GDST 10-K/A
Chi Special Acquisition Corp. (GDST)
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM
(Amendment No. 2)
For
the fiscal year ended
For the transition period from to
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As
of July 12, 2023,
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
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Explanatory Note
GOLDENSTONE ACQUISITION LIMITED
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the Year Ended March 31, 2023
| Page | ||
| PART i | ||
| ITEM 1. | BUSINESS | 1 |
| ITEM 1A. | RISK FACTORS | 13 |
| ITEM 15. | EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES | 17 |
i
FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
Some statements contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K (the “Form 10-K”) are forward-looking in nature. Our forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our or our management team’s expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intends,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “would” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements in this Form 10-K may include, for example, statements about:
| ● | our ability to complete our initial business combination; |
| ● | our success in retaining or recruiting, or changes required in, our officers, key employees or directors following our initial business combination; |
| ● | our officers and directors allocating their time to other businesses and potentially having conflicts of interest with our business or in approving our initial business combination, as a result of which they would then receive expense reimbursements; |
| ● | our potential ability to obtain additional financing to complete our initial business combination; |
| ● | our pool of prospective target businesses; |
| ● | the ability of our officers and directors to generate a number of potential acquisition opportunities; |
| ● | our public securities’ potential liquidity and trading; |
| ● | the lack of a market for our securities; |
| ● | the use of proceeds not held in the trust account or available to us from interest income on the trust account balance; or |
| ● | our financial performance following our offering. |
The forward-looking statements contained in this Form 10-K are based on our current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on us. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting us will be those that we have anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties (some of which are beyond our control) or other assumptions that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.
ii
PART I
ITEM 1. BUSINESS
Overview
Goldenstone Acquisition Limited (“we,” “us,” “our,” “Goldenstone” or the “Company”) is a Delaware corporation incorporated as a blank check company for the purpose of entering into a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, recapitalization, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities, which we refer to herein as our “initial business combination.” Our efforts to identify a prospective target business will not be limited to a particular industry or geographic region other than we have agreed that we will not undertake an initial business combination with any entity that is headquartered in, or conducts the majority of its business in, in China (including Hong Kong and Macau). The Company’s sponsor is Goldenstone Holdings, LLC (“Sponsor”) which is controlled by Eddie Ni, our Chief Executive Officer.
We believe that our management team’s decades of experience in mergers and acquisitions for blank check companies, connections to the global business community including Asia and North America, and experience in business development will allow us to source attractive deals and find compelling investment opportunities from private and public sources to create value for stockholders, and give us a competitive advantage in pursuing a broad range of opportunities in many industries.
Initial Public Offering
On March 21, 2022, we consummated our initial public offering (the “IPO”) of 5,750,000 units (the “Units”), including the issuance of 750,000 Units as a result of the underwriter’s full exercise of its over-allotment option (referred to herein as the “Over-Allotment” and “over-allotment option”). Each Unit consists of one share of common stock of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), one redeemable warrant (“Warrant”), each Warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one-half of one share of Common Stock for $11.50 per whole share and one right (“Right”), with each Right entitling the holder to 1/10 of one share of Common Stock. The Units were sold at a price of $10.00 per Unit, generating gross proceeds to the Company of $57,500,000.
Simultaneously with the closing of the IPO, the Company consummated the private placement with the Sponsors and certain other investors of 351,250 units (the “Private Units”), at a price of $10.00 per Private Unit, generating total proceeds of $3,512,500 (the “Private Placement”). The Private Units are identical to the Units sold in the IPO except that the holders have agreed not to transfer, assign, or sell any of the Private Units or underlying securities (except in limited circumstances, as described in the registration statement for the IPO (the “Registration Statement”) until the date that is 30 days after the date we complete our initial business combination. In addition, the warrants included in the Private Units are not redeemable if held by them or a permitted transferee. Our Sponsors and the anchor investors were granted certain demand and piggyback registration rights in connection with the purchase of the Private Warrants. The Private Units were issued pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, as the transactions did not involve a public offering.
Upon the closing of the initial public offering on March 21, 2022, a total of $58,362,500 of the net proceeds from the IPO, the Over-Allotment and the Private Placement (including $2,012,500 of the underwriter’s deferred commission) was deposited in a trust account (the “Trust Account”) established for the benefit of our public stockholders. As of March 31, 2023, a total of $60,156,291 including the net proceeds from the IPO and the Private Placement as well as income accrued since the date of the IPO was being held in a trust account established for the benefit of the Company’s public stockholders.
1
After the payment of IPO transaction costs that amounted to $4,331,021, consisting of $1,150,000 of underwriting discounts and commissions, $2,012,500 of deferred underwriting discounts and commissions (which amount will be payable upon consummation of our initial business combination, if consummated), $519,403 of other offering costs, the $441,025 fair value of the 57,500 shares issued to the representative (the “Representative Shares”) and the $208,093 fair value of the Unit Purchase Option sold to Maxim (the “UPO”) and considered as part of the transaction costs, $1,045,061 of the net proceeds of the Public Offering and Private Placement was not deposited into the Trust Account and was retained by us for working capital purposes. The Representative has agreed to waive its rights to the deferred underwriting commission held in the Trust Account in the event the Company does not complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period and, in such event, such amounts will be included with the funds held in the Trust Account that will be available to fund the redemption of the Public Shares.
The initial stockholders, officers, directors, or their affiliates have agreed to loan us funds as may be required in order to finance transaction costs in connection with searching for a target business or consummating an intended initial business combination (the “working capital loans”). As of March 31, 2023, the Company had no borrowings under the working capital loans. Any future working capital loans would either be paid upon consummation of our initial business combination, without interest, or, at the lender’s discretion, up to $600,000 of the notes may be converted upon consummation of the Company’s business combination into private units at a price of $10.00 per unit. In the event that the initial business combination does not close, the Company may use a portion of the working capital held outside the trust account to repay such loaned amounts, but no proceeds from our trust account would be used for such repayment. Such loans , if and when issued, would be evidenced by promissory notes. As of March 31, 2023, we had $10,763 held outside of the Trust Account.
Upon the closing of the IPO, the Company had an initial 12 months from the closing of the IPO to complete a Business Combination, and the Company may, but is not obligated to, extend the period of time to consummate a Business Combination three times by an additional three months each time (for a total of up to 21 months to complete a Business Combination). In order to extend the time available for the Company to consummate a Business Combination, the initial stockholders or their affiliates or designees must deposit into the Trust Account $575,000 ($0.10 per share in either case), on or prior to the applicable deadline, for each three month extension (or up to an aggregate of $1,500,000 (or $1,725,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), or $0.30 per share if the Company extends for the full nine months).
