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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 27, 2021

Registration No. 333-            

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM F-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

Q&K International Group Limited

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Cayman Islands   Not Applicable
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

Suite 1607, Building A

No.596 Middle Longhua Road

Xuhui District, Shanghai, 200032

People’s Republic of China

+86 21-6422-8532

(Address and telephone number of Registrant’s principal executive offices)

 

 

Cogency Global Inc.

122 East 42nd Street, 18th Floor

New York, NY 10168

United States of America

+1 800-221-0102

(Name, address, and telephone number of agent for service)

 

 

Copies to:

Shuang Zhao

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP

c/o 37th Floor, Hysan Place

500 Hennessy Road, Causeway Bay

Hong Kong

+852 2521 4122

 

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after the effective date of this registration statement, as determined by market conditions and other factors.

If only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box.  ☐

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box.  ☒

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ☐

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ☐

If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.C. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box.  ☐

If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.C. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box.  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933.

Emerging growth company  ☒

If an emerging growth company that prepares its financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards† provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act.  ☐

†The term “new or revised financial accounting standard” refers to any update issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board to its Accounting Standards Codification after April 5, 2012.

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

 

Title of each class of
securities to be registered(1)
  Proposed
maximum
aggregate
offering price(3)
  Amount of
registration fee(3)

Class A ordinary shares, par value US$0.00001 per share(2)

  US$20,000,000   US$2,182

 

 

(1)

Includes (i) securities initially offered and sold outside the United States that may be resold from time to time in the United States either as part of their distribution or within 40 days after the later of the effective date of this registration statement and the date the securities are first bona fide offered to the public, and (ii) securities that are issuable upon the exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option to purchase additional shares. These securities are not being registered for the purposes of sales outside the United States.

(2)

These Class A ordinary shares may be represented by American depositary shares, each of which represents thirty (30) Class A ordinary shares. The American depositary shares issuable upon deposit of the Class A ordinary shares registered hereby have been registered under a separate registration statement on Form F-6 (Registration No. 333-234252).

(3)

Estimated solely for the purposes of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(o) of Regulation C under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

 

The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

 

 

 


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The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. These securities may not be sold until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

Subject to Completion, Dated July 27, 2021

PROSPECTUS

 

LOGO

Q&K International Group Limited

Class A Ordinary Shares

 

 

We may offer and sell Class A ordinary shares, par value US$0.00001 per share, including American depositary shares, or ADSs, each representing thirty (30) Class A ordinary shares, from time to time in one or more offerings, at prices and on terms described in one or more supplements to this prospectus. The aggregate initial offering price of the securities that we may offer and sell under this prospectus will not exceed US$20,000,000.

Each time we sell securities, we will provide a supplement to this prospectus that contains specific information about the offering and the terms of the securities. The supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. We may also authorize one or more free writing prospectuses to be provided in connection with a specific offering. You should read this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and any free writing prospectus carefully before you invest in any of our securities.

We may sell the securities registered hereunder to or through one or more underwriters, dealers and agents, or directly to purchasers, or through a combination of these methods, on a continuous or delayed basis. See “Plan of Distribution.” If any underwriters, dealers or agents are involved in the sale of any of the securities, their names, and any applicable purchase price, fee, commission or discount arrangements between or among them, will be set forth, or will be calculable from the information set forth, in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Pursuant to General Instruction I.B.5 of Form F-3, in no event will we sell the securities covered hereby in a public primary offering with a value exceeding more than one-third of the aggregate market value of our ordinary shares in any 12-month period so long as the aggregate market value of our outstanding ordinary shares held by non-affiliates remains below US$75,000,000. During the 12 calendar months prior to and including the date of this prospectus, we have not offered or sold any securities pursuant to General Instruction I.B.5 of Form F-3.

Our ADSs are listed on the NASDAQ Global Market and are traded under the symbol “QK.” On July 26, 2021, the last reported sale price of the ADSs on the NASDAQ Global Market was US$1.09 per ADS.

Investing in our securities involves risks. You should read the “Risk Factors” section in this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement, any related free writing prospectus and the documents we incorporate by reference in this prospectus before investing in our securities.

This prospectus may not be used to offer or sell any securities unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the accuracy or completeness of this prospectus, including any prospectus supplement, free writing prospectus and documents incorporated by reference. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The date of this prospectus is                 , 2021.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     Page  

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

     1  

INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

     3  

SPECIAL NOTE ON FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

     4  

OUR COMPANY

     6  

RISK FACTORS

     9  

USE OF PROCEEDS

     11  

DESCRIPTION OF SHARE CAPITAL

     12  

DESCRIPTION OF AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES

     22  

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

     30  

TAXATION

     33  

ENFORCEABILITY OF CIVIL LIABILITIES

     34  

LEGAL MATTERS

     36  

EXPERTS

     37  

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT US

     38  


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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

Before you invest in any of our securities, you should carefully read this prospectus and any prospectus supplement, together with the additional information described in the sections entitled “Where You Can Find More Information About Us” and “Incorporation of Documents by Reference” in this prospectus.

In this prospectus, unless otherwise indicated or unless the context otherwise requires:

 

   

“ADSs” refers to our American depositary shares, each of which represents 30 Class A ordinary shares;

 

   

“apartments contracted” or “rental units contracted” refer to apartments or rental units that we have leased in from landlords, as applicable;

 

   

“available apartments” or “available rental units” refer to the apartments or rental units in operation, as applicable, which have been renovated and ventilated and are ready to rent to tenants;

 

   

“average month-end occupancy rate” refers to the aggregate number of leased-out rental unit nights of the last day of each month in the relevant period as a percentage of the aggregate number of available rental unit nights of the last day of each month in the same period;

 

   

“average monthly rental after discount for rental prepayment” refers to the total rental received by a rental operator from tenants for the relevant period the tenants stay in the rental operator’s apartments, net of value-added tax, divided by the number of leased-out rental unit nights for the same period times 30.5 (which represents the average number of days in a month); for avoidance of doubt, the total rental does not include any utility fees a rental operator charges tenants for the relevant period;

 

   

“average monthly rental before discount for rental prepayment” refers to the total rental received by a rental operator from tenants for the relevant period the tenants stay in the rental operator’s apartments, net of value-added tax, adding back any discount the rental operator offers for rental prepayment, divided by the number of leased-out rental unit nights for the same period times 30.5 (which represents the average number of days in a month); for avoidance of doubt, the total rental does not include any utility fees a rental operator charges tenants for the relevant period;

 

   

“China” or the “PRC” refers to the People’s Republic of China, excluding, for the purposes of this prospectus only, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan;

 

   

“leased-out rental unit nights” refer to the number of nights that the rental units of a rental apartment were leased out for a relevant period;

 

   

“long-term apartment rental” refers to apartment rental business in which the rents are normally collected on a monthly or quarterly basis, and the lease terms are normally over six months;

 

   

“ordinary shares” refers to our Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares, par value US$0.00001 per share;

 

   

“period-average occupancy rate” refers to the aggregate number of leased-out rental unit nights as a percentage of the aggregate number of available rental unit nights during the relevant period;

 

   

“rental spread after discount for rental prepayment” refers to the difference between the average monthly rental after discount for rental prepayment on a lease to a tenant, and the monthly straight-lined rental that the rental operator pays to the landlord for the same space;

 

   

“rental spread before discount for rental prepayment” refers to the difference between the average monthly rental before discount for rental prepayment on a lease to a tenant, and the monthly straight-lined rental that the rental operator pays to the landlord for the same space;

 

   

“rental spread margin after discount for rental prepayment” refers to the rental spread after discount for rental prepayment as a percentage of the average monthly rental after discount for rental prepayment on a lease to a tenant on the same space;

 

 

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“rental spread margin before discount for rental prepayment” refers to the rental spread before discount for rental prepayment as a percentage of the average monthly rental before discount for rental prepayment on a lease to a tenant on the same space;

 

   

“rental unit” refers to each bedroom in a rental apartment; we typically convert a leased-in apartment to add an additional bedroom, or the N+1 model, and rent each bedroom separately to individual tenants after standardized decoration and furnishing;

 

   

“RMB” and “Renminbi” refer to the legal currency of China;

 

   

“straight-lined rental” refer to the rental a rental operator pays to a landlord after adjustment to record rent holidays/rent-free period and rent escalation clauses on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease with the landlord;

 

   

“tier 1 cities” refer to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen;

 

   

“US$,” “U.S. dollars,” “$,” and “dollars” refer to the legal currency of the United States; and

 

   

“we,” “us,” “our company,” “our” and “Q&K” refer to Q&K International Group Limited, its subsidiaries, variable interest entity and its subsidiaries.

Unless otherwise indicated, the number of our tenants, average lease term of our tenants, and our other operating data in this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement and related free writing prospectus, and the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein do not take into account tenants who choose not to stay in our apartments after the first week of their leases. To encourage prospective tenants to try out our apartments, we have put in place a policy to allow a new tenant to cancel a lease within three days from the move-in date, and we will return all rental, deposits and fees penalty free. If a new tenant cancels the lease on the fourth to the seventh day, we will return all unused rental, deposit and fees penalty free.

Our fiscal year end is September 30. “FY 2018” refers to our fiscal year ended September 30, 2018, “FY 2019” refers to our fiscal year ended September 30, 2019, and “FY 2020” refers to our fiscal year ended September 30, 2020.

This prospectus is part of a registration statement on Form F-3 that we filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, utilizing a shelf registration process permitted under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act. By using a shelf registration statement, we may sell any of our securities from time to time and in one or more offerings. Each time we sell securities, we may provide a supplement to this prospectus that contains specific information about the securities being offered and the terms of that offering. The supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. If there is any inconsistency between the information in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement, you should rely on the prospectus supplement.

You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement or any related free writing prospectus that we may authorize to be delivered to you. We have not authorized any other person to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We will not make an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus, the applicable supplement to this prospectus or in any related free writing prospectus is accurate as of its respective date, and that any information incorporated by reference is accurate only as of the date of the document incorporated by reference, unless we indicate otherwise. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.

 

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INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

The SEC allows us to incorporate by reference the information we file with them. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. Each document incorporated by reference is current only as of the date of such document, and the incorporation by reference of such documents should not create any implication that there has been no change in our affairs since such date. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be a part of this prospectus and should be read with the same care. When we update the information contained in documents that have been incorporated by reference by making future filings with the SEC, the information incorporated by reference in this prospectus is considered to be automatically updated and superseded. In other words, in the case of a conflict or inconsistency between information contained in this prospectus and information incorporated by reference into this prospectus, you should rely on the information contained in the document that was filed later.

We incorporate by reference the documents listed below:

 

   

our annual report on Form 20-F for FY 2020 filed with the SEC on February 16, 2021;

 

   

our current report on Form 6-K furnished with the SEC on July 27, 2021; and

 

   

with respect to each offering of securities under this prospectus, all our subsequent annual reports on Form 20-F and any report on Form 6-K that indicates that it is being incorporated by reference, in each case, that we file with the SEC on or after the date of this prospectus and until the termination or completion of the offering under this prospectus.

Our annual report on Form 20-F for FY 2020 contains a description of our business and audited consolidated financial statements with reports by our independent auditors. These financial statements are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, or U.S. GAAP.

Unless expressly incorporated by reference, nothing in this prospectus shall be deemed to incorporate by reference information furnished to, but not filed with, the SEC. We will provide to you, upon your written or oral request, without charge, a copy of any or all of the documents we refer to above which we have incorporated in this prospectus by reference, other than exhibits to those documents unless such exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference in the documents. You should direct your requests to our principal executive office located at Suite 1607, Building A, No.596 Middle Longhua Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China. Our telephone number at this address is +86 21-6422-8532.

 

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SPECIAL NOTE ON FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement and related free writing prospectus, and the information incorporated by reference herein and therein may contain forward-looking statements that relate to our current expectations and views of future events. Known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigations Reform Act of 1995.

You can identify some of these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “is/are likely to,” “potential,” “continue” or other similar expressions. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to:

 

   

our mission and strategies;

 

   

our ability to continue as a going concern;

 

   

our ability to achieve or maintain profitability;

 

   

general economic and business condition in China and elsewhere, particularly the long-term apartment rental market and government measures aimed at China’s real estate industry and apartment rental industry;

 

   

health epidemics, pandemics and similar outbreaks, including COVID-19;

 

   

competition in the apartment rental industry;

 

   

our future business development, financial condition and results of operations;

 

   

our expectations regarding demand for and market acceptance of our apartments and services;

 

   

our ability to attract and retain tenants and landlords, including tenants and landlords from our acquired lease contracts;

 

   

our ability to control the quality of operations, including the operation of our rental apartments managed by our own apartment managers or by third-party contractors;

 

   

our ability to integrate strategic investments, acquisitions and new business initiatives; and

 

   

our relationship with financial institution partners and third-party product and service providers.

