HeartCore Enterprises, Inc S-3/A, filed Apr 7, 2023
HeartCore Enterprises, Inc. (HTCR)
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 7, 2023
Registration No. 333-270503
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
PRE-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 1
TO
FORM S-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
HEARTCORE ENTERPRISES, INC.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
| Delaware | 87-0913420 | |
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
HeartCore Enterprises, Inc.
1-2-33, Higashigotanda, Shinagawa-ku
Tokyo, Japan
+81-3-6409-6966
(Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Registrant’s Principal Executive Offices)
Corporate Creations Network Inc.
3411 Silverside Road Tatnall, Building #104
Wilmington, Delaware 19810
(302) 351-3367
(Name, Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent For Service)
Copy to:
Laura Anthony, Esq.
Craig D. Linder, Esq.
Anthony L.G., PLLC
625 N. Flagler Drive, Suite 600
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
(561) 514-0936
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after this Registration Statement becomes effective.
If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. ☐
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box. ☒
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):
| Large accelerated filer | ☐ | Accelerated filer | ☐ |
| Non-accelerated filer | ☒ (Do not check if a smaller reporting company) | Smaller reporting company | ☒ |
| Emerging growth company | ☒ |
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐
The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or until this registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to such Section 8(a), may determine.
The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.
Subject to Completion, Dated April 7, 2023
PROSPECTUS
$100,000,000
HEARTCORE ENTERPRISES, INC.
Common Stock, Preferred Stock, Warrants, Rights,
Debt Securities and Units
We may offer and sell, from time to time in one or more offerings the following securities:
| ● | shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share; |
| ● | shares of preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share; |
| ● | warrants to purchase shares of our common stock, preferred stock and/or debt securities; |
| ● | rights to purchase shares of our common stock, preferred stock, warrants and/or debt securities; |
| ● | debt securities consisting of senior notes, subordinated notes or debentures; |
| ● | units consisting of a combination of the foregoing securities; or |
| ● | any combination of these securities. |
We may offer and sell up to $100,000,000 in the aggregate of the securities identified above from time to time in one or more offerings. This prospectus provides a general description of the securities that we may offer. However, this prospectus may not be used to offer or sell our securities unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement relating to the offered securities. Each time that we offer securities under this prospectus, we will provide the specific terms of the securities offered, including the public offering price, in a related prospectus supplement. Such prospectus supplement may add to, update or change information contained in this prospectus. To the extent there is a conflict between the information contained in this prospectus, on the one hand, and the information contained in any prospectus supplement, on the other hand, you should rely on the information in the prospectus supplement. You should read this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement together with additional information described under the headings “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Information Incorporated By Reference” before making your investment decision.
These securities may be sold directly by us, through dealers or agents designated from time to time, to or through underwriters or through a combination of these methods. See “Plan of Distribution” in this prospectus for additional information on methods of sale. We may also describe the plan of distribution for any particular offering of our securities in a prospectus supplement. If any agents, underwriters or dealers are involved in the sale of any securities in respect of which this prospectus is being delivered, we will disclose their names and the nature of our arrangements with them in that prospectus supplement. The net proceeds we expect to receive from any such sale will also be included in the prospectus supplement.
Our common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the ticker symbol “HTCR.” The closing price of our common stock on April 5, 2023 was $0.935 per share.
As of April 7, 2023, the aggregate market value of our outstanding common equity held by non-affiliates, or public float, was $6,403,823 based on 20,842,690 shares of common stock outstanding, of which 4,907,144 shares are held by non-affiliates, and a per share price of $1.305 based on the average of the bid and asked prices of our common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market on February 9, 2023 (within 60 days prior to the date of filing). Therefore, as of April 7, 2023, the aggregate market value of our common equity held by non-affiliates was less than $75,000,000, as calculated in accordance with General Instruction I.B.1 of Form S-3. As of the date of this prospectus, we have not offered and sold securities pursuant to General Instruction I.B.6 to Form S-3 during the 12-calendar month period that ends on and includes the date hereof. Pursuant to General Instruction I.B.6 of Form S-3, in no event will we sell securities in a public primary offering with a value exceeding more than one-third of our “public float” (the market value of our common stock held by our non-affiliates) in any 12-month period so long as our public float remains below $75,000,000.
An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. See the sections entitled “Risk Factors” included in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and in any subsequent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, which are incorporated by reference into this prospectus, as well as in any prospectus supplement related to a specific offering we make pursuant to this prospectus. You should carefully read this entire prospectus together with any related prospectus supplement and the information incorporated by reference into both before you make your investment decision.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
This prospectus may not be used to sell securities unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement.
The date of this prospectus is _____________, 2023
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) using a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may offer from time to time securities having a maximum aggregate offering price of $100,000,000. Each time we offer securities, we will prepare and file with the SEC a prospectus supplement that describes the specific amounts, prices and terms of the securities we offer. The prospectus supplement also may add, update or change information contained in this prospectus or the documents incorporated herein by reference. You should read carefully both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with additional information described below under “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Information Incorporated By Reference.”
This prospectus does not contain all the information provided in the registration statement we filed with the SEC. For further information about us or our securities offered hereby, you should refer to that registration statement, which you can obtain from the SEC or directly from us as described below under “Where You Can Find More Information.”
You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement. We have not authorized any other person to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. This prospectus is not an offer to sell securities, and it is not soliciting an offer to buy securities, in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement, as well as information we have previously filed with the SEC and incorporated by reference, is accurate as of the date of those documents only. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.
We may sell securities through underwriters or dealers, through agents, directly to purchasers or through any combination of these methods. We and our agents reserve the sole right to accept or reject in whole or in part any proposed purchase of securities. The prospectus supplement, which we will prepare and file with the SEC each time we offer securities, will set forth the names of any underwriters, agents or others involved in the sale of securities, and any applicable fee, commission or discount arrangements with them. See “Plan of Distribution.” In this prospectus, unless otherwise indicated, “the company,” “our company,” “we,” “us” or “our” refer to HeartCore Enterprises, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its consolidated subsidiaries.
SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Statements in this prospectus and in the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act. Any statements contained herein, other than statements of historical fact, including statements regarding the progress and timing of our product development programs; our future opportunities; our business strategy, future operations, anticipated financial position, future revenues and projected costs; our management’s prospects, plans and objectives; and any other statements about our management’s future expectations, beliefs, goals, plans or prospects constitute forward-looking statements. Examples of such statements are those that include words such as “may,” “assume(s),” “forecast(s),” “position(s),” “predict(s),” “strategy,” “will,” “expect(s),” “estimate(s),” “anticipate(s),” “believe(s),” “project(s),” “intend(s),” “plan(s),” “budget(s),” “potential,” “continue” and variations thereof. However, the words cited as examples in the preceding sentence are not intended to be exhaustive and any statements contained in this prospectus regarding matters that are not historical facts may also constitute forward-looking statements.
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Because these statements implicate risks and uncertainties, as well as certain assumptions, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to, those risks identified under “Risk Factors” in our most recent annual report on Form 10-K and from time to time in our other filings with the SEC. The information in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement speaks only as of the date of that document and the information incorporated herein by reference speaks only as of the date of the document incorporated by reference. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Forward-looking statements include our plans and objectives for future operations, including plans and objectives relating to our products and services and our future economic performance. Assumptions relating to the foregoing involve judgments with respect to, among other things, future economic, competitive and market conditions as well as future business decisions, including any acquisitions, mergers, dispositions, joint ventures, investments and any other business development transactions we may enter into in the future. The amounts of time and money required to successfully complete development and commercialization of our products and services as well as any evolution of or shift in our business plans, or to execute any future strategic options are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and may involve factors that are beyond our control. Although we believe that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements contained herein are reasonable, any of those assumptions could prove inaccurate and, therefore, we cannot assure you that the results contemplated in any of the forward-looking statements contained herein will be realized.
Based on the significant uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking statements described herein, the inclusion of any such statement should not be regarded as a representation by us or any other person that our objectives or plans will be achieved. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.
This prospectus summary highlights certain information about our company and other information contained elsewhere in this prospectus or in documents incorporated by reference. This summary does not contain all of the information that you should consider before making an investment decision. You should carefully read the entire prospectus, any prospectus supplement, including the section entitled “Risk Factors” and the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus, before making an investment decision.
This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the SEC utilizing a shelf registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may sell any combination of:
| ● | common stock; | |
| ● | preferred stock; | |
| ● | debt securities, in one or more series; | |
| ● | warrants to purchase any of the securities listed above; | |
| ● | rights to purchase any of the securities listed above; and/or | |
| ● | units consisting of one or more of the foregoing. |
in one or more offerings up to a total dollar amount of $100,000,000. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we sell securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that specific offering and include a discussion of any risk factors or other special considerations that apply to those securities. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with the additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”
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Business Overview
We are a leading software development company based in Tokyo, Japan. We provide software through two business units.
