal and the civil limits. | |
| · | Licensing Requirements. Our loans are governed by New York law. Under Article 9 of the New York Banking Law, a person or entity is required to obtain a license in order to engage in the business of making loans in the principal amount of $50,000 or less for business and commercial loans with an interest rate of over 16% per year. As the business and commercial loans in our financial services do not have a principal of $50,000 or less with an interest rate of over 16% per year, we are currently not required to obtain such a license. New York Commercial Finance Disclosure Law also requires commercial finance providers to give standardized consumer disclosures to borrowers in connection with financings in an amount less than or equal to $2,500,000. See “Risk Factors—Operational Risks—We are subject to various risks associated with commercial lending business due to our limited operating history of our newly launched financial services, and it is difficult to accurately forecast the future operating results and evaluate the business prospects of our financial service business.” |
Facilities
Our principal executive offices are located at 6201 Fairview Road, Suite 225, Charlotte, North Carolina, where we lease office space from an independent third party, GT Real Estate USA, LLC, with an area of approximately 2,514 square feet, with a lease term from December 1, 2020 to December 31, 2023 and a monthly rent of approximately $6,354. These offices are used as our corporate headquarter for general business operations and administrative functions.
Allen-Boy, one of our subsidiaries, leases office space for business operations in Charlotte, North Carolina, from an independent third party, Sounder Properties Inc., with an area of approximately 225 square feet, a lease term from October 1, 2022 to September 30, 2023, and a monthly rent of $465. This office is the address for our dealer license.
Pacific, one of our subsidiaries, leases an office in New York City, New York, from an independent third party, Executive Workspace LLC, with an area of approximately 1,692 square feet, a lease term from June August 1, 2021 to July 31, 2023, and a monthly rent of approximately $11,174. This office is used for business operations for employees based in New York.
Currently, we do not operate our own warehousing facilities and engage two independent third-party providers for vehicle storage and logistics services. Specifically, we entered into a warehousing service agreement, on March 1, 2019, with HAITIAN LOGISTICS INC., which operates warehouses at 180 Poinier Street, Newark, NJ 07114 and 3930 E Earlstone St, Ontario, CA 91761 for the provision of warehousing and logistics services to our Company. The agreement has no term and may be terminated by either party upon a 30-day prior notice in writing. In addition, we entered into a warehousing and logistics service agreement, on February 7, 2023, with US FREIGHT STATION LLC, which operates a warehouse at 765 York Street, Elizabeth, NJ 07201, for the provision of vehicle inspection, warehousing, and logistics services. The agreement has no fixed term and may be terminated by either party upon a 15-day prior written notice to the other party.
We believe that the offices that we currently lease are adequate to meet our needs for the foreseeable future.
Insurance
We maintain workers compensation and employers liability insurance for our directors, senior management, and full-time employees in the North Carolina and New York offices. In addition, we maintain property and liability insurance for our North Carolina headquarters, and liability and disability insurance for our New York office. Allen-Boy maintains the bond and dealer license insurance. We also maintain vehicle insurance for each automobile we procure, which typically lasts one to two months and is cancelled upon receipt of its inspection report and vehicle title. We do not maintain directors and officers liability insurance, business interruption insurance, or general third-party liability insurance. We believe the insurance coverage we maintain is in line with industry norms.
Seasonality
Although our business is not considered seasonal, we may experience fluctuations in sales due to seasonal patterns in the behavior of the end consumers of parallel-import vehicles in the PRC. We typically record a relatively higher sale volume in the third quarter due to it being the busy season for vehicle sales. However, we cannot assure you that our sales will always be higher in the third quarter of every fiscal year. Our results of operations may fluctuate from period to period for a variety of reasons. Therefore, comparisons of sales and operating results between different periods within a single financial year, or between the same periods in different financial years, may not be meaningful and should not be relied upon as indicators of our performance.
Legal Proceedings
From time to time, we may become a party to various legal or administrative proceedings arising in the ordinary course of our business, including actions with respect to violation of restrictions on export, intellectual property infringement, violation of third-party licenses or other rights, breach of contract, and labor and employment claims. We are currently not a party to, and we are not aware of any threat of, any legal or administrative proceedings that, in the opinion of our management, are likely to have any material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition, cash flow, or results of operations.
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Set forth below is information concerning our directors, director appointees, and executive officers.
| Name | Age | Position(s) | ||
| Huan Liu | 41 | Chief Executive Officer, Director, and Chairman of the Board of Directors | ||
| Robert Cook | 67 | Chief Financial Officer | ||
| Xianggeng Huang | 58 | Director Appointee* | ||
| Adam Eilenberg | 66 | Independent Director Appointee* | ||
| Vladimir Gavrilovic | 43 | Independent Director Appointee* | ||
| Catherine Chen | 47 | Independent Director Appointee* | ||
| Walter Folker | 66 | Vice President of Procurement |
| * | Xianggeng Huang, Adam Eilenberg, Vladimir Gavrilovic, and Catherine Chen have accepted appointments to be our directors, effective immediately prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. |
The following is a brief biography of each of our executive officers, directors, and director appointees:
Mr. Huan Liu has served as our Chief Executive Officer and our Chairman of the Board of Directors since August 2016, and he has extensive experience in real estate, private equity, and car imports and exports. As the founder and CEO of Cheetah Net, Mr. Liu has been responsible for the management of day-to-day operations and high-level strategizing and business planning, as well as implementing proposed plans and evaluating the success of our Company in achieving its objectives. From 2014 to 2015, Mr. Liu served as the chief executive officer at Beijing Xinyongjia Technology Co., where he was responsible for identifying opportunities for expansion and analyzing operations to identify areas in need of reorganization. From 2012 to 2013, Mr. Liu served as the senior investment manager at Beijing Wanze Investment Management Co. Ltd., and was responsible for developing and implementing risk-based asset allocation models and performance analytics. Mr. Liu received his master’s degree in Finance from the International Business School at Brandeis University in 2012, and his bachelor’s degree in Finance and Law from Harbin Engineer University in 2005.
Mr. Robert Cook has served as our Chief Financial Officer since October 2022. He has extensive experience in corporate finance, SEC reporting, public accounting, investor relations, and corporate administration including management of internal controls. Mr. Cook is the founder and principal of RWC Consulting, LLC, a financial consulting company established in December 2016, where he is responsible for advising management and boards of directors of public and private companies on pre- and post-IPO financing opportunities. From June 2020 until April 2021, Mr. Cook served as the chief financial officer and corporate secretary of RenovaCare, Inc. (OTC: RCAR), where he was responsible for all financial functions, investor and public relations, and corporate administration including his duties as corporate secretary, From February 2017 to February 2020, Mr. Cook served as the chief financial officer at CorMedix Inc. (Nasdaq: CRMD) and was in charge of the company’s overall financial management, investor and public relations, and business development. From January 2016 to June 2016, Mr. Cook served as the chief financial officer at BioBlast Pharma Ltd. (Nasdaq: ORPN), where he was responsible for all financial functions, investor relations, and corporate administration. Mr. Cook also served as the chief financial officer at several other Nasdaq-listed companies, including Strata Skin Science Inc. (Nasdaq: SSKN) from April 2014 to January 2016, Immune Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq: IMNP) from August 2013 to April 2014 and its predecessor EpiCept Corporation from April 2004 until August 2013, including one year as the company’s interim chief executive officer, and Pharmos Corporation (Nasdaq: PARS) from December 1997 to April 2004, respectively. Mr. Cook received his bachelor’s degree in International Finance from Kogod School of Business of the American University in 1977.
Mr. Xianggeng Huang will serve as our director starting immediately prior to the effectiveness of our registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. From 2003 to 2022, Mr. Huang served as the chairman of the board of directors of Fuzhou Yisheng Mechanical and Electrical Equipment Co., Ltd., where he was responsible for running the board of directors, consulting the executives on issues, challenges, and opportunities facing the company, and high-level strategizing and business planning. From 1999 to 2002, Mr. Huang served as a general manager of the Fujian branch of Kone Elevator Co., Ltd., a Finish elevator manufacturer. From 1997 to 1999, he served as a major project manager at Otis Elevator China Co., Ltd. Mr. Huang received his bachelor’s degree in Automated Machinery from Nanjing University of Science and Technology in 1984.
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Mr. Adam Eilenberg will serve as our independent director starting immediately prior to the effectiveness of our registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. Adam Eilenberg is the founding partner of Eilenberg & Krause LLP, a New York law firm specializing in corporate and securities law. Mr. Eilenberg has practiced law since 1980, representing numerous growth companies, angel and institutional investors, and financial intermediaries in the life sciences, technology, software, and food service industries. Mr. Eilenberg has extensive experience in transactions involving the acquisition, transfer, or licensing of technology and intellectual property and in acquisition and liquidity event transactions and related financings, including initial public offerings. His practice also includes representing seasoned public companies in securities compliance and board governance matters. Mr. Eilenberg has represented numerous clients from the PRC and from Israel in complex international transactions. Mr. Eilenberg received his Juris Doctor degree in 1980 from Harvard Law School, where he served as an editor of the Harvard Law Review. He also studied at the London School of Economics and received his bachelor’s degree in History and Economics from Hamilton College in 1977.
Mr. Vladimir Gavrilovic will serve as our independent director starting immediately prior to the effectiveness of our registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and he has extensive experience in global trade, foreign exchange markets, liquidity conditions, algorithmic trading technologies, and regulatory framework worldwide. Mr. Gavrilovic is the founder and chief executive officer of Royal Tobacco Corporation LLC, a tobacco company he established in October 2019, where he has created and promoted a luxury cigar brand “Baron of Havana,” and has led the company to become a disruptor in the cigar market, offering customers the option of customizing the packaging and the content of each cigar box. Since September 2021, he has also established and served as the chief executive officer at Information Advantage LLC, a data analytics company where he led a team of engineers specialized in social data harnessing, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence to collect, analyze, and predict the trading behavior of retail investors using forecasting data analytics techniques. From July 2017 to April 2022, Mr. Gavrilovic served as an FX trader at Société Générale S.A. and was responsible for running FX sales and trading, and for supporting large and medium-sized corporations with their cross-border economic activity by providing foreign currencies. Mr. Gavrilovic received his MBA degree from Yale University in 2017 and his bachelor’s degree in Economics from Rutgers University in 2007.
Ms. Catherine Chen will serve as our independent director starting immediately prior to the effectiveness of our registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and she has extensive experience in sales and marketing. Since January 2015, Ms. Chen has served as an investment director at Xiamen Chenshen Investment Co., Ltd., and has been responsible for the development and execution of financial investment strategies. From May 2009 to December 2015, she served as a marketing manager at Xiamen Jieou Automotive Electronics Co., Ltd., where he was responsible for brand promotion. From December 2005 to February 2009, Ms. Chen served as a marketing specialist at Dell (China) Co., Ltd., and was responsible for branding campaign planning. Ms. Chen received her associate degree in English from Xiamen City University in 2004.
Mr. Walter Folker has served as our Vice President of Procurement since March 2022, and is responsible for developing our procurement strategies and plans, as well as formulating and managing short- and long-term objectives. From November 2017 to March 2022, Mr. Folker served as an acquisition manager at Cheetah Net and was responsible for recruiting and managing our purchasing agents, and coordinating and overseeing our miscellaneous procurement support activities. From April 2012 to October 2017, Mr. Folker served as a sales associate at Hendrick Auto Group, where he was responsible for building and maintaining an extensive client portfolio as well as inspecting and appraising vehicles to make recommendations about trade-in values and competitive models. From November 2009 to January 2012, Mr. Folker served as a portfolio officer at Bank of America and was responsible for managing over 330 portfolios containing an average of two individual loan accounts ranging in value from $500 to $150,000. Mr. Folker received his bachelor’s degree in Forest Resources Management from the University of Montana in 1981, and his master’s degree in Internal Medicine from Oregon Health & Science University in 1998.
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Family Relationships
There is no family relationship among any directors, executive officers, or persons nominated to become directors or executive officers.
Board Diversity
The composition of our board of directors currently includes three individuals who are diverse under the Nasdaq Listing Rule 5605(f) regarding board diversity, representing gender diversity of 20%, as presented in the below Board Diversity Matrix. Under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5605(f), directors who self-identify as (i) female, (ii) an underrepresented minority or (iii) LGBTQ+ are defined as being diverse. The following chart summarizes certain self-identified personal characteristics of our directors, in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5605(f). Each term used in the table has the meaning given to it in the rule and related instructions:
| Board Diversity Matrix (as of the Date of this Prospectus) | ||||||||||||||||
| Total Number of Directors | 5 | |||||||||||||||
| Female | Male | Non- Binary | Did Not Disclose Gender | |||||||||||||
| Part I: Gender Identity | ||||||||||||||||
| Directors | 1 | 4 | — | — | ||||||||||||
| Part II: Demographic Background | ||||||||||||||||
| African American or Black | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||
| Alaskan Native or Native American | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||
| Asian | 1 | 2 | — | — | ||||||||||||
| Hispanic or Latino | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||
| White | — | 2 | — | — | ||||||||||||
| Two or More Races or Ethnicities | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||
| LGBTQ+ | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||
| Did Not Disclose Demographic Background | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||
Controlled Company
Upon completion of this offering, Mr. Huan Liu, our Chief Executive Officer, is expected to beneficially and indirectly own approximately [●]% of the aggregate voting power of our outstanding common stock shares and thus have the ability to determine all matters requiring approval by our stockholders. As a result, we may be deemed a “controlled company” within the meaning of the Nasdaq listing rules. If we are deemed a controlled company, we are permitted to elect to rely on certain exemptions from the obligations to comply with certain corporate governance requirements, including:
| ● | the requirement that a majority of the board of directors consist of independent directors; | |
| ● | the requirement that our director nominees be selected or recommended solely by independent directors; and | |
| ● | the requirement that we have a nominating and corporate governance committee and a compensation committee that are composed entirely of independent directors with a written charter addressing the purposes and responsibilities of the committees. |
Although we do not intend to rely on the controlled company exemptions under the Nasdaq listing rules even if we are deemed a controlled company, we could elect to rely on these exemptions in the future, and if so, you would not have the same protection afforded to shareholders of companies that are subject to all of the corporate governance requirements of Nasdaq.
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Board of Directors
Our board of directors will consist of five directors upon closing of this offering, three of whom will be “independent” within the meaning of the corporate governance standards of the Nasdaq listing rules and will meet the criteria for independence set forth in Rule 10A-3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”).
Leadership Structure and Risk Oversight
Currently, Mr. Huan Liu serves as our Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors. The board of directors does not have a policy regarding the separation of the roles of Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors, as our board of directors believes it is in the best interest of the Company to make that determination based on the position and direction of the Company and the membership of the board of directors.
Our board of directors actively manages the Company’s risk oversight process and receives periodic reports from management on areas of material risk to the Company, including operational, financial, legal, and regulatory risks. The committees of the board of directors will assist the board of directors in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities in certain areas of risk. The audit committee will assist the board of directors with its oversight of the Company’s major financial risk exposures. The compensation committee will assist the board of directors with its oversight of risks arising from the Company’s compensation policies and programs. The nominating and corporate governance committee will assist the board of directors with its oversight of risks associated with board organization, board independence, and corporate governance. While each committee will be responsible for evaluating certain risks and overseeing the management of those risks, the entire board of directors will continue to be regularly informed about the risks.
Committees of the Board of Directors
We will establish three committees under the board of directors prior to the closing of this offering: an audit committee, a compensation committee, and a nominating and corporate governance committee. The appointment to the committees will be effective immediately upon the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. We will adopt a charter for each of the three committees. Each committee’s members and functions are described below.
Audit Committee. Our audit committee will consist of Adam Eilenberg, Vladimir Gavrilovic, and Catherine Chen. Vladimir Gavrilovic will be the chairperson of our audit committee. We have determined that Adam Eilenberg, Vladimir Gavrilovic, and Catherine Chen will satisfy the “independence” requirements of the Nasdaq listing rules under and Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act. Our board has also determined that Vladimir Gavrilovic qualifies as an audit committee financial expert within the meaning of the SEC rules or possesses financial sophistication within the meaning of the Nasdaq listing rules. The audit committee will oversee our accounting and financial reporting processes and the audits of the financial statements of our company. The audit committee will be responsible for, among other things:
| ● | appointing the independent auditors and pre-approving all auditing and non-auditing services permitted to be performed by the independent auditors; | |
| ● | reviewing with the independent auditors any audit problems or difficulties and management’s response; | |
| ● | discussing the annual audited financial statements with management and the independent auditors; |
| ● | reviewing the adequacy and effectiveness of our accounting and internal control policies and procedures and any steps taken to monitor and control major financial risk exposures; | |
| ● | reviewing and approving all proposed related party transactions; | |
| ● | meeting separately and periodically with management and the independent auditors; and | |
| ● | monitoring compliance with our code of business conduct and ethics, including reviewing the adequacy and effectiveness of our procedures to ensure proper compliance. |
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Compensation Committee. Our compensation committee will consist of Adam Eilenberg, Vladimir Gavrilovic, and Catherine Chen. Vladimir Gavrilovic. Catherine Chen will be the chairperson of our compensation committee. We have determined that Adam Eilenberg, Vladimir Gavrilovic, and Catherine Chen will satisfy the “independence” requirements of the Nasdaq listing rules and Rule 10C-1 under the Exchange Act. The compensation committee will assist the board in reviewing and approving the compensation structure, including all forms of compensation, relating to our directors and executive officers. Our chief executive officer may not be present at any committee meeting during which his compensation is deliberated. The compensation committee will be responsible for, among other things:
| ● | reviewing and approving the total compensation package for our most senior executive officers; | |
| ● | approving and overseeing the total compensation package for our executives other than the most senior executive officers; | |
| ● | reviewing and recommending to the board with respect to the compensation of our directors; | |
| ● | reviewing periodically and approving any long-term incentive compensation or equity plans; | |
| ● | selecting compensation consultants, legal counsel or other advisors after taking into consideration all factors relevant to that person’s independence from management; and | |
| ● | reviewing programs or similar arrangements, annual bonuses, employee pension, and welfare benefit plans. |
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. Our nominating and corporate governance committee will consist of Adam Eilenberg, Vladimir Gavrilovic, and Catherine Chen. Vladimir Gavrilovic. Adam Eilenberg will be the chairperson of our nominating and corporate governance committee. We have determined that Adam Eilenberg, Vladimir Gavrilovic, and Catherine Chen will satisfy the “independence” requirements of the Nasdaq listing rules. The nominating and corporate governance committee will assist the board of directors in selecting individuals qualified to become our directors and in determining the composition of the board and its committees. The nominating and corporate governance committee will be responsible for, among other things:
| ● | identifying and recommending nominees for election or re-election to our board of directors or for appointment to fill any vacancy; | |
| ● | reviewing annually with our board of directors its current composition in light of the characteristics of independence, age, skills, experience and availability of service to us; | |
| ● | identifying and recommending to our board the directors to serve as members of committees; | |
| ● | advising the board periodically with respect to significant developments in the law and practice of corporate governance as well as our compliance with applicable laws and regulations, and making recommendations to our board of directors on all matters of corporate governance and on any corrective action to be taken; and | |
| ● | monitoring compliance with our code of business conduct and ethics, including reviewing the adequacy and effectiveness of our procedures to ensure proper compliance. |
Code of Business Conduct and Ethics
Our board of directors will adopt a code of business conduct and ethics, which is filed as Exhibit 14.1 of this registration statement and applicable to all of our directors, officers, and employees. We will make our code of business conduct and ethics publicly available on our website prior to the closing of this offering.
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EXECUTIVE AND DIRECTOR COMPENSATION
The following table sets forth, for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, the dollar value of all cash and noncash compensation earned by any person that was our principal executive officer (“PEO”) during the last fiscal year and the two most highly compensated individuals other than our PEO who were serving as executive officers during the last fiscal year.
Summary Compensation Table
| Name and Principal Position(1) | Year | Salary | Bonus ($) | Stock Awards ($) | Option Awards ($) | Non-Equity Incentive Plane Compensation ($) | Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation Earnings ($) | All
Other Compensation ($)(2) | Totals ($) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Huan Liu, | 2022 | 72,000.00 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 72,000.00 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| CEO and Chairman of BOD | 2021 | 71,999.76 | 1.44 | - | - | - | - | - | 72,001.20 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Walter Folker, | 2022 | 51,000.00 | 58,806.25 | - | - | - | - | - | 109,806.25 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vice President of Procurement | 2021 | 45,984.72 | 78,164.44 | - | - | - | - | - | 124,149.16 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Notes:
| (1) | The second most highly compensated executive officer other than our PEO has a total compensation that does not exceed $100,000, and has therefore been omitted from this table. |
| (2) | Including the cost of health insurance coverage and benefits paid for by us for each named executive officer that is not reimbursed. |
Employment Agreements with Our Named Executive Officers
We have entered into an employment agreement with Huan Liu, our Chief Executive Officer, Robert Cook, our Chief Financial Officer, and Walter Folker, our Vice President of Procurement. A summary of the terms of each of these executive offer letters is set forth below. Currently, the annual compensation of each of the executive officers is fixed by the board of directors. The named executive officers are also entitled to participate in the Company’s benefit plans, which such benefits are generally available to all full-time employees.
Executive Employment Agreement with Huan Liu
On March 1, 2022, we entered into an employment agreement with Huan Liu. Pursuant to his employment agreement, effective March 1, 2022, Mr. Liu will serve as the Chief Executive Officer of our Company for an employment term of three years, responsible for overseeing the operations of all divisions in our Company. As consideration for his services, Mr. Liu is entitled to a base salary of $72,000 and equity rewards depending on the annual performance of our Company. The agreement will automatically renew unless terminated by either party. The agreement may be terminated upon mutual written consent of Mr. Liu and our Company. At any time after 12 months from the effective date of the agreement, Mr. Liu may terminate the agreement (a) upon 30 days’ prior written notice to our Company or (b) immediately if Mr. Liu is subject to materially diminished duties or responsibilities. We may terminate the agreement (i) without prior notice and without further obligation for reasons of just cause, such as fraud, theft, conviction of a felony, improper or dishonest action, or significant acts of misconduct, on the part of Mr. Liu or any of his agents providing services to our Company, and (ii) without just cause upon 30 days’ written notice to Mr. Liu.
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Executive Employment Agreement with Robert Cook
On October 26, 2022, we entered into an employment agreement with Robert Cook. Pursuant to his employment agreement, Mr. Cook will serve as the Chief Financial Officer of our Company, effective October 26, 2022, responsible for the Company’s overall financial management, tax compliance, and accounting related matters. As consideration for his services, Mr. Cook is entitled to (i) a salary based on an hourly rate of $200 per hour prior to the completion of this offering; and (ii) a base salary of $150,000 per year upon the successful completion of this offering, plus additional bonuses payable to Mr. Cook. This employee agreement is “at will,” namely, both Mr. Cook and the Company have the right to terminate his employment at any time for any reason. In the event that either party wishes to terminate Mr. Cook’s employment with the Company, the party initiating the termination shall provide the other party with two weeks' written notice in advance. Mr. Cook further agrees and acknowledges that any bonus payable to him will be made, if any, at the sole discretion of the Company.
Executive Employment Agreement with Walter Folker
On March 1, 2022, we entered into an employment agreement with Walter Folker. Pursuant to his employment agreement, effective March 1, 2022, Mr. Folker will serve as the Vice President of Procurement of our Company for an employment term of three years, responsible for developing organizational procurement strategies and plans as well as coordinating and overseeing our Company’s procurement. Pursuant to the agreement, Mr. Folker is entitled to an annual base salary of $52,000 plus any commissions or bonuses earned in accordance with our Company’s practices. Starting from the second calendar year of his employment, the annual base salary will increase to $60,000. The agreement will automatically renew unless terminated by either party. The agreement may be terminated upon mutual written consent of Mr. Folker and our Company. At any time after 12 months from the effective date of the agreement, Mr. Folker may terminate the agreement (a) upon 30 days’ prior written notice to our Company or (b) immediately if Mr. Folker is subject to materially diminished duties or responsibilities. We may terminate the agreement (i) without prior notice and without further obligation for reasons of just cause, such as fraud, theft, conviction of a felony, improper or dishonest action, or significant acts of misconduct, on the part of Mr. Folker or any of his agents providing services to our Company, and (ii) without just cause upon 30 days’ written notice to Mr. Folker.
Outstanding Equity Awards at the Fiscal Year-End
Our named executive officers do not hold any equity awards as of the date of this prospectus.
Compensation of Directors
Our Company has not yet implemented a formal compensation plan for our directors but plans to do so prior to the completion of this offering.
Insider Participation Concerning Executive Compensation
Our Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors, Mr. Huan Liu, has been making all determinations regarding executive officer compensation from the inception of our Company. When our Compensation Committee is set up, it will be making all determination regarding executive officer compensation.
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The following table sets forth information with respect to the beneficial ownership, within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act, of our Class A and Class B common stock as of the date of this prospectus, and as adjusted to reflect the sale of the Class A common stock offered in this offering for:
| ● | each of our directors and named executive officers; and |
| ● | each person known to us to own beneficially more than 5% of our Class A or Class B common stock. |
Beneficial ownership includes voting or investment power with respect to the securities. Except as indicated below, and subject to applicable community property laws, the persons named in the table have sole voting and investment power with respect to all Class A common stock or Class B common stock shown as beneficially owned by them. Percentage of beneficial ownership of each listed person prior to this offering is based on 8,416,000 shares of Class A common stock and 8,250,000 shares of Class B common stock outstanding as of the date of this prospectus. Percentage of beneficial ownership of each listed person after this offering is based on [●] shares of Class A common stock outstanding immediately after the completion of this offering if the underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment option and 8,250,000 shares of Class B common stock outstanding immediately after the completion of this offering if the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full.
Information with respect to beneficial ownership has been furnished by each director, named executive officer, or beneficial owner of 5% or more of our Class A or Class B common stock. Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with the rules of the SEC and generally requires that such person have voting or investment power with respect to the securities. In computing the number of shares of Class A common stock beneficially owned by persons listed below and the percentage ownership of such persons, shares of Class A common stock underlying options, warrants, or convertible securities, including Class B common stock, held by each such person that are exercisable or convertible within 60 days of the date of this prospectus are deemed outstanding, but are not deemed outstanding for computing the percentage ownership of any other person.
| Class A Common Stock Beneficially Owned Prior to this Offering | Class B Common Stock Beneficially Owned Prior to this Offering | Class A Common Stock Beneficially Owned After this Offering | Class B Common Stock Beneficially Owned After this Offering | Voting Power After this Offering* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Directors and Executive Officers(1): | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Huan Liu(2) | — | — | 8,250,000 | 100 | % | — | — | 8,250,000 | 100 | % | [●] | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Robert Cook | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Walter Folker | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Xianggeng Huang | 2,250,000 | 26.7 | % | — | — | 2,250,000 | [●] | % | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Adam Eilenberg | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vladimir Gavrilovic | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Catherine Chen | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| All directors and executive officers as a group (seven individuals): | 2,250,000 | 26.7 | % | 8,250,000 | 100 | % | 2,250,000 | [●] | % | 8,250,000 | 100 | % | [●] | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5% Stockholders: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FAIRVIEW EASTERN INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS LIMITED(2) | — | — | 8,250,000 | 100 | % | — | — | 8,250,000 | 100 | % | [●] | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Xiaolin Tang | 1,500,000 | 17.8 | % | — | — | 1,500,000 | [●] | % | — | — | [●] | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Yan Xiao | 1,500,000 | 17.8 | % | — | — | 1,500,000 | [●] | % | — | — | [●] | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Grand Bright International Holdings Limited(3) | 1,200,000 | 14.3 | % | — | — | 1,200,000 | [●] | % | — | — | [●] | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| RAPID PROCEED LIMITED(4) | 1,000,000 | 11.9 | % | — | — | 1,000,000 | [●] | % | — | — | [●] | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Yan Bai(5) | 666,000 | 7.9 | % | — | — | 666,000 | [●] | % | — | — | [●] | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Notes:
| (1) | Unless otherwise indicated, the business address of each of the individuals is 6201 Fairview Road, Suite 225, Charlotte, North Carolina, 28210. |
| (2) | The number of shares of Class B common stock beneficially owned prior to this offering represents 8,250,000 shares of Class B common stock held by FAIRVIEW EASTERN INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS LIMITED, a British Virgin Islands company, which is 100% owned by Huan Liu. The registered address of FAIRVIEW EASTERN INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS LIMITED is Vistra Corporate Services Center, Wickhams Cay II, Road Town, Tortola, VG1110, British Virgin Islands. |
| (3) | The number of shares of Class A common stock beneficially owned prior to this offering represents 1,200,000 shares of Class A common stock held by Grand Bright International Holdings Limited, a British Virgin Islands company, which is 100% owned by Yingchang Yuan. The registered address of Grand Bright International Holdings Limited is Wickhams Cay II, Road Town, Tortola, VG1110, British Virgin Islands. |
| (4) | The number of shares of Class A common stock beneficially owned prior to this offering represents 1,000,000 shares of Class A common stock held by RAPID PROCEED LIMITED, a PRC limited liability company, which is 100% owned by Huoyuan Chen. The registered address of RAPID PROCEED LIMITED is 2501, Unit 3, Building 5, Shimao Aolin Garden, Beijing, China. |
| (5) | The business address of Yan Bai is Room 311, Golden Vision Building, 1 Shangdi Information Road, Haidian District, Beijing, China. |
We are not aware of any arrangement that may, at a subsequent date, result in a change of control of our Company.
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Material Transactions with Related Parties
The relationship and the nature of related party transactions are summarized as follows:
| Name | Relationship with Our Company | |
| Mr. Huan Liu | Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors | |
| Canaan International Inc. | 100% owned by our Chief Executive Officer |
Due from a Related Party
As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, due from a related party in the amount of nil and $10,000 represented temporary advances to Canaan International Inc. for capital injection associated with the incorporation of the company. Those advances are due on demand and non-interest bearing. We expect to make no such advances to our related parties in the future.
Due to a Related Party
Amount due to a related party represented amounts due to our CEO, Mr. Huan Liu. for working capital purposes during our normal course of business. These payables were unsecured, non-interest bearing, and due on demand.
During the year ended December 31, 2020, we borrowed an aggregate amount of $2,534,244 from Mr. Huan Liu directly or through Mr. Huan Liu’s third-party business contacts, guaranteed by Mr. Huan Liu, which was used as working capital and to fund the purchase of vehicles. We also made repayments to Mr. Huan Liu in the amount of $2,230,467. As a result of these transactions, the balance due to Mr. Huan Liu was $303,777 as of December 31, 2020. Due to PRC foreign currency exchange control restrictions, Mr. Huan Liu also collected receivables from certain of our PRC customers on behalf of us in the amount of $311,129, which was fully returned to us in 2021 via Mr. Huan Liu’s personal bank account or through Mr. Huan Liu’s third-party business contacts.
During the year ended December 31, 2021, we borrowed an aggregate amount of $7,444,365 from Mr. Huan Liu directly or through Mr. Huan Liu’s third-party business contacts, guaranteed by Mr. Huan Liu, which was used as working capital and to fund the purchase of vehicles. We also made repayments to Mr. Huan Liu in the amount of $6,612,552. As a result of these transactions, the balance due to Mr. Huan Liu was $1,135,590 as of December 31, 2021. Due to PRC foreign currency exchange control restriction, Mr. Huan Liu also collected receivables from certain of the Company’s PRC customers on behalf of the Company in the amount of $2,751,678, which was fully returned to the Company via Mr. Huan Liu’s personal bank account or through Mr. Huan Liu’s third-party business contacts.
During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company borrowed an aggregate of $313,464 from Mr. Huan Liu directly, or indirectly through Mr. Huan Liu’s third-party business contacts on his behalf. These advances are used as working capital and used to fund the purchase of vehicles. The Company also made repayments to Mr. Huan Liu in the amount of $1,449,054. As a result of these transactions, the balance due to Mr. Huan Liu was nil as of December 31, 2022.
As of the date of this prospectus, the amount due to a related party as reflected in our consolidated balance sheets was nil.
Other Related Party Transactions
Certain related parties have provided guarantees in connection with our loans payable. See “Note 7—Loans Payable” of our consolidated financial statements.
Employment Agreements
See “Executive and Director Compensation—Employment Agreements with Our Named Executive Officers.”
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The following description of our share capital is a summary only and not meant to be complete, but is subject to and qualified in its entirety by our amended and restated articles of incorporation and bylaws, as amended from time to time, and by the provisions of the applicable North Carolina law. Reference is made to our amended and restated articles of incorporation, copies of which are filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.
Common Stock
Under our amended and restated articles of incorporation, we are authorized to issue up to 100,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share. On July 11, 2022, our stockholders approved the reclassification of our authorized shares of common stock into (i) 91,750,000 shares of Class A common stock and (ii) 8,250,000 shares of Class B common stock. We also have the authority to issue preferred stock as deemed necessary with the par value equal to Class A common stock. As of the date of this prospectus, there are 8,416,000 shares of Class A common stock and 8,250,000 shares of Class B common stock issued and outstanding. Holders of Class A common stock and Class B common stock have the same rights except for voting and conversion rights. All of the outstanding shares of Class A and Class B common stock are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. No shares of preferred stock are outstanding.
| · | Governing Documents. Holders of shares of our common stock have the rights set forth in our amended and restated articles of incorporation, bylaws, and applicable North Carolina law; |
| · | Dividend Rights and Distributions. Subject to preferences that may be applicable to any outstanding preferred stock, the holders of our common stock are entitled to share equally in dividends, if any, as may be declared from time to time by the board of directors out of funds legally available for that purpose; |
| · | Ranking. Our common stock ranks junior with respect to dividend rights and rights upon our liquidation, dissolution, or winding up to all other securities and indebtedness. In the event of liquidation, dissolution, or winding up, the holders of our common stock would be entitled to share equally on a per share basis, after payment or provision for payment of all our debts and liabilities, and all of our remaining assets available for distribution; |
| · | Conversion Rights. Shares of Class B common stock are convertible into shares of Class A common stock at any time after issuance at the option of the holder on a one-to-one basis. Shares of Class A common stock are not convertible into shares of any other class; |
| · | Voting Rights. Each holder of Class A common stock is entitled to one vote per share of Class A common stock and each holder of Class B common stock is entitled to 15 votes per share of Class B common stock; |
| · | Preemptive Rights. The holders of our common stock have no preemptive rights; and |
| · | Redemption. We have no obligation or right to redeem our common stock. |
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Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, and Statutory Provisions Having Potential “Anti-takeover” Effects
The following paragraphs summarize certain provisions of our amended and restated articles of incorporation, bylaws, and North Carolina law that may have the effect, or be used as a means, of delaying or preventing attempts to acquire or take control of the Company, or to remove or replace incumbent directors, that are not first approved by our board, even if those proposed actions are favored by our stockholders.
| · |
Authorized Shares. Our amended and restated articles of incorporation currently authorize the issuance of 100,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share. On July 11, 2022, our stockholders approved the reclassification of our authorized shares of common stock into (i) 91,750,000 shares of Class A common stock and (ii) 8,250,000 shares of Class B common stock. Our board of directors is authorized to approve the issuance of shares of our common stock from time to time. This provision gives our board flexibility to effect, among other transactions, financings, acquisitions, stock dividends, stock splits and grants of stock options. However, the authority of our board of directors also could be used, consistent with its fiduciary duty, to deter future attempts to gain control of the Company by issuing additional common stock to persons friendly to management in order to attempt to block a tender offer, merger or other transaction by which a third party seeks to gain control.
| |
| · | Advance Notice of Director Nominations. Our bylaws provide for advance notice procedures with respect to stockholder proposals and the nomination of candidates for election as directors. Pursuant to these provisions, to be timely, a stockholder’s notice must meet certain requirements with respect to its content and be received at our principal executive offices, addressed to the secretary of our Company, within the proscribed time periods. These provisions may have the effect of precluding the conduct of certain business at a meeting if the proper procedures are not followed. These provisions may also discourage or deter a potential acquirer from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect the acquirer’s own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to obtain control of our Company. |
| · | Special Meetings of Stockholders. Our bylaws provide that special meetings of our stockholders may be called only by or at the direction of (a) our board of directors, (b) the President of the Company, or (c) stockholders holding at least 20% of all the votes entitled to be cast on any issue proposed to be considered at the proposed special meeting. |
| · | Amendment of Bylaws. Subject to certain limitations under North Carolina law, our bylaws may be amended or repealed by either our board of directors or our stockholders. Therefore, our board of directors may amend or repeal bylaws without the approval of our stockholders, to the extent permitted under North Carolina law. However, a bylaw adopted, amended or repealed by our stockholders might not be readopted, amended or repealed by our board of directors alone unless our articles of incorporation or a bylaw adopted by our stockholders authorizes our board of directors to adopt, amend or repeal that particular bylaw or the bylaws generally. |
| · | Action Without Meeting. To the fullest extent permitted by the North Carolina Business Corporation Act, stockholders may take action without a meeting by written consent as to such matters and in accordance with such requirements and procedures authorized by the North Carolina Business Corporation Act. Unless otherwise permitted by the North Carolina Business Corporation Act, such written consent must be signed by all stockholders. |
Listing
We have applied to list our Class A common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the ticker symbol “CTNT.” No assurance can be given that our application will be approved. The closing of this offering is contingent upon the successful listing of our Class A common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market or another national securities exchange.
Transfer Agent
The transfer agent of our Class A common stock is Vstock Transfer, LLC. Its address is 18 Lafayette Place, Woodmere, New York 11598.
History of Share Capital
The following is a history of our share capital during the last three years.
Our Company was initially capitalized by Mr. Huan Liu making capital contributions (the “Initial Contribution”).
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Membership Interest Assignments in January 2021
On January 1, 2021, Huan Liu, the then sole member of our Company, assigned an aggregate of 45% of the membership interests in our Company, to the following assignees, who had previously transferred to Huan Liu an aggregate of $225,000 that was included as part of the Initial Contribution to our Company:
| Transferor | Transferee | Percentage of Membership Interests | ||||
| Huan Liu | Xianggeng Huang | 15 | % | |||
| Huan Liu | Xiaolin Tang | 10 | % | |||
| Huan Liu | Yan Xiao | 10 | % | |||
| Huan Liu | Yingchang Yuan | 8 | % | |||
| Huan Liu | Shuang Li | 2 | % | |||
Conversion in March 2022
On March 1, 2022, our Company was converted to a corporation under its current name by filing articles of incorporation including articles of conversion with the North Carolina Secretary of State. As of March 1, 2022, the numbers of shares of common stock held by our stockholders were as follows:
| Stockholder | Number of Shares of Common Stock | Percentage of Total Shares of Common Stock | ||||||
| Huan Liu | 8,250,000 | 55 | % | |||||
| Xianggeng Huang | 2,250,000 | 15 | % | |||||
| Xiaolin Tang | 1,500,000 | 10 | % | |||||
| Yan Xiao | 1,500,000 | 10 | % | |||||
| Yingchang Yuan | 1,200,000 | 8 | % | |||||
| Shuang Li | 300,000 | 2 | % | |||||
| Total | 15,000,000 | 100 | % | |||||
Re-classification of Common Stock in July 2022
On July 11, 2022, our stockholders approved the re-classification of 8,250,000 shares of our issued common stock held by Huan Liu into 8,250,000 shares of Class B common stock.
On July 11, 2022, our stockholders approved the re-classification of our issued common stock into Class A common stock as set out in the table below:
| Stockholder | Number of Shares of Class A Common Stock | Percentage of Total Shares of Class A Common Stock | ||||||
| Xianggeng Huang | 2,250,000 | 33.3 | % | |||||
| Xiaolin Tang | 1,500,000 | 22.2 | % | |||||
| Yan Xiao | 1,500,000 | 22.2 | % | |||||
| Yingchang Yuan | 1,200,000 | 17.8 | % | |||||
| Shuang Li | 300,000 | 4.5 | % | |||||
| Total | 6,750,000 | 100 | % | |||||
Share Issuances in July 2022
On July 12, 2022, we issued an aggregate of 1,666,000 shares of Class A common stock to the following stockholders pursuant to a subscription agreement entered into on June 27, 2022:
| Purchaser | Number of Shares of Class A Common Stock | Consideration | ||||||
| RAPID PROCEED LIMITED | 1,000,000 | $ | 1,800,000 | |||||
| Yan Bai | 666,000 | $ | 1,198,800 | |||||
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SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE
Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our Class A common stock. Future sales of substantial amounts of our Class A common stock, including shares issued upon the exercise of outstanding options and warrants, in the public market after this offering, or the possibility of these sales or issuances occurring, could adversely affect the prevailing market price for our Class A common stock or impair our ability to raise equity capital. Upon completion of this offering, we will have outstanding shares of Class A common stock held by public stockholders representing approximately [●]% of our Class A common stock issued if the underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment option, and approximately [●]% of our Class A common stock issued if the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full. All of the Class A common stock sold in this offering will be freely transferable by persons other than our “affiliates” without restriction or further registration under the Securities Act.
Lock-up Arrangements
Pursuant to customary “lock-up” agreements in favor of Maxim, we, our executive officers, directors, and our principal stockholders (5% or more stockholders, including holders of our Class A common stock to be received upon conversion of our outstanding convertible notes payable and convertible preferred stock), except those selling stockholders identified in the Resale Prospectus, have agreed, without the prior written consent of Maxim, not to (i) directly or indirectly offer, issue, sell, contract to sell, encumber, grant any option for the sale of, or otherwise dispose of any shares of (or enter into any transaction or device that is designed to, or could be expected to, result in the transfer or disposition by any person at any time in the future of) our common stock; (ii) enter into any swap or other derivatives transaction that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic benefits or risks of ownership of shares of our common stock; (iii) make any demand for or exercise any right or cause to be filed a registration statement, including any amendments thereto, with respect to the registration of any shares of common stock or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for common stock or any other securities of ours; or (iv) publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing, subject to customary exceptions, for a period of six months after this offering is completed. The Representative may, in its sole discretion, release any of the securities subject to these lock-up agreements at any time.
Rule 144
All of the shares of our Class A common stock outstanding prior to the closing of this offering are “restricted securities,” as that term is defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act and may be sold publicly in the United States only if they are subject to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act or pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirement, such as those provided by Rule 144 and Rule 701 promulgated under the Securities Act.
In general, under Rule 144 as currently in effect, beginning 90 days after the date of this prospectus, a person who is not deemed to have been our affiliate at any time during the three months preceding a sale and who has beneficially owned restricted securities within the meaning of Rule 144 for more than six months would be entitled to sell an unlimited number of those securities, subject only to the availability of current public information about us. A non-affiliate who has beneficially owned restricted securities for at least one year from the later of the date these shares of Class A common stock were acquired from us or from our affiliate would be entitled to freely sell those shares. We currently expect 300,000 shares of our Class A common stock to be available for resale under Rule 144 beginning 90 days after the date of this prospectus.
A person who is deemed to be an affiliate of ours and who has beneficially owned “restricted securities” for at least six months would be entitled to sell, within any three-month period, a number of shares of Class A common stock that is not more than the greater of:
| ● | 1% of the number of shares of Class A common stock then outstanding, which will equal approximately [●] shares immediately after this offering, assuming the underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment option; or | |
| ● | the average weekly trading volume of our Class A common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market or other relevant national securities exchange during the four calendar weeks preceding the filing of a notice on Form 144 with respect to such sale. |
Sales under Rule 144 by our affiliates or persons selling shares on behalf of our affiliates are also subject to certain manner of sale provisions and notice requirements and to the availability of current public information about us.
Rule 701
In general, under Rule 701 of the Securities Act as currently in effect, each of our employees, consultants, or advisors who purchases shares of our Class A common stock from us in connection with a compensatory stock plan or other written agreement executed prior to the completion of this offering is eligible to resell those shares in reliance on Rule 144, but without compliance with some of the restrictions, including the holding period, contained in Rule 144. However, the Rule 701 shares would remain subject to lock-up arrangements and would only become eligible for sale when the lock-up period expires.
Regulation S
Regulation S provides generally that sales made in offshore transactions are not subject to the registration or prospectus-delivery requirements of the Securities Act.
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Maxim Group LLC, or Maxim, is acting as the Representative of the underwriters. Subject to the terms and conditions of an underwriting agreement between us and the Representative, we have agreed to sell to each underwriter named below, and each underwriter named below has severally agreed to purchase, at the public offering price less the underwriting discounts set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, the number of shares of Class A common stock listed next to its name in the following table:
| Underwriters | Number of Ordinary Shares | |||
| Maxim Group LLC | [●] | |||
| Total | [●] |
The underwriting agreement provides that the obligations of the underwriters to pay for and accept delivery of the shares of Class A common stock offered by this prospectus are subject to various conditions and representations and warranties, including the approval of certain legal matters by their counsel and other conditions specified in the underwriting agreement. The shares of Class A common stock are offered by the underwriters, subject to prior sale, when, as and if issued to and accepted by them. The underwriters reserve the right to withdraw, cancel or modify the offer to the public and to reject orders in whole or in part. The underwriters are obligated to take and pay for all of the shares of Class A common stock offered by this prospectus if any such shares of Class A common stock are taken, other than those shares of Class A common stock covered by the over-allotment option described below.
We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against specified liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, and to contribute to payments the underwriters may be required to make in respect thereof.
Over-Allotment Option
We have granted a 45-day option to the representative of the underwriters to purchase up to additional shares of our Class A common stock at a public offering price of $[●] per share, solely to cover over-allotments, if any. The underwriters may exercise this option for 45 days from the date of this prospectus solely to cover sales of shares of Class A common stock by the underwriters in excess of the total number of shares of Class A common stock set forth in the table above. If any of these additional shares are purchased, the underwriters will offer the additional shares on the same terms as those on which the shares are being offered.
Underwriting Discounts and Expenses
The underwriters propose initially to offer the shares of Class A common stock to the public at the public offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus and to dealers at that price less a concession. If all of the shares of Class A common stock offered by us are not sold at the public offering price, the underwriters may change the offering price and other selling terms by means of a supplement to this prospectus.
The following table shows the public offering price, underwriting discounts, and proceeds, before expenses, to us. The information assumes either no exercise or full exercise of the over-allotment option we granted to the representative of the underwriters.
| Per Share | Total Without Over- Allotment Option | Total With Full Over- Allotment Option | ||||||||||
| Public offering price | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||
| Underwriting discounts(1) | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||
| Proceeds, before expenses, to us | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||
| (1) | Represents an underwriting discount equal to 7.0% per share. |
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We have agreed to pay expenses relating to the offering, including: (i) all filing fees and communication expenses relating to the registration of the shares of Class A common stock to be sold in this offering (including the over-allotment shares) with the SEC and the filing of the offering materials with FINRA; (ii) all fees and expenses relating to the listing of our Class A common stock on such stock exchange as the Company and the Representative together determine; (iii) all reasonable fees, expenses, and disbursements relating to the background checks of our officers and directors; (iv) all fees, expenses, and disbursements relating to the registration or qualification of such shares under the “blue sky” securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions as the Representative may reasonably designate (including, without limitation, all filing and registration fees, and the fees and disbursements of Maxim’s counsel for such counsel’s participation in the “blue sky” and stock exchange listing process); (v) the costs of all mailing and printing of the underwriting documents (including the Underwriting Agreement, any “blue sky” surveys, and if appropriate, any agreement among underwriters, selected dealers’ agreement, underwriters’ questionnaire and power of attorney), registration statement, prospectus, and all amendments, supplements, and exhibits thereto and as many preliminary and final prospectuses as the Representative may reasonably deem necessary; (vi) the costs and expenses of the public relations firm; (vii) the costs of preparing, printing, and delivering certificates representing such shares; (viii) fees and expenses of the transfer agent of such shares; (ix) stock transfer taxes, if any, payable upon the transfer of securities from our Company to the Representative; and (x) the fees and expenses of our accountants, legal counsel, and other agents and representatives. We are responsible for the Representative’s legal fees, costs, and expenses in connection with this offering irrespective of whether this offering is consummated, and the maximum amount of legal fees, costs, and expenses incurred by the Representative that we are responsible for shall not exceed $150,000, in the event of a closing of this offering, and shall not exceed $100,000, in the event that there is not a closing of this offering.
We paid an expense deposit of $50,000 to the Representative upon the execution of the engagement letter between us and the Representative. Any expense deposits will be returned to us to the extent the Representative’s out-of-pocket accountable expenses are not actually incurred in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(4)(A).
We estimate that expenses payable by us in connection with this offering, other than the underwriting discounts referred to above and underwriter expense reimbursement, will be approximately $[●], including a maximum aggregate reimbursement of $150,000 of Representative’s accountable expenses.
Representative’s Warrants
We have also agreed to issue to the Representative and its affiliates or employees warrants to purchase up to [●] shares of Class A common stock equal to 5.0% of the total number of shares of Class A common stock sold in this offering, including any shares issued upon exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option.
The Representative’s Warrants will have an exercise price per share equal to 125.0% of the public offering price per share in this offering and may be exercised on a cashless basis. The Representative’s Warrants are exercisable commencing six months following the date of commencement of sales of the public offering, and will be exercisable until such warrants expire three years from the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. The Representative’s Warrants and the Class A common stock underlying the warrants have been deemed compensation by FINRA and are therefore subject to a 180-day lock-up pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110(e)(1). The Representative and its affiliates or employees (or permitted assignees under FINRA Rule 5110(e)(1)) may not sell, transfer, assign, pledge, or hypothecate the Representative’s Warrants or the Class A common stock underlying the Representative’s Warrants, nor will they engage in any hedging, short sale, derivative, put, or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of the Representative’s Warrants or the underlying shares for a period of 180 days following the date of commencement of sales of the public offering except as permitted by FINRA Rule 5110(e)(2). The Representative and its affiliates or employees will also be entitled to one demand registration of the sale of the shares underlying the Representative’s Warrants at our expense, one additional demand registration at the Representative’s Warrants’ holders’ expense, and unlimited “piggyback” registration rights for a period of two years. The Representative’s Warrants will provide for adjustment in the number and price of such warrants and the shares underlying such warrants in the event of recapitalization, merger, or other structural transaction to prevent mechanical dilution. The piggyback registration right provided will not be greater than seven years from the date of commencement of sales of the offering in compliance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(8)(D).
Right of First Refusal
Until 12 months from the closing date of this offering, the Representative shall have a right of first refusal to act on our behalf as the sole managing underwriter and sole book runner, sole placement agent, or sole sales agent, for one future public or private equity, equity-linked, or debt (excluding commercial bank debt) offering for which we retain the service of an underwriter, agent, advisor, finder, or other person or entity in connection with such offering of us or any of our successors or subsidiaries.
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Listing
We have applied to list our Class A common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “CTNT.” At this time, Nasdaq has not yet approved our application to list our Class A common stock. The closing of this offering is conditioned upon Nasdaq’s final approval of our listing application, and there is no guarantee or assurance that our Class A common stock will be approved for listing on Nasdaq.
Indemnification
We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act and liabilities arising from breaches of representations and warranties contained in the underwriting agreement, or to contribute to payments that the underwriters may be required to make in respect of those liabilities.
Lock-Up Agreements
We have agreed not to, for a period of six months from the date of this prospectus, offer, issue, sell, contract to sell, encumber, grant any option for the sale of, or otherwise dispose of, except in this offering, any of our common stock or securities that are substantially similar to our common stock, including any options or warrants to purchase our common stock, or any securities that are convertible into or exchangeable for, or that represent the right to receive, our common stock or any such substantially similar securities (other than pursuant to employee stock option plans existing on, or upon the conversion or exchange of convertible or exchangeable securities outstanding as of, the date such lock-up agreement was executed), without the prior written consent of Maxim.
Furthermore, each of our directors, executive officers, and our principal stockholders (5% or more stockholders), except those selling stockholders identified in the Resale Prospectus, has also entered into a similar lock-up agreement for a period of six months from the date of this prospectus, with respect to our common stock and securities that are substantially similar to our common stock.
No Public Market Pricing
Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our securities in the U.S. and the public offering price for our Class A common stock will be determined through negotiations between us and the underwriters. Among the factors to be considered in these negotiations are prevailing market conditions, our financial information, market valuations of other companies that we and the underwriters believe to be comparable to us, estimates of our business potential, the present state of our development, and other factors deemed relevant.
We offer no assurances that the initial public offering price will correspond to the price at which our Class A common stock will trade in the public market subsequent to this offering or that an active trading market for our Class A common stock will develop and continue after this offering.
Electronic Offer, Sale, and Distribution of Class A Common Stock
A prospectus in electronic format may be made available on the websites maintained by the underwriters or selling group members, if any, participating in this offering and the underwriters may distribute prospectuses electronically. The underwriters may agree to allocate a number of shares of Class A common stock to selling group members for sale to their online brokerage account holders. The Class A common stock to be sold pursuant to internet distributions will be allocated on the same basis as other allocations. Other than the prospectus in electronic format, the information on these websites is not part of, nor incorporated by reference into, this prospectus or the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, has not been approved or endorsed by us or the underwriters, and should not be relied upon by investors.
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Price Stabilization, Short Positions, and Penalty Bids
In connection with this offering, the underwriters may engage in activities that stabilize, maintain, or otherwise affect the price of our shares of Class A common stock during and after this offering, including:
| · | stabilizing transactions; | |
| · | short sales; | |
| · | purchases to cover positions created by short sales; | |
| · | imposition of penalty bids; and | |
| · | syndicate covering transactions. |
Stabilizing transactions consist of bids or purchases made for the purpose of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of our securities while this offering is in progress. Stabilization transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying security so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum. These transactions may also include making short sales of our shares of Class A common stock, which involve the sale by the underwriter of a greater number of shares of Class A common stock than they are required to purchase in this offering, and purchasing shares of Class A common stock on the open market to cover short positions created by short sales. Short sales may be “covered short sales,” which are short positions in an amount not greater than the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares referred to above, or may be “naked short sales,” which are short positions in excess of that amount.
The underwriters may close out any covered short position by either exercising their option, in whole or in part, or by purchasing shares in the open market. In making this determination, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of shares available for purchase in the open market as compared to the price at which they may purchase shares through the over-allotment option.
Naked short sales are short sales made in excess of the over-allotment option. The underwriters must close out any naked short position by purchasing shares in the open market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price of our shares of Class A common stock in the open market that could adversely affect investors who purchased in this offering.
The underwriters also may impose a penalty bid. This occurs when a particular underwriter repays to the underwriter a portion of the underwriting discount received by it because Maxim has repurchased shares sold by or for the account of that underwriter in stabilizing or short covering transactions.
These stabilizing transactions, short sales, purchases to cover positions created by short sales, the imposition of penalty bids and syndicate covering transactions may have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of our shares of Class A common stock or preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of our shares of Class A common stock. As a result of these activities, the price of our shares of Class A common stock may be higher than the price that otherwise might exist in the open market. The underwriter may carry out these transactions on the Nasdaq Capital Market, in the over-the-counter market, or otherwise. Neither we nor the underwriters make any representation or prediction as to the effect that the transactions described above may have on the price of the shares of our Class A common stock. Neither we nor the underwriters make any representation that the underwriters will engage in these stabilization transactions or that any transaction, once commenced, will not be discontinued without notice.
Passive Market Making
In connection with this offering, the underwriters may engage in passive market making transactions in our Class A common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market in accordance with Rule 103 of Regulation M under the Exchange Act, during a period before the commencement of offers or sales of our Class A common stock and extending through the completion of the distribution. A passive market maker must display its bid at a price not in excess of the highest independent bid of that security. However, if all independent bids are lowered below the passive market maker’s bid, then that bid must then be lowered when specified purchase limits are exceeded.
Potential Conflicts of Interest
The underwriters and their affiliates may, from time to time, engage in transactions with and perform services for us in the ordinary course of their business for which they may receive customary fees and reimbursement of expenses. In the ordinary course of their various business activities, the underwriters and their affiliates may make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments (including bank loans) for their own accounts and for the accounts of their customers and such investment and securities activities may involve securities and/or instruments of our Company. The underwriters and their affiliates may also make investment recommendations and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of such securities or instruments and may at any time hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long and/or short positions in such securities and instruments.
Other Relationships
The underwriters and certain of their affiliates are full service financial institutions engaged in various activities, which may include securities trading, commercial and investment banking, financial advisory, investment management, investment research, principal investment, hedging, financing, and brokerage activities. Some of the underwriters and certain of their affiliates may in the future engage in investment banking and other commercial dealings in the ordinary course of business with us and our affiliates, for which they may in the future receive customary fees, commissions, and expenses.
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In addition, in the ordinary course of their business activities, the underwriters and their affiliates may make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments (including bank loans) for their own account and for the accounts of their customers. Such investments and securities activities may involve securities and/or instruments of ours or our affiliates. The underwriters and their affiliates may also make investment recommendations and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of such securities or financial instruments and may hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long, and/or short positions in such securities and instruments.
Stamp Taxes
If you purchase our Class A common stock offered in this prospectus, you may be required to pay stamp taxes and other charges under the laws and practices of the country of purchase, in addition to the offering price listed on the cover page of this prospectus.
Selling Restrictions
No action has been taken in any jurisdiction (except in the United States) that would permit a public offering of our Class A common stock, or the possession, circulation or distribution of this prospectus or any other material relating to us or our Class A common stock, where action for that purpose is required. Accordingly, our Class A common stock may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, and neither this prospectus nor any other offering material or advertisements in connection with our Class A common stock may be distributed or published, in or from any country or jurisdiction except in compliance with any applicable rules and regulations of any such country or jurisdiction.
Australia. This prospectus:
| · | does not constitute a product disclosure document or a prospectus under Chapter 6D.2 of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (the “Corporations Act”); |
| · | has not been, and will not be, lodged with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (“ASIC”), as a disclosure document for the purposes of the Corporations Act and does not purport to include the information required of a disclosure document under Chapter 6D.2 of the Corporations Act; |
| · | does not constitute or involve a recommendation to acquire, an offer or invitation for issue or sale, an offer or invitation to arrange the issue or sale, or an issue or sale, of interests to a “retail client” (as defined in section 761G of the Corporations Act and applicable regulations) in Australia; and |
| · | may only be provided in Australia to select investors who are able to demonstrate that they fall within one or more of the categories of investors, or Exempt Investors, available under section 708 of the Corporations Act. |
The Class A common stock may not be directly or indirectly offered for subscription or purchased or sold, and no invitations to subscribe for or buy the Class A common stock may be issued, and no draft or definitive offering memorandum, advertisement, or other offering material relating to any Class A common stock may be distributed in Australia, except where disclosure to investors is not required under Chapter 6D of the Corporations Act or is otherwise in compliance with all applicable Australian laws and regulations. By submitting an application for the Class A common stock, you represent and warrant to us that you are an Exempt Investor.
As any offer of Class A common stock under this prospectus will be made without disclosure in Australia under Chapter 6D.2 of the Corporations Act, the offer of those securities for resale in Australia within 12 months may, under section 707 of the Corporations Act, require disclosure to investors under Chapter 6D.2 if none of the exemptions in section 708 applies to that resale. By applying for the Class A common stock, you undertake to us that you will not, for a period of 12 months from the date of issue of the Class A common stock, offer, transfer, assign, or otherwise alienate those securities to investors in Australia except in circumstances where disclosure to investors is not required under Chapter 6D.2 of the Corporations Act or where a compliant disclosure document is prepared and lodged with ASIC.
This prospectus contains general information only and does not take account of the investment objectives, financial situation, or particular needs of any particular person. It does not contain any securities recommendations or financial product advice. Before making an investment decision, investors need to consider whether the information in this prospectus is appropriate to their needs, objectives, and circumstances, and, if necessary, seek expert advice on those matters.
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Canada. The Class A common stock may be sold only to purchasers purchasing, or deemed to be purchasing, as principal that are accredited investors, as defined in National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions or subsection 73.3(1) of the Securities Act (Ontario), and are permitted clients, as defined in National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations. Any resale of the Class A common stock must be made in accordance with an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the prospectus requirements of applicable securities laws.
Securities legislation in certain provinces or territories of Canada may provide a purchaser with remedies for rescission or damages if this prospectus (including any amendment thereto) contains a misrepresentation, provided that the remedies for rescission or damages are exercised by the purchaser within the time limit prescribed by the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory. The purchaser should refer to any applicable provisions of the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory for particulars of these rights or consult with a legal advisor.
Pursuant to section 3A.3 of National Instrument 33-105 Underwriting Conflicts (NI 33-105), the underwriter is not required to comply with the disclosure requirements of NI 33-105 regarding underwriter conflicts of interest in connection with this offering.
Cayman Islands. This prospectus does not constitute a public offer of the Class A common stock, whether by way of sale or subscription, in the Cayman Islands. Common stock has not been offered or sold, and will not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, in the Cayman Islands.
Dubai International Financial Centre (“DIFC”). This prospectus relates to an Exempt Offer in accordance with the Markets Rules 2012 of the Dubai Financial Services Authority (the “DFSA”). This prospectus is intended for distribution only to persons of a type specified in the Markets Rules 2012 of the DFSA. It must not be delivered to, or relied on by, any other person. The DFSA has no responsibility for reviewing or verifying any documents in connection with Exempt Offers. The DFSA has not approved this prospectus supplement nor taken steps to verify the information set forth herein and has no responsibility for this prospectus. The securities to which this prospectus relates may be illiquid and/or subject to restrictions on their resale. Prospective purchasers of the securities offered should conduct their own due diligence on the securities. If you do not understand the contents of this prospectus you should consult an authorized financial advisor.
In relation to its use in the DIFC, this prospectus is strictly private and confidential and is being distributed to a limited number of investors and must not be provided to any person other than the original recipient, and may not be reproduced or used for any other purpose. The interests in the securities may not be offered or sold directly or indirectly to the public in the DIFC.
European Economic Area. In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area which has implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a Relevant Member State), with effect from and including the date on which the Prospectus Directive was implemented in that Relevant Member State (the Relevant Implementation Date), an offer of the Class A common stock to the public may not be made in that Relevant Member State prior to the publication of a prospectus in relation to the Class A common stock which has been approved by the competent authority in that Relevant Member State or, where appropriate, approved in another Relevant Member State and notified to the competent authority in that Relevant Member State, all in accordance with the Prospectus Directive, except that, with effect from and including the Relevant Implementation Date, an offer of Class A common stock may be made to the public in that Relevant Member State at any time:
| · | to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined under the Prospectus Directive; |
| · | to fewer than 100 or, if the Relevant Member State has implemented the relevant provision of the 2010 PD Amending Directive, 150 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined in the Prospectus Directive); or |
| · | in any other circumstances falling within Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive, provided that no such offer of securities described in this prospectus shall result in a requirement for the publication by us of a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive. |
For the purposes of the above paragraph, the expression “an offer of the Class A common stock to the public” in relation to any Class A common stock in any Relevant Member State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the Class A common stock to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe the Class A common stock, as the same may be varied in that Member State by any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in that Member State. The expression Prospectus Directive means Directive 2003/71/EC (and any amendments thereto, including the 2010 PD Amending Directive, to the extent implemented in the Relevant Member State) and includes any relevant implementing measure in each Relevant Member State, and the expression “2010 PD Amending Directive” means Directive 2010/73/EU.
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Hong Kong. The Class A common stock may not be offered or sold by means of any document other than (i) in circumstances which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of the Companies Ordinance (Cap.32, Laws of Hong Kong), (ii) to “professional investors” within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap.571, Laws of Hong Kong) and any rules promulgated thereunder, or (iii) in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a “prospectus” within the meaning of the Companies Ordinance (Cap.32, Laws of Hong Kong), and no advertisement, invitation or document relating to the Class A common stock may be issued or may be in the possession of any person for the purpose of issue (in each case whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere), which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public in Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to Class A common stock which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to “professional investors” within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571, Laws of Hong Kong) and any rules promulgated thereunder.
Japan. Common stock has not been and will not be registered under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law of Japan (Law No. 25 of 1948, as amended) and, accordingly, will not be offered or sold directly or indirectly in Japan or to, or for the benefit of any Japanese person or to others, for re-offering or re-sale directly or indirectly in Japan or to any Japanese person, except in each case pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of, and otherwise in compliance with, the Securities and Exchange Law of Japan and any other applicable laws, rules and regulations of Japan. For purposes of this paragraph, “Japanese person” means any person resident in Japan, including any corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan.
Kuwait. Unless all necessary approvals from the Kuwait Ministry of Commerce and Industry required by Law No. 31/1990 “Regulating the Negotiation of Securities and Establishment of Investment Funds,” its Executive Regulations and the various Ministerial Orders issued pursuant thereto or in connection therewith, have been given in relation to the marketing and sale of the Class A common stock, these may not be marketed, offered for sale, nor sold in the State of Kuwait. Neither this prospectus (including any related document), nor any of the information contained therein is intended to lead to the conclusion of any contract of whatsoever nature within Kuwait.
Malaysia. No prospectus or other offering material or document in connection with the offer and sale of the Class A common stock has been or will be registered with the Securities Commission of Malaysia (the “Commission”) for the Commission’s approval pursuant to the Capital Markets and Services Act 2007. Accordingly, this prospectus and any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the Class A common stock may not be circulated or distributed, nor may the Class A common stock be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Malaysia other than (i) a closed end fund approved by the Commission; (ii) a holder of a Capital Markets Services License; (iii) a person who acquires the Class A common stock, as principal, if the offer is on terms that the Class A common stock may only be acquired at a consideration of not less than RM250,000 (or its equivalent in foreign currencies) for each transaction; (iv) an individual whose total net personal assets or total net joint assets with his or her spouse exceeds RM3 million (or its equivalent in foreign currencies), excluding the value of the primary residence of the individual; (v) an individual who has a gross annual income exceeding RM300,000 (or its equivalent in foreign currencies) per annum in the preceding twelve months; (vi) an individual who, jointly with his or her spouse, has a gross annual income of RM400,000 (or its equivalent in foreign currencies), per annum in the preceding twelve months; (vii) a corporation with total net assets exceeding RM10 million (or its equivalent in a foreign currencies) based on the last audited accounts; (viii) a partnership with total net assets exceeding RM10 million (or its equivalent in foreign currencies); (ix) a bank licensee or insurance licensee as defined in the Labuan Financial Services and Securities Act 2010; (x) an Islamic bank licensee or takaful licensee as defined in the Labuan Financial Services and Securities Act 2010; and (xi) any other person as may be specified by the Commission; provided that, in the each of the preceding categories (i) to (xi), the distribution of the Class A common stock is made by a holder of a Capital Markets Services License who carries on the business of dealing in securities. The distribution in Malaysia of this prospectus is subject to Malaysian laws. This prospectus does not constitute and may not be used for the purpose of public offering or an issue, offer for subscription or purchase, invitation to subscribe for or purchase any securities requiring the registration of a prospectus with the Commission under the Capital Markets and Services Act 2007.
People’s Republic of China. This prospectus may not be circulated or distributed in the PRC and the Class A common stock may not be offered or sold, and will not offer or sell to any person for re-offering or resale directly or indirectly to any resident of the PRC except pursuant to applicable laws, rules and regulations of the PRC. For the purpose of this paragraph only, the PRC does not include Taiwan and the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau.
Qatar. In the State of Qatar, the offer contained herein is made on an exclusive basis to the specifically intended recipient thereof, upon that person’s request and initiative, for personal use only and shall in no way be construed as a general offer for the sale of securities to the public or an attempt to do business as a bank, an investment company or otherwise in the State of Qatar. This prospectus and the underlying securities have not been approved or licensed by the Qatar Central Bank or the Qatar Financial Centre Regulatory Authority or any other regulator in the State of Qatar. The information contained in this prospectus shall only be shared with any third parties in Qatar on a need-to-know basis for the purpose of evaluating the contained offer. Any distribution of this prospectus by the recipient to third parties in Qatar beyond the terms hereof is not permitted and shall be at the liability of such recipient.
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Saudi Arabia. This prospectus may not be distributed in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia except to such persons as are permitted under the Offers of Securities Regulations issued by the Capital Market Authority. The Capital Market Authority does not make any representation as to the accuracy or completeness of this prospectus, and expressly disclaims any liability whatsoever for any loss arising from, or incurred in reliance upon, any part of this prospectus. Prospective purchasers of the securities offered hereby should conduct their own due diligence on the accuracy of the information relating to the securities. If you do not understand the contents of this prospectus you should consult an authorized financial adviser.
Singapore. This prospectus or any other offering material relating to the Class A common stock has not been registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore under the Securities and Futures Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore, or the SFA. Accordingly, (a) the Class A common stock has not been, and will not be, offered or sold or made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase of such Class A common stock in Singapore, and (b) this prospectus or any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the Class A common stock have not been and will not be circulated or distributed, whether directly or indirectly, to the public or any member of the public in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor as specified in Section 274 of the SFA, (ii) to a relevant person (as defined in Section 275 of the SFA) and in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275 of the SFA or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA.
Where the Class A common stock is subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is:
(a) a corporation (which is not an accredited investor (as defined in Section 4A of the SFA)) the sole business of which is to hold investments and the entire share capital of which is owned by one or more individuals, each of whom is an accredited investor; or
(b) a trust (where the trustee is not an accredited investor) whose sole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary of the trust is an individual who is an accredited investor, securities (as defined in Section 239(1) of the SFA) of that corporation or the beneficiaries’ rights and interest (howsoever described) in that trust shall not be transferred within six months after that corporation or that trust has acquired the Class A common stock pursuant to an offer made under Section 275 of the SFA except:
(a) to an institutional investor or to a relevant person defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA, or to any person arising from an offer referred to in Section 275(1A) or Section 276(4)(i)(B) of the SFA;
(b) where no consideration is or will be given for the transfer;
(c) where the transfer is by operation of law;
(d) as specified in Section 276(7) of the SFA; or
(e) as specified in Regulation 32 of the Securities and Futures (Offers of Investments) (Shares and Debentures) Regulations 2005 of Singapore.
Switzerland. The Class A common stock will not be publicly offered in Switzerland and will not be listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange, or SIX, or on any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. This prospectus has been prepared without regard to the disclosure standards for issuance prospectuses under art. 652a or art. 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations or the disclosure standards for listing prospectuses under art. 27 ff. of the SIX Listing Rules or the listing rules of any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. Neither this prospectus nor any other offering or marketing material relating to our Company or the Class A common stock have been or will be filed with or approved by any Swiss regulatory authority. In particular, this prospectus will not be filed with, and the offer of the Class A common stock will not be supervised by, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority, and the offer of the Class A common stock has not been and will not be authorized under the Swiss Federal Act on Collective Investment Schemes (the “CISA”). The investor protection afforded to acquirers of interests in collective investment schemes under the CISA does not extend to acquirers of the Class A common stock.
Taiwan. The Class A common stock has not been and will not be registered with the Financial Supervisory Commission of Taiwan pursuant to relevant securities laws and regulations and may not be sold, issued, or offered within Taiwan through a public offering or in circumstances that constitute an offer within the meaning of the Securities and Exchange Act of Taiwan that requires registration or approval of the Financial Supervisory Commission of Taiwan. No person or entity in Taiwan has been authorized to offer, sell, give advice regarding or otherwise intermediate the offering and sale of the Class A common stock in Taiwan.
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United Arab Emirates. The Class A common stock has not been offered or sold, and will not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, in the United Arab Emirates, except: (i) in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations of the United Arab Emirates; and (ii) through persons or corporate entities authorized and licensed to provide investment advice and/or engage in brokerage activity and/or trade in respect of foreign securities in the United Arab Emirates. The information contained in this prospectus does not constitute a public offer of securities in the United Arab Emirates in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law (Federal Law No. 8 of 1984 (as amended)) or otherwise and is not intended to be a public offer and is addressed only to persons who are sophisticated investors.
United Kingdom. This prospectus is only being distributed to and is only directed at, and any offer subsequently made may only be directed at: (i) persons who are outside the United Kingdom; (ii) investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the “Order”); or (iii) high net worth companies, and other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons falling within (1)-(3) together being referred to as “relevant persons”). The Class A common stock is only available to, and any invitation, offer, or agreement to subscribe, purchase, or otherwise acquire the Class A common stock will be engaged in only with, relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this prospectus or any of its contents.
Vietnam. This offering of Class A common stock has not been and will not be registered with the State Securities Commission of Vietnam under the Law on Securities of Vietnam and its guiding decrees and circulars.
| 86 |
The validity of the Class A common stock offered in this offering and certain other legal matters as to North Carolina law will be passed upon for us by Nexsen Pruet, LLC, our counsel as to North Carolina law. We are being represented by Hunter Taubman Fischer & Li LLC with respect to legal matters as to United States federal securities law and New York State law. Loeb & Loeb LLP, New York, New York, is acting as counsel to the underwriters in connection with this offering.
The consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2021, included in this prospectus have been so included in reliance on the report of Friedman LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm (“Friedman”), given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting. The office of Friedman was located at One Liberty Plaza, 165 Broadway, Floor 21, New York, NY 10006. Effective on September 1, 2022, Friedman combined with Marcum LLP. The services previously provided by Friedman will now be provided by Marcum Asia CPAs LLP (“Marcum Asia”). The office of Marcum Asia is located at Seven Penn Plaza, Suite 830, New York, NY 10001. The consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2022 included in this prospectus have been so included in reliance on the report of Marcum Asia.
CHANGE IN REGISTRANT’S CERTIFYING ACCOUNTANT
Effective September 1, 2022, Friedman, our then independent registered public accounting firm, combined with Marcum LLP and continued to operate as an independent registered public accounting firm. On February 9, 2023, our Board of Directors approved the dismissal of Friedman and the engagement of Marcum Asia to serve as our independent registered public accounting firm. The services previously provided by Friedman are now provided by Marcum Asia.
Friedman’s reports on our consolidated financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 did not contain an adverse opinion or a disclaimer of opinion and were not qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope, or accounting principles. Furthermore, during our two most recent fiscal years, there have been no disagreements with Friedman on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedure, which disagreements, if not resolved to Friedman’s satisfaction, would have caused Friedman to make reference to the subject matter of the disagreement in connection with its reports on our financial statements for such periods.
For our two most recent fiscal years, there were no “reportable events” as that term is described in Item 16F(a)(1)(v) of the Form S-1, other than the material weaknesses reported by management in the Risk Factors section.
We provided Friedman with a copy of the above disclosure and requested that Friedman furnish us with a letter addressed to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission stating whether or not it agrees with the above statement. A copy of Friedman's letter is filed as Exhibit 16.1 to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-1, including relevant exhibits and schedules under the Securities Act, covering the Class A common stock offered by this prospectus. You should refer to our registration statements and their exhibits and schedules if you would like to find out more about us and about our Class A common stock. This prospectus summarizes material provisions of contracts and other documents that we refer you to. Since the prospectus may not contain all the information that you may find important, you should review the full text of these documents.
Upon the completion of our initial public offering, we will be required to file periodic reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC pursuant to the Exchange Act. The SEC maintains a website that contains reports, proxy statements, and other information about issuers, such as us, who file electronically with the SEC. The address of that website is http://www.sec.gov.
No dealers, salesperson, or other person is authorized to give any information or to represent anything not contained in this prospectus. You must not rely on any unauthorized information or representations. This prospectus is an offer to sell only the securities offered hereby, but only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so. The information contained in this prospectus is current only as of its date.
| 87 |
INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
CHEETAH NET SUPPLY CHAIN SERVICE INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| F-1 |
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Board of Directors
and Shareholders of
Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc.
Opinion on the Consolidated Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheet of Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”) as of December 31, 2022, and the related consolidated statement of income, stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2022, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “consolidated financial statements”). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2022, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2022, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Basis for Opinion
These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s consolidated financial statements based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audit we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, 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.
Our audit included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. Our audit also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statement. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
New York, New York
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2022 (such date takes into account the acquisition of certain assets of Friedman LLP by Marcum Asia CPAs LLP effective September 1, 2022).
April 7, 2023
| F-2 |
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of
Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc.
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheet of Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”) as of December 31, 2021, and the related consolidated statements of operations, changes in stockholders’ deficit, and cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2021, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “consolidated financial statements”). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2021 , and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2021, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Basis for Opinion
These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s consolidated financial statements based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audit we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, 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.
Our audit included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. Our audit also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statement. We believe that our audit provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
/s/ Friedman LLP
We served as the Company’s auditor in 2022.
New York, New York
December 16, 2022
| F-3 |
CHEETAH NET SUPPLY CHAIN SERVICE INC.
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
| December 31, | December 31, | |||||||
| 2022 | 2021 | |||||||
| ASSETS | ||||||||
| CURRENT ASSETS: | ||||||||
| Cash | $ | 58,381 | $ | 500,977 | ||||
| Accounts receivable | 7,086,651 | 20,117 | ||||||
| Inventories, net | 5,965,935 | 16,048,083 | ||||||
| Other receivables | 900,730 | 1,120,759 | ||||||
| Due from a related party | - | 10,000 | ||||||
| Prepaid expenses and other current assets | 480,828 | 2,000 | ||||||
| TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS | 14,492,525 | 17,701,936 | ||||||
| Operating lease right-of-use assets | 140,145 | 309,647 | ||||||
| Deferred tax assets | 86,734 | 244,795 | ||||||
| TOTAL ASSETS | $ | 14,719,404 | $ | 18,256,378 | ||||
| LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY (DEFICIT) | ||||||||
| CURRENT LIABILITIES: | ||||||||
| Short-term borrowings | $ | 86,285 | $ | - | ||||
| Current portion of long-term borrowings | 31,281 | 4,823 | ||||||
| Loans payable from inventory financing | 4,164,100 | 6,037,900 | ||||||
| Loans payable from letter of credit financing | 7,105,873 | 8,032,231 | ||||||
| Loans payable from dealers finance | 41,747 | - | ||||||
| Due to a related party | - | 1,135,590 | ||||||
| Deferred revenue | - | 1,805,073 | ||||||
| Operating lease liabilities, current | 149,458 | 163,550 | ||||||
| Other payables and other current liabilities | 616,863 | 733,716 | ||||||
| TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES | 12,195,607 | 17,912,883 | ||||||
| Long-term borrowings, non-current | 678,442 | 364,463 | ||||||
| Operating lease liabilities, non-current | - | 149,457 | ||||||
| TOTAL LIABILITIES | 12,874,049 | 18,426,803 | ||||||
| COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES | ||||||||
| STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY (DEFICIT) | ||||||||
| Common stock, $0.0001 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized; 16,666,000 and 15,000,000 shares issued and outstanding, including: * | ||||||||
| Class A common stock, $0.0001 par value - 91,750,000 shares authorized, 8,416,000 and 6,750,000 shares issued and outstanding | 842 | 675 | ||||||
| Class B common stock, $0.0001 par value - 8,250,000 shares authorized, 8,250,000 shares issued and outstanding | 825 | 825 | ||||||
| Additional paid-in capital | 3,269,317 | 270,684 | ||||||
| Subscription receivable | (1,800,000 | ) | - | |||||
| Retained earnings (accumulated deficit) | 374,371 | (442,609 | ) | |||||
| TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY (DEFICIT) | 1,845,355 | (170,425 | ) | |||||
| TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY (DEFICIT) | $ | 14,719,404 | $ | 18,256,378 | ||||
* Retrospectively restated for effect of the Company’s amended and restated articles of incorporation and bylaws and share issuances on July 11, 2022.
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
| F-4 |
CHEETAH NET SUPPLY CHAIN SERVICE INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
For the Years Ended December 31, | ||||||||
| 2022 | 2021 | |||||||
| REVENUE | $ | 55,153,335 | $ | 39,204,036 | ||||
| COST OF REVENUE | ||||||||
| Cost of vehicles | 48,534,282 | 34,508,079 | ||||||
| Fulfillment expenses | 2,149,672 | 1,694,615 | ||||||
| Total cost of revenue | 50,683,954 | 36,202,694 | ||||||
| GROSS PROFIT | 4,469,381 | 3,001,342 | ||||||
| OPERATING EXPENSES | ||||||||
| Selling expenses | 898,852 | 294,169 | ||||||
| General and administrative expenses | 1,430,917 | 589,701 | ||||||
| Total operating expenses | 2,329,769 | 883,870 | ||||||
| INCOME FROM OPERATIONS | 2,139,612 | 2,117,472 | ||||||
| OTHER INCOME (EXPENSES) | ||||||||
| Interest expense, net | (2,441,443 | ) | (1,052,913 | ) | ||||
| Other income, net | 12,974 | 1,722 | ||||||
| Subsidy income from Business Recovery Grant Program | 1,340,316 | - | ||||||
| Gain on forgiveness of loans under Paycheck Protection Program | - | 327,796 | ||||||
| Total other income (expenses), net | (1,088,153 | ) | (723,395 | ) | ||||
| INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAX PROVISION | 1,051,459 | 1,394,077 | ||||||
| PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES | 234,479 | 223,872 | ||||||
| NET INCOME | $ | 816,980 | $ | 1,170,205 | ||||
| Earnings per share - basic and diluted | $ | 0.05 | $ | 0.08 | ||||
| Weighted average shares - basic and diluted* | 15,794,203 | 15,000,000 | ||||||
* Retrospectively restated for effect of the Company’s amended and restated articles of incorporation and bylaws and share issuances on July 11, 2022.
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
| F-5 |
CHEETAH NET SUPPLY CHAIN SERVICE INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY (DEFICIT)
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2022 AND 2021
| Common Stock* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Class A | Class B | Additional | Retained Earnings | Total | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Common | Common | paid-in | Subscription | (Accumulated | Stockholders’ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| stock | Amount | stock | Amount | capital | Receivable | Deficit) | Equity (Deficit) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance, December 31, 2020 | 6,750,000 | $ | 675 | $ | 8,250,000 | $ | 825 | $ | 270,684 | - | (1,612,814 | ) | $ | (1,340,630 | ) | |||||||||||||||||
| Net income for the year | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1,170,205 | 1,170,205 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance, December 31, 2021 | 6,750,000 | $ | 675 | $ | 8,250,000 | $ | 825 | $ | 270,684 | - | $ | (442,609 | ) | $ | (170,425 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
| Stock issuance | 1,666,000 | 167 | - | 2,998,633 | (1,800,000 | ) | - | 1,198,800 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income for the year | - | - | - | - | - | - | 816,980 | 816,980 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance, December 31, 2022 | 8,416,000 | $ | 842 | $ | 8,250,000 | $ | 825 | $ | 3,269,317 | $ | (1,800,000 | ) | $ | 374,371 | $ | 1,845,355 | ||||||||||||||||
* Retrospectively restated for effect of the Company’s amended and restated articles of incorporation and bylaws and share issuances on July 11, 2022.
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
| F-6 |
CHEETAH NET SUPPLY CHAIN SERVICE INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
For the Years Ended December 31, | ||||||||
| 2022 | 2021 | |||||||
| Cash flows from operating activities: | ||||||||
| Net Income | $ | 816,980 | $ | 1,170,205 | ||||
| Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities: | ||||||||
| Amortization of operating lease right-of-use assets | 169,503 | 87,794 | ||||||
| Inventory reserve recovery | (92,811 | ) | (34,067 | ) | ||||
| Gain on forgiveness of loans under Paycheck Protection Program | - | (327,796 | ||||||
| Deferred tax provision | 158,060 | 180,528 | ||||||
| Changes in operating assets and liabilities: | ||||||||
| Accounts receivable | (7,066,535 | ) | 86,563 | |||||
| Inventories | 10,452,396 | (12,940,83 | ) | |||||
| Other receivables | 220,029 | (864,041 | ) | |||||
| Due from a related party | 10,000 | (10,000 | ) | |||||
| Prepaid expenses and other current assets | (478,828 | ) | (2,000 | ) | ||||
| Deferred revenue | (1,805,073 | ) | (770,822 | ) | ||||
| Other payables and other current liabilities | (30,566 | ) | 442,373 | |||||
| Operating lease liabilities | (163,550 | ) | (101,961 | ) | ||||
| Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities | 2,189,605 | (13,084,07 | ) | |||||
| Cash flows from financing activities: | ||||||||
| Proceeds from issuance of common stock | 1,198,800 | - | ||||||
| Proceeds from short-term borrowings | - | 103,851 | ||||||
| Repayments of short-term borrowings | - | (123,906 | ) | |||||
| Proceeds from inventory financing | 24,257,900 | 16,444,000 | ||||||
| Repayments of inventory financing | (26,131,70 | ) | (10,485,20 | ) | ||||
| Proceeds from letter of credit financing | 33,341,191 | 21,339,897 | ||||||
| Repayments of letter of credit financing | (34,267,54 | ) | (13,638,36 | ) | ||||
| Repayments of loans from dealers finance | (235,690 | ) | (1,064,795 | ) | ||||
| Proceeds from long-term borrowings | 350,000 | 171,300 | ||||||
| Repayments of long-term borrowings | (9,563 | ) | (2,014 | ) | ||||
| Borrowing from a related party | 313,464 | 7,444,365 | ||||||
| Repayments made to a related party | (1,449,054 | ) | (6,612,552 | ) | ||||
| Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities | (2,632,201 | ) | 13,576,580 | |||||
| Net increase (decrease) in cash | (442,595 | ) | 492,543 | |||||
| Cash, beginning of year | 500,977 | 8,434 | ||||||
| Cash, end of year | $ | 58,381 | $ | 500,977 | ||||
| Supplemental cash flow information | ||||||||
| Cash paid for income taxes | $ | 46,196 | $ | 296 | ||||
| Cash paid for interest | $ | 842,228 | $ | 415,676 | ||||
| Supplemental non-cash operating and financing activities | ||||||||
| Right of use assets obtained in exchange for operating lease liabilities | $ | - | $ | 236,807 | ||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
| F-7 |
CHEETAH NET SUPPLY CHAIN SERVICE INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE 1 — ORGANIZATION AND BUSINESS DESCRIPTION
Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc. (“Cheetah Net” or the “Company”), formerly known as Yuan Qiu Business Group LLC, was established under the laws of the State of North Carolina on August 9, 2016 as a limited liability company (“LLC”). On March 1, 2022, the Company filed articles of incorporation including articles of conversion with the Secretary of State of the State of North Carolina to convert from an LLC to a corporation, and changed its name to Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc. The Company holds 100% of the equity interests in the following entities:
| · | (i) Allen-Boy International LLC (“Allen-Boy”), a limited liability company organized on August 31, 2016 under the laws of the State of Delaware, which was acquired by Cheetah Net from Yingchang Yuan, the previous owner of Allen-Boy who beneficially owns 1,200,000 shares of Class A common stock of Cheetah Net, for a total consideration of $100 on January 1, 2017. Allen-Boy did not have any business activities until acquired by Cheetah Net; |
| · | (ii) Canaan International LLC (“Fairview”), a limited liability company organized on December 5, 2018 under the laws of the State of North Carolina, known as Fairview International Business Group, LLC before changing its name by filing articles of amendment on July 21, 2020, which was acquired by Cheetah Net from Yiming Wang, the previous owner of Fairview, for a total consideration of $100 on January 1, 2019. Fairview did not have any business activities until acquired by Cheetah Net; |
| · | (iii) Pacific Consulting LLC (“Pacific”), a limited liability company organized on January 17, 2019 under the laws of the State of New York, which was acquired by Cheetah Net from Yingchang Yuan, the previous owner of Pacific who beneficially owns 1,200,000 shares of Class A common stock of Cheetah Net, for a total consideration of $100 on February 15, 2019. Pacific did not have any business activities until acquired by Cheetah Net; |
| · | (iv) Canaan Limousine LLC (“Limousine”), a limited liability company organized on February 10, 2021 under the laws of the State of South Carolina, which was acquired by Cheetah Net from Yingchang Yuan, the previous owner of Limousine who beneficially owns 1,200,000 shares of Class A common stock of Cheetah Net, for a total consideration of $100 on February 19, 2021. Limousine did not have any business activities until acquired by Cheetah Net; |
| · | (v) Entour Solutions LLC (“Entour”), a limited liability company organized on April 8, 2021 under the laws of the State of New York, which was acquired by Cheetah Net from Daihan Ding, the previous owner of Entour, and a current employee of Cheetah Net, for a total consideration of $100 on April 9, 2021. Entour did not have any business activities until acquired by Cheetah Net; |
| · | (vi) Spirit Solutions LLC (“Spirit”), a limited liability company organized on January 27, 2022 under the laws of the State of New York, which was acquired by Cheetah Net from Kaijun Shi, the previous owner of Spirit, and a current employee of Cheetah Net, for a total consideration of $100 on January 28, 2022. Spirit did not have any business activities until acquired by Cheetah Net. On March 15, 2023, the Company filed a certificate of dissolution-cancellation for its subsidiary, Spirit Solution LLC, with the New York State Department of State; and |
| · | (vii) Cheetah Net Logistics LLC (“Logistics”), a limited liability company organized on October 12, 2022 under the laws of the State of New York, whose previous sole member and owner, Hanzhang Li, the previous owner of Logistics, and a current employee of Cheetah Net, for a total consideration of $100, assigned all his membership interests in Logistics to Cheetah Net on October 19, 2022. |
| F-8 |
CHEETAH NET SUPPLY CHAIN SERVICE INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE 1 — ORGANIZATION AND BUSINESS DESCRIPTION (continued)
The Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries are primarily engaged in the parallel-import vehicle dealership business. In the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”), parallel-import vehicles refer to those purchased by dealers directly from overseas markets and imported for sale through channels other than brand manufacturers’ official distribution systems. Cheetah Net purchases automobiles from the U.S. market through its large team of professional purchasing agents, and resells them to parallel-import car dealers in the U.S. and PRC.
Details of the subsidiaries of the Company as of the December 31, 2022 are set out below:
| Name of Entity | Date of Incorporation | State of Incorporation | % of Ownership | Principal Activities | ||||||
| Cheetah Net | August 9, 2016 | North Carolina | Parent, 100% | Parallel-import vehicle dealership business | ||||||
| Subsidiaries of the parent: | ||||||||||
| Allen-Boy | August 31, 2016 | Delaware | 100% | Parallel-import vehicle dealership business | ||||||
| Fairview | December 5, 2018 | North Carolina | 100% | Parallel-import vehicle dealership business | ||||||
| Pacific | January 17, 2019 | New York | 100% | Parallel-import vehicle dealership business | ||||||
| Limousine | February 10, 2021 | South Carolina | 100% | Parallel-import vehicle dealership business | ||||||
| Entour | April 8, 2021 | New York | 100% | Parallel-import vehicle dealership business | ||||||
| Spirit* | January 27, 2022 | New York | 100% | Parallel-import vehicle dealership business | ||||||
| Logistics | October 12, 2022 | New York | 100% | Parallel-import vehicle dealership business | ||||||
*On March 15, 2023, the Company filed a certificate of dissolution-cancellation for its subsidiary, Spirit Solution LLC, with the New York State Department of State.
NOTE 2 — SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Basis of presentation
The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the financial statements of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries. All inter-company balances and transactions are eliminated upon consolidation.
Uses of estimates
In preparing the consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP, management makes estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. These estimates are based on information as of the date of the consolidated financial statements. Significant estimates required to be made by management include, but are not limited to, the valuation of accounts receivables, inventory valuations, revenue recognition and realization of deferred tax assets. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
| F-9 |
CHEETAH NET SUPPLY CHAIN SERVICE INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE 2 — SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (continued)
Risks and uncertainties
The operations of the Company are located in the U.S. and the Company’s primary market is in the PRC. Accordingly, the Company’s business, financial condition, and results of operations may be influenced by political, economic, and legal environments in the U.S. and the PRC, as well as by the general state of the U.S. and the PRC economies. The Company’s results may be adversely affected by changes in the political, regulatory, and social conditions in the U.S. and the PRC.
Risks and uncertainties related to the Company’s business include, but are not limited to, the following:
| · | Changes in consumer demand in the Chinese market towards fuel-efficient vehicles and electric vehicles could adversely affect the Company’s vehicle sales volumes and results of operations; |
| · | The PRC government policies on the purchase and ownership of automobiles and stricter emissions standards may reduce the market demand for the automobiles the Company sells and thus negatively affect its business and growth prospects; |
| · | Any adverse change in political relations between the PRC and the U.S. or any other country where those brands originate, including the ongoing trade conflicts between the U.S. and the PRC, may negatively affect its business; |
| · | The ongoing military conflict between Russia and Ukraine could materially and adversely affect the global economy and capital markets, including significant volatility in commodity prices, especially energy prices, credit and capital markets, as well as supply chain interruptions; |
| · | The inflation in the economy may result in higher interest rates and capital costs, shipping costs, supply shortages, and increased costs of labor, and may adversely affect the Company’s liquidity, business, financial condition, and results of operations, particularly if the Company is unable to achieve commensurate increases in the prices the Company charges its customers. |
Although the Company has not experienced losses from these situations and believes that it is in compliance with existing laws and regulations, including its organization and structure disclosed in Note 1, such experience may not be indicative of future results.
The Company’s business, financial condition, and results of operations may also be negatively impacted by risks related to natural disasters, extreme weather conditions, health epidemics, and other catastrophic incidents, which could significantly disrupt the Company’s operations.
The Company’s operations may be further affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. First, the COVID-19 pandemic has restricted the Company’s purchasing agents in the United States from freely purchasing designated automobiles at U.S. automobile dealerships, either because of the short supply of vehicles or because of store closings or limited opening hours due to the pandemic. Second, the COVID-19 pandemic adversely affected the market demand for its products. Due to the implementation of significant governmental measures in the PRC, including lockdowns, closures, quarantines, and travel bans, intended to control the spread of the virus, parallel-import vehicle consumers are less willing to spend and their purchasing power has declined. Consequently, the market demand for luxury cars, which make up the vast majority of the Company’s inventory, has decreased dramatically.
| F-10 |
CHEETAH NET SUPPLY CHAIN SERVICE INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE 2 — SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (continued)
Risks and uncertainties (continued)
However, in early December 2022, the Chinese government announced a nationwide loosening of its zero-COVID policy, and the PRC faced a wave in infections after the lifting of these restrictions. Although the spread of COVID-19 appears to be under control currently, the extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic may impact the Company’s future financial results will depend on future developments, such as new information on the effectiveness of the mitigation strategies, the duration, spread, severity, and recurrence of COVID-19 and any COVID-19 variants, the related travel advisories and restrictions, the overall impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global economy and capital markets, and the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines, which may also take extended time to be widely and adequately distributed, all of which remain highly uncertain and unpredictable. Given this uncertainty, the Company is currently unable to quantify the expected impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on its future operations, financial condition, liquidity, and results of operations if the current situation continues.
Cash
Cash includes deposits held by banks that can be added or withdrawn without limitation. The Company considers all highly liquid investments purchased with a maturity of three or fewer months to be cash equivalents. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company did not have any cash equivalents.
Accounts receivable
Accounts receivable represent the amounts that the Company has an unconditional right to consideration, which are stated at the original amount less an allowance for doubtful accounts. The Company reviews the accounts receivable on a periodic basis and makes general and specific allowances when there is doubt as to the collectability of individual balances. The Company usually determines the adequacy of reserves for doubtful accounts based on individual account analysis and historical collection trends. The Company establishes a provision for doubtful receivables when there is objective evidence that the Company may not be able to collect amounts due. The allowance is based on management’s best estimates of specific losses on individual exposures, as well as a provision on historical trends of collections. The provision is recorded against accounts receivable balances, with a corresponding charge recorded in the consolidated statements of operations. Delinquent account balances are written off against the allowance for doubtful accounts after management has determined that the likelihood of collection is remote. In circumstances in which the Company receives payments for accounts receivable that have previously been written off, the Company reverses the allowance and bad debt expenses. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, there was no allowance for doubtful accounts recorded as the Company considers all of the outstanding accounts receivable fully collectible.
Inventories, net
Inventories consist of new vehicles held for sale, and are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value using the specific identification method. The value of inventory mainly includes the cost of auto vehicles purchased from U.S. automobile dealers, non-refundable sales tax, and dealership service fees. The Company reviews its inventory periodically if any reserves are necessary for potential shrinkage. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company recorded nil and $92,811 of reserves of inventories from the carrying amount to their net realizable values, respectively.
Fair value of financial instruments
Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. A three-level fair value hierarchy prioritizes the inputs used to measure fair value. The hierarchy requires entities to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs. The three levels of inputs used to measure fair value are as follows:
| F-11 |
CHEETAH NET SUPPLY CHAIN SERVICE INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE 2 — SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (continued)
Fair value of financial instruments (continued)
| ● | Level 1 — inputs to the valuation methodology are quoted prices (unadjusted) for identical assets or liabilities in active markets. |
| ● | Level 2 — inputs to the valuation methodology include quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, quoted market prices for identical or similar assets in markets that are not active, inputs other than quoted prices that are observable and inputs derived from or corroborated by observable market data. |
| ● | Level 3 — inputs to the valuation methodology are unobservable. |
Unless otherwise disclosed, the fair value of the Company’s financial instruments, including cash, accounts receivable, inventories, due from a related party, prepaid expenses and other current assets, loans payable, deferred revenue, due to a related party and other payables and other current liabilities, approximate the fair value of the respective assets and liabilities as of December 31, 2022 and 2021 based upon the short-term nature of the assets and liabilities.
The Company believes that the carrying amount of long-term loans approximates fair value at December 31, 2022 and 2021 based on the terms of the borrowings and current market rates as the rates of the borrowings are reflective of the current market rates.
Lease
The Company follows Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) No. 842, Leases (“Topic 842”). The Company leases office space, which is classified as operating leases in accordance with Topic 842. Under Topic 842, lessees are required to recognize the following for all leases (with the exception of short-term leases, usually with an initial term of 12 months or less) on the commencement date: (i) lease liability, which is a lessee’s obligation to make lease payments arising from a lease, measured on a discounted basis; and (ii) right-of-use (“ROU”) asset, which is an asset that represents the lessee’s right to use, or control the use of, a specified asset for the lease term.
At the commencement date, the Company recognizes the lease liability at the present value of the lease payments not yet paid, discounted using the interest rate implicit in the lease or, if that rate cannot be readily determined, the Company’s incremental borrowing rate for the same term as the underlying lease. The ROU asset is recognized initially at cost, which primarily comprises the initial amount of the lease liability, plus any initial direct costs incurred, consisting mainly of brokerage commissions, less any lease incentives received. All ROU assets are reviewed for impairment annually. There was no impairment for ROU lease assets as of December 31, 2022 and 2021.
Revenue recognition
On January 1, 2020, the Company adopted ASC 606 using the modified retrospective approach. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. Therefore, no adjustments to opening retained earnings were necessary.
| F-12 |
CHEETAH NET SUPPLY CHAIN SERVICE INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE 2 — SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (continued)
ASC 606 establishes principles for reporting information about the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from the entity’s contracts to provide goods or services to customers. The core principle requires an entity to recognize revenue to depict the transfer of goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration that it expects to be entitled to receive in exchange for those goods or services recognized as performance obligations are satisfied. ASC 606 requires the use of a new five-step model to recognize revenue from customer contracts. The five-step model requires that the Company (i) identify the contract with the customer, (ii) identify the performance obligations in the contract, (iii) determine the transaction price, including variable consideration to the extent that it is probable that a significant future reversal will not occur, (iv) allocate the transaction price to the respective performance obligations in the contract, and (v) recognize revenue when (or as) the Company satisfies the performance obligation. The application of the five-step model to the revenue streams compared to the prior guidance did not result in significant changes in the way the Company records its revenue. Under the new guidance, revenue is recognized when a customer obtains control of promised goods or services and is recognized in an amount that reflects the consideration which the entity expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services. In addition, the new guidance requires disclosure of the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers.
The Company is primarily engaged in the parallel-import vehicle dealership business and generates its revenue from the sales of parallel-import vehicles to both domestic and overseas parallel-import car dealers. It purchases automobiles from the U.S. market through its large team of professional purchasing agents, and mainly resells them to parallel-import car dealers in the U.S. and the PRC. In accordance with ASC 606, the Company recognizes revenue at the point in time when the performance obligation has been satisfied and control of the vehicles has been transferred to the dealers. For sales to U.S. domestic parallel-import car dealers, revenue is recognized when a vehicle is delivered and its title has been transferred to the dealers. For overseas sales, the Company sells vehicles under Cost and Freight (“CFR”) shipping point term, and revenue is recognized when a vehicle is loaded on a cargo ship and its title has been transferred to the dealers. The Company accounts for the revenue generated from sales of vehicles on a gross basis as the Company is acting as a principal in these transactions, is subject to inventory risk, has latitude in establishing prices, and is responsible for fulfilling the promise to provide customers the specified goods, which the Company has control of the goods and has the ability to direct the use of goods to obtain substantially all the benefits. All of the Company’s contracts have one single performance obligation as the promise is to transfer the individual vehicle to parallel-import car dealers, and there is no separately identifiable other promise in the contracts. The Company’s vehicles are sold with no right of return and the Company does not provide other credits or sales incentives to parallel-import car dealers. Historically, no customer returns have occurred. Therefore, the Company did not provide any sales return allowances as of December 31, 2022 and 2021.
Contract balances and remaining performance obligations
Contract balances typically arise when a difference in timing between the transfer of control to the parallel-import car dealers and receipt of consideration occurs. The Company did not have contract assets as of December 31, 2022 and 2021. The Company’s contract liabilities, which are reflected in its consolidated balance sheets as deferred revenue of nil and $1,805,073 as of December 31, 2022 and 2021 respectively, consisted primarily of payments received in advance of delivery of vehicles to the automobile dealers. These amounts represented the Company’s unsatisfied performance obligations as of the balance sheet dates. The amount of revenue recognized in the years ended December 31 2022 and 2021 that was included in the opening deferred revenue was $1,805,073 and $2,575,895, respectively.
| F-13 |
CHEETAH NET SUPPLY CHAIN SERVICE INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE 2 — SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (continued)
Revenue recognition (continued)
Disaggregation of Revenue
The Company disaggregates its revenue by geographic areas, as the Company believes it best depicts how the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of the revenue and cash flows are affected by economic factors. The Company’s disaggregation of revenue for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 were as follows:
Geographic information
The summary of the Company’s total revenue by geographic area for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 was as follows:
| For the Years Ended December 31, |
||||||||
| 2022 | 2021 | |||||||
| U.S. domestic market | $ | 3,821,261 | $ | 22,001,230 | ||||
| Overseas market | 51,332,073 | 17,202,806 | ||||||
| Total revenue | $ | 55,153,335 | $ | 39,204,036 | ||||
Cost of revenue
Cost of revenue mainly includes the cost of auto vehicles purchased from U.S. automobile dealers, non-refundable sales tax, dealership service fees, and other expenses. It also includes fulfillment expenses, which consist primarily of (i) vehicle warehousing and towing fees, (ii) vehicle insurance expenses, (iii) commissions paid to purchasing agents incurred in vehicle pick-up and the vehicle title transfer process, (iv) broker consulting fees incurred to acquire new vehicles, and (v) purchase department labor costs.
Income taxes
The Company accounts for income taxes under the asset and liability method, which requires the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of events that have been included in the financial statements. Under this method, the Company determines deferred tax assets and liabilities on the basis of the differences between the financial statement and tax bases of assets and liabilities by using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse. The effect of a change in tax rates on deferred tax assets and liabilities is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date.
The Company recognizes deferred tax assets to the extent that it believes that these assets are more likely than not to be realized. In making such a determination, the Company considers all available positive and negative evidence, including future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences, projected future taxable income, tax-planning strategies, and results of recent operations. The Company has not assessed a valuation allowance as it determine it is more likely than not that all deferred tax assets will be realized before expiration.
The Company records uncertain tax positions in accordance with ASC 740, Income Taxes, on the basis of a two-step process in which (1) the Company determines whether it is more likely than not that the tax positions will be sustained on the basis of the technical merits of the position and (2) for those tax positions that meet the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold, the Company recognizes the largest amount of tax benefit that is more than 50 percent likely to be realized upon ultimate settlement with the related tax authority. The Company records interest and penalties related to an uncertain tax position, is and when required, as part of income tax expense in the consolidated statements of operations. The Company does not believe that there were any uncertain tax positions as of December 31, 2022 and 2021.
| F-14 |
CHEETAH NET SUPPLY CHAIN SERVICE INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE 2 — SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (continued)
Income taxes (continued)
The Company and its operating subsidiaries in the United States are subject to the tax law of the United States. The Company elected to file income taxes as a corporation instead of a LLC for the tax years ended December 31, 2020 through December 31, 2021. As of December 31, 2022, the tax years ended December 31, 2020 through December 31, 2022 the Company’s consolidated income tax returns remain open for statutory examination by U.S. tax authorities.
Earnings per share
The Company computes earnings per share (“EPS”) in accordance with ASC 260, “Earnings per Share” (“ASC 260”). ASC 260 requires companies with complex capital structures to present basic and diluted EPS. Basic EPS is measured as net income divided by the weighted average common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted EPS presents the dilutive effect on a per share basis of potential common shares (e.g., convertible securities, options and warrants) as if they had been converted at the beginning of the periods presented, or issuance date, if later. Potential common shares that have an anti-dilutive effect (i.e., those that increase income per share or decrease loss per share) are excluded from the calculation of diluted EPS. For the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, there were no dilutive shares.
Related parties and transactions
The Company identifies related parties, and accounts for and discloses related party transactions in accordance with ASC 850, “Related Party Disclosures” and other relevant ASC standards.
Parties, which can be a corporation or individual, are considered to be related if the Company has the ability, directly or indirectly, to control the other party or exercise significant influence over the other party in making financial and operational decisions. Companies are also considered to be related if they are subject to common control or common significant influence.
Transactions between related parties commonly occurring in the normal course of business are considered to be related party transactions. Transactions between related parties are also considered to be related party transactions even though they may not be given accounting recognition.
Shipping and handling costs
Shipping and handling costs, which are associated with shipping and delivery of vehicles to automobile dealers, are expensed as incurred and are included in selling expenses in the consolidated statements of operations. Total shipping and handling expenses were $710,265 and $135,926 for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.
Segment reporting
The Company uses the management approach in determining reportable operating segments. The management approach considers the internal reporting used by the Company’s chief operating decision maker for making operating decisions about the allocation of resources of the segment and the assessment of its performance in determining the Company’s reportable operating segments. Management has determined that the Company has one operating segment.
| F-15 |
CHEETAH NET SUPPLY CHAIN SERVICE INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE 2 — SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (continued)
Recent accounting pronouncements
The Company considers the applicability and impact of all accounting standards updates (“ASUs”). Management periodically reviews new accounting standards that are issued.
In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326), which requires entities to measure all expected credit losses for financial assets held at the reporting date based on historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. This replaces the existing incurred loss model and is applicable to the measurement of credit losses on financial assets measured at amortized cost. ASU 2016-13 was subsequently amended by ASU 2018-19, Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments — Credit Losses, ASU 2019-04 Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments — Credit Losses, Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging, and Topic 825, Financial Instruments, and ASU 2019-05, Targeted Transition Relief. In November 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-10, which extends the effective date for the adoption of ASU 2016-13. In November 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-11 to clarify its new credit impairment guidance in ASU 326. Accordingly, for public entities that are not smaller reporting entities, ASU 2016-13 and its amendments are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019. For all other entities, this guidance and its amendments will be effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022, including interim periods within those fiscal years. As an emerging growth company, the Company adopted this guidance on January 1, 2023 and the adoption of this ASU is not expected to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.
In August 2018, the FASB Accounting Standards Board issued ASU No. 2018-13, “Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement” (“ASU 2018-13”). ASU 2018-13 modifies the disclosure requirements on fair value measurements. ASU 2018-13 is effective for all entities for fiscal years and interim periods within those fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted for any removed or modified disclosures. The removed and modified disclosures were adopted on a retrospective basis and the new disclosures were adopted on a prospective basis. The Company adopted this guidance on January 1, 2020 and the adoption of this ASU did not have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.
In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740)—Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes. ASU 2019-12 is intended to simplify accounting for income taxes. It removes certain exceptions to the general principles in Topic 740 and amends existing guidance to improve consistent application. ASU 2019-12 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020 and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. The Company adopted this guidance on January 1, 2021 and the adoption of this ASU did not have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.
| F-16 |
CHEETAH NET SUPPLY CHAIN SERVICE INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE 3 — ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE
Accounts receivable consists of the following:
| December 31,
2022 | December 31,
2021 | |||||||
| Accounts receivable | $ | 7,086,651 | $ | 20,117 | ||||
| Less: allowance for doubtful accounts | - | - | ||||||
| Total accounts receivable | $ | 7,086,651 | $ | 20,117 | ||||
The Company’s accounts receivable primarily include balances generated from selling parallel-import vehicles to both domestic and overseas parallel-import car dealers, which have not been collected as of the balance sheet dates. The accounts receivable transactions in connection with letters of credit with book values $7,502,291 and $8,588,560 during the years of 2022 and 2021 were pledged as collateral to guaranty the Company’s borrowings from four third-party lending companies as December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively (see Note 8). As of the date of this report, the accounts receivable balance as of December 31, 2022 has been fully collected.
| F-17 |
CHEETAH NET SUPPLY CHAIN SERVICE INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE 4 — INVENTORIES, NET
Inventories, net consisted of the following:
| December 31, 2022 |
December 31, 2021 |
|||||||
| Vehicles | $ | 5,965,935 | $ | 16,140,894 | ||||
| Subtotal | 5,965,935 | 16,140,894 | ||||||
| Less: inventory valuation allowance | - | (92,811 | ) | |||||
| Total inventories, net | $ | 5,965,935 | $ | 16,048,083 | ||||
Allowance for changes in inventory valuation allowance was as follows:
| December 31, 2022 |
December 31, 2021 |
|||||||
| Beginning balance | $ | 92,811 | $ | 126,878 | ||||
| Inventory reserve charged to costs of sales | - | 92,811 | ||||||
| Sale of previously reserved inventory | (92,811 | ) | (126,878 | ) | ||||
| Ending balance | $ | - | $ | 92,811 | ||||
For the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company recorded inventory reserve recovery of $92,811 and $34,067, respectively. As of the date of this report, 94.7% of the Company’s vehicles balance as of December 31, 2022 has been sold to its parallel-import car dealers. The following table summarizes the Company’s inventory aging:
| December 31, 2022 |
||||
| Inventories aged less than 3 months | $ | 5,800,242 | ||
| Inventories aged from 4-6 months | 165,693 | |||
| Less: inventory valuation allowance | - | |||
| Total inventories | $ | 5,965,935 | ||
In connection with the Company’s $4,164,100 and $6,037,900 inventory financing from loans payable as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company pledged its inventory with book values of $4,095,132 and $9,031,105 as collateral for these loans, respectively (see Note 7). The Company’s vehicles in inventory with book values of $141,557 and nil were pledged as collateral of guaranty the loans payable from dealers finance as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively (see Note 9).
| F-18 |
CHEETAH NET SUPPLY CHAIN SERVICE INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE 5 — OTHER RECEIVABLES
Other receivables consisted of the following:
| December 31, 2022 |
December 31, 2021 |
|||||||
| Vehicle Deposit (1) | $ | 400,659 | $ | 349,100 | ||||
| Rent Deposit | 41,846 | 41,596 | ||||||
| Sales tax refundable (2) | 419,886 | 730,063 | ||||||
| Others | 38,340 | - | ||||||
| Subtotal | 900,730 | 1,120,759 | ||||||
| Less: allowance for doubtful accounts | - | - | ||||||
| Total other receivables | $ | 900,730 | $ | 1,120,759 | ||||
| (1) | Vehicle deposits represent security deposits paid to U.S. automobile dealers to reserve vehicles. As of the date of this report, approximately 36.9% of the vehicle deposits balance as of December 31, 2022 has been utilized when reserved vehicles were picked up by the Company, and the remaining balance of vehicle deposits are expected to be utilized by December 31, 2023. |
| (2) | Sales tax refundable represents vehicles sales tax exempted in some states and to be refunded by the tax authorities. As of the date of the report, 53.0% of the sales tax refundable balance as of December 31, 2022 has been subsequently received. |
NOTE 6 — LEASES
The Company leases office spaces from various third parties under non-cancelable operating leases, with terms ranging from 12 to 37 months. The Company considers those renewal or termination options that are reasonably certain to be exercised in the determination of the lease term and initial measurement of ROU assets and lease liabilities. Lease expenses are recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term. Leases with an initial term of 12 months or less are not recorded on the balance sheet.
The Company determines whether a contract is or contains a lease at the inception of the contract and whether that lease meets the classification criteria of a finance or operating lease. When available, the Company uses the rate implicit in the lease to discount lease payments to present value; however, most of the Company’s leases do not provide a readily determinable implicit rate. Therefore, the Company discounts lease payments based on an estimate of its incremental borrowing rate.
The Company’s lease agreements do not contain any material residual value guarantees or material restrictive covenants.
The table below presents the operating lease related assets and liabilities recorded on the balance sheets.
| December 31, 2022 |
December 31, 2021 |
|||||||
| Right-of-use assets | $ | 140,145 | $ | 309,647 | ||||
| Operating lease liabilities – current | $ | 149,458 | $ | 163,550 | ||||
| Operating lease liabilities – non-current | - | 149,457 | ||||||
| Total operating lease liabilities | $ | 149,458 | $ | 313,007 | ||||
| F-19 |
CHEETAH NET SUPPLY CHAIN SERVICE INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE 6 — LEASES (continued)
The weighted average remaining lease terms and discount rates for all operating leases were as follows as of December 31, 2022 and 2021:
| December 31, 2022 |
December 31, 2021 |
|||||||
| Remaining lease term and discount rate: | ||||||||
| Weighted average remaining lease term (years) | 0.77 | 1.74 | ||||||
| Weighted average discount rate * | 17.1 | % | 17.1 | % | ||||
| * | The Company used weighted average incremental borrowing rate of 17.1% per annum for its lease contracts based on the Company's current borrowings from various financial institutions. |
During the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company incurred total operating lease expenses of $218,305 and $134,680, respectively.
The following is a schedule, by years, of maturities of lease liabilities as of December 31, 2022:
| Twelve months ending December 31, | Amount | |||||
| 2023 | $ | 159,954 | ||||
| Total lease payments | 159,954 | |||||
| Less: imputed interest | (10,496 | ) | ||||
| Present value of lease liabilities | $ | 149,458 | ||||
| F-20 |
CHEETAH NET SUPPLY CHAIN SERVICE INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE 7 — INVENTORY FINANCING
The Company entered into a series of inventory financing loan agreements with a third party for working capital purposes during the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, pursuant to which the Company pledged a portion of its vehicle inventory as collateral for each of the loan agreements. Interest expense is calculated based on the actual number of days the loan was outstanding upon settlement of the loan. For the loan amount outstanding no more than 90 days, the Company is charged at an interest rate ranging between 16.2% and 21.6%, per annum, and for the amount outstanding more than 90 days, the Company is charged at an interest rate ranging between 20.7% and 27.6%, per annum. The loans are guaranteed by the controlling stockholder Huan Liu and one other stockholder of the Company.
The inventory financing amounted to $4,164,100 and $6,037,900 as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The interest expense for inventory financing was $747,298 and $436,808 for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The Company’s vehicles inventory with book values of $4,095,132 and $9,031,105 were pledged as collateral to guaranty the Company’s borrowings from this third party as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively (see Note 4).
NOTE 8 — LETTER OF CREDIT FINANCING (“LC FINANCING”)
The Company entered into a series of loan agreements with four third-party companies for working capital funding purposes during the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021. Pursuant to the agreements, loans payable from LC financing were collateralized by letters of credit from overseas sales of parallel-import vehicles. Interest expense is calculated based on the actual number of days the loan was outstanding upon settlement, and the Company is charged at an interest rate ranging between 15.0% and 27.6% per annum.
The LC financing amounted to $7,105,873 and $8,032,231 as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The interest expense for LC financing was $1,669,931 and $519,746 for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The accounts receivable transactions in connection with letters of credit with book values $7,502,291 and $8,588,560 during 2022 and 2021 were pledged as collateral to guaranty the Company’s borrowings from these four third-party lending companies as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively (see Note 3).
NOTE 9 — DEALERS FINANCE
Loans payable from dealers finance reflect amounts borrowed from various automobile dealers to finance the purchased vehicles. The original loan term of these loans is between three to six years, however, the Company repaid these loans within two months. The Company is charged an interest rate ranging between 5.09% and 9.73%, per annum.
The dealers finance amounted to $41,747 and nil as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The interest expense for dealers finance was $2,332 and $14,093 for the year ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The Company’s vehicles in inventory with book values of $141,557 and nil were pledged as collateral to guaranty the loans payable from dealers finance as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively (see Note 4).
| F-21 |
NOTE 10 — LONG-TERM BORROWINGS
Long-term borrowings consisted of the following:
| December 31, 2022 |
December 31, 2021 |
|||||||
| Small Business Administration (1) | $ | 490,130 | $ | 147,986 | ||||
| Thread Capital Inc. (2) | 219,593 | 221,300 | ||||||
| Total long-term borrowings | $ | 709,723 | $ | 369,286 | ||||
| Current portion of long-term borrowings | $ | 31,281 | $ | 4,823 | ||||
| Non-current portion of long-term borrowings | $ | 678,442 | $ | 364,463 | ||||
| (1) | On May 24, 2020, the Company entered into a loan agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration (the “SBA”), an agency of the U.S. Government, to borrow $150,000 for thirty years, with a maturity date of May 23, 2050. Under the terms of the SBA loan, the loan proceeds are used as working capital to alleviate economic injury caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The loan bears a fixed interest rate of 3.75% per annum. Beginning twelve months from the date of this loan agreement, the Company is required to make a monthly installment payment of $731 within the term of loan, with last installment to be paid in May 2050.
On March 16, 2022, the Company entered into an amended agreement with SBA to borrow an additional $350,000 for thirty years as working capital to alleviate economic injury caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In aggregate, the Company’s borrowings amounted to $500,000 with a maturity date of May 23, 2050. The amended loan bears a fixed interest rate of 3.75% per annum. Beginning from March 2022, twenty-four months from the date of the original loan agreement, the Company is required to make a new monthly installment payment of $2,485 within the remaining term of loan, with the last installment to be paid in May 2050. |
The future maturities of the loan from SBA as of December 31, 2022 were as follows:
| Twelve months ending December 31, | Future repayment |
|||
| 2023 | $ | 10,176 | ||
| 2024 | 10,592 | |||
| 2025 | 11,024 | |||
| 2026 | 11,474 | |||
| 2027 | 11,942 | |||
| Thereafter | 434,922 | |||
| Total | $ | 490,130 | ||
| (2) | On May 15, 2020, the Company entered into a loan agreement with Thread Capital Inc. (“Thread Capital”) to borrow $50,000 as working capital with a maturity date of November 1, 2024. The loan bore a fixed interest rate of 5.50% per annum. This loan agreement was subsequently terminated on May 17, 2021, and the Company entered into a new loan agreement with Thread Capital to borrow an additional $171,300 as working capital. In aggregate, the Company’s borrowings from Thread Capital amounted to $221,300 with a maturity date of May 1, 2031. The interest was charged at a fixed annual interest rate of 0.25% between June 1, 2021 and November 30, 2022. Beginning from December 1, 2022, the loan bears a fixed annual interest rate of 5.5%, and the Company is required to make a monthly installment payment of $2,721 within the remaining term of loan, with the last installment to be paid in May 2031. |
| F-22 |
CHEETAH NET SUPPLY CHAIN SERVICE INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE 10 — LONG-TERM BORROWINGS (continued)
The future maturities of the loan from Thread Capital as of December 31, 2022 were as follows:
| Twelve months ending December 31, | Future repayment | ||||
| 2023 | $ | 21,105 | |||
| 2024 | 22,295 | ||||
| 2025 | 23,553 | ||||
| 2026 | 24,881 | ||||
| 2027 | 26,285 | ||||
| Thereafter | 101,474 | ||||
| Total | $ | 219,593 | |||
For the above-mentioned long-term borrowings, the Company recorded interest expense of $18,641 and $6,015 for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.
NOTE 11 — RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
| a. | Nature of relationships with related parties |
| Name | Relationship with the Company | |
| Mr. Huan Liu | Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”), chairman of the Board of Directors | |
| Canaan International Inc. | The Company’s CEO owns 100% equity interest in this entity. |
| b. | Due from a related party |
As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, due from a related party in the amount of nil and $10,000 represented temporary advances to Canaan International Inc. for capital injection associated with the incorporation of the company. Those advances are due on demand and non-interest bearing. The Company expects to make no such advances to its related parties in the future.
| c. | Due to a related party |
Amount due to a related party represented amounts due to the Company’s CEO, Mr. Huan Liu for working capital purposes during the Company’s normal course of business. These payables are unsecured, non-interest bearing, and due on demand.
During the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company borrowed an aggregate of $7,444,365 from Mr. Huan Liu directly or through Mr. Huan Liu’s third-party business contacts which was guaranteed by Mr. Huan Liu as working capital and used such fund to purchase vehicles. The Company also made repayments to Mr. Huan Liu in the amount of $6,612,552. As a result of these transactions, the balance of due to Mr. Huan Liu was $1,135,590 as of December 31, 2021. Due to PRC foreign currency exchange control restriction, Mr. Huan Liu collected receivables from the Company’s PRC customers on behalf of the Company in the amount of $2,751,678 which was fully returned to the Company via Mr. Huan Liu’s personal bank account or through Mr. Huan Liu’s third-party business contacts.
During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company borrowed an aggregate of $313,464 from Mr. Huan Liu directly, or indirectly through Mr. Huan Liu’s third-party business contacts on his behalf. These advances are used as working capital and used to fund the purchase of vehicles. The Company also made repayments to Mr. Huan Liu in the amount of $1,449,054. As a result of these transactions, the balance due to Mr. Huan Liu was nil as of December 31, 2022.
| d. | Other related party transactions |
Certain related parties have provided guarantees in connection with the Company’s loans payable (see Note 7).
| F-23 |
CHEETAH NET SUPPLY CHAIN SERVICE INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE 12 — INCOME TAXES
The Company and its operating subsidiaries in United States are subject to the tax law of the United States. The Company elected to file income taxes as a corporation instead of an LLC for the tax years ended December 31, 2020 through December 31, 2022.
| (i) | The components of the income tax provision were as follows: |
| For the Years Ended
December 31, |
||||||||
| 2022 | 2021 | |||||||
| Current: | ||||||||
| Federal | $ | 42,881 | $ | 43,344 | ||||
| State | 33,538 | - | ||||||
| Total current income tax provision | 76,419 | 43,344 | ||||||
| Deferred: | ||||||||
| Federal | 178,279 | 180,528 | ||||||
| State | (20,219 | ) | - | |||||
| Total deferred income tax provision | 158,060 | 180,528 | ||||||
| Total income tax provision | $ | 234,479 | $ | 223,872 | ||||
| (ii) | Reconciliations of the statutory income tax rate to the effective income tax rate were as follows: |
| For the Years Ended
December 31, |
||||||||
| 2022 | 2021 | |||||||
| Federal statutory tax rate | $ | 21.0 | % | $ | 21.0 | % | ||
| State statutory tax rate | 3.7 | % | - | |||||
| Non-deductible expenses | 0.2 | % | 0.1 | % | ||||
| Deferred True-up | (2.6 | )% | (5.0 | )% | ||||
| Effective tax rate | $ | 22.3 | % | $ | 16.1 | % | ||
| (iii) | Deferred tax assets were composed of the following: |
| December 31, 2022 |
December 31, 2021 |
|||||||
| Deferred tax assets: | ||||||||
| Net operating loss carry-forwards | $ | 84,496 | $ | 225,304 | ||||
| Inventory reserve | - | 19,491 | ||||||
| Others | 2,238 | - | ||||||
| Total deferred tax assets | $ | 86,734 | $ | 244,795 | ||||
As of December 31, 2021, the Company had a cumulative U.S. federal net operating loss (“NOL”) of $1,072,877 which may reduce future federal taxable income. During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company’s operations utilized NOL of $794,742, resulting in a cumulative U.S. federal NOL of $327,648 as of December 31, 2022, which is carried forward indefinitely. As of December 31, 2022. The Company also had a cumulative state NOL of $224,678 which may reduce future state taxable income, and the NOL balance as of December 31, 2022 will expire beginning in 2041.
| F-24 |
CHEETAH NET SUPPLY CHAIN SERVICE INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE 12 — INCOME TAXES (continued)
The Company periodically evaluates the likelihood of the realization of deferred tax assets, and reduces the carrying amount of the deferred tax assets by a valuation allowance to the extent it believes a portion will not be realized. Management considers new evidence, both positive and negative, that could affect the Company’s future realization of deferred tax assets including its recent cumulative earnings experience, expectation of future income, the carry forward periods available for tax reporting purposes and other relevant factors. The Company believes that it is more likely than not that its deferred tax assets will be realized before expiration.
NOTE 13 — CONCENTRATIONS
Political and economic risk
The operations of the Company are located in the U.S. and the Company’s primary market is in the PRC. Accordingly, the Company’s business, financial condition, and results of operations may be influenced by political, economic, and legal environments in the U.S. and the PRC, as well as by the general state of the U.S. and the PRC economy. The Company’s results may be adversely affected by changes in the political, regulatory, and social conditions in the U.S. and the PRC. Although the Company has not experienced losses from these situations and believes that it is in compliance with existing laws and regulations, including its organization and structure disclosed in Note 1, such experience may not be indicative of future results.
Credit risk
As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, $58,381 and $500,977 of the Company’s cash was on deposit at financial institutions in the U.S., respectively, which were insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation subject to certain limitations. The Company has not experienced any losses in such accounts.
Accounts receivable are typically unsecured and derived from revenue earned from parallel-import car dealers, thereby exposing the Company to credit risk. This risk is mitigated by the Company’s assessment of its parallel-import car dealers’ creditworthiness and its ongoing monitoring of outstanding balances.
Concentrations
The Company’s major customers are parallel-import automobile dealers. For the year ended December 31, 2022, three parallel-import car dealers accounted in total for approximately 65.0% (28.4%, 25.7% and 10.9%, respectively) of the Company’s total revenue. For the year ended December 31, 2021, four parallel-import car dealers accounted for approximately 81.9% (36.5%, 23.8%, 11.3%, and 10.3%, respectively) of the Company’s total revenue.
As of December 31, 2022, two parallel-import car dealers accounted for approximately 88.7% (77.0% and 11.7%, respectively) of the accounts receivable balance.
As of December 31, 2021, two parallel-import automobile dealers accounted for 72.6% and 23.4%, respectively, of the Company’s total deferred revenue balance.
For the year ended December 31, 2022, no automobile dealership accounted for more than 10% of the Company’s total purchases. For the year ended December 31, 2021, one U.S.-based automobile dealership accounted for approximately 10.1% of the Company’s total purchases.
| F-25 |
CHEETAH NET SUPPLY CHAIN SERVICE INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE 14 — STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Common Stock
Cheetah Net was established under the laws of the State of North Carolina on August 9, 2016. Under the Company’s amended and restated articles of incorporation on July 11, 2022, the total authorized number of common stocks is 100,000,000 with par value of $0.0001 per common stock, which consists of 91,750,000 shares of Class A common stock and 8,250,000 shares of Class B common stock. The total number of shares of common stock outstanding is 15,000,000, which consists of 6,750,000 shares of Class A common stock and 8,250,000 shares of Class B common stock. Holders of Class A common stock and Class B common stock have the same rights except for voting and conversion rights. In respect of matters requiring the votes of stockholders, each share of Class A common stock is entitled to one vote, and each share of Class B common stock is entitled to 15 votes. Class B common stock is convertible into Class A common stock at any time after issuance at the option of the holder on a one-to-one basis. Class A common stock is not convertible into shares of any other class. The numbers of authorized and outstanding common stock were retroactively applied as if the transaction occurred at the beginning of the period presented.
On June 27, 2022, the Company entered into a subscription agreement with the Investors whereby the Company agreed to sell, and the Investors agreed to purchase, up to 1,666,000 shares of Class A common stock at a purchase price of $1.80 per share. These Investors are unrelated parties to the Company. The gross proceeds were approximately $3.0 million, before deducting offering expenses of approximately $0.3 million. The net proceeds were approximately $2.7 million, of which approximately $0.6 million was received in September, $0.5 million in November and $0.1 million in December 2022, for a total receipt of approximately $1.2 million. The remaining proceeds are expected to be received in full before the Company’s successful IPO according to certain milestone achieved during the actual progress of its IPO. As a result, 16,666,000 and 15,000,000 shares were issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively, among which the Company had 8,416,000 and 6,750,000 shares of Class A common stock issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, and 8,250,000 shares of Class B common stock issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.
NOTE 15 — COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
On February 8, 2023, ISY1 LLC (the “Plaintiff”) commenced a lawsuit against the Company in the Superior Court of New Jersey. The Plaintiff alleged that the Company offered to pay the Plaintiff to arrange for the transport of certain automobiles for the benefit of the Company, the Plaintiff accepted the Company’s offer and rendered its services by contracting with and paying third parties who transported these automobiles. However, after the Plaintiff submitted the invoices, the Company refused to make the payment on the grounds that the Plaintiff’s services had not meet the Company’s expectation. Therefore, the Plaintiff is seeking $86,355 in monetary damages, reimbursement of all costs and attorneys’ fees, and other relief as the Court may deem just and proper. The Company accrued a payable total of $86,285, which was recorded in accounts payable on the consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2022. As of the date of this report, there is no progress in this lawsuit.
On February 23, 2023, the Company filed a complaint in the Supreme Court of the State of New York County against Stefanie A. Rehfeld (the “Defendant”), alleging breach of contract as the Defendant had misappropriated an automobile belonging to the assets of the Company. Pursuant to an independent contractor agreement dated June 30, 2022 (the “Agreement”), the Company retained the Defendant as an independent contractor to locate and acquire certain new model luxury vehicles. The Company was obligated to fully fund the purchase of each vehicle, and the Defendant was required to locate and acquire the vehicle and turn over title and possession to the Company in exchange for a commission fee. In February 2023, after the Company fully funded the purchase of a 2023 Mercedes Benz GLS 450 (the “Mercedes”) for a total amount of $102,593.50, the Defendant obtained the possession of the Mercedes from a Mercedes Benz dealership and signed a bill of sale with the Company, whereby she agreed to sell, transfer, and convey the title to the Mercedes to the Company. However, the Defendant drove the Mercedes away, and failed to transfer the title of the Mercedes to the Company as scheduled. Therefore, the Company is seeking to require the Defendant to transfer title and deliver possession of the Mercedes to the Company and recover the costs incurred in retrieving the car, or alternatively, the monetary damages resulting from the Defendant’s misappropriation of the Mercedes, including the court costs and attorneys’ fees and expenses reasonably incurred. The outcome of this legal proceeding is uncertain as of the date of this report.
NOTE 16 — SUBSEQUENT EVENT
On March 15, 2023, the Company filed a certificate of dissolution-cancellation for its subsidiary, Spirit Solution LLC, with the New York State Department of State. Following the dissolution of the subsidiary, the Company's management has evaluated its impact on the financial position, results of operations, and cash flow of the Company. After careful consideration of the circumstances surrounding the subsidiary's dissolution, it has been determined that the impact is not significant enough to be considered a discontinued operation. This is due to the immateriality of the subsidiary's financial results.
These consolidated financial statements were approved by management and available for issuance on April 7, 2023, and the Company has evaluated subsequent events through this date. No subsequent events required adjustments to or disclosure in these consolidated financial statements.
| F-26 |
Until [●], 2023 (the 25th day after the date of this prospectus), all dealers that effect transactions in these securities, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to the dealers’ obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as underwriters and with respect to their unsold allotments or subscriptions.
[●] Shares of Class A Common Stock
Prospectus dated [●], 2023
Maxim Group LLC
| The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. The securities may not be sold until the registration statement filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting any offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where such offer or sale is not permitted. |
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION
PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS DATED APRIL 7, 2023
1,666,000 Shares of Class A Common Stock
CHEETAH NET SUPPLY CHAIN SERVICE INC.
This prospectus relates to the resale of 1,666,000 shares of Class A common stock of the Registrant by the selling stockholders named in this prospectus, who will not make any sales until our Class A common stock is listed on a national securities exchange.
Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, or Class B common stock, par value $0.0001 per share. We have reserved the symbol “CTNT” for purposes of listing our Class A common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market and have applied to list our Class A common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market. At this time, Nasdaq has not yet approved our application to list our Class A common stock. The closing of this offering is conditioned upon Nasdaq’s final approval of our listing application, and there is no guarantee or assurance that our Class A common stock will be approved for listing on Nasdaq. We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of Class A common stock by the selling stockholders.
As of the date of this prospectus, we have 8,416,000 shares of Class A common stock and 8,250,000 shares of Class B common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, issued and outstanding, respectively. Holders of Class A common stock and Class B common stock have the same rights except for voting and conversion rights. In respect of matters requiring the votes of stockholders, each share of Class A common stock is entitled to one vote, and each share of Class B common stock is entitled to 15 votes and is convertible into Class A common stock at any time after issuance at the option of the holder on a one-to-one basis. Class A common stock is not convertible into shares of any other class.
Additionally, we are, and following the completion of this offering, will continue to be a “controlled company” as defined under Nasdaq Marketplace Rules 5615(c), because Huan Liu, our Chief Executive Officer and controlling stockholder will be able to exercise [●]% of the aggregate voting power of our issued and outstanding shares of Class A and Class B common stock and will be able to determine all matters requiring approval by our stockholders, immediately after the consummation of this offering. However, even if we are deemed as a “controlled company,” we do not intend to avail ourselves of the corporate governance exemptions afforded to a “controlled company” under the Nasdaq Marketplace Rules. See “Risk Factors” and “Management—Controlled Company.”
Investing in our Class A common stock involves a high degree of risk. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 9 of this prospectus.
Neither the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission nor any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
Prospectus dated [●], 2023
THE OFFERING
| Shares of common stock offered by us | 0 shares of Class A common stock | |
| Shares of common stock offered by the selling stockholders | 1,666,000 shares of Class A common stock | |
| Shares of common stock outstanding prior to completion of this offering | 8,416,000 shares of Class A common stock; 8,250,000 shares of Class B common stock |
| Shares of common stock outstanding immediately after this offering | 8,416,000 shares of Class A common stock(1); 8,250,000 shares of Class B common stock | |
| Use of proceeds | We will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of the Class A common stock by the selling stockholders named in this prospectus. |
(1) Assumes no issuance by us of shares of our Class A common stock pursuant to the Public Offering Prospectus filed contemporaneously herewith.
USE OF PROCEEDS
We will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of the Class A common stock by the selling stockholders named in this prospectus.
SELLING STOCKHOLDERS
The following table sets forth certain information with respect to the selling stockholders’ beneficial ownership of our Class A common stock as of the date of this prospectus. Although there was no agreement between our Company and the stockholders to register these shares, we believe the registration of these shares is beneficial to our Company.
Percentage of beneficial ownership before this offering is based on 8,416,000 shares of Class A common stock outstanding as of the date of this prospectus. We have determined beneficial ownership in accordance with the rules of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Beneficial ownership is based on information furnished by the selling stockholders. Unless otherwise indicated, each of the selling stockholders named in the following table has, to our knowledge, sole voting and investment power with respect to the shares of Class A common stock it beneficially owns.
The selling stockholders have not have any position, office, or other material relationship within past three years with our Company. The selling stockholders are not broker dealers or affiliates of a broker dealer. The selling stockholders do not have an agreement or understanding to distribute any of the shares of Class A commons stock being registered. The selling stockholders may offer for sale from time to time any or all of the shares, subject to the lock up agreement described in the “Selling Stockholders Plan of Distribution.” The table below assumes that the selling stockholders will sell all of the shares offered for sale hereby. The selling stockholders are under no obligation to sell any shares pursuant to this prospectus.
Shares of Beneficially Owned | Percentage Ownership Before this Offering | Maximum Number of Sold | Shares of Offering | Percentage Ownership After this Offering | ||||||||||||||||
| Selling Stockholders | ||||||||||||||||||||
| RAPID PROCEED LIMITED(1) | 1,000,000 | 11.9 | % | 1,000,000 | — | — | ||||||||||||||
| Yan Bai | 666,000 | 7.9 | % | 666,000 | — | — | ||||||||||||||
| (1) | Huoyuan Chen, who is the 100% owner of RAPID PROCEED LIMITED, has the voting and investment control over these shares of Class A common stock. |
SELLING STOCKHOLDERS PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
Since there is currently no public market established for our securities, the selling stockholders have represented to us and the Representative that they will not offer or sell shares prior to the closing of the primary offering and listing of our Class A common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market. The closing of this offering is contingent on Nasdaq’s final approval of our listing application, and there is no guarantee or assurance that our Class A common stock will be approved for listing on Nasdaq. After the primary offering closes, our Class A common stock shares are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market, and there is an established market for these resale shares, the selling stockholders may sell the resale shares from time to time at the market price prevailing on the Nasdaq Capital Market at the time of offer and sale, or at prices related to such prevailing market prices or in negotiated transactions or a combination of such methods of sale directly or through brokers.
The selling stockholders may use any one or more of the following methods when disposing of shares or interests therein:
| ● | ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker-dealer solicits purchasers; | |
| ● | block trades in which the broker-dealer will attempt to sell the shares as agent, but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the transaction; | |
| ● | purchases by a broker-dealer as principal and resale by the broker-dealer for its account; | |
| ● | an exchange distribution in accordance with the rules of the applicable exchange; | |
| ● | privately negotiated transactions; | |
| ● | short sales effected after the date the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part is declared effective by the SEC; | |
| ● | through the writing or settlement of options or other hedging transactions, whether through an options exchange or otherwise; | |
| ● | broker-dealers may agree with the selling stockholders to sell a specified number of such shares at a stipulated price per share; and | |
| ● | a combination of any such methods of sale. |
The selling stockholders may, from time to time, pledge or grant a security interest in some or all of the shares of Class A common stock owned by them and, if they default in the performance of their secured obligations, the pledgees or secured parties may offer and sell the Class A common stock shares, from time to time, under this prospectus, or under an amendment to this prospectus under Rule 424(b)(3) or other applicable provision of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), amending the list of selling stockholders to include the pledgees, transferees, or other successors in interest as selling stockholders under this prospectus. The selling stockholders also may transfer the securities in other circumstances, in which case the transferees, pledgees, or other successors in interest will be the selling beneficial owners for purposes of this prospectus.
In connection with the sale of our Class A common stock or interests therein, the selling stockholders may enter into hedging transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions, which may in turn engage in short sales of the Class A common stock in the course of hedging the positions they assume. The selling stockholders may also sell shares of our Class A common stock short and deliver these securities to close out their short positions, or loan or pledge the Class A common stock shares to broker-dealers that in turn may sell these securities. The selling stockholders may also enter into option or other transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions or the creation of one or more derivative securities which require the delivery to such broker-dealer or other financial institution of shares offered by this prospectus, which shares such broker-dealer or other financial institution may resell pursuant to this prospectus (as supplemented or amended to reflect such transaction).
The aggregate proceeds to the selling stockholders from the sale of the shares of Class A common stock offered by them will be the purchase price of the shares of Class A common stock less discounts or commissions, if any. The selling stockholders reserve the right to accept and, together with their agents from time to time, to reject, in whole or in part, any proposed purchase of Class A common stock shares to be made directly or through agents. We will not receive any of the proceeds from this offering.
Broker-dealers engaged by the selling stockholders may arrange for other broker-dealers to participate in sales. Broker-dealers may receive commissions or discounts from the selling stockholders (or, if any broker-dealer acts as agent for the purchase of shares, from the purchaser) in amounts to be negotiated. The selling stockholders do not expect these commissions and discounts to exceed what is customary in the types of transactions involved.
The selling stockholders also may resell all or a portion of the shares in open market transactions in reliance upon Rule 144 under the Securities Act, provided that they meet the criteria and conform to the requirements of that rule.
Any underwriters, agents, or broker-dealers, and any selling stockholders who are affiliates of broker-dealers, that participate in the sale of the shares of Class A common stock or interests therein may be “underwriters” within the meaning of Section 2(11) of the Securities Act. Any discounts, commissions, concessions or profit they earn on any resale of the shares may be underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act. The selling stockholders who are “underwriters” within the meaning of Section 2(11) of the Securities Act will be subject to the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act. We know of no existing arrangements between any of the selling stockholders and any other stockholder, broker, dealer, underwriter, or agent relating to the sale or distribution of the shares, nor can we presently estimate the amount, if any, of such compensation. See “Selling Stockholders” for description of any material relationship that stockholders have with us and the description of such relationship.
To the extent required, our shares of Class A common stock to be sold, the names of the selling stockholders, the respective purchase prices and public offering prices, the names of any agents, dealer, or underwriter, any applicable commissions or discounts with respect to a particular offer will be set forth in an accompanying prospectus supplement or, if appropriate, a post-effective amendment to the registration statement that includes this prospectus.
In order to comply with the securities laws of some states, if applicable, our Class A common stock may be sold in these jurisdictions only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers. In addition, in some states the Class A common stock shares may not be sold unless they have been registered or qualified for sale or an exemption from registration or qualification requirements is available and is complied with.
We have advised the selling stockholders that the anti-manipulation rules of Regulation M under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, may apply to sales of shares in the market and to the activities of the selling stockholders and their affiliates. In addition, we will make copies of this prospectus (as it may be supplemented or amended from time to time) available to the selling stockholders for the purpose of satisfying the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act. The selling stockholders may indemnify any broker-dealer that participates in transactions involving the sale of the shares against certain liabilities, including liabilities arising under the Securities Act.
LEGAL MATTERS
The validity of the Class A common stock offered in this offering and certain other legal matters as to North Carolina law will be passed upon for us by Nexsen Pruet, LLC, our counsel as to North Carolina law. Certain legal matters in connection with this offering with respect to United States federal securities law and New York law will be passed upon for us by Hunter Taubman Fischer & Li LLC.
Until [●], 2023 (the 25th day after the date of this prospectus), all dealers that effect transactions in these securities, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to the dealers’ obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as underwriters and with respect to their unsold allotments or subscriptions.
1,666,000 Shares of Class A Common Stock
Prospectus dated [●], 2023
PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
ITEM 13. OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION.
The following table sets forth the costs and expenses payable by us in connection with the sale of the Class A common stock being registered. All amounts shown are estimates except the SEC registration fee.
| SEC Registration Fee | $ | 2,265 | ||
| Nasdaq Capital Market Listing Fee | $ | 75,000 | ||
| FINRA Filing Fee | $ | [●] | ||
| Legal Fees and Other Expenses | $ | [●] | ||
| Accounting Fees and Expenses | $ | [●] | ||
| Printing Expenses | $ | [●] | ||
| Transfer Agent Fees and Expenses | $ | [●] | ||
| Miscellaneous Expenses | $ | [●] | ||
| Total Expenses | $ | [●] |
ITEM 14. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.
Sections 55-8-50 through 55-8-58 of the North Carolina General Statutes permit a corporation to indemnify its directors, officers, employees, or agents (not our real estate agents, but those acting as “agents” of the corporation as defined in the North Carolina General Statutes) under either or both a statutory or non-statutory scheme of indemnification. Under the statutory scheme, a corporation may, with certain exceptions, indemnify a director, officer, employee, or agent of the corporation who was, is, or is threatened to be made, a party to any threatened, pending, or completed legal action, suit, or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative, because of the fact that such person was a director, officer, employee, or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such corporation as a director, officer, employee, or agent of another corporation or enterprise. This indemnity may include the obligation to pay any judgment, settlement, penalty, fine (including an excise tax assessed with respect to an employee benefit plan), and reasonable expenses incurred in connection with a proceeding (including counsel fees), but no such indemnification may be granted unless such director, officer, employee, or agent (i) conducted himself or herself in good faith, (ii) reasonably believed (a) that any action taken in his or her official capacity with the corporation was in the best interest of the corporation or (b) that in all other cases his or her conduct at least was not opposed to the corporation’s best interest, and (iii) in the case of any criminal proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. Whether a director has met the requisite standard of conduct for the type of indemnification set forth above is determined by the board of directors, a committee of directors, special legal counsel or the stockholders in accordance with Section 55-8-55. A corporation may not indemnify a director under the statutory scheme in connection with a proceeding by or in the right of the corporation in which the director was adjudged liable to the corporation or in connection with a proceeding in which a director was adjudged liable on the basis of having received an improper personal benefit.
In addition to, and separate and apart from the indemnification described above under the statutory scheme, Section 55-8-57 of the North Carolina General Statutes permits a corporation to indemnify or agree to indemnify any of its directors, officers, employees, or agents against liability and expenses (including attorney’s fees) in any proceeding (including proceedings brought by or on behalf of the corporation) arising out of their status as such or their activities in such capacities, except for any liabilities or expenses incurred on account of activities that were, at the time taken, known or believed by the person to be clearly in conflict with the best interests of the corporation. The amended and restated bylaws of the Company provide for indemnification to the fullest extent permitted by law for persons who serve as a director, officer, employee, or agent of the Company or at the request of the Company serve as a director, officer, employee or agent for any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, or other enterprise, or as a trustee or administrator under an employee benefit plan. Accordingly, the Company may indemnify its directors, officers, employees, or agents in accordance with either the statutory or non-statutory standards.