These forward-looking statements involve various risks and uncertainties. Although we believe that our expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, our expectations may later be found to be incorrect. Our actual results could be materially different from our expectations. You should thoroughly read this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement and the documents that we reference in this prospectus with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from and worse than what we expect. Factors that could cause or contribute to the differences include, but are not limited to, those discussed in the “Risk Factors” section. Moreover, we operate in an evolving environment. New risk factors and uncertainties emerge from time to time and it is not possible for our management to predict all risk factors and uncertainties, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. We qualify all of our forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements.

This prospectus contains certain data and information that we obtained from various government and private publications. Statistical data in these publications also include projections based on a number of assumptions.

 

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Our industry may not grow at the rate projected by market data, or at all. Failure of this market to grow at the projected rate may have material and adverse effect on our business and the market price of our ADSs. In addition, the rapidly changing nature of China’s branded long-term apartment rental industry results in significant uncertainties for any projections or estimates relating to the growth prospects or future condition of our market. Furthermore, if any one or more of the assumptions underlying the market data are later found to be incorrect, actual results may differ from the projections based on these assumptions. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.

The forward-looking statements made in this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement and the documents that we reference in this prospectus relate only to events or information as of the date on which the statements are made in the respective documents. You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

 

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OUR COMPANY

We are a leading technology-driven long-term apartment rental platform in China, offering young, emerging urban residents conveniently-located, ready-to-move-in, and affordable branded apartments as well as facilitating a variety of value-added services. We are one of the pioneers in providing branded rental apartments in China. Under our dispersed lease-and-operate model, we lease apartments from landlords and transform these apartments, mostly from bare-bones condition, into standardized furnished rooms to lease to people seeking affordable residence in cities, following an efficient, technology-driven business process. Our period average occupancy rates was 91.6%, 83.8% and 86.6% in FY 2019, FY 2020 and the six months ended March 31, 2021, respectively.

Driven by the rapid urbanization, rising housing prices, millennial mindsets of sharing economy, and supportive government policies, branded long-term rental apartment service is an underpenetrated, fast-growing industry in China. An increasing number of young people in China move to cities for education or work and seek affordable long-term rental apartments. Traditionally, tenants rely on rental agencies or deal with individual landlords to rent apartments and have to contact individual landlords, who at times may not be responsive, for maintenance and repair during the lease. In the meantime, landlords need to handle apartment maintenance and repair and collect rentals all by themselves. In recent years, branded apartment operators have emerged to provide a one-stop, more efficient and hassle-free rental experience for tenants as well as landlords. In addition, central and local governments in China have adopted policies to incentivize and support the growth of the apartment rental sector, including offering equal access to public services and schools to both renters and homeowners, reducing income tax, and medical insurance and social security payment ratio for individuals with monthly income below RMB10,000.0—our target customer group.

Branded long-term apartment rental platforms operate under either a centralized or dispersed model. Under the centralized model, an operator sources and operates a whole building or a few floors therein through purchasing or leasing from, or cooperating with, property owners. Under the dispersed model, an operator sources apartments from individual landlords in different locations and manage them centrally, leveraging advanced IT and mobile technologies. Compared to the centralized model, the dispersed model enjoys certain advantages, including a more abundant and flexible supply of apartments and less initial capital outlay, and is easier to achieve a nation-wide brand awareness. As a result, the dispersed model is more scalable.

We strategically focus on sourcing apartments under the dispersed model in relatively inexpensive yet convenient locations, typically near subway stations, to provide our tenants value for money. We do not own our rental apartments but lease them from our landlords under long-term leases. Our leases with landlords usually provide for a minimum term of five to six years, or lease-in contract lock-in period, and can be extended for up to two to three years. We generally lock in our lease-in cost for the first three years, with approximately 5% annual, non-compounding increase for the rest of the lease term. During the lease-in contract lock-in period, neither landlords nor us may terminate the lease without paying a penalty equal to the rentals for the remaining lease-in contract lock-in period. For leases with landlords entered into in April 2019 or after, if the monthly rentals (after discount for rental prepayment) that we receive from tenants are lower than our monthly rental to landlords for six consecutive months, we have the right to renegotiate for a lower monthly rental to landlords or terminate the relevant leases with landlords. We typically convert a leased-in apartment to add additional bedroom, or the N+1 model, and rent each bedroom separately to individual tenants after standardized decoration and furnishing. The N+1 model further increases affordability and provides flexibilities and co-rental efficiency for tenants. Each of our rental apartments typically has three rental units. Our leases with tenants typically have a contracted lease term of 12 to 26 months. In the six months ended March 31, 2021, the average lock-in period of our terminated leases with tenants was 11.5 months, and 71.0% of these leases with tenants had a lock-in period of 12 months or more. In the same period, 61.8% of our leases with tenants were terminated before the expiration of the applicable lock-in period and tenants of 4.9% of our leases remained in their rental units through the end of the 26-month contracted lease term. If a tenant chooses to terminate the lease during the lock-in period, except for termination during the first week of the lease, the tenant’s security deposit will be forfeited. After the lock-in

 

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period, the tenant may terminate the lease anytime without penalty. In the six months ended March 31, 2021, tenants on average stayed in our rental units for 8.0 months. Technology is at the core of our business. We apply technology in every step of our operational process from apartment sourcing, renovation, and tenant acquisition, to property management. This enables us to operate a large, dispersed and fast-growing portfolio of apartments with high operational efficiency, delivering superior user experience. For example, we utilize big data analytics to establish a fair and efficient pricing mechanism. This mechanism also provides clear guidance to our apartment sourcing staff and ensures certain rental spread can be achieved during the lease term. We have also developed a technology-driven, innovative project management system to centrally manage our suppliers and contractors for apartment renovation, cleaning and maintenance, monitor the work process, track the work schedules, and exert quality control. Moreover, our intuitive mobile applications allow our tenants, landlords, and third-party service providers to execute transactions or provide services in a streamlined paperless environment. Our focus on technologies has enabled us to operate efficiently and grow rapidly while maintaining quality control.

We cooperate with third parties, including professional home service providers, e-commerce companies, and other service providers to facilitate a wide array of value-added services for our tenants. These include broadband internet and utilities. In addition, we launched Qingke Select, a membership-based new retail platform. These initiatives cater to tenants’ lifestyle demand and help them live more conveniently and comfortably. This, in turn, helps improve our brand loyalty and increase revenue per tenant. Revenue from value-added services and others as a percentage of our net revenues increased from 10.4% in FY 2018 to 11.7% in FY 2019, and then decreased to 8.5% in FY 2020. Revenue from value-added services and others as a percentage of our net revenues increased from 11.4% in the six months ended March 31, 2020 to 12.0% in the six months ended March 31, 2021.

We also cooperate with financial institutions to facilitate rental installment loans for our tenants in need. Since May 2020, the financial institutions have suspended providing new rental installment loans to tenants. Before this, our tenants could, but were not obligated to, apply for rental installment loans from our cooperative partners to prepay rental for certain lease period and enjoy rental discount for the rental prepayment. Approved loan proceeds covering up to 24 months’ rentals were transferred to our account at the inception of the lease. We typically pay the monthly interest on the rental installment loans to our financial institution partners for our tenants and provide guarantee. We may also provide additional credit enhancement in the form of security deposits, usually no more than 5% of the total outstanding loan balance with the relevant financial institutions, with respect to our tenants’ repayment of the loans. When a lease is terminated, either by the tenant or by us, we are typically required to return, in a lump sum, the outstanding portion of the rental installment loan. The amount represents the rental for the remaining lease term (net of the discount for rental prepayment) and we are required to deposit it into the tenant’s designated account at the financial institution partner within a prescribed period of time, ranging from 0 to 31 days after the termination, which will then be immediately deducted by the financial institution partner from such account. The proceeds from rental installment loans have helped us finance our capital expenditure on decorating and furnishing newly sourced apartments. As of March 31, 2021, we cooperated with six financial institutions to finance rental installment loans, and the rental payment of 4.3% of the rental units offered on our platform had been financed by these rental installment loans.

In July 2020, to replenish and expand our rental units portfolio, one of our subsidiaries entered into agreements with a rental service company and its affiliates to acquire lease contracts with landlords and tenants and related fixtures, equipment and other assets for approximately 72,000 rental units in various cities across China at a total consideration of US$130 million, less certain liabilities to be assumed by us. Unlike rental units we directly operate and manage, these rental units had been renovated at the time we acquired the lease contracts. We have carried out due diligence to verify the authenticity and the quality of these rental units, including but not limited to site visits, calls with landlords and tenants of these rental units, and verification of the operating data such as occupancy rate and rental margin of these rental units provided by the rental service company. We have engaged a third-party contractor to manage these rental units, including but not limited to marketing, maintenance, tenant screening, communications with landlords and tenants. We take measures to supervise and

 

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control the quality of the contractor’s management, including but not limited to monitoring operating data related to these rental units on a daily basis such as the number of new leases with tenants and amount of rental income, and reviewing the performance of these rental units each month. We are in the process of integrating these rental units into our system. To finance this acquisition, in July 2020, we issued series 1 and series 2 convertible notes in the aggregate principal amount of US$30.050 million at par and warrants to purchase 104,871 ADSs to Key Space (S) Pte Ltd and Veneto Holdings Ltd., and subsequently, from September 2020 to December 2020, we issued additional series 1 and series 2 convertible notes in the aggregate principal amount of US$12.03 million at par and warrants to purchase 67,696 ADSs to Key Space (S) Pte Ltd, pursuant to the convertible notes and warrant purchase agreements. As of March 31, 2021, the remaining consideration for the acquisition consisted of US$23.2 million in cash and RMB289.7 million worth of our Class A ordinary shares. In May 2021, we entered into supplemental agreements with the rental service company and its affiliates, pursuant to which we settled the remaining consideration by delivering 186,375,850 Class A ordinary shares to them. They are entitled to sell these Class A ordinary shares in the open market, subject to certain lock-up arrangements. Among the 186,375,850 Class A ordinary shares delivered, we are obliged to (i) make up the shortfall if the proceeds they receive from the sale of 57,786,458 Class A ordinary shares are lower than US$0.4014 per share and (ii) repurchase 20,860,749 Class A ordinary shares at US$0.4015 per share in installments if they do not trade these shares in the open market, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the agreements with them. We will also issue in installments, to a third-party contractor that manages the rental units as previously announced, up to 99.6 million Class A ordinary shares, subject to certain performance indicators and other terms and conditions set forth in the agreement.

 

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RISK FACTORS

Investing in our securities involves risk. You should carefully consider the risk factors and uncertainties described under the heading “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors” in our most recent annual report on Form 20-F, which is incorporated in this prospectus by reference, as updated by our subsequent filings under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or the Exchange Act, and any risk factors and other information described in the applicable prospectus supplement before acquiring any of our securities. These risks and uncertainties could materially affect our business, results of operations or financial condition and cause the value of our securities to decline.

Summary of Risk Factors

 

   

We have a limited operating history in an emerging and rapidly evolving market, which makes it difficult to evaluate our future prospects and results of operations and may increase the risk that we will not be successful. In addition, our historical growth and financial condition may not be indicative of our future growth, profitability, and financial condition.

 

   

The report of our independent registered public accounting firm on our consolidated financial statements includes an explanatory paragraph questioning our ability to continue as a going concern. We recorded net losses in the past and may not be able to continue as a going concern or achieve or maintain profitability in the future.

 

   

Our business requires significant capital expenditure for sourcing, renovation and maintenance of rental apartments. Inability to access financing on favorable terms in a timely manner or at all would materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition and growth prospects.

 

   

The COVID-19 outbreak has adversely affected, and may continue to adversely affect, our business, results of operations and financial condition. We also face risks related to other health epidemics, natural disasters, civil and social disruptions and other outbreaks and catastrophes, which could materially and adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.

 

   

Tenants may terminate their leases during lease terms, exposing us to the risk of re-leasing our rental apartments, which we may be unable to do on a timely basis, on favorable terms or at all.

 

   

We have relied on our tenants’ rental prepayments to finance our growth. To the extent a lease agreement is terminated during the rental period covered by the prepayment, we need to return the unused prepaid rentals. If a significant number of the lease agreements are terminated early, our liquidity and financial condition may be materially and adversely affected. We rely on our cooperation with a limited number of financial institutions.

 

   

Capital and credit market conditions may adversely affect our access to capital and/or the cost of capital, which could impact our future prospects, results of operations and growth prospects.

 

   

Our business is susceptible to China’s macro-economic conditions, particularly the long-term apartment rental market and government measures aimed at China’s real estate industry and apartment rental industry.

 

   

Our expansion into new markets may present increased risk.

