EZGO 20-F
EZGO Technologies Ltd. (EZGO)
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM
OR
For
the fiscal year ended
OR
For the transition period from _________ to _____________.
OR
Date of event requiring this shell company report:
Commission
file number:
(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
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(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
Tel:
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Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
| Title of Each Class | Trading symbol | Name of Each Exchange On Which Registered | ||
US$0.001 per share |
Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
None
(Title of Class)
Securities for which there is a reporting obligation pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Act:
None
(Title of Class)
The number of outstanding shares of each of the
issuer’s classes of capital or common stock as of January 18, 2023 was:
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.
Yes
☐
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Yes
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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or an emerging growth company. See definition of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):
| Large accelerated filer ☐ | Accelerated filer ☐ | Emerging growth company |
If
an emerging growth company that prepares its financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, 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 13(a) of the Exchange Act.
† The term “new or revised financial accounting standard” refers to any update issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board to its Accounting Standards Codification after April 5, 2012.
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by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness
of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered
public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report.
Indicate by check mark which basis of accounting the registrant has used to prepare the financial statements included in this filing:
| ☒ | ☐ International Financial Reporting Standards as issued | ☐ Other |
| by the International Accounting Standards Board |
If “Other” has been checked in response to the previous question, indicate by check mark which financial statement item the registrant has elected to follow: Item 17 ☐ Item 18 ☐
If
this is an annual report, indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange
Act). Yes ☐ No
EZGO TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
FORM 20-F ANNUAL REPORT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
i
PART I
CERTAIN INFORMATION
In this annual report on Form 20-F, unless otherwise indicated, “EZGO” refers to EZGO Technologies Ltd., a British Virgin Islands business company; “we,” “us,” “our,” “our company,” the “Company” or similar terms refer to EZGO Technologies Ltd. and/or its consolidated subsidiaries, other than the variable interest entity, Jiangsu EZGO Electronic Technologies, Co., Ltd. (formerly known as Jiangsu Baozhe Electric Technologies, Co., Ltd.), a PRC company, unless the context otherwise indicates; and “VIE” refers to the variable interest entity, Jiangsu EZGO Electronic Technologies, Co., Ltd. EZGO conducts operations in China through Changzhou EZGO Enterprise Management Co., Ltd. (“Changzhou EZGO,” or the “WFOE”), the VIE and its subsidiaries in China, and EZGO does not conduct any business on its own. The financial results of the VIE and its subsidiaries are consolidated into our financial statements for accounting purposes, but we do not hold any equity interest in the VIE or any of its subsidiaries. Investors are purchasing an interest in EZGO, the British Virgin Islands holding company.
Unless the context indicates otherwise, all references to “China” and the “PRC” refer to the People’s Republic of China, including Hong Kong and Macau. The term “Chinese” has a correlative meaning for the purpose of this annual report. All references to “Renminbi” or “RMB” are to the legal currency of China and all references to “U.S. dollars,” “dollars,” “US$” and “$” are to the legal currency of the United States of America (the “United States”). This annual report contains translations of Renminbi amounts into U.S. dollars at specified rates solely for the convenience of the reader. We make no representation that the Renminbi or U.S. dollar amounts referred to in this annual report could have been or could be converted into U.S. dollars or Renminbi, as the case may be, at any particular rate or at all. On September 30, 2022, the middle price of RMB exchange rate announced by the People’s Bank of China was RMB7.0998 to $1.00.
Investing in EZGO’s securities is highly speculative and involves a significant degree of risk. EZGO is not an operating company established in the PRC, but a holding company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands, or the BVI. As a holding company with no material operations of its own, EZGO conducts the majority of its operations through contractual arrangements with its operating entities established in the PRC, primarily the VIE, in which EZGO does not hold any equity interest, and the VIE’s subsidiaries based in the PRC, with substantially all of their operations and assets in China. This variable interest entity structure involves unique risks to investors. The contractual arrangements with the VIE have not been tested in court. This variable interest entity structure is used to provide investors with contractual exposure to foreign investment in China-based companies where Chinese law prohibits or restricts direct foreign investment in the operating companies. Due to PRC legal restrictions on foreign ownership in internet-based businesses, we do not have any equity ownership of the VIE, instead we receive the economic benefits of the VIE’s business operations through certain contractual arrangements.
As a result of such series of contractual arrangements, EZGO and its subsidiaries become the primary beneficiary of the VIE for accounting purposes and the VIE as a PRC consolidated entity under U.S. GAAP. We consolidate the financial results of the VIE and its subsidiaries in our consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Neither we nor our investors own any equity ownership in, direct foreign investment in, or control through such ownership/investment of the VIE. These contractual arrangements have not been tested in a court of law in the PRC. As a result, investors in EZGO’s ordinary shares are not purchasing an equity interest in the VIE or its subsidiaries but instead are purchasing an equity interest in EZGO, the BVI holding company.
Investors may never hold equity interests in the Chinese operating company. The Chinese regulatory authorities could disallow this variable interest entity structure, which would likely result in a material change in EZGO’s operations primarily through the VIE and its subsidiaries in China and/or a material change in the value of the securities we have registered for sale, including that it could cause the value of EZGO’s securities to significantly decline or become worthless. For a description of our corporate structure and contractual arrangements with the VIE, see “Item 4C. Organizational Structure” in this annual report. See also “Item 3. Key Information— D. Risk Factors— Risks Related to Our Corporate Structure” beginning on page 19 for certain risks related to the contractual arrangements with the VIE.
In addition, as EZGO conducts substantially all of its operations in China through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China, it is subject to legal and operational risks associated with having substantially all of its operations in China, which risks could result in a material change in EZGO’s operations and/or the value of the securities EZGO has registered for sale or could significantly limit or completely hinder EZGO’s ability to offer or continue to offer EZGO’s securities to investors and cause the value of EZGO’s securities to significantly decline or be worthless. Recently, the PRC government initiated a series of regulatory actions and made a number of public statements on the regulation of business operations in China with little advance notice, including cracking down on illegal activities in the securities market, enhancing supervision over China-based companies listed overseas, adopting new measures to extend the scope of cybersecurity reviews, and expanding efforts in anti-monopoly enforcement. Our PRC counsel, DeHeng Law Offices, is of the view that as of the date of this annual report, we are not directly subject to these regulatory actions or statements, as we have not implemented any monopolistic behavior and EZGO’s business operations through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China do not involve the collection of user data, implicate cybersecurity, or involve any other type of restricted industry. As further advised by our PRC counsel, as of the date of this annual report, no effective laws or regulations in the PRC explicitly require us to seek approval from the China Securities Regulatory Commission (the “CSRC”) or any other PRC governmental authorities for our overseas listing, nor has our company, any of our subsidiaries, or the VIE or any of its subsidiaries, received any inquiry, notice, warning or sanctions regarding our planned overseas listing from the CSRC or any other PRC governmental authorities. However, since these statements and regulatory actions by the PRC government are newly published and official guidance and related implementation rules have not been issued, it is highly uncertain what the potential impact such modified or new laws and regulations will have on the VIE’s daily business operation, the ability to accept foreign investments and list on a U.S. or other foreign exchange. The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (the “SCNPC”) or other PRC regulatory authorities may in the future promulgate laws, regulations or implementing rules that requires our company, the VIE or any of its subsidiaries to obtain regulatory approval from Chinese authorities before offering securities in the U.S. Any future Chinese, U.S., BVI or other rules and regulations that place restrictions on capital raising or other activities by companies with extensive operations in China could adversely affect EZGO’s business and results of operations. See “Item 3. Key Information — D. Risk Factors— Risks Related to Doing Business in China” beginning on page 19 for a detailed description of various risks related to doing business in China and other information that should be considered before making a decision to purchase any of EZGO’s securities.
1
As a holding company, EZGO relies on dividends and other distributions on equity paid by its operating subsidiaries for cash and financing requirements, including the funds necessary to pay dividends and other cash distributions to its shareholders or to service any expenses it may incur. Our PRC subsidiaries’ ability to distribute dividends is based upon their respective distributable earnings. Current PRC regulations permit our PRC subsidiaries to pay dividends to their respective shareholders only out of their accumulated profits, if any, as determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations. In addition, under PRC law, each of our PRC subsidiaries is required to set aside at least 10% of its after-tax profits each year, if any, to fund certain statutory reserve funds until such reserve funds reach 50% of its registered capital. These reserves are not distributable as cash dividends. If any of our PRC subsidiaries incurs debt on its own behalf in the future, the instruments governing such debt may restrict its ability to pay dividends to EZGO. To date, there have not been any such dividends or other distributions from our PRC subsidiaries to our subsidiaries located outside of China. In addition, as of the date of this annual report, none of our PRC subsidiaries had ever issued any dividends or distributions to EZGO or its shareholders outside of China. Furthermore, as of the date of this annual report, neither EZGO nor any of its subsidiaries had ever paid dividends or made distributions to U.S. investors. EZGO is permitted under PRC laws and regulations as an offshore holding company to provide funding to its PRC subsidiaries in China through shareholder loans or capital contributions, subject to satisfaction of applicable government registration, approval and filing requirements. According to the relevant PRC regulations on foreign-invested enterprises in China, there are no quantity limits on EZGO’s ability to make capital contributions to its PRC subsidiaries. However, our PRC subsidiaries may not procure loans which exceed the difference between their total investment amount as recorded in the Foreign Investment Comprehensive Management Information System and their respective registered capital or 2.5 times of their net worth. In the future, cash proceeds raised from overseas financing activities may continue to be transferred by EZGO to the PRC subsidiaries via capital contribution or shareholder loans, as the case may be. EZGO intends to retain most, if not all, of its available funds and any future earnings for the development and growth of its business in China. EZGO does not expect to pay dividends or distribute earnings in the foreseeable future. EZGO intends to settle amounts owed under the contractual arrangements with the VIE.
Under existing PRC foreign exchange regulations, currently EZGO’s PRC subsidiaries may purchase foreign currency for settlement of “current account transactions,” including payment of dividends to EZGO without the approval of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, or SAFE, by complying with certain procedural requirements. However, the relevant PRC governmental authorities may limit or eliminate EZGO’s ability to purchase foreign currencies in the future for current account transactions. Since a significant amount of EZGO’s PRC revenue is denominated in Renminbi, any existing and future restrictions on currency exchange or outbound capital flows may limit its ability to utilize revenue generated in Renminbi to fund EZGO’s business activities outside of the PRC, make investments, service any debt EZGO may incur outside of China or pay dividends or make distributions in foreign currencies to EZGO’s shareholders, including holders of EZGO’s ordinary shares. In addition, any transfer of funds by EZGO to its PRC subsidiaries, either as a shareholder loan or as an increase in the registered capital, is subject to a series of procedural requirements imposed by SAFE, SAMR, MOFCOM, or their local counterparts. This may hinder or delay EZGO’s deployment of cash into its subsidiaries’ and the VIE’s business, which could result in a material and adverse effect on EZGO’s operations through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China. See risks disclosed under “Item 3. Key Information — D. Risk Factors— Risks Related to Doing Business in China – Restrictions on currency exchange or outbound capital flows may limit our ability to utilize our PRC revenue effectively.” on page 25, “Item 3. Key Information — D. Risk Factors — Risks Related to Doing Business in China – PRC regulations relating to foreign exchange registration of overseas investment by PRC residents may subject our PRC resident beneficial owners or our PRC subsidiaries to liability or penalties, limit our ability to inject capital into these subsidiaries, limit PRC subsidiaries’ ability to increase their registered capital or distribute profits to us, or may otherwise adversely affect us.” on pages 26, and “Item 3. Key Information — D. Risk Factors — Risks Related to Doing Business in China – The PRC government could prevent the cash maintained from leaving the PRC, restrict deployment of the cash into the business of the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries and restrict the ability to pay dividends to U.S. investors, which could materially adversely affect EZGO’s operations through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China.” on page 28.
To date, transfers have occurred between EZGO, its subsidiaries, and the VIE. Prior to the completion of EZGO’s initial public offering in January 2021, the sources of funds of the VIE and its subsidiaries primarily consisted of shareholders capital injection and cash generated from operations.
2
After the completion of our initial public offering, our holding company EZGO transferred funds through a shareholder loan to EZGO’s wholly-owned subsidiary, China EZGO Group Ltd. (“EZGO HK”). EZGO HK transferred funds through an increase in the registered capital to EZGO HK’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Changzhou EZGO. EZGO and Changzhou EZGO provided loans to the VIE, subject to statutory limits and restrictions.
For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2021, EZGO provided an interest-free loan of US$15,853,200 to EZGO HK; EZGO also paid US$3,017,337 on behalf of the VIE for the acquisition of Tianjin Jiahao Bicycle Co., Ltd. and insurance fees; and EZGO HK injected registered capital of US$15,843,000 into Changzhou EZGO. Changzhou EZGO provided loans of US$13,323,711 to the VIE and had US$1,914,828 of payables due to the VIE.
For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022, EZGO provided an additional interest-free loan of US$308,200 to EZGO HK and provided an interest-free loan of US$8,000,000 to Changzhou EZGO; and EZGO HK injected registered capital of US$313,000 into Changzhou EZGO. Changzhou EZGO provided loans of US$335,714 to the VIE and had US$7,589,951 of payables due to the VIE and its subsidiaries.
The details of loans provided by Changzhou EZGO are shown below:
| Start Date | Maturity Date | Amount | Annual Interest Rate | |||||||
| April 6, 2021 | April 5, 2026 | $ | 3,514,444 | 5 | % | |||||
| June 9, 2021 | June 8, 2026 | $ | 2,108,667 | 5 | % | |||||
| September 17, 2021 | September 16, 2024 | $ | 562,311 | 4 | % | |||||
| September 29, 2021 | September 28, 2024 | $ | 2,361,707 | 4 | % | |||||
| October 13, 2021 | October 13, 2026 | 3,514,444 | Chinese Loan Prime Rate (LPR)+0.25 | % | ||||||
| December 21, 2021 | December 21, 2024 | 309,271 | 4 | % | ||||||
| Total | $ | 12,370,844 | ||||||||
For details of the transfers between EZGO, its subsidiaries, and the VIE, see “Item 3. Key Information — Transfer of Cash through our Organization.” For details of VIE’s financial information, see “Item 3. Key Information —VIE Financial Information” for the condensed consolidating schedule and pages F-11 to F-14 of this annual report.
We maintain bank accounts in China, including cash in Renminbi in the amount of RMB31,208,525 and cash in USD in the amount of US$7,187 as of September 30, 2022. Funds are transferred between EZGO, its subsidiaries, and the VIE for their daily operation purposes. The transfer of funds between our PRC subsidiaries, and the VIE are subject to the Provisions of the Supreme People’s Court on Several Issues Concerning the Application of Law in the Trial of Private Lending Cases (2020 Revision, the “Provisions on Private Lending Cases”), which was implemented on August 20, 2020 to regulate the financing activities between natural persons, legal persons and unincorporated organizations. The Provisions on Private Lending Cases set forth that private lending contracts will be upheld as invalid under the circumstance that (i) the lender swindles loans from financial institutions for relending; (ii) the lender relends the funds obtained by means of a loan from another profit-making legal person, raising funds from its employees, illegally taking deposits from the public; (iii) the lender who has not obtained the lending qualification according to the law lends money to any unspecified object of the society for the purpose of making profits; (iv) the lender lends funds to a borrower when the lender knows or should have known that the borrower intended to use the borrowed funds for illegal or criminal purposes; (v) the lending is in violation of public orders or good morals; or (vi) the lending is in violation of mandatory provisions of laws or administrative regulations. Due to the circumstances aforementioned do not exist in the PRC subsidiaries’ operations, DeHeng Law Offices, is of the view that the Provisions on Private Lending Cases does not prohibit using cash generated from one subsidiary to fund another subsidiary’s operations. We have not been notified of any other restriction which could limit our PRC subsidiaries’ ability to transfer cash between subsidiaries. As of the date of this annual report, we had not installed any cash management policies that dictate how funds are transferred between EZGO, our subsidiaries, and the VIE.
Most of our cash is in Renminbi, and the PRC government could prevent the cash maintained in mainland China or Hong Kong from leaving, could restrict deployment of the cash into the business of the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries and restrict the ability to pay dividends. For details regarding the restrictions on our ability to transfer cash between EZGO, our subsidiaries and the VIE, see “Item 3. Key Information – D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China— Restrictions on currency exchange or outbound capital flows may limit our ability to utilize our PRC revenue effectively,” “Item 3. Key Information – D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China— PRC regulation on loans to, and direct investment in, PRC entities by offshore holding companies and governmental control in currency conversion may delay or prevent us from using the proceeds of our initial public offering or follow-on offering to make loans to or make additional capital contributions to our PRC subsidiaries, which could materially and adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand EZGO’s business,” and “Item 3. Key Information – D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—The PRC government could prevent the cash maintained from leaving the PRC, restrict deployment of the cash into the business of the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries and restrict the ability to pay dividends to U.S. investors, which could materially adversely affect EZGO’s operations through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China.”
3
Effect of Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act
The Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act (the “HFCA Act”), which was signed into law on December 18, 2020, requires a foreign company to submit that it is not owned or manipulated by a foreign government or disclose the ownership of governmental entities and certain additional information, if the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, or PCAOB, is unable to inspect completely a foreign auditor that signs the company’s financial statements. If the PCAOB is unable to inspect the Company’s auditors for three consecutive years, the Company’s securities will be prohibited from trading on a national exchange. The U.S. Senate passed the Accelerating Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act on June 22, 2021, which, if enacted, would decrease the number of non-inspection years from three years to two, thus reducing the time period before EZGO’s ordinary shares may be prohibited from trading or delisted. Due to a position taken by the China Securities Regulatory Commission, or CSRC, the PCAOB is prevented from fully inspecting auditing records and evaluating quality control procedures of the auditors based in China. As a result, the investors may be deprived of the benefits of such PCAOB inspections. Any inability of the PCAOB to conduct inspections of auditors in China could make it more difficult to evaluate the effectiveness of these accounting firms’ audit procedures or quality control procedures as compared to auditors outside of China that are subject to the PCAOB inspections, which could cause existing and potential investors in EZGO’s ordinary shares to lose confidence in our reported financial information and the quality of our financial statements. These developments could add uncertainties to EZGO’s offering, including the possibility that the SEC may prohibit trading in EZGO’s securities if the PCAOB cannot fully inspect or investigate our auditor and we fail to appoint a new auditor that is accessible to the PCAOB and that Nasdaq can delist EZGO’s ordinary shares.
On December 16, 2021, the PCAOB issued its determination report that the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely PCAOB-registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and in Hong Kong, because of positions taken by PRC authorities in those jurisdictions, and the PCAOB included in the report of its determination a list of the accounting firms that are headquartered in mainland China or Hong Kong. This report does not include our former auditors, Marcum Asia CPAs LLP (formerly known as Marcum Bernstein & Pinchuk LLP (“MarcumAsia”) and Briggs & Veselka Co., LLP (“Briggs & Veselka”), or our current auditor, Wei, Wei & Co., LLP (“WWC”). On August 26, 2022, the PCAOB announced that it had signed a Statement of Protocol (the “Statement of Protocol”) with the CSRC and the Ministry of Finance of China (“MOF”). The terms of the Statement of Protocol would grant the PCAOB complete access to audit work papers and other information so that it may inspect and investigate PCAOB-registered accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong. On December 15, 2022, the PCAOB announced that it has secured complete access to inspect and investigate registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong and voted to vacate the previous 2021 determination report to the contrary. Our current auditor, WWC, as an auditor of companies that are traded publicly in the United States and a firm registered with the PCAOB, is subject to laws in the United States pursuant to which the PCAOB conducts regular inspections to assess its compliance with the applicable professional standards. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the future, if there is any regulatory change or step taken by PRC regulators that does not permit our auditor to provide audit documentations located in China to the PCAOB for inspection or investigation, investors may be deprived of the benefits of such inspection. Any audit reports not issued by auditors that are completely inspected by the PCAOB, or a lack of PCAOB inspections of audit work undertaken in China that prevents the PCAOB from regularly evaluating our auditors’ audits and their quality control procedures, could result in a lack of assurance that our financial statements and disclosures are adequate and accurate, then such lack of inspection could cause EZGO’s securities to be delisted from the stock exchange.
On December 2, 2021, the SEC adopted final amendments to its rules implementing the HFCA Act. Such final rules establish procedures that the SEC will follow in (i) determining whether a registrant is a “Commission-Identified Issuer” (a registrant identified by the SEC as having filed an annual report with an audit report issued by a registered public accounting firm that is located in a foreign jurisdiction and that the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely because of a position taken by an authority in that jurisdiction) and (ii) prohibiting the trading of an issuer that is a Commission-Identified Issuer for three consecutive years under the HFCA Act. The SEC began identifying Commission-Identified Issuers for the fiscal years beginning after December 18, 2020. A Commission-Identified Issuer is required to comply with the submission and disclosure requirements in the annual report for each year in which it was identified. If a registrant is identified as a Commission-Identified Issuer based on its annual report for the fiscal year ended, for example, September 30, 2021, the registrant will be required to comply with the submission or disclosure requirements in its annual report filing covering the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022. As of the date of this annual report, we have not been, and do not expect to be identified by the SEC under the HFCA Act. However, whether the PCAOB will continue to conduct inspections and investigations completely to its satisfaction of PCAOB-registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong is subject to uncertainty and depends on a number of factors out of our, and our auditor’s control including positions taken by authorities of the PRC. The PCAOB is expected to continue to demand complete access to inspections and investigations against accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong in the future and states that it has already made plans to resume regular inspections in early 2023 and beyond. The PCAOB is required under the HFCA Act to make its determination on an annual basis with regards to its ability to inspect and investigate completely accounting firms based in the mainland China and Hong Kong. The possibility of being a “Commission-Identified Issuer” and risk of delisting could continue to adversely affect the trading price of our securities. Should the PCAOB again encounter impediments to inspections and investigations in mainland China or Hong Kong as a result of positions taken by any authority in either jurisdiction, the PCAOB will make determinations under the HFCAA as and when appropriate.
For details on the effects of HFCA Act on us, see “Item 3. Key Information — D. Risk Factors— Risks Related to Doing Business in China — EZGO’s ordinary shares may be delisted under the HFCA Act if the PCAOB is unable to adequately inspect audit documentation located in China. The delisting of EZGO’s ordinary shares, or the threat of their being delisted, may materially and adversely affect the value of your investment. Additionally, the inability of the PCAOB to conduct adequate inspections deprives our investors with the benefits of such inspections. Furthermore, on June 22, 2021, the U.S. Senate passed the Accelerating Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, which, if enacted, would amend the HFCA Act and require the SEC to prohibit an issuer’s securities from trading on any U.S. stock exchanges if its auditor is not subject to PCAOB inspections for two consecutive years instead of three.” on page 33.
4
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This annual report contains “forward-looking statements” for purposes of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that represent our beliefs, projections and predictions about future events. All statements other than statements of historical fact are “forward-looking statements,” including any projections of earnings, revenue or other financial items, any statements of the plans, strategies and objectives of management for future operations, any statements concerning proposed new projects or other developments, any statements regarding future economic conditions or performance, any statements of management’s beliefs, goals, strategies, intentions and objectives, and any statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “predicts,” “potential,” “continue,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates” and similar expressions, as well as statements in the future tense, identify forward-looking statements.
These statements are necessarily subjective and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that could cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements described in or implied by such statements. Actual results may differ materially from expected results described in our forward-looking statements, including with respect to correct measurement and identification of factors affecting our business or the extent of their likely impact, and the accuracy and completeness of the publicly available information with respect to the factors upon which our business strategy is based or the success of our business.
Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether, or the times by which, our performance or results may be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on information available at the time those statements are made and management’s belief as of that time with respect to future events, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause such differences include, but are not limited to, those factors discussed under the headings “Risk Factors,” “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects,” and elsewhere in this annual report.
ITEM 1. IDENTITY OF DIRECTORS, SENIOR MANAGEMENT AND ADVISERS
Not Applicable.
ITEM 2. OFFER STATISTICS AND EXPECTED TIMETABLE
Not Applicable.
ITEM 3. KEY INFORMATION
Contractual Arrangements and Corporate Structure
EZGO was incorporated in the BVI on January 24, 2019. EZGO’s wholly owned subsidiary, EZGO HK, formerly known as Hong Kong JKC Group Co., Limited, was incorporated in Hong Kong on February 13, 2019. EZGO HK, in turn, holds all of the capital stock of Changzhou EZGO, formerly known as Changzhou Jiekai New Energy Technology Company, which was incorporated in China on June 12, 2019 and Changzhou Langyi Electronic Technologies Co., Ltd. (“Changzhou Langyi”), which was incorporated in China on August 6, 2021. Changzhou EZGO has obtained the contractual rights to determine the most significant economic activities of the VIE and also receives the majority of the economic benefits of the VIE, through a series of contractual arrangements (the “VIE Agreements”). See “– Contractual Arrangements with the VIE and Its Shareholders.” EZGO conducts its business in the PRC primarily through the VIE and its subsidiaries, Changzhou Hengmao Power Battery Technology Co., Ltd. (“Hengmao Power Battery”), Jiangsu Cenbird E-Motorcycle Technologies Co., Ltd. (“Jiangsu Cenbird”), Changzhou Yizhiying IoT Technologies Co., Ltd., (“Yizhiying IoT”), Tianjin Dilang Technologies Co., Ltd. (“Tianjin Dilang”) and Tianjin Jiahao Bicycle Co., Ltd. (“Tianjin Jiahao”) since EZGO, through contractual arrangements with the VIE, obtained the rights to determine the most significant economic activities and also receives the majority of the economic benefits of the VIE beginning in November 2019.
5
As a result of such series of contractual arrangements, EZGO and its subsidiaries become the primary beneficiary of the VIE for accounting purposes and the VIE as a PRC consolidated entity under U.S. GAAP. We consolidate the financial results of the VIE and its subsidiaries in our consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Neither we nor EZGO’s investors own any equity ownership in, direct foreign investment in, or control through such ownership/investment of the VIE. These contractual arrangements have not been tested in a court of law in the PRC. As a result, investors in EZGO’s ordinary shares are not purchasing an equity interest in the VIE or its subsidiaries but instead are purchasing an equity interest in EZGO, the BVI holding company.
The diagram below shows our corporate structure as of the date of this annual report, including the VIE and its subsidiaries. However, investors are cautioned that the enforceability of such VIE Agreements has not been tested in a court of law. EZGO conducts operations in China primarily through the VIE and its subsidiaries in China, and EZGO does not conduct any business on its own. The VIE structure is used to provide investors with contractual exposure to foreign investment in China-based companies where Chinese law prohibits or restricts direct foreign investment in the operating companies. Due to PRC legal restrictions on foreign ownership in internet-based businesses, we do not have any equity ownership of the VIE, instead we receive the economic benefits of the VIE’s business operations through certain contractual arrangements. As a result of such series of contractual arrangements, EZGO and its subsidiaries become the primary beneficiary of the VIE for accounting purposes and the VIE as a PRC consolidated entity under U.S. GAAP. We consolidate the financial results of the VIE and its subsidiaries in our consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Neither we nor EZGO’s investors own any equity ownership in, direct foreign investment in, or control through such ownership/investment of the VIE. Investors are purchasing an interest in EZGO, the BVI holding company.
6
Contractual Arrangements with the VIE and Its Shareholders
Due to PRC legal restrictions on foreign ownership in internet-based businesses, neither we nor our subsidiaries own any equity interest in the VIE. Instead, we receive the economic benefits of the VIE’s business operations through the VIE Agreements. Changzhou EZGO, the VIE and its equity holders entered into the VIE Agreements on November 8, 2019. The VIE Agreements are designed to provide Changzhou EZGO with contractual rights, and obligations, including certain control rights and the rights in the assets, property and revenue of the VIE, to (i) determine the most significant economic activities of the VIE, (ii) receive the majority of the economic benefits of the VIE, most importantly the ability to consolidate the financial statements of the VIE with the financial statements of our holding company, EZGO under U.S. GAAP, for which we are the primary beneficiary of the VIE for accounting purposes, and (iii) have an exclusive option to purchase or designate any third party to purchase all or part of the equity interests in and assets of the VIE when and to the extent permitted by PRC law. However, The VIE Agreements may not be as effective as direct ownership in providing us with control over the VIE and its subsidiaries, and the enforceability of the VIE Agreements has not been tested in a court of law, and the PRC government may take actions to exert more oversight and control over offerings by China based issuers conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in such companies, or could disallow the VIE Agreements, which would likely result in a material change in EZGO’s operations primarily through the VIE and its subsidiaries in China and/or a material change in the value of the securities we have registered for sale, including that it could cause the value of EZGO’s securities could to significantly decline or become worthless. Specifically, the legal environment in the PRC is not as developed as in other jurisdictions, such as the United States. As a result, uncertainties in the PRC legal system could limit our ability, as a BVI holding company, to enforce these contractual arrangements and doing so may be quite costly. There are also substantial uncertainties regarding the interpretation and application of current and future PRC laws, regulations and rules regarding the status of the rights of Changzhou EZGO with respect to its contractual arrangements with the VIE and its shareholders. It is uncertain whether any new PRC laws or regulations relating to variable interest entity structure will be adopted or if adopted, what they would provide. If we or the VIE are found to be in violation of any existing or future PRC laws or regulations, or fail to obtain or maintain any of the required permits or approvals, the relevant PRC regulatory authorities would have broad discretion to take action in dealing with such violations or failures. In addition, the enforceability of the various contracts described above by our company against the VIE is dependent upon the shareholders of the VIE. If the shareholders of the VIE fail to perform their obligations under the contractual arrangements, we could be unable to enforce the contractual arrangements that enable us to consolidate the VIE’s operations and financial results in our financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP as the primary beneficiary. If this happens, we would need to deconsolidate the VIE. The majority of our assets, including the necessary licenses to conduct business in China are held by the VIE and its subsidiaries and a significant part of our revenues are generated by the VIE and its subsidiaries. An event that results in the deconsolidation of the VIE would have a material effect on EZGO’s operations primarily through the VIE and its subsidiaries in China and result in the value of its securities diminishing substantially or even become worthless. For a detailed description of the risks associated with our corporate structure, please refer to risks disclosed under “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Corporate Structure” on page 19.
As a result of our direct ownership in Changzhou EZGO and the contractual arrangements with the VIE, we are regarded as the primary beneficiary of Jiangsu EZGO, and we treat the VIE as our consolidated variable interest entity under U.S. GAAP, which generally refers to an entity in which we do not have any equity interests but whose financial results are consolidated into our consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP because we have a controlling financial interest in, and thus are the primary beneficiary of, that entity. We have consolidated the financial results of the VIE and its subsidiaries in our consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
Each of the VIE Agreements is described in detail below and each of which is currently in full force and effect:
Exclusive Management Consulting and Technical Service Agreement
Pursuant to the Exclusive Management Consulting and Technical Service Agreement, dated November 8, 2019, between Changzhou EZGO and the VIE (the “VIE Exclusive Management Agreement”), the VIE agrees to engage Changzhou EZGO as its exclusive provider of management consulting, technical support, intellectual property license and relevant services, including all services within the VIE’s business scope and decided by Changzhou EZGO from time to time as necessary. The VIE pays to Changzhou EZGO service fees within three months after each fiscal year end. The service fees are set at 95% (or a percentage adjusted by Changzhou EZGO in its sole discretion) of the after-tax profit after the deficit of the prior fiscal year is covered and the statutory common reserve is extracted. Changzhou EZGO exclusively owns any intellectual property arising from the performance of the VIE Exclusive Management Agreement. The VIE Exclusive Management Agreement is effective for twenty years unless earlier terminated as set forth in the agreement or other written agreements entered into by the parties thereto. The VIE Exclusive Management Agreement shall be extended automatically at the end of its term, until Changzhou EZGO’s business term or the VIE’s business term expires, unless otherwise notified by Changzhou EZGO in writing. During the term of the VIE Exclusive Management Agreement, the VIE may not terminate the VIE Exclusive Management Agreement except in the case of Changzhou EZGO’s gross negligence or fraud, or VIE Exclusive Management Agreement or applicable PRC laws provide otherwise. Changzhou EZGO may terminate the VIE Exclusive Management Agreement by 30-day written notice to the VIE at any time.
Equity Pledge Agreement
Pursuant to the Equity Pledge Agreement, dated November 8, 2019, among Changzhou EZGO, the VIE and the equity holders of the VIE (the “VIE Equity Pledge Agreement”), the equity holders of the VIE have pledged 100% of their equity interests in the VIE to Changzhou EZGO to guarantee performance of all obligations under the VIE Exclusive Management Agreement, the VIE Loan Agreement (defined hereafter), the VIE Exclusive Call Option Agreement (defined hereafter) and the VIE Proxy Agreement (defined hereafter). If any event of default as provided for therein occurs, Changzhou EZGO, as the pledgee, will be entitled to dispose of the pledged equity interests according to applicable PRC laws. On November 28, 2019, Changzhou EZGO, the VIE and all its equity holders completed the registration of the equity pledge with the relevant office of State Administration of Market Regulation (“SAMR”, formerly known as State Administration for Industry and Commerce, or the SAIC) in accordance with the PRC Property Rights Law.
7
Exclusive Call Option Agreement
Pursuant to the Exclusive Call Option Agreement, dated November 8, 2019, among Changzhou EZGO, the VIE and the equity holders of the VIE (the “VIE Exclusive Call Option Agreement”), each of the equity holders of the VIE has irrevocably granted Changzhou EZGO an exclusive option to purchase, or to designate other persons to purchase, to the extent permitted by applicable PRC laws, rules and regulations, all of the equity interests and assets in the VIE from its equity holders. The equity holders of the VIE agree that, without the prior written consent of Changzhou EZGO, they will not dispose of their equity interests in the VIE or create or allow any encumbrance on their equity interests. The purchase price for the equity interest is to be the minimum price permitted by applicable PRC laws, rules and regulations, or the amount that the equity holders actually pay to the VIE regarding the equity, whichever is lower. The purchase price for the assets is to be the minimum price permitted by applicable PRC laws, rules and regulations, or the net book value of the assets, whichever is lower. The VIE Exclusive Call Option Agreement expires when all the equity interests or all the assets are transferred pursuant to the agreement.
Proxy Agreement
Pursuant to the Proxy Agreement, dated November 8, 2019, among Changzhou EZGO, the VIE and each of equity holders of the VIE (the “VIE Proxy Agreement”), each of the equity holders irrevocably authorizes Changzhou EZGO to exercise his or her rights as an equity holder of the VIE, including the right to attend equity holders meetings, to exercise voting rights and to transfer all or a part of his or her equity interests therein pursuant to the VIE Exclusive Call Option Agreement. During the term of the VIE Proxy Agreement, the VIE and all its equity holders may not terminate the VIE Proxy Agreement except when the VIE Proxy Agreement or applicable PRC laws provide otherwise.
Loan Agreement
Pursuant to the Loan Agreement, dated November 8, 2019 (the “VIE Loan Agreement”), Changzhou EZGO agrees to provide the VIE with loans of different amounts at an annual interest rate of 24% according to the VIE’s needs from time to time. The term of each loan is 20 years, which can be extended with the written consent of both parties. During the term of the loan or the extended term of the loan, the VIE may not prepay any loan without the written consent of Changzhou EZGO while in case of certain circumstances, the VIE must repay the loan in advance upon Changzhou EZGO’s written request.
Spousal Consent Letter
The spouses of individual equity holders of the VIE have each signed a spousal consent letter. Under the spousal consent letter, the signing spouse unconditionally and irrevocably has agreed to the execution by his or her spouse of the VIE Equity Pledge Agreement, the VIE Exclusive Call Option Agreement and the VIE Proxy Agreement, and that his or her spouse may perform, amend or terminate such agreements without his or her consent. In addition, in the event that the spouse obtains any equity interest in the VIE held by his or her spouse for any reason, he or she agrees to be bound by and sign any legal documents substantially similar to the contractual arrangements entered into by his or her spouse, as may be amended from time to time.
Through the current contractual arrangements, we have established a contractual relationship with all equity holders of the VIE. Pursuant to these agreements, all equity holders of the VIE have irrevocably authorized Changzhou EZGO to exercise voting rights and all other rights as the equity holder and pledged all of his or her equity interests in the VIE to Changzhou EZGO as collateral to secure performance of all of his or her obligations under these agreements. However, the equity holders of the VIE may have potential conflicts of interest with us and may breach, or cause the VIE to breach, or refuse to renew, the existing contractual arrangements we have with them and the VIE. Any failure by the VIE or equity holders of the VIE to perform his or her obligations under our contractual arrangements with them would have a material adverse effect on EZGO’s business primarily through the VIE and its subsidiaries in China and financial condition. See “Item 3. Key Information — D. Risk Factors — Risks Related to Our Corporate Structure” on page 19.
Based on the advice of our PRC counsel, DeHeng Law Offices, that:
| ● | the ownership structure of the VIE and Changzhou EZGO in China does not violate any applicable PRC laws or regulations currently in effect; and |
| ● | the contractual arrangements among Changzhou EZGO, the VIE and the VIE’s shareholders governed by PRC law are valid, binding and enforceable in accordance with their terms and applicable PRC laws or regulations currently in effect and do not and will not violate any applicable PRC laws or regulations currently in effect. |
However, there are substantial uncertainties regarding the interpretation and application of current and future PRC laws, regulations and rules, and the VIE Agreements have not been tested in a court of law. Accordingly, we may incur substantial costs to enforce the terms of the VIE Agreements, and the PRC regulatory authorities may in the future take a view that is contrary to or otherwise different from the above opinion of our PRC legal counsel.
8
VIE Financial Information
Set forth below is selected Consolidated Statements of Operations and cash flows for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2020, 2021 and 2022, and selected balance sheet information as of September 30, 2020, 2021 and 2022 showing financial information for parent company EZGO Technologies Ltd., non-VIE subsidiaries, the WFOE, the VIE and VIE’s subsidiaries, eliminating entries and consolidated information (dollars in thousands). In the tables below, the column headings correspond to the following entities in the organizational diagram on page 6. See also VIE and consolidated financial information in Note 1 of our financial statements.
| ● | “parent” refers to EZGO Technologies Ltd., a BVI business company; |
| ● | “non-VIE subsidiaries” refer to the sum of (i) China EZGO Group Ltd., our wholly owned Hong Kong subsidiary, (ii) Changzhou Langyi Electronic Technology Co., Ltd., a wholly owned PRC subsidiary, (iii) Jiangsu Langyi Import and Export Trading Co., Ltd., (iv) Jiangsu EZGO Energy Supply Chain Technology Co., Ltd., (v) Jiangsu EZGO New Energy Technologies Co., Ltd., (vi) Sichuan EZGO Energy Technologies Co., Ltd., (vii) Tianjin EZGO Electric Technologies Co., Ltd., and (viii) Changzhou Youdi Electric Bicycle Co., Ltd.; |
| ● | “WFOE” refers to Changzhou EZGO Enterprise Management Co., Ltd., our wholly owned PRC subsidiary; |
| ● | “VIE and its subsidiaries” refer to the sum of (i) Jiangsu EZGO Electronic Technologies, Co., Ltd., (ii) Changzhou Hengmao Power Battery Technology Co., Ltd., (iii) Changzhou Yizhiying IoT Technologies Co., Ltd., and (iv) Jiangsu Cenbird E-Motorcycle Technologies Co., Ltd., (v) Tianjin Jiahao Bicycle Co., Ltd., which became one of the subsidiaries of VIE in June 2021, (vi) Tianjin Dilang Technologies Co., Ltd., and (vii) Tianjin Dilang Import and Export Trading Co., Ltd., which was established in June 2021; and |
| ● | “VIE” refers to Jiangsu EZGO Electronic Technologies, Co., Ltd. |
Consolidated Statements of Operations Information
| Fiscal year ended September 30, 2022 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parent | Non-VIE Subsidiaries | WFOE | VIE and its subsidiaries | Eliminations | Consolidated | |||||||||||||||||||
| Revenue | $ | $ | 176,027 | 4,407,284 | $ | 12,805,906 | $ | $ | 17,389,217 | |||||||||||||||
| Cost of revenue | (170,454 | ) | (4,042,002 | ) | (12,957,722 | ) | - | (17,170,178 | ) | |||||||||||||||
| Gross profit | 5,573 | 365,282 | (151,816 | ) | - | 219,039 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Operating expenses | (1,449,339 | ) | (14,993 | ) | (1,095,508 | ) | (4,121,806 | ) | - | (6,681,646 | ) | |||||||||||||
| Loss from operations | (1,449,339 | ) | (9,420 | ) | (730,226 | ) | (4,273,622 | ) | - | (6,462,607 | ) | |||||||||||||
| Share of loss from subsidiaries | (157,105 | ) | (149,440 | ) | - | - | 306,545 | - | ||||||||||||||||
| Other income (expense), net | 327 | (265 | ) | 533,977 | (931,538 | ) | - | (397,499 | ) | |||||||||||||||
| Loss before income tax expenses (benefit) | (1,606,117 | ) | (159,124 | ) | (196,249 | ) | (5,205,160 | ) | 306,545 | (6,860,106 | ) | |||||||||||||
| Net loss | (1,606,117 | ) | (157,105 | ) | (149,440 | ) | (5,862,713 | ) | 306,545 | (7,468,830 | ) | |||||||||||||
| Less: net loss attributable to non-controlling interests | - | - | - | (1,005,032 | ) | - | (1,005,032 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
| Net loss attributable to EZGO’s shareholders | (1,606,117 | ) | (157,105 | ) | (149,440 | ) | (4,857,681 | ) | 306,545 | (6,463,798 | ) | |||||||||||||
| Fiscal year ended September 30, 2021 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parent | Non-VIE Subsidiaries | WFOE | VIE
and its subsidiaries | Eliminations | Consolidated | |||||||||||||||||||
| Revenue | $ | - | $ | - | 3,793,146 | $ | 19,628,860 | $ | - | $ | 23,422,006 | |||||||||||||
| Cost of revenue | - | - | (3,604,878 | ) | (19,434,650 | ) | - | (23,039,528 | ) | |||||||||||||||
| Gross profit | - | - | 188,268 | 194,210 | - | 382,478 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Operating expenses | (495,835 | ) | (1,964 | ) | (70,278 | ) | (3,691,820 | ) | - | (4,259,897 | ) | |||||||||||||
| (Loss) income from operations | (495,835 | ) | (1,964 | ) | 117,990 | (3,497,610 | ) | - | (3,877,419 | ) | ||||||||||||||
| Share of loss from subsidiaries | (203,744 | ) | (205,707 | ) | - | - | 409,451 | - | ||||||||||||||||
| Other income (expense), net | 279 | - | 156,368 | (75,873 | ) | - | 80,774 | |||||||||||||||||
| Loss before income tax expenses (benefit) | (699,300 | ) | (207,671 | ) | 274,358 | (3,573,483 | ) | 409,451 | (3,796,645 | ) | ||||||||||||||
| Net loss | (699,300 | ) | (203,744 | ) | (205,707 | ) | (2,714,344 | 409,451 | (3,413,644 | ) | ||||||||||||||
| Less: net loss attributable to non-controlling interests | - | - | - | (434,971 | ) | - | (434,971 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
| Net loss attributable to EZGO’s shareholders | (699,300 | ) | (203,744 | ) | (205,707 | ) | (2,279,373 | ) | 409,451 | (2,978,673 | ) | |||||||||||||
9
| Fiscal year ended September 30, 2020 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parent | Non-VIE Subsidiaries | WFOE | VIE
and its subsidiaries | Eliminations | Consolidated | |||||||||||||||||||
| Third-party revenues | $ | - | $ | - | - | $ | 15,243,282 | $ | - | $ | 15,243,282 | |||||||||||||
| Inter-company consulting and services revenues | - | - | 116,190 | - | (116,190 | ) | - | |||||||||||||||||
| Third-party costs of Revenue | - | - | - | (13,704,248 | ) | - | (13,704,248 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
| Inter-company consulting and services costs | - | - | - | (116,190 | ) | 116,190 | - | |||||||||||||||||
| Gross profit | - | - | 116,190 | 1,422,844 | - | 1,539,034 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Operating expenses | - | - | - | (1,467,068 | ) | - | (1,467,068 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
| Income from operations | - | - | 116,190 | (44,224 | ) | - | 71,966 | |||||||||||||||||
| Share of income from subsidiaries | 116,190 | 116,190 | - | - | (232,380 | ) | - | |||||||||||||||||
| Other income, net | - | - | - | 378,395 | - | 378,395 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Income before income tax expenses | 116,190 | 116,190 | 116,190 | 334,171 | (232,380 | ) | 450,361 | |||||||||||||||||
| Net income | 116,190 | 116,190 | 116,190 | 160,732 | (232,380 | ) | 276,922 | |||||||||||||||||
| Less: net income attributable to non-controlling interests | - | - | - | 129,748 | - | 129,748 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Net income attributable to EZGO’s shareholders | 116,190 | 116,190 | 116,190 | 30,984 | (232,380 | ) | 147,174 | |||||||||||||||||
Consolidated Balance Sheets Information
| As of September 30, 2022 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parent | Non-VIE Subsidiaries | WFOE | VIE
and its subsidiaries | Eliminations | Consolidated | |||||||||||||||||||
| Amounts due from subsidiary of EZGO | $ | 16,161,400 | $ | - | $ | - | $ | - | $ | (16,161,400 | ) | $ | - | |||||||||||
| Prepaid on behalf of VIE | 3,014,680 | - | - | - | (3,014,680 | ) | - | |||||||||||||||||
| Amount due from VIE and its subsidiaries | - | - | 12,370,844 | - | (12,370,844 | ) | - | |||||||||||||||||
| Service fee receivable from VIE | - | - | 116,190 | - | (116,190 | ) | - | |||||||||||||||||
| Amount due from non-VIE subsidiaries | - | - | 5,971,687 | 704 | (5,972,391 | ) | - | |||||||||||||||||
| Loan from WFOE | 8,000,000 | - | 7,589,951 | (15,589,951 | ) | - | ||||||||||||||||||
| Amount due from EZGO | - | - | - | 417,138 | (417,138 | ) | - | |||||||||||||||||
| Current assets | 27,278,299 | 5,789,274 | 30,210,861 | 17,434,133 | (47,558,531 | ) | 33,154,036 | |||||||||||||||||
| Amount due to VIE and its subsidiaries | (417,138 | ) | (704 | ) | (7,589,951 | ) | - | 8,007,794 | - | |||||||||||||||
| Amount due to WFOE | - | (5,971,687 | ) | - | (12,370,844 | ) | 18,342,531 | - | ||||||||||||||||
| Service fee payable to WFOE | - | - | - | (116,190 | ) | 116,190 | - | |||||||||||||||||
| Amount due to EZGO | - | (16,161,400 | ) | (8,000,000 | ) | (3,014,680 | ) | 27,176,080 | - | |||||||||||||||
| Working capital | 26,773,478 | (16,904,159 | ) | 14,651,312 | (5,334,798 | ) | - | 19,185,833 | ||||||||||||||||
| Investment in non-VIE subsidiaries | - | 15,604,043 | - | - | (15,604,043 | ) | - | |||||||||||||||||
| Assets | 27,278,299 | 21,803,156 | 27,446,730 | 31,327,603 | (93,502,243 | ) | 14,353,546 | |||||||||||||||||
| As of September 30, 2021 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parent | Non-VIE Subsidiaries | WFOE | VIE
and its subsidiaries | Eliminations | Consolidated | |||||||||||||||||||
| Amounts due from subsidiary of EZGO | $ | 15,853,200 | $ | - | - | $ | - | $ | (15,853,200 | ) | $ | - | ||||||||||||
| Prepaid on behalf of VIE | 3,017,337 | - | - | - | (3,017,337 | ) | - | |||||||||||||||||
| Amount due from VIE | - | - | 13,323,711 | (13,323,711 | ) | - | ||||||||||||||||||
| Service fee receivable from VIE | - | - | 116,190 | - | (116,190 | ) | - | |||||||||||||||||
| Amount due from Non-VIE | - | - | 1,914,828 | (1,914,828 | ) | - | ||||||||||||||||||
| Amount due from EZGO | - | - | 316,524 | (316,524 | ) | - | ||||||||||||||||||
| Current assets | 20,145,974 | 7,831 | 18,187,550 | 23,880,044 | (34,541,789 | ) | 27,679,610 | |||||||||||||||||
| Amount due to VIE | (316,524 | ) | - | (1,914,828 | ) | - | 2,231,352 | - | ||||||||||||||||
| Amount due to non-VIE | - | - | (13,323,711 | ) | 13,323,711 | - | ||||||||||||||||||
| Service fee payable to WFOE | - | - | - | (116,190 | ) | 116,190 | - | |||||||||||||||||
| Amount due to EZGO | - | (15,853,200 | ) | (3,017,337 | ) | 18,870,537 | - | |||||||||||||||||
| Working capital | 19,781,865 | (15,844,963 | ) | 16,188,763 | (1,921,225 | ) | - | 18,204,440 | ||||||||||||||||
| Investment in non-VIE subsidiaries | - | 15,753,483 | - | (15,753,483 | ) | - | ||||||||||||||||||
| Assets | 20,145,974 | 15,761,314 | 18,187,547 | 38,212,105 | (50,295,270 | ) | 42,011,670 | |||||||||||||||||
10
| As of September 30, 2020 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parent | Non-VIE Subsidiaries | WFOE | VIE
and its subsidiaries | Eliminations | Consolidated | |||||||||||||||||||
| Service fee receivable from VIE | - | - | 116,190 | - | (116,190 | ) | - | |||||||||||||||||
| Current assets | - | - | 16,316,861 | - | 16,316,861 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Service fee payable to WFOE | - | - | - | (116,190 | ) | 116,190 | - | |||||||||||||||||
| Working capital | - | - | 116,190 | 9,528,018 | - | 9,644,208 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Investment in non-VIE subsidiaries | 116,190 | 116,190 | - | (232,380 | ) | - | ||||||||||||||||||
| Assets | 116,190 | 116,190 | 116,190 | 19,817,798 | (348,570 | ) | 19,817,798 | |||||||||||||||||
Consolidated Cash Flows Information
| Fiscal year ended September 30, 2022 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parent | Non-VIE Subsidiaries | WFOE | VIE
and its subsidiaries | Eliminations | Consolidated | |||||||||||||||||||
| Total cash used in operating activities | $ | 132,326 | $ | (3,456 | ) | (11,973,551 | ) | $ | 1,489,651 | $ | - | $ | (10,355,030 | ) | ||||||||||
| Loan to non-VIE subsidiaries | (308,200 | ) | - | - | 308,200 | - | ||||||||||||||||||
| Loan to VIE and its subsidiaries | - | - | (335,714 | ) | - | 335,714 | - | |||||||||||||||||
| Amounts due from non-VIE subsidiaries | - | - | (1,546 | ) | (722 | ) | 2,268 | - | ||||||||||||||||
| Loan to Changzhou EZGO | (8,000,000 | ) | - | - | (5,675,124 | ) | 13,675,124 | - | ||||||||||||||||
| Invest in subsidiary | - | (313,000 | ) | - | - | 313,000 | - | |||||||||||||||||
| Others(1) | - | - | - | (4,481,075 | ) | - | (4,481,075 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
| Total cash used in investing activities | (8,308,200 | ) | (313,000 | ) | (337,260 | ) | (10,156,921 | ) | 14,634,306 | (4,481,075 | ) | |||||||||||||
| Loans from EZGO | - | 308,200 | 8,000,000 | - | (8,308,200 | ) | - | |||||||||||||||||
| Loans from Changzhou EZGO | - | - | - | 335,714 | (337,260 | ) | - | |||||||||||||||||
| Amount due to Changzhou EZGO | 1,546 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Amounts due to VIE and its subsidiaries | - | 722 | 5,675,124 | - | (5,675,846 | ) | - | |||||||||||||||||
| Contribution from shareholder | 8,000,000 | - | 313,000 | - | (313,000 | ) | 8,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||
| Others(2) | - | - | - | 6,243,210 | - | 6,243,210 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Total cash provided by financing activities | 8,000,000 | 310,468 | 13,988,124 | 6,578,924 | (14,634,306 | ) | 14,243,210 | |||||||||||||||||
| Effect of exchange rate changes | 2,657 | - | 1,280,821 | (2,167,250 | ) | - | (883,772 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
| Net increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash | (173,217 | ) | (5,988 | ) | 2,958,134 | (4,255,596 | ) | - | (1,476,667 | ) | ||||||||||||||
| Fiscal year ended September 30, 2021 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parent | Non-VIE Subsidiaries | WFOE | VIE
and its subsidiaries | Eliminations | Consolidated | |||||||||||||||||||
| Total cash used in operating activities | $ | (801,208 | ) | $ | (1,963 | ) | (4,351,605 | ) | $ | (1,101,659 | ) | $ | - | $ | (6,256,435 | ) | ||||||||
| Payment for acquisition of Tianjin Jiahao on behalf of VIE | (3,017,337 | ) | - | - | 3,017,337 | - | ||||||||||||||||||
| Loan to subsidiary of EZGO | (15,853,200 | ) | - | - | 15,853,200 | - | ||||||||||||||||||
| Loan to VIE | - | - | (13,323,711 | ) | - | 13,323,711 | - | |||||||||||||||||
| Invest in subsidiary | (15,843,000 | ) | 15,843,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Amount due from Changzhou EZGO | - | - | (1,914,828 | ) | 1,914,828 | - | ||||||||||||||||||
| Others(1) | - | - | (11,037,254 | ) | - | (11,037,254 | ) | |||||||||||||||||
| Total cash used in investing activities | (18,870,537 | ) | (15,843,000 | ) | (13,323,711 | ) | (12,952,082 | ) | 49,952,076 | (11,037,254 | ) | |||||||||||||
| Loans from EZGO | - | 15,853,200 | 3,017,337 | (18,870,537 | ) | - | ||||||||||||||||||
| Loans from Changzhou EZGO | - | - | 13,323,711 | (13,323,711 | ) | - | ||||||||||||||||||
| Amount due to VIE | - | - | 1,914,828 | - | (1,914,828 | ) | - | |||||||||||||||||
| Contribution from shareholder | 15,843,000 | (15,843,000 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Proceeds from issuance of ordinary shares in connection with IPO, net of issuance cost | 20,947,182 | - | - | - | 20,947,182 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Others(2) | - | - | 1,816,894 | - | 1,816,894 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Total cash provided by financing activities | 20,947,182 | 15,853,200 | 17,757,828 | 18,157,942 | (49,952,076 | ) | 22,764,076 | |||||||||||||||||
| Effect of exchange rate changes | - | - | 78,968 | - | 78,968 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Net increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash | 1,275,437 | 8,237 | 82,512 | 4,183,169 | - | 5,549,355 | ||||||||||||||||||
| (1) | Other cash flows from investing activities mainly include the purchase of property, plants and equipment and land use right, and the purchase of short-term investments. |
| (2) | Other cash flows from financing activities mainly include the collection of loan to shareholder and proceeds from short-term borrowings. |
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| Fiscal year ended September 30, 2020 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parent | Non-VIE Subsidiaries | WFOE | VIE
and its subsidiaries | Eliminations | Consolidated | |||||||||||||||||||
| Total cash provided by operating activities | $ | - | $ | - | - | $ | 4,024,769 | $ | - | $ | 4,024,769 | |||||||||||||
| Total cash used in investing activities | - | - | - | (3,349,847 | ) | - | (3,349,847 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
| Total cash used in financing activities | - | - | - | (4,004,361 | ) | - | (4,004,361 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
| Effect of exchange rate changes | - | - | - | 36,324 | - | 36,324 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Net decrease in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash | - | - | - | (3,293,115 | ) | - | (3,293,115 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
Transfer of Cash through our Organization
EZGO can transfer cash to its subsidiaries through capital contributions and/or intercompany loans, and EZGO’s subsidiaries can transfer cash to EZGO through dividends or other distributions and/or intercompany loans. Additionally, EZGO’s subsidiaries can transfer cash to the VIE through loans, and the VIE can transfer cash to EZGO as service fees under the VIE Agreements and/or through loans. We intend to settle amounts owed under the VIE Agreements.
Prior to the completion of our initial public offering in January 2021, the sources of funds of the VIE and its subsidiaries primarily consisted of shareholders capital injection and cash generated from operations.
After the completion of our initial public offering, our holding company, EZGO, transferred funds through a shareholder loan to EZGO HK. EZGO HK transferred funds through an increase in the registered capital to Changzhou EZGO. EZGO and Changzhou EZGO provided loans to the VIE, subject to statutory limits and restrictions.
For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2021, EZGO provided an interest-free loan of US$15,853,200 to EZGO HK; EZGO also paid US$3,017,337 on behalf of the VIE for the acquisition of Tianjin Jiahao and insurance fees; and EZGO HK injected registered capital of US$15,843,000 into Changzhou EZGO. Changzhou EZGO provided loans of US$13,323,711 to the VIE and had US$1,914,828 of payables due to the VIE.
For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022, EZGO provided an additional interest-free loan of US$308,200 to EZGO HK and provided an interest-free loan of US$8,000,000 to Changzhou EZGO; and EZGO HK injected registered capital of US$313,000 into Changzhou EZGO. Changzhou EZGO provided loans of US$335,714 to the VIE and had US$7,589,951 of payables due to the VIE and its subsidiaries.
The details of loans provided by Changzhou EZGO are shown below:
| Start Date | Maturity Date | Amount | Annual Interest Rate | |||||||
| April 6, 2021 | April 5, 2026 | $ | 3,514,444 | 5 | % | |||||
| June 9, 2021 | June 8, 2026 | $ | 2,108,667 | 5 | % | |||||
| September 17, 2021 | September 16, 2024 | $ | 562,311 | 4 | % | |||||
| September 29, 2021 | September 28, 2024 | $ | 2,361,707 | 4 | % | |||||
| October 13, 2021 | October 13, 2026 | 3,514,444 | Chinese Loan Prime Rate (LPR)+0.25 | % | ||||||
| December 21, 2021 | December 21, 2024 | 309,271 | 4 | % | ||||||
| Total | $ | 12,370,844 | ||||||||
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Foresaid transactions including capital injection and loans, would be eliminated upon consolidation.
We maintain bank accounts in China, including cash in Renminbi in the amount of RMB31,208,525 and cash in USD in the amount of US$7,187 as of September 30, 2022. Funds are transferred between EZGO, its subsidiaries, and the VIE for their daily operation purposes. The transfer of funds between our PRC subsidiaries and the VIE are subject to the Provisions of the Supreme People’s Court on Several Issues Concerning the Application of Law in the Trial of Private Lending Cases (2020 Revision, the “Provisions on Private Lending Cases”), which was implemented on August 20, 2020 to regulate the financing activities between natural persons, legal persons and unincorporated organizations. The Provisions on Private Lending Cases set forth that private lending contracts will be upheld as invalid under the circumstance that (i) the lender swindles loans from financial institutions for relending; (ii) the lender relends the funds obtained by means of a loan from another profit-making legal person, raising funds from its employees, illegally taking deposits from the public; (iii) the lender who has not obtained the lending qualification according to the law lends money to any unspecified object of the society for the purpose of making profits; (iv) the lender lends funds to a borrower when the lender knows or should have known that the borrower intended to use the borrowed funds for illegal or criminal purposes; (v) the lending is in violation of public orders or good morals; or (vi) the lending is in violation of mandatory provisions of laws or administrative regulations. Due to the circumstances aforementioned do not exist in the PRC subsidiaries’ operations, our PRC counsel, DeHeng Law Offices, is of the view that the Provisions on Private Lending Cases does not prohibit using cash generated from one subsidiary to fund another subsidiary’s operations. We have not been notified of any other restriction which could limit our PRC subsidiaries’ ability to transfer cash between subsidiaries. As of the date of this annual report, we have not installed any cash management policies that dictate how funds are transferred between us, our subsidiaries, and the VIE.
There is no assurance that the PRC government will not intervene or impose restrictions on the ability of us, our subsidiaries and the VIE to transfer cash. Most of our cash is in Renminbi, and the PRC government could prevent the cash maintained from leaving the PRC, could restrict deployment of the cash into the business of the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries and restrict the ability to pay dividends. For details regarding the restrictions on our ability to transfer cash between us, our subsidiaries and the VIE, see “Item 3. Key Information – D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—The PRC government could prevent the cash maintained from leaving the PRC, restrict deployment of the cash into the business of the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries and restrict the ability to pay dividends to U.S. investors, which could materially adversely affect EZGO’s operations through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China.” on page 28. We currently do not have cash management policies that dictate how funds are transferred between us, our subsidiaries, and the VIE.
Dividends and Other Distributions
EZGO is a holding company incorporated in the BVI with no material operations of its own and does not generate any revenue. It currently conducts its business in China through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries, with substantially all of its operations and assets in China. We are permitted under PRC laws and regulations to provide funding to our wholly foreign-owned enterprise, the WFOE, only through loans or capital contributions, and to the VIE only through loans, and only if we satisfy the applicable government registration and approval requirements. See “Item 3. Key Information – D. Risk Factors — Risks Related to Doing Business in China - PRC regulation on loans to, and direct investment in, PRC entities by offshore holding companies and governmental control in currency conversion may delay or prevent us from using the proceeds from our initial public offering or follow-on offering to make loans to or make additional capital contributions to our PRC subsidiaries, which could materially and adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand EZGO’s business” on page 27.
Under our current corporate structure, we rely on dividend payments from our PRC subsidiaries to fund any cash and financing requirements we may have, including the funds necessary to pay dividends and other cash distributions to our shareholders or to service any debt we may incur. Our subsidiaries and VIE in the PRC generate and retain cash generated from operating activities and re-invest it in their business, respectively. If any of our PRC subsidiaries incurs debt on its own behalf in the future, the instruments governing such debt may restrict their ability to pay dividends to us.
Our PRC subsidiaries are permitted to pay dividends only out of their retained earnings. However, each of our PRC subsidiaries is required to set aside at least 10% of its after-tax profits each year, after making up for previous year’s accumulated losses, if any, to fund certain statutory reserves, until the aggregate amount of such funds reaches 50% of its registered capital. This portion of our PRC subsidiaries’ respective net assets are prohibited from being distributed to their shareholders as dividends. However, neither any of our subsidiaries nor the VIE has paid any dividends or made any other distributions to our holding company or any U.S. investors as of the date of this annual report. See also “Item 3. Key Information – D. Risk Factors — Risks Related to Doing Business in China - Our PRC subsidiaries are subject to restrictions on paying dividends or making other payments to us, which may restrict our ability to satisfy our liquidity requirements, and any limitation on the ability of our PRC subsidiaries to make remittance to pay dividends to us could limit our ability to access cash generated by the operations of those entities” on page 30.
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Under existing PRC foreign exchange regulations, currently EZGO’s PRC subsidiaries may purchase foreign currency for settlement of “current account transactions,” including payment of dividends to EZGO without the approval of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, or SAFE, by complying with certain procedural requirements. However, the relevant PRC governmental authorities may limit or eliminate EZGO’s ability to purchase foreign currencies in the future for current account transactions. Since a significant amount of EZGO;s PRC revenue is denominated in Renminbi, any existing and future restrictions on currency exchange or outbound capital flows may limit its ability to utilize revenue generated in Renminbi to fund EZGO’s business activities outside of the PRC, make investments, service any debt EZGO may incur outside of China or pay dividends or make distributions in foreign currencies to EZGO’s shareholders, including holders of EZGO’s ordinary shares. In addition, any transfer of funds by EZGO to its PRC subsidiaries, either as a shareholder loan or as an increase in the registered capital, is subject to a series of procedural requirements imposed by SAFE, SAMR, MOFCOM, or their local counterparts. This may hinder or delay EZGO’s deployment of cash into its subsidiaries’ and the VIE’s business, which could result in a material and adverse effect on EZGO’s operations through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China. See risks disclosed under “Item 3. Key Information — D. Risk Factors— Risks Related to Doing Business in China – Restrictions on currency exchange or outbound capital flows may limit our ability to utilize our PRC revenue effectively.” on page 25, “Item 3. Key Information — D. Risk Factors — Risks Related to Doing Business in China – PRC regulations relating to foreign exchange registration of overseas investment by PRC residents may subject our PRC resident beneficial owners or our PRC subsidiaries to liability or penalties, limit our ability to inject capital into these subsidiaries, limit PRC subsidiaries’ ability to increase their registered capital or distribute profits to us, or may otherwise adversely affect us.” on pages 26, and “Item 3. Key Information — D. Risk Factors — Risks Related to Doing Business in China – The PRC government could prevent the cash maintained from leaving the PRC, restrict deployment of the cash into the business of the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries and restrict the ability to pay dividends to U.S. investors, which could materially adversely affect EZGO’s operations through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China.” on page 28.
As of September 30, 2022, none of our subsidiaries have ever paid any dividends or made any other distributions to us or their respective holding companies nor have we or any of our subsidiaries ever paid dividends or made any other distributions to U.S. investors. EZGO intends to retain most, if not all, of its available funds and any future earnings and cash proceeds from overseas financing activities to fund the development and growth of its business. As a result, we do not expect to pay any cash dividends in the foreseeable future.
In addition, the PRC government imposes controls on the convertibility of the Renminbi into foreign currencies and, in certain cases, the remittance of currency out of China. If the foreign exchange control system prevents us from obtaining sufficient foreign currencies to satisfy our foreign currency demands, we may not be able to pay dividends in foreign currencies to our shareholders. See “Item 3. Key Information – D. Risk Factors — Risks Related to Doing Business in China - Restrictions on currency exchange or outbound capital flows may limit our ability to utilize our PRC revenue effectively” on page 25.
A 10% PRC withholding tax is applicable to dividends payable to investors that are non-resident enterprises. Any gain realized on the transfer of ordinary shares by such investors is also subject to PRC tax at a current rate of 10% which in the case of dividends will be withheld at source if such gain is regarded as income derived from sources within the PRC. See also “Item 3. Key Information – D. Risk Factors — Risks Related to Doing Business in China- There are significant uncertainties under the PRC EIT Law relating to the withholding tax liabilities of our PRC subsidiaries, and dividends payable by our PRC subsidiaries to our offshore subsidiaries may not qualify to enjoy certain treaty benefits” on page 29.
Recent Regulatory Developments in China
Recently, the PRC government initiated a series of regulatory actions and made a number of public statements on the regulation of business operations in China with little advance notice, including cracking down on illegal activities in the securities market, enhancing supervision over China-based companies listed overseas, adopting new measures to extend the scope of cybersecurity reviews, and expanding efforts in anti-monopoly enforcement.
Among other things, the Regulations on Mergers and Acquisitions of Domestic Enterprises by Foreign Investors (the “M&A Rules”) and Anti-Monopoly Law of the People’s Republic of China promulgated by the SCNPC which became effective in 2008 (“Anti-Monopoly Law”), established additional procedures and requirements that could make merger and acquisition activities by foreign investors more time-consuming and complex. Such regulation requires, among other things, that the SAMR be notified in advance of any change-of-control transaction in which a foreign investor acquires control of a PRC domestic enterprise or a foreign company with substantial PRC operations, if certain thresholds under the Provisions of the State Council on the Standard for Declaration of Concentration of Business Operators, issued by the State Council in 2008, are triggered. Moreover, the Anti-Monopoly Law requires that transactions which involve the national security, the examination on the national security shall also be conducted according to the relevant provisions of the State. In addition, the PRC Measures for the Security Review of Foreign Investment which became effective in January 2021 require acquisitions by foreign investors of PRC companies engaged in military-related or certain other industries that are crucial to national security be subject to security review before consummation of any such acquisition.