We now have until September 21, 2023, with the option, upon approval of our Board of Directors, to extend up to December 21, 2023, or such later time as our shareholders may approve in accordance with our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Charter”), to consummate our initial business combination (the “Combination Period”). If we are unable to consummate our initial business combination by such date and do not obtain an additional extension, we will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but no more than ten business days thereafter, redeem 100% of the outstanding Public Shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest earned (net of taxes payable, and less up to $50,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding Public Shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public stockholders’ rights as stockholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the remaining stockholders and the Company’s board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in each case to our obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions with respect to the Company’s public warrants, public rights, or private rights. The warrants and rights will expire worthless if the Company fails to complete its initial Business Combination within the 12-month time period (or up to 21 months from the closing of Initial Public Offering if the Company extends the period of time to consummate a Business Combination by the full amount of time). The underwriters have agreed to waive its rights to the deferred underwriting commission held in the Trust Account in the event the Company does not complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period and, in such event, such amounts will be included with the funds held in the Trust Account that will be available to fund the redemption of the Public Shares. In the event of such distribution, it is possible that the per share value of the assets remaining available for distribution will be less than $10.15.
2
The Company’s sponsor is Goldenstone Holdings, LLC (“Sponsor”) which is controlled by Eddie Ni, our Chief Executive Officer. All of our executive officers and four of five of our directors are US citizens although several of our directors have significant ties to China. These ties may make us a less attractive partner with a non China-based target company, which may therefore limit the pool of acquisition candidates available to us.
We may also be subject to risks due to uncertainty of the interpretation and the application of the People’s Republic of China (the “PRC”) laws and regulations. Recently, the PRC government initiated a series of regulatory actions and statements to regulate 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 the efforts in anti-monopoly enforcement. In particular, on February 17, 2023, the Chinese Securities Regulatory Commission (the “CSRC”) issued the Trial Administrative Measures of Overseas Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies (the “Trial Measures”) and relevant supporting guidelines (collectively, the “New Administrative Rules Regarding Overseas Listings”), which came into effect on March 31, 2023. According to the New Administrative Rules Regarding Overseas Listings, among other things, a domestic company in the PRC that seeks to offer and list securities in overseas markets shall fulfill the filing procedure with the CSRC as per requirement of the Trial Measures. On February 24, 2023, the CSRC promulgated the Provisions on Strengthening Confidentiality and Archives Administration of Overseas Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies (the “Confidentiality and Archives Administration Provisions”), which also became effective on March 31, 2023. The Confidentiality and Archives Administration Provisions set out rules, requirements and procedures relating to provision of documents, materials and accounting archives for securities companies, securities service providers, overseas regulators and other entities and individuals in connection with overseas offering and listing, including without limitation to, domestic companies that carry out overseas offering and listing (either in direct or indirect means) and the securities companies and securities service providers (either incorporated domestically or overseas) that undertake relevant businesses shall not leak any state secret and working secret of government agencies, or harm national security and public interest, and a domestic company shall first obtain approval from competent authorities according to law, and file with the secrecy administrative department at the same level, if it plans to, either directly or through its overseas listed entity, publicly disclose or provide any documents and materials that contain state secrets or working secrets of government agencies. Since the New Administrative Rules Regarding Overseas Listings and the Confidentiality and Archives Administration Provisions are newly promulgated, and the interpretation and implementation thereof are subject to change, we cannot assure you that they will not apply to us in the future and if we are required to complete such filings, we will be able to complete the relevant filings in a timely manner or fulfil all the regulatory requirements thereunder. At this time, it is highly uncertain on how the New Administrative Rules Regarding Overseas Listings and the Confidentiality and Archives Administration Provisions or new laws or regulations or detailed implementations and interpretations will be modified or promulgated, and the potential impact such modified or new laws and regulations will have on our capability to complete a business combination within a prescribed time period, accept foreign investments, and post-combination entity’s ability to conduct its business or list on an United States (“U.S.”) exchange or other foreign exchange. See “Part I - Item 1. - Permission Required from the PRC Authorities for a Business Combination and Relevant PRC Regulations” starting on page 5 of this Annual Report.
3
Although we are not a PRC operating entity, we cannot assure you that the Chinese government will reach the same conclusion, or will not promulgate new rules or regulations to govern us due to the ties our management and Sponsor have with China. The governing PRC laws and regulations can change quickly with little advance notice, which may result in a material change in our search for a target business and/or the value of our securities, or cause the value of our securities after we have completed our business combination to significantly decline or be worthless, or substantially limit or completely hinder the post-combined company’s ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors. See “Part I - Item 1A. Risk Factors - Uncertainties with respect to the PRC legal system could have a material adverse effect on us.” on page 16 and “China’s economic, political and social conditions, as well as changes in any government policies, laws and regulations may be quick with little advance notice and could have a material adverse effect on our business and the value of our securities.” on page 16 of this Annual Report. The Chinese government may intervene or influence the operations of the PRC operating entities at any time and may exert more control over offerings conducted overseas, which could result in a material change in our operations and/or the value of our securities. In addition, any actions by the Chinese government to exert more oversight and control over offerings that are conducted overseas could significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors and cause the value of such securities to significantly decline or be worthless. Changes in China’s economic, political or social conditions, as well as possible interventions and influences of any government policies and actions; as well as uncertainties with respect to the PRC legal system could have a material adverse effect on our operation and the value of our securities. For instance, as the date of this Annual Report, we are not required to obtain any permission from China authorities nor received any objection or restriction from Chinese authorities to continue listing our securities in U.S. exchanges, however, we cannot guarantee that PRC authorities may not initiate any change in its law, rules or regulations, or governmental policies that would require permission or scrutiny from relevant PRC authorities for our listing; or any law, regulation, rules and policies will become effective and enforceable while we are listing on The Nasdaq Global Market or Nasdaq and seeking a target for the initial business combination that could substantially affect our operation and the value of our securities may depreciate quickly or even become worthless. See “Part I - Item 1.- Permission Required from the PRC Authorities for a Business Combination and Relevant PRC Regulations” on page 5. Though we will not undertake our initial business combination with any entity that conducts a majority of its business or is headquartered in China (including Hong Kong and Macau), we are subject to risks and uncertainties about future actions of the PRC government or law enforcement to refrain our activities or operation due to the significant ties to China of our sponsor, officers and directors, which could limit our search for a target business and that can cause the value of our securities to significantly decline or become worthless. See “Part I - Item 1A. Risk Factors - Even though we are not a China-based issuer, the sponsor and some our officers and directors have significant ties to China. The Chinese government may exercise significant oversight and discretion over the conduct of our business and may intervene in or influence its operations at any time, which could result in a material change in its operations and/or the value of our securities. We are also currently not required to obtain approval from Chinese authorities to list on U.S. exchanges, however, if the relevant PRC government agencies decide that we were required to obtain approval and we were denied permission from Chinese authorities to list on U.S. exchanges, we will not be able to continue listing on a U.S. exchange, which would materially affect the interest of our investors.” on page 13 of this Annual Report.
Execution and Termination of the Merger Agreement
On June 21, 2022, we entered into a Merger Agreement (the “Merger Agreement”) by and among Roxe Holding Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Roxe”), the Registrant, Goldenstone Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Merger Sub”) and wholly-owned subsidiary of the Registrant, and Amazon Capital Inc., solely in its capacity as representative, agent and attorney-in-fact of the Roxe Securityholders (the “Securityholder Representative”)(collectively, the “Parties), pursuant to which Merger Sub would merge with and into the Company (the “Merger”) with the Roxe as the surviving corporation of the Merger and becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company.