 

   

Strategic investments, acquisitions or new business initiatives may disrupt our ability to effectively manage our business and adversely affect our operating results. In addition, to the extent we fund these business initiatives through the issuance of equity or convertible debt securities, the ownership interests of our shareholders could be significantly diluted.

 

   

We have started and may continue to expand our business by acquiring lease contracts and related fixtures and equipment of rental units from other rental service companies, and have engaged and may engage more third-party contractors to manage these rental units. We may not be able to control the quality of sourcing, renovation, marketing, maintenance and other rental unit management activities or participate in the tenant

 

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screening process. The third-party contractors may not manage the rental units according to the terms of our contracts or otherwise below standard, or do not continue to maintain or expand their relationship with us. These may materially and adversely affect our business, results of operation, financial condition and reputation.

 

   

We have been, and may from time to time be, subject to claims, controversies, lawsuits and other legal and administrative proceedings, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and reputation.

 

   

If the PRC government deems that the contractual arrangements in relation to our variable interest entity do not comply with PRC regulatory restrictions on foreign investment in the relevant industries, or if these regulations or the interpretation of existing regulations change in the future, we could be subject to severe penalties or be forced to relinquish our interests in those operations.

 

   

We rely on contractual arrangements with our variable interest entity and its shareholders for a significant portion of our business operations, which may not be as effective as direct ownership in providing operational control.

 

   

Any failure by our variable interest entity or its shareholders to perform their obligations under our contractual arrangements with them would have a material adverse effect on our business.

 

   

Changes in China’s economic, political or social conditions or government policies could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

 

   

Uncertainties in the interpretation and enforcement of PRC laws and regulations could limit the legal protections available to us.

 

   

We may be adversely affected by the complexity, uncertainties and changes in PRC regulation of internet-related businesses and companies, and any lack of requisite approvals, licenses or permits applicable to our business may have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

 

   

We rely on dividends and other distributions on equity paid by our PRC subsidiary to fund any cash and financing requirements we may have, and any limitation on the ability of our PRC subsidiary to make payments to us could have a material adverse effect on our ability to conduct our business. The market price for the ADSs may be volatile.

 

   

An active market for the ADSs may not be maintained.

 

   

If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, the market price for the ADSs and trading volume could decline.

 

   

Conversion of the convertible notes and exercise of the warrants we issued may dilute the ownership interest of existing shareholders, including holders who had previously converted their convertible notes.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF SHARE CAPITAL

We are a Cayman Islands exempted company with limited liability and our corporate affairs are governed by our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, as amended from time to time and the Companies Act (2021 Revision), as amended and revised of the Cayman Islands (the “Companies Act”), and the common law of the Cayman Islands.

As of the date of this prospectus, our authorized share capital is US$500,000 divided into 50,000,000,000 ordinary shares with a par value of US$0.00001 each, consisting of 37,500,000,000 Class A ordinary shares, 2,500,000,000 Class B ordinary shares, and 10,000,000,000 preferred shares, of which 1,544,097,151 Class A ordinary shares and 180,389,549 Class B ordinary shares are issued and outstanding.

Our Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association

The following are summaries of material provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and the Companies Act insofar as they relate to the material terms of our Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares. You should read the forms of our current memorandum and articles of association filed with the SEC. For information on how to obtain copies of our current memorandum and articles of association, see “Where You Can Find More Information About Us.”

Ordinary Shares

General

Our ordinary shares are divided into Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares. Holders of our Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares have the same rights except for voting and conversion rights. Our ordinary shares are issued in registered form and are issued when registered in our register of members. Our shareholders who are non-residents of the Cayman Islands may freely hold and vote their shares.

Conversion

Each Class B ordinary share is convertible into one Class A ordinary share at any time at the option of the holder thereof. Class A ordinary shares are not convertible into Class B ordinary shares under any circumstances. Upon any transfer of Class B ordinary shares by a holder to any person or entity which is not an affiliate of such holder, such Class B ordinary shares shall be automatically and immediately converted into the equivalent number of Class A ordinary shares.

Dividends

The holders of our ordinary shares are entitled to such dividends as may be declared by our board of directors. Our amended and restated articles of association provide that dividends may be declared and paid out of our profits, realized or unrealized, or from any reserve set aside from profits which our board of directors determine is no longer needed. Dividends may also be declared and paid out of share premium account or any other fund or account which can be authorized for this purpose in accordance with the Companies Act.

Voting Rights

Holders of our ordinary shares have the right to receive notice of, attend, speak and vote at general meetings of our company. Except as required by applicable law and subject to the amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, holders of Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares shall at all times vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote of the shareholders.

 

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At any general meeting on a poll, every shareholder holding Class A ordinary shares present in person or by proxy or, in the case of a shareholder being a corporation, by its duly authorized representative shall have one (1) vote for every fully paid Class A ordinary share of which he is the holder; and every shareholder holding Class B ordinary shares present in person or by proxy or, in the case of a shareholder being a corporation, by its duly authorized representative shall have ten (10) votes for every fully paid Class B ordinary share of which he is the holder.

A resolution put to the vote of a meeting shall be decided by way of a poll save that the chairman of the meeting may in good faith, allow a resolution which relates purely to a procedural or administrative matter to be voted on by a show of hands in which case (i) every shareholder holding Class A ordinary shares present in person (or being a corporation, is present by a duly authorized representative), or by proxy(ies) shall have one (1) vote, and (ii) every shareholder holding Class B ordinary shares present in person (or being a corporation, is present by a duly authorized representative), or by proxy(ies) shall have ten (10) votes, provided that, notwithstanding anything contained in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, where more than one proxy is appointed by a shareholder which is a clearing house or a central depository house (or its nominee(s)), each such proxy shall have one vote on a show of hands. For the purposes of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, procedural and administrative matters are those that (i) are not on the agenda of the general meeting or in any supplementary circular that may be issued by us to the shareholders; and (ii) relate to the chairman’s duties to maintain the orderly conduct of the meeting and/or allow the business of the meeting to be properly and effectively dealt with, whilst allowing all shareholders a reasonable opportunity to express their views.

An ordinary resolution to be passed at a meeting by the shareholders requires the affirmative vote of a simple majority of the votes attaching to the shares cast at a meeting, while a special resolution requires the affirmative vote of no less than two-thirds of the votes attaching to the shares cast at a meeting. A special resolution will be required for important matters such as a change of name or making changes to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association.

Transfer of Ordinary Shares

Subject to the restrictions contained in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, any of our shareholders may transfer all or any of his or her ordinary shares by an instrument of transfer in the usual or common form or any other form approved by our board of directors.

Our board of directors may, in its absolute discretion, and without giving any reason therefor, refuse to register a transfer of any share that is not a fully paid up share to a person of whom it does not approve, or any share issued under any share incentive scheme for employees upon which a restriction on transfer imposed thereby still subsists, and it may also, without prejudice to the foregoing generality, refuse to register a transfer of any share to more than four joint holders or a transfer of any share that is not a fully paid up share on which we have a lien. Our board of directors may also decline to register any transfer of any ordinary share unless:

 

   

the instrument of transfer is lodged with us, accompanied by the certificate for the ordinary shares to which it relates and such other evidence as our board of directors may reasonably require to show the right of the transferor to make the transfer;

 

   

the instrument of transfer is in respect of only one class of ordinary shares;

 

   

the instrument of transfer is properly stamped, if required;

 

   

a fee of such maximum sum as the Nasdaq may determine to be payable or such lesser sum as our directors may from time to time require is paid to us in respect thereof.

If our directors refuse to register a transfer, they shall, within three months after the date on which the instrument of transfer was lodged, send to each of the transferor and the transferee notice of such refusal.

 

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The registration of transfers may, after compliance with any notice required of the Nasdaq, be suspended and the register of members closed at such times and for such periods as our board of directors may from time to time determine, provided, however, that the registration of transfers shall not be suspended nor the register of members closed for more than 30 days in any year as our board may determine.

Liquidation

On a return of capital on winding up or otherwise (other than on conversion, redemption or purchase of ordinary shares), assets available for distribution among the holders of ordinary shares shall be distributed among the holders of the ordinary shares on a pro rata basis. If our assets available for distribution are insufficient to repay all of the paid-up ordinary share capital, the assets will be distributed so that the losses are borne by our holders of ordinary shares proportionately.

Calls on Ordinary Shares and Forfeiture of Ordinary Shares

Our board of directors may from time to time make calls upon shareholders for any amounts unpaid on their ordinary shares in a notice served to such shareholders at least 14 clear days prior to the specified time of payment. The ordinary shares that have been called upon and remain unpaid are subject to forfeiture.

Redemption of Ordinary Shares

The Companies Act and our amended and restated articles of association permit us to purchase our own shares. In accordance with our amended and restated articles of association and provided the necessary shareholders or board approval have been obtained, we may issue shares on terms that are subject to redemption, at our option or at the option of the holders of these shares, on such terms and in such manner, including out of capital, as may be determined by our board of directors.

Variations of Rights of Shares

All or any of the special rights attached to any class of shares may, subject to the provisions of the Companies Act, be varied with the sanction of a special resolution passed at a general meeting of the holders of the shares of that class. Separate general meetings of the holders of a class or series of shares may be called only by (i) the chairman of our board of directors, or (ii) a majority of our board of directors (unless otherwise specifically provided by the terms of issue of the shares of such class or series), and nothing in the amended and restated memorandum and articles of association shall give any shareholder or shareholders the right to call a class or series meeting. The rights conferred upon the holders of the shares of any class issued shall not, unless otherwise expressly provided by the terms of issue of the shares of that class, be deemed to be varied by the creation or issue of further shares ranking pari passu with such existing class of shares.

General Meetings of Shareholders

A quorum required for a meeting of shareholders consists of one or more shareholders present in person or by proxy representing not less than one-third of all voting power of the company’s share capital in issue. (i) A majority of our board of directors, or (ii) the chairman of our board of directors, or (iii) any director, where required to give effect to a requisition received under the amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, may call extraordinary general meetings, which extraordinary general meetings shall be held at such times and locations (as permitted hereby) as such person or persons shall determine.

Any one or more shareholders holding at the date of deposit of the requisition not less than two-thirds of the voting power of our share capital in issue carrying the right of voting at general meetings of our company shall at all times have the right, by written requisition to our board of directors or our secretary, to require an extraordinary general meeting to be called by our board of directors for the transaction of any business permitted

 

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by the Companies Act or the amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (subject to the below) as specified in such requisition; and such meeting shall be held within two (2) months after the deposit of such requisition. If within twenty-one (21) days of such deposit our board of directors fails to proceed to convene such meeting, the requisitionist(s) himself or herself (themselves) may do so in the same manner, and all reasonable expenses incurred by the requisitionist(s) as a result of the failure of our board of directors shall be reimbursed to the requisitionist(s) by us. A meeting requisitioned under the amended and restated memorandum and articles of association shall not be permitted to consider or vote upon (A) any resolutions with respect to the election, appointment or removal of directors or with respect to the size of our board of directors, unless such proposal is first approved by our nominating and corporate governance committee; or (B) other than a special resolution in respect of the appointment or removal of any director, any special resolution or any matters required to be passed by way of special resolution pursuant to the amended and restated memorandum and articles of association or the Companies Act. Written notice shall be given not less than ten days before the date of any general meeting.

Inspection of Books and Records

Holders of our ordinary shares will have no general right under Cayman Islands law to inspect or obtain copies of our list of shareholders or our corporate records. However, in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association we provide our shareholders with the right to inspect our list of shareholders and to receive annual audited financial statements.

Changes in Capital

We may from time to time by ordinary resolution:

 

   

increase the share capital by such sum, to be divided into shares of such classes and amount, as the resolution shall prescribe;

 

   

consolidate and divide all or any of our share capital into shares of a larger amount than our existing shares;

 

   

sub-divide our existing shares, or any of them into shares of a smaller amount; or

 

   

cancel any shares which, at the date of the passing of the resolution, have not been taken or agreed to be taken by any person and diminish the amount of our share capital by the amount of the shares so canceled.

We may by special resolution, subject to any confirmation or consent required by the Companies Act, reduce our share capital or any capital redemption reserve in any manner permitted by law.

Proceedings of the Directors

Our board of directors may meet for the dispatch of business, adjourn and otherwise regulate its meetings as it considers appropriate. Questions arising at any meeting shall be determined by a majority of votes, other than (i) any removal of any person as a director, or (ii) any appointment or removal of any person as the chairman of our board of directors, or (iii) any removal of any person as chairman or other member of any committee of our board of directors which, in each case, shall be determined by a resolution passed by a majority of not less than two-thirds of votes cast by such directors as, being entitled so to do, vote at a meeting of our board of directors. In the case of any equality of votes, the chairman of the meeting shall have an additional or casting vote. A meeting of our board of directors may be convened by (i) the chairman of our board of directors, or (ii) a majority of the directors. Our secretary shall convene a meeting of our board of directors whenever so required to do by the chairman of our board of directors or a majority of the directors by notice in writing to each director. A meeting of our board of directors may be called by not less than two (2) clear days’ notice. A meeting of our board of directors may be called by shorter notice if it is so agreed by all the directors entitled to attend and vote

 

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at such a meeting. Any notice of a meeting of our board of directors shall (i) specify the time and place of the meeting, and (ii) set out in reasonable detail the nature of the business to be discussed at the meeting. Notice may be given in writing or by telephone or in such other manner as our board of directors may from time to time determine.