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On July 6, 2021, the relevant PRC government authorities made public the “Opinions on Strictly Cracking Down Illegal Securities Activities in Accordance with the Law” or the “Opinions.” The Opinions emphasized the need to strengthen the administration over illegal securities activities and the supervision on overseas listings by China-based companies and proposed to take effective measures, such as promoting the construction of relevant regulatory systems to deal with the risks and incidents faced by China-based overseas-listed companies. As the Opinions are recently issued, official guidance and related implementation rules have not been issued yet and the interpretation of the Opinions remains unclear at this stage. See “Item 3. Key Information — D. Risk Factors – Risks Related to Doing Business in China — The M&A Rules and certain other PRC regulations establish complex procedures for some acquisitions of Chinese companies by foreign investors, which could make it more difficult for us to pursue growth through acquisitions in China” on page 31.
In addition, on December 28, 2021, the Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2021 version) was promulgated and became effective on February 15, 2022, which iterates that any “online platform operators” controlling personal information of more than one million users which seeks to list on a foreign stock exchange should also be subject to cybersecurity review. The Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2021 version), further elaborates the factors to be considered when assessing the national security risks of the relevant activities, including, among others, (i) the risk of core data, important data or a large amount of personal information being stolen, leaked, destroyed, and illegally used or exited the country; and (ii) the risk of critical information infrastructure, core data, important data or a large amount of personal information being affected, controlled, or maliciously used by foreign governments after listing abroad. Our PRC counsel, DeHeng Law Offices, is of the view as a result of: (i) EZGO is listed on the Nasdaq and does not “seek to list on any other foreign stock exchange”; (ii) EZGO does not hold personal information on more than one million users in its business operations through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries; and (iii) data processed in EZGO’s business does not have a bearing on national security and thus may not be classified as core or important data by the authorities, EZGO is not required to apply for a cybersecurity review under the Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2021 version).
On December 24, 2021, the CSRC released the Administrative Provisions of the State Council Regarding the Overseas Issuance and Listing of Securities by Domestic Enterprises (Draft for Comments) (the “Draft Administrative Provisions”) and the Measures for the Overseas Issuance of Securities and Listing Record-Filings by Domestic Enterprises (Draft for Comments) (the “Draft Filing Measures,” collectively with the Draft Administrative Provisions, the “Draft Rules Regarding Overseas Listing”), both of which have a comment period that expired on January 23, 2022. The Draft Rules Regarding Overseas Listing lay out the filing regulation arrangement for both direct and indirect overseas listing, and clarify the determination criteria for indirect overseas listing in overseas markets. Among other things, if an overseas listed issuer intends to implement any follow-on offering in an overseas market, it should, through its major operating entity incorporated in the PRC, submit filing materials to the CSRC within three working days after the completion of the offering. The required filing materials shall include but not be limited to: (1) filing report and relevant commitments; and (2) domestic legal opinions.
The Draft Rules Regarding Overseas Listing, if enacted, may subject us to additional compliance requirements in the future, and we cannot assure you that we will be able to get the clearance of filing procedures under the Draft Rules Regarding Overseas List on a timely basis, or at all. For instance, if we complete any offering after the enactment of the Draft Rules Regarding Overseas Listing, we may be required to submit additional filings. While the final version of the Draft Rules Regarding Overseas Listings are expected to be adopted in 2023, we believe that none of the situations that would clearly prohibit overseas offering and listing applies to us. In reaching this conclusion, we have relied on the advice of our PRC counsel, DeHeng Law Offices, provided that there is uncertainty inherent in relying on an opinion of counsel in connection with whether we are required to obtain permission from the Chinese government that is required to approve of EZGO’s operations through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China and/or any offerings. Any failure of EZGO to fully comply with new regulatory requirements may significantly limit or completely hinder its ability to continue to offer its securities to investors, cause significant disruption to its business operations, and severely damage its reputation, which could materially and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations and cause its securities to significantly decline in value or become worthless.
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According to the Notice by the General Office of the State Council of Comprehensively Implementing the List-based Management of Administrative Licensing Items (No. 2 [2022] of the General Office of the State Council) and its attachment, the List of Administrative Licensing Items Set by Laws, Administrative Regulations, and Decisions of the State Council (2022 Edition), as of the date of this annual report, we, our PRC subsidiaries, the VIE, and its subsidiaries have received from PRC authorities all requisite licenses, permissions or approvals needed to engage in the businesses currently conducted in China, and no permission or approval has been denied. Such licenses and permissions include, but not be limited to, business registration, pollutant discharge permit, construction planning permit, fire protection design review of construction project, and fire protection acceptance of construction project. The following table provides details on the licenses and permissions held by our PRC subsidiaries:
| Company | License/Permission | Issuing Authority | Validity | |||
| EZGO HK | Business Registration Certificate | Registrar of Companies Hong Kong Special Administrative Region | February 13, 2022 - February 12, 2023 | |||
| Changzhou EZGO | Business License | Market Supervision Administrative Bureau of Changzhou Wujin | June 12, 2019 - Long-term | |||
| Jiansu EZGO Energy Supply Chain Technologies Co., Ltd. | Business License | Administrative Examination and Approval Bureau of Changzhou Wujin | December 10, 2021 - Long-term | |||
| Jiangsu EZGO Electronic Technologies, Co., Ltd. | Business License | Administrative Examination and Approval Bureau of Changzhou Wujin | July 30, 2019 - Long-term | |||
| Hengmao Power Battery | Business License | Administrative Examination and Approval Bureau of Changzhou Wujin | May 5, 2014 - May 4, 2034 | |||
| Yizhiying IoT | Business License | Administrative Examination and Approval Bureau of Changzhou Wujin | August 21, 2018 - Long-term | |||
| Tianjin Dilang | Business License | Market Supervision Administrative Bureau of Tianjin Wuqing | July 2, 2019 - July 1, 2049 | |||
| Tianjin Dilang Import and Export Trading Co., Ltd. | Business License | Market Supervision Administrative Bureau of Tianjin Wuqing | June 18, 2021 - June 17, 2061 | |||
| Jiangsu Cenbird | Business License | Economic Development Zone Administrative Committee of Jiangsu Changzhou | May 7, 2018 - Long-term | |||
| Tianjin Jiahao | Business License | Market Supervision Administrative Bureau of Tianjin Wuqing | September 25, 2007 -
Long-term | |||
| Tianjin Jiahao | Construction Land Planning Permit | Planning Bureau of Tianjin Wuqing | January 24, 2008 - Long-term | |||
| Tianjin Jiahao | Environmental Protection Permit for Construction | Environmental Protection Bureau of Tianjin Wuqing | January 17, 2008- Long-term | |||
| Tianjin Jiahao | Construction Project Planning Acceptance Certificate | Planning Bureau of Tianjin Wuqing | November 5, 2013 - Long-term | |||
| Changzhou Langyi | Business License | Administrative Examination and Approval Bureau of Changzhou Wujin | August 6, 2021 - Long-term | |||
| Jiangsu Langyi Import and Export Trading Co., Ltd. | Business License | Administrative Examination and Approval Bureau of Changzhou Wujin | December 7, 2021 - Long-term |
As of the date of this annual report, as advised by our PRC legal counsel, DeHeng Law Offices, none of our company, our subsidiaries, or the VIE are covered by permissions requirements from the CSRC, the Cyberspace Administration of China (the “CAC”), or any other governmental agency that is required to approve the VIE’s operations, and therefore no such permission or approval has been denied.
As of the date of this annual report, no relevant laws or regulations in the PRC explicitly require us, our subsidiaries, or the VIE to seek approval from the CSRC or any other PRC governmental authorities for our overseas listing or securities offering plans, nor has our company, any of our subsidiaries, or the VIE or any of its subsidiaries, received any inquiry, notice, warning or sanctions regarding any securities offering from the CSRC or any other PRC governmental authorities. However, since these statements and regulatory actions by the PRC government are newly published and official guidance and related implementation rules have not been issued, it is highly uncertain what the potential impact such modified or new laws and regulations will have on our daily business operations, or the ability to accept foreign investments and list on a U.S. or other foreign exchange. The SCNPC or other PRC regulatory authorities may in the future promulgate laws, regulations or implementing rules that require our company, the WFOE, the VIE or its subsidiaries to obtain regulatory approval from Chinese authorities before offering securities in the U.S., British Virgin Islands or other rules and regulations that place restrictions on capital raising or other activities by companies with extensive operations in China could adversely affect EZGO’s business through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China and results of operations. See “Item 3. Key Information – D. Risk Factors – Risks Related to Doing Business in China- The PRC government exerts substantial influence over the manner in which EZGO conducts its business activities through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China. The PRC government may also intervene or influence EZGO’s operations through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China at any time, which could result in a material change in its operations and its ordinary shares could decline in value or become worthless” on page 21 for a discussion of these legal and operational risks and other information that should be considered before making a decision to purchase EZGO’s securities. In the event that we, our subsidiaries, or the VIE (i) do not receive or maintain any requisite permissions or approvals, (ii) inadvertently conclude that such permissions or approvals are not required, or (iii) applicable laws, regulations, or interpretations change and we are required to obtain such permissions or approvals in the future, we, our subsidiaries, and the VIE may be subject to sanctions imposed by the relevant PRC regulatory authority, including fines and penalties, revocation of the licenses of the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries, and suspension of these entities’ business, restrictions or limitations on our ability to pay dividends outside of China, regulatory orders, including injunctions requiring the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries to cease collecting or processing data, litigation or adverse publicity, the delisting of EZGO’s securities on Nasdaq, and other forms of sanctions, which may materially and adversely affect its business, financial condition, and results of operations.
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3.A. [Reserved]
3.B. Capitalization and Indebtedness
Not Applicable.
3.C. Reasons For The Offer And Use Of Proceeds
Not Applicable.
3.D. Risk Factors
Investing in EZGO’s ordinary shares is highly speculative and involves a significant degree of risk. You should carefully consider the following risks as well as all other information contained in this annual report, including the matters discussed under the headings “Forward-Looking Statements” and “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects” before you decide to make an investment in EZGO’s ordinary shares. We are a holding company with substantial operations in China and are subject to a legal and regulatory environment that in many respects differs from the United States. The risks discussed below could materially and adversely affect our business, prospects, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows, ability to pay dividends and the trading price of EZGO’s ordinary shares. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we currently deem to be immaterial may also materially and adversely affect our business, prospects, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and ability to pay dividends, and you may lose all or part of your investment.
Such risks are not exhaustive. We may face additional risks that are presently unknown to us or that we believe to be immaterial as of the date of this annual report. Known and unknown risks and uncertainties may significantly impact and impair EZGO’s business operations through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China.
RISK FACTORS SUMMARY
EZGO’s business is subject to numerous risks described in the section titled “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this annual report. The main risks set forth below and others you should consider are discussed more fully in the section entitled “Risk Factors”, which you should read in its entirety.
Risks Related to Doing Business in China
We are subject to risks and uncertainties relating to doing business in China in general, including, but are not limited to, the following:
| ● | Uncertainties in the interpretation and enforcement of PRC laws and regulations could limit the legal protections available to you and us. | |
| ● | We may be adversely affected by the complexity, uncertainties, and changes in PRC regulation of internet retailers. | |
| ● | Changes in China’s economic, political, or social conditions or government policies could have a material adverse effect on EZGO’s business and operations. The enforcement of laws and rules and regulations in China may change quickly with little advance notice, which could result in a material adverse change in EZGO’s operations and the value of EZGO’s ordinary shares. | |
| ● | The Chinese government may intervene or influence EZGO’s operations at any time, or may exert more control over offerings conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in China-based issuers, which could result in a material change in EZGO’s operations and/or the value of the securities EZGO has registered for sale. Any actions by the Chinese government to exert more oversight and control over offerings that are conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in China-based issuers could significantly limit or completely hinder EZGO’s ability to offer or continue to offer its securities to investors and cause the value of such securities to significantly decline or become worthless. | |
| ● | Restrictions on currency exchange or outbound capital flows may limit our ability to utilize our PRC revenue effectively. In addition, our PRC subsidiaries are subject to restrictions on paying dividends or making other payments to us, which may restrict our ability to satisfy our liquidity requirements, and any limitation on the ability of our PRC subsidiaries to make remittance to pay dividends to us could limit our ability to access cash generated by the operations of those entities. | |
| ● | PRC regulations relating to foreign exchange registration of overseas investment by PRC residents may subject our PRC resident beneficial owners or our PRC subsidiaries to liability or penalties, limit our ability to inject capital into these subsidiaries, limit PRC subsidiaries’ ability to increase their registered capital or distribute profits to us, or may otherwise adversely affect us. |
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| ● | PRC regulation on loans to, and direct investment in, PRC entities by offshore holding companies and governmental control in currency conversion may delay or prevent us from using the proceeds of our initial public offering or follow-on offering to make loans to or make additional capital contributions to our PRC subsidiaries, which could materially and adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand EZGO’s business. |
| ● | Our PRC subsidiaries are subject to restrictions on paying dividends or making other payments to us, which may restrict our ability to satisfy our liquidity requirements, and any limitation on the ability of our PRC subsidiaries to make remittance to pay dividends to us could limit our ability to access cash generated by the operations of those entities. | |
| ● | The Draft Rules Regarding Overseas Listing lay out the filing regulation arrangement for both direct and indirect overseas listing, and clarify the determination criteria for indirect overseas listing in overseas markets. Among other things, if a domestic enterprise intends to indirectly offer and list securities in an overseas market, the record-filing obligation is with a major operating entity incorporated in the PRC and such filing obligation shall be completed within three working days after the overseas listing application is submitted. The required filing materials for an initial public offering and listing shall include but not limited to: regulatory opinions, record-filing, approval and other documents issued by competent regulatory authorities of relevant industries (if applicable); and security assessment opinion issued by relevant regulatory authorities (if applicable). The Draft Rules Regarding Overseas Listing, if enacted, may subject us to additional compliance requirements in the future. Any failure of us to fully comply with new regulatory requirements may significantly limit or completely hinder EZGO’s ability to offer or continue to offer its ordinary shares, cause significant disruption to its business operations, and severely damage its reputation, which would materially and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations and cause EZGO’s ordinary shares to significantly decline in value or become worthless. | |
| ● | Substantially all of EZGO’s current operations are conducted in the PRC through the VIE and its subsidiaries, and substantially all of its assets are located in the PRC. A majority of EZGO’s current directors and officers are nationals and residents of the PRC and a substantial portion of their assets are located outside the United States. As a result, it may be difficult for a shareholder to effect service of process within the United States upon these persons, or to enforce against us or them judgments obtained in United States courts, including judgments predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States. | |
| ● | EZGO’s ordinary shares may be delisted or prohibited from trading under the HFCA Act if the PCAOB is unable to inspect our auditors. The delisting of EZGO’s ordinary shares, or the threat of their being delisted, may materially and adversely affect the value of EZGO’s ordinary shares. Additionally, the inability of the PCAOB to conduct adequate inspection deprives our shareholders with the benefits of such inspections. Furthermore, on June 22, 2021, the U.S. Senate passed the Accelerating Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, which, if enacted, would amend the HFCA Act and require the SEC to prohibit an issuer’s securities from trading on any U.S. stock exchanges if its auditor is not subject to PCAOB inspections for two consecutive years instead of three, and thus EZGO’s ordinary shares could be prohibited from trading and delisted after two years instead of three. |
Risks Related to Our Business and Industry
Risks and uncertainties related to EZGO’s business operations through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China, and industry include, but are not limited to, the following:
| ● | We may incur losses in the future. | |
| ● | We are an early stage company of e-bicycle products and charging piles with a limited operating history. Our limited operating history in the industry may not provide an adequate basis to judge our future prospects and results of operations for this segment, and may increase the risk of your investment. | |
| ● | If we fail to develop and introduce new models of e-bicycle products in anticipation of market demand in a timely and cost-effective manner, our competitive position and ability to generate revenues may be materially and adversely affected. | |
| ● | If we fail to adopt new technologies or adapt our e-bicycles to changing customer requirements or the industry standards, our business may be materially and adversely affected. | |
| ● | If we are unable to manage our growth or execute our strategies effectively, our business and prospects may be materially and adversely affected. | |
| ● | Our marketing strategy of appealing to and growing sales to a more diversified group of users may not be successful. | |
| ● | We face intense competition in the charging pile market, and if we fail to compete effectively, we may lose market share and customers. | |
| ● | Our products and services may experience quality problems from time to time, which could result in decreased sales, adversely affect our results of operations and harm our reputation. | |
| ● | We may be subject to product liability claims if people or properties are harmed by our products and we may be compelled to undertake product recalls or take other actions, which could adversely affect our brand image and results of operations. | |
| ● | Our products are subject to safety and other standards and failure to satisfy such mandated standards would have a material adverse effect on our business and operating results. |
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Risks Related to Our Corporate Structure
Risks and uncertainties relating to our corporate structure include, but are not limited to, the following:
| ● | Our current corporate structure and business operations may be affected by the newly enacted Foreign Investment Law which does not explicitly classify whether a variable interest entity that is controlled through contractual arrangements would be deemed as foreign-invested enterprises if it is ultimately “controlled” by foreign investors. | |
| ● | We rely on contractual arrangements with the VIE and its shareholders to operate our business, which may not be as effective as direct ownership in providing operational control and otherwise have a material adverse effect as to our business. | |
| ● | Any failure by the VIE or its shareholders to perform their obligations under our contractual arrangements with them would have a material adverse effect on our business. | |
| ● | The shareholders of the VIE may have potential conflicts of interest with us, which may materially and adversely affect our business and financial condition. |
| ● | If the PRC government deems that the contractual arrangements in relation to the VIE do not comply with PRC regulatory restrictions on foreign investment in the relevant industries or other PRC regulations, or if these regulations change or are interpreted differently in the future, the securities EZGO has registered may decline in value or become worthless if the determinations, changes, or interpretations result in EZGO’s inability to assert contractual rights over the assets of its PRC subsidiaries or the VIE that conducts a substantial part of EZGO’s operations. | |
| ● | Contractual arrangements in relation to the VIE may be subject to scrutiny by the PRC tax authorities and they may determine that the VIE owes additional taxes, which could negatively affect our financial condition and the value of your investment. | |
| ● | We may lose the ability to use and enjoy assets held by the VIE that are material to the operation of our business if the entity goes bankrupt or becomes subject to a dissolution or liquidation proceeding. | |
| ● | If the custodians or authorized users of our controlling non-tangible assets, including chops and seals, fail to fulfill their responsibilities, or misappropriate or misuse these assets, our business and operations may be materially and adversely affected. |
Risks Related to EZGO’s Ordinary Shares
In addition to the risks and uncertainties described above, we are subject to risks relating to EZGO’s ordinary shares, including, but not limited to, the following:
| ● | An active trading market for EZGO’s ordinary shares may not continue and the trading price for EZGO’s ordinary shares may fluctuate significantly. |
| ● | The trading price of EZGO’s ordinary shares may be volatile, which could result in substantial losses to investors. |
| ● | We may not be able to maintain our listing on Nasdaq which could limit investors’ ability to make transactions in EZGO’s securities and subject us to additional trading restrictions. |
| ● | Because we do not expect to pay dividends in the foreseeable future, you must rely on price appreciation of EZGO’s ordinary shares for return on your investment. |
| ● | Restrictive covenants related to our previous registered direct offering may restrict our ability to obtain future financing. |
Risks Related to Doing Business in China
Uncertainties in the interpretation and enforcement of PRC laws and regulations could limit the legal protections available to you and us.
Our PRC subsidiaries are subject to various PRC laws and regulations generally applicable to companies in China. The PRC legal system is based on written statutes. Unlike common law systems, it is a system in which legal cases have limited value as precedents. In the late 1970s, the PRC government began to promulgate a comprehensive system of laws and regulations governing economic matters in general. The overall effect of legislation over the past four decades has significantly increased the protections afforded to various forms of foreign or private-sector investment in China.
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As relevant laws and regulations are relatively new and the PRC legal system continues to rapidly evolve, the interpretations of many laws, regulations and rules are not always uniform and enforcement of these laws, regulations and rules involve uncertainties.
From time to time, we may have to resort to administrative and court proceedings to enforce our legal rights. However, since PRC administrative and court authorities have significant discretion in interpreting and implementing statutory and contractual terms, it may be more difficult to evaluate the outcome of administrative and court proceedings and the level of legal protection we enjoy than in more developed legal systems. Furthermore, the PRC legal system is based in part on government policies and internal rules (some of which are not published in a timely manner or at all) that may have retroactive effect. As a result, we may not be aware of our violation of these policies and rules until sometime after the violation. Such uncertainties, including uncertainty over the scope and effect of our contractual, property (including intellectual property) and procedural rights, and any failure to respond to changes in the regulatory environment in China could materially and adversely affect EZGO’s business through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China and impede its ability to continue its operations.
Recently, the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the General Office of the State Council jointly issued the “Opinions on Severely Cracking Down on Illegal Securities Activities According to Law,” or the Opinions, which was made available to the public on July 6, 2021. The Opinions emphasized the need to strengthen the administration over illegal securities activities, and the need to strengthen the supervision over overseas listings by Chinese companies. Effective measures, such as promoting the construction of relevant regulatory systems will be taken to deal with the risks and incidents of China-concept overseas listed companies, and cybersecurity and data privacy protection requirements and similar matters. The Opinions remain unclear on how the law will be interpreted, amended, and implemented by the relevant PRC governmental authorities, but the Opinions and any related implementing rules to be enacted may subject us to compliance requirements in the future.
On December 28, 2021, the Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2021 version) was promulgated and will become effective on February 15, 2022, which iterates that any “online platform operators” controlling personal information of more than one million users which seeks to list in a foreign stock exchange should also be subject to cybersecurity review. We do not believe EZGO’s operations through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China would be considered an “operator of critical information infrastructure” or “data processor” as mentioned above, however, the revised draft of the Measures for Cybersecurity Review is in the process of being formulated and the Opinions remain unclear on how it will be interpreted, amended, and implemented by the relevant PRC governmental authorities. Thus, it is still uncertain how PRC governmental authorities will regulate overseas listing in general and whether we are required to obtain any specific regulatory approvals. Furthermore, if the CSRC or other regulatory agencies later promulgate new rules or explanations requiring that EZGO obtains their approvals for any follow-on offering, EZGO may be unable to obtain such approvals which could significantly limit or completely hinder its ability to offer or continue to offer its securities to its investors.
On December 24, 2021, the CSRC released the Administrative Provisions of the State Council Regarding the Overseas Issuance and Listing of Securities by Domestic Enterprises (Draft for Comments) and the Measures for the Overseas Issuance of Securities and Listing Record-Filings by Domestic Enterprises (Draft for Comments), both of which have a comment period that expired on January 23, 2022, and if enacted, may subject us to additional compliance requirements in the future. See “– The CSRC has released for public consultation the draft rules for China-based companies seeking to conduct initial public offerings in foreign markets. While such rules have not yet gone into effect, the Chinese government may exert more oversight and control over offerings that are conducted overseas and foreign investment in China-based issuers, which could significantly limit or completely hinder EZGO’s ability to offer or continue to offer its securities to investors and could cause the value of its ordinary shares to significantly decline or become worthless.”
Furthermore, the PRC government authorities may strengthen oversight and control over offerings that are conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in China-based issuers like us. Such actions taken by the PRC government authorities may intervene or influence EZGO’s operations through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China at any time, which are beyond its control. Therefore, any such action may adversely affect EZGO’s operations through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China and significantly limit or hinder its ability to offer or continue to offer its securities to investors and reduce the value of such securities.
Uncertainties regarding the enforcement of laws and the fact that rules and regulations in China can change quickly with little advance notice, along with the risk that the Chinese government may intervene or influence EZGO’s operations through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China at any time, or may exert more control over offerings conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in China-based issuers could result in a material change in its operations, financial performance and/or the value of EZGO’s ordinary shares or impair its ability to raise money.
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The PRC government exerts substantial influence over the manner in which EZGO conducts its business activities through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China. The PRC government may also intervene or influence EZGO’s operations through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China at any time, which could result in a material change in its operations and its ordinary shares could decline in value or become worthless.
Based on the advice of our PRC counsel, DeHeng Law Offices, that we are currently not required to obtain approval from Chinese authorities for listing on U.S exchanges, nor the execution of the VIE Agreements. However, if the VIE or the holding company were required to obtain approval in the future and were denied permission from Chinese authorities for listing on U.S. or other foreign exchanges, EZGO will not be able to continue listing on a U.S. or other foreign exchange, continue to offer its securities to investors, or materially affect the interest of the investors and cause significantly depreciation of the price of its ordinary shares.
The Chinese government has exercised and continues to exercise substantial control over virtually every sector of the Chinese economy through regulation and state ownership. Our ability to operate in China may be harmed by changes in its laws and regulations, including those relating to taxation, environmental regulations, land use rights, property, and other matters. The central or local governments of these jurisdictions may impose new, stricter regulations or interpretations of existing regulations that would require additional expenditures and efforts on our part to ensure our compliance with such regulations or interpretations. Accordingly, government actions in the future, including any decision not to continue to support recent economic reforms and to return to a more centrally planned economy or regional or local variations in the implementation of economic policies, could have a significant effect on economic conditions in China or particular regions thereof, and could require EZGO to divest ourselves of any interest it then holds in its operations in China. Accordingly, the Chinese government may intervene or influence EZGO’s operations through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China at any time, which could result in a material change in its operations and/or the value of the securities EZGO has registered.
For example, the Chinese cybersecurity regulator announced on July 2, 2021, that it had begun an investigation of Didi Global Inc. (NYSE: DIDI) and two days later ordered that the company’s app be removed from smartphone app stores. Similarly, EZGO’s business segments may be subject to various government and regulatory interference in the regions in which it operates through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China. We could be subject to regulation by various political and regulatory entities, including various local and municipal agencies and government sub-divisions. We may incur increased costs necessary to comply with existing and newly adopted laws and regulations or penalties for any failure to comply.
Furthermore, it is uncertain when and whether we will be required to obtain permission from the PRC government for listing on U.S. or other foreign exchanges, or enter into VIE Agreements in the future, and even when such permission is obtained, whether it will be denied or rescinded. Although, in the opinion of our PRC legal counsel, DeHeng Law Offices, we are currently not required to obtain permission from any of the PRC central or local government and has not received any denial for listing on the U.S. or other foreign exchange or enter into VIE Agreements, EZGO’s operations through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China could be adversely affected, directly or indirectly, by existing or future laws and regulations relating to its business or industry. Recent statements by the Chinese government indicating an intent, and the PRC government may take actions to exert more oversight and control over offerings that are conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in China-based issuers, which could significantly limit or completely hinder EZGO’s ability to offer or continue to offer its securities to investors and cause the value of its securities to significantly decline or become worthless.
The CSRC has released for public consultation the draft rules for China-based companies seeking to conduct initial public offerings in foreign markets. While such rules have not yet gone into effect, the Chinese government may exert more oversight and control over offerings that are conducted overseas and foreign investment in China-based issuers, which could significantly limit or completely hinder EZGO’s ability to continue to offer its ordinary shares to investors and could cause the value of its securities to significantly decline or become worthless.
On December 24, 2021, the CSRC released the Draft Rules Regarding Overseas Listing, which have a comment period that expired on January 23, 2022. The Draft Rules Regarding Overseas Listing lay out the filing regulation arrangement for both direct and indirect overseas listing, and clarify the determination criteria for indirect overseas listing in overseas markets.
The Draft Rules Regarding Overseas Listing stipulate that the Chinese-based companies, or the issuer, shall fulfill the filing procedures within three working days after the issuer makes an application for initial public offering and listing in an overseas market. Among other things, if an overseas listed issuer intends to implement any follow-on offering in an overseas market, it should, through its major operating entity incorporated in the PRC, submit filing materials to the CSRC within three working days after the completion of the offering. The required filing materials shall include but not be limited to: (1) filing report and relevant commitments; and (2) domestic legal opinions.
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In addition, an overseas offering and listing is prohibited under any of the following circumstances: (1) if the intended securities offering and listing is specifically prohibited by national laws and regulations and relevant provisions; (2) if the intended securities offering and listing may constitute a threat to or endangers national security as reviewed and determined by competent authorities under the State Council in accordance with law; (3) if there are material ownership disputes over the equity, major assets, and core technology, etc. of the issuer; (4) if, in the past three years, the domestic enterprise or its controlling shareholders or actual controllers have committed corruption, bribery, embezzlement, misappropriation of property, or other criminal offenses disruptive to the order of the socialist market economy, or are currently under judicial investigation for suspicion of criminal offenses, or are under investigation for suspicion of major violations; (5) if, in past three years, directors, supervisors, or senior executives have been subject to administrative punishments for severe violations, or are currently under judicial investigation for suspicion of criminal offenses, or are under investigation for suspicion of major violations; (6) other circumstances as prescribed by the State Council. The Draft Administration Provisions defines the legal liabilities of breaches such as failure in fulfilling filing obligations or fraudulent filing conducts, imposing a fine between RMB1 million and RMB10 million, and in cases of severe violations, a parallel order to suspend relevant business or halt operation for rectification, revoke relevant business permits or operational license.
The Draft Rules Regarding Overseas Listing, if enacted, may subject us to additional compliance requirements in the future, and we cannot assure you that we will be able to get the clearance of filing procedures under the Draft Rules Regarding Overseas List on a timely basis, or at all. For instance, if we complete any offering under a prospectus after the enactment of the Draft Rules Regarding Overseas Listing, we may be required to submit additional filings. As of the date of this annual report, the Draft Rules Regarding Overseas Listings have not been promulgated, and we have not been required to complete the record-filings procedure to the government of China for any offering pursuant to this annual report. While the final version of the Draft Rules Regarding Overseas Listings are expected to be adopted in 2023, we believe that none of the situations that would clearly prohibit overseas offering and listing applies to us. In reaching this conclusion, based on the advice of our PRC counsel, DeHeng Law Offices, that there is uncertainty inherent in relying on an opinion of counsel in connection with whether we are required to obtain permissions from the Chinese government that is required to approve of EZGO’s operations through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China and/or offering. Any failure of EZGO to fully comply with new regulatory requirements may significantly limit or completely hinder EZGO’s ability to continue to offer its securities to investors, cause significant disruption to its business operations, and severely damage its reputation, which could materially and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations and cause its securities, including the securities EZGO has registered for sale in a prospectus, to significantly decline in value or become worthless.
We may be adversely affected by the complexity, uncertainties, and changes in PRC regulation of internet retailers.
The PRC government extensively regulates the Internet industry, including foreign ownership of, and the licensing and permit requirements pertaining to, companies in the Internet industry. These internet-related laws and regulations are relatively new and evolving, and their interpretation and enforcement involve significant uncertainties. As a result, in certain circumstances it may be difficult to determine what actions or omissions may be deemed to be in violation of applicable laws and regulations. Issues, risks, and uncertainties relating to PRC government regulation of the Internet industry include, but are not limited to, the following:
| ● | The online commerce industry in China is still in an early stage of development and the PRC laws applicable to the industry are still evolving. Due to the lack of clarity under the existing PRC regulatory regime, we may be required to comply with additional legal and licensing requirements. For example, we are providing mobile applications to mobile device users and we are in the process of applying for the valued-added telecommunications business operating license for electronic data interchange business, or the EDI License. It is uncertain if our PRC subsidiaries will be required to obtain a separate valued-added telecommunications business operating license for Internet content provision, or the ICP License in addition to the EDI License. Although we believe that we are not required to obtain such separate license which is in line with the current market practice, there can be no assurance that we will not be required to apply for an operating license for our mobile applications in the future. |
| ● | The evolving PRC regulatory system for the Internet industry may lead to the establishment of new regulatory agencies. For example, in May 2011, the State Council announced the establishment of a new department, the State Internet Information Office (with the involvement of the State Council Information Office, the MIIT, and the Ministry of Public Security). The primary role of this new agency is to facilitate the policy-making and legislative development in this field to direct and coordinate with the relevant departments in connection with online content administration and to deal with cross-ministry regulatory matters in relation to the Internet industry. |
| ● | New laws and regulations may be promulgated that will regulate internet activities, including online retail. If these new laws and regulations are promulgated, additional licenses may be required for EZGO’s operations. If EZGO’s operations do not comply with these new regulations at the time they become effective, or if EZGO fails to obtain any licenses required under these new laws and regulations, it could be subject to penalties. |
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The interpretation and application of existing PRC laws, regulations and policies and possible new laws, regulations or policies relating to the internet industry have created substantial uncertainties regarding the legality of existing and future foreign investments in, and the businesses and activities of, internet businesses in China, including EZGO’s business through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China. We cannot assure you that the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries have obtained all the permits or licenses required for conducting our business in China or will be able to maintain existing licenses or obtain new ones.
EZGO’s business, through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China, is subject to complex and evolving Chinese laws and regulations regarding data privacy and security. Many of these laws and regulations are subject to change and uncertain interpretation, and could result in claims, penalties, changes to EZGO’s business practices, increased cost of operations, damages to its reputation and brand, or otherwise harm its business through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China.
In the PRC, governmental authorities have enacted a series of laws and regulations to enhance the protection of data privacy and cybersecurity. The Cybersecurity Law of the PRC and relevant regulations require network operators, which may include us, to ensure the security and stability of the services provided via network and protect individual privacy and the security of personal data in general by requiring the consent of internet users prior to the collection, use or disclosure of their personal data. Under the Cybersecurity Law, the owners and administrators of networks and network service providers have various personal information security protection obligations, including restrictions on the collection and use of personal information of users, and they are required to take steps to prevent personal data from being divulged, stolen, or tampered with. Regulatory requirements regarding the protection of personal information are constantly evolving and can be subject to differing interpretations or significant changes, making the extent of our responsibilities in that regard uncertain. An example of such evolving regulatory requirements is the Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2021 version), which was promulgated on December 28, 2021 and took effect on February 15, 2022. The measures, among others, stipulate that any “online platform operators” controlling personal information of more than one million users which seeks to list in a foreign stock exchange should also be subject to cybersecurity review by the CAC. The cybersecurity review, among others, evaluates the potential risks of critical information infrastructure, core data, important data, or a large amount of personal information being influenced, controlled or maliciously used by foreign governments after the overseas listing of an operator. The procurement of network products and services, data processing activities and overseas listing should also be subject to the cybersecurity review if the CAC concerns or they potentially pose risks to national security. Our PRC counsel, DeHeng Law Offices, is of the view that EZGO is not subject to the cybersecurity review by the CAC, since (i) the cybersecurity review is not applicable to further equity or debt offerings by companies that have completed their initial public offerings in the United States; (ii) data processed in EZGO’s business operations through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China do not have a bearing on national security and may not be classified as core or important data by the PRC governmental authorities. However, we cannot assure you that the PRC governmental authorities will not hold opposing views or interpretations regarding the applicability of the cybersecurity review to us. As of the date of this annual report, we have not been identified as an “operator of critical information infrastructure” by any PRC governmental authority, nor have we been informed by any PRC governmental authority to undergo a cybersecurity review.
In addition, the Data Security Law of the People’s Republic of China (the “Data Security Law”) was promulgated by the SCNPC on June 10, 2021 and took effect on September 1, 2021. Further, on July 7, 2022, the CAC released the Measures for the Security Assessment of Cross-Border Data, which will become effective on September 1, 2022. According to the Measures for the Security Assessment of Cross-Border Data, where a data processor provides data abroad under any of the following circumstances, it shall apply for exit security assessment of data to the national cyberspace administration through the local provincial cyberspace administration: (i) the data processor provides important data abroad; (ii) the operators of key information infrastructure and data processors that process the personal information of more than 1 million people provide personal information abroad; (iii) data processors who have provided 100,000 personal information or 10,000 sensitive personal information abroad since January 1 of last year provide personal information abroad; and (iv) other situations required for security assessment as stipulated by the state cyberspace administration. Given the recency of the issuance of the Measures for the Security Assessment of Cross-Border Data and their pending effectiveness, there is a general lack of guidance and substantial uncertainties exist with respect to their interpretation and implementation. On November 14, 2021, the CAC released the Regulations on Cyber Data Security Management (Draft for Comments), or the draft regulations, which shall apply to the processing of personal and organizational data out of the territory of China, under the following circumstances: (i) for the purpose of providing products or services in the PRC; (ii) conducting analysis and evaluation of domestic individuals and organizations; (iii) processing of important domestic data; or (iv) other circumstances provided by laws and administrative regulations. The draft regulations classify data into three categories–general data, important data and core data. Data processors that transfer data collected and generated in the PRC outside of the territory of China are required to prepare a data security assessment report to the local cyberspace administration if (i) the data to be transmitted outside of the territory of China include important data, (ii) critical information technology infrastructure operators and data processors holding over one million users that transfer data outside the territory of China, or (iii) other circumstances that the CAC deems necessary. Meanwhile, a data processor that transfers personal information and important data out of the territory of China shall report to the local cyberspace administration of the following in the past calendar year: (i) the identities and contact information of all data receivers, (ii) the types, quantities and purposes of the transmitted data, (iii) the locations and periods of storage as well as the scope and method of use of the transmitted data, (iv) user complaints and the corresponding treatments related to the transmitted data, (v) violation of data security and the corresponding treatments related to the transmitted data, (vi) the re-transmission of the transmitted data, and (vii) other circumstances that the CAC deems necessary. A maximum of RMB10 million can be imposed on a data processor that is in violation of the draft regulations. It is uncertain whether and when the abovementioned draft measures and regulations will be adopted, and if adopted, whether the final version will contain the same provisions as the draft regulations.
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The Data Security Law and the Cybersecurity Law, together with other relevant regulations, are promulgated to jointly regulate China’s online spheres in relation to personal information cybersecurity protection. There remain uncertainties regarding the further interpretation and implementation of those laws and regulations. Despite our efforts to comply with applicable laws, regulations and other obligations relating to privacy, data protection and information security, we cannot assure you that we will be compliant with such new laws, regulations and obligations in all respects, and we may be ordered to rectify and terminate any actions that are deemed non-compliant by the regulatory authorities and become subject to fines and other sanctions. As of the date of this annual report, we have not been involved in any investigations on cybersecurity review made by the CAC on such basis, and we have not received any inquiry, notice, warning, or sanctions in such respect. We believe that that we are compliant with the regulations and policies that have been issued by the CAC to date.
In order for us to maintain or achieve compliance with applicable laws as they come into effect, it may require substantial expenditures of resources to continually evaluate our policies and processes and adapt to new requirements that are or become applicable to us. Complying with any additional or new regulatory requirements may impose significant burdens and costs on EZGO’s operations through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China or require it to alter its business practices. While we strive to protect our users’ privacy and data security and to comply with data protection laws and regulations applicable to us, however, we cannot assure that our existing user information protection system and technical measures will be considered sufficient under all applicable laws and regulations in all respects. Any failure or perceived failure by us to comply with applicable data privacy laws and regulations, including in relation to the collection of necessary end-user consents and providing end-users with sufficient information with respect to our use of their personal data, may result in fines and penalties imposed by regulators, governmental enforcement actions (including enforcement orders requiring us to cease collecting or processing data in a certain way), litigation and/or adverse publicity. Proceedings against us—regulatory, civil or otherwise—could force us to spend money and devote resources in the defense or settlement of, and remediation related to, such proceedings. EZGO’s business operations through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China could be adversely affected if the existing or future laws and regulations are interpreted or implemented in a manner that is inconsistent with our current business practices or requires changes to these practices.
The enforcement of the PRC Labor Contract Law and other labor-related regulations in the PRC may adversely affect EZGO’s business through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China and its results of operations.
The PRC Labor Law and the Labor Contract Law require that employers must execute written employment contracts with full-time employees. All employers must compensate their employees with wages equal to at least the local minimum wage standards. Violations of the PRC Labor Law and the Labor Contract Law may result in the imposition of fines, compensations and other administrative sanctions, and serious violations may constitute criminal offenses.
The PRC Labor Contract Law became effective and was implemented on January 1, 2008, which was amended on December 28, 2012. It has reinforced the protection of employees who, under the PRC Labor Contract Law, have the right, among others, to enter into written labor contracts, to enter into labor contracts with no fixed terms under certain circumstances, to receive overtime wages and to terminate or alter terms in labor contracts. According to the PRC Social Insurance Law, which became effective on July 1, 2011, and the Administrative Regulations on the Housing Funds, companies operating in China are required to participate in pension insurance, work-related injury insurance, medical insurance, unemployment insurance, maternity insurance and housing funds plans, and the employers must pay all or a portion of the social insurance premiums and housing funds for their employees.
As the interpretation and implementation of these laws and regulations are still evolving, our employment practice may not at all times be deemed in compliance with the new laws and regulations. If we are subject to severe penalties or incur significant liabilities in connection with labor disputes or investigations, EZGO’s business through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China and results of operations may be adversely affected.
Failure to make adequate contributions to various employee benefit plans and withhold individual income tax on employees’ salaries as required by PRC regulations may subject us to penalties.
Companies operating in China are required to participate in various government-mandated employee benefit contribution plans, including certain social insurance, housing funds and other welfare-oriented payment obligations, and contribute to the plans in amounts equal to certain percentages of salaries, including bonuses and allowances, of EZGO’s employees up to a maximum amount specified by the local government from time to time at locations where EZGO, through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China, operates its businesses. The requirement of employee benefit contribution plans has not been implemented consistently by the local governments in China given the different levels of economic development in different locations. Companies operating in China are also required to withhold individual income tax on employees’ salaries based on the actual salary of each employee upon payment. We may be subject to late fees and fines in relation to the underpaid employee benefits and under-withheld individual income tax, EZGO’s financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected.
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Changes in China’s economic, political, or social conditions or government policies could have a material adverse effect on EZGO’s business and operations through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China.
Currently substantially all of EZGO’s business operations are conducted in China through the WFOE, the VIE and the VIE’s subsidiaries, and substantially all of EZGO’s sales are made in China. Accordingly, EZGO’s business through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may be influenced to a significant degree by political, economic, and social conditions in China generally and by continued economic growth in China as a whole.
China’s economy differs from the economies of most developed countries in many respects, including the level of government involvement, level of development, growth rate, control of foreign exchange and allocation of resources. Although the PRC government has implemented measures since the late 1970’s emphasizing the utilization of market forces for economic reform, the reduction of state ownership of productive assets, and the establishment of improved corporate governance in business enterprises, which are generally viewed as a positive development for foreign business investment, a substantial portion of productive assets in China is still owned by the PRC government. In addition, the PRC government continues to play a significant role in regulating industry development by imposing industrial policies. The PRC government also exercises significant control over the PRC economic growth through allocating resources, controlling payments of foreign currency-denominated obligations, setting monetary policy, and providing preferential treatment to particular industries or companies.
While China’s economy has experienced significant growth over the past decades, growth has been uneven, both geographically and among various sectors of the economy, and the rate of growth has been slowing down. Some of the governmental measures may benefit the overall Chinese economy, but may have a negative effect on us. For example, our financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected by government control over capital investments or changes in tax regulations. Any stimulus measures designed to boost the Chinese economy may contribute to higher inflation, which could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition. For example, certain operating costs and expenses, such as employee compensation and office operating expenses, may increase as a result of higher inflation. In addition, the PRC government has implemented in the past certain measures to control the pace of economic growth. These measures may cause decreased economic activity, which in turn could lead to a reduction in demand for EZGO’s products and services provided through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China, and consequently have a material adverse effect on its businesses, financial condition, and results of operations. The purchase price of steel, one of main raw materials for EZGO e-bicycles production, kept stable from October 2021 to September 2022. Although the purchase price of cathode material, one of main raw materials for EZGO lithium battery production, continues rising in 2022, EZGO was able to pass those costs to end consumers by raising the selling price of products. As a result, recent inflationary pressures have not materially impacted EZGO’s operations through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China.
Restrictions on currency exchange or outbound capital flows may limit our ability to utilize our PRC revenue effectively.
All of our revenue is denominated in Renminbi. The Renminbi is currently convertible under the “current account,” which includes dividends, trade, and service-related foreign exchange transactions, but requires approval from or registration with appropriate government authorities or designated banks under the “capital account,” which includes foreign direct investment and loans, such as loans we may secure from our onshore subsidiaries. Currently, our PRC subsidiaries, a foreign invested enterprise, may purchase foreign currency for settlement of “current account transactions,” including payment of dividends to us, without the approval of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (“SAFE’) by complying with certain procedural requirements. However, the relevant PRC governmental authorities may limit or eliminate our ability to purchase foreign currencies in the future for current account transactions.
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Since 2016, PRC governmental authorities have imposed more stringent restrictions on outbound capital flows, including heightened scrutiny over “irrational” overseas investments for certain industries, as well as over four kinds of “abnormal” offshore investments, which are:
| ● | investments through enterprises established for only a few months without substantive operation; |
| ● | investments with amounts far exceeding the registered capital of onshore parent and not supported by its business performance shown on financial statements; |
| ● | investments in targets that are not related to onshore parent’s main business; and |
| ● | investments with abnormal sources of Renminbi funding suspected to be involved in illegal transfer of assets or illegal operation of underground banking. |
On January 26, 2017, SAFE promulgated the Circular on Further Improving Reform of Foreign Exchange Administration and Optimizing Genuineness and Compliance Verification, which tightened the authenticity and compliance verification of cross-border transactions and cross-border capital flow. In addition, the Outbound Investment Sensitive Industry Catalogue (2018) lists certain sensitive industries that are subject to NDRC pre-approval requirements prior to remitting investment funds offshore, which subjects us to increased approval requirements and restrictions with respect to our overseas investment activity. Since a significant amount of our PRC revenue is denominated in Renminbi, any existing and future restrictions on currency exchange or outbound capital flows may limit our ability to utilize revenue generated in Renminbi to fund EZGO’s business activities outside of the PRC, make investments, service any debt we may incur outside of China or pay dividends in foreign currencies to our shareholders, including holders of EZGO’s ordinary shares.
PRC regulations relating to foreign exchange registration of overseas investment by PRC residents may subject our PRC resident beneficial owners or our PRC subsidiaries to liability or penalties, limit our ability to inject capital into these subsidiaries, limit PRC subsidiaries’ ability to increase their registered capital or distribute profits to us, or may otherwise adversely affect us.
On July 4, 2014, SAFE promulgated the Circular on Relevant Issues Relating to Domestic Resident’s Investment and Financing and Roundtrip Investment through Special Purpose Vehicles, or SAFE Circular 37, which replaced the former Notice on Relevant Issues Concerning Foreign Exchange Administration for PRC Residents to Engage in Financing and Inbound Investment via Overseas Special Purpose Vehicles (generally known as SAFE Circular 75) promulgated by SAFE on October 21, 2005. On February 13, 2015, SAFE further promulgated the Circular on Further Simplifying and Improving the Administration of the Foreign Exchange Concerning Direct Investment, or SAFE Circular 13, which took effect on June 1, 2015. This SAFE Circular 13 has amended SAFE Circular 37 by requiring PRC residents or entities to register with qualified banks rather than SAFE or its local branch in connection with their direct establishment or indirect control of an offshore entity established for the purpose of overseas investment or financing with such PRC residents’ legally owned assets or equity interests in domestic enterprises or offshore assets or interests. Qualified local banks will directly examine and accept foreign exchange registration for overseas direct investment, including the initial foreign exchange registration and amendment registration, under SAFE Circular 37 from June 1, 2015.
These circulars further require amendment to the registration in the event of any significant changes with respect to the special purpose vehicle, such as an increase or decrease of capital contributed by PRC residents, share transfer or exchange, merger, division, or other material events. In the event that a PRC resident holding interests in a special purpose vehicle fails to complete the required SAFE registration, the PRC subsidiary of that special purpose vehicle may be prohibited from making profit distributions to the offshore parent and from carrying out subsequent cross-border foreign exchange activities, and the special purpose vehicle may be restricted in its ability to contribute additional capital into its PRC subsidiary. Furthermore, it is unclear how this regulation, and any future regulation concerning offshore or cross-border transactions, will be interpreted, amended, and implemented by the relevant PRC government authorities, and we cannot predict how these regulations will affect EZGO’s business operations through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China or future strategy. Failure to comply with the various SAFE registration requirements described above could result in liability under PRC law for evasion of foreign exchange controls. This may have a material adverse effect on EZGO’s business, financial condition, and results of operations.
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According to SAFE Circular 37 and SAFE Circular 13, our shareholders or beneficial owners who are PRC residents are subject to SAFE Circular 37 or other foreign exchange administrative regulations in respect of their investment in our company. To the best of our knowledge, our PRC resident shareholders who directly or indirectly hold shares in our BVI holding company and who are known to us have completed the application for foreign exchange registrations for their foreign investment in our company in accordance with SAFE Circular 37 and SAFE Circular 13. We have taken steps to notify significant beneficial owners of ordinary shares whom we know are PRC residents of their filing obligations. However, we may not at all times be fully aware or informed of the identities of all our shareholders or beneficial owners that are required to make such registrations, and we may not always be able to compel them to comply with all relevant foreign exchange regulations. As a result, we cannot assure you that all of our shareholders or beneficial owners who are PRC residents will at all times comply with, or in the future make or obtain any applicable registrations or approvals required by all relevant foreign exchange regulations. The failure or inability of such individuals to comply with the registration procedures set forth in these regulations may subject us to fines or legal sanctions, restrictions on our cross-border investment activities or our PRC subsidiaries’ ability to distribute dividends to, or obtain foreign-exchange-dominated loans from, our company, or prevent us from making distributions or paying dividends. As a result, EZGO’s business operations through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China and its ability to make distributions to the investors could be materially and adversely affected.
Furthermore, as these foreign exchange regulations are still relatively new and their interpretation and implementation have been constantly evolving, it is unclear how these regulations, and any future regulation concerning offshore or cross-border transactions, will be interpreted, amended and implemented by the relevant government authorities. We cannot predict how these regulations will affect EZGO’s business operations through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China or future strategy. In addition, if we decide to acquire a PRC domestic company, we cannot assure you that we or the owners of such company, as the case may be, will be able to obtain the necessary approvals or complete the necessary filings and registrations required by the foreign exchange regulations. This may restrict our ability to implement our acquisition strategy and could adversely affect EZGO’s business through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China and prospects.
PRC regulation on loans to, and direct investment in, PRC entities by offshore holding companies and governmental control in currency conversion may delay or prevent us from using the proceeds of our initial public offering or follow-on offering to make loans to or make additional capital contributions to our PRC subsidiaries, which could materially and adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand EZGO’s business.
EZGO is a company incorporated in the BVI structured as a holding company conducting its operations in China through its PRC subsidiaries. As permitted under PRC laws and regulations, in utilizing the proceeds of its initial public offering or follow-on offering, EZGO may make loans to its PRC subsidiaries subject to the approval from governmental authorities and limitation of amount, or EZGO may make additional capital contributions to its PRC subsidiaries. Furthermore, loans by EZGO to its PRC subsidiaries to finance their activities cannot exceed the difference between their respective total project investment amount and registered capital or 2.5 times of their net worth and capital contributions to its PRC subsidiaries are subject to the requirement of making necessary filings in the Foreign Investment Comprehensive Management Information System and registration with other governmental authorities in China.
The SAFE promulgated the Notice of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange on Reforming the Administration of Foreign Exchange Settlement of Capital of Foreign-invested Enterprises, or SAFE Circular 19, effective on June 1, 2015, in replacement of the Circular on the Relevant Operating Issues Concerning the Improvement of the Administration of the Payment and Settlement of Foreign Currency Capital of Foreign-Invested Enterprises, the Notice from the State Administration of Foreign Exchange on Relevant Issues Concerning Strengthening the Administration of Foreign Exchange Businesses, and the Circular on Further Clarification and Regulation of the Issues Concerning the Administration of Certain Capital Account Foreign Exchange Businesses. According to SAFE Circular 19, the flow and use of the RMB capital converted from foreign currency-denominated registered capital of a foreign-invested company is regulated such that RMB capital may not be used for the issuance of RMB entrusted loans, the repayment of inter-enterprise loans or the repayment of bank loans that have been transferred to a third party. Although SAFE Circular 19 allows RMB capital converted from foreign currency-denominated registered capital of a foreign-invested enterprise to be used for equity investments within the PRC, it also reiterates the principle that RMB converted from the foreign currency-denominated capital of a foreign-invested company may not be directly or indirectly used for purposes beyond its business scope. Thus, it is unclear whether the SAFE will permit such capital to be used for equity investments in the PRC in actual practice. The SAFE promulgated the Notice of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange on Reforming and Standardizing the Foreign Exchange Settlement Management Policy of Capital Account, or SAFE Circular 16, effective on June 9, 2016, which reiterates some of the rules set forth in SAFE Circular 19, but changes the prohibition against using RMB capital converted from foreign currency-denominated registered capital of a foreign-invested company to issue RMB entrusted loans to a prohibition against using such capital to grant loans to non-associated enterprises. Violations of SAFE Circular 19 and SAFE Circular 16 could result in administrative penalties. SAFE Circular 19 and SAFE Circular 16 may significantly limit our ability to transfer any foreign currency we hold, including the net proceeds from our initial public offering or follow-on offering, to our PRC subsidiaries, which may adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand EZGO’s business in the PRC through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries.
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In light of the various requirements imposed by PRC regulations on loans to, and direct investment in, PRC entities by offshore holding companies, we cannot assure you that we will be able to complete the necessary government registrations or obtain the necessary government approvals on a timely basis, if at all, with respect to future loans by us to our PRC subsidiaries or with respect to future capital contributions by us to our PRC subsidiaries. If we fail to complete such registrations or obtain such approvals, our ability to use the proceeds from our initial public offering or follow-on offering and to capitalize or otherwise fund our PRC operations may be negatively affected, which could materially and adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand EZGO’s business.
The PRC government could prevent the cash maintained from leaving the PRC, restrict deployment of the cash into the business of the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries and restrict the ability to pay dividends to U.S. investors, which could materially adversely affect EZGO’s operations through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China.
The PRC government controls the conversion of Renminbi into foreign currencies and the remittance of currencies out of the PRC. We receive substantially all of our revenues in Renminbi, and most of our cash is in Renminbi. Under our corporate structure, EZGO, a BVI holding company, primarily relies on dividend payments from our PRC subsidiaries to fund any cash and financing requirements it may have. Under the existing PRC foreign exchange regulations, payments of current account items, including profit distributions, interest payments and trade- and-service-related foreign exchange transactions, can be made in foreign currencies without prior approval from the SAFE by complying with certain procedural requirements. As such, under the existing exchange restrictions, cash generated from the operations of our PRC subsidiaries is able to be paid as dividends in foreign currencies to EZGO without prior approval from the SAFE by complying with certain procedural requirements. However, approval from or registration with appropriate government authorities is required where Renminbi is to be converted into foreign currency and remitted out of China to pay capital expenses such as the repayment of loans denominated in foreign currencies. The PRC government may also at its discretion in the future restrict access to foreign currencies for current account transactions. There is no assurance that the PRC government will not intervene or impose restrictions on the ability of us, our subsidiaries or the VIE to transfer cash. If the foreign exchange control system prevents us from obtaining sufficient foreign currencies to satisfy our foreign currency demands, we may not be able to pay dividends in foreign currencies from the PRC subsidiary to the offshore subsidiaries, across borders, and to our shareholders, including the U.S. investors. These foreign exchange restrictions and limitations could prevent the cash maintained from leaving the PRC, and restrict our ability to pay dividends to EZGO and the U.S. investors.
There are limitations on our PRC subsidiaries’ and the VIE’s ability to distribute earnings to their respective shareholders. On the one hand, under the current PRC laws and regulations, our PRC subsidiaries may pay dividends only out of their accumulated profits. In addition, our PRC subsidiaries are required to set aside at least 10% of their accumulated after-tax profits each year, if any, to fund certain statutory reserve funds, until the aggregate amount of such fund reaches 50% of their registered capital. Our PRC subsidiaries may at their discretion allocate a portion of their after-tax profits to staff welfare and bonus funds in accordance with relevant PRC rules and regulations. These reserve funds and staff welfare and bonus funds cannot be distributed as cash dividends. Moreover, if the PRC subsidiaries incur debt on their own behalf in the future, the instruments governing the debt may restrict their ability to pay dividends or make other distributions to us. On the other hand, through the VIE Agreements among Changzhou EZGO, the VIE and its shareholders, we receive substantially all of the economic benefits of the VIE, most importantly, the ability to consolidate the financial statements of the VIE with the financial statements of our holding company, EZGO under U.S. GAAP, for which we are the primary beneficiary of the VIE for accounting purposes, in consideration for the services provided by Changzhou EZGO. For more information, see “Item 3. Key Information—Contractual Arrangements and Corporate Structure” in this annual report. The VIE agreements are not equivalent to equity ownership, and may limit our ability to settle amounts owed by the VIE under the VIE agreements. For example, the contractually bound shareholders of the VIE could potentially breach their contractual agreements with us by failing to fulfill their contractual obligations, failing to act in our interest, or acting to the detriment of our interest. Moreover, as these shareholders, rather than Changzhou EZGO, are the actual shareholders of the VIE, we are unable to independently exercise any rights as a shareholder of the VIE and force the VIE to distribute its earnings to us. In addition, the legality or enforceability of the VIE agreements have never been tested in a court of law in China. If any relevant contractual provisions were to ultimately be held unenforceable by the PRC courts or other governmental authorities, such uncertainty could result in us facing a reduced ability or complete inability to receive the economic benefits of the business operations of the VIE. These restrictions and limitations could limit our ability to settle amounts owed under the VIE agreements and our subsidiaries’ ability to pay dividends.
In addition, any transfer of funds by EZGO to our PRC subsidiaries, either as a shareholder loan or as an increase in the registered capital, is subject to a series of procedural requirements imposed by SAFE, SAMR, MOFCOM, or their local counterparts. This may hinder or delay EZGO’s deployment of cash into its subsidiaries’ and the VIE’ business, which could result in a material and adverse effect on EZGO’s operations through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China.
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Under the PRC EIT Law, we may be classified as a PRC “resident enterprise” for PRC enterprise income tax purposes. Such classification would likely result in unfavorable tax consequences to us and our non-PRC shareholders and has a material adverse effect on our results of operations and the value of your investment.
Under the PRC EIT Law, that became effective in January 2008 and was amended in February 2017 and December 2018, as well as its implementing rules, an enterprise established outside the PRC with “de facto management bodies” within the PRC is considered a “resident enterprise” for PRC enterprise income tax purposes and is generally subject to a uniform 25% enterprise income tax rate on its worldwide income. Under the implementation rules to the EIT Law, a “de facto management body” is defined as a body that has material and overall management and control over the manufacturing and business operations, personnel and human resources, finances and properties of an enterprise. In addition, a circular, known as SAT Circular 82, issued in April 2009 by the State Administration of Taxation, or the SAT, specifies that certain offshore incorporated enterprises controlled by PRC enterprises or PRC enterprise groups will be classified as PRC resident enterprises if the following are located or resident in the PRC: senior management personnel and departments that are responsible for daily production, operation and management; financial and personnel decision making bodies; key properties, accounting books, company seal, and minutes of board meetings and shareholders’ meetings; and half or more of the senior management or directors having voting rights. Further to SAT Circular 82, the SAT issued a bulletin, known as SAT Bulletin 45, which took effect in September 2011, to provide more guidance on the implementation of SAT Circular 82 and clarify the reporting and filing obligations of such “Chinese-controlled offshore incorporated resident enterprises.” SAT Bulletin 45 provides procedures and administrative details for the determination of resident status and administration on post-determination matters. Although both SAT Circular 82 and SAT Bulletin 45 only apply to offshore enterprises controlled by PRC enterprises or PRC enterprise groups, not those controlled by PRC individuals or foreign individuals, the determining criteria set forth in SAT Circular 82 and SAT Bulletin 45 may reflect the SAT’s general position on how the “de facto management body” test should be applied in determining the tax resident status of offshore enterprises, regardless of whether they are controlled by PRC enterprises, PRC enterprise groups or by PRC or foreign individuals.
We do not believe that EZGO, as a company incorporated in the BVI, meets all of the conditions above thus we do not believe that EZGO is a PRC resident enterprise, though all members of our management team as well as the management team of our offshore holding company are located in China. However, if the PRC tax authorities determine that we are a PRC resident enterprise for PRC enterprise income tax purposes, a number of unfavorable PRC tax consequences could follow. First, we will be subject to the uniform 25% enterprise income tax on our world-wide income, which could materially reduce our net income. In addition, we will also be subject to PRC enterprise income tax reporting obligations. However, the tax resident status of an enterprise is subject to determination by the PRC tax authorities and uncertainties remain with respect to the interpretation of the term “de facto management body.”
Finally, dividends payable by us to our investors and gains on the sale of our shares may become subject to PRC withholding tax, at a rate of 10% in the case of non-PRC enterprises or 20% in the case of non-PRC individuals (in each case, subject to the provisions of any applicable tax treaty), if such gains are deemed to be from PRC sources. It is unclear whether non-PRC shareholders of our company would be able to claim the benefits of any tax treaties between their country of tax residence and the PRC in the event that we are treated as a PRC resident enterprise. Any such tax may reduce the returns on your investment in the ordinary shares.
There are significant uncertainties under the PRC EIT Law relating to the withholding tax liabilities of our PRC subsidiaries, and dividends payable by our PRC subsidiaries to our offshore subsidiaries may not qualify to enjoy certain treaty benefits.
Under the PRC EIT Law and its implementation rules, we, as a non-resident enterprise, that is, an enterprise lawfully incorporated pursuant to the laws of a foreign country (region) that has an office or premises established in China with no actual management functions performed in China, or an enterprise that has income derived from or accruing in China although it does not have an office or premises in China, will be subject to a withholding tax rate of 10%. Pursuant to a special arrangement between Hong Kong and mainland China, such rate may be reduced to 5% if a Hong Kong resident enterprise owns more than 25% of the equity interest in the PRC company. Changzhou EZGO is wholly owned by EZGO HK, EZGO’s wholly-owned subsidiary. Accordingly, EZGO HK may qualify for a 5% tax rate in respect of distributions from Changzhou EZGO. Under the Notice of the State Administration of Taxation on Issues regarding the Administration of the Dividend Provision in Tax Treaties promulgated on February 20, 2009, the taxpayer needs to satisfy certain conditions to enjoy the benefits under a tax treaty. These conditions include: (1) the taxpayer must be the beneficial owner of the relevant dividends, and (2) the corporate shareholder to receive dividends from the PRC subsidiaries must have continuously met the direct ownership thresholds during the 12 consecutive months preceding the receipt of the dividends. Further, under Announcement of the State Administration of Taxation on Issues Relating to “Beneficial Owner” in Tax Treaties, which took effect on April 1, 2018, a “Beneficial Owner” shall mean a person who has ownership and control over the income and the rights and property from which the income is derived. To determine the “beneficial owner” status of a resident of the treaty counterparty who needs to enjoy the tax treaty benefits, a comprehensive analysis shall be carried out, taking into account actual conditions of the specific case.
Entitlement to a lower tax rate on dividends according to tax treaties or arrangements between the PRC central government and governments of other countries or regions is subject to State Administration of Taxation Circular 60 (“Circular 60”). Circular 60 provides that non-resident enterprises are not required to obtain pre-approval from the relevant tax authority in order to enjoy the reduced withholding tax. Instead, non-resident enterprises and their withholding agents may, by self-assessment and on confirmation that the prescribed criteria to enjoy the tax treaty benefits are met, directly apply the reduced withholding tax rate, and file necessary forms and supporting documents when performing tax filings, which will be subject to post-tax filing examinations by the relevant tax authorities. As a result, we cannot assure you that we will be entitled to any preferential withholding tax rate under tax treaties for dividends received from WFOE.
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Enhanced scrutiny over acquisition transactions by the PRC tax authorities may have a negative impact on potential acquisitions we may pursue in the future.
Pursuant to the Notice on Strengthening Administration of Enterprise Income Tax for Share Transfers by Non-PRC Resident Enterprises, or SAT Circular 698, issued by the SAT on December 10, 2009, where a foreign investor transfers the equity interests of a resident enterprise indirectly via disposition of the equity interests of an overseas holding company, or an “indirect transfer,” and such overseas holding company is located in a tax jurisdiction that (i) has an effective tax rate less than 12.5% or (ii) does not tax foreign income of its residents, the foreign investor shall report the indirect transfer to the competent tax authority. The PRC tax authority will examine the true nature of the indirect transfer, and if the tax authority considers that the foreign investor has adopted an “abusive arrangement” in order to avoid PRC tax, it may disregard the existence of the overseas holding company and re-characterize the indirect transfer and as a result, gains derived from such indirect transfer may be subject to PRC withholding tax at a rate of up to 10%.
On February 3, 2015, the SAT issued the Announcement of the State Administration of Taxation on Several Issues Concerning the Enterprise Income Tax on Indirect Property Transfer by Non-Resident Enterprises, or SAT Bulletin 7, to supersede existing provisions in relation to the “indirect transfer” as set forth in SAT Circular 698, while the other provisions of SAT Circular 698 remain in force. Pursuant to SAT Bulletin 7, where a non-resident enterprise indirectly transfers properties such as equity in PRC resident enterprises without any justifiable business purposes and aiming to avoid the payment of enterprise income tax, such indirect transfer must be reclassified as a direct transfer of equity in PRC resident enterprise. To assess whether an indirect transfer of PRC taxable properties has reasonable commercial purposes, all arrangements related to the indirect transfer must be considered comprehensively and factors set forth in SAT Bulletin 7 must be comprehensively analyzed in light of the actual circumstances. SAT Bulletin 7 also provides that, where a non-PRC resident enterprise transfers its equity interests in a resident enterprise to its related parties at a price lower than the fair market value, the competent tax authority has the power to make a reasonable adjustment to the taxable income of the transaction.
On October 17, 2017, the SAT issued the Announcement of the State Administration of Taxation on Matters Concerning Withholding of Income Tax of Non-resident Enterprises as Source, or SAT Bulletin 37, which repealed the entire SAT Circular 698 and the provision in relation to the time limit for the withholding agent to declare to the competent tax authority for payment of such tax of SAT Bulletin 7. Pursuant to SAT Bulletin 37, the income from a property transfer, as stipulated in the second item under Article 19 of the Law on Enterprise Income Tax, shall include the income derived from transferring such equity investment assets as stock equity. The balance of deducting the equity’s net value from the total income from equity transfer shall be taxable income from equity transfer. Where a withholding agent enters into a business contract, involving the income specified in the third paragraph of Article 3 in the Law on Enterprise Income Tax, with a non-resident enterprise, the tax-excluding income of the non-resident enterprise will be treated as the tax-including income, based on which the tax payment will be calculated and remitted, if it is agreed in the contract that the withholding agent shall assume the tax payable.