Sections 55-8-52 and 55-8-56 of the North Carolina General Statutes require a corporation, unless its articles of incorporation provide otherwise, to indemnify a director, officer, employee, or agent who has been wholly successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any proceeding to which such director, officer, employee, or agent was a party. Unless prohibited by the articles of incorporation, a director, officer, employee, or agent also may make application and obtain court-ordered indemnification if the court determines that such director, officer, employee or agent is fairly and reasonably entitled to such indemnification as provided in Sections 55-8-54 and 55-8-56.
| II-1 |
Finally, Section 55-8-57 of the North Carolina General Statutes provides that a corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of an individual who is or was a director, officer, employee, or agent of the corporation against certain liabilities incurred by such persons, whether or not the corporation is otherwise authorized by the North Carolina Business Corporation Act to indemnify such party. The Company intends to purchase a directors’ and officers’ liability policy which will, subject to certain limitations, indemnify the Company and its officers and directors for damages they become legally obligated to pay as a result of any negligent act, error, or omission committed by directors or officers while acting in their capacity as such.
As permitted by North Carolina law, Article V of the Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company limits the personal liability of directors for monetary damages for breaches of duty as a director arising out of any legal action whether by or in the right of the Company or otherwise, provided that such limitation will not apply to (i) acts or omissions that the director at the time of such breach knew or believed were clearly in conflict with the best interests of the Company, (ii) any liability under Section 55-8-33 of the General Statutes of North Carolina, or (iii) any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit (which does not include a director’s reasonable compensation or other reasonable incidental benefit for or on account of his or her service as a director, officer, employee, independent contractor, attorney, or consultant of the Company).
ITEM 15. RECENT SALES OF UNREGISTERED SECURITIES.
During the past three years, we have issued the following securities which were not registered under the Securities Act. We believe that each of the following issuance was exempt from registration under the Securities Act in reliance on Regulation S under the Securities Act regarding sales by an issuer in offshore transactions. No underwriters were involved in these issuances of securities.
| Securities/Purchaser | Date of Issuance | Number of Securities | Consideration | |||||||||
| Class A Common Stock | ||||||||||||
| RAPID PROCEED LIMITED | July 12, 2022 | 1,000,000 | $ | 1,800,000 | ||||||||
| Yan Bai | July 12, 2022 | 666,000 | $ | 1,198,800 | ||||||||
ITEM 16. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES.
(a) Exhibits
See Exhibit Index beginning on page II-5 of this registration statement.
(b) Financial Statement Schedules
Schedules have been omitted because the information required to be set forth therein is not applicable or is shown in the Consolidated Financial Statements or the Notes thereto.
ITEM 17. UNDERTAKINGS.
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to provide to the underwriters at the closing specified in the underwriting agreement, certificates in such denominations and registered in such names as required by the underwriters to permit prompt delivery to each purchaser.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the provisions described in Item 6, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
| II-2 |
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that:
(1) For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant under Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.
(2) For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(3) For the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act to any purchaser, each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) as part of a registration statement relating to an offering, other than registration statements relying on Rule 430B or other than prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A, shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the date it is first used after effectiveness provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such first use, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such date of first use.
(4) For the purpose of determining any liability of the registrant under the Securities Act to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:
(i) Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;
(ii) Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;
(iii) The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and
(iv) Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.
| II-3 |
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-1 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Charlotte, State of North Carolina, on April 7, 2023.
| Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc. | ||
| By: | /s/ Huan Liu | |
| Huan Liu | ||
| Chief Executive Officer, Director, and Chairman of the Board of Directors | ||
| (Principal Executive Officer) | ||
Power of Attorney
KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Huan Liu as his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent with full power of substitution, for him or her in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments to this registration statement (including post-effective amendments or any abbreviated registration statement and any amendments thereto filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933 increasing the number of securities for which registration is sought), and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact, proxy, and agent full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully for all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact, proxy and agent, or his substitute, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
| Signature | Title | Date | ||
| /s/ Huan Liu | Chief Executive Officer, Director, and Chairman of the Board of Directors | April 7, 2023 | ||
| Name: Huan Liu | (Principal Executive Officer) | |||
| /s/ Robert Cook | Chief Financial Officer | April 7, 2023 | ||
| Name: Robert Cook | (Principal Accounting and Financial Officer) | |||
EXHIBIT INDEX
* Filed herewith
** To be filed by amendment
Exhibit 3.1
AMENDED AND RESTATED ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
OF
CHEETAH NET SUPPLY CHAIN SERVICE INC.
(a North Carolina corporation)
Pursuant to §55-10-07 of the North Carolina Business Corporation Act, as amended (the "Act"), the Articles of Incorporation of Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc. (the "Corporation") are hereby amended and restated to read in their entirety as follows:
FIRST: The name of this Corporation is Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc.
SECOND: The address, including street, number, city and county, of the registered office of the Corporation in the State of North Carolina is 2626 Glenwood Avenue, Suite 550, Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina 27608 and the name of the registered agent of the Corporation in the State of North Carolina at such address is Corporation Service Company.
THIRD: The nature of the business and of the purposes to be conducted and promoted by the Corporation is to conduct any lawful business, to promote any lawful purpose, and to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the Act.
FOURTH: The total number of shares which the Corporation shall have the authority to issue is 100,000,000 shares of common stock (the "Common Stock") with the par value $0.0001 per share. The Common Stock will be classified into class A common Stock (the "Class A"), with a voting right of one (1) vote per share, and class B common Stock (the "Class B"), with a voting right of fifteen (15) votes per share. The Class A shares are not convertible into shares of any other class. The Class B shares are convertible into Class A shares at any time after issuance at the option of the holder on a one-to-one basis.
FIFTH: The Corporation shall have the authority to issue preferred stock as long as is deemed necessary (the "Preferred Stock") with the par value equal to Class A shares. The Board of Directors is authorized to establish series of Preferred Stock and to fix, in the manner and to the full extent provided and permitted by law, the rights, preferences and limitations of each series of the Preferred Stock and the relative rights, preferences and limitations between or among such series including, but not limited to:
(1) the designation of each series and the number of shares that shall constitute the series;
(2) the rate of dividends, if any, payable on the shares of each series, the time and manner of payment and whether or not such dividends shall be cumulative;
(3) whether shares of each series may be redeemed and, if so, the redemption price and the terms and conditions of redemption;
(4) sinking fund provisions, if any, for the redemption or purchase of shares of each series which is redeemable;
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(5) the amount, if any, payable upon shares of each series in the event of the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the corporation, and the manner and preference of such payment; and
(6) the voting rights, if any, in the shares of each series and any conditions upon the exercising of such rights.
SIXTH: Whenever a compromise or arrangement is proposed between this Corporation and its creditors or any class of them and/or between this Corporation and its stockholders or any class of them, any court of equitable jurisdiction within the State of North Carolina may, on the application in a summary way of this Corporation or any creditor or stockholder thereof or on the application of any receiver or receivers appointed for this Corporation or on the application of trustees in dissolution or of any receiver or receivers appointed for this Corporation under the provisions of §55-14-30 to 33 of the Act order a meeting of the creditors or class of creditors, and/or of the stockholders or class of stockholders, of this Corporation, as the case may be, to be summoned in such manner as the said court directs. If a majority in number representing three-fourths in value of the creditors or class of creditors, and/or of the stockholders or class of stockholders, of this Corporation, as the case may be, agree to any compromise or arrangement and to any reorganization of this Corporation as a consequence of such compromise or arrangement, the said compromise or arrangement and the said reorganization shall, if sanctioned by the court to which the said application has been made, be binding on all the creditors or class of creditors, and/or on all the stockholders or class of stockholders, of this Corporation, as the case may be, and also on this Corporation.
SEVENTH: The power to make, alter, or repeal the By-Laws, and to adopt any new By-Law, shall be vested in the Board of Directors.
EIGHTH: To the fullest extent that the Act, as it exists on the date hereof or as it may hereafter be amended, permits the limitation or elimination of the liability of directors, no director of this Corporation shall be personally liable to this Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a director shall be liable to the extent provided by applicable law: (1) for any breach of the directors' duty of loyalty to the Corporation or its stockholders; (2) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law; (3) under §55-8-33 of the Act; or (4) for any transaction from which the director derived any improper personal benefit. Neither the amendment nor repeal of this Article, nor the adoption of any provision of this Certificate of Incorporation inconsistent with this Article, shall adversely affect any right or protection of a director of the Corporation existing at the time of such amendment or repeal.
NINTH: The Corporation shall, to the fullest extent permitted by §55-8-51 of the Act, as the same may be amended and supplemented, indemnify any and all persons whom it shall have power to indemnify under said section from and against any and all of the expenses, liabilities or other matters referred to in or covered by said section. The Corporation shall advance expenses to the fullest extent permitted by said section. Such right to indemnification and advancement of expenses shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person. The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided for herein shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled under any By-Law, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this July 11, 2022.
| Signature: | |
| /s/ Huan Liu | |
| Huan Liu, President |
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Exhibit 3.2
BYLAWS
of
CHEETAH NET SUPPLY CHAIN SERVICE INC.
(a North Carolina corporation)
ARTICLE I
OFFICES AND REGISTERED AGENT
Section 1.1. Principal Office. The Corporation shall maintain its Principal Office, if any, at a location within or without the State of North Carolina as designated by the Board of Directors from time to time. In the absence of a contrary designation by the Board of Directors, the Principal Office of the Corporation shall be located at the business office of the Corporation’s President.
Section 1.2. Registered Office. The Corporation shall maintain a Registered Office as required by the North Carolina Business Corporation Act, as amended from time to time (the “Act”), at a location in the State of North Carolina designated by the Board of Directors from time to time.
Section 1.3. Other Offices. The Corporation may have such other offices within and without the State of North Carolina as the business of the Corporation may require from time to time. The authority to establish or close such other offices may be delegated by the Board of Directors to one or more of the Officers.
Section 1.4. Registered Agent. The Corporation shall maintain a Registered Agent as required by the Act who shall have a business office at the Registered Office. The Registered Agent shall be designated by the Board of Directors from time to time to serve at its pleasure. In the absence of such designation the Registered Agent shall be the Secretary.
Section 1.5. Filings. In the absence of directions from the Board of Directors to the contrary, the Secretary shall cause the Corporation to maintain currently all filings in respect of the Registered Office and Registered Agent with all governmental officials as required by the Act or otherwise by law.
ARTICLE 2
SHAREHOLDERS
Section 2.1. Annual Meetings. The annual meeting of the Corporation’s shareholders (the “Shareholders”) shall be held at the time and place designated by the Board of Directors (or an Officer authorized by the Board of Directors to make such designation) from time to time, provided that the time and place so designated conforms to the requirements of the Act and these Bylaws.
Section 2.2. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Shareholders may be called for any one or more lawful purposes by the Board of Directors, the President, or, if the holders of at least twenty (20%) percent of all the votes entitled to be cast on any issue proposed to be considered at the proposed special meeting sign, date and deliver to the Secretary one or more written demands for the meeting describing the purpose for which it is to be held, by the Secretary. Special meetings of the Shareholders shall be held at a time and location designated by the Board of Directors (or by an Officer authorized by the Board of Directors to make such designation), provided that the time and place so designated conforms to the requirements of the Act and these Bylaws. In the event any such designation is not communicated to the person(s) giving notice of the meeting as hereinafter provided, the special meeting of the Shareholders shall be held at the Principal Office at the hour of ten o’clock in the morning on the fourth Tuesday of the calendar month following the calendar month in which the meeting was duly called; but if that day shall be a holiday under federal or North Carolina law, then such special meeting shall be held on the next succeeding business day. A special meeting of the Shareholders shall be duly called when a written call of the special meeting directed to the attention of the Board of Directors and signed by the person(s) calling the meeting is delivered (in person or by registered or certified mail) to the Principal Office.
Section 2.3. Notice of Meetings, Waiver of Notice. The Secretary (or, in the event of the Secretary’s inability or refusal to act, such other Officer as may be authorized by the Board of Directors) shall cause written or printed notice of all duly called meetings of Shareholders to be delivered not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before the meeting date, either personally, by mail, or by any other method permitted under the Act, to all Shareholders of record entitled to vote at such meeting. If mailed, the notice shall be deemed to be delivered when deposited with postage thereon prepaid in the United States mail, addressed to the Shareholder at the Shareholder’s address as it appears on the Corporation’s records, or if a Shareholder shall have filed with the Secretary of the Corporation a written request that notices to such Shareholder be mailed to some other address, then directed to such Shareholder at that other address. Such notice shall state the date, time, and place of the meeting and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which such meeting was called. If notice of a duly called special meeting of Shareholders is not otherwise given at least twenty (20) days prior to the date for such meeting fixed in accordance with these Bylaws, the person(s) calling the special meeting may cause notice of the special meeting to be given that conforms to the requirements of the Act and these Bylaws. Notice of a meeting of Shareholders need not be given to any Shareholder who attends such meeting or who, in person or by proxy, signs a waiver of notice either before or after the meeting. To be effective such waiver shall contain statements or recitals sufficient to identify beyond reasonable doubt the meeting to which it applies. Such statements or recitals may, but need not necessarily, include reference to the date and purpose of the meeting and the business transacted thereat. Statement or recital of the proper date of a meeting shall be conclusive identification of the meeting to which a waiver of notice applies unless the waiver contains additional statements or recitals creating a patent ambiguity as to its proper application.
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Section 2.4. Quorum. Except as may otherwise be required by the Act or the Corporation’s Articles of Incorporation, at any meeting of Shareholders the presence, in person or by proxy, of the holders of at least one-third (1/3) of the outstanding shares entitled to vote thereat shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business properly before the meeting. Holders of shares entitled to vote as a separate voting group on a matter may take action at a meeting on such matter only if a quorum of the shares in the separate voting group are present in person or by proxy at the meeting. Except as may otherwise be required by law or the Corporation’s Articles of Incorporation, at any meeting of Shareholders the presence, in person or by proxy, of the holders of at least one-third (1/3) of the outstanding shares in a separate voting group entitled to vote thereat as separate voting group, if any, shall constitute a quorum of such separate voting group for purposes of such matter. In the absence of a quorum a meeting may be adjourned from time to time, in accordance with the provisions concerning adjournments contained elsewhere in these Bylaws, by the holders of at least one-third (1/3) of the shares represented at the meeting in person or by proxy. At such adjourned meeting a quorum of Shareholders may transact such business as might have been properly transacted at the original meeting.
Section 2.5. Transaction of Business. Business transacted at an annual meeting of Shareholders may include all such business as may properly come before the meeting. Business transacted at a special meeting of Shareholders shall be limited to the purposes stated in the notice of the meeting.
Section 2.6. Shareholders of Record. For the purpose of determining Shareholders entitled to vote at any meeting of Shareholders, or entitled to receive dividends or other distributions, or in connection with any other proper purpose requiring a determination of Shareholders, the Board of Directors shall by resolution fix a record date for such determination. The date shall be not more than fifty (50) and not less than ten (10) days prior to the date on which the activity requiring the determination is to occur. The Shareholders of record appearing in the stock transfer books of the Corporation at the close of business on the record date so fixed shall constitute the Shareholders of right in respect of the activity in question. In the absence of action by the Board of Directors to fix a record date, the record date shall be ten (10) days prior to the date on which the activity requiring a determination of Shareholders is to occur. A determination of Shareholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of Shareholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting to a date not later than one hundred twenty (120) days after the date fixed for the original meeting; provided, however, that the Board of Directors may in its discretion fix a new record date for any adjourned meeting.
Section 2.7. Voting. Except as may otherwise be required by the Act or the Corporation’s Articles of Incorporation, and subject to the provisions concerning Shareholders of record contained elsewhere in these Bylaws, a person (or such person’s proxy) present at a meeting of Shareholders shall be entitled to one vote for each share of voting stock as to which such person is the Shareholder of record. In elections of Directors, those candidates receiving the greater number of votes cast (although not necessarily a majority of votes cast) at the meeting shall be elected. Any other corporate action shall be authorized by a majority of the votes cast at a meeting in which a quorum is present, unless otherwise provided by the Act, the Corporation’s Articles of Incorporation, or these Bylaws.
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Section 2.8. Adjournments. One third (1/3) or greater of the voting shares held by Shareholders of record present in person or by proxy at a meeting of Shareholders may (whether or not constituting a quorum) adjourn a meeting from time to time to a date, time, and place fixed by notice as provided for above or, if such date is less than thirty (30) days from the date of adjournment, to a date, time, and place fixed by the one-third (1/3) or greater vote and announced at the original meeting prior to adjournment.
Section 2.9. Action Without Meeting. To the fullest extent permitted by the Act, holders of record of voting shares may take action without a meeting by written consent as to such matters and in accordance with such requirements and procedures authorized by the Act. Unless otherwise permitted by the Act, such written consent must be signed by all holders of record of voting shares.
Section 2.10. Proxies. At all meetings of Shareholders, a Shareholder may vote in person or by proxy. Such proxy shall be filed with the Secretary before or at the time of the meeting. A proxy must be filed (a) in writing executed by the Shareholder or by his duly authorized attorney in fact, or (b) by a telegram or cablegram appearing to have been transmitted by the Shareholder; provided, however that the Board of Directors may also establish procedures by which Shareholders can file proxies with the Secretary by telecopy facsimile transmission. No proxy shall be valid after eleven months from the date of its execution unless it qualifies as an irrevocable proxy under the Act.
Section 2.11. Voting of Shares by Certain Holders. Shares standing in the name of another corporation may be voted, either in person or by proxy, by the officer, agent, or proxy as the bylaws of that corporation may prescribe, or in the absence of such provision, as the board of directors of the other corporation may determine.
Shares held by an administrator, executor, guardian or conservator may be voted by such fiduciary, either in person or by proxy, without a transfer of such shares into such fiduciary’s name. Shares standing in the name of a trustee may be voted by such trustee, either in person or by proxy, but no trustee shall be entitled to vote shares held by such trustee without a transfer of the shares into such trustee’s name as trustee.
Shares standing in the name of a receiver may be voted, either in person or by proxy, by the receiver, and shares held by or under the control of a receiver may be voted, either in person or by proxy, by the receiver without the transfer thereof into such receiver’s name if authority to do so is contained in an appropriate order of the court by which such receiver was appointed.
A Shareholder whose shares are pledged shall be entitled to vote such shares until the shares have been transferred into the name of the pledgee, and thereafter the pledgee shall be entitled to vote, either in person or by proxy, the shares so transferred.
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Section 2.12. Conduct of Meetings. The President shall preside at a meeting of Shareholders and the Secretary shall act as secretary of the meeting and keep a record of the proceedings thereof. Where the President or a Vice President, or a Secretary of Assistant Secretary. is not present at a meeting of the Shareholders, the presiding officer or secretary of the meeting shall be selected by action of the Shareholders. The Board of Directors of the Corporation shall be entitled to make such rules or regulations for the conduct of meetings of the Shareholders as it shall deem necessary, appropriate or convenient for the proper conduct of the meeting, including, without limitation, (a) establishing an agenda or order of business for the meeting, (b) setting rules and procedures for maintaining order at the meeting and the safety of those present, (c) limiting participation in such meeting to holders of record of voting shares of the Corporation and their duly authorized and constituted proxies and such other persons the Board of Directors deems appropriate, (d) setting restrictions on entry to the meeting after the time fixed for the commencement thereof, limitations on the time allotted to questions or comment by participants, and regulation of the opening and closing of the polls for balloting on matters which are to be voted on by ballot. Subject to such rules and regulations of the Board of Directors, if any, the presiding officer of the meeting shall have the right and authority to prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures and to take all such acts as, in the judgment of such presiding officer, are necessary, appropriate or convenient for the proper conduct of the meeting.
ARTICLE 3
DIRECTORS
Section 3.1. Authority. The Board of Directors shall have ultimate authority over the conduct and management of the business and affairs of the Corporation.
Section 3.2. Number and Qualification. The number of Directors shall be from five (5) to nine (9), as determined by the Board of Directors from time to time. Initially the number of directors shall be one (1). Each Director shall hold office until his death, term expiration, resignation, retirement, removal, disqualification or his successor is elected and qualifies. Directors need not be residents of the State of North Carolina or shareholders of the Corporation; provided that, the Shareholders shall have the right in a general meeting to amend qualification requirements to require Directors to own stock in the Corporation or other qualification requirements.
Section 3.3. Tenure. Unless otherwise expressly approved by Shareholders pursuant to the terms hereof, each Director elected or appointed hereunder shall serve a term of three (3) years, unless such Director is removed by the other Directors as set forth herein, or retires sooner; provided that the Shareholders may appoint certain initial Board members to serve a term of less than three (3) years in order to establish a staggered Board-tenure structure. Each Director shall hold office from the date of such Director’s election and qualification until (i) the end of such Director’s term, (ii) the election and qualification of such Director’s successor, or (iii) until such Director’s earlier disqualification, removal, resignation, death, or incapacity. Election by the Shareholders of Directors as required hereunder shall be held at each annual meeting of the Corporation’s Shareholders. A Director need not be a Shareholder. In case of any increase in the number of Directors, the additional directorships so created may be filled in the first instance in the same manner as a vacancy in the Board of Directors.
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Section 3.4. Removal. Any Director may be removed from office, with or without cause, by a vote of the holders of a majority of the shares of the Corporation’s voting stock. Any Director may be removed from office with cause (as determined by the voting Directors) by a majority vote of the disinterested Board of Directors at a meeting at which only the removal and replacement of the Director or Directors in question shall be considered.
Section 3.5. Vacancies. The Board of Directors may by majority vote of the Directors then in office, regardless of whether such Directors constitute a quorum, elect a new Director to fill a vacancy on the Board of Directors; provided, however, that no person may be elected to fill a vacancy created by such person’s removal from office pursuant to these Bylaws.
Section 3.6. Regular Meetings. The Board of Directors may by resolution provide for the holding of regular meetings without notice other than such resolution; provided, however, the resolution shall fix the dates, times, and places for such meetings. The place for any meeting of the Board of Directors may be anywhere within or without the State where the Principal Office is located. Except as otherwise provided by law or these Bylaws, any business may be transacted at any regular meeting of the Board of Directors.
Section 3.7. Special Meetings; Notice of Special Meeting. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called for any lawful purpose or purposes by any Director or the President. The person calling a special meeting shall give, or cause to be given, to each Director at his business address, notice of the date, time and place of the meeting by any normal means of communication not less than seventy-two (72) hours nor more than sixty (60) days prior thereto. The notices may, but need not, describe the purpose of the meeting. Notices shall be addressed to a Director at such address as the Director provides to the Corporation’s Secretary from time to time as his notice address. If mailed, the notice shall be deemed to be delivered five (5) days after being deposited, postage prepaid, in the national mail system of the country in which the Director’s notice address is located. If given by email, facsimile or other electronic means, the notice shall be deemed delivered when received in full by the receiving device of the Director. Any time or place fixed for a special meeting must permit participation in the meeting by means of telecommunications as authorized below.
Section 3.8. Waiver of Notice of Special Meetings. Notice of a meeting need not be given to any Director who signs a waiver of notice either before or after the meeting. To be effective the waiver shall contain recitals sufficient to identify beyond reasonable doubt the meeting to which it applies. The recitals may, but need not necessarily, include reference to the date and purpose of the meeting and the business transacted thereat. Recital of the proper date of a meeting shall be conclusive identification of the meeting to which a waiver of notice applies unless the waiver contains additional recitals creating a patent ambiguity as to its proper application. The attendance of a Director at a special Directors meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of that meeting, except where the Director attends the meeting for the sole and express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened.
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Section 3.9. Participation by Telecommunications. Any Director may participate in, and be regarded as present at, any meeting of the Board of Directors by means of conference telephone or any other means of remote electronic communication so long as all persons participating in the meeting (whether in person or electronically) can hear each other at the same time.
Section 3.10. Quorum. A majority of Directors in office shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the Board of Directors. If a quorum shall not be present at any meeting of the Board of Directors, the Directors present thereat may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum is present.
Section 3.11. Action. The Board of Directors shall take action pursuant to resolutions adopted by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Directors participating in a meeting at which a quorum is present, or the affirmative vote of a greater number of Directors where required by the Corporation’s Articles of Incorporation or otherwise by law.
Section 3.12. Action Without Meeting. To the fullest extent permitted by the Act, the Board of Directors may take action without a meeting by written consent as to such matters and in accordance with such requirements and procedures authorized by the Act. Unless otherwise permitted by the Act, such written consent must be signed by all Directors.
Section 3.13. Presumption of Assent. A Director of the Corporation who is present at a meeting of the Board of Directors at which action on any corporate matter is taken shall be presumed to have assented to the action taken unless such Director’s dissent shall be entered in the minutes of the meeting, or unless such Director shall file such Director’s written dissent to such action with the person acting as the secretary of the meeting before the adjournment thereof or shall forward such Director’s dissent by registered mail to the Secretary of the Corporation immediately after the adjournment of the meeting. The right to dissent shall not apply to a Director who voted in favor of such action.
Section 3.14. Conduct of Meetings. The Board of Directors of the Corporation shall be entitled to make such rules or regulations for the conduct of its meetings of Shareholders as it shall deem necessary, appropriate or convenient. The Board of Directors may designate one of its members as “Chairman of the Board” to preside at meetings of the Board. Subject to such rules and regulations of the Board of Directors, if any, the Chairman or other presiding official shall have the right and authority to conduct the meeting according to such rules and procedures as the Chairman or other presiding official deems necessary, appropriate or convenient for the proper and efficient conduct of the meeting. Without limitation such rules may (i) prescribe an agenda or order of business for the meeting; (ii) establish rules and procedures for maintaining order at the meeting and the safety of those present; (iii) establish limitations on attendance at or participation in the meeting by persons other than Directors of the Corporation; (iv) set limitations on the time allotted to questions or comment by meeting participants, and (v) prescribe rules and procedures for voting on matters that may come before the meeting.
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Section 3.15. Compensation and Expenses. The Board of Directors may provide for the compensation of Directors for their services as such and may provide for the payment of any and all expenses incurred by the Directors in connection with such services. Director compensation and/or other remuneration shall be deemed to accrue from day to day. Directors shall also be entitled to be paid their traveling, hotel and other expenses properly incurred by them in going to, attending and returning from meetings of the Directors, or any committee of the Directors, or general meetings of the Company, or otherwise in connection with the business of the Company, or to receive a fixed allowance in respect thereof as may be determined by the Directors from time to time, or a combination partly of one such method and partly the other. The Board of Directors may by resolution award special remuneration to any Director that undertakes, at the written request of the Board, any special work or services for or on behalf of, the Corporation outside and in addition to routine duties associated with service on the Board. Any Director that also provides professional services (including legal counsel) outside his role as Director shall be entitled to remuneration for professional services as if he were not a Director.
Section 3.16. Conflicts. Each Director shall exercise a reasonable duty of care and duty of loyalty as required under applicable law in connection with service on the Board. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) any Director may hold any other office in the Corporation (other than the office of Auditor), in addition to service on the Board, for such period and on such terms (including compensation) as the other Directors may determine; (ii) a Director of the Corporation may serve as a director or officer of any company promoted by the Corporation or in which the Corporation may be interested as an equity holder or otherwise, and no such Director shall be accountable to the Corporation for any remuneration or other benefits received by him as a director or officer of, or from his interest in, such other company. No person shall be disqualified from the office of Director or prevented by such office from contracting with the Corporation, either as vendor, purchaser or otherwise, nor shall any such contract or any contract or transaction entered into by or on behalf of the Corporation in which any Director shall be in any way interested be or be liable to be avoided, nor shall any Director so contracting or being so interested be liable to account to the Corporation for any profit realized by any such contract or transaction by reason of such Director holding office or of the fiduciary relation thereby established. A Director shall have the right to vote in respect of any contract or transaction in which he is so interested as aforesaid; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the nature of the interest of any Director in any such contract or transaction shall be disclosed in writing (“Conflict Notice”) by him to the other Directors at or prior to its consideration and any vote thereon. Any Conflict Notice provided by a Director shall be included in the Board Minutes and shall be deemed sufficient disclosure to the other Directors with regard to the action for which the Conflict Notice was provided; and further, provided the facts set forth in the Conflict Notice have not changed, such Director shall not be required to provide special notice for subsequent transactions related to the matters set forth in the Conflict Notice.
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Section 3.17. Committees.
(a) The Board of Directors, by resolution adopted by majority of Directors then in office. may designate from among its members an Executive Committee and one or more other committees, each consisting of two or more Directors and each of which, to the extent authorized by law or provided in the resolution, shall have and may exercise all of the authority of the Board of Directors, except no such committee shall have authority as to the following matters: (1) the dissolution, merger or consolidation of the Corporation; or the sale, lease or exchange of all or substantially all of the property of the Corporation; (2) the designation of any such committee or the filling of vacancies in the Board of Directors or in any such committee; (3) distributions, reacquisitions of shares or issuance or sale of shares, except as provided by the North Carolina Business Corporation Act; (4) the adoption or repeal of the Bylaws or the amendment of the Bylaws or the Articles of Incorporation; or (5) the amendment or repeal of any resolution of the Board of Directors which by its terms shall not be so amendable or repealable.
(b) Any resolutions adopted or other action taken by any such committee within the scope of the authority delegated to it by the Board of Directors shall be deemed for all purposes to be adopted or taken by the Board of Directors. The designation of any committee and the delegation thereto of authority shall not operate to relieve the Board of Directors, or any member thereof, of any responsibility or liability imposed upon it or him by law.
(c) Regular meetings of any such committee may be held without notice at such time and place as such committee may fix from time to time by resolution. Special meetings of any such committee may be called by any member thereof upon not less than one day’s notice stating the place, date and hour of such meeting, which notice may be written or oral. Any member of any committee may in a signed writing waive notice of any meeting and no notice of any meeting need be given to any member thereof who attends in person. The notice of a meeting of any committee need not state the business proposed to be transacted at the meeting.
(d) A majority of the members of any such committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting thereof and actions of such committee must be authorized by the affirmative vote of a majority of the members present at the meeting at which a quorum is present.
(e) Any member of any such committee may be removed at any time with or without cause by resolution adopted by majority of the Board of Directors.
(f) Any such committee may elect a presiding officer from among its members and may fix its own rules of procedure which shall not be inconsistent with these Bylaws. It shall keep regular minutes of its proceedings and report the same to the Board of Directors for its information at the meeting thereof held next after the proceedings shall have been taken.
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ARTICLE 4
OFFICERS
Section 4.1. In General. The Officers of the Corporation shall consist of a President and a Secretary and may also include one or more Vice Presidents, a Treasurer, and such Assistant Vice Presidents, Assistant Secretaries, Assistant Treasurers and other officers and agents as the Board of Directors deems advisable from time to time. All Officers shall be appointed by the Board of Directors to serve at the pleasure of the Board. Except as may otherwise be provided by Act or in the Articles of Incorporation, any Officer may be removed by the Board of Directors at any time, with or without cause. Any vacancy, however occurring, in any office may be filled by the Board of Directors for the unexpired term. One person may hold two or more offices. Each Officer shall exercise the authority and perform the duties as may be set forth in these Bylaws and any additional authority and duties as the Board of Directors shall determine from time to time.
Section 4.2. President. The President shall be the chief executive officer of the Corporation and, subject to the authority of the Board of Directors, shall manage the business and affairs of the Corporation. Any reference to the “Chief Executive Officer” of the Corporation in any Corporate record, proceeding or contract shall be presumed to refer to the President. The President shall see that the resolutions of the Board of Directors and authorized committees thereof are put into effect. Except as otherwise provided herein and as may be specifically limited by resolution of the Board of Directors or an authorized committee thereof, the President shall have full authority to execute on the Corporation’s behalf any and all contracts, agreements. notes, bonds, deeds, mortgages, certificates, instruments, and other documents. The President shall also perform such other duties and may exercise such other powers as are incident to the office of president and as are from time to time assigned to him by the Act, these Bylaws, the Board of Directors, or an authorized committee thereof.
Section 4.3. Vice Presidents. Except as otherwise determined by the Board of Directors, each Vice President (if any are appointed) shall serve under the direction of the President. Except as otherwise provided herein, each Vice President shall perform such duties and may exercise such powers as are incident to the office of vice president and as are from time to time assigned to him by the Act, these Bylaws, the Board of Directors, an authorized committee thereof, or the President. In the absence, incapacity, or inability or refusal of the President to act, the most senior Vice President shall assume the authority and perform the duties of the President. If the Board of Directors appoints more than one Vice President, the seniority of the Vice Presidents shall be determined from their dates of appointment unless the Board of Directors shall otherwise specify. Designation of a “Senior” or “Executive” vice president by the Board of Directors shall be an indication of seniority.
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Section 4.4. Secretary. Except as otherwise provided by these Bylaws or determined by the Board of Directors, the Secretary shall serve under the direction of the President. The Secretary shall whenever possible attend all meetings of the Shareholders and the Board of Directors, and whenever the Secretary cannot attend such meetings, such duty shall be delegated by the presiding officer for such meeting to a duly authorized assistant secretary. The Secretary shall record or cause to be recorded under the Secretary’s general supervision the proceedings of all such meetings and any other actions taken by the Shareholders or the Board of Directors (or by any committee of the Board in place of the Board) in a book or books (or similar collection) to be kept for such purpose. The Secretary shall upon proper request give, or cause to be given, all notices in connection with such meetings. The Secretary shall be the custodian of the Corporate seal and affix the seal to any document requiring it, and to attest thereto by signature. The Secretary may delegate the Secretary’s authority to affix the Corporation’s seal and attest thereto by signature to any Assistant Secretary. The Board of Directors may give general authority to any other officer or specified agent to affix the Corporation’s seal and to attest thereto by signature. Unless otherwise required by law, the affixing of the Corporation’s seal shall not be required to bind the Corporation under any documents duly executed by the Corporation and the use of the seal shall be precatory in the discretion of the Corporation’s duly authorized signing officers. The Secretary shall properly keep and file, or cause to be properly kept and filed under the Secretary’s supervision, all books, reports, statements, notices, waivers, proxies, tabulations, minutes, certificates, documents, records, lists, and instruments required by the Act or these Bylaws to be kept or filed, as the case may be. The Secretary may if requested, and shall when required, authenticate any records of the Corporation. Except to the extent otherwise required by the Act, the Secretary may maintain, or cause to be maintained, such items within or without the State of North Carolina at any reasonable place. The Secretary shall perform such other duties and may exercise such other powers as are incident to the office of secretary and as are from time to time assigned to such office by the Act, these Bylaws, the Board of Directors. an authorized committee thereof, or the President.
Section 4.5. Treasurer. Except as otherwise provided by these Bylaws or determined by the Board of Directors, the Treasurer (if one is appointed) shall serve under the direction of the President. The Treasurer shall, under the direction of the President. keep safe custody of the Corporation’s funds and securities, maintain and give complete and accurate books, records, and statements of account, give and receive receipts for moneys, and make deposits of the Corporation’s funds, or cause the same to be done under the Treasurer’s supervision. The Treasurer shall upon request report to the Board of Directors on the financial condition of the Corporation. The Treasurer may be required by the Board of Directors at any time and from time to time to give such bond as the Board may determine. The Treasurer shall perform such other duties and may exercise such other powers as are incident to the office of treasurer and as are from time to time assigned to such office by the Act, these Bylaws, the Board of Directors, an authorized committee thereof, or the President.
Section 4.6. Office Manager. Except as otherwise provided by these Bylaws or determined by the Board of Directors, the Office Manager, (if one is appointed) shall serve under the immediate direction of the President and Vice President assume the authority and perform the duties of his/her respective immediate superior officer as may be necessary at the direction of such immediately superior officer, or in the absence, incapacity, inability, or refusal of such immediate superior officer to act.
Section 4.7. Assistant Officers. Except as otherwise provided by these Bylaws or determined by the Board of Directors, the Assistant Secretaries and Assistant Treasurers, if any, shall serve under the immediate direction of the Secretary and the Treasurer, respectively, and under the ultimate direction of the President. The Assistant Officers shall assume the authority and perform the duties of their respective immediate superior officer as may be necessary at the direction of such immediately superior officer, or in the absence, incapacity, inability, or refusal of such immediate superior officer to act. The seniority of Assistant Officers shall be determined from their dates of appointment unless the Board of Directors shall otherwise specify.
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Section 4.8. Operational Titles. The Board may assign an officer an operational title designating a specific area over which the officer has such authority, duties and responsibilities as the Board may determine from time to time. Operational titles may be in the form of a separate title (such as “Chief Financial Officer”) or an addendum to the officer’s executive title (such as Vice President “of Finance”). Absent a contrary directive from the Board or an officer of higher rank, between two officers of equal rank, the one with an operational title shall be presumed to have superior authority over the area of responsibility within the purview of such officer’s operational title.
ARTICLE 5
INDEMNIFICATION, REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES AND INSURANCE
Section 5.1. Indemnification for Expenses and Liabilities.
(a) Any person who at any time serves or has served: (1) as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation; (2) at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee or agent of another foreign or domestic corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, or other enterprise; or (3) at the request of the Corporation as a trustee or administrator under an employee benefit plan, shall have a right to be indemnified by the Corporation to the fullest extent from time to time permitted by law against Liability and Expenses in any Proceeding (including without limitation a Proceeding brought by or on behalf of the Corporation itself) arising out of such person’s status as such or activities in any of the foregoing capacities or results from being called as a witness at a time when such person has not been made a named defendant or respondent to any Proceeding.
(b) The Board of Directors of the Corporation shall take all such action as may be necessary and appropriate to authorize the Corporation to pay the indemnification required by this provision, including, without limitation, to the extent needed, making a good faith evaluation of the manner in which the claimant for indemnity acted and of the reasonable amount of indemnity due.
(c) Any person who at any time serves or has served in any of the aforesaid capacities for or on behalf of the Corporation shall be deemed to be doing or to have done so in reliance upon, and as consideration for, the rights provided for herein. Any repeal or modification of these indemnification provisions shall not affect any rights or obligations existing at the time of such repeal or modification. The rights provided for herein shall inure to the benefit of the legal representatives of any such person and shall not be exclusive of any other rights to which such person may be entitled apart from this provision.
(d) The rights granted herein shall not be limited by the provisions contained in Sections 55-8-51 through 55-8-56 of the North Carolina Business Corporation Act or any successor to such statutes.
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(e) The Corporation shall (upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the Director, officer, employee or agent involved to repay the Expenses described herein unless it shall ultimately be determined that he is entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation against such Expenses) pay Expenses incurred by such Director, officer, employee or agent in defending a Proceeding or appearing as a witness at a time when he has not been named as a defendant or a respondent with respect thereto in advance of the final disposition of such Proceeding.
Section 5.2. Insurance. The Board of Directors may cause the Corporation to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a Director or Officer of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a Director or Officer of another corporation, or as its representative in a partnership, joint venture, trust, or other enterprise, against any liability asserted against such person and incurred in any such capacity or arising out of such status, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person.
Section 5.3. Definitions. The following terms as used in this Article shall have the following meanings. “Proceeding” means any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, or proceeding and any appeal therein (and any inquiry or investigation that could lead to such action, suit, or proceeding), whether civil, criminal, administrative, investigative or arbitrative and whether formal or informal. “Expenses” means expenses of every kind, including counsel fees. “Liability” means the obligation to pay a judgment, settlement, penalty, fine (including an excise tax assessed with respect to an employee benefit plan), reasonable expenses incurred with respect to a Proceeding and all reasonable expenses incurred in enforcing the indemnification rights provided herein. “Director,” “officer,” “employee” and “agent” include the estate or personal representative of a Director, officer, employee or agent. “Corporation” shall include any domestic or foreign predecessor of this Corporation in a merger or other transaction in which the predecessor’s existence ceased upon consummation of the transaction.
ARTICLE 6
TRANSACTIONS
Section 6.1. Contracts. The Board of Directors may authorize any Officer or Officers, or agent or agents, to enter into any contract or execute and deliver any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation, and such authority may be general or confined to specific instances.
Section 6.2. Loans. The Board of Directors may authorize any Officer or Officers, or agent or agents, to contract any indebtedness and grant evidence of indebtedness and collateral therefor in the name of an on behalf of the Corporation, and such authority may be general or confined to specific instances.
Section 6.3. Checks, Drafts, etc. All checks, drafts or other orders for the payment of money, notes or other evidences of indebtedness issued in the name of the Corporation shall be signed by the Officer or Officers, or agent or agents of the Corporation and in such manner as shall from time to time be determined by resolution of the Board of Directors.
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Section 6.4. Deposits. All funds of the Corporation not otherwise employed shall be deposited from time to time to the credit of the Corporation in such banks, trust companies or other depositories as the Board of Directors may select.
Section 6.5. Voting of Shares in Other Corporations Owned by The Corporation. Subject always to the specific directions of the Board of Directors, any share or shares of stock issued by any other corporation and owned or controlled by the Corporation may be voted at any shareholders’ meeting of the other corporation by the President of the Corporation if he is present, or in his absence by any Vice-President of the Corporation who may be present or by any other Officer specifically designated by the Board of Directors. Whenever, in the judgment of the President, or in such officer’s absence, of any Vice-President or other designated Officer, it is desirable for the Corporation to execute a proxy or give a shareholders’ consent in respect to any share or shares of stock issued by any other corporation and owned or controlled by the Corporation, the proxy or consent shall be executed in the name of the Corporation by the President, or one of the Vice-Presidents of the Corporation without necessity of any authorization by the Board of Directors. Any person or persons designated in the manner above stated as the proxy or proxies of the Corporation shall have full right, power and authority to vote such share or shares of stock issued by the other corporation.
ARTICLE 7
STOCK
Section 7.1. Certificates for Shares. Certificates representing shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be consecutively numbered and state upon the face thereof the name of the person to whom issued, the number of shares, the fact that the Corporation is organized under the laws of the State of North Carolina, and such other matters as the Board of Directors may approve or as may be required by the Act. Each certificate shall be signed either manually or in facsimile by the President and Secretary. In case any Officer whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate shall have ceased to be such Officer before such certificate is issued it may be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if he were such Officer at the date of issue. Certificates for shares of different classes, and different series within a class, to the extent authorized, if any, shall bear appropriate designations to identify the class or series as required by the Act.
Section 7.2. Stock Record Books. The name and address of the person to whom the shares represented thereby are issued, with the number of shares and date of issuance, shall be entered on the stock record books of the Corporation. Such stock record books shall be maintained by the Secretary as a record of the Corporation’s Shareholders, in a form that permits preparation of a list of the names and addresses of all Shareholders, in alphabetical order by class of shares showing the number and class of shares held by each Shareholder.
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Section 7.3. Transfer of Shares. Subject to the provisions of the Act and to any transfer restrictions binding upon the Corporation, a transfer of shares of the Corporation shall be made only on the stock record books of the Corporation by the holder of record thereof or by such holder’s agent, attorney-in-fact or other legal representative, who shall furnish proper evidence of authority to transfer, upon surrender for cancellation of the certificate for such shares. Unless the Board of Directors in its discretion has by resolution established procedures, if any, by which a beneficial owner of shares held by a nominee may be recognized by the Corporation as the owner thereof, the person in whose name shares stand on the stock record books of the Corporation shall be deemed by the Corporation to be the owner thereof for all purposes. The Corporation’s stock record books maintained by the Secretary shall be conclusive in all such regards absent a determination by the Board of Directors of manifest error. All certificates surrendered to the Corporation for transfer shall be canceled.
Section 7.4. New or Replacement Certificates. No new stock certificate shall be issued until the former certificate for a like number of shares shall have been surrendered and canceled, except that in case of a lost, destroyed, or mutilated certificate a substitute certificate may be issued therefor upon: (a) the making of an affidavit by the holder of record of the shares represented by such certificate setting forth the facts concerning the loss, theft, or mutilation thereof; (b) delivery of such bond and/or indemnity to the Corporation as the Secretary or Board of Directors may prescribe or as may be required by law; and (c) satisfaction of such other reasonable requirements (which may include without limitation advertisement of the same) as the Secretary or Board of Directors may prescribe. To the extent permitted by applicable law (including without limitation Section 25-8-405 of the North Carolina Uniform Commercial Code), a new certificate may be issued without requiring any bond when, in the judgment of the Board of Directors, it is not imprudent to do so; and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, except as prohibited by law, the Secretary or the Board of Directors may in their discretion waive any bond requirement otherwise applicable where the aggregate fair market value of the shares represented by such lost, stolen, or mutilated certificate is less than five hundred dollars based upon indicia deemed reasonable by the waiving party.
Section 7.5. Beneficial Owners. The Corporation shall be entitled to recognize the exclusive right of a person registered on its stock transfer books as the owner of shares to receive dividends or other distributions, and to vote as such owner, and to hold liable for calls and assessments, if any, a person registered on its books as the owner of shares, and shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such shares on the part of any other person, whether or not the Corporation shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by the Act or by procedures, if any, established by resolution of the Board of Directors in its discretion by which a beneficial owner of shares held by a nominee may be recognized as the owner thereof. Such procedures, if any, shall also set forth the extent of such recognition.
Section 7.7. Transfer Restrictions. The Secretary (or any other Officer designated by the Board of Directors) shall have full power and authority to place or cause to be placed on any and all stock certificates restrictive legends to the extent reasonably believed necessary or appropriate to ensure the Corporation’s compliance with federal or any state’s securities laws or any legal obligation upon the Corporation by agreement or otherwise.
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ARTICLE 8
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 8.1. Fiscal Year. The Board shall establish the Corporation’s fiscal year and may be change the Corporation’s fiscal year from time to time as the Board deems advisable.
Section 8.2. Dividends. The Board of Directors may from time to time at any regular or special meeting (or by any other manner of action permitted by these Bylaws and the Act) declare, and the Corporation may pay, dividends or other distributions on its outstanding shares of stock in the manner and upon the terms and conditions as the Board of Directors deems advisable and as may be permitted by the Articles of incorporation, the Act, and any other lawful restrictions imposed upon the Corporation. Such dividends or other distributions, when declared and permitted. may be paid in cash, stock, property, or any other permitted means lawfully declared by the Board of Directors.
Section 8.3. Seal. The seal of the Corporation shall be circular in form and shall have inscribed thereon the name of the Corporation, the year of its organization, and the words “Corporate Seal, State of North Carolina.”
Section 8.4. Forms of Records. When consistent with good business practices, any records of the Corporation may be maintained in other than written form if such other form is capable of reasonable preservation and conversion into written form within a reasonable time.
Section 8.5. Amendments. Any or all of these Bylaws may be altered, amended, or repealed and new Bylaws may be adopted by the Board of Directors, subject to the following: i) the right of the Shareholders to alter, adopt, amend, or repeal Bylaws as provided in the Act; and ii) action of the Shareholders in adopting, amending, or repealing a particular Bylaw wherein the Board of Directors is expressly prohibited by such Shareholder action from amending or repealing the particular Bylaw acted upon by the Shareholders. The Shareholders may amend or repeal any or all of these Bylaws even though these Bylaws may also be amended or repealed by the Board of Directors. Any notice of a meeting of Shareholders at which Bylaws are to be adopted, amended, or repealed shall state that the purpose, or one of the purposes, of the meeting is to consider the adoption, amendment, or repeal of Bylaws and contain or be accompanied by a copy or summary of the proposal.
Section 8.6. Severabilitv. If any provision of these Bylaws or the application thereof to any person or circumstances shall be held invalid or unenforceable to any extent by a court of competent jurisdiction, such provision shall be complied with or enforced to the greatest extent permitted by law as determined by such court, and the remainder of these Bylaws and the application of such provision to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby and shall continue to be complied with and enforced to the greatest extent permitted by law.
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Section 8.7. Usage. In construing these Bylaws, feminine or neuter pronouns shall be substituted for masculine forms and vice versa, and plural terms shall be substituted for singular forms and vice versa, in any place in which the context so requires. The section and paragraph headings contained in these Bylaws arc for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of these Bylaws. Terms such as “hereof”, “hereunder”, “hereto”, and words of similar import shall refer to these Bylaws in the entirety, unless the context clearly requires otherwise. Terms used herein which are not otherwise defined shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Act. All references to statutory provisions shall be deemed to include corresponding sections of succeeding law.
Section 8.8. Conflict Between Bylaws, Articles of Incorporation and the Act. The Articles of Incorporation and the Act (as either may be amended from time to time) are incorporated herein by reference. Any conflict between the terms of these Bylaws, the Articles of Incorporation or the Act shall he resolved according to the following order of precedence: (1) the Act; (2) the Articles of Incorporation; and (3) these Bylaws.
The foregoing bylaws are certified to be the true and complete Bylaws of the Corporation as adopted by the authorized officers as of the date written below.
| By: | /s/ Huan Liu | |
| Name: | HUAN LIU | |
| Title: | Director | |
| Date: | 07/28/2022 | |
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Exhibit 4.1
Common Stock Certificate
| Certificate Number | Number of Shares | |
Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc.
Incorporated under the laws of the State of North Carolina
Authorized Share Capital is US$10,000 divided into
| i) | 91,750,000 shares of Class A common stock of a par value of US$0.0001 each; | |
| ii) | 8,250,000 shares of Class B common stock of a par value of US$0.0001 each. |
This certifies that [Name] of [Address] is the registered holder of [Number] shares of Class [Type of Class] common stock fully paid and non-assessable, subject to the amended and restated articles of incorporation of the Company. The information regarding the relative rights, preferences, and limitations applicable to different classes of shares will be furnished to stockholders in writing and without charge.
[Transfer date]
| Director | Director/ Secretary |
Exhibit 10.1
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
This Employment Agreement (this “Agreement”) is made as of March 1st, 2022 (the “Effective Date”) between Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc., with an address of 6201 Fairview Road, Suite 225, Charlotte, North Carolina, 28210 USA (“Company”), and Huan Liu, with an address at 200 Amsterdam Ave 3B, New York, NY 10024 (“Employee”) (Company and Employee are each a “Party” and collectively the “Parties”).
Whereas, Employee is experienced in business strategy and development, operation management and marketing plan; and
Whereas, Company desires to retain Employee to provide business development, operation management and marketing services and Employee agrees to provide such services, in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement;
Now, Therefore, in consideration of the premises, mutual covenants, terms, and conditions contained herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the Parties hereby agree as follows:
1. Services. Employee’s title shall be Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) of Company. Employee will provide services to Company, as further described in Attachment A - (the “Services”). Employee shall provide such services as Company may reasonably request.
2. Appointment; Term. Company hereby appoints Employee and Employee hereby accepts appointment for Company, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement. The term of this Agreement shall commence on the Effective Date and shall continue for 3 years (the “Term”).
3. Use of Company Facilities, Equipment. Company may authorize use of certain Company facilities and services, including, but not limited to, use of temporary office space and Company equipment related to authorized projects, as long as such use does not interfere with the day-to-day operations of Company.
4. Ownership of Work Product. All work product developed by Employee, in whole or in part, either alone or jointly with others, during the Term and any subsequent renewal term, which may relate in any manner to the actual or anticipated business, work, research, or development of Company, or which result, to any extent, from the Services performed by Employee for Company, or use of Company’s Confidential Information (as defined below), will be the sole property of Company.
5. Compensation. As consideration for the Services, Company shall pay Employee a base salary of USD$72,000 per annum (before tax) in accordance with company practices and equity rewards depend on company annual performance. Company payday is 9th of each calendar month.
6. Expenses. Company shall promptly reimbursement Employee for all reasonable travel related expenses incurred in the ordinary course of providing services outlined in this Agreement. Reimbursable expenses shall not be limited to, but shall include, reasonable costs of airfare, hotels, business meals when traveling, and mileage reimbursement. Employee shall provide a formal accounting of all expenses including receipts on a monthly basis for approval and payment.
7. Termination. This Agreement shall automatically renew unless terminated by either Party. This Agreement may be terminated upon mutual written consent of the Employee and Company. At any time after the twelve (12) months hereof, Employee may terminate this Agreement (a) upon thirty (30) days’ prior written notice to Company or (b) immediately if Employee is subject to materially diminished duties or responsibilities, provided that should a replacement CEO be retained by Company, such retention of the replacement shall not constitute diminished duties or responsibilities. Company may terminate this Agreement (i) without prior notice and without further obligation for reasons of just cause (e.g., fraud, theft, conviction of a felony, improper or dishonest action or significant acts of misconduct) on the part of Employee or any of Employee’s agents providing services to Company, and (ii) without just cause upon thirty (30) days’ written notice to Employee. This Agreement shall automatically terminate upon the death of Employee. In the event of the termination of this Agreement, Company shall pay Employee the base salary through the date of termination.
8. Notices. Any notice or other communication required or which may be given hereunder shall be in writing and shall be delivered personally, electronically, telecopied or sent by certified, registered or express mail, postage prepaid, to the Parties at the following addresses or at such other addresses as shall be specified by the Parties by like notice, and shall be deemed given when so delivered personally, electronically, telecopied or if mailed, five (5) days after the date of mailing, as follows:
If to Company:
Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc.
6201 Fairview Road, Suite 225
Charlotte, North Carolina, 28210
Or through electronic mail at [*]
If to Employee:
Huan Liu
200 Amsterdam Ave 3B, New York, NY 10024
Or through electronic mail at [*]
9. Confidentiality; Non-Solicitation.
A. Employee shall keep secret and retain the confidential nature of all Confidential Information (as defined herein) belonging to Company and take such other precautions with respect thereto as Company, in its sole discretion, may reasonably request. Employee shall not at any time, whether before or after the termination of this Agreement, use, copy, disclose or make available any Confidential Information (as defined herein) to any corporation, governmental body, individual, partnership, trust or other entity (a “Person”); except that Employee may use, copy or disclose to any Person any Confidential Information (as defined herein) (i) to the extent required in the performance of the Services, (ii) to the extent it becomes publicly available through no fault of Employee, and (iii) to the extent Employee is required to do so pursuant to applicable law or court order.
B. For purposes of this Agreement, “Confidential Information” shall mean all information pertaining to the affairs and operations of Company that is not generally available to the public and that Company desires to keep confidential, including, but not limited to, trade secrets, inventions, financial information, information as to customers, clients or patients, and suppliers, sales and marketing information, and all documents and other tangible items relating to or containing any such information. Employee acknowledges that the Confidential Information is vital, sensitive, confidential and proprietary to Company.
C. All Confidential Information disclosed or made available by Company to Employee shall at all times remain the personal property of Company and all documents, lists, plans, proposals, records, electronic media or devices and other tangible items supplied to Employee that constitute or contain Confidential Information shall, together with all copies thereof, and all other property of Company, be returned to Company immediately upon termination of this Agreement for whatever reason or sooner upon demand.
D. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Agreement shall (i) prohibit Employee from making reports of possible violations of federal law or regulation to any governmental agency or entity in accordance with the provisions of and rules promulgated under Section 21F of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 806 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or of any other whistleblower protection provisions of state or federal law or regulation, or (ii) require notification or prior approval by Company of any reporting described in clause (i).
E. Pursuant to The Defend Trade Secrets Act (18 USC § 1833(b)), Employee may not be held criminally or civilly liable under any federal or state trade secret law for disclosure of a trade secret: (i) made in confidence to a government official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney, solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law; and/or (ii) in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal. Additionally, Employee, if suing Company for retaliation based on the reporting of a suspected violation of law, may disclose a trade secret to his attorney and use the trade secret information in the court proceeding, so long as any document containing the trade secret is filed under seal and Employee does not disclose the trade secret except pursuant to court order.
F. Employee acknowledges that a breach of the provisions of this Section 9 shall cause irreparable harm to Company for which it will have no adequate remedy at law. Employee agrees that Company may, in its sole discretion, obtain from a court of competent jurisdiction an injunction, restraining order or other equitable relief in favor of itself restraining Employee from committing or continuing any such violation. Any right to obtain an injunction, restraining order or other equitable relief hereunder will not be deemed a waiver of any right to assert any other remedy which Company may have in law or in equity.
G. Additionally, during the Term, Employee shall not induce or solicit Company’s employees, agents, Employees, contractors, clients, and customers away from Company on its behalf or on behalf of any other company or person. Employee agrees that this Section 9, the scope of the territory covered, the actions restricted thereby, and the duration of such covenant are reasonable and necessary to protect the legitimate business interests of Company.
H. The confidentiality and non-solicit obligations set forth herein shall survive for a period of twelve (12) months after the termination or expiration of this Agreement.
10. Indemnification. Employee and Company shall mutually indemnify, defend (with counsel chosen by Company), and hold each other harmless from and against any and all claims, losses, damages, liabilities, actions, costs and expenses, including, but not limited to, reasonable legal fees and expenses, paid or incurred by the other party and arising directly and indirectly out of: (i) any breach of this Agreement by the either party, (ii) any breach by either party of written policies or standards for Company or (iii) any other act or omission of either party.
11. Miscellaneous.
A. Tax Withholding. Company may withhold from Employee any amounts payable under this Agreement for such federal, state, or local taxes as shall be required to be withheld pursuant to any applicable law or regulation.
B. Governing Law; Jurisdiction and Venue. This Agreement shall be governed and controlled as to validity, enforcement, interpretation, construction, effect, and in all other respects by the laws of the State of New York and the federal laws of the United States applicable therein, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules or provisions that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction. In the event that any legal proceedings are commenced in any court with respect to any matter arising under this Agreement, Employee and Company hereto specifically consent and agree that the venue of any such action shall be in the courts of New York and each of Employee and Company hereby waive any claim that such venue is an inconvenient forum for the resolution of such proceeding.
C. Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the Parties hereto and supersedes any prior agreement or understanding, whether oral or written, between the Parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof.
D. Waivers and Amendments. This Agreement may not be amended or modified otherwise than by a written agreement executed by the Parties. No delay on the part of any Party in exercising any right, power or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any waiver on the part of any Party of any right, power or privilege hereunder, nor any single or partial exercise of any right, power or privilege hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege hereunder.
E. Assignment. This Agreement may not be assigned by either Party without the prior written consent of a duly authorized officer of the other Party. The merger or consolidation of a Party, or the sale of all or substantially all of the assets or shares of a Party hereto, shall not be deemed an assignment of this Agreement.
F. Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not in any way affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
G. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement, or any part thereof, is held by a court of competent jurisdiction of any foreign, federal, state, county or local government or any other governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or authority to be invalid, void, unenforceable or against public policy for any reason, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.
H. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, including by means of facsimile or email, each of which shall be deemed an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
[Signature page follows.]
In Witness Whereof, the Parties have entered into this Employment Agreement as of the Effective Date set forth above.
| Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc. | ||
| By: | /s/ Huan Liu | |
| Name: | HUAN LIU | |
| Title: | Chairman of the Board | |
| Employee | ||
| /s/ Huan Liu | ||
| Name: | HUAN LIU | |
Exhibit A – Services
Job Summary:
The Chief Executive Officer provides leadership for all aspects of the company’s operations with an emphasis on long-term goals, growth, profit, and return on investment.
Supervisory Responsibilities:
| · | Oversees the ongoing operations of all divisions in the company. |
| · | Manages and directs the company toward its primary goals and objectives. |
| · | Oversees employment decisions at the executive level of the company. |
| · | Leads a team of executives to consider major decisions including acquisitions, mergers, joint ventures, or large-scale expansion. |
| · | Promotes communication and cooperation among divisions to create a spirit of unity in the organization. |
Duties/Responsibilities:
| · | Works with the board of directors and other executives to establish short-term objectives and long-range goals, and related plans and policies. |
| · | Presents regular reports on the status of the company’s operations to the board of directors and to company staff. |
| · | Oversees the organizations’ financial structure, ensuring adequate and sound funding for the mission and goals of the company. |
| · | Reviews the financial results of all operations, comparing them with the company’s objectives and taking appropriate measures to correct unsatisfactory performance and results. |
| · | Ensures the company’s compliance with all applicable laws, rules, regulations, and standards. |
| · | Negotiates with other companies regarding actions such as mergers, acquisitions, or joint ventures. |
| · | Serves as the company’s representative to the board of directors, shareholders, employees, customers, the government, and the public. |
| · | Performs other related duties to benefit the mission of the organization. |
Exhibit 10.2
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
This Employment Agreement (this “Agreement”) is made as of October 26th, 2022 (the “Effective Date”) between Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc., with an address of 6201 Fairview Road, Suite 225, Charlotte, North Carolina, 28210 USA (“Company”), and Robert Cook, with an address at [*] (“Employee”) (Company and Employee are each a “Party” and collectively the “Parties”).
Whereas, Employee is experienced in finance, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission reporting, investor relations, and corporate administration; and
Whereas, Company desires to retain Employee to provide financial management and internal control services and Employee agrees to provide such services, in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement;
Now, Therefore, in consideration of the premises, mutual covenants, terms, and conditions contained herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties hereby agree as follows:
1. Services. Employee shall serve as chief financial officer of Company. Employee will provide financial management and internal control services to Company, as further described in Exhibit A - (the “Services”). Employee shall provide such services as Company may reasonably request. Employee agrees to devote as much of his time, efforts, professional attention, knowledge, and experience as may be necessary to carry on fully his duties, responsibilities and the Services pursuant to this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Employee from (i) serving, with the prior written consent of the Board, which consent may not be unreasonably withheld, as a member of the board of directors or as an advisor or consultant to other corporations (or their equivalents in the case of non-corporate entities) (each an “Outside Service Capacity” and collectively, “Outside Service Capacities”), and (ii) engaging in charitable activities and community affairs; however, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Board expressly reserves the right to withhold or withdraw its consent, in its sole discretion, to any Outside Service Capacities following the date hereof in the event (x) of an identified conflict of interest with respect to Employee’s duties and obligations to the Company that is related to or arising from such Outside Service Capacities, or (y) the Employee’s performance in providing the Services is, or may be, in the sole discretion of the Board, adversely affected by the Employee’s participation in such Outside Service Capacities. Should the Company exercise its rights under this Section 1 to withhold or withdraw consent to any Outside Service Capacities it will provide the Employee with written notice thereof.
2. Appointment; Term. Company hereby appoints Employee and Employee hereby accepts such appointment as chief financial officer for Company, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement. The term of this Agreement shall commence on the Effective Date.
3. Use of Company Facilities, Equipment; Place of Performance. Employee shall not have a dedicated workspace or equipment at Company offices and shall not have set hours for the performance of the Services. Company may authorize use of certain Company facilities and services, including, but not limited to, use of temporary office space and Company equipment related to authorized projects, as long as such use does not interfere with the day-to-day operations of Company. The Employee’s home shall be his principal place of employment. The Employee acknowledges that he may at times be required to travel on Company business to the Company’s New York office or to other locations during the employment.
4. Ownership of Work Product. All work product developed by Employee, in whole or in part, either alone or jointly with others, during the employment by Company, which may relate in any manner to the actual or anticipated business, work, research, or development of Company, or which result, to any extent, from the Services performed by Employee for Company, or use of Company’s Confidential Information (as defined below), will be the sole property of Company.
5. Compensation and Benefits. For the Services rendered by Employee in any capacity under this Agreement during the employment, Employee shall receive compensation and benefits as follows:
5.1 Base Compensation. Prior to the completion of the Company’s proposed initial public offering (the “IPO”), Company shall pay Employee a fee based on the working hours he spends on providing the Services to Company at an hourly rate of $200 (before tax, and hereinafter referred to as “Pre-IPO Salary Mode”). Travel time to attend meetings at the Company’s request during the period of Pre-IPO Salary Mode shall be billed at one-half of the hourly rate up to a maximum of $500 per trip. Employee shall invoice the Company within three business days of the last business day of the calendar month for the total hours spent in performing the Services during that month, including a description of each activity. Company agrees to reimburse Employee for his time and expenses within fifteen (15) business days of receipt of such invoice. Upon the successful completion of the IPO, the Pre-IPO Salary Mode shall terminate and Company shall pay Employee a base salary of $150,000 per year (before tax, prorated for any partial year). Employee’s base salary is payable in accordance with Company’s normal payroll practices as in effect from time to time, less all applicable amounts required to be deducted or withheld under applicable law or under any employee benefit plan or program in which Employee participates. Company shall review Employee’s performance from time to time for purposes of, among other things, determining the appropriateness of increasing or decreasing his base salary hereunder.
5.2 Stock Compensation. Each fiscal year after the closing of the IPO, Employee shall be eligible to receive shares of common stock of the Company having a market value of $30,000 as of the date of the grant through the Company’s stock incentive plan (the “Stock Compensation”). The Stock Compensation shall be granted pursuant to the terms of the Company’s stock incentive plan and the relevant award agreements. Employee must be continuously and actively employed by Company through the last day of the fiscal year in question to be eligible to earn such Stock Compensation.
5.3 Annual Bonus. After Company’s successful completion of the IPO, if a follow-on offering (“FPO”) closes in a fiscal year, Employee shall be eligible to receive a cash bonus equal to 0.5% of the net proceeds of the FPO at the end of that fiscal year. Employee must be continuously and actively employed by Company through the last day of the fiscal year in question to be eligible to earn such a bonus.
5.4 Benefits. Company shall also pay and contribute to any employee retirement plans, and provide health insurance, disability insurance plan benefits, and other fringe benefits generally in effect for salaried employees of the Company, beginning on the Effective Date, and in accordance with and on the same terms as are generally in effect for employees of the Company. The Employee shall be allowed paid time off for vacations, holidays, and other employee benefits not described above, in accordance with the Company’s policies in general effect for the Company’s salaried employees.
6. Expenses. Company shall promptly reimburse Employee for all reasonable travel related expenses incurred in the ordinary course of providing services outlined in this Agreement. Reimbursable expenses shall not be limited to, but shall include, reasonable costs of airfare, hotels, business meals when traveling, and mileage reimbursement. Employee shall provide a formal accounting of all expenses, including receipts, on a monthly basis for approval and payment.
7. Termination. EMPLOYEE AGREES AND ACKNOWLEDGES THAT EMPLOYEE’S EMPLOYMENT HEREUNDER IS “AT WILL”, AND, JUST AS EMPLOYEE HAS THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE HIS EMPLOYMENT WITH COMPANY AT ANY TIME FOR ANY REASON, COMPANY HAS THE SAME RIGHT, AND MAY TERMINATE THE EMPLOYMENT WITH EMPLOYEE AT ANY TIME FOR ANY REASON. IN THE EVENT THAT EITHER PARTY WISHES TO TERMINATE THE EMPLOYMENT, THE PARTY INITIATING THE TERMINATION SHALL PROVIDE TWO WEEKS PRIOR WRITTEN NOTICE TO THE OTHER PARTY. EMPLOYEE FURTHER AGREES AND ACKNOWLEDGES THAT ANY BONUS PAYABLE TO EMPLOYEE WILL BE MADE, IF AT ALL, AT THE SOLE DISCRETION OF COMPANY. This Agreement shall automatically terminate upon the death of Employee. In the event of the termination of this Agreement, Company shall pay Employee the base salary through the date of termination.
8. Notices. Any notice or other communication required or which may be given hereunder shall be in writing and shall be delivered personally, electronically, telecopied or sent by certified, registered or express mail, postage prepaid, to the Parties at the following addresses or at such other addresses as shall be specified by the Parties by like notice, and shall be deemed given when so delivered personally, electronically, telecopied or if mailed, five (5) days after the date of mailing, as follows:
If to Company:
Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc.
6201 Fairview Road, Suite 225
Charlotte, North Carolina, 28210
Or through electronic mail at [*]
If to Employee:
Robert Cook
[*]
Or through electronic mail at [*]
9. Confidentiality; Non-Solicitation.
A. Employee shall keep secret and retain the confidential nature of all Confidential Information (as defined herein) belonging to Company and take such other precautions with respect thereto as Company, in its sole discretion, may reasonably request. Employee shall not at any time, whether before or after the termination of this Agreement, use, copy, disclose or make available any Confidential Information (as defined herein) to any corporation, governmental body, individual, partnership, trust or other entity (a “Person”); except that Employee may use, copy or disclose to any Person any Confidential Information (as defined herein) (i) to the extent required in the performance of the Services, (ii) to the extent it becomes publicly available through no fault of Employee, and (iii) to the extent Employee is required to do so pursuant to applicable law or court order.
B. For purposes of this Agreement, “Confidential Information” shall mean all information pertaining to the affairs and operations of Company that is not generally available to the public and that Company desires to keep confidential, including, but not limited to, trade secrets, inventions, financial information, information as to customers, clients or patients, and suppliers, sales and marketing information, and all documents and other tangible items relating to or containing any such information. Employee acknowledges that the Confidential Information is vital, sensitive, confidential and proprietary to Company.
C. All Confidential Information disclosed or made available by Company to Employee shall at all times remain the personal property of Company and all documents, lists, plans, proposals, records, electronic media or devices and other tangible items supplied to Employee that constitute or contain Confidential Information shall, together with all copies thereof, and all other property of Company, be returned to Company immediately upon termination of this Agreement for whatever reason or sooner upon demand.
D. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Agreement shall (i) prohibit Employee from making reports of possible violations of federal law or regulation to any governmental agency or entity in accordance with the provisions of and rules promulgated under Section 21F of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 806 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or of any other whistleblower protection provisions of state or federal law or regulation, or (ii) require notification or prior approval by Company of any reporting described in clause (i).
E. Pursuant to The Defend Trade Secrets Act (18 USC § 1833(b)), Employee may not be held criminally or civilly liable under any federal or state trade secret law for disclosure of a trade secret: (i) made in confidence to a government official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney, solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law; and/or (ii) in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal. Additionally, Employee, if suing Company for retaliation based on the reporting of a suspected violation of law, may disclose a trade secret to his attorney and use the trade secret information in the court proceeding, so long as any document containing the trade secret is filed under seal and Employee does not disclose the trade secret except pursuant to court order.
F. Employee acknowledges that a breach of the provisions of this Section 9 shall cause irreparable harm to Company for which it will have no adequate remedy at law. Employee agrees that Company may, in its sole discretion, obtain from a court of competent jurisdiction an injunction, restraining order or other equitable relief in favor of itself restraining Employee from committing or continuing any such violation. Any right to obtain an injunction, restraining order or other equitable relief hereunder will not be deemed a waiver of any right to assert any other remedy which Company may have in law or in equity.
G. Additionally, during the employment, Employee shall not induce or solicit Company’s employees, agents, Employees, contractors, clients, and customers away from Company on its behalf or on behalf of any other company or person. Employee agrees that this Section 9, the scope of the territory covered, the actions restricted thereby, and the duration of such covenant are reasonable and necessary to protect the legitimate business interests of Company.
H. The confidentiality and non-solicit obligations set forth herein shall survive for a period of twelve (12) months after the termination or expiration of this Agreement.
10. Indemnification. Employee and Company shall mutually indemnify, defend (with counsel chosen by Company), and hold each other harmless from and against any and all claims, losses, damages, liabilities, actions, costs and expenses, including, but not limited to, reasonable legal fees and expenses, paid or incurred by the other party and arising directly and indirectly out of: (i) any breach of this Agreement by the either party, (ii) any breach by either party of written policies or standards for Company or (iii) any other act or omission of either party.
11. Miscellaneous.
A. Tax Withholding. Company may withhold from Employee any amounts payable under this Agreement for such federal, state, or local taxes as shall be required to be withheld pursuant to any applicable law or regulation.
B. Governing Law; Jurisdiction and Venue. This Agreement shall be governed and controlled as to validity, enforcement, interpretation, construction, effect, and in all other respects by the laws of the State of North Carolina and the federal laws of the United States applicable therein, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules or provisions that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction. In the event that any legal proceedings are commenced in any court with respect to any matter arising under this Agreement, Employee and Company hereto specifically consent and agree that the venue of any such action shall be in the courts of North Carolina and each of Employee and Company hereby waive any claim that such venue is an inconvenient forum for the resolution of such proceeding.
C. Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the Parties hereto and supersedes any prior agreement or understanding, whether oral or written, between the Parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof.
D. Waivers and Amendments. This Agreement may not be amended or modified otherwise than by a written agreement executed by the Parties. No delay on the part of any Party in exercising any right, power or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any waiver on the part of any Party of any right, power or privilege hereunder, nor any single or partial exercise of any right, power or privilege hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege hereunder.