A resolution in writing signed by all the directors (other than in the circumstances set out in article 85 in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association) except such as are temporarily unable to act due to ill-health or disability shall (provided that (i) the circulation of such resolutions has the prior approval of, and is initiated by, the chairman of our board of directors, (ii) such number of signatories includes the chairman of our board of directors and is sufficient to constitute a quorum, and (iii) further provided that a copy of such resolution has been given or the contents thereof communicated to all the directors for the time being entitled to receive notices of board meetings in the same manner as notices of meetings are required to be given by our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association) be as valid and effectual as if a resolution had been passed at a meeting of our board of directors duly convened and held.

Exempted Company

We are an exempted company with limited liability incorporated under the Companies Act. The Companies Act in the Cayman Islands distinguishes between ordinary resident companies and exempted companies. Any company that is registered in the Cayman Islands but conducts business mainly outside of the Cayman Islands may apply to be registered as an exempted company. The requirements for an exempted company are essentially the same as for an ordinary company except for the exemptions and privileges listed below:

 

   

an exempted company does not have to file an annual return of its shareholders with the Registrar of Companies;

 

   

an exempted company’s register of members is not open to inspection;

 

   

an exempted company does not have to hold an annual general meeting;

 

   

an exempted company may issue no par value shares;

 

   

an exempted company may obtain an undertaking against the imposition of any future taxation (such undertakings are usually given for 20 years in the first instance);

 

   

an exempted company may register by way of continuation in another jurisdiction and be deregistered in the Cayman Islands;

 

   

an exempted company may register as a limited duration company; and

 

   

an exempted company may register as a segregated portfolio company.

“Limited liability” means that the liability of each shareholder is limited to the amount unpaid by the shareholder on the shares of the company. We are subject to reporting and other informational requirements of the Exchange Act, as applicable to foreign private issuers. We currently intend to comply with the Nasdaq rules in lieu of following home country practice. The Nasdaq rules require that every company listed on the Nasdaq hold an annual general meeting of shareholders. In addition, our amended and restated articles of association allow directors to call special meeting of shareholders pursuant to the procedures set forth in our articles.

Differences in Corporate Law

The Companies Act is modeled after that of England and Wales but does not follow recent statutory enactments in England. In addition, the Companies Act differs from laws applicable to United States corporations and their shareholders. Set forth below is a summary of the significant differences between the provisions of the Companies Act applicable to us and the laws applicable to companies incorporated in the State of Delaware.

 

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Mergers and Similar Arrangements

A merger of two or more constituent companies under Cayman Islands law requires a plan of merger or consolidation to be approved by the directors of each constituent company and authorization by a special resolution of the members of each constituent company.

A merger between a Cayman parent company and its Cayman subsidiary or subsidiaries does not require authorization by a resolution of shareholders. For this purpose a subsidiary is a company of which at least ninety percent (90%) of the issued shares entitled to vote are owned by the parent company.

The consent of each holder of a fixed or floating security interest over a constituent company is required unless this requirement is waived by a court in the Cayman Islands.

Save in certain circumstances, a dissentient shareholder of a Cayman constituent company is entitled to payment of the fair value of his shares upon dissenting to a merger or consolidation. The exercise of appraisal rights will preclude the exercise of any other rights save for the right to seek relief on the grounds that the merger or consolidation is void or unlawful.

In addition, there are statutory provisions that facilitate the reconstruction and amalgamation of companies, provided that the arrangement is approved by a majority in number of each class of shareholders and creditors with whom the arrangement is to be made, and who must, in addition, represent three-fourths in value of each such class of shareholders or creditors, as the case may be, that are present and voting either in person or by proxy at a meeting, or meetings, convened for that purpose. The convening of the meetings and subsequently the arrangement must be sanctioned by the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands. While a dissenting shareholder has the right to express to the court the view that the transaction ought not to be approved, the court can be expected to approve the arrangement if it determines that:

 

   

the statutory provisions as to the required majority vote have been met;

 

   

the shareholders have been fairly represented at the meeting in question and the statutory majority are acting bona fide without coercion of the minority to promote interests adverse to those of the class;

 

   

the arrangement is such that may be reasonably approved by an intelligent and honest man of that class acting in respect of his interest; and

 

   

the arrangement is not one that would more properly be sanctioned under some other provision of the Companies Act.

When a takeover offer is made and accepted by holders of 90% of the shares the subject of such offer within four months, the offeror may, within a two-month period commencing on the expiration of such four month period, require the holders of the remaining shares to transfer such shares on the terms of the offer. An objection can be made to the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands but this is unlikely to succeed in the case of an offer which has been so approved unless there is evidence of fraud, bad faith or collusion.

If an arrangement and reconstruction is thus approved, the dissenting shareholder would have no rights comparable to appraisal rights, which would otherwise ordinarily be available to dissenting shareholders of Delaware corporations, providing rights to receive payment in cash for the judicially determined value of the shares.

 

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Shareholders’ Suits

In principle, we will normally be the proper plaintiff and as a general rule a derivative action may not be brought by a minority shareholder. However, based on English authorities, which would in all likelihood be of persuasive authority in the Cayman Islands, there are exceptions to the foregoing principle, including when:

 

   

a company acts or proposes to act illegally or ultra vires;

 

   

the act complained of, although not ultra vires, could only be effected duly if authorized by more than a simple majority vote that has not been obtained; and

 

   

those who control the company are perpetrating a “fraud on the minority.”

Indemnification of Directors and Executive Officers and Limitation of Liability

Cayman Islands law does not limit the extent to which a company’s memorandum and articles of association may provide for indemnification of officers and directors, except to the extent any such provision may be held by the Cayman Islands courts to be contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification against civil fraud or the consequences of committing a crime. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association permit indemnification of officers and directors for losses, damages, costs and expenses incurred in their capacities as such unless such losses or damages arise from dishonesty or fraud which may attach to such directors or officers. This standard of conduct is generally the same as permitted under the Delaware General Corporation Law for a Delaware corporation. In addition, we have entered into indemnification agreements with our directors and senior executive officers that provide such persons with additional indemnification beyond that provided in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to our directors, officers or persons controlling us under the foregoing provisions, we have been informed that, in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.

Anti-Takeover Provisions in the Memorandum and Articles of Association

Some provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may discourage, delay or prevent a change in control of our company or management that shareholders may consider favorable, including provisions that authorize our board of directors to issue preferred shares in one or more series and to designate the price, rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions of such preferred shares without any further vote or action by our shareholders. However, under Cayman Islands law, our directors may only exercise the rights and powers granted to them under our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, as amended and restated from time to time, for what they believe in good faith to be in the best interests of our company.

Directors’ Fiduciary Duties

Under Delaware corporate law, a director of a Delaware corporation has a fiduciary duty to the corporation and its shareholders. This duty has two components: the duty of care and the duty of loyalty. The duty of care requires that a director act in good faith, with the care that an ordinarily prudent person would exercise under similar circumstances. Under this duty, a director must inform himself of, and disclose to shareholders, all material information reasonably available regarding a significant transaction. The duty of loyalty requires that a director act in a manner he or she reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the corporation. He or she must not use his or her corporate position for personal gain or advantage. This duty prohibits self-dealing by a director and mandates that the best interest of the corporation and its shareholders take precedence over any interest possessed by a director, officer or controlling shareholder and not shared by the shareholders generally. In general, actions of a director are presumed to have been made on an informed basis, in good faith and in the honest belief that the action taken was in the best interests of the corporation. However, this presumption may be

 

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rebutted by evidence of a breach of one of the fiduciary duties. Should such evidence be presented concerning a transaction by a director, a director must prove the procedural fairness of the transaction, and that the transaction was of fair value to the corporation.

As a matter of Cayman Islands law, a director of a Cayman Islands company is in the position of a fiduciary with respect to the company and therefore it is considered that he owes the following duties to the company — a duty to act bona fide in the best interests of the company, a duty not to make a profit based on his or her position as director (unless the company permits him to do so) and a duty not to put himself in a position where the interests of the company conflict with his or her personal interest or his or her duty to a third party. A director of a Cayman Islands company owes to the company a duty to act with skill and care. It was previously considered that a director need not exhibit in the performance of his or her duties a greater degree of skill than may reasonably be expected from a person of his or her knowledge and experience. However, English and Commonwealth courts have moved towards an objective standard with regard to the required skill and care and these authorities are likely to be followed in the Cayman Islands.

Shareholder Action by Written Consent

Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation may eliminate the right of shareholders to act by written consent by amendment to its certificate of incorporation. Our amended and restated articles of association provide that shareholders may not approve corporate matters by way of a unanimous written resolution signed by or on behalf of each shareholder who would have been entitled to vote on such matter at a general meeting without a meeting being held.

Shareholder Proposals

Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a shareholder has the right to put any proposal before the annual meeting of shareholders, provided it complies with the notice provisions in the governing documents. A special meeting may be called by the board of directors or any other person authorized to do so in the governing documents, but shareholders may be precluded from calling special meetings. Our amended and restated articles of association allow our shareholders to requisition a shareholders’ meeting (see above). As an exempted Cayman Islands company, we are not obliged by law to call shareholders’ annual general meetings though we may do so.

Cumulative Voting

Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, cumulative voting for elections of directors is not permitted unless the corporation’s certificate of incorporation specifically provides for it. Cumulative voting potentially facilitates the representation of minority shareholders on a board of directors since it permits the minority shareholder to cast all the votes to which the shareholder is entitled on a single director, which increases the shareholder’s voting power with respect to electing such director. As permitted under Cayman Islands law, our amended and restated articles of association do not provide for cumulative voting. As a result, our shareholders are not afforded any less protections or rights on this issue than shareholders of a Delaware corporation.

Removal of Directors

Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a director of a corporation with a classified board may be removed only for cause with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Subject to any provision to the contrary in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, a director may, at any time before the expiration of his or her period of office (notwithstanding anything in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association or in any agreement between our company and such director (but without prejudice to any claim for damages under any such agreement)) be removed by way of either (a) an ordinary resolution of the shareholders; or (b) the

 

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affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors present and voting at a board meeting; or (c) a resolution in writing (which complies with the requirements of the provisos contained in article 119 of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association) signed by all the directors other than the director being removed.

Transactions with Interested Shareholders

The Delaware General Corporation Law contains a business combination statute applicable to Delaware corporations whereby, unless the corporation has specifically elected not to be governed by such statute by amendment to its certificate of incorporation, it is prohibited from engaging in certain business combinations with an “interested shareholder” for three years following the date that such person becomes an interested shareholder. An interested shareholder generally is a person or a group who or which owns or owned 15% or more of the target’s outstanding voting stock within the past three years. This has the effect of limiting the ability of a potential acquirer to make a two-tiered bid for the target in which all shareholders would not be treated equally. The statute does not apply if, among other things, prior to the date on which such shareholder becomes an interested shareholder, the board of directors approves either the business combination or the transaction which resulted in the person becoming an interested shareholder. This encourages any potential acquirer of a Delaware corporation to negotiate the terms of any acquisition transaction with the target’s board of directors. Cayman Islands law has no comparable statute. As a result, we cannot avail ourselves of the types of protections afforded by the Delaware business combination statute. However, although Cayman Islands law does not regulate transactions between a company and its significant shareholders, it does provide that such transactions must be entered into bona fide in the best interests of the company and for a proper corporate purpose and not with the effect of constituting a fraud on the minority shareholders.

Dissolution; Winding Up

Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, unless the board of directors approves the proposal to dissolve, dissolution must be approved by shareholders holding 100% of the total voting power of the corporation. Only if the dissolution is initiated by the board of directors may it be approved by a simple majority of the corporation’s outstanding shares. Delaware law allows a Delaware corporation to include in its certificate of incorporation a supermajority voting requirement in connection with dissolutions initiated by the board. Under Cayman Islands law, a company may be wound up by either an order of the courts of the Cayman Islands or by a special resolution of its members or, if the company is unable to pay its debts as they fall due, by an ordinary resolution of its members. The court has authority to order winding up in a number of specified circumstances including where it is, in the opinion of the court, just and equitable to do so. Under the Companies Act and our amended and restated articles of association, our company may be dissolved, liquidated or wound up by a special resolution of shareholders.