The first business unit includes a customer experience management business that has been in existence for 13 years. Our customer experience management platform (the “CXM Platform”) includes marketing, sales, service and content management systems, as well as other tools and integrations, that enable companies to attract and engage customers throughout the customer experience. We also provide education, services and support to help customers be successful with our CXM Platform.
The second business unit is a digital transformation business which provides customers with robotics process automation, process mining and task mining to accelerate the digital transformation of enterprises. We also have an ongoing technology innovation team to develop software that supports the narrow needs of large enterprise customers.
As of December 31, 2022, our combined business units (customer experience management business unit and digital transformation business unit) had a total of 903 customers in Japan.
Recent Developments
“Go IPO” Consulting Services
Since we concluded our initial public offering and listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market in February 2022, we have been offering “Go IPO” consulting services to a number of private Japanese companies where we assist such private Japanese companies and/or their affiliates (“issuers”) with their initial public offerings in the United States as well as their simultaneous listings onto the Nasdaq Stock Market, the New York Stock Exchange or the NYSE American. More specifically, these consulting services (collectively, “Services”) include the following:
| ● | Assistance with the selection and negotiation of terms for a law firm, underwriter and auditing firm; | |
| ● | Provision of process mining and task mining licenses for internal audit and internal control; | |
| ● | Assisting in the preparation of documentation for internal controls required for an initial public offering and simultaneous listing on the Nasdaq Stock Market, the New York Stock Exchange or the NYSE American; | |
| ● | Providing support services to remove problematic accounting accounts upon listing support; | |
| ● | Translation of requested documents into English; | |
| ● | Attend and, if requested by the other party, lead, meetings of management and employees; | |
| ● | Provide support services related to the Nasdaq, the New York Stock Exchange or the NYSE American listing; | |
| ● | Conversion of accounting data from Japanese standards to U.S. GAAP; | |
| ● | Assist in the preparation of S-1 or F-1 filings; | |
| ● | Creation of English web page; and | |
| ● | Preparing an investor presentation/deck and executive summary of the operations. |
In providing the Services, we do not perform accounting services, and do not act as an investment advisor or broker/dealer. Pursuant to the terms of the consulting agreements with the issuers, the parties agree that we will not provide the following services, among others: negotiation of the sale of the issuers’ securities; participation in discussions between the issuers and potential investors; assisting in structuring any transactions involving the sale of the issuers’ securities; pre-screening of potential investors; due diligence activities; and providing advice relating to valuation of or financial advisability of any investments in the issuers.
Pursuant to the terms of the consulting agreements with the issuers, the issuers agree to compensate us as follows in return for the provision of Services during the initial term of the consulting agreements:
| (a) | A cash fee payable in installment payments; and | |
| (b) | Issuance by issuers to us of a warrant or stock acquisition rights to acquire a number of shares of capital stock of the issuer, to initially be equal to a designated percentage of the fully diluted share capital of the issuer, subject to adjustment as set forth in the warrant or stock acquisition rights. |
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Acquisition of Majority Interest in Sigmaways
On September 6, 2022, the Company entered into a share exchange and purchase agreement to acquire 51% of the outstanding shares of Sigmaways, Inc. (“Sigmaways”), a company engaged in the business of developing and sales of software in the United States. On February 1, 2023, the Company closed the acquisition for a total consideration of $4,150,000, including $1,000,000 in cash and 2,500,000 shares of common stock of the Company (issued to Prakash Sadasivam) with fair value of $3,150,000 at the closing date. As a result, Sigmaways became a subsidiary of the Company.
Appointment of Prakash Sadasivam as Chief Strategy Officer and Director
On February 1, 2023, Prakash Sadasivam was appointed to serve as our Chief Strategy Officer. In addition, on February 1, 2023, the Board expanded the size of the Board from seven persons to eight persons, and named Mr. Sadasivam to serve as a member of the Board, to fill the vacancy created by the increase in the size of the Board.
Mr. Sadasivam, age 49, has served as the CEO of Sigmaways since 2006. Since 2020, Mr. Sadasivam has served as an official member of the Forbes Technology Council. He holds degrees from Vallore Institute of Technology in Vellore, India, and from UCLA’s Anderson School of Management.
On February 1, 2023, we and Mr. Sadasivam entered into an Employment Agreement (the “Employment Agreement”). The Employment Agreement provides that he will serve as our Chief Strategy Officer, and that he will be paid an annual salary of $96,000. In addition, on each annual anniversary of the effective date of the Employment Agreement during the term, we will issue to Mr. Sadasivam a number of shares of common stock equal to (i) 30% of the base salary as of such date, divided by (ii) the volume weighted average closing of our common stock for the five trading days immediately preceding such date. Mr. Sadasivam is also eligible to receive discretionary bonuses as determined by the Board.
The Employment Agreement has an initial term of 1 year, provided that the term of each agreement will automatically be extended for one or more additional terms of one year each unless either we or Mr. Sadasivam provides notice to the other of their desire to not so renew the initial term or renewal term (as applicable) at least 30 days prior to the expiration of then-current initial term or renewal term (as applicable). The Employment Agreement provides that the employment with us shall be “at will,” meaning that either we or Mr. Sadasivam may terminate employment at any time and for any reason, subject to the other provisions of the Employment Agreement.
The Employment Agreement may be terminated by us, either with or without “Cause” (as defined in the Employment Agreement), or by Mr. Sadasivam, either with or without “Good Reason” (as defined in the Employment Agreement).
In the event that we terminate the term of the Employment Agreement or employment with Cause, or if Mr. Sadasivam terminates his Employment Agreement without Good Reason, then, subject to any other relevant agreements:
| ○ | We will pay to Mr. Sadasivam any unpaid base salary and benefits then owed or accrued, and any unreimbursed expenses; | |
| ○ | any unvested portion of any equity granted to Mr. Sadasivam under the Employment Agreement or any other agreements with us will immediately be forfeited; and | |
| ○ | all of the parties’ rights and obligations under the Employment Agreement will cease, other than those rights or obligations which arose prior to the termination date or in connection with such termination, and subject to the survival provisions of the Employment Agreement. |
In the event that we terminate the term of the Employment Agreement or employment without Cause, or if Mr. Sadasivam terminates the Employment Agreement with Good Reason, then, subject to any other relevant agreements:
| ○ | we will pay to Mr. Sadasivam any base salary, bonuses, and benefits then owed or accrued, and any unreimbursed expenses; | |
| ○ | we will pay to Mr. Sadasivam, in one lump sum, an amount equal to the base salary that would have been paid to Mr. Sadasivam for the remainder of the initial term of the Employment Agreement (if the termination occurs during the initial term of the Employment Agreement) or renewal term of the Employment Agreement (if the termination occurs during a renewal term of the Employment Agreement); | |
| ○ | any unvested portion of any equity granted to Mr. Sadasivam under the Employment Agreement or any other agreements with us will, to the extent not already vested, be deemed automatically vested; and | |
| ○ | all of the parties’ rights and obligations under the Employment Agreement will cease, other than those rights or obligations which arose prior to the termination date or in connection with such termination, and subject to the survival provisions of the Employment Agreement. |
In the event of Mr. Sadasivam’s death or total disability during the term of the Employment Agreement, the term of the applicable agreement and the applicable executive’s employment shall terminate on the date of death or total disability. In the event of such termination, our sole obligations under the Employment Agreement to Mr. Sadasivam shall be for unpaid base salary, accrued but unpaid bonus and benefits (then owed or accrued and owed in the future), a pro-rata bonus for the year of termination based on the target bonus for such year and the portion of such year in which Mr. Sadasivam was employed, and reimbursement of expenses pursuant to the terms hereon through the effective date of termination, and any unvested portion of any equity grant will immediately be forfeited as of the termination date.
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In the event that the term of the Employment Agreement is not renewed by either party, any unvested portion of any equity granted will immediately be forfeited as of the expiration of the term of the Employment Agreement without any further action of the parties.
The Employment Agreement contains customary representations and warranties.
Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic
In December 2019, a novel coronavirus disease (“COVID-19”) was reported to have surfaced in Wuhan, China, and on March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization characterized COVID-19 as a pandemic. The pandemic, which has continued to spread, and the related adverse public health developments, including orders to shelter-in-place, travel restrictions, and mandated business closures, have adversely affected workforces, organizations, customers, economies, and financial markets globally, leading to an economic downturn and increased market volatility. It has also disrupted the normal operations of many businesses, including ours.
For example, many cities, counties, states, and even countries have imposed or may impose a wide range of restrictions on the physical movement of our employees, partners and customers to limit the spread of the pandemic, including physical distancing, travel bans and restrictions, closure of non-essential business, quarantines, work-from-home directives, shelter-in-place orders, and limitations on public gatherings. These measures have caused, and are continuing to cause, business slowdowns or shutdowns in affected areas, both regionally and worldwide. In March 2020, we temporarily closed our offices, including our corporate headquarters, suspended all company-related travel, and all HeartCore Co., Ltd. (“HeartCore Co.”) employees were required to work from home for several months during the height of the pandemic. We cancelled or shifted our customer and industry events to virtual-only experiences. Although we have begun to slowly re-open our offices on a staggered, region-by-region basis in accordance with local authority guidelines, we may deem it advisable to similarly alter, postpone or cancel entirely additional customer, employee or industry events in the future. All of these changes may disrupt the way we operate our business. In addition, our management team has, and will likely continue, to spend significant time, attention and resources monitoring the pandemic and seeking to minimize the risk of the virus and manage its effects on our business and workforce.