There has been very limited application of SAT Bulletin 7 and SAT Bulletin 37 because these regulations were newly issued and came into force in February 2015 and in December 2017 respectively. During the effective period of SAT Circular 698, some intermediary holding companies were actually looked through by the PRC tax authorities, and consequently the non-PRC resident investors were deemed to have transferred the PRC subsidiary and PRC corporate taxes were assessed accordingly. It is possible that we or our non-PRC resident investors may become at risk of being taxed under SAT Bulletin 7 and SAT Bulletin 37 and may be required to expend valuable resources to comply with SAT Bulletin 7 and SAT Bulletin 37 or to establish that we or our non-PRC resident investors should not be taxed under SAT Bulletin 7 and SAT Bulletin 37, which may have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations or such non-PRC resident investors’ investment in EZGO.
Our PRC subsidiaries are subject to restrictions on paying dividends or making other payments to us, which may restrict our ability to satisfy our liquidity requirements, and any limitation on the ability of our PRC subsidiaries to make remittance to pay dividends to us could limit our ability to access cash generated by the operations of those entities.
EZGO is a company incorporated in the BVI structured as a holding company. EZGO may need dividends and other distributions on equity from our PRC subsidiaries to satisfy EZGO’s liquidity requirements. Current PRC regulations permit our PRC subsidiaries to pay dividends to EZGO only out of their accumulated profits, if any, determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations. In addition, EZGO’s PRC subsidiaries are required to set aside at least 10% of their respective accumulated profits each year, if any, to fund certain reserve funds until the total amount set aside reaches 50% of their respective registered capital. EZGO’s PRC subsidiaries may also allocate a portion of its after-tax profits based on PRC accounting standards to employee welfare and bonus funds at their discretion. These reserves are not distributable as cash dividends. Furthermore, if our PRC subsidiaries incur debt on their own behalf in the future, the instruments governing the debt may restrict their ability to pay dividends or make other payments to us. Any limitation on the ability of EZGO’s subsidiaries to distribute dividends or to make payments to it may restrict EZGO’s ability to satisfy its liquidity requirements.
In addition, the EIT Law, and its implementation rules provide that a withholding tax rate of up to 10% will be applicable to dividends payable by Chinese companies to non-PRC-resident enterprises unless otherwise exempted or reduced according to treaties or arrangements between the PRC central government and governments of other countries or regions where the non-PRC-resident enterprises are incorporated.
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Fluctuations in exchange rates could result in foreign currency exchange losses to us.
The value of the Renminbi against the U.S. dollar and other currencies 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 August 2015, the People’s Bank of China, or PBOC, changed the way it calculates the mid-point price of Renminbi against the U.S. dollar, 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 2017, the value of the Renminbi appreciated by approximately 6.3% against the U.S. dollar; and in 2018, the Renminbi depreciated by approximately 5.7% against the U.S. dollar. From the end of 2018 through the end of September 2021, the value of the Renminbi appreciated by approximately 5.20% against the U.S. dollar. 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 Renminbi and the U.S. dollar 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 Renminbi against the U.S. dollar. However, the PRC government may still at its discretion restrict access to foreign currencies for 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 U.S. dollar or other currencies 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. If the exchange rate between RMB and U.S. dollar fluctuates in unanticipated manners, our results of operations and financial condition, and the value of, and dividends payable on, EZGO’s shares in foreign currency terms may be adversely affected. EZGO may not be able to pay dividends in foreign currencies to its shareholders. Appreciation of RMB to the U.S. dollar will result in exchange loss, while depreciation of RMB to the U.S. dollar will result in exchange gain.
It may be difficult for overseas shareholders and/or regulators to conduct investigation or collect evidence within China.
Shareholder claims or regulatory investigation that are common in the United States generally are difficult to pursue as a matter of law or practicality in China. For example, in China, there are significant legal and other obstacles to providing information needed for regulatory investigations or litigation initiated outside China. Although the authorities in China may establish a regulatory cooperation mechanism with the securities regulatory authorities of another country or region to implement cross-border supervision and administration, such cooperation with the securities regulatory authorities in the Unities States may not be efficient in the absence of mutual and practical cooperation mechanism. Furthermore, according to Article 177 of the PRC Securities Law, or Article 177, which became effective in March 2020, no overseas securities regulator is allowed to directly conduct investigation or evidence collection activities within the territory of the PRC. While detailed interpretation of or implementation rules under Article 177 have yet to be promulgated, the inability for an overseas securities regulator to directly conduct investigation or evidence collection activities within China may further increase difficulties faced by you in protecting your interests.
The M&A Rules and certain other PRC regulations establish complex procedures for some acquisitions of Chinese companies by foreign investors, which could make it more difficult for us to pursue growth through acquisitions in China.
The M&A Rules discussed in the preceding risk factor and related regulations and rules concerning mergers and acquisitions established additional procedures and requirements that could make merger and acquisition activities by foreign investors more time-consuming and complex. For example, the M&A Rules require that MOFCOM be notified in advance of any change-of-control transaction in which a foreign investor takes control of a PRC domestic enterprise, if (i) any important industry is concerned, (ii) such transaction involves factors that have or may have impact on the national economic security, or (iii) such transaction will lead to a change in control of a domestic enterprise which holds a famous trademark or PRC time-honored brand, (iv) or in circumstances where overseas companies established or controlled by PRC enterprises or residents acquire affiliated domestic companies. Mergers, acquisitions or contractual arrangements that allow one market player to take control of or to exert decisive impact on another market player must also be notified in advance to the MOFCOM when the threshold under the Provisions on Thresholds for Prior Notification of Concentrations of Undertakings, or the Prior Notification Rules, issued by the State Council in August 2008 is triggered.
We have relied on the opinion of our PRC counsel, DeHeng Law Offices, that we do not need to obtain prior approval from the CSRC pursuant to the M&A Rules. However, uncertainties still exist as to how the M&A Rules will be interpreted and implemented, and we may subject to any new laws, rules, and regulations or detailed implementations and interpretations in any form relating to the M&A Rules. If the CSRC or other PRC regulatory body subsequently determines that we need to obtain the CSRC’s approval for any future offering or if the CSRC or any other PRC government authorities promulgates any interpretation or implements rules before our listing that would require us to obtain CSRC or other governmental approvals for any future offering, we may face adverse actions or sanctions by the CSRC or other PRC regulatory agencies. In any such event, these regulatory agencies may impose fines and penalties on EZGO’s operations through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China, limit its operating privileges in China, delay or restrict the repatriation of the proceeds from any future offering into the PRC or take other actions that could have a material adverse effect on its business, financial condition, results of operations, reputation and prospects, as well as its ability to complete any future offering. The CSRC or other PRC regulatory agencies may also take actions requiring us, or making it advisable for us, to halt any future offering before settlement and delivery. Consequently, if you engage in market trading or other activities in anticipation of and prior to settlement and delivery, you do so at the risk that such settlement and delivery may not occur.
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In addition, the security review rules issued by the MOFCOM that became effective in September 2011 specify that mergers and acquisitions by foreign investors that raise “national defense and security” concerns and mergers and acquisitions through which foreign investors may acquire de facto control over domestic enterprises that raise “national security” concerns are subject to strict review by the MOFCOM, and the rules prohibit any activities attempting to bypass a security review, including by structuring the transaction through a proxy or contractual control arrangement. Furthermore, according to the security review, foreign investments that would result in acquiring the actual control of assets in certain key sectors, such as critical agricultural products, energy and resources, equipment manufacturing, infrastructure, transport, cultural products and services, information technology, Internet products and services, financial services, and technology sectors, are required to obtain approval from designated governmental authorities in advance.
In the future, EZGO may grow its business by acquiring complementary businesses. Complying with the requirements of the above-mentioned regulations and other relevant rules to complete such transactions could be time-consuming, and any required approval processes, including obtaining approval from the MOFCOM or its local counterparts may delay or inhibit our ability to complete such transactions. It is unclear whether EZGO’s business operations through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China would be deemed to be in an industry that raises “national defense and security” or “national security” concerns. However, the MOFCOM or other government agencies may publish explanations in the future determining that EZGO’s business through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China is in an industry subject to the security review, in which case our future acquisitions in the PRC, including those by way of entering into contractual control arrangements with target entities, may be closely scrutinized or prohibited. EZGO’s ability to expand its business or maintain or expand its market share through future acquisitions would as such be materially and adversely affected. Furthermore, according to the M&A Rules, if a PRC entity or individual plans to merge or acquire its related PRC entity through an overseas company legitimately incorporated or controlled by such entity or individual, such a merger and acquisition will be subject to examination and approval by the MOFCOM. There is a possibility that the PRC regulators may promulgate new rules or explanations requiring that we obtain the approval of the MOFCOM or other PRC governmental authorities for our completed or ongoing mergers and acquisitions. There is no assurance that, if we plan to make an acquisition, we can obtain such approval from the MOFCOM or any other relevant PRC governmental authorities for our mergers and acquisitions, and if we fail to obtain those approvals, we may be required to suspend our acquisition and be subject to penalties. Any uncertainties regarding such approval requirements could have a material adverse effect on EZGO’s business, results of operations and corporate structure.
In addition, on July 6, 2021, the relevant PRC government authorities made public the Opinions on Strictly Cracking Down Illegal Securities Activities in Accordance with the Law. These opinions emphasized the need to strengthen the administration over illegal securities activities and the supervision on overseas listings by China-based companies and proposed to take effective measures, such as promoting the construction of relevant regulatory systems to deal with the risks and incidents faced by China-based overseas-listed companies. As these opinions are recently issued, official guidance and related implementation rules have not been issued yet and the interpretation of these opinions remains unclear at this stage. If the CSRC or other regulatory agencies later promulgate new rules or explanations requiring that EZGO obtains their approvals for any future follow-on offering, EZGO may be unable to obtain such approvals which could significantly limit or completely hinder its ability to offer or continue to offer its securities to its investors outside China.
U.S. regulatory bodies may be limited in their ability to conduct investigations or inspections of EZGO’s operations through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China.
Any disclosure of documents or information located in China by foreign agencies may be subject to jurisdiction constraints and must comply with China’s state secrecy laws, which broadly define the scope of “state secrets” to include matters involving economic interests and technologies. There is no guarantee that requests from U.S. federal or state regulators or agencies to investigate or inspect EZGO’s operations through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China will be honored by us, by entities who provide services to us or with whom we associate, without violating PRC legal requirements, especially as those entities are located in China. Furthermore, under the current PRC laws, an on-site inspection of our facilities by any of these regulators may be limited or prohibited.
You may experience difficulties in effecting service of legal process, enforcing foreign judgments or bringing actions in China against us or our management named in this annual report based on foreign laws.
EZGO is a company incorporated under the laws of the BVI, and EZGO conduct substantially all of its operations in China through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries and substantially all of its assets are located in China. In addition, a majority of EZGO’s current directors and officers, including Mr. Jianhui Ye, Mr. Zebin Zhao, Ms. Peiyao Jin, Mr. Guanghui Yang and Mr. Guanneng Lai are nationals and residents of the PRC and a substantial portion of their assets are located outside the United States. As a result, it may be difficult for you to effect service of process upon us or those persons inside mainland China. It may also be difficult for you to enforce in U.S. courts judgments obtained in U.S. courts based on the civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities laws against us and our officers and directors as none of them currently resides in the United States or has substantial assets located in the United States. In addition, there is uncertainty as to whether the courts of the PRC would recognize or enforce judgments of U.S. courts against us or such persons predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state.
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The recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments are provided for under the PRC Civil Procedures Law. PRC courts may recognize and enforce foreign judgments in accordance with the requirements of the PRC Civil Procedures Law based either on treaties between China and the country where the judgment is made or on principles of reciprocity between jurisdictions. China does not have any treaties or other forms of written arrangement with the United States that provide for the reciprocal recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments. In addition, according to the PRC Civil Procedures Law, the PRC courts will not enforce a foreign judgment against us or our directors and officers if they decide that the judgment violates the basic principles of PRC laws or national sovereignty, security, or public interest. As a result, it is uncertain whether and on what basis a PRC court would enforce a judgment rendered by a court in the United States.
EZGO’s ordinary shares may be delisted under the HFCA Act if the PCAOB is unable to adequately inspect audit documentation located in China. The delisting of EZGO’s ordinary shares, or the threat of their being delisted, may materially and adversely affect EZGO’s ordinary shares. Additionally, the inability of the PCAOB to conduct adequate inspections deprives our shareholders with the benefits of such inspections. Furthermore, on June 22, 2021, the U.S. Senate passed the Accelerating Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, which, if enacted, would amend the HFCA Act and require the SEC to prohibit an issuer’s securities from trading on any U.S. stock exchanges if its auditor is not subject to PCAOB inspections for two consecutive years instead of three.
The HFCA Act was enacted on December 18, 2020. The HFCA Act states if the SEC determines that a company has filed audit reports issued by a registered public accounting firm that has not been subject to inspection by the PCAOB for three consecutive years beginning in 2021, the SEC shall prohibit such ordinary shares from being traded on a national securities exchange or in the over the counter trading market in the U.S.
On March 24, 2021, the SEC adopted interim final rules relating to the implementation of certain disclosure and documentation requirements of the HFCA Act. A company will be required to comply with these rules if the SEC identifies it as having a “non-inspection” year under a process to be subsequently established by the SEC. The SEC is assessing how to implement other requirements of the HFCA Act, including the listing and trading prohibition requirements described above. Furthermore, on June 22, 2021, the U.S. Senate passed the Accelerating Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, which, if enacted, would amend the HFCA Act and require the SEC to prohibit an issuer’s securities from trading on any U.S. stock exchanges if its auditor is not subject to PCAOB inspections for two consecutive years instead of three, and thus, would reduce the time before EZGO’s securities may be prohibited from trading or delisted. On September 22, 2021, the PCAOB adopted a final rule implementing the HFCA Act, which provides a framework for the PCAOB to use when determining, as contemplated under the HFCA Act, whether the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely registered public accounting firms located in a foreign jurisdiction because of a position taken by one or more authorities in that jurisdiction.
On December 2, 2021, the SEC adopted final amendments to its rules implementing the HFCA Act. Such final rules establish procedures that the SEC will follow in (i) determining whether a registrant is a “Commission-Identified Issuer” (a registrant identified by the SEC as having filed an annual report with an audit report issued by a registered public accounting firm that is located in a foreign jurisdiction and that the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely because of a position taken by an authority in that jurisdiction) and (ii) prohibiting the trading of an issuer that is a Commission-Identified Issuer for three consecutive years under the HFCA Act. The SEC began identifying Commission-Identified Issuers for the fiscal years beginning after December 18, 2020. A Commission-Identified Issuer is required to comply with the submission and disclosure requirements in the annual report for each year in which it was identified. If a registrant is identified as a Commission-Identified Issuer based on its annual report for the fiscal year ended, for example, September 30, 2021, the registrant will be required to comply with the submission or disclosure requirements in its annual report filing covering the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022. As of the date of this annual report, we have not been, and do not expect to be identified by the SEC under the HFCA Act.
On December 16, 2021, the PCAOB issued its determination report that the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely PCAOB-registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and in Hong Kong, because of positions taken by PRC authorities in those jurisdictions, and the PCAOB included in the report of its determination a list of the accounting firms that are headquartered in mainland China or Hong Kong. This report does not include our former auditors, MarcumAsia and Briggs & Veselka, or our current auditor, WWC.
On August 26, 2022, the PCAOB announced that it had signed the Statement of Protocol with the CSRC and the MOF. The terms of the Statement of Protocol would grant the PCAOB complete access to audit work papers and other information so that it may inspect and investigate PCAOB-registered accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong. On December 15, 2022, the PCAOB announced that it has secured complete access to inspect and investigate registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong and voted to vacate the previous 2021 determination report to the contrary. As a result, we do not expect to be identified as a “Commission-Identified Issuer” under the HFCA Act for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022 after we file our annual report on Form 20-F for such fiscal year. However, whether the PCAOB will continue to conduct inspections and investigations completely to its satisfaction of PCAOB-registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong is subject to uncertainty and depends on a number of factors out of our, and our auditor’s control including positions taken by authorities of the PRC. The PCAOB is expected to continue to demand complete access to inspections and investigations against accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong in the future and states that it has already made plans to resume regular inspections in early 2023 and beyond. The PCAOB is required under the HFCA Act to make its determination on an annual basis with regards to its ability to inspect and investigate completely accounting firms based in the mainland China and Hong Kong. The possibility of being a “Commission-Identified Issuer” and risk of delisting could continue to adversely affect the trading price of our securities. Should the PCAOB again encounter impediments to inspections and investigations in mainland China or Hong Kong as a result of positions taken by any authority in either jurisdiction, the PCAOB will make determinations under the HFCAA as and when appropriate.
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Furthermore, various equity-based research organizations have recently published reports on China-based companies after examining their corporate governance practices, related party transactions, sales practices and financial statements, and these reports have led to special investigations and listing suspensions on U.S. national exchanges. Any similar scrutiny on us, regardless of its lack of merit, could cause the market price of EZGO’s ordinary shares to fall, divert management resources and energy, cause us to incur expenses in defending ourselves against rumors, and increase the premiums we pay for director and officer insurance.
Our former auditor, MarcumAsia, an independent registered public accounting firm, as an auditor of companies that are traded publicly in the United States and a firm registered with the PCAOB, is subject to laws in the United States pursuant to which the PCAOB conducts regular inspections to assess its compliance with the applicable professional standards. MarcumAsia is headquartered in Manhattan, New York, and is subject to inspection by the PCAOB on a regular basis with the last inspection in 2020.
Our former auditor, Briggs & Veselka, the independent registered public accounting firm that issued one of the audit reports included in this annual report, an auditor of companies that are traded publicly in the United States and an U.S.-based accounting firm registered with the PCAOB, was subject to laws in the United States pursuant to which the PCAOB conducts regular inspections to assess its compliance with the applicable professional standards. Briggs & Veselka was headquartered in Houston, Texas, and was subject to inspection by the PCAOB with the last inspection in 2019. Briggs & Veselka’s withdrawal of its registration with the PCAOB became effective on May 24, 2022.
Our current auditor as of the date of this annual report, WWC, as an auditor of companies that are traded publicly in the United States and a firm registered with the PCAOB, is subject to laws in the United States pursuant to which the PCAOB conducts regular inspections to assess its compliance with the applicable professional standards. WWC is headquartered in Flushing, New York, and is subject to inspection by the PCAOB on a regular basis with the last inspection in February 2022.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the future, if there is any regulatory change or step taken by PRC regulators that does not permit our auditor to provide audit documentations located in China to the PCAOB for inspection or investigation, investors may be deprived of the benefits of such inspection. Any audit reports not issued by auditors that are completely inspected by the PCAOB, or a lack of PCAOB inspections of audit work undertaken in China that prevents the PCAOB from regularly evaluating our auditors’ audits and their quality control procedures, could result in a lack of assurance that our financial statements and disclosures are adequate and accurate, then such lack of inspection could cause EZGO’s securities to be delisted from the stock exchange. The recent developments would add uncertainties to our offering pursuant to a prospectus and we cannot assure you whether Nasdaq or regulatory authorities would apply additional and more stringent criteria to us after considering the effectiveness of such auditor’s audit procedures and quality control procedures, adequacy of personnel and training, or sufficiency of resources, geographic reach or experience as it relates to the audit of our financial statements.
The SEC may propose additional rules or guidance that could impact us if such auditor is not subject to PCAOB inspection. For example, on August 6, 2020, the President’s Working Group on Financial Markets, or the PWG, issued, to the then President of the United States, the Report on Protecting United States Investors from Significant Risks from Chinese Companies. This report recommended the SEC implement five recommendations to address companies from jurisdictions that do not provide the PCAOB with sufficient access to fulfill its statutory mandate. Some of the concepts of these recommendations were implemented with the enactment of the HFCA Act. However, some of the recommendations were more stringent than the HFCA Act. For example, if a company’s auditor was not subject to PCAOB inspection, the report recommended that the transition period before a company would be delisted would end on January 1, 2022.
The SEC has announced that the SEC staff is preparing a consolidated proposal for the rules regarding the implementation of the HFCA Act and to address the recommendations in the PWG report. It is unclear when the SEC will complete its rulemaking and when such rules will become effective and what, if any, of the PWG recommendations will be adopted. The implications of this possible regulation in addition to the requirements of the HFCA Act are uncertain. While we understand that there has been dialogue among the CSRC, the SEC and the PCAOB regarding the inspection of PCAOB-registered accounting firms in China, there can be no assurance that we will be able to comply with requirements imposed by U.S. regulators. Such uncertainty could cause the market price of EZGO’s ordinary shares to be materially and adversely affected, and EZGO’s securities could be delisted and prohibited from being traded on a national securities exchange earlier than would be required by the HFCA Act. If EZGO’s securities are unable to be listed on another securities exchange by then, such a delisting would substantially impair the ability to sell or purchase EZGO’s ordinary shares when desired, and the risk and uncertainty associated with a potential delisting would have a negative impact on the price of EZGO’s ordinary shares.
Should the PCAOB be unable to fully conduct inspections in China, which prevents it from fully evaluating the audits and quality control procedures of our independent registered public accounting firm, we and investors in EZGO’s securities may be deprived of the benefits of such PCAOB inspections. Any inability of the PCAOB to conduct inspections of auditors in China could make it more difficult to evaluate the effectiveness of our independent registered public accounting firm’s audit procedures or quality control procedures as compared to auditors outside of China that are subject to the PCAOB inspections, which could cause investors and potential investors in our shares to lose confidence in our audit procedures and reported financial information and the quality of our financial statements, which could materially and adversely affect the value of in its securities. Further, new laws and regulations or changes in laws and regulations in both the United States and China could affect our ability to list EZGO’s ordinary shares on Nasdaq, which could materially impair the market for and market price of its ordinary shares.
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Risks Related to Our Business and Industry
The COVID-19 pandemic has, and will likely continue to, negatively impact the global economy and disrupt normal business activity, which may have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The global spread of COVID-19 and the efforts to control it have slowed global economic activity and disrupted, and reduced the efficiency of, normal business activities in much of the world. The pandemic has resulted in authorities around the world implementing numerous unprecedented measures such as travel restrictions, quarantines, shelter in place orders, and factory and office shutdowns. These measures impacted our workforce and operations, and those of our customers and suppliers. In particular, from October 2021 to March 2022 we experienced some disruption to our operations during the Chinese government mandated lockdown, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including random shutdowns of out Tianjin and Changzhou factories, restrictions or suspensions of logistics and shipping services in certain areas of China. While we and our major suppliers are currently fully operational, there can be no assurance that these measures related to additional or increased outbreaks will not be implemented again.
In response to governmental directives and recommended safety measures, we have implemented personal safety measures at all our facilities. However, these measures may not be sufficient to mitigate the risk of infection by COVID-19. If a significant number of our employees, or employees and third parties performing key functions, including our management and members of our board of directors, become ill, our business may be further adversely impacted.
More generally, the COVID-19 pandemic has and is expected to continue to adversely affect economies and financial markets globally in the longer-term, and could result in a continued economic downturn and a recession. This would likely adversely affect demand for some of our products, which may, in turn negatively impact our results of operations, but it is not possible at this time to estimate the full impact that COVID-19 will have on our business, as the impact will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted.
Recent increased cases of COVID-19 and/or shutdowns related to additional or increased outbreaks have not currently had a material impact on our operations, supply chain, liquidity or capital resources. We continue to see demand in our products and have implemented a new marketing channel and sales model with increasing urban agent stores, as well as the launch of our new products. However, the environment remains uncertain and the impact of COVID-19 and the gradual recovery in sales of our products may not be sustainable over the longer term. There can be no assurance that increased cases of COVID-19 will not, in the future, have a material impact on our operations, supply chain, liquidity or capital resources. The degree to which the pandemic ultimately impacts our business and results of operations will depend on future developments beyond our control, including the severity of the pandemic, the extent of actions to contain or treat the virus, how quickly and to what extent normal economic and operating conditions can resume, and the severity and duration of the global economic downturn that results from the pandemic.
We may incur losses in the future.
We had net income of approximately $0.28 million for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2020 respectively and we had net loss of approximately $3.41 million and $7.47 million for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2021 and 2022. We anticipate that our operating expenses (such as sale expense, marketing expense and research and development expense), together with the increased general administrative expenses of a growing public company, will increase in the foreseeable future as we seek to maintain and continue to grow our business, attract potential customers and further enhance our product offering. These efforts may prove more expensive than we currently anticipate, and we may not succeed in increasing our revenue sufficiently to offset these higher expenses. As a result of the foregoing and other factors, we may incur net losses in the future and may be unable to achieve or maintain profitability on an interim or annual basis for the foreseeable future.
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We are an early stage company of e-bicycle products and charging piles with a limited operating history. Our limited operating history in the industry may not provide an adequate basis to judge our future prospects and results of operations for this segment, and may increase the risk of your investment.
We launched our business in 2014 and started focusing on the current business of electronic bicycle (“e-bicycle”) products and charging piles in August 2019. Our limited history may not provide a meaningful basis for investors to evaluate our business, financial performance and prospects of our business. Potential customers may not be familiar with our market and may have difficulty distinguishing our products and services from those of our competitors. Convincing potential new customers of the value of our products and services is critical to increasing the volume of sales facilitated through our website and to the success of our business. If we fail to educate potential customers about the value of our products and services, if the market for our services does not develop as we expect, or if we fail to address the needs of our target market in China or elsewhere, our business and results of operations will be harmed.
If we fail to develop and introduce new models of e-bicycle products in anticipation of market demand in a timely and cost-effective manner, our competitive position and ability to generate revenues may be materially and adversely affected.
Recently, our primary focus has been new models of e-bicycle products. As a new player in the e-bicycle industry, we face intense competition from current industry leaders. The introduction of new products is subject to risks and uncertainties. Unexpected technical, operational, logistical, regulatory, or other problems could delay or prevent the introduction of one or more new products. Moreover, we cannot assure you that any of these new products will match the quality or popularity of those developed by our competitors, and achieve widespread market acceptance or generate the desired level of income for our customers.
Meanwhile, offering new products requires us to make investments in research and development, recruit and train additional qualified workers, and increase marketing efforts. In addition, some manufactures, including the large companies in this industry, like Aima and Yadea, have developed low-end and low-cost models which are sold at approximate RMB1,000 per vehicle (without battery). Since most of the e-bicycle users are low-income workers, we may encounter difficulties with the creation of the new products and in offering new products, we may face new risks and challenges that we are not familiar with. Furthermore, we may experience difficulties in recruiting or otherwise identifying qualified workers to develop the new products. If we are unable to offer new products in a timely and cost-effective manner, our results of operations and financial condition could be adversely affected.
If we fail to adopt new technologies or adapt our e-bicycles to changing customer requirements or the industry standards, our business may be materially and adversely affected.
To remain competitive, we must continue to enhance and improve the functionality and features of our e-bicycles. The production cycle of e-bicycles from research and development stage to implementation stage takes significant time. The changes in customer requirements and preferences, frequent introductions of new products and services embodying new technologies and the emergence of new industry standards and practices, any of which could render our existing technologies and products obsolete. Our success will depend, in part, on our ability to identify, develop, acquire or license leading technologies useful in our business, and respond to technological advances and new industry standards and practices in a cost-effective and timely way. The development of e-bicycles or other proprietary technology entails significant technical and business risks. We may not be able to use new technologies effectively or adapt our projects and proprietary technologies to meet customer requirements or new industry standards. If we are unable to adapt in a cost-effective and timely manner a response to changing market conditions or customer requirements, whether for technical, legal, financial, or other reasons, our business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.
If we are unable to manage our growth or execute our strategies effectively, our business and prospects may be materially and adversely affected.
To accommodate our growth, we anticipate that we will need to implement a variety of new and upgraded operational and financial systems, procedures, and controls, including the improvement of our accounting and other internal management systems. We will also need to continue to expand, train, manage and motivate our workforce and manage our relationships with customers and third-party suppliers. All of these endeavors involve risks, and will require substantial management effort and significant additional expenditures. We may not be able to manage our growth or execute our strategies effectively, and any failure to do so may have a material adverse effect on our business and prospects.
Our marketing strategy of appealing to and growing sales to a more diversified group of users may not be successful.
Our marketing is aimed at reinforcing customer perceptions of our brand as a premium e-bicycles brand and leasing service provider. We aim to provide users with a good user experience, including by providing our users with access to a full suite of services conveniently through our online website and services stores. We cannot assure you that our services or our efforts to engage with our users using both our online and offline channels, will be successful, which could impact our revenues as well as our customer satisfaction and marketing.
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To grow the business over the long term, we must be successful in selling products and services and promoting our brand experience to a broader and more users. We must also execute our diversification strategy without adversely impacting the strength of the brand with core users. Failure to successfully drive demand for our e-bicycles may have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
We face intense competition in the charging pile market, and if we fail to compete effectively, we may lose market share and customers.
New and enhanced technologies may increase the competition in the charging pile industry. Increased competition may reduce our profitability, market share, customer base and brand recognition. There can be no assurance that we will be able to compete successfully against current or future competitors, and such competitive pressures may have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Our products and services may experience quality problems from time to time, which could result in decreased sales, adversely affect our results of operations and harm our reputation.
Our products and services may contain design and manufacturing defects. There can be no assurance that we will be able to detect and fix all defects in the products and services we offer. Failure to do so could result in lost in revenue, significant warranty and other expenses and harm to our reputation.
Additionally, we source and purchase key components in our operations and production of e-bicycles from third-party and related party suppliers, such as tires, motors and controllers. Currently, we purchase most of the e-bicycles and components for Jiangsu Cenbird from a related party. We cannot assure you that the quality and functions of these key components supplied by suppliers will be consistent with and maintained at our high standard. Any defects or quality issues in these key components or any noncompliance incidents associated with these third-party suppliers could result in quality issues with our e-bicycles and hence compromise our brand image and results of operations.
We may be subject to product liability claims if people or properties are harmed by our products and we may be compelled to undertake product recalls or take other actions, which could adversely affect our brand image and results of operations.
We are subject to product liability claims for our products sold or rented through online and offline channels. As a result, sales and/or rentals of such products on our platform could expose us to product liability claims relating to personal injury or property damage and may require product recalls or other actions. Third-parties subject to such injury or damage may bring claims or legal proceedings against us as retailer, and manufacturer and lessor of the products. In the future, we may at various times, voluntarily or involuntarily, initiate a recall if any of our products, including any systems or parts sourced from our suppliers, prove to be defective or noncompliant with applicable laws and regulations. Such recalls, whether voluntary or involuntary or caused by systems or components engineered or manufactured by us or our suppliers, could involve significant expense and could adversely affect our brand image in our target markets, as well as our business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations.
Our products are subject to safety and other standards and failure to satisfy such mandated standards would have a material adverse effect on our business and operating results.
All e-bicycles must comply with the safety and other standards of the market where the e-bicycles are sold. In China, e-bicycles must meet or exceed all mandated safety and other standards, including national and local standards. Under these standards, the Company is required to conduct rigorous testing and use approved materials and equipment. On April 15, 2019, the State Administration for Market Regulatory and the National Standardization Administration of China jointly promulgated the Regulation on Safety Technical Specification for Electric Bicycles and announced the new standard GB11761-2018 was effective, or the National New Standard, replacing the old standard GB17761-1999. Although we follow the regulatory requirements and have obtained the 3C certificates issued by Certification Center of Light Industry Council, our new models e-bicycles may fail to meet the National New Standard.
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In addition, our batteries must comply with the national standard GB/T 36972-2018 Lithium Batteries for Electric Bicycles, which was officially released on December 28, 2018 and implemented on July 1, 2019. Lithium batteries that do not meet standard may be returned by customers, harm our reputation and subject us to additional regulatory actions. While there is no national standard for charging pile, if the customers are not satisfied with our products, the products may be returned. This could harm our relationship with our business partners and reputation in the industry. Any of these occurrences could have a material adverse effect on our operations and financial results.
The wide variety of payment methods that we accept subjects us to third-party payment processing-related risks.
We accept payments using a variety of methods, including bank transfers, online payments with debit cards issued by banks in China, and payment through third-party online payment platforms such as Alipay and WeChat Pay. We may be subject to fraud and other illegal activities in connection with the various payment methods we accept, including online payments. In addition, we are subject to various rules, regulations and requirements, regulatory or otherwise, governing electronic funds transfers, which could change or be reinterpreted to make it difficult or impossible for us to comply. If we fail to comply with these rules or requirements, we may be subject to fines and higher transaction fees and lose our ability to accept debit card payments from our customers, process electronic funds transfers or facilitate other types of online payments, and our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.
We are dependent upon our core customers for substantial portions of the sale and rental of our e-bicycles and batteries. Any interruption in our relationship with our core customers could materially and adversely affect our growth and financial condition.
We have relied on our three major customers in sales of batteries, including Ningbo Yiqi New Energy Technology Co., Ltd., Zhejiang Weichen Technology Co., Ltd., and Changzhou Copidi Energy Co., Ltd., each accounted for approximately 29%, 23% and 23%, respectively, of our sales of lithium batteries for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022. We relied on our three major customers in sales of batteries, including Zhejiang Weichen Technology Co., Ltd., Changzhou Copidi Energy Co., Ltd., and Guangxi Anneng Technology Co., Ltd., each accounted for approximately 52%, 28% and 8%, respectively, of our sales of lithium batteries for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2021. And we relied on our three major customers in sales of batteries, including Beijing 70 Generation Co., Ltd., Hehai Jinsong Bicycle Sales Shop, and Shangchi Motors Co., Ltd., each accounted for approximately 20%, 19% and 10%, respectively, of our sales of batteries for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2020.
We have relied on our two major customers in sales of e-bicycles, including Jiangsu Biyaqiao Motorcycle Sales Co., Ltd. and Wenzhou Longwan Yongzhong Tengbu Bicycle Firm, each accounted for approximately 22% and 13%, respectively, of our e-bicycles sales revenue for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022. We relied on three major customers, including Henan Young Man Industries Trade Co., Ltd., Beijing 70 Generation Co., Ltd., and Wenzhou Longwan Yongzhong Tengbu Bicycle Firm, each accounted for approximately 17%, 11% and 9%, respectively, of our e-bicycles sales revenue for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2021. And we relied on one major customer in e-bicycles sales business, Beijing 70 Generation Co., Ltd., accounted for approximately 31% of our e-bicycles sales revenue for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2020. Any disputes with our business partners could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
Our success depends on our ability to retain our core management team and other key personnel.
Our performance depends on the continued service and performance of our directors and senior management as they are expected to play an important role in guiding the implementation of our business strategies and future plans. If any of our directors or any members of our senior management were to terminate their service or employment, there can be no assurance that we would be able to find suitable replacements in a timely manner, at acceptable cost or at all. The loss of services of key personnel or the inability to identify, hire, train and retain other qualified and managerial personnel in the future may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. Additionally, we rely on our research and development personnel for product development and technology innovation. If any of our key research and development personnel were to leave us, we cannot assure you that we can secure equally competent research and development personnel in a timely manner, or at all.
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Competition for our employees is intense, and we may not be able to attract and retain the highly skilled employees needed to support our business.
As we continue to experience growth, we believe our success depends on the efforts and talents of our employees, including management team and financial personnel. Our future success depends on our continued ability to attract, develop, motivate and retain highly qualified and skilled employees. Competition for highly skilled personnel is extremely intense. We may not be able to hire and retain these personnel at compensation levels consistent with our existing compensation and salary structure. Many of the companies with which we compete for experienced employees have greater resources than we do and may be able to offer more attractive terms of employment.
In addition, we invest significant time and expense in training our employees, which increases their value to competitors who may seek to recruit them. If we fail to retain our employees, we could incur significant expenses in hiring and training their replacements, and the quality of our services and our ability to serve customers could diminish, resulting in a material adverse effect on our business.
We may not be able to prevent others from unauthorized use of our intellectual property, which could harm our business and competitive position.
We regard our trademarks, domain names, trade secrets, proprietary technologies and other intellectual property as critical to our business. We rely on a combination of intellectual property laws and contractual arrangements, including confidentiality agreements with our employees, partners and others, to protect our proprietary rights. As of the date of this annual report, we have obtained eight registered patents from the PRC related to technologies used in our battery cell manufacturing, battery packing and two-stroke permanent magnet engines as well as e-bicycle manufacturing. We have also registered 14 trademarks with the China Trademark Office and have right to use one registered “Cenbird” trademark, and 12 copyright registrations with the PRC. See “Item 4B. Business Overview – Intellectual Property.”
It is often difficult to register, maintain and enforce intellectual property rights in China. Statutory laws and regulations are subject to judicial interpretation and enforcement and may not be applied consistently due to the lack of clear guidance on statutory interpretation. Accordingly, we may not be able to effectively protect our intellectual property rights or to enforce our contractual rights in China. Policing any unauthorized use of our intellectual property is difficult and costly and the steps we have taken may be inadequate to prevent the misappropriation of our intellectual property. In the event that we resort to litigation to enforce our intellectual property rights, such litigation could result in substantial costs and a diversion of our managerial and financial resources. We can provide no assurance that we will prevail in such litigation. In addition, our trade secrets may be leaked or otherwise become available to, or be independently discovered by, our competitors. Any failure in protecting or enforcing our intellectual property rights could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
As our patents may expire and may not be extended, our patent applications may not be granted and our patent rights may be contested, circumvented, invalidated or limited in scope, our patent rights may not protect us effectively.
As of the date of this annual report, we owned eight registered patents relating to various aspects of our operations. The rights granted under any issued patents, however, may not provide us with proprietary protection or competitive advantages. The claims under any patents that issue from our patent applications may not be broad enough to prevent others from developing technologies that are similar or that achieve results similar to ours. It is also possible that the intellectual property rights of others will bar us from licensing. Numerous patents owned by others exist in the fields in which we have developed and are developing our technology. These patents and patent applications might have priority over our patent applications and could subject our patent applications to invalidation. Finally, in addition to those who may claim priority, any of our existing patents may also be challenged by others on the basis that they are otherwise invalid or unenforceable. Any failure in extending our existing patents, or if our patent rights were to be contested, circumvented, invalidated or limited in scope could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
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We may be subject to intellectual property infringement claims, which may be expensive to defend and may disrupt our business and operations.
We cannot be certain that our operations or any aspects of our business do not or will not infringe upon or otherwise violate patents, copyrights or other intellectual property rights held by third parties. We have been, and from time to time in the future may be, subject to legal proceedings and claims relating to the intellectual property rights of others. In addition, there may be other third-party intellectual property that is infringed by our products, services or other aspects of our business. There could also be existing patents of which we are not aware that our products may inadvertently infringe. Holders of patents purportedly relating to some aspect of our products or business, if any such holders exist, may seek to enforce such patents against us in China, the United States or any other jurisdictions. Further, the application and interpretation of China’s patent laws and the procedures and standards for granting patents in China are still evolving and are uncertain, and PRC courts or regulatory authorities may not agree with our analysis. If we are 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. In addition, we may incur significant expenses, and may be forced to divert management’s time and other resources from our business and operations to defend against these third-party infringement claims, regardless of their merits. Infringement of our intellectual property rights or successful licensing claims made against us may result in significant monetary liabilities and may materially disrupt our business and operations by restricting or prohibiting our use of the intellectual property in question.
Our business, financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected by a downturn in the global or Chinese economies.
Because our sales may depend on customers’ levels of disposable income, perceived job prospects and willingness to spend, our business and prospects may be affected by economic conditions in China or globally. Although the Chinese economy has grown steadily in the past decade, there is considerable uncertainty over the long-term effects of the expansionary monetary and fiscal policies adopted by the People’s Bank of China and financial authorities of some of the world’s leading economies, including the United States and China. There have been concerns over unrest and terrorist threats in the Middle East, Europe, and Africa, which have resulted in volatility in oil and other markets. There have also been concerns on the relationship among China and other Asian countries, which may result in or intensify potential conflicts in relation to territorial disputes. In addition, the world economy has been facing the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic since 2020. Economic conditions in China are sensitive to global economic conditions, as well as changes in domestic economic and political policies and the expected or perceived overall economic growth rate in China. A decline in the economic prospects in the mechanics and other industries could alter current or prospective customers’ spending priorities. We cannot assure you that e-bicycles’ spending in general or with respect to our product offerings in particular will increase, or not decrease, from current levels. Therefore, a slowdown in China’s economy or the global economy may lead to a reduction in demand for e-bicycles, which could materially and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.
We have identified material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting. If we fail to develop and maintain an effective system of internal control over financial reporting, we may be unable to accurately report our financial results or prevent fraud.
In connection with the preparation of our financial statements for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2020, 2021 and 2022, we have identified material weaknesses and other control deficiencies including significant deficiencies in our internal control over financial reporting. As defined in the standards established by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board of the United States, or PCAOB, a “material weakness” is a deficiency, or combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis.
As of and for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022, one material weakness that has been identified related to our lack of sufficient financial reporting and accounting personnel with appropriate knowledge of accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) and SEC reporting requirements to properly address complex U.S. GAAP accounting issues and to prepare and review our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures to fulfill U.S. GAAP and SEC financial reporting requirements. The other material weakness that has been identified related to our lack of key monitoring mechanisms such as internal control department to oversee and monitor Company’s risk management, business strategies and financial reporting procedures.
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We have already taken some steps and have continued to implement measures to remediate the material weakness identified, including but not limited to (a) hiring a Chief Financial Officer on September 1, 2020 with adequate experience of U.S. GAAP and SEC reporting and compliance requirements, and (b) continuing our efforts to set up the internal audit department, and enhance the effectiveness of the internal control system. For details on these initiatives, please see “Item 15. Controls and Procedures — (b) Internal Control Over Financial Reporting.”
Pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, we are required to file a report by our management on our internal control over financial reporting, including an attestation report on internal control over financial reporting issued by our independent registered public accounting firm. However, while we remain an emerging growth company, we will not be required to include an attestation report on internal control over financial reporting issued by our independent registered public accounting firm.
We cannot be certain that these measures will successfully remediate the material weakness or that other material weaknesses will not be discovered in the future. If we fail to achieve and maintain an effective internal control environment, it could result material misstatements in our financial statements and we could fail to meet our reporting obligations, which would likely cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial information. This could in turn limit our access to capital markets, harm our results of operations, and lead to a decline in the trading price of EZGO’s ordinary shares. Additionally, ineffective internal control over financial reporting could expose us to increased risk of fraud or misuse of corporate assets and subject us to potential delisting from the stock exchange on which we list, regulatory investigations and civil or criminal sanctions. We may also be required to restate our financial statements from prior periods.
Any significant cybersecurity incident or disruption of our information technology systems or those of third-party partners could materially damage user relationships and subject us to significant reputational, financial, legal and operation consequences.
We depend on our information technology systems, as well as those of third parties, to develop new products and services, host and manage our services, store data and process transactions. Any material disruption or slowdown of our systems or those of third parties whom we depend upon could cause outages or delays in our services, particularly in the form of interruption of services delivered by our website, which could harm our brand and adversely affect our operating results. If changes in technology cause our information technology systems, or those of third parties whom we depend upon, to become obsolete, or if our or their information systems are inadequate to handle our growth, we could lose users, and our business and operating results could be adversely affected.
We have limited insurance coverage, which could expose us to significant costs and business disruption.
We are exposed to various risks associated with our business and operations, and we have limited liability insurance coverage. A successful liability claim against us due to injuries or damages suffered by our users could materially and adversely affect our reputation, results of operations and financial conditions. Even if unsuccessful, such a claim could cause us adverse publicity, require substantial costs to defend, and divert the time and attention of our management. In addition, we do not have any business disruption insurance. Any business disruption event could result in substantial costs to us and a diversion of our resources.
We are subject to a variety of costs and risks due to our continued expansion internationally that may not be successful and could adversely affect our profitability and operating results.
Our e-bicycles are manufactured for sales and distribution mostly in China. We are continuing to expand the international market, although our current international market share is relatively small compared to our domestic business. Currently, we promote our products to the international market through online promotion. Developing the international market requires continuous investment in marketing expenses. International expansion represents a large opportunity to further grow our business and enhance our competitive position, and is one of our core strategies.
We may enter into new geographic markets where we have limited or no experience in marketing, selling, and localizing and deploying our e-bicycles. International expansion has required and will continue to require us to invest significant capital and other resources and our efforts may not be successful. International sales and operations may be subject to risks such as:
| ● | limited brand recognition (compared with our home market in China); |
| ● | costs associated with establishing new distribution networks; |
| ● | difficulty to find qualified partners for overseas distribution; |
| ● | inability to anticipate foreign consumers’ preferences and customs; |
| ● | difficulties in staffing and managing foreign operations; |
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| ● | burdens of complying with a wide variety of local laws and regulations, including personal data protection, battery, motor, packaging and labelling; |
| ● | political and economic instability; |
| ● | trade restrictions; |
| ● | lesser degrees of intellectual property protection; |
| ● | tariffs and customs duties and the classifications of our goods by applicable governmental bodies; and |
| ● | a legal system subject to undue influence or corruption. |
The occurrence of any of these risks could negatively affect our international business and consequently our business and operating results. In addition, the concern over these risks may also prevent us from entering into or releasing certain of our e-bicycles in certain markets.
Changes in U.S. and Chinese regulations or in relations between the United States and China may adversely impact our business, our operating results, our ability to raise capital and the market price of EZGO’s ordinary shares. Any such changes may take place quickly and with very little notice
The U.S. government, including the SEC, has recently made statements and taken certain actions that may lead to significant changes to U.S. and international relations, and will impact companies with connections to the United States or China. It is unknown whether and to what extent new tariffs (or other new laws or regulations will be adopted, or the effect that any such actions would have on us or our industry and users. Although cross-border business may not be an area of our major focus, if we increase the selling of our products internationally in the future, any unfavorable government policies on international trade, such as capital controls or tariffs, may affect the demand for our products and services, impact the competitive position of our products or prevent us from being able to sell products in certain countries. If any new tariffs, legislation and/or regulations are implemented, or if existing trade agreements are renegotiated or, in particular, if the U.S. government takes retaliatory trade actions due to the recent U.S.-China trade tension, such changes could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations.
In addition, the SEC has issued statements primarily focused on companies with significant China-based operations, such as us. For example, on July 30, 2021, Gary Gensler, Chairman of the SEC, issued a Statement on Investor Protection Related to Recent Developments in China, pursuant to which Chairman Gensler stated that he has asked the SEC staff to engage in targeted additional reviews of filings for companies with significant China-based operations. The statement also addressed risks inherent in companies with variable interest entity structure. It is possible that the Company’s filings with the SEC may be subject to enhanced review by the SEC and this additional scrutiny could affect our ability to effectively raise capital in the United States.
In response to the SEC’s July 30, 2021 statement, the CSRC announced on August 1, 2021, that “[i]t is our belief that Chinese and U.S. regulators shall continue to enhance communication with the principle of mutual respect and cooperation, and properly address the issues related to the supervision of China-based companies listed in the U.S. so as to form stable policy expectations and create benign rules framework for the market.” While the CSRC will continue to collaborate “closely with different stakeholders including investors, companies, and relevant authorities to further promote transparency and certainty of policies and implementing measures,” it emphasized that it “has always been open to companies’ choices to list their securities on international or domestic markets in compliance with relevant laws and regulations.” If any new legislation, executive orders, laws and/or regulations are implemented, if the U.S. or Chinese governments take retaliatory actions due to the recent U.S.-China tension or if the Chinese government exerts more oversight and control over securities offerings that are conducted in the United States, such changes could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations, our ability to raise capital and the market price of EZGO’s ordinary shares.
We rely substantially on external suppliers and third-party delivery service providers for our e-bicycles, charging piles and batteries.
We purchase certain key components and raw material, including tires, motors, headlight, panel frame and controllers, from external suppliers for use in our production of e-bicycles on a purchase order basis. We also rely on external suppliers to manufacture the charging piles and supply batteries or components of our batteries. The continuous and stable supply of these components, raw materials and products that meet our standards is crucial to our operations and production. We cannot assure you that we will be able to maintain our existing relationships with these suppliers and continue to be able to source key components and raw materials we use in our e-bicycles on a stable basis and at a reasonable price or at all. For example, our suppliers may increase the prices for the components or materials we purchase and/or experience disruptions in their production of the components or materials. In addition, natural disasters or pandemics, such as the COVID-19 breakout, interrupted numerous supply chains in China, for companies operating in China as well as for international companies.
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We also rely on third party delivery companies to delivery products sold on our online shops. Interacting with and coordinating the activities of a number of delivery companies are complicated and any major interruptions to or failures in these third-parties’ shipping services could prevent the timely or successful delivery of our products. These interruptions may be due to unforeseen events that are beyond our control or the control of these third-party delivery companies, such as inclement weather, natural disasters, transportation interruptions or labor unrest or shortage. If our products are not delivered on time or are delivered in a damaged state, customers may refuse to accept our products and have less confidence in our services. Thus, we may lose customers, and our financial condition and reputation could suffer. Delivery of our products could also be affected or interrupted by the merger, acquisition, insolvency or government shutdown of the delivery companies we engage to make deliveries, especially those local companies with relatively small business scales. The occurrence of any of these problems, alone or together, could damage our reputation and materially and adversely affect our business and results of operations.
We incur significant costs related to procuring components and raw materials and delivery services. The prices for the components and raw materials fluctuate depending on factors beyond our control including market conditions and demand for these components and materials. Substantial increases in the prices for the components or raw materials we use in producing our e-bicycle or any interruptions of delivery services would increase our costs and reduce our margins.
If our internal control over financial reporting or our disclosure controls and procedures are not effective, we may not be able to accurately report our financial results, prevent fraud or file our periodic reports in a timely manner, which may cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial information and may lead to a decline in the value of EZGO’s securities.
Before completing our initial public offering (“IPO”), we were a private company since our incorporation, and as such, we did not have the internal control and financial reporting requirements that are required of a publicly traded company. As a publicly traded company, we are required to comply with the SEC’s rules implementing Sections 302 and 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which require that we maintain effective internal control over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures. In particular, we must perform system and process evaluation, document our controls and perform testing of our key controls over financial reporting to allow management and, once we are no longer an “emerging growth company,” our independent registered public accounting firm to report on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting, as required by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. In connection with the preparation of our financial statements for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2020, 2021 and 2022, we identified material weaknesses and other control deficiencies including significant deficiencies in our internal control over financial reporting. If we are not able to comply with the requirements of Section 404 in a timely manner, or if we or our independent registered public accounting firm identify deficiencies in our internal control over financial reporting that are deemed to be material weaknesses, the value of EZGO’s securities would likely decline, and we could be subject to lawsuits, sanctions or investigations by regulatory authorities, which would require additional financial and management resources.
Implementing the appropriate changes to our internal controls may distract our senior management and employees, result in substantial costs to implement new processes or modify our existing processes and require significant time to complete. Any difficulties or delays in implementing the system could impact our ability to timely report our financial results. In addition, we currently rely on a manual process in some areas which increases our exposure to human error or intervention in reporting our financial results. For these reasons, we may encounter difficulties in the timely and accurate reporting of our financial results, which would impact our ability to provide our investors with information in a timely manner. As a result, our investors could lose confidence in our reported consolidated financial information, and the value of EZGO’s securities could decline.
In addition, any such changes do not guarantee that we will be effective in maintaining the adequacy of our internal controls, and any failure to maintain that adequacy could prevent us from accurately reporting our financial results.
Operating as a publicly traded company in the United States will subject us to additional rules and regulations, require us to incur substantial costs and require substantial management attention. In addition, our management team has limited experience managing a public company.
As a publicly traded company in the United States, we will incur substantial legal, accounting, director and officer insurance and other expenses that we did not incur as a private company. For example, we will be subject to the reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), the applicable requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, and the rules and regulations of the SEC. The Nasdaq listing requirements, as well as other applicable securities rules and regulations, also apply to us. As part of these new requirements, we will need to establish and maintain effective disclosure and financial controls and make changes to our corporate governance practices. We expect that compliance with these requirements will increase our legal and financial compliance costs and will make some activities more time consuming.
Most of our management and other personnel have little experience managing a public company and preparing public filings. In addition, we expect that our management and other personnel will need to divert attention from other business matters to devote substantial time to the reporting and other requirements of being a public company. In particular, we expect to incur significant expense and devote substantial management effort to complying with the requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. We may need to hire additional accounting and financial staff with appropriate public company experience and technical accounting knowledge.
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In addition, changing laws, regulations and standards relating to corporate governance and public disclosure are creating uncertainty for public companies, increasing legal and financial compliance costs and making some activities more time consuming. These laws, regulations and standards are subject to varying interpretations, in many cases due to their lack of specificity, and, as a result, their application in practice may evolve over time as new guidance is provided by regulatory and governing bodies. This could result in continuing uncertainty regarding compliance matters and higher costs necessitated by ongoing revisions to disclosure and governance practices. 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. If our efforts to comply with new laws, regulations and standards differ from the activities intended by regulatory or governing bodies due to ambiguities related to their application and practice, regulatory authorities may initiate legal proceedings against us and our business may be adversely affected.
These new rules and regulations may make it more expensive for us to obtain director and officer liability insurance, and in the future, we may be required to accept reduced coverage or incur substantially higher costs to obtain coverage. These factors could also make it more difficult for us to attract and retain qualified members of our board of directors, particularly to serve on our Audit Committee and Nominating, Governance and Compensation Committee, and qualified senior management.
By disclosing information in this annual report and in filings required of a public company, our business and financial condition will become more visible, which we believe may result in threatened or actual litigation, including by competitors and other third parties. If those claims are successful, our business could be seriously harmed. Even if the claims do not result in litigation or are resolved in our favor, the time and resources needed to resolve them could divert our management’s resources and seriously harm our business.
The occurrence of natural disasters may adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
The occurrence of natural disasters, including hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, fires, and pandemic disease may adversely affect our business, financial condition, or results of operations. The potential impact of a natural disaster on our results of operations and financial position is speculative and would depend on numerous factors. The extent and severity of these natural disasters determines their effect on a given economy. Although the long-term effect of diseases such as the COVID-19 “coronavirus,” H5N1 “avian flu,” or H1N1, the swine flu, cannot currently be predicted, previous occurrences of avian flu and swine flu had an adverse effect on the economies of those countries in which they were most prevalent. An outbreak of a communicable disease in our market could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations, and timely reporting obligations under Regulation S-X and Regulation S-K following our business combination. We cannot assure you that natural disasters will not occur in the future or that our business, financial condition and results of operations will not be adversely affected.
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Risks Related to Our Corporate Structure
Our current corporate structure and business operations may be affected by the newly enacted Foreign Investment Law which does not explicitly classify whether a VIE that is controlled through contractual arrangements would be deemed as foreign-invested enterprises if it is ultimately “controlled” by foreign investors.
On March 15, 2019, the National People’s Congress, China’s national legislative body (the “NPC”) approved the Foreign Investment Law, which took effect on January 1, 2020. Since it is relatively new, uncertainties exist in relation to its interpretation. The Foreign Investment Law does not explicitly classify whether variable interest entities that are controlled through contractual arrangements would be deemed as foreign-invested enterprises if they are ultimately “controlled” by foreign investors. However, it has a catch-all provision under definition of “foreign investment” that includes investments made by foreign investors in China through other means as provided by laws, administrative regulations, or the State Council. Therefore, it still leaves leeway for future laws, administrative regulations, or provisions of the State Council to provide for contractual arrangements being viewed as a form of foreign investment. Therefore, there can be no assurance that our control over the VIE through contractual arrangements will not be deemed as foreign investment in the future.
The Foreign Investment Law grants national treatment to foreign-invested entities, except for those foreign-invested entities that operate in industries specified as either “restricted” or “prohibited” from foreign investment in a “negative list” that is yet to be published. It is unclear whether the “negative list” to be published will differ from the current Special Administrative Measures for Market Access of Foreign Investment (Negative List). The Foreign Investment Law provides that foreign-invested entities operating in “restricted” or “prohibited” industries will require market entry clearance and other approvals from relevant PRC government authorities. If our control over the VIE through contractual arrangements are deemed as foreign investment in the future, and any business of the VIE is “restricted” or “prohibited” from foreign investment under the “negative list” effective at the time, we may be deemed to be in violation of the Foreign Investment Law, the contractual arrangements that allow us to have control over the VIE may be deemed as invalid and illegal, and we may be required to unwind such contractual arrangements and/or restructure our business operations, any of which may have a material adverse effect on our business operation.
Furthermore, if future laws, administrative regulations, or provisions mandate further actions to be taken by companies with respect to existing contractual arrangements, we may face substantial uncertainties as to whether we can complete such actions in a timely manner, or at all. Failure to take timely and appropriate measures to cope with any of these or similar regulatory compliance challenges could materially and adversely affect our current corporate structure and business operations.
We rely on contractual arrangements with the VIE and its shareholders to operate our business, which may not be as effective as direct ownership in providing operational control and otherwise have a material adverse effect as to our business.
We rely on contractual arrangements with the VIE and its shareholders to operate our business. For a description of these contractual arrangements, see “Item 3. Key Infomation — Contractual Arrangements and Corporate Structure.” All of our revenue is attributed to the VIE. These contractual arrangements may not be as effective as direct ownership in providing us with control over the VIE. If the VIE or its shareholders fail to perform their respective obligations under these contractual arrangements, our recourse to the assets held by the VIE is indirect and we may have to incur substantial costs and expend significant resources to enforce such arrangements in reliance on legal remedies under PRC law. These remedies may not always be effective, particularly in light of uncertainties in the PRC legal system. Furthermore, in connection with litigation, arbitration or other judicial or dispute resolution proceedings, assets under the name of any of record holder of equity interest in the VIE, including such equity interest, may be put under court custody. As a consequence, we cannot be certain that the equity interest will be disposed pursuant to the contractual arrangement or ownership by the record holder of the equity interest.
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All of these contractual arrangements are governed by PRC law and provide for the resolution of disputes through arbitration in the PRC. Accordingly, these contracts would be interpreted in accordance with PRC laws and any disputes would be resolved in accordance with PRC legal procedures. The legal environment in the PRC is not as developed as in other jurisdictions, such as the U.S. As a result, uncertainties in the PRC legal system could limit our ability to enforce these contractual arrangements. In the event that we are unable to enforce these contractual arrangements, or if we encounter significant time delays or other obstacles in the process of enforcing these contractual arrangements, it would be very difficult for us to enforce any of rights of determination over the most significant economic activities and receive the majority of the economic benefits of the VIE including, most importantly, our ability to consolidate the financial statements of the VIE with the financial statements of our holding company under U.S. GAAP, EZGO, and our ability to conduct our business and our financial condition and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected. See “— Risks Related to Doing Business in China — Uncertainties in the interpretation and enforcement of PRC laws and regulations could limit the legal protections available to you and us.”
Any failure by the VIE or its shareholders to perform their obligations under our contractual arrangements with them would have a material adverse effect on our business.
We, through our WFOE in the PRC, have entered into a series of contractual arrangements with the VIE and its shareholders. For a description of these contractual arrangements, see “Item 3. Key Infomation — Contractual Arrangements and Corporate Structure.” If the VIE or its shareholders fail to perform their respective obligations under these contractual arrangements, we may incur substantial costs and expend additional resources to enforce such arrangements. We may also have to rely on legal remedies under PRC laws, including seeking specific performance or injunctive relief, and claiming damages, which we cannot assure you will be effective under PRC laws. For example, if the shareholders of the VIE were to refuse to transfer their equity interests in the VIE to us or our designee when we exercise the purchase option pursuant to these contractual arrangements, or if they were otherwise to act in bad faith toward us, then we may have to take legal actions to compel them to perform their contractual obligations.
All the agreements under our contractual arrangements are governed by PRC laws and provide for the resolution of disputes through arbitration in China. Accordingly, these contracts would be interpreted in accordance with PRC laws and any disputes would be resolved in accordance with PRC legal procedures. The legal system in the PRC is not as developed as in some other jurisdictions, such as the U.S. As a result, uncertainties in the PRC legal system could limit our ability to enforce these contractual arrangements. Meanwhile, there are very few precedents and formal guidelines as to how contractual arrangements in the context of a VIE should be interpreted or enforced under PRC laws. There remain significant uncertainties regarding the ultimate outcome of such arbitration should legal action become necessary. In addition, under PRC laws, rulings by arbitrators are final and parties cannot appeal arbitration results in court unless such rulings are revoked or determined unenforceable by a competent court. If the losing parties fail to carry out the arbitration awards within a prescribed time limit, the prevailing parties may only enforce the arbitration awards in PRC courts through arbitration award recognition proceedings, which would require additional expenses and delay. In the event that we are unable to enforce these contractual arrangements, or if we encounter significant delay or other obstacles in the process of enforcing these contractual arrangements, we may not be able to enforce our rights to determine the most significant economic activities and receive the majority of the economic benefits of the VIE, most importantly, our ability to consolidate the financial statements of the VIE with the financial statements of our holding company, EZGO under U.S. GAAP, and relevant rights and licenses held by us which we require in order to operate our business, and our ability to conduct our business may be negatively affected. See “— Risks Related to Doing Business in China — Uncertainties in the interpretation and enforcement of PRC laws and regulations could limit the legal protections available to you and us.”
The arbitration provisions under these contractual arrangements have no effect on the rights of our shareholders to pursue claims against us under the United States federal securities laws.
The shareholders of the VIE may have potential conflicts of interest with us, which may materially and adversely affect our business and financial condition.
The interests of the shareholders of the VIE in their capacities as such shareholders may differ from the interests of our company as a whole, as what is in the best interests of the VIE, including matters such as whether to distribute dividends or to make other distributions to fund our offshore requirement, may not be in the best interests of our company. There can be no assurance that when conflicts of interest arise, any or all of these shareholders will act in the best interests of our company or those conflicts of interest will be resolved in our favor. In addition, these shareholders may breach or cause the VIE and its subsidiaries to breach or refuse to renew the existing contractual arrangements with us.
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Currently, we do not have arrangements to address potential conflicts of interest that the shareholders of the VIE may encounter, on one hand, and as a beneficial owner of our company, on the other hand. We, however, could, at all times, exercise our option under the exclusive option agreement to cause them to transfer all of their equity ownership in the VIE to a PRC entity or individual designated by us as permitted by the then applicable PRC laws. In addition, if such conflicts of interest arise, we could also, in the capacity of attorney-in-fact of the then existing shareholders of the VIE as provided under the power of attorney, directly appoint new directors of the VIE. We rely on the shareholders of the VIE to comply with PRC laws and regulations, which protect contracts and provide that directors and executive officers owe a duty of loyalty to our company and require them to avoid conflicts of interest and not to take advantage of their positions for personal gains, and the laws of the BVI, which provide those directors have a duty of care and a duty to act honestly in good faith with a view to our best interests. However, the legal frameworks of both China and BVI do not provide guidelines on resolving conflicts with other corporate governance regimes. If we cannot resolve any conflicts of interest or disputes between us and the shareholders of the VIE, we would have to rely on legal proceedings, which could result in the disruption of our business and subject us to substantial uncertainty as to the outcome of any such legal proceedings.
If the PRC government deems that the contractual arrangements in relation to the VIE do not comply with PRC regulatory restrictions on foreign investment in the relevant industries or other PRC regulations, or if these regulations change or are interpreted differently in the future, the securities EZGO has registered may decline in value or become worthless if the determinations, changes, or interpretations result in its inability to assert contractual rights over the assets of its PRC subsidiaries or the VIE that conducts a substantial part of EZGO’s operations.
Because EZGO is a business company incorporated in the BVI, it is classified as a foreign enterprise under PRC laws and regulations, and EZGO’s WFOE in the PRC is a foreign-invested enterprise (“FIE”). Changzhou EZGO has entered into a series of contractual arrangements with the VIE and its shareholders, which enable us to (i) have rights of determination over the most significant economic activities of the VIE, (ii) receive the majority of the economic benefits of the VIE, most importantly, the ability to consolidate the financial statements of the VIE with the financial statements of EZGO under U.S. GAAP, of which we are a primary beneficiary of the VIE for accounting purposes, and (iii) have an exclusive option to purchase all or part of the equity interests and assets in the VIE when and to the extent permitted by PRC law. As a result of these contractual arrangements, we have the contractual rights to determine the most significant economic activities, receive the majority of the economic benefits and are the primary beneficiary of the VIE and hence consolidate its financial results as the VIE under U.S. GAAP. For a description of these contractual arrangements, see “Item 3. Key Information—Contractual Arrangements and Corporate Structure—Contractual Arrangements with the VIE and Its Shareholders.”
We believe that our corporate structure and contractual arrangements comply with the current applicable PRC laws and regulations. Based on the advice of our PRC counsel, DeHeng Law Offices, that based on its understanding of the relevant laws and regulations, each of the contracts among our wholly-owned PRC subsidiary, Changzhou EZGO, the VIE and its shareholders is valid, binding and enforceable in accordance with its terms. However, there are substantial uncertainties regarding the interpretation and application of PRC laws and regulations, including the M&A Rules and the relevant regulatory measures concerning the telecommunications industry. There can be no assurance that the PRC government authorities, such as MOFCOM or MIIT, or other authorities that regulate online services providers and other participants in the telecommunications industry, would agree that our corporate structure or any of the above contractual arrangements comply with PRC licensing, registration or other regulatory requirements, with existing policies or with requirements or policies that may be adopted in the future. PRC laws and regulations governing the validity of these contractual arrangements are uncertain and the relevant government authorities have broad discretion in interpreting these laws and regulations.
If our corporate structure and contractual arrangements are deemed by the MIIT, the MOFCOM or other regulators that have competent authority, to be illegal, either in whole or in part, we may lose our rights to determine the most significant economic activities and the majority of the economic benefits of the VIE, most importantly, the ability to consolidate the financial statements of the VIE with the financial statements of our holding company, EZGO under U.S. GAPP, for which we are a primary beneficiary of the VIE, and have to modify such structure to comply with regulatory requirements. However, there can be no assurance that we can achieve this without material disruption to EZGO’s business primarily through the VIE and its subsidiaries in China. Further, if our corporate structure and contractual arrangements are found to be in violation of any existing or future PRC laws or regulations, the relevant regulatory authorities would have broad discretion in dealing with such violations, including:
| ● | revoking our business and operating licenses; |
| ● | levying fines on us; |
| ● | confiscating any of our income that they deem to be obtained through illegal operations; |
| ● | shutting down our services; |
| ● | discontinuing or restricting EZGO’s operations in China; |
| ● | imposing conditions or requirements with which we may not be able to comply; |
| ● | requiring us to change our corporate structure and contractual arrangements; |
| ● | restricting or prohibiting our use of the proceeds from overseas offering to finance the VIE’s business and operations; and |
| ● | taking other regulatory or enforcement actions that could be harmful to our business. |
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The PRC government has broad discretion in determining rectifiable or punitive measures for non-compliance with or violations of PRC laws and regulations. The PRC government could disallow the variable interest entity structure, which would likely result in a material change in EZGO’s operations primarily through the VIE and its subsidiaries in China and/or value of its securities, including that it could cause the value of such securities to significantly decline or become worthless. The VIE agreements have never been tested in a court of law in China. If the PRC government deems that our contractual arrangements in relation to the VIE do not comply with PRC regulatory restrictions on foreign investment in the relevant industries, or if these regulations or the interpretation of existing regulations change or are interpreted differently in the future, we could be subject to severe penalties or be forced to relinquish our interests in those operations. If the PRC government determines that we or the VIE do not comply with applicable law, it could revoke the VIE’s business and operating licenses, require the VIE to discontinue or restrict the VIE’s operations, restrict the VIE’s right to collect revenues, block the VIE’s websites, require the VIE to restructure its operations, impose additional conditions or requirements with which the VIE may not be able to comply, impose restrictions on the VIE’s business operations, or take other regulatory or enforcement actions against the VIE that could be harmful to its business. Any of these or similar occurrences could significantly disrupt our or the VIE’s business operations or restrict the VIE from conducting a substantial portion of its business operations, which could materially and adversely affect the VIE’s business, financial condition and results of operations. If any of these occurrences results in our inability to determine the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact its economic performance, and/or our failure to receive the economic benefits from the VIE, we may not be able to consolidate the VIE in our consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP. In addition, EZGO’s securities may decline in value or become worthless if it is unable to consolidate the VIE’s operations and financial results in our financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP as the primary beneficiary since the VIE and its subsidiaries conduct a significant part of EZGO’s operations.