E. Assignment. This Agreement may not be assigned by either Party without the prior written consent of a duly authorized officer of the other Party. The merger or consolidation of a Party, or the sale of all or substantially all of the assets or shares of a Party hereto, shall not be deemed an assignment of this Agreement.
F. Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not in any way affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
G. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement, or any part thereof, is held by a court of competent jurisdiction of any foreign, federal, state, county or local government or any other governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or authority to be invalid, void, unenforceable or against public policy for any reason, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.
H. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, including by means of facsimile or email, each of which shall be deemed an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
[Signature page follows.]
In Witness Whereof, the Parties have entered into this Employment Agreement as of the Effective Date set forth above.
| Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc. | ||
| By: |
/s/ HUAN LIU | |
| Name: | HUAN LIU | |
| Title: |
CEO | |
|
Employee | ||
| /s/ Robert Cook | ||
| Name: | Robert Cook | |
Exhibit A – Services
| · | Lead all SEC filing, including but not limited to filings of 10Q and 10K; | |
| · | Lead all US company filings including tax and US registration; | |
| · | Ensure that adequate controls are established and maintained over financial reporting; | |
| · | Investor relations matters; | |
| · | Work with other management team members, bankers, attorneys, and accountants in evaluation, development, and execution of company strategy; and | |
| · | Support M&A activities. |
Exhibit 10.3
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
This Employment Agreement (this “Agreement”) is made as of Mar 1st, 2022 (the “Effective Date”) between Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc., with an address of 6201 Fairview Road, Suite 225, Charlotte, North Carolina, 28210 USA (“Company”), and Walter P Folker, with an address at [*] (“Employee”) (Company and Employee are each a “Party” and collectively the “Parties”).
Whereas, Employee is experienced in understanding of sourcing and procurement techniques, and be able to forecast company demands with market costs; and
Whereas, Company desires to retain Employee to provide procurement and marketing services and Employee agrees to provide such services, in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement;
Now, Therefore, in consideration of the premises, mutual covenants, terms, and conditions contained herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the Parties hereby agree as follows:
1. Services. Employee’s title shall be Vice President of Procurement of Company. Employee will provide services to Company, as further described in Attachment A - (the “Services”). Employee shall provide such services as Company may reasonably request.
2. Appointment; Term. Company hereby appoints Employee and Employee hereby accepts appointment as for Company, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement. The term of this Agreement shall commence on the Effective Date and shall continue for 3 years (the “Term”).
3. Use of Company Facilities, Equipment. Company may authorize use of certain Company facilities and services, including, but not limited to, use of temporary office space and Company equipment related to authorized projects, as long as such use does not interfere with the day-to-day operations of Company.
4. Ownership of Work Product. All work product developed by Employee, in whole or in part, either alone or jointly with others, during the Term and any subsequent renewal term, which may relate in any manner to the actual or anticipated business, work, research, or development of Company, or which result, to any extent, from the Services performed by Employee for Company, or use of Company’s Confidential Information (as defined below), will be the sole property of Company.
5. Compensation. As consideration for the Services, Company shall pay Employee a base salary of USD$ $52,000 per annum (first year, before tax) plus any commission/bonus earned in accordance with company practices. Starting from the second calendar year, the base salary will increase to USD $60,000 per annum (before tax). Company payday is 9th of each calendar month.
6. Expenses. Company shall promptly reimbursement Employee for all reasonable travel related expenses incurred in the ordinary course of providing services outlined in this Agreement. Reimbursable expenses shall not be limited to, but shall include, reasonable costs of airfare, hotels, business meals when traveling, and mileage reimbursement. Employee shall provide a formal accounting of all expenses including receipts on a monthly basis for approval and payment.
7. Termination. This Agreement shall automatically renew unless terminated by either Party. This Agreement may be terminated upon mutual written consent of the Employee and Company. At any time after the twelve (12) months hereof, Employee may terminate this Agreement (a) upon thirty (30) days’ prior written notice to Company or (b) immediately if Employee is subject to materially diminished duties or responsibilities, provided that should a replacement be Vice President of Procurement be retained by Company, such retention of the replacement shall not constitute diminished duties or responsibilities. Company may terminate this Agreement (i) without prior notice and without further obligation for reasons of just cause (e.g., fraud, theft, conviction of a felony, improper or dishonest action or significant acts of misconduct) on the part of Employee or any of Employee’s agents providing services to Company, and (ii) without just cause upon thirty (30) days’ written notice to Employee. This Agreement shall automatically terminate upon the death of Employee. In the event of the termination of this Agreement, Company shall pay Employee the base salary through the date of termination.
8. Notices. Any notice or other communication required or which may be given hereunder shall be in writing and shall be delivered personally, electronically, telecopied or sent by certified, registered or express mail, postage prepaid, to the Parties at the following addresses or at such other addresses as shall be specified by the Parties by like notice, and shall be deemed given when so delivered personally, electronically, telecopied or if mailed, five (5) days after the date of mailing, as follows:
If to Company:
Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc.
6201 Fairview Road, Suite 225
Charlotte, North Carolina, 28210
Or through electronic mail at [*]
If to Employee:
Walter P Folker
[*]
Or through electronic mail at [*]
9. Confidentiality; Non-Solicitation.
A. Employee shall keep secret and retain the confidential nature of all Confidential Information (as defined herein) belonging to Company and take such other precautions with respect thereto as Company, in its sole discretion, may reasonably request. Employee shall not at any time, whether before or after the termination of this Agreement, use, copy, disclose or make available any Confidential Information (as defined herein) to any corporation, governmental body, individual, partnership, trust or other entity (a “Person”); except that Employee may use, copy or disclose to any Person any Confidential Information (as defined herein) (i) to the extent required in the performance of the Services, (ii) to the extent it becomes publicly available through no fault of Employee, and (iii) to the extent Employee is required to do so pursuant to applicable law or court order.
B. For purposes of this Agreement, “Confidential Information” shall mean all information pertaining to the affairs and operations of Company that is not generally available to the public and that Company desires to keep confidential, including, but not limited to, trade secrets, inventions, financial information, information as to customers, clients or patients, and suppliers, sales and marketing information, and all documents and other tangible items relating to or containing any such information. Employee acknowledges that the Confidential Information is vital, sensitive, confidential and proprietary to Company.
C. All Confidential Information disclosed or made available by Company to Employee shall at all times remain the personal property of Company and all documents, lists, plans, proposals, records, electronic media or devices and other tangible items supplied to Employee that constitute or contain Confidential Information shall, together with all copies thereof, and all other property of Company, be returned to Company immediately upon termination of this Agreement for whatever reason or sooner upon demand.
D. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Agreement shall (i) prohibit Employee from making reports of possible violations of federal law or regulation to any governmental agency or entity in accordance with the provisions of and rules promulgated under Section 21F of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 806 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or of any other whistleblower protection provisions of state or federal law or regulation, or (ii) require notification or prior approval by Company of any reporting described in clause (i).
E. Pursuant to The Defend Trade Secrets Act (18 USC § 1833(b)), Employee may not be held criminally or civilly liable under any federal or state trade secret law for disclosure of a trade secret: (i) made in confidence to a government official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney, solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law; and/or (ii) in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal. Additionally, Employee, if suing Company for retaliation based on the reporting of a suspected violation of law, may disclose a trade secret to his attorney and use the trade secret information in the court proceeding, so long as any document containing the trade secret is filed under seal and Employee does not disclose the trade secret except pursuant to court order.
F. Employee acknowledges that a breach of the provisions of this Section 9 shall cause irreparable harm to Company for which it will have no adequate remedy at law. Employee agrees that Company may, in its sole discretion, obtain from a court of competent jurisdiction an injunction, restraining order or other equitable relief in favor of itself restraining Employee from committing or continuing any such violation. Any right to obtain an injunction, restraining order or other equitable relief hereunder will not be deemed a waiver of any right to assert any other remedy which Company may have in law or in equity.
G. Additionally, during the Term, Employee shall not induce or solicit Company’s employees, agents, Employees, contractors, clients, and customers away from Company on its behalf or on behalf of any other company or person. Employee agrees that this Section 9, the scope of the territory covered, the actions restricted thereby, and the duration of such covenant are reasonable and necessary to protect the legitimate business interests of Company.
H. The confidentiality and non-solicit obligations set forth herein shall survive for a period of twelve (12) months after the termination or expiration of this Agreement.
10. Indemnification. Employee and Company shall mutually indemnify, defend (with counsel chosen by Company), and hold each other harmless from and against any and all claims, losses, damages, liabilities, actions, costs and expenses, including, but not limited to, reasonable legal fees and expenses, paid or incurred by the other party and arising directly and indirectly out of: (i) any breach of this Agreement by the either party, (ii) any breach by either party of written policies or standards for Company or (iii) any other act or omission of either party.
11. Miscellaneous.
A. Tax Withholding. Company may withhold from Employee any amounts payable under this Agreement for such federal, state, or local taxes as shall be required to be withheld pursuant to any applicable law or regulation.
B. Governing Law; Jurisdiction and Venue. This Agreement shall be governed and controlled as to validity, enforcement, interpretation, construction, effect, and in all other respects by the laws of the State of North Carolina and the federal laws of the United States applicable therein, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules or provisions that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction. In the event that any legal proceedings are commenced in any court with respect to any matter arising under this Agreement, Employee and Company hereto specifically consent and agree that the venue of any such action shall be in the courts of North Carolina and each of Employee and Company hereby waive any claim that such venue is an inconvenient forum for the resolution of such proceeding.
C. Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the Parties hereto and supersedes any prior agreement or understanding, whether oral or written, between the Parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof.
D. Waivers and Amendments. This Agreement may not be amended or modified otherwise than by a written agreement executed by the Parties. No delay on the part of any Party in exercising any right, power or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any waiver on the part of any Party of any right, power or privilege hereunder, nor any single or partial exercise of any right, power or privilege hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege hereunder.
E. Assignment. This Agreement may not be assigned by either Party without the prior written consent of a duly authorized officer of the other Party. The merger or consolidation of a Party, or the sale of all or substantially all of the assets or shares of a Party hereto, shall not be deemed an assignment of this Agreement.
F. Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not in any way affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
G. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement, or any part thereof, is held by a court of competent jurisdiction of any foreign, federal, state, county or local government or any other governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or authority to be invalid, void, unenforceable or against public policy for any reason, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.
H. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, including by means of facsimile or email, each of which shall be deemed an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
[Signature page follows.]
In Witness Whereof, the Parties have entered into this Employment Agreement as of the Effective Date set forth above.
| Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc. | ||
| By: | /s/ HUAN LIU | |
| Name: | HUAN LIU | |
| Title: |
CEO | |
|
Employee | ||
| /s/ Walter P Folker | ||
| Name: | Walter P Folker | |
Exhibit A – Services
| ● | Development of organizational procurement strategy and plans, including investment, resource and skill requirements |
| ● | Creation and management of short, mid, and long term goals and objectives |
| ● | Development of benchmarks and metrics including a routine scorecard to set baseline standards and review for improvement opportunities |
| ● | Coordinates and oversees company Procurement with a view towards reducing costs while improving the overall quality of purchased goods and services |
| ● | Closely link Procurement performance with business needs |
| ● | Creation and ongoing value creation of a strong supply base |
| ● | Creation and improvement of best practice based processes |
| ● | Management of business process outsourcing activities |
| ● | Identification and realization of cost-saving and cost-reduction opportunities |
| ● | Selection and management of procurement systems |
| ● | Management of procurement staff in (and across) sourcing, contracting, transactional purchasing, supplier management, and miscellaneous internal procurement support activities |
| ● | Negotiate various service multi-year agreements |
| ● | Leadership of cross-functional teaming across other business functions and initiatives |
Exhibit 10.4
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
THIS INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of October 14, 2022 between Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc., a North Carolina corporation (the “Company”), and Huan Liu , an individual (“Indemnitee”). This Agreement supersedes and replaces any and all previous agreements between the Company and Indemnitee covering the subject matter of this Agreement.
WITNESSETH THAT:
WHEREAS, Indemnitee performs a valuable service for the Company;
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) has adopted bylaws (the “Bylaws”) providing for the indemnification of the officers and directors of the Company to the maximum extent authorized by the North Carolina Business Corporation Act of 1955 (the “NCBCA”);
WHEREAS, the Bylaws and Article 8 of the NCBCA, as amended (“Article 8”), by their nonexclusive nature, permit contracts between the Company and the officers or directors of the Company with respect to indemnification of its officers or directors;
WHEREAS, this Agreement is supplemental to and in furtherance of the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation (the “Articles of Incorporation”), the Bylaws and any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder;
WHEREAS, in accordance with the authorization as provided by Article 8, the Company may purchase and maintain a policy or policies of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance, covering certain liabilities which may be incurred by its officers or directors in the performance of their obligations to the Company; and
WHEREAS, in order to induce Indemnitee to continue to serve as an officer or director of the Company, the Company has determined and agreed to enter into this contract with Indemnitee.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of Indemnitee’s service as an officer or director after the date hereof, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement:
| (a) | “Corporate Status” means the status of a person who is or was a director (including, without limitation, serving as a member of any committee or subcommittee of the Board), officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of the Company (or any subsidiary of the Company) or of any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise that the person is or was serving at the express written request of the Company. |
| (b) | “Disinterested Director” means a director of the Company who is not and was not a party to the Proceeding in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee. |
| (c) | “Enterprise” means the Company and any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise that Indemnitee is or was serving at the express written request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary. |
| (d) | “Expenses” means all reasonable attorneys’ fees, retainers, court costs, transcript costs, fees of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees, any federal, state, local or foreign taxes imposed on Indemnitee as a result of the actual or deemed receipt of any payments under this Agreement, Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, excise taxes and penalties, and all other disbursements or expenses of the types customarily incurred in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, participating, or being or preparing to be a witness in a Proceeding. Expenses also shall include (i) Expenses incurred in connection with any appeal resulting from any Proceeding, including, without limitation, the premium, security for, and other costs relating to, any cost bond, supersedeas bond, or other appeal bond or its equivalent, and (ii) for purposes of Section 7(d) only, Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the interpretation, enforcement or defense of Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement, by litigation or otherwise. The parties agree that for the purposes of any advancement of Expenses for which Indemnitee has made written demand to the Company in accordance with this Agreement, all Expenses included in the demand that are certified by affidavit of Indemnitee’s counsel as being reasonable shall be presumed conclusively to be reasonable. Expenses, however, shall not include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee or the amount of judgments or fines against Indemnitee. |
| (e) | “Independent Counsel” means a law firm, or a member of a law firm, that is experienced in matters of corporation law and neither presently is, nor in the past five years has been, retained to represent: (i) the Company or Indemnitee in any matter material to either party (other than with respect to matters concerning Indemnitee under this Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar indemnification agreements), or (ii) any other party to the Proceeding giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement. The Company agrees to pay the reasonable fees and expenses of the Independent Counsel referred to above and to fully indemnify the Independent Counsel against any and all Expenses, claims, liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto. |
| (f) | “Proceeding” means any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, claim, counterclaim, cross claim, arbitration, mediation, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing or any other actual, threatened or completed proceeding, whether brought by or in the right of the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil, criminal, administrative, legislative or investigative (formal or informal) nature, including any appeal therefrom, in which Indemnitee was, is or will be involved as a party, potential party, non-party witness or otherwise by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was an officer or director of the Company, by reason of any action taken by Indemnitee or of any inaction on Indemnitee’s part while acting as an officer or director of the Company, or by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other Enterprise or of any action (or failure to act) on Indemnitee’s part while acting pursuant to Indemnitee’s Corporate Status; in each case whether or not Indemnitee is acting or serving in that capacity at the time any liability or Expense is incurred for which indemnification, reimbursement, or advancement of Expenses can be provided under this Agreement; including one pending on or before the date of this Agreement, but excluding one initiated by an Indemnitee pursuant to Section 7 hereof to enforce Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement. If the Indemnitee believes in good faith that a given situation may lead to or culminate in the institution of a Proceeding, this shall be considered a Proceeding under this paragraph. |
2. Indemnification of Indemnitee. The Company hereby agrees to hold harmless and indemnify Indemnitee to the full extent authorized or permitted by the provisions of Article 8, the Articles of Incorporation, and the Bylaws, all as may be amended from time to time. In furtherance of the foregoing indemnification, and without limiting the generality thereof:
| (a) | Proceedings Other Than Proceedings by or in the Right of the Company. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 2(a) if, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or participant in any Proceeding other than a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 2(a), the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law against all Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of those Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee, or on Indemnitee’s behalf, in connection with the Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, and with respect to any criminal Proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful. The parties hereto intend that this Agreement shall provide to the fullest extent permitted by law for indemnification in excess of that expressly permitted by statute, including, without limitation, any indemnification provided by the Articles of Incorporation, the Bylaws, the vote of its stockholders or Disinterested Directors, or applicable law. |
| (b) | Proceedings by or in the Right of the Company. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 2(b) if, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or participant in any Proceeding brought by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 2(b), the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee, or on Indemnitee’s behalf, in connection with the Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. No indemnification of Expenses shall be made under this Section 2(b) in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been finally adjudged by a court to be liable to the Company, unless and only to the extent that the court in which the Proceeding was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification. |
| (c) | Indemnification of Expenses of a Party Who is Wholly or Partly Successful. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, a party to (or a participant in) and is successful, on the merits or otherwise, in any Proceeding or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, in whole or in part, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection therewith. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in the Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in the Proceeding, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter to the fullest extent permitted by law. For purposes of this Section 2(c) and without limitation, the termination of any claim, issue or matter in a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, shall be deemed to be a successful result as to that claim, issue or matter. |
| 3. | Additional Indemnity. |
| (a) | In addition to, and without regard to any limitations on, the indemnification provided for in Section 2 hereof, the Company shall and hereby does indemnify and hold harmless Indemnitee, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, against all Expenses, judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf if, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or participant in any Proceeding (including a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company), including, without limitation, all liability arising out of the negligence or active or passive wrongdoing of Indemnitee. The only limitation that shall exist upon the Company’s obligations pursuant to this Agreement shall be that the Company shall not be obligated to make any payment to Indemnitee that is finally determined (under the procedures, and subject to the presumptions, set forth in Sections 7 and 8 hereof) to be unlawful under North Carolina law. |
| (b) | For the purposes of Section 2(a), the meaning of the phrase “to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law” shall include, but not be limited to: |
(i) to the fullest extent permitted by the provision of the NCBCA that authorizes or contemplates additional indemnification by agreement, or the corresponding provision of any amendment to or replacement of the NCBCA, and
(ii) to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by any amendments to or replacements of the NCBCA adopted after the date of this Agreement that increase the extent to which a corporation may indemnify its officers and directors.
4. Indemnification of Expenses of a Witness. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, a witness or otherwise asked to participate in any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a party, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection therewith.
5. Advancement of Expenses. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary (other than Section 7), the Company shall advance, to the extent not prohibited by law, the Expenses incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection with any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) not initiated by Indemnitee. The Company shall make this advancement within 10 days after the receipt by the Company of a statement or statements from Indemnitee requesting the advance or advances from time to time, whether prior to or after final disposition of the Proceeding. The Indemnitee’s statement or statements shall reasonably evidence the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee and shall include or be preceded or accompanied by an undertaking by or on behalf of Indemnitee to repay any Expenses advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified against the Expenses. Any advances and undertakings to repay pursuant to this Section 5 shall be unsecured and interest free. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the obligation of the Company to advance Expenses pursuant to this Section 5 shall be subject to the condition that, if, when, and to the extent that the Company determines that Indemnitee would not be permitted to be indemnified under applicable law, the Indemnitee shall reimburse the Company for all amounts theretofore paid within 30 days of this determination; provided, however, that if Indemnitee has commenced or thereafter commences legal proceedings in a court of competent jurisdiction to secure a determination that Indemnitee should be indemnified under applicable law, any determination made by the Company that Indemnitee would not be permitted to be indemnified under applicable law shall not be binding and Indemnitee shall not be required to reimburse the Company for any advance of Expenses until a final judicial determination is made with respect thereto (and as to which all rights of appeal therefrom have been exhausted or lapsed). No other form of undertaking shall be required other than the execution of this Agreement.
6. Procedures and Presumptions for Determination of Entitlement to Indemnification. It is the intent of this Agreement to secure for Indemnitee rights of indemnity that are as favorable as may be permitted under Article 8 and the public policy of the State of North Carolina. Accordingly, the parties agree that the following procedures and presumptions shall apply in the event of any question as to whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement:
| (a) | To obtain indemnification (including, but not limited to, the advancement of Expenses and contribution by the Company) under this Agreement, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a written request, including therein or therewith documentation and information as is reasonably available to Indemnitee and is reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification. The Secretary of the Company shall, promptly upon receipt of the written request for indemnification, advise the Board in writing that Indemnitee has requested indemnification. |
| (b) | Upon written request by Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to the first sentence of Section 6(a) hereof, a determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement thereto shall be made in the specific case by one of the following three methods, which shall be at the election of Board: |
| (i) | a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even if less than a quorum; |
| (ii) | Independent Counsel in a written opinion; or |
| (iii) | a vote of the Company’s stockholders. |
| (c) | If the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 6(b)(ii) hereof, the Independent Counsel shall be selected as provided in this Section 6(c). The Independent Counsel shall be selected by the Company. Indemnitee may, within 10 days after written notice of selection shall have been given, deliver to the Company a written objection to the selection; provided, however, that the objection may be asserted only on the ground that the Independent Counsel so selected does not meet the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 1(e) hereof, and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of this assertion. Absent a proper and timely objection, the person so selected shall act as Independent Counsel. If a written objection is made and substantiated, the Independent Counsel selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until the objection is withdrawn or a court has determined that the objection is without merit. If, within 20 days after the later of submission by Indemnitee of a written request for indemnification pursuant to Section 6(a) hereof and the final disposition of the Proceeding, no Independent Counsel shall have been selected and not objected to, either the Company or Indemnitee may petition the court of competent jurisdiction for resolution of any objection which shall have been made by Indemnitee to the selection of Independent Counsel or for the appointment as Independent Counsel of a person selected by the court or by any other person as the court shall designate, and the person with respect to whom all objections are so resolved or the person so appointed shall act as Independent Counsel under Section 6(b) hereof. The Company shall pay any and all reasonable fees and expenses of Independent Counsel incurred by the Independent Counsel in connection with acting pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof, and the Company shall pay all reasonable fees and expenses incident to the procedures of this Section 6(c), regardless of the manner in which the Independent Counsel was selected or appointed. |
| (d) | In making a determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the person, persons or entity making the determination shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, presume that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement. Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion by clear and convincing evidence. |
| (e) | For the purposes of any determination of good faith, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith if Indemnitee’s action is based on the records or books of account of the Enterprise, including financial statements, or on information supplied to Indemnitee by the directors or officers of the Enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for the Enterprise or on information or records given or reports made to the Enterprise by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser or other expert selected with reasonable care by the Enterprise. In addition, the knowledge and actions, or failure to act, of any director, officer, agent or employee of the Enterprise shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to indemnification under this Agreement. Whether or not the foregoing provisions of this Section 6(e) are satisfied, it shall in any event be presumed that Indemnitee has at all times acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion by clear and convincing evidence. |
| (f) | If the person, persons or entity empowered or selected under this Section 6 to determine whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification shall not have made a determination within 30 days after receipt by the Company of the request therefor, the requisite determination of entitlement to indemnification shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, be deemed to have been made and Indemnitee shall be entitled to indemnification absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of indemnification under applicable law; provided, however, that the 30-day period may be extended for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional 15 days, if the person, persons or entity making the determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification in good faith requires additional time to obtain or evaluate documentation and information relating thereto; and provided further, that the foregoing provisions of this Section 6(f) shall not apply if the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by the stockholders pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof and if (x) within 15 days after receipt by the Company of the request for this determination, the Board or the Disinterested Directors, if appropriate, resolve to submit the determination to the stockholders for their consideration at an annual meeting thereof to be held within 75 days after such receipt and such determination is made thereat, or (y) a special meeting of stockholders is called within 15 days after such receipt for the purpose of making such determination, such meeting is held for such purpose within 60 days after having been so called and such determination is made thereat. |
| (g) | Indemnitee shall cooperate with the person, persons or entity making the determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including providing to the person, persons or entity upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to the determination. Any Independent Counsel, member of the Board or stockholder of the Company shall act reasonably and in good faith in making a determination regarding the Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification under this Agreement. Any costs or expenses (including attorneys’ fees and disbursements) incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person, persons or entity making the determination shall be borne by the Company (irrespective of the determination as to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification) and the Company hereby indemnifies and agrees to hold Indemnitee harmless therefrom. |
| (h) | The Company acknowledges that a settlement or other disposition short of final judgment may be successful if it permits a party to avoid expense, delay, distraction, disruption and uncertainty. In the event that any action, claim or proceeding to which Indemnitee is a party is resolved in any manner other than by adverse judgment against Indemnitee (including, without limitation, settlement of such action, claim or proceeding with or without payment of money or other consideration) it shall be presumed that Indemnitee has been successful on the merits or otherwise in such action, suit or proceeding. Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion by clear and convincing evidence. |
| 7. | Remedies of Indemnitee. |
| (a) | In the event that (i) a determination is made pursuant to Section 6 hereof that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement, (ii) advancement of Expenses is not timely made pursuant to Section 5 hereof, (iii) no determination of entitlement to indemnification is made pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof within 90 days after receipt by the Company of the request for indemnification, (iv) payment of indemnification is not made pursuant to this Agreement within 10 days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, (v) payment of indemnification is not made within 10 days after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification or the determination is deemed to have been made pursuant to Section 6 hereof, or (vi) in the event that the Company or any other person takes or threatens to take any action to declare this Agreement void or unenforceable, or institutes any litigation or other action or Proceeding designed to deny, or to recover from the Indemnitee the benefits provided or intended to be provided to the Indemnitee hereunder, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication in an appropriate court of the State of North Carolina, or in any other court of competent jurisdiction, of Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification or advancement of Expenses. Alternatively, Indemnitee, at Indemnitee’s option, may seek an award in arbitration to be conducted by a single arbitrator pursuant to the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association. Indemnitee shall commence the proceeding seeking an adjudication or an award in arbitration within 180 days following the date on which Indemnitee first has the right to commence such proceeding pursuant to this Section 7(a). The Company shall not oppose Indemnitee’s right to seek any such adjudication or award in arbitration. |
| (b) | In the event that a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to this Section 7 shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial, or arbitration, on the merits, and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of the adverse determination under Section 6(b) hereof. In any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 7 the Company shall have the burden of proving Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification or advancement of Expenses, as the case may be. |
| (c) | If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall be bound by this determination in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 7, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of indemnification under applicable law. |
| (d) | In the event that Indemnitee, pursuant to this Section 7, seeks a judicial adjudication of Indemnitee’s rights under, or to recover damages for breach of, this Agreement, or to recover under any directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies maintained by the Company, the Company shall pay on Indemnitee’s behalf, in advance, any and all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in the judicial adjudication, regardless of whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to indemnification, advancement of expenses or insurance recovery. |
| (e) | The Company shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 7 that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in any such court or before any such arbitrator that the Company is bound by all the provisions of this Agreement. |
| (f) | Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, no determination as to entitlement of Indemnitee to indemnification under this Agreement shall be required to be made prior to the final disposition of the Proceeding. |
8. Non-Exclusivity; Survival of Rights; Insurance; Primacy of Indemnification; Subrogation.
| (a) | The rights of indemnification and to receive advancement of Expenses as provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law, the Articles of Incorporation, the Bylaws, any agreement, a vote of stockholders, a resolution of directors or otherwise. No amendment, alteration or repeal of this Agreement or of any provision hereof shall limit or restrict any right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any action taken or omitted by the Indemnitee in Indemnitee’s Corporate Status prior to the amendment, alteration or repeal. To the extent that a change in Article 8, whether by statute or judicial decision, permits greater indemnification or advancement of Expenses than would be afforded currently under the Bylaws and this Agreement, it is the intent of the parties hereto that Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater benefits so afforded by such change. No right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every other right and remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other right or remedy. |
| (b) | To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing liability insurance for directors, officers, employees, or agents or fiduciaries of the Company or of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise that such person serves at the request of the Company, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary under such policy or policies. |
9. Liability Insurance. The Company currently maintains liability insurance applicable to directors, officers, employees, or agents, and, to the extent liability insurance of comparable scope can continue to be purchased at reasonable cost, the Company shall continue to maintain this coverage. Indemnitee shall be covered by these policies in such a manner as to provide the Indemnitee the same rights and benefits as are provided to the most favorably insured of the Company’s directors. The Company shall notify Indemnitee of any change, lapse or cancellation of this coverage.
10. Exception to Right of Indemnification. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, Indemnitee shall not be entitled to indemnification under this Agreement with respect to any Proceeding brought by Indemnitee, or any claim therein, unless (a) the bringing of such Proceeding or making of such claim shall have been approved by the Board or (b) such Proceeding is being brought by Indemnitee to assert, interpret or enforce Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement. The Company shall not be obligated to indemnify Indemnitee against amounts paid in settlement of a Proceeding against Indemnitee if the settlement is effected by Indemnitee without the Company’s prior written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, unless the settlement solely involves the payment of money or performance of any obligation by persons other than the Company and includes an unconditional release of the Company by all relevant parties from all liability on any matters that are the subject of such Proceeding and an acknowledgment that the Company denies all wrongdoing in connection with such matters. The Company shall not, without the prior written consent of Indemnitee, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, effect any settlement of any Proceeding against Indemnitee or which could have been brought against Indemnitee or which potentially or actually imposes any cost, liability, exposure or burden on Indemnitee, unless the settlement solely involves the payment of money or performance of any obligation by persons other than Indemnitee and includes an unconditional release of Indemnitee by all relevant parties from all liability on any matters that are the subject of such Proceeding and an acknowledgment that Indemnitee denies all wrongdoing in connection with such matters.
11. Duration of Agreement. All agreements and obligations of the Company contained herein shall continue during the period Indemnitee is an officer or director of the Company (or is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise) and shall continue thereafter so long as Indemnitee could be subject to any Proceeding (or any proceeding commenced under Section 7 hereof) by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, whether or not Indemnitee is acting or serving in any such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification can be provided under this Agreement. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors (including any direct or indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company), assigns, spouses, heirs, executors and personal and legal representatives.
12. Security. To the extent requested by Indemnitee and approved by the Board, the Company may at any time and from time to time provide security to Indemnitee for the Company’s obligations hereunder through an irrevocable bank line of credit, funded trust or other collateral. Any such security, once provided to Indemnitee, may not be revoked or released without the prior written consent of the Indemnitee.
13. Severability. If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void, illegal or otherwise unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law; and (b) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested thereby. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, this Agreement is intended to confer upon Indemnitee indemnification rights to the fullest extent permitted by applicable laws. In the event any provision hereof conflicts with any applicable law, such provision shall be deemed modified, consistent with the aforementioned intent, to the extent necessary to resolve such conflict.
| 14. | Enforcement. |
| (a) | The Company expressly confirms and agrees that it has entered into this Agreement and assumed the obligations imposed on it hereby in order to induce Indemnitee to serve as a director or officer of the Company, and the Company acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this Agreement in serving as a director or officer of the Company. |
| (b) | This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral, written and implied, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof; provided, however, that this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the Articles of Incorporation, the Bylaws and applicable law, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder. |
15. Modification and Waiver. No supplement, modification, termination or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by both of the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions hereof (whether or not similar) nor shall such waiver constitute a continuing waiver.
16. Notice By Indemnitee. Indemnitee agrees promptly to notify the Company in writing upon being served with or otherwise receiving any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, information or other document relating to any Proceeding or matter which may be subject to indemnification covered hereunder. The failure to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of any obligation which it may have to Indemnitee under this Agreement or otherwise unless and only to the extent that such failure or delay materially prejudices the Company.
17. Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if (a) delivered by hand and receipted for by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been directed, (b) mailed by certified or registered mail with postage prepaid, on the third business day after the date on which it is so mailed, or (c) mailed with a nationally recognized overnight courier specifying next day delivery with written verification of receipt, on the first business day after the date on which it is so mailed:
| (a) | If to Indemnitee, to the address set forth below Indemnitee signature hereto. |
| (b) | If to the Company, to: |
Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc.
6201 Fairview Road, Suite 225
Charlotte, North Carolina, 28210
Attention: Chief Financial Officer
with a copy (which does not constitute notice) to:
Hunter Taubman Fischer & Li LLC
48 Wall Street, Suite 1100
New York, NY 10005
Attention: Ying Li, Esq.
or to any other address as may have been furnished to Indemnitee by the Company or to the Company by Indemnitee, as the case may be.
18. Contribution. To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law, if the indemnification provided for in this Agreement is unavailable to Indemnitee for any reason whatsoever, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying Indemnitee, shall contribute to the amount incurred by Indemnitee, whether for judgments, fines, penalties, excise taxes, amounts paid or to be paid in settlement and for Expenses, in connection with any claim relating to an indemnifiable event under this Agreement, in such proportion as is deemed fair and reasonable in light of all of the circumstances of such Proceeding in order to reflect (a) the relative benefits received by the Company and Indemnitee as a result of the events or transactions giving cause to such Proceeding, and (b) the relative fault of the Company (and its directors, officers, employees and agents) and Indemnitee in connection with such events or transactions.
19. Identical Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. Only one such counterpart signed by the party against whom enforceability is sought needs to be produced to evidence the existence of this Agreement.
20. Headings. The headings of the paragraphs of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction thereof.
21. Governing Law. The parties agree that this Agreement shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of North Carolina without application of the conflict of laws principles thereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement on and as of the day and year first above written.
| Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc. | ||
| By: | /s/ Huan Liu | |
| Name: | Huan Liu | |
| Title: | CEO | |
| Indemnitee | ||
| [Indemnitee name] Huan Liu | ||
| /s/ Huan Liu | ||
| Address: | [*] | |
[Signature Page to Indemnification Agreement]
Exhibit 10.5
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
THIS INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of October 26, 2022 between Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc., a North Carolina corporation (the “Company”), and Robert W Cook , an individual (“Indemnitee”). This Agreement supersedes and replaces any and all previous agreements between the Company and Indemnitee covering the subject matter of this Agreement.
WITNESSETH THAT:
WHEREAS, Indemnitee performs a valuable service for the Company;
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) has adopted bylaws (the “Bylaws”) providing for the indemnification of the officers and directors of the Company to the maximum extent authorized by the North Carolina Business Corporation Act of 1955 (the “NCBCA”);
WHEREAS, the Bylaws and Article 8 of the NCBCA, as amended (“Article 8”), by their nonexclusive nature, permit contracts between the Company and the officers or directors of the Company with respect to indemnification of its officers or directors;
WHEREAS, this Agreement is supplemental to and in furtherance of the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation (the “Articles of Incorporation”), the Bylaws and any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder;
WHEREAS, in accordance with the authorization as provided by Article 8, the Company may purchase and maintain a policy or policies of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance, covering certain liabilities which may be incurred by its officers or directors in the performance of their obligations to the Company; and
WHEREAS, in order to induce Indemnitee to continue to serve as an officer or director of the Company, the Company has determined and agreed to enter into this contract with Indemnitee.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of Indemnitee’s service as an officer or director after the date hereof, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement:
| (a) | “Corporate Status” means the status of a person who is or was a director (including, without limitation, serving as a member of any committee or subcommittee of the Board), officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of the Company (or any subsidiary of the Company) or of any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise that the person is or was serving at the express written request of the Company. |
| (b) | “Disinterested Director” means a director of the Company who is not and was not a party to the Proceeding in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee. |
| (c) | “Enterprise” means the Company and any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise that Indemnitee is or was serving at the express written request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary. |
| (d) | “Expenses” means all reasonable attorneys’ fees, retainers, court costs, transcript costs, fees of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees, any federal, state, local or foreign taxes imposed on Indemnitee as a result of the actual or deemed receipt of any payments under this Agreement, Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, excise taxes and penalties, and all other disbursements or expenses of the types customarily incurred in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, participating, or being or preparing to be a witness in a Proceeding. Expenses also shall include (i) Expenses incurred in connection with any appeal resulting from any Proceeding, including, without limitation, the premium, security for, and other costs relating to, any cost bond, supersedeas bond, or other appeal bond or its equivalent, and (ii) for purposes of Section 7(d) only, Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the interpretation, enforcement or defense of Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement, by litigation or otherwise. The parties agree that for the purposes of any advancement of Expenses for which Indemnitee has made written demand to the Company in accordance with this Agreement, all Expenses included in the demand that are certified by affidavit of Indemnitee’s counsel as being reasonable shall be presumed conclusively to be reasonable. Expenses, however, shall not include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee or the amount of judgments or fines against Indemnitee. |
| (e) | “Independent Counsel” means a law firm, or a member of a law firm, that is experienced in matters of corporation law and neither presently is, nor in the past five years has been, retained to represent: (i) the Company or Indemnitee in any matter material to either party (other than with respect to matters concerning Indemnitee under this Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar indemnification agreements), or (ii) any other party to the Proceeding giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement. The Company agrees to pay the reasonable fees and expenses of the Independent Counsel referred to above and to fully indemnify the Independent Counsel against any and all Expenses, claims, liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto. |
| (f) | “Proceeding” means any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, claim, counterclaim, cross claim, arbitration, mediation, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing or any other actual, threatened or completed proceeding, whether brought by or in the right of the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil, criminal, administrative, legislative or investigative (formal or informal) nature, including any appeal therefrom, in which Indemnitee was, is or will be involved as a party, potential party, non-party witness or otherwise by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was an officer or director of the Company, by reason of any action taken by Indemnitee or of any inaction on Indemnitee’s part while acting as an officer or director of the Company, or by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other Enterprise or of any action (or failure to act) on Indemnitee’s part while acting pursuant to Indemnitee’s Corporate Status; in each case whether or not Indemnitee is acting or serving in that capacity at the time any liability or Expense is incurred for which indemnification, reimbursement, or advancement of Expenses can be provided under this Agreement; including one pending on or before the date of this Agreement, but excluding one initiated by an Indemnitee pursuant to Section 7 hereof to enforce Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement. If the Indemnitee believes in good faith that a given situation may lead to or culminate in the institution of a Proceeding, this shall be considered a Proceeding under this paragraph. |
2. Indemnification of Indemnitee. The Company hereby agrees to hold harmless and indemnify Indemnitee to the full extent authorized or permitted by the provisions of Article 8, the Articles of Incorporation, and the Bylaws, all as may be amended from time to time. In furtherance of the foregoing indemnification, and without limiting the generality thereof:
| (a) | Proceedings Other Than Proceedings by or in the Right of the Company. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 2(a) if, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or participant in any Proceeding other than a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 2(a), the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law against all Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of those Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee, or on Indemnitee’s behalf, in connection with the Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, and with respect to any criminal Proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful. The parties hereto intend that this Agreement shall provide to the fullest extent permitted by law for indemnification in excess of that expressly permitted by statute, including, without limitation, any indemnification provided by the Articles of Incorporation, the Bylaws, the vote of its stockholders or Disinterested Directors, or applicable law. |
| (b) | Proceedings by or in the Right of the Company. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 2(b) if, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or participant in any Proceeding brought by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 2(b), the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee, or on Indemnitee’s behalf, in connection with the Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. No indemnification of Expenses shall be made under this Section 2(b) in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been finally adjudged by a court to be liable to the Company, unless and only to the extent that the court in which the Proceeding was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification. |
| (c) | Indemnification of Expenses of a Party Who is Wholly or Partly Successful. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, a party to (or a participant in) and is successful, on the merits or otherwise, in any Proceeding or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, in whole or in part, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection therewith. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in the Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in the Proceeding, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter to the fullest extent permitted by law. For purposes of this Section 2(c) and without limitation, the termination of any claim, issue or matter in a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, shall be deemed to be a successful result as to that claim, issue or matter. |
| 3. | Additional Indemnity. |
| (a) | In addition to, and without regard to any limitations on, the indemnification provided for in Section 2 hereof, the Company shall and hereby does indemnify and hold harmless Indemnitee, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, against all Expenses, judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf if, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or participant in any Proceeding (including a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company), including, without limitation, all liability arising out of the negligence or active or passive wrongdoing of Indemnitee. The only limitation that shall exist upon the Company’s obligations pursuant to this Agreement shall be that the Company shall not be obligated to make any payment to Indemnitee that is finally determined (under the procedures, and subject to the presumptions, set forth in Sections 7 and 8 hereof) to be unlawful under North Carolina law. |
| (b) | For the purposes of Section 2(a), the meaning of the phrase “to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law” shall include, but not be limited to: |
(i) to the fullest extent permitted by the provision of the NCBCA that authorizes or contemplates additional indemnification by agreement, or the corresponding provision of any amendment to or replacement of the NCBCA, and
(ii) to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by any amendments to or replacements of the NCBCA adopted after the date of this Agreement that increase the extent to which a corporation may indemnify its officers and directors.
4. Indemnification of Expenses of a Witness. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, a witness or otherwise asked to participate in any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a party, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection therewith.
5. Advancement of Expenses. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary (other than Section 7), the Company shall advance, to the extent not prohibited by law, the Expenses incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection with any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) not initiated by Indemnitee. The Company shall make this advancement within 10 days after the receipt by the Company of a statement or statements from Indemnitee requesting the advance or advances from time to time, whether prior to or after final disposition of the Proceeding. The Indemnitee’s statement or statements shall reasonably evidence the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee and shall include or be preceded or accompanied by an undertaking by or on behalf of Indemnitee to repay any Expenses advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified against the Expenses. Any advances and undertakings to repay pursuant to this Section 5 shall be unsecured and interest free. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the obligation of the Company to advance Expenses pursuant to this Section 5 shall be subject to the condition that, if, when, and to the extent that the Company determines that Indemnitee would not be permitted to be indemnified under applicable law, the Indemnitee shall reimburse the Company for all amounts theretofore paid within 30 days of this determination; provided, however, that if Indemnitee has commenced or thereafter commences legal proceedings in a court of competent jurisdiction to secure a determination that Indemnitee should be indemnified under applicable law, any determination made by the Company that Indemnitee would not be permitted to be indemnified under applicable law shall not be binding and Indemnitee shall not be required to reimburse the Company for any advance of Expenses until a final judicial determination is made with respect thereto (and as to which all rights of appeal therefrom have been exhausted or lapsed). No other form of undertaking shall be required other than the execution of this Agreement.
6. Procedures and Presumptions for Determination of Entitlement to Indemnification. It is the intent of this Agreement to secure for Indemnitee rights of indemnity that are as favorable as may be permitted under Article 8 and the public policy of the State of North Carolina. Accordingly, the parties agree that the following procedures and presumptions shall apply in the event of any question as to whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement:
| (a) | To obtain indemnification (including, but not limited to, the advancement of Expenses and contribution by the Company) under this Agreement, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a written request, including therein or therewith documentation and information as is reasonably available to Indemnitee and is reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification. The Secretary of the Company shall, promptly upon receipt of the written request for indemnification, advise the Board in writing that Indemnitee has requested indemnification. |
| (b) | Upon written request by Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to the first sentence of Section 6(a) hereof, a determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement thereto shall be made in the specific case by one of the following three methods, which shall be at the election of Board: |
| (i) | a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even if less than a quorum; |
| (ii) | Independent Counsel in a written opinion; or |
| (iii) | a vote of the Company’s stockholders. |
| (c) | If the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 6(b)(ii) hereof, the Independent Counsel shall be selected as provided in this Section 6(c). The Independent Counsel shall be selected by the Company. Indemnitee may, within 10 days after written notice of selection shall have been given, deliver to the Company a written objection to the selection; provided, however, that the objection may be asserted only on the ground that the Independent Counsel so selected does not meet the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 1(e) hereof, and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of this assertion. Absent a proper and timely objection, the person so selected shall act as Independent Counsel. If a written objection is made and substantiated, the Independent Counsel selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until the objection is withdrawn or a court has determined that the objection is without merit. If, within 20 days after the later of submission by Indemnitee of a written request for indemnification pursuant to Section 6(a) hereof and the final disposition of the Proceeding, no Independent Counsel shall have been selected and not objected to, either the Company or Indemnitee may petition the court of competent jurisdiction for resolution of any objection which shall have been made by Indemnitee to the selection of Independent Counsel or for the appointment as Independent Counsel of a person selected by the court or by any other person as the court shall designate, and the person with respect to whom all objections are so resolved or the person so appointed shall act as Independent Counsel under Section 6(b) hereof. The Company shall pay any and all reasonable fees and expenses of Independent Counsel incurred by the Independent Counsel in connection with acting pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof, and the Company shall pay all reasonable fees and expenses incident to the procedures of this Section 6(c), regardless of the manner in which the Independent Counsel was selected or appointed. |
| (d) | In making a determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the person, persons or entity making the determination shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, presume that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement. Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion by clear and convincing evidence. |
| (e) | For the purposes of any determination of good faith, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith if Indemnitee’s action is based on the records or books of account of the Enterprise, including financial statements, or on information supplied to Indemnitee by the directors or officers of the Enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for the Enterprise or on information or records given or reports made to the Enterprise by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser or other expert selected with reasonable care by the Enterprise. In addition, the knowledge and actions, or failure to act, of any director, officer, agent or employee of the Enterprise shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to indemnification under this Agreement. Whether or not the foregoing provisions of this Section 6(e) are satisfied, it shall in any event be presumed that Indemnitee has at all times acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion by clear and convincing evidence. |
| (f) | If the person, persons or entity empowered or selected under this Section 6 to determine whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification shall not have made a determination within 30 days after receipt by the Company of the request therefor, the requisite determination of entitlement to indemnification shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, be deemed to have been made and Indemnitee shall be entitled to indemnification absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of indemnification under applicable law; provided, however, that the 30-day period may be extended for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional 15 days, if the person, persons or entity making the determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification in good faith requires additional time to obtain or evaluate documentation and information relating thereto; and provided further, that the foregoing provisions of this Section 6(f) shall not apply if the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by the stockholders pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof and if (x) within 15 days after receipt by the Company of the request for this determination, the Board or the Disinterested Directors, if appropriate, resolve to submit the determination to the stockholders for their consideration at an annual meeting thereof to be held within 75 days after such receipt and such determination is made thereat, or (y) a special meeting of stockholders is called within 15 days after such receipt for the purpose of making such determination, such meeting is held for such purpose within 60 days after having been so called and such determination is made thereat. |
| (g) | Indemnitee shall cooperate with the person, persons or entity making the determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including providing to the person, persons or entity upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to the determination. Any Independent Counsel, member of the Board or stockholder of the Company shall act reasonably and in good faith in making a determination regarding the Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification under this Agreement. Any costs or expenses (including attorneys’ fees and disbursements) incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person, persons or entity making the determination shall be borne by the Company (irrespective of the determination as to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification) and the Company hereby indemnifies and agrees to hold Indemnitee harmless therefrom. |
| (h) | The Company acknowledges that a settlement or other disposition short of final judgment may be successful if it permits a party to avoid expense, delay, distraction, disruption and uncertainty. In the event that any action, claim or proceeding to which Indemnitee is a party is resolved in any manner other than by adverse judgment against Indemnitee (including, without limitation, settlement of such action, claim or proceeding with or without payment of money or other consideration) it shall be presumed that Indemnitee has been successful on the merits or otherwise in such action, suit or proceeding. Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion by clear and convincing evidence. |
| 7. | Remedies of Indemnitee. |
| (a) | In the event that (i) a determination is made pursuant to Section 6 hereof that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement, (ii) advancement of Expenses is not timely made pursuant to Section 5 hereof, (iii) no determination of entitlement to indemnification is made pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof within 90 days after receipt by the Company of the request for indemnification, (iv) payment of indemnification is not made pursuant to this Agreement within 10 days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, (v) payment of indemnification is not made within 10 days after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification or the determination is deemed to have been made pursuant to Section 6 hereof, or (vi) in the event that the Company or any other person takes or threatens to take any action to declare this Agreement void or unenforceable, or institutes any litigation or other action or Proceeding designed to deny, or to recover from the Indemnitee the benefits provided or intended to be provided to the Indemnitee hereunder, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication in an appropriate court of the State of North Carolina, or in any other court of competent jurisdiction, of Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification or advancement of Expenses. Alternatively, Indemnitee, at Indemnitee’s option, may seek an award in arbitration to be conducted by a single arbitrator pursuant to the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association. Indemnitee shall commence the proceeding seeking an adjudication or an award in arbitration within 180 days following the date on which Indemnitee first has the right to commence such proceeding pursuant to this Section 7(a). The Company shall not oppose Indemnitee’s right to seek any such adjudication or award in arbitration. |
| (b) | In the event that a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to this Section 7 shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial, or arbitration, on the merits, and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of the adverse determination under Section 6(b) hereof. In any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 7 the Company shall have the burden of proving Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification or advancement of Expenses, as the case may be. |
| (c) | If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall be bound by this determination in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 7, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of indemnification under applicable law. |
| (d) | In the event that Indemnitee, pursuant to this Section 7, seeks a judicial adjudication of Indemnitee’s rights under, or to recover damages for breach of, this Agreement, or to recover under any directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies maintained by the Company, the Company shall pay on Indemnitee’s behalf, in advance, any and all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in the judicial adjudication, regardless of whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to indemnification, advancement of expenses or insurance recovery. |
| (e) | The Company shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 7 that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in any such court or before any such arbitrator that the Company is bound by all the provisions of this Agreement. |
| (f) | Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, no determination as to entitlement of Indemnitee to indemnification under this Agreement shall be required to be made prior to the final disposition of the Proceeding. |
8. Non-Exclusivity; Survival of Rights; Insurance; Primacy of Indemnification; Subrogation.
| (a) | The rights of indemnification and to receive advancement of Expenses as provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law, the Articles of Incorporation, the Bylaws, any agreement, a vote of stockholders, a resolution of directors or otherwise. No amendment, alteration or repeal of this Agreement or of any provision hereof shall limit or restrict any right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any action taken or omitted by the Indemnitee in Indemnitee’s Corporate Status prior to the amendment, alteration or repeal. To the extent that a change in Article 8, whether by statute or judicial decision, permits greater indemnification or advancement of Expenses than would be afforded currently under the Bylaws and this Agreement, it is the intent of the parties hereto that Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater benefits so afforded by such change. No right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every other right and remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other right or remedy. |
| (b) | To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing liability insurance for directors, officers, employees, or agents or fiduciaries of the Company or of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise that such person serves at the request of the Company, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary under such policy or policies. |
9. Liability Insurance. The Company currently maintains liability insurance applicable to directors, officers, employees, or agents, and, to the extent liability insurance of comparable scope can continue to be purchased at reasonable cost, the Company shall continue to maintain this coverage. Indemnitee shall be covered by these policies in such a manner as to provide the Indemnitee the same rights and benefits as are provided to the most favorably insured of the Company’s directors. The Company shall notify Indemnitee of any change, lapse or cancellation of this coverage.
10. Exception to Right of Indemnification. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, Indemnitee shall not be entitled to indemnification under this Agreement with respect to any Proceeding brought by Indemnitee, or any claim therein, unless (a) the bringing of such Proceeding or making of such claim shall have been approved by the Board or (b) such Proceeding is being brought by Indemnitee to assert, interpret or enforce Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement. The Company shall not be obligated to indemnify Indemnitee against amounts paid in settlement of a Proceeding against Indemnitee if the settlement is effected by Indemnitee without the Company’s prior written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, unless the settlement solely involves the payment of money or performance of any obligation by persons other than the Company and includes an unconditional release of the Company by all relevant parties from all liability on any matters that are the subject of such Proceeding and an acknowledgment that the Company denies all wrongdoing in connection with such matters. The Company shall not, without the prior written consent of Indemnitee, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, effect any settlement of any Proceeding against Indemnitee or which could have been brought against Indemnitee or which potentially or actually imposes any cost, liability, exposure or burden on Indemnitee, unless the settlement solely involves the payment of money or performance of any obligation by persons other than Indemnitee and includes an unconditional release of Indemnitee by all relevant parties from all liability on any matters that are the subject of such Proceeding and an acknowledgment that Indemnitee denies all wrongdoing in connection with such matters.
11. Duration of Agreement. All agreements and obligations of the Company contained herein shall continue during the period Indemnitee is an officer or director of the Company (or is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise) and shall continue thereafter so long as Indemnitee could be subject to any Proceeding (or any proceeding commenced under Section 7 hereof) by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, whether or not Indemnitee is acting or serving in any such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification can be provided under this Agreement. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors (including any direct or indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company), assigns, spouses, heirs, executors and personal and legal representatives.
12. Security. To the extent requested by Indemnitee and approved by the Board, the Company may at any time and from time to time provide security to Indemnitee for the Company’s obligations hereunder through an irrevocable bank line of credit, funded trust or other collateral. Any such security, once provided to Indemnitee, may not be revoked or released without the prior written consent of the Indemnitee.
13. Severability. If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void, illegal or otherwise unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law; and (b) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested thereby. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, this Agreement is intended to confer upon Indemnitee indemnification rights to the fullest extent permitted by applicable laws. In the event any provision hereof conflicts with any applicable law, such provision shall be deemed modified, consistent with the aforementioned intent, to the extent necessary to resolve such conflict.
| 14. | Enforcement. |
| (a) | The Company expressly confirms and agrees that it has entered into this Agreement and assumed the obligations imposed on it hereby in order to induce Indemnitee to serve as a director or officer of the Company, and the Company acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this Agreement in serving as a director or officer of the Company. |
| (b) | This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral, written and implied, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof; provided, however, that this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the Articles of Incorporation, the Bylaws and applicable law, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder. |
15. Modification and Waiver. No supplement, modification, termination or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by both of the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions hereof (whether or not similar) nor shall such waiver constitute a continuing waiver.
16. Notice By Indemnitee. Indemnitee agrees promptly to notify the Company in writing upon being served with or otherwise receiving any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, information or other document relating to any Proceeding or matter which may be subject to indemnification covered hereunder. The failure to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of any obligation which it may have to Indemnitee under this Agreement or otherwise unless and only to the extent that such failure or delay materially prejudices the Company.
17. Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if (a) delivered by hand and receipted for by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been directed, (b) mailed by certified or registered mail with postage prepaid, on the third business day after the date on which it is so mailed, or (c) mailed with a nationally recognized overnight courier specifying next day delivery with written verification of receipt, on the first business day after the date on which it is so mailed:
| (a) | If to Indemnitee, to the address set forth below Indemnitee signature hereto. |
| (b) | If to the Company, to: |
Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc.
6201 Fairview Road, Suite 225
Charlotte, North Carolina, 28210
Attention: Chief Financial Officer
with a copy (which does not constitute notice) to:
Hunter Taubman Fischer & Li LLC
48 Wall Street, Suite 1100
New York, NY 10005
Attention: Ying Li, Esq.
or to any other address as may have been furnished to Indemnitee by the Company or to the Company by Indemnitee, as the case may be.
18. Contribution. To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law, if the indemnification provided for in this Agreement is unavailable to Indemnitee for any reason whatsoever, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying Indemnitee, shall contribute to the amount incurred by Indemnitee, whether for judgments, fines, penalties, excise taxes, amounts paid or to be paid in settlement and for Expenses, in connection with any claim relating to an indemnifiable event under this Agreement, in such proportion as is deemed fair and reasonable in light of all of the circumstances of such Proceeding in order to reflect (a) the relative benefits received by the Company and Indemnitee as a result of the events or transactions giving cause to such Proceeding, and (b) the relative fault of the Company (and its directors, officers, employees and agents) and Indemnitee in connection with such events or transactions.
19. Identical Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. Only one such counterpart signed by the party against whom enforceability is sought needs to be produced to evidence the existence of this Agreement.
20. Headings. The headings of the paragraphs of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction thereof.
21. Governing Law. The parties agree that this Agreement shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of North Carolina without application of the conflict of laws principles thereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement on and as of the day and year first above written.
| Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc. | ||
| By: | /s/ Huan Liu | |
| Name: | Huan Liu | |
| Title: | CEO | |
| Indemnitee | ||
| [Indemnitee name] Robert W Cook | ||
| /s/ Robert W Cook | ||
| Address: | ||
[Signature Page to Indemnification Agreement]
Exhibit 10.6
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
THIS INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of October 14, 2022 between Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc., a North Carolina corporation (the “Company”), and Walter P Folker , an individual (“Indemnitee”). This Agreement supersedes and replaces any and all previous agreements between the Company and Indemnitee covering the subject matter of this Agreement.
WITNESSETH THAT:
WHEREAS, Indemnitee performs a valuable service for the Company;
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) has adopted bylaws (the “Bylaws”) providing for the indemnification of the officers and directors of the Company to the maximum extent authorized by the North Carolina Business Corporation Act of 1955 (the “NCBCA”);
WHEREAS, the Bylaws and Article 8 of the NCBCA, as amended (“Article 8”), by their nonexclusive nature, permit contracts between the Company and the officers or directors of the Company with respect to indemnification of its officers or directors;
WHEREAS, this Agreement is supplemental to and in furtherance of the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation (the “Articles of Incorporation”), the Bylaws and any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder;
WHEREAS, in accordance with the authorization as provided by Article 8, the Company may purchase and maintain a policy or policies of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance, covering certain liabilities which may be incurred by its officers or directors in the performance of their obligations to the Company; and
WHEREAS, in order to induce Indemnitee to continue to serve as an officer or director of the Company, the Company has determined and agreed to enter into this contract with Indemnitee.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of Indemnitee’s service as an officer or director after the date hereof, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement:
| (a) | “Corporate Status” means the status of a person who is or was a director (including, without limitation, serving as a member of any committee or subcommittee of the Board), officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of the Company (or any subsidiary of the Company) or of any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise that the person is or was serving at the express written request of the Company. |
| (b) | “Disinterested Director” means a director of the Company who is not and was not a party to the Proceeding in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee. |
| (c) | “Enterprise” means the Company and any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise that Indemnitee is or was serving at the express written request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary. |
| (d) | “Expenses” means all reasonable attorneys’ fees, retainers, court costs, transcript costs, fees of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees, any federal, state, local or foreign taxes imposed on Indemnitee as a result of the actual or deemed receipt of any payments under this Agreement, Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, excise taxes and penalties, and all other disbursements or expenses of the types customarily incurred in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, participating, or being or preparing to be a witness in a Proceeding. Expenses also shall include (i) Expenses incurred in connection with any appeal resulting from any Proceeding, including, without limitation, the premium, security for, and other costs relating to, any cost bond, supersedeas bond, or other appeal bond or its equivalent, and (ii) for purposes of Section 7(d) only, Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the interpretation, enforcement or defense of Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement, by litigation or otherwise. The parties agree that for the purposes of any advancement of Expenses for which Indemnitee has made written demand to the Company in accordance with this Agreement, all Expenses included in the demand that are certified by affidavit of Indemnitee’s counsel as being reasonable shall be presumed conclusively to be reasonable. Expenses, however, shall not include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee or the amount of judgments or fines against Indemnitee. |
| (e) | “Independent Counsel” means a law firm, or a member of a law firm, that is experienced in matters of corporation law and neither presently is, nor in the past five years has been, retained to represent: (i) the Company or Indemnitee in any matter material to either party (other than with respect to matters concerning Indemnitee under this Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar indemnification agreements), or (ii) any other party to the Proceeding giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement. The Company agrees to pay the reasonable fees and expenses of the Independent Counsel referred to above and to fully indemnify the Independent Counsel against any and all Expenses, claims, liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto. |
| (f) | “Proceeding” means any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, claim, counterclaim, cross claim, arbitration, mediation, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing or any other actual, threatened or completed proceeding, whether brought by or in the right of the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil, criminal, administrative, legislative or investigative (formal or informal) nature, including any appeal therefrom, in which Indemnitee was, is or will be involved as a party, potential party, non-party witness or otherwise by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was an officer or director of the Company, by reason of any action taken by Indemnitee or of any inaction on Indemnitee’s part while acting as an officer or director of the Company, or by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other Enterprise or of any action (or failure to act) on Indemnitee’s part while acting pursuant to Indemnitee’s Corporate Status; in each case whether or not Indemnitee is acting or serving in that capacity at the time any liability or Expense is incurred for which indemnification, reimbursement, or advancement of Expenses can be provided under this Agreement; including one pending on or before the date of this Agreement, but excluding one initiated by an Indemnitee pursuant to Section 7 hereof to enforce Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement. If the Indemnitee believes in good faith that a given situation may lead to or culminate in the institution of a Proceeding, this shall be considered a Proceeding under this paragraph. |
2. Indemnification of Indemnitee. The Company hereby agrees to hold harmless and indemnify Indemnitee to the full extent authorized or permitted by the provisions of Article 8, the Articles of Incorporation, and the Bylaws, all as may be amended from time to time. In furtherance of the foregoing indemnification, and without limiting the generality thereof:
| (a) | Proceedings Other Than Proceedings by or in the Right of the Company. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 2(a) if, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or participant in any Proceeding other than a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 2(a), the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law against all Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of those Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee, or on Indemnitee’s behalf, in connection with the Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, and with respect to any criminal Proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful. The parties hereto intend that this Agreement shall provide to the fullest extent permitted by law for indemnification in excess of that expressly permitted by statute, including, without limitation, any indemnification provided by the Articles of Incorporation, the Bylaws, the vote of its stockholders or Disinterested Directors, or applicable law. |
| (b) | Proceedings by or in the Right of the Company. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 2(b) if, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or participant in any Proceeding brought by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 2(b), the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee, or on Indemnitee’s behalf, in connection with the Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. No indemnification of Expenses shall be made under this Section 2(b) in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been finally adjudged by a court to be liable to the Company, unless and only to the extent that the court in which the Proceeding was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification. |
| (c) | Indemnification of Expenses of a Party Who is Wholly or Partly Successful. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, a party to (or a participant in) and is successful, on the merits or otherwise, in any Proceeding or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, in whole or in part, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection therewith. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in the Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in the Proceeding, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter to the fullest extent permitted by law. For purposes of this Section 2(c) and without limitation, the termination of any claim, issue or matter in a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, shall be deemed to be a successful result as to that claim, issue or matter. |
| 3. | Additional Indemnity. |
| (a) | In addition to, and without regard to any limitations on, the indemnification provided for in Section 2 hereof, the Company shall and hereby does indemnify and hold harmless Indemnitee, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, against all Expenses, judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf if, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or participant in any Proceeding (including a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company), including, without limitation, all liability arising out of the negligence or active or passive wrongdoing of Indemnitee. The only limitation that shall exist upon the Company’s obligations pursuant to this Agreement shall be that the Company shall not be obligated to make any payment to Indemnitee that is finally determined (under the procedures, and subject to the presumptions, set forth in Sections 7 and 8 hereof) to be unlawful under North Carolina law. |
| (b) | For the purposes of Section 2(a), the meaning of the phrase “to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law” shall include, but not be limited to: |
(i) to the fullest extent permitted by the provision of the NCBCA that authorizes or contemplates additional indemnification by agreement, or the corresponding provision of any amendment to or replacement of the NCBCA, and
(ii) to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by any amendments to or replacements of the NCBCA adopted after the date of this Agreement that increase the extent to which a corporation may indemnify its officers and directors.
4. Indemnification of Expenses of a Witness. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, a witness or otherwise asked to participate in any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a party, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection therewith.
5. Advancement of Expenses. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary (other than Section 7), the Company shall advance, to the extent not prohibited by law, the Expenses incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection with any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) not initiated by Indemnitee. The Company shall make this advancement within 10 days after the receipt by the Company of a statement or statements from Indemnitee requesting the advance or advances from time to time, whether prior to or after final disposition of the Proceeding. The Indemnitee’s statement or statements shall reasonably evidence the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee and shall include or be preceded or accompanied by an undertaking by or on behalf of Indemnitee to repay any Expenses advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified against the Expenses. Any advances and undertakings to repay pursuant to this Section 5 shall be unsecured and interest free. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the obligation of the Company to advance Expenses pursuant to this Section 5 shall be subject to the condition that, if, when, and to the extent that the Company determines that Indemnitee would not be permitted to be indemnified under applicable law, the Indemnitee shall reimburse the Company for all amounts theretofore paid within 30 days of this determination; provided, however, that if Indemnitee has commenced or thereafter commences legal proceedings in a court of competent jurisdiction to secure a determination that Indemnitee should be indemnified under applicable law, any determination made by the Company that Indemnitee would not be permitted to be indemnified under applicable law shall not be binding and Indemnitee shall not be required to reimburse the Company for any advance of Expenses until a final judicial determination is made with respect thereto (and as to which all rights of appeal therefrom have been exhausted or lapsed). No other form of undertaking shall be required other than the execution of this Agreement.
6. Procedures and Presumptions for Determination of Entitlement to Indemnification. It is the intent of this Agreement to secure for Indemnitee rights of indemnity that are as favorable as may be permitted under Article 8 and the public policy of the State of North Carolina. Accordingly, the parties agree that the following procedures and presumptions shall apply in the event of any question as to whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement:
| (a) | To obtain indemnification (including, but not limited to, the advancement of Expenses and contribution by the Company) under this Agreement, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a written request, including therein or therewith documentation and information as is reasonably available to Indemnitee and is reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification. The Secretary of the Company shall, promptly upon receipt of the written request for indemnification, advise the Board in writing that Indemnitee has requested indemnification. |
| (b) | Upon written request by Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to the first sentence of Section 6(a) hereof, a determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement thereto shall be made in the specific case by one of the following three methods, which shall be at the election of Board: |
| (i) | a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even if less than a quorum; |
| (ii) | Independent Counsel in a written opinion; or |
| (iii) | a vote of the Company’s stockholders. |
| (c) | If the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 6(b)(ii) hereof, the Independent Counsel shall be selected as provided in this Section 6(c). The Independent Counsel shall be selected by the Company. Indemnitee may, within 10 days after written notice of selection shall have been given, deliver to the Company a written objection to the selection; provided, however, that the objection may be asserted only on the ground that the Independent Counsel so selected does not meet the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 1(e) hereof, and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of this assertion. Absent a proper and timely objection, the person so selected shall act as Independent Counsel. If a written objection is made and substantiated, the Independent Counsel selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until the objection is withdrawn or a court has determined that the objection is without merit. If, within 20 days after the later of submission by Indemnitee of a written request for indemnification pursuant to Section 6(a) hereof and the final disposition of the Proceeding, no Independent Counsel shall have been selected and not objected to, either the Company or Indemnitee may petition the court of competent jurisdiction for resolution of any objection which shall have been made by Indemnitee to the selection of Independent Counsel or for the appointment as Independent Counsel of a person selected by the court or by any other person as the court shall designate, and the person with respect to whom all objections are so resolved or the person so appointed shall act as Independent Counsel under Section 6(b) hereof. The Company shall pay any and all reasonable fees and expenses of Independent Counsel incurred by the Independent Counsel in connection with acting pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof, and the Company shall pay all reasonable fees and expenses incident to the procedures of this Section 6(c), regardless of the manner in which the Independent Counsel was selected or appointed. |
| (d) | In making a determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the person, persons or entity making the determination shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, presume that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement. Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion by clear and convincing evidence. |
| (e) | For the purposes of any determination of good faith, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith if Indemnitee’s action is based on the records or books of account of the Enterprise, including financial statements, or on information supplied to Indemnitee by the directors or officers of the Enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for the Enterprise or on information or records given or reports made to the Enterprise by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser or other expert selected with reasonable care by the Enterprise. In addition, the knowledge and actions, or failure to act, of any director, officer, agent or employee of the Enterprise shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to indemnification under this Agreement. Whether or not the foregoing provisions of this Section 6(e) are satisfied, it shall in any event be presumed that Indemnitee has at all times acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion by clear and convincing evidence. |
| (f) | If the person, persons or entity empowered or selected under this Section 6 to determine whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification shall not have made a determination within 30 days after receipt by the Company of the request therefor, the requisite determination of entitlement to indemnification shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, be deemed to have been made and Indemnitee shall be entitled to indemnification absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of indemnification under applicable law; provided, however, that the 30-day period may be extended for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional 15 days, if the person, persons or entity making the determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification in good faith requires additional time to obtain or evaluate documentation and information relating thereto; and provided further, that the foregoing provisions of this Section 6(f) shall not apply if the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by the stockholders pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof and if (x) within 15 days after receipt by the Company of the request for this determination, the Board or the Disinterested Directors, if appropriate, resolve to submit the determination to the stockholders for their consideration at an annual meeting thereof to be held within 75 days after such receipt and such determination is made thereat, or (y) a special meeting of stockholders is called within 15 days after such receipt for the purpose of making such determination, such meeting is held for such purpose within 60 days after having been so called and such determination is made thereat. |
| (g) | Indemnitee shall cooperate with the person, persons or entity making the determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including providing to the person, persons or entity upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to the determination. Any Independent Counsel, member of the Board or stockholder of the Company shall act reasonably and in good faith in making a determination regarding the Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification under this Agreement. Any costs or expenses (including attorneys’ fees and disbursements) incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person, persons or entity making the determination shall be borne by the Company (irrespective of the determination as to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification) and the Company hereby indemnifies and agrees to hold Indemnitee harmless therefrom. |
| (h) | The Company acknowledges that a settlement or other disposition short of final judgment may be successful if it permits a party to avoid expense, delay, distraction, disruption and uncertainty. In the event that any action, claim or proceeding to which Indemnitee is a party is resolved in any manner other than by adverse judgment against Indemnitee (including, without limitation, settlement of such action, claim or proceeding with or without payment of money or other consideration) it shall be presumed that Indemnitee has been successful on the merits or otherwise in such action, suit or proceeding. Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion by clear and convincing evidence. |
| 7. | Remedies of Indemnitee. |
| (a) | In the event that (i) a determination is made pursuant to Section 6 hereof that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement, (ii) advancement of Expenses is not timely made pursuant to Section 5 hereof, (iii) no determination of entitlement to indemnification is made pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof within 90 days after receipt by the Company of the request for indemnification, (iv) payment of indemnification is not made pursuant to this Agreement within 10 days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, (v) payment of indemnification is not made within 10 days after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification or the determination is deemed to have been made pursuant to Section 6 hereof, or (vi) in the event that the Company or any other person takes or threatens to take any action to declare this Agreement void or unenforceable, or institutes any litigation or other action or Proceeding designed to deny, or to recover from the Indemnitee the benefits provided or intended to be provided to the Indemnitee hereunder, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication in an appropriate court of the State of North Carolina, or in any other court of competent jurisdiction, of Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification or advancement of Expenses. Alternatively, Indemnitee, at Indemnitee’s option, may seek an award in arbitration to be conducted by a single arbitrator pursuant to the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association. Indemnitee shall commence the proceeding seeking an adjudication or an award in arbitration within 180 days following the date on which Indemnitee first has the right to commence such proceeding pursuant to this Section 7(a). The Company shall not oppose Indemnitee’s right to seek any such adjudication or award in arbitration. |
| (b) | In the event that a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to this Section 7 shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial, or arbitration, on the merits, and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of the adverse determination under Section 6(b) hereof. In any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 7 the Company shall have the burden of proving Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification or advancement of Expenses, as the case may be. |
| (c) | If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall be bound by this determination in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 7, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of indemnification under applicable law. |
| (d) | In the event that Indemnitee, pursuant to this Section 7, seeks a judicial adjudication of Indemnitee’s rights under, or to recover damages for breach of, this Agreement, or to recover under any directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies maintained by the Company, the Company shall pay on Indemnitee’s behalf, in advance, any and all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in the judicial adjudication, regardless of whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to indemnification, advancement of expenses or insurance recovery. |
| (e) | The Company shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 7 that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in any such court or before any such arbitrator that the Company is bound by all the provisions of this Agreement. |
| (f) | Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, no determination as to entitlement of Indemnitee to indemnification under this Agreement shall be required to be made prior to the final disposition of the Proceeding. |
8. Non-Exclusivity; Survival of Rights; Insurance; Primacy of Indemnification; Subrogation.
| (a) | The rights of indemnification and to receive advancement of Expenses as provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law, the Articles of Incorporation, the Bylaws, any agreement, a vote of stockholders, a resolution of directors or otherwise. No amendment, alteration or repeal of this Agreement or of any provision hereof shall limit or restrict any right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any action taken or omitted by the Indemnitee in Indemnitee’s Corporate Status prior to the amendment, alteration or repeal. To the extent that a change in Article 8, whether by statute or judicial decision, permits greater indemnification or advancement of Expenses than would be afforded currently under the Bylaws and this Agreement, it is the intent of the parties hereto that Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater benefits so afforded by such change. No right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every other right and remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other right or remedy. |
| (b) | To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing liability insurance for directors, officers, employees, or agents or fiduciaries of the Company or of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise that such person serves at the request of the Company, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary under such policy or policies. |
9. Liability Insurance. The Company currently maintains liability insurance applicable to directors, officers, employees, or agents, and, to the extent liability insurance of comparable scope can continue to be purchased at reasonable cost, the Company shall continue to maintain this coverage. Indemnitee shall be covered by these policies in such a manner as to provide the Indemnitee the same rights and benefits as are provided to the most favorably insured of the Company’s directors. The Company shall notify Indemnitee of any change, lapse or cancellation of this coverage.