Although our company has been in existence for less than two years, our wholly owned operating subsidiary, HeartCore Co. operated throughout the pandemic and continues to operate after the pandemic. HeartCore Co.’s business is affected by a variety of external factors related to the pandemic and post-pandemic that are beyond our control. For existing customers, the pandemic had no impact on the use of our software; for new customers in the travel, hotel, airline, rail, and food service industries in the CX division, the pandemic resulted in a decrease in new orders. However, although the pandemic is coming to an end, it will take some time before the economy is fully normalized. This results in even lower sales in 2022 than in 2021. Regarding the impact of the pandemic on the DX sector, demand for our DX software increased as large companies were forced to change their work patterns, forcing employees to work remotely. In 2022, after the pandemic, a number of employees left the company, forcing the company to downsize its operations and resulted in a decline in sales. During 2022, we started the GO IPO business, which supports Japanese companies to list on Nasdaq and NYSE in the US. As of April 7, 2023, we have entered into consulting agreements with ten companies to assist them in their IPO process, whereby we are entitled to receive from each company a consulting fee ranges from $350,000 to US$900,000 consulting fees and warrants or Japanese acquisition rights to purchase one to four percent of the fully-diluted share capital of such companies that is exercisable on certain dates at an exercise price of $0.01 per share. The sales in the GO IPO business helped to offset the decline in sales in the CX and DX divisions.
The duration and extent of the impact from the pandemic depends on future developments that cannot be accurately predicted at this time, such as the severity and transmission rate of the virus, the extent and effectiveness of containment actions and the disruption caused by such actions, the effectiveness of vaccines and other treatments for COVID-19, and the impact of these and other factors on our employees, customers, partners and vendors. If we are not able to respond to and manage the impact of such events effectively, our business will be harmed.
To the extent the pandemic adversely affects our business and financial results, it may also have the effect of heightening many of the other risks described in the “Risk Factors” section, including, in particular, risks related to our dependence on customer renewals, the addition of new customers and increased revenue from existing customer, risks that our operating results could be negatively affected by changes in the sizes or types of businesses that purchase our platform and the risk that weakened global economic conditions may harm our industry, business and results of operations.
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Corporate Information
We were incorporated in the State of Delaware on May 18, 2021 and are currently in good standing in the State of Delaware. On February 10, 2022, our shares of Common Stock began trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol, “HTCR.” Our principal executive offices are located at 1-2-33, Higashigotanda, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, Japan, and our telephone number is +81-3-6409-6966. Our website address is www.heartcore.co.jp. The information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus, and you should not consider any information contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website as part of this prospectus or in deciding whether to purchase our common shares.
Our business is influenced by many factors that are difficult to predict and that involve uncertainties that may materially affect operating results, cash flows, and financial condition. Before making an investment decision, you should carefully consider these risks, including those set forth in the “Risk Factors” section of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC, which is incorporated by reference into this prospectus. You should also carefully consider any other information we include or incorporate by reference in this prospectus or include in any applicable prospectus supplement. Each of the risks described in these sections and documents could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects, and could result in a partial or complete loss of your investment.
Except as otherwise stated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities covered by this prospectus for general corporate purposes, which may include, but are not limited to, working capital, acquisitions, and other business opportunities. The precise amount, use and timing of the application of such proceeds will depend upon our funding requirements and the availability and cost of other capital. Additional information on the use of net proceeds from an offering of securities covered by this prospectus may be set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to the specific offering.
RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
Any time debt securities are offered pursuant to this prospectus, we will provide a table setting forth our ratio of earnings to fixed charges on a historical basis in the applicable prospectus supplement, if required.
The descriptions of the securities contained in this prospectus, together with any applicable prospectus supplement, summarize all the material terms and provisions of the various types of securities that we may offer. We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to a particular offering the specific terms of the securities offered by that prospectus supplement. We will indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement if the terms of the securities differ from the terms we have summarized below. We will also include in the prospectus supplement information, where applicable, material United States federal income tax considerations relating to the securities
We may sell from time to time, in one or more offerings:
| ● | shares of our common stock; | |
| ● | shares of our preferred stock; | |
| ● | debt securities consisting of senior notes, subordinated notes or debentures; | |
| ● | warrants to purchase shares of our common stock, shares of our preferred stock and/or debt securities; |
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| ● | rights to purchase shares of our common stock, preferred stock, warrants and/or debt securities; | |
| ● | units consisting of a combination of the foregoing securities. |
The following descriptions of common and preferred stock, together with the additional information we include in any applicable prospectus supplement, summarizes the material terms and provisions of the common stock and preferred stock that we may offer under this prospectus but is not intended to be complete. For the full terms of our common and preferred stock, please refer to our certificate of incorporation, as amended from time to time, and our bylaws, as amended from time to time. The Delaware General Corporation Law (“DGCL”) may also affect the terms of these securities. While the terms we have summarized below will apply generally to any future common or preferred stock that we may offer, we will describe the specific terms of any series of these securities in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement. If we so indicate in a prospectus supplement, the terms of any common or preferred stock we offer under that prospectus supplement may differ from the terms of our outstanding capital stock that we describe below.
As of April 7, 2023, our authorized capital stock consists of 220,000,000 shares of capital stock with a par value of $0.0001 per share, consisting of 200,000,000 shares of common stock, par value of $0.0001 per share, and 20,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value of $0.0001 per share, which may, at the sole discretion of the Board of Directors be issued in one or more series. As of April 7, 2023, there were 20,842,690 shares of common stock issued and outstanding, held by 52 holders of record. No shares of preferred stock were issued or outstanding as of April 7, 2023. The authorized and unissued shares of both common stock and preferred stock are available for issuance without further action by our stockholders, unless such action is required by applicable law or the rules of any stock exchange on which our securities may be listed. Unless approval of our stockholders is so required, our board of directors will not seek stockholder approval for the issuance and sale of either our common stock or preferred stock.
The Board may from time to time authorize by resolution the issuance of any or all shares of the Preferred Stock authorized in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in the certificate of incorporation for such purposes, in such amounts, to such persons, corporations, or entities, for such consideration and in one or more series, all as the Board in its discretion may determine and without any vote or other action by the stockholders, except as otherwise required by law.
Common Stock
Holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote for each share on all matters submitted to a stockholder vote. Holders of common stock do not have cumulative voting rights. Therefore, holders of a majority of the shares of common stock voting for the election of directors can elect all of the directors. Holders of our common stock representing a majority of the voting power of our capital stock issued, outstanding and entitled to vote, represented in person or by proxy, are necessary to constitute a quorum at any meeting of stockholders.
Holders of our common stock are entitled to share in all dividends that our Board of Directors, in its discretion, declares from legally available funds. In the event of a liquidation, dissolution or winding up, each outstanding share entitles its holder to participate pro rata in all assets that remain after payment of liabilities and after providing for each class of stock, if any, having preference over the common stock. Our common stock has no pre-emptive rights, no conversion rights and there are no redemption provisions applicable to our common stock.
Preferred Stock
The total number of authorized shares of Preferred Stock shall be twenty million (20,000,000) shares with par value of $0.0001 per share. The powers, preferences, rights, qualifications, limitations and restrictions pertaining to the Preferred Stock, or any series thereof, shall be such as may be fixed, from time to time, by the Board in its sole discretion, authority to do so being hereby expressly vested in the Board. As of the date hereof there are no classes of Preferred Stock designated, authorized, issued or outstanding. The authority of the Board with respect to each such series of Preferred Stock will include, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the determination of any or all of the following:
| (i) | The number of shares of any series and the designation to distinguish the shares of such series from the shares of all other series; |
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| (ii) | the voting powers, if any, of the shares of such series and whether such voting powers are full or limited; | |
| (iii) | the redemption provisions, if any, applicable to such series, including the redemption price or prices to be paid; | |
| (iv) | whether dividends, if any, will be cumulative or noncumulative, the dividend rate or rates of such series and the dates and preferences of dividends on such series; | |
| (v) | the rights of such series upon the voluntary or involuntary dissolution of, or upon any distribution of the assets of, the Corporation; | |
| (vi) | the provisions, if any, pursuant to which the shares of such series are convertible into, or exchangeable for, shares of any other class or classes or of any other series of the same or any other class or classes of stock, or any other security, of the Corporation or any other corporation or other entity, and the rates or other determinants of conversion or exchange applicable thereto; | |
| (vii) | the right, if any, to subscribe for or to purchase any securities of the Corporation or any other corporation or other entity; | |
| (viii) | the provisions, if any, of a sinking fund applicable to such series; and | |
| (ix) | any other relative, participating, optional or other powers, preferences or rights, and any qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, of such series. |
Options to Purchase Common Stock
On August 6, 2021, the Board of Directors and stockholders of our company approved the 2021 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2021 Plan”), under which 2,400,000 of common shares are authorized for issuance. As of April 7, 2023, there were 6,330 shares available for award under the 2021 Plan.
