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8-K - CURRENT REPORT - East Stone Acquisition Corpea119133-8k_eaststone.htm

Exhibit 99.1

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

To the Shareholders and the Board of Directors of

East Stone Acquisition Corporation

 

Opinion on the Financial Statement

 

We have audited the accompanying balance sheet of East Stone Acquisition Corporation (the "Company") as of February 24, 2020 and the related notes (collectively referred to as the "financial statement"). In our opinion, the financial statement presents fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of February 24, 2020 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

 

Basis for Opinion

 

This financial statement is the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company's financial statement based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (the "PCAOB") and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

 

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statement is free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audit we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

 

Our audit included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statement, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statement. Our audit also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statement. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

/s/ WithumSmith+Brown, PC

 

We have served as the Company's auditor since 2018.

 

New York, New York

February 28, 2020

  

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EAST STONE ACQUISITION CORPORATION
BALANCE SHEET

February 24, 2020

  

ASSETS    
Current Assets    
Cash  $787,635 
Prepaid expenses and other current assets   86,750 
Total current assets   874,385 
Cash held in Trust Account   138,000,000 
Total assets  $138,874,385 
      
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY     
Current Liabilities     
Advance from related parties  $25,050 
Accrued expenses   30,000 
Total current liabilities   55,050 
Deferred underwriting commission   402,500 
Total liabilities   457,550 
Commitments and Contingencies –     
Ordinary shares subject to possible redemption, 13,341,683 shares at redemption value of $10 per share   133,416,830 
Shareholders’ Equity     
Preferred shares in class A, B, C, D, and E, no par value; unlimited shares authorized, none issued and outstanding    
Ordinary shares, no par value; unlimited shares authorized; 4,361,817 shares issued and outstanding (excluding 13,341,683 shares subject to possible redemption)   5,024,915 
Accumulated deficit   (24,910)
Total Shareholders’ Equity   5,000,005 
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY  $138,874,385 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of this financial statement.

  

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EAST STONE ACQUISITION CORPORATION
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

NOTE 1. DESCRIPTION OF ORGANIZATION AND BUSINESS OPERATIONS

 

East Stone Acquisition Corporation (the “Company”) is a blank check company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands on August 9, 2018 (“inception”). The Company was incorporated for the purpose of acquiring, engaging in a share exchange, share reconstruction and amalgamation with, purchasing all or substantially all of the assets of, entering into contractual arrangements with, or engaging in any other similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities (the “Business Combination”). Although the Company is not limited to a particular industry or geographic region for purposes of consummating a Business Combination, the Company intends to focus on businesses primarily operating in the financial services industry or businesses providing technological services to the financial industry, commonly known as “fintech businesses” in the regions of North America and Asia-Pacific. The Company is an emerging growth company and, as such, the Company is subject to all of the risks associated with emerging growth companies.

 

As of February 24, 2020, the Company had not yet commenced any operations. All activity through February 24, 2020 relates to the Company’s formation and the initial public offering (“Initial Public Offering” or “IPO”), which is described below. The Company will not generate any operating revenues until after the completion of its initial Business Combination, at the earliest. The Company anticipates it will generate income in the form of interest income from the proceeds derived from the IPO and placed in Trust Account (as defined below) as described below.

 

The registration statement for the Company’s IPO was declared effective on February 19, 2020 (“Effective Date”). On February 24, 2020, the Company consummated the IPO of 13,800,000 units (the “Units” and, with respect to the ordinary shares underlying the Units sold, the “Public Shares”), which included the underwriters’ full exercise of over-allotment option, generating gross proceeds to the Company of $138,000,000.

 

Simultaneously with the closing of the IPO, the Company consummated the private placement of an aggregate of 350,000 Units (“Private Units”) at $10.00 per Unit, generating gross proceeds of $3,500,000. Pursuant to the unit subscription agreements entered into in connection with the private placement, 167,000 Private Units were purchased by the Double Ventures Holdings Limited (“Sponsor”), 108,000 Private Units were purchased by Hua Mao and Cheng Zhao (“anchor investors”) separately and not together, and 75,000 Private Units were purchased by I-Bankers Securities, Inc. (“I-Bankers”).

 

In connection to the Company’s IPO, the Company consummated the issuance of an aggregate of 103,500 ordinary shares of the Company (“Representative’s Shares”) to the underwriters, of which 90,562 Representative’s Shares were issued to I-Bankers and 12,938 Representative’s Shares were issued to EarlyBirdCapital, Inc. (“EarlyBird”), respectively (Note 6).

 

Related to the closing of the IPO, the Company additionally granted to the underwriters a total of 690,000 warrants, exercisable at $12.00 per share (or an aggregate exercise price of $8,280,000) (“Representative’s Warrants”), of which 601,500 Representative’s Warrants were granted to I-Bankers and 88,500 Representative’s Warrants were granted to EarlyBird (Note 6).

