Risk Factors Dashboard
Once a year, publicly traded companies issue a comprehensive report of their business, called a 10-K. A component mandated in the 10-K is the ‘Risk Factors’ section, where companies disclose any major potential risks that they may face. This dashboard highlights all major changes and additions in new 10K reports, allowing investors to quickly identify new potential risks and opportunities.
View risk factors by ticker
Search filings by term
Risk Factors - CIIT
-New additions in green
-Changes in blue
-Hover to see similar sentence in last filing
Investing in our common stock involves risk. You should carefully consider the risks described below together with all of the other information contained in this Report, including the financial statements and the related notes, before deciding whether to purchase any shares of our common stock. If any of the following risks is realized, our business, financial condition or operating results could materially suffer. In that event, the trading price of our common stock could decline and you may lose all or part of your investment.
RISKS RELATED TO OUR BUSINESS
Risks Related to the Global Logistics Services
Geopolitical conditions, such as political instability or conflict, terrorist attacks and international hostilities can affect the Maritime transportation industry, which could adversely affect our business.
We conduct most of our operations outside of the United States and our business, results of operations, cash flows, financial condition and ability to pay dividends, if any, in the future may be adversely affected by changing economic, political and government conditions in the countries and regions where we operate. Moreover, we operate in a sector of the economy that has been and is likely to continue to be adversely impacted by the effects of geopolitical developments, including political instability or conflict, terrorist attacks or international hostilities.
Currently, the world economy faces a number of challenges, including tensions between the United States and China, new and continuing turmoil and hostilities in Russia, Ukraine, the Middle and other geographic areas and countries, continuing economic weakness in the European Union and slowing growth in China and the continuing threat of terrorist attacks around the world.
Trade barriers to protect domestic industries against foreign imports depress shipping demand. Protectionist developments, such as the imposition of trade tariffs or the perception they may occur, may have a material adverse effect on global economic conditions, and may significantly reduce global trade. Moreover, increasing trade protectionism may cause an increase in (a) the cost of goods exported from regions globally, (b) the length of time required to transport goods and (c) the risks associated with exporting goods. Such increases may significantly affect the quantity of goods to be shipped, shipping time schedules, voyage costs and other associated costs, which could have an adverse impact on our charterers’ business, operating results and financial condition and could thereby affect their ability to make timely charter hire payments to us and to renew and increase the number of their time charters with us. This could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and operating results. Further, protectionist policies in any country could impact global markets, including foreign exchange and securities markets. Any resulting changes in currency exchange rates, tariffs, treaties and other regulatory matters could in turn adversely impact our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
Any reduction in international commerce or disruption in global trade may adversely impact our business and operating results.
The Company primarily provides services to customers engaged in international commerce. Everything that affects international trade has the potential to expand or contract our primary markets and adversely impact our operating results. For example, international trade is influenced by:
21 |
Our industry is highly competitive, and failure to compete or respond to customer requirements could damage our business and the results of operations.
The global logistics services industry is intensely competitive and is expected to remain so for the foreseeable future. There are a large number of companies competing in one or more segments of the industry, but the number of firms with a global network that offer a full complement of logistics services is more limited. Nevertheless, many of these competitors have significantly more resources than the Company and may pursue acquisition opportunities and are developing new technologies to gain competitive advantages. Depending on the location of the shipper and the importer, we must compete against niche players, larger entities including carriers, and emerging technology companies. The primary competitive factors are price and quality of service. Many larger customers utilize the services of multiple logistics providers. Customers regularly solicit bids from competitors in order to improve service and to secure favorable pricing and contractual terms such as: longer payment terms; flexible-price arrangements; and performance penalties. Increased competition and competitors’ acceptance of expanded contractual terms coupled with customers’ dissatisfaction with elevated rates, scarce capacity, and extended transit times could result in loss of business, reduced revenues, reduced margins, higher operating costs or loss of market share, any of which would damage our results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.
Difficulty in forecasting timing or volumes of customer shipments or rate changes by carriers could adversely impact our margins and operating results.
We are not aware of any accurate means of forecasting short-term customer requirements. However, long-term customer satisfaction depends upon our ability to meet these unpredictable short-term customer requirements. Personnel costs, one of our larger costs, are always less flexible in the very near term as we must staff to meet uncertain demand. As a result, short-term operating results could be disproportionately affected.
The timing of our revenues is, to a large degree, impacted by factors out of our control, such as a sudden change in consumer demand for goods, changes in trade tariffs, product launches and/or manufacturing production delays. Additionally, many customers ship a significant portion of their goods at or near the end of a quarter, and therefore, we may not learn of a shortfall in revenues until late in a quarter. To the extent that a shortfall in revenues or earnings was not expected by securities analysts or investors, any such shortfall from levels predicted by securities analysts or investors could have an immediate and adverse effect on the trading price of our stock.
Volatile market conditions can create situations where rate increases charged by carriers and other service providers are implemented with little or no advance notice. We often cannot pass these rate increases on to our customers in the same time frame, if at all. As a result, our yields and margins can be negatively impacted.
Climate change, including measures to address climate change, could adversely impact our business and financial results.
The long-term effects of climate change are difficult to predict and may be widespread. The impacts of climate change may include physical risks (such as rising sea levels, which could affect port operations or frequency and severity of extreme weather conditions, which could disrupt our operations and damage cargo and our facilities), compliance costs and transition risks (such as increased regulation and taxation to support carbon emissions reduction investments), shifts in customer demands (such as customers requiring more fuel efficient transportation modes or transparency to carbon emissions in their supply chains) and customer contractual requirements around environmental initiatives and other adverse effects. Our non-asset model gives us flexibility and an ability to change locations, modes, and carriers based on evolving operating conditions. However, such impacts may disrupt our operations by adversely affecting our ability to procure services that meet regulatory or customer requirements, depending on the availability of sufficient appropriate logistics solutions.
In addition, the increasing concern over climate change has resulted and may continue to result in more regulations relating to climate change, including regulating greenhouse gas emissions, restrictions on modes of transportation, alternative energy policies and sustainability initiatives, such as the FuelEU Maritime initiative or the EU Emissions Trading System. If Hong Kong imposes more stringent restrictions and requirements than our current legal or regulatory obligations, we may experience disruptions in, or increases in the costs associated with delivering our services, which may negatively affect our operating our results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.
22 |
Roshing faces risks associated with the contents of shipments and inventories handled through its logistics services, including real or perceived quality or health issues with the products that are handled through Roshing’s logistics services, and risks inherent in the logistics industry, including personal injury, product damage, and transportation-related incidents.
The logistics services Roshing provides are subject to accident risks, including ship collisions, cargo damage, and cargo loss. Such events can result in significant financial costs, legal liability, and reputational damage. In addition, Roshing’s logistics service involve handling a large volume of bulk merchandise and containers, through cargo and freights operated by third-party shipping suppliers across Roshing’s logistics services, and face challenges with respect to the protection and examination of these bulk merchandise and containers. Bulk merchandise and containers in its network may be delayed, stolen, damaged or lost during delivery for various reasons, and we may be perceived or found liable for such incidents. Unsafe items, such as flammables and explosives, toxic or corrosive items and radioactive materials, may damage other bulk merchandise and containers in shipping process, harm the personnel and facilities of the third-party shipping suppliers, or even injure the recipients. Furthermore, if Roshing fails to prevent prohibited or restricted items from entering into its network and if it participates in the facilitate transportation and delivery of such items unknowingly, Roshing may be subject to administrative or even criminal penalties, and if any personal injury or property damage is concurrently caused, it may also be liable for civil compensation.
The logistics services for delivery of bulk merchandise and containers also involve inherent risks associated with transportation safety. From time to time, the vessels and personnel of its third-party shipping suppliers may be involved in transportation and cargo accidents, and the bulk merchandise and containers carried by them may be lost or damaged.
Roshing is also subject to worker health and safety laws and regulations that may expose us to costs and liabilities, potentially affecting its results of operations, competitive position, and financial condition adversely. These laws and regulations are stringent and comprehensive, governing the health and safety of Roshing’s and workers of third-party shipping suppliers during operations.
Any of the foregoing could disrupt Roshing’s logistics services, cause us to incur substantial expenses and divert the time and attention of our management. Roshing may face claims and incur significant liabilities if found liable or partially liable for any injuries, damages or losses. Any uninsured or underinsured loss could negatively influence our business and financial condition. Governmental authorities may also impose significant fines on us or require us to adopt costly preventive measures. Furthermore, if Roshing’s logistics services are perceived to be insecure or unsafe by its customers, its business volume may be significantly reduced, and our business, financial condition and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.
Roshing is subject to potential risks arising from contractual obligations with shipping suppliers.
Roshing’s contractual obligations with shipping suppliers encompass precise terms and conditions. Should either party fail to uphold these provisions, it may result in legal disputes, financial penalties, and interruptions in service. These breaches, whether initiated by us or the shipping suppliers, pose potential risks to the continuity and efficiency of Roshing’s operations. Adhering to the terms outlined in these agreements is important to maintaining positive relationships with Roshing’s partners and ensuring the operation of Roshing’s shipping activities and logistics services.
Roshing faces risks from changing customer logistics needs, contractual obligations, and failure to meet customer requirements, which could lead to financial losses, legal liabilities, and damage to Roshing’s reputation if not managed proactively.
Roshing’s customers’ logistics needs are subject to constant change, influenced by market trends, technological advancements, and shifts in consumer behavior. Failure to adapt to these evolving demands could lead to significant business losses. Moreover, Roshing’s contractual obligations entail meeting specific performance standards, and any failure to do so may result in liability claims, financial setbacks, and damage to its reputation. Ensuring the fulfillment of all customer requirements, including adherence to delivery schedules, maintenance of cargo conditions, and compliance with regulatory standards, is paramount. Any lapses in meeting these requirements could not only result in lost business opportunities but also expose us to potential legal liabilities. Therefore, proactive measures to address these customer-related risks are essential for maintaining Roshing’s competitive edge and safeguarding its operations.
23 |
Our revenues, operating income and cash flows are likely to fluctuate and are subject to uncertainty and potential volatility in demand and supply for cargo space and container loads from time to time.
Roshing charters cargo space and container loads from shipping suppliers based on a certain volume and then sub-charters that space to our customers under an order contract. Roshing obtains cargo space and container loads through direct booking and block space arrangements. Pursuant to the block space agreements, it is committed to paying for the agreed cargo space and container loads irrespective of whether it could fully utilize the allotted space. In the event it cannot fully utilize the cargo space and container loads it sourced (i.e. the actual customers’ demand for the cargo space and container loads is less than the amount of cargo space and container loads it sourced), Roshing has to sell excess cargo space and container loads. Roshing however cannot assure that there will not be instances where, for example, due to (a) departure timetable of the vessel; (b) popularity of the route; or (c) seasonality factors, it is unable to fully consolidate/co-load all the excess cargo space and container loads it purchased from our suppliers. In case Roshing cannot fully utilize the cargo space and container loads it obtained from its suppliers, Roshing may have to bear the costs of all the excess cargo space and container loads it purchased and its business and results of operations could be adversely affected.