Anti-Takeover Effects of Certain Provisions of Our Certificate of Incorporation, as Amended, and Our Bylaws
Provisions of our certificate of incorporation and our bylaws could make it more difficult to acquire us by means of a merger, tender offer, proxy contest, open market purchases, removal of incumbent directors and otherwise. These provisions, which are summarized below, are expected to discourage types of coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids and to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of us to first negotiate with us. We believe that the benefits of increased protection of our potential ability to negotiate with the proponent of an unfriendly or unsolicited proposal to acquire or restructure us outweigh the disadvantages of discouraging takeover or acquisition proposals because negotiation of these proposals could result in an improvement of their terms.
Removal of Directors. Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws provide that directors may be removed prior to the expiration of their terms by the affirmative vote of the holders of not less than two-thirds (2/3) of the voting power of the issued and outstanding stock entitled to vote.
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Vacancies. Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws provide the exclusive right of our board of directors to elect a director to fill a vacancy created by the expansion of the Board of Directors or the resignation, death, or removal of a director, which prevents stockholders from being able to fill vacancies on our board of directors.
Preferred Stock. Our certificate of incorporation authorizes the issuance of up to 20,000,000 shares of preferred stock with such rights and preferences as may be determined from time to time by our Board of Directors in their sole discretion. Our Board of Directors may, without stockholder approval, issue series of preferred stock with dividends, liquidation, conversion, voting or other rights that could adversely affect the voting power or other rights of the holders of our common stock.
Amendment of Bylaws. The certificate of incorporation and bylaws provide that the bylaws may be altered, amended or repealed by the Board of Directors by an affirmative vote of a majority of the Board of Directors at any regular meeting of the Board of Directors.
Limitation of Liability. The certificate of incorporation provides for the limitation of liability of, and providing indemnification to, our directors and officers.
Special Stockholders Meeting. The certificate of incorporation provides that a special meeting of the stockholders may only be called by a majority of the board of directors.
Nominations of Directors. The bylaws provide for advance notice procedures that stockholders must comply with in order to nominate candidates to our Board of Directors or to propose matters to be acted upon at a stockholders’ meeting, which may discourage or deter a potential acquirer from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect the acquirer’s own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to obtain control of our company.
Transfer Agent
The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is Transhare Corporation. The transfer agent and registrar’s address is Bayside Center 1, 17755 US Highway 19 N, Suite 140, Clearwater, Florida 33764 and its telephone number is (303) 662-1112.
DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES
The following description, together with the additional information we include in any applicable prospectus supplement, summarizes the material terms and provisions of the debt securities that we may offer under this prospectus. While the terms we have summarized below will generally apply to any future debt securities we may offer under this prospectus, we will describe the particular terms of any debt securities that we may offer in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement. The terms of any debt securities we offer under a prospectus supplement may differ from the terms we describe below. As of the date of this prospectus, we have no outstanding registered debt securities.
The debt securities will be our direct unsecured general obligations. The debt securities will be either senior debt securities or subordinated debt securities. If not required to be issued under an indenture pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, the debt securities may be issued without an indenture. Otherwise, if required to be issued under an indenture pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, the debt securities will be issued under one or more separate indentures the forms of which are filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. More specifically, we will issue senior debt under a senior indenture, which we will enter into with the trustee to be named in the senior indenture, and we will issue subordinated debt under a subordinated indenture, which we will enter into with the trustee to be named in the subordinated indenture. We use the term “indentures” to refer to both the senior indenture and the subordinated indenture.
The indentures will be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939. References to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 include all amendments thereto. We use the term “debenture trustee” to refer to either the senior trustee or the subordinated trustee, as applicable.
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The following summaries of material provisions of the senior debt, the subordinated debt and the indentures are subject to, and qualified in their entirety by reference to, all the provisions of the indenture applicable to a particular series of debt securities, and all supplements thereto. We urge you to read the applicable prospectus supplement(s) related to the debt securities that we sell under this prospectus, as well as the complete indentures that contain the terms of the debt securities. Except as we may otherwise indicate, the terms of the senior and the subordinated indentures are identical.
General
The terms of each series of debt securities will be established by or pursuant to a resolution of our board of directors and set forth or determined in the manner provided in an officers’ certificate or by a supplemental indenture. Debt securities may be issued in separate series without limitation as to aggregate principal amount. We may specify a maximum aggregate principal amount for the debt securities of any series.
In addition, the particular terms of each series of debt securities will be described in a prospectus supplement relating to such series, including any pricing supplement. The prospectus supplement will set forth, among other things:
| ● | the title; | |
| ● | the principal amount being offered, and, if a series, the total amount authorized and the total amount outstanding; | |
| ● | any limit on the amount that may be issued; | |
| ● | whether or not we will issue the series of debt securities in global form and, if so, the terms and who the depositary will be; | |
| ● | the maturity date; | |
| ● | whether and under what circumstances, if any, we will pay additional amounts on any debt securities held by a person who is not a U.S. person for tax purposes, and whether we can redeem the debt securities if we have to pay such additional amounts; | |
| ● | the annual interest rate, which may be fixed or variable, or the method for determining the rate, the date interest will begin to accrue, the dates interest will be payable and the regular record dates for interest payment dates or the method for determining such dates; | |
| ● | the terms of the subordination of any series of subordinated debt, if applicable; | |
| ● | the place where payments will be payable; | |
| ● | restrictions on transfer, sale or other assignment, if any; | |
| ● | our right, if any, to defer payment of interest and the maximum length of any such deferral period; | |
| ● | the date, if any, after which, the conditions upon which, and the price at which we may, at our option, redeem the series of debt securities pursuant to any optional or provisional redemption provisions, and any other applicable terms of those redemption provisions; | |
| ● | whether the indenture will restrict our ability and/or the ability of our subsidiaries to, among other things; | |
| ● | incur additional indebtedness; | |
| ● | issue additional securities; | |
| ● | create liens; |
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| ● | pay dividends and make distributions in respect of our capital stock and the capital stock of our subsidiaries; | |
| ● | redeem capital stock; | |
| ● | place restrictions on our subsidiaries’ ability to pay dividends, make distributions or transfer assets; | |
| ● | make investments or other restricted payments, sell or otherwise dispose of assets; | |
| ● | enter into sale-leaseback transactions; | |
| ● | engage in transactions with stockholders and affiliates, issue or sell stock of our subsidiaries; or | |
| ● | effect a consolidation or merger; | |
| ● | whether the indenture will require us to maintain any interest coverage, fixed charge, cash flow-based, asset-based or other financial ratios; | |
| ● | information describing any book-entry features; | |
| ● | provisions for a sinking fund purchase or other analogous fund, if any; | |
| ● | whether the debt securities are to be offered at a price such that they will be deemed to be offered at an “original issue discount” as defined in paragraph (a) of Section 1273 of the Internal Revenue Code; | |
| ● | the procedures for any auction and remarketing, if any; the denominations in which we will issue the series of debt securities, if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof; if other than dollars, the currency in which the series of debt securities will be denominated; | |
| ● | and any other specific terms, preferences, rights or limitations of, or restrictions on, the debt securities, including any events of default that are in addition to those described in this prospectus or any covenants provided with respect to the debt securities that are in addition to those described above, and any terms that may be required by us or advisable under applicable laws or regulations or advisable in connection with the marketing of the debt securities. |
Conversion or Exchange Rights
We will set forth in the prospectus supplement the terms on which a series of debt securities may be convertible into or exchangeable for common stock or other securities of ours or a third party, including the conversion or exchange rate, as applicable, or how it will be calculated, and the applicable conversion or exchange period. We will include provisions as to whether conversion or exchange is mandatory, at the option of the holder or at our option. We may include provisions pursuant to which the number of our securities or the securities of a third party that the holders of the series of debt securities receive upon conversion or exchange would, under the circumstances described in those provisions, be subject to adjustment, or pursuant to which those holders would, under those circumstances, receive other property upon conversion or exchange, for example in the event of our merger or consolidation with another entity.
Consolidation, Merger or Sale
The indentures in the forms filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part do not contain any covenant that restricts our ability to merge or consolidate, or sell, convey, transfer or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our assets. However, any successor of ours or the acquirer of such assets must assume all of our obligations under the indentures and the debt securities.
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If the debt securities are convertible for our other securities, the person with whom we consolidate or merge or to whom we sell all of our property must make provisions for the conversion of the debt securities into securities that the holders of the debt securities would have received if they had converted the debt securities before the consolidation, merger or sale.