 

Total transaction costs associated with the IPO amounted to $5,758,283, including fair value of Representative’s Shares and Representative’s Warrants. Of the amount $5,758,283, $3,083,255 was cash costs of the transaction, consisting of $2,415,000 of underwriting fees, of which $402,500 has been deferred to the consummation of the Business Combination, and $668,255 of other offering costs. The fair value of 103,500 Representative’s Shares, at approximately $1,035,000, and 690,000 Representative’s Warrants, at approximately $1,640,028, was charged to the equity of the Company. In addition, $787,635 of cash is held outside of the Trust Account (described as below) and is available for working capital purposes.

 

Following the closing of the IPO, a total of $138,000,000 of the net proceeds from the IPO and the Private Units was placed in a trust account (“Trust Account”) which will be invested only in U.S. government treasury bills, notes and bonds with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”) and which invest solely in U.S. Treasuries. Except for all interest income that may be released to the Company to pay taxes, and up to $50,000 to pay dissolution expenses, none of the funds held in the Trust Account will be released until the earlier of: (1) the completion of the initial Business Combination within the required time period; (2) the Company’s redemption of 100% of the outstanding Public Shares if the Company has not completed an initial Business Combination in the required time period; and (3) the redemption of any Public Shares properly tendered in connection with a shareholder vote to amend the Company’s memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to redeem 100% of the Public Shares if the Company does not complete its initial Business Combination within the required time period or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-Business Combination activity.

  

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The Company’s management has broad discretion with respect to the specific application of the net proceeds of the IPO and the sale of the Private Units, although substantially all of the net proceeds are intended to be applied generally toward consummating a Business Combination. The Company’s initial Business Combination must be with one or more operating businesses or assets with a fair market value equal to at least 80% of the net assets held in the Trust Account at the time the Company signs a definitive agreement in connection with the initial Business Combination. However, the Company will only complete a Business Combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. There is no assurance that the Company will be able to successfully effect a Business Combination.

 

The Company will proceed with a Business Combination if the Company has net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 prior to or upon such consummation of a Business Combination and, if the Company seeks shareholder approval, a majority of the outstanding ordinary shares voted are voted in favor of the Business Combination. If a shareholder vote is not required and the Company does not decide to hold a shareholder vote for business or other legal reasons, the Company will, pursuant to its Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association, offer to redeem the Public Shares pursuant to the tender offer rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and file tender offer documents containing substantially the same information as would be included in a proxy statement with the SEC prior to consummating a Business Combination.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company seeks shareholder approval of the Business Combination and the Company does not conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, the Company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association provides that a public shareholder, together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)), will be restricted from redeeming its shares with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% of the Public Shares, without the prior consent of the Company.

 

The Sponsor and the other initial shareholders (collectively, “initial shareholders”) have agreed (A) to vote their Founder Shares (as defined in Note 5), shares underlying the Private Units (“private shares”) and any Public Shares held by them in favor of any proposed initial Business Combination, (B) not to propose any amendment to the Company’s memorandum and articles of association (i) to modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to redeem 100% of its Public Shares if the Company does not complete its initial Business Combination within 15 months (or up to 21 months) from the closing of the IPO or (ii) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial Business Combination activity, unless the Company provides its public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their Public Shares upon approval of any such amendment at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then outstanding Public Shares, (C) not to redeem any shares (including the Founder Shares and any Public Shares) and Private Units (and underlying securities) into the right to receive cash from the Trust Account in connection with a shareholder vote to approve the proposed initial Business Combination (or to sell any shares in a tender offer in connection with a proposed Business Combination if the Company does not seek shareholder approval in connection therewith) or a vote to amend the provisions of the Company’s memorandum and articles of association relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-Business Combination activity and (D) that the Founder Shares and Private Units (and underlying securities) shall not participate in any liquidating distribution upon winding up if a Business Combination is not consummated, until all of the claims of any redeeming shareholders and creditors are fully satisfied (and then only from funds held outside the Trust Account).