In the event of shortfall of the cargo space and container loads to meet customers’ demand (i.e. the actual customers’ demand for the cargo space and container loads are higher than the amount that Roshing has), Roshing has to source the cargo space and container loads from its suppliers at the prevailing market rates. Since cargo space and container loads offered by Roshing’s suppliers through direct booking is normally on a first-come-first-served basis, with no formal agreement for guaranteed supply of cargo space and container loads, there is no assurance that Roshing will be able to source sufficient cargo space and container loads to meet its customers’ demand within the expected timeframe and at favorable price. As a result of the shortfall of cargo space and container loads, its reputation and therefore its business, sales performance and results of operations will be adversely affected.
In result, we may experience fluctuations in our revenues and cost structure and the resulting operating income and cash flows and expect that this will continue to occur in the future. We may experience fluctuations in our financial results, including revenues, operating income and earnings per share, for reasons that may include: (i) the types and complexity, number, size, timing and duration of client engagements; (ii) the timing of revenue recognition under U.S. GAAP; (iii) the utilization of revenue-generating professionals, including the ability to adjust staffing levels up or down to accommodate the business and prospects of the applicable segment and practice; (iv) the geographic locations of our clients or the locations where services are rendered; (v) the length of billing and collection cycles and changes in amounts that may become uncollectible; (vi) changes in the frequency and complexity of government regulatory and enforcement activities; (vii) business and asset acquisitions; (viii) fluctuations in the exchange rates of various currencies against the U.S. dollar; (ix) fee adjustments upon the renewal of expired service contracts or acceptance of new clients due to the adjusted scope per our refined business strategy; and (x) economic factors beyond our control.
The results of different segments and practices may be affected differently by the above factors. The positive effects of certain events or factors on certain segments and practices may not be sufficient to overcome the negative effects of those same events or factors on other parts of our business. In addition, our mix of practice offerings adds complexity to the task of predicting revenues and results of operations and managing our staffing levels and expenditures across changing business cycles and economic environments.
Our results are influenced by seasonal and similar factors. Although we evaluate our annual guidance at the end of each quarter and adjust it as necessary, unforeseen future volatility can lead to significant deviations from our guidance. This may occur even if our guidance encompasses a range of potential outcomes and has been updated to consider operating results.
Seasonality and the impact of weather and other catastrophic events adversely affect Roshing’s operations and profitability.
Roshing’s operation is influenced by seasonal factors, with February to April being off-peak seasons, and June to October being peak seasons. Roshing’s operation is affected by the winter season because inclement weather impedes operations, and some shippers reduce their shipments during winter. In addition, in the lead-up to major holidays such as Christmas and Chinese Spring Festival, increased consumer demand often leads to a short-term surge in cargo transportation volume. Conversely, in the later stages of holidays and traditional off-peak seasons, cargo transportation volume may significantly decrease. At the same time, operating expenses increase due to, among other things, a decline in fuel efficiency because of engine idling and harsh weather that creates higher accident frequency, increased claims and higher equipment repair expenditures. Roshing also may suffers from weather-related or other events, such as tornadoes, hurricanes, blizzards, ice storms, floods, fires, earthquakes and explosions, which may disrupt fuel supplies, increase fuel costs, disrupt freight shipments or routes, affect regional economies, destroy its assets or the assets of its customers or otherwise adversely affect the business or financial condition of Roshing’s customers, any of which developments could adversely affect its results or make its results more volatile.
24 |
Risk Related to Other Products & Services
Roshing has a great dependence on a limited number of suppliers and the loss of their manufacturing capability could materially impact on its operations.
Roshing is a distributor of hardware components for electronic devices and generates revenue from reselling these components and is not engaged in innovative product development and direct manufacturing business. Roshing markets off-the-shelf products, which ships directly from the manufacturer to Roshing’s customer. In the event that the supply of components or finished products is interrupted or relations with any of its principal vendors is terminated, there could be increased costs and considerable delay in finding suitable replacement sources to manufacture the electronic device hardware components products (“Hardware Products”). Its Hardware Products mostly are shipped from facilities located in Guangdong, China. The shipment of these products from Mainland China exposes us to the possibility of product supply disruption and increased costs in the event of changes in the economics condition of China.
Defects in the Hardware Products Roshing sells or failures in quality control related to its distribution of products could impair its ability to sell its products or could result in product liability claims, litigation and other significant events involving substantial costs.
The detection of significant defects in Roshing’s Hardware Products or failures in its quality control procedures, including those of its suppliers, carries several potential consequences. These include delays in bringing products to market, decreased sales, and challenges in gaining market acceptance. Furthermore, such issues may lead to the diversion of its development resources and damage to its reputation, with potential regulatory restrictions. Rectifying product defects can incur substantial costs, and identifying suitable remedies may prove difficult. Moreover, errors or defects could result in financial damage to its customers, potentially leading to litigation. Product liability lawsuits, regardless of the outcome, may entail significant time and expenses for defense. In the absence of product liability insurance and without being named insured on its suppliers’ policies, Roshing faces the risk of being unable to cover claims or seek reimbursement from suppliers, leaving us potentially exposed to financial liabilities.
The software and website development markets are highly competitive.
The management software and website development industries are highly competitive. There are a number of larger companies, including computer manufacturers, computer service and software companies that have greater operational, personnel and financial resources than we have. These companies currently offer and have the technological ability to develop software products similar to those offered by us. These companies present a significant competitive challenge to Roshing’s business. Because we do not have the same financial resources as these competitors, we may have a difficult time in the future competing with these companies. We compete based on its fright shipping and logistics knowledge, products, service, price, system functionality and performance and technological advances. Customized and special services according to customer needs, there is technical weakness.
The industry in which Roshing operates has low barriers to entry and is highly fragmented and very competitive. We anticipate that competition may intensify further as the freight software industry matures and consolidates. Roshing’s key strength lies in providing tailored services to wholesalers, e-commerce retailers and freight forwarders in market segments that share the value of Roshing’s technology. These services facilitate the management of complex workflows and improve efficiency by enabling shipping workflow management, Marine container management, e-commerce inventory and shipping management, and logistics data analytics. However, we cannot guarantee continuous improvement in technology and services.
Roshing’s software and website may not perform in line with customer specifications or expectations.
Roshing’s freight shipping and related logistic software and websites may not perform in line with customers’ expectations. Future customers may also require customized specifications that Roshing is unable to deliver. Some of these target specifications, such as those dependent on battery technology, are constrained by the pace of general technological advancement and the capabilities of its suppliers, which are largely beyond its control.
25 |
Roshing’s software and website may contain design or manufacturing defects that result in unsatisfactory performance or require repair. Roshing’s software and website use a substantial amount of algorithms and software to operate. Software products are inherently complex and often contain defects and errors, especially when first introduced. While Roshing have performed extensive internal testing on its software and website, we have a limited frame of reference by which to evaluate the long-term performance of its software and website. There can be no assurance that Roshing will be able to detect and fix any defects in its software and website before we sell products and services to customers.
If Roshing’s software and website is defective or otherwise fails to perform as expected or in accordance with prescribed technical specifications and timetable, its customers may experience accidents and suffer adverse publicity, revenue declines, ecommerce inventory disarray, breakdown of shipping workflows, product liability claims, and significant additional expenses. These consequences could have a material adverse impact on its business, financial condition, operating results, and prospects.
Additionally, Roshing’s software, along with that of our third-party service provider, containing personal information of software customers, and others, could be breached, exposing us to adverse publicity, costly government enforcement actions or private litigation, and expenses. Cyber criminals constantly devise schemes to bypass IT security safeguards, and other retailers have experienced severe data breaches. Roshing may not anticipate all security threats or implement preventive measures against them effectively. The costs to mitigate network security issues could be significant, and while Roshing implemented security measures, addressing these issues may not always succeed. Unauthorized access to Roshing’s networks or databases could result in theft, publication, deletion, modification, or blocking of sensitive information, adversely affecting our business strategy, financial condition, or operations. While Roshing has not experienced cybersecurity incidents in the past three years, we anticipate threats to persist and cannot assure such events will not occur or have material impacts on Roshing’s operations, results of operations and financial condition in the future.
If Roshing does not continually update its products and/or services, they may become obsolete and Roshing may not be able to compete with other companies.
Roshing cannot assure that it will be able to keep pace with technological advances, or that its current suppliers will be able to keep pace with technological advances and as such, its products and/or services may become obsolete. Roshing cannot assure you that competitors will not develop related or similar services and offer them before Roshing does, or does so more successfully, or that they will not develop services and products more effective than any that Roshing and/or its suppliers have or are intending to develop. In addition, although Roshing may be able to identify new suppliers that can provide more effective services and products to be more competitive, Roshing may not be able to arrange satisfactory arrangements in a timely manner, if at all. If that happens, its business, prospects, results of operations and financial condition will be materially adversely affected.
Roshing may not be able to continue to recruit, train and retain dedicated and qualified consultants who are essential to the success of its business and the effective delivery of policy and business advisory services to its individual and corporate clients.
Roshing’s current talent policy advisory and application services rely heavily on Roshing’s visa consultants, and the conduct of Roshing’s visa consultants is critical to maintaining its reputation. Roshing seeks to hire qualified and dedicated consultants who have the necessary experience to provide effective advice and guidance to its clients in accordance with government policies and business management expertise and experience. The number of consultants with these qualities is limited and Roshing needs to implement a highly selective recruitment process.
A decline in the market for individual clients of Roshing’s business consulting services and corporate business consulting could have a material adverse effect on its business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations.
There is an anticipation of potential Hong Kong talent introduction policy revisions or the cessation of policy benefits after the second half of 2024, which may lead to a reduction or cessation of its consulting services for talent clients. Additionally, fluctuations in Hong Kong’s global business attractiveness or other factors may impact the number of enterprises establishing business activities in Hong Kong, potentially slowing business demand and affecting the growth of consulting enterprises we serve. Consequently, Roshing’s business, prospects, financial condition, and operating results may be significantly and adversely affected.
26 |
General Business Risks
We have a limited operating history and face significant challenges and will incur substantial expenses as we build our capabilities.
We have a limited operating history and are subject to the risks inherent in a growing company, including, among other things, risks that we may not be able to hire sufficient qualified personnel and establish operating controls and procedures. The company relies on few trained internal personnel as the company only has 11 full time employees. As we build our own capabilities, we expect to encounter risks and uncertainties frequently experienced by growing companies in new and rapidly evolving fields, including the risks and uncertainties described herein. As we build our own capabilities, we expect to encounter risks and uncertainties frequently experienced by growing companies in new and rapidly evolving fields, including the risks and uncertainties related to the evolving effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and those described herein. If we are unable to build our own capabilities, our operating and financial results could differ materially from our expectations, and our business could suffer.
We are currently dependent on a small group of customers for most of our revenue. If we cannot expand our customer base many-fold, our business growth will be challenged and affected, resulting in adjustments to our business strategy. If we cannot expand our customer base many-fold, our business will not be successful.
As we have not achieved significant scale, we had and expect to continue to have customer concentration. The revenue generated to date by our business has come from a small number of customers. During the year ended July 31, 2023, two customers were responsible for over 52% of our revenue. During the year ended July 31, 2024, three customers were responsible for over 84% of our revenue. During the year ended July 31, 2022, five customers were responsible for over 95% of our revenue. In order for Tianci to be viable as a public company, we must increase our revenue. In order for Tianci to be viable as a public company, we must multiply our revenue many-fold. To accomplish that, we must expand our customer base. To accomplish that, we must dramatically expand our customer base. If we fail to multiply our customers, Tianci’s stock may have no significant value. There are inherent risks whenever a large percentage of revenues are concentrated with a limited number of customers. We are unable to predict the future level of demand for our services that will be generated by these customers. In addition, we cannot assure that any of our customers in the future will not cease purchasing logistics services from us, or that our cooperating agents will continue introducing clients to us. Should they favor logistics services from our competitors, significantly reduce orders, or seek price reductions in the future, any such event could have a material adverse effect on our revenue, profitability, and results of operations.