Events of Default under the Indenture
The following are events of default under the indentures in the forms initially filed as exhibits to the registration statement with respect to any series of debt securities that we may issue:
| ● | if we fail to pay interest when due and payable and our failure continues for 90 days and the time for payment has not been extended or deferred; | |
| ● | if we fail to pay the principal, sinking fund payment or premium, if any, when due and payable and the time for payment has not been extended or delayed; | |
| ● | if we fail to observe or perform any other covenant contained in the debt securities or the indentures, other than a covenant specifically relating to another series of debt securities, and our failure continues for 90 days after we receive notice from the debenture trustee or holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the applicable series; and | |
| ● | if specified events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization occur. |
If an event of default with respect to debt securities of any series occurs and is continuing, other than an event of default specified in the last bullet point above, the debenture trustee or the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series, by notice to us in writing, and to the debenture trustee if notice is given by such holders, may declare the unpaid principal of, premium, if any, and accrued interest, if any, due and payable immediately. If an event of default specified in the last bullet point above occurs with respect to us, the principal amount of and accrued interest, if any, of each issue of debt securities then outstanding shall be due and payable without any notice or other action on the part of the debenture trustee or any holder.
The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of an affected series may waive any default or event of default with respect to the series and its consequences, except defaults or events of default regarding payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest, unless we have cured the default or event of default in accordance with the indenture. Any waiver shall cure the default or event of default.
Subject to the terms of the indentures, if an event of default under an indenture shall occur and be continuing, the debenture trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under such indenture at the request or direction of any of the holders of the applicable series of debt securities, unless such holders have offered the debenture trustee reasonable indemnity. The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series will have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the debenture trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the debenture trustee, with respect to the debt securities of that series, provided that:
| ● | the direction so given by the holder is not in conflict with any law or the applicable indenture; and | |
| ● | subject to its duties under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, the debenture trustee need not take any action that might involve it in personal liability or might be unduly prejudicial to the holders not involved in the proceeding. |
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A holder of the debt securities of any series will only have the right to institute a proceeding under the indentures or to appoint a receiver or trustee, or to seek other remedies if:
| ● | the holder has given written notice to the debenture trustee of a continuing event of default with respect to that series; | |
| ● | the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series have made written request, and such holders have offered reasonable indemnity, to the debenture trustee to institute the proceeding as trustee; and | |
| ● | the debenture trustee does not institute the proceeding and does not receive from the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series other conflicting directions within 90 days after the notice, request and offer. |
These limitations do not apply to a suit instituted by a holder of debt securities if we default in the payment of the principal, premium, if any, or interest on, the debt securities.
We will periodically file statements with the debenture trustee regarding our compliance with specified covenants in the indentures.
Modification of Indenture; Waiver
We and the debenture trustee may change an indenture without the consent of any holders with respect to specific matters, including:
| ● | to fix any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency in the indenture; | |
| ● | to comply with the provisions described above under “-Consolidation, Merger or Sale”; | |
| ● | to comply with any requirements of the SEC in connection with the qualification of any indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939; | |
| ● | to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment by a successor trustee; | |
| ● | to provide for uncertificated debt securities and to make all appropriate changes for such purpose; | |
| ● | to add to, delete from, or revise the conditions, limitations and restrictions on the authorized amount, terms or purposes of issuance, authorization and delivery of debt securities or any series, as set forth in the indenture; | |
| ● | to provide for the issuance of and establish the form and terms and conditions of the debt securities of any series as provided under “-General” to establish the form of any certifications required to be furnished pursuant to the terms of the indenture or any series of debt securities, or to add to the rights of the holders of any series of debt securities; | |
| ● | to add to our covenants such new covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions for the protection of the holders, to make the occurrence, or the occurrence and the continuance, of a default in any such additional covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions an event of default, or to surrender any of our rights or powers under the indenture; or | |
| ● | to change anything that does not materially adversely affect the interests of any holder of debt securities of any series. |
In addition, under the indentures, the rights of holders of a series of debt securities may be changed by us and the debenture trustee with the written consent of the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of each series that is affected. However, we and the debenture trustee may only make the following changes with the consent of each holder of any outstanding debt securities affected:
| ● | extending the fixed maturity of the series of debt securities; |
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| ● | reducing the principal amount, reducing the rate of or extending the time of payment of interest, or reducing any premium payable upon the redemption of any debt securities; or | |
| ● | reducing the percentage of debt securities, the holders of which are required to consent to any amendment, supplement, modification or waiver. |
Discharge
Each indenture provides that we can elect to be discharged from our obligations with respect to one or more series of debt securities, except that the following obligations, among others, survive until the maturity date or the redemption date:
| ● | register the transfer or exchange of debt securities of the series; | |
| ● | replace stolen, lost or mutilated debt securities of the series; | |
| ● | maintain paying agencies; | |
| ● | hold monies for payment in trust; and | |
| ● | appoint any successor trustee. |
and the following obligations survive the maturity date or the redemption date:
| ● | recover excess money held by the debenture trustee; and | |
| ● | compensate and indemnify the debenture trustee. |
As more fully set forth in the indentures, in order to exercise our rights to be discharged, we must either deliver for cancellation all securities of a series to the debenture trustee or must deposit with the debenture trustee money or government obligations sufficient to pay all the principal of, any premium, if any, and interest on, the debt securities of the series on the dates payments are due.
Form, Exchange and Transfer
We will issue the debt securities of each series only in fully registered form without coupons and, unless we otherwise specify in the applicable prospectus supplement, in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof. The indentures provide that we may issue debt securities of a series in temporary or permanent global form and as book-entry securities that will be deposited with, or on behalf of, The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York, known as DTC, or another depositary named by us and identified in a prospectus supplement with respect to that series. See “Legal Ownership of Securities” for a further description of the terms relating to any book-entry securities.
At the option of the holder, subject to the terms of the indentures and the limitations applicable to global securities described in the applicable prospectus supplement, the holder of the debt securities of any series can exchange the debt securities for other debt securities of the same series, in any authorized denomination and of like tenor and aggregate principal amount.
Subject to the terms of the indentures and the limitations applicable to global securities set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement, holders of the debt securities may present the debt securities for exchange or for registration of transfer, duly endorsed or with the form of transfer endorsed thereon duly executed if so required by us or the security registrar, at the office of the security registrar or at the office of any transfer agent designated by us for this purpose. Unless otherwise provided in the debt securities that the holder presents for transfer or exchange, we will make no service charge for any registration of transfer or exchange, but we may require payment of any taxes or other governmental charges.
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We will name in a board resolution the security registrar, and any transfer agent in addition to the security registrar, that we initially designate for any debt securities. We may at any time designate additional transfer agents or rescind the designation of any transfer agent or approve a change in the office through which any transfer agent acts, except that we will be required to maintain a transfer agent in each place of payment for the debt securities of each series.
If we elect to redeem the debt securities of any series, we will not be required to:
| ● | issue, register the transfer of, or exchange any debt securities of any series being redeemed in part during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of mailing of a notice of redemption of any debt securities that may be selected for redemption and ending at the close of business on the day of the mailing; and | |
| ● | register the transfer of or exchange any debt securities so selected for redemption, in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any debt securities we are redeeming in part. |
Information Concerning the Debenture Trustee
The debenture trustee, other than during the occurrence and continuance of an event of default under an indenture, undertakes to perform only those duties as are specifically set forth in the applicable indenture. Upon an event of default under an indenture, the debenture trustee must use the same degree of care as a prudent person would exercise or use in the conduct of his or her own affairs. Subject to this provision, the debenture trustee is under no obligation to exercise any of the powers given it by the indentures at the request of any holder of debt securities unless it is offered reasonable security and indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities that it might incur.
Payment and Paying Agents
Unless we otherwise indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will make payment of the interest on any debt securities on any interest payment date to the person in whose name the debt securities, or one or more predecessor securities, are registered at the close of business on the regular record date for the interest.
We will name in the applicable board resolution any other paying agents that we initially designate for the debt securities of a particular series. We will maintain a paying agent in each place of payment for the debt securities of a particular series.
All money we pay to a paying agent or the debenture trustee for the payment of the principal of or any premium or interest on any debt securities that remains unclaimed at the end of two years after such principal, premium or interest has become due and payable will be repaid to us, and the holder of the debt security thereafter may look only to us for payment thereof.
Governing Law
The indentures and the debt securities will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, except to the extent that the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 is applicable.
Subordination of Subordinated Debt Securities
The subordinated debt securities will be subordinate and junior in priority of payment to certain of our other indebtedness to the extent described in a prospectus supplement. The indentures in the forms initially filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement of which this prospectus is a part do not limit the amount of indebtedness that we may incur, including senior indebtedness or subordinated indebtedness, and do not limit us from issuing any other debt, including secured debt or unsecured debt.