10. Exception to Right of Indemnification. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, Indemnitee shall not be entitled to indemnification under this Agreement with respect to any Proceeding brought by Indemnitee, or any claim therein, unless (a) the bringing of such Proceeding or making of such claim shall have been approved by the Board or (b) such Proceeding is being brought by Indemnitee to assert, interpret or enforce Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement. The Company shall not be obligated to indemnify Indemnitee against amounts paid in settlement of a Proceeding against Indemnitee if the settlement is effected by Indemnitee without the Company’s prior written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, unless the settlement solely involves the payment of money or performance of any obligation by persons other than the Company and includes an unconditional release of the Company by all relevant parties from all liability on any matters that are the subject of such Proceeding and an acknowledgment that the Company denies all wrongdoing in connection with such matters. The Company shall not, without the prior written consent of Indemnitee, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, effect any settlement of any Proceeding against Indemnitee or which could have been brought against Indemnitee or which potentially or actually imposes any cost, liability, exposure or burden on Indemnitee, unless the settlement solely involves the payment of money or performance of any obligation by persons other than Indemnitee and includes an unconditional release of Indemnitee by all relevant parties from all liability on any matters that are the subject of such Proceeding and an acknowledgment that Indemnitee denies all wrongdoing in connection with such matters.
11. Duration of Agreement. All agreements and obligations of the Company contained herein shall continue during the period Indemnitee is an officer or director of the Company (or is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise) and shall continue thereafter so long as Indemnitee could be subject to any Proceeding (or any proceeding commenced under Section 7 hereof) by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, whether or not Indemnitee is acting or serving in any such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification can be provided under this Agreement. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors (including any direct or indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company), assigns, spouses, heirs, executors and personal and legal representatives.
12. Security. To the extent requested by Indemnitee and approved by the Board, the Company may at any time and from time to time provide security to Indemnitee for the Company’s obligations hereunder through an irrevocable bank line of credit, funded trust or other collateral. Any such security, once provided to Indemnitee, may not be revoked or released without the prior written consent of the Indemnitee.
13. Severability. If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void, illegal or otherwise unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law; and (b) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested thereby. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, this Agreement is intended to confer upon Indemnitee indemnification rights to the fullest extent permitted by applicable laws. In the event any provision hereof conflicts with any applicable law, such provision shall be deemed modified, consistent with the aforementioned intent, to the extent necessary to resolve such conflict.
| 14. | Enforcement. |
| (a) | The Company expressly confirms and agrees that it has entered into this Agreement and assumed the obligations imposed on it hereby in order to induce Indemnitee to serve as a director or officer of the Company, and the Company acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this Agreement in serving as a director or officer of the Company. |
| (b) | This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral, written and implied, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof; provided, however, that this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the Articles of Incorporation, the Bylaws and applicable law, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder. |
15. Modification and Waiver. No supplement, modification, termination or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by both of the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions hereof (whether or not similar) nor shall such waiver constitute a continuing waiver.
16. Notice By Indemnitee. Indemnitee agrees promptly to notify the Company in writing upon being served with or otherwise receiving any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, information or other document relating to any Proceeding or matter which may be subject to indemnification covered hereunder. The failure to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of any obligation which it may have to Indemnitee under this Agreement or otherwise unless and only to the extent that such failure or delay materially prejudices the Company.
17. Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if (a) delivered by hand and receipted for by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been directed, (b) mailed by certified or registered mail with postage prepaid, on the third business day after the date on which it is so mailed, or (c) mailed with a nationally recognized overnight courier specifying next day delivery with written verification of receipt, on the first business day after the date on which it is so mailed:
| (a) | If to Indemnitee, to the address set forth below Indemnitee signature hereto. |
| (b) | If to the Company, to: |
Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc.
6201 Fairview Road, Suite 225
Charlotte, North Carolina, 28210
Attention: Chief Financial Officer
with a copy (which does not constitute notice) to: Hunter Taubman Fischer & Li LLC
48 Wall Street, Suite 1100
New York, NY 10005
Attention: Ying Li, Esq.
or to any other address as may have been furnished to Indemnitee by the Company or to the Company by Indemnitee, as the case may be.
18. Contribution. To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law, if the indemnification provided for in this Agreement is unavailable to Indemnitee for any reason whatsoever, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying Indemnitee, shall contribute to the amount incurred by Indemnitee, whether for judgments, fines, penalties, excise taxes, amounts paid or to be paid in settlement and for Expenses, in connection with any claim relating to an indemnifiable event under this Agreement, in such proportion as is deemed fair and reasonable in light of all of the circumstances of such Proceeding in order to reflect (a) the relative benefits received by the Company and Indemnitee as a result of the events or transactions giving cause to such Proceeding, and (b) the relative fault of the Company (and its directors, officers, employees and agents) and Indemnitee in connection with such events or transactions.
19. Identical Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. Only one such counterpart signed by the party against whom enforceability is sought needs to be produced to evidence the existence of this Agreement.
20. Headings. The headings of the paragraphs of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction thereof.
21. Governing Law. The parties agree that this Agreement shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of North Carolina without application of the conflict of laws principles thereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement on and as of the day and year first above written.
| Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc. | ||
| By: | /s/ Huan Liu | |
| Name: | Huan Liu | |
| Title: | CEO | |
| Indemnitee | ||
| [Indemnitee name] Walter P Folker | ||
| /s/ Walter P Folker | ||
| Address: | [*] | |
[Signature Page to Indemnification Agreement]
Exhibit 10.7
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
THIS INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of October 14th, 2022, between Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc., a North Carolina corporation (the “Company”), and Xianggeng Huang, an individual (“Indemnitee”). This Agreement supersedes and replaces any and all previous agreements between the Company and Indemnitee covering the subject matter of this Agreement.
WITNESSETH THAT:
WHEREAS, Indemnitee performs a valuable service for the Company;
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) has adopted bylaws (the “Bylaws”) providing for the indemnification of the officers and directors of the Company to the maximum extent authorized by the North Carolina Business Corporation Act of 1955 (the “NCBCA”);
WHEREAS, the Bylaws and Article 8 of the NCBCA, as amended (“Article 8”), by their nonexclusive nature, permit contracts between the Company and the officers or directors of the Company with respect to indemnification of its officers or directors;
WHEREAS, this Agreement is supplemental to and in furtherance of the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation (the “Articles of Incorporation”), the Bylaws and any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder;
WHEREAS, in accordance with the authorization as provided by Article 8, the Company may purchase and maintain a policy or policies of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance, covering certain liabilities which may be incurred by its officers or directors in the performance of their obligations to the Company; and
WHEREAS, in order to induce Indemnitee to continue to serve as an officer or director of the Company, the Company has determined and agreed to enter into this contract with Indemnitee.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of Indemnitee’s service as an officer or director after the date hereof, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement:
| (a) | “Corporate Status” means the status of a person who is or was a director (including, without limitation, serving as a member of any committee or subcommittee of the Board), officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of the Company (or any subsidiary of the Company) or of any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise that the person is or was serving at the express written request of the Company. |
| (b) | “Disinterested Director” means a director of the Company who is not and was not a party to the Proceeding in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee. |
| (c) | “Enterprise” means the Company and any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise that Indemnitee is or was serving at the express written request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary. |
| (d) | “Expenses” means all reasonable attorneys’ fees, retainers, court costs, transcript costs, fees of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees, any federal, state, local or foreign taxes imposed on Indemnitee as a result of the actual or deemed receipt of any payments under this Agreement, Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, excise taxes and penalties, and all other disbursements or expenses of the types customarily incurred in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, participating, or being or preparing to be a witness in a Proceeding. Expenses also shall include (i) Expenses incurred in connection with any appeal resulting from any Proceeding, including, without limitation, the premium, security for, and other costs relating to, any cost bond, supersedeas bond, or other appeal bond or its equivalent, and (ii) for purposes of Section 7(d) only, Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the interpretation, enforcement or defense of Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement, by litigation or otherwise. The parties agree that for the purposes of any advancement of Expenses for which Indemnitee has made written demand to the Company in accordance with this Agreement, all Expenses included in the demand that are certified by affidavit of Indemnitee’s counsel as being reasonable shall be presumed conclusively to be reasonable. Expenses, however, shall not include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee or the amount of judgments or fines against Indemnitee. |
| (e) | “Independent Counsel” means a law firm, or a member of a law firm, that is experienced in matters of corporation law and neither presently is, nor in the past five years has been, retained to represent: (i) the Company or Indemnitee in any matter material to either party (other than with respect to matters concerning Indemnitee under this Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar indemnification agreements), or (ii) any other party to the Proceeding giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement. The Company agrees to pay the reasonable fees and expenses of the Independent Counsel referred to above and to fully indemnify the Independent Counsel against any and all Expenses, claims, liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto. |
| (f) | “Proceeding” means any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, claim, counterclaim, cross claim, arbitration, mediation, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing or any other actual, threatened or completed proceeding, whether brought by or in the right of the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil, criminal, administrative, legislative or investigative (formal or informal) nature, including any appeal therefrom, in which Indemnitee was, is or will be involved as a party, potential party, non-party witness or otherwise by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was an officer or director of the Company, by reason of any action taken by Indemnitee or of any inaction on Indemnitee’s part while acting as an officer or director of the Company, or by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other Enterprise or of any action (or failure to act) on Indemnitee’s part while acting pursuant to Indemnitee’s Corporate Status; in each case whether or not Indemnitee is acting or serving in that capacity at the time any liability or Expense is incurred for which indemnification, reimbursement, or advancement of Expenses can be provided under this Agreement; including one pending on or before the date of this Agreement, but excluding one initiated by an Indemnitee pursuant to Section 7 hereof to enforce Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement. If the Indemnitee believes in good faith that a given situation may lead to or culminate in the institution of a Proceeding, this shall be considered a Proceeding under this paragraph. |
2. Indemnification of Indemnitee. The Company hereby agrees to hold harmless and indemnify Indemnitee to the full extent authorized or permitted by the provisions of Article 8, the Articles of Incorporation, and the Bylaws, all as may be amended from time to time. In furtherance of the foregoing indemnification, and without limiting the generality thereof:
| (a) | Proceedings Other Than Proceedings by or in the Right of the Company. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 2(a) if, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or participant in any Proceeding other than a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 2(a), the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law against all Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of those Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee, or on Indemnitee’s behalf, in connection with the Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, and with respect to any criminal Proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful. The parties hereto intend that this Agreement shall provide to the fullest extent permitted by law for indemnification in excess of that expressly permitted by statute, including, without limitation, any indemnification provided by the Articles of Incorporation, the Bylaws, the vote of its stockholders or Disinterested Directors, or applicable law. |
| (b) | Proceedings by or in the Right of the Company. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 2(b) if, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or participant in any Proceeding brought by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 2(b), the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee, or on Indemnitee’s behalf, in connection with the Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. No indemnification of Expenses shall be made under this Section 2(b) in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been finally adjudged by a court to be liable to the Company, unless and only to the extent that the court in which the Proceeding was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification. |
| (c) | Indemnification of Expenses of a Party Who is Wholly or Partly Successful. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, a party to (or a participant in) and is successful, on the merits or otherwise, in any Proceeding or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, in whole or in part, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection therewith. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in the Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in the Proceeding, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter to the fullest extent permitted by law. For purposes of this Section 2(c) and without limitation, the termination of any claim, issue or matter in a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, shall be deemed to be a successful result as to that claim, issue or matter. |
| 3. | Additional Indemnity. |
| (a) | In addition to, and without regard to any limitations on, the indemnification provided for in Section 2 hereof, the Company shall and hereby does indemnify and hold harmless Indemnitee, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, against all Expenses, judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf if, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or participant in any Proceeding (including a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company), including, without limitation, all liability arising out of the negligence or active or passive wrongdoing of Indemnitee. The only limitation that shall exist upon the Company’s obligations pursuant to this Agreement shall be that the Company shall not be obligated to make any payment to Indemnitee that is finally determined (under the procedures, and subject to the presumptions, set forth in Sections 7 and 8 hereof) to be unlawful under North Carolina law. |
| (b) | For the purposes of Section 2(a), the meaning of the phrase “to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law” shall include, but not be limited to: |
(i) to the fullest extent permitted by the provision of the NCBCA that authorizes or contemplates additional indemnification by agreement, or the corresponding provision of any amendment to or replacement of the NCBCA, and
(ii) to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by any amendments to or replacements of the NCBCA adopted after the date of this Agreement that increase the extent to which a corporation may indemnify its officers and directors.
4. Indemnification of Expenses of a Witness. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, a witness or otherwise asked to participate in any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a party, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection therewith.
5. Advancement of Expenses. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary (other than Section 7), the Company shall advance, to the extent not prohibited by law, the Expenses incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection with any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) not initiated by Indemnitee. The Company shall make this advancement within 10 days after the receipt by the Company of a statement or statements from Indemnitee requesting the advance or advances from time to time, whether prior to or after final disposition of the Proceeding. The Indemnitee’s statement or statements shall reasonably evidence the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee and shall include or be preceded or accompanied by an undertaking by or on behalf of Indemnitee to repay any Expenses advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified against the Expenses. Any advances and undertakings to repay pursuant to this Section 5 shall be unsecured and interest free. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the obligation of the Company to advance Expenses pursuant to this Section 5 shall be subject to the condition that, if, when, and to the extent that the Company determines that Indemnitee would not be permitted to be indemnified under applicable law, the Indemnitee shall reimburse the Company for all amounts theretofore paid within 30 days of this determination; provided, however, that if Indemnitee has commenced or thereafter commences legal proceedings in a court of competent jurisdiction to secure a determination that Indemnitee should be indemnified under applicable law, any determination made by the Company that Indemnitee would not be permitted to be indemnified under applicable law shall not be binding and Indemnitee shall not be required to reimburse the Company for any advance of Expenses until a final judicial determination is made with respect thereto (and as to which all rights of appeal therefrom have been exhausted or lapsed). No other form of undertaking shall be required other than the execution of this Agreement.
6. Procedures and Presumptions for Determination of Entitlement to Indemnification. It is the intent of this Agreement to secure for Indemnitee rights of indemnity that are as favorable as may be permitted under Article 8 and the public policy of the State of North Carolina. Accordingly, the parties agree that the following procedures and presumptions shall apply in the event of any question as to whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement:
| (a) | To obtain indemnification (including, but not limited to, the advancement of Expenses and contribution by the Company) under this Agreement, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a written request, including therein or therewith documentation and information as is reasonably available to Indemnitee and is reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification. The Secretary of the Company shall, promptly upon receipt of the written request for indemnification, advise the Board in writing that Indemnitee has requested indemnification. |
| (b) | Upon written request by Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to the first sentence of Section 6(a) hereof, a determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement thereto shall be made in the specific case by one of the following three methods, which shall be at the election of Board: |
| (i) | a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even if less than a quorum; |
| (ii) | Independent Counsel in a written opinion; or |
| (iii) | a vote of the Company’s stockholders. |
| (c) | If the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 6(b)(ii) hereof, the Independent Counsel shall be selected as provided in this Section 6(c). The Independent Counsel shall be selected by the Company. Indemnitee may, within 10 days after written notice of selection shall have been given, deliver to the Company a written objection to the selection; provided, however, that the objection may be asserted only on the ground that the Independent Counsel so selected does not meet the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 1(e) hereof, and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of this assertion. Absent a proper and timely objection, the person so selected shall act as Independent Counsel. If a written objection is made and substantiated, the Independent Counsel selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until the objection is withdrawn or a court has determined that the objection is without merit. If, within 20 days after the later of submission by Indemnitee of a written request for indemnification pursuant to Section 6(a) hereof and the final disposition of the Proceeding, no Independent Counsel shall have been selected and not objected to, either the Company or Indemnitee may petition the court of competent jurisdiction for resolution of any objection which shall have been made by Indemnitee to the selection of Independent Counsel or for the appointment as Independent Counsel of a person selected by the court or by any other person as the court shall designate, and the person with respect to whom all objections are so resolved or the person so appointed shall act as Independent Counsel under Section 6(b) hereof. The Company shall pay any and all reasonable fees and expenses of Independent Counsel incurred by the Independent Counsel in connection with acting pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof, and the Company shall pay all reasonable fees and expenses incident to the procedures of this Section 6(c), regardless of the manner in which the Independent Counsel was selected or appointed. |
| (d) | In making a determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the person, persons or entity making the determination shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, presume that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement. Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion by clear and convincing evidence. |
| (e) | For the purposes of any determination of good faith, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith if Indemnitee’s action is based on the records or books of account of the Enterprise, including financial statements, or on information supplied to Indemnitee by the directors or officers of the Enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for the Enterprise or on information or records given or reports made to the Enterprise by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser or other expert selected with reasonable care by the Enterprise. In addition, the knowledge and actions, or failure to act, of any director, officer, agent or employee of the Enterprise shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to indemnification under this Agreement. Whether or not the foregoing provisions of this Section 6(e) are satisfied, it shall in any event be presumed that Indemnitee has at all times acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion by clear and convincing evidence. |
| (f) | If the person, persons or entity empowered or selected under this Section 6 to determine whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification shall not have made a determination within 30 days after receipt by the Company of the request therefor, the requisite determination of entitlement to indemnification shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, be deemed to have been made and Indemnitee shall be entitled to indemnification absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of indemnification under applicable law; provided, however, that the 30-day period may be extended for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional 15 days, if the person, persons or entity making the determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification in good faith requires additional time to obtain or evaluate documentation and information relating thereto; and provided further, that the foregoing provisions of this Section 6(f) shall not apply if the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by the stockholders pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof and if (x) within 15 days after receipt by the Company of the request for this determination, the Board or the Disinterested Directors, if appropriate, resolve to submit the determination to the stockholders for their consideration at an annual meeting thereof to be held within 75 days after such receipt and such determination is made thereat, or (y) a special meeting of stockholders is called within 15 days after such receipt for the purpose of making such determination, such meeting is held for such purpose within 60 days after having been so called and such determination is made thereat. |
| (g) | Indemnitee shall cooperate with the person, persons or entity making the determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including providing to the person, persons or entity upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to the determination. Any Independent Counsel, member of the Board or stockholder of the Company shall act reasonably and in good faith in making a determination regarding the Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification under this Agreement. Any costs or expenses (including attorneys’ fees and disbursements) incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person, persons or entity making the determination shall be borne by the Company (irrespective of the determination as to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification) and the Company hereby indemnifies and agrees to hold Indemnitee harmless therefrom. |
| (h) | The Company acknowledges that a settlement or other disposition short of final judgment may be successful if it permits a party to avoid expense, delay, distraction, disruption and uncertainty. In the event that any action, claim or proceeding to which Indemnitee is a party is resolved in any manner other than by adverse judgment against Indemnitee (including, without limitation, settlement of such action, claim or proceeding with or without payment of money or other consideration) it shall be presumed that Indemnitee has been successful on the merits or otherwise in such action, suit or proceeding. Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion by clear and convincing evidence. |
| 7. | Remedies of Indemnitee. |
| (a) | In the event that (i) a determination is made pursuant to Section 6 hereof that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement, (ii) advancement of Expenses is not timely made pursuant to Section 5 hereof, (iii) no determination of entitlement to indemnification is made pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof within 90 days after receipt by the Company of the request for indemnification, (iv) payment of indemnification is not made pursuant to this Agreement within 10 days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, (v) payment of indemnification is not made within 10 days after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification or the determination is deemed to have been made pursuant to Section 6 hereof, or (vi) in the event that the Company or any other person takes or threatens to take any action to declare this Agreement void or unenforceable, or institutes any litigation or other action or Proceeding designed to deny, or to recover from the Indemnitee the benefits provided or intended to be provided to the Indemnitee hereunder, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication in an appropriate court of the State of North Carolina, or in any other court of competent jurisdiction, of Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification or advancement of Expenses. Alternatively, Indemnitee, at Indemnitee’s option, may seek an award in arbitration to be conducted by a single arbitrator pursuant to the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association. Indemnitee shall commence the proceeding seeking an adjudication or an award in arbitration within 180 days following the date on which Indemnitee first has the right to commence such proceeding pursuant to this Section 7(a). The Company shall not oppose Indemnitee’s right to seek any such adjudication or award in arbitration. |
| (b) | In the event that a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to this Section 7 shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial, or arbitration, on the merits, and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of the adverse determination under Section 6(b) hereof. In any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 7 the Company shall have the burden of proving Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification or advancement of Expenses, as the case may be. |
| (c) | If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall be bound by this determination in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 7, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of indemnification under applicable law. |
| (d) | In the event that Indemnitee, pursuant to this Section 7, seeks a judicial adjudication of Indemnitee’s rights under, or to recover damages for breach of, this Agreement, or to recover under any directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies maintained by the Company, the Company shall pay on Indemnitee’s behalf, in advance, any and all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in the judicial adjudication, regardless of whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to indemnification, advancement of expenses or insurance recovery. |
| (e) | The Company shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 7 that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in any such court or before any such arbitrator that the Company is bound by all the provisions of this Agreement. |
| (f) | Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, no determination as to entitlement of Indemnitee to indemnification under this Agreement shall be required to be made prior to the final disposition of the Proceeding. |
8. Non-Exclusivity; Survival of Rights; Insurance; Primacy of Indemnification; Subrogation.
| (a) | The rights of indemnification and to receive advancement of Expenses as provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law, the Articles of Incorporation, the Bylaws, any agreement, a vote of stockholders, a resolution of directors or otherwise. No amendment, alteration or repeal of this Agreement or of any provision hereof shall limit or restrict any right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any action taken or omitted by the Indemnitee in Indemnitee’s Corporate Status prior to the amendment, alteration or repeal. To the extent that a change in Article 8, whether by statute or judicial decision, permits greater indemnification or advancement of Expenses than would be afforded currently under the Bylaws and this Agreement, it is the intent of the parties hereto that Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater benefits so afforded by such change. No right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every other right and remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other right or remedy. |
| (b) | To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing liability insurance for directors, officers, employees, or agents or fiduciaries of the Company or of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise that such person serves at the request of the Company, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary under such policy or policies. |
9. Liability Insurance. The Company currently maintains liability insurance applicable to directors, officers, employees, or agents, and, to the extent liability insurance of comparable scope can continue to be purchased at reasonable cost, the Company shall continue to maintain this coverage. Indemnitee shall be covered by these policies in such a manner as to provide the Indemnitee the same rights and benefits as are provided to the most favorably insured of the Company’s directors. The Company shall notify Indemnitee of any change, lapse or cancellation of this coverage.
10. Exception to Right of Indemnification. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, Indemnitee shall not be entitled to indemnification under this Agreement with respect to any Proceeding brought by Indemnitee, or any claim therein, unless (a) the bringing of such Proceeding or making of such claim shall have been approved by the Board or (b) such Proceeding is being brought by Indemnitee to assert, interpret or enforce Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement. The Company shall not be obligated to indemnify Indemnitee against amounts paid in settlement of a Proceeding against Indemnitee if the settlement is effected by Indemnitee without the Company’s prior written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, unless the settlement solely involves the payment of money or performance of any obligation by persons other than the Company and includes an unconditional release of the Company by all relevant parties from all liability on any matters that are the subject of such Proceeding and an acknowledgment that the Company denies all wrongdoing in connection with such matters. The Company shall not, without the prior written consent of Indemnitee, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, effect any settlement of any Proceeding against Indemnitee or which could have been brought against Indemnitee or which potentially or actually imposes any cost, liability, exposure or burden on Indemnitee, unless the settlement solely involves the payment of money or performance of any obligation by persons other than Indemnitee and includes an unconditional release of Indemnitee by all relevant parties from all liability on any matters that are the subject of such Proceeding and an acknowledgment that Indemnitee denies all wrongdoing in connection with such matters.
11. Duration of Agreement. All agreements and obligations of the Company contained herein shall continue during the period Indemnitee is an officer or director of the Company (or is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise) and shall continue thereafter so long as Indemnitee could be subject to any Proceeding (or any proceeding commenced under Section 7 hereof) by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, whether or not Indemnitee is acting or serving in any such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification can be provided under this Agreement. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors (including any direct or indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company), assigns, spouses, heirs, executors and personal and legal representatives.
12. Security. To the extent requested by Indemnitee and approved by the Board, the Company may at any time and from time to time provide security to Indemnitee for the Company’s obligations hereunder through an irrevocable bank line of credit, funded trust or other collateral. Any such security, once provided to Indemnitee, may not be revoked or released without the prior written consent of the Indemnitee.
13. Severability. If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void, illegal or otherwise unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law; and (b) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested thereby. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, this Agreement is intended to confer upon Indemnitee indemnification rights to the fullest extent permitted by applicable laws. In the event any provision hereof conflicts with any applicable law, such provision shall be deemed modified, consistent with the aforementioned intent, to the extent necessary to resolve such conflict.
| 14. | Enforcement. |
| (a) | The Company expressly confirms and agrees that it has entered into this Agreement and assumed the obligations imposed on it hereby in order to induce Indemnitee to serve as a director or officer of the Company, and the Company acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this Agreement in serving as a director or officer of the Company. |
| (b) | This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral, written and implied, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof; provided, however, that this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the Articles of Incorporation, the Bylaws and applicable law, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder. |
15. Modification and Waiver. No supplement, modification, termination or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by both of the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions hereof (whether or not similar) nor shall such waiver constitute a continuing waiver.
16. Notice By Indemnitee. Indemnitee agrees promptly to notify the Company in writing upon being served with or otherwise receiving any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, information or other document relating to any Proceeding or matter which may be subject to indemnification covered hereunder. The failure to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of any obligation which it may have to Indemnitee under this Agreement or otherwise unless and only to the extent that such failure or delay materially prejudices the Company.
17. Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if (a) delivered by hand and receipted for by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been directed, (b) mailed by certified or registered mail with postage prepaid, on the third business day after the date on which it is so mailed, or (c) mailed with a nationally recognized overnight courier specifying next day delivery with written verification of receipt, on the first business day after the date on which it is so mailed:
| (a) | If to Indemnitee, to the address set forth below Indemnitee signature hereto. |
| (b) | If to the Company, to: |
Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc.
6201 Fairview Road, Suite 225
Charlotte, North Carolina, 28210
Attention: Chief Financial Officer
with a copy (which does not constitute notice) to:
Hunter Taubman Fischer & Li LLC
48 Wall Street, Suite 1100
New York, NY 10005
Attention: Ying Li, Esq.
or to any other address as may have been furnished to Indemnitee by the Company or to the Company by Indemnitee, as the case may be.
18. Contribution. To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law, if the indemnification provided for in this Agreement is unavailable to Indemnitee for any reason whatsoever, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying Indemnitee, shall contribute to the amount incurred by Indemnitee, whether for judgments, fines, penalties, excise taxes, amounts paid or to be paid in settlement and for Expenses, in connection with any claim relating to an indemnifiable event under this Agreement, in such proportion as is deemed fair and reasonable in light of all of the circumstances of such Proceeding in order to reflect (a) the relative benefits received by the Company and Indemnitee as a result of the events or transactions giving cause to such Proceeding, and (b) the relative fault of the Company (and its directors, officers, employees and agents) and Indemnitee in connection with such events or transactions.
19. Identical Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. Only one such counterpart signed by the party against whom enforceability is sought needs to be produced to evidence the existence of this Agreement.
20. Headings. The headings of the paragraphs of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction thereof.
21. Governing Law. The parties agree that this Agreement shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of North Carolina without application of the conflict of laws principles thereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement on and as of the day and year first above written.
| Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc. | ||
| By: | /s/ Huan Liu | |
| Name: | Huan Liu | |
| Title: | CEO | |
| Indemnitee | ||
| [Indemnitee name] Xianggeng Huang | ||
| /s/ Xianggeng Huang | ||
| Address: | [*] | |
[Signature Page to Indemnification Agreement]
Exhibit 10.8
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
THIS INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of October 14th, 2022, between Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc., a North Carolina corporation (the “Company”), and Adam Eilenberg, an individual (“Indemnitee”). This Agreement supersedes and replaces any and all previous agreements between the Company and Indemnitee covering the subject matter of this Agreement.
WITNESSETH THAT:
WHEREAS, Indemnitee performs a valuable service for the Company;
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) has adopted bylaws (the “Bylaws”) providing for the indemnification of the officers and directors of the Company to the maximum extent authorized by the North Carolina Business Corporation Act of 1955 (the “NCBCA”);
WHEREAS, the Bylaws and Article 8 of the NCBCA, as amended (“Article 8”), by their nonexclusive nature, permit contracts between the Company and the officers or directors of the Company with respect to indemnification of its officers or directors;
WHEREAS, this Agreement is supplemental to and in furtherance of the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation (the “Articles of Incorporation”), the Bylaws and any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder;
WHEREAS, in accordance with the authorization as provided by Article 8, the Company may purchase and maintain a policy or policies of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance, covering certain liabilities which may be incurred by its officers or directors in the performance of their obligations to the Company; and
WHEREAS, in order to induce Indemnitee to continue to serve as an officer or director of the Company, the Company has determined and agreed to enter into this contract with Indemnitee.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of Indemnitee’s service as an officer or director after the date hereof, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement:
| (a) | “Corporate Status” means the status of a person who is or was a director (including, without limitation, serving as a member of any committee or subcommittee of the Board), officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of the Company (or any subsidiary of the Company) or of any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise that the person is or was serving at the express written request of the Company. |
| (b) | “Disinterested Director” means a director of the Company who is not and was not a party to the Proceeding in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee. |
| (c) | “Enterprise” means the Company and any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise that Indemnitee is or was serving at the express written request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary. |
| (d) | “Expenses” means all reasonable attorneys’ fees, retainers, court costs, transcript costs, fees of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees, any federal, state, local or foreign taxes imposed on Indemnitee as a result of the actual or deemed receipt of any payments under this Agreement, Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, excise taxes and penalties, and all other disbursements or expenses of the types customarily incurred in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, participating, or being or preparing to be a witness in a Proceeding. Expenses also shall include (i) Expenses incurred in connection with any appeal resulting from any Proceeding, including, without limitation, the premium, security for, and other costs relating to, any cost bond, supersedeas bond, or other appeal bond or its equivalent, and (ii) for purposes of Section 7(d) only, Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the interpretation, enforcement or defense of Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement, by litigation or otherwise. The parties agree that for the purposes of any advancement of Expenses for which Indemnitee has made written demand to the Company in accordance with this Agreement, all Expenses included in the demand that are certified by affidavit of Indemnitee’s counsel as being reasonable shall be presumed conclusively to be reasonable. Expenses, however, shall not include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee or the amount of judgments or fines against Indemnitee. |
| (e) | “Independent Counsel” means a law firm, or a member of a law firm, that is experienced in matters of corporation law and neither presently is, nor in the past five years has been, retained to represent: (i) the Company or Indemnitee in any matter material to either party (other than with respect to matters concerning Indemnitee under this Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar indemnification agreements), or (ii) any other party to the Proceeding giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement. The Company agrees to pay the reasonable fees and expenses of the Independent Counsel referred to above and to fully indemnify the Independent Counsel against any and all Expenses, claims, liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto. |
| (f) | “Proceeding” means any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, claim, counterclaim, cross claim, arbitration, mediation, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing or any other actual, threatened or completed proceeding, whether brought by or in the right of the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil, criminal, administrative, legislative or investigative (formal or informal) nature, including any appeal therefrom, in which Indemnitee was, is or will be involved as a party, potential party, non-party witness or otherwise by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was an officer or director of the Company, by reason of any action taken by Indemnitee or of any inaction on Indemnitee’s part while acting as an officer or director of the Company, or by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other Enterprise or of any action (or failure to act) on Indemnitee’s part while acting pursuant to Indemnitee’s Corporate Status; in each case whether or not Indemnitee is acting or serving in that capacity at the time any liability or Expense is incurred for which indemnification, reimbursement, or advancement of Expenses can be provided under this Agreement; including one pending on or before the date of this Agreement, but excluding one initiated by an Indemnitee pursuant to Section 7 hereof to enforce Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement. If the Indemnitee believes in good faith that a given situation may lead to or culminate in the institution of a Proceeding, this shall be considered a Proceeding under this paragraph. |
2. Indemnification of Indemnitee. The Company hereby agrees to hold harmless and indemnify Indemnitee to the full extent authorized or permitted by the provisions of Article 8, the Articles of Incorporation, and the Bylaws, all as may be amended from time to time. In furtherance of the foregoing indemnification, and without limiting the generality thereof:
| (a) | Proceedings Other Than Proceedings by or in the Right of the Company. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 2(a) if, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or participant in any Proceeding other than a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 2(a), the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law against all Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of those Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee, or on Indemnitee’s behalf, in connection with the Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, and with respect to any criminal Proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful. The parties hereto intend that this Agreement shall provide to the fullest extent permitted by law for indemnification in excess of that expressly permitted by statute, including, without limitation, any indemnification provided by the Articles of Incorporation, the Bylaws, the vote of its stockholders or Disinterested Directors, or applicable law. |
| (b) | Proceedings by or in the Right of the Company. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 2(b) if, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or participant in any Proceeding brought by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 2(b), the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee, or on Indemnitee’s behalf, in connection with the Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. No indemnification of Expenses shall be made under this Section 2(b) in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been finally adjudged by a court to be liable to the Company, unless and only to the extent that the court in which the Proceeding was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification. |
| (c) | Indemnification of Expenses of a Party Who is Wholly or Partly Successful. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, a party to (or a participant in) and is successful, on the merits or otherwise, in any Proceeding or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, in whole or in part, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection therewith. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in the Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in the Proceeding, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter to the fullest extent permitted by law. For purposes of this Section 2(c) and without limitation, the termination of any claim, issue or matter in a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, shall be deemed to be a successful result as to that claim, issue or matter. |
| 3. | Additional Indemnity. |
| (a) | In addition to, and without regard to any limitations on, the indemnification provided for in Section 2 hereof, the Company shall and hereby does indemnify and hold harmless Indemnitee, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, against all Expenses, judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf if, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or participant in any Proceeding (including a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company), including, without limitation, all liability arising out of the negligence or active or passive wrongdoing of Indemnitee. The only limitation that shall exist upon the Company’s obligations pursuant to this Agreement shall be that the Company shall not be obligated to make any payment to Indemnitee that is finally determined (under the procedures, and subject to the presumptions, set forth in Sections 7 and 8 hereof) to be unlawful under North Carolina law. |
| (b) | For the purposes of Section 2(a), the meaning of the phrase “to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law” shall include, but not be limited to: |
(i) to the fullest extent permitted by the provision of the NCBCA that authorizes or contemplates additional indemnification by agreement, or the corresponding provision of any amendment to or replacement of the NCBCA, and
(ii) to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by any amendments to or replacements of the NCBCA adopted after the date of this Agreement that increase the extent to which a corporation may indemnify its officers and directors.
4. Indemnification of Expenses of a Witness. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, a witness or otherwise asked to participate in any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a party, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection therewith.
5. Advancement of Expenses. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary (other than Section 7), the Company shall advance, to the extent not prohibited by law, the Expenses incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection with any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) not initiated by Indemnitee. The Company shall make this advancement within 10 days after the receipt by the Company of a statement or statements from Indemnitee requesting the advance or advances from time to time, whether prior to or after final disposition of the Proceeding. The Indemnitee’s statement or statements shall reasonably evidence the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee and shall include or be preceded or accompanied by an undertaking by or on behalf of Indemnitee to repay any Expenses advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified against the Expenses. Any advances and undertakings to repay pursuant to this Section 5 shall be unsecured and interest free. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the obligation of the Company to advance Expenses pursuant to this Section 5 shall be subject to the condition that, if, when, and to the extent that the Company determines that Indemnitee would not be permitted to be indemnified under applicable law, the Indemnitee shall reimburse the Company for all amounts theretofore paid within 30 days of this determination; provided, however, that if Indemnitee has commenced or thereafter commences legal proceedings in a court of competent jurisdiction to secure a determination that Indemnitee should be indemnified under applicable law, any determination made by the Company that Indemnitee would not be permitted to be indemnified under applicable law shall not be binding and Indemnitee shall not be required to reimburse the Company for any advance of Expenses until a final judicial determination is made with respect thereto (and as to which all rights of appeal therefrom have been exhausted or lapsed). No other form of undertaking shall be required other than the execution of this Agreement.
6. Procedures and Presumptions for Determination of Entitlement to Indemnification. It is the intent of this Agreement to secure for Indemnitee rights of indemnity that are as favorable as may be permitted under Article 8 and the public policy of the State of North Carolina. Accordingly, the parties agree that the following procedures and presumptions shall apply in the event of any question as to whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement:
| (a) | To obtain indemnification (including, but not limited to, the advancement of Expenses and contribution by the Company) under this Agreement, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a written request, including therein or therewith documentation and information as is reasonably available to Indemnitee and is reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification. The Secretary of the Company shall, promptly upon receipt of the written request for indemnification, advise the Board in writing that Indemnitee has requested indemnification. |
| (b) | Upon written request by Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to the first sentence of Section 6(a) hereof, a determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement thereto shall be made in the specific case by one of the following three methods, which shall be at the election of Board: |
| (i) | a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even if less than a quorum; |
| (ii) | Independent Counsel in a written opinion; or |
| (iii) | a vote of the Company’s stockholders. |
| (c) | If the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 6(b)(ii) hereof, the Independent Counsel shall be selected as provided in this Section 6(c). The Independent Counsel shall be selected by the Company. Indemnitee may, within 10 days after written notice of selection shall have been given, deliver to the Company a written objection to the selection; provided, however, that the objection may be asserted only on the ground that the Independent Counsel so selected does not meet the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 1(e) hereof, and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of this assertion. Absent a proper and timely objection, the person so selected shall act as Independent Counsel. If a written objection is made and substantiated, the Independent Counsel selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until the objection is withdrawn or a court has determined that the objection is without merit. If, within 20 days after the later of submission by Indemnitee of a written request for indemnification pursuant to Section 6(a) hereof and the final disposition of the Proceeding, no Independent Counsel shall have been selected and not objected to, either the Company or Indemnitee may petition the court of competent jurisdiction for resolution of any objection which shall have been made by Indemnitee to the selection of Independent Counsel or for the appointment as Independent Counsel of a person selected by the court or by any other person as the court shall designate, and the person with respect to whom all objections are so resolved or the person so appointed shall act as Independent Counsel under Section 6(b) hereof. The Company shall pay any and all reasonable fees and expenses of Independent Counsel incurred by the Independent Counsel in connection with acting pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof, and the Company shall pay all reasonable fees and expenses incident to the procedures of this Section 6(c), regardless of the manner in which the Independent Counsel was selected or appointed. |
| (d) | In making a determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the person, persons or entity making the determination shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, presume that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement. Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion by clear and convincing evidence. |
| (e) | For the purposes of any determination of good faith, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith if Indemnitee’s action is based on the records or books of account of the Enterprise, including financial statements, or on information supplied to Indemnitee by the directors or officers of the Enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for the Enterprise or on information or records given or reports made to the Enterprise by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser or other expert selected with reasonable care by the Enterprise. In addition, the knowledge and actions, or failure to act, of any director, officer, agent or employee of the Enterprise shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to indemnification under this Agreement. Whether or not the foregoing provisions of this Section 6(e) are satisfied, it shall in any event be presumed that Indemnitee has at all times acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion by clear and convincing evidence. |
| (f) | If the person, persons or entity empowered or selected under this Section 6 to determine whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification shall not have made a determination within 30 days after receipt by the Company of the request therefor, the requisite determination of entitlement to indemnification shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, be deemed to have been made and Indemnitee shall be entitled to indemnification absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of indemnification under applicable law; provided, however, that the 30-day period may be extended for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional 15 days, if the person, persons or entity making the determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification in good faith requires additional time to obtain or evaluate documentation and information relating thereto; and provided further, that the foregoing provisions of this Section 6(f) shall not apply if the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by the stockholders pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof and if (x) within 15 days after receipt by the Company of the request for this determination, the Board or the Disinterested Directors, if appropriate, resolve to submit the determination to the stockholders for their consideration at an annual meeting thereof to be held within 75 days after such receipt and such determination is made thereat, or (y) a special meeting of stockholders is called within 15 days after such receipt for the purpose of making such determination, such meeting is held for such purpose within 60 days after having been so called and such determination is made thereat. |
| (g) | Indemnitee shall cooperate with the person, persons or entity making the determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including providing to the person, persons or entity upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to the determination. Any Independent Counsel, member of the Board or stockholder of the Company shall act reasonably and in good faith in making a determination regarding the Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification under this Agreement. Any costs or expenses (including attorneys’ fees and disbursements) incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person, persons or entity making the determination shall be borne by the Company (irrespective of the determination as to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification) and the Company hereby indemnifies and agrees to hold Indemnitee harmless therefrom. |
| (h) | The Company acknowledges that a settlement or other disposition short of final judgment may be successful if it permits a party to avoid expense, delay, distraction, disruption and uncertainty. In the event that any action, claim or proceeding to which Indemnitee is a party is resolved in any manner other than by adverse judgment against Indemnitee (including, without limitation, settlement of such action, claim or proceeding with or without payment of money or other consideration) it shall be presumed that Indemnitee has been successful on the merits or otherwise in such action, suit or proceeding. Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion by clear and convincing evidence. |
| 7. | Remedies of Indemnitee. |
| (a) | In the event that (i) a determination is made pursuant to Section 6 hereof that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement, (ii) advancement of Expenses is not timely made pursuant to Section 5 hereof, (iii) no determination of entitlement to indemnification is made pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof within 90 days after receipt by the Company of the request for indemnification, (iv) payment of indemnification is not made pursuant to this Agreement within 10 days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, (v) payment of indemnification is not made within 10 days after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification or the determination is deemed to have been made pursuant to Section 6 hereof, or (vi) in the event that the Company or any other person takes or threatens to take any action to declare this Agreement void or unenforceable, or institutes any litigation or other action or Proceeding designed to deny, or to recover from the Indemnitee the benefits provided or intended to be provided to the Indemnitee hereunder, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication in an appropriate court of the State of North Carolina, or in any other court of competent jurisdiction, of Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification or advancement of Expenses. Alternatively, Indemnitee, at Indemnitee’s option, may seek an award in arbitration to be conducted by a single arbitrator pursuant to the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association. Indemnitee shall commence the proceeding seeking an adjudication or an award in arbitration within 180 days following the date on which Indemnitee first has the right to commence such proceeding pursuant to this Section 7(a). The Company shall not oppose Indemnitee’s right to seek any such adjudication or award in arbitration. |
| (b) | In the event that a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to this Section 7 shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial, or arbitration, on the merits, and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of the adverse determination under Section 6(b) hereof. In any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 7 the Company shall have the burden of proving Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification or advancement of Expenses, as the case may be. |
| (c) | If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall be bound by this determination in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 7, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of indemnification under applicable law. |
| (d) | In the event that Indemnitee, pursuant to this Section 7, seeks a judicial adjudication of Indemnitee’s rights under, or to recover damages for breach of, this Agreement, or to recover under any directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies maintained by the Company, the Company shall pay on Indemnitee’s behalf, in advance, any and all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in the judicial adjudication, regardless of whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to indemnification, advancement of expenses or insurance recovery. |
| (e) | The Company shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 7 that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in any such court or before any such arbitrator that the Company is bound by all the provisions of this Agreement. |
| (f) | Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, no determination as to entitlement of Indemnitee to indemnification under this Agreement shall be required to be made prior to the final disposition of the Proceeding. |
8. Non-Exclusivity; Survival of Rights; Insurance; Primacy of Indemnification; Subrogation.
| (a) | The rights of indemnification and to receive advancement of Expenses as provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law, the Articles of Incorporation, the Bylaws, any agreement, a vote of stockholders, a resolution of directors or otherwise. No amendment, alteration or repeal of this Agreement or of any provision hereof shall limit or restrict any right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any action taken or omitted by the Indemnitee in Indemnitee’s Corporate Status prior to the amendment, alteration or repeal. To the extent that a change in Article 8, whether by statute or judicial decision, permits greater indemnification or advancement of Expenses than would be afforded currently under the Bylaws and this Agreement, it is the intent of the parties hereto that Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater benefits so afforded by such change. No right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every other right and remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other right or remedy. |
| (b) | To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing liability insurance for directors, officers, employees, or agents or fiduciaries of the Company or of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise that such person serves at the request of the Company, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary under such policy or policies. |
9. Liability Insurance. The Company currently maintains liability insurance applicable to directors, officers, employees, or agents, and, to the extent liability insurance of comparable scope can continue to be purchased at reasonable cost, the Company shall continue to maintain this coverage. Indemnitee shall be covered by these policies in such a manner as to provide the Indemnitee the same rights and benefits as are provided to the most favorably insured of the Company’s directors. The Company shall notify Indemnitee of any change, lapse or cancellation of this coverage.
10. Exception to Right of Indemnification. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, Indemnitee shall not be entitled to indemnification under this Agreement with respect to any Proceeding brought by Indemnitee, or any claim therein, unless (a) the bringing of such Proceeding or making of such claim shall have been approved by the Board or (b) such Proceeding is being brought by Indemnitee to assert, interpret or enforce Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement. The Company shall not be obligated to indemnify Indemnitee against amounts paid in settlement of a Proceeding against Indemnitee if the settlement is effected by Indemnitee without the Company’s prior written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, unless the settlement solely involves the payment of money or performance of any obligation by persons other than the Company and includes an unconditional release of the Company by all relevant parties from all liability on any matters that are the subject of such Proceeding and an acknowledgment that the Company denies all wrongdoing in connection with such matters. The Company shall not, without the prior written consent of Indemnitee, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, effect any settlement of any Proceeding against Indemnitee or which could have been brought against Indemnitee or which potentially or actually imposes any cost, liability, exposure or burden on Indemnitee, unless the settlement solely involves the payment of money or performance of any obligation by persons other than Indemnitee and includes an unconditional release of Indemnitee by all relevant parties from all liability on any matters that are the subject of such Proceeding and an acknowledgment that Indemnitee denies all wrongdoing in connection with such matters.
11. Duration of Agreement. All agreements and obligations of the Company contained herein shall continue during the period Indemnitee is an officer or director of the Company (or is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise) and shall continue thereafter so long as Indemnitee could be subject to any Proceeding (or any proceeding commenced under Section 7 hereof) by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, whether or not Indemnitee is acting or serving in any such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification can be provided under this Agreement. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors (including any direct or indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company), assigns, spouses, heirs, executors and personal and legal representatives.
12. Security. To the extent requested by Indemnitee and approved by the Board, the Company may at any time and from time to time provide security to Indemnitee for the Company’s obligations hereunder through an irrevocable bank line of credit, funded trust or other collateral. Any such security, once provided to Indemnitee, may not be revoked or released without the prior written consent of the Indemnitee.
13. Severability. If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void, illegal or otherwise unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law; and (b) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested thereby. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, this Agreement is intended to confer upon Indemnitee indemnification rights to the fullest extent permitted by applicable laws. In the event any provision hereof conflicts with any applicable law, such provision shall be deemed modified, consistent with the aforementioned intent, to the extent necessary to resolve such conflict.
| 14. | Enforcement. |
| (a) | The Company expressly confirms and agrees that it has entered into this Agreement and assumed the obligations imposed on it hereby in order to induce Indemnitee to serve as a director or officer of the Company, and the Company acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this Agreement in serving as a director or officer of the Company. |
| (b) | This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral, written and implied, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof; provided, however, that this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the Articles of Incorporation, the Bylaws and applicable law, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder. |
15. Modification and Waiver. No supplement, modification, termination or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by both of the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions hereof (whether or not similar) nor shall such waiver constitute a continuing waiver.
16. Notice By Indemnitee. Indemnitee agrees promptly to notify the Company in writing upon being served with or otherwise receiving any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, information or other document relating to any Proceeding or matter which may be subject to indemnification covered hereunder. The failure to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of any obligation which it may have to Indemnitee under this Agreement or otherwise unless and only to the extent that such failure or delay materially prejudices the Company.
17. Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if (a) delivered by hand and receipted for by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been directed, (b) mailed by certified or registered mail with postage prepaid, on the third business day after the date on which it is so mailed, or (c) mailed with a nationally recognized overnight courier specifying next day delivery with written verification of receipt, on the first business day after the date on which it is so mailed:
| (a) | If to Indemnitee, to the address set forth below Indemnitee signature hereto. |
| (b) | If to the Company, to: |
Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc
6201 Fairview Road, Suite 225
Charlotte, North Carolina, 28210
Attention: Chief Financial Officer
with a copy (which does not constitute notice) to:
Hunter Taubman Fischer & Li LLC
48 Wall Street, Suite 1100
New York, NY 10005
Attention: Ying Li, Esq.
or to any other address as may have been furnished to Indemnitee by the Company or to the Company by Indemnitee, as the case may be.
18. Contribution. To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law, if the indemnification provided for in this Agreement is unavailable to Indemnitee for any reason whatsoever, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying Indemnitee, shall contribute to the amount incurred by Indemnitee, whether for judgments, fines, penalties, excise taxes, amounts paid or to be paid in settlement and for Expenses, in connection with any claim relating to an indemnifiable event under this Agreement, in such proportion as is deemed fair and reasonable in light of all of the circumstances of such Proceeding in order to reflect (a) the relative benefits received by the Company and Indemnitee as a result of the events or transactions giving cause to such Proceeding, and (b) the relative fault of the Company (and its directors, officers, employees and agents) and Indemnitee in connection with such events or transactions.
19. Identical Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. Only one such counterpart signed by the party against whom enforceability is sought needs to be produced to evidence the existence of this Agreement.
20. Headings. The headings of the paragraphs of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction thereof.
21. Governing Law. The parties agree that this Agreement shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of North Carolina without application of the conflict of laws principles thereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement on and as of the day and year first above written.
| Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc. | ||
| By: | /s/ Huan Liu | |
| Name: | Huan Liu | |
| Title: | CEO | |
| INDEMNITEE | |
| [Indemnitee name] Adam Eilenberg | |
| /s/ Adam Eilenberg |
Address: [*]
[Signature Page to Indemnification Agreement]
Exhibit 10.9
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
THIS INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of October 14th, 2022, between Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc., a North Carolina corporation (the “Company”), and Vladimir Gavrilovic, an individual (“Indemnitee”). This Agreement supersedes and replaces any and all previous agreements between the Company and Indemnitee covering the subject matter of this Agreement.
WITNESSETH THAT:
WHEREAS, Indemnitee performs a valuable service for the Company;
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) has adopted bylaws (the “Bylaws”) providing for the indemnification of the officers and directors of the Company to the maximum extent authorized by the North Carolina Business Corporation Act of 1955 (the “NCBCA”);
WHEREAS, the Bylaws and Article 8 of the NCBCA, as amended (“Article 8”), by their nonexclusive nature, permit contracts between the Company and the officers or directors of the Company with respect to indemnification of its officers or directors;
WHEREAS, this Agreement is supplemental to and in furtherance of the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation (the “Articles of Incorporation”), the Bylaws and any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder;
WHEREAS, in accordance with the authorization as provided by Article 8, the Company may purchase and maintain a policy or policies of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance, covering certain liabilities which may be incurred by its officers or directors in the performance of their obligations to the Company; and
WHEREAS, in order to induce Indemnitee to continue to serve as an officer or director of the Company, the Company has determined and agreed to enter into this contract with Indemnitee.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of Indemnitee’s service as an officer or director after the date hereof, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement:
| (a) | “Corporate Status” means the status of a person who is or was a director (including, without limitation, serving as a member of any committee or subcommittee of the Board), officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of the Company (or any subsidiary of the Company) or of any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise that the person is or was serving at the express written request of the Company. |
| (b) | “Disinterested Director” means a director of the Company who is not and was not a party to the Proceeding in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee. |
| (c) | “Enterprise” means the Company and any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise that Indemnitee is or was serving at the express written request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary. |
| (d) | “Expenses” means all reasonable attorneys’ fees, retainers, court costs, transcript costs, fees of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees, any federal, state, local or foreign taxes imposed on Indemnitee as a result of the actual or deemed receipt of any payments under this Agreement, Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, excise taxes and penalties, and all other disbursements or expenses of the types customarily incurred in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, participating, or being or preparing to be a witness in a Proceeding. Expenses also shall include (i) Expenses incurred in connection with any appeal resulting from any Proceeding, including, without limitation, the premium, security for, and other costs relating to, any cost bond, supersedeas bond, or other appeal bond or its equivalent, and (ii) for purposes of Section 7(d) only, Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the interpretation, enforcement or defense of Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement, by litigation or otherwise. The parties agree that for the purposes of any advancement of Expenses for which Indemnitee has made written demand to the Company in accordance with this Agreement, all Expenses included in the demand that are certified by affidavit of Indemnitee’s counsel as being reasonable shall be presumed conclusively to be reasonable. Expenses, however, shall not include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee or the amount of judgments or fines against Indemnitee. |
| (e) | “Independent Counsel” means a law firm, or a member of a law firm, that is experienced in matters of corporation law and neither presently is, nor in the past five years has been, retained to represent: (i) the Company or Indemnitee in any matter material to either party (other than with respect to matters concerning Indemnitee under this Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar indemnification agreements), or (ii) any other party to the Proceeding giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement. The Company agrees to pay the reasonable fees and expenses of the Independent Counsel referred to above and to fully indemnify the Independent Counsel against any and all Expenses, claims, liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto. |
| (f) | “Proceeding” means any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, claim, counterclaim, cross claim, arbitration, mediation, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing or any other actual, threatened or completed proceeding, whether brought by or in the right of the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil, criminal, administrative, legislative or investigative (formal or informal) nature, including any appeal therefrom, in which Indemnitee was, is or will be involved as a party, potential party, non-party witness or otherwise by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was an officer or director of the Company, by reason of any action taken by Indemnitee or of any inaction on Indemnitee’s part while acting as an officer or director of the Company, or by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other Enterprise or of any action (or failure to act) on Indemnitee’s part while acting pursuant to Indemnitee’s Corporate Status; in each case whether or not Indemnitee is acting or serving in that capacity at the time any liability or Expense is incurred for which indemnification, reimbursement, or advancement of Expenses can be provided under this Agreement; including one pending on or before the date of this Agreement, but excluding one initiated by an Indemnitee pursuant to Section 7 hereof to enforce Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement. If the Indemnitee believes in good faith that a given situation may lead to or culminate in the institution of a Proceeding, this shall be considered a Proceeding under this paragraph. |
2. Indemnification of Indemnitee. The Company hereby agrees to hold harmless and indemnify Indemnitee to the full extent authorized or permitted by the provisions of Article 8, the Articles of Incorporation, and the Bylaws, all as may be amended from time to time. In furtherance of the foregoing indemnification, and without limiting the generality thereof:
| (a) | Proceedings Other Than Proceedings by or in the Right of the Company. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 2(a) if, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or participant in any Proceeding other than a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 2(a), the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law against all Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of those Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee, or on Indemnitee’s behalf, in connection with the Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, and with respect to any criminal Proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful. The parties hereto intend that this Agreement shall provide to the fullest extent permitted by law for indemnification in excess of that expressly permitted by statute, including, without limitation, any indemnification provided by the Articles of Incorporation, the Bylaws, the vote of its stockholders or Disinterested Directors, or applicable law. |
| (b) | Proceedings by or in the Right of the Company. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 2(b) if, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or participant in any Proceeding brought by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 2(b), the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee, or on Indemnitee’s behalf, in connection with the Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. No indemnification of Expenses shall be made under this Section 2(b) in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been finally adjudged by a court to be liable to the Company, unless and only to the extent that the court in which the Proceeding was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification. |
| (c) | Indemnification of Expenses of a Party Who is Wholly or Partly Successful. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, a party to (or a participant in) and is successful, on the merits or otherwise, in any Proceeding or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, in whole or in part, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection therewith. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in the Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in the Proceeding, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter to the fullest extent permitted by law. For purposes of this Section 2(c) and without limitation, the termination of any claim, issue or matter in a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, shall be deemed to be a successful result as to that claim, issue or matter. |
| 3. | Additional Indemnity. |
| (a) | In addition to, and without regard to any limitations on, the indemnification provided for in Section 2 hereof, the Company shall and hereby does indemnify and hold harmless Indemnitee, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, against all Expenses, judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf if, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or participant in any Proceeding (including a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company), including, without limitation, all liability arising out of the negligence or active or passive wrongdoing of Indemnitee. The only limitation that shall exist upon the Company’s obligations pursuant to this Agreement shall be that the Company shall not be obligated to make any payment to Indemnitee that is finally determined (under the procedures, and subject to the presumptions, set forth in Sections 7 and 8 hereof) to be unlawful under North Carolina law. |
| (b) | For the purposes of Section 2(a), the meaning of the phrase “to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law” shall include, but not be limited to: |
(i) to the fullest extent permitted by the provision of the NCBCA that authorizes or contemplates additional indemnification by agreement, or the corresponding provision of any amendment to or replacement of the NCBCA, and
(ii) to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by any amendments to or replacements of the NCBCA adopted after the date of this Agreement that increase the extent to which a corporation may indemnify its officers and directors.
4. Indemnification of Expenses of a Witness. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, a witness or otherwise asked to participate in any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a party, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection therewith.
5. Advancement of Expenses. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary (other than Section 7), the Company shall advance, to the extent not prohibited by law, the Expenses incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection with any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) not initiated by Indemnitee. The Company shall make this advancement within 10 days after the receipt by the Company of a statement or statements from Indemnitee requesting the advance or advances from time to time, whether prior to or after final disposition of the Proceeding. The Indemnitee’s statement or statements shall reasonably evidence the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee and shall include or be preceded or accompanied by an undertaking by or on behalf of Indemnitee to repay any Expenses advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified against the Expenses. Any advances and undertakings to repay pursuant to this Section 5 shall be unsecured and interest free. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the obligation of the Company to advance Expenses pursuant to this Section 5 shall be subject to the condition that, if, when, and to the extent that the Company determines that Indemnitee would not be permitted to be indemnified under applicable law, the Indemnitee shall reimburse the Company for all amounts theretofore paid within 30 days of this determination; provided, however, that if Indemnitee has commenced or thereafter commences legal proceedings in a court of competent jurisdiction to secure a determination that Indemnitee should be indemnified under applicable law, any determination made by the Company that Indemnitee would not be permitted to be indemnified under applicable law shall not be binding and Indemnitee shall not be required to reimburse the Company for any advance of Expenses until a final judicial determination is made with respect thereto (and as to which all rights of appeal therefrom have been exhausted or lapsed). No other form of undertaking shall be required other than the execution of this Agreement.
6. Procedures and Presumptions for Determination of Entitlement to Indemnification. It is the intent of this Agreement to secure for Indemnitee rights of indemnity that are as favorable as may be permitted under Article 8 and the public policy of the State of North Carolina. Accordingly, the parties agree that the following procedures and presumptions shall apply in the event of any question as to whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement:
| (a) | To obtain indemnification (including, but not limited to, the advancement of Expenses and contribution by the Company) under this Agreement, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a written request, including therein or therewith documentation and information as is reasonably available to Indemnitee and is reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification. The Secretary of the Company shall, promptly upon receipt of the written request for indemnification, advise the Board in writing that Indemnitee has requested indemnification. |
| (b) | Upon written request by Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to the first sentence of Section 6(a) hereof, a determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement thereto shall be made in the specific case by one of the following three methods, which shall be at the election of Board: |
| (i) | a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even if less than a quorum; |
| (ii) | Independent Counsel in a written opinion; or |
| (iii) | a vote of the Company’s stockholders. |
| (c) | If the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 6(b)(ii) hereof, the Independent Counsel shall be selected as provided in this Section 6(c). The Independent Counsel shall be selected by the Company. Indemnitee may, within 10 days after written notice of selection shall have been given, deliver to the Company a written objection to the selection; provided, however, that the objection may be asserted only on the ground that the Independent Counsel so selected does not meet the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 1(e) hereof, and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of this assertion. Absent a proper and timely objection, the person so selected shall act as Independent Counsel. If a written objection is made and substantiated, the Independent Counsel selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until the objection is withdrawn or a court has determined that the objection is without merit. If, within 20 days after the later of submission by Indemnitee of a written request for indemnification pursuant to Section 6(a) hereof and the final disposition of the Proceeding, no Independent Counsel shall have been selected and not objected to, either the Company or Indemnitee may petition the court of competent jurisdiction for resolution of any objection which shall have been made by Indemnitee to the selection of Independent Counsel or for the appointment as Independent Counsel of a person selected by the court or by any other person as the court shall designate, and the person with respect to whom all objections are so resolved or the person so appointed shall act as Independent Counsel under Section 6(b) hereof. The Company shall pay any and all reasonable fees and expenses of Independent Counsel incurred by the Independent Counsel in connection with acting pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof, and the Company shall pay all reasonable fees and expenses incident to the procedures of this Section 6(c), regardless of the manner in which the Independent Counsel was selected or appointed. |
| (d) | In making a determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the person, persons or entity making the determination shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, presume that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement. Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion by clear and convincing evidence. |
| (e) | For the purposes of any determination of good faith, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith if Indemnitee’s action is based on the records or books of account of the Enterprise, including financial statements, or on information supplied to Indemnitee by the directors or officers of the Enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for the Enterprise or on information or records given or reports made to the Enterprise by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser or other expert selected with reasonable care by the Enterprise. In addition, the knowledge and actions, or failure to act, of any director, officer, agent or employee of the Enterprise shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to indemnification under this Agreement. Whether or not the foregoing provisions of this Section 6(e) are satisfied, it shall in any event be presumed that Indemnitee has at all times acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion by clear and convincing evidence. |
| (f) | If the person, persons or entity empowered or selected under this Section 6 to determine whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification shall not have made a determination within 30 days after receipt by the Company of the request therefor, the requisite determination of entitlement to indemnification shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, be deemed to have been made and Indemnitee shall be entitled to indemnification absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of indemnification under applicable law; provided, however, that the 30-day period may be extended for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional 15 days, if the person, persons or entity making the determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification in good faith requires additional time to obtain or evaluate documentation and information relating thereto; and provided further, that the foregoing provisions of this Section 6(f) shall not apply if the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by the stockholders pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof and if (x) within 15 days after receipt by the Company of the request for this determination, the Board or the Disinterested Directors, if appropriate, resolve to submit the determination to the stockholders for their consideration at an annual meeting thereof to be held within 75 days after such receipt and such determination is made thereat, or (y) a special meeting of stockholders is called within 15 days after such receipt for the purpose of making such determination, such meeting is held for such purpose within 60 days after having been so called and such determination is made thereat. |
| (g) | Indemnitee shall cooperate with the person, persons or entity making the determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including providing to the person, persons or entity upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to the determination. Any Independent Counsel, member of the Board or stockholder of the Company shall act reasonably and in good faith in making a determination regarding the Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification under this Agreement. Any costs or expenses (including attorneys’ fees and disbursements) incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person, persons or entity making the determination shall be borne by the Company (irrespective of the determination as to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification) and the Company hereby indemnifies and agrees to hold Indemnitee harmless therefrom. |
| (h) | The Company acknowledges that a settlement or other disposition short of final judgment may be successful if it permits a party to avoid expense, delay, distraction, disruption and uncertainty. In the event that any action, claim or proceeding to which Indemnitee is a party is resolved in any manner other than by adverse judgment against Indemnitee (including, without limitation, settlement of such action, claim or proceeding with or without payment of money or other consideration) it shall be presumed that Indemnitee has been successful on the merits or otherwise in such action, suit or proceeding. Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion by clear and convincing evidence. |
| 7. | Remedies of Indemnitee. |
| (a) | In the event that (i) a determination is made pursuant to Section 6 hereof that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement, (ii) advancement of Expenses is not timely made pursuant to Section 5 hereof, (iii) no determination of entitlement to indemnification is made pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof within 90 days after receipt by the Company of the request for indemnification, (iv) payment of indemnification is not made pursuant to this Agreement within 10 days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, (v) payment of indemnification is not made within 10 days after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification or the determination is deemed to have been made pursuant to Section 6 hereof, or (vi) in the event that the Company or any other person takes or threatens to take any action to declare this Agreement void or unenforceable, or institutes any litigation or other action or Proceeding designed to deny, or to recover from the Indemnitee the benefits provided or intended to be provided to the Indemnitee hereunder, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication in an appropriate court of the State of North Carolina, or in any other court of competent jurisdiction, of Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification or advancement of Expenses. Alternatively, Indemnitee, at Indemnitee’s option, may seek an award in arbitration to be conducted by a single arbitrator pursuant to the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association. Indemnitee shall commence the proceeding seeking an adjudication or an award in arbitration within 180 days following the date on which Indemnitee first has the right to commence such proceeding pursuant to this Section 7(a). The Company shall not oppose Indemnitee’s right to seek any such adjudication or award in arbitration. |
| (b) | In the event that a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to this Section 7 shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial, or arbitration, on the merits, and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of the adverse determination under Section 6(b) hereof. In any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 7 the Company shall have the burden of proving Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification or advancement of Expenses, as the case may be. |
| (c) | If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall be bound by this determination in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 7, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of indemnification under applicable law. |
| (d) | In the event that Indemnitee, pursuant to this Section 7, seeks a judicial adjudication of Indemnitee’s rights under, or to recover damages for breach of, this Agreement, or to recover under any directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies maintained by the Company, the Company shall pay on Indemnitee’s behalf, in advance, any and all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in the judicial adjudication, regardless of whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to indemnification, advancement of expenses or insurance recovery. |
| (e) | The Company shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 7 that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in any such court or before any such arbitrator that the Company is bound by all the provisions of this Agreement. |
| (f) | Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, no determination as to entitlement of Indemnitee to indemnification under this Agreement shall be required to be made prior to the final disposition of the Proceeding. |
8. Non-Exclusivity; Survival of Rights; Insurance; Primacy of Indemnification; Subrogation.
| (a) | The rights of indemnification and to receive advancement of Expenses as provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law, the Articles of Incorporation, the Bylaws, any agreement, a vote of stockholders, a resolution of directors or otherwise. No amendment, alteration or repeal of this Agreement or of any provision hereof shall limit or restrict any right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any action taken or omitted by the Indemnitee in Indemnitee’s Corporate Status prior to the amendment, alteration or repeal. To the extent that a change in Article 8, whether by statute or judicial decision, permits greater indemnification or advancement of Expenses than would be afforded currently under the Bylaws and this Agreement, it is the intent of the parties hereto that Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater benefits so afforded by such change. No right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every other right and remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other right or remedy. |
| (b) | To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing liability insurance for directors, officers, employees, or agents or fiduciaries of the Company or of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise that such person serves at the request of the Company, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary under such policy or policies. |
9. Liability Insurance. The Company currently maintains liability insurance applicable to directors, officers, employees, or agents, and, to the extent liability insurance of comparable scope can continue to be purchased at reasonable cost, the Company shall continue to maintain this coverage. Indemnitee shall be covered by these policies in such a manner as to provide the Indemnitee the same rights and benefits as are provided to the most favorably insured of the Company’s directors. The Company shall notify Indemnitee of any change, lapse or cancellation of this coverage.
10. Exception to Right of Indemnification. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, Indemnitee shall not be entitled to indemnification under this Agreement with respect to any Proceeding brought by Indemnitee, or any claim therein, unless (a) the bringing of such Proceeding or making of such claim shall have been approved by the Board or (b) such Proceeding is being brought by Indemnitee to assert, interpret or enforce Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement. The Company shall not be obligated to indemnify Indemnitee against amounts paid in settlement of a Proceeding against Indemnitee if the settlement is effected by Indemnitee without the Company’s prior written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, unless the settlement solely involves the payment of money or performance of any obligation by persons other than the Company and includes an unconditional release of the Company by all relevant parties from all liability on any matters that are the subject of such Proceeding and an acknowledgment that the Company denies all wrongdoing in connection with such matters. The Company shall not, without the prior written consent of Indemnitee, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, effect any settlement of any Proceeding against Indemnitee or which could have been brought against Indemnitee or which potentially or actually imposes any cost, liability, exposure or burden on Indemnitee, unless the settlement solely involves the payment of money or performance of any obligation by persons other than Indemnitee and includes an unconditional release of Indemnitee by all relevant parties from all liability on any matters that are the subject of such Proceeding and an acknowledgment that Indemnitee denies all wrongdoing in connection with such matters.
11. Duration of Agreement. All agreements and obligations of the Company contained herein shall continue during the period Indemnitee is an officer or director of the Company (or is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise) and shall continue thereafter so long as Indemnitee could be subject to any Proceeding (or any proceeding commenced under Section 7 hereof) by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, whether or not Indemnitee is acting or serving in any such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification can be provided under this Agreement. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors (including any direct or indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company), assigns, spouses, heirs, executors and personal and legal representatives.
12. Security. To the extent requested by Indemnitee and approved by the Board, the Company may at any time and from time to time provide security to Indemnitee for the Company’s obligations hereunder through an irrevocable bank line of credit, funded trust or other collateral. Any such security, once provided to Indemnitee, may not be revoked or released without the prior written consent of the Indemnitee.
13. Severability. If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void, illegal or otherwise unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law; and (b) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested thereby. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, this Agreement is intended to confer upon Indemnitee indemnification rights to the fullest extent permitted by applicable laws. In the event any provision hereof conflicts with any applicable law, such provision shall be deemed modified, consistent with the aforementioned intent, to the extent necessary to resolve such conflict.
| 14. | Enforcement. |
| (a) | The Company expressly confirms and agrees that it has entered into this Agreement and assumed the obligations imposed on it hereby in order to induce Indemnitee to serve as a director or officer of the Company, and the Company acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this Agreement in serving as a director or officer of the Company. |
| (b) | This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral, written and implied, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof; provided, however, that this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the Articles of Incorporation, the Bylaws and applicable law, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder. |
15. Modification and Waiver. No supplement, modification, termination or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by both of the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions hereof (whether or not similar) nor shall such waiver constitute a continuing waiver.
16. Notice By Indemnitee. Indemnitee agrees promptly to notify the Company in writing upon being served with or otherwise receiving any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, information or other document relating to any Proceeding or matter which may be subject to indemnification covered hereunder. The failure to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of any obligation which it may have to Indemnitee under this Agreement or otherwise unless and only to the extent that such failure or delay materially prejudices the Company.
17. Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if (a) delivered by hand and receipted for by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been directed, (b) mailed by certified or registered mail with postage prepaid, on the third business day after the date on which it is so mailed, or (c) mailed with a nationally recognized overnight courier specifying next day delivery with written verification of receipt, on the first business day after the date on which it is so mailed:
| (a) | If to Indemnitee, to the address set forth below Indemnitee signature hereto. |
| (b) | If to the Company, to: |
Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc.
6201 Fairview Road, Suite 225
Charlotte, North Carolina, 28210
Attention: Chief Financial Officer
with a copy (which does not constitute notice) to:
Hunter Taubman Fischer & Li LLC
48 Wall Street, Suite 1100
New York, NY 10005
Attention: Ying Li, Esq.
or to any other address as may have been furnished to Indemnitee by the Company or to the Company by Indemnitee, as the case may be.
18. Contribution. To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law, if the indemnification provided for in this Agreement is unavailable to Indemnitee for any reason whatsoever, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying Indemnitee, shall contribute to the amount incurred by Indemnitee, whether for judgments, fines, penalties, excise taxes, amounts paid or to be paid in settlement and for Expenses, in connection with any claim relating to an indemnifiable event under this Agreement, in such proportion as is deemed fair and reasonable in light of all of the circumstances of such Proceeding in order to reflect (a) the relative benefits received by the Company and Indemnitee as a result of the events or transactions giving cause to such Proceeding, and (b) the relative fault of the Company (and its directors, officers, employees and agents) and Indemnitee in connection with such events or transactions.