Variation of Rights of Shares

Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation may vary the rights of a class of shares with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares of such class, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Under Cayman Islands law and our amended and restated articles of association, if our share capital is divided into more than one class of shares, we may vary the rights attached to any class only with the sanction of a special resolution passed at a general meeting of the holders of the shares of that class.

Amendment of Governing Documents

Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation’s governing documents may be amended with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. As permitted by Cayman Islands law, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may only be amended by a special resolution of shareholders.

 

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Rights of Non-Resident or Foreign Shareholders

There are no limitations imposed by our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association on the rights of non-resident or foreign shareholders to hold or exercise voting rights on our shares. In addition, there are no provisions in our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association governing the ownership threshold above which shareholder ownership must be disclosed.

Directors’ Power to Issue Shares

Subject to applicable law, our board of directors is empowered to issue or allot shares or grant options and warrants with or without preferred, deferred, qualified or other special rights or restrictions.

Limitations or Qualifications

We have a dual-class voting structure such that our ordinary shares consist of Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares. Holders of Class A ordinary shares are entitled to one vote per share in respect of matters requiring the votes of shareholders, while holders of Class B ordinary shares are entitled to ten (10) votes per share, subject to certain exceptions. Due to the super voting power of Class B ordinary share holder, the voting power of the Class A ordinary shares may be materially limited.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES

The Bank of New York Mellon, as depositary, registers and delivers ADSs. Each ADS represents 30 Class A ordinary shares (or a right to receive 30 Class A ordinary shares) deposited with The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, as custodian for the depositary in Hong Kong. Each ADS also represents any other securities, cash or other property which may be held by the depositary. The deposited shares together with any other securities, cash or other property held by the depositary are referred to as the deposited securities. The depositary’s office at which the ADSs are administered and its principal executive office are located at 240 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10286.

You may hold ADSs either (A) directly (i) by having an American depositary receipt, also referred to as an ADR, which is a certificate evidencing a specific number of ADSs, registered in your name, or (ii) by having uncertificated ADSs registered in your name, or (B) indirectly by holding a security entitlement in ADSs through your broker or other financial institution that is a direct or indirect participant in The Depository Trust Company, also called DTC. If you hold ADSs directly, you are a registered ADS holder, also referred to as an ADS holder. This description assumes you are an ADS holder. If you hold the ADSs indirectly, you must rely on the procedures of your broker or other financial institution to assert the rights of ADS holders described in this section. You should consult with your broker or financial institution to find out what those procedures are.

Registered holders of uncertificated ADSs receive statements from the depositary confirming their holdings.

As an ADS holder, we do not treat you as one of our shareholders and you do not have shareholder rights. Cayman Islands law governs shareholder rights. The depositary is the holder of the shares underlying your ADSs. As a registered holder of ADSs, you have ADS holder rights. A deposit agreement among us, the depositary, ADS holders and all other persons indirectly or beneficially holding ADSs sets out ADS holder rights as well as the rights and obligations of the depositary. New York law governs the deposit agreement and the ADSs.

The following is a summary of the material provisions of the deposit agreement. For more complete information, you should read the entire deposit agreement and the form of ADR.

Dividends and Other Distributions

How will you receive dividends and other distributions on the shares?

The depositary has agreed to pay or distribute to ADS holders the cash dividends or other distributions it or the custodian receives on shares or other deposited securities, upon payment or deduction of its fees and expenses. You will receive these distributions in proportion to the number of shares your ADSs represent.

 

   

Cash. The depositary will convert any cash dividend or other cash distribution we pay on the shares into U.S. dollars, if it can do so on a reasonable basis and can transfer the U.S. dollars to the United States. If that is not possible or if any government approval is needed and cannot be obtained, the deposit agreement allows the depositary to distribute the foreign currency only to those ADS holders to whom it is possible to do so. It will hold the foreign currency it cannot convert for the account of the ADS holders who have not been paid. It will not invest the foreign currency and it will not be liable for any interest. Before making a distribution, any withholding taxes, or other governmental charges that must be paid will be deducted. The depositary will distribute only whole U.S. dollars and cents and will round fractional cents to the nearest whole cent. If the exchange rates fluctuate during a time when the depositary cannot convert the foreign currency, you may lose some of the value of the distribution.

 

   

Shares. The depositary may distribute additional ADSs representing any shares we distribute as a dividend or free distribution. The depositary will only distribute whole ADSs. It will sell shares which would require it to deliver a fraction of an ADS (or ADSs representing those shares) and distribute the net proceeds in the same way as it does with cash. If the depositary does not distribute additional ADSs, the outstanding ADSs

 

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will also represent the new shares. The depositary may sell a portion of the distributed shares (or ADSs representing those shares) sufficient to pay its fees and expenses in connection with that distribution.

 

   

Rights to purchase additional shares. If we offer holders of our securities any rights to subscribe for additional shares or any other rights, the depositary may (i) exercise those rights on behalf of ADS holders, (ii) distribute those rights to ADS holders or (iii) sell those rights and distribute the net proceeds to ADS holders, in each case after deduction or upon payment of its fees and expenses. To the extent the depositary does not do any of those things, it will allow the rights to lapse. In that case, you will receive no value for them. The depositary will exercise or distribute rights only if we ask it to and provide satisfactory assurances to the depositary that it is legal to do so. If the depositary will exercise rights, it will purchase the securities to which the rights relate and distribute those securities or, in the case of shares, new ADSs representing the new shares, to subscribing ADS holders, but only if ADS holders have paid the exercise price to the depositary. U.S. securities laws may restrict the ability of the depositary to distribute rights or ADSs or other securities issued on exercise of rights to all or certain ADS holders, and the securities distributed may be subject to restrictions on transfer.

 

   

Other Distributions. The depositary will send to ADS holders anything else we distribute on deposited securities by any means it thinks is legal, fair and practical. If it cannot make the distribution in that way, the depositary has a choice. It may decide to sell what we distributed and distribute the net proceeds, in the same way as it does with cash. Or, it may decide to hold what we distributed, in which case ADSs will also represent the newly distributed property. However, the depositary is not required to distribute any securities (other than ADSs) to ADS holders unless it receives satisfactory evidence from us that it is legal to make that distribution. The depositary may sell a portion of the distributed securities or property sufficient to pay its fees and expenses in connection with that distribution. U.S. securities laws may restrict the ability of the depositary to distribute securities to all or certain ADS holders, and the securities distributed may be subject to restrictions on transfer.

The depositary is not responsible if it decides that it is unlawful or impractical to make a distribution available to any ADS holders. We have no obligation to register ADSs, shares, rights or other securities under the Securities Act. We also have no obligation to take any other action to permit the distribution of ADSs, shares, rights or anything else to ADS holders. This means that you may not receive the distributions we make on our shares or any value for them if it is illegal or impractical for us to make them available to you.

Deposit, Withdrawal and Cancelation

How are ADSs issued?

The depositary will deliver ADSs if you or your broker deposits shares or evidence of rights to receive shares with the custodian. Upon payment of its fees and expenses and of any taxes or charges, such as stamp taxes or stock transfer taxes or fees, the depositary will register the appropriate number of ADSs in the names you request and will deliver the ADSs to or upon the order of the person or persons that made the deposit.

How can ADS holders withdraw the deposited securities?

You may surrender your ADSs to the depositary for the purpose of withdrawal. Upon payment of its fees and expenses and of any taxes or charges, such as stamp taxes or stock transfer taxes or fees, the depositary will deliver the shares and any other deposited securities underlying the ADSs to the ADS holder or a person the ADS holder designates at the office of the custodian. Or, at your request, risk and expense, the depositary will deliver the deposited securities at its office, if feasible. However, the depositary is not required to accept surrender of ADSs to the extent it would require delivery of a fraction of a deposited share or other security. The depositary may charge you a fee and its expenses for instructing the custodian regarding delivery of deposited securities.

 

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How do ADS holders interchange between certificated ADSs and uncertificated ADSs?

You may surrender your ADR to the depositary for the purpose of exchanging your ADR for uncertificated ADSs. The depositary will cancel that ADR and will send to the ADS holder a statement confirming that the ADS holder is the registered holder of uncertificated ADSs. Upon receipt by the depositary of a proper instruction from a registered holder of uncertificated ADSs requesting the exchange of uncertificated ADSs for certificated ADSs, the depositary will execute and deliver to the ADS holder an ADR evidencing those ADSs.

Voting Rights

How do you vote?

ADS holders may instruct the depositary how to vote the number of deposited shares their ADSs represent. If we request the depositary to solicit your voting instructions (and we are not required to do so), the depositary will notify you of a shareholders’ meeting and send or make voting materials available to you. Those materials will describe the matters to be voted on and explain how ADS holders may instruct the depositary how to vote. For instructions to be valid, they must reach the depositary by a date set by the depositary. The depositary will try, as far as practical, subject to the laws of the Cayman Islands and the provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association or similar documents, to vote or to have its agents vote the shares or other deposited securities as instructed by ADS holders. If we do not request the depositary to solicit your voting instructions, you can still send voting instructions, and, in that case, the depositary may try to vote as you instruct, but it is not required to do so.

Except by instructing the depositary as described above, you won’t be able to exercise voting rights unless you surrender your ADSs and withdraw the shares. However, you may not know about the meeting enough in advance to withdraw the shares. In any event, the depositary will not exercise any discretion in voting deposited securities and it will only vote or attempt to vote as instructed.

We cannot assure you that you will receive the voting materials in time to ensure that you can instruct the depositary to vote your shares. In addition, the depositary and its agents are not responsible for failing to carry out voting instructions or for the manner of carrying out voting instructions. This means that you may not be able to exercise voting rights and there may be nothing you can do if your shares are not voted as you requested.

In order to give you a reasonable opportunity to instruct the depositary as to the exercise of voting rights relating to deposited securities, if we request the Depositary to act, we agree to give the depositary notice of any such meeting and details concerning the matters to be voted upon at least 45 days in advance of the meeting date.

Fees and Expenses

An ADS holder will be required to pay the following fees under the terms of the deposit agreement:

 

Persons depositing or withdrawing shares or ADS holders must pay:

  

For:

US$5.00 (or less) per 100 ADSs (or portion of 100 ADSs)   

Issuance of ADSs, including issuances resulting from a distribution of shares or rights or other property

Cancelation of ADSs for the purpose of withdrawal, including if the deposit agreement terminates

US$.05 (or less) per ADS    Any cash distribution to ADS holders
A fee equivalent to the fee that would be payable if securities distributed to you had been shares and the shares had been deposited for issuance of ADSs    Distribution of securities distributed to holders of deposited securities (including rights) that are distributed by the depositary to ADS holders
US$.05 (or less) per ADS per calendar year    Depositary services

 

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Persons depositing or withdrawing shares or ADS holders must pay:

  

For:

Registration or transfer fees    Transfer and registration of shares on our share register to or from the name of the depositary or its agent when you deposit or withdraw shares
Expenses of the depositary   

Cable (including SWIFT) and facsimile transmissions (when expressly provided in the deposit agreement)

Converting foreign currency to U.S. dollars

Taxes and other governmental charges the depositary or the custodian has to pay on any ADSs or shares underlying ADSs, such as stock transfer taxes, stamp duty or withholding taxes    As necessary
Any charges incurred by the depositary or its agents for servicing the deposited securities    As necessary

The depositary collects its fees for delivery and surrender of ADSs directly from investors depositing shares or surrendering ADSs for the purpose of withdrawal or from intermediaries acting for them. The depositary collects fees for making distributions to investors by deducting those fees from the amounts distributed or by selling a portion of distributable property to pay the fees. The depositary may collect its annual fee for depositary services by deduction from cash distributions or by directly billing investors or by charging the book-entry system accounts of participants acting for them. The depositary may collect any of its fees by deduction from any cash distribution payable (or by selling a portion of securities or other property distributable) to ADS holders that are obligated to pay those fees. The depositary may generally refuse to provide fee-attracting services until its fees for those services are paid.

From time to time, the depositary may make payments to us to reimburse us for costs and expenses generally arising out of establishment and maintenance of the ADS program, waive fees and expenses for services provided to us by the depositary or share revenue from the fees collected from ADS holders. In performing its duties under the deposit agreement, the depositary may use brokers, dealers, foreign currency dealers or other service providers that are owned by or affiliated with the depositary and that may earn or share fees, spreads or commissions.

The depositary may convert currency itself or through any of its affiliates and, in those cases, acts as principal for its own account and not as agent, advisor, broker or fiduciary on behalf of any other person and earns revenue, including, without limitation, transaction spreads, that it will retain for its own account. The revenue is based on, among other things, the difference between the exchange rate assigned to the currency conversion made under the deposit agreement and the rate that the depositary or its affiliate receives when buying or selling foreign currency for its own account. The depositary makes no representation that the exchange rate used or obtained in any currency conversion under the deposit agreement will be the most favorable rate that could be obtained at the time or that the method by which that rate will be determined will be the most favorable to ADS holders, subject to the depositary’s obligations under the deposit agreement. The methodology used to determine exchange rates used in currency conversions is available upon request.