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The following description, together with the additional information we may include in any applicable prospectus supplement, summarizes the material terms and provisions of the warrants that we may offer under this prospectus and any related warrant agreement and warrant certificate. While the terms summarized below will apply generally to any warrants that we may offer, we will describe the specific terms of any series of warrants in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement. If we indicate in the prospectus supplement, the terms of any warrants offered under that prospectus supplement may differ from the terms described below. Specific warrant agreements will contain additional important terms and provisions.
General
We may issue warrants for the purchase of common stock, preferred stock and/or debt securities in one or more series. We may issue warrants independently or together with common stock and/or debt securities, and the warrants may be attached to or separate from these securities.
We will evidence each series of warrants by warrant certificates that we may issue under a separate agreement. We may enter into a warrant agreement with a warrant agent. Each warrant agent may be a bank that we select which has its principal office in the United States. We may also choose to act as our own warrant agent. We will indicate the name and address of any such warrant agent in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to a particular series of warrants.
We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement the terms of the series of warrants, including:
| ● | the offering price and aggregate number of warrants offered; | |
| ● | if applicable, the designation and terms of the securities with which the warrants are issued and the number of warrants issued with each such security or each principal amount of such security; | |
| ● | if applicable, the date on and after which the warrants and the related securities will be separately transferable; | |
| ● | in the case of warrants to purchase debt securities, the principal amount of debt securities purchasable upon exercise of one warrant and the price at, and currency in which, this principal amount of debt securities may be purchased upon such exercise; | |
| ● | in the case of warrants to purchase common stock, the number or amount of shares of common stock, purchasable upon the exercise of one warrant and the price at which and currency in which these shares may be purchased upon such exercise; | |
| ● | the manner of exercise of the warrants, including any cashless exercise rights; | |
| ● | the warrant agreement under which the warrants will be issued; | |
| ● | the effect of any merger, consolidation, sale or other disposition of our business on the warrant agreement and the warrants; anti-dilution provisions of the warrants, if any; | |
| ● | the terms of any rights to redeem or call the warrants; | |
| ● | any provisions for changes to or adjustments in the exercise price or number of securities issuable upon exercise of the warrants; |
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| ● | the dates on which the right to exercise the warrants will commence and expire or, if the warrants are not continuously exercisable during that period, the specific date or dates on which the warrants will be exercisable; | |
| ● | the manner in which the warrant agreement and warrants may be modified; | |
| ● | the identities of the warrant agent and any calculation or other agent for the warrants; | |
| ● | federal income tax consequences of holding or exercising the warrants; | |
| ● | the terms of the securities issuable upon exercise of the warrants; | |
| ● | any securities exchange or quotation system on which the warrants or any securities deliverable upon exercise of the warrants may be listed or quoted; and | |
| ● | any other specific terms, preferences, rights or limitations of or restrictions on the warrants. |
Before exercising their warrants, holders of warrants will not have any of the rights of holders of the securities purchasable upon such exercise, including:
| ● | in the case of warrants to purchase debt securities, the right to receive payments of principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on, the debt securities purchasable upon exercise or to enforce covenants in the applicable indenture; or | |
| ● | in the case of warrants to purchase common stock, the right to receive dividends, if any, or, payments upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up or to exercise voting rights, if any. |
Exercise of Warrants
Each warrant will entitle the holder to purchase the securities that we specify in the applicable prospectus supplement at the exercise price that we describe in the applicable prospectus supplement. Unless we otherwise specify in the applicable prospectus supplement, holders of the warrants may exercise the warrants at any time up to 5:00 P.M. Eastern Time on the expiration date that we set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the expiration date, unexercised warrants will become void.
Holders of the warrants may exercise the warrants by delivering the warrant certificate representing the warrants to be exercised together with specified information, and paying the required exercise price by the methods provided in the applicable prospectus supplement. We will set forth on the reverse side of the warrant certificate, and in the applicable prospectus supplement, the information that the holder of the warrant will be required to deliver to the warrant agent.
Upon receipt of the required payment and the warrant certificate properly completed and duly executed at the corporate trust office of the warrant agent or any other office indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will issue and deliver the securities purchasable upon such exercise. If fewer than all of the warrants represented by the warrant certificate are exercised, then we will issue a new warrant certificate for the remaining amount of warrants.
Enforceability of Rights by Holders of Warrants
Any warrant agent will act solely as our agent under the applicable warrant agreement and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust with any holder of any warrant. A single bank or trust company may act as warrant agent for more than one issue of warrants. A warrant agent will have no duty or responsibility in case of any default by us under the applicable warrant agreement or warrant, including any duty or responsibility to initiate any proceedings at law or otherwise, or to make any demand upon us. Any holder of a warrant may, without the consent of the related warrant agent or the holder of any other warrant, enforce by appropriate legal action the holder’s right to exercise, and receive the securities purchasable upon exercise of, its warrants in accordance with their terms.
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Warrant Agreement Will Not Be Qualified Under Trust Indenture Act
No warrant agreement will be qualified as an indenture, and no warrant agent will be required to qualify as a trustee, under the Trust Indenture Act. Therefore, holders of warrants issued under a warrant agreement will not have the protection of the Trust Indenture Act with respect to their warrants.
Governing Law
Each warrant agreement and any warrants issued under the warrant agreements will be governed by New York law.
Calculation Agent
Any calculations relating to warrants may be made by a calculation agent, an institution that we appoint as our agent for this purpose. The prospectus supplement for a particular warrant will name the institution that we have appointed to act as the calculation agent for that warrant as of the original issue date for that warrant, if any. We may appoint a different institution to serve as calculation agent from time to time after the original issue date without the consent or notification of the holders. The calculation agent’s determination of any amount of money payable or securities deliverable with respect to a warrant will be final and binding in the absence of manifest error.
We may issue rights to purchase debt securities, preferred stock, common stock or warrants. These rights may be issued independently or together with any other security offered hereby and may or may not be transferable by the shareholder receiving the rights in such offering. The applicable prospectus supplement may add, update or change the terms and conditions of the rights as described in this prospectus.
The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the specific terms of any offering of rights for which this prospectus is being delivered, including the following:
| ● | the price, if any, per right; | |
| ● | the exercise price payable for debt securities, preferred stock, common stock, or warrants upon the exercise of the rights; | |
| ● | the number of rights issued or to be issued to each shareholder; | |
| ● | the number and terms of debt securities, preferred stock, common stock, or warrants which may be purchased per right; | |
| ● | the extent to which the rights are transferable; | |
| ● | any other terms of the rights, including the terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of the rights; | |
| ● | the date on which the holder’s ability to exercise the rights shall commence, and the date on which the rights shall expire; | |
| ● | the extent to which the rights may include an over-subscription privilege with respect to unsubscribed securities; and | |
| ● | if applicable, the material terms of any standby underwriting or purchase arrangement entered into by us in connection with the offering of such rights. |
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Holders may exercise rights as described in the applicable prospectus supplement. Upon receipt of payment and the rights certificate properly completed and duly executed at the corporate trust office of the rights agent or any other office indicated in the prospectus supplement, we will, as soon as practicable, forward the applicable securities purchased upon exercise of the rights. If less than all of the rights issued in any rights offering are exercised, we may offer any unsubscribed securities directly to persons other than shareholders, to or through agents, underwriters or dealers or through a combination of such methods, including pursuant to standby arrangements with one or more underwriters or other purchasers, pursuant to which the underwriters or other purchasers may be required to purchase any securities remaining unsubscribed for after such offering, as described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
The description in the applicable prospectus supplement of any rights that we may offer will not necessarily be complete and will be qualified in its entirety by reference to the applicable rights certificate, which will be filed with the SEC.
As specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, we may issue units consisting of one or more warrants, rights, debt securities, shares of preferred stock, shares of common stock or any combination of such securities. The applicable supplement will describe:
| ● | the terms of the units and of the warrants, rights, debt securities, preferred stock and common stock comprising the units, including whether and under what circumstances the securities comprising the units may be traded separately; | |
| ● | a description of the terms of any unit agreement governing the units; and | |
| ● | a description of the provisions for the payment, settlement, transfer or exchange of the units. |
Each debt security, warrant, right and unit will be represented either by a certificate issued in definitive form to a particular investor or by one or more global securities representing the entire issuance of securities. Certificated securities in definitive form and global securities will be issued in registered form. Definitive securities name you or your nominee as the owner of the security, and in order to transfer or exchange these securities or to receive payments other than interest or other interim payments, you or your nominee must physically deliver the securities to the trustee, registrar, paying agent or other agent, as applicable. Global securities name a depositary or its nominee as the owner of the debt securities, warrants or units represented by these global securities. The depositary maintains a computerized system that will reflect each investor’s beneficial ownership of the securities through an account maintained by the investor with its broker/dealer, bank, trust company or other representative, as we explain more fully below.
Registered Global Securities
We may issue the registered debt securities, warrants, rights and units in the form of one or more fully registered global securities that will be deposited with a depositary or its nominee identified in the applicable prospectus supplement and registered in the name of that depositary or nominee. In those cases, one or more registered global securities will be issued in a denomination or aggregate denominations equal to the portion of the aggregate principal or face amount of the securities to be represented by registered global securities. Unless and until it is exchanged in whole for securities in definitive registered form, a registered global security may not be transferred except as a whole by and among the depositary for the registered global security, the nominees of the depositary or any successors of the depositary or those nominees.