19. Identical Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. Only one such counterpart signed by the party against whom enforceability is sought needs to be produced to evidence the existence of this Agreement.
20. Headings. The headings of the paragraphs of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction thereof.
21. Governing Law. The parties agree that this Agreement shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of North Carolina without application of the conflict of laws principles thereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement on and as of the day and year first above written.
| Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc. | ||
| By: | /s/ Huan Liu | |
| Name: | Huan Liu | |
| Title: | CEO | |
| INDEMNITEE | |
| [Indemnitee name] Vladimir Gavrilovic | |
| /s/ Vladimir Gavrilovic |
Address: [*]
[Signature Page to Indemnification Agreement]
Exhibit 10.10
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
THIS INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of October 14th, 2022, between Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc., a North Carolina corporation (the “Company”), and Catherin Chen, an individual (“Indemnitee”). This Agreement supersedes and replaces any and all previous agreements between the Company and Indemnitee covering the subject matter of this Agreement.
WITNESSETH THAT:
WHEREAS, Indemnitee performs a valuable service for the Company;
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) has adopted bylaws (the “Bylaws”) providing for the indemnification of the officers and directors of the Company to the maximum extent authorized by the North Carolina Business Corporation Act of 1955 (the “NCBCA”);
WHEREAS, the Bylaws and Article 8 of the NCBCA, as amended (“Article 8”), by their nonexclusive nature, permit contracts between the Company and the officers or directors of the Company with respect to indemnification of its officers or directors;
WHEREAS, this Agreement is supplemental to and in furtherance of the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation (the “Articles of Incorporation”), the Bylaws and any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder;
WHEREAS, in accordance with the authorization as provided by Article 8, the Company may purchase and maintain a policy or policies of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance, covering certain liabilities which may be incurred by its officers or directors in the performance of their obligations to the Company; and
WHEREAS, in order to induce Indemnitee to continue to serve as an officer or director of the Company, the Company has determined and agreed to enter into this contract with Indemnitee.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of Indemnitee’s service as an officer or director after the date hereof, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement:
| (a) | “Corporate Status” means the status of a person who is or was a director (including, without limitation, serving as a member of any committee or subcommittee of the Board), officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of the Company (or any subsidiary of the Company) or of any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise that the person is or was serving at the express written request of the Company. |
| (b) | “Disinterested Director” means a director of the Company who is not and was not a party to the Proceeding in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee. |
| (c) | “Enterprise” means the Company and any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise that Indemnitee is or was serving at the express written request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary. |
| (d) | “Expenses” means all reasonable attorneys’ fees, retainers, court costs, transcript costs, fees of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees, any federal, state, local or foreign taxes imposed on Indemnitee as a result of the actual or deemed receipt of any payments under this Agreement, Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, excise taxes and penalties, and all other disbursements or expenses of the types customarily incurred in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, participating, or being or preparing to be a witness in a Proceeding. Expenses also shall include (i) Expenses incurred in connection with any appeal resulting from any Proceeding, including, without limitation, the premium, security for, and other costs relating to, any cost bond, supersedeas bond, or other appeal bond or its equivalent, and (ii) for purposes of Section 7(d) only, Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the interpretation, enforcement or defense of Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement, by litigation or otherwise. The parties agree that for the purposes of any advancement of Expenses for which Indemnitee has made written demand to the Company in accordance with this Agreement, all Expenses included in the demand that are certified by affidavit of Indemnitee’s counsel as being reasonable shall be presumed conclusively to be reasonable. Expenses, however, shall not include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee or the amount of judgments or fines against Indemnitee. |
| (e) | “Independent Counsel” means a law firm, or a member of a law firm, that is experienced in matters of corporation law and neither presently is, nor in the past five years has been, retained to represent: (i) the Company or Indemnitee in any matter material to either party (other than with respect to matters concerning Indemnitee under this Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar indemnification agreements), or (ii) any other party to the Proceeding giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement. The Company agrees to pay the reasonable fees and expenses of the Independent Counsel referred to above and to fully indemnify the Independent Counsel against any and all Expenses, claims, liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto. |
| (f) | “Proceeding” means any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, claim, counterclaim, cross claim, arbitration, mediation, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing or any other actual, threatened or completed proceeding, whether brought by or in the right of the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil, criminal, administrative, legislative or investigative (formal or informal) nature, including any appeal therefrom, in which Indemnitee was, is or will be involved as a party, potential party, non-party witness or otherwise by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was an officer or director of the Company, by reason of any action taken by Indemnitee or of any inaction on Indemnitee’s part while acting as an officer or director of the Company, or by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other Enterprise or of any action (or failure to act) on Indemnitee’s part while acting pursuant to Indemnitee’s Corporate Status; in each case whether or not Indemnitee is acting or serving in that capacity at the time any liability or Expense is incurred for which indemnification, reimbursement, or advancement of Expenses can be provided under this Agreement; including one pending on or before the date of this Agreement, but excluding one initiated by an Indemnitee pursuant to Section 7 hereof to enforce Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement. If the Indemnitee believes in good faith that a given situation may lead to or culminate in the institution of a Proceeding, this shall be considered a Proceeding under this paragraph. |
2. Indemnification of Indemnitee. The Company hereby agrees to hold harmless and indemnify Indemnitee to the full extent authorized or permitted by the provisions of Article 8, the Articles of Incorporation, and the Bylaws, all as may be amended from time to time. In furtherance of the foregoing indemnification, and without limiting the generality thereof:
| (a) | Proceedings Other Than Proceedings by or in the Right of the Company. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 2(a) if, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or participant in any Proceeding other than a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 2(a), the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law against all Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of those Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee, or on Indemnitee’s behalf, in connection with the Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, and with respect to any criminal Proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful. The parties hereto intend that this Agreement shall provide to the fullest extent permitted by law for indemnification in excess of that expressly permitted by statute, including, without limitation, any indemnification provided by the Articles of Incorporation, the Bylaws, the vote of its stockholders or Disinterested Directors, or applicable law. |
| (b) | Proceedings by or in the Right of the Company. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 2(b) if, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or participant in any Proceeding brought by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 2(b), the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee, or on Indemnitee’s behalf, in connection with the Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. No indemnification of Expenses shall be made under this Section 2(b) in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been finally adjudged by a court to be liable to the Company, unless and only to the extent that the court in which the Proceeding was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification. |
| (c) | Indemnification of Expenses of a Party Who is Wholly or Partly Successful. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, a party to (or a participant in) and is successful, on the merits or otherwise, in any Proceeding or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, in whole or in part, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection therewith. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in the Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in the Proceeding, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter to the fullest extent permitted by law. For purposes of this Section 2(c) and without limitation, the termination of any claim, issue or matter in a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, shall be deemed to be a successful result as to that claim, issue or matter. |
| 3. | Additional Indemnity. |
| (a) | In addition to, and without regard to any limitations on, the indemnification provided for in Section 2 hereof, the Company shall and hereby does indemnify and hold harmless Indemnitee, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, against all Expenses, judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf if, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or participant in any Proceeding (including a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company), including, without limitation, all liability arising out of the negligence or active or passive wrongdoing of Indemnitee. The only limitation that shall exist upon the Company’s obligations pursuant to this Agreement shall be that the Company shall not be obligated to make any payment to Indemnitee that is finally determined (under the procedures, and subject to the presumptions, set forth in Sections 7 and 8 hereof) to be unlawful under North Carolina law. |
| (b) | For the purposes of Section 2(a), the meaning of the phrase “to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law” shall include, but not be limited to: |
(i) to the fullest extent permitted by the provision of the NCBCA that authorizes or contemplates additional indemnification by agreement, or the corresponding provision of any amendment to or replacement of the NCBCA, and
(ii) to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by any amendments to or replacements of the NCBCA adopted after the date of this Agreement that increase the extent to which a corporation may indemnify its officers and directors.
4. Indemnification of Expenses of a Witness. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, a witness or otherwise asked to participate in any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a party, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection therewith.
5. Advancement of Expenses. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary (other than Section 7), the Company shall advance, to the extent not prohibited by law, the Expenses incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection with any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) not initiated by Indemnitee. The Company shall make this advancement within 10 days after the receipt by the Company of a statement or statements from Indemnitee requesting the advance or advances from time to time, whether prior to or after final disposition of the Proceeding. The Indemnitee’s statement or statements shall reasonably evidence the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee and shall include or be preceded or accompanied by an undertaking by or on behalf of Indemnitee to repay any Expenses advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified against the Expenses. Any advances and undertakings to repay pursuant to this Section 5 shall be unsecured and interest free. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the obligation of the Company to advance Expenses pursuant to this Section 5 shall be subject to the condition that, if, when, and to the extent that the Company determines that Indemnitee would not be permitted to be indemnified under applicable law, the Indemnitee shall reimburse the Company for all amounts theretofore paid within 30 days of this determination; provided, however, that if Indemnitee has commenced or thereafter commences legal proceedings in a court of competent jurisdiction to secure a determination that Indemnitee should be indemnified under applicable law, any determination made by the Company that Indemnitee would not be permitted to be indemnified under applicable law shall not be binding and Indemnitee shall not be required to reimburse the Company for any advance of Expenses until a final judicial determination is made with respect thereto (and as to which all rights of appeal therefrom have been exhausted or lapsed). No other form of undertaking shall be required other than the execution of this Agreement.
6. Procedures and Presumptions for Determination of Entitlement to Indemnification. It is the intent of this Agreement to secure for Indemnitee rights of indemnity that are as favorable as may be permitted under Article 8 and the public policy of the State of North Carolina. Accordingly, the parties agree that the following procedures and presumptions shall apply in the event of any question as to whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement:
| (a) | To obtain indemnification (including, but not limited to, the advancement of Expenses and contribution by the Company) under this Agreement, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a written request, including therein or therewith documentation and information as is reasonably available to Indemnitee and is reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification. The Secretary of the Company shall, promptly upon receipt of the written request for indemnification, advise the Board in writing that Indemnitee has requested indemnification. |
| (b) | Upon written request by Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to the first sentence of Section 6(a) hereof, a determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement thereto shall be made in the specific case by one of the following three methods, which shall be at the election of Board: |
| (i) | a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even if less than a quorum; |
| (ii) | Independent Counsel in a written opinion; or |
| (iii) | a vote of the Company’s stockholders. |
| (c) | If the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 6(b)(ii) hereof, the Independent Counsel shall be selected as provided in this Section 6(c). The Independent Counsel shall be selected by the Company. Indemnitee may, within 10 days after written notice of selection shall have been given, deliver to the Company a written objection to the selection; provided, however, that the objection may be asserted only on the ground that the Independent Counsel so selected does not meet the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 1(e) hereof, and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of this assertion. Absent a proper and timely objection, the person so selected shall act as Independent Counsel. If a written objection is made and substantiated, the Independent Counsel selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until the objection is withdrawn or a court has determined that the objection is without merit. If, within 20 days after the later of submission by Indemnitee of a written request for indemnification pursuant to Section 6(a) hereof and the final disposition of the Proceeding, no Independent Counsel shall have been selected and not objected to, either the Company or Indemnitee may petition the court of competent jurisdiction for resolution of any objection which shall have been made by Indemnitee to the selection of Independent Counsel or for the appointment as Independent Counsel of a person selected by the court or by any other person as the court shall designate, and the person with respect to whom all objections are so resolved or the person so appointed shall act as Independent Counsel under Section 6(b) hereof. The Company shall pay any and all reasonable fees and expenses of Independent Counsel incurred by the Independent Counsel in connection with acting pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof, and the Company shall pay all reasonable fees and expenses incident to the procedures of this Section 6(c), regardless of the manner in which the Independent Counsel was selected or appointed. |
| (d) | In making a determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the person, persons or entity making the determination shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, presume that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement. Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion by clear and convincing evidence. |
| (e) | For the purposes of any determination of good faith, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith if Indemnitee’s action is based on the records or books of account of the Enterprise, including financial statements, or on information supplied to Indemnitee by the directors or officers of the Enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for the Enterprise or on information or records given or reports made to the Enterprise by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser or other expert selected with reasonable care by the Enterprise. In addition, the knowledge and actions, or failure to act, of any director, officer, agent or employee of the Enterprise shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to indemnification under this Agreement. Whether or not the foregoing provisions of this Section 6(e) are satisfied, it shall in any event be presumed that Indemnitee has at all times acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion by clear and convincing evidence. |
| (f) | If the person, persons or entity empowered or selected under this Section 6 to determine whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification shall not have made a determination within 30 days after receipt by the Company of the request therefor, the requisite determination of entitlement to indemnification shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, be deemed to have been made and Indemnitee shall be entitled to indemnification absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of indemnification under applicable law; provided, however, that the 30-day period may be extended for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional 15 days, if the person, persons or entity making the determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification in good faith requires additional time to obtain or evaluate documentation and information relating thereto; and provided further, that the foregoing provisions of this Section 6(f) shall not apply if the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by the stockholders pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof and if (x) within 15 days after receipt by the Company of the request for this determination, the Board or the Disinterested Directors, if appropriate, resolve to submit the determination to the stockholders for their consideration at an annual meeting thereof to be held within 75 days after such receipt and such determination is made thereat, or (y) a special meeting of stockholders is called within 15 days after such receipt for the purpose of making such determination, such meeting is held for such purpose within 60 days after having been so called and such determination is made thereat. |
| (g) | Indemnitee shall cooperate with the person, persons or entity making the determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including providing to the person, persons or entity upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to the determination. Any Independent Counsel, member of the Board or stockholder of the Company shall act reasonably and in good faith in making a determination regarding the Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification under this Agreement. Any costs or expenses (including attorneys’ fees and disbursements) incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person, persons or entity making the determination shall be borne by the Company (irrespective of the determination as to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification) and the Company hereby indemnifies and agrees to hold Indemnitee harmless therefrom. |
| (h) | The Company acknowledges that a settlement or other disposition short of final judgment may be successful if it permits a party to avoid expense, delay, distraction, disruption and uncertainty. In the event that any action, claim or proceeding to which Indemnitee is a party is resolved in any manner other than by adverse judgment against Indemnitee (including, without limitation, settlement of such action, claim or proceeding with or without payment of money or other consideration) it shall be presumed that Indemnitee has been successful on the merits or otherwise in such action, suit or proceeding. Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion by clear and convincing evidence. |
| 7. | Remedies of Indemnitee. |
| (a) | In the event that (i) a determination is made pursuant to Section 6 hereof that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement, (ii) advancement of Expenses is not timely made pursuant to Section 5 hereof, (iii) no determination of entitlement to indemnification is made pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof within 90 days after receipt by the Company of the request for indemnification, (iv) payment of indemnification is not made pursuant to this Agreement within 10 days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, (v) payment of indemnification is not made within 10 days after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification or the determination is deemed to have been made pursuant to Section 6 hereof, or (vi) in the event that the Company or any other person takes or threatens to take any action to declare this Agreement void or unenforceable, or institutes any litigation or other action or Proceeding designed to deny, or to recover from the Indemnitee the benefits provided or intended to be provided to the Indemnitee hereunder, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication in an appropriate court of the State of North Carolina, or in any other court of competent jurisdiction, of Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification or advancement of Expenses. Alternatively, Indemnitee, at Indemnitee’s option, may seek an award in arbitration to be conducted by a single arbitrator pursuant to the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association. Indemnitee shall commence the proceeding seeking an adjudication or an award in arbitration within 180 days following the date on which Indemnitee first has the right to commence such proceeding pursuant to this Section 7(a). The Company shall not oppose Indemnitee’s right to seek any such adjudication or award in arbitration. |
| (b) | In the event that a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to this Section 7 shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial, or arbitration, on the merits, and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of the adverse determination under Section 6(b) hereof. In any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 7 the Company shall have the burden of proving Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification or advancement of Expenses, as the case may be. |
| (c) | If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall be bound by this determination in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 7, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of indemnification under applicable law. |
| (d) | In the event that Indemnitee, pursuant to this Section 7, seeks a judicial adjudication of Indemnitee’s rights under, or to recover damages for breach of, this Agreement, or to recover under any directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies maintained by the Company, the Company shall pay on Indemnitee’s behalf, in advance, any and all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in the judicial adjudication, regardless of whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to indemnification, advancement of expenses or insurance recovery. |
| (e) | The Company shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 7 that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in any such court or before any such arbitrator that the Company is bound by all the provisions of this Agreement. |
| (f) | Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, no determination as to entitlement of Indemnitee to indemnification under this Agreement shall be required to be made prior to the final disposition of the Proceeding. |
8. Non-Exclusivity; Survival of Rights; Insurance; Primacy of Indemnification; Subrogation.
| (a) | The rights of indemnification and to receive advancement of Expenses as provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law, the Articles of Incorporation, the Bylaws, any agreement, a vote of stockholders, a resolution of directors or otherwise. No amendment, alteration or repeal of this Agreement or of any provision hereof shall limit or restrict any right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any action taken or omitted by the Indemnitee in Indemnitee’s Corporate Status prior to the amendment, alteration or repeal. To the extent that a change in Article 8, whether by statute or judicial decision, permits greater indemnification or advancement of Expenses than would be afforded currently under the Bylaws and this Agreement, it is the intent of the parties hereto that Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater benefits so afforded by such change. No right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every other right and remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other right or remedy. |
| (b) | To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing liability insurance for directors, officers, employees, or agents or fiduciaries of the Company or of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise that such person serves at the request of the Company, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary under such policy or policies. |
9. Liability Insurance. The Company currently maintains liability insurance applicable to directors, officers, employees, or agents, and, to the extent liability insurance of comparable scope can continue to be purchased at reasonable cost, the Company shall continue to maintain this coverage. Indemnitee shall be covered by these policies in such a manner as to provide the Indemnitee the same rights and benefits as are provided to the most favorably insured of the Company’s directors. The Company shall notify Indemnitee of any change, lapse or cancellation of this coverage.
10. Exception to Right of Indemnification. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, Indemnitee shall not be entitled to indemnification under this Agreement with respect to any Proceeding brought by Indemnitee, or any claim therein, unless (a) the bringing of such Proceeding or making of such claim shall have been approved by the Board or (b) such Proceeding is being brought by Indemnitee to assert, interpret or enforce Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement. The Company shall not be obligated to indemnify Indemnitee against amounts paid in settlement of a Proceeding against Indemnitee if the settlement is effected by Indemnitee without the Company’s prior written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, unless the settlement solely involves the payment of money or performance of any obligation by persons other than the Company and includes an unconditional release of the Company by all relevant parties from all liability on any matters that are the subject of such Proceeding and an acknowledgment that the Company denies all wrongdoing in connection with such matters. The Company shall not, without the prior written consent of Indemnitee, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, effect any settlement of any Proceeding against Indemnitee or which could have been brought against Indemnitee or which potentially or actually imposes any cost, liability, exposure or burden on Indemnitee, unless the settlement solely involves the payment of money or performance of any obligation by persons other than Indemnitee and includes an unconditional release of Indemnitee by all relevant parties from all liability on any matters that are the subject of such Proceeding and an acknowledgment that Indemnitee denies all wrongdoing in connection with such matters.
11. Duration of Agreement. All agreements and obligations of the Company contained herein shall continue during the period Indemnitee is an officer or director of the Company (or is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise) and shall continue thereafter so long as Indemnitee could be subject to any Proceeding (or any proceeding commenced under Section 7 hereof) by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, whether or not Indemnitee is acting or serving in any such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification can be provided under this Agreement. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors (including any direct or indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company), assigns, spouses, heirs, executors and personal and legal representatives.
12. Security. To the extent requested by Indemnitee and approved by the Board, the Company may at any time and from time to time provide security to Indemnitee for the Company’s obligations hereunder through an irrevocable bank line of credit, funded trust or other collateral. Any such security, once provided to Indemnitee, may not be revoked or released without the prior written consent of the Indemnitee.
13. Severability. If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void, illegal or otherwise unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law; and (b) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested thereby. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, this Agreement is intended to confer upon Indemnitee indemnification rights to the fullest extent permitted by applicable laws. In the event any provision hereof conflicts with any applicable law, such provision shall be deemed modified, consistent with the aforementioned intent, to the extent necessary to resolve such conflict.
| 14. | Enforcement. |
| (a) | The Company expressly confirms and agrees that it has entered into this Agreement and assumed the obligations imposed on it hereby in order to induce Indemnitee to serve as a director or officer of the Company, and the Company acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this Agreement in serving as a director or officer of the Company. |
| (b) | This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral, written and implied, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof; provided, however, that this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the Articles of Incorporation, the Bylaws and applicable law, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder. |
15. Modification and Waiver. No supplement, modification, termination or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by both of the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions hereof (whether or not similar) nor shall such waiver constitute a continuing waiver.
16. Notice By Indemnitee. Indemnitee agrees promptly to notify the Company in writing upon being served with or otherwise receiving any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, information or other document relating to any Proceeding or matter which may be subject to indemnification covered hereunder. The failure to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of any obligation which it may have to Indemnitee under this Agreement or otherwise unless and only to the extent that such failure or delay materially prejudices the Company.
17. Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if (a) delivered by hand and receipted for by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been directed, (b) mailed by certified or registered mail with postage prepaid, on the third business day after the date on which it is so mailed, or (c) mailed with a nationally recognized overnight courier specifying next day delivery with written verification of receipt, on the first business day after the date on which it is so mailed:
| (a) | If to Indemnitee, to the address set forth below Indemnitee signature hereto. |
| (b) | If to the Company, to: |
Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc.
6201 Fairview Road, Suite 225
Charlotte, North Carolina, 28210
Attention: Chief Financial Officer
with a copy (which does not constitute notice) to:
Hunter Taubman Fischer & Li LLC
48 Wall Street, Suite 1100
New York, NY 10005
Attention: Ying Li, Esq.
or to any other address as may have been furnished to Indemnitee by the Company or to the Company by Indemnitee, as the case may be.
18. Contribution. To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law, if the indemnification provided for in this Agreement is unavailable to Indemnitee for any reason whatsoever, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying Indemnitee, shall contribute to the amount incurred by Indemnitee, whether for judgments, fines, penalties, excise taxes, amounts paid or to be paid in settlement and for Expenses, in connection with any claim relating to an indemnifiable event under this Agreement, in such proportion as is deemed fair and reasonable in light of all of the circumstances of such Proceeding in order to reflect (a) the relative benefits received by the Company and Indemnitee as a result of the events or transactions giving cause to such Proceeding, and (b) the relative fault of the Company (and its directors, officers, employees and agents) and Indemnitee in connection with such events or transactions.
19. Identical Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. Only one such counterpart signed by the party against whom enforceability is sought needs to be produced to evidence the existence of this Agreement.
20. Headings. The headings of the paragraphs of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction thereof.
21. Governing Law. The parties agree that this Agreement shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of North Carolina without application of the conflict of laws principles thereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement on and as of the day and year first above written.
| Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc. | ||
| By: | /s/ Huan Liu | |
| Name: | Huan Liu | |
| Title: | CEO | |
| INDEMNITEE | ||
| [Indemnitee name] Catherine Chen | ||
| /s/ Catherine Chen | ||
| Address: [*] | ||
[Signature Page to Indemnification Agreement]
Exhibit 10.11
August 31st, 2022
Mr./Ms. XIANGGENG HUANG
[*]
Re: Director Offer Letter
Dear Mr./Ms. XIANGGENG HUANG,
Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc., a North Carolina corporation (the “Company”), is pleased to offer you a position as a member of its board of directors (the “Board”). We believe your background and experience will be a significant asset to the Company and we look forward to your participation on the Board. Should you choose to accept this position as a member of the Board, this letter agreement (this “Agreement”) shall constitute an agreement between you and the Company and contains all the terms and conditions relating to the services you agree to provide to the Company. Your commencement date is the date of the closing of the Company’s initial public offering (the “Public Trading Date”).
1. Term. This Agreement is effective upon your acceptance and signature below. Your term as a director shall commence upon you being elected to the Board. Subject to the Company’s bylaws and articles of incorporation, as amended, and the provisions in Section 8 below, your term shall continue until your successor is duly elected and qualified. The position shall be up for re-election each year at the annual shareholder’s meeting, and upon re-election, the terms and provisions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.
2. Services. You shall render services as a member of the Board (hereinafter, your “Duties”). During the term of this Agreement, you shall attend and participate in such number of meetings of the Board and of the Board committee(s) of which you are a member as regularly or specially called. You may attend and participate at each such meeting via teleconference, video conference, or in person. You shall consult with the other members of the Board and Board committee(s) as necessary via telephone, electronic mail, or other forms of correspondence.
3. Compensation. As compensation for your services to the Company, you will receive compensation as set forth on Schedule A attached hereto (hereinafter, the “Compensation”) for serving on the Board during your term as a director. You shall be reimbursed for reasonable and approved expenses incurred by you in connection with the performance of your Duties.
4. No Assignment. Because of the personal nature of the services to be rendered by you, this Agreement may not be assigned by you without the prior written consent of the Company.
5. Confidential Information; Non-Disclosure. In consideration of your access to certain Confidential Information (as defined below) of the Company, and in connection with your business relationship with the Company, you hereby represent and agree as follows:
a. Definition. For purposes of this Agreement the term “Confidential Information” means:
i. Any information which the Company possesses that has been created, discovered, or developed by or for the Company, and which has or could have commercial value or utility in the business in which the Company is engaged; or
ii. Any information which is related to the business of the Company and is generally not known by non- Company personnel.
iii. Confidential Information includes, without limitation, trade secrets and any information concerning services provided by the Company, concepts, ideas, improvements, techniques, methods, research, data, know-how, software, formats, marketing plans, general analyses, business plans and analyses, strategies, forecasts, customer and supplier identities, characteristics and agreements.
b. Exclusions. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Confidential Information” shall not include:
i. Any information which becomes generally available to the public other than as a result of a breach of the confidentiality portions of this Agreement, or any other agreement requiring confidentiality between the Company and you;
ii. Information received from a third party in rightful possession of such information who is not restricted from disclosing such information; and
iii. Information known by you prior to receipt of such information from the Company, which prior knowledge can be documented.
c. Documents. You agree that, without the express written consent of the Company, you will not remove from the Company’s premises, any notes, formulas, programs, data, records, machines, or any other documents or items which in any manner contain or constitute Confidential Information, nor will you make reproductions or copies of same. You shall promptly return any such documents or items, along with any reproductions or copies, to the Company upon the earliest of Company’s demand, termination of this Agreement, or your termination or Resignation, as defined in Section 8 herein.
d. Confidentiality. You agree that you will hold in trust and confidence all Confidential Information and will not disclose to others, directly or indirectly, any Confidential Information or anything relating to such information without the prior written consent of the Company, except as maybe necessary in the course of your business relationship with the Company. You further agree that you will not use any Confidential Information without the prior written consent of the Company, except as may be necessary in the course of your business relationship with the Company, and that the provisions of this paragraph (d) shall survive termination of this Agreement.
e. Ownership. You agree that Company shall own all right, title, and interest (including patent rights, copyrights, trade secret rights, mask work rights, trademark rights, and all other intellectual and industrial property rights of any sort throughout the world) relating to any and all inventions (whether or not patentable), works of authorship, mask works, designations, designs, know-how, ideas, and information made or conceived or reduced to practice, in whole or in part, by you during the term of this Agreement and that arise out of your Duties (collectively, “Inventions”) and you will promptly disclose and provide all Inventions to the Company. You agree to assist the Company, at its expense, to further evidence, record and perfect such assignments or conveyances as may be necessary in respect hereof, and to perfect, obtain, maintain, enforce, and defend any rights assigned or otherwise conveyed.
6. Non-Competition. You agree and undertake that you will not, so long as you are a member of the Board and for a period of 12 months following termination of this Agreement for whatever reason, directly or indirectly, as owner, partner, joint venture, shareholder, employee, broker, agent principal, corporate officer, director, licensor, or in any other capacity whatsoever, engage in, become financially interested in, be employed by, or have any connection with any business or venture that is engaged in any activities involving services or products which compete, directly or indirectly, with the services or products provided or proposed to be provided by the Company or its subsidiaries or affiliates in the People’s Republic of China, Mexico and the United States; provided, however, that you may own securities of any public company which is engaged in such business, but in an amount not to exceed at any one time, one percent of any class of stock or securities of such company, so long as you has no active role in the publicly owned company as director, employee, consultant, or otherwise.
7. Non-Solicitation. So long as you are a member of the Board and for a period of 12 months thereafter, you shall not directly or indirectly solicit for employment any individual who was an employee of the Company during your tenure.
8. Termination and Resignation. Your membership on the Board or on any Board committee shall be terminated upon your earlier disqualification, removal, resignation, death, incapacity, or any other conditions as specified in the Company’s bylaws and articles of incorporation, as amended. Your membership on the Board may be terminated, with or without cause, by a vote of the holders of a majority of the shares of the Company’s voting stock, or with cause by a majority vote of the Board at a meeting at which only your removal and replacement shall be considered, as stipulated in the Company’s bylaws and articles of incorporation, as amended. Your membership on any Board committee will be terminated on the same effective date when your membership on the Board is terminated. You may also terminate your membership on the Board or on any Board committee for any or no reason by delivering your written notice of resignation to the Company (“Resignation”), and such Resignation shall be effective upon the time specified therein or, if no time is specified, upon receipt of the notice of Resignation by the Company. Upon the effective date of the termination or Resignation, your right to compensation hereunder will be subject to the Company’s obligations to pay you any compensation (including the vested portion of the securities of the Company) that you have already earned and to reimburse you for approved expenses already incurred in connection with your performance of your Duties as of the effective date of such termination or Resignation. Any securities of the Company that have not vested as of the effective date of such termination or Resignation shall be forfeited and cancelled.
9. Governing Law. All questions with respect to the construction and/or enforcement of this Agreement, and the rights and obligations of the parties hereunder, shall be determined in accordance with the internal laws of the State of North Carolina without regard to conflict of laws provisions therein.
10. Entire Agreement; Amendment; Waiver; Counterparts. This Agreement expresses the entire understanding with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes and terminates any prior oral or written agreements with respect to the subject matter hereof. Any term of this Agreement may be amended and observance of any term of this Agreement may be waived only with the written consent of the parties hereto. Waiver of any term or condition of this Agreement by any party shall not be construed as a waiver of any subsequent breach or failure of the same term or condition or waiver of any other term or condition of this Agreement. The failure of any party at any time to require performance by any other party of any provision of this Agreement shall not affect the right of any such party to require future performance of such provision or any other provision of this Agreement. This Agreement may be executed in separate counterparts each of which will be an original and all of which taken together will constitute one and the same agreement, and may be executed using facsimiles of signatures, and a facsimile of a signature shall be deemed to be the same, and equally enforceable, as an original of such signature.
11. Indemnification. The Company shall, to the maximum extent provided under applicable law, indemnify and hold you harmless from and against any expenses, including reasonable attorney’s fees, judgments, fines, settlements, and other legally permissible amounts (“Losses”), incurred in connection with any proceeding arising out of, or related to, your performance of your Duties, other than any such Losses incurred as a result of your negligence, fraud, bad faith, or willful misconduct. The Company shall advance to you any expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs of settlement, incurred in defending any such proceeding to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law. Such costs and expenses incurred by you in defense of any such proceeding shall be paid by the Company in advance of the final disposition of such proceeding promptly upon receipt by the Company of (a) written request for payment; (b) appropriate documentation evidencing the incurrence, amount, and nature of the costs and expenses for which payment is being sought; and (c) an undertaking adequate under applicable law made by or on your behalf to repay the amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined pursuant to any non-appealable judgment or settlement that you are not entitled to be indemnified by the Company.
12. Not an Employment Agreement. This Agreement is not an employment agreement, and shall not be construed or interpreted to create any right for you as an employee of the Company.
13. Acknowledgement. You accept this Agreement subject to all the terms and provisions of this Agreement. You agree to accept as binding, conclusive, and final all decisions or interpretations of the Board of the Company of any questions arising under this Agreement.
This Agreement has been executed and delivered by the undersigned and is made effective as of the date set first set forth above.
| Sincerely, | |
| Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc. | |
| /s/ Huan Liu | |
| By: Huan Liu | |
| Title: President, Chief Executive Officer | |
| AGREED AND ACCEPTED: | |
| /s/ Xianggeng Huang | |
| By: XIANGGENG HUANG |
Schedule A
Compensation
During your term as a member of the Board, you will receive compensation in the amount of $50,000 per annum, which shall be paid to you on a semi-annual basis stating from the date of the closing of the Company’s initial public offering (the “Public Trading Date”). You may be eligible to receive equity compensation for each full year service, which will be decided in annual shareholder meeting and administrated by company compensation committee. You will be entitled to receive all reimbursements for the travel cost related to company board meetings.
Exhibit 10.12
Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc.
6201 Fairview Road, Suite 225
Charlotte, North Carolina, 28210
United States
+1 704-972-0209
Sep 14th, 2022
Mr./Ms. Adam Eilenberg
[*]
| Re: | Director Offer Letter |
Dear Mr./Ms. Adam Eilenberg,
Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc., a North Carolina corporation (the “Company”), is pleased to offer you a position as a member of its board of directors (the “Board”). We believe your background and experience will be a significant asset to the Company and we look forward to your participation on the Board. Should you choose to accept this position as a member of the Board, this letter agreement (this “Agreement”) shall constitute an agreement between you and the Company and contains all the terms and conditions relating to the services you agree to provide to the Company. Your commencement date is the date of the closing of the Company’s initial public offering (the “Public Trading Date”).
1. Term. This Agreement is effective upon your acceptance and signature below. Your term as a director shall commence upon you being elected to the Board. Subject to the Company’s bylaws and articles of incorporation, as amended, and the provisions in Section 8 below, your term shall continue until your successor is duly elected and qualified. The position shall be up for re-election each year at the annual shareholder’s meeting, and upon re-election, the terms and provisions ofthis Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.
2. Services. You shall render services as a member of the Board and the Board committees set forth on Schedule A attached hereto (hereinafter, your “Duties”). During the term ofthis Agreement, you shall attend and participate in such number of meetings of the Board and of the Board committee(s) of which you are a member as regularly or specially called. You may attend and participate at each such meeting via teleconference, video conference, or in person. You shall consult with the other members of the Board and Board committee(s) as necessary via telephone, electronic mail, or other forms of correspondence.
3. Compensation. As compensation for your services to the Company, you will receive compensation as set forth on Schedule B attached hereto (hereinafter, the “Compensation”) for serving on the Board during your term as a director. You shall be reimbursed for reasonable and approved expenses incurred by you in connection with the performance of your Duties.
4. No Assignment. Because of the personal nature of the services to be rendered by you, this Agreement may not be assigned by you without the prior written consent of the Company.
5. Confidential Information; Non-Disclosure. In consideration of your access to certain Confidential Information (as defined below) of the Company, and in connection with your business relationship with the Company, you hereby represent and agree as follows:
a. Definition. For purposes of this Agreement the term “Confidential Information” means:
i. Any information which the Company possesses that has been created, discovered, or developed by or for the Company, and which has or could have commercial value or utility in the business in which the Company is engaged; or
ii. Any information which is related to the business of the Company and is generally not known by non- Company personnel.
iii. Confidential Information includes, without limitation, trade secrets and any information concerning services provided by the Company, concepts, ideas, improvements, techniques, methods, research, data, know-how, software, formats, marketing plans, general analyses, business plans and analyses, strategies, forecasts, customer and supplier identities, characteristics and agreements.
1
Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc.
6201 Fairview Road, Suite 225
Charlotte, North Carolina, 28210
United States
+1 704-972-0209
b. Exclusions. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Confidential Information” shall not include:
i. Any information which becomes generally available to the public other than as a result of a breach of the confidentiality portions of this Agreement, or any other agreement requiring confidentiality between the Company and you;
ii. Information received from a third party in rightful possession of such information who is not restricted from disclosing such information; and
iii. Information known by you prior to receipt of such information from the Company, which prior knowledge can be documented.
c. Documents. You agree that, without the express written consent of the Company, you will not remove from the Company’s premises, any notes, formulas, programs, data, records, machines, or any other documents or items which in any manner contain or constitute Confidential Information, nor will you make reproductions or copies of same. You shall promptly return any such documents or items, along with any reproductions or copies, to the Company upon the earliest of Company’s demand, termination of this Agreement, or your termination or Resignation, as defined in Section 8 herein.
d. Confidentiality. You agree that you will hold in trust and confidence all Confidential Information and will not disclose to others, directly or indirectly, any Confidential Information or anything relating to such information without the prior written consent of the Company, except as maybe necessary in the course of your business relationship with the Company. You further agree that you will not use any Confidential Information without the prior written consent of the Company, except as may be necessary in the course of your business relationship with the Company, and that the provisions of this paragraph (d) shall survive termination of this Agreement.
e. Ownership. You agree that Company shall own all right, title, and interest (including patent rights, copyrights, trade secret rights, mask work rights, trademark rights, and all other intellectual and industrial property rights of any sort throughout the world) relating to any and all inventions (whether or not patentable), works of authorship, mask works, designations, designs, know-how, ideas, and information made or conceived or reduced to practice, in whole or in part, by you during the term of this Agreement and that arise out of your Duties (collectively, “Inventions”) and you will promptly disclose and provide all Inventions to the Company. You agree to assist the Company, at its expense, to further evidence, record and perfect such assignments or conveyances as may be necessary in respect hereof, and to perfect, obtain, maintain, enforce, and defend any rights assigned or otherwise conveyed.
6. Non-Competition. You agree and undertake that you will not, so long as you are a member of the Board and for a period of 12 months following termination of this Agreement for whatever reason, directly or indirectly, as owner, partner, joint venture, shareholder, employee, broker, agent principal, corporate officer, director, licensor, or in any other capacity whatsoever, engage in, become financially interested in, be employed by, or have any connection with any business or venture that is engaged in any activities involving services or products which compete, directly or indirectly, with the services or products provided or proposed to be provided by the Company or its subsidiaries or affiliates in the People’s Republic of China, Mexico and the United States; provided, however, that you may own securities of any public company which is engaged in such business, but in an amount not to exceed at any one time, one percent of any class of stock or securities of such company, so long as you has no active role in the publicly owned company as director, employee, consultant, or otherwise.
7. Non-Solicitation. So long as you are a member of the Board and for a period of 12 months thereafter, you shall not directly or indirectly solicit for employment any individual who was an employee of the Company during your tenure.
2
Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc.
6201 Fairview Road, Suite 225
Charlotte, North Carolina, 28210
United States
+1 704-972-0209
8. Termination and Resignation. Your membership on the Board or on any Board committee shall be terminated upon your earlier disqualification, removal, resignation, death, incapacity, or any other conditions as specified in the Company’s bylaws and articles of incorporation, as amended. Your membership on the Board may be terminated, with or without cause, by a vote of the holders of a majority of the shares of the Company’s voting stock, or with cause by a majority vote of the Board at a meeting at which only your removal and replacement shall be considered, as stipulated in the Company’s bylaws and articles of incorporation, as amended. Your membership on any Board committee will be terminated on the same effective date when your membership on the Board is terminated. You may also terminate your membership on the Board or on any Board committee for any or no reason by delivering your written notice of resignation to the Company (“Resignation”), and such Resignation shall be effective upon the time specified therein or, if no time is specified, upon receipt of the notice of Resignation by the Company. Upon the effective date of the termination or Resignation, your right to compensation hereunder will be subject to the Company’s obligations to pay you any compensation (including the vested portion of the securities of the Company) that you have already earned and to reimburse you for approved expenses already incurred in connection with your performance of your Duties as of the effective date of such termination or Resignation. Any securities of the Company that have not vested as of the effective date of such termination or Resignation shall be forfeited and cancelled.
9. Governing Law. All questions with respect to the construction and/or enforcement of this Agreement, and the rights and obligations of the parties hereunder, shall be determined in accordance with the internal laws of the State of North Carolina without regard to conflict of laws provisions therein.
10. Entire Agreement; Amendment; Waiver; Counterparts. This Agreement expresses the entire understanding with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes and terminates any prior oral or written agreements with respect to the subject matter hereof. Any term of this Agreement may be amended and observance of any term of this Agreement may be waived only with the written consent of the parties hereto. Waiver of any term or condition of this Agreement by any party shall not be construed as a waiver of any subsequent breach or failure of the same term or condition or waiver of any other term or condition of this Agreement. The failure of any party at any time to require performance by any other party of any provision of this Agreement shall not affect the right of any such party to require future performance of such provision or any other provision of this Agreement. This Agreement may be executed in separate counterparts each of which will be an original and all of which taken together will constitute one and the same agreement, and may be executed using facsimiles of signatures, and a facsimile of a signature shall be deemed to be the same, and equally enforceable, as an original of such signature.
11. Indemnification. The Company shall, to the maximum extent provided under applicable law, indemnify and hold you harmless from and against any expenses, including reasonable attorney’s fees, judgments, fines, settlements, and other legally permissible amounts (“Losses”), incurred in connection with any proceeding arising out of, or related to, your performance of your Duties, other than any such Losses incurred as a result of your negligence, fraud, bad faith, or willful misconduct. The Company shall advance to you any expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs of settlement, incurred in defending any such proceeding to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law. Such costs and expenses incurred by you in defense of any such proceeding shall be paid by the Company in advance of the final disposition of such proceeding promptly upon receipt by the Company of (a) written request for payment; (b) appropriate documentation evidencing the incurrence, amount, and nature of the costs and expenses for which payment is being sought; and (c) an undertaking adequate under applicable law made by or on your behalf to repay the amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined pursuant to any non-appealable judgment or settlement that you are not entitled to be indemnified by the Company.
12. Not an Employment Agreement. This Agreement is not an employment agreement, and shall not be construed or interpreted to create any right for you as an employee of the Company.
13. Acknowledgement. You accept this Agreement subject to all the terms and provisions of this Agreement. You agree to accept as binding, conclusive, and final all decisions or interpretations of the Board of the Company of any questions arising under this Agreement.
[Signature Page Follows]
3
Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc.
6201 Fairview Road, Suite 225
Charlotte, North Carolina, 28210
United States
+1 704-972-0209
This Agreement has been executed and delivered by the undersigned and is made effective as of the date set first set forth above.
| Sincerely, | |
| Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc. | |
| /s/ Huan Liu | |
| By: Huan Liu | |
| Title: President, Chief Executive Officer |
| AGREED AND ACCEPTED: | |
| /s/ Adam Eilenberg | |
| By: Adam Eilenberg |
4
Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc.
6201 Fairview Road, Suite 225
Charlotte, North Carolina, 28210
United States
+1 704-972-0209
Schedule A
The Director is offered to serve on the following Board committee(s):
| Committee | Title |
| Audit Committee | Member |
| Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee | Chairman |
| Compensation Committee | Member |
5
Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc.
6201 Fairview Road, Suite 225
Charlotte, North Carolina, 28210
United States
+1 704-972-0209
Schedule B
Compensation
During your term as a member of the Board, you will receive cash compensation in the amount of $20,000 per year, which shall be paid to you on a six-month basis stating from the date of the closing of the Company’s initial public offering (the “Public Trading Date”). You may be also eligible to receive equity compensation for each full year service, which will be decided in annual shareholder meeting and administrated by company compensation committee. You will be entitled to receive all reimbursements for the travel cost related to company board meetings.
6
Exhibit 10.13
Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc.
6201 Fairview Road, Suite 225
Charlotte, North Carolina, 28210
United States
+1 704-972-0209
Oct 3rd, 2022
Mr./Ms. Vladimir Gavrilovic
[*]
| Re: | Director Offer Letter |
Dear Mr./Ms. Vladimir Gavrilovic,
Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc., a North Carolina corporation (the “Company”), is pleased to offer you a position as a member of its board of directors (the “Board”). We believe your background and experience will be a significant asset to the Company and we look forward to your participation on the Board. Should you choose to accept this position as a member of the Board, this letter agreement (this “Agreement”) shall constitute an agreement between you and the Company and contains all the terms and conditions relating to the services you agree to provide to the Company. Your commencement date is the date of the closing of the Company’s initial public offering (the “Public Trading Date”).
1. Term. This Agreement is effective upon your acceptance and signature below. Your term as a director shall commence upon you being elected to the Board. Subject to the Company’s bylaws and articles of incorporation, as amended, and the provisions in Section 8 below, your term shall continue until your successor is duly elected and qualified. The position shall be up for re-election each year at the annual shareholder’s meeting, and upon re-election, the terms and provisions ofthis Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.
2. Services. You shall render services as a member of the Board and the Board committees set forth on Schedule A attached hereto (hereinafter, your “Duties”). During the term ofthis Agreement, you shall attend and participate in such number of meetings of the Board and of the Board committee(s) of which you are a member as regularly or specially called. You may attend and participate at each such meeting via teleconference, video conference, or in person. You shall consult with the other members of the Board and Board committee(s) as necessary via telephone, electronic mail, or other forms of correspondence.
3. Compensation. As compensation for your services to the Company, you will receive compensation as set forth on Schedule B attached hereto (hereinafter, the “Compensation”) for serving on the Board during your term as a director. You shall be reimbursed for reasonable and approved expenses incurred by you in connection with the performance of your Duties.
4. No Assignment. Because of the personal nature of the services to be rendered by you, this Agreement may not be assigned by you without the prior written consent of the Company.
5. Confidential Information; Non-Disclosure. In consideration of your access to certain Confidential Information (as defined below) of the Company, and in connection with your business relationship with the Company, you hereby represent and agree as follows:
a. Definition. For purposes of this Agreement the term “Confidential Information” means:
i. Any information which the Company possesses that has been created, discovered, or developed by or for the Company, and which has or could have commercial value or utility in the business in which the Company is engaged; or
ii. Any information which is related to the business of the Company and is generally not known by non- Company personnel.
iii. Confidential Information includes, without limitation, trade secrets and any information concerning services provided by the Company, concepts, ideas, improvements, techniques, methods, research, data, know-how, software, formats, marketing plans, general analyses, business plans and analyses, strategies, forecasts, customer and supplier identities, characteristics and agreements.
1
Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc.
6201 Fairview Road, Suite 225
Charlotte, North Carolina, 28210
United States
+1 704-972-0209
b. Exclusions. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Confidential Information” shall not include:
i. Any information which becomes generally available to the public other than as a result of a breach of the confidentiality portions of this Agreement, or any other agreement requiring confidentiality between the Company and you;
ii. Information received from a third party in rightful possession of such information who is not restricted from disclosing such information; and
iii. Information known by you prior to receipt of such information from the Company, which prior knowledge can be documented.
c. Documents. You agree that, without the express written consent of the Company, you will not remove from the Company’s premises, any notes, formulas, programs, data, records, machines, or any other documents or items which in any manner contain or constitute Confidential Information, nor will you make reproductions or copies of same. You shall promptly return any such documents or items, along with any reproductions or copies, to the Company upon the earliest of Company’s demand, termination of this Agreement, or your termination or Resignation, as defined in Section 8 herein.
d. Confidentiality. You agree that you will hold in trust and confidence all Confidential Information and will not disclose to others, directly or indirectly, any Confidential Information or anything relating to such information without the prior written consent of the Company, except as maybe necessary in the course of your business relationship with the Company. You further agree that you will not use any Confidential Information without the prior written consent of the Company, except as may be necessary in the course of your business relationship with the Company, and that the provisions of this paragraph (d) shall survive termination of this Agreement.
e. Ownership. You agree that Company shall own all right, title, and interest (including patent rights, copyrights, trade secret rights, mask work rights, trademark rights, and all other intellectual and industrial property rights of any sort throughout the world) relating to any and all inventions (whether or not patentable), works of authorship, mask works, designations, designs, know-how, ideas, and information made or conceived or reduced to practice, in whole or in part, by you during the term of this Agreement and that arise out of your Duties (collectively, “Inventions”) so long as said subjects, rights and inventions (all collectively referred to as “Inventions”) are directly related to the specific nature of the Company's business operations and you will promptly disclose and provide all relevant Inventions to the Company. Additionally, all subjects, rights and inventions (collectively referred to as “Inventions”) involved in, or dealing with, the following businesses: Tobacco, Information Technologies, Data Harnessing and Data Analytics are expressly excluded from, and not subject to, this Agreement. You agree to assist the Company, at its expense, to further evidence, record and perfect such assignments or conveyances as may be necessary in respect hereof, and to perfect, obtain, maintain, enforce, and defend any rights assigned or otherwise conveyed with the exceptions stated above.
6. Non-Competition. You agree and undertake that you will not, so long as you are a member of the Board and for a period of 12 months following termination of this Agreement for whatever reason, directly or indirectly, as owner, partner, joint venture, shareholder, employee, broker, agent principal, corporate officer, director, licensor, or in any other capacity whatsoever, engage in, become financially interested in, be employed by, or have any connection with any business or venture, with the exception of those excluded businesses mentioned in Paragraph 5e aboved, that is engaged in any activities involving services or products which compete, directly or indirectly, with the services or products provided or proposed to be provided by the Company or its subsidiaries or affiliates in the People’s Republic of China, Mexico and the United States. Since the services or products provided or proposed to be provided by the Company’s subsidiaries or affiliates in the People's Republic of China, Mexico and the United States are unknown at the time of the execution of this Agreement, The Company agrees to provide you with such information at which time you will have sixty (60) days to comply and consent to the inclusion of said information into this Agreement or to retire from your position as a member of the Board of Directors without penalty or restriction of any kind. You are permitted to own securities of any public company which is engaged in such business, but in an amount not to exceed at any one time, one percent of any class of stock or securities of such company, so long as you have no active role in the publicly owned company as director, employee, consultant, or otherwise.
2
Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc.
6201 Fairview Road, Suite 225
Charlotte, North Carolina, 28210
United States
+1 704-972-0209
7. Non-Solicitation. So long as you are a member of the Board and for a period of 12 months thereafter, you shall not directly or indirectly solicit for employment any individual who was an employee of the Company during your tenure.
8. Termination and Resignation. Your membership on the Board or on any Board committee shall be terminated upon your earlier disqualification, removal, resignation, death, incapacity, or any other conditions as specified in the Company’s bylaws and articles of incorporation, as amended. Your membership on the Board may be terminated, with or without cause, by a vote of the holders of a majority of the shares of the Company’s voting stock, or with cause by a majority vote of the Board at a meeting at which only your removal and replacement shall be considered, as stipulated in the Company’s bylaws and articles of incorporation, as amended. Your membership on any Board committee will be terminated on the same effective date when your membership on the Board is terminated. You may also terminate your membership on the Board or on any Board committee for any or no reason by delivering your written notice of resignation to the Company (“Resignation”), and such Resignation shall be effective upon the time specified therein or, if no time is specified, upon receipt of the notice of Resignation by the Company. Upon the effective date of the termination or Resignation, your right to compensation hereunder will be subject to the Company’s obligations to pay you any compensation (including the vested portion of the securities of the Company) that you have already earned and to reimburse you for approved expenses already incurred in connection with your performance of your Duties as of the effective date of such termination or Resignation. Any securities of the Company that have not vested as of the effective date of such termination or Resignation shall be forfeited and cancelled.
9. Governing Law. All questions with respect to the construction and/or enforcement of this Agreement, and the rights and obligations of the parties hereunder, shall be determined in accordance with the internal laws of the State of North Carolina without regard to conflict of laws provisions therein.
10. Entire Agreement; Amendment; Waiver; Counterparts. This Agreement expresses the entire understanding with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes and terminates any prior oral or written agreements with respect to the subject matter hereof. Any term of this Agreement may be amended and observance of any term of this Agreement may be waived only with the written consent of the parties hereto. Waiver of any term or condition of this Agreement by any party shall not be construed as a waiver of any subsequent breach or failure of the same term or condition or waiver of any other term or condition of this Agreement. The failure of any party at any time to require performance by any other party of any provision of this Agreement shall not affect the right of any such party to require future performance of such provision or any other provision of this Agreement. This Agreement may be executed in separate counterparts each of which will be an original and all of which taken together will constitute one and the same agreement, and may be executed using facsimiles of signatures, and a facsimile of a signature shall be deemed to be the same, and equally enforceable, as an original of such signature.
11. Indemnification. The Company shall, to the maximum extent provided under applicable law, indemnify and hold you harmless from and against any expenses, including reasonable attorney’s fees, judgments, fines, settlements, and other legally permissible amounts (“Losses”), incurred in connection with any proceeding arising out of, or related to, your performance of your Duties, other than any such Losses incurred as a result of your negligence, fraud, bad faith, or willful misconduct. The Company shall advance to you any expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs of settlement, incurred in defending any such proceeding to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law. Such costs and expenses incurred by you in defense of any such proceeding shall be paid by the Company in advance of the final disposition of such proceeding promptly upon receipt by the Company of (a) written request for payment; (b) appropriate documentation evidencing the incurrence, amount, and nature of the costs and expenses for which payment is being sought; and (c) an undertaking adequate under applicable law made by or on your behalf to repay the amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined pursuant to any non-appealable judgment or settlement that you are not entitled to be indemnified by the Company.
12. Not an Employment Agreement. This Agreement is not an employment agreement, and shall not be construed or interpreted to create any right for you as an employee of the Company.
13. Acknowledgement. You accept this Agreement subject to all the terms and provisions of this Agreement. You agree to accept as binding, conclusive, and final all decisions or interpretations of the Board of the Company of any questions arising under this Agreement.
[Signature Page Follows]
3
Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc.
6201 Fairview Road, Suite 225
Charlotte, North Carolina, 28210
United States
+1 704-972-0209
This Agreement has been executed and delivered by the undersigned and is made effective as of the date set first set forth above.
| Sincerely, | |
| Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc. | |
| /s/ Huan Liu | |
| By: Huan Liu | |
| Title: President, Chief Executive Officer |
| AGREED AND ACCEPTED: | |
| /s/ Vladimir Gavrilovic | |
| By: Vladimir Gavrilovic |
4
Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc.
6201 Fairview Road, Suite 225
Charlotte, North Carolina, 28210
United States
+1 704-972-0209
Schedule A
The Director is offered to serve on the following Board committee(s):
| Committee | Title |
| Audit Committee | Chairman |
| Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee | Member |
| Compensation Committee | Member |
5
Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc.
6201 Fairview Road, Suite 225
Charlotte, North Carolina, 28210
United States
+1 704-972-0209
Schedule B
Compensation
During your term as a member of the Board, you will receive cash compensation in the amount of $20,000 per year, which shall be paid to you on a semi-annual basis commencing from the date of the closing of the Company’s initial public offering (the “Public Trading Date”). In the event that your service on the Board of Directors is terminated for any reason, voluntarily or involuntarily, you shall receive said outstanding compensation on a pro rata basis for the amount of time that you served. Additionally, you will receive Ten thousand US Dollars ($10,000 USD) in equity compensation which shall be vested in and transferable to you, on the anniversary of your first full year of service. Further, you will be entitled to receive reimbursements for all travel costs related to your attendance at company board meetings. You are responsible to submit all requests for said reimbursements by invoice and will be paid within thirty (30) days of receipt of said invoice by the Company.
6
Exhibit 10.14
Aug 29th, 2022
Mr./Ms. Catherine Chen
[*]
| Re: | Director Offer Letter |
Dear Mr./Ms. Catherine Chen,
Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc., a North Carolina corporation (the “Company”), is pleased to offer you a position as a member of its board of directors (the “Board”). We believe your background and experience will be a significant asset to the Company and we look forward to your participation on the Board. Should you choose to accept this position as a member of the Board, this letter agreement (this “Agreement”) shall constitute an agreement between you and the Company and contains all the terms and conditions relating to the services you agree to provide to the Company. Your commencement date is the date of the closing of the Company’s initial public offering (the “Public Trading Date”).
1. Term. This Agreement is effective upon your acceptance and signature below. Your term as a director shall commence upon you being elected to the Board. Subject to the Company’s bylaws and articles of incorporation, as amended, and the provisions in Section 8 below, your term shall continue until your successor is duly elected and qualified. The position shall be up for re-election each year at the annual shareholder’s meeting, and upon re-election, the terms and provisions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.
2. Services. You shall render services as a member of the Board and the Board committees set forth on Schedule A attached hereto (hereinafter, your “Duties”). During the term of this Agreement, you shall attend and participate in such number of meetings of the Board and of the Board committee(s) of which you are a member as regularly or specially called. You may attend and participate at each such meeting via teleconference, video conference, or in person. You shall consult with the other members of the Board and Board committee(s) as necessary via telephone, electronic mail, or other forms of correspondence.
3. Compensation. As compensation for your services to the Company, you will receive compensation as set forth on Schedule B attached hereto (hereinafter, the “Compensation”) for serving on the Board during your term as a director. You shall be reimbursed for reasonable and approved expenses incurred by you in connection with the performance of your Duties.
4. No Assignment. Because of the personal nature of the services to be rendered by you, this Agreement may not be assigned by you without the prior written consent of the Company.
5. Confidential Information; Non-Disclosure. In consideration of your access to certain Confidential Information (as defined below) of the Company, and in connection with your business relationship with the Company, you hereby represent and agree as follows:
a. Definition. For purposes of this Agreement the term “Confidential Information” means:
i. Any information which the Company possesses that has been created, discovered, or developed by or for the Company, and which has or could have commercial value or utility in the business in which the Company is engaged; or
ii. Any information which is related to the business of the Company and is generally not known by non- Company personnel.
iii. Confidential Information includes, without limitation, trade secrets and any information concerning services provided by the Company, concepts, ideas, improvements, techniques, methods, research, data, know-how, software, formats, marketing plans, general analyses, business plans and analyses, strategies, forecasts, customer and supplier identities, characteristics and agreements.
b. Exclusions. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Confidential Information” shall not include:
i. Any information which becomes generally available to the public other than as a result of a breach of the confidentiality portions of this Agreement, or any other agreement requiring confidentiality between the Company and you;
ii. Information received from a third party in rightful possession of such information who is not restricted from disclosing such information; and
iii. Information known by you prior to receipt of such information from the Company, which prior knowledge can be documented.
c. Documents. You agree that, without the express written consent of the Company, you will not remove from the Company’s premises, any notes, formulas, programs, data, records, machines, or any other documents or items which in any manner contain or constitute Confidential Information, nor will you make reproductions or copies of same. You shall promptly return any such documents or items, along with any reproductions or copies, to the Company upon the earliest of Company’s demand, termination of this Agreement, or your termination or Resignation, as defined in Section 8 herein.
d. Confidentiality. You agree that you will hold in trust and confidence all Confidential Information and will not disclose to others, directly or indirectly, any Confidential Information or anything relating to such information without the prior written consent of the Company, except as maybe necessary in the course of your business relationship with the Company. You further agree that you will not use any Confidential Information without the prior written consent of the Company, except as may be necessary in the course of your business relationship with the Company, and that the provisions of this paragraph (d) shall survive termination of this Agreement.
e. Ownership. You agree that Company shall own all right, title, and interest (including patent rights, copyrights, trade secret rights, mask work rights, trademark rights, and all other intellectual and industrial property rights of any sort throughout the world) relating to any and all inventions (whether or not patentable), works of authorship, mask works, designations, designs, know-how, ideas, and information made or conceived or reduced to practice, in whole or in part, by you during the term of this Agreement and that arise out of your Duties (collectively, “Inventions”) and you will promptly disclose and provide all Inventions to the Company. You agree to assist the Company, at its expense, to further evidence, record and perfect such assignments or conveyances as may be necessary in respect hereof, and to perfect, obtain, maintain, enforce, and defend any rights assigned or otherwise conveyed.
6. Non-Competition. You agree and undertake that you will not, so long as you are a member of the Board and for a period of 12 months following termination of this Agreement for whatever reason, directly or indirectly, as owner, partner, joint venture, shareholder, employee, broker, agent principal, corporate officer, director, licensor, or in any other capacity whatsoever, engage in, become financially interested in, be employed by, or have any connection with any business or venture that is engaged in any activities involving services or products which compete, directly or indirectly, with the services or products provided or proposed to be provided by the Company or its subsidiaries or affiliates in the People’s Republic of China, Mexico and the United States; provided, however, that you may own securities of any public company which is engaged in such business, but in an amount not to exceed at any one time, one percent of any class of stock or securities of such company, so long as you has no active role in the publicly owned company as director, employee, consultant, or otherwise.
7. Non-Solicitation. So long as you are a member of the Board and for a period of 12 months thereafter, you shall not directly or indirectly solicit for employment any individual who was an employee of the Company during your tenure.
8. Termination and Resignation. Your membership on the Board or on any Board committee shall be terminated upon your earlier disqualification, removal, resignation, death, incapacity, or any other conditions as specified in the Company’s bylaws and articles of incorporation, as amended. Your membership on the Board may be terminated, with or without cause, by a vote of the holders of a majority of the shares of the Company’s voting stock, or with cause by a majority vote of the Board at a meeting at which only your removal and replacement shall be considered, as stipulated in the Company’s bylaws and articles of incorporation, as amended. Your membership on any Board committee will be terminated on the same effective date when your membership on the Board is terminated. You may also terminate your membership on the Board or on any Board committee for any or no reason by delivering your written notice of resignation to the Company (“Resignation”), and such Resignation shall be effective upon the time specified therein or, if no time is specified, upon receipt of the notice of Resignation by the Company. Upon the effective date of the termination or Resignation, your right to compensation hereunder will be subject to the Company’s obligations to pay you any compensation (including the vested portion of the securities of the Company) that you have already earned and to reimburse you for approved expenses already incurred in connection with your performance of your Duties as of the effective date of such termination or Resignation. Any securities of the Company that have not vested as of the effective date of such termination or Resignation shall be forfeited and cancelled.
9. Governing Law. All questions with respect to the construction and/or enforcement of this Agreement, and the rights and obligations of the parties hereunder, shall be determined in accordance with the internal laws of the State of North Carolina without regard to conflict of laws provisions therein.
10. Entire Agreement; Amendment; Waiver; Counterparts. This Agreement expresses the entire understanding with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes and terminates any prior oral or written agreements with respect to the subject matter hereof. Any term of this Agreement may be amended and observance of any term of this Agreement may be waived only with the written consent of the parties hereto. Waiver of any term or condition of this Agreement by any party shall not be construed as a waiver of any subsequent breach or failure of the same term or condition or waiver of any other term or condition of this Agreement. The failure of any party at any time to require performance by any other party of any provision of this Agreement shall not affect the right of any such party to require future performance of such provision or any other provision of this Agreement. This Agreement may be executed in separate counterparts each of which will be an original and all of which taken together will constitute one and the same agreement, and may be executed using facsimiles of signatures, and a facsimile of a signature shall be deemed to be the same, and equally enforceable, as an original of such signature.
11. Indemnification. The Company shall, to the maximum extent provided under applicable law, indemnify and hold you harmless from and against any expenses, including reasonable attorney’s fees, judgments, fines, settlements, and other legally permissible amounts (“Losses”), incurred in connection with any proceeding arising out of, or related to, your performance of your Duties, other than any such Losses incurred as a result of your negligence, fraud, bad faith, or willful misconduct. The Company shall advance to you any expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs of settlement, incurred in defending any such proceeding to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law. Such costs and expenses incurred by you in defense of any such proceeding shall be paid by the Company in advance of the final disposition of such proceeding promptly upon receipt by the Company of (a) written request for payment; (b) appropriate documentation evidencing the incurrence, amount, and nature of the costs and expenses for which payment is being sought; and (c) an undertaking adequate under applicable law made by or on your behalf to repay the amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined pursuant to any non-appealable judgment or settlement that you are not entitled to be indemnified by the Company.
12. Not an Employment Agreement. This Agreement is not an employment agreement, and shall not be construed or interpreted to create any right for you as an employee of the Company.
13. Acknowledgement. You accept this Agreement subject to all the terms and provisions of this Agreement. You agree to accept as binding, conclusive, and final all decisions or interpretations of the Board of the Company of any questions arising under this Agreement.
This Agreement has been executed and delivered by the undersigned and is made effective as of the date set first set forth above.
| Sincerely, | |
| Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc. | |
| /s/ Huan Liu | |
| By: Huan Liu | |
| Title: President, Chief Executive Officer | |
| AGREED AND ACCEPTED: | |
| /s/ Catherine Chen | |
| By: Catherine Chen |
Schedule A
The Director is offered to serve on the following Board committee(s):
| Committee | Title |
| Audit Committee | Member |
| Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee | Member |
| Compensation Committee | Chairman |
Schedule B
Compensation
During your term as a member of the Board, you will receive cash compensation in the amount of $20,000 per year, which shall be paid to you on a six-month basis stating from the date of the closing of the Company’s initial public offering (the “Public Trading Date”). You may be also eligible to receive equity compensation for each full year service, which will be decided in annual shareholder meeting and administrated by company compensation committee. You will be entitled to receive all reimbursements for the travel cost related to company board meetings.
Exhibit 10.15
INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR AGREEMENT
The following Independent Contractor Agreement (referred to as the “Agreement”) is entered on (Date)____________, by and between: ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL LLC., (SUBSIDIARY OF PARENT COMPANY ELITE MOTOR GROUP), a limited liability company, located at 6201 Fairview Rd, Suite 225, Charlotte, NC 28210; and________________________(The “PURCHASE CONTRACTOR”), an individual of legal age, who identifying information is as follows:
| Street Address: | |
| City: | |
| State & Zip Code: | |
| Telephone No.: | |
| Driver’s License No. & State of Issuance: |
ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL LLC. And PURCHASE CONTRACTOR are collectively referred to as the “Parties.”
WHEREAS, ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL and the PURCHASE CONTRACTOR upon proper, good, valuable and sufficient consideration, and having a full and complete understanding of the terms of the Agreement, and intending to be legally bound thereby, hereby agree as follows:
PARTIES’ DUTIES
| 1. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR is an independent contractor who agrees to employ his/her talents and skills to purchase a new required Model (the “Vehicle”) with less than 100 miles recorded on the odometer for ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL and promptly transfer possession of the Vehicle to ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL by a specified date and time. |
| 2. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR acknowledges and agrees that ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL will provide all funding (the “Funds”) pertaining to the purchase and transfer of the Vehicle |
| 3. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR agrees that these Funds are to be used solely for the purchase and transfer of the Vehicle and at all times belong to ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL, regardless of whether all or a portion of the Funds are diverted to PURCHASE CONTRACTOR’s possession, or the possession of a third-party during the transaction; |
| 4. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR acknowledges that the Vehicle is at all times the sole property of ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL and that PURCHASE CONTRACTOR retains no property interest in the Vehicle insofar as ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL fulfills its obligation to fund all related costs of purchasing the automobile on behalf of ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL LLC and to pay/reimburse all fees owed pursuant to this Agreement. |
| 5. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR agrees that receipt of Funds or the Vehicle constitutes a Bailment of property that belongs at all times belong to ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL and further agrees that any mishandling of the property shall result in PURCHASE CONTRACTOR’s personal liability to ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL for the full value of said property. |
| 6. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR agrees to promptly return any and all Funds provided by the Company, should PURCHASE CONTRACTOR fail to acquire the Vehicle, or for any other reason causing an excess or remainder of funds; |
| 7. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR agrees to diligently execute all documents related to the transfer of the Vehicle from PURCHASE CONTRACTOR to ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL or any other party designated by ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL; |
| 8. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR agrees to assist in the transfer of title and delivery of the Vehicle to ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL in a prompt and diligent manner; |
| 9. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR agrees to deliver the Vehicle without any physical damage, including all purchasing documents, user manuals, window sticker, keys/key fobs, spare tire, and interior carpets; |
| 10. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR agrees to provide ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL with a copy of PURCHASE CONTRACTOR’s valid driver’s license immediately after executing the Agreement; |
| 11. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL from and against any and all liabilities, losses, claims, costs, interest, penalties, punitive or exemplary damages, demands, expenses (including reasonable attorney’s fees and costs of suit), and damages arising from any negligent or willful misconduct in the performance or non-performance of PURCHASE CONTRACTOR's responsibilities herein; |
| 12. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR agrees to execute the Agreement in the presence of a duly authorized Notary, licensed by the State within which PURCHASE CONTRACTOR resides; |
| 13. | ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL agrees to fund all costs, fees, and sales/excise/property taxes related to the purchase and transfer of the Vehicle, including: |
| · | The full vehicle price |
| · | Sales/excise/property taxes |
| · | Any deposit paid by the PURCHASE CONTRACTOR |
| · | Auto Insurance costs on the vehicle paid by the PURCHASE CONTRACTOR through the period until the title is transferred to ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL |
| 14. | ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL agrees to submit prompt payment for PURCHASE CONTRACTOR’s Vehicle acquisition and transfer services; |
| 15. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR agrees to recoup and return any property tax refund from tax office to ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL within three weeks of title receipt, if applicable. Moreover, PURCHASE CONTRACTOR agrees to return all refunds from DMV, dealership (in case of overcharge) and from insurance company (only if the insurance policy was purchased by Allen-Boy International). |
CONTRACT LIABILITY EXEMPTION
| 16. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR shall not be liable for any fines or lawsuits from dealership or manufacturer due to export infractions or infringements. |
| 17. | ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless PURCHASE CONTRACTOR from and against any liabilities, losses, claims, costs, interest, penalties, punitive or exemplary damages, demands, expenses (including reasonable attorney's fees and costs of suit), and damages arising from any non- negligent execution of the role as PURCHASE CONTRACTOR on behalf of ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL and for any negligent or willful misconduct in the performance of ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL's responsibilities herein. |
PAYMENT STRUCTURE
| 18. | In full consideration for all services performed by PURCHASE CONTRACTOR as described in this Agreement, ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL shall pay PURCHASE CONTRACTOR |
$_______________per_______________for__________________deal.
| 19. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR shall receive deposit reimbursement, only upon placement of the order and after the deposit receipt and Deposit Usage Form has been sent to ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL; |
| 20. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR shall receive the remaining portion of commission (less ) immediately upon delivery of the Vehicle to Company; |
| 21. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR shall receive the remaining of total commission upon ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL's receipt of the title certificate of the Vehicle. |
| 22. | In full consideration for all services performed by PURCHASE CONTRACTOR as described in this Agreement, ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL shall pay PURCHASE CONTRACTOR |
$_______________per_______________for__________________deal.
| 23. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR shall receive deposit reimbursement, only upon placement of the order and after the deposit receipt and Deposit Usage Form has been sent to ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL; |
| 24. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR shall receive the remaining portion of commission (less ) immediately upon delivery of the Vehicle to Company; |
| 25. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR shall receive the remaining of total commission upon ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL's receipt of the title certificate of the Vehicle. |
| 26. | In full consideration for all services performed by PURCHASE CONTRACTOR as described in this Agreement, ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL shall pay PURCHASE CONTRACTOR |
$_______________per_______________for__________________deal.
| 27. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR shall receive deposit reimbursement, only upon placement of the order and after the deposit receipt and Deposit Usage Form has been sent to ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL; |
| 28. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR shall receive the remaining portion of commission (less ) immediately upon delivery of the Vehicle to Company; |
| 29. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR shall receive the remaining of total commission upon ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL's receipt of the title certificate of the Vehicle. |
| 30. | In full consideration for all services performed by PURCHASE CONTRACTOR as described in this Agreement, ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL shall pay PURCHASE CONTRACTOR |
$_______________per_______________for__________________deal.
| 31. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR shall receive deposit reimbursement, only upon placement of the order and after the deposit receipt and Deposit Usage Form has been sent to ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL; |
| 32. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR shall receive the remaining portion of commission (less ) immediately upon delivery of the Vehicle to Company; |
| 33. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR shall receive the remaining of total commission upon ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL's receipt of the title certificate of the Vehicle. |
| 34. | In full consideration for all services performed by PURCHASE CONTRACTOR as described in this Agreement, ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL shall pay PURCHASE CONTRACTOR |
$_______________per_______________for__________________deal.
| 35. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR shall receive deposit reimbursement, only upon placement of the order and after the deposit receipt and Deposit Usage Form has been sent to ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL; |
| 36. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR shall receive the remaining portion of commission (less ) immediately upon delivery of the Vehicle to Company; |
| 37. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR shall receive the remaining of total commission upon ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL's receipt of the title certificate of the Vehicle. |
| 38. | In full consideration for all services performed by PURCHASE CONTRACTOR as described in this Agreement, ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL shall pay PURCHASE CONTRACTOR |
$_______________per_______________for__________________deal.
| 39. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR shall receive deposit reimbursement, only upon placement of the order and after the deposit receipt and Deposit Usage Form has been sent to ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL; |
| 40. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR shall receive the remaining portion of commission (less ) immediately upon delivery of the Vehicle to Company; |
| 41. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR shall receive the remaining of total commission upon ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL's receipt of the title certificate of the Vehicle. |
| 42. | In full consideration for all services performed by PURCHASE CONTRACTOR as described in this Agreement, ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL shall pay PURCHASE CONTRACTOR |
$_______________per_______________for__________________deal.
| 43. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR shall receive deposit reimbursement, only upon placement of the order and after the deposit receipt and Deposit Usage Form has been sent to ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL; |
| 44. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR shall receive the remaining portion of commission (less ) immediately upon delivery of the Vehicle to Company; |
| 45. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR shall receive the remaining of total commission upon ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL's receipt of the title certificate of the Vehicle. |
| 46. | In full consideration for all services performed by PURCHASE CONTRACTOR as described in this Agreement, ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL shall pay PURCHASE CONTRACTOR |
$_______________per_______________for__________________deal.
| 47. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR shall receive deposit reimbursement, only upon placement of the order and after the deposit receipt and Deposit Usage Form has been sent to ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL; |
| 48. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR shall receive the remaining portion of commission (less ) immediately upon delivery of the Vehicle to Company; |
| 49. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR shall receive the remaining of total commission upon ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL's receipt of the title certificate of the Vehicle. |
| 50. | In full consideration for all services performed by PURCHASE CONTRACTOR as described in this Agreement, ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL shall pay PURCHASE CONTRACTOR |
$_______________per_______________for__________________deal.
| 51. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR shall receive deposit reimbursement, only upon placement of the order and after the deposit receipt and Deposit Usage Form has been sent to ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL; |
| 52. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR shall receive the remaining portion of commission (less ) immediately upon delivery of the Vehicle to Company; |
| 53. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR shall receive the remaining of total commission upon ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL's receipt of the title certificate of the Vehicle. |
| 54. | In full consideration for all services performed by PURCHASE CONTRACTOR as described in this Agreement, ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL shall pay PURCHASE CONTRACTOR |
$_______________per_______________for__________________deal.
| 55. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR shall receive deposit reimbursement, only upon placement of the order and after the deposit receipt and Deposit Usage Form has been sent to ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL; |
| 56. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR shall receive the remaining portion of commission (less ) immediately upon delivery of the Vehicle to Company; |
| 57. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR shall receive the remaining of total commission upon ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL's receipt of the title certificate of the Vehicle. |
| 58. | The payment structure outlined in this agreement is specifically for Buyer Direct Purchases where the buying agent originated the deal through the dealership on their own. Commissions fora “Consulting Deal” (a deal where the company originated the transaction and worked with a dealership directly) will have to be outlined in a separate Independent Contractor Agreement. |
BREACH OF THE AGREEMENT WILL CAUSE IRREPARABLE HARM
| 59. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR acknowledges that PURCHASE CONTRACTOR’s breach of a material obligation of this Agreement will cause ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL to suffer irrevocable damage, including, but not limited to, loss of future earnings and profits, as well as harm to its reputation and goodwill within the community. |
| 60. | The Parties further agree that it would be difficult to measure damages caused by PURCHASE CONTRACTOR’s breach of this Agreement with any degree of certainty, and that in any event, money damages would likely not serve as an adequate remedy for any such breach. Accordingly, PURCHASE CONTRACTOR agrees that in addition to any other relief to which ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL may be entitled, ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL is hereby entitled to seek and obtain preliminary injunctive relief from a court of competent jurisdiction. |
THE AGREEMENT IS TO BE CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH NC LAW
| 61. | The Parties agree that this Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the domestic laws of NC and that any legal action, suit or proceeding arising out of or related to this Agreement or related to any services provided by PURCHASE CONTRACTOR, must be instituted in any state or federal court within PURCHASE CONTRACTOR hereby expressly waives any objection relating to jurisdiction or venue relating to any legal action, suit or proceeding arising out of the Agreement or any services provided by PURCHASE CONTRACTOR. |
| 62. | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR further acknowledges that ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL has encouraged PURCHASE CONTRACTOR to seek the advice of counsel of PURCHASE CONTRACTOR’s choosing to advise PURCHASE CONTRACTOR with respect to this Agreement and that PURCHASE CONTRACTOR has had sufficient time to review the Agreement with any such counsel. |
THIS AGREEMENT REFLECTS THE FULL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PARTIES
| 63. | The Parties agree that the express written terms set forth in this Agreement, constitute the complete Agreement between the Parties, and that any amendment hereto must take written form and be properly executed by ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL and PURCHASE CONTRACTOR. |
| 64. | Furthermore, in the event any provision of this agreement shall be determined by any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid and unenforceable to any extent, the remainder of this Agreement other than those provisions which are determined to be invalid and unenforceable, shall not be affected thereby, and each remaining provision shall be validated and enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law. |
| ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL LLC | PURCHASE CONTRACTOR | ||||
Exhibit 10.16
THIS SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT (THIS “AGREEMENT”) RELATES TO AN OFFER AND SALE OF SECURITIES IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION TO PERSONS WHO ARE NOT U.S. PERSONS (AS DEFINED HEREIN) PURSUANT TO REGULATION S (AS DEFINED HEREIN) UNDER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”).