We rely on shipping suppliers, cargo owner and cargo agents and Hardware Products suppliers, if they become financially unstable or have reduced capacity to provide services because of pandemics, such as COVID-19, it may adversely impact our business and operating results.
We depend on shipping suppliers, cargo owners, cargo agents, and hardware products suppliers. The quality and profitability of our services and business depend on the effective selection and oversight of these partners. Pandemics, such as COVID-19 have ever placed significant stress on our shipping suppliers, cargo owners, cargo agents, and hardware products suppliers, which may continue to result in reduced carrier capacity or availability, pricing volatility or more limited carrier transportation schedules which could adversely impact our operations and financial results. During the pandemic, air carriers have been particularly affected having to cancel freights due to travel restrictions resulting in dramatic drops in revenues, historical losses and liquidity challenges. Uncertainty over recovery of demand for passenger air travel, in particular business travel, to pre-pandemic levels means ship carriers’ operations and financial stability may be adversely affected long term.
Our business could be negatively affected by rising inflation and interest rates.
Various macroeconomic factors could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations, including changes in inflation, interest rates and overall economic conditions and uncertainties such as those resulting from the current and future conditions in the global financial markets.
For instance, recent inflationary environment has negatively impacted us by slightly increasing (i) our labor costs, through higher wages, (ii) our borrowing costs, through higher interest rates which we expect to continue to increase, and (iii) our other operating costs, such as through higher rates charged by our service suppliers. Supply chain constraints have led to higher inflation, which if sustained, could have a negative impact on our operations. To moderate effects of these increasing costs, we instituted proactive initiatives to optimize efficiencies in our daily operations. We also replaced certain service suppliers with alternatives that offered more competitive rates while not compromising service quality. In addition, we expect to modestly increase the rates we charge our customers in response to the inflationary environment should such inflationary pressures further deteriorate in the near future. However, we cannot assure you that these measures we have taken or will take will be effective, if at all, or that we will be able to effectively mitigate any inflationary pressures in the future. If inflation or interest rates were to significantly increase, our business and the results of operations may be negatively affected.
Interest rates, liquidity of credit markets and volatility of capital markets could also affect our business and results of operations as well as our ability to raise capital on favorable terms, or at all.
27 |
If we are unable to hire, retain or motivate qualified personnel, consultants, independent contractors, and advisors, we may not be able to grow effectively.
Our performance will be largely dependent on the talents and efforts of highly skilled individuals that we attract to our company. Our future success depends on our continuing ability to identify, hire, develop, motivate and retain highly qualified personnel for all areas of our organization: technological as well as entrepreneurial. Competition for such qualified employees is intense. If we do not succeed in attracting competent personnel or in retaining or motivating them, we may be unable to grow effectively. In addition, our future success depends largely on our ability to retain key consultants and advisors. Our inability to retain their services could negatively impact our business and our ability to execute our business strategy.
The Company and its subsidiaries do not presently maintain fire, theft, product liability or any other property insurance, which leaves us with exposure in the event of loss or damage to our properties or claims filed against us.
The Company and its subsidiaries do not maintain fire, theft, product liability or property insurance of any kind. The Company and its subsidiaries bear the economic risk with respect to loss of or damage or destruction to our property and to the interruption of our business, as well as liability to third parties for damage or destruction to them or their property that may be caused by our personnel or products. We bear the economic risk with respect to loss of or damage or destruction to our property and to the interruption of our business, as well as liability to third parties for damage or destruction to them or their property that may be caused by our personnel or products. Such liability could be substantial and the occurrence of such loss or liability may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and prospects.
Our operating history may not be indicative of our future growth or financial results and we may not be able to sustain our historical growth rates.
Our operating history may not be indicative of our future growth or financial results. There is no assurance that we will be able to grow in future periods. Our growth rates may decline for any number of possible reasons and some of them are beyond our control, including decreasing customer demand, increasing competition, declining growth of the touchscreen industry in general, emergence of alternative business models, or changes in government policies or general economic conditions. We will continue to expand our sales network and product offerings to bring greater convenience to our customers and to increase our customer base and number of transactions. However, the execution of our expansion plan is subject to uncertainty and the total number of items sold and number of transacting customers may not grow at the rate we expect for the reasons stated above. If our growth rates decline, investors’ perceptions of our business and prospects may be adversely affected and the market price of our common stock could decline.
We incur significant costs and demands upon management and accounting and finance resources as a result of complying with the laws and regulations affecting public companies; if we fail to maintain proper and effective internal controls, our ability to produce accurate and timely financial statements and otherwise make timely and accurate public disclosure could be impaired, which could harm our operating results, our ability to operate our business and our reputation.
Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining a system of disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act) that is designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us in the reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms. Disclosure controls and procedures include, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by an issuer in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to the issuer’s management, including its principal executive officer or officers and principal financial officer or officers, or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
If our internal control over financial reporting or our disclosure controls are not effective, we may be unable to issue our financial statements in a timely manner, we may be unable to obtain the required audit or review of our financial statements by our independent registered public accounting firm in a timely manner or we may be otherwise unable to comply with the periodic reporting requirements of the SEC, our common stock intended to be listed on Nasdaq could be suspended or terminated and our share price could materially suffer. In addition, we or members of our management could be subject to investigation and sanction by the SEC and other regulatory authorities and to shareholder lawsuits, which could impose significant additional costs on us and divert management attention.
28 |
We may fail to make necessary acquisitions or investments or enter desirable strategic alliances, and we may not be able to achieve the anticipated benefits from such acquisitions, investments or strategic alliances.
Our strategy for long-term growth, productivity and profitability depends in part on our ability to make prudent decisions to make strategic acquisitions or investments or enter desirable alliances and to realize the benefits we expect when we make those investments or acquisitions. We may evaluate and consider strategic acquisitions and investments or enter strategic alliances to develop new services or solutions, with an aim to enhance our competitive position and achieve long-term growth, productivity and profitability. However, we cannot assure you that we will make prudent decisions on such acquisitions, investments, strategic alliances at all times. In addition, investments or acquisitions involve numerous risks, including (i) potential failure to achieve the expected benefits of the integration or acquisition, (ii) difficulties in, and the cost of, integrating operations, technologies, services and personnel, (iii) potential write-offs of acquired assets or investments and (iv) downward effect on our operating results. These transactions will also divert management’s time and resources from our normal course of operations, and we may have to incur unexpected liabilities or expenses. Strategic alliances with third parties could also subject us to a number of risks, including risks associated with potential leakage of proprietary information, non-performance by the counterparty and an increase in expenses incurred in establishing new strategic alliances, any of which may materially and adversely affect our business.
If we cannot successfully execute or effectively operate, integrate, leverage and grow the acquired businesses or strategic alliances, our financial results and reputation may be materially and adversely affected. While we expect our future acquisitions, investments or strategic alliances to further enhance our value propositions to customers and improve our long-term profitability, there can be no assurance that we will realize our expectations within the time frame we envisage, if at all, or that we can continue to support the values we allocate to these acquired, invested or alliance businesses, including their goodwill or other intangible assets.
We may not be able to prevent others from unauthorized use of our intellectual property, which could harm our business and competitive position.
We may become an attractive target for intellectual property attacks in the future with the increasing recognition of our brand. Any of our intellectual property rights could be challenged, invalidated, circumvented or misappropriated, or such intellectual property may not be sufficient to provide us with competitive advantages. In addition, there can be no assurance that (i) all of our intellectual property rights will be adequately protected, or (ii) our intellectual property rights will not be challenged by third parties or found by a judicial authority to be invalid or unenforceable. As of the date of this report, we have only two domain names: roshing.com and tianci-ciit.com. We have not owned or had rights to any other intellectual property, such as patents, copyrights, trademarks, etc.
We are a “smaller reporting company” under Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and we cannot be certain if the scaled disclosure requirements applicable to smaller reporting companies will make our common stock less attractive to investors and make it more difficult to raise capital as and when we need it.
We may continue to be a smaller reporting company. We may take advantage of certain of the scaled disclosures available to smaller reporting companies and will be able to take advantage of these scaled disclosures for so long as (a) the market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates is equal to or less than $250 million as of the last business day of the most recently completed second fiscal quarter, and (b) our annual revenues is equal to or less than $100 million during the most recently completed fiscal year and the market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates is equal to or less than $700 million as of the last business day of the most recently completed second fiscal quarter.
We cannot predict if investors will find our common stock less attractive because we may rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our common stock less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our common stock and our stock price may be more volatile. In addition, taking advantage of reduced disclosure obligations may make the comparison of our financial statements with other public companies difficult or impossible. If investors are unable to compare our business with other companies in our industry, we may not be able to raise additional capital as and when we need it, which may materially and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.
29 |
Anti-takeover provisions contained in our bylaws and articles of incorporation as well as provisions of Nevada law, could impair a takeover attempt.
Our bylaws, amended articles of incorporation and Nevada law contain provisions which could have the effect of rendering more difficult, delaying or preventing an acquisition deemed undesirable by our board of directors. Our corporate governance documents include provisions:
These provisions, alone or together, could delay or prevent hostile takeovers and changes in control or changes in our management.
The Nevada Revised Statutes (“NRS”) Sections 78.411 through 78.444, regulate business combinations with interested stockholders. The NRS defines an interested stockholder as a beneficial owner (directly or indirectly) of 10% or more of the voting power of the outstanding shares of the corporation. Pursuant to NRS Sections 78.411 through 78.444, combinations with an interested stockholder remain prohibited for two years after the person became an interested stockholder unless (i) the transaction is approved by the board of directors or the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares not beneficially owned by the interested party, or (ii) the interested stockholder satisfies certain fair value requirements. NRS 78.434 permits a Nevada corporation to opt out of the statute with appropriate provisions in its articles of incorporation.
NRS Sections 78.378 through 78.3793 regulates the acquisition of a controlling interest in an issuing corporation. An issuing corporation is defined as a Nevada corporation with 200 or more stockholders of record, of which at least 100 stockholders have addresses of record in Nevada and does business in Nevada directly or through an affiliated corporation. NRS Section 78.379 provides that an acquiring person and those acting in association with an acquiring person obtain only such voting rights in the control shares as are conferred by a resolution of the stockholders of the corporation, approved at a special or annual meeting of the stockholders. Stockholders who vote against the voting rights have dissenters’ rights in the event that the stockholders approve voting rights. NRS Section 78.378 provides that a Nevada corporation’s articles of incorporation or bylaws may provide that these sections do not apply to the corporation.
Any damage to the reputation and recognition of our brand names, including negative publicity against us, our services, operations and our directors, senior management and business partners may materially and adversely affect our business operations and prospects.