Contractual arrangements in relation to the VIE may be subject to scrutiny by the PRC tax authorities and they may determine that the VIE owes additional taxes, which could negatively affect our financial condition and the value of your investment.
Under applicable PRC laws and regulations, arrangements and transactions among related parties may be subject to audit or challenge by the PRC tax authorities. The PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law, or the EIT Law, requires every enterprise in China to submit its annual enterprise income tax return together with a report on transactions with its related parties to the relevant tax authorities. The tax authorities may impose reasonable adjustments on taxation if they identify any related party transactions that are inconsistent with the arm’s length principles. We may face material and adverse tax consequences if the PRC tax authorities determine that the contractual arrangements among Changzhou EZGO, the VIE and its shareholders were not entered into on an arm’s length basis in such a way as to result in an impermissible reduction in taxes under applicable PRC laws, regulations and rules, and adjust their income in the form of a transfer pricing adjustment. A transfer pricing adjustment could, among other things, result in a reduction of expense deductions recorded by Changzhou EZGO or the VIE for PRC tax purposes, which could in turn increase their tax liabilities without reducing their tax expenses. Furthermore, the PRC tax authorities may impose late payment fees and other penalties on Changzhou EZGO and the VIE for adjusted but unpaid taxes according to applicable regulations. Our financial position could be materially and adversely affected if the tax liabilities of Changzhou EZGO and the VIE increase, or if they are required to pay late payment fees and other penalties.
We may lose the ability to use and enjoy assets held by the VIE that are material to the operation of our business if the entity goes bankrupt or becomes subject to a dissolution or liquidation proceeding.
The VIE holds substantially all of our assets. Under the contractual arrangements, the VIE and its shareholders may not cause it to, in any manner, sell, transfer, mortgage or dispose of its assets or its legal or beneficial interests in the business without our prior consent. However, in the event that the shareholders of the VIE breach these contractual arrangements and voluntarily liquidate the VIE, or the VIE declares bankruptcy and all or part of its assets become subject to liens or rights of third-party creditors, or are otherwise disposed of without our consent, we may be unable to continue some or all of our business activities, which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. If the VIE undergoes a voluntary or involuntary liquidation proceeding, independent third-party creditors may claim rights to some or all of these assets, thereby hindering our ability to operate our business, which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
If the custodians or authorized users of our controlling non-tangible assets, including chops and seals, fail to fulfill their responsibilities, or misappropriate or misuse these assets, our business and operations may be materially and adversely affected.
Under PRC law, legal documents for corporate transactions, including agreements and contracts that our business relies on, are executed using the chop or seal of the signing entity or with the signature of a legal representative whose designation is registered and filed with the relevant local branch of the State Administration for Market Regulation, formerly known as the State Administration for Industry and Commerce (“SAIC”). We generally execute legal documents by affixing chops or seals, rather than having the designated legal representatives sign the documents.
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We use two major types of chops: corporate chops and finance chops. Chops are seals or stamps used by a PRC company to legally authorize documents, often in place of a signature. We use corporate chops generally for documents to be submitted to government agencies, such as applications for changing business scope, directors or company name, and for legal letters. We use finance chops generally for making and collecting payments, including issuing invoices. Use of corporate chops must be approved by our legal department and administrative department, and use of finance chops must be approved by our finance department. The chops of our subsidiaries and the VIE are generally held by the relevant entities so that documents can be executed locally. Although we usually utilize chops to execute contracts, the registered legal representatives of our subsidiaries and the VIE have the apparent authority to enter into contracts on behalf of such entities without chops, unless such contracts set forth otherwise.
In order to maintain the physical security of our chops, we generally have them stored in secured locations accessible only to the designated key employees of our legal, administrative or finance departments. Our designated legal representatives generally do not have access to the chops. Although we have approval procedures in place and monitor our key employees, including the designated legal representatives of our subsidiaries and the VIE, the procedures may not be sufficient to prevent all instances of abuse or negligence. In addition, we also separate the authorized user of chops from the keeper of keys to the storage room and install security camera for the storage room. There is a risk that our key employees or designated legal representatives could abuse their authority, for example, by binding our subsidiaries and the VIE with contracts against our interests, as we would be obligated to honor these contracts if the other contracting party acts in good faith in reliance on the apparent authority of our chops or signatures of our legal representatives. If any designated legal representative obtains control of the chop in an effort to obtain control over the relevant entity, we would need to have a shareholder or board resolution to designate a new legal representative to take legal action to seek the return of the chop, apply for a new chop with the relevant authorities, or otherwise seek legal remedies for the legal representative’s misconduct. If any of the designated legal representatives obtains and misuses or misappropriates our chops and seals or other controlling intangible assets for whatever reason, we could experience disruption to our normal business operations. We may have to take corporate or legal action, which could involve significant time and resources to resolve the matter, while distracting management from our operations, and our business operations may be materially and adversely affected.
Risks Related to EZGO’s Ordinary Shares
The market price of EZGO’s ordinary shares has recently declined significantly, and EZGO’s ordinary shares could be delisted from the Nasdaq or trading could be suspended.
The listing of EZGO’s ordinary shares on the Nasdaq Capital Market is contingent on our compliance with the Nasdaq Capital Market’s conditions for continued listing. On June 7, 2022, we announced that we received written notification, or the Notification Letter, from Nasdaq on June 3, 2022 that we were not in compliance with the minimum bid price requirement of US$1.00 per share under the Nasdaq Listing Rules (the “Minimum Bid Price Requirement”). In accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rules, we were required to regain compliance with the Minimum Bid Price Requirement within 180 calendar days, or by November 30, 2022. To regain compliance, EZGO’s ordinary shares were required to have had a closing bid price of at least US$1.00 for a minimum of 10 consecutive trading days or before November 30, 2022. We were unable to regain compliance with the Minimum Bid Price Requirement by November 30, 2022, and, as a result, we filed a plan for compliance with the Minimum Bid Price Requirement with the Nasdaq, and were granted a period of an additional 180 days, or by May 29, 2023, to comply with the Minimum Bid Price Requirement. As part of this compliance plan, we agreed to effect a reverse share split of our ordinary shares by May 29, 2023, if the closing bid price of our stock does not otherwise close at or above US$1,00 per share for at least 10 consecutive trading days. During this additional 180-day extension period, we intend to monitor the closing bid price of EZGO’s ordinary shares, and intend to hold a meeting of board of directors for the purpose of approving a reverse share split of EZGO’s issued and outstanding ordinary shares, if required, at a ratio which will be sufficient to increase the price of our ordinary shares above US$1.00. EZGO will effect the reverse share split in a timely manner, only if the closing bid price of EZGO’s ordinary shares does not increase above a minimum bid price of at least $1.00 per share for 10 consecutive trading days prior to May 29, 2023, without effecting a reverse share split. There can be no assurance that we will be able to regain compliance with the Minimum Bid price Requirement, without having to effect a reverse share split of EZGO’s ordinary shares, or maintain compliance with the Minimum Bid Price Requirement, after we have regained compliance, even if we implement a reverse share split.
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We cannot assure you that we will be able to regain compliance with the Minimum Bid Price Requirement under the Nasdaq Listing Rules, or that we will not receive other deficiency notifications from Nasdaq in the future. A decline in the closing price of EZGO’s ordinary shares could result in a breach of the requirements for listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market. If we do not maintain compliance, Nasdaq could commence suspension or delisting procedures in respect of EZGO’s ordinary shares. The commencement of suspension or delisting procedures by an exchange remains at the discretion of such exchange and would be publicly announced by the exchange. If a suspension or delisting were to occur, there would be significantly less liquidity in the suspended or delisted securities. In addition, our ability to raise additional necessary capital through equity or debt financing would be greatly impaired. Furthermore, with respect to any suspended or delisted ordinary shares, we would expect decreases in institutional and other investor demand, analyst coverage, market making activity and information available concerning trading prices and volume, and fewer broker-dealers would be willing to execute trades with respect to such ordinary shares. A suspension or delisting would likely decrease the attractiveness of EZGO’s ordinary shares to investors and cause the trading volume of EZGO’s ordinary shares to decline, which could result in a further decline in the market price of EZGO’s ordinary shares.
In the event that EZGO’s ordinary shares are delisted from Nasdaq, U.S. broker-dealers may be discouraged from effecting transactions in EZGO’s ordinary shares because they may be considered penny stocks and thus be subject to the penny stock rules.
The SEC has adopted a number of rules to regulate “penny stock” that restricts transactions involving stock which is deemed to be penny stock. Such rules include Rules 3a51-1, 15g-1, 15g-2, 15g-3, 15g-4, 15g-5, 15g-6, 15g-7, and 15g-9 under the Exchange Act. These rules may have the effect of reducing the liquidity of penny stocks. “Penny stocks” generally are equity securities with a price of less than $5.00 per share (other than securities registered on certain national securities exchanges or quoted on Nasdaq if current price and volume information with respect to transactions in such securities is provided by the exchange or system). EZGO’s ordinary shares could be considered to be a “penny stock” within the meaning of the rules. The additional sales practice and disclosure requirements imposed upon U.S. broker-dealers may discourage such broker-dealers from effecting transactions in shares of EZGO’s ordinary shares, which could severely limit the market liquidity of such ordinary shares and impede their sale in the secondary market.
A U.S. broker-dealer selling a penny stock to anyone other than an established customer or “accredited investor” (generally, an individual with a net worth in excess of $1,000,000 or an annual income exceeding $200,000, or $300,000 together with his or her spouse) must make a special suitability determination for the purchaser and must receive the purchaser’s written consent to the transaction prior to sale, unless the broker-dealer or the transaction is otherwise exempt. In addition, the “penny stock” regulations require the U.S. broker-dealer to deliver, prior to any transaction involving a “penny stock”, a disclosure schedule prepared in accordance with SEC standards relating to the “penny stock” market, unless the broker-dealer or the transaction is otherwise exempt. A U.S. broker-dealer is also required to disclose commissions payable to the U.S. broker-dealer and the registered representative and current quotations for the securities. Finally, a U.S. broker-dealer is required to submit monthly statements disclosing recent price information with respect to the “penny stock” held in a customer’s account and information with respect to the limited market in “penny stocks”.
The market for “penny stocks” has suffered in recent years from patterns of fraud and abuse. Such patterns include (i) control of the market for the security by one or a few broker-dealers that are often related to the promoter or issuer; (ii) manipulation of prices through prearranged matching of purchases and sales and false and misleading press releases; (iii) “boiler room” practices involving high-pressure sales tactics and unrealistic price projections by inexperienced sales persons; (iv) excessive and undisclosed bid-ask differentials and markups by selling broker-dealers; and (v) the wholesale dumping of the same securities by promoters and broker-dealers after prices have been manipulated to a desired level, resulting in investor losses. Our management is aware of the abuses that have occurred historically in the penny stock market. Although we do not expect to be in a position to dictate the behavior of the market or of broker-dealers who participate in the market, management will strive within the confines of practical limitations to prevent the described patterns from being established with respect to EZGO’s securities.
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An active trading market for EZGO’s ordinary shares may not continue and the trading price for EZGO’s ordinary shares may fluctuate significantly.
We cannot assure you that a liquid public market for EZGO’s ordinary shares will continue. If an active public market for EZGO’s ordinary shares does not continue, the market price and liquidity of EZGO’s ordinary shares may be materially and adversely affected. We can provide no assurance that the trading price of EZGO’s ordinary shares will not decline. As a result, investors in EZGO’s securities may experience a significant decrease in the value of their ordinary shares.
The trading price of EZGO’s ordinary shares may be volatile, which could result in substantial losses to investors.
The trading price of EZGO’s ordinary shares may be volatile and could fluctuate widely due to factors beyond our control. This may happen because of broad market and industry factors, like the performance and fluctuation of the market prices of other companies with business operations located mainly in China that have listed their securities in the United States. A number of Chinese companies have listed or are in the process of listing their securities on U.S. stock markets. The securities of some of these companies have experienced significant volatility, including price declines in connection with their initial public offerings. The trading performances of these Chinese companies’ securities after their offerings may affect the attitudes of investors toward Chinese companies listed in the United States in general and consequently may impact the trading performance of EZGO’s ordinary shares, regardless of our actual operating performance.
In addition to market and industry factors, the price and trading volume for EZGO’s ordinary shares may be highly volatile for factors specific to our own operations, including the following:
| ● | variations in our revenues, earnings, cash flow and data related to our user base or user engagement; |
| ● | announcements of new investments, acquisitions, strategic partnerships or joint ventures by us or our competitors; |
| ● | announcements of new product and service offerings, solutions and expansions by us or our competitors; |
| ● | changes in financial estimates by securities analysts; |
| ● | detrimental adverse publicity about us or our industry; |
| ● | additions or departures of key personnel; |
| ● | release of lock-up or other transfer restrictions on our outstanding equity securities or sales of additional equity securities; and |
| ● | potential litigation or regulatory investigations. |
Any of these factors may result in large and sudden changes in the volume and price at which EZGO’s ordinary shares will trade.
In the past, shareholders of public companies often brought securities class action suits against those companies following periods of instability in the market price of their securities. If we were involved in a class action suit, it could divert a significant amount of our management’s attention and other resources from our business and operations and require us to incur significant expenses to defend the suit, which could harm our results of operations. Any such class action suit, whether or not successful, could harm our reputation and restrict our ability to raise capital in the future. In addition, if a claim is successfully made against us, we may be required to pay significant damages, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
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We may not be able to maintain our listing on Nasdaq which could limit investors’ ability to make transactions in EZGO’s securities and subject us to additional trading restrictions.
EZGO’s ordinary shares are listed on Nasdaq. We cannot assure you that EZGO’s ordinary shares will continue to be listed on Nasdaq in the future. In order to continue listing EZGO’s securities on Nasdaq, we must maintain certain financial, distribution and share price levels. Generally, we must (i) maintain a minimum amount in shareholders’ equity (generally above $2,500,000), maintain a minimum market value of listed securities (generally above $35,000,000) or have a minimum net income from operations for the prior year of for two of the preceding years (generally above $500,000); and (ii) a minimum number of publicly held shares (generally greater than 500,000) and a minimum number of public shareholders (generally greater than 300 shareholders). EZGO’s ordinary shares also cannot have a bid price of less than $1.00. Moreover, we must comply with certain listing standards regarding the independence of our board of directors and members of our audit committee. We intend to fully comply with these requirements, but we may not be able to meet these requirements in the future.
If Nasdaq delists EZGO’s securities from trading on its exchange and we are not able to list EZGO’s securities on another national securities exchange, we expect EZGO’s securities could be quoted on an over-the-counter market. If this were to occur, we could face significant material adverse consequences, including:
| ● | a limited availability of market quotations for EZGO’s securities; |
| ● | reduced liquidity for EZGO’s securities; |
| ● | a determination that EZGO’s ordinary shares are “penny stocks” which will require brokers trading in EZGO’s ordinary shares to adhere to more stringent rules and possibly result in a reduced level of trading activity in the secondary trading market for EZGO’s securities; |
| ● | a limited amount of news and analyst coverage; and |
| ● | a decreased ability to issue additional securities or obtain additional financing in the future. |
The National Securities Markets Improvement Act of 1996, which is a U.S. federal statute, prevents or preempts the states from regulating the sale of certain securities, which are referred to as “covered securities.” Because EZGO’s ordinary shares are listed on Nasdaq, such securities will be covered securities. Although the states are preempted from regulating the sale of EZGO’s securities, the federal statute does allow the states to investigate companies if there is a suspicion of fraud, and, if there is a finding of fraudulent activity, then the states can regulate or bar the sale of covered securities in a particular case. Further, if we were no longer listed on Nasdaq, EZGO’s securities would not be covered securities and we would be subject to regulations in each state in which we offer EZGO’s securities.
If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or reports about our business, or if they adversely change their recommendations regarding EZGO’s ordinary shares, the market price for EZGO’s ordinary shares and trading volume could decline.
The trading market for EZGO’s ordinary shares will be influenced by research or reports that industry or securities analysts publish about our business. If one or more analysts who cover us downgrade EZGO’s ordinary shares, the market price for EZGO’s ordinary shares would likely decline. If one or more of these analysts cease to cover us or fail to regularly publish reports on us, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which in turn could cause the market price or trading volume for EZGO’s ordinary shares to decline.
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The sale or availability for sale of substantial amounts of EZGO’s ordinary shares could adversely affect their market price.
Sales of substantial amounts of EZGO’s ordinary shares in the public market in the future, or the perception that these sales could occur, could adversely affect the market price of EZGO’s ordinary shares and could materially impair our ability to raise capital through equity offerings in the future. EZGO’s ordinary shares are freely tradable without restriction or further registration under the Securities Act, and shares held by our existing shareholders may also be sold in the public market in the future subject to the restrictions in Rule 144 and Rule 701 under the Securities Act and the applicable lock-up agreements. In connection with our initial public offering, we and each of our directors and officers, and certain shareholders agreed not to sell any ordinary shares for 12 months from January 25, 2021 without the prior written consent of the underwriter, subject to certain exceptions. However, the underwriters may release these securities from these restrictions at any time, subject to applicable regulations of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). In connection with our previous follow-on offering, our directors and officers agreed not to sell any ordinary shares for 90 days from June 1, 2021 without the prior written consent of the placement agent named therein, subject to certain exceptions. We cannot predict what effect, if any, market sales of securities held by our significant shareholders or any other shareholder or the availability of these securities for future sale will have on the market price of EZGO’s ordinary shares.
We may need additional capital and may sell additional ordinary shares or other equity securities or incur indebtedness, which could result in additional dilution to our shareholders or increase our debt service obligations.
We may require additional cash resources due to changed business conditions or other future developments, including any investments or acquisitions we may decide to pursue. If our cash resources are insufficient to satisfy our cash requirements, we may seek to sell additional equity or debt securities or obtain a credit facility. The sale of additional equity securities or equity-linked debt securities could result in additional dilution to our shareholders. The incurrence of indebtedness would result in debt service obligations and could result in operating and financing covenants that would restrict our operations. We cannot assure you that financing will be available in amounts or terms acceptable to us, if at all.
Techniques employed by short sellers may drive down the market price of the ordinary shares
Short selling is the practice of selling securities that the seller does not own but rather has borrowed from a third party with the intention of buying identical securities back at a later date to return to the lender. The short seller hopes to profit from a decline in the value of the securities between the sale of the borrowed securities and the purchase of the replacement shares, as the short seller expects to pay less in that purchase than it received in the sale. As it is in the short seller’s interest for the price of the security to decline, many short sellers publish, or arrange for the publication of, negative opinions and allegations regarding the relevant issuer and its business prospects in order to create negative market momentum and generate profits for themselves after selling a security short. These short attacks have, in the past, led to selling of shares in the market. If we were to become the subject of any unfavorable allegations, whether such allegations are proven to be true or untrue, we could have to expend a significant amount of resources to investigate such allegations and/or defend ourselves. While we would strongly defend against any such short seller attacks, we may be constrained in the manner in which we can proceed against the relevant short seller by principles of freedom of speech, applicable state law or issues of commercial confidentiality.
Because we do not expect to pay dividends in the foreseeable future, you must rely on price appreciation of EZGO’s ordinary shares for return on your investment.
We currently retain all of our available funds and any future earnings to fund the development and growth of our business. As a result, we do not expect to pay any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. Therefore, you should not rely on an investment in EZGO’s ordinary shares as a source for any future dividend income.
Our board of directors has complete discretion as to whether to distribute dividends. Even if our board of directors decides to declare and pay dividends, the timing, amount and form of future dividends, if any, will depend on, among other things, our future results of operations and cash flow, our capital requirements and surplus, the amount of distributions, if any, received by us from our subsidiaries, our financial condition, contractual restrictions and other factors deemed relevant by our board of directors. Accordingly, the return on your investment in EZGO’s ordinary shares will likely depend entirely upon any future price appreciation of EZGO’s ordinary shares. There is no guarantee that EZGO’s ordinary shares will appreciate in value in the future or even maintain the price at which you purchased EZGO’s ordinary shares. You may not realize a return on your investment in EZGO’s ordinary shares and you may even lose your entire investment.
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Our principal shareholders have substantial influence over our company. Their interests may not be aligned with the interests of our other shareholders, and they could prevent or cause a change of control or other transactions.
As of the date of this annual report, our executive officers and directors, together with each of our principal shareholders owning 5% or more of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares, beneficially own approximately 5,772,564 ordinary shares, or approximately 22.53% of our outstanding ordinary shares.
Accordingly, our executive officers and directors, together with principal shareholders owning 5% or more of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares, could have a significant influence in determining the outcome of any corporate transaction or other matter submitted to the shareholders for approval, including mergers, consolidations, the election of directors and other significant corporate actions. In cases where their interests are aligned and they vote together, these principal shareholders will also have the power to prevent or cause a change in control. Without the consent of some or all of these principal shareholders, we may be prevented from entering into transactions that could be beneficial to us or our minority shareholders. In addition, our directors and officers could violate their fiduciary duties by diverting business opportunities from us to themselves or others. The interests of our principal shareholders may differ from the interests of our other shareholders. The concentration in the ownership of EZGO’s ordinary shares may cause a material decline in the value of EZGO’s ordinary shares.
As a company incorporated in the BVI, we are relying on certain home country practices in relation to corporate governance matters that differ significantly from Nasdaq corporate governance listing standards. These practices may afford less protection to shareholders than they would enjoy if we complied fully with Nasdaq corporate governance listing standards.
As a business company incorporated in the BVI that is listed on Nasdaq, EZGO is subject to Nasdaq corporate governance listing standards. However, Nasdaq rules permit a foreign private issuer like EZGO to follow the corporate governance practices of its home country. Certain corporate governance practices in the BVI, which is EZGO’s home country, may differ significantly from Nasdaq corporate governance listing standards, including, but not limited to, board of directors independent requirements, director nomination procedures, compensation committee matters. EZGO is following its home country law instead of the Nasdaq listing rules that require EZGO to obtain shareholder approval for certain dilutive events, such as certain transactions other than a public offering involving issuances of a 20% or greater interest in the company, and acquisitions of the stock or assets of another company. As a result, EZGO’s shareholders may be afforded less protection than they otherwise would enjoy under Nasdaq corporate governance listing standards applicable to U.S. domestic issuers.
EZGO is a BVI company and, because judicial precedent regarding the rights of shareholders is more limited under BVI law than under U.S. law, you may have less protection for your shareholder rights than you would under U.S. law.
Our corporate affairs are governed by our memorandum and articles of association as amended and restated from time to time, the BVI Business Company Act, 2004 (as amended) (“BVI Act”) and the common law of the BVI. The rights of shareholders to take action against the directors, actions by minority shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors to us under BVI law are to a large extent governed by the common law of the BVI. The common law of the BVI is derived in part from comparatively limited judicial precedent in the BVI as well as that from English common law, which has persuasive, but not binding, authority on a court in the BVI. The rights of our shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors under BVI law are not as clearly established as they would be under statutes or judicial precedent in some jurisdictions in the United States. In particular, the BVI has a different body of securities laws than the United States. In addition, some U.S. states, such as Delaware, have more fully developed and judicially interpreted bodies of corporate law than the BVI. There is no statutory recognition in the BVI of judgments obtained in the United States, although the courts of the BVI will in certain circumstances recognize and enforce a non-penal judgment of a foreign court of competent jurisdiction without retrial on the merits. As a result of all of the above, public shareholders may have more difficulty in protecting their interests in the face of actions taken by management, members of the board of directors or controlling shareholders than they would as shareholders of a U.S. public company.
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We are a foreign private issuer and, as a result, will not be subject to U.S. proxy rules and will be subject to more lenient and less frequent Exchange Act reporting obligations than a U.S. issuer.
Because we qualify as a foreign private issuer under the Exchange Act, we are exempted from certain provisions of the Exchange Act that are applicable to U.S. public companies, including:
| ● | the sections of the Exchange Act that regulate the solicitation of proxies, consents or authorizations in respect of a security registered under the Exchange Act; |
| ● | the sections of the Exchange Act that require insiders to file public reports of their stock ownership and trading activities and impose liability on insiders who profit from trades made in a short period of time; and |
| ● | the rules under the Exchange Act that require the filing of quarterly reports on Form 10-Q containing unaudited financial and other specified information and current reports on Form 8-K upon the occurrence of specified significant events. |
In addition, foreign private issuers are not required to file their annual report on Form 20-F until 120 days after the end of each fiscal year, while U.S. domestic issuers that are not large accelerated filers or accelerated filers are required to file their annual report on Form 10-K within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year. Foreign private issuers are also exempt from Regulation FD, aimed at preventing issuers from making selective disclosures of material information. As a result, you may not have the same protections afforded to shareholders of companies that are not foreign private issuers.
We have incurred increased costs as a result of being a public company, particularly after we cease to qualify as an “emerging growth company.”
We are a public company and, as a result, have incurred significant legal, accounting and other expenses that we did not incur as a private company. 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. As a company with less than US$1.235 billion in revenues for our last fiscal year, we qualify as an “emerging growth company” pursuant to the JOBS Act. 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 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 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.
We expect these rules and regulations to increase our legal and financial compliance costs and to make some corporate activities more time-consuming and costly. After we are no longer an “emerging growth company,” we expect to incur significant expenses and devote substantial management effort toward ensuring compliance with the requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the other rules and regulations of the SEC. For example, as a result of becoming a public company, we will need to increase the number of independent directors and adopt policies regarding internal controls and disclosure controls and procedures. We also expect that operating as a public company will make it more difficult and more expensive for us to obtain director and officer liability insurance, and we may be required to accept reduced policy limits and coverage or incur substantially higher costs to obtain the same or similar coverage. In addition, we will 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. 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.
In the past, shareholders of a public company often brought securities class action suits against the company following periods of instability in the market price of that company’s securities. If we were involved in a class action suit, it could divert a significant amount of our management’s attention and other resources from our business and operations, which could harm our results of operations and require us to incur significant expenses to defend the suit. Any such class action suit, whether or not successful, could harm our reputation and restrict our ability to raise capital in the future. In addition, if a claim is successfully made against us, we may be required to pay significant damages, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
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We may lose our foreign private issuer status in the future, which could result in significant additional costs and expenses.
As discussed above, we are a foreign private issuer, and therefore, we are not required to comply with all of the periodic disclosure and current reporting requirements of the Exchange Act. The determination of foreign private issuer status is made annually on the last business day of an issuer’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter, and, accordingly, the next determination will be made with respect to us on March 31, 2022. In the future, we would lose our foreign private issuer status if (1) more than 50% of our outstanding voting securities are owned by U.S. residents and (2) a majority of our directors or executive officers are U.S. citizens or residents, or we fail to meet additional requirements necessary to avoid loss of foreign private issuer status. If we lose our foreign private issuer status, we will be required to file with the SEC periodic reports and registration statements on U.S. domestic issuer forms, which are more detailed and extensive than the forms available to a foreign private issuer. We will also have to mandatorily comply with U.S. federal proxy requirements, and our officers, directors and principal shareholders will become subject to the short-swing profit disclosure and recovery provisions of Section 16 of the Exchange Act. In addition, we will lose our ability to rely upon exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements under the listing rules of the Nasdaq. As a U.S. listed public company that is not a foreign private issuer, we will incur significant additional legal, accounting and other expenses that we will not incur as a foreign private issuer.
As an “emerging growth company” under the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act, or JOBS Act, we are permitted to, and relying on exemptions from certain disclosure requirements.
As an “emerging growth company” under the JOBS Act, we are permitted to, and relying on exemptions from certain disclosure requirements. We are an emerging growth company until the earliest of:
| ● | the last day of the fiscal year during which we have total annual gross revenues of $1.235 billion or more; |
| ● | the last day of the fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of our initial public offering; |
| ● | the date on which we have, during the previous three-year period, issued more than $1 billion in non-convertible debt; or |
| ● | the date on which we are deemed a “large accelerated issuer” as defined under the federal securities laws. |
For so long as we remain an emerging growth company, we may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to 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 for up to five fiscal years after the date of our initial public offering. We cannot predict if investors will find EZGO’s ordinary shares less attractive because we may rely on these exemptions. If some investors find EZGO’s ordinary shares less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for EZGO’s ordinary shares and the trading price of EZGO’s ordinary shares may be more volatile. In addition, our costs of operating as a public company may increase when we cease to be an emerging growth company.
There can be no assurance that we will not be a passive foreign investment company, or PFIC, for United States federal income tax purposes for any taxable year, which could subject United States investors in EZGO’s ordinary shares to significant adverse United States income tax consequences.
A non-United States corporation, such as our company, will be classified as a PFIC, for U.S. federal income tax purposes for any taxable year, if either (i) 75% or more of its gross income for such year consists of certain types of “passive” income or (ii) 50% or more of the value of its assets (determined on the basis of a quarterly average) during such year is attributable to assets that produce or are held for the production of passive income.
Based on our current composition of assets, subsidiaries and market capitalization (which will fluctuate from time to time), we do not expect to be or become a PFIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes. However, the determination of whether we will be or become a PFIC will depend, in part, upon the value of our goodwill and other unrecorded intangibles. Furthermore, the determination of whether we will be or become a PFIC will depend, in part, on the composition of our income and assets. Fluctuations in the market price of EZGO’s ordinary shares may cause us to become a PFIC for the current or subsequent taxable years. The composition of our income and assets may also be affected by how, and how quickly, we use our liquid assets and the cash raised in our offerings. In addition, because there are uncertainties in the application of the relevant rules, it is possible that the Internal Revenue Service may challenge our classification of certain income and assets as non-passive or our valuation of our tangible and intangible assets.
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Because determination of PFIC status is a fact-intensive inquiry made on an annual basis that depends upon the composition of our assets and income, no assurance can be given that we are not or will not become classified as a PFIC. If we were to be or become classified as a PFIC in any taxable year, a U.S. Holder (as defined in “ITEM 10. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION – 10.E.Taxation — United States Federal Income Taxation”) may incur significantly increased U.S. federal income tax on gain recognized on the sale or other disposition of EZGO’s ordinary shares and on the receipt of distributions on the ordinary shares to the extent such gain or distributions is treated as an “excess distribution” under the U.S. federal income tax rules. Further, if we are classified as a PFIC for any year during which a U.S. Holder holds EZGO’s ordinary shares, we generally will continue to be treated as a PFIC for all succeeding years during which such U.S. Holder holds EZGO’s ordinary shares. You are urged to consult your tax advisor concerning the United States federal income tax consequences of acquiring, holding, and disposing of ordinary shares if we are or become classified as a PFIC. For more information, see “ITEM 10. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION – 10.E.Taxation — United States Federal Income Taxation.”
You may face difficulties in protecting your interests, and your ability to protect your rights through U.S. courts may be limited, because we are incorporated under BVI law.
EZGO is a company incorporated under the laws of the BVI. As a result, it may be difficult for investors to enforce judgments obtained in the United States courts against our directors or officers.
Our corporate affairs are governed by our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, the BVI Act and the common law of the BVI. The rights of shareholders to take action against the directors, actions by minority shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors to us under BVI law are governed by the BVI Act and the common law of the BVI. The common law of the BVI is derived from English common law, and while the decisions of the English courts are of persuasive authority, they are not binding on a court in the BVI. The rights of our shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors under BVI law may not be as clearly established as they would be under statutes or judicial precedent in some jurisdictions in the United States. In particular, the BVI has a less developed body of securities laws as compared to the United States, and some states, such as Delaware, have more fully developed and judicially interpreted bodies of corporate law. In addition, while statutory provisions do exist in BVI law for derivative actions to be brought in certain circumstances, shareholders in BVI companies may not have standing to initiate a shareholder derivative action in a federal court of the United States. The circumstances in which any such action may be brought, and the procedures and defenses that may be available with respect to any such action, may result in the rights of shareholders of a BVI company being more limited than those of shareholders of a company organized in the United States. Accordingly, shareholders may have fewer alternatives available to them if they believe that corporate wrongdoing has occurred.
The BVI courts are also unlikely:
| ● | to recognize or enforce against us judgments of courts of the United States based on certain civil liability provisions of U.S. securities laws where that liability is in respect of penalties, taxes, fines or similar fiscal or revenue obligations of the company; and |
| ● | to impose liabilities against us, in original actions brought in the BVI, based on certain civil liability provisions of U.S. securities laws that are penal in nature. |
There is no statutory recognition in the BVI of judgments obtained in the United States, although the courts of the BVI will in certain circumstances recognize such a foreign judgment and treat it as a cause of action in itself which may be sued upon as a debt at common law so that no retrial of the issues would be necessary provided that:
| ● | the U.S. court issuing the judgment had jurisdiction in the matter and the company either submitted to such jurisdiction or was resident or carrying on business within such jurisdiction and was duly served with process; |
| ● | The judgement is final and for a liquidated sum; |
| ● | the judgment given by the U.S. court was not in respect of penalties, taxes, fines or similar fiscal or revenue obligations of the company; |
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| ● | in obtaining judgment there was no fraud on the part of the person in whose favor judgment was given or on the part of the U.S. court; |
| ● | recognition or enforcement of the judgment would not be contrary to public policy in the BVI; and |
| ● | the proceedings pursuant to which judgment was obtained were not contrary to natural justice. |
As a result of all of the above, public shareholders may have more difficulty in protecting their interests in the face of actions taken by our board of directors, management or controlling shareholders than they would as public shareholders of a U.S. company.
Judgments obtained against us by our shareholders may not be enforceable.
We are a BVI company and substantially all of our assets are located outside of the United States. Substantially all of our current operations are conducted in China. In addition, certain of our directors and officers reside outside the United States. As a result, it may be difficult for you to effect service of process within the United States or elsewhere outside China upon these persons. It may also be difficult for you to enforce in China or BVI courts judgments obtained in U.S. courts based on the civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities laws against us and our officers and directors, most of whom are not residents in the United States and the substantial majority of whose assets are located outside of the United States. It may be difficult or impossible for you to bring an action against us in the BVI if you believe your rights under the U.S. securities laws have been infringed. In addition, there is uncertainty as to whether the courts of the BVI or China would recognize or enforce judgments of U.S. courts against us or such persons predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state and it is uncertain whether such BVI or China courts would hear original actions brought in the BVI or China against us or such persons predicated upon the securities laws of the United States or any state.
Provisions in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may inhibit a takeover of us, which could limit the price investors might be willing to pay in the future for our shares and could entrench management.
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association contain provisions that may discourage unsolicited takeover proposals that shareholders may consider to be in their best interests. These provisions include a staggered board of directors and the ability of the board of directors to designate the terms of and issue new series of preferred shares, which may make the removal of management more difficult and may discourage transactions that otherwise could involve payment of a premium over prevailing market prices for our shares.
Restrictive covenants related to our previous registered direct offering may restrict our ability to obtain future financing.
Under the securities purchase agreement with certain accredited investors (the “previous registered direct offering investors”) in connection with the previous registered direct offering, we are prohibited from entering into any Variable Rate Transaction (defined below) until such date that no warrants in connection with the previous registered direct offering remain outstanding. “Variable Rate Transaction” means a transaction in which the company (i) issues or sells any debt or equity securities that are convertible into, exchangeable or exercisable for, or include the right to receive additional ordinary shares either (A) at a conversion price, exercise price or exchange rate or other price that is based upon and/or varies with the trading prices of or quotations for the ordinary shares at any time after the initial issuance of such debt or equity securities, or (B) with a conversion, exercise or exchange price that is subject to being reset at some future date after the initial issuance of such debt or equity security or upon the occurrence of specified or contingent events directly or indirectly related to the business of the company or the market for the ordinary shares or (ii) enters into, or effects a transaction under, any agreement, including, but not limited to, an equity line of credit, whereby the company may issue securities at a future determined price.
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In addition, we granted the previous registered direct offering investors a 30% right of participation (on a pro-rata basis) with respect to any debt or equity linked financings undertaken by us for one year following the closing of the previous registered direct offering. These participation rights could severely impact our ability to engage investment bankers to structure a financing transaction and raise additional financing on favorable terms. Furthermore, negotiating and obtaining a waiver to these participation rights may either not be possible or may be costly to us.
We are subject to changing law and regulations regarding regulatory matters, corporate governance and public disclosure that have increased both our costs and the risk of non-compliance.
We are subject to rules and regulations by various governing bodies, including, for example, the Securities and Exchange Commission, which are charged with the protection of investors and the oversight of companies whose securities are publicly traded, and to new and evolving regulatory measures under applicable law. Our efforts to comply with new and changing laws and regulations have resulted in and are likely to continue to result in, increased general and administrative expenses and a diversion of management time and attention from revenue generating activities to compliance activities.
Moreover, because these laws, regulations and standards are subject to varying interpretations, their application in practice may evolve over time as new guidance becomes available. This evolution may result in continuing uncertainty regarding compliance matters and additional costs necessitated by ongoing revisions to our disclosure and governance practices. If EZGO fails to address and comply with these regulations and any subsequent changes, EZGO may be subject to penalty and its business through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China may be harmed.
Handling of mail
Mail addressed to EZGO and received at its registered office will be forwarded unopened to the forwarding address supplied by EZGO to be dealt with. None of EZGO, its directors, officers, advisors or service providers (including the organization which provides registered office services in the BVI) will bear any responsibility for any delay howsoever caused in mail reaching the forwarding address.
ITEM 4. INFORMATION ON THE COMPANY
4A. History and Development of the Company
EZGO was incorporated in the BVI on January 24, 2019. EZGO’s wholly owned subsidiary, EZGO HK, was incorporated in Hong Kong on February 13, 2019. EZGO HK, in turn, holds all of the capital stock of Changzhou EZGO, which was incorporated in China on June 12, 2019 and Changzhou Langyi, which was incorporated in China on August 6, 2021. Changzhou EZGO controls the VIE through the VIE Agreements. See “— Contractual Arrangements with the VIE and Its Shareholders.” EZGO conducts its business in the PRC primarily though the VIE and its subsidiaries, Hengmao Power Battery, a PRC company of which 80.87% of equity interest is owned by the VIE, Jiangsu Cenbird, a PRC company of which 51% of equity interest is owned by the VIE, Yizhiying IoT, a PRC company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of the VIE, Tianjin Dilang, a PRC company of which Yizhiying IoT owns 80% of equity interest, and Tianjin Jiahao, a PRC company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of the VIE, since EZGO obtained the rights to determine the most significant economic activities and receives the majority of the economic benefits of the VIE through contractual arrangements in November 2019.
As a result of such series of contractual arrangements, EZGO and its subsidiaries become the primary beneficiary of the VIE for accounting purposes and the VIE as a PRC consolidated entity under U.S. GAAP. We consolidate the financial results of the VIE and its subsidiaries in our consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Neither we nor our investors own any equity ownership in, direct foreign investment in, or control through such ownership/investment of the VIE. These contractual arrangements have not been tested in a court of law in the PRC. As a result, investors in EZGO’s ordinary shares are not purchasing an equity interest in the VIE or its subsidiaries but instead are purchasing an equity interest in EZGO, the BVI holding company.
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On March 12, 2021, the VIE entered into an Asset Purchase Arrangement Agreement (“Asset Purchase Arrangement Agreement”) with Benlin Huang, an individual, and Tianjin Jiahao, a non-affiliated third party, pursuant to which the VIE agreed to purchase certain land and plants of Tianjin Jiahao (the “Target Assets”) for the Company’s future production and business development, for an aggregate purchase price of US$10,164,204, of which US$2,800,000 was paid as a deposit by EZGO in cash on March 15, 2021, with the remaining RMB50,000,000 (approximately US$7,364,204) to be paid upon the satisfaction of the closing conditions in order to complete of the acquisition, including Benlin Huang’s exclusive ownership of the Target Assets, our further due diligence of Tianjin Jiahao’s historical material indebtedness and the good and marketable title of the Target Assets and the renewal of Tianjin Jiahao’s business scope on its business certificate. On April 2, 2021, the VIE received a written Notice of Assignment, pursuant to which Benlin Huang assigned and transferred all of his rights, titles and obligations under the Asset Purchase Arrangement Agreement to Shanghai Mingli New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (“Shanghai Mingli”).
On April 19, 2021, the VIE entered into a Shares Purchase Agreement with Shanghai Mingli and Tianjin Jiahao (“Shares Purchase Agreement”), pursuant to which the VIE obtained the right to purchase 100% of the outstanding shares of Shanghai Mingli, the owner of the title of the Target Assets. RMB15,000,000 (approximately US$2,209,261.22) of the cash consideration was paid on April 20, 2021 pursuant to the Shares Purchase Agreement, with the remaining RMB35,000,000 (approximately US$5,154,942.85) to be paid upon closing, which is subject to the closing conditions including the completion of the transfer of the title of the Target Assets and the registration of the acquisition with PRC governmental authorities.
The Asset Purchase Arrangement Agreement and Shares Purchase Agreement contain customary representations and warranties from the selling parties and the VIE. We are entitled to indemnification for breaches by the selling parties of its representations and warranties.
On June 28, 2021, the acquisition of Tianjin Jiahao and the Target Assets was completed and Tianjin Jiahao became the VIE’s wholly owned subsidiary. With the completion of this acquisition, we have more than 35,000 square meters of factory land, including two factory buildings and an administration building, and a construction area of approximately 11,000 square meters. We also have the flexibility to construct an additional 40,000 square meters of production factory buildings on this land, located in the Beijing-Tianjin Science and Technology Valley in the Wuqing District of Tianjin, which is a part of China’s Bicycle Kingdom Industrial Zone. The estimated production capacity of the existing factory buildings purchased in this transaction is 100,000 units of two-wheeled e-bicycles. The estimated production capacity of the factory building that may be built on the remaining land purchased is anticipated to be approximately 500,000 units of two-wheeled e-bicycles. As of the date of this annual report, our current production capacity at our leased factory in Nancai Town of Tianjin is nearly 300,000 e-bicycles, with actual capacity of 150,000 e-bicycles due to limited turnover space. This acquisition of the Target Assets enables us to significantly ramp production of the e-bicycles following our completion of the national first-class electric motorcycle qualification application.
Our principal executive offices are located at Building #A, Floor 2, Changzhou Institute of Dalian University of Technology, Science and Education Town, Wujin District, Changzhou City, Jiangsu, China 213164, and our phone number is + 86 51983683805. We maintain a corporate website at www.ezgotech.com.cn. The information contained in, or accessible from, our website or any other website does not constitute a part of this annual report.
Recent Developments
On July 21, 2022, EZGO entered into a securities purchase agreement (the “SPA”) with certain “non-U.S. Persons” (the “Purchasers”) as defined in Regulation S of the Securities Act, pursuant to which EZGO agreed to sell 10,000,000 ordinary shares (the “Shares”), at a per share purchase price of $0.80 (the “Reg S Offering”). The gross proceeds to the Company from the Reg S Offering were US$8.0 million. Upon closing of the Reg S Offering, there were 23,626,891 ordinary shares issued and outstanding. The Purchasers have each made customary representations, warranties and covenants. The Shares were issued to Purchasers upon satisfaction of all closing conditions, including Nasdaq’s completion of its review of the notification to Nasdaq regarding the listing of the Shares. The Shares issued in the Reg S Offering are exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, pursuant to Regulation S promulgated thereunder.
On August 8, 2022, upon the Compensation Committee’s approval and pursuant to EZGO’s 2022 Share Incentive Plan, EZGO awarded 320,000, 200,000, 330,000 and 150,000 ordinary shares to Zhixiang Wen, Xiaofei Han, Yuxing Liu and Huiyan Xie, respectively, all of whom are employees of EZGO, except Xiaofei Han who is a consultant of EZGO. The ordinary shares awarded to Zhixiang Wen and Xiaofei Han vested immediately as of the date of grant. The ordinary shares awarded to Yuxing Liu will vest on the first anniversary of the date of grant. The ordinary shares awarded to Huiyan Xie will vest on the second anniversary of the date of grant. The aggregate fair value of the ordinary shares awarded were $240,000, $150,000, $247,500 and $112,500, respectively, based on the closing price of EZGO’s ordinary shares on the date of grant.
On November 30, 2022, the SEC declared effective EZGO’s Registration Statement on Form F-3 (the “Shelf Registration Statement”). Pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement, EZGO may offer for sale up to US$200,000,000 of EZGO’s securities in public and private transactions, subject to certain limitations. As of the date of this annual report on Form 20-F, we have not yet sold any of our securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement.
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4B. Business Overview
EZGO is a holding company incorporated in the BVI with operating subsidiaries, the VIE, in which EZGO does not hold any equity interest, and VIE’s subsidiaries, and with substantially all of its operations and assets in China. As a holding company with no material operations of its own, EZGO conducts its business in China through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries. Through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China, EZGO’s vision is to be a leading short-distance transportation solutions provider in China. Leveraging its Internet of Things (“IoT”) product and service platform, EZGO has preliminarily established a business model centered on the sale of e-bicycles and battery and cells, complemented by sale of battery packs and its charging pile business through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China. Currently, EZGO (i) designs, manufactures, rents and sells e-bicycles and e-tricycles; (ii) rents and sells lithium batteries; and (iii) sells, franchises, and operates smart charging piles for e-bicycles and other electronic devices primarily through the VIE and its subsidiaries in China, and sells battery packs partially through the WFOE.
The e-bicycles are models under the PRC Safety Technical Specification for Electric Bicycles (GB 17761-2018) (also referred to generally as the “New National Standards for Electric Bicycles” and referred to herein as the “New National Standards”) (“new standards e-bicycles”) and there are no domestic law and regulations related to urban e-tricycles. Tianjin Dilang produces and sells the urban e-tricycles in suburban areas in Beijing and Tianjin. In addition, the two-wheel electric vehicle models that do not comply with the new standards e-bicycles that are manufactured under the New National Standards (“non-new standards e-bicycles”) are manufactured under the PRC National Standard General Specification for Electric Motorcycle and Electric Mopeds (GB/T24158-2018) (“General Specification Standard”), which came into effect on April 1, 2019. None of EZGO, the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China produces any non-new standards e-bicycles. As of September 30, 2022, EZGO, through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China, did not have non-new standards e-bicycles as our property, plants and equipment and no impairment was recognized for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2020, 2021 and 2022.
To date, EZGO, through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China, has engaged in the business of battery packs sales, which accounted for approximately 21%, 18% and 40% of its total revenues for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2020, 2021 and 2022, respectively. The revenue from e-bicycles sales accounted for approximately 73%, 78% and 54% of its total revenues for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2020, 2021 and 2022, respectively. For the fiscal years ended September 30, 2020, 2021 and 2022, as the self-developed smart charging piles for e-bicycles and other electronic devices have not yet entered into large-scale production and sales, the revenue from this business accounted for a small proportion of EZGO’s total revenues. For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022, the revenue from our smart charging piles business accounted for 3% of EZGO’s total revenues.
EZGO, through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China, is committed to providing cost-effective and convenient solutions for short distance travelers through the design, manufacture, rental and sale of high-quality e-bicycles, with lightweight and high endurance lithium batteries, to meet different levels of consumer demand, and through the operation of smart charging piles in communities. EZGO, through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China, also plans to launch its online 4S (which stands for Sale, Spare-part supply, after-sale Service and Survey) services to enhance its sales capacity by combining its online sales portals and offline service and support channels.
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History and Milestones
The chart below illustrates the history and milestones of our company:
We commenced lithium battery pouch cell manufacture in May 2014 through Hengmao Power Battery and were one of the earliest private enterprises to manufacture lithium battery pouch cell in China. We established a mature lithium battery production process in a facility of approximately 15,000 square meters (approximately 161,460 square feet), equipped with four high-capacity lithium battery cell production lines and an annual production capacity of 100 million Ah lithium battery cells. However, due to changes in the Chinese government’s energy subsidy policies, and the concentration of industrial production capacity in a few leading companies in China, competition in the lithium battery industry intensified. As a result, we gradually shifted our focus from lithium battery cell manufacturing to battery packing since October 2018. We launched our lithium battery rental business in January 2017, targeting delivery service professionals, such as EMS, express service providers, and online meal deliverymen for platforms such as Meituan and Elema in Changzhou. In September 2017, we launched our e-bicycle rental business, targeting deliverymen, students, business travelers, migrant workers and also entered into agreements with our individual sublease agents to provide such service. However, we do not have any contractual arrangement with specific delivery service provider. We had not provided any online service until May 2018 whereby we launched our first online mobile application, Yidianxing, to run our IoT battery rental business. In October 2018, we decided to make a strategic shift from battery cell manufacturing to focus on the packing and sale of lithium batteries and the rental of lithium batteries and e-bicycles. In August 2018, we established Yizhiying IoT to develop and manage our IoT platform. Through Yizhiying IoT, we have continued to upgrade and enhance our IoT operating platform. In December 2018, we renewed a new version of our Yidianxing mobile application for the e-bicycles and battery rental business. For the ease of convenience for end-users’ experience and our system maintenance, we launched Wechat applet to replace the old mobile application in December 2019. To date, Yizhiying IoT has expanded our IoT platform to cover cities including Changzhou, Wenzhou and Wuhu.
In December 2018, we sold all of Hengmao Power Battery’s battery cell production lines and fully concentrated our business on the packing, rental and sale of lithium battery and e-bicycles.
On April 15, 2019, the New National Standards became effective in China. The New National Standards set out requirements for e-bicycles that include a pedal-riding function i.e. the speed of such e-bicycles cannot exceed 25 km/h and their weight should be no more than 55 kg. The New National Standards also mandate that the voltage shall not exceed 48V and that motor power shall not exceed 400W, among other limitations. The New National Standards also prohibits any sale of e-bicycles that do not comply with the standards. As to the use of non-new standards e-bicycles, the State Administration of Market Supervision, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Ministry of Public Security jointly issued an order “2019 No. 53 - Strengthening the Supervision of the Implementation of National Standards for Electric Bicycles” (the “Order No. 53”). According to Article 4 of Order No. 53, each provincial government should provide a grace period and issue a temporary permission license to the owners of the non-new standards e-bicycles. The grace period for the use of non-new national standard e-bicycles in most provinces, including Jiangsu, is five years from April 15, 2019. Within the grace period, people can legally use, purchase, rent and ride non-new standard e-bicycles.
We assessed the business opportunities for the new standards e-bicycle market and concluded that most of the external suppliers of the e-bicycles’ components are located in three regions in China, namely, the Changzhou and Wuxi region, the Zhejiang and Taizhou region and Tianjin region. All of these regions are in close proximity to our Changzhou headquarters and our Tianjin factories. As a result, we can purchase the key components of new standards e-bicycles from external suppliers in Tianjin and Jiangsu. We usually purchase our components on an order basis and we will consider entering into long-term agreements with the suppliers guaranteeing a regular supply of those components in the future if necessary.
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On July 30, 2019, we established the VIE as a holding and management company, holding 80.87% of the equity of Hengmao Power Battery (the remaining equity being owned by two institutional investors) and 100% of the equity of Yizhiying IoT. On September 6, 2019, for the purpose of expanding our sales channels and strengthening the capabilities in research and development in developing e-bicycles, we decided to cooperate with Jiangsu Cenbird. Yuxing Liu, the general manager and former shareholder of Jiangsu Cenbird, signed the equity transfer agreement with the VIE on September 6, 2019, which stipulated that Yuxing Liu would transfer 51% of his equity interest of Jiangsu Cenbird to the VIE. Through the VIE, we invested RMB5.1 million, accounting for 51% of the equity interest of Jiangsu Cenbird. Another shareholder of Jiangsu Cenbird, Yan Fang, also invested RMB4.9 million, accounting for 49% of the equity interest of Jiangsu Cenbird. Yan Fang’s family owns Changzhou Cenbird Electric Bicycle Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (“Changzhou Cenbird”), an entity with almost 20 years of experience manufacturing non-new standards e-bicycles, which exports its products to many countries, including the United States. Changzhou Cenbird’s e-scooter, a commuter vehicle in San Francisco since 2016, was jointly developed with Ojo Electric LLC (formerly known as eUrban LLC), a U.S. based company. Through this transaction, we have the right to use the “Cenbird” trademark, a well-known brand of e-bicycles in Jiangsu Province; e-bicycle design and sale capabilities; and sales channels through which we may export products to the potential customers and existing customers from United States, Brazil, Israel and Southeast Asia in the future.
To further complete our e-bicycle product and services ecosystem, we began developing our own smart charging piles under the brand named “Hengdian” in November 2018. We finished designing the smart charging piles in August 2019 and sent the prototype to Wuxi Institute for Product Quality Inspection for testing. In December 2019, we received a certificate of quality control issued by the Wuxi Institute for Product Quality Inspection for our smart charging piles. Our smart charging pile business includes hardware provision to franchisees with whom we enter into co-investment and income-sharing arrangements, and self-operation. Our smart charging piles satisfy the highest electric spark fire protection standards that are obtainable in the PRC, IoT smart control capability, which allows us to remotely monitor the charging status of each port, and a broad voltage range, and can be used to charge e-bicycles, mobile phones and laptops. The M version of our smart charging piles, which is currently under research and development, will be portable and can be used both at fixed locations like park and on long-distance coaches and tour buses. Our smart charging piles can also serve as advertising terminals, which increases their value-adding potential to our company.
On March 12, 2021, the VIE entered into the Asset Purchase Arrangement Agreement with Benlin Huang, an individual, and Tianjin Jiahao, pursuant to which the VIE agreed to purchase the Target Assets for the Company’s future production and business development, for an aggregate purchase price of US$10,164,204, of which US$2,800,000 was paid as a deposit by EZGO in cash on March 15, 2021, with the remaining RMB50,000,000 (approximately US$7,364,204) to be paid upon the satisfaction of the closing conditions in order to complete of the acquisition, including Benlin Huang’s exclusive ownership of the Target Assets, our further due diligence of Tianjin Jiahao’s historical material indebtedness and the good and marketable title of the Target Assets and the renewal of Tianjin Jiahao’s business scope on its business certificate. On April 2, 2021, the VIE received a written Notice of Assignment, pursuant to which Benlin Huang assigned and transferred all of his rights, titles and obligations under the Asset Purchase Arrangement Agreement to Shanghai Mingli.
On April 19, 2021, the VIE entered into the Shares Purchase Agreement with Shanghai Mingli and Tianjin Jiahao, pursuant to which the VIE obtained the right to purchase 100% of the outstanding shares of Shanghai Mingli, the owner of the title of the Target Assets. RMB15,000,000 (approximately US$2,209,261) of the cash consideration was paid on April 20, 2021 pursuant to the Shares Purchase Agreement, with the remaining RMB35,000,000 (approximately US$5,154,943) to be paid upon closing, which is subject to the closing conditions including the completion of the transfer of the title of the Target Assets and the registration of the acquisition with PRC governmental authorities.
The Asset Purchase Arrangement Agreement and Shares Purchase Agreement contain customary representations and warranties from the selling parties and the VIE. We are entitled to indemnification for breaches by the selling parties of its representations and warranties.
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On June 28, 2021, the acquisition of Tianjin Jiahao and the Target Assets was completed and Tianjin Jiahao became the VIE’s wholly owned subsidiary. With the completion of this acquisition, we have more than 35,000 square meters of factory land, including two factory buildings and an administration building, and a construction area of approximately 11,000 square meters. We also have the flexibility to construct an additional 40,000 square meters of production factory buildings on this land, located in the Beijing-Tianjin Science and Technology Valley in the Wuqing District of Tianjin, which is a part of China’s Bicycle Kingdom Industrial Zone. The estimated production capacity of the existing factory buildings purchased in this transaction is 100,000 units of two-wheeled e-bicycles. The estimated production capacity of the factory building that may be built on the remaining land purchased is anticipated to be approximately 500,000 units of two-wheeled e-bicycles. As of the date of this annual report, our current production capacity at our leased factory in Nancai Town of Tianjin is nearly 300,000 e-bicycles, with actual capacity of 150,000 e-bicycles due to limited turnover space. This acquisition of the Target Assets enables us to significantly ramp production of the e-bicycles following our completion of the national first-class electric motorcycle qualification application.
Competitive Strengths
We believe that the following strengths contribute to our success and are the differentiating factors that set us apart from our peers:
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A Deep Understanding of the Industry. Our team has been working on the two-wheeled and three-wheeled e-bicycle industry for almost 20 years. Meanwhile, our research and development department has recruited a number of professionals with strong industry background and research experience, who also have the access to know the latest market needs of short-distance transportation and the ability to develop suitable products serving the demands in a fast fashion.
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Cost-effective E-bicycles. We have upgraded our production equipment and we have been able to manufacture more cost-effective products. After purchasing new factory and production line, our e-bicycle annual production capacity increases from 300,000 to 500,000 units, and the product quality remains consistent. Due to the boost of production efficiency, we expanded our production scale and hence the production cost decreased, which enables us to provide more cost-effective products.
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| ● | Wide Distribution Network. We maintain a wide distribution network which allows us to sell our products both domestically and internationally. With the help of our domestic distributors, we are able to sell our products in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei urban agglomeration area, the Yangtze River Delta metropolitan area, the Zhujiang River Delta metropolitan area and several inland central cities. We plan to export products to potential customers and existing customers from United States, Brazil, Israel and Southeast Asia in the future. |
Accumulated Industry Resources
Our management and key personnel have several years of experience in the lithium battery industry, the e-bicycle industry and the e-commerce industry, which we believe will boost our marketing. For example, Dr. Henglong Chen, one of the early founders of Hengmao Battery, has extensive experience in lithium battery industry. Mr. Yuxing Liu, the General Manager of Jiangsu Cenbird, entered into the e-bicycle industry in 1999 and created the brand of Cenbird e-bicycle in December 2000. Mr. Huiyan Xie, the General Manager of Tianjin Dilang, has over ten years’ industry experiences in e-bicycle manufacturing and marketing. Mr. Xiaosong Qin, our executive vice president since August 2020, has extensive experience both in business and investment management. He has a master’s of business administration from Leonard N. Stern School of Business, New York University. He currently resides in the United States and is responsible for our business development in North America and Latin America.
In addition, we have developed a strategic alliance with the Jiangsu Institute of Research of Dalian University of Technology since July 2019. Pursuant to our agreement, the research institute will provide us with personnel training, technologies sharing and technical supports, helping to expedite our long-term development plans.
Advanced Operations Model
One of our competitive advantages, we believe, lies in our advanced operations model. We manage our costs and expenses through outsourcing. Through our smart charging piles, we expect to be able to acquire information about customers and to promote our products and services. We also promote our products and services through the advertisement on WeChat applet for our smart charging piles, sell products through social media and e-commerce platforms (including TikTok and Taobao Live) and apply O2O (“online to offline”) and B2B2C (“business to business to consumer”) marketing models. According to our internal estimates, these marketing models, compared with having offline stores only, has saved us more than 5% of sales expenses and have increased our margins. In addition, our experienced information technology team has built a basic IoT platform that we believe puts us ahead of our competitors with no IoT platform for their products and/or services.
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Quality Products and Services
We seek to innovate and enhance our existing mature e-bicycle models so that we can offer competitive pricings. In our manufacturing processes of e-bicycles, we aim to control cost while maintaining quality, through the application of lean production methods and Total Quality Management practices.
Consistent with our efforts to provide high-quality products, we strive to provide high-quality services. We aim to help satisfying customers’ long term, rather merely serving their short-term needs. This approach has guided the development of our online 4S services for quick-response maintenance, and our design of high-endurance batteries for takeaway food deliverymen.
We use A-level battery cells to pack our batteries, and our battery management system has evolved as we accumulate technology improvements and experience. As a result, our self-produced batteries have approximately an average of 10% longer usage duration than the national standards for lithium batteries that took effect in July 2019 (GB T36972-2018).
Our Strategies
We expect that in the next five years (2023-2027), we will gradually build ourselves into a company focusing on the design, research and development, production, manufacturing and sales services of e-bicycles, and achieve a market share of more than 1% in the e-bicycle industry in mainland China. At the same time, we will layout the global e-bicycle market, and strive to achieve a global sales of more than 500,000 units by 2027. In the mainland China market, we have established sales and service networks based on the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei urban agglomeration, the Yangtze River Delta metropolitan area, the Pearl River Delta metropolitan area, and inland central cities such as Chengdu, Xi’an, and Zhengzhou. We also built e-bicycles charging networks with regional dealers. Relying on the strategy of “follow up, innovation and moderate leadership” and leveraging resource sharing and cost leadership, we will integrate high-quality resources by acquisitions in our industry, and gradually established the “independent innovation product system” and “high-quality supply chain service system”.
We focus on the design, research and development, production and manufacturing of e-bicycles, medium and high speed e-motorcycles and e-scooters. We have gradually built an intelligent short-distance transportation network strategy that integrates sales of e-bicycle, charging and leasing of lithium battery, and operation and maintenance services of e-bicycles, so as to provide comprehensive e-bicycle and lithium battery products and services for short-distance travellers. We are building an ecological chain from design, development, production, sales, leasing and operation of both e-bicycles and lithium battery, to charging and replacement services. Our vision is to become a leading short-distance travel solution provider and new energy system operator in China.
Our Products and Services
Our product portfolio includes lithium batteries, Dilang-brand and Cenbird-brand e-bicycles and e-tricycles, EZGO-brand e-bicycles, and Hengdian-brand smart charging piles. We (i) design, manufacture, rent and sell e-bicycles and e-tricycles; (ii) rent and sell lithium batteries; and (iii) sell, franchise, and operate smart charging piles for e-bicycles and other electronic devices. We also provide after-sales services for our e-bicycles, including technical support, parts supply and sales of peripheral products and derivatives, including raincoats, helmets, and mobile phone brackets.
Batteries
In December 2018, we ceased battery cell manufacture, although we still engage in battery cell trading. For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022, we entered into a lithium battery sales contract with downstream customers first, and then purchased from a suitable upstream supplier, and resold the batteries to the downstream customers. In battery trading, we provide storage and bear the risk of inventory for several months. All the quality assurance risks are borne by the suppliers. We are able to quickly match buyers and sellers leveraging our resources in the industry accumulated over the years of our manufacturing and trading lithium batteries, including industry information, business relationship and industry reputation.
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At the same time, we pack, rent and sell batteries. If a large number of battery packs are needed, we will either purchase the battery cells and assemble the batteries by ourselves or outsource to third-party manufacturers.
Our battery cells trading and battery packs sales for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2020, 2021 and 2022 were approximately $3.1 million, $4.3 million and $7.0 million, respectively, mainly from our existing trade partnerships. In the future, we will continue to engage in trading business, especially those that could use our battery packing capabilities and our special e-bicycle battery models such as our 60V and 48V batteries.
Below are some of our bicycle battery models such as our 60V and 48V batteries:
48V24A Lithium Battery
60V20Ah Lithium Battery
72V60Ah Lithium Battery
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Dilang E-Bicycles
Dilang-brand e-bicycles include fourteen models of new standards e-bicycles with 3C certification, three of which are included in the current Beijing catalogue. We also produce urban-style e-tricycles under the Dilang brand which are not required to hold any 3C certification. For the fiscal years ended September 30, 2020, 2021 and 2022, we had revenue from sales of Dilang brand e-bicycle of $4.9 million, $11.1 million and $4.3 million, respectively. In order to recover our sales post COVID-19, we have enhanced our supply chain and reinforced sales promotions, including sending direct mail advertising brochure to our customers and advertising our products in local agent stores. For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022, Tianjin Dilang had sold approximately 23,585 units of e-bicycle and reached the revenue of approximately RMB27,945,675 (approximately $4.3 million). Tianjin Dilang was awarded “Competitive Brand in Electric Bicycle Industry in 2020” in China by cebike.com.
Below are some of Dilang brand’s e-bicycles and urban-style e-tricycles:
| TDT001Z: | TDT002Z: | |
| TDT003Z: | TDT004Z: | |
| TDT005Z: | TDR66Z: | |
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| TDT01Z | TDT03Z | |
| Urban e-tricycle: A6 | Urban e-tricycle: X7 | |
| Urban e-tricycle: Jelly Bean | D1 | |
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Below are part of Dilang brand’s new models:
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The Dilang brand of products are primarily sold through regional distributors. We encourage customers to pick up their e-bicycles at nearby offline shops around Beijing, Tianjin and Changzhou, and also provide delivery to customers in Beijing and Tianjin by ourselves, or to customers in other cities by express delivery. Through our regional distributor in Beijing, Beijing 70 Generation Co., Ltd., we have developed a network of seven offline stores where customers can pick up purchased products. These offline stores also offer after-sales services.
Cenbird E-Bicycles and Other Products
Cenbird is a well-known brand in the e-bicycle industry. The Cenbird product portfolio includes high-speed non-new standards e-bicycles, light electric motor scooters (“e-mopeds”) and new standards e-bicycles. Currently, all Jiangsu Cenbird products are manufactured through original design manufacturer outsourcing by Changzhou Cenbird. To date, Jiangsu Cenbird has no inventory of non-new national standards e-bicycles. We will not pre-produce these products unless an order has been placed.
The Cenbird brand of products are primarily sold through offline stores. Following our investment at the end of August 2019, we have gradually taken over the design, sales and research and development activities.
Below are part of the Cenbird e-bicycle models:
| DQ7-7A | HONGYING | |
| HUALING | HUANIU |
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| JIALI | LINGYING |
| HONGSHAN | LINGZHI | |
| KUPAO |
| XIAO YUZHOU | XIAOQINGXIN |
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| T2 | T3 |
Below are part of the Cenbird e-bicycle new models:
EZGO E-Bicycles
In October 2021, we launched our new EZGO-brand with the release of seven new independent innovation e-bicycles models, including four ultra-high-speed electric motorcycle models, the “Devil,” “Little Angel,” “M9,” and “Zhuque,” (model names may be subject to change) and three new national standard electric bicycles, at the 39th China Electric Vehicle and Parts Exhibition in Jiangsu, China. The new EZGO-brand line of products features a sleek, high-quality exterior design and boast superior vehicle performance. We anticipate sales and marketing promotions for the four ultra-high-speed electric motorcycles to be focused in American, European and other overseas markets. The trademark of EZGO used on e-bicycles is still under application. To date, we have not recorded sales revenue from EZGO brand of products.
Battery and E-Bicycle Rental Services
We began our lithium battery rental business under the brand “Hengmao” in early 2017. Initially, we provided battery rental services to sublease agents, who then leased them to individual and group customers such as EMS and other express service providers. Since May 2018, we purchased customized charging cabinets and smart battery exchange cabinets from different third parties, and developed an IoT rental platform where our end customers can rent lithium batteries directly from us. We have also cooperated with Jiangsu Institute of Research of Dalian University of Technology to develop a WeChat applet for our end customers and intend to build a reliable IoT battery and e-bicycle rental management system.