Subsequently, on September 30, 2022, we entered into a Joint Agreement to Terminate Merger Agreement (the “Termination Agreement”) with Roxe, pursuant to which (i) the Parties mutually agreed to terminate the Merger Agreement. The termination was by mutual agreement of the Company and Roxe pursuant to Section 10.1(c) of the Merger Agreement, and no termination fee or other payment is due to either party from the other as a result of the termination.
By virtue of the termination of the Merger Agreement, the Additional Agreements (as defined in the Merger Agreement) were terminated in accordance with their terms.
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Extension of the Deadline to Complete an Initial Business Combination
Pursuant to the terms of our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and the Investment Management Trust Agreement between the Company and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC (“Continental”), the Company may elect to extend the time available to consummate our initial business combination, provided that our sponsor or its affiliates or designees must, upon ten days advance notice prior to the applicable deadline, deposit $575,000 into the trust account ($0.10 per share) on or prior to the date of the applicable deadline, for each three month extension (or up to an aggregate of $1,725,000, or $0.30 per share if we extend for the full nine months) ten days advance notice prior to the applicable deadline.
On March 14, 2023, the Company announced that it had extended the period of time by which it may complete an initial business combination by an additional three months (the “Extension”). In accordance with its amended and restated certificate of incorporation, a deposit of $575,000 was made into the trust account established at the time of the Company’s initial public offering for the benefit of the public stockholders. Pursuant to the Extension, the deadline for completion of an initial business combination was extended to June 21, 2023.
On June 20, 2023, the Company announced that it had extended the period of time by which it may complete an initial business combination by an additional three months (the “Second Extension”). In accordance with its amended and restated certificate of incorporation, on June 14, 2023, a deposit of $575,000 was made into to the trust account established at the time of the Company’s initial public offering for the benefit of the public stockholders. Pursuant to the Second Extension, the new deadline for completion of an initial business combination is September 21, 2023.
Permission Required from the PRC Authorities for a Business Combination and Relevant PRC Regulations
We are a blank check company incorporated in Delaware with no operations or subsidiaries in China. We are not a PRC operating entity and currently do not own or control any equity interest in any PRC company or operate any business in China. The China Securities Regulatory Commission (the “CSRC”) has not issued any definitive rule or interpretation concerning whether listing of our securities are subject to the Regulations on Mergers and Acquisitions of Domestic Enterprises by Foreign Investors (the “M&A Rules”), and we believe that we are not required to obtain any licenses or approvals, under applicable PRC laws and regulations, for our listing on Nasdaq and seeking a target for the initial business combination. Further, according to the Measures for Cybersecurity Review, which was promulgated on December 28, 2021 and became effective on February 15, 2022, online platform operators holding more than one million users/users’ individual information shall be subject to cybersecurity review before listing abroad. As we are a blank check company and are not involved in the collection of personal data of at least 1 million users or implicate cybersecurity and we will not undertake our initial business combination with any entity that conducts a majority of its business or is headquartered in China (including Hong Kong and Macau), we do not believe that we are, or the post-combination entity will be, a “network platform operator(s)”, or subject to the cybersecurity review of the Cyberspace Administration of China (the “CAC”). As of the date hereof, we have not received any inquiry, notice, warning, sanction or any regulatory objection to our listing from any relevant PRC authorities.
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Further, we do not consider ourselves a PRC operating entity or a China-based issuer, in particular, as specified in the Trial Administrative Measures of the Overseas Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies, or the Trial Measures, and five supporting guidelines promulgated by the CSRC on February 17, 2023, which became effective on March 31, 2023. According to the Trial Administration Measures, an issuer is a “domestic [Chinese] company” if the issuer meets both of the following conditions and thus, subject to the requirements for domestic [Chinese] companies seeking to offer or list securities overseas, both directly and indirectly, thereunder: (i) any of the total assets, net assets, revenues or profits of the domestic operating entities of the issuer in the most recent accounting year accounts for more than 50% of the corresponding figure in the issuer’s audited consolidated financial statements for the same period; and (ii) its major operational activities are carried out in China or its main places of business are located in China, or the senior managers in charge of operation and management of the issuer are mostly Chinese citizens or are domiciled in China.” We are a blank check company incorporated in Delaware with no operation of our own except searching for a non-China-based target for our initial business combination. Furthermore, we do not own or control any equity interest in any PRC company or operate any business in China, and during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023, we did not have 50% or more of our total assets, net assets, revenues or profits located or generated in China.
As of the date of this Annual Report, no transfers, dividends, or distributions have been made by us. We have not adopted or maintained any other cash management policies and procedures and need to comply with applicable law or regulations with respect to transfer of funds, dividends and distributions, if any. Given that we are not a China-based issuer or expect to be a China-based issuer upon the consummation of our initial business combination, we are not subject to, or are not expected to become subject to, the foreign exchange control rules of the PRC.
However, applicable laws, regulations, or interpretations of the PRC may change, and the relevant PRC government agencies could reach a different conclusion. There is also possibility that we may not be able to obtain or maintain such approval or that we inadvertently concluded that such approval was not required when in fact it was. If prior approval was required while we inadvertently concluded that such approval was not required or if applicable laws and regulations or the interpretation of such were modified to require us to obtain the approval in the future, we may face regulatory actions or other sanctions from relevant Chinese regulatory authorities. These authorities may take actions that could have a material adverse effect upon our business, financial condition, results of operations, reputation and prospects, as well as the trading price of our securities. In addition, any changes in the PRC law, regulations, or interpretations may severely affect our operations. Further, if we are required by the Trial Measures to file with the CSRC, we cannot assure you that we will be able to complete such filings in a timely manner, or at all. The CSRC or other Chinese regulatory agencies may also take actions requiring us, or making it advisable for us, be subject to other severe consequences, which would materially affect the interest of the investors. To that extent, we may not be able to conduct the process of searching for a potential target company. Any failure of us to fully comply with new regulatory requirements may significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to continue to offer the securities, causing significant disruption to our business operations, severely damage our reputation, materially and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations and cause the securities to significantly decline in value or become worthless.
Business Strategy
Our business strategy is to identify and complete a business combination that creates long-term value for our stockholders. We will seek to capitalize on the comprehensive experience and contacts of our executive officers and directors in consummating an initial business combination. Our team is led by Eddie Ni, our President and Chief Executive Officer, Ray Chen, our Chief Financial Officer, and Yongsheng Liu, our Chief Operating Officer.
Mr. Eddie Ni, our President and Chief Executive Officer, brings us his more than 30 years of investment, business management and entrepreneurial experience. He has been the chairman and chief executive officer of Windfall Group since December 2009. Windfall Group, a Ohio corporation, has a large business portfolio involved in a variety of industries in U.S., including real estate, building supply, construction, and import/export of construction materials and home building structures such as granite and cabinet. Under the management of Windfall Group, Mr. Ni has raised, invested, and managed over hundred-million-dollar assets including commercial real estates across the Midwest United States, from Ohio and Illinois to Georgia and South Carolina, and New York City and New Jersey. Mr. Ni was the chairman and chief executive officer of Direct Import Home Décor from November 2003 to November 2009. Prior to Windfall Group and Direct Import Home Décor, from May 1990 to October 2003, Mr. Ni was the founder and chief executive officer of Ni’s Dynasty, which focused on investments in management of the food and beverage industry.