We believe our brand image and corporate reputation will play an increasingly important role in enhancing our competitiveness and maintaining business growth. Many factors, some of which are beyond our control, may negatively impact our brand image and corporate reputation if not properly managed. These factors include our ability to provide superior solutions and services to our customers, successfully conduct marketing and promotional activities, manage relationship with and among our customers and business partners, and manage complaints and events of negative publicity, maintain positive perception of our Company, our peers and supply chain solution industry in general. Any actual or perceived deterioration of our service quality, which is based on an array of factors including customer satisfaction, rate of complaint or rate of incident, could subject us to damages such as loss of important customers. Any negative publicity against us, our solutions and services, operations, directors, senior management, employees, business partners or our peers could adversely affect customer perception of our brand, cause damages to our corporate reputation and result in decreased demand for our solutions and services. If we are unable to promote our brand image and protect our corporate reputation, we may not be able to maintain and grow our customer base, and our business and growth prospects may be adversely affected.
30 |
We may from time to time be subject to claims, disputes, lawsuits and other legal and administrative proceedings.
We and our management may be subject to claims, disputes, lawsuits, investigations and other legal and administrative proceedings incidental to the conduct of our business from time to time. We are currently not party to any legal or arbitration proceedings, including those relating to bankruptcy, receivership or similar proceedings and those involving any third party, which may have, or have had in the recent past, material adverse effects on our financial position or profitability. Any claims against us or our management, with or without merit, could be time-consuming and costly to defend or litigate, divert our management’s attention and resources or harm our brand equity. Claims arising out of actual or alleged violations of law, breach of contract or torts could be asserted against us by customers, business partners, suppliers, competitors, employees or governmental entities in investigations and legal proceedings. These claims could be asserted under a variety of laws, including but not limited to intellectual property laws, labor and employment laws, securities laws, tort laws, contract laws, property laws, and employee benefit laws. If a lawsuit or governmental proceeding against us is successful, we may be required to pay substantial damages or fines. We may also lose, or be limited in, the rights to offer some of our services. As a result, the scope of our services could be reduced, which could adversely affect our ability to attract new customers, harm our reputation and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Even if we are successful in our attempt to defend ourselves in legal and administrative actions or to assert our rights under various laws, enforcing our rights against the various parties involved may be expensive, time-consuming, and ultimately futile.
We may engage in transactions that present conflicts of interest.
The Company’s officers and directors may enter into agreements with the Company from time to time which may not be equivalent to similar transactions entered into with an independent third party. A conflict of interest arises whenever a person has an interest on both sides of a transaction. While we believe that it will take prudent steps to ensure that all transactions between the Company and any officer or director is fair, reasonable, and no more than the amount it would otherwise pay to a third party in an “arms-length” transaction, there can be no assurance that any transaction will meet these requirements in every instance.
We may adjust our business strategies and models in response to changing market conditions, competitive pressures, or regulatory changes. However, there is no guarantee that these adjustments will be successful, and they may not achieve the desired results, potentially impacting our performance and financial results.
As changes in our business environment occur, we may adjust our business strategies to meet these changes, or we may otherwise decide to restructure our operations or businesses or assets. In addition, external events such as shifts in demographics, alterations in consumer behavior, fluctuations in macroeconomic conditions, and amendments to laws, regulations, and government policies governing international trade and commerce may impair the value of our assets and increase our costs. When these changes or events occur, we may incur costs to modify our business strategy to respond to those market dynamics and satisfactorily meet customers’ demands. To meet customer demand and implement our strategies and expansion plan, we may shift to a Vessel-Operating Common Carrier. This shift aims to achieve cost efficiency by reducing transportation costs, as owning and operating vessels can decrease dependency on third-party shipping companies, potentially lowering transportation costs over time. Additionally, operating our own vessels can also provide a competitive advantage over companies that rely on third-party carriers. However, this transition may result in significant expenses for the purchase of vessels and related infrastructure necessary for our business growth. Such initiatives and enhancements may require substantial capital expenditures. If we are unable to successfully implement our business strategies and effectively respond to changes in market dynamics, our future financial results will suffer. Furthermore, we have incurred, and may continue to incur, increased operating expenses in connection with certain changes to our business strategies.
Risks Related to Doing Business in Hong Kong
Most of our operations are in Hong Kong. However, due to the long arm provisions under the current Mainland China laws and regulations, the Chinese government may exercise significant oversight and discretion over the conduct of our business and may intervene in or influence our operations at any time, or may exert more control over offerings conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in issuers like us, which could result in a material change in our operations and/or the value of our common stock.
Tianci is a holding company and we conduct our operation through our operating subsidiary Roshing in Hong Kong. Our operations are primarily located in Hong Kong and few of our clients are Mainland China residents. Our operations are primarily located in Hong Kong and a few of our clients are PRC corporations. At the present time, we are not materially affected by recent statements by the Mainland China Government indicating an intent to exert more oversight and control over offerings that are conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in China-based issuers. At the present time, we are not materially affected by recent statements by the Chinese Government indicating an intent to exert more oversight and control over offerings that are conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in China-based issuers. However, due to long arm provisions under the current Mainland China laws and regulations, there remains regulatory uncertainty with respect to the implementation of Chinese law in Hong Kong. However, due to long arm provisions under the current PRC laws and regulations, there remains regulatory uncertainty with respect to the implementation of Chinese law in Hong Kong. The PRC government may choose to exercise significant oversight and discretion, and the policies, regulations, rules, and the enforcement of laws of the PRC government to which we are subject may change rapidly and with little advance notice to us or our stockholders. The PRC government may choose to exercise significant oversight and discretion, and the policies, regulations, rules, and the enforcement of laws of the Chinese government to which we are subject may change rapidly and with little advance notice to us or our shareholders. These laws and regulations may be interpreted and applied inconsistently by different agencies or authorities, and inconsistently with our current policies and practices. New laws, regulations, and other government directives in the PRC may also be costly to comply with.
31 |
We are aware that recently the PRC government initiated a series of regulatory actions and statements to regulate business operations in certain areas in Mainland China with little advance notice, including cracking down on illegal activities in the securities market, enhancing supervision over China-based companies listed overseas using VIE structure, adopting new measures to extend the scope of cybersecurity reviews, and expanding the efforts in anti-monopoly enforcement. Since these statements and regulatory actions are new, it is highly uncertain how soon legislative or administrative regulation making bodies will respond and what existing or new laws or regulations or detailed implementations and interpretations will be modified or promulgated, if any, and the potential impact such modified or new laws and regulations will have on our daily business operation, the ability to accept foreign investments and list on a U.S. or other foreign exchange.
China’s government may intervene or influence our operations at any time or may exert more control over offerings conducted overseas and foreign investment in Hong Kong-based issuers, which may result in a material change in our operations and/or the value of our common stock. The promulgation of new laws or regulations, or the new interpretation of existing laws and regulations, in each case that restrict or otherwise unfavorably impact the ability or way we conduct our business and could require us to change certain aspects of our business to ensure compliance, which could decrease demand for our services, reduce revenues, increase costs, require us to obtain more licenses, permits, approvals or certificates, or subject us to additional liabilities. To the extent any new or more stringent measures are required to be implemented, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected as well as materially decrease the value of our common stock.
While we believe that we and our subsidiaries are currently not required to obtain any other permissions or approvals from Hong Kong authorities for our business operations, we cannot assure you that we or our subsidiaries will be able to obtain all such permissions or approvals if they are nevertheless required.
The Directors confirm that, as of the date of this report, we and our subsidiaries have received all requisite permissions or approvals from the Hong Kong authorities to operate its business in Hong Kong, including but not limited to obtaining a business registration certificate. However, we have been advised by our Hong Kong counsel that laws, regulations, or policies in Hong Kong could change in the future. If (i) we or our subsidiaries do not receive or maintain such permissions or approvals, (ii) we or our subsidiaries inadvertently conclude that any other permissions or approvals are not required, or (iii) applicable laws, regulations, or interpretations change and we are required to obtain such permissions or approvals in the future, our operations and financial condition could be materially adversely affected, and our ability to offer securities to investors could be significantly limited or completely hindered and the securities currently being offered may substantially decline in value and become worthless.
We will rely on dividends and other distributions on equity paid by our Hong Kong subsidiary to fund any cash and financing requirements we may have. In the future, the PRC government may impose restrictions on our ability to transfer funds out of Hong Kong to fund operations or for other use outside of Hong Kong. Any limitation on the ability of our Hong Kong subsidiary to make payments to us could have a material adverse effect on our ability to conduct our business and might materially decrease the value of our common stock. Any limitation on the ability of our subsidiary to make payments to us could have a material adverse effect on our ability to conduct our business and might materially decrease the value of our common stock.
We are a holding company incorporated in the United States, and we rely on dividends and other distributions on equity paid by our subsidiary in Hong Kong for our cash and financing requirements, including the funds necessary to pay dividends and other cash distributions to our stockholders and service any debt we may incur. If our Hong Kong subsidiary incurs debt on its own behalf in the future, the instruments governing the debt may restrict its ability to pay dividends or make other distributions to us. If our subsidiary incurs debt on its own behalf in the future, the instruments governing the debt may restrict its ability to pay dividends or make other distributions to us.
Under the current practice of the Inland Revenue Department of Hong Kong, no tax is payable in Hong Kong in respect of dividends paid by Roshing. The Mainland China laws and regulations do not currently have any material impact on transfers of cash from Roshing to Tianci or from Tianci to Roshing. The PRC laws and regulations do not currently have any material impact on transfers of cash from Roshing to Tianci or from Tianci to Roshing. However, the Chinese government may, in the future, impose restrictions or limitations on our ability to transfer money out of Hong Kong, to distribute earnings and pay dividends to and from the other entities within our organization, or to reinvest in our business outside of Hong Kong. Such restrictions and limitations, if imposed in the future, may delay or hinder the expansion of our business to outside of Hong Kong and may affect our ability to receive funds from our operating subsidiary in Hong Kong. The promulgation of new laws or regulations, or the new interpretation of existing laws and regulations, in each case, that restrict or otherwise unfavorably impact the ability or way we conduct our business, could require us to change certain aspects of our business to ensure compliance, which could decrease demand for our services, reduce revenues, increase costs, require us to obtain more licenses, permits, approvals or certificates, or subject us to additional liabilities. To the extent any new or more stringent measures are implemented, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected and such measured could materially decrease the value of our common stock.
32 |
Changes in international trade policies, trade disputes, barriers to trade, or the emergence of a trade war may dampen growth in Hong Kong, China and other markets where the majority of our clients reside.
Political events, international trade disputes, and other business interruptions could harm or disrupt international commerce and the global economy, and could have a material adverse effect on us and our customers, service providers, and other partners. International trade disputes could result in tariffs and other protectionist measures which may materially and adversely affect our business.
Tariffs could increase the cost of the goods and products which could affect customers’ investment decisions. In addition, political uncertainty surrounding international trade disputes and the potential of the escalation to a trade war could have a negative effect on customer confidence, which could materially and adversely affect our business. We may also have access to fewer business opportunities, and our operations may be negatively impacted as a result. In addition, the current and future actions or escalations by either the United States or China that affect trade relations may cause global economic turmoil and potentially have a negative impact on our markets, our business, or our results of operations, as well as the financial condition of our customers, and we cannot provide any assurances as to whether such actions will occur or the form that they may take. In addition, the current and future actions or escalations by either the United States or China that affect trade relations may cause global economic turmoil and potentially have a negative impact on our markets, our business, or our results of operations, as well as the financial condition of our customers.