Leveraging our IoT platform, we are able to recognize each battery in the smart exchange cabinets through an embedded ID chip and distribute our batteries to the registered customers in real time through our Wechat applet. Through the Wechat applet, customers can open the cabinets to take rented batteries and return used batteries. Whenever a customer takes away a battery, the system automatically starts to a timer. Every 24 hours is a billing period. Each customer needs his or her ID card and/or mobile phone number to register to an account with us. We also check every customer’s sesame credit points which is developed by Alipay. If a customer’s credit point is lower than our required standard, he or she has to pay a deposit. When the customer returns the battery to the cabinet, the system is able to read the embedded ID chip. Once the system recognizes the battery, it will stop timing the customer.
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The lithium batteries we rent to our customers are 60V/20A models. They can be used in multiple e-bicycle models with compatible battery compartments. Our target customers usually run average 90-100 kilometers a day, and require a combined battery usage of approximately 100-120 kilometers. In addition, we aim to cover the cost of our batteries within 8 to 10 months with an expected battery life of 18 to 24 months. Long life-cycle also means more opportunities for secondary use before the battery is scrapped (e.g. as a storage battery for emergency use).
We entered into agreements with different sublease agents, pursuant to which we rent them lithium batteries for a fee of RMB6 per battery per 24 hours, and rented them non-new standards e-bicycles for a fee of RMB20 per e-bicycle per 24 hours or a monthly subscription fee of RMB450 with an unlimited usage of batteries. Since May 2018, we have started to rent to end customers ourselves via charging cabinets and smart battery exchange cabinets that we operate through our IoT platform around the service stands of online meal delivery companies Meituan, Elema and Ali Zhongbao. Deliverymen can purchase our rental services through our mobile application, Yidianxing, then scan codes and make payments at the exchange cabinets to rent or return batteries. Our IoT platform software has been granted two software copyright.
Initially, we didn’t have our own brand of e-bicycles and the e-bicycles we rented were provided by Shenzhen Star Asset Management Co., Ltd. (“Star Asset”), a related party of the Company. For risk control purpose and in expectation of potential strategic cooperation, Star Asset provided 1,000 non-new standards e-bicycles in August 2017 and an additional 7,000 non-new standards e-bicycles in January 2018 through operating lease. Since July 2019, we also provide rental services of the Cenbird brand of non-new standards e-bicycles, all of which were purchased from our related party, Changzhou Cenbird.
For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2021, the revenue from rental services was approximately $342,636. Facing intense external competition, the company phased out the business in the first half of 2021. The Company terminated all sublease agents during the fiscal year ended September 30, 2021. To date, we have no sublease agent and no revenue.
The illustration below generally illustrates the flow of our IoT rental services:
Because of the cost, none of the batteries were embedded with GPS modules, so we cannot track each individual battery. However, all of the e-bicycles for rent have been embedded with GPS modules and we can keep track of them.
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Hengdian Smart Charging Piles
Our smart charging piles are manufactured by Wuxi Hanbo New Energy Co., Ltd. A smart charging pile is composed of hardware and software systems. The hardware system is composed of a high-speed single chip microcomputer, a 4G module connection to the Internet, a processing module, a power acquisition module, a relay control module and a peripheral auxiliary system module. The software system has been granted 10 software copyrights.
Currently, there are no national-wide or industry standards for e-bicycle smart charging piles, although Henan province has issued a local standard for charging piles. We have received a certificate of quality control issued by the Wuxi Institute for Product Quality Inspection for our charging piles. China Pacific Insurance (Group) Co., Ltd. provides the quality insurance.
Our smart charging pile business includes hardware provision to franchisees with whom we enter into co-investment and income-sharing arrangements, and self-operation. We enter into five-year franchising agreements with franchisees of our charging piles. For an investment of RMB800 (approximately $113.11), a franchisee will receive 30% of the revenues generated by one charging pile and for an investment of RMB1,000 (approximately $141.38), a franchise will receive 50% of the revenues generated. As of September 30, 2022, none of our charging piles were operated by franchisees and 3,459of charging piles operated by us directly in Wuxi, Suzhou, Wenzhou, Wuhu and Changzhou.
The charging pile business is a strategical line of business. We can collect the e-bicycles and users’ information which will assist us in our big data analysis. To date, we do not have any significant revenue from charging piles. Charging piles installed in areas with high population density can generate revenue of approximately RMB120 (approximately $16.97) per month per charging pile, compared with the revenue of approximately RMB20 to 30 (approximately $2.83 to $4.24) per month per charging pile generated from areas with low population density.
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Research and Development
From October 2016 to September 2022, our continued expenditure in research and development has amounted to RMB6.11 million (approximately $932,000). In the early stage of our company, we mainly focused on developing know-how for the production of lithium battery cells and packing technology. We obtained a number of patents in this area. For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022, we invested over RMB150,000 (approximately $22,890) to develop the smart charging pile. We also spent RMB689,623 (approximately $105,234) to develop the lithium battery cells and pack.
We focus on developing New National Standards bicycle models. We invested RMB842,174 (approximately $128,513) to develop new e-bicycle models for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022, and we have 3C certifications for 25 models and 6 model in Tianjin Dilang and Jiangsu Cenbird, respectively as of September 30, 2022.
In July 2019, we entered into a strategic cooperation agreement with the Jiangsu Research Institute of Dalian University of Technology (“IDUT”), which provides us with opportunities in personnel training, technologies sharing and technical supports.
In April 2021, we entered into a strategic cooperation agreement with IDUT, and jointly established the Intelligent Fast Charging Technology Innovation Center, which aims to further optimize the Company’s fast charging technology, including accelerating the charging speed of lithium batteries, improving the charging efficiency and safety, and extending the battery life.
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Customers
Our customers can be classified as follows. We have relied on our three major customers in sales of batteries, including Ningbo Yiqi New Energy Technology Co., Ltd., Zhejiang Weichen Technology Co., Ltd., and Changzhou Copidi Energy Co., Ltd., each accounted for approximately 29%, 23% and 23%, respectively, of our sales of lithium batteries for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022. We have relied on our three major customers in sales of batteries, including Zhejiang Weichen Technology Co., Ltd., Changzhou Copidi Energy Co., Ltd., and Guangxi Anneng Technology Co., Ltd., each accounted for approximately 52%, 28% and 8%, respectively, of our sales of lithium batteries for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2021. For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2020, we generated revenue from sales of batteries in the battery cells and packs segment and customers for our batteries sales business are mostly e-bicycles sales companies. Our most important customers are Beijing 70 Generation Co., Ltd., Hehai Jinsong Bicycle Sales Shop, and Shangchi Motors Co., Ltd., each accounted for approximately 20%, 19% and 10%, respectively, of our sales of lithium batteries for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2020.
We have relied on our two major customers in sales of e-bicycles, including Jiangsu Biyaqiao Motorcycle Sales Co., Ltd. and Wenzhou Longwan Yongzhong Tengbu Bicycle Firm, each accounted for approximately 22% and 13%, respectively, of our e-bicycles sales revenue for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022. We have relied on three major customers, including Henan Young Man Industries Trade Co., Ltd., Beijing 70 Generation Co., Ltd., and Wenzhou Longwan Yongzhong Tengbu Bicycle Firm, each accounted for approximately 17%, 11% and 9%, respectively, of our e-bicycles sales revenue for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2021. And we have relied on one major customer in e-bicycles sales business, Beijing 70 Generation Co., Ltd., accounted for approximately 31% of our e-bicycles sales revenue for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2020.
Customers for our battery and e-bicycle rental business are predominantly individuals, including end-users, end customers and sublease agents. We don’t have any agreement with end-users and end customers except for the registration information and the e-receipt to the customers when they first use the WeChat applet service. Our end-users can rent and pay for e-bicycles and batteries on the WeChat applet. In addition, the sublease agents play a critical role in our rental business in allowing us to have a further geographical outreach. We had three main sublease agents in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2020, Mr. Guoqing Zhu, Ms. Xiaoying Zheng and Mr. Zewu Zhao, who accounted for 34%, 19% and 13%, respectively, of our rental business revenues for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2020. One of the three sublease agents, Mr. Guoqing Zhu was engaged in e-bicycle rental business and the other two, Mr Xiaoying Zheng and Mr. Zewu Zhao, were engaged in battery rental business. The e-bicycle sublease agent accounted for approximately 26% of the e-bicycle rental business and approximately 17% of our total rental business revenues for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2020. The battery rental sublease agent accounted for approximately 67% of our battery rental business and approximately 22% of our total rental business revenues for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2020. We entered into a cooperation agreement with each sublease agent. Pursuant to the e-bicycle rental cooperation agreement, we provided for the sublease agent e-bicycles for rental and any necessary repair service. The sublease agent shall pay the monthly lease fee in the amount of RMB250 (approximately $36) per unit. Such sublease agreement can be terminated by either party if the other party breaches the agreement. We entered into a one-year sublease cooperation agreement with our battery rental sublease agents. Pursuant to the battery rental agreement, we provided for the sublease agent the battery packs with charging services, and our sublease agent shall be responsible for the battery location selection and marketing. The sublease agent shall pay a monthly sublease fee in the amount of RMB80 (approximately $12) per unit. The sublease cooperation agreement can be terminated by each party upon a 30 days’ advance notice, Mr. Guoqing Zhu, Mr. Zewu Zhao and Ms. Xiaoying Zheng terminated their agreements in January 2020, May 2020 and July 2020, respectively. EZGO terminated all sublease agents during the fiscal year ended September 30, 2021. To date, we have no sublease agent.
The customers for e-bicycle sales include individuals and institutional distributors, as well as individual customers. We usually do not enter into sales agreement with individual customers. The sales agreement with our distributors, such as Beijing 70 Generation Co., Ltd., usually provides that we authorize the distributor to exclusively sell our products in a specific region and the distributor shall meet the monthly sales volumes stipulated in the agreement. The agreement can be terminated by our company if the distributor fails to reach the sales volumes for 6 consecutive months or by each party upon 30 days’ advance notice.
For smart charging piles, our customers are franchisees and we usually enter into five-year franchising agreements with them. The franchise agreement includes the terms of cooperation, investment terms, revenue sharing ratio, and payment term. We provide the charging piles with installation and maintenance services for a one-time fee of RMB800 (“800 Pile”) or RMB1,000 (“1,000 Pile”) per charging pile paid by the franchisee. The franchisee shall be responsible for the legal use of the charging pile stations and will receive 30% of the revenues generated by one 800 Pile or 50% of the revenues generated by one 1,000 Pile.
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Sales and Marketing
Our general marketing strategy is integrated marketing by building an ecological chain. We adopt different sales tactics for the different brands we operate. Hengmao is our lithium battery brand, Dilang, Cenbird and EZGO are our e-bicycle brands, and Hengdian is our smart charging pile brand.
Our Hengmao-brand batteries are primarily being rented, with a portion of them sold to customers who need to replace their old lead-acid batteries, including as a result of our promotional activities.
For the Dilang and Cenbird brands of e-bicycles, our marketing strategies include continuously developing new models of e-bicycle to improve product portfolio and making full use of new media to promote our products, i.e. advertising on social media and engaging in targeted marketing such as displaying our own advertisements on the WeChat applet homepage of our smart charging piles. Our sales are mostly conducted through WeChat mall and live network platform (including TikTok and Taobao Live). Tianjin Dilang’s products are mainly sold in urban and suburban areas in Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shandong, Henan and Guangdong. Jiangsu Cenbird’s products are mainly sold in Jiangsu. We plan to expand our market overseas by attending various international electronics exhibitions to market our products in North America, Europe and Southeast Asia.
Marketing for our smart charging piles is mainly carried out by relationship marketing and by telephone calls and visits made by our sales team. Franchisees and distributors are responsible for relationship marketing, including seeking access to parking lots through relationships with property owners and property management companies. Telephone and in office visits target small business owners for the installation of our smart charging pile on their premises.
Seasonality
Our products and services have no obvious seasonal characteristics. In terms of the production and sales of e-bicycles and e-tricycles, we experience minor impacts in the northern regions during winter season. However, even in the northern regions of China, weather is not the primary consideration for low- to middle-income individuals and families seeking vehicle transportations.
Because our customers in the rental business are mainly Meituan, Elema and Ali Zhongbao meal and express deliverymen, students and business travelers, we may experience minor impacts during school holidays. Historically, we also experience declines during the first quarter of the calendar year, due to the Chinese New Year and other holidays.
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Intellectual Property
We regard our patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets and other intellectual property rights as critical to our success. We rely on a combination of patent, copyright, trademark and trade secret laws and restrictions on disclosure to protect our intellectual property rights. Our intellectual property portfolio as of the date of this annual report included the following:
| ● | Patents: We had eight registered patents in China, covering e-bicycle manufacturing. The term for invention patents in China is 20 years from the filing date and the term for utility model patents and design patents is 10 years, respectively, from the filing date. Details of the eight patents are as follows: |
| No. | Patent Description | Holder | Patent Type | Patent Number | Duration | |||||
| 1 | Two-stroke permanent magnet engine | Yizhiying IoT | Invention | ZL201010552062.5 | November 19, 2010 to November 18, 2030 | |||||
| 2 | Electric vehicle headlamp device | Jiangsu EZGO | Utility Model | ZL201922413164.8 | December 27, 2019 to December 26, 2029 | |||||
| 3 | Leakage prevention device for electric vehicle | Jiangsu EZGO | Utility Model | ZL201922418505.0 | December 28, 2019 to December 27, 2029 | |||||
| 4 | Portable foldable bicycle | Jiangsu EZGO | Utility Model | 201922390563.7 | December 27, 2019 to December 26, 2029 | |||||
| 5 | Labor-saving simple car ladder | Jiangsu EZGO | Utility Model | 201922414574.4 | December 28, 2019 to December 27, 2029 | |||||
| 6 | Detachable and lifting basket | Jiangsu EZGO | Utility Model | 201922419538.7 | December 28, 2019 to December 27, 2029 | |||||
| 7 | Emergency undamaged fast charging device for electric vehicle battery | Jiangsu EZGO | Utility Model | 2021229889300 |
June 3, 2022 to June 2, 2032 | |||||
| 8 | A feedback aging device for power switch | Jiangsu EZGO | Utility Model | 2021233961363 |
September 2, 2022 to September 1, 2032 |
| ● | Software copyrights: We had a large portfolio of protected software copyrights, including 12 software copyrights registered in China; |
| ● | Trademarks: We owned 14 registered trademarks, and had right to use one registered trademark - “Cenbird.” Our trademarks include the combination of graphs and names for Dilang, Yidianxing, Hengmao, Shijilanxiang, Cenbird and Baozhe: |
| ● | Domain names: We have six registered domain names in China, including www.ez-go.com.cn, www.ezgotech.com.cn, www.ezgotech.cn, www.dilangmotocycle.com, www.dilangtech.com and www.cenbird.com.cn. |
In addition to the foregoing protections, we generally control access to and use of our proprietary and other confidential information through the use of internal and external controls. For example, for external controls, we enter into confidentiality agreements or agree to confidentiality clauses with our customers and, for internal controls, we adopt and maintain policies governing the operation and maintenance of our systems and the management of user-generated data.
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Competition
After decades of development, China’s e-bicycle market is now facing increased competition and consolidation. Large manufacturers (such as Yadea, Niu and Segway-Ninebot) are pushing to reduce prices and to improve processing technologies, product quality and service coverage, while small manufacturers are intensifying regional competition by improving product quality and investing in market expansion. As a result of the release of the New National Standards, all manufacturers have been brought to the same starting line in terms of model designs, quality control and cost control.
We believe the principal competitive factors in our market are:
| ● | ability to conform to the New National Standards; |
| ● | product features and functionality; |
| ● | quality of technologies and, as a result, research and development capabilities; |
| ● | ability to innovate and respond rapidly to customer needs; |
| ● | ability to control costs; |
| ● | relationships with key participants in the value chain; |
| ● | sufficient capital support; and |
| ● | brand awareness and reputation. |
We believe we can compete favorably based on the above factors. However, we expect competition to intensify in the future. Our ability to remain competitive will largely depend on our business model, the quality of our products and services, the effectiveness of our sales and marketing efforts and our ability to enhance the features and functionality of our products.
Insurance
We maintain product liability insurance for our smart charging piles. We consider our insurance coverage to be consistent with customary industry standards adopted by other companies in the same industry and of similar size in China.
Legal Proceedings
From time to time, we may be subject to legal proceedings, investigations and claims incidental to the conduct of our business. We currently have two contract disputes with our suppliers, Jiangsu Anruida New Material Company Limited (“Anruida”) and Zhuhai Titans New Power Electric Co., Ltd. (“Titans”), and one guarantee dispute with Zhengyu Wang.
On October 21, 2019, Anruida commenced an action against Hengmao Power Battery in Changzhou Wujin District Intermediate People’s Court alleging that Hengmao Power Battery defaulted on the contract payment of RMB958,805.40 (approximately $139,000) and seeking for, among others, the payment of the contractual payment and the interest on the contractual payment. The appellate court rendered its judgment on January 28, 2021, pursuant to which Hengmao Power Battery shall repay RMB958,805.40 (approximately $139,000) and accrued interests.
On January 6, 2020, Titans commenced an action against Hengmao Power Battery in Changzhou Wujin District Intermediate People’s Court alleging that Hengmao Power Battery defaulted on the payment of RMB1,072,560 (approximately $156,000) and seeking for, among others, the payment of the contractual payment. However, we plan to defend the case rigorously. The appellate court rendered its judgment on January 27, 2021, pursuant to which Hengmao Power Battery shall repay RMB1,072,560 (approximately $156,000), accrued interest and attorney’s fees.
On February 22, 2022, Zhengyu Wang commenced an action against Henglong Chen, Hengwei Chen, Di Wu and Hengmao Power Battery in Lishui Intermediate People’s Court alleging that Henglong Chen, Hengwei Chen, Di Wu shall be liable for repaying, among others, the principals of RMB6,500,000 (approximately $958,750), and Hengmao Power Battery, as the guarantor, shall be jointly and severally liable for the repayment. The case is currently in the procedure of the first instance and remains pending.
Other than disclosed above, we are not a party to, nor are we aware of, any legal proceedings, investigations or claims which, in the opinion of our management, are likely to have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.
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Regulations
Our business operations are primarily in the PRC and primarily subject to PRC laws and regulations. This section sets forth a summary of the most significant regulations or requirements that affect our business activities in China or our shareholders’ rights to receive dividends and other distributions from us.
Recent Regulatory Developments in China
Recently, the PRC government initiated a series of regulatory actions and made a number of public statements on the regulation of business operations in China with little advance notice, including cracking down on illegal activities in the securities market, enhancing supervision over China-based companies listed overseas, adopting new measures to extend the scope of cybersecurity reviews, and expanding efforts in anti-monopoly enforcement.
Among other things, the M&A Rules and Anti-Monopoly Law, established additional procedures and requirements that could make merger and acquisition activities by foreign investors more time-consuming and complex. Such regulation requires, among other things, that the SAMR be notified in advance of any change-of-control transaction in which a foreign investor acquires control of a PRC domestic enterprise or a foreign company with substantial PRC operations, if certain thresholds under the Provisions of the State Council on the Standard for Declaration of Concentration of Business Operators, issued by the State Council in 2008, are triggered. Moreover, the Anti-Monopoly Law requires that transactions which involve the national security, the examination on the national security shall also be conducted according to the relevant provisions of the State. In addition, the PRC Measures for the Security Review of Foreign Investment which became effective in January 2021 require acquisitions by foreign investors of PRC companies engaged in military-related or certain other industries that are crucial to national security be subject to security review before consummation of any such acquisition.
On July 6, 2021, the relevant PRC government authorities made public the Opinions on Strictly Cracking Down Illegal Securities Activities in Accordance with the Law. These opinions emphasized the need to strengthen the administration over illegal securities activities and the supervision on overseas listings by China-based companies and proposed to take effective measures, such as promoting the construction of relevant regulatory systems to deal with the risks and incidents faced by China-based overseas-listed companies. As these opinions are recently issued, official guidance and related implementation rules have not been issued yet and the interpretation of these opinions remains unclear at this stage. See “Item 3. Key Information — D. Risk Factors – Risks Related to Doing Business in China –The M&A Rules and certain other PRC regulations establish complex procedures for some acquisitions of Chinese companies by foreign investors, which could make it more difficult for us to pursue growth through acquisitions in China.”
In addition, on December 28, 2021, the Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2021 version) was promulgated and will become effective on February 15, 2022, which iterates that any “online platform operators” controlling personal information of more than one million users which seeks to list in a foreign stock exchange should also be subject to cybersecurity review. The Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2021 version), further elaborates the factors to be considered when assessing the national security risks of the relevant activities, including, among others, (i) the risk of core data, important data or a large amount of personal information being stolen, leaked, destroyed, and illegally used or exited the country; and (ii) the risk of critical information infrastructure, core data, important data or a large amount of personal information being affected, controlled, or maliciously used by foreign governments after listing abroad. The Cyberspace Administration of China has said that under the proposed rules companies holding data on more than 1,000,000 users must now apply for cybersecurity approval when seeking listings in other nations because of the risk that such data and personal information could be “affected, controlled, and maliciously exploited by foreign governments.” The cybersecurity review will also look into the potential national security risks from overseas IPOs.
On December 24, 2021, the CSRC released the Administrative Provisions of the State Council Regarding the Overseas Issuance and Listing of Securities by Domestic Enterprises (Draft for Comments) (the “Draft Administrative Provisions”) and the Measures for the Overseas Issuance of Securities and Listing Record-Filings by Domestic Enterprises (Draft for Comments) (the “Draft Filing Measures,” collectively with the Draft Administrative Provisions, the “Draft Rules Regarding Overseas Listing”), both of which have a comment period that expired on January 23, 2022. The Draft Rules Regarding Overseas Listing lay out the filing regulation arrangement for both direct and indirect overseas listing, and clarify the determination criteria for indirect overseas listing in overseas markets. Among other things, if an overseas listed issuer intends to implement any follow-on offering in an overseas market, it should, through its major operating entity incorporated in the PRC, submit filing materials to the CSRC within three working days after the completion of the offering. The required filing materials shall include but not be limited to: (1) filing report and relevant commitments; and (2) domestic legal opinions.
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The Draft Rules Regarding Overseas Listing, if enacted, may subject us to additional compliance requirements in the future, and we cannot assure you that we will be able to get the clearance of filing procedures under the Draft Rules Regarding Overseas List on a timely basis, or at all. For instance, if we complete any offering under a prospectus after the enactment of the Draft Rules Regarding Overseas Listing, we may be required to submit additional filings. As of the date of this annual report, the Draft Rules Regarding Overseas Listings have not been promulgated, and we have not been required to complete the record-filings procedure to the government of China for any offering pursuant to a prospectus. While the final version of the Draft Rules Regarding Overseas Listings are expected to be adopted in 2023, we believe that none of the situations that would clearly prohibit overseas offering and listing applies to us. In reaching this conclusion, we have relied on the advice of our PRC counsel, DeHeng Law Offices, provided that there is uncertainty inherent in relying on an opinion of counsel in connection with whether we are required to obtain permission from the Chinese government that is required to approve of our operations and/or any offerings made pursuant to a prospectus. Any failure of us to fully comply with new regulatory requirements may significantly limit or completely hinder EZGO’s ability to continue to offer its securities to investors, cause significant disruption to our business operations, and severely damage our reputation, which could materially and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations and cause EZGO’s securities, including the securities we have registered for sale in a prospectus, to significantly decline in value or become worthless.
As of the date of this annual report, as advised by our PRC legal counsel, DeHeng Law Offices, none of our company, our subsidiaries, or the VIE are covered by permissions requirements from the CSRC, the CAC, or any other governmental agency that is required to approve the VIE’s operations, and therefore no such permission or approval has been denied.
As of the date of this annual report, no relevant laws or regulations in the PRC explicitly require us, our subsidiaries, or the VIE to seek approval from the CSRC or any other PRC governmental authorities for our overseas listing or securities offering plans, nor has our company, any of our subsidiaries or the VIE received any inquiry, notice, warning or sanctions regarding our planned securities offering from the CSRC or any other PRC governmental authorities. However, since these statements and regulatory actions by the PRC government are newly published and official guidance and related implementation rules have not been issued, it is highly uncertain what the potential impact such modified or new laws and regulations will have on our daily business operations, or the ability to accept foreign investments and list on a U.S. or other foreign exchange. The SCNPC or other PRC regulatory authorities may in the future promulgate laws, regulations or implementing rules that require our company, the WFOE, the VIE or its subsidiaries to obtain regulatory approval from Chinese authorities before offering securities in the U.S., British Virgin Islands or other rules and regulations that place restrictions on capital raising or other activities by companies with extensive operations in China could adversely affect EZGO’s business through the WFOE, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China and results of operations. See “Item 3. Key Information — D. Risk Factors – Risks Related to Doing Business in China- The PRC government exerts substantial influence over the manner in which we conduct our business activities. The PRC government may also intervene or influence EZGO’s operations at any time, which could result in a material change in its operations and its ordinary shares could decline in value or become worthless” on page 21 for a discussion of these legal and operational risks and other information that should be considered before making a decision to purchase EZGO’s securities. In the event that we, our subsidiaries, or the VIE (i) do not receive or maintain any requisite permissions or approvals, (ii) inadvertently conclude that such permissions or approvals are not required, or (iii) applicable laws, regulations, or interpretations change and we are required to obtain such permissions or approvals in the future, we, our subsidiaries, and the VIE may be subject to sanctions imposed by the relevant PRC regulatory authority, including fines and penalties, revocation of the licenses of the VIE and its subsidiaries, and suspension of these entities’ business, restrictions or limitations on our ability to pay dividends outside of China, regulatory orders, including injunctions requiring the VIE and its subsidiaries to cease collecting or processing data, litigation or adverse publicity, the delisting of EZGO’s securities on Nasdaq, and other forms of sanctions, which may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
The Cybersecurity Law of the PRC and relevant regulations require network operators, which may include us, to ensure the security and stability of the services provided via network and protect individual privacy and the security of personal data in general by requiring the consent of internet users prior to the collection, use or disclosure of their personal data. Under the Cybersecurity Law, the owners and administrators of networks and network service providers have various personal information security protection obligations, including restrictions on the collection and use of personal information of users, and they are required to take steps to prevent personal data from being divulged, stolen, or tampered with. Regulatory requirements regarding the protection of personal information are constantly evolving and can be subject to differing interpretations or significant changes, making the extent of our responsibilities in that regard uncertain. An example of such evolving regulatory requirements is the Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2021 version), which was promulgated on December 28, 2021 and took effect on February 15, 2022. The measures, among others, stipulate that any “online platform operators” controlling personal information of more than one million users which seeks to list in a foreign stock exchange should also be subject to cybersecurity review by the CAC. The cybersecurity review, among others, evaluates the potential risks of critical information infrastructure, core data, important data, or a large amount of personal information being influenced, controlled or maliciously used by foreign governments after the overseas listing of an operator. The procurement of network products and services, data processing activities and overseas listing should also be subject to the cybersecurity review if the CAC concerns or they potentially pose risks to national security. Based on the advice of our PRC counsel, DeHeng Law Offices, who is of the view that EZGO is not subject to the cybersecurity review by the CAC, since (i) the cybersecurity review is not applicable to further equity or debt offerings by companies that have completed their initial public offerings in the United States; (ii) data processed in EZGO’s business does not have a bearing on national security and may not be classified as core or important data by the PRC governmental authorities. However, we cannot assure you that the PRC governmental authorities will not hold opposing views or interpretations regarding the applicability of the cybersecurity review to us. As of the date of this annual report, we have not been identified as an “operator of critical information infrastructure” by any PRC governmental authority, nor have we been informed by any PRC governmental authority to undergo a cybersecurity review.
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In addition, the Data Security Law of the People’s Republic of China (the “Data Security Law”) was promulgated by the SCNPC on June 10, 2021 and took effect on September 1, 2021. Further, on July 7, 2022, the CAC released the Measures for the Security Assessment of Cross-Border Data, which will become effective on September 1, 2022. According to the Measures for the Security Assessment of Cross-Border Data, where a data processor provides data abroad under any of the following circumstances, it shall apply for exit security assessment of data to the national cyberspace administration through the local provincial cyberspace administration: (i) the data processor provides important data abroad; (ii) the operators of key information infrastructure and data processors that process the personal information of more than 1 million people provide personal information abroad; (iii) data processors who have provided 100,000 personal information or 10,000 sensitive personal information abroad since January 1 of last year provide personal information abroad; and (iv) other situations required for security assessment as stipulated by the state cyberspace administration. Given the recency of the issuance of the Measures for the Security Assessment of Cross-Border Data and their pending effectiveness, there is a general lack of guidance and substantial uncertainties exist with respect to their interpretation and implementation. On November 14, 2021, the CAC released the Regulations on Cyber Data Security Management (Draft for Comments), or the draft regulations, which shall apply to the processing of personal and organizational data out of the territory of China, under the following circumstances: (i) for the purpose of providing products or services in the PRC; (ii) conducting analysis and evaluation of domestic individuals and organizations; (iii) processing of important domestic data; or (iv) other circumstances provided by laws and administrative regulations. The draft regulations classify data into three categories–general data, important data and core data. Data processors that transfer data collected and generated in the PRC outside of the territory of China are required to prepare a data security assessment report to the local cyberspace administration if (i) the data to be transmitted outside of the territory of China include important data, (ii) critical information technology infrastructure operators and data processors holding over one million users that transfer data outside the territory of China, or (iii) other circumstances that the CAC deems necessary. Meanwhile, a data processor that transfers personal information and important data out of the territory of China shall report to the local cyberspace administration of the following in the past calendar year: (i) the identities and contact information of all data receivers, (ii) the types, quantities and purposes of the transmitted data, (iii) the locations and periods of storage as well as the scope and method of use of the transmitted data, (iv) user complaints and the corresponding treatments related to the transmitted data, (v) violation of data security and the corresponding treatments related to the transmitted data, (vi) the re-transmission of the transmitted data, and (vii) other circumstances that the CAC deems necessary. A maximum of RMB10 million can be imposed on a data processor that is in violation of the draft regulations. It is uncertain whether and when the abovementioned draft measures and regulations will be adopted, and if adopted, whether the final version will contain the same provisions as the draft regulations.
The Data Security Law and the Cybersecurity Law, together with other relevant regulations, are promulgated to jointly regulate China’s online spheres in relation to personal information cybersecurity protection. There remain uncertainties regarding the further interpretation and implementation of those laws and regulations. Despite our efforts to comply with applicable laws, regulations and other obligations relating to privacy, data protection and information security, we cannot assure you that we will be compliant with such new laws, regulations and obligations in all respects, and we may be ordered to rectify and terminate any actions that are deemed non-compliant by the regulatory authorities and become subject to fines and other sanctions. As of the date of this annual report, we have not been involved in any investigations on cybersecurity review made by the CAC on such basis, and we have not received any inquiry, notice, warning, or sanctions in such respect. We believe that that we are compliant with the regulations and policies that have been issued by the CAC to date.
Regulation of Foreign Investment
The Company Law of PRC (the “Company Law”) was promulgated on December 29, 1993, which became effective on July 1, 1994, and was subsequently revised on December 25, 1999, August 28, 2004, October 27, 2005, December 28, 2013 and October 26, 2018. Limited liability companies and companies limited by shares established in China shall be subject to the Company Law. Each company has the status of a legal person and owns its own assets. Assets of a company may be used in full for the company’s liability. Foreign-invested companies are also subject to the Company Law, except as otherwise provided in the foreign investment laws including the Law of the PRC on Wholly Foreign-owned Enterprise.
Pursuant to the Law of the PRC on Wholly Foreign-owned Enterprise, which was adopted on April 12, 1986, amended on October 31, 2000 and September 2016, and abolished on January 1, 2020, the establishment and subsequent changes of a WFOE is subject to the approval by the authority in charge of commerce or foreign trade and investment and registration with the relevant administration for industry and commerce. The investor of the WFOE must make payment or subscribe for the registered capital according to its articles of association.
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On March 15, 2019, the National People’s Congress approved the Foreign Investment Law, which came into effect on January 1, 2020 and replace the trio of existing laws regulating foreign investment in China, namely, the Sino-foreign Equity Joint Venture Enterprise Law, the Sino-foreign Cooperative Joint Venture Enterprise Law and the Wholly Foreign-invested Enterprise Law, together with their implementation rules and ancillary regulations. The organization form, organization and activities of foreign-invested enterprises shall be governed, among others, by the PRC Company Law and the PRC Partnership Enterprise Law. Foreign-invested enterprises established before the implementation of the Foreign Investment Law may retain the original business organization and so on within five years after the implementation of this Law. Foreign investors’ investment, earnings and other legitimate rights and interests within the territory of China shall be protected in accordance with the law, and all national policies on supporting the development of enterprises shall equally apply to foreign-invested enterprises. Among others, the state guarantees that foreign-invested enterprises participate in the formulation of standards in an equal manner and that foreign-invested enterprises participate in government procurement activities through fair competition in accordance with the law. Further, the state shall not expropriate any foreign investment except under special circumstances. In special circumstances, the state may levy or expropriate the investment of foreign investors in accordance with the law for the needs of the public interest. The expropriation and requisition shall be conducted in accordance with legal procedures and timely and reasonable compensation shall be given.
The Foreign Investment Law is formulated to further expand opening-up, vigorously promote foreign investment and protect the legitimate rights and interests of foreign investors. According to the Foreign Investment Law, foreign investments are entitled to pre-entry national treatment and are subject to negative list management system. The pre-entry national treatment means that the treatment given to foreign investors and their investments at the stage of investment access shall not be less favorable than that of domestic investors and their investments. The negative list management system means that the state implements special administrative measures for access of foreign investment in specific fields. The Foreign Investment Law does not mention the relevant concept and regulatory regime of contractual arrangement structures. However, since it is relatively new, uncertainties still exist in relation to its interpretation and implementation.
On December 26, 2019, the State Council promulgated the Implementing Regulations of the Foreign Investment Law of the People’s Republic of China, or the Implementing Regulations of the Foreign Investment Law, which became effective on January 1, 2020. The Implementing Regulations of the Foreign Investment Law strictly implement the legislative principles and purpose of the Foreign Investment Law, emphasize on promoting and protecting the foreign investment, and refine the specific measures. At the same day, the Supreme People’s Court issued an Interpretation on the Application of the Foreign Investment law of the PRC, which also came into effect on January 1, 2020. This interpretation shall apply to any contractual dispute arising from the acquisition of the relevant rights and interests by a foreign investor by way of, among other things, gift, division of property, merger of enterprises, division of enterprises.
Furthermore, foreign investments in China are subject to investment information reporting obligations under the Foreign Investment Laws, which is further stipulated in the Measures for Reporting of Foreign Investment Information, or the Foreign Investment Reporting Measures, that were jointly promulgated by the MOFCOM and the State Administration for Market Regulation on December 30, 2019 and became effective on January 1, 2020. Pursuant to the Foreign Investment Reporting Measures, foreign investors and foreign-invested enterprises are obligated to submit investment information reports in regard with their direct or indirect investment activities in China through the Enterprise Registration System and the National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System, commencing from January 1, 2020. Such reports include preliminary report relating to establishment, modification report, deregistration report, and annual report.
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Negative List of Foreign Investment
The current regulation regime of foreign investment in the PRC, setting aside special arrangements adopted in pilot free trade zones, preliminarily consists of three principal legal documents, i.e. the Catalogue of Industries for Encouraged Foreign Investment (2022 Edition), or the 2022 Encouraged Catalogue, which was promulgated jointly by the Ministry of Commerce and the National Development and Reform Commission, on October 26, 2022 and became effective on January 1, 2023, the Special Administrative Measures for Access of Foreign Investment (Negative List) (2021 Edition), or the 2021 Negative List, which was promulgated jointly by the Ministry of Commerce and the National Development and Reform Commission, on December 27, 2021 and became effective on January 1, 2022, and the Provisions Guiding Foreign Investment Direction, which was promulgated by the State Council on February 11, 2002 and came into effect on April 1, 2002. These three legal documents collectively classify all foreign investment projects into four categories: (1) encouraged projects, (2) permitted projects, (3) restricted projects, and (4) prohibited projects. If the industry in which the investment is to occur falls into the encouraged category, foreign investment, in certain cases, may receive preferential policies or benefits. If it falls into the restricted category, foreign investment may be conducted in accordance with applicable legal and regulatory restrictions. If falls into the prohibited category, foreign investment of any kind will not be allowed.
The 2022 Encouraged Catalogue and the 2021 Negative List govern investment activities in the PRC by foreign investors and classify industries into three categories with regard to foreign investment: “encouraged,” “restricted” and “prohibited.” Industries not listed in the Catalogue are generally deemed as falling into a fourth category, “permitted,” unless specifically restricted by other PRC laws. For some restricted industries, foreign investors can only conduct investment activities through equity or contractual joint ventures, while in other cases PRC partners are required to hold the majority interests in such joint ventures. In addition, some projects in the restricted category are subject to higher-level governmental approvals. Foreign investors are not allowed to invest in industries in the prohibited category.
Regulation of the Production of Electric Bicycles
On June 24, 2017, the State Council of the PRC issued the Decision on Adjusting the Catalogue for the Administration of Production Permits for Industrial Products and on Trying out the Simplification of Approval Procedures, or the Decision. Pursuant to the Decision, the production license for electric bicycle was cancelled and was changed to implement mandatory product certification management. On July 2, 2018, the Announcement on the Arrangements for the Transfer of Electric Bicycle Products from Licensing to CCC Certification Management was jointly promulgated by the State Administration for the CNCA. According to the Announcement, electric bicycle products without CCC certification shall not be delivered, sold, imported or used in other business activities commencing from April 15, 2019. On July 19, 2018, the CNCA issued the Implementation Rules for Compulsory Product Certification of Electric Bicycles (CNCA-C11-16: 2018) which came into effect on August 1, 2018.
On May 15, 2018, the New National Standards were promulgated by the State Administration for Market Regulation and the National Standardization Management Committee and became effective on April 15, 2019. The New National Standards replace the General Technical Requirements for Electric Bicycles (GB 17761-1999) which were issued on May 28, 1999.
Regulation of the Registration of Electric Bicycles
Pursuant to the Road Traffic Safety Law of the PRC (Revised in 2011), a non-motorized vehicle which ought to be lawfully registered shall be deemed street-illegal until it has been registered with the local traffic administrative department. In addition, the categories of such non-motorized vehicles shall be determined by provincial governments in light of their respective actual local situation and shall consist of technical standards in terms of overall weight, braking performance, overall size and reflectors, which all non-motorized vehicles should abide by. Pursuant to the Circular on Strengthening the Management of Electric Bicycles, promulgated on March 18, 2011, any non-compliant vehicle may not be registered as a non-motorized vehicle, which in turn means it shall be deemed street-illegal.
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Regulations Relating to Production Safety
Pursuant to the Production Safety Law of the PRC, or the Production Safety Law, which promulgated on June 29, 2002, with the latest amended version effective from September 1, 2021, the entities that are engaged in production and business operation activities must implement national industrial standards which guarantee the production safety and comply with production safety requirements provided by the laws, administrative regulations and national or industrial standards. An entity must take effective measures for safety production, maintain safety facilities, examine the safety production procedures, educate and train employees and take any other measures to ensure the safety of its employees and the public. An entity or its relevant persons-in-charge which has failed to perform such safety production liabilities will be required to make amends within a time limit or face administrative penalties. If it fails to amend within the prescribed time limit, the production and business operation entity may be ordered to suspend business for rectification, and serious violations may result in criminal liabilities.
Regulations Relating to Product Quality
The Product Quality Law of the PRC was promulgated on February 22, 1993, amended on July 8, 2000, August 27, 2009 and December 29, 2018, respectively. The Product Quality Law applies to anyone who manufactures or sells any product within the territory of the PRC. It is prohibited from producing or selling counterfeit products in any form, including counterfeit brands, or providing false information about the product manufacturers. Violation of national or industrial standards may result in civil liability and administrative penalties such as compensation, fines, suspension of business and confiscation of illegal income, and serious violations may result in criminal liabilities.
Regulation of Mobile Applications
On June 28, 2016, the Cyberspace Administration of China promulgated the Regulations for the Administration of Mobile Internet Application Information Services (the “Regulations for Mobile Apps”), which came into effect on August 1, 2016, requiring ICPs who provide information services through mobile internet applications, or “apps,” to:
| ● | verify the real identities of registered users through mobile phone numbers or other similar channels; |
| ● | establish and improve procedures for protection of user information; |
| ● | establish and improve procedures for information content censorship; |
| ● | ensure that users are given adequate information concerning an app, and are able to choose whether an app is installed and whether or not to use an installed app and its functions; |
| ● | respect and protect intellectual property rights; and |
| ● | keep records of users’ logs for 60 days. |
If an ICP who provides information services through apps violates these regulations, mobile app stores through which the ICP distributes its apps may issue warnings, suspend the release of its apps, or terminate the sale of its apps, and/or report the violations to governmental authorities.
Regulations Relating to Intellectual Property Rights
Patent. Patents in the PRC are principally protected under the Patent Law of the PRC. The duration of a patent right is either 10 years or 20 years from the date of application, depending on the type of patent right.
Copyright. Copyright in the PRC, including copyrighted software, is principally protected under the Copyright Law of the PRC, the Regulation on Computer Software Protection and related rules and regulations, the term of protection for copyrighted software is 50 years.
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Trademark. Registered trademarks are protected under the Trademark Law of the PRC and related rules and regulations. Trademarks are registered with the Trademark Office of the SAIC. Where registration is sought for a trademark that is identical or similar to another trademark which has already been registered or given preliminary examination and approval for use on the same or similar commodities or services, the application for registration of such trademark may be rejected. Trademark registrations are effective for a renewable ten-year period, unless otherwise revoked.
Domain names. Domain names are regulated by the Administrative Measures on the Internet Domain Names promulgated by the MIIT. The MIIT is the major regulatory body responsible for the administration of domain names, under supervision of which the CNNIC is responsible for the daily administration of .cn domain names and Chinese domain names. MIIT adopts the “first to file” principle with respect to the registration of domain names. Domain name registrations are handled through domain name service agencies established under the relevant regulations, and applicants become domain name holders upon successful registration.
Regulation of Employment and Social Welfare
Labor Laws
Companies in the PRC are subject to the PRC Labor Law (the “PRC Labor Law”) which was promulgated on July 5, 1994, became effective on January 1, 1995 and was further amended on August 27, 2009 and December 29, 2018, the PRC Labor Contract Law (the “PRC Labor Contract Law”) which was promulgated on June 29, 2007, became effective on January 1, 2008 and was further amended on December 28, 2012, and the Implementation Regulations of the PRC Labor Contract Law which was promulgated by the State Council on September 18, 2008 and became effective on the same date, as well as other related regulations, rules and provisions promulgated by the relevant government authorities from time to time. Compared to previous PRC Laws and regulations, the PRC Labor Contract Law imposes stricter requirements in such respects as signing of labor contracts with employees, stipulation of probation period and violation penalties, termination of labor contracts, payment of remuneration and economic compensation, use of labor dispatches as well as social security premiums.
According to the PRC Labor Law and the PRC Labor Contract Law, a labor contract in writing shall be concluded when a labor relationship is to be established between an employer and an employee. An employer shall pay an employee two times of his salary for each month in the circumstance where he fails to enter a written labor contract with the employee for more than a month but less than a year; where such period exceeds one year, the parities are deemed to have entered an unfixed-term labor contract. Employers shall pay wages that are not lower than the local minimum wage standards to the employees. Employers are also required to establish labor safety and sanitation systems in compliance with PRC rules and standards, and to provide relevant training to the employees.
Social Insurance and Housing Provident Funds
According to the Temporary Regulations on the Collection and Payment of Social Insurance Premium, the Regulations on Work Injury Insurance, the Regulations on Unemployment Insurance and the Trial Measures on Employee Maternity Insurance of Enterprises, enterprises in the PRC must provide beneficial plans for their employees, that include basic pension insurance, unemployment insurance, maternity insurance, work injury insurance and medical insurance. An enterprise must also provide social insurance by processing social insurance registration with local social insurance agencies, and must pay or withhold relevant social insurance premiums for or on behalf of the employees. The Law on Social Insurance, which was promulgated on October 28, 2010 and came into effect on July 1, 2011 and was amended on December 29, 2018, regulates basic pension insurance, unemployment insurance, maternity insurance, work injury insurance and medical insurance, and has elaborated in detail the legal obligations and liabilities of employers who do not comply with relevant laws and regulations on social insurance. The Regulations on the Administration of Housing Provident Fund, which was promulgated and came into effect on April 3, 1999, and was amended on March 24, 2002 and March 24, 2019, provides that housing provident fund contributions paid by an individual employee and housing provident fund contributions paid by his or her employer all belong to the individual employee.
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Regulation of Foreign Exchange
The Regulation of the PRC on Foreign Exchange Control, most recently amended by the State Council on August 1 2008 and effective on August 5 2008, is the principal regulation on foreign currency exchange in the PRC. According to the regulation, the Renminbi is freely convertible for current account items after due process, including distribution of dividends, trade-related foreign exchange transactions and service-related foreign exchange transactions, whereas foreign exchange for capital account items, such as direct investments or loans, requires prior approval of and registration with the SAFE.
According to the Notice of State Administration of Foreign Exchange on Reforming and Standardizing Capital Account Foreign Exchange Settlement Administration Policies issued by SAFE on June 9, 2016, it has been specified clearly in the document that, for the capital account foreign exchange income subject to voluntary foreign exchange settlement (including the repatriation of the proceeds from overseas listing), the domestic institutions may conduct the foreign exchange settlement at the banks according to their operation needs. The proportion of the capital account foreign exchange income subject to voluntary foreign exchange settlement was tentatively set as 100%, provided that SAFE may adjust the aforesaid proportion according to the international payment balance status in good time.
In January 2017, SAFE promulgated the Circular on Further Improving Reform of Foreign Exchange Administration and Optimizing Genuineness and Compliance Verification (the “SAFE Circular 3”), which became effective on January 18, 2017 and stipulates several capital control measures with respect to the outbound remittance of profit from domestic entities to offshore entities, including (i) under the principle of genuine transaction, banks shall check board resolutions regarding profit distribution, the original version of tax filing records and audited financial statements; and (ii) domestic entities shall hold income to account for previous years’ losses before remitting the profits. Further, pursuant to the SAFE Circular 3, domestic entities shall make detailed explanations of the sources of capital and utilization arrangements, and provide board resolutions, contracts and other proof when completing the registration procedures in connection with an outbound investment.
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Regulation of Dividend Distributions
The principal laws, rules and regulations governing dividend distribution by foreign-invested enterprises in the PRC are the Company Law of the PRC, as amended. Under these laws, rules and regulations, foreign-invested enterprises may pay dividends only out of their accumulated profit, if any, as determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations. Both PRC domestic companies and wholly-foreign owned PRC enterprises are required to set aside as general reserves at least 10% of their after-tax profit, until the cumulative amount of such reserves reaches 50% of their registered capital. A PRC company is not permitted to distribute any profits until any losses from prior fiscal years have been offset. Profits retained from prior fiscal years may be distributed together with distributable profits from the current fiscal year.
Regulation on Taxation
PRC Enterprise Income Tax
PRC enterprise income tax is calculated based on taxable income, which is determined under (i) the PRC EIT Law, which was promulgated on March 16, 2007, and was most recently amended and became effective on December 29, 2018, and (ii) the Implementing Regulations of the EIT Law (the “EIT Regulation”) promulgated by the State Council on December 6, 2007 and implemented on January 1, 2008 and amended on April 23, 2019. The EIT Law imposes a uniform enterprise income tax rate of 25% on all PRC resident enterprises, including foreign-invested enterprises, unless they are qualified for certain exceptions. The enterprise income tax is calculated based on the PRC resident enterprise’s global income as determined under PRC tax laws and accounting standards. According to the EIT Law and its implementation rules, the income tax rate of an enterprise that has been granted the certificate of High and New Technology Enterprise may be reduced to 15% with the approval of relevant tax authorities.
The EIT Law also provides that enterprises established under the laws of foreign jurisdictions with “de facto management body” located in PRC are treated as “resident enterprises” for PRC tax purposes, and will be subjected to PRC income tax on their worldwide income. Under the EIT Regulation, a “de facto management body” is defined as a body that has real and overall management control over the business, personnel, accounts and properties of an enterprise.
The Notice on Issues Concerning the Determination of Chinese-Controlled Enterprises Registered Overseas as Resident Enterprises on the Basis of Their Bodies of Actual Management, or the SAT Circular 82, provides certain specific criteria for determining whether the “de facto management body” of a PRC-controlled enterprise that is incorporated offshore is located in China. According to the SAT Circular 82, an offshore incorporated enterprise controlled by a PRC enterprise or a PRC enterprise group will be regarded as a PRC tax resident by virtue of having its “de facto management body” in China, and will be subject to PRC enterprise income tax on its global income only if all of the following conditions are met: (i) the primary location of the day-to-day operational management is in the PRC; (ii) decisions relating to the enterprise’s financial and human resource matters are made or are subject to approval by organizations or personnel in the PRC; (iii) the enterprise’s primary assets, accounting books and records, company seals, and board and shareholder resolutions are located or maintained in the PRC; and (iv) at least 50% of voting board members or senior executives habitually reside in the PRC. Further to SAT Circular 82, the SAT issued a bulletin, known as SAT Bulletin 45, which took effect in September 2011, to provide more guidance on the implementation of SAT Circular 82 and clarify the reporting and filing obligations of such “Chinese-controlled offshore incorporated resident enterprises.” SAT Bulletin 45 provides procedures and administrative details for the determination of resident status and administration on post-determination matters. Although both SAT Circular 82 and SAT Bulletin 45 only apply to offshore enterprises controlled by PRC enterprises or PRC enterprise groups, not those controlled by PRC individuals or foreign individuals, the determining criteria set forth in SAT Circular 82 and SAT Bulletin 45 may reflect the SAT’s general position on how the “de facto management body” test should be applied in determining the tax resident status of offshore enterprises, regardless of whether they are controlled by PRC enterprises, PRC enterprise groups or by PRC or foreign individuals.
We do not believe that EZGO, as a company incorporated in the BVI, meets all of the conditions above thus we do not believe that EZGO is a PRC resident enterprise, though all members of our management team as well as the management team of our offshore holding company are located in China. However, if the PRC tax authorities determine that we are a PRC resident enterprise for PRC enterprise income tax purposes, a number of unfavorable PRC tax consequences could follow. First, we will be subject to the uniform 25% enterprise income tax on our world-wide income, which could materially reduce our net income. In addition, we will also be subject to PRC enterprise income tax reporting obligations. However, the tax resident status of an enterprise is subject to determination by the PRC tax authorities and uncertainties remain with respect to the interpretation of the term “de facto management body.”
Finally, dividends payable by us to our investors and gains on the sale of our shares may become subject to PRC withholding tax, at a rate of 10% in the case of non-PRC enterprises or 20% in the case of non-PRC individuals (in each case, subject to the provisions of any applicable tax treaty), if such gains are deemed to be from PRC sources. It is unclear whether non-PRC shareholders of our company would be able to claim the benefits of any tax treaties between their country of tax residence and the PRC in the event that we are treated as a PRC resident enterprise. Any such tax may reduce the returns on your investment in the ordinary shares.
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International Tax Treaties and Withholding Tax
Under the PRC EIT Tax Law and its implementation rules, we, as a non-resident enterprise, that is, an enterprise lawfully incorporated pursuant to the laws of a foreign country (region) that has an office or premises established in China with no actual management functions performed in China, or an enterprise that has income derived from or accruing in China although it does not have an office or premises in China, will be subject to a withholding tax rate of 10%. Pursuant to the Treaty on the Avoidance of Double Taxation and Tax Evasion between Mainland and Hong Kong, such rate may be reduced to 5% if a Hong Kong resident enterprise owns more than 25% of the equity interest in the PRC company. Under the Notice of the State Administration of Taxation on Issues regarding the Administration of the Dividend Provision in Tax Treaties promulgated on February 20, 2009, the taxpayer needs to satisfy certain conditions to enjoy the benefits under a tax treaty. These conditions include: (1) the taxpayer must be the beneficial owner of the relevant dividends, and (2) the corporate shareholder to receive dividends from the PRC subsidiaries must have continuously met the direct ownership thresholds during the 12 consecutive months preceding the receipt of the dividends. Further, under Announcement of the State Administration of Taxation on Issues Relating to “Beneficial Owner” in Tax Treaties, which took effect on April 1, 2018, a “Beneficial Owner” shall mean a person who has ownership and control over the income and the rights and property from which the income is derived. To determine the “beneficial owner” status of a resident of the treaty counterparty who needs to enjoy the tax treaty benefits, a comprehensive analysis shall be carried out, taking into account actual conditions of the specific case.
Entitlement to a lower tax rate on dividends according to tax treaties or arrangements between the PRC central government and governments of other countries or regions is subject to State Administration of Taxation Circular 60 (“Circular 60”). Circular 60 provides that non-resident enterprises are not required to obtain pre-approval from the relevant tax authority in order to enjoy the reduced withholding tax. Instead, non-resident enterprises and their withholding agents may, by self-assessment and on confirmation that the prescribed criteria to enjoy the tax treaty benefits are met, directly apply the reduced withholding tax rate, and file necessary forms and supporting documents when performing tax filings, which will be subject to post-tax filing examinations by the relevant tax authorities.
PRC Value-Added Tax
Pursuant to the Interim Value-added Tax Regulations of the PRC which was amended and became effective on November 19, 2017 and the Implementing Rules for the Interim Regulations of the PRC on Value-added Tax which was amended on October 28, 2011 and became effective on November 1, 2011 (collectively the “VAT Law”), all entities and individuals that are engaged in the sale of goods, the provision of repairs and replacement services and the importation of goods in China are generally required to pay value-added tax (the “VAT”) at a rate of 17.0% of the gross sales proceeds received, less any deductible VAT already paid or borne by the taxpayer, while small-scale taxpayer will be subject to a VAT rate of 3%. Further, when exporting goods, the exporter is entitled to all the refund of VAT that it has already paid or borne unless otherwise stipulated.
On November 16, 2011, the MOF and SAT jointly promulgated the Pilot Plan for Levying VAT in Lieu of Business. Starting from January 1, 2012, the PRC government has been gradually implementing a pilot program in certain provinces and municipalities. According to the document, the tax rate of 17% shall be applicable to those like lease of tangible personal property, the tax rate of 11% shall be applicable to the transportation industry and the construction industry, and the tax rate of 6% shall be applicable to other modern service industries.
On March 23, 2016, the MOF and SAT jointly issued the Circular of Full Implementation of Business Tax to VAT Reform (the “Circular 36”) which confirms that business tax will be completely replaced by VAT from May 1, 2016.
On April 4, 2018, SAT and MOF jointly issued the Circular on Adjusting Value-added Tax Rate to further adjust the VAT rate, including the change of tax rate from 17% and 11% to 16% and 10% respectively for the taxable sales or import of goods by the taxpayer.
According to the Announcement on Policies Concerning Deepening the Reform of Value-added Tax, which was promulgated on March 20, 2019 and became effective on April 1, 2019, a VAT general taxpayer who is previously subject to 16% on VAT-taxable sales activities shall have the applicable tax rates adjusted to 13%.
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Regulations on Tax regarding Indirect Transfer
On February 3, 2015, the State Administration of Taxation, or the SAT, issued the SAT Circular 7. Pursuant to the SAT Circular 7, an “indirect transfer” of assets, including equity interests in a PRC resident enterprise, by non-PRC resident enterprises, may be re-characterized and treated as a direct transfer of PRC taxable assets, if such arrangement does not have a reasonable commercial purpose and is established for the purpose of avoiding payment of PRC enterprise income tax. As a result, gains derived from such indirect transfer may be subject to PRC enterprise income tax. When determining whether there is a “reasonable commercial purpose” of the transaction arrangement, considerations include, inter alia, (i) whether the main value of the equity interest of the relevant offshore enterprise derives directly or indirectly from PRC taxable assets; (ii) whether the assets of the relevant offshore enterprise mainly consists of direct or indirect investment in China or if its income is mainly derived from China; and (iii) whether the offshore enterprise and its subsidiaries directly or indirectly holding PRC taxable assets have real commercial nature evidenced by their actual function and risk exposure. According to the SAT Circular 7, where the payer fails to withhold any or sufficient tax, the transferor shall declare and pay such tax to the tax authority by itself within the statutory time limit. Late payment of applicable tax will subject the transferor to default interest. The SAT Circular 7 does not apply to transactions of sale of shares by investors through a public stock exchange where such shares were acquired on a public stock exchange. On October 17, 2017, the SAT issued the Circular on Issues of Tax Withholding regarding Non-PRC Resident Enterprise Income Tax, or the SAT Circular 37, which further elaborates the relevant implemental rules regarding the calculation, reporting and payment obligations of the withholding tax by the non-resident enterprises. Nonetheless, there remain uncertainties as to the interpretation and application of the SAT Circular 7. The SAT Circular 7 may be determined by the tax authorities to be applicable to our offshore transactions or sales of our shares or those of our offshore subsidiaries where non-resident enterprises, being the transferors, were involved.
Regulation of M&A and Overseas Listings
The Regulations on Mergers and Acquisitions of Domestic Companies by Foreign Investors, or the M&A Rules, adopted by six PRC regulatory agencies in 2006 and amended in 2009, requires an overseas special purpose vehicle formed for listing purposes through acquisitions of PRC domestic companies and controlled by PRC companies or individuals to obtain the approval of the China Securities Regulatory Commission, or the CSRC, prior to the listing and trading of such special purpose vehicle’s securities on an overseas stock exchange. In September 2006, the CSRC published a notice on its official website specifying documents and materials required to be submitted to it by a special purpose vehicle seeking CSRC approval of its overseas listings.
Our PRC counsel, DeHeng Law Offices, has advised us based on their understanding of the current PRC law, rules and regulations that the CSRC’s approval is not required for the listing and trading of EZGO’s ordinary shares on Nasdaq in the context of our initial public offering and follow-on offering, given that:
| ● | the CSRC currently has not issued any definitive rule or interpretation concerning whether offerings like ours under this annual report are subject to this regulation; and |
| ● | the VIE was not established by a merger with or an acquisition of any PRC domestic companies as defined under the M&A Rules. |
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However, our PRC legal counsel has further advised us that there remains some uncertainty as to how the M&A Rules will be interpreted or implemented in the context of an overseas offering and its opinions summarized above are subject to any new laws, rules and regulations or detailed implementations and interpretations in any form relating to the M&A Rules.
On July 6, 2021, the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the General Office of the State Council jointly issued the Opinions on Strictly Cracking Down on Illegal Securities Activities According to Law, which called for strengthened regulation over illegal securities activities and supervision on overseas listings by China-based companies and propose to take effective measures.
Regulation of Overseas Investment by PRC Residents
On July 4, 2014, the SAFE promulgated the Circular on Relevant Issues Relating to Domestic Resident’s Investment and Financing and Roundtrip Investment through Special Purpose Vehicles, or SAFE Circular 37. On February 13, 2015, SAFE further promulgated the Circular on Further Simplifying and Improving the Administration of the Foreign Exchange Concerning Direct Investment, or SAFE Circular 13, which took effect on June 1, 2015. This SAFE Circular 13 has amended SAFE Circular 37 by requiring PRC residents or entities to register with qualified banks rather than SAFE or its local branch in connection with their direct establishment or indirect control of an offshore entity established for the purpose of overseas investment or financing, for the purpose of overseas investment and financing, with such PRC residents’ legally owned assets or equity interests in domestic enterprises or offshore assets or interests. Qualified local banks will directly examine and accept foreign exchange registration for overseas direct investment, including the initial foreign exchange registration and amendment registration, under SAFE Circular 37 from June 1, 2015.
These circulars further require amendment to the registration in the event of any significant changes with respect to the special purpose vehicle, such as an increase or decrease of capital contributed by PRC residents, share transfer or exchange, merger, division or other material events. In the event that a PRC resident holding interests in a special purpose vehicle fails to complete the required SAFE registration, the PRC subsidiary of that special purpose vehicle may be prohibited from making profit distributions to the offshore parent and from carrying out subsequent cross-border foreign exchange activities, and the special purpose vehicle may be restricted in its ability to contribute additional capital into its PRC subsidiary. Failure to comply with the various SAFE registration requirements described above could result in liability under PRC law for evasion of foreign exchange controls.
Regulation under the PRC Securities Law
The PRC Securities Law was promulgated in December 1998 and was subsequently revised in October 2005, June 2013, August 2019 and December 2019. According to Article 177 of the PRC Securities Law, or Article 177, which became effective in March 2020, no overseas securities regulator is allowed to directly conduct investigation or evidence collection activities within the territory of the PRC. While there is no detailed interpretation regarding the rule implementation under Article 177, it will be difficult for an overseas securities regulator to conduct investigation or evidence collection activities in China.
Enforceability of Civil Liabilities
A majority of our officers and directors, including Mr. Jianhui Ye, Mr. Zebin Zhao, Ms. Peiyao Jin, Mr. Guanghui Yang and Mr. Guanneng Lai are residents of China and a substantial portion of their assets are located outside the United States. As a result, it may be difficult or impossible for a shareholder to effect service of process within the United States upon us or these persons, or to enforce against us or them judgments obtained in United States courts, including judgments predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States. It may also be difficult for a shareholder to enforce judgments obtained in U.S. courts based on the civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities laws against us and our executive officers and directors.
Our counsel as to PRC law has advised us that there is uncertainty as to whether PRC courts would (i) recognize or enforce judgments of United States courts obtained against us or our directors or officers predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States, or (ii) entertain original actions brought in each respective jurisdiction against us or our directors or officers predicated upon the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States.
Our counsel as to PRC law has further advised us that the PRC Civil Procedures Law governs the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments. PRC courts may recognize and enforce foreign judgments in accordance with the PRC Civil Procedures Law based either on treaties between China and the country where the judgment is made or on principles of reciprocity between jurisdictions.
The PRC does not have any treaties or other agreements with the United States that provide for the reciprocal recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments. In addition, according to the PRC Civil Procedures Law, courts in the PRC will not enforce a foreign judgment against us or our directors and officers if they determine that the judgment violates the basic principles of PRC law or national sovereignty, security or public interest. As a result, it is uncertain whether a PRC court would enforce a judgment rendered by a court in the United States. Under the PRC Civil Procedures Law, foreign shareholders may originate actions based on PRC law against us in the PRC, if they can establish sufficient nexus to the PRC for a PRC court to have jurisdiction, and meet other procedural requirements, including, among others, the plaintiff must have a direct interest in the case, and there must be a concrete claim, a factual basis and a cause for the suit.
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4C. Organizational Structure
For descriptions of our organizational structure, contractual arrangements, variable interest entity and subsidiaries as of the date of this annual report, please see “Item 3. Key Information — Contractual Arrangements and Corporate Structure.”
4D. Property, Plants and Equipment
Under PRC law, land is owned by the state. “Land use rights” are granted to an individual or entity after payment of a land use right fee is made to the applicable state or rural collective economic organization. Land use rights allow the holder of the right to use the land for a specified long-term period.
Our headquarters are located in Building #A, Floor 2, Changzhou Institute of Dalian University of Technology, Science and Education Town, Wujin District, Changzhou, Jiangsu, China 213164, and we maintain offices, manufacturing and storage facilities and stores in Tianjin, Changzhou, Wenzhou and Wuhu. As of September 30, 2022, we own approximately 35,047.8 square meters (approximately 377,251.4 square feet) of real estate, and we leased an aggregate of approximately 12,770 square meters (approximately 137,455.1 square feet) of real property. We do not expect to experience difficulties in renewing any of the leases when they expire. If we require additional space, we expect to be able to obtain additional facilities on commercially reasonable terms.
Owned Properties
| Address | Size | Ownership | Expiration | |||||
| 184 Xiangyuan Road, Chagugang Town, Wuqing District, Tianjin | 35,047.8 square meters (approximately 377,251.4 square feet |
Tianjin Jiahao Bicycles Co., Ltd. | December 4, 2057 |
Leased Properties
| Address | Size | Rent | Expiration | |||||
| A203, Science and Technology Town, Jiangsu Research Institute, Dalian University of Technology, Changzhou City, No. 18, Changwu Middle Road, Wujin District, Changzhou, Jiangsu Province | 60 square meters (approximately 645.8 square feet |
RMB2,394 per month (approximately $352.6) | April 24, 2023 | |||||
| A201-202, A208-209, Science and Technology Town, Jiangsu Research Institute, Dalian University of Technology, Changzhou City, No. 18, Changwu Middle Road, Wujin District, Changzhou, Jiangsu Province | 235 square meters (approximately 2,529.5 square feet) |
RMB9,165 per month (approximately $1,349.9) | April 24, 2023 | |||||
| 3rd Floor, Office Building, No. 802, Huxi New District, Xiliu Village, Hengshanqiao Town, Changzhou Economic Development Zone, Changzhou, Jiangsu Province | 300 square meters (approximately 3,229.2 square feet) |
RMB6,000 per month (approximately $883.7) | January 9, 2024 | |||||
| West Side of Jingjin Road, Nancai Village, Wuqing District, Tianjin | 10,000 square meters (approximately 107,639.1 square feet) |
RMB35,000 per month (approximately $5,154.9) | July 31, 2025 | |||||
| Sanqin 038, Qingyang Road, Hutang, Wujin District, Changzhou City, Jiangsu Province, China | 175 square meters (approximately 1,883.68 square feet) |
RMB17,850 per year (approximately $2,629.3.0) | August 31, 2024 | |||||
| 3rd Floor, No. 3 Office Building, No. 802, Xiliucunhu Xixin West District, Hengshanqiao Town, Economic Development Zone, Changzhou, Jiangsu Province | 2,000.0 square meters (approximately 21,527.8 square feet) |
RMB360,000 per year (approximately $53,022.7) | January 9, 2024 |
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ITEM 4A. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
Not Applicable
ITEM 5. OPERATING AND FINANCIAL REVIEW AND PROSPECTS
The following discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements, the notes to those financial statements and other financial data that appear elsewhere in this annual report. In addition to historical information, the following discussion contains forward-looking statements based on current expectations that involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results and the timing of certain events may differ significantly from those projected in such forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including those set forth in “Item 3. Key Information — D. Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this annual report. Our consolidated financial statements are prepared in conformity with U.S. GAAP.
Overview
Our vision is to build a leading short-distance transportation solution provider in China. Leveraging our IoT management platform, we have established a business model centered on the sale of e-bicycles and battery and cells, complemented by sale of battery packs, and our charging pile business.
Currently, we (i) design, manufacture, and sell e-bicycles and e-tricycles; (ii) sell lithium batteries; and (iii) sell, franchise and operate smart charging piles for e-bicycles and other electronic devices.
For the fiscal years ended September 30, 2020, 2021 and 2022, our revenues were $15,243,282, $23,422,006 and $17,389,217, respectively. We had a net income of $276,922 for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2020, a net loss of $3,413,644 and $7,468,830 for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2021 and 2022, respectively. We currently generate most of our revenues from e-bicycles sales and battery packs sales. We focus on completing our ecological chain of e-bicycles from manufacture to sales.