Mr. Chen and Mr. Liu have experience with initial public offerings and business combinations for blank check companies. They have worked together on the formation, initial public offering and business combination for Wealthbridge Acquisition Limited (“Wealthbridge”) and Goldenbridge Acquisition Limited (“Goldenbridge”).
Mr. Chen also has over 10 years of extensive experience with mergers and acquisitions, especially with respect to target sourcing, deal structuring, and investment relations. He served as chief operating officer of Wealthbridge, which consummated its initial public offering in February 2019 and closed its initial business combination with Scienjoy Inc. (“Scienjoy”) in May 2020, and has been serving as Vice President and Director of investor relation of Scienjoy since May 2020. In addition, since August 2020, Mr. Chen has been serving as the chief operating officer of Goldenbridge, which consummated its initial public offering in March 2021. Goldenbridge is currently in the process of evaluating business combination candidates.
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Mr. Liu has over 10 years of experience in mergers and acquisitions, including cross-border transactions involving the United States and China, which Mr. Liu actively participated in (in a variety capacities) from initial deal sourcing and negotiations through consummation. Mr. Liu served as chief executive officer and chairman of Wealthbridge, until its initial business combination with Scienjoy in May 2020, and has been serving as vice chairman of Scienjoy’s board of director since May 2020. He has served as the chief executive officer and chairman of Goldenbridge since August 2020.
With a management team with experience in merger and acquisitions for blank check companies, connections to the global business community including Asia and North America, and experience in business development, we believe we can source attractive deals and find compelling investment opportunities from private and public sources to create value for stockholders. See Item 10, “Directors, Officers and Corporate Governance” for complete information on the experience of our officers and directors.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, our officers and directors are not required to commit their full time to our affairs and will allocate their time to other businesses, which may result in a conflict of interest in allocating their time between our operations and our search for a business combination and their other businesses. We presently expect each of our employees to devote such amount of time as they reasonably believe is necessary to our business (which could range from only a few hours a week while we are trying to locate a potential target business to a In addition, past performance by our management team is not a guarantee either (i) of success with respect to any business combination we may consummate or (ii) that we will be able to locate a suitable candidate for our initial business combination. Furthermore, the members of the management team may not remain with us subsequent to the consummation of a business combination.
Competitive Advantages
Experienced Management Team with Proven Track Record
Our management team has a proven track record of successfully executing business combination and generating attractive return for investors as evidenced by the completion of a business combination between Wealthbridge and Scienjoy in May 2020.
We believe we have a broad network of contacts and corporate relationships worldwide that makes us efficient at:
| ● | Sourcing and evaluating businesses; |
| ● | Bridging cultural and language differences to negotiate and execute a transaction in a timely and professional manner; and |
| ● | Utilizing our worldwide networks and relationships with investment banks and family offices to identify attractive acquisition candidates in the Artificial Intelligent, Green Energy and Electronic Vehicle industries. |
By leveraging our management team’s industry expertise, performing disciplined due diligence, seeking downside protection, and providing post-acquisition value-add capabilities, we believe that we will be able to acquire a target business that will achieve significant returns for investors.
Status as a Publicly Listed Company
We believe our structure will make us an attractive business combination partner to prospective target businesses. As a publicly listed company, we will offer a target business an alternative to the traditional initial public offering. We believe that target businesses will favor this alternative, which we believe is less expensive, while offering greater certainty of execution than the traditional initial public offering. During an initial public offering, there are typically expenses incurred in marketing, which would be costlier than a business combination with us. Furthermore, once a proposed business combination is approved by our stockholders (if applicable) and the transaction is consummated, the target business will have effectively become public, whereas an initial public offering is always subject to the underwriters’ ability to complete the offering, as well as general market conditions that could prevent the offering from occurring. Once public, we believe the target business would have greater access to capital and additional means of creating management incentives that are better aligned with stockholders’ interests than it would as a private company. It can offer further benefits by augmenting a company’s profile among potential new customers and vendors and aid in attracting talented management staffs.
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Strong Financial Position and Flexibility
With the funds held in our trust account, we can offer a target business a variety of options to facilitate a business combination and fund future expansion and growth of its business. Because we are able to consummate a business combination using the cash proceeds from this offering, our share capital, debt or a combination of the foregoing, we have the flexibility to use an efficient structure allowing us to tailor the consideration to be paid to the target business to address the needs of the parties. However, if a business combination requires us to use substantially all of our cash to pay for the purchase price, we may need to arrange third party financing to help fund our business combination. Since we have no specific business combination under consideration, we have not taken any steps to secure third-party financing.
Initial Business Combination Criteria
The focus of our management team is to create stockholder value by leveraging its experience to improve the efficiency of the business while implementing strategies to grow revenue and profits organically and/or through acquisitions.
Consistent with our strategy, we have identified the following general criteria and guidelines that we believe are important in evaluating prospective target businesses. While we intend to use these criteria and guidelines in evaluating prospective businesses, we may deviate from these criteria and guidelines should we see fit to do so:
| ● | Advantage of the Niche Deal Size |
We intend to acquire companies with enterprise values of between $150 million and $500 million that are preferably already cash-generative. We believe we have greater access to companies within this range and the negotiation process is generally less time consuming than companies that are larger.
| ● | Predicable Revenue Visibility with Defensible Market Position |
We intend to seek target companies that are at an inflection point, such as those requiring additional management expertise, are able to innovate by developing new products or services, or where we believe we can drive improved financial performance and where an acquisition may help facilitate growth.
| ● | Benefits from Being a U.S. Public Company (Value Creation and Marketing Opportunities) |
We intend to seek target companies that offer attractive risk-adjusted equity returns for our stockholders. We intend to seek to acquire a target on terms and in a manner that leverages our experience. We expect to evaluate financial returns based on (i) the potential for organic growth in cash flows, (ii) the ability to achieve cost savings, (iii) the ability to accelerate growth, including through the opportunity for follow-on acquisitions and (iv) the prospects for creating value through other value creation initiatives. Potential upside from growth in the target business’ earnings and an improved capital structure will be weighed against any identified downside risks.
| ● | Exceptional management and governance. |
We intend to seek companies that have trustworthy, talented, experienced, and highly competent management teams. These companies may be led by entrepreneurs who are looking for a partner with our expertise to execute on the next stage of their growth. For target companies that require new management, we will leverage our team’s experience in identifying and recruiting top talent.
These criteria and guidelines are not intended to be exhaustive. Any evaluation relating to the merits of a particular initial business combination may be based, to the extent relevant, on these general guidelines as well as other considerations, factors, and criteria that our team may deem relevant. In the event that we decide to enter into our initial business combination with a target business that does not meet the above criteria and guidelines, we will disclose that the target business does not meet the above criteria in our stockholder communications related to our initial business combination, which, as discussed in this Form 10-K, would be in the form of tender offer documents or proxy solicitation materials that we would file with the SEC.