Under the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong has a high degree of autonomy and executive, legislative and independent judicial powers, including that of final adjudication under the principle of “one country, two systems”, while the government of the PRC is responsible for its foreign affairs and defense. As a separate customs territory, Hong Kong maintains and develops relations with foreign states and regions. However, based on recent political development, the U.S. State Department has indicated that the United States no longer considers Hong Kong to have significant autonomy from China. Hong Kong’s preferential trade status was removed by the United States government and the United States may impose the same tariffs and other trade restrictions on exports from Hong Kong that it places on goods from Mainland China. These and other recent actions may represent an escalation in political and trade tensions involving the U.S, China and Hong Kong, which could potentially harm our business.
The enactment of Law of the PRC on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (the “Hong Kong National Security Law”) could impact our Hong Kong subsidiary.
On June 30, 2020, the Standing Committee of the PRC National People’s Congress adopted the Hong Kong National Security Law. This law defines the duties and government bodies of the Hong Kong National Security Law for safeguarding national security and four categories of offences — secession, subversion, terrorist activities, and collusion with a foreign or overseas force to endanger national security — and their corresponding penalties. On July 14, 2020, the former U.S. President Donald Trump signed the Hong Kong Autonomy Act (the “HKAA”) into law, authorizing the U.S. administration to impose blocking sanctions against individuals and entities who are determined to have materially contributed to the erosion of Hong Kong’s autonomy. On August 7, 2020, the U.S. government imposed HKAA-authorized sanctions on eleven individuals, including former and current Hong Kong chief executives Carrie Lam and John Lee. On October 14, 2020, the U.S. State Department submitted to relevant committees of Congress the report required under HKAA, identifying persons materially contributing to “the failure of the Government of China to meet its obligations under the Joint Declaration or the Basic Law.” The HKAA further authorizes secondary sanctions, including the imposition of blocking sanctions, against foreign financial institutions that knowingly conduct a significant transaction with foreign persons sanctioned under this authority. The imposition of sanctions may directly affect the foreign financial institutions as well as any third parties or customers dealing with any foreign financial institution that is targeted. It is difficult to predict the full impact of the Hong Kong National Security Law and HKAA on Hong Kong and companies located in Hong Kong. If our Hong Kong subsidiary is determined to be in violation of the Hong Kong National Security Law or the HKAA by competent authorities, our business operations, financial position and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.
33 |
There are political risks associated with conducting business in Hong Kong.
Substantially all our operations are based in Hong Kong. Accordingly, our business operations and financial condition will be affected by the political and legal developments in Hong Kong. During the period covered by the financial information included in this report, we derive substantially all of our revenue from operations in Hong Kong. Any adverse economic, social and/or political conditions, material social unrest, strike, riot, civil disturbance or disobedience, as well as significant natural disasters, may adversely affect our business operations. Hong Kong is a special administrative region of the PRC and the basic policies of the PRC regarding Hong Kong are reflected in the Basic Law, namely, Hong Kong’s constitutional document, which provides Hong Kong with a high degree of autonomy and executive, legislative and independent judicial powers, including that of final adjudication under the principle of “one country, two systems”. However, there is no assurance that there will not be any changes in the economic, political and legal environment in Hong Kong in the future. Since a substantial part of our operations is based in Hong Kong, any change of such political arrangements may pose an immediate threat to the stability of the economy in Hong Kong, thereby directly and adversely affecting our results of operations and financial position.
If the PRC attempts to alter its agreement to allow Hong Kong to function autonomously, this could potentially impact Hong Kong’s common law legal system and may in turn bring about uncertainty in, for example, the enforcement of our contractual rights. This could, in turn, materially and adversely affect our business and operations. Additionally, intellectual property rights and confidentiality protections in Hong Kong may not be as effective as in the United States or other countries. Accordingly, we cannot predict the effect of future developments in the Hong Kong legal system, including the promulgation of new laws, changes to existing laws or the interpretation or enforcement thereof, or the preemption of local regulations by national laws. These uncertainties could limit the legal protections available to us, including our ability to enforce our agreements with our customers.
Our revenue is susceptible to the ongoing incidents or factors which affect the stability of the social, economic and political conditions in Hong Kong. Any drastic events may adversely affect our business operations. Such adverse events may include changes in economic conditions and regulatory environment, social and/or political conditions, civil disturbance or disobedience, as well as significant natural disasters. Given the relatively small geographical size of Hong Kong, any of such incidents may have a widespread effect on our business operations, which could in turn adversely and materially affect our business, results of operations and financial condition. It is difficult to predict the full impact of the HKAA on Hong Kong and companies with operations in Hong Kong like us. Furthermore, legislative or administrative actions in respect of China-U.S. relations could cause investor uncertainty for affected issuers, including us, and the market price of our shares could be adversely affected.
Recent joint statement by the SEC and the PCAOB, proposed rule changes submitted by Nasdaq, and the newly enacted Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act all call for additional and more stringent criteria to be applied to emerging market companies upon assessing the qualification of their auditors, especially the non-U.S. auditors who are not inspected by the PCAOB. These developments could add uncertainties to the trading of our common stock on U.S. stock exchanges, including the possibility that our securities can be delisted if the PCAOB cannot inspect or fully investigate our auditor.
On April 21, 2020, the SEC Chairman and PCAOB Chairman, along with other senior SEC staff, released a joint statement highlighting the risks associated with investing in companies based in or have substantial operations in emerging markets including China. The joint statement emphasized the risks associated with lack of access for the PCAOB to inspect auditors and audit work papers in China and higher risks of fraud in emerging markets.
On May 18, 2020, Nasdaq filed three proposals with the SEC to (1) apply minimum offering size requirement for companies primarily operating in “Restrictive Market,” (2) adopt a new requirement relating to the qualification of management or board of director for Restrictive Market companies, and (3) apply additional and more stringent criteria to an applicant or listed company based on the qualifications of the Company’s auditor.
On June 4, 2020, the U.S. President issued a memorandum ordering the President’s working group on financial markets to submit a report to the President within 60 days of the date of the memorandum that should include recommendations for actions that can be taken by the executive branch and by the SEC or PCAOB to enforce U.S. regulatory requirements on Chinese companies listed on U.S. stock exchanges and their audit firms. However, it remains unclear what further actions, if any, the U.S. executive branch, the SEC, and PCAOB will take to address the problem.
34 |
On August 6, 2020, the President’s working group released a report recommending that the SEC take steps to implement the five recommendations outlined in the report. In particular, to address companies from jurisdictions that do not provide the PCAOB with sufficient access to fulfill its statutory mandate, the President’s working group recommended enhanced listing standards on U.S. stock exchanges. This would require, as a condition to initial and continued exchange listing, PCAOB access to the work papers of the principal audit firm for the audit of the listed company. Companies unable to satisfy this standard as a result of governmental restrictions on access to audit work papers and practices in their jurisdiction may satisfy this standard by providing a co-audit from an audit firm with comparable resources and experience where the PCAOB determines it has sufficient access to audit work papers and practices to conduct an appropriate inspection of the co-audit firm. The report permits the new listing standards to provide for a transition period until January 1, 2022, for listed companies, but would apply immediately to new listings once the necessary rulemakings and/or standard-setting are effective.
On August 10, 2020, the SEC announced that the SEC Chairman had directed the SEC staff to prepare proposals in response to the report of the President’s working group, and that the SEC was soliciting public comments and information with respect to the development of these proposals.
On May 20, 2020, the U.S. Senate passed the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, or the Act. The Act was approved by the U.S. House of Representatives on December 2, 2020. On December 18, 2020, the Act was signed into public law by the President of the United States. In essence, the Act requires the SEC to prohibit foreign companies from listing securities on U.S. securities exchanges if a company retains a foreign accounting firm that cannot be inspected by the PCAOB for three consecutive years, beginning in 2021. On March 24, 2021, the SEC announced that it had adopted interim final amendments to implement congressionally mandated submission and disclosure requirements of the Act. The interim final amendments will apply to registrants that the SEC identifies as having filed an annual report on Forms 10-K, 20-F, 40-F or N-CSR with an audit report issued by a registered public accounting firm that is located in a foreign jurisdiction and that the PCAOB has determined it is unable to inspect or investigate completely because of a position taken by an authority in that jurisdiction.
On June 22, 2021, the U.S. Senate passed the Accelerating Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act and on December 29, 2022 the Accelerating Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act was enacted, which amended the HFCA Act by requiring the SEC to prohibit an issuer’s securities from trading on any U.S. stock exchanges if its auditor is not subject to PCAOB inspections for two consecutive years instead of three, thus reducing the time before our securities may be prohibited from trading or delisted.
On December 2, 2021, the SEC adopted amendments to finalize rules implementing the submission and disclosure requirements in the HFCA Act. The rules apply to registrants that the SEC identifies as having filed an annual report with an audit report issued by a registered public accounting firm that is located in a foreign jurisdiction and that the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely because of a position taken by an authority in a foreign jurisdiction.
On December 16, 2021, the PCAOB issued a report on its determinations that it is unable to inspect or investigate completely PCAOB-registered public accounting firms headquartered in China and in Hong Kong because of positions taken by Mainland China and Hong Kong authorities in those jurisdictions. The PCAOB has made such designations as mandated under the HFCA Act. Pursuant to each annual determination by the PCAOB, the SEC will, on an annual basis, identify issuers that have used non-inspected audit firms and thus are at risk of such suspensions in the future.
On August 26, 2022, the SEC issued a statement announcing that the PCAOB signed a SOP with the CSRC and the Ministry of Finance of the People’s Republic of China governing inspections and investigations of audit firms based in China and Hong Kong, jointly agreeing on the need for a framework.
On December 15, 2022, the PCAOB announced that it has secured complete access to inspect and investigate registered public accounting firms headquartered in Mainland China and Hong Kong and voted to vacate the previous Determination Report to the contrary.
35 |
Michael T. Studer CPA P.C. issued the audit report for our Company for the years ended July 31, 2023 and 2022. Michael T. Studer CPA P.C. serves as an auditor of companies that are traded publicly in the United States and is a firm registered with the PCAOB, is subject to laws in the United States, pursuant to which the PCAOB conducts regular inspections to assess its compliance with the applicable professional standards. Michael T. Studer CPA P.C. is headquartered in Freeport, New York and has been inspected by the PCAOB on a regular basis. On September 11, we dismissed Michael T. Studer CPA P.C. and engaged Bush & Associates CPA as the Company’s independent public accounting firm for the year ending July 31, 2024. Bush & Associates CPA, an independent registered public accounting firm, has its principal office in Henderson, Nevada and is subject to PCAOB inspections.
The PCAOB is continuing to demand complete access in Mainland China and Hong Kong moving forward and is already making plans to resume regular inspections in early 2023 and beyond, as well as to continue pursuing ongoing investigations and initiate new investigations as needed. The PCAOB has indicated that it will act immediately to consider the need to issue new determinations with the HFCA Act if needed. If the PCAOB in the future again determines that it is unable to inspect and investigate completely auditors in Mainland China and Hong Kong, then the companies audited by those auditors would be subject to a trading prohibition on U.S. markets pursuant to the HFCA Act and/or the AHFCAA. And we cannot assure you that the NASDAQ Capital Market or regulatory authorities would not apply additional or more stringent criteria to us after considering the effectiveness of our auditor’s audit procedures and quality control procedures, adequacy of personnel and training, or sufficiency of resources, geographic reach or experience as it relates to the audit of our financial statements.
Increases in labor costs in Hong Kong and non-compliance with laws and regulations relating to employment and labor protection may adversely affect the business of Roshing and our results of operations.