Key Factors that Affect Operating Results
We believe the following key factors may affect our financial condition and results of operations:
| ● | our ability to increase our e-bicycle sales volume; |
| ● | our ability to enhance our smart charging piles volume; |
| ● | our ability to enhance our operational efficiency; and |
| ● | our ability to expand into international markets. |
COVID-19
The outbreak of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) began in December 2019 and was quickly declared as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on January 30, 2020 by the World Health Organization. The pandemic resulted in quarantines, travel restrictions, and the temporary closure of stores and facilities in China and elsewhere. A shift of demand from public transport to personalized transportation, in order to avoid close contact with the public, increased the market demand of e-bicycles. Our revenues generated from sales of e-bicycles has increased by $7,067,247 or 63% for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2021 compared to the fiscal year ended September 30, 2020.
Substantially all of our revenue is generated from and workforce are concentrated in China. Consequently, the ongoing COVID-19 Outbreak and China’s zero-COVID policy (which included strict lockdowns, quarantines and mass testing, among other things) have adversely affected our business operations and financial condition, operating results and cash flow for the fiscal year 2022. Our production and sales of e-bicycles continued to be affected by COVID-19 epidemic and the influence included the slower transportation, the suspension of exhibition, the abnormal operation of factory and so on, which led to the decrease of our sales volume of e-bicycles and the decrease of our revenue for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022.
With the China’s nationwide loosening of COVID-19 policy since December 2022, a resurgence of pandemic could potentially increase the employee infection cases and cause limited support from our employees may disrupt our supply chain, and the continued uncertainties associated with the COVID-19 pandemic may further impact our future revenue growth and cash flows.
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Results of Operations
The following table sets forth a summary of our consolidated statements of income for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2020, 2021 and 2022, respectively. This information should be read together with our consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this annual report. The results of operations in any period are not necessarily indicative of our future trends.
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | ||||||||||
| Net revenues | $ | 15,243,282 | $ | 23,422,006 | $ | 17,389,217 | ||||||
| Cost of revenues | (13,704,248 | ) | (23,039,528 | ) | (17,170,178 | ) | ||||||
| Gross profit | 1,539,034 | 382,478 | 219,039 | |||||||||
| Selling and marketing expenses | (385,722 | ) | (1,558,719 | ) | (1,008,422 | ) | ||||||
| General and administrative expenses | (1,081,346 | ) | (2,701,178 | ) | (5,673,224 | ) | ||||||
| Total operating expenses | (1,467,068 | ) | (4,259,897 | ) | (6,681,646 | ) | ||||||
| Income (loss) from operations | 71,966 | (3,877,419 | ) | (6,462,607 | ) | |||||||
| Total other income (expenses), net | 378,395 | 80,774 | (397,499 | ) | ||||||||
| Income (loss) from continuing operations before income tax expense | 450,361 | (3,796,645 | ) | (6,860,106 | ) | |||||||
| Income tax (expense) benefit | (116,063 | ) | 419,405 | (527,119 | ) | |||||||
| Net income (loss) from continuing operations | 334,298 | (3,377,240 | ) | (7,387,225 | ) | |||||||
| Loss from discontinued operation, net of tax | (57,376 | ) | (36,404 | ) | (81,605 | ) | ||||||
| Net income (loss) | 276,922 | (3,413,644 | ) | (7,468,830 | ) | |||||||
| Net income (loss) from continuing operations | 334,298 | (3,377,240 | ) | (7,387,225 | ) | |||||||
| Less: Net income (loss) attributable to non-controlling interests from continuing operations | 129,748 | (434,971 | ) | (1,005,032 | ) | |||||||
| Net income (loss) attributable to our shareholders from continuing operations | 204,550 | (2,942,269 | ) | (6,382,193 | ) | |||||||
| Loss from discontinued operation, net of tax | (57,376 | ) | (36,404 | ) | (81,605 | ) | ||||||
| Net loss attributable to our shareholders from discontinued operation | (57,376 | ) | (36,404 | ) | (81,605 | ) | ||||||
| Net income (loss) attributable to our shareholders | $ | 147,174 | $ | (2,978,673 | ) | $ | (6,463,798 | ) | ||||
Segment Information
We have determined the Company operates in two segments for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2020, 2021 and 2022: (i) battery cells and packs; and (ii) e-bicycle sales. The battery cells and packs segment engaged in selling battery packs. The e-bicycle sales segment sells e-bicycles offline to regional exclusive distributors and wholesalers and on various online e-commerce platforms to individual customers.
The following tables present the summary of each reportable segment’s revenue and income, which are considered as segment operating performance measures, for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2020, 2021 and 2022:
Year Ended September 30, 2020 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Battery cells and packs segment | E-bicycle sales segment | Subtotal from operating segments | Other | Consolidated | ||||||||||||||||
| Revenues from external customers* | $ | 3,148,156 | $ | 11,165,290 | $ | 14,313,446 | $ | 929,836 | $ | 15,243,282 | ||||||||||
| Depreciation and amortization | (2,318 | ) | (82,896 | ) | (85,214 | ) | (466 | ) | (85,680 | ) | ||||||||||
| Segment income before tax | 251,731 | 169,452 | 421,183 | 29,178 | 450,361 | |||||||||||||||
| Segment gross profit margin | 15.0 | % | 9.0 | % | 11.0 | % | 10.0 | % | 11.0 | % | ||||||||||
Year Ended September 30, 2021 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Battery cells and packs segment | E-bicycle sales segment | Subtotal from operating segments | Other | Consolidated | ||||||||||||||||
| Revenues from external customers* | $ | 4,288,366 | $ | 18,232,537 | $ | 22,520,903 | $ | 901,103 | $ | 23,422,006 | ||||||||||
| Depreciation and amortization | (804 | ) | (139,501 | ) | (140,305 | ) | (329,543 | ) | (469,848 | ) | ||||||||||
| Segment income (loss) before tax | 16,902 | (2,034,515 | ) | (2,017,613 | ) | (1,779,032 | ) | (3,796,645 | ) | |||||||||||
| Segment gross profit margin | 3.2 | % | 1.6 | % | 1.9 | % | -4.4 | % | 1.6 | % | ||||||||||
Year Ended September 30, 2022 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Battery cells and packs segment | E-bicycle sales segment | Subtotal from operating segments | Other | Consolidated | ||||||||||||||||
| Revenues from external customers* | $ | 6,990,215 | $ | 9,405,103 | $ | 16,395,318 | $ | 993,899 | $ | 17,389,217 | ||||||||||
| Depreciation and amortization | (289,150 | ) | (319,801 | ) | (608,951 | ) | (314,971 | ) | (923,922 | ) | ||||||||||
| Segment loss before tax | (1,538,888 | ) | (3,068,693 | ) | (4,607,581 | ) | (2,252,525 | ) | (6,860,106 | ) | ||||||||||
| Segment gross profit margin | 6.5 | % | -1.7 | % | 1.8 | % | -7.6 | % | 1.3 | % | ||||||||||
| * | Please refer to the analysis of net revenues in the paragraph headed “Components of Results of Operations” in this section. |
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Depreciation and amortization
The depreciation and amortization of e-bicycle sales segment increased by 68% or $56,605 from fiscal 2020 to fiscal 2021, which was consistent with the increase of revenue from e-bicycle sales. The depreciation and amortization of unallocated increased by $329,077 to $329,543 for fiscal 2021 from $466 for fiscal 2020, the increase was mainly due to the depreciation of our charging piles equipment.
The depreciation and amortization of e-bicycle sales segment increased by 129% or $180,300 from fiscal 2021 to fiscal 2022, which was due to the acquisition of land use right and buildings of Tianjin Jiahao in July, 2021. The depreciation and amortization of unallocated decreased by $14,572 to $314,971 for fiscal 2022 from $329,543 for fiscal 2021, the decrease was mainly due to the decreased depreciation of our charging piles equipment.
Segment income/loss before tax
The income before tax of battery cells and packs segment decreased by $234,829 to $16,902 for fiscal 2021 from $251,731 for fiscal 2020, representing a significant decrease of approximately 93%. The loss was primarily due to a low profit margin of 3.2% for fiscal 2021.
The income before tax of battery cells and packs segment decreased by $1,555,790 to loss of $1,538,888 for fiscal 2022 from income of $16,902 for fiscal 2021, representing a significant decrease of 9,205%. The loss was primarily due to increase of general and administrative expenses of $1,743,944 for fiscal 2022.
We had a loss before tax of e-bicycle sales segment of $2,034,515 for fiscal 2021, and an income before tax of $169,452 for fiscal 2020. The loss in 2021 fiscal year was primarily due to reduced unit price of e-bicycles and increased advertising in order to increase our sales volume and market share. Overall, our unit price of e-bicycles decreased 17% and sales volume increased 92% in fiscal 2021 compared with fiscal 2020.
We had a loss before tax of e-bicycle sales segment of $3,068,693 for fiscal 2022, and loss before tax of $2,034,515 for fiscal 2021. The loss in 2022 fiscal year was primarily due to reduced unit price and the decrease of sales volume of e-bicycles under the fierce competition of the e-bicycle industry. Overall, our unit price of e-bicycles decreased 12% and sales volume decreased 40% in fiscal 2022 compared with fiscal 2021.
We had a loss before tax of unallocated of $2,252,525 for fiscal 2022 and a loss before tax of unallocated of $1,779,032 for fiscal 2021. The loss in 2022 fiscal year was primarily due to the increased expenditures on share-based compensation and the management’s salaries.
Components of Results of Operations
Years Ended September 30, 2020, 2021 and 2022
The following table identifies the disaggregation of our revenue from continuing operations and reportable segments for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2020, 2021 and 2022, respectively:
| Years Ended September 30, | ||||||||||||||
| Segment | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | |||||||||||
| Sales of batteries and battery packs | Battery cells and packs segment | $ | 3,148,156 | $ | 4,288,366 | $ | 6,990,215 | |||||||
| Sales of e-bicycles | E-bicycle sales segment | 11,165,290 | 18,232,537 | 9,405,103 | ||||||||||
| Others | 929,836 | 901,103 | 993,899 | |||||||||||
| Net Revenue | $ | 15,243,282 | $ | 23,422,006 | $ | 17,389,217 | ||||||||
Our revenues from continuing operations for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2020, 2021 and 2022 were $15,243,282, $23,422,006 and $17,389,217, respectively. The increase in revenues from fiscal 2020 to fiscal 2021 were mainly due to the increase of sales of e-bicycles by reducing our average unit price of e-bicycles by 17% and increasing advertising. The decrease in revenue from fiscal 2021 to fiscal 2022 was mainly due to the decrease of sales of e-bicycles and partially offset by the increase of sales of batteries and battery packs.
The sales of e-bicycles segment engaged in online and offline sale. The sales of e-bicycles decreased by 48.4% to $9,405,103 for fiscal 2022 from $18,232,537 for fiscal 2021 due to the decreased unit price and the decreased sales volume of the e-bicycles under the fierce competition of the e-bicycle industry. Overall, our unit price of e-bicycles decreased 12% and sales volume decreased 40% in fiscal 2022 compared with fiscal 2021. The market share of leading companies increases and the small and middle companies had to reduced sales price in response to the competition.
The battery cells and packs segment are engaged in the selling of battery packs. The revenue from sales of battery packs for fiscal year 2021 was $4,288,366, as compared to $3,148,156 for fiscal 2020 as the increase of demand from our long-term customers.
The revenue from sales of battery packs for fiscal 2022 was $6,990,215, compared to $4,288,366 for fiscal 2021. We continued to boost sales of our battery packs due to the increasing market demand and the increase of unit price during fiscal 2022. Our sales price of battery packs increased by approximately 60% for fiscal 2022 compared to fiscal 2021.
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Cost of revenues
Cost of revenues consists primarily of manufacturing and purchase cost of e-bicycles, purchase cost of battery packs, depreciation, maintenance, and other overhead expenses.
Our cost of revenues significantly increased by $9,335,280, or 68%, to $23,039,528 for fiscal 2021 from $13,704,248 for fiscal 2020, which was primarily due to the increase of manufacturing and purchase cost of e-bicycles for sales of e-bicycles, and purchase cost of battery packs for sales of battery packs. We also provided sales rebate to distributor and wholesalers, which result in the increase of our cost of revenues.
Our cost of revenues decreased by $5,869,350, or 25%, to $17,170,178 for fiscal 2022 from $23,039,528 for fiscal 2021, which was primarily due to the decrease of manufacturing and purchase cost of e-bicycles for sales of e-bicycles, which is in line with the decrease of revenues.
Gross profit
Gross profit for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2020, 2021 and 2022 was $1,539,034, $382,478 and $219,039, or 10%, 2% and 1% of net revenues, respectively.
Gross profit margin for fiscal 2021 decreased from 10% to 2%, primarily due to the low margin of sales of e-bicycles, which accounted for a large proportion of our total revenue, thus, the total gross profit rate converged with that of sales of e-bicycles. In order to expand sales volume and increase market share, we reduced unit price of e-bicycle and provided sales rebate to distributor and wholesalers, which resulted in the low margin of sales of e-bicycles for the year ended September 30, 2021.
Gross profit margin for fiscal 2022 decreased from 2% to 1%, primarily due to the negative margin of sales of e-bicycles, which accounts for a large proportion of our total revenue. The decrease of gross profit margin was primarily because the average selling price of our e-bicycle decreased by 12% for fiscal 2022. Also, the cost of raw materials increased due to adverse impact of COVID-19 pandemics that caused repeated shutdown in factory production.
Selling and marketing expenses
Our selling and marketing expenses primarily consist of salaries and welfare, advertising, and freight expenses. Our selling and marketing expenses increased by $1,199,997, or approximately 334%, to $1,558,719 for the fiscal 2021 from $358,722 for fiscal 2020, was primarily due to more salespersons were hired and more promotion were made for expanding sales volume and increasing market share of e-bicycles.
Our selling and marketing expenses decreased by $550,297, or approximately 35%, to $1,008,422 for fiscal 2022 from $1,558,719 for fiscal 2021, was primarily due to the decrease of exhibition expenses, advertising and promotion expenses. Exhibitions and many sales activities were cancelled affected by COVID-19 pandemics under zero-COVID policy in 2022. The advertising expenses decreased $115,697 or 66% from $174,566 in fiscal 2021 to $58,869 in fiscal 2022. The exhibition expenses decreased $152,955 or 81% from $188,177 in fiscal 2021 to $35,221 in fiscal 2022.
General and administrative expenses
Our general and administrative expenses increased by $1,619,832, or 150%, to $2,701,178 for fiscal 2021 from $1,081,346 for fiscal 2020. The increase was attributed to the increase of the expenses of Liability Insurance of Directors, consulting fee for the acquisition of Tianjin Jiahao and research and development fee and staff expenses. The research and development expense was $167,513 in fiscal 2021.
Our general and administrative expenses increased by $2,972,046, or 110%, to $5,673,224 for fiscal 2022 from $2,701,178 for fiscal 2021. The increase was primarily attributed to 1) the increase of share-based compensation expense, management salaries and employee bonus of $707,763, or 103%; 2) the increased depreciation and amortization for the acquired land use right and buildings of $311,805, or 214%; and 3) the increased expenses in research and development activities for new e-bicycles models of $89,125, or 53%. The research and development expense was $256,637 in fiscal 2022.
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Income tax expense/benefit
The PRC enterprise income tax (“EIT”) is calculated based on the taxable income determined under the applicable EIT Law and its implementation rules, which became effective on January 1, 2008. The EIT Law applies a uniform 25% income tax rate for all resident enterprises in China. Income tax expenses and income were $116,063 and $419,405 for fiscal 2020 and 2021, respectively, and we also incurred an income tax loss of $527,119 for fiscal 2022. The reason is that the company accrued valuation allowance for deferred tax assets of $1,755,296 for fiscal 2022, based on the assessment that it is more likely than not that the Company will not create enough future taxable income to fully utilize its deferred tax assets.
Net income/loss from continuing operations
Our income from continuing operations for fiscal 2020 was $334,298. In addition, we incurred a net loss of $3,377,240 and $7,387,225 from continuing operations for fiscal 2021 and 2022.
Income/loss from discontinued operation, net of tax
Our loss from discontinued operation was $57,376, $36,404 and $81,605 for fiscal 2020, 2021 and 2022, respectively, which primary due to the decrease in rental revenue that caused by the decline of customers’ demands and the termination of the rental contract with our sublease under the impact of COVID-19.
Net income/loss
As a result of the foregoing, our net income for fiscal 2020 was $276,922. We recorded a net loss of $3,413,644 and $7,468,830 for fiscal 2021 and 2022.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
To date, we have financed our operations primarily through capital contributions, initial public offering, registered direct offering and from operations. We received net proceeds of approximately $10.85 million in our initial public offering in January 2021 and received net proceeds of approximately $10.88 million in the previous registered direct offering in June 2021. On July 21, 2022, we entered into a securities purchase agreement with certain “non-U.S. Persons” as defined in Regulation S of the Securities Act of 1933, and received net proceeds from of $8.00 million. We plan to support our future operations primarily from cash generated from our operations. We may, however, require additional cash due to business expansion or other future developments. If our future cash is insufficient to meet our requirements, we may further to seek to issue debt or equity securities or obtain additional credit facilities.
As of September 30, 2022, we had cash and cash equivalents of $4,389,990 and total working capital of $19,185,833, $20,000,107 of which was from continuing operations and the current liabilities exceeds the current assets by $814,274 for discontinued operation.
Although we consolidate the results of our VIE and its subsidiaries, we only have access to cash balances or future earnings of our VIE and its subsidiaries through our VIE arrangements with our VIE.
Current foreign exchange and other regulations in the PRC may restrict our PRC entities in their ability to transfer their net assets to us and our subsidiary. However, we have no present plans to declare a dividend and we plan to retain our retained earnings to continue to grow our business. In addition, these restrictions had no impact on our ability to meet our cash obligations as all of our current cash obligations are due within the PRC.
To utilize the proceeds from the private placement in July 2022, we may make additional capital contributions to our PRC subsidiary, establish new PRC subsidiaries and make capital contributions to these new PRC subsidiaries, or make loans to the PRC subsidiaries. However, most of these uses are subject to PRC regulations. Foreign direct investment and loans must be approved by and/or registered in accordance with the Foreign Exchange Administration Regulations (1996), as amended in 2008. The total amount of loans we can make to our PRC subsidiary cannot exceed statutory limits and must be registered with the local counterpart of SAFE. The statutory limit for the total amount of foreign debts of a foreign-invested company is the difference between the amount of total investment as approved by the Ministry of Commerce or its local counterpart and the amount of registered capital of such foreign-invested company.
We are permitted under PRC laws and regulations to provide funding to our PRC subsidiary only through loans or capital contributions, and to our consolidated VIE only through loans, and only if we satisfy the applicable government registration and approval requirements. The relevant filing and registration processes for capital contributions to our PRC subsidiary typically take approximately eight weeks to complete. The filing and registration processes for loans either to our PRC subsidiary or to our consolidated VIE typically take approximately four weeks or longer to complete. While we currently see no material obstacles to completing the filing and registration procedures with respect to future capital contributions to our PRC subsidiary and loans to our PRC subsidiary or our consolidated VIE, we cannot assure you that we will be able to complete these filings and registrations on a timely basis, or at all. See “Item 3. Key Information — D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—PRC regulation on loans to, and direct investment in, PRC entities by offshore holding companies and governmental control in currency conversion may delay or prevent us from using the proceeds of the offerings to make loans to or make additional capital contributions to our PRC subsidiaries, which could materially and adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business.’’ Additionally, while there is no statutory limit on the amount of capital contribution that we can make to our PRC subsidiaries, loans provided to our PRC subsidiary and consolidated VIE in the PRC are subject to certain statutory limits. We are able to use all of the net proceeds from offering for investment in our PRC operations by funding our PRC subsidiary through capital contributions which is not subject to any statutory limit on the amount under PRC laws and regulations. We expect to continue using the net proceeds in the PRC in the form of Renminbi and, therefore, our PRC subsidiary and consolidated VIE will need to convert any capital contributions or loans from U.S. dollars into Renminbi in accordance with applicable PRC laws and regulations.
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Cash Flows
The following table summarizes our cash flows for the years indicated:
| Years Ended September 30, | ||||||||||||
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | ||||||||||
| Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities, continuing operations | $ | 3,895,871 | $ | (6,871,446 | ) | $ | (11,837,549 | ) | ||||
| Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities, discontinued operation | 128,898 | 615,011 | (56,214 | ) | ||||||||
| Net cash used in investing activities, continuing operations | (4,485,811 | ) | (11,436,429 | ) | (2,949,776 | ) | ||||||
| Net cash provided by investing activities, discontinued operation | 1,135,964 | 399,175 | 7,434 | |||||||||
| Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities, continuing operations | (4,004,361 | ) | 22,764,076 | 14,243,210 | ||||||||
| Effect of exchange rate changes | 36,324 | 78,968 | (883,772 | ) | ||||||||
| Net (decrease) increase in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash | $ | (3,293,115 | ) | $ | 5,549,355 | $ | (1,476,667 | ) | ||||
Years ended September 30, 2020, 2021 and 2022
Operating Activities
Net cash used in continuing operating activities was $10,298,816 for fiscal 2022, primarily derived from (a) a net loss from continuing operations of $7,387,225, adjusted by depreciation and amortization of $1,003,846 and allowance of doubtful account of $1,094,291; (b) an increase of advance to suppliers of $4,206,570 was primarily due to prepayments made for our e-bicycles sales business; (c) an increase of accounts receivables of $2,492,075 due to delayed payment of customers; (d) an increase of amount due from related parties of $4,217,864 was primarily due to prepayments made for our e-bicycles sales business to related parties; (e) an increase of prepaid expenses and other current assets because the large prepayment for land use right; and offset by an increase of accrued expenses and other payables of $2,429,472.
Net cash used in discontinued operating activities was $56,214 for fiscal 2022, primarily derived from (a) a net loss from discontinuing operations of $81,605, adjusted by depreciation and amortization of $46,381 and loss from the disposal of property, plants and equipment of $-; (b) a decrease of accounts receivable of $2,913 ; (c) a decrease of in account payables $85,867 was because some suppliers has shortened their credit terms and the company has made payments to them accordingly.
Net cash used in continuing operating activities was $6,871,446 for fiscal 2021, primarily derived from (a) a net loss from continuing operations of $3,377,240, adjusted by depreciation and amortization of $469,848; (b) an increase of advance to suppliers of $4,514,366 was primarily due to prepayments made for our e-bicycles sales business; c) an increase of amount due from related parties of $3,062,904 was primarily due to prepayments made for our e-bicycles sales business to related parties, and offset by a) an increase of accrued expenses and other payables of $3,026,677, and b) a decrease of note receivable of $1,736,538 due to the collection of receivable outstanding.
Net cash provided by discontinued operating activities was $615,011 for fiscal 2021, primarily derived from (a) a net loss from discontinuing operations of $36,404, adjusted by depreciation and amortization of $292,739; (b) a decrease of accounts receivable of $328,631; (c) a decrease of prepaid expense and other current assets of $363,640 and was offset by a decrease of accrued expenses and other payable of $298,237.
Net cash provided by continuing operating activities was $3,895,871 for fiscal 2020, mainly derived from (a) a net income from continuing operations of $334,298, adjusted by depreciation and amortization of $85,680; (b) a decrease of advance to suppliers of $4,310,499; (c) an increase of accrued expenses and other payables of $2,510,145; (d) a decrease of inventories of $1,568,669, and e) a decrease of amount due from related parties of $1,839,439, and offset by a) an increase of accounts receivable of $6,093,585, and (b) an increase of note receivable of $1,612,995. The decrease in advance to suppliers and amount due from related parties were primarily due to delivery of e-bicycles from the suppliers and related parties during the fiscal year ended September 30, 2020 and we managed to obtain credit term from suppliers as we increased purchase for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2020. The increase in accrued expenses and other payables were primarily due to the increase of value-added tax payable, which was in line with the increase of our revenue. The increase in accounts receivable and note receivable was primarily due to the increase of sales of e-bicycles.
Net cash provided by discontinued operating activities was $128,898 for fiscal 2020, mainly derived from (a) a net loss from discontinued operation of $57,376, adjusted by depreciation and amortization of $933,176 and the gain from the disposal of property, plants and equipment of $542,320; and (b) an increase of accounts receivables of $232,896.
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Investing Activities
For fiscal 2022, net cash used in investing activities for the continuing operations was $4,481,075, mainly consisted of (a) interest-free loan of $4,730,513 to related party; (b) purchases of property, plants and equipment of $234,256 and long-term investment of $154,886 ; partially offset by maturities of short-term investment $1,525,972, proceed from short-term investment of $109,817 and collection of loan to related parties of $534,090.
For fiscal 2022, net cash provided by investing activities for the discontinued operations were $- which was primarily due to a proceed from disposal of equipment.
For fiscal 2021, net cash used in investing activities for the continuing operations was $11,436,429, which was primarily due to purchases of property, plants and equipment of $6,723,468 and intangible asset of $4,497,426, which was primarily due to the purchase of the factory and land use right from the acquisition of Tianjin Jiahao, which was partially offset by the proceeds from disposal of property, plants and equipment of $453,652.
For fiscal 2021, net cash provided by investing activities for the discontinued operations were $399,175 which was primarily due to a proceed from disposal of equipment.
For fiscal 2020, net cash used in investing activities for the continuing operations was $4,485,811, consisted of (a) the purchase of property, plants and equipment in the amount of $2,344,667; and (b) purchase of short-term investments in the amount of $2,141,144.
For fiscal 2020, net cash provided by investing activities for the discontinuing operations was $1,135,964, mainly consisted of a proceed from disposal of equipment.
Financing Activities
For fiscal 2022, net cash provided by financing activities for the continuing operations was $14,243,210, primarily consisted of (a) cash receipts from equity issuance in the amount of $8,000,000 ; (b) the collection of loan from a shareholder in the amount of $2,992,126 ; and (c) proceeds from short-term borrowings of $3,051,944.
For fiscal 2021, net cash provided by financing activities for the continuing operations was $22,764,076, primarily consisted of (a) cash receipts from equity issuance in the amount of $20,947,182; and (b) the collection of loan from a shareholder in the amount of $1,821,847.
For fiscal 2020, net cash used in financing activities for the continuing operations was $4,004,361, mainly consisted of (a) repayment of the loan to related parties in the amount of $4,289,426 and (b) a loan to a shareholder in the amount of $377,634, which was offset by a collection from a shareholder in the amount of $391,116.
Trend Information
Other than as disclosed in “Item 3. Key Information — D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business and Industry—The outbreak of the recent COVID-19 in the PRC may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations” in this annual report, we are not aware of any trends, uncertainties, demands, commitments or events that are reasonably likely to have a material effect on our net revenues, income from continuing operations, profitability, liquidity or capital resources, or that would cause reported financial information not necessarily to be indicative of future operating results or financial condition.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
We did not have during the years presented, and we do not currently have, any off-balance sheet financing arrangements 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.
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Tabular Disclosure of Contractual Obligations
Commitments and Contingencies
From time to time, we may be subject to certain legal proceedings, claims and disputes that arise in the ordinary course of business. Although the outcomes of these legal proceedings cannot be predicted, we do not believe these actions, in the aggregate, will have a material adverse impact on its financial position, results of operations or liquidity.
Operating Lease
| Payments due by period | ||||
Years Ending September 30, | ||||
| 2023 | $ | 117,176 | ||
| 2024 | 89,210 | |||
| 2025 | 48,528 | |||
| 2026 | 19,411 | |||
| $ | 274,326 | |||
Other than those shown above, we did not have any significant capital and other commitments, long-term obligations, or guarantees as of September 30, 2022.
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
Our consolidated financial statements (“CFS”) were prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP, which requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, revenues and expenses, and related disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities on the date of the CFS, and the reported amounts of revenues and expense incurred during the financial reporting period and accompanying notes. The most significant estimates and assumptions include the valuation of accounts receivable and inventories, useful lives of property, plant and equipment and intangible assets, the recoverability of long-lived assets, provision necessary for contingent liabilities, and revenue recognition. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities. Changes in the economic environment, financial markets, and any other parameters used in determining such estimates could cause actual results to differ. Our critical accounting estimates are described below. The critical accounting policies and estimates should be read in conjunction with Note 2 in our CFS for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, for more information on our critical accounting policies.
Use of estimates
The preparation of CFS in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires the Company’s management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the CFS and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period and accompanying notes, including allowance for doubtful accounts, the useful lives of property, plants and equipment, impairment of short-term investments and long-lived assets, valuation allowance for deferred tax assets and uncertain tax opinions. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Short-term investments
Short-term investments include wealth management product and convertible debt instrument, which are classified as available-for-sale debt investments in accordance with ASC topic 320 (“ASC 320”), Investments—Debt Securities. Short-term investments are measured at fair value (“FV”) and interest income is recognized in earnings. The unrealized gains or losses from the changes in FVs are reported net of tax in accumulated other comprehensive income until realized.
The Company reviews available-for-sale debt investments for other-than-temporary impairment (“OTTI”) based on the specific identification method. The Company considers available quantitative and qualitative evidence in evaluating potential impairment of its investments. If the cost of an investment exceeds the investment’s FV, the Company considers, among other factors, general market conditions, expected future performance of the investees, the duration and the extent to which the fair value of the investment is less than the cost, and the Company’s intent and ability to hold the investment. OTTI, if any, is recognized as loss in the Consolidated Statements of Income. For fiscal 2020, 2021 and 2022, the Company did not record any OTTI.
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Accounts receivable, net
Accounts receivable, net are stated at the original amount less an allowance for doubtful receivables, if any, based on a review of all outstanding amounts at period end. An allowance is also made when there is objective evidence that the Company will not be able to collect all amounts due according to the original terms of the receivables. The Company analyzes the aging of the customer accounts, coverage of credit insurance, customer concentrations, customer creditworthiness, historical and current economic trends and changes in its customer payment patterns when evaluating the adequacy of the allowance for doubtful accounts. For fiscal 2020, 2021 and 2022, the Company recorded bad debt expense $20,790, nil and $1,036,654 from continuing operations and nil, $11,438 and $79,877 from discontinued operation, respectively.
Inventories
Inventories, primarily consisting of the raw materials purchased by the Company for battery packs assembling and e-bicycles production, and finished goods including battery packs and e-bicycles, are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value. Cost of inventory is determined using weighted-average method. Where there is evidence that the utility of inventories, in their disposal in the ordinary course of business, will be less than cost, whether due to physical deterioration, obsolescence, changes in price levels, or other causes, the inventories are written down to net realizable value. The write-downs recognized for the inventories for fiscal 2020, 2021 and 2022 is $nil, $114,964 and $168,017.
Property, plant and equipment, net
Property, plant and equipment, net. Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation and depreciated on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the assets. Cost represents the purchase price of the asset and other costs incurred to bring the asset into its intended use. The cost of repairs and maintenance is expensed as incurred; major replacements and improvements are capitalized. When assets are retired or disposed of, the cost and accumulated depreciation are removed from the accounts, and any resulting gains or losses are included in income/loss in the year of disposition. Estimated useful lives are as follows:
| Estimated Useful Life | ||
| Building | 20 years | |
| Equipment for rental business | 2.5-5 Years | |
| Production line for e-bicycles | 5-10 Years | |
| Furniture, fixtures and office equipment | 3-5 Years | |
| Vehicles | 4-10 Years | |
| Leasehold improvements | 5 years |
Land use rights
Land use rights are recorded at cost less accumulated amortization. Amortization is provided on straight-line basis over the useful life of land use right. The land use right has a term of 36.5 years and expires on December 4, 2057.
Impairment of Long-lived Assets
In accordance with ASC Topic 360, the Company reviews long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the assets may not be fully recoverable. The Company recognizes an impairment loss when the sum of expected undiscounted future cash flows is less than the carrying amount of the asset. The amount of impairment is measured as the difference between the asset’s estimated fair value and its carrying amount. The Company did not record any impairment charge for fiscal 2020, 2021 and 2022.
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Revenue recognition
The Company follows ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (ASC Topic 606). The Company applied ASC Topic 840, Leases, for the revenue from rentals of lithium batteries and e-bicycles.
The core principle of ASC Topic 606 is that a company should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the company expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The following five steps are applied to achieve that core principle:
Step 1: Identify the contract with the customer
Step 2: Identify the performance obligations in the contract
Step 3: Determine the transaction price
Step 4: Allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract
Step 5: Recognize revenue when the company satisfies a performance obligation
Revenue recognition policies are discussed as follows:
Revenue from sales of self-manufactured battery cell, battery pack and e-bicycles
The Company sells products to different customers, primarily including self-manufactured battery cells (see Note 13 Discontinued Operation), self-assembled battery packs and e-bicycles. The Company presents the revenue generated from its sales of products on a gross basis as the Company is a principal. The revenue is recognized at a point in time when the Company satisfies the performance obligation by transferring promised product to a customer upon acceptance by customers.
Revenue from battery cell trading
Revenue from battery cell trading is recognized on a net basis as the Company arranges the provision of products through third parties and does not control the specified products provided by the third parties before that products are transferred to the customers, and therefore, the Company acts as an agent. The revenue is recognized at a point in time when the Company satisfies performance obligations by arranging the transfer of a promised product to a customer and measured at fixed consideration which is determined as the difference between the sales price that the Company expects to receive in exchange for arranging promised products to the customer and the settlement price with the third-party suppliers.
Contract liabilities primarily consist of advances from customers, which comprises unamortized lithium batteries. As of September 30, 2021 and 2022, the Company recognized advances from customers $94,899 and $782,405, respectively.
The revenue from sales of self-manufactured battery cells and lithium batteries and e-bicycles services via sublease and its own application named Yidianxing are revenue from the Company’s discontinued operation, and are represented separately in the Consolidated Statements of Income for fiscal 2020, 2021 and 2022 (see Note 13 Discontinued Operation). The following table identifies the disaggregation of the Company’s revenue from continuing operations for fiscal 2020, 2021 and 2022, respectively:
Years Ended | ||||||||||||
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | ||||||||||
| Revenues from continuing operations: | ||||||||||||
| Sales of battery packs and e-bicycles | $ | 14,313,446 | $ | 22,520,903 | $ | 16,395,318 | ||||||
| Other | 929,836 | 901,103 | 993,899 | |||||||||
| Net revenues | $ | 15,243,282 | $ | 23,422,006 | $ | 17,389,217 | ||||||
Timing of revenue recognition may differ from the timing of invoicing to customers. Accounts receivable is revenue recognized for the amounts invoiced and/or prior to invoicing when the Company has satisfied its performance obligation and has unconditional right to the payment. The Company has no contract assets as of September 30, 2021 and 2022.
The Company applied a practical expedient to expense costs as incurred for costs to obtain a contract with a customer when the amortization period would have been one year or less. The Company has no material incremental costs of obtaining contracts with customers that the Company expects the benefit of those costs to be longer than one year.
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Recent accounting pronouncements
The Company is an “emerging growth company” (“EGC”) as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”). Under the JOBS Act, EGC can delay adopting new or revised accounting standards issued subsequent to the enactment of the JOBS Act until such time as those standards apply to private companies.
In February 2016, FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). The guidance supersedes existing guidance on accounting for leases with the main difference being that operating leases are to be recorded in the statement of financial position as right-of-use assets and lease liabilities, initially measured at the present value of the lease payments. For operating leases with a term of 12 months or less, a lessee is permitted to make an accounting policy election not to recognize lease assets and liabilities. In July 2018, ASU 2016-02 was updated with ASU 2018-11, Targeted Improvements to ASC Topic 842, which provides entities with relief from the costs of implementing certain aspects of the new leasing standard. Specifically, under the amendments in ASU 2018-11, (1) entities may elect not to recast the comparative periods presented when transitioning to ASC 842 and (2) lessors may elect not to separate lease and non-lease components when certain conditions are met. In November 2019, ASU 2019-10, Codification Improvements to ASC 842 modified the effective dates of all other entities. In June 2020, ASU 2020-05 defer the effective date for one year for entities in the “all other” category. For all other entities, the amendments in ASU 2020-05 are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022. Early application of the guidance continues to be permitted. The Company will adopt ASU 2016-02 on October 1, 2022 and will use the additional modified retrospective transition method provided by ASU No. 2018-11 for the adoption. The Company is in the process of evaluating the effect of the adoption of this ASU. Based on the portfolio of leases as of September 30, 2022, a right-of-use asset of approximately $224,167 and a lease liability of approximately $221,688 were recognized on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet upon its adoption date of October 1, 2022, primarily relating to the rental of office space, production space and storage space. The Company does not expect any material impact on net assets and the consolidated statement of comprehensive loss as a result of adopting the new standard.
In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, “Financial Instruments – Credit Losses”, which will require the measurement of all expected credit losses for financial assets held at the reporting date based on historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. Subsequently, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-19, Codification Improvements to Topic 326, to clarify that receivables arising from operating leases are within the scope of lease accounting standards. Further, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-04, ASU 2019-05, ASU 2019-10, ASU 2019-11 and ASU 2020-02 to provide additional guidance on the credit losses standard. For all other entities, the amendments for ASU 2016-13 are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022, including interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. Adoption of the ASUs is on a modified retrospective basis. The Company will adopt ASU 2016-13 from October 1, 2023. The Company is in the process of evaluating the effect of the adoption of this ASU.
Other accounting standards that have been issued by FASB that do not require adoption until a future date are not expected to have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements upon adoption. The Company does not discuss recent standards that are not anticipated to have an impact on or are unrelated to its CFS.
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risks
We are also exposed to liquidity risk which is risk that we are unable to provide sufficient capital resources and liquidity to meet its commitments and business needs. Liquidity risk is controlled by the application of financial position analysis and monitoring procedures. When necessary, we will turn to other financial institutions and the shareholders to obtain short-term funding to meet the liquidity shortage.
Inflation risk
To date, inflation in China has not materially impacted our results of operations. According to the National Bureau of Statistics of China, the year-over-year percent changes in the consumer price index for 2020, 2021 and November 2022 were increases of 2.5%, 2.1% and 1.6%, respectively. Although we have not been materially affected by inflation in the past, we can provide no assurance that we will not be affected in the future by higher rates of inflation in the PRC. For example, certain operating costs and expenses, such as employee compensation and office operating expenses may increase as a result of higher inflation. Additionally, because a substantial portion of our assets consists of cash and cash equivalents, high inflation could significantly reduce the value and purchasing power of these assets. We are not able to hedge our exposure to higher inflation in China.
Interest rate risk
Our exposure to interest rate risk primarily relates to the interest rate that our deposited cash can earn. Interest-earning instruments carry a degree of interest rate risk. We have not been exposed to material risks due to changes in interest rates. An increase, however, may raise the cost of any debt we incur in the future.
Foreign currency translation and transaction
Substantially all of our operating activities and our assets and liabilities are denominated in RMB, which is not freely convertible into foreign currencies. All foreign exchange transactions take place either through the Peoples’ Bank of China (“PBOC”) or other authorized financial institutions at exchange rates quoted by PBOC. Approval of foreign currency payments by the PBOC or other regulatory institutions requires submitting a payment application form together with suppliers’ invoices and signed contracts. The value of RMB is subject to changes in central government policies and to international economic and political developments affecting supply and demand in the China Foreign Exchange Trading System market.
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ITEM 6. DIRECTORS, SENIOR MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEES
6.A. Directors, Executive Officers and Key Employees
The following table sets forth the name, age, positions and a brief description of the business experience of each of our directors, executive officers and key employees as of the date hereof.
| Directors and Executive Officers | Age | Position/Title | |||
| Jianhui Ye | 35 | Chief Executive Officer and Director | |||
| Jingyan Wu | 52 | Chief Financial Officer | |||
| Zebin Zhao | 36 | Chief Operating Officer | |||
| Peiyao Jin | 40 | Director | |||
| Guanghui Yang | 60 | Independent Director | |||
| Robert Johnson | 54 | Independent Director | |||
| Guanneng Lai | 36 | Independent Director |
There are no arrangements or understandings with major shareholders, customers, suppliers or others, pursuant to which any person referred to above was selected as a director or member of senior management. The address of each of our directors and executive officers is c/o EZGO Technologies Ltd., Building #A, Floor 2, Changzhou Institute of Dalian University of Technology, Science and Education Town, Wujin District, Changzhou City, Jiangsu, China 213164.
Executive Officers and Directors
Jianhui Ye has been serving as our Chief Executive Officer and Director since August 2019, the General Manager of Hengmao Power Battery since October 2017 and the Chief Executive Officer and Director of the VIE, Jiangsu EZGO Electronic Technologies, Co., Ltd., since August 2019. Mr. Ye is responsible for our daily operations and formulation of our business strategies. Since September 2017, Mr. Ye has also been serving as the general manager of Zhuhai Dinghua Equity Investment Management Co. Ltd., an investment company in China, to provide a platform for us to find potential partners and investors. Mr. Ye spends most of his time on our management as he is not involved in day-to-day operations of Zhuhai Dinghua Equity Investment Management Co. Ltd. From September 2016 to September 2017, Mr. Ye served as a senior investment manager of Guoyuan Securities Inc., a securities brokerage firm in Hong Kong. From July 2014 to September 2016, Mr. Ye served as a compliance risk control manager of Guangdong Juniu Investment Management Company Limited, an investment management company in China. From September 2010 to July 2014, Mr. Ye served as an investment manager of Guangzhou Huifu Enterprise Consulting Co., Ltd, a consulting company in China. Mr. Ye obtained his fund qualification certificate from the China Securities Investment Fund Industry Association in August 2018. Mr. Ye received a bachelor’s degree from Shenzhen University in July 2010.
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Jingyan Wu has been serving as our Chief Financial Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of the VIE, Jiangsu EZGO Electronic Technologies, Co., Ltd., since September 1, 2020. Ms. Wu has over 20 years of professional experience in accounting and auditing, including over 10 years serving at U.S. public companies and public accounting firms. From June 2018 to August 2020, Ms. Wu served as a Senior Internal Auditor of MSIG Holdings (U.S.A.) Inc., a member of MS&AD Insurance Group Holdings Inc., one of the world’s top property and casualty insurance providers located in Japan. From November 2009 to June 2018, Ms. Wu served as a Senior Internal Auditor of Children’s Place Inc. (Nasdaq: PLCE), an American specialty retailer of children’s apparel and accessories. From February 2007 to November 2009, she served as a Senior Auditor of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited. Ms. Wu has been a Certified Public Accountant since 2005, and is currently a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the States of New Jersey and Illinois. Ms. Wu received her bachelor’s degree from Shanghai University of Finance and Economics in June 1993 and master’s degree in Accountancy from University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign in May 2004.
Zebin Zhao has been serving as our Chief Operating Officer and the Chief Operating Officer of the VIE since April 2022. From August 2020 to April 2022, Mr. Zhao served as the Deputy General Manager of the VIE, where he was responsible for supervising corporate governance and daily operations. From January 2017 to August 2020, Mr. Zhao served as the General Manager of Shenzhen Xingcaitong Asset Management Co., Ltd., an investment management company, where he was responsible for investment management. From August 2011 to January 2017, Mr. Zhao served as the Deputy General Manager of Shenzhen Shuangzixing Asset Management Co., Ltd., an investment management company, where he was responsible for industrial research and mergers and acquisitions. From April 2010 to July 2011, Mr. Zhao served as a credit analyst of Shenzhen Southern Credit Rating Co., Ltd., a credit rating company. Mr. Zhao received his bachelor’s degree in Finance from Shenzhen University in July 2010. He obtained his fund qualification certificate from the China Securities Investment Fund Industry Association in June 2017.
Peiyao Jin has been serving as our director since April 2022. From February 2011 to December 2013, Ms. Jin served as an Assistant Manager of Work and Income Henderson-Ministry of Social Development, a government department of New Zealand. From February 2005 to June 2009, Ms. Jin served as an Assistant Manager of Quest Auckland, a local hotel in New Zealand. Ms. Jin received her bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Auckland University of Technology in November 2007. Ms. Jin is the spouse of Shuang Wu, our former Chief Operating Officer and the former Chief Operating Officer of the VIE.
Robert Johnson has been serving as our independent Director and the chairman of the audit committee since December 2020. He has been serving as the financial controller of BAS Holdings Investments, LLC since February 2020. From January 2017 to January 2020, he served as the financial controller for Lionstone Development, LLC and from July 2015 to December 2016, Mr. Johnson served as an independent consultant. From June 2010 to June 2015, he served as the financial controller of BSL Capital, Inc. From September 2005 to June 2010, Mr. Johnson served as a senior tax accountant of CBIZ MHM, LLC, an accounting services provider and business consulting company in Miami, Florida. From January 2004 to September 2005, Mr. John served as a tax accountant of Mallah Furman and Company in Miami, Florida. Mr. Johnson received a dual bachelor’s degrees from The University of Central Florida in August 2000 and a Master of Business Administration degree with a specialization in professional accounting from The University of Miami in December 2003. Mr. Johnson has been a Certified Public Accountant licensed by the State of Florida since October 2005 and a Certified Management Accountant licensed by the Institute of Management Accountants since August 2013. Mr. Johnson also holds a certification in Hotel Industry Analytics from The American Hotel and Lodging Association since November 2017 and is a Certified Hospitality Accountant Executive licensed by the Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals since July 2018. Mr. Johnson is also a member of the Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals since July 2018 and has also been a member of the Institute of Management Accountants since August 2013 and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants since October 2005.
Guanghui Yang has been serving as our independent Director and the chairman of the compensation committee since July 2021. Mr. Yang has been serving as an associate professor in the School of Economics of Shenzhen University since May 1997, where previously from June 1987 to May 1997 he was a lecturer in the Department of Economics of Shenzhen University. Mr. Yang has served as a member of Shenzhen Statistical Investigation Expert Group since November 2012. From April 2008 to April 2009, he served as an expert in the Science and Technology Bureau of Shenzhen Nanshan District. From November 2004 to November 2007, he served as a member of Shenzhen Population and Family Planning Expert Committee. Mr. Yang received a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Lanzhou University in 1982, a master’s degree in Applied Mathematics from Huazhong University of Science and Technology in 1987 and a doctoral degree in Statistics from Xiamen University in 2006.
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Guanneng Lai has been serving as our independent Director and the chairman of the nominating and corporate governance committee since December 2020. Mr. Lai has been serving a partner since December 2015 of Beijing Longan Law Firm (Shenzhen branch). In addition, Mr. Lai has been studying at Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business and pursuing a MBA degree since October 2019. From July 2011 to December 2015, Mr. Lai served as a paralegal and an associate of Beijing Longan Law Firm (Shenzhen branch). From March 2011 to June 2011, Mr. Lai served as a paralegal at Beijing Dongyuan Law Firm. From July 2010 to February 2011, Mr. Lai served as a paralegal at Beijing Yingke Law Firm. Mr. Lai received his bachelor’s degrees from China University of Political Science and Law in July 2010. He received the qualification certificate of Independent Director of Listed Company issued by Shenzhen Stock Exchange in January 2018. He also received the Arbitrator’s certificate issued by International Arbitration Court of Ganjiang New Area in May 2019. He is also a member of the Securities, Fund and Futures Legal Affairs Professional Committee of Shenzhen Lawyers Association since June 2017 and a member of the Law Committee of Shenzhen Corporate Governance Research Association since June 2017.
Each of our directors will serve as a director until our next annual general meeting and until their successors are duly elected and qualified.
Board Diversity
The table below provides certain information regarding the diversity of our board of directors as of the date of this annual report.
| Board Diversity Matrix | ||||
| Country of Principal Executive Offices: | China | |||
| Foreign Private Issuer | Yes | |||
| Disclosure Prohibited under Home Country Law | No | |||
| Total Number of Directors | 5 | |||
| Female | Male |
Non- Binary |
Did Not Disclose Gender | |
| Part I: Gender Identity | ||||
| Directors | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Part II: Demographic Background | ||||
| Underrepresented Individual in Home Country Jurisdiction | 0 | |||
| LGBTQ+ | 0 | |||
| Did Not Disclose Demographic Background | 0 | |||
Family Relationships
None of our directors or executive officers has a family relationship as defined in Item 401 of Regulation S-K.
6.B. Compensation
For the fiscal years ended September 30, 2021 and 2022, we paid an aggregate of RMB885,547 (approximately $136,087) and RMB1,677,448 (approximately $255,974) , respectively, in cash and benefits in-kind granted to or accrued on behalf of all of our directors and members of senior management for their services, in all capacities, and we did not pay any additional compensation to our directors and members of senior management. We have not set aside or accrued any amount to provide pension, retirement or other similar benefits to our executive officers and directors. Our PRC subsidiaries and the VIE are required by law to make contributions equal to certain percentages of each employee’s salary for his or her pension insurance, medical insurance, unemployment insurance and other statutory benefits and a housing provident fund.
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Employment Agreements
We have entered into employment agreements with each of our executive officers. Under these agreements, each of our executive officers is employed for an initial term of three year. The executive officers are entitled to a fixed salary and other company benefits, each as determined by the Board from time to time. We may terminate an executive officer’s employment under PRC Labor Law and under other applicable laws and regulations.
Each executive officer has agreed to hold, at all times during and after the termination or expiry of his or her employment agreement, in strict confidence and not to use, except as required in the performance of his or her duties in connection with the employment or pursuant to applicable law, any of our confidential information, or the confidential or proprietary information disclosed to the executive officer by or obtained by the executive officer from us either directly or indirectly in writing, orally or otherwise, if specifically indicated to be confidential or reasonably expected to be confidential.
6.C. Board Practices
Our board of directors consists of 5 directors as of the date of this annual report. A director is not required to hold any shares in our Company to qualify to serve as a director. Subject to making appropriate disclosures to the board of directors in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, a director may vote with respect to any contract, proposed contract, or arrangement in which he or she is interested, in voting in respect of any such matter, such director should take into account his or her director’s duties. A director may exercise all the powers of the company to borrow money, mortgage its business, property and uncalled capital, and issue debentures or other securities whenever money is borrowed or as security for any obligation of the company or of any third party.
Committees of the Board of Directors
We have established an audit committee, a compensation committee and a nominating and corporate governance committee under the board of directors as of the date of this annual report. We have adopted a charter for each of the three committees. Each committee’s members and functions are described below.
Audit Committee. Our audit committee consists of Mr. Robert Johnson, Mr. Guanneng Lai and Mr. Guanghui Yang and is chaired by Mr. Robert Johnson. We have determined that each of these three directors satisfies the “independence” requirements of the Nasdaq Listing Rules and meet the independence standards under Rule 10A-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. We have determined that Robert Johnson qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert.” The audit committee oversees our accounting and financial reporting processes and the audits of our financial statements. The audit committee is responsible for, among other things:
| ● | selecting the independent registered public accounting firm and pre-approving all auditing and non-auditing services permitted to be performed by the independent registered public accounting firm; |
| ● | reviewing with the independent registered public accounting firm any audit problems or difficulties and management’s response; |
| ● | reviewing and approving all proposed related party transactions, as defined in Item 404 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act; |
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| ● | discussing the annual audited financial statements with management and the independent registered public accounting firm; |
| ● | reviewing the adequacy and effectiveness of our accounting and internal control policies and procedures and any special steps taken to monitor and control major financial risk exposures; |
| ● | annually reviewing and reassessing the adequacy of our audit committee charter; |
| ● | meeting separately and periodically with management and the independent registered public accounting firm; |
| ● | monitoring compliance with our code of business conduct and ethics, including reviewing the adequacy and effectiveness of our procedures to ensure proper compliance; and |
| ● | reporting regularly to the board. |
Compensation Committee. Our compensation committee consists of Mr. Robert Johnson, Mr. Guanneng Lai and Mr. Guanghui Yang, and is chaired by Mr. Guanghui Yang. We have determined that each of these directors satisfies the “independence” requirements of the Nasdaq Listing Rules. The compensation committee assists the board in reviewing and approving the compensation structure, including all forms of compensation, relating to our directors and executive officers. Our executive officers may not be present at any committee meeting during which their compensation is deliberated upon. The compensation committee is responsible for, among other things:
| ● | reviewing and approving, or recommending to the board for its approval, the compensation for our chief executive officer and other executive officers; |
| ● | reviewing and recommending to the board for determination with respect to the compensation of our non-employee directors; |
| ● | reviewing periodically and approving any incentive compensation or equity plans, programs or other similar arrangements; and |
| ● | selecting compensation consultant, legal counsel or other adviser only after taking into consideration all factors relevant to that person’s independence from management. |
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. Our nominating and corporate governance committee consists of Mr. Robert Johnson, Mr. Guanneng Lai and Mr. Guanghui Yang, and is chaired by Mr. Guanneng Lai. We have determined that each of these directors satisfies the “independence” requirements of the Nasdaq Listing Rules. The nominating and corporate governance committee assists the board 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 is responsible for, among other things:
| ● | recommending nominees to the board for election or re-election to the board, or for appointment to fill any vacancy on the board; |
| ● | reviewing annually with the board the current composition of the board with regards to characteristics such as independence, knowledge, skills, experience, expertise, diversity and availability of service to us; |
| ● | selecting and recommending to the board the names of directors to serve as members of the audit committee and the compensation committee, as well as of the nominating and corporate governance committee itself; |
| ● | developing and reviewing the corporate governance principles adopted by the board and advising the board with respect to significant developments in the law and practice of corporate governance and our compliance with such laws and practices; and |
| ● | evaluating the performance and effectiveness of the board as a whole. |
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Duties of Directors
Under BVI law, the directors owe fiduciary duties at both common law and under statute, including a statutory duty to act honestly, in good faith and with a view to our best interests. When exercising powers or performing duties as a director, the director is required to exercise the care, diligence and skill that a reasonable director would exercise in the circumstances taking into account, without limitation, the nature of the company, the nature of the decision and the position of the director and the nature of the responsibilities undertaken by him. In exercising the powers of a director, the directors must exercise their powers for a proper purpose and shall not act or agree to the company acting in a manner that contravenes our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association or the BVI Act.
Terms of Directors and Officers
Our board of directors is divided into three classes with only one class of directors being elected in each year and each class (except for those directors appointed prior to our first annual meeting of shareholders) serving a three-year term. The term of office of the first class of directors, consisting of Guanneng Lai, will expire at our first annual meeting of shareholders. The term of office of the second class of directors, consisting of Guanghui Yang and Robert Johnson, will expire at the second annual meeting of shareholders. The term of office of the third class of directors, consisting of Jianhui Ye and Peiyao Jin, will expire at the third annual meeting of shareholders.
Our officers are elected by the board of directors and serve at the discretion of the board of directors, rather than for specific terms of office. Our board of directors is authorized to appoint persons to the offices set forth in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association as it deems appropriate.
6.D. Employees
As of the date of this annual report, we had 72 full-time employees, and all our employees are based in China.
The following table provides the number of our employees by function as of the date of this annual report:
| Function | Number of Full-Time Employees | |||
| Research and Development | 11 | |||
| Manufacture | 26 | |||
| Business and Marketing | 15 | |||
| Administrative, Human Resources and Finance | 20 | |||
| Total | 72 | |||
As required by the laws of the PRC, we participate in various employee social security plans that are organized by municipal and provincial governments for our PRC-based full-time employees, including pension, unemployment insurance, childbirth insurance, work-related injury insurance and medical insurance. We are required under PRC law to make contributions monthly at specified percentages of the salaries, bonuses and certain allowances of our PRC-based full-time employees, up to maximum amounts specified by applicable local governments.
We enter into labor contracts and standard confidentiality and intellectual property agreements with our key employees. We believe that maintaining good working relationships with our employees is essential, and we have not experienced any labor disputes. None of our employees are represented by labor unions.
Assembly, production and delivery of our batteries, smart charging piles and a portion of our rented e-bicycle and battery products are conducted by independent contractors. The fluctuation in the number of contractors is related to changing business and production needs.
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6.E. Share Ownership
As of January 18, 2023, 25,626,891 of EZGO’s ordinary shares were outstanding. Holders of EZGO’s ordinary shares are entitled to vote together as a single class on all matters submitted to shareholders for approval. No holder of ordinary shares has different voting rights from any other holders of ordinary shares. We are not aware of any arrangement that may, at a subsequent date, result in a change of control of our company.
Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC. The percentages of shares beneficially owned in the table below are based on 25,626,891 ordinary shares outstanding as of January 18, 2023.
The following table sets forth information with respect to the beneficial ownership of our common shares as of January 18, 2023 by:
| ● | each of our directors and executive officers; and |
| ● | each person known to us to beneficially own more than 5% of our outstanding ordinary shares. |
Unless otherwise noted below, the address for each listed shareholder, director or executive officer is Building #A, Floor 2, Changzhou Institute of Dalian University of Technology, Science and Education Town, Wujin District, Changzhou City, Jiangsu, China 213164.
| Ordinary Shares Beneficially Owned | ||||||||
| Name of Beneficial Owners(1) | Number | % | ||||||
| Directors and Executive Officers: | ||||||||
| Jianhui Ye(2) | 3,034,200 | 11.84 | ||||||
| Jingyan Wu | — | — | ||||||
| Zebin Zhao | — | — | ||||||
| Peiyao Jin | 338,364 | 1.32 | ||||||
| Robert Johnson | — | — | ||||||
| Guanghui Yang | — | — | ||||||
| Guanneng Lai | — | — | ||||||
| All directors and executive officers as a group (7 persons) | 3,372,564 | 13.16 | ||||||
| 5% shareholders: | ||||||||
| WXYZ Group Ltd. | 3,034,200 | 11.84 | ||||||
| Hangzhou Yihui Innovation 1 New Energy LLP | 2,400,000 | 9.37 | ||||||
| (1) | Unless otherwise noted, the business address of each of the following entities or individuals is Building #A, Floor 2, Changzhou Institute of Dalian University of Technology, Science and Education Town, Wujin District, Changzhou City, Jiangsu, China 213164. |
| (2) | Includes 3,034,200 ordinary shares owned directly by WXYZ Group Ltd., of which Jianhui Ye, our Chief Executive Officer, is the sole shareholder and holds the voting and dispositive power over the ordinary shares held by such entity. |
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None of our major shareholders have differing voting rights, and as of the date of this annual report, none of our outstanding ordinary shares are held by record holders in the United States. We are not aware of any arrangement that may, at a subsequent date, result in a change of control of our company.
ITEM 7. MAJOR SHAREHOLDERS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
7.A. Major Shareholders
See Item 6.E., “Share Ownership,” for a description of our major shareholders.
7.B. Related Party Transactions
Set forth below are the related party transactions of our company that occurred since the beginning of the last fiscal year up to the date of this annual report. The transactions are identified in accordance with the rules prescribed under Form 20-F and may not be considered as related party transactions under PRC law.
Transactions with Certain Related Parties
We have adopted an audit committee charter, which requires the committee to review all related party transactions on an ongoing basis and all such transactions be approved by the audit committee. In determining whether to approve a related party transaction, the audit committee shall consider, among other factors, the following factors to the extent relevant to the related party transaction:
| ● | whether the terms of the related party transaction are fair to the Company and on the same basis as would apply if the transaction did not involve a related party; |
| ● | whether there are business reasons for the Company to enter into the related party transaction; |
| ● | whether the related party transaction would impair the independence of an outside director; |
| ● | whether the related party transaction would present an improper conflict of interest for any director or executive officer of the Company, taking into account the size of the transaction, the overall financial position of the director, executive officer or the related party, the direct or indirect nature of the director’s, executive officer’s or the related party’s interest in the transaction and the ongoing nature of any proposed relationship, and any other factors the audit committee deems relevant; and |
| ● | any pre-existing contractual obligations. |
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During the fiscal years ended September 30, 2020, 2021 and 2022, and to the date of this annual report, we had the following material related party transactions:
| For the fiscal years ended September 30, | ||||||||||||||
| Related Parties | Nature | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | ||||||||||
| Changzhou Cenbird Electric Bicycle Manufacturing Co., Ltd. | Purchase of e-bicycles from a related party | $ | (4,538,100 | ) | $ | (6,048,053 | ) | $ | (4,029,157 | ) | ||||
| Changzhou Cenbird Electric Bicycle Manufacturing Co., Ltd. | Interest-free loan to a related party | 856,458 | - | - | ||||||||||
| Changzhou Cenbird Electric Bicycle Manufacturing Co., Ltd. | Collection of loan to a related party | (856,458 | ) | - | - | |||||||||
| Jiangsu Xinzhongtian Suye Co., Ltd. | Purchase of e-bicycles, gears and parts from a related party | (851,606 | ) | (915,213 | ) | (1,188,752 | ) | |||||||
| Jiangsu Xinzhongtian Suye Co., Ltd. | Rental fee and utility fee | (63,378 | ) | (146,607 | ) | - | ||||||||
| Jiangsu Xinzhongtian Suye Co., Ltd. | Interest-free loan to a related party | 185,566 | - | - | ||||||||||
| Jiangsu Xinzhongtian Suye Co., Ltd. | Collection of loan to a related party | (186,993 | ) | - | - | |||||||||
| Shenzhen Star Cycling Network Technology Co., Ltd. | Loan to a related party | - | 310,395 | 915,583 | ||||||||||
| Nanjing Mingfeng Technology Co.,Ltd. | Loan to a related party | - | 228,774 | - | ||||||||||
| Nanjing Mingfeng Technology Co.,Ltd. | Interest-free loan to a related party for its daily operational purposes | - | 305,194 | |||||||||||
| Nanjing Mingfeng Technology Co.,Ltd. | Repayment of interest-free loan to a related party | - | - | (534,090 | ) | |||||||||
| Henglong Chen | Interest-free loan to a shareholder* | 377,634 | - | - | ||||||||||
| Henglong Chen | Collection of loan from a shareholder* | (391,116 | ) | (1,821,847 | ) | (2,992,126 | ) | |||||||
| Beijing Weiqi Technology Co., Ltd. | Sales of e-bicycles to a related party | 107,314 | 12,341 | - | ||||||||||
| Shandong Xingneng’an New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. | Purchase of battery pack from a related party | - | - | (1,498,964 | ) | |||||||||
| Shandong Xingneng’an New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. | Loan to a related party | - | - | 3,051,944 | ||||||||||
| Shandong Xingneng’an New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. | Long-term investment in a related party | - | - | (1,525,972 | ) | |||||||||
| Huiyan Xie | Loan from a related party | - | - | 504,334 | ||||||||||
| Huiyan Xie | Repayment of interest-free loan to a related party | - | - | (70,198 | ) | |||||||||
| Jianhui Ye | Loan from a related party | - | - | 127,720 | ||||||||||
| Jianhui Ye | Repayment of interest-free loan to a related party | 4,289,426 | - | (132,115 | ) | |||||||||
| Fang Yan | Repayment of interest-free loan to a related party | - | - | (45,427 | ) | |||||||||
| Jiangsu You Technology Co., Ltd. | Interest-free loan to a related party for its daily operational purposes | - | - | 296,200 | ||||||||||
| Jiangsu You Technology Co., Ltd. | Loan to a related party | - | - | 457,792 | ||||||||||
| * | As of the date of this annual report, the loans of $98,791 to Henglong Chen, the former chairman, have not been collected. The loans made to Henglong Chen which were for his personal purpose violated Sarbanes-Oxley Act section 402 due to the lack of internal control in term of related party borrowings. |
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Contractual Arrangements with Our Variable Interest Entity and Its Shareholders
PRC laws and regulations currently restrict foreign ownership and investment in value-added telecommunications services in China. As a result, we conduct our business in the PRC primarily though the VIE and its subsidiaries, Hengmao Power Battery, Jiangsu Cenbird, Yizhiying IoT, Tianjin Dilang and Tianjin Jiahao, since we entered into contractual arrangements with the VIE in November 2019. For a description of these contractual arrangements, see Item 4.A - “History and Development of the Company.”
7.C. Interests of Experts and Counsel
Not applicable.
ITEM 8. FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Consolidated Statements and Other Financial Information
The financial statements required by this item may be found at the end of this annual report on 20-F, beginning on page F-1.
Legal Proceedings
See “Item 4.B. Business Overview – Legal Proceedings” for a description of our currently involved legal proceedings.
Dividends
We have never declared or paid any dividend on EZGO’s ordinary shares and we do not anticipate paying any dividends on EZGO’s ordinary shares in the future. We currently retain all future earnings to finance our operations and to expand our business.
No Significant Changes
No significant changes to our financial condition have occurred since the date of the annual financial statements contained herein.
ITEM 9. THE OFFER AND LISTING
9.A. Offer and Listing Details
EZGO’s ordinary shares are listed for trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “EZGO.” The shares began trading on January 26, 2021 on the Nasdaq Capital Market. The closing price for the ordinary shares was $1.17 on January 18, 2023.
9.B. Plan of Distribution
Not Applicable.
9.C. Markets
EZGO’s ordinary shares are currently traded on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “EZGO.”
9.D. Selling Shareholders
Not Applicable.
9.E. Dilution
Not Applicable.
9.F. Expenses of the Issuer
Not Applicable.
ITEM 10. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
10.A. Share Capital
Not Applicable.
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10.B. Memorandum and Articles of Association
EZGO is a BVI company limited by shares and its affairs are governed by its memorandum and articles of association and the BVI Act (each as amended or modified from time to time).
As provided in EZGO’s amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, subject to the BVI Act, EZGO has full capacity to carry on or undertake any business or activity, do any act or enter into any transaction, and, for such purposes, full rights, powers and privileges. EZGO’s registered office is c/o Maples Corporate Services (BVI) Limited, P.O. Box 173, Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands.
EZGO has adopted amended and restated memorandum and articles of association authorize the issuance of up to 100,000,000 ordinary shares of par value US$0.001 each and up to 10,000 preferred shares of no par value (the “Preferred Shares”).
All options, regardless of grant dates, will entitle holders to an equivalent number of ordinary shares once the vesting and exercising conditions are met.
EZGO’s ordinary shares have listed on Nasdaq under the symbol “EZGO.”
Ordinary Shares
General. The maximum number of shares we are authorized to issue is 100,000,000 ordinary shares, with a par value of $0.001 each and 10,000 Preferred Shares of no par value. Holders of ordinary shares have the same rights. All of our outstanding ordinary shares are fully paid and non-assessable. To the extent they are issued, certificates representing the ordinary shares are issued in registered form.
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association do not provide for pre-emptive rights.
Dividends. The holders of EZGO’s ordinary shares are entitled to such dividends as may be declared by our board of directors. Our amended and restated articles of association provide that dividends may be declared and paid at such time, and in such an amount, as the directors determine subject to their being satisfied that the Company will meet the statutory solvency test immediately after the dividend. Holders of ordinary shares will be entitled to the same amount of dividends, if declared.
Voting Rights. In respect of all matters subject to a shareholders’ vote, each ordinary share is entitled to one vote for each ordinary share registered in his or her name on our register of members. Holders of ordinary shares shall at all times vote together on all resolutions submitted to a vote of the members. Voting at any meeting of shareholders is by show of hands unless a poll is demanded. A poll may be demanded by the chairman of such meeting or any one shareholder.
A quorum required for a meeting of shareholders consists of the holders of at least one-half of all voting power of our shares in issue at the date of the meeting present in person or by proxy or, if a corporation or other non-natural person, by its duly authorized representative. Shareholders’ meetings may be held annually. Each general meeting, other than an annual general meeting, shall be an extraordinary general meeting. Extraordinary general meetings may be called by a majority of our board of directors or our chairman or upon a requisition of shareholders holding at the date of deposit of the requisition not less than 30% of the aggregate voting power of our Company. Advance notice of at least 10 days is required for the convening of our annual general meeting and other general meetings.