If not described below, any specific terms of the depositary arrangement with respect to any securities to be represented by a registered global security will be described in the prospectus supplement relating to those securities. We anticipate that the following provisions will apply to all depositary arrangements.
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Ownership of beneficial interests in a registered global security will be limited to persons, called participants, that have accounts with the depositary or persons that may hold interests through participants. Upon the issuance of a registered global security, the depositary will credit, on its book-entry registration and transfer system, the participants’ accounts with the respective principal or face amounts of the securities beneficially owned by the participants. Any dealers, underwriters or agents participating in the distribution of the securities will designate the accounts to be credited. Ownership of beneficial interests in a registered global security will be shown on, and the transfer of ownership interests will be effected only through, records maintained by the depositary, with respect to interests of participants, and on the records of participants, with respect to interests of persons holding through participants. The laws of some states may require that some purchasers of securities take physical delivery of these securities in definitive form. These laws may impair your ability to own, transfer or pledge beneficial interests in registered global securities.
So long as the depositary, or its nominee, is the registered owner of a registered global security, that depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, will be considered the sole owner or holder of the securities represented by the registered global security for all purposes under the applicable indenture, warrant agreement or unit agreement. Except as described below, owners of beneficial interests in a registered global security will not be entitled to have the securities represented by the registered global security registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of the securities in definitive form and will not be considered the owners or holders of the securities under the applicable indenture, warrant agreement, rights agreement or unit agreement. Accordingly, each person owning a beneficial interest in a registered global security must rely on the procedures of the depositary for that registered global security and, if that person is not a participant, on the procedures of the participant through which the person owns its interest, to exercise any rights of a holder under the applicable indenture, warrant agreement, rights agreement or unit agreement. We understand that under existing industry practices, if we request any action of holders or if an owner of a beneficial interest in a registered global security desires to give or take any action that a holder is entitled to give or take under the applicable indenture, warrant agreement, rights agreement or unit agreement, the depositary for the registered global security would authorize the participants holding the relevant beneficial interests to give or take that action, and the participants would authorize beneficial owners owning through them to give or take that action or would otherwise act upon the instructions of beneficial owners holding through them.
Principal, premium, if any, and interest payments on debt securities, and any payments to holders with respect to warrants, rights or units, represented by a registered global security registered in the name of a depositary or its nominee will be made to the depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered owner of the registered global security. None of the company, the trustees, the warrant agents, the rights agents, the unit agents or any other agent of the company, agent of the trustees or agent of the warrant agents, rights agents or unit agents will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in the registered global security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to those beneficial ownership interests.
We expect that the depositary for any of the securities represented by a registered global security, upon receipt of any payment of principal, premium, interest or other distribution of underlying securities or other property to holders on that registered global security, will immediately credit participants’ accounts in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in that registered global security as shown on the records of the depositary. We also expect that payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in a registered global security held through participants will be governed by standing customer instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with the securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in “street name,” and will be the responsibility of those participants.
If the depositary for any of these securities represented by a registered global security is at any time unwilling or unable to continue as depositary or ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, and a successor depositary registered as a clearing agency under the Exchange Act is not appointed by us within 90 days, we will issue securities in definitive form in exchange for the registered global security that had been held by the depositary. Any securities issued in definitive form in exchange for a registered global security will be registered in the name or names that the depositary gives to the relevant trustee, warrant agent, unit agent or other relevant agent of ours or theirs. It is expected that the depositary’s instructions will be based upon directions received by the depositary from participants with respect to ownership of beneficial interests in the registered global security that had been held by the depositary.
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We may sell the securities being offered pursuant to this prospectus to or through underwriters, through dealers, through agents, or directly to one or more purchasers or through a combination of these methods. The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the terms of the offering of the securities, including:
| ● | the name or names of any underwriters, if, and if required, any dealers or agents; |
| ● | the purchase price of the securities and the proceeds we will receive from the sale; | |
| ● | any underwriting discounts and other items constituting underwriters’ compensation; | |
| ● | any discounts or concessions allowed or re-allowed or paid to dealers; and | |
| ● | any securities exchange or market on which the securities may be listed or traded. |
We may distribute the securities from time to time in one or more transactions at:
| ● | a fixed price or prices, which may be changed; | |
| ● | market prices prevailing at the time of sale; | |
| ● | prices related to such prevailing market prices; or | |
| ● | negotiated prices. |
Only underwriters named in the prospectus supplement are underwriters of the securities offered by the prospectus supplement.
If underwriters are used in an offering, we will execute an underwriting agreement with such underwriters and will specify the name of each underwriter and the terms of the transaction (including any underwriting discounts and other terms constituting compensation of the underwriters and any dealers) in a prospectus supplement. The securities may be offered to the public either through underwriting syndicates represented by managing underwriters or directly by one or more investment banking firms or others, as designated. If an underwriting syndicate is used, the managing underwriter(s) will be specified on the cover of the prospectus supplement. If underwriters are used in the sale, the offered securities will be acquired by the underwriters for their own accounts and may be resold from time to time in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. Any public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or re-allowed or paid to dealers may be changed from time to time. Unless otherwise set forth in the prospectus supplement, the obligations of the underwriters to purchase the offered securities will be subject to conditions precedent, and the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all of the offered securities, if any are purchased.
We may grant to the underwriters options to purchase additional securities to cover over-allotments, if any, at the public offering price, with additional underwriting commissions or discounts, as may be set forth in a related prospectus supplement. The terms of any over- allotment option will be set forth in the prospectus supplement for those securities.
If we use a dealer in the sale of the securities being offered pursuant to this prospectus or any prospectus supplement, we will sell the securities to the dealer, as principal. The dealer may then resell the securities to the public at varying prices to be determined by the dealer at the time of resale. The names of the dealers and the terms of the transaction will be specified in a prospectus supplement.
We may sell the securities directly or through agents we designate from time to time. We will name any agent involved in the offering and sale of securities and we will describe any commissions we will pay the agent in the prospectus supplement.
We may authorize agents or underwriters to solicit offers by institutional investors to purchase securities from us at the public offering price set forth in the prospectus supplement pursuant to delayed delivery contracts providing for payment and delivery on a specified date in the future. We will describe the conditions to these contracts and the commissions we must pay for solicitation of these contracts in the prospectus supplement.
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In connection with the sale of the securities, underwriters, dealers or agents may receive compensation from us or from purchasers of the securities for whom they act as agents, in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions. Underwriters may sell the securities to or through dealers, and those dealers may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the underwriters or commissions from the purchasers for whom they may act as agents. Underwriters, dealers and agents that participate in the distribution of the securities, and any institutional investors or others that purchase securities directly for the purpose of resale or distribution, may be deemed to be underwriters, and any discounts or commissions received by them from us and any profit on the resale of the common stock by them may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act. No FINRA member firm may receive compensation in excess of that allowable under FINRA rules, including Rule 5110, in connection with the offering of the securities.
We may provide agents, underwriters and other purchasers with indemnification against particular civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or contribution with respect to payments that the agents, underwriters or other purchasers may make with respect to such liabilities. Agents and underwriters may engage in transactions with, or perform services for, us in the ordinary course of business.
To facilitate the public offering of a series of securities, persons participating in the offering may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain, or otherwise affect the market price of the securities. This may include over-allotments or short sales of the securities, which involves the sale by persons participating in the offering of more securities than have been sold to them by us. In addition, those persons may stabilize or maintain the price of the securities by bidding for or purchasing securities in the open market or by imposing penalty bids, whereby selling concessions allowed to underwriters or dealers participating in any such offering may be reclaimed if securities sold by them are repurchased in connection with stabilization transactions. The effect of these transactions may be to stabilize or maintain the market price of the securities at a level above that which might otherwise prevail in the open market. Such transactions, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time. We make no representation or prediction as to the direction or magnitude of any effect that the transactions described above, if implemented, may have on the price of our securities.
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, any common stock sold pursuant to a prospectus supplement will be eligible for trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market. Any underwriters to whom securities are sold by us for public offering and sale may make a market in the securities, but such underwriters will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice.
In order to comply with the securities laws of some states, if applicable, the securities offered pursuant to this prospectus will be sold in those states only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers. In addition, in some states securities may not be sold unless they have been registered or qualified for sale in the applicable state or an exemption from the registration or qualification requirement is available and complied with.
The validity of the issuance of the securities offered hereby will be passed upon for us by Anthony L.G., PLLC, West Palm Beach, Florida. As appropriate, legal counsel representing the underwriters, dealers or agents will be names in the accompanying prospectus supplement and may opine to certain legal matters.