The economy in Hong Kong has experienced increases in inflation and labor costs in recent years. As a result, average wages in Hong Kong are expected to continue to increase. We expect that Roshing’s labor costs, including wages and employee benefits, will continue to increase. Unless Roshing is able to control its labor costs or pass on these increased labor costs to its customers by increasing service fees, our financial condition and operating results may be adversely affected.
In addition, where Roshing employs any employees, it is required by Hong Kong laws and regulations to maintain various statutory employee benefits, including mandatory provident fund scheme and work-related injury insurance, to provide statutorily required paid sick leave, annual leave and maternity leave, and make severance payments or long service payments. See “Business of the Company - Regulations — Regulations Related to our Business Operation in Hong Kong — Regulations related to employment and labor protection” for details. The relevant government agencies may examine whether an employer has complied with such requirements, and those employers who fail to comply commit a criminal offence and may be subject to fines and/or imprisonment. For example, under the Employees’ Compensation Ordinance (Chapter 282 of the Laws of Hong Kong), an employer who fails to comply with the ordinance to secure an insurance cover commits an offence and is liable on conviction upon indictment to a maximum fine of HK$100,000 (approximately US$13,000) and imprisonment for two years. Under the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Ordinance (Chapter 485 of the Laws of Hong Kong), an employer who, without reasonable excuse, fails to enroll employees in an MPF scheme pursuant to the ordinance commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of HK$350,000 (approximately US$45,000) and to imprisonment for three years. Therefore, failure to comply with applicable laws and regulations concerning employment and labor protection by Roshing may result in material and adverse effect on Roshing’s business, our financial condition and operating results. As of the date of this report, we believe that Roshing is in compliance with applicable Hong Kong laws and regulations concerning employment and labor protection in all material respects.
You may incur additional costs and procedural obstacles in effecting service of legal process, enforcing foreign judgments or bringing actions in Hong Kong against us or its management named in the report based on Hong Kong laws.
Currently, all of our operations are conducted outside the United States, and all of our assets are located outside the United States. Some of our directors and officers are Hong Kong nationals or residents. You may incur additional costs and procedural obstacles in effecting service of legal process, enforcing foreign judgments or bringing actions in Hong Kong against us or its management named in the report. If you want to enforce a judgment of the United States in Hong Kong, it must be a final judgment conclusive upon the merits of the claim, for a liquidated amount in a civil matter and not in respect of taxes, fines, penalties, or similar charges, the proceedings in which the judgment was obtained were not contrary to natural justice, and the enforcement of the judgment is not contrary to public policy of Hong Kong. Such a judgment must be for a fixed sum and must also come from a “competent” court as determined by the private international law rules applied by the Hong Kong courts.
36 |
While we believe that we and our subsidiaries are currently not required to obtain permissions or approvals from Mainland China authorities for our business operations and/or the listing and offering of our securities, and it is very unlikely that we or our subsidiaries will be required to do so in the future, we cannot assure you that we or our subsidiaries will be able to obtain all such permissions or approvals if they are nevertheless required.
The Regulations on Mergers and Acquisitions of Domestic Companies by Foreign Investors (the “M&A Rules”), adopted by six PRC regulatory agencies in 2006 and amended in 2009, requires an overseas special purpose vehicle formed for listing purposes through acquisitions of PRC domestic companies and controlled by PRC companies or individuals to obtain the approval of the CSRC prior to the listing and trading of such special purpose vehicle’s securities on an overseas stock exchange.
We are also aware that recently, the PRC government initiated a series of regulatory actions and statements to regulate business operations in certain areas in mainland China with little advance notice, including cracking down on illegal activities in the securities market, enhancing supervision over mainland-China-based companies listed overseas using variable interest entity structure, adopting new measures to extend the scope of cybersecurity reviews, and expanding the efforts in anti-monopoly enforcement. For example, on July 6, 2021, the General Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council jointly issued a document to crack down on illegal activities in the securities market and promote the high-quality development of the capital market, which, among other things, requires the relevant governmental authorities to strengthen cross-border oversight of law-enforcement and judicial cooperation, to enhance supervision over mainland-China-based companies listed overseas, and to establish and improve the system of extraterritorial application of the PRC securities laws.
On December 28, 2021, the CAC and other PRC authorities promulgated the Cybersecurity Review Measures, which took effect on February 15, 2022. In addition, the Cybersecurity Law, which was adopted by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress on November 7, 2016 and came into force on June 1, 2017, and the Cybersecurity Review Measures, provide that personal information and important data collected and generated by a critical information infrastructure operator, or the CIIO, in the course of its operations in Mainland China must be stored in Mainland China, and if a critical information infrastructure operator purchases internet products and services that affect or may affect national security, it should be subject to national security review by the CAC together with competent departments of the State Council. In addition, for CIIOs that purchase network-related products and services, the CIIOs shall declare any network-related product or service that affects or may affect national security to the Office of Cybersecurity Review of the CAC for cybersecurity review. Due to the lack of further interpretations, the exact scope of what constitutes a “CIIO” remains unclear. Further, the PRC government authorities may have wide discretion in the interpretation and enforcement of these laws. In addition, the Cybersecurity Review Measures stipulates that any online platform operators holding more than one million users/users’ individual information shall be subject to cybersecurity review before listing abroad. As of the date of this report, we have not received any notice from any authorities identifying us as a CIIO or requiring us to undertake a cybersecurity review by the CAC. Further, as of the date of this report, we have not been subject to any penalties, fines, suspensions, investigations from any competent authorities for violation of the regulations or policies that have been issued by the CAC.
On June 10, 2021, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress promulgated the Data Security Law, which took effect on September 1, 2021. The Data Security Law requires that data shall not be collected by theft or other illegal means, and it also provides for a data classification and hierarchical protection system. The data classification and hierarchical protection system protects data according to its importance in economic and social development, and the damages it may cause to national security, public interests, or the legitimate rights and interests of individuals and organizations if the data is falsified, damaged, disclosed, illegally obtained or illegally used, which protection system is expected to be built by the state for data security in the near future. On November 14, 2021, the CAC published the Regulations on the Data Security Administration Draft, or the Data Security Regulations Draft, to solicit public opinion and comments. Under the Data Security Regulations Draft, an overseas initial public offering to be conducted by a data processor processing the personal information of more than one million individuals shall apply for a cybersecurity review. Data processor means an individual or organization that independently makes decisions on the purpose and manner of processing in data processing activities, and data processing activities refers to activities such as the collection, retention, use, processing, transmission, provision, disclosure, or deletion of data. Currently we do not expect the Cybersecurity Review Measures to have an impact on the business and operations of our Hong Kong operating subsidiary, Roshing, or any offering, because (i) Roshing is incorporated and primarily operating in Hong Kong without any subsidiary or VIE structure in Mainland China; and (ii) as of the date of this report, Roshing has not been informed by any PRC governmental authority of any requirement that it file for a cybersecurity review for public offering. Based on laws and regulations currently in effect in the PRC as of the date of this report, we believe Roshing is not required to pass the cybersecurity review of the CAC in order to list our common stock in the U.S.
37 |
In addition, on December 24, 2021, the CSRC issued the Administrative Provisions of the State Council Regarding the Overseas Issuance and Listing of Securities by Domestic Enterprises (the “Draft Administrative Provisions”) and the Measures for the Overseas Issuance of Securities and Listing Record-Filings by Domestic Enterprises (Draft for Comments) (the “Draft Filing Measures”), collectively, the Draft Rules Regarding Overseas Listings. The Draft Rules Regarding Overseas Listing aim to lay out the filing regulation arrangement for both direct and indirect overseas listing and clarify the determination criteria for indirect overseas listing in overseas markets. According to the Draft Rules Regarding Overseas Listings, among other things, after making initial applications with overseas stock markets for initial public offerings or listings, all Mainland-China-based companies shall file with the CSRC within three working days.
On February 17, 2023, the CSRC promulgated the Trial Administrative Measures of Overseas Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies (the “Trial Measures”), which took effect on March 31, 2023. Compared to the Draft Filing Measures, the Trial Measures further clarified and emphasized that the comprehensive determination of the “indirect overseas offering and listing by PRC domestic companies” shall comply with the principle of “substance over form” and particularly, an issuer will be required to go through the filing procedures under the Trial Measures if the following criteria are met at the same time: a) 50% or more of the issuer’s operating revenue, total profits, total assets or net assets as documented in its audited consolidated financial statements for the most recent accounting year are accounted for by PRC domestic companies, and b) the main parts of the issuer’s business activities are conducted in Mainland China, or its main places of business are located in Mainland China, or the majority of senior managers in charge of its business operation and management are Chinese citizens or domiciled in mainland China. Furthermore, the Trial Measures and its supporting guidelines provide a negative list of types of issuers banned from listing overseas, the issuers’ obligation to comply with national security measures and the personal data protection laws, and certain other matters such as the requirements that an issuer (i) file with the CSRC within three business days after it submits an application for initial public offering to the competent overseas regulator;(ii) file subsequent reports with the CSRC on material events, including change of control and voluntary or forced delisting, after its overseas offering and listing; and (iii) file with the CSRC within three business days upon the completion of subsequent securities offerings of an issuer in the same overseas market where it has previously offered and listed securities.
As the Trial Measures are newly issued, there remains uncertainty as to how it will be interpreted or implemented. Therefore, we cannot assure you that when the Company is subject to such filing requirements, we will be able to get clearance from the CSRC in a timely manner, or at all, even though we believe that none of the situations that would clearly prohibit overseas listing and offering applies to us. Based on laws and regulations currently in effect in the PRC as of the date of this report, we believe we are not required to obtain regulatory approval from the CSRC or go through the filing procedures under the Trial Measures before our common stock can be listed or offered in the U.S because a) we do not, directly or indirectly, own or control any entity or subsidiary in Mainland China, and b) none of our business activities are conducted in Mainland China, and our main places of business are not located in Mainland China, and the majority of senior managers in charge of our business operation and management are Hong Kong citizens and domiciled in Hong Kong.
Since these proposed rules, statements and regulatory actions are new, it is highly uncertain how soon the legislative or administrative regulation making bodies will respond and what existing or new laws or regulations or detailed implementations and interpretations will be modified or promulgated, if any. Any failure of us to fully comply with new regulatory requirements may significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer common stock, cause significant disruption to our business operations, severely damage our reputation, materially and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations, and cause the common stock to significantly decline in value or become worthless.
In the opinion of our PRC counsel, Jiangsu Junjin Law Firm, as of the date of this report, on the basis that (i) we are a Nevada company and our only operating subsidiary, Roshing, is a Hong Kong company and is headquartered in Hong Kong, neither entity has operations in Mainland China; (ii) we do not, directly or indirectly, own or control any entity or subsidiary in Mainland China, nor are us controlled by any Mainland Chinese company or individual directly or indirectly; (iii) we currently do not have or intend to set up any subsidiary or enter into any contractual arrangements to establish a VIE structure with any entity in Mainland China; (iv) only a few of Roshing’s customers are Mainland China residents, which contributed 5.2% and 0.4% of our revenue for the years ended July 31, 2023 and 2024, respectively; (v) the majority of our senior managers in charge of the Company’s business operation and management are Hong Kong nationals and domiciled in Hong Kong; and (vi) all of Roshing’s employees are Hong Kong residents, we and our subsidiaries are not required to obtain any permissions or approvals from the Mainland China authorities for consummating any offering, including but not limited to the CSRC, to operate Roshing’s business or to list our securities on the U.S. exchanges and offer securities, including but not limited to issuing our common stock to foreign investors. We and our subsidiaries have not applied for, or been denied of any such permissions or approvals from the authorities of Mainland China. In addition, in the opinion of our PRC counsel, Jiangsu Junjin Law Firm, as of the date of this report, we are not subject to the cybersecurity review by the CAC over data security and future offering because we are a Nevada company and our only operating subsidiary is a Hong Kong company, and neither entity has operations in Mainland China.