Transfer of Ordinary Shares. Under the BVI Act the transfer of a registered share which is not listed on a recognized exchange is by a written instrument of transfer signed by the transferor and containing the name of the transferee. However, the instrument must also be signed by the transferee if registration would impose a liability on the transferee to the Company. The instrument of transfer must be sent to the Company for registration. The transfer of a registered share is effective when the name of the transferee is entered in the register of members. The entry of the name of a person in the Company’s register of members is prima facie evidence that legal title in the share vests in that person.
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The procedure is different for the transfer of shares that are listed on a recognized exchange. Such shares may be transferred without the need for a written instrument of transfer if the transfer is carried out in accordance with the laws, rules, procedures and other requirements applicable to shares listed on the recognized exchange and subject to the Company’s amended and restated memorandum and articles of association.
Liquidation. On a liquidation, on winding up or other return of assets of the Company to shareholders (other than on conversion, redemption or purchase of ordinary shares), assets available for distribution among the holders of ordinary shares shall be distributed among the holders of the ordinary shares on a pro rata basis.
Calls on Ordinary Shares and Forfeiture of Ordinary Shares. Our board of directors may from time to time make calls upon shareholders for any amounts unpaid on their ordinary shares in a notice served to such shareholders at least 14 clear days prior to the specified time of payment. The ordinary shares that have been called upon and remain unpaid are subject to forfeiture.
Redemption of Ordinary Shares. The BVI Act and our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association permit us to purchase our own shares with the prior written consent of the relevant shareholders, a resolution of directors and in accordance with applicable law.
Variation of Rights of Shares. Other than with respect to the issuance of the Preferred Shares in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, all or any of the rights attached to any class of shares may, subject to the provisions of the BVI Act, be varied without the consent of the holders of the issued shares of that class where such variation is considered by the board of directors not to have a material adverse effect upon such rights; otherwise, any such variation shall be made only with the consent in writing of the holders of a majority of the issued shares of that class, or with the sanction of a resolution passed by a simple majority of the votes cast at a separate meeting of the holders of the shares of that class. The rights conferred upon the holders of the shares of any class issued shall not, unless otherwise expressly provided by the terms of issue of the shares of that class, be deemed to be varied by the creation or issue of further shares ranking pari passu with such existing class of shares.
Inspection of Books and Records. A member of the Company is entitled, on giving written notice to the Company, to inspect (a) the memorandum and articles of association of the Company; (b) the register of members; (c) the register of directors; and (d) the minutes of meetings and resolutions of members and of those classes of members of which he is a member; and to make copies of or take extracts from the documents and records. Subject to the amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, the directors may, if they are satisfied that it would be contrary to the Company’s interests to allow a member to inspect any document, or part of a document, specified in (b), (c) and (d) above, refuse to permit the member to inspect the document or limit the inspection of the document, including limiting the making of copies or the taking of extracts from the records.
Where a company fails or refuses to permit a member to inspect a document or permits a member to inspect a document subject to limitations, that member may apply to the BVI High Court for an order that he should be permitted to inspect the document or to inspect the document without limitation.
A company is required to keep at the office of its registered agent: its memorandum and articles of association of the company; the register of members or a copy of the register of members; the register of directors or a copy of the register of directors; and copies of all notices and other documents filed by the company in the previous ten years.
Issuance of Additional Shares. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association authorize our board of directors to issue additional ordinary shares from time to time as our board of directors shall determine.
Register of Members
Under the BVI Act we must keep a register of members and there should be entered therein:
| ● | the names and addresses of our members, a statement of the number and class of shares held by each member; |
| ● | the date on which the name of any person was entered on the register as a member; and |
| ● | the date on which any person ceased to be a member. |
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Under the BVI Act, the register of members of our Company is prima facie evidence of the matters set out therein (that is, the register of members will raise a presumption of fact on the matters referred to above unless rebutted) and a member registered in the register of members is deemed as a matter of the BVI Act to have legal title to the shares as set against its name in the register of members.
If the name of any person is incorrectly entered in or omitted from our register of members, or if there is any default or unnecessary delay in entering on the register the fact of any person having ceased to be a member of our Company, the person or member aggrieved (or any member of our Company or our Company itself) may apply to the High Court of the British Virgin Islands for an order that the register be rectified, and the Court may either refuse such application or it may, if satisfied of the justice of the case, make an order for the rectification of the register.
Differences in Corporate Law The BVI Act differs from laws applicable to United States corporations and their shareholders. Set forth below is a summary of the significant differences between the provisions of the BVI Act applicable to us and the laws applicable to companies incorporated in the State of Delaware.
Mergers and Similar Arrangements. Under the BVI Act two or more companies, each a “constituent company,” may merge or consolidate. A merger involves the merging of two or more companies into one of the constituent companies (to the merger) with one constituent company continuing in existence to become the surviving company post-merger. A consolidation involves two or more companies consolidating into a new company.
A merger is effective on the date that the articles of merger (as described below) are registered by the Registrar of Corporate Affairs in the BVI, or on such later date, not exceeding 30 days from the date of registration as is stated in the articles of merger.
The BVI Act provides that any member of the Company is entitled to payment of the fair value of his shares upon dissenting from a merger, unless the Company is the surviving company of the merger and the member continues to hold the same or similar shares. The following is a summary of the position under the BVI Act.
A dissenter is in most circumstances required to give to the Company written objection to the merger, which must include a statement that the dissenter proposes to demand payment for his shares if the merger takes place. This written objection must be given before the meeting of members at which the merger is submitted to a vote, or at the meeting but before the vote. However, no objection is required from a member to whom the Company did not give notice of the meeting of members or where the proposed merger is authorized by written consent of the members without a meeting.
Within 20 days immediately following the written consent, or the meeting at which the merger was approved, the Company shall give written notice of the consent or resolution to each member who gave written objection or from whom written objection was not required, except those members who voted for, or consented in writing to, the proposed merger.
A member to whom the Company was required to give notice who elects to dissent shall, within 20 days immediately following the date on which the copy of the plan of merger or an outline of the merger is given to him, give to the Company a written notice of his decision to elect to dissent, stating:
| (a) | his name and address; |
| (b) | the number and classes of shares in respect of which he dissents (which must be all shares that he holds in the Company); and |
| (c) | a demand for payment of the fair value of his shares. |
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Upon the giving of a notice of election to dissent, the dissenter ceases to have any of the rights of a member except the right to be paid the fair value of his shares, and the right to institute proceedings to obtain relief on the ground that the action is illegal.
The Company shall make a written offer to each dissenter to purchase his shares at a specified price that the Company determines to be their fair value. Such offer must be given within 7 days immediately following the date of the expiration of the period within which members may give their notices of election to dissent, or within 7 days immediately following the date on which the merger is put into effect, whichever is later.
If the Company and the dissenter fail, within 30 days immediately following the date on which the offer is made, to agree on the price to be paid for the shares owned by the dissenter, then within 20 days:
| (a) | the Company and the dissenter shall each designate an appraiser; |
| (b) | the two designated appraisers together shall designate an appraiser; |
| (c) | the three appraisers shall fix the fair value of the shares owned by the dissenter as of the close of business on the day prior to the date of the meeting or the date on which the resolution was passed, excluding any appreciation or depreciation directly or indirectly induced by the action or its proposal, and that value is binding on the Company and the dissenter for all purposes; and |
| (d) | the Company shall pay to the dissenter the amount in money upon the surrender by him of the certificates representing his shares, and such shares shall be cancelled. |
Squeeze-out Provisions. Members of a company holding 90% of the votes of the outstanding shares entitled to vote and members of a company holding 90% of the votes of the outstanding shares of each class of shares entitled to vote as a class, may give a written instruction to the company directing it to redeem the shares held by the remaining members.
Shareholders’ Suits. Under the provisions of the BVI Act, the memorandum and articles of association of a company are binding as between the company and its members and between the members. In general, members are bound by the decision of the majority or special majorities as set out in the memorandum and articles of association or in the BVI Act. As for voting, the usual rule is that with respect to normal commercial matters members may act from self-interest when exercising the right to vote attached to their shares.
If the majority members have infringed a minority member’s rights, the minority may seek to enforce its rights either by derivative action or by personal action. A derivative action concerns the infringement of the company’s rights where the wrongdoers are in control of the company and are preventing it from taking action, whereas a personal action concerns the infringement of a right that is personal to the particular member concerned.
The BVI Act provides for a series of remedies available to members. Where a company incorporated under the BVI Act conducts some activity which breaches the BVI Act or the company’s memorandum and articles of association, the BVI High Court can issue a restraining or compliance order. Members can now also bring derivative, personal and Representative Actions under certain circumstances.
The traditional English basis for members’ remedies have also been incorporated into the BVI Act: where a member of a company considers that the affairs of the company have been, are being or are likely to be conducted in a manner likely to be oppressive, unfairly discriminating or unfairly prejudicial to him, he may apply to the BVI High Court for an order on such conduct.
Any member of a company may apply to the BVI High Court for the appointment of a liquidator for the company and the Court may appoint a liquidator for the company if it is of the opinion that it is just and equitable to do so.
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The BVI Act provides that any member of a company is entitled to payment of the fair value of his shares upon dissenting from any of the following:
| (a) | a merger; |
| (b) | a consolidation; |
| (c) | any sale, transfer, lease, exchange or other disposition of more than 50 per cent in value of the assets or business of the company if not made in the usual or regular course of the business carried on by the company but not including (i) a disposition pursuant to an order of the court having jurisdiction in the matter; (ii) a disposition for money on terms requiring all or substantially all net proceeds to be distributed to the members in accordance with their respective interest within one year after the date of disposition; or (iii) a transfer pursuant to the power of the directors to transfer assets for the protection thereof; |
| (d) | a redemption of 10 per cent, or fewer, of the issued shares of the company required by the holders of 90 percent, or more, of the shares of the company pursuant to the terms of the BVI Act; and |
| (e) | an arrangement, if permitted by the BVI High Court. |
Generally any other claims against a company by its members must be based on the general laws of contract or tort applicable in the BVI or their individual rights as members as established by the company’s memorandum and articles of association.
The BVI Act provides that if a company or a director of a company engages in, proposes to engage in or has engaged in, conduct that contravenes the BVI Act or the memorandum and articles of association of the company, the BVI High Court may, on the application of a member or a director of the company, make an order directing the company or director to comply with, or restraining the company or director from engaging in conduct that contravenes the BVI Act or the memorandum and articles of association.
Indemnification of Directors and Executive Officers and Limitation of Liability. BVI law does not limit the extent to which a company’s memorandum and articles of association may provide for indemnification of officers and directors, except to the extent any such provision may be held by the BVI High Court to be contrary to public policy (e.g. for purporting to provide indemnification against the consequences of committing a crime). An indemnity will be void and of no effect and will not apply to a person unless the person acted honestly and in good faith and in what he believed to be in the best interests of the company and, in the case of criminal proceedings, the person had no reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association permit indemnification of officers and directors for losses, damages, costs and expenses incurred in their capacities as such unless such losses or damages arise from dishonesty or fraud of such directors or officers. This standard of conduct is generally the same as permitted under the Delaware General Corporation Law for a Delaware corporation. In addition, we have entered into indemnification agreements with our directors and executive officers that provide such persons with additional indemnification beyond that provided in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to our directors, officers or persons controlling us under the foregoing provisions, we have been informed that in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.
Directors’ Fiduciary Duties. Under Delaware corporate law, a director of a Delaware corporation has a fiduciary duty to the corporation and its shareholders. This duty has two components: the duty of care and the duty of loyalty. The duty of care requires that a director act in good faith, with the care that an ordinarily prudent person would exercise under similar circumstances. Under this duty, a director must inform himself of, and disclose to shareholders, all material information reasonably available regarding a significant transaction. The duty of loyalty requires that a director acts in a manner he reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the corporation. He must not use his corporate position for personal gain or advantage. This duty prohibits self-dealing by a director and mandates that the best interest of the corporation and its shareholders take precedence over any interest possessed by a director, officer or controlling shareholder and not shared by the shareholders generally. In general, actions of a director are presumed to have been made on an informed basis, in good faith and in the honest belief that the action taken was in the best interests of the corporation. However, this presumption may be rebutted by evidence of a breach of one of the fiduciary duties. Should such evidence be presented concerning a transaction by a director, the director must prove the procedural fairness of the transaction, and that the transaction was of fair value to the corporation.
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Under BVI law, the directors owe fiduciary duties at both common law and under statute, including a statutory duty to act honestly, in good faith and with a view to our best interests. When exercising powers or performing duties as a director, the director is required to exercise the care, diligence and skill that a reasonable director would exercise in the circumstances taking into account, without limitation, the nature of the company, the nature of the decision and the position of the director and the nature of the responsibilities undertaken by him. In exercising the powers of a director, the directors must exercise their powers for a proper purpose and shall not act or agree to the company acting in a manner that contravenes our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association or the BVI Act.
In certain circumstances, a shareholder has the right to seek various remedies against the company in the event the directors are in breach of their duties under the BVI Act. Pursuant to Section 184B of the BVI Act, if a company or director of a company engages in, proposes to engage in or has engaged in, conduct that contravenes the provisions of the BVI Act or the memorandum or articles of association of the company, the courts of the BVI may, on application of a shareholder or director of the company, make an order directing the company or director to comply with, or restraining the company or director from engaging in conduct that contravenes the BVI Act or the memorandum or articles. Furthermore, pursuant to Section 184I(1) of the BVI Act, a shareholder of a company who considers that the affairs of the company have been, are being or likely to be, conducted in a manner that is, or any acts of the company have been, or are likely to be oppressive, unfairly discriminatory, or unfairly prejudicial to him in that capacity, may apply to the courts of the BVI for an order which, inter alia, can require the company or any other person to pay compensation to the shareholders.
Shareholder Action by Written Consent. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation may eliminate the right of shareholders to act by written consent by amendment to its certificate of incorporation. Although BVI law may permit shareholder actions by written consent, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that shareholders may not approve corporate matters by way of a written resolution.
Shareholder Proposals. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a shareholder has the right to put any proposal before the annual meeting of shareholders, provided it complies with the notice provisions in the governing documents. A special meeting may be called by the board of directors or any other person authorized to do so in the governing documents, but shareholders may be precluded from calling special meetings.
BVI law and our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that shareholders holding 30% or more of the voting rights entitled to vote on any matter for which a meeting is to be converted may request that the directors shall requisition a shareholder’s meeting. As a BVI company, we are not obliged by law to call shareholders’ annual general meetings.
Cumulative Voting. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, cumulative voting for elections of directors is not permitted unless the corporation’s certificate of incorporation specifically provides for it. Cumulative voting potentially facilitates the representation of minority shareholders on a board of directors since it permits the minority shareholder to cast all the votes to which the shareholder is entitled on a single director, which increases the shareholder’s voting power with respect to electing such director. There are no prohibitions in relation to cumulative voting under the laws of the BVI but our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association do not provide for cumulative voting. As a result, our shareholders are not afforded any less protections or rights on this issue than shareholders of a Delaware corporation.
Removal of Directors. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a director of a corporation with a classified board may be removed only for cause with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Under our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, directors may be removed with or without cause, by a resolution of our shareholders, or with cause by a resolution of the directors.
Transactions with Interested Shareholders. The Delaware General Corporation Law contains a business combination statute applicable to Delaware corporations whereby, unless the corporation has specifically elected not to be governed by such statute by amendment to its certificate of incorporation, it is prohibited from engaging in certain business combinations with an “interested shareholder” for three years following the date that such person becomes an interested shareholder. An interested shareholder generally is a person or a group who or which owns or owned 15% or more of the target’s outstanding voting share within the past three years. This has the effect of limiting the ability of a potential acquirer to make a two-tiered bid for the target in which all shareholders would not be treated equally. The statute does not apply if, among other things, prior to the date on which such shareholder becomes an interested shareholder, the board of directors approves either the business combination or the transaction which resulted in the person becoming an interested shareholder. This encourages any potential acquirer of a Delaware corporation to negotiate the terms of any acquisition transaction with the target’s board of directors.
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BVI law has no comparable statute. As a result, we are not afforded the same statutory protections in the BVI as we would be offered by the Delaware business combination statute. However, although BVI law does not regulate transactions between a company and its significant shareholders, it does provide that such transactions must be entered into bona fide in the best interests of the company and not with the effect of constituting a fraud on the minority shareholders. See also “-- Shareholders’ Suits” above. We have adopted a code of business conduct and ethics which requires employees to fully disclose any situations that could reasonably be expected to give rise to a conflict of interest, and sets forth relevant restrictions and procedures when a conflict of interest arises to ensure the best interest of the Company.
Dissolution; Winding up. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, unless the board of directors approves the proposal to dissolve, dissolution must be approved by shareholders holding 100% of the total voting power of the corporation. Only if the dissolution is initiated by the board of directors may it be approved by a simple majority of the corporation’s outstanding shares. Delaware law allows a Delaware corporation to include in its certificate of incorporation a supermajority voting requirement in connection with dissolutions initiated by the board.
Under BVI law, the liquidation of a company may be a voluntary solvent liquidation or an insolvent liquidation under the Insolvency Act. Where a company has been struck off the Register of Companies under the BVI Act continuously for a period of 7 years it is dissolved with effect from the last day of that period.
Voluntary Liquidation
If the liquidation is a solvent liquidation, the provisions of the BVI Act governs the liquidation. A company may only be liquidated under the BVI Act as a solvent liquidation if it has no liabilities or it is able to pay its debts as they fall due and the value of its assets exceeds its liabilities. Subject to the amended and restated memorandum and articles of association of a company, a liquidator may be appointed by a resolution of directors or resolution of members but if the directors have commenced liquidation by a resolution of directors the members must approve the liquidation plan by a resolution of members save in limited circumstances.
A liquidator is appointed for the purpose of collecting in and realizing the assets of a company and distributing proceeds to creditors.
We expect that in the event of a voluntary liquidation of the Company, after payment of the liquidation costs and any sums then due to creditors, the liquidator would distribute our remaining assets on a pari passu basis.
Liquidation under the Insolvency Act
The Insolvency Act governs an insolvent liquidation. Pursuant to the Insolvency Act, a company is insolvent if (a) it fails to comply with the requirements of a statutory demand that has not be set aside pursuant to the Insolvency Act, execution or other process issued on a judgement, decree or order of court in favor of a creditor of the company is returned wholly or partly unsatisfied or either the value of the company’s liabilities exceeds its assets or the company is unable to pay its debts as they fall due. The liquidator must be either the Official Receiver in BVI or a BVI licensed insolvency practitioner. An individual resident outside the BVI may be appointed to act as liquidator jointly with a BVI licensed insolvency practitioner or the Official Receiver. The members of the company may appoint an insolvency practitioner as liquidator of the company or the court may appoint an Official Receiver or an eligible insolvency practitioner. The application to the court can be made by one or more of the following: (a) the company (b) a creditor (c) a member (d), the supervisor of a creditors’ arrangement in respect of the company, the Financial Services Commission and the Attorney General in the BVI.
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The court may appoint a liquidator if:
| (a) | the company is insolvent; |
| (b) | the court is of the opinion that it is just and equitable that a liquidator should be appointed; or |
| (c) | the court is of the opinion that it is in the public interest for a liquidator to be appointed. |
An application under (a) above by a member may only be made with leave of the court, which shall not be granted unless the court is satisfied that there is prima facie case that the company is insolvent. An application under (c) above may only be made by the Financial Services Commission or the Attorney General and they may only make an application under (c) above if the company concerned is, or at any time has been, a regulated person (i.e. a person that holds a prescribed financial services license) or the company is carrying on, or at any time has carried on, unlicensed financial services business.
Order of Preferential Payments upon Liquidation Upon the insolvent liquidation of a company, the assets of a company shall be applied in accordance with the following priorities: (a) in paying, in priority to all other claims, the costs and expenses properly incurred in the liquidation in accordance with the prescribed priority; (b) after payment of the costs and expenses of the liquidation, in paying the preferential claims admitted by the liquidator (wages and salary, amounts to the BVI Social Security Board, pension contributions, government taxes) — preferential claims rank equally between themselves and, if the assets of the company are insufficient to meet the claims in full, they shall be paid ratably; (c) after the payment of preferential claims, in paying all other claims admitted by the liquidator, including those of non-secured creditors — the claims of non-secured creditors of the Company shall rank equally among themselves and if the assets of the company are insufficient to meet the claims in full, such non-secured creditors shall be paid ratably; (d) after paying all admitted claims, paying any interest payable under the BVI Insolvency Act; and finally (e) any surplus assets remaining after payment of the costs, expenses and claims above shall be distributed to the members in accordance with their rights and interests in the Company. Part VIII of the Insolvency Act provides for various applications which may be made by a liquidator to set aside transactions which have unfairly diminished the assets which are available to creditors.
The appointment of a liquidator over the assets of a company does not affect the right of a secured creditor to take possession of and realize or otherwise deal with assets of the company over which that creditor has a security interest. Accordingly, a secured creditor may enforce its security directly without recourse to the liquidator, in priority to the order of payments described above. However, so far as the assets of a company in liquidation available for payment of the claims of unsecured creditors are insufficient to pay the costs and expenses of the liquidation and the preferential creditors, those costs, expenses and claims have priority over the claims of charges in respect of assets that are subject to a floating charge created by a company and shall be paid accordingly out of those assets.
Voidable Transactions
In the event of the insolvency of a company, there are four types of voidable transaction provided for in the Insolvency Act:
| (a) | Unfair Preferences: Under section 245 of the Insolvency Act a transaction entered into by a company, if it is entered into within the hardening period at a time when the company is insolvent, or it causes the company to become insolvent (an “insolvency transaction”), and which has the effect of putting the creditor into a position which, in the event of the company going into insolvent liquidation, will be better than the position it would have been in if the transaction had not been entered into, will be deemed an unfair preference. A transaction is not an unfair preference if the transaction took place in the ordinary course of business. It should be noted that this provision applies regardless of whether the payment or transfer is made for value or at an undervalue. |
| (b) | Undervalue Transactions: Under section 246 of the Insolvency Act the making of a gift or the entering into of a transaction on terms that the company is to receive no consideration, or where the value of the consideration for the transaction, in money or money’s worth, is significantly less than the value, in money or money’s worth, of the consideration provided by the company will (if it is an insolvency transaction entered into within the hardening period) be deemed an undervalue transaction. A company does not enter into a transaction at an undervalue if it is entered into in good faith and for the purposes of its business and, at the time the transaction was entered into, there were reasonable grounds for believing the transaction would benefit the company. |
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| (c) | Voidable Floating Charges: Under section 247 of the Insolvency Act a floating charge created by a company is voidable if it is an insolvency transaction created within the hardening period. A floating charge is not voidable to the extent that it secures: (i) money advanced or paid to the company, or at its direction, at the same time as, or after, the creation of the charge; (ii) the amount of any liability of the company discharged or reduced at the same time as, or after, the creation of the charge; (iii) the value of assets sold or supplied, or services supplied, to the company at the same time as, or after, the creation of the charge; and (iv) the interest, if any, payable on the amount referred to in (i) to (iii) pursuant to any agreement under which the money was advanced or paid, the liability was discharged or reduced, the assets were sold or supplied or the services were supplied. |
| (d) | Extortionate Credit Transactions: Under section 248 of the Insolvency Act an insolvency transaction entered into by a company for, or involving the provision of, credit to the company, may be regarded as an extortionate credit transaction if, having regard to the risk accepted by the person providing the credit, the terms of the transaction are or were such to require grossly exorbitant payments to be made in respect of the provision of the credit, or the transaction otherwise grossly contravenes ordinary principles of fair trading and such transaction takes place within the hardening period. |
The “hardening period” (known in the Insolvency Act as the “vulnerability period”) in respect of each voidable transaction provision set out above is as follows:
| (a) | for the purposes of sections 245, 246 and 247 of the Insolvency Act the period differs depending on whether the person(s) that the transaction is entered into with, or the preference is given to, are “connected persons” of the company within the meaning of the Insolvency Act: |
| (i) | in the case of “connected persons” the “hardening period” is the period beginning two years prior to the “onset of insolvency” and ending on the appointment of a liquidator of the company; and |
| (ii) | in the case of any other person, the “hardening period” is the period beginning six months prior to the “onset of insolvency” and ending on the appointment of a liquidator of the company; and |
| (b) | for the purposes of section 248 of the Insolvency Act the “hardening period” is the period beginning five years prior to the “onset of insolvency” and ending on the appointment of a liquidator of the company regardless of whether the person(s) that the transaction is entered into with is a connected person. |
The onset of insolvency for these purposes is the date on which an application for the appointment of a liquidator was filed (if the liquidator was appointed by the court) or the date of the appointment of the liquidator (where the liquidator was appointed by the members).
A conveyance made by a person with intent to defraud creditors is voidable at the instance of the person thereby prejudiced. There is no requirement that the relevant transaction was entered into at a time when one party was insolvent or became insolvent as a result of the transaction, and there is no requirement that the transferring party subsequently went into liquidation. However, no conveyance entered into for valuable consideration and in good faith to a person who did not have notice of the intention to defraud may be impugned.
The court has authority to order winding up in a number of specified circumstances including where it is, in the opinion of the court, just and equitable to do so. Under the BVI Act and our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, our company may be dissolved, liquidated or wound up by a resolution of our shareholders.
Variation of Rights of Shares. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation may vary the rights of a class of shares with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares of such class, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Under BVI law and our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, all or any of the rights attached to any class of shares may, subject to the provisions of the BVI Act, be varied without the consent of the holders of the issued shares of that class where such variation is considered by the board of directors not to have a material adverse effect upon such rights; otherwise, any such variation shall be made only with the consent in writing of the holders of a majority of the issued shares of that class, or with the sanction of a resolution passed by a majority of the votes cast at a separate meeting of the holders of the shares of that class. The rights conferred upon the holders of the shares of any class issued shall not, unless otherwise expressly provided by the terms of issue of the shares of that class, be deemed to be varied by the creation or issue of further shares ranking pari passu with such existing class of shares.
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Amendment of Governing Documents. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation’s governing documents may be amended with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. As permitted by BVI law, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may be amended with a resolution of our shareholders or, by resolutions of directors, except that the directors of the company shall not have the power to amend our amended and restated memorandum (a) to restrict the rights or powers of the members to amend the memorandum or articles; (b) to change the percentage of members required to pass a resolution to amend the memorandum or articles; or (c) in circumstances where the memorandum or articles cannot be amended by the members.
Rights of Non-resident or Foreign Shareholders. There are no limitations imposed by our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association on the rights of non-resident or foreign shareholders to hold or exercise voting rights on our shares. In addition, there are no provisions in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association governing the ownership threshold above which shareholder ownership must be disclosed.
10.C. Material Contracts
We have not entered into any material contracts other than in the ordinary course of business and other than those described in “Item 4. Information on the Company” or elsewhere in this annual report.
10.D. Exchange Controls
British Virgin Islands
There are currently no exchange control regulations in the BVI applicable to us or our shareholders.
The PRC
China regulates foreign currency exchanges primarily through the following rules and regulations:
| ● | Foreign Currency Administration Rules of 1996, as amended; and |
| ● | Administrative Rules of the Settlement, Sale and Payment of Foreign Exchange of 1996. |
As we disclosed in the risk factors above, Renminbi is not a freely convertible currency at present. Under the current PRC regulations, conversion of Renminbi is permitted in China for routine current-account foreign exchange transactions, including trade and service related foreign exchange transactions, payment of dividends and service of foreign debts. Conversion of Renminbi for most capital-account items, such as direct investments, investments in PRC securities markets and repatriation of investments, however, is still subject to the approval of SAFE.
Pursuant to the above-mentioned administrative rules, foreign-invested enterprises may buy, sell and/or remit foreign currencies for current account transactions at banks in China with authority to conduct foreign exchange business by complying with certain procedural requirements, such as presentment of valid commercial documents. For capital-account transactions involving foreign direct investment, foreign debts and outbound investment in securities and derivatives, approval from SAFE is a pre-condition. Capital investments by foreign-invested enterprises outside China are subject to limitations and requirements in China, such as prior approvals from the PRC Ministry of Commerce or SAFE.
10.E. Taxation
The following discussion of material BVI, PRC and United States federal income tax consequences of an investment in EZGO’s ordinary shares is based upon laws and relevant interpretations thereof in effect as of the date of this annual report, all of which are subject to change. This discussion does not deal with all possible tax consequences relating to an investment in EZGO’s ordinary shares, such as the tax consequences under state, local and other tax laws.
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British Virgin Islands Taxation
The Company and all dividends, interest, rents, royalties, compensation and other amounts paid by the Company to persons who are not resident in the BVI and any capital gains realized with respect to any shares, debt obligations, or other securities of the Company by persons who are not resident in the BVI are exempt from all provisions of the Income Tax Ordinance in the BVI.
No estate, inheritance, succession or gift tax, rate, duty, levy or other charge is payable by persons who are not resident in the BVI with respect to any shares, debt obligation or other securities of the Company.
All instruments relating to transfers of property to or by the Company and all instruments relating to transactions in respect of the shares, debt obligations or other securities of the Company and all instruments relating to other transactions relating to the business of the Company are exempt from payment of stamp duty in the BVI. This assumes that the Company does not hold an interest in real estate in the BVI.
There are currently no withholding taxes or exchange control regulations in the BVI applicable to the Company or its members.
People’s Republic of China Taxation
Under the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law, an enterprise established outside the PRC with “de facto management bodies” within the PRC is considered a “resident enterprise” for PRC enterprise income tax purposes and is generally subject to a uniform 25% enterprise income tax rate on its worldwide income. Under the implementation rules to the EIT Law, a “de facto management body” is defined as a body that has material and overall management and control over the manufacturing and business operations, personnel and human resources, finances and properties of an enterprise. If our holding company in the BVI or any of our subsidiaries outside of China were deemed to be a “resident enterprise” under the PRC EIT Law, it would be subject to enterprise income tax on its worldwide income at a rate of 25%. See “Item 3. Key Information — D. Risk Factors-Risks Related do Doing Business in China — Under the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law, we may be classified as a PRC “resident enterprise” for PRC enterprise income tax purposes. Such classification would likely result in unfavorable tax consequences to us and our non-PRC shareholders and has a material adverse effect on our results of operations and the value of your investment.”
Changzhou EZGO is a company incorporated under PRC law and, as such, is subject to PRC enterprise income tax on its taxable income in accordance with the relevant PRC income tax laws. Pursuant to the EIT Law, which became effective on January 1, 2008 and was amended on February 24, 2017, a uniform 25% enterprise income tax rate is generally applicable to both foreign-invested enterprises and domestic enterprises, except where a special preferential rate applies. The enterprise income tax is calculated based on PRC tax laws and PRC accounting standards. In accordance with the implementation rules of PRC EIT Law, a qualified “High and New Technology Enterprise” is eligible for a preferential tax rate of 15%. The “High and New Technology Enterprise” certificate is effective for a period of three years. An entity may re-apply for the “High and New Technology Enterprise” certificate when the prior certificate expires. However, none of our PRC subsidiaries have been recognized as High and New Technology enterprises. Therefore, none of our PRC subsidiaries are eligible to enjoy a preferential tax rate of 15%.
In accordance with the relevant laws and regulations promulgated by the SAT effective from 2008 onwards, enterprises engaging in research and development activities are entitled to claim 150% of their qualified research and development expenses so incurred as tax deductible expenses when determining their assessable profits for the year. The additional deduction of 50% of qualified research and development expenses can only be claimed directly in the annual tax filing and subject to the approval from the relevant tax authorities. Effective from 2018 onwards, enterprises engaging in research and development activities are entitled to claim 175% of their qualified research and development expenses so incurred as tax deductible expenses. The additional deduction of 75% of qualified research and development expenses can be directly claimed in the annual tax filing.
We are subject to VAT at a rate of 13% for products sold except that Yizhiying IoT is subject to VAT at a rate of 3% on the services we provide, less any deductible VAT we have already paid or borne. We are also subject to surcharges on VAT payments in accordance with PRC law.
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As a BVI holding company, EZGO may receive dividends from its PRC subsidiaries through its intermediary holding company in Hong Kong. The EIT Law and its implementing rules provide that dividends paid by a PRC entity to a non-resident enterprise for income tax purposes is subject to PRC withholding tax at a rate of 10%, subject to reduction by an applicable tax treaty with China. According to the Arrangement between China and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on the Avoidance of Double Taxation and Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to Taxes on Income and Capital and relevant implanting notice, if our Hong Kong subsidiary satisfies all the requirements under the tax arrangement and receives approval from the relevant tax authority, the dividends paid to the Hong Kong subsidiary would be subject to withholding tax at the standard rate of 5%. See “Item 3. Key Information — D. Risk Factors — Risks Related to Doing Business in China — There are significant uncertainties under the PRC EIT Law relating to the withholding tax liabilities of our PRC subsidiaries, and dividends payable by our PRC subsidiaries to our offshore subsidiaries may not qualify to enjoy certain treaty benefits.”
Certain United States Federal Income Tax Considerations
The following discussion is a summary of U.S. federal income tax considerations generally applicable to U.S. Holders (as defined below) of the ownership and disposition of EZGO’s ordinary shares. This summary applies only to U.S. Holders that hold EZGO’s ordinary shares as capital assets (generally, property held for investment) and that have the U.S. dollar as their functional currency. This summary is based on U.S. tax laws in effect as of the date of this annual report, on U.S. Treasury regulations in effect or, in some cases, proposed as of the date of this annual report, and judicial and administrative interpretations thereof available on or before such date. All of the foregoing authorities are subject to change, which could apply retroactively and could affect the tax consequences described below. Moreover, this summary does not address the U.S. federal estate, gift, backup withholding, and alternative minimum tax considerations, or any state, local, and non-U.S. tax considerations, relating to the ownership and disposition of EZGO’s ordinary shares. The following summary does not address all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that may be important to particular investors in light of their individual circumstances or to persons in special tax situations such as:
| ● | financial institutions or financial services entities; |
| ● | insurance companies; |
| ● | pension plans; |
| ● | cooperatives; |
| ● | regulated investment companies; |
| ● | real estate investment trusts; |
| ● | broker-dealers; |
| ● | traders that elect to use a mark-to-market method of accounting; |
| ● | governments or agencies or instrumentalities thereof; |
| ● | certain former U.S. citizens or long-term residents; |
| ● | tax-exempt entities (including private foundations); |
| ● | persons liable for alternative minimum tax; |
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| ● | persons holding stock as part of a straddle, hedging, conversion or other integrated transaction; |
| ● | persons whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar; |
| ● | passive foreign investment companies; |
| ● | controlled foreign corporations; |
| ● | persons that actually or constructively own 5% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of our voting stock; or |
| ● | partnerships or other entities taxable as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes, or persons holding ordinary shares through such entities. |
PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS ARE URGED TO CONSULT THEIR OWN TAX ADVISORS REGARDING THE APPLICATION OF U.S. FEDERAL TAXATION TO THEIR PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES, AND THE STATE, LOCAL, NON-U.S., OR OTHER TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THE OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF EZGO’S ORDINARY SHARES.
For purposes of this discussion, a “U.S. Holder” is a beneficial owner of EZGO’s ordinary shares that is, for U.S. federal income tax purposes:
| ● | an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States; |
| ● | a corporation (or other entity taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes) created or organized in the United States or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia; |
| ● | an estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or |
| ● | a trust that (1) is subject to the primary supervision of a court within the United States and the control of one or more U.S. persons for all substantial decisions, or (2) has a valid election in effect under applicable U.S. Treasury regulations to be treated as a U.S. person. |
If a partnership (or other entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) is a beneficial owner of EZGO’s ordinary shares, the tax treatment of a partner in the partnership will generally depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. Partnerships holding EZGO’s ordinary shares and their partners are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding an investment in EZGO’s ordinary shares.
Taxation of Dividends and Other Distributions on EZGO’s Ordinary Shares
Subject to the discussion below under “Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules,” any cash distributions (including the amount of any PRC tax withheld) paid on EZGO’s ordinary shares out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles, will generally be includible in the gross income of a U.S. Holder as dividend income on the day actually or constructively received by the U.S. Holder. Because we do not intend to determine our earnings and profits on the basis of U.S. federal income tax principles, any distribution we pay will generally be treated as a “dividend” for U.S. federal income tax purposes. A non-corporate U.S. Holder will be subject to tax on dividend income from a “qualified foreign corporation” at a lower applicable capital gains rate rather than the marginal tax rates generally applicable to ordinary income provided that certain holding period requirements are met. A non-U.S. corporation (other than a corporation that is classified as a PFIC for the taxable year in which the dividend is paid or the preceding taxable year) will generally be considered to be a qualified foreign corporation (i) if it is eligible for the benefits of a comprehensive tax treaty with the United States that the U.S. Secretary of Treasury determines is satisfactory for purposes of this provision and includes an exchange of information program, or (ii) with respect to any dividend it pays on stock that is readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States, including Nasdaq. It is unclear whether dividends that we pay on EZGO’s ordinary shares will meet the conditions required for the reduced tax rate. However, in the event that we are deemed to be a PRC resident enterprise under the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law (see “ITEM 10. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION – 10.E.Taxation — People’s Republic of China Taxation”), we may be eligible for the benefits of the United States-PRC income tax treaty. If we are eligible for such benefits, dividends we pay on EZGO’s ordinary shares, would be eligible for the reduced rates of taxation described in this paragraph. You are urged to consult your tax advisor regarding the availability of the lower rate for dividends paid with respect to EZGO’s ordinary shares. Dividends received on EZGO’s ordinary shares will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction allowed to corporations.
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Dividends will generally be treated as income from foreign sources for U.S. foreign tax credit purposes and will generally constitute passive category income. Depending on the U.S. Holder’s individual facts and circumstances, a U.S. Holder may be eligible, subject to a number of complex limitations, to claim a foreign tax credit not in excess of any applicable treaty rate in respect of any foreign withholding taxes imposed on dividends received on EZGO’s ordinary shares. A U.S. Holder who does not elect to claim a foreign tax credit for foreign tax withheld may instead claim a deduction, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, in respect of such withholding, but only for a year in which such U.S. Holder elects to do so for all creditable foreign income taxes. The rules governing the foreign tax credit are complex and their outcome depends in large part on the U.S. Holder’s individual facts and circumstances. Accordingly, U.S. Holders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the availability of the foreign tax credit under their particular circumstances.
Taxation of Sale or Other Disposition of Ordinary Shares
Subject to the discussion below under “Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules,” a U.S. Holder will generally recognize capital gain or loss upon the sale or other disposition of ordinary shares in an amount equal to the difference between the amount realized upon the disposition and the U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in such ordinary shares. Any capital gain or loss will be long term if the ordinary shares have been held for more than one year and will generally be U.S.-source gain or loss for U.S. foreign tax credit purposes. Long-term capital gains of non-corporate taxpayers are currently eligible for reduced rates of taxation. In the event that gain from the disposition of the ordinary shares is subject to tax in the PRC, such gain may be treated as PRC-source gain under the United States-PRC income tax treaty. The deductibility of a capital loss may be subject to limitations. U.S. Holders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the tax consequences if a foreign tax is imposed on a disposition of EZGO’s ordinary shares, including the availability of the foreign tax credit under their particular circumstances.
Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules
A non-U.S. corporation, such as our company, will be classified as a PFIC, for U.S. federal income tax purposes for any taxable year, if either (i) 75% or more of its gross income for such year consists of certain types of “passive” income or (ii) 50% or more of the value of its assets (determined on the basis of a quarterly average) during such year is attributable to assets that produce or are held for the production of passive income. For this purpose, cash and cash equivalents are categorized as passive assets and the company’s goodwill and other unrecorded intangibles are taken into account as non-passive assets. Passive income generally includes, among other things, dividends, interest, rents, royalties, and gains from the disposition of passive assets. We will be treated as owning a proportionate share of the assets and earning a proportionate share of the income of any other corporation in which we own, directly or indirectly, more than 25% (by value) of the stock.
Based on our current composition of assets, subsidiaries and market capitalization (which will fluctuate from time to time), we do not expect to be or become a PFIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes. However, no assurance can be given in this regard because the determination of whether we will be or become a PFIC is a factual determination made annually that will depend, in part, upon the composition of our income and assets. Furthermore, the composition of our income and assets may also be affected by how, and how quickly, we use our liquid assets and the cash raised in our initial public offering and follow-on offering. Under circumstances where our revenue from activities that produce passive income significantly increase relative to our revenue from activities that produce non-passive income, or where we determine not to deploy significant amounts of cash for active purposes, our risk of becoming classified as a PFIC may substantially increase. In addition, because there are uncertainties in the application of the relevant rules, it is possible that the Internal Revenue Service may challenge our classification of certain income and assets as non-passive or our valuation of our tangible and intangible assets, each of which may result in our becoming a PFIC for the current or subsequent taxable years. If we were classified as a PFIC for any year during which a U.S. Holder held EZGO’s ordinary shares, we generally would continue to be treated as a PFIC for all succeeding years during which such U.S. Holder held EZGO’s ordinary shares even if we cease to be a PFIC in subsequent years, unless certain elections are made.
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If we are classified as a PFIC for any taxable year during which a U.S. Holder holds EZGO’s ordinary shares, and unless the U.S. Holder makes a mark-to-market election (as described below), the U.S. Holder will generally be subject to special tax rules that have a penalizing effect, regardless of whether we remain a PFIC, on (i) any excess distribution that we make to the U.S. Holder (which generally means any distribution paid during a taxable year to a U.S. Holder that is greater than 125 percent of the average annual distributions paid in the three preceding taxable years or, if shorter, the U.S. Holder’s holding period for the ordinary shares), and (ii) any gain realized on the sale or other disposition of ordinary shares. Under these rules,
| ● | the U.S. Holder’s gain or excess distribution will be allocated ratably over the U.S. Holder’s holding period for the ordinary shares; |
| ● | the amount allocated to the current taxable year and any taxable years in the U.S. Holder’s holding period prior to the first taxable year in which we are classified as a PFIC (each, a “pre-PFIC year”), will be taxable as ordinary income; |
| ● | the amount allocated to each prior taxable year, other than a pre-PFIC year, will be subject to tax at the highest tax rate in effect for individuals or corporations, as appropriate, for that year; and |
| ● | an additional tax equal to the interest charge generally applicable to underpayments of tax will be imposed in respect of the tax attributable to each prior taxable year, other than a pre-PFIC year, of the U.S. Holder. |
If we are treated as a PFIC for any taxable year during which a U.S. Holder holds EZGO’s ordinary shares, or if any of our subsidiaries is also a PFIC, such U.S. Holder would be treated as owning a proportionate amount (by value) of the shares of any lower-tier PFICs for purposes of the application of these rules. U.S. Holders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the application of the PFIC rules to any of our subsidiaries.
As an alternative to the foregoing rules, a U.S. Holder of “marketable stock” in a PFIC may make a mark-to-market election with respect to such stock, provided that such stock is “regularly traded” within the meaning of applicable U.S. Treasury regulations. If EZGO’s ordinary shares qualify as being regularly traded, and an election is made, the U.S. Holder will generally (i) include as ordinary income for each taxable year that we are a PFIC the excess, if any, of the fair market value of ordinary shares held at the end of the taxable year over the adjusted tax basis of such ordinary shares and (ii) deduct as an ordinary loss the excess, if any, of the adjusted tax basis of the ordinary shares over the fair market value of such ordinary shares held at the end of the taxable year, but such deduction will only be allowed to the extent of the amount previously included in income as a result of the mark-to-market election. The U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in the ordinary shares would be adjusted to reflect any income or loss resulting from the mark-to-market election. If a U.S. Holder makes a mark-to-market election in respect of a corporation classified as a PFIC and such corporation ceases to be classified as a PFIC, the U.S. Holder will not be required to take into account the gain or loss described above during any period that such corporation is not classified as a PFIC. If a U.S. Holder makes a mark-to-market election, any gain such U.S. Holder recognizes upon the sale or other disposition of EZGO’s ordinary shares in a year when we are a PFIC will be treated as ordinary income and any loss will be treated as ordinary loss, but such loss will only be treated as ordinary loss to the extent of the net amount previously included in income as a result of the mark-to-market election.
Because a mark-to-market election cannot be made for any lower-tier PFICs that we may own, a U.S. Holder may continue to be subject to the PFIC rules with respect to such U.S. Holder’s indirect interest in any investments held by us that are treated as an equity interest in a PFIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
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Furthermore, as an alternative to the foregoing rules, a U.S. Holder that owns stock of a PFIC generally may make a “qualified electing fund” election regarding such corporation to elect out of the PFIC rules described above regarding excess distributions and recognized gains. However, we do not intend to provide information necessary for U.S. Holders to make qualified electing fund elections which, if available, would result in tax treatment different from the general tax treatment for PFICs described above.
If a U.S. Holder owns EZGO’s ordinary shares during any taxable year that we are a PFIC, the U.S. Holder must generally file an annual Internal Revenue Service Form 8621 and provide such other information as may be required by the U.S. Treasury Department, whether or not a mark-to-market election is or has been made. If we are or become a PFIC, you should consult your tax advisor regarding any reporting requirements that may apply to you.
You should consult your tax advisors regarding how the PFIC rules apply to your investment in EZGO’s ordinary shares.
Non-U.S. Holders
Cash dividends paid or deemed paid to a Non-U.S. Holder with respect to the ordinary shares generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax unless such dividends are effectively connected with the Non-U.S. Holder’s conduct of a trade or business within the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, are attributable to a permanent establishment or fixed base that such holder maintains or maintained in the United States).
In addition, a Non-U.S. Holder generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on any gain attributable to a sale or other taxable disposition of the ordinary shares unless such gain is effectively connected with its conduct of a trade or business in the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, is attributable to a permanent establishment or fixed base that such holder maintains or maintained in the United States) or the Non-U.S. Holder is an individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more in the taxable year of such sale or other disposition and certain other conditions are met (in which case, such gain from U.S. sources generally is subject to U.S. federal income tax at a 30% rate or a lower applicable tax treaty rate).
Cash dividends and gains that are effectively connected with the Non-U.S. Holder’s conduct of a trade or business in the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, are attributable to a permanent establishment or fixed base that such holder maintains or maintained in the United States) generally will be subject to regular U.S. federal income tax at the same regular U.S. federal income tax rates as applicable to a comparable U.S. Holder and, in the case of a Non-U.S. Holder that is a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, may also be subject to an additional branch profits tax at a 30% rate or a lower applicable tax treaty rate.
Information Reporting and Backup Withholding
Certain U.S. Holders are required to report information to the Internal Revenue Service relating to an interest in “specified foreign financial assets,” including shares issued by a non-United States corporation, for any year in which the aggregate value of all specified foreign financial assets exceeds $50,000 (or a higher dollar amount prescribed by the Internal Revenue Service), subject to certain exceptions (including an exception for shares held in custodial accounts maintained with a U.S. financial institution). These rules also impose penalties if a U.S. Holder is required to submit such information to the Internal Revenue Service and fails to do so.
In addition, dividend payments with respect to EZGO’s ordinary shares and proceeds from the sale, exchange or redemption of EZGO’s ordinary shares may be subject to additional information reporting to the IRS and possible U.S. backup withholding. Backup withholding will not apply, however, to a U.S. Holder who furnishes a correct taxpayer identification number and makes any other required certification on IRS Form W-9 or who is otherwise exempt from backup withholding. U.S. Holders who are required to establish their exempt status generally must provide such certification on IRS Form W-9. U.S. Holders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the application of the U.S. information reporting and backup withholding rules.
Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Amounts withheld as backup withholding may be credited against your U.S. federal income tax liability, and you may obtain a refund of any excess amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules by filing the appropriate claim for refund with the IRS and furnishing any required information. We do not intend to withhold taxes for individual shareholders. However, transactions effected through certain brokers or other intermediaries may be subject to withholding taxes (including backup withholding), and such brokers or intermediaries may be required by law to withhold such taxes.
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THE PRECEDING DISCUSSION OF U.S. FEDERAL TAX CONSIDERATIONS IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY. IT IS NOT TAX ADVICE. EACH PROSPECTIVE INVESTOR SHOULD CONSULT ITS OWN TAX ADVISOR REGARDING THE PARTICULAR U.S. FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AND FOREIGN TAX CONSEQUENCES OF PURCHASING, HOLDING AND DISPOSING OF EZGO’S ORDINARY SHARES, INCLUDING THE CONSEQUENCES OF ANY PROPOSED CHANGE IN APPLICABLE LAWS.
10.F. Dividends and Paying Agents
Not Applicable.
10.G. Statement by Experts
Not Applicable.
10.H. Documents on Display
The Company is subject to the informational requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and will file reports, registration statements and other information with the SEC. The Company’s reports, registration statements and other information can be inspected on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. You may also visit us on website at www.ezgotech.com.cn. However, information contained on our website does not constitute a part of this annual report.
10.I. Subsidiary Information
Not Applicable.
10.J. Annual Report to Security Holders
Not Applicable.
ITEM 11. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
Foreign Exchange Risk
Our functional currency is RMB, and our financial statements are presented in U.S. dollars. The average exchange rate for U.S. dollars against RMB has changed from US$1.00 for RMB7.0056 in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2020 to US$1.00 for RMB6.4434 in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2021, and US$1.00 for RMB6.5532 in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022. The change in the value of RMB relative to the U.S. dollar may affect our financial results reported in the U.S. dollar terms without giving effect to any underlying change in our business or results of operation. If using the average exchange rate of fiscal year 2021, our revenue, cost of revenue and total expenses, including selling expenses and general and administrative expenses, for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022 would decrease by approximately $0.3 million, $0.3 million and $0.1 million, respectively.
Currently, our assets, liabilities, revenues, and costs are denominated in RMB, our exposure to foreign exchange risk will primarily relate to those financial assets denominated in U.S. dollars. Any significant revaluation of RMB against U.S. dollar may materially affect our earnings and financial position, and the value of, and any dividends payable on, EZGO’s ordinary shares in U.S. dollars in the future.
Credit Risk
As of September 30, 2020, 2021 and 2022, we had cash of $322,598, $4,774,531 and $4,389,990, respectively. Our cash was on deposit at financial institutions in the PRC where there currently is no rule or regulation requiring such financial institutions to maintain insurance to cover bank deposits in the event of bank failure.
Accounts receivable are typically unsecured and derived from revenue earned from customers, thereby exposed to credit risk. The risk is mitigated by the Company’s assessment of its customers’ creditworthiness and its ongoing monitoring of outstanding balances.
Inflation Risk
Inflationary factors such as increases in the cost of our product and overhead costs may adversely affect our operating results. Although we do not believe that inflation has had a material effect on our financial position or results of operations to date, a high rate of inflation in the future may have an adverse effect on our ability to maintain current levels of gross profit and selling, general and administrative expenses as a percentage of net sales if the selling prices of our services do not increase with these increased costs.
ITEM 12. DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES OTHER THAN EQUITY SECURITIES
None.
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PART II
ITEM 13. DEFAULTS, DIVIDEND ARREARAGES AND DELINQUENCIES
We do not have any material defaults, dividend arrearages or delinquencies.
ITEM 14. MATERIAL MODIFICATIONS TO THE RIGHTS OF SECURITY HOLDERS AND USE OF PROCEEDS
14.A - D. Material Modifications to the Rights of Security Holders
There have been no material modifications to the rights of EZGO’s security holders.
14.E. Use of Proceeds
The following “Use of Proceeds” information relates to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File Number: 333-249687), or the IPO Form F-1, in relation to our initial public offering of 3,038,500 ordinary shares at an offering price of US$4.00 per share, including a partial exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment. The IPO Form F-1 was declared effective by the SEC on December 31, 2020. Our initial public offering closed on January 28, 2021.
The total expenses incurred for our company’s account in connection with our initial public offering were approximately US$1.3 million, including underwriting discounts and commissions of approximately US$0.85 million and other expenses of approximately US$0.45 million. None of the fees and expenses were directly or indirectly paid to the directors, officers of our company or their associates, persons owning 10% or more of EZGO’s ordinary shares, or our affiliates.
After deducting the total expenses, we received net proceeds of approximately US$10.85 million from our initial public offering.
None of the net proceeds from our initial public offering were directly or indirectly paid to the directors, officers of our company or their associates, persons owning 10% or more of EZGO’s ordinary shares, or our affiliates.
The following “Use of Proceeds” information relates to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File Number: 333-256311), or the follow-on offering Form F-1, in relation to our follow-on offering of 2,564,102 units of its securities (each, a “Unit”), with each Unit consisting of (i) one ordinary share of the Company, par value $0.001 per share, and (ii) one warrant to purchase 0.7 ordinary share. We sold the Units at a price of $4.68 per Unit and received gross proceeds from the follow-on offering, before deducting offering expenses payable by us, of approximately $12 million. The follow-on offering Form F-1 was declared effective by the SEC on May 26, 2021. Our follow-on offering closed on June 1, 2021. The exclusive placement agent was FT Global Capital, Inc.
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After deducting discounts, commissions, and the offering expenses, we received net proceeds of approximately US$10.88 million from our follow-on offering (before the exercise of the over-allotment option).
None of the net proceeds from our follow-on offering were directly or indirectly paid to the directors, officers of our company or their associates, persons owning 10% or more of EZGO’s ordinary shares, or our affiliates.
ITEM 15. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
| (a) | Disclosure Controls and Procedures |
Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our principal executive officer and our principal financial officer, we conducted an evaluation of our disclosure controls and procedures, as such term is defined under Rule 13a-15(e) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Our principal executive officer and principal financial officer have concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective as of the end of the period covered by this annual report. This conclusion was based on the material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting further described below.
| (b) | Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting |
Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act. Our management conducted an assessment of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting based on the criteria set forth in “Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013)” issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission.
In connection with the preparation of our financial statements for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2021 and 2022, we have identified material weaknesses and other control deficiencies including significant deficiencies in our internal control over financial reporting. Base on the assessment, our management has concluded that, due to the material weakness described below, our internal control over financial reporting was not effective.
As of September 30, 2022, one material weakness that has been identified related to our lack of sufficient financial reporting and accounting personnel with appropriate knowledge of U.S. GAAP and SEC reporting requirements to properly address complex U.S. GAAP accounting issues and to prepare and review our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures to fulfill U.S. GAAP and SEC financial reporting requirements. The other material weakness that has been identified related to our lack of key monitoring mechanisms such as internal control department to oversee and monitor Company’s risk management, business strategies and financial reporting procedures.
We have already taken some steps and have continued to implement measures to remediate the material weakness identified, including but not limited to (a) hiring a Chief Financial Officer on September 1, 2020 with adequate experience of U.S. GAAP and SEC reporting and compliance requirements, and (b) continuing our efforts to set up the internal audit department, and enhance the effectiveness of the internal control system. However, we cannot assure you that we will not identify additional material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in the future.
See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors— We have identified material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting. If we fail to develop and maintain an effective system of internal control over financial reporting, we may be unable to accurately report our financial results or prevent fraud.”
| (c) | Attestation Report of the Company’s Registered Public Accounting Firm |
We did not include an attestation report of the company’s registered public accounting firm in this annual report on Form 20-F due to rules of the SEC where domestic and foreign registrants that are non-accelerated filers, which we are, and “emerging growth companies” which we also are, are not required to provide the auditor attestation report.
| (d) | Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting |
Other than those disclosed above, there were no changes in our internal controls over financial reporting during our fiscal year ended September 30, 2022 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
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ITEM 16. RESERVED
ITEM 16A. AUDIT COMMITTEE FINANCIAL EXPERT
Our audit committee consists of Mr. Robert Johnson, Mr. Guanneng Lai and Mr. Guanghui Yang. Our board of directors has determined that Robert Johnson, Guanneng Lai and Guanghui Yang are “independent directors” within the meaning of Nasdaq Stock Market Rule 5605(a)(2) and meet the criteria for independence set forth in Rule 10A−3(b) of the Exchange Act. Robert Johnson meets the criteria of an audit committee financial expert as set forth under the applicable rules of the SEC.
ITEM 16B. CODE OF ETHICS
Our board of directors has adopted a code of ethics that applies to all of our executive officers, directors and employees in accordance with the rules of the Nasdaq and the SEC. The purpose of the code is to promote ethical conduct and deter wrongdoing. The policies outlined in the Code are designed to ensure that our directors, executive officers and employees act in accordance with not only the letter but also the spirit of the laws and regulations that apply to our business. We expect our directors, executive officers and employees to exercise good judgment, to uphold these standards in their day-to-day activities, and to comply with all applicable policies and procedures in the course of their relationship with the company. Any amendment to or waivers of the Code for members of our board of directors and our executive officers that are required to be disclosed by the rules of the SEC or Nasdaq will be disclosed on our website at www.ezgotech.com.cn within four business days following the amendment or waiver. During fiscal year 2021, no amendments to or waivers from the Code were made or given for any of our executive officers.
Our code of ethics is publicly available on our website at www.ezgotech.com.cn.
ITEM 16C. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES
The following table sets forth the aggregate fees by categories specified below in connection with certain professional services rendered by Briggs & Veselka and WWC, respectively, our independent registered public accounting firms, for the periods indicated. We did not pay any other fees to our independent registered public accounting firm during the periods indicated below.
| Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2021 |
Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2022 |
|||||||
| Audit fees* | $ | 250,000 | $ | 280,000 | ||||
| * | Audit Fees – This category includes the audit of our annual financial statements, review of financial statements included in our quarterly reports and services that are normally provided by the independent registered public accounting firm in connection with engagements for those years and services that are normally provided by our independent registered public accounting firm in connection with statutory audits and SEC regulatory filings or engagements. |
The policy of our audit committee and our board of directors is to pre-approve all audit and non-audit services provided by our principal auditors, including audit services, audit-related services, and other services as described above, other than those for de minimis services which are approved by the audit committee or our board of directors prior to the completion of the services.
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ITEM 16D. EXEMPTIONS FROM THE LISTING STANDARDS FOR AUDIT COMMITTEES
Not Applicable.
ITEM 16E. PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES BY THE ISSUER AND AFFILIATED PURCHASERS
None.
ITEM 16F. CHANGE IN REGISTRANT’S CERTIFYING ACCOUNTANT
On January 31, 2022, EZGO terminated Briggs & Veselka as its independent registered public accounting firm effective as of January 31, 2022. Briggs & Veselka informed the Company that it was withdrawing as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm as Briggs & Veselka has joined the accounting firm of Crowe LLP, effective as of January 1, 2022, and Briggs & Veselka withdrew from qualification as a PCAOB registered firm on January 27, 2022, as a result of its joining Crowe LLP. Briggs & Veselka’s withdrawal and termination was considered and approved by the Company’s audit committee. The audit report of Briggs & Veselka on the financial statements of the Company as of and for the year ended September 30, 2021, did not contain any adverse opinion or disclaimer of opinion, nor was it qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope, or accounting principles. There were no disagreements with Briggs & Veselka on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedures, from the time of Briggs & Veselka’s engagement up to the date of termination which disagreements that, if not resolved to Briggs & Veselka’s satisfaction, would have caused Briggs & Veselka to make reference in connection with its opinion to the subject matter of the disagreement. Other than the material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting, there were no “reportable events” as that term is described in Item 16F(a)(1)(v)(A) through (D) of Form 20-F occurred within the fiscal year ended September 30, 2021 and subsequently up to the date of termination.
On February 28, 2022, EZGO appointed WWC as successor independent registered public accounting firm of the Company effective as of the same day and to perform independent audit services for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022. The appointment of WWC was approved by the audit committee of the board of directors on February 28, 2022. During the Company’s most recent two fiscal years and through the subsequent interim period on or prior to the appointment of WWC, neither the Company nor anyone on its behalf has consulted with of WWC on either (a) the application of accounting principles to a specified transaction, either completed or proposed, or the type of audit opinion that might be rendered on the Company’s financial statements, and neither a written report nor oral advice was provided to the Company that of WWC concluded was an important factor considered by the Company in reaching a decision as to the accounting, auditing or financial reporting issue; or (b) any matter that was the subject of a disagreement, as that term is defined in disagreement (as defined in Item 304(a)(1)(iv) of Regulation S-K and the related instructions) or a reportable event (as described in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K).
ITEM 16G. CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
EZGO’s ordinary shares are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market, or Nasdaq. As such, we are subject to corporate governance requirements imposed by Nasdaq. Under Nasdaq rules, listed non-US companies such as ourselves may, in general, follow their home country corporate governance practices in lieu of some of the Nasdaq corporate governance requirements.
Certain corporate governance practices in the BVI, which is our home country, may differ significantly from the Nasdaq corporate governance listing standards. The following summarizes some significant ways in which our corporate governance practices differ from those followed by domestic companies under the listing standards of the Nasdaq:
Pursuant to the home country rule exemption set forth under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5615(a)(3)(A), which provides (with certain exceptions not relevant to the conclusions expressed herein) that a foreign private issuer may follow its home country practice in lieu of the requirements of the Nasdaq Marketplace Rule 5600 Series, we elected to be exempt from the requirements as follows:
| (a) | Nasdaq Marketplace Rule 5620 which provides that (with certain exceptions not relevant to the conclusions expressed herein) each company listing common stock or voting preferred stock, and their equivalents, shall hold an annual meeting of shareholders no later than one year after the end of the company’s fiscal year-end; and |
| (b) | Nasdaq Marketplace Rule 5635 which sets forth the circumstances under which shareholder approval is required prior to an issuance of securities in connection with: (i) the acquisition of the stock or assets of another company; (ii) equity-based compensation of officers, directors, employees or consultants; (iii) a change of control; and (iv) transactions other than public offerings. |
Except for the foregoing, we endeavor to comply with the Nasdaq corporate governance practices and except for the foregoing, there is no significant difference between our corporate governance practices and what the Nasdaq requires of domestic U.S. companies.
ITEM 16H. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURE
Not applicable.
ITEM 16I. DISCLOSURE REGARDING FOREIGN JURISDICTIONS THAT PREVENT INSPECTIONS
Not applicable.
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PART III
ITEM 17. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Not applicable.
ITEM 18. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The consolidated financial statements and related notes required by this item are contained on pages F-1 through F-40.
ITEM 19. EXHIBITS
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| * | Filed herewith. |
| ** | Furnished herewith. |
| (1) | Incorporated herein by reference to Amendment No. 1 to our Registration Statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-249687), filed on December 15, 2020. |
| (2) | Incorporated herein by reference to the Company’s Current Report on Form 6-K, filed on February 1, 2021. |
| (3) | Incorporated herein by reference to the Company’s Current Report on Form 6-K, filed on May 19, 2021. |
| (4) | Incorporated herein by reference to the Company’s Current Report on Form 6-K, filed on May 28, 2021. |
| (5) | Incorporated herein by reference to Amendment No. 1 to our Registration Statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333- 256311), filed on May 24, 2021. |
| (6) | Incorporated herein by reference to the Company’s Current Report on Form 6-K, filed on July 16, 2021. |
| (7) | Incorporated herein by reference to the Company’s Current Report on Form 6-K, filed on May 17, 2022. |
| (8) | Incorporated herein by reference to the Company’s Current Report on Form 6-K, filed on July 27, 2022. |
| (9) | Incorporated herein by reference to the Company’s Current Report on Form 6-K/A, filed on September 22, 2022. |
136
SIGNATURES
The registrant hereby certifies that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form 20-F and that it has duly caused and authorized the undersigned to sign this annual report on its behalf.
| EZGO Technologies Ltd. | ||
| /s/ Jianhui Ye | ||
| Name: | Jianhui Ye | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
| Date: January 20, 2023 | ||
137
EZGO TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE FISCAL YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2020, 2021 AND 2022
INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
F-1
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of EZGO Technologies Ltd.
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the consolidated balance sheet of EZGO Technologies Ltd. and subsidiaries (the “Company”) as of September 30, 2022, and the related statements of operations, comprehensive income (loss), changes in equity, cash flows, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of September 30, 2022, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the year then ended, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s 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 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 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 financial statements. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
| /s/ Wei, Wei & Co., LLP | |
| Wei, Wei & Co., LLP |
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2022.
Flushing, New York
January 19, 2023
F-2
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of EZGO Technologies Ltd.
Opinion on the Consolidated Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheet of EZGO Technologies Ltd. and its Subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”) as of September 30, 2021, and the related statements of operations, comprehensive income (loss), stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for the year then ended, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of September 30, 2021, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the year then ended, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s 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 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 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 financial statements. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
We also have audited the adjustments to the financial statements as of September 30, 2020 and for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2020 and 2019 to retrospectively apply the change in accounting for discontinued operations, as described in Note 14. In our opinion, such adjustments are appropriate and have been properly applied. We were not engaged to audit, review, or apply any procedures to the financial statements as of and for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2020 and 2019 of the Company other than with respect to the adjustments and, accordingly, we do not express an opinion or any other form of assurance on the financial statements as of September 30, 2020 and for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2020 and 2019 taken as a whole.
| /s/ | |
| Briggs & Veselka Co., LLP |
| We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2021. | |
| January 27, 2022 |
F-3
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Shareholders and Board of Directors of EZGO Technologies Ltd.
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited, before the effects of the adjustments to the financial statements for the year ended September 30, 2020 to retrospectively apply the reporting of discontinued operations, as described in Note 14, the consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income, changes in equity and cash flows for the year ended September 30, 2020, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements, before the effects of the adjustments to the financial statements for the year ended September 30, 2020 to retrospectively apply the reporting of discontinued operations, as described in Note 14, present fairly, in all material respects, the results of its operations and its cash flows for the year ended September 30, 2020, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
We were not engaged to audit, review, or apply any procedures to the adjustments to the financial statements for the year ended September 30, 2020 to retrospectively apply the reporting of discontinued operations, as described in Note 14, and, accordingly, we do not express an opinion or any other form of assurance about whether such adjustments are appropriate and have been properly applied. Those adjustments were audited by Briggs&Veselka Co., LLP.
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audits. 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 audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the 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 audits, 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 audits 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 financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
| /s/ Marcum Asia CPAs LLP |
Marcum Asia CPAs LLP
(Formerly Marcum Bernstein & Pinchuk LLP)
New York, NY
February 16, 2021
We began serving as the Company's auditor in 2019. In 2021, we became the predecessor auditor.