本认购协议（本“协议”）与向非美国人士（见协议中定义）邀约出售证券的离岸交易相关，遵循美国1933年证券法及其修订案（“证券法”）下的S条例（见协议中定义）。
NONE OF THE SECURITIES TO WHICH THIS SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT RELATES HAVE BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR ANY U.S. STATE SECURITIES LAWS, AND, UNLESS SO REGISTERED, NONE MAY BE OFFERED OR SOLD, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN THE UNITED STATES OR TO U.S. PERSONS (AS DEFINED HEREIN) EXCEPT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR PURSUANT TO AN AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT AND IN EACH CASE ONLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS.
本协议相关证券未根据证券法或美国其它证券法注册，且除非进行该等注册，证券不得直接或间接在美国境内或向美国人士（见协议中定义）邀约或出售，但是符合证券法S条例中条款的、根据证券法下有效注册声明的、或根据证券法中可用豁免的、或不受证券法注册规定的交易的，且在上述各种情况下均符合相关州证券法的情况除外。
SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT
证券购买协议
This SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”) is dated as of June 27，2022 by and among Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc., a North Carolina corporation, (the “Company”), and individuals and entities listed in Exhibit B hereto and each affixes its signature on the signature page of this Agreement (each, a “Subscriber”; collectively, the “Subscribers”).
本证券购买协议(“本协议”或“协议”)于2022年 6 月 27 日，由Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc.，一家北卡罗来纳注册的公司（“公司”），和附录B下所列的且在此合同签名页上签署的个人或主体（“购买人”）之间合意签订。
RECITALS
前言
WHEREAS, the Company and the Subscribers are executing and delivering this Agreement in accordance with and in reliance upon the exemption from securities registration afforded by Section 4(2) of the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”) and/or Regulation S (“Regulation S”) as promulgated under the Securities Act;
鉴于，根据美国证监会在修订的1933年证券法（“证券法”）的基础上制定的规则S（“规则S”），和/或证券法条文4（2）下的豁免规定，公司和购买人在此签署和交换本协议；
WHEREAS, the Company is offering certain shares of its common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), at the price of $1.80 per share to the Subscribers;
鉴于，公司在此要向购买人出售其公司普通股股票，票面价值每股 $0.0001美元（“普通股”），每股购买价格 $1.80美元；
WHEREAS, the Company is offering an aggregate of 1,666,000 shares of Common Stock to the Subscribers listed in Exhibit B, who severally but not jointly enters into this Agreement and makes representations and warranties hereunder;
鉴于，公司向附录B下的购买人一共要约出售高达1,666,000股普通股，各购买人独立地而非联合地签署此合约，并作出合约下的各陈述和保证；
WHEREAS, the Subscriber is a “non-US person” as defined in Regulation S, acquiring the Shares (as hereinafter defined) solely for its own account for the purpose of investment;
鉴于，购买人是符合规则S下定义的“非美国主体”，购买上述股票(定义在下文)仅为购买人的个人投资目的；
NOW, THEREFORE, IN CONSIDERATION of the mutual covenants contained in this Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and the Subscribers hereby agree as follows:
鉴于此，公司和购买人认同双方经仔细考虑和双方合意，在此就以下内容表示同意:
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ARTICLE I
第一条
Purchase and Sale of the Common Stock
普通股的购买和销售
Section 1.1 Purchase Price and Closing.
第1.1节 购买价格和交割。
(a) Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Company agrees to issue and sell to the Subscribers and, in consideration of and in express reliance upon the representations, warranties, covenants, terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Subscribers agree to purchase for $1.80 per share, such number of shares of Common Stock (each a “Share” and collectively the “Shares”) for an aggregate price of listed on the signature page hereto (the “Purchase Price”).
在以下条款和前提下，公司同意向购买人发行并出售；根据本协议的说明、保证、约定和条款规定，购买人同意以美元$1.80每股的价格购买普通股（“股票”），购买股数及其总价列明在本协议附载的签字页中（“购买价格”）。
(b) Subject to all conditions to closing being satisfied or waived, the closing of the purchase and sale of the Shares (the “Closing”) shall take place at the offices of Hunter Taubman Fischer & Li LLC, the Company’s legal counsel, on the date of the occurrence of completion of and receipt by the Company of the Purchase Price (the “Closing Date”).
在交割的条件被满足或豁免的前提下，股票的买卖在公司收到购买价格时（“交割日”）在公司的律师翰博文律师事务所的办公室进行交割（“交割”）。
(c) Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, at the Closing the Company shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Subscriber (i) a certificate for such number of Shares, and (ii) any other documents required to be delivered pursuant to this Agreement. At the time of the Closing, the Subscriber shall have delivered its Purchase Price by wire transfer pursuant to the wire information contained on Exhibit C in this Agreement or by check.
根据本协议的规定，在交割时公司应向购买人送达或使他人向购买人送达 (i) 写有购买人名字的普通股股权证书， (ii) 其他任何根据本条款应送达的文件。在交割时，购买人应根据交本协议附件C的汇款信息向公司汇入其购买资金，或以支票的方式支付。
ARTICLE II
第二条
Representations and Warranties
保证和承诺
Section 2.1 Representations and Warranties of the Company and its Subsidiaries. The Company hereby represents and warrants to the Subscribers on behalf of itself, its Subsidiaries (as hereinafter defined), as of the date hereof (except as set forth on the Schedule of Exceptions attached hereto with each numbered Schedule corresponding to the section number herein), as follows:
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第2.1节 公司和其子公司的陈述和保证。公司在此代表其本身以及其子公司，就以下事项（但与本小段标号相对应的披露中的事项除外）作出陈述和保证：
(a) Organization, Good Standing and Power. The Company is a corporation or other entity duly incorporated or otherwise organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation or organization (as applicable) and respectively, has the requisite corporate power to own, lease and operate its properties and assets and to conduct its business as it is now being conducted. Except as set forth on Schedule 2.1(a), the Company and each of its Subsidiaries is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing in every jurisdiction in which the nature of the business conducted or property owned by it makes such qualification necessary except for any jurisdiction(s) (alone or in the aggregate) in which the failure to be so qualified will not have a Material Adverse Effect (as defined in Section 2.1(g) hereof).
组织、合法持续性和权力。公司是在其管辖区内依法成立的，有效存续的经济实体，各自都有必需的公司权力来持有、出租和操作其财产和资产，并进行合法的商业运作。除非披露表2.1(a)有不同的规定，公司以及其每一个子公司在其每个有商业行为和资产的管辖区内有合法资格进行经营并有良好的经营持续性，除了一些管辖，如果公司不能在这些区域内有合法资格经营也不会对公司的产生重大不良影响。
(b) Corporate Power; Authority and Enforcement. The Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement, and to issue and sell the Shares in accordance with the terms hereof. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been duly and validly authorized by all necessary corporate action, and no further consent or authorization of the Company or its Board of Directors or stockholders is required. This Agreement constitutes, or shall constitute when executed and delivered, a valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, liquidation, conservator ship, receiver ship or similar laws relating to, or affecting generally the enforcement of, creditor’s rights and remedies or by other equitable principles of general application.
公司权力；授权和执行。公司有必须的公司权力和授权来签订和履行本协议下的义务。公司有必须的权力和授权按照本协议的规定来发行和出售股票。公司对交易文件的签署、送达和履行和完成在此由所有必要的公司行为合法有效授权，不需要再由公司或董事会或股东会进一步的同意或授权。每一个交易文件在签署和送达时包括且应包括对于公司有效和有约束力的执行义务，除非适用的破产、解散、重组、延期偿付、清算、委托管理或其他有关的法律或其他衡平法原则会限制债权人的权利和补救。
(c) Capitalization. The authorized capital stock of the Company is 100,000,000 shares of common stock, and the shares thereof currently issued and outstanding as of June 27 , 2022 is 15,000,000 shares , except as set forth on Schedule 2.1(c) hereto. All of the authorized and issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company as of the date hereof have been duly and validly authorized, except as set forth on Schedule 2.1(c) hereto:
股本。公司授权的股本为100,000,000普通股，截至2022年 6 月 27 日公司已发行的流通的股票为15,000,000股，除本协议批露表2.1(c)之外。所有发行的流通的普通股都已获合法有效授权，除非交易文件或披露表2.1(c)有其他规定：
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(i) unless otherwise set forth under Section 3.5 of this Agreement, no shares of Common Stock are entitled to preemptive, conversion or other rights and there are no outstanding options, warrants, scrip, rights to subscribe to, call or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities or rights convertible into, any shares of capital stock of the Company;
除非在此协议第3.5节中另有规定，不存在有优先配股权、转换权或其他权利的普通股；不存在流通的期权、认购权、承诺购买权、或转换成公司股本的任何股份的其他权利；
(ii) there are no contracts, commitments, understandings, or arrangements by which the Company is or may become bound to issue additional shares of capital stock of the Company or options, securities or rights convertible into shares of capital stock of the Company;
不存在公司为一方当事人或受其约束的合同、承诺、备忘录或安排，公司需要因此而发行额外股本股份或发行期权、证券或转换股而获得公司的股本股份；
(iii) unless otherwise set forth under Section 3.5 of this Agreement, the Company is not a party to any agreement granting registration or anti-dilution rights to any person with respect to any of its equity or debt securities;
除非在此协议第3.5节中另有规定，公司没有在任何协议中同意对任何股权证券或债权证券给予登记注册权和反稀释权；
(iv) the Company is not a party to, and it has no knowledge of, any agreement restricting the voting or transfer of any shares of the capital stock of the Company.
公司没有在任何协议中同意或承诺对公司股本的任何股份的投票权和股份转让进行限制；
(v) the offer and sale of all capital stock, convertible securities, rights, warrants, or options of the Company issued prior to the Closing complied with all applicable Federal and state securities laws, except where non-compliance would not have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has furnished or made available to the Subscribers true and correct copies of the Company’s Articles of Incorporation, as amended and in effect on the date hereof (the “Articles”), and the Company’s Bylaws, as amended and in effect on the date hereof (the “Bylaws”). Except as restricted under applicable federal, state, local or foreign laws and regulations, the Articles, this Agreement, or as set forth on Schedule 2.1 (c), no written or oral contract, instrument, agreement, commitment, obligation, plan or arrangement of the Company shall limit the payment of dividends on the Company’s [Common Stock].
公司在本次交易交割结算前发行的所有股本股票、可转证券、权益、期权的买卖都符合适用的联邦和州证券法的规定，除非这些违反不会对公司有重大不利影响。公司向购买人提供了真实的公司成立协议副本（“公司成立协议”）和 公司章程副本（“公司章程”）。除了适用的联邦、州、当地、国外法律和规则，公司成立协议，本交易文件以及披露表2.1 (c)中的限制外，不存在任何书面或口头的合同、工具、协议、承诺、义务、计划或安排限制公司就其发行的普通股分配股息。
(d) Issuance of Shares. The Shares to be issued at the Closing have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and when paid for or issued in accordance with the terms hereof, shall be validly issued and outstanding, fully paid and non-assessable.
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股份的发行。本交易结算时应发行的普通股已经必要的公司行为授权。普通股在支付和发行时应符合本交易文件的要求，经必要的公司行为授权，有效发行和流通。
(e) Subsidiaries. As of the date of this Agreement, the Company does not have any subsidiary.
子公司。截止于本协议，公司没有子公司。
(f) Intentionally Omitted.
(g) No Material Adverse Effect. Except as set forth in Schedule 2.1 (f), as of June 27, 2022 till the date of this Agreement, the Company have not experienced or suffered any Material Adverse Effect. For the purposes of this Agreement, “Material Adverse Effect” shall mean (i) any material adverse effect upon the assets, properties, financial condition, business or prospects of the Company, and its Subsidiaries, when taken as a consolidated whole, and/or (ii) any condition, circumstance, or situation that would prohibit or otherwise materially interfere with the ability of the Company to perform any of its material covenants, agreements and obligations under this Agreement.
无重大负面影响。自从 2022 年 6 月 27 日至本协议签订之日截止，除了披露表2.1(f)中列明的项目，公司和子公司没有任何重大负面影响。出于本协议的目的，“重大负面影响”应指(i)任何公司以及在合并报表的情况下的子公司的经营、运作、财产或财务有任何重大负面影响的事件，和/或(ii)只要在任何条件、情况下会从任何重大方面阻止或重大干涉公司履行本协议下的任何重大承诺、协议和义务。
(h) No Undisclosed Liabilities. Other than as disclosed on Schedule 2.1(h) to the knowledge of the Company, neither the Company, nor the Subsidiaries has any liabilities, obligations, claims or losses (whether liquidated or unliquidated, secured or unsecured, absolute, accrued, contingent or otherwise) other than those incurred in the ordinary course of the Company’s and the Subsidiaries’ respective businesses and which, individually or in the aggregate, do not or would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
无未披露的义务。除了披露表2.1(h)所列的事项外，公司和其子公司没有任何未披露的义务、责任、诉讼或损失（不论是可清算的或不可清算的，有担保的或未担保的，全部的或计息的；附随的或其他），但公司和子公司在日常经营中产生的义务、责任、诉讼或损失，如果对于公司或子公司无重大负面影响，不应计入未披露的义务之内。
(i) No Undisclosed Events or Circumstances. To the Company’s knowledge, no event or circumstance has occurred or exists with respect to the Company, the Subsidiaries or their respective businesses, properties, operations or financial condition, which, under applicable law, rule or regulation, requires public disclosure or announcement by the Company but which has not been so publicly announced or disclosed.
无未披露事件或情况。在公司知道的范围内，不存在根据适用的法律、规则或法规，应进行公共披露或公告而未披露公告的关于公司、子公司、其经营、财产、运作或财务的事件和情况。
(j) Title to Assets. Except where non-compliance would not have a Material Adverse Effect, each of the Company and the Subsidiaries has good and marketable title to (i) all properties and assets purportedly owned or used by them as reflected in [the books and records of the Company, (ii) all properties and assets necessary for the conduct of their business as currently conducted, and (iii) all of the real and personal property reflected in the books and records of the Company free and clear of any Lien. All leases are valid and subsisting and in full force and effect.
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资产所有权。除非不会对公司造成重大不利影响，公司和每个子公司对以下资产有合法有市场价值的所有权（i）所有计入会计账目的其所有和使用的资产和财产，(ii) 目前经营所必需的资产和财产，以及 (iii) 所有没有担保质权的计入会计账目的不动产和个人财产。
(k) Actions Pending. There is no action, suit, claim, investigation, arbitration, alternate dispute resolution proceeding or any other proceeding pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or involving the Company which questions the validity of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby or any action taken or to be taken pursuant hereto or thereto. Except where the same would not have a Material Adverse Effect, there is no action, suit, claim, investigation, arbitration, alternate dispute resolution proceeding or any other proceeding pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or involving the Company involving any of their respective properties or assets. To the knowledge of the Company, there are no outstanding orders, judgments, injunctions, awards or decrees of any court, arbitrator or governmental or regulatory body against the Company, the Subsidiaries or any of their respective executive officers or directors in their capacities as such.
未决诉讼。在公司知道的范围内，不存在任何未决的和任何在其他程序中诉讼、索赔、调查、仲裁、争议，针对或涉及公司或任何中国经营实体，会质疑本协议或本交易或相关交易行为的有效性；除非不会对公司公司造成重大不利影响，也没有任何涉及公司、子公司、中国经营实体的各自的财产或资产的相关程序。在公司知道的范围内，不存在任何待执行的判决、判令、禁止令、法庭决定、仲裁决定或政府或监管主体对公司或其各自的行政管理人员或董事的行政令。
(l) Compliance with Law. The Company and the Subsidiaries have all material franchises, permits, licenses, consents and other governmental or regulatory authorizations and approvals necessary for the conduct of their respective business as now being conducted by it unless the failure to possess such franchises, permits, licenses, consents and other governmental or regulatory authorizations and approvals, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
符合法律规定。公司和子公司拥有其进行各自经营所必须的连锁权、许可权、证书、同意或其他政府或监管机构授权和同意，除非公司和子公司不可能合理预期到没有该连锁权、许可权、证书、同意或其他政府或监管机构授权和同意会对公司经营造成重大负面影响。
(m) No Violation. The business of the Company and the Subsidiaries is not being conducted in violation of any Federal, state, local or foreign governmental laws, or rules, regulations and ordinances of any of any governmental entity, except for possible violations which singularly or in the aggregate could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company is not required under Federal, state, local or foreign law, rule or regulation to obtain any consent, authorization or order of, or make any filing or registration with, any court or governmental agency in order for it to execute, deliver or perform any of its obligations under this Agreement, or issue and sell the Shares in accordance with the terms hereof or thereof (other than (x) any consent, authorization or order that has been obtained as of the date hereof, (y) any filing or registration that has been made as of the date hereof or (z) any filings which may be required to be made by the Company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission” or “SEC”) or state securities administrators subsequent to the Closing.)
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无违法行为。公司和子公司的经营没有违反任何联邦、州、当地或外国政府的法律或规则、法律、政府实体的政令，除非公司或子公司不能合理预期到该违反会造成重大负面影响。根据联邦、州、当地或外国法、法规或规则的规定，公司不需获得任何同意、授权或命令，或向任何法庭或政府机构申报或注册来执行、送达或履行本交易文件下的义务，（不包括 (x) 已获得的任何同意、授权、或命令，(y) 已进行的申报或登记，或(z) 在交割结算后可能必须向证监会或州证券管理机构进行的任何申报。）
(n) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated herein and therein do not and will not (i) violate any provision of the Company’s Certificate or Bylaws, (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, any agreement, mortgage, deed of trust, indenture, note, bond, license, lease agreement, instrument or obligation to which the Company is a party or by which it or its properties or assets are bound, (iii) create or impose a lien, mortgage, security interest, pledge, charge or encumbrance (collectively, “Lien”) of any nature on any property of the Company under any agreement or any commitment to which the Company is a party or by which the Company is bound or by which any of its respective properties or assets are bound, or (iv) result in a violation of any federal, state, local or foreign statute, rule, regulation, order, judgment or decree (including Federal and state securities laws and regulations) applicable to the Company or any of its subsidiaries or by which any property or asset of the Company or any of its subsidiaries are bound or affected, provided, however, that, excluded from the foregoing in all cases are such conflicts, defaults, terminations, amendments, accelerations, cancellations and violations as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
无冲突。公司签署、送达和履行交易文件以及交易内容，没有也不会(i)违反公司的成立协议或章程的任何条款，(ii) 与公司为一方当事人或财产受约束的任何存在的和承诺的合同、保证、契约、债券、租赁合同、融资工具相冲突或会给予他人任何终止、修改、取消上述法律文件的权利，(iii) 在公司在一方当事人或财产受约束的任何协议或承诺中使公司本身或公司的任何财产上创造或附加留置权、抵押权 、保证金权益、质押权、其他费用或财产负担（统称“留置权”），或(iv) 违反任何公司或其任何子公司适用的或其任何资产、不动产受影响或约束的联邦、州、当地或外国法律、规则、法规、法令、判决或命令（包括联邦和州的证券法规）；但如果上述的冲突、终止、修改、取消、违反不会对公司产生重大负面影响，则不应包括在内。
(o) Certain Fees. Except as set forth on Schedule 2.1(o) hereto, no brokers fees, finders fees or financial advisory fees or commissions will be payable by the Company with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
特定费用。除了批露表2.1(o)外所列的项目，公司不需要根据本协议支付与本交易有关的中介费用、佣金费用或融资顾问费用或提成。
(p) Disclosure. Except as set forth in Schedule 2.1(p), neither this Agreement nor the Schedules hereto nor any other documents, certificates or instruments furnished to the Subscriber by or on behalf of the Company or the Subsidiaries in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements made herein or therein, taken as a whole and in the light of the circumstances under which they were made herein or therein, not false or misleading.
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批露。除了批露表2.1(p)规定之外，公司或其子公司向购买人提供的与本交易有关的本协议、批露表、或其他文件、证明或工具证书没有关于重大事实的不实陈述或遗漏重大事实，没有错误或误导性陈述。
(q) Intellectual Property. Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries owns or has the lawful right to use all patents, trademarks, domain names (whether or not registered) and any patentable improvements or copyrightable derivative works thereof, websites and intellectual property rights relating thereto, service marks, trade names, copyrights, licenses and authorizations, and all rights with respect to the foregoing, which are necessary for the conduct of their respective business as now conducted without any conflict with the rights of others, except where the failure to so own or possess would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
知识产权。公司和每个子公司对其各自进行经营所必需的全部专利、商标、知名品牌（不论是否注册）和任何其他可以申请专利的技术创新或衍生著作权、网站或其他知识产权、服务标识、商号、著作权、执照和授权拥有所有权或合法使用权，且不与他人的权利相冲突，但不包括那些即使不拥有也不会对公司产生重大不利影响的知识产权。
(r) Books and Record Internal Accounting Controls. The books and records of the Company accurately reflect in all material respects the information relating to the business of the Company, the location and collection of their assets, and the nature of all transactions giving rise to the obligations or accounts receivable of the Company, or the Subsidiaries. Except as disclosed on Schedule 2.1(r), the Company and the Subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient, in the judgment of the Company, to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability, (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate actions are taken with respect to any differences.
会计账目内部控制。公司的会计账目准确体现了与公司经营有关的重大信息、资产的地点和保管、所有使公司和子公司承担义务或产生可记账收入的交易。除了在批露表2.1(r)中的披露外，公司和子公司保持一个内部会计控制系统，根据公司的判断，该系统充分的提供以下合理保证：(i) 交易经公司管理层一般或特别授权，(ii) 交易的记账符合一般会计准则的要求，且维持了资产的可记录性，(iii) 资产的使用只有经管理层的一般或特别授权，(iv) 对现有资产和可入账资产按合理的差距进行了比较且针对该差别采取了合理的行动。
(s) Intentionally Omitted.
(t) Transactions with Affiliates. Except as set forth in the books and records of the Company, there are no loans, leases, agreements, contracts, royalty agreements, management contracts or arrangements or other continuing transactions between (a) the Company on the one hand, and (b) on the other hand, any officer, employee, consultant or director of the Company or any person owning any capital stock of the Company or any member of the immediate family of such officer, employee, consultant, director or stockholder or any corporation or other entity controlled by such officer, employee, consultant, director or stockholder, or a member of the immediate family of such officer, employee, consultant, director or stockholder.
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与关联人的交易。除了会计账目中说明的之外，没有存在于以下主体之间的贷款、租赁、协议、合同、使用协议、管理合同或安排或其他进行中的交易(a)一方主体为公司，且(b)对方主体为公司的管理人员、员工、顾问或董事，公司的持股人，或者为他们的直接亲属成员，或者任何受管理人员、员工，顾问、董事或他们的直接亲属成员控制的公司或实体。
(u) Private Placement. Assuming the accuracy of each Subscriber’s representations and warranties set forth in Section 2.2, no registration under the Securities Act is required for the offer and sale of the Shares by the Company to the Subscriber as contemplated hereby.
私募。假设每个购买人在第2.2节中的陈述和保证是准确无误的，根据证券法规定，公司在此协议下拟向购买人提供并出售的股票不需要注册。
(v) Investment Company. The Company is not, and is not an Affiliate of, and immediately after receipt of payment for the Shares, will not be or be an Affiliate of, an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The Company shall conduct its business in a manner so that it will not become an “investment company” subject to registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
投资公司。在1940年投资公司法案定义下，公司现在不是投资公司或投资公司的关联方，在收到股票的支付后也不会成为投资公司或投资公司的关联方。公司应以一种使其不会成为需要注册的投资公司的方式经营业务。
Section 2.2 Representations and Warranties of the Subscriber. Each Subscriber, severally but not jointly, hereby makes the following representations and warranties to the Company as of the date hereof:
第2.2节 购买人的陈述和保证。各购买人，单独地而并非联合地，于此就以下事项作出仅与购买人自身相关的陈述和保证：
(a) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation by such Subscriber of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby or relating hereto do not and will not conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of any agreement, indenture or instrument or obligation to which such Subscriber is a party or by which its properties or assets are bound, or result in a violation of any law, rule, or regulation, or any order, judgment or decree of any court or governmental agency applicable to such Subscriber or its properties (except for such conflicts, defaults and violations as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on such Subscriber). Such Subscriber is not required to obtain any consent, authorization or order of, or make any filing or registration with, any court or governmental agency in order for it to execute, deliver or perform any of its obligations under this Agreement, provided, that for purposes of the representation made in this sentence, such Subscriber is assuming and relying upon the accuracy of the relevant representations and agreements of the Company herein.
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无冲突。购买人签署、送达和履行交易文件以及交易内容，没有也不会在购买人在一方当事人或财产受约束的任何协议或承诺中使购买人本身或其任何财产上创造或附加留置权、抵押权 、保证金权益、质押权、其他费用或财产负担，或者使购买人违反任何适用购买人或其财产的任何法律、规则、规定、命令或判决或判令，但不会对购买人产生重大负面影响，则不应包括在内。购买人购买普通股，签署、送达和履行本协议和其他交易文件不需要额外授权，但是在本句陈述的范围内，购买人依赖于公司相关陈述的准确性作出以上陈述。
(b) Status of Subscriber. The Subscriber is a “non-US person” as defined in Regulation S. The Subscriber further makes the representations and warranties to the Company set forth on Exhibit A. Such Subscriber is not required to be registered as a broker-dealer under Section 15 of the Exchange Act and such Subscriber is not a broker-dealer, nor an affiliate of a broker-dealer.
购买人资格。购买人应为规则S定义下的 “非美国主体”。购买人作出附件A所列的非美国主体的额外陈述和保证。购买人不需要是证券交易法第15条下的注册的券商，并且也不是券商或券商的关联人。
(c) Reliance on Exemptions. The Subscriber understands that the Shares are being offered and sold to it in reliance upon specific exemptions from the registration requirements of United States federal and state securities laws and that the Company is relying upon the truth and accuracy of, and the Subscriber’s compliance with, the representations, warranties, agreements, acknowledgments and understandings of the Subscriber set forth herein in order to determine the availability of such exemptions and the eligibility of the Subscriber to acquire the Shares.
依赖于豁免。购买人知道在此出售的证券是根据美国联邦和州证券法的登记注册要求的豁免出售的，公司依赖于购买人的声明、保证、同意、承认和认知的真实性和准确性，并对其的遵循，以决定这一豁免是否适用于购买人的购股行为。
(d) Information. The Subscriber and its advisors, if any, have had the opportunity to ask questions of management of the Company and its Subsidiaries and have been furnished with all information relating to the business, finances and operations of the Company and information relating to the offer and sale of the Shares which have been requested by the Subscriber or its advisors. Neither such inquiries nor any other due diligence investigation conducted by the Subscriber or any of its advisors or representatives shall modify, amend or affect the Subscriber’s right to rely on the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein. The Subscriber understands that its investment in the Shares involves a significant degree of risk. The Subscriber further represents to the Company that the Subscriber’s decision to enter into this Agreement has been based solely on the independent evaluation of the Subscriber and its representatives.
信息。购买人以及其顾问有机会向公司和子公司的管理层就公司的经营、财务和运作以及与此融资有关的信息提问。购买人或其顾问所作的调查或尽职调查没有改变公司在此作出的陈述和保证。购买人明白他的投资有风险，并确认他的投资是在其对投资进行独自评估的基础上作出的。
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(e) Governmental Review. The Subscriber understands that no United States federal or state agency or any other government or governmental agency has passed upon or made any recommendation or endorsement of the Shares.
政府审批。购买人明白美国联邦或州政府或其他行政机构没有审批或推荐出售该证券。
(f) Transfer or Re-sale. The Subscriber understands that the sale or re-sale of the Shares has not been and is not being registered under the Securities Act or any applicable state securities laws, and the Shares may not be transferred unless (i) the Shares are sold pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, (ii) the Subscriber shall have delivered to the Company an opinion of counsel that shall be in form, substance and scope customary for opinions of counsel in comparable transactions to the effect that the Shares to be sold or transferred may be sold or transferred pursuant to an exemption from such registration, which opinion shall be reasonably acceptable to the Company, (iii) the Shares are sold or transferred to an “affiliate” (as defined in Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act (or a successor rule) (“Rule 144”)) of the Subscriber who agrees to sell or otherwise transfer the Shares only in accordance with this Section 2.2(f) and who is a non-US person, (iv) the Shares are sold pursuant to Rule 144, or (v) the Shares are sold pursuant to Regulation S under the Securities Act (or a successor rule) (“Regulation S”). Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything else contained herein to the contrary, the Shares may be pledged as collateral in connection with a bona fide margin account or other lending arrangement.
转让或再出售。购买人明白证券不得根据证券法或适用的州证券法转让或再出售，除非 (i) 证券是在证券法下根据有效的登记申请书出售；(ii)购买人向公司递交合格的法律意见书，说明证券出售可以适用证券法下的豁免；(iii)证券是出售或转让给“关联人”（关联人的定义见证券法下144规则 “144规则”），进行出售的购买人是合格投资人；(iv) 证券是针具144规则出售；或(v) 证券根据证券法下的规则S进行出售（“规则S”）。尽管有以上规定，证券可以质押或借贷。
(g) Legends. The Subscriber understands that the Shares shall bear a restrictive legend in the form as set forth under Section 5.1 of this Agreement. The Subscriber understands that, except pursuant to an effective registration statement filed under the Securities Act, or until such time the Shares may be sold pursuant to Rule 144 or Regulation S without any restriction as to the number of securities as of a particular date that can then be immediately sold, the Shares may bear a restrictive legend in substantially the form set forth under Section 5.1 (and a stop-transfer order may be placed against transfer of the certificates evidencing such Securities).
限制交易说明。购买人明白股票带有此合同第5.1条下所列的交易限制。购买人明白，除非出售根据证券法进行登记，或可以适用144规则或规则S进行出售，股票应带有此限制交易说明。
(h) Residency. The Subscriber is a resident of the jurisdiction set forth immediately below such Subscriber’s name on the signature pages hereto.
购买人居住地和受管辖地列于本协议的签字页。
(i) No General Solicitation. The Subscriber acknowledges that the Shares were not offered to such Subscriber by means of any form of general or public solicitation or general advertising, or publicly disseminated advertisements or sales literature, including (i) any advertisement, article, notice or other communication published in any newspaper, magazine, or similar media, or broadcast over television or radio, or (ii) any seminar or meeting to which such Subscriber was invited by any of the foregoing means of communications.
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无一般劝诱。购买人承认公司要约出售普通股没有采取一般或公众劝诱或一般广告或公众广告或销售讲座的方式，包括(i) 任何广告、文章、通知或其他通过报纸、杂志或其他类似媒体登出的信息，或者电视或无线电广播，或(ii)任何通过上述沟通方式邀请购买人参与的讲座或会议。
(j) Rule 144. Such Subscriber understands that the Shares must be held indefinitely unless such Shares are registered under the Securities Act or an exemption from registration is available. Such Subscriber acknowledges that such Subscriber is familiar with Rule 144 and Rule 144A, of the rules and regulations of the Commission, as amended, promulgated pursuant to the Securities Act (“Rule 144”), and that such person has been advised that Rule 144 and Rule 144A, as applicable, permits resales only under certain circumstances. Such Subscriber understands that to the extent that Rule 144 or Rule 144A is not available, such Subscriber will be unable to sell any Shares without either registration under the Securities Act or the existence of another exemption from such registration requirement.
规则144。购买人明白股票的持有的时长是不确定的，除非股票经登记注册或登记注册被豁免。购买人承认其熟知规则144和规则144A， 并被告知根据规则144和规则144A，股票只有在特定的情况下才被允许出售；并且在不能适用规则144和规则144A时，如果股票没有登记注册或豁免，就不能出售。
(j) Brokers. Subscriber does not have any knowledge of any brokerage or finder’s fees or commissions that are or will be payable by the Company to any broker, financial advisor or consultant, finder, placement agent, investment banker, bank or other person or entity with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
融资代理。据投资人所知，公司不需要支付任何其他融资代理、金融顾问、发现者、券商、投资银行、银行或其他个人或主体任何与本交易有关的中介费、发理费或佣金。
(k) Acquisition for Investment. The Subscriber is a “non-US person” as defined in Regulation S, acquiring the Shares solely for the its own account for the purpose of investment and not with a view to or for sale in connection with a distribution to anyone.
投资目的。购买人是符合规则S下定义的“非美国主体”，购买此合同下的股票仅出于其个人的投资目的，不是为了向其他人分销。
(l) Independent Investment Decision. Such Subscriber has independently evaluated the merits of its decision to purchase the Shares pursuant to this Agreement, and such Subscriber confirms that it has not relied on the advice of any other person’s business and/or legal counsel in making such decision. Such Subscriber understands that nothing in this Agreement or any other materials presented by or on behalf of the Company to the Subscriber in connection with the purchase of the Shares constitutes legal, tax or investment advice. Such Subscriber has consulted such legal, tax and investment advisors as it, in its sole discretion, has deemed necessary or appropriate in connection with its sale of the Shares. Each Subscriber: (A) has been represented by independent counsel (or has had the opportunity to consult with independent counsel and has declined to do so); (B) has had the full right and opportunity to consult with such Subscriber’s attorneys and other advisors and has availed itself of this right and opportunity; (C) has carefully read and fully understands this Agreement in its entirety and has had it fully explained to it or him by such counsel; (D) is fully aware of the contents hereof and the meaning, intent and legal effect thereof; and (E) is competent to execute this Agreement and has executed this Agreement free from coercion, duress or undue influence.
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独立的投资决定。该购买人已根据本协议独立地评估其购买股票决定的优缺点，并且该购买人确认在其作出购买股票的决定时其并未依赖任何其他的商业和/或法律顾问的意见。该购买人理解本协议，或由公司、公司代表向购买人提交的任何与购买股票有关的材料绝不构成法律，税务或投资方面的建议。针对此购买股票的决定，该购买人已经咨询过在其全权决定下认为必要或适当的法律，税务和投资方面的顾问。
ARTICLE III
第三条
Covenants
约定
The Company covenants with the Subscribers as follows, which covenants are for the benefit of the Subscribers and its permitted assignees (as defined herein).
出于购买人和他们的受让人的利益考虑，公司同意以下条款：
Section 3.1 Securities Compliance. The Company shall take all other necessary action and proceedings as may be required and permitted by applicable law, rule and regulation, for the legal and valid issuance of the Shares to the Subscriber or subsequent holders.
第3.1节 符合证券法的规定。公司应根据适用法律、法则和规则的要求，采取所有其他必需的行动和程序来有效合法的发行普通股。
Section 3.2 Confidential Information. The Subscriber agrees that such Subscriber and its employees, agents and representatives will keep confidential and will not disclose, divulge or use (other than for purposes of monitoring its investment in the Company) any confidential information which such Subscriber may obtain from the Company pursuant to the books and records of the Company, reports and other materials submitted by the Company to such Subscriber pursuant to this Agreement, unless such information is known to the public through no fault of such Subscriber or his or its employees or representatives; provided, however, that a Subscriber may disclose such information (i) to its attorneys, accountants and other professionals in connection with their representation of such Subscriber in connection with such Subscriber’s investment in the Company, (ii) to any prospective permitted transferee of the Shares, so long as the prospective transferee agrees to be bound by the provisions of this Section 3.3, or (iii) to any general partner or affiliate of such Subscriber.
第3.2节 保密信息。购买人同意其对于公司根据本协议和其他交易文件提供给购买人、购买人员工、代理事代理的会计账目、报告或其他材料中的内部信息会保密、不披露、不泄露或使用，除非该内部信息非因购买人的过错而为公众所知悉，但是购买人可以披露以下(i)向购买人的律师、会计和其他专业人士披露其向公司的投资；(ii) 只要未来的股票受让人受本协议第3.3条约束，可以向未来受让人披露；或(iii)向购买人的一般合伙人或关联人披露。
Section 3.3 Compliance with Laws. The Company shall comply to comply in all material respects, with all applicable laws, rules, regulations and orders, except where non-compliance could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
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第3.3节 符合法律。公司应在重大方面，符合相关的法律、法规、规则和命令的规定, 除非不符合不会对公司造成重大不利影响。
Section 3.4 Keeping of Records and Books of Account. The Company shall keep adequate records and books of account, in which complete entries will be made in accordance with USGAAP consistently applied, reflecting all financial transactions of the Company, and in which, for each fiscal year, all proper reserves for depreciation, depletion, obsolescence, amortization, taxes, bad debts and other purposes in connection with its business shall be made.
第3.4节 记录和会计账册。公司应保存充分的记录和会计账册，与美国公认会计准则的记录规则相符，反映公司的所有金融交易。
Section 3.5 Registration Rights of the Subscribers.
购买人的注册权。
(a) Demand Registration. Commencing from the Closing Date, the Company, upon the receipt of a written demand (a “Demand Notice”) of any of the Subscribers, agrees to register, on one occasion, all of the Shares issuable to the Subscribers in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (the “Registrable Shares”). On such occasion, the Company will file a registration statement with the Commission covering the Registrable Shares within sixty (60) days after receipt of a Demand Notice and use commercially reasonable efforts to have the registration statement declared effective promptly thereafter, subject to compliance with review by the Commission. The Company shall cause any registration statement filed pursuant to this Section 3.5(a) to remain effective for a period of at least 24 consecutive months after the initial effectiveness date of such registration statement.
要求登记权。从交割日起，当收到任何一个购买人的书面要求注册通知书（“要求通知”）后，公司同意注册所有购买人在此合同下购买的股票（“可注册股票”）。在此情况下，公司会在收到要求通知后的60天以内向美国证监会就可注册股票的登记上报登记申请书，并尽商业上合理的努力在美国证监会审理后促使该登记申请书生效。在该登记申请书初次生效日起，公司应保持此登记申请书至少连续在往后24个月有效。
(b) “Piggy-back” Registration. Commencing from the Closing Date, any of the Subscribers shall have the right, for a period of five years (5) commencing on the Closing Date, to include the remaining Registrable Shares as part of any other registration of securities filed by the Company in the event of such a proposed registration. The Company shall furnish the Subscribers of outstanding Registrable Shares with not less than fifteen (15) days written notice prior to the proposed date of filing of such registration statement. The Subscribers shall exercise the “piggy-back” rights provided for herein by giving written notice, within five (5) days of the receipt of the Company’s notice of its intention to file a registration statement.
附带登记权。从交割日起的五年内，所有的购买人均有权要求公司将他们持有的未注册的可注册股票纳入到公司其他即将上报的登记申请书中。公司应在上报登记申请书前至少15日提供给剩余的购买人书面的通知。购买人应在收到公司的书面通知后5天内提供给公司他（们）要行使附带登记权的书面通知。
(c) Expenses. The Company shall bear all fees and expenses attendant to registering the Registrable Shares pursuant to Section 3.5 hereof.
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费用。公司应承担所有由第3.5节产生的登记可注册股票的费用和花费。
ARTICLE IV
第四条
CONDITIONS
条件
Section 4.1 Conditions Precedent to the Obligation of the Company to Sell the Shares. The obligation hereunder of the Company to issue and sell the Shares is subject to the satisfaction or waiver, at or before the Closing, of each of the conditions set forth below. These conditions are for the Company’s sole benefit and may be waived by the Company at any time in its sole discretion.
第4.1节 公司出售股票的义务的前提条件。在此协议下，公司仅在以下各条件在交割时或交割之前被满足或被放弃时，才承担发行并向购买人出售股票的义务。此等条件是基于公司的利益，公司可随时依据自己的决定选择放弃此等条件。
(a) Accuracy of the Subscriber’s Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the Subscriber in this Agreement shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the date when made and as of the Closing Date as though made at that time, except for representations and warranties that are expressly made as of a particular date, which shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such date.
购买人的陈述与保证的准确性。此协议中购买人的陈述与保证以在各个重大方面都应真实并且准确，此真实性和准确性是针对协议签署时和交割日来衡量，但是若陈述和保证中明示说明了产生日期，则按照此日期来衡量。
(b) Performance by the Subscriber. The Subscriber shall have performed, satisfied and complied in all respects with all covenants, agreements and conditions required by this Agreement to be performed, satisfied or complied with by such Subscriber at or prior to the Closing.
购买人的履行。在交割时或交割之前，购买人应在各方面履行，达到并符合购买人应履行，达到或符合此协议所必需的要求，合同和条件。
(c) No Injunction. No statute, rule, regulation, executive order, decree, ruling or injunction shall have been enacted, entered, promulgated or endorsed by any court or governmental authority of competent jurisdiction which prohibits the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
无强制令。任何有管辖权的法院或政府机构不得制定，通过，颁布或支持任何禁止此协议中所述交易发生的法条，规则，规章，可执行命令，法令，判决或强制令。
(d) Delivery of Purchase Price. The Purchase Price for the Shares shall have been delivered to the Company.
购买价格的告知。股票购买价格应已支付给公司。
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(e) Delivery of this Agreement. This Agreement shall have been duly executed and delivered by the Subscriber to the Company.
合同的签署。购买人应签署此合同并递交至公司。
Section 4.2 Conditions Precedent to the Obligation of the Subscriber to Purchase the Shares. The obligation hereunder of the Subscriber to acquire and pay for the Shares offered in Offering is subject to the satisfaction or waiver, at or before the Closing, of each of the conditions set forth below. These conditions are for the Subscriber’s sole benefit and may be waived by such Subscriber at any time in its sole discretion.
第4.2节 购买人购买股票的义务的前提条件。在此协议下，购买人仅在以下各个条件在交割时或交割之前被满足或被放弃时，才承担购买股票并支付的义务。此等条件是基于购买人的利益，并且购买人可随时自行决定选择放弃此等条件。
(a) Accuracy of the Company’s Representations and Warranties. Each of the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement shall be true and correct in all respects as of the date when made and as of the Closing Date as though made at that time, except for representations and warranties that are expressly made as of a particular date, which shall be true and correct in all respects as of such date.
公司的陈述与保证的准确性。此协议中公司的陈述与保证在各个重大方面都应真实并且准确，此真实性和准确性是针对协议签署时和交割日来判定，但是若陈述和保证中明示说明了做出日期，则按照此日期来判定。
(b) Performance by the Company. The Company shall have performed, satisfied and complied in all respects with all covenants, agreements and conditions required by this Agreement to be performed, satisfied or complied with by the Company at or prior to the Closing.
公司的履行。在交割时或交割之前，公司应在各方面履行，满足并符合所有公司履行，满足或符合此协议所必需的合意，合同和条件。
(c) No Injunction. No statute, rule, regulation, executive order, decree, ruling or injunction shall have been enacted, entered, promulgated or endorsed by any court or governmental authority of competent jurisdiction which prohibits the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
无强制令。任何有管辖权的法院或政府机构不得制定，通过，颁布或支持任何禁止此协议中所述交易发生的法条，规则，规章，可执行命令，法令，判决或强制令。
(d) No Proceedings or Litigation. No action, suit or proceeding before any arbitrator or any governmental authority shall have been commenced, and no investigation by any governmental authority shall have been threatened, against the Company, or any of the officers, directors or affiliates of the Company seeking to restrain, prevent or change the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, or seeking damages in connection with such transactions.
无诉讼程序或诉讼。不得在任何仲裁员或任何政府机构提起任何诉讼，案件或诉讼程序；任何政府机构不得针对公司，或公司的任何管理人员，董事会成员或附属机构发起调查，试图限制，禁止或改变此协议所述的交易或要去与此类交易有关的损害赔偿。
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(e) Certificates. The Company shall have executed and delivered to the Subscriber the certificates (in such denominations as such Subscriber shall request) for the Shares being acquired by such Subscriber immediately after the Closing (in such denominations as such Subscriber shall request) to such address set forth next to the Subscriber with respect to the Closing.
证书。公司应在交割后立即签署并向购买人送达由此购买人购买的股票证书，地址应为交割时购买人的地址。证书的种类/面值依购买人所要求。
(f) Resolutions. The Board of Directors of the Company shall have adopted resolution consistent with Section 2.1(b) hereof in a form reasonably acceptable to such Subscriber (the “Resolution”).
决议。公司董事会应采纳与此协议中第2.1节(b)相一致的，在形式上可被此购买人合理的接受的决议（ “决议”）。
(g) Material Adverse Effect. No Material Adverse Effect shall have occurred at or before the Closing Date.
重大负面影响。在交割日或交割日之前不得产生重大负面影响。
ARTICLE V
第五条
Stock Certificate Legend
股权证书上的说明
Section 5.1 Legend. Each certificate representing the Shares shall be stamped or otherwise imprinted with a legend substantially in the following form (in addition to any legend required by applicable state securities or “blue sky” laws):
第5.1节 限制交易说明。证券的股权证书都应盖印或刻印有与下段文字基本相同的限制交易说明（此受限说明是对任何相关的州证券法或“蓝天”法下的限制交易说明的补充）：
THESE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE (THE “SECURITIES”) HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”). THE SECURITIES WERE OFFERED TO INVESTORS WHO ARE NOT U.S. PERSONS (AS DEFINED IN REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT) AND ISSUED IN A TRANSACTION EXEMPT FROM THE REGISTRATION REDISTRICTIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT PURSUANT TO REGULATION S PROMULGATED UNDER IT. THE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE OFFERED FOR SALE, SOLD OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED, EITHER DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN THE UNITED STATES (AS DEFINED IN REGULATION S) OR TO U.S. PERSONS EXCEPT IN ACCORDANCE WITH REGULATION S, PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT. FURTHER, HEDGING TRANSACTIONS WITH REGARD TO THE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE CONDUCTED UNLESS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SECURITIES ACT.
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此证书代表的证券（“证券”）尚未依照1933年的证券法及其修改案（“证券法”）的要求登记。此证券仅向非美国人士（在证券法下的S规则定义）提出邀约并根据证券法下的S规则发行而豁免登记。证券不得在美国境内或对美国人士，包括直接或间接，出售或转让，除非根据证券法下的S规则已依照证券法进行登记，或者根据可用的注册豁免。另外，除非符合证券法的要求，不允许对此证券进行对冲交易。
ARTICLE VI
第六条
Indemnification
补偿
Section 6.1 General Indemnity. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Subscriber (and their respective directors, officers, managers, partners, members, shareholders, affiliates, agents, successors and assigns) from and against any and all losses, liabilities, deficiencies, costs, damages and expenses (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees, charges and disbursements) incurred by the Subscriber as a result of any inaccuracy in or breach of the representations, warranties or covenants made by the Company herein. The Subscriber, severally but not jointly, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company and its directors, officers, affiliates, agents, successors and assigns from and against any and all losses, liabilities, deficiencies, costs, damages and expenses (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees, charges and disbursements) incurred by the Company as a result of any inaccuracy in or breach of the representations, warranties or covenants made by such Subscriber herein. The maximum aggregate liability of the Subscriber pursuant to its indemnification obligations under this Article VI shall not exceed the portion of the Purchase Price paid by the Subscriber hereunder. In no event shall any “Indemnified Party” (as defined below) be entitled to recover consequential or punitive damages resulting from a breach or violation of this Agreement.
第6.1节 常规补偿。公司同意补偿购买人（及其各自的董事会成员，高级职员，管理层人员，合伙人，成员，股东，附属机构，代理人，继承人和子实体）并保证其免受任何及所有的损失，责任，短缺，费用，损害赔偿和花销（包括但不限于，合理的律师费），如果以上损失和责任是因公司做出的保证，陈述和协议中的不准确或违反了其中条款而导致的购买人产生的话。购买人同意分别但不连带的补偿公司及其董事会成员，附属机构，代理人，继承者和子实体，并使其免受任何及所有的损失，责任，短缺，费用，损害赔偿和花销（包括但不限于，合理的律师费），如果以上损失和责任是因购买人做出的保证，陈述和协议中的不准确或违反了其中条款而导致的公司产生的话。购买人依此第6.1条中所述补偿而承担的最大的总责任不得超过此购买人所支付的购买价格。任何“受补偿方” （定义见下）不得享有因违反此协议而引起的间接损害赔偿或惩罚性损害赔偿。
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Section 6.2 Indemnification Procedure. Any party entitled to indemnification under this Article VI (an “Indemnified Party”) will give written notice to the indemnifying party of any matters giving rise to a claim for indemnification; provided, that the failure of any party entitled to indemnification hereunder to give notice as provided herein shall not relieve the indemnifying party of its obligations under this Article VI except to the extent that the indemnifying party is actually prejudiced by such failure to give notice. In case any action, proceeding or claim is brought against an Indemnified Party in respect of which indemnification is sought hereunder, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate in and, unless in the reasonable judgment of the Indemnified Party a conflict of interest between it and the indemnifying party may exist with respect of such action, proceeding or claim, to assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party. In the event that the indemnifying party advises an Indemnified Party that it will contest such a claim for indemnification hereunder, or fails, within thirty (30) days of receipt of any indemnification notice to notify, in writing, such person of its election to defend, settle or compromise, at its sole cost and expense, any action, proceeding or claim (or discontinues its defense at any time after it commences such defense), then the Indemnified Party may, at its option, defend, settle or otherwise compromise or pay such action or claim. In any event, unless and until the indemnifying party elects in writing to assume and does so assume the defense of any such claim, proceeding or action, the Indemnified Party’s costs and expenses arising out of the defense, settlement or compromise of any such action, claim or proceeding shall be losses subject to indemnification hereunder. The Indemnified Party shall cooperate fully with the indemnifying party in connection with any negotiation or defense of any such action or claim by the indemnifying party and shall furnish to the indemnifying party all information reasonably available to the Indemnified Party which relates to such action or claim. The indemnifying party shall keep the Indemnified Party fully apprised at all times as to the status of the defense or any settlement negotiations with respect thereto. If the indemnifying party elects to defend any such action or claim, then the Indemnified Party shall be entitled to participate in such defense with counsel of its choice at its sole cost and expense. The indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of any action, claim or proceeding effected without its prior written consent, provided, however, that the indemnifying party shall be liable for any settlement if the indemnifying party is advised of the settlement but fails to respond to the settlement within thirty (30) days of receipt of such notification. Notwithstanding anything in this Article VI to the contrary, the indemnifying party shall not, without the Indemnified Party’s prior written consent, settle or compromise any claim or consent to entry of any judgment in respect thereof which imposes any future obligation on the Indemnified Party or which does not include, as an unconditional term thereof, the giving by the claimant or the plaintiff to the Indemnified Party of a release from all liability in respect of such claim. The indemnification required by this Article VI shall be made by periodic payments of the amount thereof during the course of investigation or defense, as and when bills are received or expense, loss, damage or liability is incurred, so long as the Indemnified Party irrevocably agrees to refund such moneys if it is ultimately determined by a court of competent jurisdiction that such party was not entitled to indemnification. The indemnity agreements contained herein shall be in addition to (a) any cause of action or similar rights of the Indemnified Party against the indemnifying party or others, and (b) any liabilities the indemnifying party may be subject to pursuant to the law.
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第6.2节 补偿程序。任何依据此第六条有权享有补偿的当事方（“受补偿方”）应就任何因此补偿而引出的诉讼请求向补偿方发出书面通知；前提是，若受补偿方未能发出此通知，补偿方仍需承担其在此第六条下的补偿责任，除非此不作为会对补偿方产生不公正结果。在就此补偿而向受补偿方提出的任何诉讼，诉讼程序或诉讼请求中，补偿方应有权参与其中并与法律顾问一起提出受补偿方合理的觉得满意的抗辩，除非依据受补偿方的合理的判断，存在利益冲突，并且补偿方很可能在此诉讼，诉讼程序或诉讼请求中胜出。若补偿方告知受补偿方其将应诉，或在收到任何关于补偿的通知后的三十（30）天内未能书面通知受补偿方其将选择自费应诉，调解或折中方式（或在应诉后的任何时候停止抗辩），则受补偿方可自由选择应诉，调解或其它折中方法，或支付此诉讼或诉讼请求的费用。在任何情况下，除非补偿方书面选择并确已开始抗辩，因此抗辩，调节或折中方式而产生的受补偿方的费用和花销应为可依此条款补偿的款项。受补偿方应就此诉讼或诉讼请求的协商或抗辩与补偿方全力合作，并向补偿方提供受 补偿方可合理获取的与此诉讼或诉讼请求相关的所有信息。补偿方应将抗辩或任何调解协商的进展情况及时通知受补偿方。若补偿方选择应诉此诉讼或诉讼请求，则受补偿方应有权自费与法律顾问参与到此抗辩中。补偿方不因任何未获其书面同意便生效的调解而承担责任，但是，若已将调解告知补偿方，但补偿方未能在收到此通知的三十（30）天内回应，则补偿方应对此调解承担责任。除非与此第六条规定相冲突，若未得到受补偿方的事先书面同意，补偿方不得同意调解或采用折中方式或同意任何要求受补偿方承担任何将来义务的判决或者不包含要求起诉方或原告免除所有受补偿方与此诉讼请求相关的所有责任这一无条件条款的判决。只要受补偿方同意（此同意为不可撤回）若适格法律管辖区的法院最终判定此当事方无权获得补偿，受补偿方将退还此所有补偿，则在调查或抗辩过程中收到的账单的款项，或在此期间产生的花销，损失，损害赔偿或责任的补偿应分期支付。此补偿协议是以下权利的补充（a）受补偿方针对补偿方所享有的任何诉因，及（b）任何补偿方可能依法承担的责任。
ARTICLE VII
第七条
Miscellaneous
其他条款
Section 7.1 Fees and Expenses. Except as otherwise set forth in this Agreement, each party shall pay the fees and expenses of its advisors, counsel, accountants and other experts, if any, and all other expenses, incurred by such party incident to the negotiation, preparation, execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement.
第7.1节 费用和花销。除此协议所述，各当事方应自行支付其顾问，会计师和其他专家的费用和花销，以及所有其他与协商，准备，执行，送达和履行此协议有关的花销。
Section 7.2 Specific Enforcement, Consent to Jurisdiction.
第7.2节 特别履行，同意接受司法管辖。
(a) The Company and the Subscribers acknowledge and agree that irreparable damage would occur in the event that any of the provisions of this Agreement were not performed in accordance with their specific terms or were otherwise breached. It is accordingly agreed that the parties shall be entitled to an injunction or injunctions to prevent or cure breaches of the provisions of this Agreement and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions hereof or thereof, this being in addition to any other remedy to which any of them may be entitled by law or equity.
公司和购买人承认并同意一旦发生无法补救的损失，不得要求此协议的特别履行。双方也就此同意各方都有权要求强制令以阻止或消除此协议的违约情况，并要求执行此协议中的具体条款，此救济是对任何依据法律或衡平法可适用的救济的补充。
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(b) Each of the Company and the Subscribers (i) hereby irrevocably submits to the jurisdiction of the United States District Court sitting in the [Southern District of New York and the courts of the State of New York located in New York] county for the purposes of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby and (ii) hereby waives, and agrees not to assert in any such suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of such court, that the suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum or that the venue of the suit, action or proceeding is improper. Each of the Company and the Subscriber consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing in this Section 7.2 shall affect or limit any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof to such party at the address for such notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. The Company hereby appoints Hunter Taubman Fischer & Li LLC, with offices at 48 Wall Street, Suite 1100, New York, NY 10005 as its agent for service of process in New York. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any manner permitted by law.
公司和购买人（i）就所有因此协议或其所述的交易而产生的诉讼或诉讼程序，接受位于[纽约州南区的美国巡回法院以及位于纽约郡的纽约州法院]的管辖，此接受不可撤回，并且（ii）放弃并同意不在任何诉讼或诉讼程序中提出任何关于不受此等法院属人管辖，或诉讼在不方便法院提起，或案件审判地不合适的诉讼请求。公司和购买人同意在此类诉讼中送达服务可通过使用挂号信或第二日送达服务（需有送达的证明）将依此协议所需的通知复印件送达至有效的地址，并同意此类送达是良好有效的法律文书送达和通知。第7.2节不得影响或限制任何其他法律允许的送达方式。各当事方就此放弃对个人送达法律文书的要求，同意以邮寄作为法律文书送达方式，并同意此类送达是良好有效的法律文书送达和通知。公司就此指定翰博文律师事务所（位于纽约州纽约市华尔街48号1100房，邮编10005）为文书送达的代理人。此条款不得限制任何其他法律所允许的有关法律文书送达的权利。
Section 7.3 Entire Agreement; Amendment. This Agreement contains the entire understanding and agreement of the parties with respect to the matters covered hereby and, except as specifically set forth herein, neither the Company nor any of the Subscriber makes any representations, warranty, covenant or undertaking with respect to such matters and they supersede all prior understandings and agreements with respect to said subject matter, all of which are merged herein. No provision of this Agreement may be waived or amended other than by a written instrument signed by the Company and the Subscriber, and no provision hereof may be waived other than by a written instrument signed by the party against whom enforcement of any such waiver is sought.
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第7.3节 合同的完整性；修正。此协议中包含了合同各方对此协议的相关事项的完整理解和合意，除非此协议中明确指明，公司或购买人没有对此协议中所述事项做出其他任何陈述，保证，协议或承诺；针对所述事项的所有先前的理解和合意都合并到此协议中，并被此协议所取代。若无公司和购买人的书面同意，此协议的任何条款不得被取消或修改。
Section 7.4 Notices. All notices, demands, consents, requests, instructions and other communications to be given or delivered or permitted under or by reason of the provisions of this Agreement or in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby shall be in writing and shall be deemed to be delivered and received by the intended recipient as follows: (i) if personally delivered, on the business day of such delivery (as evidenced by the receipt of the personal delivery service), (ii) if mailed certified or registered mail return receipt requested, two (2) business days after being mailed, (iii) if delivered by overnight courier (with all charges having been prepaid), on the business day of such delivery (as evidenced by the receipt of the overnight courier service of recognized standing), or (iv) if delivered by facsimile transmission, on the business day of such delivery if sent by 6:00 p.m. in the time zone of the recipient, or if sent after that time, on the next succeeding business day (as evidenced by the printed confirmation of delivery generated by the sending party’s telecopier machine). If any notice, demand, consent, request, instruction or other communication cannot be delivered because of a changed address of which no notice was given (in accordance with this Section 7.4), or the refusal to accept same, the notice, demand, consent, request, instruction or other communication shall be deemed received on the second business day the notice is sent (as evidenced by a sworn affidavit of the sender). All such notices, demands, consents, requests, instructions and other communications will be sent to the following addresses or facsimile numbers as applicable:
第7.4节 通知。所有通知，要求，同意，请求，指示和其他因此协议需要或允许的交流或与此协议中的交易相关的交流应以书面形式出现，在以下情况中，应被视为已送达并由预期的接收者收取：（i）若人力递送，则是递送的工作日（以人力递送服务的收据为证），（ii）若由要求回执的挂号信邮寄，则为邮寄后的两（2）个工作日，（iii）若使用第二日送达的快递服务（预付所有费用），则为递送的工作日（以具有一定公信力的第二日送达服务的收据为证），或（iv）若通过传真，且在收信人当地时间下午六点前发出的，为传真当天，若在其他时间，则为下一个工作日（以发送方传真机器打印的确认发送的通知为证）。若任何通知，要求，同意，请求，指示和其他交流因地址改变且未事前通知（须符合第7.4节要求），或者拒绝接收，则此通知，要求，同意，请求，指示和其他交流应视为在通知发出的第二个工作受到（以发送方的宣誓书为证）。所有此类通知，要求，同意，请求，指示和其他交流应递送至以下地址或传真号 码：
If to the Company:
若至公司：
Attn: Huan Liu
Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc.
6201 Fairview Rd Suite 225
Charlotte, NC 28210
with copies (which shall not constitute notice) to:
同时复印件（不构成通知）寄至：
Attn: Ying Li, Esq.
Hunter Taubman Fischer & Li LLC
48 Wall Street, Suite 1100
New York, NY 10005
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If to Subscriber:
如至购买人：
The address listed on Exhibit B
在附件B中列明的地址
Any party hereto may from time to time change its address for notices by giving at least ten (10) days written notice of such changed address to the other party hereto.
任何当事方可时常更改通知所用的地址，但需提前十（10）天以书面形式告知另一方。
Section 7.5 Waivers. No waiver by any party of any default with respect to any provision, condition or requirement of this Agreement shall be deemed to be a continuing waiver in the future or a waiver of any other provisions, condition or requirement hereof, nor shall any delay or omission of any party to exercise any right hereunder in any manner impair the exercise of any such right accruing to it thereafter.
第7.5节 豁免。任何一方关于对某一条款，条件或要求违约的豁免不能视为未来或对其他条款，条件或要求的豁免。
Section 7.6 Headings. The section headings contained in this Agreement (including, without limitation, section headings and headings in the exhibits and schedules) are inserted for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning, construction or interpretation of this Agreement. Any reference to the masculine, feminine, or neuter gender shall be a reference to such other gender as is appropriate. References to the singular shall include the plural and vice versa.
第7.6节 编号。此协议中的编号（包括但不限于各节编号以及附表和清单中的编号）仅是出于引用方便的考虑，不影响此协议的释义，解释或理解。任何分性别或不分性别的指代都应包括所有性别的指代。任何单数名词包应包括其相对应的复数名词，反之亦然。
Section 7.7 Successors and Assigns. This Agreement may not be assigned by a party hereto without the prior written consent of the Company or the Subscriber, as applicable, provided, however, that, subject to federal and state securities laws, a Subscriber may assign its rights and delegate its duties hereunder in whole or in part to an affiliate or to a third party acquiring all or substantially all of its Shares in a private transaction without the prior written consent of the Company or the other Subscriber, after notice duly given by such Subscriber to the Company provided, that no such assignment or obligation shall affect the obligations of such Subscriber hereunder and that such assignee agrees in writing to be bound, with respect to the transferred securities, by the provisions hereof that apply to the Subscriber. The provisions of this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the respective permitted successors and assigns of the parties. Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to confer upon any party other than the parties hereto or their respective successors and assigns any rights, remedies, obligations or liabilities under or by reason of this Agreement, except as expressly provided in this Agreement.
第7.7节 继承者和子实体。若未获得公司和购买人的事前书面同意，各当事方公司不得转让本协议；但是，依据联邦和州的证券法或交易文件所述，在未获得公司或其他购买人的事前书面同意下，但此购买人告知公司之后，购买人可向附属机构或在非公开交易中收购了其全部或基本全部股份或期权的第三方转让其全部或部分权利及义务；但是，此权利或义务的转让会影响此购买人在协议下的义务，此受转让者书面同意就被转让的证券以及接受此协议中适用于此购买人的条款的约束力。此协议的条款对允许的各继承者和子实体具有约束力。除在此协议中明示之外，此协议的条款，明示或暗含的，都不赋予除协议中的当事方及其各自的继承者和子实体任何权利，救济，义务或责任。
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Section 7.8 Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the [State of New York], without giving effect to any of the conflicts of law principles which would result in the application of the substantive law of another jurisdiction. This Agreement shall not be interpreted or construed with any presumption against the party causing this Agreement to be drafted.
第7.8节 适用法律。此协议应根据[纽约州的州内法]执行和解释，但不包括任何可能导致适用非纽约州实体法的冲突法。此协议不适用“对起草人不利”的原则。
Section 7.9 Survival. The representations and warranties of the Company and the Subscriber shall survive the execution and delivery hereof and the Closing hereunder for a period of three (3) years following the Closing Date.
第7.9节 存续。公司和购买人的保证与陈述在此协议签署和送达后继续有效，有效期为交割日之后的三年。
Section 7.10 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and, all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same Agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to the other parties hereto, it being understood that all parties need not sign the same counterpart. In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission, such signature shall create a valid binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) the same with the same force and effect as if such facsimile signature were the original thereof.
第7.10节 副本。此协议可在多个副本上签署，每一份副本都可视为原件，所有副本都可视为同一协议并且在各方签署并送达本协议另一方时生效，当事方无需签署每一份副本。若签名是通过传真发送，此传真签名对签署方的约束力与将此传真签名视为原件的约束力相同。
Section 7.11 Severability. The provisions of this Agreement are severable and, in the event that any court of competent jurisdiction shall determine that any one or more of the provisions or part of the provisions contained in this Agreement shall, for any reason, be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect any other provision or part of a provision of this Agreement and such provision shall be reformed and construed as if such invalid or illegal or unenforceable provision, or part of such provision, had never been contained herein, so that such provisions would be valid, legal and enforceable to the maximum extent possible.
第7.11节 可分割性。此协议中的条款具有可分割性，若具有适格管辖权的法院判定此协议和交易文件中的任意条款无效，不合法或不可执行，其他条款的效力不受影响，并且在解释此有效条款时，应将无效的条款视为不存在，以便有效条款能在最大程度上被执行。
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Section 7.12 Individual Capacity. Each Subscriber enters into this Agreement on its own capacity, and not as a group with other Subscribers. Each Subscriber, severally but not jointly, makes representations and warranties contained under this Agreement.
第7.12节 个人名义。各购买人是以其个人名义签署此合同，而非与其他购买人为一个团体。各购买人，独立地而非联合地，作出此合约下包含的陈述和保证。
Section 7.13 Termination. This Agreement may be terminated prior to Closing by mutual written agreement of the Subscriber and the Company.
第7.13节 终止。此协议可在交割前由购买人和公司双方书面同意终止。
Section 7.14. Language. The Agreement is in both English and Chinese, which both have binding effects. If there is any conflict between the English and Chinese language, English language prevails.
第7.14节 语言。本协议含有英文和中文，英文和中文都有约束力。如两个语言版本有冲突，以英文版本为准。
[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank; Signature Pages Follow]
[余页故意留空；下页为签名页]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized officer as of the date first above written.
在此各方确认和签署。
| CHEETAH NET SUPPLY CHAIN SERVICE INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ Huan Liu | |
| Name: | Huan Liu | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer 首席行政官 | |
Signature Page of the Company
公司的签字页
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Signature Page of the Subscriber
购买人签字页
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Subscriber has caused this Agreement to be duly executed individually or by its authorized officer or member as of the date first above written.
购买人在此确认和同意协议的条款，并有效签署该协议。
The Subscriber:
购买人:
| By: | /s/ Huoyuan Chen | |
| 签字 | ||
| Name: | RAPID PROCEED LIMITED | |
| 名称 |
Number of Shares Purchased （购买的普通股股数）: 1,000,000 股
Total Purchase Price（购买价格）: (每股价格$1.80 x 购买股数) $1,800,000 美元
Address and Contacts of Subscriber
购买人的地址和联系方式
Huoyuan Chen
RAPID PROCEED LIMITED
[*]
Telephone（电话）: [*]
Email（电子邮箱）: [*]
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Signature Page of the Subscriber
购买人签字页
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Subscriber has caused this Agreement to be duly executed individually or by its authorized officer or member as of the date first above written.