Payment of Taxes

You will be responsible for any taxes or other governmental charges payable on your ADSs or on the deposited securities represented by any of your ADSs. The depositary may refuse to register any transfer of your ADSs or allow you to withdraw the deposited securities represented by your ADSs until those taxes or other charges are paid. It may apply payments owed to you or sell deposited securities represented by your ADSs to pay any taxes owed and you will remain liable for any deficiency. If the depositary sells deposited securities, it will, if appropriate, reduce the number of ADSs to reflect the sale and pay to ADS holders any proceeds, or send to ADS holders any property, remaining after it has paid the taxes.

 

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Tender and Exchange Offers; Redemption, Replacement or Cancelation of Deposited Securities

The depositary will not tender deposited securities in any voluntary tender or exchange offer unless instructed to do so by an ADS holder surrendering ADSs and subject to any conditions or procedures the depositary may establish.

If deposited securities are redeemed for cash in a transaction that is mandatory for the depositary as a holder of deposited securities, the depositary will call for surrender of a corresponding number of ADSs and distribute the net redemption money to the holders of called ADSs upon surrender of those ADSs.

If there is any change in the deposited securities such as a sub-division, combination or other reclassification, or any merger, consolidation, recapitalization or reorganization affecting the issuer of deposited securities in which the depositary receives new securities in exchange for or in lieu of the old deposited securities, the depositary will hold those replacement securities as deposited securities under the deposit agreement. However, if the depositary decides it would not be lawful and practical to hold the replacement securities because those securities could not be distributed to ADS holders or for any other reason, the depositary may instead sell the replacement securities and distribute the net proceeds upon surrender of the ADSs.

If there is a replacement of the deposited securities and the depositary will continue to hold the replacement securities, the depositary may distribute new ADSs representing the new deposited securities or ask you to surrender your outstanding ADRs in exchange for new ADRs identifying the new deposited securities.

If there are no deposited securities underlying ADSs, including if the deposited securities are canceled, or if the deposited securities underlying ADSs have become apparently worthless, the depositary may call for surrender of those ADSs or cancel those ADSs upon notice to the ADS holders.

Amendment and Termination

How may the deposit agreement be amended?

We may agree with the depositary to amend the deposit agreement and the ADRs without your consent for any reason. If an amendment adds or increases fees or charges, except for taxes and other governmental charges or expenses of the depositary for registration fees, facsimile costs, delivery charges or similar items, or prejudices a substantial right of ADS holders, it will not become effective for outstanding ADSs until 30 days after the depositary notifies ADS holders of the amendment. At the time an amendment becomes effective, you are considered, by continuing to hold your ADSs, to agree to the amendment and to be bound by the ADRs and the deposit agreement as amended.

How may the deposit agreement be terminated?

The depositary will initiate termination of the deposit agreement if we instruct it to do so. The depositary may initiate termination of the deposit agreement if

 

   

60 days have passed since the depositary told us it wants to resign but a successor depositary has not been appointed and accepted its appointment;

 

   

we delist the ADSs from an exchange in the United States on which they were listed and do not list the ADSs on another exchange in the United States or make arrangements for trading of ADSs on the U.S. over-the-counter market;

 

   

we delist our shares from an exchange outside the United States on which they were listed and do not list the shares on another exchange outside the United States;

 

   

the depositary has reason to believe the ADSs have become, or will become, ineligible for registration on Form F-6 under the Securities Act;

 

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we appear to be insolvent or enter insolvency proceedings;

 

   

all or substantially all the value of the deposited securities has been distributed either in cash or in the form of securities;

 

   

there are no deposited securities underlying the ADSs or the underlying deposited securities have become apparently worthless; or

 

   

there has been a replacement of deposited securities.

If the deposit agreement will terminate, the depositary will notify ADS holders at least 90 days before the termination date. At any time after the termination date, the depositary may sell the deposited securities. After that, the depositary will hold the money it received on the sale, as well as any other cash it is holding under the deposit agreement, unsegregated and without liability for interest, for the pro rata benefit of the ADS holders that have not surrendered their ADSs. Normally, the depositary will sell as soon as practicable after the termination date.

After the termination date and before the depositary sells, ADS holders can still surrender their ADSs and receive delivery of deposited securities, except that the depositary may refuse to accept a surrender for the purpose of withdrawing deposited securities or reverse previously accepted surrenders of that kind that have not settled if it would interfere with the selling process. The depositary may refuse to accept a surrender for the purpose of withdrawing sale proceeds until all the deposited securities have been sold. The depositary will continue to collect distributions on deposited securities, but, after the termination date, the depositary is not required to register any transfer of ADSs or distribute any dividends or other distributions on deposited securities to the ADSs holder (until they surrender their ADSs) or give any notices or perform any other duties under the deposit agreement except as described in this paragraph.

Limitations on Obligations and Liability

Limits on our Obligations and the Obligations of the Depositary; Limits on Liability to Holders of ADSs

The deposit agreement expressly limits our obligations and the obligations of the depositary. It also limits our liability and the liability of the depositary. We and the depositary:

 

   

are only obligated to take the actions specifically set forth in the deposit agreement without negligence or bad faith, and the depositary will not be a fiduciary or have any fiduciary duty to holders of ADSs;

 

   

are not liable if we are or it is prevented or delayed by law or by events or circumstances beyond our or its control from performing our or its obligations under the deposit agreement;

 

   

are not liable if we or it exercises discretion permitted under the deposit agreement;

 

   

are not liable for the inability of any holder of ADSs to benefit from any distribution on deposited securities that is not made available to holders of ADSs under the terms of the deposit agreement, or for any special, consequential or punitive damages for any breach of the terms of the deposit agreement;

 

   

have no obligation to become involved in a lawsuit or other proceeding related to the ADSs or the deposit agreement on your behalf or on behalf of any other person;

 

   

may rely upon any documents we believe or it believes in good faith to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper person;

 

   

are not liable for the acts or omissions of any securities depository, clearing agency or settlement system; and

 

   

the depositary has no duty to make any determination or provide any information as to our tax status. Neither the depositary nor we have any liability for any tax consequences that may be incurred by ADS

 

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holders as a result of owning or holding ADSs or be liable for the inability or failure of an ADS holder to obtain the benefit of a foreign tax credit, reduced rate of withholding or refund of amounts withheld in respect of tax or any other tax benefit.

In the deposit agreement, we and the depositary agree to indemnify each other under certain circumstances.

Requirements for Depositary Actions

Before the depositary will deliver or register a transfer of ADSs, make a distribution on ADSs, or permit withdrawal of shares, the depositary may require:

 

   

payment of stock transfer or other taxes or other governmental charges and transfer or registration fees charged by third parties for the transfer of any shares or other deposited securities;

 

   

satisfactory proof of the identity and genuineness of any signature or other information it deems necessary; and

 

   

compliance with regulations it may establish, from time to time, consistent with the deposit agreement, including presentation of transfer documents.

The depositary may refuse to deliver ADSs or register transfers of ADSs when the transfer books of the depositary or our transfer books are closed or at any time if the depositary or we think it advisable to do so.

Your Right to Receive the Shares Underlying Your ADSs

ADS holders have the right to cancel their ADSs and withdraw the underlying shares at any time except:

 

   

when temporary delays arise because: (i) the depositary has closed its transfer books or we have closed our transfer books; (ii) the transfer of shares is blocked to permit voting at a shareholders’ meeting; or (iii) we are paying a dividend on our shares;

 

   

when you owe money to pay fees, taxes and similar charges; or

 

   

when it is necessary to prohibit withdrawals in order to comply with any laws or governmental regulations that apply to ADSs or to the withdrawal of shares or other deposited securities.

This right of withdrawal may not be limited by any other provision of the deposit agreement.

Direct Registration System

In the deposit agreement, all parties to the deposit agreement acknowledge that the Direct Registration System, also referred to as DRS, and Profile Modification System, also referred to as Profile, will apply to the ADSs. DRS is a system administered by DTC that facilitates interchange between registered holding of uncertificated ADSs and holding of security entitlements in ADSs through DTC and a DTC participant. Profile is a feature of DRS that allows a DTC participant, claiming to act on behalf of a registered holder of uncertificated ADSs, to direct the depositary to register a transfer of those ADSs to DTC or its nominee and to deliver those ADSs to the DTC account of that DTC participant without receipt by the depositary of prior authorization from the ADS holder to register that transfer.

In connection with and in accordance with the arrangements and procedures relating to DRS/Profile, the parties to the deposit agreement understand that the depositary will not determine whether the DTC participant that is claiming to be acting on behalf of an ADS holder in requesting registration of transfer and delivery as described in the paragraph above has the actual authority to act on behalf of the ADS holder (notwithstanding any requirements under the Uniform Commercial Code). In the deposit agreement, the parties agree that the

 

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depositary’s reliance on and compliance with instructions received by the depositary through the DRS/Profile system and in accordance with the deposit agreement will not constitute negligence or bad faith on the part of the depositary.

Shareholder Communications; Inspection of Register of Holders of ADSs

The depositary will make available for your inspection at its office all communications that it receives from us as a holder of deposited securities that we make generally available to holders of deposited securities. The depositary will send you copies of those communications or otherwise make those communications available to you if we ask it to. You have a right to inspect the register of holders of ADSs, but only for the purpose of communicating with those holders regarding our business or a matter related to the deposit agreement or the ADSs.

Jury Trial Waiver

The deposit agreement provides that, to the extent permitted by law, ADS holders waive the right to a jury trial of any claim they may have against us or the depositary arising out of or relating to our shares, the ADSs or the deposit agreement, including any claim under the U.S. federal securities laws. If we or the depositary opposed a jury trial demand based on the waiver, the court would determine whether the waiver was enforceable in the facts and circumstances of that case in accordance with applicable case law.

You will not, by agreeing to the terms of the deposit agreement, be deemed to have waived our or the depositary’s compliance with U.S. federal securities laws or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We may sell or distribute the securities offered by this prospectus, from time to time, in one or more offerings, as follows:

 

   

through agents;

 

   

to dealers or underwriters for resale;

 

   

directly to purchasers; or

 

   

through a combination of any of these methods of sale.

In addition, we may issue the securities as a dividend or distribution or in a subscription rights offering to our existing security holders. In some cases, we or any dealers acting for us may also repurchase the securities and reoffer them to the public by one or more of the methods described above. This prospectus may be used in connection with any offering of our securities through any of these methods or other methods described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Our securities distributed by any of these methods may be sold to the public, in one or more transactions, either:

 

   

at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed;

 

   

at market prices prevailing at the time of sale;

 

   

at prices related to prevailing market prices; or

 

   

at negotiated prices.

The prospectus supplement relating to any offering will identify or describe:

 

   

any underwriter, dealers or agents;

 

   

their compensation;

 

   

the net proceeds to us;

 

   

the purchase price of the securities;

 

   

any over-allotment options under which underwriters may purchase additional securities from us;

 

   

the public offering price of the securities; and

 

   

any exchange on which the securities will be listed.

Sale through Underwriters or Dealers

If underwriters are used in the sale, the underwriters will acquire the securities for their own account, including through underwriting, purchase, security lending or repurchase agreements with us. The underwriters may resell the securities from time to time in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions. Underwriters may sell the securities in order to facilitate transactions in any of our other securities (described in this prospectus or otherwise), including other public or private transactions and short sales. Underwriters may offer the securities to the public either through underwriting syndicates represented by one or more managing underwriters or directly by one or more firms acting as underwriters. Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, the obligations of the underwriters to purchase the securities will be subject to certain conditions, and the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all the offered securities if they purchase any of them. The underwriters may change from time to time any public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers.

 

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If dealers are used in the sale of the securities offered through this prospectus, we will sell the securities to them as principals, unless we otherwise indicate in the prospectus supplement. The dealers may then resell those securities to the public at varying prices determined by the dealers at the time of resale. The applicable prospectus supplement will include the names of the dealers and the terms of the transaction.

Direct Sales and Sales through Agents

We may sell the securities offered through this prospectus directly. In this case, no underwriters or agents would be involved. Such securities may also be sold through agents designated from time to time. The applicable prospectus supplement will name any agent involved in the offer or sale of the offered securities and will describe any commissions payable to the agent. Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, any agent is acting on a best efforts basis for the period of its appointment.