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Sourcing of Potential Business Combination Targets
We believe that the operational and transactional experience of our management team and their respective affiliates, and the relationships they have developed as a result of such experience, will provide us with a substantial number of potential business combination targets. These individuals and entities have developed a broad network of contacts and corporate relationships around the world. This network has grown through sourcing, acquiring and financing businesses, relationships with sellers, financing sources and target management teams and experience in executing transactions under varying economic and financial market conditions. We believe that these networks of contacts and relationships will provide us important sources of investment opportunities. In addition, we anticipate that target business candidates may be brought to our attention from various unaffiliated sources, including investment market participants, private equity funds and large business enterprises seeking to divest noncore assets or divisions.
Our acquisition criteria, due diligence processes and value creation methods are not intended to be exhaustive. Any evaluation relating to the merits of a particular initial business combination may be based, to the extent relevant, on these general guidelines as well as other considerations, factors and criteria that our management may deem relevant. In the event that we decide to enter into our initial business combination with a target business that does not meet the above criteria and guidelines, we will disclose that the target business does not meet the above criteria in our stockholder communications related to our initial business combination, which, as discussed in this Form 10-K, would be in the form of tender offer documents or proxy solicitation materials that we would file with the SEC.
Other Acquisition Considerations
We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors. In the event we seek to complete our initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors, we, or a committee of independent directors, will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent firm that commonly renders valuation opinions for the type of company we are seeking to acquire or an independent accounting firm that our initial business combination is fair to our company from a financial point of view.
Unless we complete our initial business combination with an affiliated entity, or our Board of Directors cannot independently determine the fair market value of the target business or businesses, we are not required to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm, another independent firm that commonly renders valuation opinions for the type of company we are seeking to acquire or from an independent accounting firm that the price we are paying for a target is fair to our company from a financial point of view. If no opinion is obtained, our stockholders will be relying on the business judgment of our Board of Directors, which will have significant discretion in choosing the standard used to establish the fair market value of the target or targets, and different methods of valuation may vary greatly in outcome from one another. Such standards used will be disclosed in our tender offer documents or proxy solicitation materials, as applicable, related to our initial business combination.
Members of our management team may directly or indirectly own our common stock and/or private units following this offering, and, accordingly, may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is an appropriate business with which to effectuate our initial business combination. Further, each of our officers and directors may have a conflict of interest with respect to evaluating a particular business combination if the retention or resignation of any such officers and directors was included by a target business as a condition to any agreement with respect to our initial business combination.
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Each of our directors and officers presently has, and in the future any of our directors and our officers may have additional, fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities, including Goldenbridge, pursuant to which such officer or director is or will be required to present acquisition opportunities to such entity. Accordingly, subject to his or her fiduciary duties under Delaware laws, if any of our officers or directors becomes aware of an acquisition opportunity which is suitable for an entity to which he or she has then current fiduciary or contractual obligations, he or she will need to honor his or her fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such acquisition opportunity to such entity, including Goldenbridge, and only present it to us if such entity rejects the opportunity.
Our sponsor, officers and directors may become an officer or director of other special purpose acquisition companies with a class of securities registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act. Notwithstanding the foregoing, such officers and directors will continue to have a pre-existing fiduciary obligation to us and we will, therefore, have priority over any special purpose acquisition companies they subsequently join.
Initial Business Combination
NASDAQ rules require that our initial business combination must be with one or more target businesses that together have an aggregate fair market value equal to at least 80% of the balance in the trust account (less any deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable on interest earned) at the time of our signing a definitive agreement in connection with our initial business combination. If our Board of Directors is not able to independently determine the fair market value of the target business or businesses, we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent firm that commonly renders valuation opinions for the type of company we are seeking to acquire or an independent accounting firm. We do not intend to purchase multiple businesses in unrelated industries in conjunction with our initial business combination.
We will have until 12 months from the closing of this offering to consummate an initial business combination. However, if we anticipate that we may not be able to consummate our initial business combination within 12 months, we may extend the period of time to consummate a business combination up to three times, each by an additional three months (for a total of up to 21 months to complete a business combination). Pursuant to the terms of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and the trust agreement entered into between us and the trustee in connection with the IPO, in order to extend the time available for us to consummate our initial business combination, our sponsor or its affiliates or designees, upon ten days advance notice prior to the applicable deadline, must deposit into the trust account $575,000 ($0.10 per share) on or prior to the date of the applicable deadline, for each three month extension (or up to an aggregate of $1,725,000, or $0.30 per share if we extend for the full nine months). Any such payments would be made in the form of a loan. Any such loans will be non-interest bearing and payable upon the consummation of our initial business combination. If we complete our initial business combination, we would either repay such loaned amounts out of the proceeds of the trust account released to us, or up to $1,725,000 of such loans may be convertible into private units at a price of $10.00 per unit at the option of the lender. If we do not complete a business combination, the loans would be repaid out of funds not held in the trust account, and only to the extent available. Furthermore, the letter agreement with our initial stockholders contains a provision pursuant to which our sponsor has agreed to waive its right to be repaid for such loans out of the funds held in the trust account in the event that we do not complete a business combination. Our sponsor and its affiliates or designees are not obligated to fund the trust account to extend the time for us to complete our initial business combination. You will not be able to vote on or redeem your shares in connection with any such extension.
If we are unable to complete our initial business combination within such 12-month period (or up to 21 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time), we will: (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable, and less up to $50,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses) divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public stockholders’ rights as stockholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining stockholders and our Board of Directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in each case to our obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions with respect to our public warrants, public rights, private warrants or private rights. The warrants and rights will expire worthless if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the 12-month time period (or up to 21 months from the closing of this offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination by the full amount of time). You will not be able to vote on or redeem your shares in connection with any such extension.
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We anticipate structuring our initial business combination so that the post-transaction company in which our public stockholders own shares will own or acquire 100% of the equity interests or assets of the target business or businesses. We may, however, structure our initial business combination such that the post-transaction company owns or acquires less than 100% of such interests or assets of the target business in order to meet certain objectives of the target management team or stockholders or for other reasons, but we will only complete such business combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or the Investment Company Act. Even if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the voting securities of the target, our stockholders prior to the business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post-transaction company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in the business combination transaction. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new shares in exchange for all of the outstanding capital stock of a target. In this case, we would acquire a 100% controlling interest in the target. However, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new shares, our stockholders immediately prior to our initial business combination could own less than a majority of our outstanding shares subsequent to our initial business combination. If less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business or businesses are owned or acquired by the post-transaction company, the portion of such business or businesses that is owned or acquired is what will be valued for purposes of the 80% of net assets test. If our initial business combination involves more than one target business, the 80% of net assets test will be based on the aggregate value of all of the target businesses.