购买人在此确认和同意协议的条款，并有效签署该协议。
The Subscriber:
购买人:
| By: | /s/ Yan Bai | |
| 签字 | ||
| Name: | Yan Bai | |
| 名称 |
Number of Shares Purchased （购买的普通股股数）: 666,000 股
Total Purchase Price（购买价格）: (每股价格$1.80 x 购买股数) $1,198,800 美元
Address and Contacts of Subscriber
购买人的地址和联系方式
Yan Bai
[*]
Telephone（电话）: [*]
Email（电子邮箱）: [*]
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EXHIBIT A
附录A
NON-U.S. PERSON REPRESENTATIONS
非美国主体声明
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Exhibit B
附录B
List of Subscribers
购买人的名单
No. 编码 |
Shares 股数 |
Name 姓名 |
Address 地址 |
| 1 | 1,00,000 | RAPID PROCEED LIMITED | [*] |
| 2 | 666,000 | Yan Bai | [*] |
| 3 | |||
| 4 | |||
| 5 | |||
| 6 | |||
| 7 | |||
| Total: 1,666,000 | |||
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Exhibit C
附录C
wire iNSTRUCTIONS
汇款指引
32
Exhibit d
附录d
INVESTOR SUITABILITY QUESTIONNAIRE
FOR NON-U.S. INVESTORS AS DEFINED IN RULE 902 OF REGULATION S
投资方适格性调查
（S条例902规则下非美国投资者）
33
Exhibit E
附录E
pAYMENT SCHEDULE
付款时间表
34
Schedules
to Subscription Agreement
Schedule 2.1(a). Organization, Good Standing and Power
Schedule 2.1(c). Capitalization
Schedule 2.1(f). Commission Documents, Financial Statements
Schedule 2.1(h). No Undisclosed Liabilities
Schedule 2.1(o). Certain Fees
Schedule 2.1(p). Disclosure
Schedule 2.1(r). Books and Record Internal Accounting Controls
35
Exhibit 10.17
REVOLVING LINE OF CREDIT AGREEMENT
This Revolving Line of Credit Agreement (the “Agreement”) is made and entered into this 5th day of October 2022 (the “Effective Date”), by and between Asia Finance Investment Limited (the “Lender”) located at located on Flat 1104A, Kai Tak Commercial Building, 317-319 Des Voeus road Central, Hong Kong, China, and Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc (“Borrower”), located at 6201 Fairview Rd Ste 225, Charlotte, NC, USA.
WHEREAS, Asia Finance Investment Limited (the “Lender”) has been providing financial support to Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc (“Borrower”) since early 2022, and both parties reached and maintained long and prosperous relationship,
In consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements contained herein, the parties agree as follows:
1. Line of Credit. Lenders hereby establishes for a period of twelve (12) months from the Effective Date (the “Maturity Date”) a revolving line of credit up to the maximum amount of Five million dollars ($5,000,000) (the “Credit Limit”), representing the maximum aggregate amount of the advances of funds from the Line of Credit (each an “Advance”) that may be outstanding and any time under the Line of Credit (the “Principal Indebtedness”), from which Borrower may draw down, at any time and from time to time during the period from and including the date of this Line of Credit through the day immediately preceding the Maturity Date, a principal amount not to exceed at any one time outstanding, as to all such Advances in the aggregate, the Principal Indebtedness.
2. Renewal and Extension of Line of Credit. Provided that Borrower is not in default under this Agreement or the Promissory Note, at the Maturity Date, the Borrower, at the Borrower’s option may extend and renew this Line of Credit for one additional term of twelve (12) months.
3. Interest. All sums advanced pursuant to this Agreement shall bear interest from the date each Advance is made until paid in full at an interest rate of up to one and a half percent (1.5%) simple interest per month (the “Interest Rate”). Interest will be calculated on a daily basis and charged for the actual number of days elapsed.
4. Interest Payments; Repayment. Repayments shall be made in accordance with the terms of a promissory note for the amount of the Credit Limit in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “Promissory Note”). Interest on the then outstanding principal balance shall be payable on a quarterly basis commencing 90 days after the Effective Date and continuing each quarterly thereafter. The entire unpaid principal balance, together with any unpaid accrued interest and other unpaid charges or fees hereunder, shall be due and payable on the Maturity Date.
[Signatures appear on the following pages.]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement the day and year first above written.
| Lender: Asia Finance Investment Limited | ||
| By: | /s/ PEIZHE HAN | |
| Name: | PEIZHE HAN | |
| Title: | CEO | |
| Borrower: Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc | ||
| By: | /s/ HUAN LIU | |
| Name: | HUAN LIU | |
| Title: | CEO | |
Exhibit A
PROMISSORY NOTE
The Entity executing this Note in the signatures below:
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc (“Borrower”) promises to pay to the order of Asia Finance Investment Limited ("Lender"), up to the maximum principal sum of Five million dollars ($5,000,000), or so much thereof as may be disbursed to, or for the benefit of the Borrower by Lender in Lender's sole and absolute discretion. It is the intent of the Borrower and Lender hereunder to create a line of credit agreement between Borrower and Lender whereby Borrower may borrow up to Five million dollars ($5,000,000) from Lender; provided, however, that Lender has no obligation to lend Borrower any amounts hereunder and the decision to lend such money lies in the sole and complete discretion of the Lender.
INTEREST & PRINCIPAL: The unpaid principal of this line of credit shall bear simple interest at the rate of up to one and a half percent (1.5%) per month. Interest shall be calculated based on the principal balance as may be adjusted from time to time to reflect additional advances. Interest on the unpaid balance of this Note shall accrue monthly but shall not be due and payable until such time as when the principal balance of this Note becomes due and payable. The principal balance of this Note shall be due and payable on the Maturity Date. There shall be no penalty for early repayment of all or any part of the principal.
| Borrower: Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc | ||
| By: | /s/ HUAN LIU | |
| Name: | HUAN LIU | |
| Title: | CEO | |
Exhibit 10.18
REVOLVING LINE OF CREDIT AGREEMENT
This Revolving Line of Credit Agreement (the “Agreement”) is made and entered into this 5th day of October 2022 (the “Effective Date”), by and between Hongkong Sanyou Petroleum Co Limited (the “Lender”) located at located on Sino Centre, Nathan Road, Yau Tsim Mong, Hong Kong, China, and Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc (“Borrower”), located at 6201 Fairview Rd Ste 225, Charlotte, NC, USA.
WHEREAS, Hongkong Sanyou Petroleum Co Limited (the “Lender”) has been providing financial support to Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc (“Borrower”) since 2021, and both parties reached and maintained long and prosperous relationship,
In consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements contained herein, the parties agree as follows:
1. Line of Credit. Lenders hereby establishes for a period of twelve (12) months from the Effective Date (the “Maturity Date”) a revolving line of credit up to the maximum amount of Ten million dollars ($10,000,000) (the “Credit Limit”), representing the maximum aggregate amount ofthe advances of funds from the Line of Credit (each an “Advance”) that may be outstanding and any time under the Line of Credit (the “Principal Indebtedness”), from which Borrower may draw down, at any time and from time to time during the period from and including the date of this Line of Credit through the day immediately preceding the Maturity Date, a principal amount not to exceed at any one time outstanding, as to all such Advances in the aggregate, the Principal Indebtedness.
2. Renewal and Extension of Line of Credit. Provided that Borrower is not in default under this Agreement or the Promissory Note, at the Maturity Date, the Borrower, at the Borrower’s option may extend and renew this Line of Credit for one additional term of twelve (12) months.
3. Interest. All sums advanced pursuant to this Agreement shall bear interest from the date each Advance is made until paid in full at an interest rate of up to one and a half percent (1.5%) simple interest per month (the “Interest Rate”). Interest will be calculated on a daily basis and charged for the actual number of days elapsed.
4. Interest Payments; Repayment. Repayments shall be made in accordance with the terms of a promissory note for the amount of the Credit Limit in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “Promissory Note”). Interest on the then outstanding principal balance shall be payable on a quarterly basis commencing 90 days after the Effective Date and continuing each quarterly thereafter. The entire unpaid principal balance, together with any unpaid accrued interest and other unpaid charges or fees hereunder, shall be due and payable on the Maturity Date.
[Signatures appear on the following pages.]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement the day and year first above written.
| Lender: Hongkong Sanyou Petroleum Co Limited | ||
| By: | /s/ Hongkong Sanyou Petroleum Co Limited | |
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
| Borrower: Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc | ||
| By: | /s/ HUAN LIU | |
| Name: | HUAN LIU | |
| Title: | CEO | |
Exhibit A
PROMISSORY NOTE
The Entity executing this Note in the signatures below:
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc (“Borrower”) promises to pay to the order of Hongkong Sanyou Petroleum Co Limited ("Lender"), up to the maximum principal sum of Ten million dollars ($10,000,000), or so much thereof as may be disbursed to, or for the benefit of the Borrower by Lender in Lender's sole and absolute discretion. It is the intent of the Borrower and Lender hereunder to create a line of credit agreement between Borrower and Lender whereby Borrower may borrow up to Ten million dollars ($10,000,000) from Lender; provided, however, that Lender has no obligation to lend Borrower any amounts hereunder and the decision to lend such money lies in the sole and complete discretion of the Lender.
INTEREST & PRINCIPAL: The unpaid principal of this line of credit shall bear simple interest at the rate of up to one and a half percent (1.5%) per month. Interest shall be calculated based on the principal balance as may be adjusted from time to time to reflect additional advances. Interest on the unpaid balance of this Note shall accrue monthly but shall not be due and payable until such time as when the principal balance of this Note becomes due and payable. The principal balance of this Note shall be due and payable on the Maturity Date. There shall be no penalty for early repayment of all or any part of the principal.
| Borrower: Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc | ||
| By: | /s/ HUAN LIU | |
| Name: | HUAN LIU | |
| Title: | CEO | |
Exhibit 10.19
SALES CONTRACT
销售合同
Date/日期: XXXX/XX/XX
The Buyer/买方: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Address/地址: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
The seller/卖方: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Address/地址: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
This contract is made by and between the Buyer and the Seller, whereby the Buyer agrees to buy, and the Seller agrees to sell the undermentioned goods on the terms and conditions stated below:
本合同由买卖双方共同协商并订立，买方同意购买，卖方同意按照下述条款出售货物：
VEHICLE DETAILS 车辆信息
| Item | Description of Goods | VIN# | MSRP | Selling Price |
| 1 | $ | $ | ||
| 2 | $ | $ | ||
| Total: | $ | $ | ||
INCOTERM 贸易条款: CFR
Port of Loading 装运港: Any port in America 美国任何港口
Port of Destination 卸货港: Any port in China 中国任何港口
Latest ate of shipment 最晚装运日期: XXXX/XX/XX XXXX年XX月XX日
| 1. | The seller’s responsibility 卖方责任 |
| 1.1. | The seller should make sure to load goods on the vessel by the time of shipment on contract at Port of loading, the seller should inform it to the buyer in advance. |
卖方承诺在合同规定的装运港和装运日期前将货物交付至指定承运人，并提前通知买方。
| 1.2. | The seller should arrange export customs clearance. |
卖方负责出口报关事宜。
| 1.3. | The seller should provide “Clean on Board” Bill of lading, packaging list, commercial invoice and other necessary document and inform the buyer about information of goods, quantity, invoice amount, vessel name and departure date via mail. |
卖方提供清洁提单，装箱单, 发票等必要文件并通过邮件方式告知买方货物信息、数量、发票金额、船司名、出发日期等信息。
| 1.4. | The seller ensures the goods are new. (Kilometer distance for loading and transportation are exception) |
卖方保证货物全新（装运时发生的里程数除外）。
| 2. | The buyer’s responsibility 买方责任 |
| 2.1. | The buyer should apply import customs clearance and cover all the cost and risks after the goods arrived at Port of Destination. |
买方负责办理进口清关手续，并承担货物到达卸货港后的所有费用和风险。
| 2.2. | The buyer should arrange payment to the seller according to the type of payment on contract. |
买方需按照合同规定的付款方式向卖方支付货款。
| 2.3. | The buyer handles all the import issue, gains the import license and other official documents. |
买方办理一切进口手续，取得进口许可证以及其它官方凭证。
| 2.4. | The buyer takes all the risks and costs for discharging. |
卸货时一切风险和费用由买方承担。
| 3. | Type of Payment 付款方式 |
| 3.1 | $$$ need to be paid via Letter of Credit within 90 days from the on-board date. |
Letter of Credit Beneficiary: XXXX
$$$需通过信用证的方式在发船后的90天内结清，信用证的受益人为XXX。
| 3.2 | $$$ need to be paid via T/T within 90 days from the on-board date. |
$$$需通过转账电汇的方式在发船后的90天内结清。
| 4. | Force Majeure Clause 不可抗力 |
Seller shall not be liable for any non-performance due to war, earthquake, flood, disaster, blizzard, or other force maneuvers which prevents full shipment or delayed shipment by the exporter. 如果由于战争、地震、洪水、灾害、暴风雪或其他不可抗力因素，导致出口方不能全部装运或延期装运货物，卖方对由于上述原因所造成的不能履约的责任概不负责。
| 5. | Settlement of Disputes 争议的解决 |
| 5.1. | Friendly consultations 友好协商 |
In the event of any dispute, controversy or claim(collectively“dispute") arising out of or relating to this Contract, or the breach, termination or invalidity hereof, the Parties shall attempt in the first instance to resolve such dispute through friendly consultations.
如果发生由本合同(或者违反、终止或者无效)引起或者与其相关的争议、纠纷或者索赔(统称“争议”)， 双方首先应争取通过友好协商来解决争议。
| 5.2. | Gornverning Law 适用法律 |
The validity, interpretation and implementation of this Contract shall be governed by the laws of the State of North Carolina in USA.
本合同的效力、解释以及执行适用美国北卡罗来纳州法律。
| 6. | Additional Clauses 其它条款 |
After the signing of this contract, all prior communications and verbal agreements between the parties shall be deemed as the basis for the contract. 签署本合同后，所有任何双方在此之前的通信联系和口头协议作为合同的附属依据。
买方盖章/签字Buyer Seal/Signature：
卖方盖章/签字Seller Seal/Signature：
Exhibit 10.20
BILL OF SALE
| I, | (seller), in consideration of ( | $ +$ | ), |
do hereby sell, transfer and convey to ALLEN-BOY INTERNATIONAL LLC (buyer), located at 8501 Tower Point Dr. B-27, Charlotte, NC. 28227. the following vehicle.
| Make: | Year: | |
| Model: | VIN: | |
| Mileage: |
I undersigned seller, do sell the above-described vehicle to the buyer for the amount shown and certify that all of the information provided in this bill of sale is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge.
I, the undersigned buyer, acknowledge receipt of this bill of sale and understand there is no guarantee or warranty, expressed or implied, with respect to the above-described property. It is also understood that the above vehicle is sold in “as is” conditions. The undersigned buyer will pay $ to the undersigned seller after receiving the title.
Dated this day of _____________
| Seller’s print Name | Buyer’s print Name | |
| Seller’s Signature | Buyer’s Signature | |
Exhibit 14.1
CODE OF BUSINESS CONDUCT AND ETHICS OF
CHEETAH NET SUPPLY CHAIN SERVICE INC.
INTRODUCTION
Purpose
This Code of Business Conduct and Ethics (this “Code”) contains general guidelines for the conduct of business of Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc., a North Carolina company (the “Company”), consistent with the highest standards of business ethics. To the extent where this Code requires a higher standard than required by commercial practice or applicable laws, rules or regulations, we shall adhere to these higher standards.
This Code applies to all the directors, officers, and employees of the Company and its subsidiaries (which, unless the context otherwise requires, are collectively referred to as the “Company” in this Code). We refer to all persons covered by this Code as “Company employees” or simply “employees.” We also refer our chief executive officer and our chief financial officer as our “principal financial officers.”
Seeking Help and Information
This Code is not intended to be a comprehensive rulebook and cannot address every situation that you may face. If you feel uncomfortable about a situation or if you have any doubts whether it is consistent with the Company’s ethical standards, do seek help. We encourage you to first contact your supervisor for help. If your supervisor cannot answer your question or resolve your problem, or if you do not feel comfortable contacting your supervisor, you may contact the Compliance Officer of the Company, who shall be a person appointed by the Board of Directors of the Company. Huan Liu has been appointed by the Board of Directors of the Company as the Compliance Officer of the Company. The Company will notify you if there is a change in the appointment of the Compliance Officer. You may remain anonymous and will not be required to reveal your identity in your communication to the Company.
Reporting Violations of the Code
All employees have a duty to report any known or suspected violation of this Code, including any violation of the laws, rules, regulations or policies that apply to the Company. If you know of or suspect a violation of this Code, immediately report the conduct to your supervisor. Your supervisor will contact the Compliance Officer, who will work with you and your supervisor to investigate the matter. If you do not feel comfortable reporting the matter to your supervisor or you do not get a satisfactory response, you may contact the Compliance Officer directly. Employees making a report need not leave their name or other personal information and reasonable efforts will be used to conduct the investigation that follows from the report in a manner that protects the confidentiality and anonymity of the employee submitting the report. All reports of known or suspected violations of the law or this Code will be handled sensitively and with discretion. Your supervisor, the Compliance Officer and the Company will protect your confidentiality to the extent possible, consistent with law and the Company’s need to investigate your report.
It is the Company’s policy that any employee who violates this Code will be subject to appropriate discipline, which may include termination of employment. This determination will be based upon the facts and circumstances of each situation. An employee accused of violating this Code will be given an opportunity to present his or her version of the events at issue prior to any determination of appropriate discipline. Employees who violate the law or this Code may expose themselves to substantial civil damages, criminal fines and prison terms. The Company may also face substantial fines and penalties, and many incur damage to its reputation and standing in the community. Your conduct as a representative of the Company, if it does not comply with the law or with this Code, can result in serious consequences for both you and the Company.
Policy Against Retaliation
The Company prohibits retaliation against an employee who, in good faith, seeks help or reports known or suspected violations. Any reprisal or retaliation against an employee because such employee, in good faith, sought help or filed a report will be subject to disciplinary action, including potential termination of employment.
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Waivers of the Code
Waivers of this Code for employees may be granted only by an executive officer of the Company. Any waiver of this Code for our directors, executive officers or other principal financial officers may be granted only by our Board of Directors or the appropriate committee of our Board of Directors and will be disclosed to the public as required by law or the rules of Nasdaq.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
Identifying Potential Conflicts of Interest
A conflict of interest may occur when an employee’s private interest interferes, or appears to interfere, with the interests of the Company as a whole. You should avoid any private interest that influences your ability to act in the interests of the Company or that makes it difficult to perform your work objectively and effectively.
Identifying potential conflicts of interest may not always be clear-cut. The following situations are examples of conflicts of interest:
| · | Outside Employment. No employee should be employed by, serve as a director of, or provide any services not in his or her capacity as a Company’s employee to a company that is a material customer, supplier, or competitor of the Company. |
| · | Improper Personal Benefits. No employee should obtain any material (as to him or her) personal benefits or favors because of his or her position in the Company. Please see “Gifts and Entertainment” below for additional guidelines in this area. |
| · | Financial Interests. No employee should have a significant financial interest (ownership or otherwise) in any company that is a material customer, supplier or competitor of the Company. A “significant financial interest” means (i) ownership of greater than 1% of the equity of a material customer, supplier or competitor or (ii) an investment in a material customer, supplier or competitor that represents more than 5% of the total assets of the employee. |
| · | Loans or Other Financial Transactions. No employee should obtain loans or guarantees of personal obligations from, or enter into any other personal financial transaction with, any company that is a material customer, supplier or competitor of the Company. This guideline does not prohibit arms-length transactions with banks, brokerage firms or other financial institutions. |
| · | Service on Boards and Committees. No employee should serve on a board of directors or trustees or on a committee of any entity (whether profit or not-for-profit) whose interests would reasonably be expected to be in conflict with those of the Company. |
| · | Actions of Family Members. The actions of family members outside the workplace may also give rise to the conflicts of interest described above because they may influence an employee’s objectivity in the making of decisions on behalf of the Company. For the purposes of this Code, “family members” include your spouse or life-partner, brothers, sisters and parents, in-laws and children, whether such relationships are by blood or adoption. |
For the purposes of this Code, a company is considered to be a “material” customer if that company has made payments to the Company in the past year in excess of US$100,000 or 10% of the customer’s gross revenues, whichever is greater. A company is considered as a “material” supplier if that company has received payments from the Company in the past year in excess of US$100,000 or 10% of the supplier’s gross revenues, whichever is greater. A company is considered as a “material” competitor if that company competes in the Company’s line of business and has annual gross revenues from such line of business in excess of US$1,000,000. If you are uncertain whether a particular company is a material customer, supplier or competitor, please contact the Compliance Officer for assistance.
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Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest
The Company requires employees to disclose any situations that would reasonably be expected to give rise to a conflict of interest. If you suspect that you have a conflict of interest, or something that others could reasonably perceive as a conflict of interest, you must report it to your supervisor or the Compliance Officer. Your supervisor and the Compliance Officer will work with you to determine whether you have a conflict of interest and, if so, how best to address it. Although conflicts of interest are not automatically prohibited, they are not desirable and may only be waived as described in “Waivers of the Code” above.
CORPORATE OPPORTUNITIES
As an employee of the Company, you have an obligation to advance the Company’s interests when the opportunity to do so arises. If you discover or are presented with a business opportunity through the use of corporate property, information, or because of your position in the Company, you should first present the business opportunity to the Company before pursuing the opportunity in your individual capacity. No employee may use corporate property, information, or his or her position in the Company for personal gain or in a manner that may compete with the Company.
You should disclose to your supervisor the terms and conditions of each business opportunity covered under this Code that you wish to pursue. Your supervisor will contact the Compliance Officer and the appropriate management personnel to determine whether the Company wishes to pursue the business opportunity. If the Company waives its right to pursue the business opportunity, you may pursue the business opportunity on the same terms and conditions as originally proposed and consistent with the other ethical guidelines set forth in this Code.
Confidential Information and Company’s Property
Employees have access to a variety of confidential information while being employed at the Company. Confidential information includes all non-public information that might be of use to competitors, or, if disclosed, harmful to the Company or its customers. Each employee has a duty to respect and safeguard the confidentiality of the Company’s information and the information of our suppliers and customers, except when disclosure is authorized or legally mandated. In addition, you must refrain from using any confidential information from any previous employment if, in doing so, you could reasonably be expected to breach your duty of confidentiality to your former employers. An employee’s obligation to protect confidential information continues after he or she leaves the Company. Unauthorized disclosure of confidential information could cause competitive harm to the Company and/or its customers and could result in legal liability to you and the Company.
Employees also have a duty to protect the Company’s intellectual property and other business assets. The intellectual property, business systems and the security of the Company are critical to the Company’s business.
Any questions or concerns on whether the disclosure of Company information is legally mandated should be promptly referred to the Compliance Officer.
Safeguarding Confidential Information and Company’s Property
Care must be taken to safeguard and protect confidential information and the Company’s property. Accordingly, the following measures should be adhered to:
| · | The Company’s employees should conduct their business and social activities so as not to risk inadvertent disclosure of confidential information. For example, when not in use, confidential information should be securely stored. Besides, review of confidential documents or discussion of confidential subjects in public places (e.g., airplanes, trains, taxis, buses, etc.) should not be conducted so as to prevent being overheard or accessed by unauthorized persons. |
| · | When in the Company’s offices, confidential matters should not be discussed within hearing range of visitors or others not working on such matters. |
| · | Confidential matters should not be discussed with other employees not working on such matters or with friends or relatives, including those living in the same household as a Company’s employee. |
| · | The Company’s employees are only to access, use, and disclose confidential information that is necessary for them to perform their duties. They are not to disclose confidential information to other employees or contractors at the Company unless it is necessary for those employees or contractors to have such confidential information in the course of their duties. |
| · | The Company’s files, personal computers, networks, software, internet access, internet browser programs, emails, voice mails, and other business equipment (e.g., desks and cabinets) and resources are provided for business use, and they are the exclusive property of the Company. Misuse of such Company’s property is not tolerable. |
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COMPETITION AND FAIR DEALING
All employees are obligated to deal fairly with fellow employees and with the Company’s customers, suppliers and competitors. Employees should not take unfair advantage of anyone through manipulation, concealment, abuse of privileged information, misrepresentation of material facts, or any other unfair-dealing practice.
Relationships with Customers
Our business success depends upon our ability to foster lasting customer relationships. The Company is committed to dealing with customers fairly, honestly, and with integrity. Specifically, you should keep the following guidelines in mind when dealing with customers:
| · | Information we supply to customers should be accurate and complete to the best of our knowledge. Employees should not deliberately misrepresent information to customers. |
| · | Employees should not refuse to sell, service, or maintain products the Company has produced simply because a customer is buying products from another supplier. |
| · | Customer entertainment should not exceed the reasonable and customary business practice of the Company. Employees should not provide entertainment or other benefits that could be viewed as an inducement to or a reward for customer’s purchase decisions. Please see “Gifts and Entertainment” below for additional guidelines in this area. |
Relationships with Suppliers
The Company deals fairly and honestly with its suppliers. This means that our relationships with suppliers are based on price, quality, service, and reputation, among other factors. Employees dealing with suppliers should carefully guard their objectivity. Specifically, no employee should accept or solicit any personal benefit from a supplier or potential supplier that might compromise, or appear to compromise, their objective assessment of the supplier’s products and prices. Employees can give or accept promotional items of nominal value or moderately scaled entertainment within the limits of reasonable and customary business practice of the Company. Please see “Gifts and Entertainment” below for additional guidelines in this area.
Relationships with Competitors
The Company is committed to free and open competition in the marketplace. Employees should avoid actions that would be contrary to laws governing competitive practices in the marketplace, including antitrust laws. Such actions include misappropriation and/or misuse of a competitor’s confidential information or making false statements about the competitor’s business and business practices.
PROTECTION AND USE OF COMPANY’S ASSETS
Employees should protect the Company’s assets and ensure their efficient use for legitimate business purposes only. Theft, carelessness and waste have a direct impact on the Company’s profitability. The use of Company funds or assets, whether or not for personal gain, for any unlawful or improper purpose is prohibited.
To ensure the protection and proper use of the Company’s assets, each employee should:
| · | exercise reasonable care to prevent theft, damage or misuse of Company’s property; |
| · | report the actual or suspected theft, damage or misuse of Company’s property to a supervisor; |
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| · | use the Company’s telephone system, other electronic communication services, written materials and other property primarily for business-related purposes; |
| · | safeguard all electronic programs, data, communications and written materials from inadvertent access by others; and |
| · | use Company’s property only for legitimate business purposes, as authorized in connection with your job responsibilities. |
Employees should be aware that Company’s property includes all data and communications transmitted or received to or by, or contained in, the Company’s electronic or telephonic systems, as well as all written communications. Employees and other users of Company’s property should have no expectation of privacy with respect to these communications and data. To the extent permitted by law, the Company has the ability, and reserves the right, to monitor all electronic and telephonic communication. These communications may also be subject to disclosure to law enforcement or government officials.
GIFTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
The act of giving and receiving of gifts is a common business practice. Appropriate business gifts and entertainment are welcome courtesies designed to build relationships and understanding among business partners. However, gifts and entertainment should not compromise, or appear to compromise, your ability to make objective and fair business decisions.
It is your responsibility to use good judgment in this area. As a general rule, you may give or receive gifts or entertainment to or from customers or suppliers only if the gift or entertainment would not be viewed as an inducement to or reward for any particular business decision. All gifts and entertainment expenses should be properly accounted for on expense reports. The following specific examples may be helpful:
| · | Meals and Entertainment. You may occasionally accept or give meals, refreshments or other entertainment if: |
| · | The items are of reasonable value; |
| · | The purpose of the meeting or attendance at the event is business related; and |
| · | The expenses would be paid by the Company as a reasonable business expense if not paid for by another party. |
Entertainment of reasonable value may include food and tickets for sporting and cultural events if they are generally offered to other customers, suppliers or vendors.
| · | Advertising and Promotional Materials. You may occasionally accept or give advertising or promotional materials of nominal value. |
| · | Personal Gifts. You may accept or give personal gifts of reasonable value that are related to recognized special occasions, such as a graduation, promotion, new job, wedding, retirement or a holiday. A gift is also acceptable if it is based on a family or personal relationship and unrelated to the business involved between the individuals. |
| · | Gifts Rewarding Service or Accomplishment. You may accept a gift from a civic, charitable or religious organization specifically related to your service or accomplishment. |
You must be particularly careful that gifts and entertainment are not construed as bribes, kickbacks, or other improper payments. See “The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act” below for a more detailed discussion of our policies on giving or receiving gifts related to business transactions.
You should make every effort to refuse or return a gift that is beyond these permissible guidelines. If it would be inappropriate to refuse a gift or you are unable to return a gift, you should promptly report the gift to your supervisor. Your supervisor will bring the gift to the attention of the Compliance Officer, who may require you to donate the gift to an appropriate community organization. If you have any questions on whether it is permissible to accept a gift or something else of value, contact your supervisor or the Compliance Officer for additional guidance.
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COMPANY RECORDS
Accurate and reliable records are crucial to our business. Our records are the basis of our earnings statements, financial reports and other disclosures to the public and guide our business decision-making and strategic planning. Company records include booking information, payroll, timecards, travel and expense reports, e-mails, accounting and financial data, measurement and performance records, electronic data files and all other records maintained in the ordinary course of our business.
All Company records must be complete, accurate and reliable in all material respects. Undisclosed or unrecorded funds, payments or receipts are inconsistent with our business practices and are prohibited. You are responsible for understanding and complying with our record-keeping policy. Ask your supervisor if you have any questions.
ACCURACY OF FINANCIAL REPORTS AND OTHER PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS
As a public company we are subject to various securities laws, regulations and reporting obligations. These laws, regulations and obligations and our policies require the disclosure of accurate and complete information regarding the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations. Inaccurate, incomplete or untimely reporting will not be tolerated and can severely damage the Company’s reputation and integrity, and result in legal liability.
It is essential that the Company’s financial records, including all filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) be accurate and timely. Accordingly, in addition to adhering to the conflict of interest policy and other policies and guidelines under this Code, the principal financial officers and other senior financial officers must take special care to exhibit integrity at all times and to instill this value within their organizations. In particular, these senior officers must ensure their conduct is honest and ethical that they abide by all public disclosure requirements by providing full, fair, accurate, timely and understandable disclosures, and that they comply with all other applicable laws and regulations. These financial officers must also understand and strictly comply with generally accepted accounting principles in the U.S. and all standards, laws and regulations for accounting and financial reporting of transactions, estimates and forecasts.
In addition, U.S. federal securities law requires the Company to maintain proper internal books and records and to devise and maintain an adequate system of internal accounting controls. The SEC has supplemented the statutory requirements by adopting rules that prohibit (1) any person from falsifying records or accounts subject to the above requirements and (2) officers or directors from making any materially false, misleading, or incomplete statement to an accountant in connection with an audit or any filing with the SEC. These provisions reflect the SEC’s intent to discourage officers, directors, and other persons with access to the Company’s books and records from taking action that might result in the communication of materially misleading financial information to the investing public.
COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS AND REGULATIONS
Each employee has an obligation to comply with all laws, rules and regulations applicable to the Company’s operations. These include, without limitation, laws covering bribery and kickbacks, copyrights, trademarks and trade secrets, information privacy, insider trading, illegal political contributions, antitrust prohibitions, foreign corrupt practices, offering or receiving gratuities, environmental hazards, employment discrimination or harassment, occupational health and safety, false or misleading financial information or misuse of corporate assets. You are expected to understand and comply with all laws, rules and regulations that apply to your job position. If any doubt exists about whether a course of action is lawful, you should seek advice from your supervisor or the Compliance Officer.
COMPLIANCE WITH INSIDER TRADING LAWS
The Company has an insider trading policy, which may be obtained from the Compliance Officer. The following is a summary of some of the general principles relevant to insider trading, and should be read in conjunction with the aforementioned specific policy.
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Company employees are prohibited from trading in shares or other securities of the Company while in possession of material, non-public information about the Company. In addition, Company employees are prohibited from recommending, “tipping” or suggesting that anyone else buy or sell shares or other securities of the Company on the basis of material, non-public information. Company employees who obtain material non-public information about another company in the course of their employment are prohibited from trading in shares or securities of the other company while in possession of such information or “tipping” others to trade on the basis of such information. Violation of insider trading laws can result in severe fines and criminal penalties, as well as disciplinary action by the Company, up to and including termination of employment.
Information is “non-public” if it has not been made generally available to the public by means of a press release or other means of widespread distribution. Information is “material” if a reasonable investor would consider it important in a decision to buy, hold or sell stock or other securities. As a rule of thumb, any information that would affect the value of stock or other securities should be considered material. Examples of information that is generally considered “material” include:
| · | Financial results or forecasts, or any information that indicates the Company’s financial results may exceed or fall short of forecasts or expectations; |
| · | Important new products or services; |
| · | Pending or contemplated acquisitions or dispositions, including mergers, tender offers or joint venture proposals; |
| · | Possible management changes or changes of control; |
| · | Pending or contemplated public or private sales of debt or equity securities; |
| · | Acquisition or loss of a significant customer or contract; |
| · | Significant write-offs; |
| · | Initiation or settlement of significant litigation; and |
| · | Changes in the Company’s auditors or a notification from its auditors that the Company may no longer rely on the auditor’s report. |
The laws against insider trading are specific and complex. Any questions about information you may possess or about any dealings you have had in the Company’s securities should be promptly brought to the attention of the Compliance Officer.
PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS AND PREVENTION OF SELECTIVE DISCLOSURE
Public Communications Generally
The Company places a high value on its credibility and reputation in the community. What is written or said about the Company in the news media and investment community directly impacts our reputation, positively or negatively. Our policy is to provide timely, accurate and complete information in response to public requests (media, analysts, etc.), consistent with our obligations to maintain the confidentiality of competitive and proprietary information and to prevent selective disclosure of market-sensitive financial data. To ensure compliance with this policy, all news media or other public requests for information regarding the Company should be directed to the Company’s Investor Relations Department. The Investor Relations Department will work with you and the appropriate personnel to evaluate and coordinate a response to the request.
Prevention of Selective Disclosure
Preventing selective disclosure is necessary to comply with United States securities laws and to preserve the reputation and integrity of the Company as well as that of all persons affiliated with it. “Selective disclosure” occurs when any person provides potentially market-moving information to selected persons before the news is available to the investing public generally. Selective disclosure is a crime under United States law and the penalties for violating the law are severe.
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The following guidelines have been established to avoid improper selective disclosure. Every employee is required to follow these procedures:
| · | All contact by the Company with investment analysts, the press and/or members of the media shall be made through the chief executive officer, chief financial officer or persons designated by them (collectively, the “Media Contacts”). |
| · | Other than the Media Contacts, no officer, director or employee shall provide any information regarding the Company or its business to any investment analyst or member of the press or media. |
| · | All inquiries from third parties, such as industry analysts or members of the media, about the Company or its business should be directed to a Media Contact. All presentations to the investment community regarding the Company will be made by us under the direction of a Media Contact. |
| · | Other than the Media Contacts, any employee who is asked a question regarding the Company or its business by a member of the press or media shall respond with “No comment” and forward the inquiry to a Media Contact. |
These procedures do not apply to the routine process of making previously released information regarding the Company available upon inquiries made by investors, investment analysts and members of the media.
Please contact the Compliance Officer if you have any questions about the scope or application of the Company’s policies regarding selective disclosure.
THE FOREIGN CORRUPT PRACTICES ACT
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 (the “FCPA”) prohibits the Company and its employees and agents from offering or giving money or any other item of value to win or retain business or to influence any act or decision of any governmental official, political party, candidate for political office or official of a public international organization. Stated more concisely, the FCPA prohibits the payment of bribes, kickbacks or other inducements to foreign officials. This prohibition also extends to payments to a sales representative or agent if there is a reason to believe that the payment will be used indirectly for a prohibited payment to foreign officials. Violation of the FCPA is a crime that can result in severe fines and criminal penalties, as well as disciplinary action by the Company, up to and including termination of employment.
Certain small facilitation payments to foreign officials may be permissible under the FCPA if customary in the country or locality and intended to secure routine governmental action. Governmental action is “routine” if it is ordinarily and commonly performed by a foreign official and does not involve the exercise of discretion. For instance, “routine” functions would include setting up a telephone line or expediting a shipment through customs. To ensure legal compliance, all facilitation payments must receive prior written approval from the Compliance Officer and must be clearly and accurately reported as a business expense.
ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH AND SAFETY
The Company is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its employees and avoiding adverse impact and injury to the environment and the communities in which we do business. Company’s employees must comply with all applicable environmental, health and safety laws, regulations and Company’s standards. It is your responsibility to understand and comply with the laws, regulations and policies that are relevant to your job. Failure to comply with environmental, health and safety laws and regulations can result in civil and criminal liability against you and the Company, as well as disciplinary action by the Company, up to and including termination of employment. You should contact the Compliance Officer if you have any questions about the laws, regulations and policies that apply to you.
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Environment
All Company’s employees should strive to conserve resources and reduce waste and emissions through recycling and other energy conservation measures. You have a responsibility to promptly report any known or suspected violations of environmental laws or any events that may result in a discharge or emission of hazardous materials. Employees whose jobs involve manufacturing have a special responsibility to safeguard the environment. Such employees should be particularly alert to the storage, disposal and transportation of waste, and handling of toxic materials and emissions into the land, water or air.
Health and Safety
The Company is committed not only to complying with all relevant health and safety laws, but also to conducting business in a manner that protects the safety of its employees. All employees are required to comply with all applicable health and safety laws, regulations and policies relevant to their jobs. If you have a concern about unsafe conditions or tasks that present a risk of injury to you, please report these concerns immediately to your supervisor or the Human Resources Department.
EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES
The Company pursues fair employment practices in every aspect of its business. The following is intended to be a summary of our employment policies and procedures. Copies of our detailed policies are available from the Human Resources Department. Company employees must comply with all applicable labor and employment laws, including anti-discrimination laws and laws related to freedom of association, privacy and collective bargaining. It is your responsibility to understand and comply with the laws, regulations and policies that are relevant to your job. Failure to comply with labor and employment laws can result in civil and criminal liability against you and the Company, as well as disciplinary action by the Company, up to and including termination of employment. You should contact the Compliance Officer or the Human Resources Department if you have any questions about the laws, regulations and policies that apply to you.
Harassment and Discrimination
The Company is committed to providing equal opportunity and fair treatment to all individuals on the basis of merit, without discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, gender (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, age, disability, veteran status or other characteristic protected by law. The Company prohibits harassment in any form, whether physical or verbal and whether committed by supervisors, non-supervisory personnel or non-employees. Harassment may include, but is not limited to, offensive sexual flirtations, unwanted sexual advances or propositions, verbal abuse, sexually or racially degrading words, or the display in the workplace of sexually suggestive objects or pictures.
If you have any complaints about discrimination or harassment, report such conduct to your supervisor or the Human Resources Department. All complaints will be treated with sensitivity and discretion. Your supervisor, the Human Resources Department and the Company will protect your confidentiality to the extent possible, consistent with law and the Company’s need to investigate your concern. Where our investigation uncovers harassment or discrimination, we will take prompt corrective action, which may include disciplinary action by the Company, up to and including, termination of employment. The Company strictly prohibits retaliation against an employee who, in good faith, files a complaint.
Any member of management who has reason to believe that an employee has been the victim of harassment or discrimination or who receives a report of alleged harassment or discrimination is required to report it to the Human Resources Department immediately.
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CONCLUSION
This Code of Business Conduct and Ethics contains general guidelines for conducting the business of the Company consistent with the highest standards of business ethics. If you have any questions about these guidelines, please contact your supervisor or the Compliance Officer. We expect all Company employees to adhere to these standards.
This Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, as applied to the Company’s principal financial officers, shall be the Company’s “code of ethics” within the meaning of Section 406 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules promulgated thereunder.
This Code and the matters contained herein are neither a contract of employment nor a guarantee of continuing Company policy. We reserve the right to amend, supplement or discontinue this Code and the matters addressed herein, without prior notice, at any time.
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Exhibit 16.1
April 7, 2023
Securities and Exchange Commission
100 F Street, N.E.
Washington, D.C. 20549
Dear Sir or Madam:
We have read the Registration Statement on Form S-1 dated April 7, 2023 of Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc. (“Registrant”) and are in agreement with the statements contained under the section of Change in Registrant’s Certifying Accountant as it pertains to our firm; we are not in a position to agree or disagree with other statements of Registrant contained therein.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Friedman LLP
New York, New York
Exhibit 21.1
CHEETAH NET SUPPLY CHAIN SERVICE INC.
Subsidiaries of the Registrant
| Subsidiaries | Place of Incorporation | |
| Allen-Boy International LLC | Delaware | |
| Canaan International LLC | North Carolina | |
| Canaan Limousine LLC | South Carolina | |
| Pacific Consulting LLC | New York | |
| Entour Solutions LLC | New York | |
| Cheetah Net Logistics LLC | New York |
Exhibit 23.1
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM’S CONSENT
We consent to the inclusion in this Registration Statement of Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc. on Form S-1 of our report dated April 7, 2023 with respect to our audit of the consolidated balance sheet and related consolidated statements of income, changes in stockholders’ equity and cash flows of Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc. as of December 31, 2022 and for the year ended December 31, 2022 appearing in the Prospectus, which is a part of this Registration Statement. We also consent to the reference to our firm under the heading “Experts” in such Prospectus.
Marcum Asia CPAs LLP
New York, New York
April 7, 2023
NEW YORK OFFICE • 7 Penn Plaza • Suite 830 • New York, New York • 10001
Phone 646.442.4845 • Fax 646.349.5200 • www.marcumasia.com
Exhibit 23.2
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We consent to the inclusion in this Registration Statement on Form S-1 of our report dated December 16, 2022 with respect to our audit of Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc. as of December 31, 2021, and the related consolidated statement of operations, changes in stockholders’ deficit and cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2021, which report appears in the Prospectus, and part of this Registration Statement. We also consent to the reference to our firm under the heading “Experts” in such Registration Statement.
We were dismissed as auditor on February 9, 2023 and, accordingly, we have not performed any audit or review procedures with respect to any financial statements for the period after the date of our dismissal.
/s/ Friedman LLP
New York, New York
April 7, 2023
Exhibit 99.1
AUDIT COMMITTEE CHARTER
OF
CHEETAH NET SUPPLY CHAIN SERVICE INC.
This Audit Committee Charter (the “Charter”) was adopted by the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc., a North Carolina company (the “Company”), on [DATE], 2023, and shall become effective immediately.
| I. | Purpose |
The purpose of the Audit Committee (the “Committee”) is to oversee the accounting and financial reporting processes of the Company and the audits of the financial statements of the Company. The Committee assists the Board with its oversight responsibilities regarding: (i) the integrity of the Company’s financial statements; (ii) the Company’s compliance with legal and regulatory requirements; (iii) the independent auditor’s qualifications and independence; and (iv) the performance of the Company’s internal audit function and independent auditor. The Committee shall prepare the report required by the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) to be included in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K.
In addition to the powers and responsibilities expressly delegated to the Committee in this Charter, the Committee may exercise any other powers and carry out any other responsibilities delegated to it by the Board from time to time consistent with the Company’s Articles of Incorporation, as amended from time to time (the “Articles”). The powers and responsibilities delegated by the Board to the Committee in this Charter or otherwise shall be exercised and carried out by the Committee as it deems appropriate without requirement of Board approval, and any decision made by the Committee (including any decision to exercise or refrain from exercising any of the powers delegated to the Committee hereunder) shall be at the Committee’s sole discretion. While acting within the scope of the powers and responsibilities delegated to it, the Committee shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Committee shall have the power to determine which matters are within the scope of the powers and responsibilities delegated to it.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee’s responsibilities are limited to oversight. Although the Committee has the responsibilities set forth in this Charter, it is not the responsibility of the Committee to plan or conduct audits or to determine that the Company’s financial statements and disclosure are complete and accurate and are in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and applicable laws, rules and regulations. These are the responsibilities of the Company’s management (“Management”) and the independent auditor.
Furthermore, auditing literature, particularly Statement of Accounting Standards No. 71, defines the term “review” to include a particular set of required procedures to be undertaken by independent auditors. The members of the Committee are not independent auditors, and the term “review” as used in this Charter is not intended to have that meaning and should not be interpreted to suggest that the Committee members can or should follow the procedures required of auditors performing reviews of financial statements.
| II. | Membership |
The Committee shall consist of at least three members of the Board, as determined by the Board. Each Committee member shall be financially literate as determined by the Board in its business judgment or must become financially literate within a reasonable period of time after his or her appointment to the Committee. Members of the Committee must (i) not have participated in the preparation of the financial statements of the Company or any current subsidiary of the Company at any time during the past three years; and (ii) be able to read and understand fundamental financial statements, including a company's balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement. Members of the Committee are not required to be engaged in the accounting and auditing profession and, consequently, some members may not be expert in financial matters, or in matters involving auditing or accounting. However, at least one member of the Committee must have accounting or related financial management expertise as determined by the Board in its business judgment. In addition, at least one member of the Committee shall be an “audit committee financial expert” within the definition adopted by the SEC or shall possess financial sophistication within the meaning of the Nasdaq Listing Rules, or the Company shall disclose in its annual report on Form 10-K required pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), the reasons why at least one member of the Committee is not an “audit committee financial expert.”
At least a majority of the members of the Committee shall be independent within the meaning of Section 5605(a)(2) of the Nasdaq Listing Rules and will satisfy the independence requirements of Rule 10A-3(b)(1) under the Exchange Act within the 90-day period after the effectiveness of the Company’s registration statement on Form S-1 relating to the Company’s initial public offering (the “Effective Time”). All Committee members must satisfy the independence requirements of Rule 10A-3(b)(1) under the Exchange Act beginning from the first anniversary of the Effective Time. No Committee member may simultaneously serve on the audit committee of more than two other public companies, unless the Board determines that such simultaneous service would not impair the ability of such member to effectively serve on the Committee and such determination is disclosed in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K.
The members of the Committee, including the chairperson (the “Chair”) of the Committee, shall be appointed by the Board. Committee members may be removed from the Committee, with or without cause, by the Board.
| III. | Meetings and Procedures |
The Chair (or in his or her absence, a member designated by the Chair) shall preside at each meeting of the Committee and set the agendas for Committee meetings. The Committee shall have the authority to establish its own rules and procedures for notice and conduct of its meetings so long as they are not inconsistent with any provisions of the Articles that are applicable to the Committee.
The Committee shall meet at least once during each fiscal quarter and more frequently as the Committee deems desirable. Except as required by law, all matters shall be approved by a simple majority of all the Committee members.
The Committee shall meet separately and periodically with Management, with the internal auditor, and with the independent auditor. Any meeting of the Committee may be conducted in person or via telephone conference or similar communications equipment where every meeting participant can hear each other.
All non-Management directors that are not members of the Committee may attend and observe meetings of the Committee, but shall not participate in any discussion or deliberation unless invited to do so by the Committee, and in any event shall not be entitled to vote. The Committee may, at its discretion, include in its meetings members of the Company’s Management, representatives of the independent auditor, the internal auditor, and any other financial personnel employed or retained by the Company or any other persons whose presence the Committee believes to be necessary or appropriate. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may also exclude from its meetings any persons it deems appropriate, including, but not limited to, any non-Management director that is not a member of the Committee.
The Committee may retain any independent counsel, experts, or advisors (accounting, financial, or otherwise) that the Committee believes to be necessary or appropriate. The Committee may also utilize the services of the Company’s regular legal counsel or other advisors to the Company. The Company shall provide for appropriate funding, as determined by the Committee, for payment of compensation to the independent auditor for the purpose of rendering or issuing an audit report or performing other audit, review, or attestation services, for payment of compensation to any counsel, experts, or advisors employed by the Committee and for ordinary administrative expenses of the Committee that are necessary or appropriate in carrying out its duties.
The Committee may conduct or authorize investigations into any matters within the scope of the powers and responsibilities delegated to the Committee.
| IV. | Powers and Responsibilities |
1. Appointment and Oversight. The Committee shall be directly responsible for the appointment, compensation, retention, removal and oversight of the work of the independent auditor (including resolution of any disagreements between Management and the independent auditor regarding financial reporting) for the purpose of preparing or issuing an audit report or related work or performing other audit, review, or attestation services for the Company, and the independent auditor shall report directly to the Committee.
2. Pre-Approval of Services. Before the independent auditor is engaged by the Company or its subsidiaries to render audit or non-audit services, the Committee shall pre-approve the engagement. Committee pre-approval of audit and non-audit services will not be required if the engagement for the services is entered into pursuant to pre-approval policies and procedures established by the Committee regarding the Company’s engagement of the independent auditor, provided that the policies and procedures are detailed as to the particular service, the Committee is informed of each service provided and such policies and procedures do not include delegation of the Committee’s responsibilities under the Exchange Act to the Management. The Committee may delegate to one or more designated members of the Committee the authority to grant pre-approvals, provided that such pre-approvals are presented to the Committee at a subsequent meeting. If the Committee elects to establish pre-approval policies and procedures regarding non-audit services, the Committee must be informed of each non-audit service provided by the independent auditor. Committee pre-approval of non-audit services (other than review and attestation services) also will not be required if such services fall within available exceptions established by the SEC.
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3. Independence of Independent Auditor. The Committee shall, at least annually, review the independence and quality control procedures of the independent auditor and the experience and qualifications of the independent auditor’s senior personnel that are providing audit services to the Company. In conducting its review:
(i) The Committee shall obtain and review a report prepared by the independent auditor describing (a) the auditing firm’s internal quality-control procedures and (b) any material issues raised by the most recent internal quality-control review, or peer review, of the auditing 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 auditing firm, and any steps taken to deal with any such issues;
(ii) The Committee shall ensure that the independent auditor prepare and deliver, at least annually, a written statement delineating all relationships between the independent auditor and the Company. The Committee shall actively engage in a dialogue with the independent auditor with respect to any disclosed relationships or services that, in the view of the Committee, may impact the objectivity and independence of the independent auditor. If the Committee determines that further inquiry is advisable, the Committee shall take appropriate action in response to the independent auditor’s report to satisfy itself of the auditor’s independence;
(iii) The Committee shall confirm with the independent auditor that the independent auditor is in compliance with the partner rotation requirements established by the SEC; and
(iv) The Committee shall, if applicable, consider whether the independent auditor’s provision of any permitted information technology service or other non-audit service to the Company is compatible with maintaining the independence of the independent auditor.
4. Meetings with Management, the Independent Auditor and the Internal Auditor.
(i) The Committee shall meet with Management, the independent auditor, and the internal auditor in connection with each annual audit to discuss the scope of the audit, the procedures to be followed, and the staffing of the audit.
(ii) The Committee shall review and discuss with Management and the independent auditor any material off-balance sheet transactions, arrangements, obligations (including contingent obligations), and other relationships of the Company with unconsolidated entities of which the Committee is made aware that do not appear on the financial statements of the Company and that may have a material current or future effect on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures, capital resources, or significant components of revenues or expenses.
(iii) The Committee shall review and discuss the annual audited financial statements with Management and the independent auditor, including the Company’s disclosures under “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” included in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K.
5. Separate Meetings with the Independent Auditor.
(i) The Committee shall review with the independent auditor any problems or difficulties the independent auditor may have encountered during the course of the audit work, including any restrictions on the scope of activities or access to required information or any significant disagreements with Management and Management’s responses to such matters.
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(ii) The Committee shall discuss with the independent auditor the report that such auditor is required to make to the Committee regarding: (a) all critical accounting policies and practices to be used; (b) all alternative treatments within U.S. GAAP for policies and practices related to material items that have been discussed among Management and the independent auditor, including the ramifications of the use of such alternative disclosures and treatments, and the treatment preferred by the independent auditor; and (c) all other material written communications between the independent auditor and Management, such as any Management letter, Management representation letter, reports on observations and recommendations on internal controls, independent auditor’s engagement letter, independent auditor’s independence letter, schedule of unadjusted audit differences and a listing of adjustments and reclassifications not recorded, if any.
(iii) The Committee shall discuss with the independent auditor the matters required to be discussed by Statement on Auditing Standards No. 61, “Communication with Audit Committees,” as then in effect.
6. Recommendation to Include Financial Statements in Annual Report. The Committee shall, based on the review and discussions in paragraphs 4(iii) and 5(iii) above, and based on the disclosures received from the independent auditor regarding its independence and discussions with the auditor regarding such independence pursuant to subparagraph 3(ii) above, determine whether to recommend to the Board that the audited financial statements be included in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year subject to the audit.
7. The Committee shall discuss with Management and the independent auditor the Company’s earnings press releases (with particular focus on any “pro forma” or “adjusted” non-GAAP information), as well as financial information and earnings guidance provided to analysts and rating agencies. The Committee’s discussion in this regard may be general in nature (i.e., discussion of the types of information to be disclosed and the type of presentation to be made) and need not take place in advance of each earnings release or each instance in which the Company may provide earnings guidance.
8. The Committee shall review all related party transactions by the Company (including any of its subsidiaries and consolidated affiliates) on an ongoing basis and all such transactions must be approved by the Committee in advance. All related party transactions should be disclosed in accordance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements. The Committee recognizes that there are situations where the Company may have to obtain products or services of a nature, quantity or quality, or on other terms, that are not readily available from alternative sources or when the Company provides products or services to related persons on an arm's length basis on terms comparable to those provided to unrelated third parties.
a. The Committee shall consider all of the relevant facts and circumstances available to the Committee, including (if applicable), but not limited to:
• The benefits to the Company;
• The impact on a director's independence in the event the related person is a director, an immediate family member of a director or an entity in which a director is a principal, member, partner, stockholder or executive officer;
• The availability of other sources for comparable products or services;
• The terms of the transaction; and
• The terms available to unrelated third parties and employees generally.
b. No member of the Committee shall participate in any review, consideration or approval of any related party transactions with respect to which such member or any of his or her immediate family members is the related person. The Board shall approve only those related party transactions that are in, or are not inconsistent with, the best interests of the Company and its stockholders, as the Committee determines in good faith.
9. The Committee shall discuss with Management and the independent auditor any correspondence from or with regulators or governmental agencies, any employee complaints or any published reports that raise material issues regarding the Company’s financial statements, financial reporting process, accounting policies, or internal audit function.
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10. The Committee shall discuss with the Company’s internal or outside counsel any legal matters brought to the Committee’s attention that could reasonably be expected to have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements.
11. The Committee shall request assurances from Management, the independent auditor, and the Company’s internal auditors that the Company’s subsidiaries and affiliated entities, if any, are operated in conformity with applicable legal requirements, including disclosure of related party transactions.
12. The Committee shall discuss with Management the Company’s policies with respect to risk assessment and risk management. The Committee shall discuss with Management the Company’s significant financial risk exposures and the actions Management has taken to limit, monitor or control such exposures.
13. The Committee shall monitor the compliance with the Company’s code of business conduct and ethics, including reviewing the adequacy and effectiveness of the Company’s procedures to ensure proper compliance.
14. The Committee shall review the adequacy and effectiveness of the Company’s accounting and internal control policies and procedures and any steps taken to monitor and control major financial risk exposures.
15. The Committee shall review and concur with Management on the need for an internal audit department and on the appointment, replacement, reassignment, or dismissal of an internal audit department senior manager or director. The Committee shall also review any internal reports to Management (or summaries thereof) prepared by the internal audit department, as well as Management’s response.
16. The Committee shall set clear hiring policies for employees or former employees of the Company’s independent auditor.
17. The Committee shall establish procedures for the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints received by the Company regarding accounting, internal accounting controls or auditing matters. The Committee shall also establish procedures for the confidential and anonymous submission by employees regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters.
18. The Committee shall provide the Company with the report of the Committee with respect to the audited financial statements required by Item 306 of Reg. S-K, for inclusion in each of the Company’s annual reports filed on Form 10-K.
19. The Committee, through its Chair, shall report regularly to, and review with, the Board any issues that arise with respect to the quality or integrity of the Company’s financial statements, the Company’s compliance with legal or regulatory requirements, the performance and independence of the Company’s independent auditor, the performance of the Company’s internal audit function or any other matter the Committee determines is necessary or advisable to report to the Board.
20. The Committee shall at least annually perform an evaluation of the performance of the Committee and its members, including a review of the Committee’s compliance with this Charter.
21. The Committee shall at least annually review and reassess this Charter and submit any recommended changes to the Board for its consideration.
| V. | Delegation of Duties |
In fulfilling its responsibilities, the Committee shall be entitled to delegate any or all of its responsibilities to a subcommittee of the Committee to the extent permitted by, or consistent with provisions of, the Articles and applicable laws and regulations and rules of the markets in which the Company’s securities then trade.
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Exhibit 99.2
COMPENSATION COMMITTEE CHARTER
OF
CHEETAH NET SUPPLY CHAIN SERVICE INC.
This Compensation Committee Charter (the “Charter”) was adopted by the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc., a North Carolina company (the “Company”), on [DATE], 2023, and shall become effective immediately.
| I. | Purpose |
The purpose of the Compensation Committee (the “Committee”) is (i) to assist the Board in discharging the Board’s responsibilities relating to compensation of the Company’s executives, including reviewing and evaluating and, if necessary, revising the compensation plans, policies, and programs of the Company adopted by management, and (ii) to review and approve the disclosure of executive compensation for inclusion in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (the “SEC”) in accordance with applicable rules and regulations. The Committee shall ensure that compensation programs are designed to encourage high performance, promote accountability, and assure that employee interests are aligned with the interests of the Company’s stockholders.
In addition to the powers and responsibilities expressly delegated to the Committee in this Charter, the Committee may exercise any other powers and carry out any other responsibilities delegated to it by the Board from time to time consistent with the Company’s Articles of Incorporation, as amended from time to time (the “Articles”). The powers and responsibilities delegated by the Board to the Committee in this Charter or otherwise shall be exercised and carried out by the Committee as it deems appropriate without the requirement of Board approval, and any decision made by the Committee (including any decision to exercise or refrain from exercising any of the powers and responsibilities delegated to the Committee hereunder) shall be at the Committee’s sole discretion. While acting within the scope of the powers and responsibilities delegated to it, the Committee shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Committee shall have the power to determine which matters are within the scope of the powers and responsibilities delegated to it.
| II. | Membership |
The Committee shall be composed of three or more directors, as determined by the Board, none of whom shall be an employee of the Company and each of whom (i) shall satisfy the “independence” requirements of Section 5605(a)(2) of the Nasdaq Listing Rules and Rule 10C-1 under the Securities Exchange Act, (ii) shall be a “non-employee director” within the meaning of Rule 16b3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, (iii) shall be an “outside director” under the regulations promulgated under Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and (iv) shall have experience, in the business judgment of the Board, that would be helpful in addressing the matters delegated to the Committee, and shall not accept directly or indirectly any consulting, advisory, or other compensatory fees (the “Compensatory Fees”) from the Company or any subsidiary thereof. For the purpose of this paragraph, the Compensatory Fees do not include: (i) fees received as a member of the Committee, the Board, or any other Board committee; or (ii) the receipt of fixed amounts of compensation under a retirement plan (including deferred compensation) for prior service with the Company (provided that such compensation is not contingent in any way on continued service).
In determining whether a director is eligible to serve on the Committee, the Board shall consider all factors specifically relevant to determining whether a director has a relationship to the Company which is material to such director’s ability to be independent from management in connection with the duties of a Committee member, including but not limited to, whether the director is affiliated with the Company, any subsidiary of the Company, or any affiliate of a subsidiary of the Company.
At least a majority of the members of the Committee shall satisfy the independence requirements of the Nasdaq Listing Rules within the 90-day period after the effectiveness of the Company’s registration statement on Form S-1 relating to the Company’s initial public offering (the “Effective Time”), and all of the members of the Committee shall satisfy the independence requirements of the Nasdaq Listing Rules beginning from the first anniversary of the Effective Time.
The members of the Committee, including the chairperson of the Committee (the “Chair”), shall be appointed by the Board on the recommendation of the Nomination and Corporate Governance Committee. Committee members may be removed from the Committee, with or without cause, by the Board. If one Committee member ceases to be independent in accordance with the requirements of Rule 10C-1 due to circumstances beyond the member’s reasonable control, that person, with notice by the Company to Nasdaq or the applicable national security association, may remain a compensation committee member of the Company until the earlier of its next annual stockholders meeting or one year from the occurrence of the event that caused the member to be no longer independent.
| III. | Meetings and Procedures |
The Chair (or in his or her absence, a member designated by the Chair) shall preside at each meeting of the Committee and set the agendas for Committee meetings. The Committee shall have the authority to establish its own rules and procedures for notice and conduct of its meetings so long as they are not inconsistent with any provisions of the Articles that are applicable to the Committee.
The Committee shall meet on a regularly scheduled basis at least once per year and more frequently as and when the Committee deems necessary or desirable. A meeting of the Committee may be conducted in person or via telephone conference where every meeting participant can hear each other. Except as required by law, all matters shall be approved by a simple majority of all the Committee members.
All non-management directors who are not members of the Committee may attend and observe meetings of the Committee, but shall not participate in any discussion or deliberation unless invited to do so by the Committee, and in any event shall not be entitled to vote. The Committee may, at its discretion, include in its meetings members of the Company’s management or any other person whose presence the Committee believes to be necessary or appropriate. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the chief executive officer may not be present during voting or deliberations concerning his or her compensation, and the Committee may exclude from its meetings any persons it deems appropriate, including but not limited to any non-management director who is not a member of the Committee.
The Chair shall report to the Board regarding the activities of the Committee at appropriate times and as otherwise requested by the Chairman of the Board.
| IV. | Duties and Responsibilities |
1. The Committee shall, at least annually, review and approve the compensation of the chief executive officer. In determining the long-term incentive component of the chief executive officer’s compensation, the Committee shall consider the Company’s performance, the value of similar incentive awards to chief executive officers at comparable companies, and the awards given to the chief executive officer in past years. The Committee shall have sole authority to determine the chief executive officer’s compensation.
2. The Committee shall, with respect to executive officers other than the chief executive officer, make recommendations to the Board concerning compensation, incentive compensation plans, and equity-based plans.
3. The Committee shall annually review all annual bonuses, long-term incentive compensation, stock options, employee pension, and welfare benefit plans (including employee stock purchase plans, long-term incentive plans, management incentive plans and others), and with respect to each plan shall have responsibility for:
(i) setting performance targets under all annual bonuses and long-term incentive compensation plans as appropriate;
(ii) certifying that any and all performance targets used for any performance-based equity compensation plans have been met before payment of any executive bonus or compensation or exercise of any executive award granted under any such plan(s);
(iii) approving all amendments to, and terminations of, all compensation plans and any awards under such plans;
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(iv) granting any awards under any performance-based annual bonus, long-term incentive compensation and equity compensation plans to executive officers or current employees with the potential to become the chief executive officer or an executive officer, including stock options and other equity rights (e.g., restricted stock, stock purchase rights);
(v) approving which executive officers are entitled to awards under the Company’s stock option plan(s);
(vi) repurchasing securities from terminated employees; and
(vii) conducting an annual review of all compensation plans, including reviewing each plan’s administrative costs, reviewing current plan features relative to any proposed new features, and assessing the performance of the plan’s internal and external administrators if any duties have been delegated.
4. The Committee may, in its sole discretion, retain or receive the advice from the Company’s regular legal counsel, other independent counsel, compensation and benefits consultants, and other experts or advisors (the “Compensation Advisors”) that the Committee believes to be desirable or appropriate. The Committee is not bound by the advice or recommendations of the Compensation Advisors and shall exercise its own judgment in fulfilling its responsibilities.
5. The Committee shall be directly responsible for the appointment, compensation, and oversight of the work of the Compensation Advisors.
6. The Company shall provide for appropriate funding, as determined by the Committee, for payment of compensation to the Compensation Advisors.
7. The Committee shall select, or receive advice from the Compensation Advisors, other than in-house legal counsel, after taking into consideration the following factors:
(i) the provision of other services to the Company by the person that employs the Compensation Advisors;
(ii) the amount of fees received from the Company by the person that employs the Compensation Advisors, as a percentage of the total revenue of the person that employs such Compensation Advisors;
(iii) the policies and procedures of the person that employs the Compensation Advisors that are designed to prevent conflicts of interest;
(iv) any business or personal relationship of the Compensation Advisors with a member of the Committee;
(v) any stock of the Company owned by the Compensation Advisors; and
(vi) any business or personal relationship of the Compensation Advisor or the person employing the Compensation Advisors with an executive officer of the Company.
8. The Committee shall conduct the independence assessment outlined in this Charter with respect to any Compensation Advisors, other than in-house legal counsel. Nevertheless, the Committee may select, or receive advice from, any Compensation Advisors, including ones that are not independent, after considering factors 7(i) through 7(vi) outlined above.
9. For purposes of this Charter, the Committee is not required to conduct an independence assessment for any Compensation Advisors that act in a role limited to the following activities for which no public disclosure is required: (a) consulting on any broad-based plan that does not discriminate in scope, terms, or operation, in favor of any executive officers or directors of the Company, and that is available generally to all salaried employees; or (b) providing information that either is not customized for a particular issuer or that is customized based on parameters that are not developed by such Compensation Advisors, and about which such Compensation Advisors does not provide advice.
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10. The Committee shall establish and periodically review policies concerning prerequisite benefits.
11. The Committee shall periodically review the Company’s policies with respect to change of control or “parachute” payments, if any.
12. The Committee shall manage and review executive officer and director indemnification and insurance matters.
13. The Committee shall manage and review any employee loans in an amount equal to or greater than US$60,000.
14. The Committee shall prepare and approve the disclosure of executive compensation for inclusion in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K.
15. The Committee shall on an annual basis evaluate its own performance, including its compliance with this Charter, and provide any written material with respect to such evaluation to the Board, including any recommendations for changes in procedures or policies governing the Committee. The Committee shall conduct such evaluation and review in such manner as it deems appropriate.
16. The Committee shall periodically report to the Board its findings and actions.
17. The Committee shall review and reassess this Charter at least annually and submit any recommended changes to the Board for its consideration.
| V. | Delegation of Duties |
In fulfilling its responsibilities, the Committee shall be entitled to delegate any or all of its responsibilities to a subcommittee of the Committee, to the extent consistent with the Articles and applicable law and rules of the markets in which the Company’s securities then trade.
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Exhibit 99.3
NOMINATING AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE CHARTER
OF
CHEETAH NET SUPPLY CHAIN SERVICE INC.
This Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee Charter (the “Charter”) was adopted by the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service Inc., a North Carolina company (the “Company”), on [DATE], 2023, and shall become effective immediately.
| I. | Purpose |
The purpose of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee (the “Committee”) is to assist the Board in discharging the Board’s responsibilities regarding:
1. identification and recommendation of qualified director nominees to be elected at the next annual meeting of stockholders (or special meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected);
2. identification and recommendation of qualified candidates to fill any vacancies on the Board;
3. annual review of the composition of the Board in light of the characteristics of independence, qualification, experience and availability of the Board members;
4. oversight of the evaluation of the Board; and
5. monitoring of compliance with the Company’s code of business conduct and ethics, including reviewing the adequacy and effectiveness of the Company’s internal rules and procedures to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
In addition to the powers and responsibilities expressly delegated to the Committee in this Charter, the Committee may exercise any other powers and carry out any other responsibilities delegated to it by the Board from time to time consistent with the Company’s Articles of Incorporation, as amended from time to time (the “Articles”). The powers and responsibilities delegated by the Board to the Committee in this Charter or otherwise may be exercised and carried out by the Committee as it deems appropriate without Board approval, and any decision made by the Committee (including any decision to exercise or refrain from exercising any of the powers delegated to the Committee hereunder) shall be at the Committee’s sole discretion. While acting within the scope of the powers and responsibilities delegated to it, the Committee has and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Committee shall have the power to determine which matters are within the scope of the powers and responsibilities delegated to it.
| II. | Membership |
The Committee shall be comprised of three or more members of the Board, as determined by the Board, each of whom has experience, in the business judgment of the Board, that would be helpful in addressing the matters delegated to the Committee. In addition, at least a majority of the members of the Committee shall satisfy the independence requirements of Section 5605(a)(2) of the Nasdaq Listing Rules within the 90-day period after the effectiveness of the Company’s registration statement on Form S-1 relating to the Company’s initial public offering (the “Effective Time”), and all of the members of the Committee shall satisfy the independence requirements of Section 5605(a)(2) of the Nasdaq Listing Rules beginning from the first anniversary of the Effective Time.
The members of the Committee, including the chairperson of the Committee (the “Chair”), shall be appointed by the Board. Committee members may be removed from the Committee, with or without cause, by the Board. Any action duly taken by the Committee shall be valid and effective, whether or not the members of the Committee at the time of such action are later determined not to have satisfied the requirements for membership provided herein.
| III. | Meetings and Procedures |
The Chair (or in his or her absence, a member designated by the Chair) shall preside at each meeting of the Committee and set the agendas for Committee meetings. The Committee shall have the authority to establish its own rules and procedures for notice and conduct of its meetings so long as they are not inconsistent with any provisions of the Articles that are applicable to the Committee.
The Committee shall meet on a regularly scheduled basis, at least once per year and more frequently as and when the Committee deems necessary or desirable. A meeting of the Committee may be conducted in person or via telephone conference where every meeting participant can hear each other. Except as required by law, all matters shall be approved by a simple majority of all the Committee members.
All non-management directors who are not members of the Committee may attend and observe meetings of the Committee, but shall not participate in any discussion or deliberation unless invited to do so by the Committee, and in any event shall not be entitled to vote. The Committee may, at its discretion, include in its meetings members of the Company’s management, or any other person whose presence the Committee believes to be desirable and appropriate. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may exclude from its meetings any persons, including any non-management director, who is not a member of the Committee.
The Committee may retain any independent counsel, experts or advisors that the Committee believes to be desirable and appropriate. The Committee may also use the services of the Company’s regular legal counsel or other advisors to the Company. The Company shall provide for appropriate funding, as determined by the Committee, for payment of compensation to any such persons employed by the Committee and for ordinary administrative expenses of the Committee that are necessary or appropriate in carrying out its duties. The Committee shall have sole authority to retain and terminate any search firm to be used to identify director candidates, including sole authority to approve such search firm’s fees and other retention terms.
The Chair shall report to the Board regarding the activities of the Committee at appropriate times and as otherwise requested by the Chairman of the Board.
| IV. | Duties and Responsibilities |
1. (a) At an appropriate time prior to each annual meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected or reelected, the Committee shall recommend to the Board for nomination by the Board such candidates as the Committee, in the exercise of its judgment, has found to be well qualified and willing and available to serve.
(b) At an appropriate time after a vacancy arises on the Board or a director advises the Board of his or her intention to resign, the Committee shall recommend to the Board for appointment by the Board to fill such vacancy, such candidate as the Committee, in the exercise of its judgment, has found to be well qualified and willing and available to serve.
2. The Committee shall annually review the performance of each incumbent director and shall consider the results of such evaluation when determining whether or not to recommend the nomination of such director for an additional term.
3. The Committee shall oversee the Board in the Board’s annual review of its own performance and the performance of management, and will make appropriate recommendations to improve performance.
4. The Committee shall consider, prepare and recommend to the Board such policies and procedures with respect to corporate governance matters as may be required or required to be disclosed pursuant to any rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission or otherwise considered to be desirable and appropriate in the discretion of the Committee.
5. The Committee shall evaluate its own performance on an annual basis, including its compliance with this Charter, and provide the Board with any recommendations for changes in procedures or policies governing the Committee. The Committee shall conduct such evaluation and review in such manner as it deems appropriate.
6. The Committee shall periodically report to the Board on its findings and actions.
7. The Committee shall review and reassess this Charter at least annually and submit any recommended changes to the Board for its consideration.
| V. | Delegation of Duties |
In fulfilling its responsibilities, the Committee shall be entitled to delegate any or all of its responsibilities to a subcommittee of the Committee, to the extent consistent with the Articles and applicable law and rules of the markets in which the Company’s securities then trade.
Exhibit 99.5
CONSENT OF VLADIMIR GAVRILOVIC
Cheetah Net Supply Chain service Inc. (the “Company”) intends to file a Registration Statement on Form S-1 (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, the “Registration Statement”) registering securities for issuance in its initial public offering. As required by Rule 438 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the undersigned hereby consents to being named in the Registration Statement as a Director Nominee.
Dated: April 5, 2023
| /s/ Vladimir Gavrilovic | |
| Vladimir Gavrilovic |
Exhibit 99.6
CONSENT OF CATHERINE CHEN
Cheetah Net Supply Chain service Inc. (the “Company”) intends to file a Registration Statement on Form S-1 (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, the “Registration Statement”) registering securities for issuance in its initial public offering. As required by Rule 438 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the undersigned hereby consents to being named in the Registration Statement as a Director Nominee.
Dated: April 5, 2023
| /s/ Catherine Chen | |
| Catherine Chen |
Exhibit 99.7
CONSENT OF XIANGGENG HUANG
Cheetah Net Supply Chain service Inc. (the “Company”) intends to file a Registration Statement on Form S-1 (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, the “Registration Statement”) registering securities for issuance in its initial public offering. As required by Rule 438 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the undersigned hereby consents to being named in the Registration Statement as a Director Nominee.
Dated: April 5, 2023
| /s/ Xianggeng Huang | |
| Xianggeng Huang |