The consolidated financial statements incorporated in this prospectus by reference to the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of MaloneBailey, LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, and have been given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
LIMITATION ON LIABILITY AND DISCLOSURE OF COMMISSION POSITION ON INDEMNIFICATION FOR SECURITIES ACT LIABILITIES
Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws provide that we will indemnify our directors and officers, and may indemnify our employees and other agents, to the fullest extent permitted by DGCL. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, we have been advised that, in the opinion of the Commission, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.
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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
This prospectus and any subsequent prospectus supplements do not contain all of the information in the registration statement. We have omitted from this prospectus some parts of the registration statement as permitted by the rules and regulations of the SEC. Statements in this prospectus concerning any document we have filed as an exhibit to the registration statement or that we otherwise filed with the SEC are not intended to be comprehensive and are qualified in their entirety by reference to these filings. In addition, we file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. The SEC also maintains a website that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information that we file electronically with the SEC, including us. The SEC’s website can be found at http://www.sec.gov. In addition, we make available on or through our website copies of these reports as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file or furnished them to the SEC. Our website can be found at http://www.heartcore.co.jp. The content contained in, or that can be accessed through, our website is not a part of this prospectus.
INFORMATION INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” in this prospectus certain information we have filed and will file with the SEC, which means that we may disclose important information in this prospectus by referring you to the document that contains the information. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be an integral part of this prospectus, and information that we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below:
| ● | our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 filed with the SEC on March 31, 2023; | |
| ● | our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on January 17, 2023, January 17, 2023, February 6, 2023, March 16, 2023, and March 28, 2023, and our Current Report on Form 8-K/A filed with the SEC on February 10, 2023; | |
| ● | the description of our common stock which is included in our Form 8-A12B filed with the SEC on February 8, 2022, including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating that description; and | |
| ● | all documents filed by us with the SEC pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act on or after the date of this prospectus and before we stop offering the securities covered by this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement. |
Notwithstanding the foregoing, information and documents that we elect to furnish, but not file, or have furnished, but not filed, with the SEC in accordance with SEC rules and regulations is not incorporated into this prospectus and does not constitute a part hereof.
You may access these filings on our website at www.heartcore.co.jp. The information on our website is not incorporated by reference and is not considered part of this prospectus. Also, upon written or oral request, at no cost we will provide to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom a prospectus is delivered, a copy of any or all of the information that has been incorporated by reference in the prospectus but not delivered with the prospectus. Inquiries should be directed to:
HeartCore Enterprises, Inc.
1-2-33, Higashigotanda, Shinagawa-ku
Tokyo, Japan
+81-3-6409-6966
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$100,000,000
HEARTCORE ENTERPRISES, INC.
Common Stock, Preferred Stock, Warrants, Rights
Debt Securities and Units
PROSPECTUS
_____________, 2023
PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.
Set forth below is an estimate (except in the case of the SEC registration fee) of the amount of fees and expenses to be incurred in connection with the issuance and distribution of the offered securities registered hereby, other than underwriting discounts and commission, if any, incurred in connection with the sale of the offered securities. All such amounts will be borne by HeartCore Enterprises, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
| AMOUNT | ||||
| SEC Registration Fee | $ | 11,020 | ||
| FINRA Filing Fees | (1) | |||
| Legal Fees and Expenses | (1) | |||
| Accounting Fees and Expenses | (1) | |||
| Trustees’ Fees and Expenses | (1) | |||
| Warrant Agent Fees and Expenses | (1) | |||
| Printing Expenses | (1) | |||
| Miscellaneous Expenses | (1) | |||
| Total | (1) | |||
| (1) | These fees will be calculated based on the securities offered and the number of issuances and accordingly cannot be estimated at this time. |
Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware provides that a corporation may indemnify directors and officers as well as other employees and individuals against expenses, including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement in connection with specified actions, suits and proceedings whether civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative, other than a derivative action by or in the right of the corporation, if they acted in good faith and in a manner they reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe their conduct was unlawful. A similar standard is applicable in the case of derivative actions, except that indemnification extends only to expenses, including attorneys’ fees, incurred in connection with the defense or settlement of such action and the statute requires court approval before there can be any indemnification where the person seeking indemnification has been found liable to the corporation. The statute provides that it is not exclusive of other indemnification that may be granted by a corporation’s certificate of incorporation, bylaws, disinterested director vote, stockholder vote, agreement or otherwise.
Our certificate of incorporation provides that our officers and directors will be indemnified by us to the fullest extent authorized by Delaware law, as it now exists or may in the future be amended. In addition, our certificate of incorporation provides that our directors will not be personally liable for monetary damages to us for breaches of their fiduciary duty as directors, except to the extent such exemption from liability or limitation thereof is not permitted by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
We intend to enter into separate indemnification agreements with our directors and officers. Each indemnification agreement will provide, among other things, for indemnification to the fullest extent permitted by law and our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and bylaws against any and all expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement of any claim. The indemnification agreements will provide for the advancement or payment of all expenses to the indemnitee and for reimbursement to us if it is found that such indemnitee is not entitled to such indemnification under applicable law and our certificate of incorporation and bylaws.
Our certificate of incorporation also permits us to maintain insurance on behalf of any officer, director or employee for any liability arising out of his or her actions, regardless of whether Delaware law would permit such indemnification. We intend to purchase a policy of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance that insures our officers and directors against the cost of defense, settlement or payment of a judgment in some circumstances and insures us against our obligations to indemnify our officers and directors.
These provisions may discourage stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against our directors for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions also may have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against officers and directors, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our stockholders. Furthermore, a stockholder’s investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against officers and directors pursuant to these indemnification provisions.
We believe that these provisions and the insurance are necessary to attract and retain talented and experienced officers and directors.
Any repeal or amendment of provisions of our certificate of incorporation affecting indemnification rights, whether by our board of directors, stockholders or by changes in applicable law, or the adoption of any other provisions inconsistent therewith, will (unless otherwise required by law) be prospective only, except to the extent such amendment or change in law permits us to provide broader indemnification rights on a retroactive basis, and will not in any way diminish or adversely affect any right or protection existing thereunder with respect to any act or omission occurring prior to such repeal or amendment or adoption of such inconsistent provision.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to our directors, officers, and controlling persons pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, we have been advised that, in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person in a successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, we will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to the court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
| II-1 |
Item 16. Exhibits.
The following is a list of all exhibits filed as a part of this registration statement on Form S-3, including those incorporated herein by reference.
EXHIBIT INDEX
| II-2 |
| II-3 |
| † | Management contract, compensation plan or arrangement. |
| * | To be filed by amendment to this registration statement or as an exhibit to a report filed pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act. |
| ** | To be filed separately pursuant to Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the appropriate rules and regulations thereunder. |
| *** | Previously filed. |
| II-4 |
Item 17. Undertakings.
(a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:
(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:
(i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 193, as amended (the “Securities Act”);
(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and
(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;
provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii), and (a)(1)(iii) above do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the SEC by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Exchange Act”) that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is a part of the registration statement.
(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.
(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act to any purchaser:
(A) Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and
| II-5 |
(B) Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.
(6) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities:
The undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:
(i) Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;
(ii) Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;
(iii) The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and
(iv) Any other communications that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.
(b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(h) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
(j) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act (the “Act”) in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the SEC under Section 305(b)(2) of the Act.
| II-6 |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Form S-3 to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized in the City of Tokyo, Japan, on April 7, 2023.
| HeartCore Enterprises, Inc. | ||
| By: | /s/ Sumitaka Yamamoto | |
| Sumitaka Yamamoto, | ||
| Chief Executive Officer | ||
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Form S-3 has been signed by the following persons in their respective capacities on April 7, 2023.
| Name | Title | |
| /s/ Sumitaka Yamamoto | Chief Executive Officer, President and Director | |
| Sumitaka Yamamoto | (Principal Executive Officer) | |
* |
Chief Financial Officer | |
| Qizhi Gao | (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) | |
* |
Chief Operating Officer and Director | |
| Kimio Hosaka | ||
* |
Director | |
| Ferdinand Groenewald | ||
* |
Director | |
| Yoshitomo Yamano | ||
* |
Director | |
| Yuki Tan | ||
* |
Director | |
| Takeshi Omoto | ||
* |
Director | |
| Yuta Katai | ||
* |
Director | |
| Prakash Sadasivam |
| By: | /s/ Sumitaka Yamamoto | |
| Sumitaka Yamamoto | ||
| Attorney-in-fact* |
| II-7 |
EXHIBIT INDEX
| II-8 |
| II-9 |
| † | Management contract, compensation plan or arrangement. |
| * | To be filed by amendment to this registration statement or as an exhibit to a report filed pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act. |
| ** | To be filed separately pursuant to Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the appropriate rules and regulations thereunder. |
| *** | Previously filed. |
| II-10 |
Exhibit 23.1
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form S-3 of our report dated March 31, 2023 relating to the financial statements of HeartCore Enterprises, Inc., which appears in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022.
We also consent to the references to us under the heading “Experts” in such Registration Statement.
/s/ MaloneBailey, LLP
www.malonebailey.com
Tokyo, Japan
April 7, 2023