We have registered our securities under Section 12 of the Exchange Act. As a result, we are subject to the rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act. We have no current intention of filing a Form 15 to suspend our reporting or other obligations under the Exchange Act prior or subsequent to the consummation of our initial business combination.
Permission Required from the PRC Authorities for a Business Combination and Relevant PRC Regulations
We are a blank check company incorporated in Delaware with no operations or subsidiaries in China. We are not a PRC operating entity and currently do not own or control any equity interest in any PRC company or operate any business in China. The China Securities Regulatory Commission (the “CSRC”) has not issued any definitive rule or interpretation concerning whether listing of our securities are subject to the Regulations on Mergers and Acquisitions of Domestic Enterprises by Foreign Investors (the “M&A Rules”), and we believe that we are not required to obtain any licenses or approvals, under applicable PRC laws and regulations, for our listing on Nasdaq and seeking a target for the initial business combination. Further, according to the Measures for Cybersecurity Review, which was promulgated on December 28, 2021 and became effective on February 15, 2022, online platform operators holding more than one million users/users’ individual information shall be subject to cybersecurity review before listing abroad. As we are a blank check company and are not involved in the collection of personal data of at least 1 million users or implicate cybersecurity and we will not undertake our initial business combination with any entity that conducts a majority of its business or is headquartered in China (including Hong Kong and Macau), we do not believe that we are, or the post-combination entity will be, a “network platform operator(s)”, or subject to the cybersecurity review of the Cyberspace Administration of China (the “CAC”). As of the date hereof, we have not received any inquiry, notice, warning, sanction or any regulatory objection to our listing from any relevant PRC authorities.
Further, we do not consider ourselves a PRC operating entity or a China-based issuer, in particular, as specified in the Trial Administrative Measures of the Overseas Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies, or the Trial Measures, and five supporting guidelines promulgated by the CSRC on February 17, 2023, which became effective on March 31, 2023. According to the Trial Administration Measures, an issuer is a “domestic [Chinese] company” if the issuer meets both of the following conditions and thus, subject to the requirements for domestic [Chinese] companies seeking to offer or list securities overseas, both directly and indirectly, thereunder: (i) any of the total assets, net assets, revenues or profits of the domestic operating entities of the issuer in the most recent accounting year accounts for more than 50% of the corresponding figure in the issuer’s audited consolidated financial statements for the same period; and (ii) its major operational activities are carried out in China or its main places of business are located in China, or the senior managers in charge of operation and management of the issuer are mostly Chinese citizens or are domiciled in China.” We are a blank check company incorporated in Delaware with no operation of our own except searching for a non-China-based target for our initial business combination. Furthermore, we do not own or control any equity interest in any PRC company or operate any business in China, and during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023, we did not have 50% or more of our total assets, net assets, revenues or profits located or generated in China.
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As of the date of this Annual Report, no transfers, dividends, or distributions have been made by us. We have not adopted or maintained any other cash management policies and procedures and need to comply with applicable law or regulations with respect to transfer of funds, dividends and distributions, if any. Given that we are not a China-based issuer or expect to be a China-based issuer upon the consummation of our initial business combination, we are not subject to, or are not expected to become subject to, the foreign exchange control rules of the PRC.
However, applicable laws, regulations, or interpretations of the PRC may change, and the relevant PRC government agencies could reach a different conclusion. There is also possibility that we may not be able to obtain or maintain such approval or that we inadvertently concluded that such approval was not required when in fact it was. If prior approval was required while we inadvertently concluded that such approval was not required or if applicable laws and regulations or the interpretation of such were modified to require us to obtain the approval in the future, we may face regulatory actions or other sanctions from relevant Chinese regulatory authorities. These authorities may take actions that could have a material adverse effect upon our business, financial condition, results of operations, reputation and prospects, as well as the trading price of our securities. In addition, any changes in the PRC law, regulations, or interpretations may severely affect our operations. Further, if we are required by the Trial Measures to file with the CSRC, we cannot assure you that we will be able to complete such filings in a timely manner, or at all. The CSRC or other Chinese regulatory agencies may also take actions requiring us, or making it advisable for us, be subject to other severe consequences, which would materially affect the interest of the investors. To that extent, we may not be able to conduct the process of searching for a potential target company. Any failure of us to fully comply with new regulatory requirements may significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to continue to offer the securities, causing significant disruption to our business operations, severely damage our reputation, materially and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations and cause the securities to significantly decline in value or become worthless.
Enforceability of Civil Liability
Our officers and four of five of our directors are US citizens and reside in the United States. The fifth director, Nan Sun, is a Chinese citizen and also resides in the United States. Further, there is uncertainty if any officers and directors of the post-combination entity will be located inside the United States. As a result, it may be difficult, or in some cases not possible, for investors in the United States to effect service of process within the United States upon us or any future director or officer that resides in China or Hong Kong, or to enforce judgments in China, Macau or Hong Kong that are obtained in U.S. courts against us or them, 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 you to enforce judgments in China, Macau, or Hong Kong that are obtained in U.S. courts based on the civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities laws against us or any future director or officer that resides in China or Hong Kong.
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. At present, the PRC does not have treaties providing for the reciprocal recognition and enforcement of judgments of courts with the United States and many other countries and regions, and you may have to incur substantial costs and contribute significant time to enforce civil liabilities and criminal penalties in reliance on legal remedies under PRC laws. As a result, there is no guarantee that a PRC court would enforce a judgment rendered by a court in the U.S. Recognition and enforcement in the PRC of judgement of United States courts in relation to any matter not subject to a binding arbitration provision may be difficult or impossible.
Corporate Information
Our principal executive office is located at 4360 E. New York St., Aurora, IL 60504, and our telephone number is 330-352-7788.
We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, as modified by the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, or the JOBS Act. As such, we are eligible to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not “emerging growth companies” including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. If some investors find our securities less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our securities and the prices of our securities may be more volatile.
In addition, Section 107 of the JOBS Act also provides that an “emerging growth company” can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards. In other words, an “emerging growth company” can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We intend to take advantage of the benefits of this extended transition period.
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We will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier of (1) the last day of the fiscal year (a) following the fifth anniversary of the completion of this offering, (b) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.235 billion, or (c) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means the market value of our common stock that are held by non-affiliates equals or exceeds $700 million as of the end of that year’s second fiscal quarter; and (2) the date on which we have issued more than $1.00 billion in non-convertible debt securities during the prior three-year period. References herein to “emerging growth company” shall have the meaning
Additionally, we are a “smaller reporting company” as defined in Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K. Smaller reporting companies may take advantage of certain reduced disclosure obligations, including, among other things, providing only two years of audited financial statements. We will remain a smaller reporting company until the last day of the fiscal year in which (1) the market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates equal or exceeds $250 million as of the end of that fiscal year’s second fiscal quarter, or (2) our annual revenues equaled or exceeded $100 million during such completed fiscal year and the market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates equals or exceeds $700 million as of the end of that fiscal year’s second fiscal quarter.
ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
As a smaller reporting company, we are not required to make disclosures under this Item although we are highlighting certain risks below that may be applicable to us.