We may sell the securities directly to institutional investors or others who may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act with respect to any sale of those securities. The terms of any such sales will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Institutional Investors

If indicated in the prospectus supplement, we will authorize underwriters, dealers or agents to solicit offers from various institutional investors to purchase securities. In this case, then payment and delivery will be made on a future date that the prospectus supplement specifies. The underwriters, dealers or agents may impose limitations on the minimum amount that the institutional investor can purchase. They may also impose limitations on the portion of the aggregate amount of the securities that they may sell. These institutional investors include:

 

   

commercial and savings banks;

 

   

insurance companies;

 

   

pension funds;

 

   

investment companies;

 

   

educational and charitable institutions; and

 

   

other similar institutions as we may approve.

The obligations of any of these purchasers pursuant to delayed delivery and payment arrangements will not be subject to any conditions. However, one exception applies. An institution’s purchase of the particular securities cannot at the time of delivery be prohibited under the laws of any jurisdiction that governs:

 

   

the validity of the arrangements; or

 

   

the performance by us or the institutional investor.

Market Making, Stabilization and Other Transactions

Unless the applicable prospectus supplement states otherwise, each series of offered securities will be a new issue and will have no established trading market. We may elect to list any series of offered securities on an exchange. Any underwriters that we use in the sale of offered securities may make a market in such securities, but may discontinue such market making at any time without notice. Therefore, we cannot assure you that the securities will have a liquid trading market.

Any underwriter may also engage in stabilizing transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids in accordance with Rule 104 under the Exchange Act. Stabilizing transactions involve bids to purchase the

 

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underlying security in the open market for the purpose of pegging, fixing or maintaining the price of the securities. Syndicate covering transactions involve purchases of the securities in the open market after the distribution has been completed in order to cover syndicate short positions.

Penalty bids permit the underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from a syndicate member when the securities originally sold by the syndicate member are purchased in a syndicate covering transaction to cover syndicate short positions. Stabilizing transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids may cause the price of the securities to be higher than it would be in the absence of the transactions. The underwriters may, if they commence these transactions, discontinue them at any time.

Derivative Transactions and Hedging

We and the underwriters may engage in derivative transactions involving the securities. These derivatives may consist of short sale transactions and other hedging activities. The underwriters may acquire a long or short position in the securities, hold or resell securities acquired and purchase options or futures on the securities and other derivative instruments with returns linked to or related to changes in the price of the securities. In order to facilitate these derivative transactions, we may enter into security lending or repurchase agreements with the underwriters. The underwriters may effect the derivative transactions through sales of the securities to the public, including short sales, or by lending the securities in order to facilitate short sale transactions by others. The underwriters may also use the securities purchased or borrowed from us or others (or, in the case of derivatives, securities received from us in settlement of those derivatives) to directly or indirectly settle sales of the securities or close out any related open borrowings of the securities.

Loans of Securities

We may loan or pledge securities to a financial institution or other third party that in turn may sell the securities using this prospectus and an applicable prospectus supplement. Such financial institution or third party may transfer its economic short position to investors in our securities or in connection with a concurrent offering of other securities offered by this prospectus or otherwise.

General Information

Agents, underwriters, and dealers may be entitled, under agreements entered into with us, to indemnification by us, against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. Our agents, underwriters, and dealers, or their affiliates, may be customers of, engage in transactions with or perform services for us or our affiliates, in the ordinary course of business for which they may receive customary compensation.

 

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TAXATION

Material income tax consequences relating to the purchase, ownership and disposition of any of the securities offered by this prospectus will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to the offering of those securities.

 

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ENFORCEABILITY OF CIVIL LIABILITIES

We are incorporated in the Cayman Islands to take advantage of certain benefits associated with being a Cayman Islands exempted company, such as:

 

   

political and economic stability;

 

   

an effective judicial system;

 

   

a favorable tax system;

 

   

the absence of exchange control or currency restrictions; and

 

   

the availability of professional and support services.

However, certain disadvantages accompany incorporation in the Cayman Islands. These disadvantages include, but are not limited to:

 

   

the Cayman Islands has a less developed body of securities laws as compared to the United States; and these securities laws provide significantly less protection to investors as compared to the United States; and

 

   

Cayman Islands companies may not have standing to sue before the federal courts of the United States.

Our constituent documents do not contain provisions requiring that disputes, including those arising under the securities laws of the United States, between us, our officers, directors and shareholders, be arbitrated.

Substantially all of our operations are conducted in China, and substantially all of our assets are located in China. All of our directors and executive officers are nationals or residents of jurisdictions other than the United States, and most of their assets are located outside the United States. As a result, it may be difficult for a shareholder to effect service of process within the United States upon these individuals, or to bring an action against us or against these individuals in the United States, in the event that you believe that your rights have been infringed under the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States.

We have appointed Cogency Global Inc., located at 122 East 42nd Street, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10168, as our agent to receive service of process with respect to any action brought against us in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York under the federal securities laws of the United States or the securities laws of any State in the United States or any action brought against us in the Supreme Court of the State of New York in the County of New York under the securities laws of the State of New York.

Conyers Dill & Pearman, our counsel as to Cayman Islands law, and JunHe LLP, our counsel as to PRC law, have advised us, respectively, that there is uncertainty as to whether the courts of the Cayman Islands and China, respectively, would:

 

   

recognize or enforce judgments of U.S. courts obtained against us or our directors or officers predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States; or

 

   

entertain original actions brought in each respective jurisdiction against us or our directors or officers predicated upon the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States.

We have been advised by our Cayman Islands legal counsel, Conyers Dill & Pearman, that the courts of the Cayman Islands are unlikely (i) to recognize or enforce against us judgments of courts of the United States predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States; and (ii) in original actions brought in the Cayman Islands, to impose liabilities against us predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States, so far as the liabilities imposed by those provisions are penal in nature. The courts of the Cayman Islands would recognize

 

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as a valid judgment, a final and conclusive judgment in personam obtained in the United Courts against our company under which a sum of money is payable (other than a sum of money payable in respect of multiple damages, taxes or other charges of a like nature or in respect of a fine or other penalty) or, in certain circumstances, an in personam judgment for non-monetary relief, and would give a judgment based thereon provided that (a) such courts had proper jurisdiction over the parties subject to such judgment, (b) such courts did not contravene the rules of natural justice of the Cayman Islands, (c) such judgment was not obtained by fraud, (d) the enforcement of the judgment would not be contrary to the public policy of the Cayman Islands, (e) no new admissible evidence relevant to the action is submitted prior to the rendering of the judgment by the courts of the Cayman Islands, and (f) there is due compliance with the correct procedures under the laws of the Cayman Islands. A Cayman Islands Court may stay enforcement proceedings if concurrent proceedings are being brought elsewhere.

JunHe LLP has further advised us that the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments are provided for under the PRC Civil Procedures Law. PRC courts may recognize and enforce foreign judgments in accordance with the requirements, public policy considerations and conditions set forth in applicable provisions of PRC laws relating to the enforcement of civil liability, including the PRC Civil Procedures Law, based either on treaties between China and the country where the judgment is made or on principles of reciprocity between jurisdictions. In addition, according to the PRC Civil Procedures Law, courts in the PRC will not enforce a foreign judgment against us or our directors and officers if they decide that the judgment violates the basic principles of PRC law or national sovereignty, security or public interest. As a result, it is uncertain whether and on what basis a PRC court would enforce a judgment rendered by a court in the U.S. or the Cayman Islands.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

Except as otherwise set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement, certain legal matters in connection with the securities offered pursuant to this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, our special United States counsel, to the extent governed by the laws of the State of New York, and by Conyers Dill & Pearman, our special legal counsel as to Cayman Islands law, to the extent governed by the laws of the Cayman Islands. Legal matters as to PRC law will be passed upon for us by JunHe LLP, our counsel as to PRC law. If legal matters in connection with offerings made pursuant to this prospectus are passed upon by counsel to underwriters, dealers or agents, such counsel will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to any such offering.

 

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EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements as of September 30, 2020 and for FY 2020 incorporated in this prospectus by reference to our annual report on Form 20-F for FY 2020 have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of Marcum Bernstein & Pinchuk LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

The office of Marcum Bernstein & Pinchuk LLP is located at Suite 830, 7 Penn Plaza, New York, New York, the United States.

The consolidated financial statements as of September 30, 2019 and for FY 2018 and FY 2019 incorporated in this prospectus by reference to our annual report on Form 20-F for FY 2020 have been audited by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Certified Public Accountants LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report, which is incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements have been so incorporated in reliance upon the report of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

The office of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Certified Public Accountants LLP is located at 30th Floor, Bund Center, 222 Yan An Road East, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China.

 

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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT US

We are currently subject to periodic reporting and other informational requirements of the Exchange Act as applicable to foreign private issuers. Accordingly, we are required to file with or furnish to the SEC reports, including annual reports on Form 20-F and other information. All information filed with or furnished to the SEC can be inspected and copied at the public reference facilities maintained by the SEC at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. You can request copies of these documents upon payment of a duplicating fee, by writing to the SEC. You can call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the operation of the public reference rooms. Additional information may also be obtained over the Internet at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. We also maintain a website at http://ir.qk365.com, but information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement. You should not regard any information on our website as a part of this prospectus or any prospectus supplement.

As a foreign private issuer, we are exempt under the Exchange Act from, among other things, the rules prescribing the furnishing and content of proxy statements, and our executive officers, directors and principal shareholders are exempt from the reporting and short-swing profit recovery provisions contained in Section 16 of the Exchange Act. In addition, we will not be required under the Exchange Act to file periodic reports and financial statements with the SEC as frequently or as promptly as U.S. companies whose securities are registered under the Exchange Act. However, we intend to furnish the depositary with our annual reports, which will include a review of operations and annual audited consolidated financial statements prepared in conformity with U.S. GAAP, and all notices of shareholders’ meetings and other reports and communications that are made generally available to our shareholders. The depositary will make such notices, reports and communications available to holders of ADSs and, if we so request, will mail to all record holders of ADSs the information contained in any notice of a shareholders’ meeting received by the depositary from us.

We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form F-3 relating to the securities covered by this prospectus. This prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement are part of the registration statement and do not contain all the information in the registration statement. You will find additional information about us in the registration statement. Any statement made in this prospectus concerning a contract or other document of ours is not necessarily complete, and you should read the documents that are filed as exhibits to the registration statement or otherwise filed with the SEC for a more complete understanding of the document or matter. Each such statement is qualified in all respects by reference to the document to which it refers. You may inspect a copy of the registration statement at the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C., as well as through the SEC’s website.

 

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PART II

Information Not Required in Prospectus

Item 8. Indemnification of Directors and Officers

Cayman Islands law does not limit the extent to which a company’s memorandum and articles of association may provide for indemnification of officers and directors, except to the extent any such provision may be held by the Cayman Islands courts to be contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification against civil fraud or the consequences of committing a crime.

The registrant’s third amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that the registrant shall indemnify its directors and officers (each an indemnified person) against all actions, proceedings, costs, charges, expenses, losses, damages or liabilities incurred or sustained by such indemnified person, other than by reason of such person’s own dishonesty, willful default or fraud, in or about the conduct of the registrant’s business or affairs (including as a result of any mistake of judgment) or in the execution or discharge of his duties, powers, authorities or discretions, including, without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, any costs, expenses, losses or liabilities incurred by such indemnified person in defending (whether successfully or otherwise) any civil proceedings concerning our company or its affairs in any court whether in the Cayman Islands or elsewhere.

Pursuant to the indemnification agreements (the form of which is herein incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the registration statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-234112), as amended, initially filed with the SEC on October 7, 2019), the registrant has agreed to indemnify its directors and executive officers against certain liabilities and expenses incurred by such persons in connection with claims made by reason of their being such a director or executive officer.

The underwriting agreement, the form of which will be filed as Exhibit 1.1 to this registration statement, will also provide indemnification for us and our officers and directors for certain liabilities.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, the registrant has been informed that in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.

Item 9.    Exhibits

See Exhibit Index beginning on page II-4 of this registration statement.

Item 10.    Undertakings.

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

(1)    To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

(i)    To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;

(ii)    To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of

 

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prospectus filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and

(iii)    To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (i), (ii) and (iii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the SEC by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.

(2)    That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(3)    To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

(4)    To file a post-effective amendment to the registration statement to include any financial statements required by Item 8.A. of Form 20-F at the start of any delayed offering or throughout a continuous offering. Financial statements and information otherwise required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act need not be furnished, provided, that the registrant includes in the prospectus, by means of a post-effective amendment, financial statements required pursuant to this paragraph (4) and other information necessary to ensure that all other information in the prospectus is at least as current as the date of those financial statements. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a post-effective amendment need not be filed to include financial statements and information required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act or Rule 3-19 of Regulation S-K if such financial statements and information are contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the SEC by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in this registration statement.

(5)    That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act to any purchaser:

(i)    Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and

(ii)    Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5) or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii) or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof; provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.