F-4
EZGO TECHNOLOGIES LTD. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(In U.S. dollars except for number of shares)
| As of September 30, | ||||||||
| 2021 | 2022 | |||||||
| ASSETS | ||||||||
| Current assets: | ||||||||
| Cash and cash equivalents | $ | $ | ||||||
| Restricted cash | ||||||||
| Short-term investments | ||||||||
| Accounts receivable, net | ||||||||
| Inventories, net | ||||||||
| Advances to suppliers, net | ||||||||
| Amount due from related parties, current | ||||||||
| Prepaid expenses and other current assets | ||||||||
| Current assets of discontinued operation | ||||||||
| Total current assets | ||||||||
| Non-current assets: | ||||||||
| Property, plant and equipment, net | ||||||||
| Land use right | ||||||||
| Amount due from related parties, non-current | ||||||||
| Long-term investments | ||||||||
| Deferred tax assets, net | ||||||||
| Other non-current assets | ||||||||
| Non-current assets of discontinued operation | ||||||||
| Total non-current assets | ||||||||
| Total assets | $ | $ | ||||||
| LIABILITIES | ||||||||
| Current liabilities: | ||||||||
| Short-term borrowings | $ | $ | ||||||
| Accounts payable | ||||||||
| Advances from customers | ||||||||
| Income tax payable | ||||||||
| Amount due to related parties | ||||||||
| Accrued expenses and other payables | ||||||||
| Current liabilities of discontinued operation | ||||||||
| Total current liabilities | ||||||||
| Total liabilities | ||||||||
| Commitments and contingencies | ||||||||
| EQUITY | ||||||||
| Ordinary shares (par value of $ | ||||||||
| Subscription receivable | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Receivables from a shareholder | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Additional paid-in capital | ||||||||
| Statutory reserve | ||||||||
| Accumulated deficit | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) | ( | ) | ||||||
| Total EZGO Technologies Ltd.’s shareholders’ equity | ||||||||
| Non-controlling interests | ||||||||
| Total equity | ||||||||
| Total liabilities and equity | $ | $ | ||||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
F-5
EZGO TECHNOLOGIES LTD. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(In U.S. dollars except for number of shares)
| Years Ended September 30, | ||||||||||||
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | ||||||||||
| Net revenues | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||
| Cost of revenues | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||
| Gross profit | ||||||||||||
| Operating expenses: | ||||||||||||
| Selling and marketing | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||
| General and administrative | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||
| Total operating expenses | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||
| Income (loss) from operations | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
| Other income (expenses): | ||||||||||||
| Interest expense, net | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||
| Other income (expenses), net | ( |
) | ||||||||||
| Total other income (expenses), net | ( |
) | ||||||||||
| Income (loss) from continuing operations before income tax expense | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
| Income tax (expense) benefit | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
| Net income (loss) from continuing operations | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
| Loss from discontinued operation, net of tax | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||
| Net income (loss) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
| Net income (loss) from continuing operations | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
| Less: Net income (loss) attributable to non-controlling interests from continuing operations | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
| Net income (loss) attributable to EZGO Technologies Ltd.’s shareholders from continuing operations | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
| Loss from discontinued operation, net of tax | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||
| Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interests from discontinued operation | ||||||||||||
| Net loss attributable to EZGO Technologies Ltd.’s shareholders from discontinued operation | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||
| Net income (loss) attributable to EZGO Technologies Ltd.’s shareholders | $ | $ | ( |
) | $ | ( |
) | |||||
| Net income (loss) from continuing operations per ordinary share: | ||||||||||||
| $ | $ | ( |
) | $ | ( |
) | ||||||
| Net loss from discontinued operation per ordinary share: | ||||||||||||
| $ | ( |
) | $ | ( |
) | $ | ( |
) | ||||
| Net income (loss) per ordinary share: | ||||||||||||
| $ | $ | ( |
) | $ | ( |
) | ||||||
| Weighted average shares outstanding | ||||||||||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
F-6
EZGO TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)
(In U.S. dollars except for number of shares)
| Years Ended September 30, | ||||||||||||
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | ||||||||||
| Income (loss) from continuing operations before non-controlling interests | $ | $ | ( |
) | $ | ( |
) | |||||
| Loss from discontinued operation, net of tax | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||
| Net income (loss) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
| Other comprehensive income (loss) | ||||||||||||
| Foreign currency translation adjustment | ( |
) | ||||||||||
| Unrealized gain or loss in available-for-sale debt investments | - | ( |
) | |||||||||
| Comprehensive income (loss) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
| Less: Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to non-controlling interests | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
| Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to EZGO Technologies Ltd.’s shareholders | $ | $ | ( |
) | $ | ( |
) | |||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
F-7
EZGO TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN EQUITY
(In U.S. dollars except for number of shares)
| Ordinary Shares | Subscription | Receivables due from | Additional paid-in | Statutory | Accumulated earnings/ | Accumulated | Total EZGO’s shareholders’ | Non- controlling | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Share* | Amount | receivable | shareholder | capital | reserve | (deficits) | Income (Loss) | equity | interest | Total | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance as of September 30, 2019 | $ | ( | ) | $ | ( | ) | $ | $ | $ | $ | ( | ) | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income | - | - | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Receivable from a shareholder | - | - | - | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Appropriation to statutory reserve | - | - | ( | ) | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Foreign currency translation adjustment | - | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance as of September 30, 2020 | ( | ) | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Issued shares of Ordinary shares, net of offering cost | - | - | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Change in fair value of available-for-sale debt investments | - | - | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net loss | - | - | ( | ) | - | ( | ) | ( | ) | ( | ) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Receivable from a shareholder | - | - | - | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Appropriation to statutory reserve | - | - | ( | ) | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Foreign currency translation adjustment | - | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance as of September 30, 2021 | ( | ) | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shareholders’ contribution | - | - | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vesting of restricted shares award | - | - | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Change in fair value of available-for-sale debt investments | - | - | ( | ) | ( | ) | - | ( | ) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net loss | - | - | ( | ) | - | ( | ) | ( | ) | ( | ) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Receivable from a shareholder | - | - | - | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Appropriation to statutory reserve | - | - | ( | ) | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Foreign currency translation adjustment | - | - | ( | ) | ( | ) | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance as of September 30, 2022 | $ | ( | ) | $ | ( | ) | $ | $ | $ | ( | ) | $ | ( | ) | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
F-8
EZGO TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(In U.S. dollars except for number of shares)
| Years Ended September 30, | ||||||||||||
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | ||||||||||
| CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES: | ||||||||||||
| Net income (loss) from continuing operation | $ | $ | ( | ) | $ | ( | ) | |||||
| Net loss discontinued operation, net of tax | ( | ) | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||
| Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities: | ||||||||||||
| Provision for doubtful accounts | ||||||||||||
| Reserve for inventories | ||||||||||||
| Depreciation and amortization | ||||||||||||
| Share-based compensation | ||||||||||||
| Gain on short-term investments | ( | ) | ||||||||||
| Loss from the disposal of property, plant and equipment | ||||||||||||
| Deferred tax (benefit) expense | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||||
| Changes in operating assets and liabilities: | ||||||||||||
| Accounts receivable | ( | ) | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||
| Note receivable | ( | ) | ||||||||||
| Advance to suppliers, net | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||||
| Inventories, net | ( | ) | ||||||||||
| Amount due from related parties | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||||
| Prepaid expenses and other current assets | ( | ) | ||||||||||
| Accounts payable | ||||||||||||
| Advance from customers | ( | ) | ||||||||||
| Income tax payable | ||||||||||||
| Accrued expenses and other payables | ||||||||||||
| Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities from continuing operations | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||||
| Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities from discontinued operations | ( | ) | ||||||||||
| Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||||
| CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES: | ||||||||||||
| Purchase of property, plants and equipment | ( | ) | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||
| Purchase of land use right | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||||
| Purchase of short-term investment | ( | ) | ||||||||||
| Maturities of short-term investment | ||||||||||||
| Proceed from short-term investment | ||||||||||||
| Purchase of long-term investments | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||||
| Proceed from disposal of property, plants and equipment | ||||||||||||
| Loan to related parties | ( | ) | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||
| Collection of loan to related parties | ||||||||||||
| Net cash used in investing activities from continuing operations | ( | ) | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||
| Net cash provided by investing activities from discontinued operations | ||||||||||||
| Total cash used in investing activities | ( | ) | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||
| CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES: | ||||||||||||
| Proceeds from short-term borrowings | ||||||||||||
| Repayments of short-term borrowings | ( | ) | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||
| Loan from related parties | ||||||||||||
| Repayment of interest-free loan to a related party | ( | ) | ||||||||||
| Interest-free loan to a shareholder | ( | ) | ||||||||||
| Collection of loan from a shareholder | ||||||||||||
| Cash receipts from equity issuance, net of issuance cost | ||||||||||||
| Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities from continuing operation | ( | ) | ||||||||||
| Total cash (used in) provided by financing activities | ( | ) | ||||||||||
| Effect of exchange rate changes | ( | ) | ||||||||||
| Net (decrease) increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||||
| Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, at beginning of fiscal year | ||||||||||||
| Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, at end of fiscal year | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||
| Reconciliation of cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash to the Consolidated Balance Sheets | ||||||||||||
| Cash and cash equivalents | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||
| Restricted cash | ||||||||||||
| Total cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||
| SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURE OF CASH FLOW INFORMATION: | ||||||||||||
| Income tax paid | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||
| Interest paid | ||||||||||||
| NON-CASH ACTIVITIES: | ||||||||||||
| Purchase price reallocation between property, plant and equipment and land use right | ||||||||||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
F-9
EZGO TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In U.S. dollars except for number of shares)
| 1. | ORGANIZATION AND PRINCIPAL ACTIVITIES |
EZGO Technologies Ltd. (“EZGO” or the “Company”), is a holding company incorporated under the laws of the British Virgin Islands (“BVI”) on January 24, 2019. The Company commenced operations through its variable interest entity (“VIE”) and VIE’s subsidiaries in the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”). The Company is mainly engaged in sales of battery packs, battery cells, and electric bicycles (“e-bicycle”) in PRC. The consolidated financial statements (“CFS”) reflect the activities of EZGO and each of the following entities:
| Name | Date of Incorporation / acquisition | Place of incorporation | Percentage of effective ownership | Principal | ||||
| Wholly owned subsidiaries | ||||||||
| China EZGO Group Ltd. (formerly known as Hong Kong JKC Group Co., Ltd., “EZGO HK”) | ||||||||
| Changzhou Langyi Electronic Technologies Co., Ltd. | ||||||||
| Jiangsu Langyi Import and Export Trading Co., Ltd. (“Langyi Trading”) | ||||||||
| Changzhou EZGO Enterprise Management Co., Ltd. (formerly known as Changzhou Jiekai Enterprise Management Co., Ltd., Wholly Foreign-owned Enterprise, “WFOE” or “Changzhou EZGO”) | ||||||||
| Jiangsu EZGO Energy Supply Chain Technology Co., Ltd. (“Jiangsu Supply Chain”) | ||||||||
| Jiangsu EZGO New Energy Technologies Co., Ltd. (“Jiangsu New Energy”) | ||||||||
| Sichuan EZGO Energy Technologies Co., Ltd. (“Sichuan EZGO”) | ||||||||
| Tianjin EZGO Electric Technologies Co., Ltd. (“Tianjin EZGO”) | ||||||||
| Changzhou Youdi Electric Bicycle Co., Ltd. (“Changzhou Youdi”) | ||||||||
| VIE and subsidiaries of VIE | ||||||||
| Jiangsu EZGO Electronic Technologies Co., Ltd. (formerly known as Jiangsu Baozhe Electric Technologies, Co., Ltd.,“Jiangsu EZGO”) | ||||||||
| Changzhou Hengmao Power Battery Technology Co., Ltd. (“Hengmao”) | ||||||||
| Changzhou Yizhiying IoT Technologies Co., Ltd. (“Yizhiying”) | ||||||||
| Jiangsu Cenbird E-Motorcycle Technologies Co., Ltd. (“Cenbird E-Motorcycle”) | ||||||||
| Tianjin Dilang Technologies Co., Ltd. (“Dilang”) | ||||||||
| Tianjin Jiahao Bicycle Co., Ltd. (“Tianjin Jiahao”) |
F-10
EZGO TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In U.S. dollars except for number of shares)
| 1. | ORGANIZATION AND PRINCIPAL ACTIVITIES (continued) |
The VIE contractual arrangements
Current PRC laws and regulations impose certain restrictions or prohibitions on foreign ownership of companies that engage in value-added telecommunication services, and certain other business. Changzhou EZGO is considered a foreign-invested enterprise. To comply with PRC laws and regulations, EZGO primarily conducts its business in China through Jiangsu EZGO and its subsidiaries, based on a series of contractual arrangements. These contractual arrangements will expire on November 8, 2039. The following is a summary of the contractual arrangements that provide EZGO with effective control of its VIE and VIE’s subsidiaries and that enables it to receive substantially all the economic benefits from their operations.
Each VIE Agreements is described in below:
Proxy Agreement
Pursuant to the Proxy Agreement, dated November 8, 2019, among WFOE, Jiangsu EZGO and each equity holder of Jiangsu EZGO, each equity holder irrevocably authorizes WFOE to exercise his or her rights as an equity holder of Jiangsu EZGO, including the right to attend equity holders’ meetings, to exercise voting rights and to transfer all or a part of his or her equity interests therein pursuant to the Exclusive Call Option Agreement. During the term of Proxy Agreement, Jiangsu EZGO and all its equity holders may not terminate the agreements except when this agreement or applicable PRC laws provide otherwise.
Exclusive Call Option Agreement
Pursuant to the Exclusive Call Option Agreement, dated November 8, 2019, among WFOE, Jiangsu EZGO and the equity holders of Jiangsu EZGO, each equity holder\ of Jiangsu EZGO irrevocably granted WFOE an exclusive option to purchase, or to designate other persons to purchase, to the extent permitted by applicable PRC laws, rules, and regulations, all of the equity interest and assets in Jiangsu EZGO from each equity holder. The equity holders of Jiangsu EZGO agree that, without the prior written consent of WFOE, they will not dispose of their equity interests in Jiangsu EZGO or create or allow any encumbrance on their equity interests. The purchase price for the equity interest is to be the minimum price permitted by applicable PRC laws, rules and regulations, or the amount that the equity holders actually pay to Jiangsu EZGO regarding the equity, whichever is lower. The purchase price for the assets is to be the minimum price permitted by applicable PRC laws, rules and regulations, or the net book value of the assets, whichever is lower. The Exclusive Call Option Agreement expires when all the equity interest or all the assets are transferred pursuant to the agreement.
F-11
EZGO TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In U.S. dollars except for number of shares)
| 1. | ORGANIZATION AND PRINCIPAL ACTIVITIES (continued) |
Exclusive Management Consulting and Technical Service Agreement
Pursuant to the Exclusive Management Consulting and Technical
Service Agreement, dated November 8, 2019, between WFOE and Jiangsu EZGO, Jiangsu EZGO agrees to engage WFOE as its exclusive provider
of management consulting, technical support, intellectual property license and relevant services, including all services within Jiangsu
EZGO’s business scope and decided by WFOE from time to time as necessary. Jiangsu EZGO shall pay to WFOE service fees within three
months after each fiscal year end. The service fees should be
Equity Pledge Agreement
Pursuant to the Equity Pledge Agreement, dated November 8,
2019, among WFOE, Jiangsu EZGO and the equity holders of Jiangsu EZGO, the equity holders of Jiangsu EZGO pledged the
Loan Agreement
Pursuant to the Loan Agreement, dated November 8, 2019, WFOE
agrees to provide Jiangsu EZGO with loans of different amounts with interest of
Spousal Consent Letter
The spouses of individual equity holders of Jiangsu EZGO each signed Spousal Consent Letters. Under the Spousal Consent Letter, the signing spouse unconditionally and irrevocably agreed to the execution by his or her spouse of the above-mentioned Equity Pledge Agreement, Exclusive Call Option Agreement and Proxy Agreement, and that his or her spouse may perform, amend or terminate such agreements without his or her consent. In addition, in the event that the spouse obtains any equity interest in Jiangsu EZGO held by his or her spouse for any reason, he or she agrees to be bound by and sign any legal documents substantially similar to the contractual arrangements entered into by his or her spouse, as may be amended from time to time.
F-12
EZGO TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In U.S. dollars except for number of shares)
| 1. | ORGANIZATION AND PRINCIPAL ACTIVITIES (continued) |
Risks in relation to the VIE structure
On March 15, 2019, the National People’s Congress approved the Foreign Investment Law, or the FIL, which took effect on January 1, 2020. The FIL does not explicitly classify whether VIE that are controlled through contractual arrangements would be deemed as foreign invested enterprises if they are ultimately “controlled” by foreign investors. Since the FIL is relatively new, uncertainties still exist in relation to its interpretation and implementation, and it is still unclear how the FIL would affect VIE structure and business operation.
EZGO believes the contractual arrangements with its VIE and their respective equity holders are in compliance with PRC laws and regulations and are legally enforceable. However, uncertainties in the PRC legal system could limit the Company’s ability to enforce the contractual arrangements. If the legal structure and contractual arrangements were found to be in violation of PRC laws and regulations, the PRC government could:
| ● | revoke the business and operating licenses of the Company’s PRC subsidiary and VIE; |
| ● | discontinue or restrict the operations of any related-party transactions between the Company’s PRC subsidiary and VIE; |
| ● | limit the Company’s business expansion in China by way of entering into contractual arrangements; |
| ● | impose fines or other requirements with which the Company’s PRC subsidiary and VIE may not be able to comply; |
| ● | require the Company or the Company’s PRC subsidiary and VIE to restructure the relevant ownership structure or operations; or |
| ● | restrict or prohibit the Company’s use of the proceeds of the additional public offering to finance the Company’s business and operations in PRC. |
Total assets and liabilities presented on the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets and revenue, expense, net income presented on Consolidated Statements of Income as well as the cash flows from operating, investing and financing activities presented on the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows are substantially the financial position, result of operations and cash flows of the EZGO’s VIE and subsidiaries of VIE.
As of September 30, 2021 and 2022, there was no pledge or
collateralization of the VIE’s assets that can only be used to settle obligations of the VIE. The amount of the net assets of the
VIE was $
F-13
EZGO TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In U.S. dollars except for number of shares)
| 1. | ORGANIZATION AND PRINCIPAL ACTIVITIES (continued) |
The following financial information of the VIE and the wholly owned subsidiaries of VIE were included in the accompanying CFS as of September 30, 2021 and 2022 and for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2020, 2021 and 2022:
| As of September 30, | ||||||||
| 2021 | 2022 | |||||||
| Cash | $ | $ | ||||||
| Restricted cash | ||||||||
| Amount due from non-VIE | ||||||||
| Amount due from EZGO | ||||||||
| Current assets of discontinued operation | - | |||||||
| Other | ||||||||
| Total current assets | ||||||||
| Non-current assets | ||||||||
| Total assets | $ | $ | ||||||
| Amount due to non-VIE | $ | $ | ||||||
| Amount due to EZGO | ||||||||
| Current liabilities of discontinued operation | ||||||||
| Other | ||||||||
| Total current liability | ||||||||
| Total liabilities | $ | $ | ||||||
| Years Ended September 30, | ||||||||||||
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | ||||||||||
| Revenues | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||
| Income (loss) from operations | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||||
| Other income (loss), net | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||||
| Net income (loss) from continuing operations | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||||
| Loss from discontinued operation, net of tax | ( | ) | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||
| Net income (loss) | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||||
| Net income (loss) attributable to EZGO’s shareholders | $ | $ | ( | ) | $ | ( | ) | |||||
| Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities | $ | $ | ( | ) | $ | ( | ) | |||||
| Net cash used in investing activities | ( | ) | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||
| Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities | ( | ) | ||||||||||
F-14
EZGO TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In U.S. dollars except for number of shares)
| 2. | SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES |
| (a) | Basis of presentation |
The accompanying CFS are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”). The CFS include the financial statements of EZGO, its subsidiaries, its VIE and its VIE’s subsidiaries for which EZGO is the primary beneficiary.
| (b) | Consolidation |
The CFS include the financial statements of EZGO, its subsidiaries, its VIE and its VIE’s subsidiaries for which EZGO is the primary beneficiary. Consolidation of subsidiaries begins from the date the Company obtains control of the subsidiaries and ceases when the Company loses control of the subsidiaries. All inter-company transactions, balances and unrealized gains or losses on transitions among the Company and its subsidiaries have been eliminated upon consolidation.
A non-controlling interest in a subsidiary of the Company represents the portion of the equity (net assets) in the subsidiary not directly or indirectly attributable to the Company. Non-controlling interests are presented as a separate component of equity on the Consolidated Balance Sheets and net income and other comprehensive income attributable to non-controlling shareholders are presented as a separate component on the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
| (c) | Use of estimates |
The preparation of CFS in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires the Company’s management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period and accompanying notes, including allowance for doubtful accounts, the useful lives of property, plants and equipment, impairment of short-term investments and long-lived assets, valuation allowance for deferred tax assets and uncertain tax opinions. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
| (d) | Reclassifications |
Subscription receivable and additional paid-in capital in Consolidated Balance Sheet as of fiscal 2021, have been reclassified for comparative purposes to conform with current year’s presentation. The reclassifications had no impact on the Company’s net income, shareholders’ equity, or cash flows as previously reported.
| (e) | Discontinued operation |
A discontinued operation may include a component of an entity or a group of components of an entity, or a business or non-profit activity. A disposal of a component of an entity or a group of components of an entity is required to be reported in discontinued operation if the disposal represents a strategic shift that has (or will have) a major effect on an entity’s operations and financial results when any of the following occurs: (1) the component of an entity or group of components of an entity meets the criteria to be classified as held for sale; (2) the component of an entity or group of components of an entity is disposed of by sale; (3) the component of an entity or group of components of an entity is disposed of other than by sale (for example, by abandonment or in a distribution to owners in a spinoff). For any component classified as held for sale or disposed of by sale or other than by sale that qualify for presentation as a discontinued operation in the period, the Company has reported the assets and liabilities of the discontinued operation as current asset of discontinued operation, and current liabilities of discontinued operation in the Consolidated Balance Sheets as of September 30, 2021 and 2022. The results of operations of discontinued operation for the years ended September 30, 2020, 2021 and 2022 were reflected separately in the Consolidated Statements of Operations as a single line item for all periods presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Cash flows from discontinued operation of the three categories for the years ended September 30, 2020, 2021 and 2022 were separately presented in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for all periods presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
F-15
EZGO TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In U.S. dollars except for number of shares)
| 2. | SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (continued) |
| (f) | Fair value measurement |
The Company applies Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures which defines fair value (“FV”), establishes a framework for measuring FV and expands financial statement disclosure requirements for FV measurements. ASC Topic 820 defines FV as the price that would be received from the sale of an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) on the measurement date in an orderly transaction between market participants in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability. ASC Topic 820 specifies a hierarchy of valuation techniques, which is based on whether the inputs into the valuation technique are observable or unobservable. The hierarchy is as follows:
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 identical or similar assets and liabilities in active markets or in inactive markets, and inputs that are observable for the assets or liability, either directly or indirectly, for substantially the full term of the financial instruments.
Level 3 inputs to the valuation methodology are unobservable and significant to the FV. The carrying amounts of the Company’s financial instruments approximate their FVs because of their short-term nature. The Company’s financial instruments include cash and cash equivalents, short-term investments, accounts receivable, amount due from related parties, amount due to related parties, short-term borrowings and accounts payable.
| (g) | Cash and cash equivalents |
Cash and cash equivalents consist of cash on hand, bank deposits and short-term, highly liquid investments that are readily convertible to known amounts of cash, and have insignificant risk of changes in value related to changes in interest rates and have original maturities of three months or less when purchased.
| (h) | Restricted cash |
Restricted cash is
bank deposits with designated use, which cannot be withdrawn without certain approval or notice. As of September 30, 2021 and 2022, the
Company had restricted bank deposits of $
F-16
EZGO TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In U.S. dollars except for number of shares)
| 2. | SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (continued) |
| (i) | Short-term investments |
Short-term investments include wealth management product and convertible debt instrument, which are classified as available-for-sale debt investments in accordance with ASC topic 320 (“ASC 320”), Investments—Debt Securities. Short-term investments are measured at FV and interest income is recognized in earnings. The unrealized gains or losses from the changes in FVs are reported net of tax in accumulated other comprehensive income until realized. The Company reviews available-for-sale debt investments for other-than-temporary impairment (“OTTI”) based on the specific identification method. The Company considers available quantitative and qualitative evidence in evaluating potential impairment of its investments. If the cost of an investment exceeds the investment’s FV, the Company considers, among other factors, general market conditions, expected future performance of the investees, the duration, and the extent to which the FV of the investment is less than the cost, and the Company’s intent and ability to hold the investment. OTTI, if any, is recognized as loss in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. For the years ended September 30, 2020, 2021 and 2022, the Company did not record any OTTI.
| (j) | Accounts receivable, net |
Accounts receivable, net are stated
at the original amount less an allowance for doubtful receivables, if any, based on a review of all outstanding amounts at period end.
An allowance is also made when there is objective evidence that the Company will not be able to collect all amounts due according to the
original terms of the receivables. The Company analyzes the aging of the customer accounts, coverage of credit insurance, customer concentrations,
customer credit-worthiness, historical and current economic trends and changes in its customer payment patterns when evaluating the adequacy
of the allowance for doubtful accounts. For the years ended September 30, 2020, 2021 and 2022, the Company recorded bad debt expense $
| (k) | Inventories, net |
Inventories, primarily consisting of the raw materials purchased by the Company for battery packs assembling and e-bicycles production, and finished goods including battery packs and e-bicycles, are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value. Cost of inventory is determined using weighted-average method. Where there is evidence that the value of inventories, in their disposal or in the ordinary course of business, will be less than cost, whether due to physical deterioration, obsolescence, changes in price levels, or other causes, the inventories are written down to net realizable value.
| (l) | Advances to suppliers, net |
Advances to suppliers refer to advances for purchase of materials or
other service agreements, which are applied against accounts payable when the materials or services are received. The Company reviews
a supplier’s credit history and background information before advancing a payment. If the financial condition of its suppliers were
to deteriorate, resulting in an impairment of their ability to deliver goods or provide services, the Company would provide allowance
for such amount in the period when it is considered impaired. For the years ended September 30, 2020, 2021 and 2022, the Company provided
bad debt expense of nil, nil and $
F-17
EZGO TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In U.S. dollars except for number of shares)
| 2. | SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (continued) |
| ( |
Property, plant and equipment is stated at cost less accumulated depreciation and depreciated on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the assets. Cost represents the purchase price of the asset and other costs incurred to bring the asset into its intended use. The cost of repairs and maintenance is expensed as incurred; major replacements and improvements are capitalized. When assets are retired or disposed of, the cost and accumulated depreciation are removed from the accounts, and any resulting gains or losses are included in income/loss in the year of disposition. Estimated useful lives are as follows:
| Estimated Useful Life | ||
| Building | ||
| Equipment for rental business | ||
| Production line for e-bicycles | ||
| Furniture, fixtures and office equipment | ||
| Vehicles | ||
| Leasehold improvements |
| (n) | Land use right |
Land use rights are
recorded at cost less accumulated amortization. Amortization is provided on straight-line basis over the useful life of land use right.
The land use right has a term of
| (o) | Impairment of long-lived assets |
In accordance with ASC Topic 360, the Company reviews long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the assets may not be fully recoverable. The Company recognizes an impairment loss when the sum of expected undiscounted future cash flows is less than the carrying amount of the asset. The amount of impairment is measured as the difference between the asset’s estimated fair value and its carrying amount. The Company did not record any impairment charge for the years ended September 30, 2020, 2021 and 2022.
| (p) | Long term investment |
Equity investments without readily determinable FVs are measured and recorded using a measurement alternative that measures the securities at cost minus impairment, if any, plus or minus changes resulting from qualifying observable price changes in accordance with ASC topic 321, Investments – Equity Securities.
| (q) | Value added tax |
EZGO’s China subsidiaries, VIE and VIE’s subsidiaries are subject to value-added tax (“VAT”) for providing services and sales of products. Revenue from providing services and sales of products is generally subject to VAT at applicable tax rates, and subsequently paid to PRC tax authorities after netting input VAT on purchases. The excess of output VAT over input VAT is reflected in accrued expenses and other payables. The Company reports revenue net of PRC’s VAT for all the periods presented in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
F-18
EZGO TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In U.S. dollars except for number of shares)
| 2. | SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (continued) |
| (r) | Revenue recognition |
The Company follows ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (ASC Topic 606), starting October 1, 2017 using the modified retrospective method for the revenue from sales of self-manufactured battery cell, battery pack and e-bicycles and battery cell trading.
The core principle of ASC Topic 606 is that a company should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the company expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The following five steps are applied to achieve that core principle:
Step 1: Identify the contract with the customers
Step 2: Identify the performance obligations in the contract
Step 3: Determine the transaction price
Step 4: Allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract
Step 5: Recognize revenue when the company satisfies a performance obligation
Revenue recognition policies are discussed as follows:
Revenue from sales of self-manufactured battery cells, battery packs and e-bicycles
The Company sells products to different customers, primarily sales of self-manufactured battery cells (see Note 13 Discontinued Operation), self-assembled battery packs and e-bicycles. The Company presents the revenue generated from its sales of products on a gross basis as the Company is a principal. The revenue is recognized at when the Company satisfies the performance obligation by transferring the promised product to a customer upon acceptance by customers.
The Company’s contract liabilities primarily relate to unsatisfied performance obligations when payment has been received from customers before the Company’s products are delivered, and are recorded as “advances from customers”.
F-19
EZGO TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In U.S. dollars except for number of shares)
| 2. | SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (continued) |
| (r) | Revenue recognition (continued) |
Revenues from sales of self-manufactured battery cells and lithium batteries and e-bicycles services via sublease agent and its own application named Yidianxing are revenues from the Company’s discontinued operation, and are represented separately in the Consolidated Statements of Operations for the years ended September 30, 2020, 2021 and 2022 (see Note 13). The disaggregation of the Company’s revenues from continuing operations for the years ended September 30, 2020, 2021 and 2022 were presented in Note 14.
Timing of revenue recognition may differ from the timing of invoicing to customers. Accounts receivable represent revenue recognized for the amounts invoiced and/or prior to invoicing when the Company has satisfied its performance obligation and has unconditional right to the payment. The Company has no contract assets as of September 30, 2021 and 2022.
The Company applied a practical expedient to expense costs as incurred for costs to obtain a contract with a customer when the amortization period would have been one year or less. The Company has no material incremental costs of obtaining contracts with customers that the Company expects the benefit of those costs to be longer than one year.
| (s) | Cost of revenue |
Cost of revenue consists primarily of cost of products, labor cost, depreciation, maintenance, and other overhead expenses.
| (t) | Share-based compensation |
The Company applies ASC 718, Compensation—Stock Compensation (“ASC 718”), to account for all of its share-based payments. In accordance with ASC 718, the Company determines whether an award should be classified and accounted for as a liability award or equity award. All the Company’s grants of share-based awards were classified as equity awards and are recognized in the financial statements based on their grant date fair values.
The Company has elected to recognize compensation expense using the straight-line method for all awards granted with graded vesting based on service conditions. The Company has also elected to account for forfeitures as they occur. Previously recognized compensation cost for the awards is reversed in the period that the award is forfeited.
F-20
EZGO TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In U.S. dollars except for number of shares)
| 2. | SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (continued) |
| (u) | Income taxes |
The Company accounts for income taxes using the asset/liability method prescribed by ASC 740 Income Taxes. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on the difference between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates that will be in effect in the period in which the differences are expected to reverse. The Company records a valuation allowance to offset deferred tax assets if, based on the weight of available evidence, it is more-likely-than-not that some portion, or all, of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The effect on deferred taxes of a change in tax rates is recognized as income or loss in the period that includes the enactment date.
The
provisions of ASC 740-10-25, “Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes,” prescribe a more-likely-than-not threshold for
consolidated financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken (or expected to be taken) in a tax return. This
interpretation also provides guidance on the recognition of income tax assets and liabilities, classification of current and deferred
income tax assets and liabilities, accounting for interest and penalties associated with tax positions, and related disclosures. The
Company’s operating subsidiaries in PRC are subject to examination by the relevant tax authorities. According to the PRC Tax Administration
and Collection Law, the statute of limitations is three years if the underpayment of taxes is due to computational errors made by the
taxpayer or the withholding agent. The statute of limitations is extended to
| (v) | Foreign currency translation |
The reporting currency of the Company is the U.S. dollar (“USD” or “$”). The functional currency of subsidiaries, VIE and VIE’s subsidiaries located in China is the Chinese Renminbi (“RMB”), the functional currency of subsidiaries located in Hong Kong is the U.S. dollar (“USD” or “$”). For the entities whose functional currency is the RMB, result of operations and cash flows are translated at average exchange rates during the period, assets, liabilities, and receivables from a shareholder in equity are translated at the unified exchange rate at the end of the period, and except for receivables from a shareholder, other equity items are translated at historical exchange rates. As a result, amounts relating to assets and liabilities reported on the statements of cash flows may not necessarily agree with the changes in the corresponding balances on the balance sheets. Translation adjustments are reported as foreign currency translation adjustment and are shown as a separate component of other comprehensive loss in the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (loss).
Transactions denominated in foreign currencies are translated into the functional currency at the exchange rates prevailing on the transaction dates. Assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into the functional currency at the exchange rates prevailing at the balance sheet date with any transaction gains and losses that arise from exchange rate fluctuations on transactions denominated in a currency other than the functional currency are included in the results of operations as incurred.
The
Consolidated Balance Sheets amounts, with the exception of equity, on September 30, 2021 and 2022 were translated at RMB
F-21
EZGO TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In U.S. dollars except for number of shares)
| 2. | SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (continued) |
| (w) | Segment reporting |
The Company organized its operations into two operating segments. The segments reflect the way the Company evaluates its business performance and manages its operations by the Company’s chief operating decision maker (“CODM”) for making decisions, allocating resources and assessing performance. The Company’s CODM has been identified as the chief executive officer, who reviews consolidated results when making decisions about allocating resources and assessing performance of the Company.
The Company determined it has in two operating segments: (1) Battery cells and packs, and (2) e-bicycles sales segment. The Company’s reportable segments are strategic business units that offer different products and services. They are managed separately because each business requires different technology and marketing strategies.
As the Company’s long-lived assets are substantially all located in the PRC and all of the Company’s revenue and expense are derived from within the PRC, no geographical segments are presented.
| (x) | Net income (loss) per ordinary share |
Basic income (loss) per ordinary share is computed by dividing net income (loss) attributable to ordinary shareholders by the weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding for the period. Diluted income (loss) per share is calculated by dividing net income (loss) attributable to ordinary shareholders as adjusted for the effect of dilutive ordinary equivalent shares, if any, by the weighted average number of ordinary and dilutive ordinary equivalent shares outstanding during the period. Potentially dilutive shares are excluded from the computation if their effect is antidilutive.
| (y) | Comprehensive income (loss) |
Comprehensive income (loss) is comprised of the Company’s net income and other comprehensive income (loss). The components of other comprehensive (income) loss consist of foreign currency translation adjustments and unrealized gain on available for sale short term investments.
| (z) | Commitments and contingencies |
Liabilities for loss contingencies arising from claims, assessments, litigation, fines, and penalties and other sources are recorded when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount can be reasonably estimated. If a potential material loss contingency is not probable but is reasonably possible, or is probable but cannot be estimated, then the nature of the contingent liability, together with an estimate of the range of possible loss if determinable and material, is disclosed. Legal costs incurred in connection with loss contingencies are expensed as incurred.
F-22
EZGO TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In U.S. dollars except for number of shares)
| 2. | SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (continued) |
| (aa) | Recent Accounting Standards |
The Company is an “emerging growth company” (“EGC”) as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”). Under the JOBS Act, EGC can delay adopting new or revised accounting standards issued subsequent to the enactment of the JOBS Act until such time as those standards apply to private companies.
In
February 2016, FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). The guidance supersedes existing guidance on accounting for leases
with the main difference being that operating leases are to be recorded in the statement of financial position as right-of-use
assets and lease liabilities, initially measured at the present value of the lease payments. For operating leases with a term of 12
months or less, a lessee is permitted to make an accounting policy election not to recognize lease assets and liabilities. In July
2018, ASU 2016-02 was updated with ASU 2018-11, Targeted Improvements to ASC Topic 842, which provides entities with relief from the
costs of implementing certain aspects of the new leasing standard. Specifically, under the amendments in ASU 2018-11, (1) entities
may elect not to recast the comparative periods presented when transitioning to ASC 842 and (2) lessors may elect not to separate
lease and non-lease components when certain conditions are met. In November 2019, ASU 2019-10, Codification Improvements to ASC 842
modified the effective dates of all other entities. In June 2020, ASU 2020-05 defer the effective date for one year for entities in
the “all other” category. For all other entities, the amendments in ASU 2020-05 are effective for fiscal years beginning
after December 15, 2021, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022. Early application of the
guidance continues to be permitted. The Company will adopt ASU 2016-02 on October 1, 2022 and will use the additional modified
retrospective transition method provided by ASU No. 2018-11 for the adoption. The Company is in the process of evaluating the effect
of the adoption of this ASU. Based on the portfolio of leases as of September 30, 2022, a right-of-use asset of approximately
$
In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, “Financial Instruments – Credit Losses”, which will require the measurement of all expected credit losses for financial assets held at the reporting date based on historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. Subsequently, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-19, Codification Improvements to Topic 326, to clarify that receivables arising from operating leases are within the scope of lease accounting standards. Further, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-04, ASU 2019-05, ASU 2019-10, ASU 2019-11 and ASU 2020-02 to provide additional guidance on the credit losses standard. For all other entities, the amendments for ASU 2016-13 are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022, including interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. Adoption of the ASUs is on a modified retrospective basis. The Company will adopt ASU 2016-13 from October 1, 2023. The Company is in the process of evaluating the effect of the adoption of this ASU.
Other accounting standards that have been issued by FASB that do not require adoption until a future date are not expected to have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements upon adoption. The Company does not discuss recent standards that are not anticipated to have an impact on or are unrelated to its CFS.
F-23
EZGO TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In U.S. dollars except for number of shares)
| 3. | ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLES, NET |
As of September 30, 2021 and 2022, accounts receivable and allowance for doubtful accounts consisted of the following:
| As of September 30, | ||||||||
| 2021 | 2022 | |||||||
| Accounts receivable | $ | $ | ||||||
| Less: allowance for doubtful accounts | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Accounts receivable, net | $ | $ | ||||||
| As of September 30, | ||||||||
| 2021 | 2022 | |||||||
| Balance at beginning of year | $ | $ | ||||||
| Current period addition | ||||||||
| Reversal | ( | ) | ||||||
| Foreign currency translation adjustment | ( | ) | ||||||
| Balance at the end of year | $ | $ | ||||||
For the years ended September 30,
2020, 2021 and 2022, the Company recorded bad debt expense $
| 4. | INVESTMENTS |
As of September 30, 2021 and 2022, investments consisted of the following:
| As of September 30, | ||||||||
| 2021 | 2022 | |||||||
| Short-term investments: | ||||||||
| Wealth management product (1) | $ | $ | ||||||
| Convertible debt instrument (2) | ||||||||
| Total short-term investments | ||||||||
| Long-term investments | ||||||||
| Total investments | $ | $ | ||||||
| (1) |
| (2) |
F-24
EZGO TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In U.S. dollars except for number of shares)
| 5. | INVENTORIES, NET |
As of September 30, 2021 and 2022, inventories and reserve of inventories consisted of the following:
| As of September 30, | ||||||||
| 2021 | 2022 | |||||||
| Finished goods (1) | $ | $ | ||||||
| Raw materials (2) | ||||||||
| Other | ||||||||
| Inventory valuation allowance | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Inventories, net | $ | $ | ||||||
| (1) | Finished goods includes battery packs and e-bicycles. |
| (2) | Raw materials mainly include battery cells purchased by the Company for battery packs assembling and e-bicycles production. |
| As of September 30, | ||||||||
| 2021 | 2022 | |||||||
| Balance at beginning of year | $ | $ | ||||||
| Current period addition | ||||||||
| Reduction | ( | ) | ||||||
| Foreign currency translation adjustment | ( | ) | ||||||
| Balance at the end of year | $ | $ | ||||||
| 6. | ADVANCES TO SUPPLIERS, NET |
As of September 30, 2021 and 2022, advances to suppliers and allowance for doubtful accounts consisted of the following:
| As of September 30, | ||||||||
| 2021 | 2022 | |||||||
| Prepayment for purchase of e-bicycles materials (1) | $ | $ | ||||||
| Prepayment for purchase of battery packs (2) | ||||||||
| Other | ||||||||
| Less: allowance for doubtful accounts | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Advances to suppliers, net | $ | $ | ||||||
| (1) |
| (2) |
F-25
EZGO TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In U.S. dollars except for number of shares)
| 7. | PREPAID EXPENSES AND OTHER CURRENT ASSETS |
As of September 30, 2021 and 2022, prepaid expenses and other current assets consisted of the following:
| As of September 30, | ||||||||
| 2021 | 2022 | |||||||
| Prepaid construction fee | $ | $ | ||||||
| Prepaid rental fee | ||||||||
| Prepaid professional service fee | ||||||||
| Prepaid exhibition fee | ||||||||
| Other | ||||||||
| Less: allowance for doubtful accounts | ||||||||
| Prepaid expenses and other current assets, net | $ | $ | ||||||
The Company recorded allowance for doubtful accounts of
$$
| 8. | PROPERY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT, NET |
As of September 30, 2021 and 2022, property, plant and equipment, net consisted of the following:
| As of September 30, | ||||||||
| 2021 | 2022 | |||||||
| Building | $ | $ | ||||||
| Equipment for rental business | ||||||||
| Production line for e-bicycles | ||||||||
| Leasehold improvements | ||||||||
| Furniture, fixtures and office equipment | ||||||||
| Vehicles | ||||||||
| Construction in progress | ||||||||
| Property, plant and equipment | ||||||||
| Less: accumulated depreciation | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Property, plant and equipment, net | $ | $ | ||||||
For
the years ended September 30, 2020, 2021 and 2022, depreciation expense was $
For
the years ended September 30, 2020, 2021 and 2022, the Company disposed of property, plants and equipment, with proceeds of , $
F-26
EZGO TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In U.S. dollars except for number of shares)
| 9. | LAND USE RIGHT |
On March 12, 2021, Jiangsu EZGO entered into an Asset Purchase Arrangement Agreement with Benlin Huang, an individual, and Tianjin Jiahao, a non-affiliated third party, pursuant to which Jiangsu EZGO agreed to purchase certain land and plant of Tianjin Jiahao for the Company’s future production and business development.
On April 2, 2021, Jiangsu EZGO received a written Notice of Assignment, pursuant to which Benlin Huang assigned and transferred all of his rights, titles, and obligations under the Asset Purchase Arrangement Agreement to Shanghai Mingli.
On
April 19, 2021, Jiangsu EZGO entered into a Shares Purchase Agreement with Shanghai Mingli and Tianjin Jiahao pursuant to which Jiangsu
EZGO obtained the right to purchase
The following table presents future amortization as of September 30, 2022:
| Years Ended September 30, | Amount | |||
| 2023 | $ | |||
| 2024 | ||||
| 2025 | ||||
| 2026 | ||||
| 2027 and thereafter | ||||
| $ | ||||
| 10. | OTHER NON-CURRENT ASSETS |
| As of September 30, | ||||||||
| 2021 | 2022 | |||||||
| Prepaid expenses for land use right (1) | ||||||||
| Prepaid construction fee (2) | ||||||||
| Other non-current assets | $ | - | $ | |||||
| (1) | The balance represented the prepayment to the Bureau of Finance in Wujin Technology Industrial District for the purchase of land use right for constructing headquarter buildings in Changzhou. |
| (2) | The balance represented prepaid construction fee for plant maintenance and renovation. |
F-27
EZGO TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In U.S. dollars except for number of shares)
| 11. | ACCRUED EXPENSES AND OTHER PAYABLES |
As of September 30, 2021 and 2022, accrued expenses and other payables consisted of the following:
| As of September 30, | ||||||||
| 2021 | 2022 | |||||||
| Other taxes payable (1) | $ | $ | ||||||
| Payroll payable | ||||||||
| Other | ||||||||
| Accrued expenses and other payable | $ | $ | ||||||
| (1) | The balance mainly represented the VAT payable of $ |
| 12. | SHORT-TERM BORROWINGS |
As of September 30, 2021 and 2022, the borrowings consisted of the following:
| As of September 30, | ||||||||
| 2021 | 2022 | |||||||
| Short-term borrowings | $ | $ | ||||||
On August 11, 2020, Yizhiying entered
into a non-revolving loan facility of RMB
On
August 30, 2022, Yizhiying entered into a new non-revolving loan facility of RMB
On
January 25, 2022 Tianjin Jiahao entered into a non-revolving loan facility of RMB
For
the years ended September 30, 2020, 2021 and 2022, the Company recorded interest expense of $
F-28
EZGO TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In U.S. dollars except for number of shares)
| 13. | RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS AND BALANCES |
The following is a list of related parties which the Company has transactions with during the years ended September 30, 2020, 2021 and 2022:
| Name | Relationship | ||
| (a) | Henglong Chen | ||
| (b) | Huiyan Xie | ||
| (c) | Huajian Xu | ||
| (d) | Shuang Wu | ||
| (e) | Yan Fang | ||
| (f) | Jianhui Ye | ||
| (g) | Changzhou Cenbird Electric Bicycle Manufacturing Co., Ltd. | ||
| (h) | Jiangsu Xinzhongtian Suye Co., Ltd. | ||
| (i) | Shenzhen Star Asset Management Co., Ltd. | ||
| (j) | Beijing Weiqi Technology Co., Ltd. | ||
| (k) | Shenzhen Star Cycling Network Technology Co., Ltd. | ||
| (l) | Nanjing Mingfeng Technology Co.,Ltd. | ||
| (m) | Shandong Xingneng’an New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. | ||
| (n) | Jiangsu Youdi Technology Co., Ltd. | ||
F-29
EZGO TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In U.S. dollars except for number of shares)
| 13. | RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS AND BALANCES (continued) |
Amount due from related parties
| As of September 30, | ||||||||
| 2021 | 2022 | |||||||
| Shandong Xingneng’an New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (m)(1)&(2) | $ | $ | ||||||
| Changzhou Cenbird Electric Bicycle Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (g)(1) | ||||||||
| Shenzhen Star Cycling Network Technology Co., Ltd. (k)(1) | ||||||||
| Jiangsu Youdi Technology Co., Ltd. (n)(1)&(2) | ||||||||
| Jiangsu Xinzhongtian Suye Co., Ltd. (h)(1) | ||||||||
| Shuang Wu (d)(3) | ||||||||
| Beijing Weiqi Technology Co., Ltd. (j)(2) | ||||||||
| Jianhui Ye (f)(3) | ||||||||
| Huajian Xu (c)(3) | ||||||||
| Nanjing Mingfeng Technology Co.,Ltd. (l)(2) | ||||||||
| Huiyan Xie (b)(3) | ||||||||
| Amount due from related parties - current | $ | $ | ||||||
| Changzhou Cenbird Electric Bicycle Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (g)(5) | ||||||||
| Amount due from related parties - non-current | $ | $ | ||||||
As of September 30, 2021 and 2022, amount due from related parties, consisted of the following:
| (1) | The balance mainly is prepayments for purchasing e-bicycle gears and e-bicycles. |
| (2) | The balance mainly is loans with annual interest as stated in contracts to associates. |
| (3) | The balances mainly is advances made to the managements for the Company’s daily operational purposes. |
| (4) | The balance represented the receivable generated from the sales of e-bicycles. |
| (5) | The balance mainly represented the deposit for conducting original design manufacture (“ODM”) of e-bicycles and the deposit will be returned in one year |
F-30
EZGO TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In U.S. dollars except for number of shares)
| 13. | RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS AND BALANCES (continued) |
Amount due to related parties
As of September 30, 2021 and 2022, amount due to related parties, consisted of the following:
| As of September 30, | ||||||||
| 2021 | 2022 | |||||||
| Huiyan Xie (b)(1) | $ | $ | ||||||
| Yan Fang €(1) | ||||||||
| Nanjing Mingfeng Technology Co.,Ltd. (l)(2) | ||||||||
| Shenzhen Star Asset Management Co., Ltd. (k)(2) | ||||||||
| Amount due to related parties | $ | $ | ||||||
| (1) | The balances mainly represented the expenses paid on behalf of the Company for daily operation. |
| (2) | The balances represented the payable for purchasing e-bicycles. |
Related party transactions
For the years ended September 30, 2020, 2021 and 2022, the Company had the following material related party transactions:
| Years Ended September 30, | ||||||||||||||
| Related Parties | Nature | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | ||||||||||
| Changzhou Cenbird Electric Bicycle Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (g) | $ | ( | ) | $ | ( | ) | $ | ( | ) | |||||
| Changzhou Cenbird Electric Bicycle Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (g) | ||||||||||||||
| Changzhou Cenbird Electric Bicycle Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (g) | ( | ) | ||||||||||||
| Jiangsu Xinzhongtian Suye Co., Ltd. (h) | ( | ) | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||||
| Jiangsu Xinzhongtian Suye Co., Ltd. (h) | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||||||
| Jiangsu Xinzhongtian Suye Co., Ltd. (h) | ||||||||||||||
| Jiangsu Xinzhongtian Suye Co., Ltd. (h) | ( | ) | ||||||||||||
| Shenzhen Star Cycling Network Technology Co., Ltd. (k) | ||||||||||||||
| Nanjing Mingfeng Technology Co.,Ltd. (l) | ||||||||||||||
| Nanjing Mingfeng Technology Co.,Ltd. (l) | ||||||||||||||
| Nanjing Mingfeng Technology Co.,Ltd. (l) | ( | ) | ||||||||||||
| Henglong Chen (a) | ||||||||||||||
F-31
EZGO TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In U.S. dollars except for number of shares)
| 13. | RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS AND BALANCES (continued) |
| Years Ended September 30, | ||||||||||||||
| Related Parties | Nature | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | ||||||||||
| Henglong Chen (a) | ( | ) | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||||
| Beijing Weiqi Technology Co., Ltd. (j) | ||||||||||||||
| Shandong Xingneng’an New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (m) | ( | ) | ||||||||||||
| Shandong Xingneng’an New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (m) | ||||||||||||||
| Shandong Xingneng’an New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (m) | ( | ) | ||||||||||||
| Huiyan Xie (b) | ||||||||||||||
| Huiyan Xie (b) | ( | ) | ||||||||||||
| Jianhui Ye (f) | ||||||||||||||
| Jianhui Ye (f) | ( | ) | ||||||||||||
| Fang Y€(e) | ( | ) | ||||||||||||
| Jiangsu You Technology Co., Ltd. (n) | ||||||||||||||
| Jiangsu You Technology Co., Ltd. (n) | ||||||||||||||
| * | The
interest-free loan made to Henglong Chen, a significant shareholder and former Chairman of the Board of the Company, net of repayment
was recognized as a deduction to the Company’s equity, see Note 15 (d). The loans made to Henglong Chen which were for his personal
purpose violated Sarbanes-Oxley Act section 402 due to the lack of internal control in term of related party borrowings. $ |
F-32
EZGO TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In U.S. dollars except for number of shares)
| 14. | DISCONTINUED OPERATION |
In November 2018, the Company entered into an agreement with a third-party company to dispose its battery cell production line. The production line was disposed in December 2018. After the disposal, the Company is no longer engaged in the manufacturing of battery cells. The disposal of the production line was treated as a discontinued operation for all fiscal years presented.
Due to the impact of COVID-19, the revenue of rental business decreased after December 2019, which led to the termination of the cooperation with its sublease agents from January 2020 to July 2020. Therefore, management decided to dispose majority of its rental assets, mainly batteries and E-bicycle, before September 30, 2021. The disposal of the Company’s rental business was also treated as a discontinued operation for all fiscal years presented.
The assets and liabilities of the discontinued operations, which are included in “Current assets of discontinued operation” and “Current liabilities of discontinued operation”, on the Consolidated Balance Sheets, consist of the following:
| As of September 30, | ||||||||
| 2021 | 2022 | |||||||
| Assets of discontinued operation | ||||||||
| Accounts receivable | $ | $ | ||||||
| Advance to suppliers | ||||||||
| Other receivable and prepaid expense | ||||||||
| Total current assets | ||||||||
| Property and equipment, net | ||||||||
| Total assets | $ | $ | ||||||
| Liabilities of discontinued operation | ||||||||
| Accounts payable | $ | $ | ||||||
| Advance from customers | ||||||||
| Other payable | ||||||||
| Income tax payable | ||||||||
| Total current liabilities | ||||||||
| Total liabilities | $ | $ | ||||||
The following are revenues and income (loss) from discontinued operation:
| Years Ended September 30, | ||||||||||||
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | ||||||||||
| Net revenues | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||
| Cost of revenues | ( | ) | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||
| Loss from discontinued operation before income tax | ( | ) | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||
| Income tax benefit (expense) | ( | ) | ||||||||||
| Loss from discontinued operation, net of income tax | $ | ( | ) | $ | ( | ) | $ | ( | ) | |||
F-33
EZGO TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In U.S. dollars except for number of shares)
| 15. | INCOME TAXES |
BVI
The Company is incorporated in the BVI. Under the current laws of the BVI, the Company is not subject to income or capital gains taxes. In addition, dividend payments are not subject to withholdings tax in the BVI.
Hong Kong
On
March 21, 2018, the Hong Kong Legislative Council passed The Inland Revenue (Amendment) (No. 7) Bill 2017 (the “Bill”) which
introduces the two-tiered profits tax rates regime. The Bill was signed into law on March 28, 2018 and was announced on the following
day.
PRC
The
Company’s PRC subsidiaries, VIE and VIE’s subsidiaries are subject to the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law (“EIT Law”)
and are taxed at the statutory income tax rate of
The components of the income tax expense (benefit) from continuing operations are:
| Years Ended September 30, | ||||||||||||
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | ||||||||||
| Current | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||
| Deferred | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||||
| Total income tax expense (benefit) | $ | $ | ( | ) | $ | |||||||
The reconciliations of the statutory income tax rate and the Company’s effective income tax rate are as follows:
| Years Ended September 30, | ||||||||||||
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | ||||||||||
| Net income (loss) before provision for income taxes | $ | $ | ( | ) | $ | ( | ) | |||||
| PRC statutory tax rate | % | % | % | |||||||||
| Income tax at statutory tax rate | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||||
| Expenses not deductible for tax purpose and non-taxable income | ||||||||||||
| Effect of income tax rate differences in jurisdictions other than the PRC | ||||||||||||
| Effect on valuation allowance | ( | ) | ||||||||||
| Income tax expense (benefit) | $ | $ | ( | ) | $ | |||||||
F-34
EZGO TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In U.S. dollars except for number of shares)
| 15. | INCOME TAXES (continued) |
The
current PRC EIT Law imposes a
As of September 30, 2021 and 2022, the Company had not recorded any withholding tax on the retained earnings of its foreign invested enterprises in the PRC, since the Company intends to reinvest its earnings to further expand its business in mainland China, and its foreign invested enterprises do not intend to declare dividends to their immediate foreign holding companies.
For
the years ended September 30, 2020, 2021 and 2022, the effect of income tax rate differences in jurisdictions other than the PRC mainly
resulted from the loss in EZGO, which is incorporate in BVI and is not subject to income or capital gains taxes. The effective tax rates
are
The tax effect of temporary difference under ASC Topic 740 “Accounting for Income Taxes” that gives rise to deferred tax asset and liability as of September 30, 2021 and 2022 was as follows:
| As of September 30, | ||||||||
| 2021 | 2022 | |||||||
| Deferred tax assets: | ||||||||
| Tax loss carry forwards | $ | $ | ||||||
| Bad debt allowance | ||||||||
| Reserve of inventory | ||||||||
| Advertising expense | ||||||||
| Less: valuation allowance | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Deferred tax assets, net | $ | $ | ||||||
The movement of valuation allowance for deferred tax assets is as follows:
| Years Ended September 30, | ||||||||||||
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | ||||||||||
| Balance as of October 1, | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||
| Current year addition | ( | ) | ||||||||||
| Exchange rate effect | ( | ) | ||||||||||
| Balance as of September 30, | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||
As
of September 30, 2022, the net operating loss carried forward was $
F-35
EZGO TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In U.S. dollars except for number of shares)
| 15. | INCOME TAXES (continued) |
Accounting for uncertainty tax position
The Company did not identify significant unrecognized tax benefits for the years ended September 30, 2020, 2021 and 2022. The Company did not incur any interest and penalties related to potential underpaid income tax expenses. In general, the PRC tax authority has up to five years to conduct examinations of the Company’s tax filings. Accordingly, the tax years from 2017 to 2022 of the Company’s PRC subsidiaries and VIE and subsidiaries of the VIE remain open to examination by the taxing jurisdictions. The Company does not expect that its assessment regarding unrecognized tax positions will materially change over the next 12 months.
| 16. | SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION |
EZGO Technologies Ltd. Incentive Plan (the “EZGO 2022 Plan”)
On
August 6, 2022, the board of directors of EZGO approved the EZGO 2022 Plan.
The estimated FV of restricted shares granted under the EZGO 2022 plan were the closing price on the grant date of the Company’s ordinary shares traded in the Stock Exchange.
A summary of activities of the restricted shares for the year ended September 30, 2022 is as follow:
| Number of nonvested restricted shares | Weighted average fair value per ordinary share on the grant dates | |||||||
| Outstanding as of September 30, 2021 | $ | |||||||
| Granted | ||||||||
| Vested | ||||||||
| Forfeited | ||||||||
| Unvested as of September 30, 2022 | $ | |||||||
As
of September 30, 2022, there was approximately $
Total
share-based compensation expense of share-based awards granted to management and external consultants for the year ended September 30,
2022 was $
F-36
EZGO TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In U.S. dollars except for number of shares)
| 17. | EQUITY |
| (a) | Ordinary shares |
The
Company was established under the laws of the BVI on January 24, 2019. The authorized number of Ordinary Shares was
On
September 8, 2020, the Company effected a one thousand-for-one subdivision of shares to shareholders, which increased the total number
of authorized and issued ordinary shares to
On
January 28, 2021, the Company closed its initial public offering (“IPO”).
On
June 1, 2021, the Company, closed its registered direct public offering of
On
July 21, 2022, the Company entered into a securities purchase agreement (the “SPA”) with certain “non-U.S. Persons”
(the “Purchasers”) as defined in Regulation S of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”),
pursuant to which the Company sold
On
August 8, 2022, the Company issued
| (b) | Statutory reserve and restricted net assets |
The
Company’s PRC subsidiaries, VIE and VIE’s subsidiaries are required to reserve
Relevant
PRC statutory laws and regulations permit the payment of dividends by the Company’s PRC subsidiaries and VIE and VIE’s subsidiaries
only out of their retained earnings, if any, as determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations. Furthermore,
registered share capital and capital reserve accounts are also restricted from distribution. As a result of these PRC laws and regulations,
the Company’s PRC subsidiaries and VIE and VIE’s subsidiaries are restricted in their ability to transfer a portion of their
net assets to the Company either in the form of dividends, loans or advances. The Company’s restricted net assets, comprising of
the registered paid in capital and statutory reserve of Company’s PRC subsidiaries and VIE and VIE’s subsidiaries, were $
F-37
EZGO TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In U.S. dollars except for number of shares)
| 17. | EQUITY (continued) |
| (c) | Receivables from a shareholder |
Receivables
from a shareholder as of September 30, 2021 and 2022 included the loans to Mr. Henglong Chen, a significant shareholder and former Chairman
of Board of the Company, amounted to $
| (d) | Warrant |
In January 2021, the warrant shares
were granted to an underwriter to purchase
In
June 2021, warrant shares were granted to investors in the Company’s public offering to purchase
As of September 30, 2022, the warrant shares granted to investors and FT Global Capital, Inc. have not been exercised.
Following table summarizes the warrant activities for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2021 and 2022.
| Ordinary shares number Outstanding | Weighted Average Exercise Price | Contractual Life in Year | Intrinsic Value | |||||||||||||
| Warrants outstanding as of September 30, 2020 | ||||||||||||||||
| Warrants Exercisable as of September 30, 2020 | ||||||||||||||||
| Warrants granted | - | |||||||||||||||
| Warrants exercises | ( | ) | - | - | ||||||||||||
| Warrants expired | ||||||||||||||||
| Warrants Outstanding as of September30, 2021 | - | |||||||||||||||
| Warrants Exercisable as of September 30, 2021 | - | |||||||||||||||
| Ordinary shares number Outstanding | Weighted Average Exercise Price | Contractual Life in Year | Intrinsic Value | |||||||||||||
| Warrants outstanding as of September 30, 2021 | - | |||||||||||||||
| Warrants Exercisable as of September 30, 2021 | - | |||||||||||||||
| Warrants granted | ||||||||||||||||
| Warrants exercises | - | |||||||||||||||
| Warrants expired | - | |||||||||||||||
| Warrants Outstanding as of September30, 2022 | - | |||||||||||||||
| Warrants Exercisable as of September 30, 2022 | - | |||||||||||||||
| (e) | Non-controlling interests |
As
of September 30, 2022, the Company’s non-controlling interests was a
F-38
EZGO TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In U.S. dollars except for number of shares)
| 18. | COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES |
Legal Proceedings
From time to time, the Company may be subject to legal proceedings, investigations and claims incidental to the conduct of our business. The Company currently have two contract disputes with our suppliers, Jiangsu Anruida New Material Company Limited (“Anruida”) and Zhuhai Titans New Power Electric Co., Ltd. (“Titans”), and one guarantee dispute with Zhengyu Wang.
On October 21, 2019, Anruida commenced
an action against Hengmao Power Battery in Changzhou Wujin District Intermediate People’s Court alleging that Hengmao Power Battery
defaulted on the contract payment of RMB
On January 6, 2020, Titans commenced
an action against Hengmao Power Battery in Changzhou Wujin District Intermediate People’s Court alleging that Hengmao Power Battery
defaulted on the payment of RMB
On February 22, 2022, Zhengyu Wang
commenced an action against Henglong Chen, Hengwei Chen, Di Wu and Hengmao Power Battery in Lishui Intermediate People’s Court alleging
that Henglong Chen, Hengwei Chen, Di Wu shall be liable for repaying, among others, the principals of RMB
Other than disclosed above, the Company is not a party to, nor are we aware of, any legal proceedings, investigations or claims which, in the opinion of our management, are likely to have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.
Operating Leases
The
Company leases its offices under non-cancelable operating lease agreements. Rent and related utilities expense under all operating leases,
included in operating expenses in the Consolidated Statements of Operations, $
The following table presents future minimum rental payments required under operating leases as of September 30, 2022:
| Years Ended September 30, | Amount | |||
| 2023 | $ | |||
| 2024 | ||||
| 2025 | ||||
| 2026 | ||||
| $ | ||||
F-39
EZGO TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In U.S. dollars except for number of shares)
| 19. | SEGMENT REPORTING |
The Company determined it operates in two segments: (1) Battery cells and packs, and (2) E-bicycle sales segment. The battery cells and packs segment sells battery packs and trades battery cells. The e-bicycle sales segment sells e-bicycles on various ecommerce platforms to individual customers.
The Company’s CODM, chief executive officer, measures the performance of each segment based on metrics of revenue and profit before taxes from operations and uses these results to evaluate the performance of, and to allocate resources to each of the segments. As most of the Company’s long-lived assets are located in the PRC and most of the Company’s revenues are derived from the PRC, no geographical information is presented. The Company does not allocate assets to its segments as the CODM does not evaluate the performance of segments using asset information.
The following tables present the summary of each reportable segment’s revenue and income, which is considered as a segment operating performance measure, for the years ended September 30, 2020, 2021 and 2022:
| Year Ended September 30, 2020 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Battery cells and packs | E-bicycle sales | Subtotal from operating segments | Other | Consolidated | ||||||||||||||||
| Revenues from external customers | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||||||||
| Depreciation and amortization | ( | ) | ( | ) | ( | ) | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||||||
| Segment income (loss) before tax | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Segment gross profit margin | % | % | % | % | % | |||||||||||||||
| Year Ended September 30, 2021 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Battery cells and packs | E-bicycle sales | Subtotal from operating segments | Other | Consolidated | ||||||||||||||||
| Revenues from external customers | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||||||||
| Depreciation and amortization | ( | ) | ( | ) | ( | ) | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||||||
| Segment income (loss) before tax | ( | ) | ( | ) | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||||||||
| Segment gross profit margin | % | % | % | - | % | % | ||||||||||||||
| Year Ended September 30, 2022 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Battery cells and packs | E-bicycle sales | Subtotal from operating segments | Other | Consolidated | ||||||||||||||||
| Revenues from external customers | $ | $ | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||||||||
| Depreciation and amortization | ( | ) | ( | ) | ( | ) | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||||||
| Segment income (loss) before tax | ( | ) | ( | ) | ( | ) | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||||||
| Segment gross profit margin | % | - | % | % | - | % | % | |||||||||||||
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EZGO TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In U.S. dollars except for number of shares)
| 19. | SEGMENT REPORTING (continued) |
The following table presents the reconciliation from reportable segment income to the consolidated income from continuing operations before income taxes for the years ended September 30, 2020, 2021 and 2022:
| Years Ended September 30, | ||||||||||||
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | ||||||||||
| Net revenues | ||||||||||||
| Total revenue from reportable segments | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||
| Other revenues | ||||||||||||
| Consolidated net revenues | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||
| Income or loss | ||||||||||||
| Total operating income (loss) for reportable segments | $ | $ | ( | ) | $ | ( | ) | |||||
| Other income for reportable segments | ||||||||||||
| Total income (loss) for reportable segments | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||||
| Unallocated amounts: | ||||||||||||
| Other corporate gain (expense) | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||||
| Consolidated income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes | $ | $ | ( | ) | $ | ( | ) | |||||
| 20. | CONCENTRATIONS |
Concentrations of credit risk
As
of September 30, 2021 and 2022, cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash balances in the PRC are $
Concentrations of customers
The
following table sets forth information as to each customer that accounted for
| As of September 30, 2021 | As of September 30, 2022 | |||||||||||||||
| Customers | Amount | % of Total | Amount | % of Total | ||||||||||||
| A | $ | % | $ | % | ||||||||||||
| B | % | % | ||||||||||||||
| C | % | % | ||||||||||||||
| D | % | |||||||||||||||
| E | % | |||||||||||||||
| Total | $ | % | $ | % | ||||||||||||
| * |
F-41
EZGO TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(In U.S. dollars except for number of shares)
| 20. | CONCENTRATIONS (continued) |
The
following table sets forth information as to each customer that accounted for
| As of September 30, 2021 | As of September 30, 2022 | |||||||||||||||
| Suppliers | Amount | % of Total | Amount | % of Total | ||||||||||||
| A | $ | $ | % | |||||||||||||
| B | % | |||||||||||||||
| C | % | |||||||||||||||
| Total | $ | $ | % | |||||||||||||
| * |
The
following table sets forth information as to each customer that accounted for
| Year Ended September 30, 2020 |
Year Ended September 30, 2021 |
Year Ended September 30, 2022 |
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Customers | Amount | % of Total | Amount | % of Total | Amount | % of Total | ||||||||||||||||||
| F | $ | $ | * | * | $ | % | ||||||||||||||||||
| A | % | * | * | |||||||||||||||||||||
| D | * | * | % | * | * | |||||||||||||||||||
| E | % | * | * | * | * | |||||||||||||||||||
| Total | $ | % | $ | % | $ | % | ||||||||||||||||||
| * |
The
following table sets forth information as to each supplier that accounted for
| Year Ended September 30, 2020 |
Year Ended September 30, 2021 |
Year Ended September 30, 2022 |
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Suppliers | Amount | % of Total | Amount | % of Total | Amount | % of Total | ||||||||||||||||||
| D | $ | $ | $ | % | ||||||||||||||||||||
| E | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| F | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| G | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| H | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | $ | % | $ | % | $ | % | ||||||||||||||||||
| * |
| 21. | SUBSEQUENT EVENTS |
The Company performed an evaluation of subsequent events through January 19, 2023, which was the date of the issuance of the CFS, and determined that no events that would have required adjustment or disclosure in the CFS.
F-42