Changes in the policies, regulations, rules, and the enforcement of laws of the PRC government may be quick with little advance notice and could have a significant impact on our business and prospects.
Even though we are a blank check company incorporated in Delaware, a majority of our officers and directors are either located in China or have significant ties to China. Accordingly, economic, political and legal developments in the PRC may significantly affect our business and prospects. Policies, regulations, rules, and the enforcement of laws of the PRC government may change quickly with little advance notice, which can have significant effects on economic conditions in the PRC and the ability of businesses to operate profitably. If those significant ties continue in existence following our initial business combination, our post-combination entity’s business, financial condition and results of operations may be subject to changes in policies by the PRC government, including changes in laws, regulations or their interpretation, particularly those dealing with the internet, including censorship and other restriction on material which can be transmitted over the internet, security, intellectual property, money laundering, taxation and other laws that affect our post-combination entity’s ability to operate its business.
Even though we are not a China-based issuer, the sponsor and a majority of our officers and directors have significant ties to China. The Chinese government may exercise significant oversight and discretion over the conduct of our business and may intervene in or influence its operations at any time, which could result in a material change in its operations and/or the value of our securities. We are also currently not required to obtain approval from Chinese authorities to list on U.S. exchanges, however, if the relevant PRC government agencies decide that we were required to obtain approval and we were denied permission from Chinese authorities to list on U.S. exchanges, we will not be able to continue listing on a U.S. exchange, which would materially affect the interest of our investors.
The Chinese government has exercised and continues to exercise substantial control over virtually every sector of the Chinese economy through regulation and state ownership. Even though we are not a PRC operating entity or a China-based issuer, the sponsor and a majority of our officers and directors are located in China. 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.
It is possible that in the future, we could be subject to regulation by various political and regulatory entities, including various local and municipal agencies and government sub-divisions. In that case, we may incur increased costs necessary to comply with existing and newly adopted laws and regulations or penalties for any failure to comply, and such compliance or any associated inquiries or investigations or any other government actions may require significant management time and attention; and subject us to remedies, administrative penalties and even criminal liabilities that may harm the post-combination entity’s business, including fines assessed for its current or historical operations that it modifies or even cease its business practices.
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As we are neither a China-based company under the Trial Measures nor a PRC operating entity, given that (a) the CSRC currently has not issued any definitive rule or interpretation concerning whether companies like ours are subject to the M&A Rules; and (b) our company is a blank check company incorporated in the U.S. rather than in China and currently our company does not own or control any equity interest in any PRC company or operate any business in China, we believe that we are not required to obtain any licenses or approvals, under applicable PRC laws and regulations, for our operation or listing on Nasdaq and while seeking a target for the initial business combination. Further, according to the Measures for Cybersecurity Review, which was promulgated on December 28, 2021 and became effective on February 15, 2022, online platform operators holding more than one million users/users’ individual information shall be subject to cybersecurity review before listing abroad. As we are a blank check company and are not involved in the collection of personal data of at least 1 million users or implicate cybersecurity, we do not believe that we are, or the post-combination entity will be, a “network platform operator(s)”, or subject to the cybersecurity review of the CAC. As of the date of hereof, we have not received any inquiry, notice, warning, sanction or any regulatory objection to the listing of our securities on Nasdaq from any PRC authorities.
We do not consider ourselves a China-based issuer, in particular, as specified in the Trial Administrative Measures of the Overseas Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies, or the Trial Measures, and five supporting guidelines promulgated by the CSRC on February 17, 2023, which became effective on March 31, 2023. According to the Trial Administration Measures, an issuer is a “domestic [Chinese] company” if the issuer meets both of the following conditions and thus, subject to the requirements for domestic [Chinese] companies seeking to offer or list securities overseas, both directly and indirectly, thereunder: (i) any of the total assets, net assets, revenues or profits of the domestic operating entities of the issuer in the most recent accounting year accounts for more than 50% of the corresponding figure in the issuer’s audited consolidated financial statements for the same period; and (ii) its major operational activities are carried out in China or its main places of business are located in China, or the senior managers in charge of operation and management of the issuer are mostly Chinese citizens or are domiciled in China. Furthermore, we do not own or control any equity interest in any PRC company or operate any business in China, and during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, we do not have 50% or more of our total assets, net assets, revenues or profits located or generated in China.
However, applicable laws, regulations, or interpretations of PRC may change, and the relevant PRC government agencies could reach a different conclusion. There is also a possibility that we may not be able to obtain or maintain such approval or that we inadvertently concluded that such approval was not required when in fact it was. If prior approval was required while we inadvertently concluded that such approval was not required or if applicable laws and regulations or the interpretation of such were modified to require us to obtain the approval in the future, we may face regulatory actions or other sanctions from relevant Chinese regulatory authorities. These authorities may take actions that could have a material adverse effect upon our business, financial condition, results of operations, reputation and prospects, as well as the trading price of our securities. In addition, any changes in PRC law, regulations, or interpretations may severely affect our operations. Further, if we are required by the Trial Measures to file with the CSRC, we cannot assure you that we will be able to complete such filings in a timely manner, or even at all. The CSRC or other Chinese regulatory agencies may also take actions requiring us, or making it advisable for us, be subject to other severe consequences, which would materially affect the interest of the investors. To that extent, we may not be able to conduct the process of searching for a potential target company. Any failure of us to fully comply with new regulatory requirements may significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to continue to offer the securities, causing significant disruption to our business operations, severely damage our reputation, materially and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations and cause the securities to significantly decline in value or become worthless.
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China Securities Regulatory Commission and other Chinese government agencies may exert more oversight and control over offerings that are conducted overseas and foreign investment in China-based issuers. Even though we are not a China based issuer, if the CSRC or another PRC regulatory body subsequently determines that its approval is needed for our listing on Nasdaq or seeking a target for the initial business combination, we cannot predict whether we will be able to obtain such approval. As a result, both you and us face uncertainty about future actions by the PRC government that could significantly affect our ability to continue our listing on Nasdaq and cause the value of our securities to significantly decline or be worthless.
On July 6, 2021, the General Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council jointly issued a document to crack down on illegal activities in the securities market and promote the high-quality development of the capital market, which, among other things, requires the relevant governmental authorities to strengthen cross-border oversight of law-enforcement and judicial cooperation, to enhance supervision over China-based companies listed overseas, and to establish and improve the system of extraterritorial application of the PRC securities laws. Even though we are a blank check company incorporated in the U.S. and a non-China based issuer, our sponsor and a majority of our officers and directors have significant ties to China. Since this document is relatively new, uncertainties still exist in relation to how soon legislative or administrative regulation making bodies will respond and what existing or new laws, regulations or detailed implementations and interpretations will be modified or promulgated, if any, and the potential impact such modified or new laws and regulations will have on our future business combination with a PRC Target Company. Therefore, CSRC and other Chinese government agencies may exert more oversight and control over offerings that are conducted overseas. If the CSRC or another PRC regulatory body subsequently determines that its approval is needed for our listing on Nasdaq, a business combination, the issuance of our ordinary shares upon exercise of the rights, or maintaining our status as a publicly listed company outside China, we may face approval delays, adverse actions or sanctions by the CSRC or other PRC regulatory agencies. In any such event, these regulatory agencies may delay a potential business combination, impose fines and penalties, limit our acquisitions and operations of a target business in China, or take other actions that could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, reputation and prospects, as well as the trading price of our securities. As a result, both you and us face uncertainty about future actions by the PRC government that could significantly affect our ability to offer or continue our listing on Nasdaq and cause the value of our securities to significantly decline or be worthless.