38 |
Further, we expect that we and our subsidiaries’ operations will continue to be conducted in Hong Kong, as is the case as of the date of this report. Therefore, we believe that the chance that we and our subsidiaries will be required to obtain any permissions or approvals from the governmental authorities of Mainland China for our operations, or the listing of our securities on the U.S. exchanges and the offering of our securities in the future is very remote. If (i) we and our subsidiaries do not receive or maintain such permissions or approvals, should such approvals be required in the future by the PRC government, (ii) we and our subsidiaries inadvertently conclude that such permissions or approvals are not required, or (iii) applicable laws, regulations, or interpretations change and we are required to obtain such permissions or approvals in the future, our operations and financial condition could be materially adversely affected, and our ability to offer securities to investors could be significantly limited or completely hindered and the securities currently being offered may substantially decline in value and become worthless. Consequently, our operations and financial condition could be materially adversely affected, and our ability to offer securities to investors could be significantly limited or completely hindered and the securities currently being offered may substantially decline in value and become worthless.
Since these statements and regulatory actions are new, it is highly uncertain how soon the legislative or administrative regulation making bodies will respond and what existing or new laws or regulations or detailed implementations and interpretations will be modified or promulgated, if any. It is also highly uncertain what potential impact such modified or new laws and regulations will have on our daily business operations, its ability to accept foreign investments and the listing of our Ordinary Shares on a U.S. or other foreign exchanges. If there is significant change to current political arrangements between Mainland China and Hong Kong, the PRC government intervenes or influences operations of companies operated in Hong Kong like us, or exerts more control through change of laws and regulations over offerings conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in issuers like us, it may result in a material change in our operations and/or the value of the securities we are registering for sale or could significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors and cause the value of our common stock to significantly decline or become worthless.
In addition, the SEC has issued statements primarily focused on companies with significant China-based operations. For example, on July 30, 2021, Gary Gensler, Chairman of the SEC, issued a Statement on Investor Protection Related to Recent Developments in China, pursuant to which Chairman Gensler stated that he has asked the SEC staff to engage in targeted additional reviews of filings for companies with significant China-based operations. The statement also addressed risks inherent in companies with a VIE structure.
Risks Related to Taxation
Non-compliance with tax obligations may adversely affect our business and operation results.
On June 5, 2023, the United States Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) issued a notice letter imposing penalties for failure to provide information concerning certain foreign-owned U.S. Corporations for the tax period ending July 31, 2021, totaling $25,000. We promptly submitted a request for penalty abatement within 30 days of receiving the notice, asserting that the late filing was not due to willful neglect. However, as of now, we have not received any final decision from the IRS regarding their intended course of action. The total amount due now stands at $26,426.55, inclusive of accrued interest and penalties calculated up to February 26, 2022. On April 25, 2024, the Company paid the total amount of $26,854.68 to IRS by check.
On March 11, 2024, the Company received a new notice letter with the IRS issued a notice imposing penalties for failure to file form 5471 under Internal Revenue Code Section 6038. The penalty amounts due by April 1, 2024, is $20,000. On April 22, 2024, the Company received another notice from IRS of the intent of levy the company’s property or rights to property for the Company’s failure to pay the penalty. The total penalty due now stands at $20,184.43, inclusive of accrued interest and penalties calculated up to April 22, 2024. On April 22, 2024, we promptly submitted a request for penalty abatement within 30 days of receiving the notice, asserting that the late filing was not due to willful neglect.
On May 10, 2024, the company paid USD 20,184.43 by check to IRS for the tax period ending July 31, 2023.
39 |
All late filings were due to two main factors: a) the impact of the epidemic, resulting in our failure to report in a timely manner and subsequent payment of fines. We have settled the fines, but we require details regarding the date, amount, and reasons for any new penalties arising from delayed tax payments. b) The change of ownership in August 2021 led to numerous unresolved matters, compounded by various obstacles encountered during the pandemic.
Up to May 10, 2024, we have successfully filed tax returns for the years 2020 to 2022 and have duly remitted the two fines along with accrued interest via check. The amount owed, encompassing principal and interest, was ascertained and settled upon the submission of the report. In our future operations, we will aim to pay taxes on time and as required. However, we cannot guarantee that the Company won’t make tax payment errors in the future, which could affect our operations.
A change in tax laws in any country in which we operate or loss of a major tax dispute or a successful tax challenge to our operating structure, intercompany pricing policies or the taxable presence of our subsidiaries in certain countries could adversely affect us.
Tax laws, treaties and regulations are highly complex and subject to interpretation. Consequently, we and our subsidiaries are subject to changing laws, treaties and regulations in and between the countries in which we operate. Our tax expense is based on our interpretation of the tax laws in effect at the time the expense was incurred. A change in tax laws, treaties or regulations, or in the interpretation thereof, could result in a materially higher tax expense or a higher effective tax rate on our earnings.
In addition, if any tax authority successfully challenges positions we may take in tax filings, our operational structure, intercompany pricing policies, the taxable presence of our subsidiaries in certain countries or any other situation, or if the terms of certain income tax treaties are interpreted in a manner that is adverse to our structure, or if we lose a material tax dispute in any country, our effective tax rate on our worldwide earnings could increase substantially and our earnings and cash flows from operations could be materially adversely affected.
Risks Related to Our Common Stock
Our common stock is currently quoted on the OTC Pink Market, which may have an unfavorable impact on our stock price and liquidity.
Our common stock is currently quoted on the OTC Pink Market. The quotation of our shares on the OTC Pink Market may result in a less liquid market available for existing and potential stockholders to trade shares of our common stock, could depress the trading price of our common stock and could have a long-term adverse impact on our ability to raise capital in the future. When fewer shares of a security are being traded on the OTC Pink Market, volatility of prices may increase and price movement may outpace the ability to deliver accurate quote information. Due to lower trading volumes in shares of our common stock, there may be a lower likelihood that orders for shares of our common stock will be executed, and current prices may differ significantly from the price that was quoted at the time of entry of the order.
There can be no assurances that an active trading market may develop for our common stock, or if developed, be maintained.
Our common stock has traded on the OTC Pink Market since February 9, 2022. The average trading volume in our common stock has been historically low, with little or no trading at all on some days. As a result, an investor may find it difficult to dispose of, or to obtain accurate quotations of the price of, our common stock. Accordingly, investors must assume they may have to bear the economic risk of an investment in our common stock for an indefinite period of time. There can be no assurance that a more active market for the common stock will develop, or if one should develop, there is no assurance that it will be maintained. This severely limits the liquidity of our common stock and would likely have a material adverse effect on the market price of our common stock and on our ability to raise additional capital.
40 |
Our common stock is subject to the “penny stock” rules of the SEC and the trading market in the securities is limited, which makes transactions in the stock cumbersome and may reduce the value of an investment in the stock.
The SEC has adopted Rule 15g-9 which establishes the definition of a “penny stock,” for the purposes relevant to us, as any equity security that has a market price of less than $5.00 per share or with an exercise price of less than $5.00 per share, subject to certain exceptions. For any transaction involving a penny stock, unless exempt, the rules require:
In order to approve a person’s account for transactions in penny stocks, the broker or dealer must:
The broker or dealer must also deliver, prior to any transaction in a penny stock, a disclosure schedule prescribed by the SEC relating to the penny stock market, which, in highlight form sets forth:
Generally, brokers may be less willing to execute transactions in securities subject to the “penny stock” rules. This may make it more difficult for investors to dispose of common stock and cause a decline in the market value of stock.
Disclosure also has to be made about the risks of investing in penny stocks in both public offerings and in secondary trading and about the commissions payable to both the broker-dealer and the registered underwriter, current quotations for the securities and the rights and remedies available to an investor in cases of fraud in penny stock transactions. Finally, monthly statements have to be sent disclosing recent price information for the penny stock held in the account and information on the limited market in penny stocks.
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) sales practice requirements may also limit a stockholder’s ability to buy and sell our common stock.
In addition to the “penny stock” rules described above, FINRA has adopted rules that require that in recommending an investment to a customer, a broker-dealer must have reasonable grounds for believing that the investment is suitable for that customer. Prior to recommending speculative low-priced securities to their non-institutional customers, broker-dealers must make reasonable efforts to obtain information about the customer’s financial status, tax status, investment objectives and other information. Under interpretations of these rules, the FINRA believes that there is a high probability that speculative low-priced securities will not be suitable for at least some customers. Under interpretations of these rules, FINRA believes that there is a high probability that speculative low-priced securities will not be suitable for at least some customers. The FINRA requirements make it more difficult for broker-dealers to recommend that their customers buy our common stock, which may limit your ability to buy and sell our common stock and have an adverse effect on the market for shares of our common stock.
41 |
Our articles of incorporation allow for our board to create a new series of preferred stock without further approval by our Stockholders, which could adversely affect the rights of the holders of our common stock.
Our board of directors has the authority to fix and determine the relative rights and preferences of preferred stock. Our board of directors has the authority to issue up 80,000 shares of Series A Preferred Stock and 20,000,000 shares of undesignated preferred stock. The Board of Directors has the authority, without stockholder approval, to amend the Company’s Articles of Incorporation to divide the class of undesignated Preferred Stock into series, and to determine the relative rights and preferences of the shares of each series, including (i) voting power, (ii) the rate of dividend, (iii) the price at which, and the terms and conditions on which, the shares may be redeemed, (iv) the amount payable upon the shares in the event of liquidation, (v) any sinking fund provision for the redemption or purchase of the shares, and (vi) the terms and conditions on which the shares may be converted to shares of another series or class, if the shares of any series are issued with the privilege of conversion, which could decrease the relative voting power of our common stock or result in dilution to our existing Stockholders.
On January 27, 2023, Tianci sold 80,000 shares of its Series A Preferred Stock to RQS Capital for $24,000 cash. On January 19, 2024, the Company issued 8,000,000 shares of its common stock to RQS Capital. The shares were issued upon RQS Capital’s exercise of its right to convert 80,000 shares of Tianci’s Series A Preferred Stock into 8,000,000 shares of common stock.
On April 24, 2024, Tianci sold 80,000 shares of Series B Preferred Stock to RQS Capital. The shares were sold for a cash payment of $80,000. Each share of Series B Preferred Stock may be converted by the holder of the share into 100 shares of common stock, subject to equitable adjustment of the conversion rate. As of the date of the report, none of the shares of Series B Preferred Stock have been converted, and RQS Capital does not intend to convert its shares of Series B Preferred Stock into shares of common stock at the date of the report; however, the shares of Series B Preferred Stock may be converted into shares of common stock at any time at the option of RQS Capital.
Although we have no present intention to issue any additional shares of preferred stock or to create any additional series of preferred stock, we may issue such shares in the future.
The trading price of our common stock is likely to be volatile, which could result in substantial losses to investors.