 

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(6)    That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities: the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

(i)    Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;

(ii)    Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;

(iii)    The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and

(iv)    Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

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Exhibit Index

 

Exhibit
Number

  

Description

1.1*    Form of Underwriting Agreement
4.1    Registrant’s Specimen Certificate for Class  A ordinary shares (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the registration statement on Form F-1 (File No.  333-234112), as amended, initially filed with the SEC on October 7, 2019)
4.2    Form of Deposit Agreement, among the Registrant, the depositary and owners and holders of American Depositary Receipts (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to the registration statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-234112), as amended, initially filed with the SEC on October 7, 2019)
4.3    Registrant’s Specimen American Depositary Receipt (included in Exhibit 4.2)
5.1    Opinion of Conyers Dill & Pearman
23.1    Consent of Marcum Bernstein & Pinchuk LLP, independent registered public accounting firm
23.2    Consent of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Certified Public Accountants LLP, independent registered public accounting firm
23.3    Consent of Conyers Dill & Pearman (included in Exhibit 5.1)
23.4    Consent of JunHe LLP
24.1    Power of Attorney (included on signature page hereof)

*To be filed as an exhibit to a post-effective amendment to this registration statement or as an exhibit to a report filed under the Exchange Act and incorporated herein by reference.

 

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form F-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Shanghai, China, on July 27, 2021.

 

Q&K International Group Limited
By:  

/s/ Chengcai Qu

  Name:    Chengcai Qu
  Title:    Chairman of the Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Vice President

 

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POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Chengcai Qu as his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) and supplements to this registration statement on Form F-3 and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as each such person might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent, or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities indicated on July 27, 2021.

 

Signatures

  

Title

/s/ Chengcai Qu

Chengcai Qu

   Chairman of the board of directors, chief executive officer, chief operating officer and vice president

/s/ Gang Xie

Gang Xie

   Director, chief technology officer

/s/ Lin Lin

Lin Lin

   Director

/s/ Chen Chen

Chen Chen

   Independent director

/s/ Lin Zhou

Lin Zhou

   Independent director

/s/ Zhichen (Frank) Sun

Zhichen (Frank) Sun

   Chief Financial Officer

 

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SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE REGISTRANT

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the undersigned, the duly authorized representative in the United States of Q&K International Group Limited, has signed this registration statement or amendment thereto in New York on July 27, 2021.

 

Cogency Global Inc.

Authorized U.S. Representative

By:  

/s/ Colleen A. De Vries

  Name:    Colleen A. De Vries
  Title:    Senior Vice President

 

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EX-5.1

Exhibit 5.1

 

LOGO  

CONYERS DILL & PEARMAN

 

29th Floor

 

One Exchange Square

8 Connaught Place

  Central
  Hong Kong
 

 

T +852 2524 7106 | F +852 2845 9268

 

conyers.com

27 July 2021

Matter No.:834078

852 2842 9530

Richard.hall@conyers.com

Q&K International Group Limited

Room 1607, Building A

No 596 Middle Longhua Road

Xuhui District, Shanghai, 200032

People’s Republic of China

Dear Sir/Madam,

 

Re:

Q&K International Group Limited (the “Company”)

We have acted as special Cayman Islands legal counsel to the Company in connection with a registration statement on Form F-3 (the “Registration Statement”) filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on or about the date hereof under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, (the “Securities Act”) and the prospectus forming a part of the registration Statement (the “Prospectus”) through which the Company will offer Class A ordinary shares, par value US$0.00001 each in the Company, which may be represented by American depositary shares, from time to time.

 

1.

DOCUMENTS REVIEWED

For the purposes of giving this opinion, we have examined the following document(s):

 

1.1.

the Registration Statement; and

 

1.2.

the Prospectus.

The documents listed in items 1.1 through 1.2 above are herein sometimes collectively referred to as the “Documents” (which term does not include any other instrument or agreement whether or not specifically referred to therein or attached as an exhibit or schedule thereto).

We have also reviewed:

 

1.3.

a copy of the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company, each certified by the Secretary of the Company on 27 July 2021;

 

1.4.

a copy of minutes of a meeting of its directors held on 27 July 2021 (the “Resolutions”);

 

1.5.

a copy of a Certificate of Good Standing issued by the Registrar of Companies in relation to the Company on 22 July 2021 (the “Certificate Date”); and

Partners: Piers J. Alexander, Christopher W. H. Bickley, Peter H. Y. Ch’ng, Anna W. T. Chong, Angie Y. Y. Chu, Vivien C. S. Fung, Richard J. Hall, Norman Hau, Wynne Lau, Paul M. L. Lim, Michael J. Makridakis, Teresa F. Tsai, Flora K. Y. Wong, Lilian S. C. Woo

Consultant: David M. Lamb

BERMUDA | BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS | CAYMAN ISLANDS


1.6.

such other documents and made such enquiries as to questions of law as we have deemed necessary in order to render the opinion set forth below.

 

2.

ASSUMPTIONS

We have assumed:

 

2.1.

the genuineness and authenticity of all signatures and the conformity to the originals of all copies (whether or not certified) examined by us and the authenticity and completeness of the originals from which such copies were taken;

 

2.2.

that where a document has been examined by us in draft form, it will be or has been executed in the form of that draft, and where a number of drafts of a document have been examined by us all changes thereto have been marked or otherwise drawn to our attention;

 

2.3.

the capacity, power and authority of each of the parties to the Documents, other than the Company, to enter into and perform its respective obligations under the Documents;

 

2.4.

the due execution and delivery of the Documents by each of the parties thereto, other than the Company, and the physical delivery thereof by the Company with an intention to be bound thereby;

 

2.5.

the accuracy and completeness of all factual representations made in the Documents and other documents reviewed by us;

 

2.6.

that the Resolutions were passed at one or more duly convened, constituted and quorate meetings or by unanimous written resolutions, remain in full force and effect and have not been rescinded or amended;

 

2.7.

that there is no provision of the law of any jurisdiction, other than the Cayman Islands, which would have any implication in relation to the opinions expressed herein;

 

2.8.

the validity and binding effect under the laws of the State of New York, United States of America (the “Foreign Laws”) of the Documents which are expressed to be governed by such Foreign Laws in accordance with their respective terms; and

 

2.9.

that on the date of entering into the Document(s) the Company is and after entering into the Documents will be able to pay its liabilities as they become due.

 

3.

QUALIFICATIONS

 

3.1.

The obligations of the Company under the Document(s):

 

  (a)

will be subject to the laws from time to time in effect relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, liquidation, possessory liens, rights of set off, reorganisation, amalgamation, merger, consolidation, moratorium, bribery, corruption, money laundering, terrorist financing, proliferation financing or any other laws or legal procedures, whether of a similar nature or otherwise, generally affecting the rights of creditors as well as applicable international sanctions;

 

  (b)

will be subject to statutory limitation of the time within which proceedings may be brought;

 

conyers.com | 2


  (c)

will be subject to general principles of equity and, as such, specific performance and injunctive relief, being equitable remedies, may not be available;

 

  (d)

may not be given effect to by a Cayman Islands court, whether or not it was applying the Foreign Laws, if and to the extent they constitute the payment of an amount which is in the nature of a penalty; and

 

  (e)

may not be given effect by a Cayman Islands court to the extent that they are to be performed in a jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands and such performance would be illegal under the laws of that jurisdiction. Notwithstanding any contractual submission to the exclusive or non-exclusive jurisdiction of specific courts, a Cayman Islands court has inherent discretion to stay or allow proceedings in the Cayman Islands against the Company under the Documents if there are other proceedings in respect of the Documents simultaneously underway against the Company in another jurisdiction.

 

3.2.

We express no opinion as to the enforceability of any provision of the Documents which provides for the payment of a specified rate of interest on the amount of a judgment after the date of judgment or which purports to fetter the statutory powers of the Company.

 

3.3.

We have made no investigation of and express no opinion in relation to the laws of any jurisdiction other than the Cayman Islands. This opinion is to be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Cayman Islands and is limited to and is given on the basis of the current law and practice in the Cayman Islands. This opinion is issued solely for your benefit and use in connection with the matter described herein and is not to be relied upon by any other person, firm or entity or in respect of any other matter.

 

4.

OPINION

On the basis of and subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:

 

4.1.

The Company is duly incorporated and existing under the laws of the Cayman Islands and, based on the Certificate of Good Standing, is in good standing as at the Certificate Date. Pursuant to the Companies Act (“Act”), a company is deemed to be in good standing if all fees and penalties under the Act have been paid and the Registrar of Companies has no knowledge that the company is in default under the Act.

 

4.2.

Based solely on our review of the memorandum of association of the Company, the Company has an authorised share capital of US$500,000 divided into 50,000,000,000 shares of a nominal or par value of US$0.00001 each, of which 37,500,000,000 shall be designated as Class A ordinary shares of a nominal or par value of US$0.00001 each, 2,500,000,000 shall be designated as Class B ordinary shares of a nominal or par value of US$0.00001 each and 10,000,000,000 shall be designated as preferred shares of a nominal or par value of US$0.00001 each.

 

4.3.

When issued and paid for as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Class A Ordinary Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable (which term means when used herein that no further sums are required to be paid by the holders thereof in connection with the issue of such shares).

 

conyers.com | 3


We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the references to our firm under the captions “Enforcement of Civil Liabilities” and “Legal Matters” in the Prospectus forming a part of the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not hereby admit that we are experts within the meaning of Section 11 of the Securities Act or that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

Yours faithfully,

/s/ Conyers Dill & Pearman

Conyers Dill & Pearman

 

conyers.com | 4


EX-23.1

Exhibit 23.1

 

LOGO

INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM’S CONSENT

We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement of Q&K International Group Limited on Form F-3 of our report dated February 16, 2021, which includes an explanatory paragraph as to the company’s ability to continue as a going concern with respect to our audits of the consolidated financial statements of Q&K International Group Limited as of September 30, 2020 and for the year ended September 30, 2020 appearing in the Annual Report on Form 20-F of Q&K International Group Limited for the year ended September 30, 2020. We also consent to the reference to our firm under the heading “Experts” in the prospectus, which is part of this Registration Statement.

/s/ Marcum Bernstein & Pinchuk LLP

Marcum Bernstein & Pinchuk LLP

New York, NY

July 27, 2021

www.marcumbp.com


EX-23.2

Exhibit 23.2

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form F-3 of our report dated February 18, 2020, relating to the consolidated financial statements of Q&K International Group Limited as of September 30, 2019 and for each of the two years in the period ended September 30, 2019, appearing in the Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended September 30, 2020. We also consent to the reference to us under the heading “Experts” in such Registration Statement.

/s/ Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Certified Public Accountants LLP

Shanghai, China

July 27, 2021


EX-23.4

Exhibit 23.4

 

LOGO

26/F, HKRI Centre One, HKRI Taikoo Hui

288 Shimen Road (No.1)

Shanghai 200041, P. R. China

T: (86-21) 5298-5488

F: (86-21) 5298-5492

July 27, 2021

Q&K International Group Limited

Suite 1607, Building A

No.596 Middle Longhua Road

Xuhui District, Shanghai, 200032

People’s Republic of China

Dear Sir/Madam:

We hereby consent to the references to our firm’s name under the captions “Enforceability of Civil Liabilities” and “Legal Matters” in the prospectus included in the registration statement on Form F-3, originally filed by Q&K International Group Limited on July 27, 2021, with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we come within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, or under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, in each case, as amended, or the regulations promulgated thereunder.

Very truly yours,

/s/JunHe LLP

JunHe LLP

 

Beijing Head Office

Tel: (86-10) 8519-1300

Fax: (86-10) 8519-1350

 

Haikou Office

Tel: (86-898) 6851-2544

Fax: (86-898) 6851-3514

 

New York Office

Tel: (1-212) 703-8702

Fax: (1-212) 703-8720

  

Shanghai Office

Tel: (86-21) 5298-5488

Fax: (86-21) 5298-5492

 

Tianjin Office

Tel: (86-22) 5990-1301

Fax: (86-22) 5990-1302

 

Silicon Valley Office

Tel: (1-888) 886-8168

Fax: (1-888) 808-2168

  

Shenzhen Office

Tel: (86-755) 2587-0765

Fax: (86-755) 2587-0780

 

Qingdao Office

Tel: (86-532) 6869-5000

Fax: (86-532) 6869-5010

  

Guangzhou Office

Tel: (86-20) 2805-9088

Fax: (86-20) 2805-9099

 

Chengdu Office

Tel: (86-28) 6739-8000

Fax: (86-28) 6739-8001

  

Dalian Office

Tel: (86-411) 8250-7578

Fax: (86-411) 8250-7579

 

Hong Kong Office

Tel: (852) 2167-0000

Fax: (852) 2167-0050

            www.junhe.com