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 the annual report based on foreign laws. It will be difficult for you or overseas regulators to conduct investigations or collect evidence within China.
It may be difficult for investors to effect service of process within the United States upon us or any future officer or director that resides in China or Hong Kong, or to enforce judgments in China, Macau, or Hong Kong that are obtained in U.S. courts against us or them, 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 you to enforce judgments in China, Macau, or Hong Kong that are obtained in U.S. courts based on the civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities laws against us or any future officer or director that resides in China or Hong Kong.
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. At present, China does not have any treaties or other forms of written arrangement with the U.S. 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, there is no guarantee that a PRC court would enforce a judgment rendered by a court in the U.S.
It will be difficult for you or overseas regulators to conduct investigations or collect evidence within China. Although the authorities in China may establish a regulatory cooperation mechanism with its counterparts of another country or region to monitor and oversee cross-border securities activities, such regulatory cooperation with the securities regulatory authorities in the United States may not be efficient in the absence of a 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 investigations or evidence collection activities within the territory of the PRC. Article 177 further provides that Chinese entities and individuals are not allowed to provide documents or materials related to securities business activities to foreign agencies without prior consent from the securities regulatory authority of the State Council and the competent departments of the State Council.
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We may not be able to complete an initial business combination with a U.S. target company since such initial business combination may be subject to U.S. foreign investment regulations and review by a U.S. government entity such as the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (“CFIUS”), or ultimately prohibited.
Our board of directors consists of five members. All but one of our directors is a citizen of the United States. In addition, two members of Goldenstone Capital LLC, one of our sponsor entities, are foreign persons. In addition, we have not yet entered into an agreement for our initial business combination. Therefore, we do not know whether the target or the nature of its business could make the transaction subject to U.S. foreign regulations or review by a U.S. government entity. As a result, it is possible that the Business Combination may be subject to a CFIUS review, the scope of which was expanded by the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act of 2018 (“FIRRMA”), to include certain non-passive, non-controlling investments in sensitive U.S. businesses and certain acquisitions of real estate even with no underlying U.S. business. FIRRMA, and subsequent implementing regulations that are now in force, also subjects certain categories of investments to mandatory filings. If the Business Combination falls within CFIUS’s jurisdiction, we may determine that we are required to make a mandatory filing or that we will submit a voluntary notice to CFIUS, or to proceed with the initial business combination without notifying CFIUS and risk CFIUS intervention, before or after closing the initial business combination. CFIUS may decide to block or delay our initial business combination, impose conditions to mitigate national security concerns with respect to such initial business combination or order us to divest all or a portion of a U.S. business of the combined company without first obtaining CFIUS clearance, which may limit the attractiveness of or prevent us from pursuing certain initial business combination opportunities that we believe would otherwise be beneficial to us and our shareholders. As a result, the pool of potential targets with which we could complete an initial business combination may be limited and we may be adversely affected in terms of competing with other special purpose acquisition companies which do not have similar foreign ownership issues.
Moreover, the process of government review, whether by the CFIUS or otherwise, could be lengthy and we have limited time to complete our initial business combination. If we cannot complete an initial business combination by June 21, 2024 if the Company extends the Business Combination Period to the fullest extent) because the review process drags on beyond such timeframe or because our initial business combination is ultimately prohibited by CFIUS or another U.S. government entity, we may be required to liquidate. This will also cause you to lose the investment opportunity in a target company and the chance of realizing future gains on your investment through any price appreciation in the combined company.”
Uncertainties with respect to the PRC legal system could have a material adverse effect on us.
The PRC legal system is a civil law system based on written statutes. Unlike the common law system, prior court decisions under the civil law system may be cited for reference but have limited precedential value.
In 1979, 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 enhanced the protection afforded to various forms of foreign investments in China. However, China has not developed a fully integrated legal system, and recently enacted laws and regulations may not sufficiently cover all aspects of economic activities in China. In particular, the interpretation and enforcement of these laws and regulations continue to evolve and are subject to change. Since PRC administrative and court authorities have significant discretion in interpreting and implementing statutory provisions and contractual terms, it may be difficult to evaluate the outcome of administrative and court proceedings and the level of legal protection we enjoy. These uncertainties may affect our judgment on the relevance of legal requirements and our ability to enforce our contractual rights or tort claims. In addition, the regulatory uncertainties may be exploited through unmerited or frivolous legal actions or threats in attempts to extract payments or benefits from us.
In addition, any administrative and court proceedings in China may be protracted, resulting in substantial costs and diversion of resources and management attention.
China’s economic, political and social conditions, as well as changes in any government policies, laws and regulations may be quick with little advance notice and could have a material adverse effect on our business and the value of our securities.
Even though we are a blank check company incorporated in Delaware, a majority of our officers and directors are either located in China or have significant ties to China. Accordingly, our business, financial condition, results of operations, prospects and certain transactions we may undertake may be subject, to a significant extent, to economic, political and legal developments in China.
China’s economy differs from other countries’ economies in many respects, including the amount of government involvement, level of development, growth rate, control of foreign exchange and allocation of resources. While the PRC economy has experienced significant growth in the past two to three decades, growth has been uneven, both geographically and among various sectors of the economy.
Although China’s economy has been transitioning from a planned economy to a more market oriented economy since the late 1970s, 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 China’s economic growth through allocating resources, controlling the incurrence and payment of foreign currency-denominated obligations, setting monetary policy and providing preferential treatment to particular industries or companies. Changes in any of these policies, laws and regulations may be quick with little advance notice and could adversely affect the economy in China and could have a material adverse effect on our business and the value of our securities.
The PRC government has implemented various measures to encourage foreign investment and sustainable economic growth and to guide the allocation of financial and other resources. However, we cannot assure you that the PRC government will not repeal or alter these measures or introduce new measures that will have a negative effect on us, or more specifically, we cannot assure you that the PRC government will not initiate possible governmental actions or scrutiny to us, which could substantially affect our operation and the value of our securities may depreciate quickly.
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PART IV
ITEM 15 EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
| (a) | The following are filed with this report: |
| (1) | The financial statements listed on the Financial Statements’ Table of Contents | |
| (2) | Not applicable |
| (b) | Exhibits |
The following exhibits are filed with this report. Exhibits which are incorporated herein by reference can be obtained from the SEC’s website at sec.gov.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
| GOLDENSTONE ACQUISITION LIMITED | ||
Dated: January 11, 2024 |
By: | /s/ Eddie Ni |
| Name: | Eddie Ni | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
By: |
/s/ Ray Chen | |
Name: |
Ray Chen | |
Title: |
Chief Financial Officer | |
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