The trading price of our common stock is likely to be volatile and could fluctuate widely due to factors beyond our control. This may happen because of broad market and industry factors, including the performance and fluctuation of the market prices of other companies with business operations located outside of the United States that have listed their securities in the United States. In addition to market and industry factors, the price and trading volume for our common stock may be highly volatile for factors specific to our own operations, including the following:
Any of these factors may result in large and sudden changes in the volume and price at which our common stock will trade.
In the past, stockholders of public companies have often brought securities class action suits against those companies following periods of instability in the market price of their securities. If we were involved in a class action suit, it could divert a significant amount of our management’s attention and other resources from our business and operations and require us to incur significant expenses to defend the suit, which could harm our results of operations. Any such class action suit, whether or not successful, could harm our reputation and restrict our ability to raise capital in the future. In addition, if a claim is successfully made against us, we may be required to pay significant damages, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
42 |
Short sellers of our stock may be manipulative and may drive down the market price of our common stock.
Short selling is the practice of selling securities that the seller does not own but rather has borrowed or intends to borrow from a third party with the intention of buying identical securities at a later date to return them to the lender. A short seller hopes to profit from a decline in the value of the securities between the sale of the borrowed securities and the purchase of the replacement shares, as the short seller expects to pay less in that purchase than it received in the sale. As it is therefore in the short seller’s interest for the price of the stock to decline, some short sellers publish, or arrange for the publication of, opinions or characterizations regarding the relevant issuer, its business prospects and similar matters calculated to or which may create negative market momentum, which may permit them to obtain profits for themselves as a result of selling the stock short. Issuers whose securities have historically had limited trading volumes and/or have been susceptible to relatively high volatility levels can be particularly vulnerable to such short seller attacks.
The publication of any such commentary regarding us by a short seller may bring about a temporary, or possibly long term, decline in the market price of our common stock. No assurances can be made that we will not become a target of such commentary and declines in the market price of our common stock will not occur in the future, in connection with such commentary by short sellers or otherwise.
The sale or availability for sale of substantial amounts of our common stock could adversely affect their market price.
Sales of substantial amounts of our common stock in the public market, or the perception that these sales could occur, could adversely affect the market price of our common stock and could materially impair our ability to raise capital through equity offerings in the future. Shares held by our existing stockholders may be sold in the public market in the future subject to the restrictions in Rule 144 and Rule 701 under the Securities. As of July 31, 2024 and the date of this report, we have 14,781,803 shares of common stock issued and outstanding. We cannot predict what effect, if any, market sales of securities held by our significant stockholders or any other stockholder or the availability of these securities for future sale will have on the market price of our common stock.
As we do not expect to pay dividends in the foreseeable future, you must rely on a price appreciation of our common stock for return on your investment.
We currently intend to retain most, if not all, of our available funds and any future earnings to fund the development and growth of our business. As a result, we do not expect to pay any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. Therefore, you should not rely on an investment in our common stock as a source for any future dividend income.
Our board of directors has complete discretion as to whether to distribute dividends. Even if our board of directors decides to declare and pay dividends, the timing, amount and form of future dividends, if any, will depend on our future results of operations and cash flow, our capital requirements and surplus, the amount of distributions, if any, received by us from our subsidiaries, our financial condition, contractual restrictions and other factors deemed relevant by our board of directors. Accordingly, the return on your investment in our common stock will likely depend entirely upon any future price appreciation of our common stock. There is no guarantee that our common stock will appreciate in value, or even maintain the price at which you purchased the common stock. You may not realize a return on your investment in our common stock and you may even lose your entire investment in our common stock.
Our CEO beneficially owns the majority of our outstanding stock and, accordingly, will have control over stockholder matters, the Company’s business and management.
Shufang Gao, the Chief Executive Officer of Tianci, through his 60% holding in RQS Capital, which has 61.89% of the voting power, together with common stock owned by himself, controls securities with 62.11% of the voting power in Tianci. As a result, Mr. Gao will have the ability to:
43 |
Moreover, because of the significant ownership position held by Mr. Gao, new investors will not be able to effect a change in the Company’s business or management, and therefore, stockholders would be subject to decisions made by management and the majority stockholder. Gao, new investors will not be able to effect a change in the Company’s business or management, and therefore, shareholders would be subject to decisions made by management and the majority shareholder.
In addition, Management’s stock ownership may discourage a potential acquirer from making a tender offer or otherwise attempting to obtain control of us, which in turn could reduce our stock price or prevent our Stockholders from realizing a premium over our stock price.
The sale of securities by us in any equity or debt financing could result in dilution to our existing Stockholders.
Our Board of Directors is authorized to issue up to 100,000,000 shares of common stock, up to 80,000 shares of Series A Preferred stock, up to 80,000 shares of Series B Preferred stock, and up to 19,920,000 shares of undesignated preferred stock. If our management determines to issue shares of our common stock from the large pool of authorized but unissued shares for any purpose in the future and is not required to obtain stockholder approval, your ownership position would be diluted without your further ability to vote on that transaction. In addition, our Articles of Incorporation provide that the Board can designate the voting rights, liquidation rights, dividend rights and other rights of holders of the preferred stock. The Board, therefore, could use the Preferred Stock to give an investor group disproportionate voting rights or priority over the common stock in the allocation of benefits from the operations of Roshing, including preferential dividends. The Board could also use the Preferred Stock to create a poison pill to prevent a takeover of Tianci that might be considered beneficial by the common stockholders.
Any sale of common stock by us in a future private placement offering could result in dilution to the existing Stockholders as a direct result of our issuance of additional shares of our capital stock. In addition, our business strategy may include expansion through internal growth by acquiring complementary businesses, acquiring, or establishing strategic relationships with targeted customers and suppliers. In addition, our business strategy may include expansion through internal growth by acquiring complementary businesses, acquiring, or licensing additional brands, or establishing strategic relationships with targeted customers and suppliers. In order to do so, or to finance the cost of our other activities, we may issue additional equity securities that could dilute our Stockholders’ stock ownership. We may also assume additional debt and incur impairment losses related to goodwill and other tangible assets, and this could negatively impact our earnings and results of operations.
We may require additional capital to support growth, and such capital might not be available on terms acceptable to us, if at all. This could hamper our growth and adversely affect our business.
We intend to continue to make investments to support our business growth and may require additional funds to respond to business challenges, including the need to enhance our products and services, improve our operating infrastructure or acquire complementary businesses and technologies. Accordingly, we may need to engage in public or private equity, equity-linked or debt financing to secure additional funds. If we raise additional funds through future issuances of equity or convertible debt securities, our existing stockholders could suffer significant dilution, and any new equity securities we issue could have rights, preferences and privileges superior to those of holders of our common stock. Any debt financing that we secure in the future could involve restrictive covenants relating to our capital raising activities and other financial and operational matters, including the ability to pay dividends. This may make it more difficult for us to obtain additional capital and to pursue business opportunities, including potential acquisitions. We may not be able to obtain additional financing on terms favorable to us, if at all. If we are unable to obtain adequate financing on terms satisfactory to us when we require it, our ability to continue to support our business growth and respond to business challenges could be significantly impaired, and our business could be adversely affected.
Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments
Not applicable.
44 |
Item 1C. Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity: Risk Management and Strategy
We have developed and implemented a cybersecurity risk management program that is designed to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the Company’s data and systems. Our cybersecurity risk management program includes a cybersecurity incident response plan.
Our cybersecurity risk management program is integrated into our overall enterprise risk management program, and shares common methodologies, reporting channels and governance processes that apply across the enterprise risk management program to other legal, compliance, strategic, operational, and financial risk areas.
Our cybersecurity risk management program includes:
Additionally, the Company assesses and manages cybersecurity threats associated with its third party service providers’ information technology systems that could compromise the Company’s information security or data. Identified cybersecurity threats are communicated to management for review, response and mitigation as appropriate.
As of the date of this filing, we have not identified risks from known cybersecurity threats, including as a result of any prior cybersecurity incidents, that have materially affected us, including our operations, business strategy, results of operations, or financial condition. We face risks from cybersecurity threats that, if realized, are likely to materially affect us, including our operations, business strategy, results of operations, or financial condition.
Cybersecurity: Governance
Our Board of Directors considers cybersecurity risk within the Board’s risk oversight function. The board of directors has charged management with responsibility for oversight of cybersecurity risks and incidents and any other risks and incidents relevant to the Company’s computerized information system controls and security. The Board and its Audit Committee oversee management’s implementation of our cybersecurity risk management program.
Our Corporate Controller reviews the efficacy of our cybersecurity program from time to time as circumstances make appropriate and annually in connection with the annual audit of the Company’s financial statements. Our Corporate Controller renders to the auditor a written report regarding IT general controls, including cybersecurity systems, risk assessment and monitoring practices. The auditor reviews the report in connection with its assessment of the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting, and advises Company management if the report reveals flaws in the Company’s internal controls. Copies of the Corporate Controller’s report are also given to the CEO/CFO and made available to members of the Board of Directors. Copies of the auditor’s report are delivered to the members of the Board of Directors, which reviews and is responsible to cause a remediation of any material inadequacies in the controls environment.
Our Corporate Controller reports to our CEO/CFO on matters of cybersecurity, and together they carry responsibility for our overall cybersecurity risk management program. Our CEO/CFO provides prompt reports to the Board regarding cybersecurity risks and incidents as they are revealed, as well as periodic reports, as appropriate, regarding the Company’s cybersecurity program.
45 |
Recently Filed
Ticker * | File Date |
---|---|
CMTL | 1 day, 3 hours ago |
SLP | 1 day, 5 hours ago |
PSMT | 1 day, 5 hours ago |
RYES | 2 days, 3 hours ago |
PURE | 2 days, 4 hours ago |
ENZ | 2 days, 4 hours ago |
FDS | 2 days, 4 hours ago |
CLEV | 2 days, 4 hours ago |
PCNT | 2 days, 4 hours ago |
ZDGE | 2 days, 5 hours ago |
HFUS | 2 days, 5 hours ago |
SMPL | 2 days, 6 hours ago |
NMEX | 2 days, 6 hours ago |
JRVS | 2 days, 7 hours ago |
HITC | 2 days, 12 hours ago |
BCTX | 3 days, 3 hours ago |
JBL | 3 days, 4 hours ago |
AZO | 3 days, 4 hours ago |
AYI | 3 days, 5 hours ago |
PCYN | 6 days, 4 hours ago |
NIMU | 6 days, 4 hours ago |
HRBR | 1 week ago |
SGH | 1 week ago |
LNN | 1 week ago |
GBX | 1 week ago |
MSM | 1 week ago |
SCHN | 1 week ago |
IIIN | 1 week ago |
MAYS | 1 week ago |
WGO | 1 week, 1 day ago |
VIVC | 1 week, 1 day ago |
CIIT | 1 week, 2 days ago |
NXEN | 1 week, 2 days ago |
WOLV | 1 week, 6 days ago |
UNQL | 2 weeks ago |
CMC | 2 weeks ago |
VRDR | 2 weeks, 1 day ago |
SGLY | 2 weeks, 2 days ago |
FRST | 2 weeks, 2 days ago |
AWYS | 2 weeks, 6 days ago |
GHST | 2 weeks, 6 days ago |
SHMY | 2 weeks, 6 days ago |
ENOB | 3 weeks ago |
ODC | 3 weeks ago |
PAXH | 3 weeks ago |
VRTC | 3 weeks ago |
ACN | 3 weeks ago |
VLGEA | 3 weeks, 1 day ago |
CZNI | 3 weeks, 1 day ago |
ALDS | 3 weeks, 1 day ago |