 

The Company has 15 months from the closing of the IPO to consummate a Business Combination (“Business Combination Date”). However, if the Company is not able to consummate a Business Combination on or before the Business Combination Date, the Company, by resolutions of the board of the Company, at the request of the initial shareholders, may extend the period of time to consummate a Business Combination up to two times, each by an additional three months (for a total of up to 21 months to complete a Business Combination) (the “Combination Period”), subject to the Company’s initial shareholders depositing additional funds into the Trust Account as set out below. Pursuant to the terms of the Company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association and the Investment Management Trust Agreement entered into between the Company and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, in order for the time available for the Company to consummate a Business Combination to be extended, the Company’s initial shareholders and their affiliates or designees, upon five days advance notice prior to the applicable deadline, must deposit into the Trust Account up to $1,380,000 ($0.10 per share), up to an aggregate of $2,760,000 or approximately $0.20 per share, on or prior to the date of the applicable deadline, for each three month extension. In the event that the Company receives notice from the initial shareholders five days prior to the applicable deadline to effect an extension, the Company intends to issue a press release announcing such intention at least three days prior to the applicable deadline. In addition, the Company intends to issue a press release the day after the applicable deadline announcing whether or not the funds had been timely deposited. However, the Company’s initial shareholders and their affiliates or designees are not obligated to fund the Trust Account to extend the time to consummate a Business Combination.

  

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If the Company is unable to complete a Business Combination by the Business Combination Date and if the Company fails to receive an extension requested by the Company’s initial shareholders by or before the Business Combination Date, the Company will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but no more than five business days thereafter, redeem 100% of the outstanding Public Shares which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any), subject to applicable law and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the remaining holders of ordinary shares and the Company’s board of directors, proceed to commence a voluntary liquidation and thereby a formal dissolution of the Company, subject (in the case of (ii) and (iii) above) to its obligations to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of applicable law.

 

In connection with the redemption of 100% of the Company’s outstanding Public Shares for a portion of the funds held in the Trust Account, each holder will receive a full pro rata portion of the amount then in the Trust Account plus any pro rata interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account (net of any taxes payable and less up to $50,000 of interest to pay liquidation expenses).

 

The initial shareholders have agreed to waive their liquidation rights with respect to the Founder Shares and private shares if the Company fails to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period. However, if the initial shareholders acquire Public Shares in or after the IPO, they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to such Public Shares if the Company fails to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period.

 

In the event of such distribution, it is possible that the per share value of the residual assets remaining available for distribution (including Trust Account assets) will be only $10.00 per share initially held in the Trust Account. In order to protect the amounts held in the Trust Account, the Sponsor and its officers has agreed that it will be liable to the Company if and to the extent any claims by a third party for services rendered or products sold to the Company, or a prospective target business with which the Company has entered into a written letter of intent, confidentiality or other similar agreement or business combination agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the Trust Account to below the lesser of (i) $10.00 per public share and (ii) the actual amount per public share held in the Trust Account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account, if less than $10.00 per share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, less taxes payable, provided that such liability will not apply to any claims by a third party or prospective target business who executed a waiver of any and all rights to the monies held in the Trust Account (whether or not such waiver is enforceable) nor will it apply to any claims under the Company’s indemnity of the underwriter of the Proposed Offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933 as amended (the “Securities Act”). The Company will seek to reduce the possibility that the Sponsor and the officers of the Company will have to indemnify the Trust Account due to claims of creditors by endeavoring to vendors, service providers (except the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm), prospective target businesses or other entities with which the Company does business, execute agreements with the Company waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to monies held in the Trust Account.

 

NOTE 2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

 

Basis of presentation

 

The accompanying financial statement is presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC.

  

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Emerging growth company

 

The Company is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act, as modified by the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, (the “JOBS Act”), and it may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in its periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved.

 

Further, section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act exempts emerging growth companies from being required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies (that is, those that have not had a Securities Act registration statement declared effective or do not have a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act) are required to comply with the new or revised financial accounting standards. The JOBS Act provides that a company can elect to opt out of the extended transition period and comply with the requirements that apply to non-emerging growth companies but any such election to opt out is irrevocable. The Company has elected not to opt out of such extended transition period which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, the Company, as an emerging growth company, can adopt the new or revised standard at the time private companies adopt the new or revised standard. This may make comparison of the Company’s financial statements with another public company which is neither an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company which has opted out of using the extended transition period difficult or impossible because of the potential differences in accounting standards used.

 

Use of estimates

 

The preparation of financial statement in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statement.

 

Making estimates requires management to exercise significant judgment. It is at least reasonably possible that the estimate of the effect of a condition, situation or set of circumstances that existed at the date of the financial statement, which management considered in formulating its estimate, could change in the near term due to one or more future confirming events. Accordingly, the actual results could differ significantly from those estimates.

 

Cash held in Trust Account

 

At February 24, 2020, the assets held in the Trust Account were held in cash.

 

Ordinary shares subject to possible redemption

 

The Company accounts for its ordinary shares subject to possible redemption in accordance with the guidance in Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 480 “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity.” Ordinary shares subject to mandatory redemption is classified as a liability instrument and is measured at fair value. Conditionally redeemable ordinary shares (including ordinary shares that features redemption rights that is either within the control of the holder or subject to redemption upon the occurrence of uncertain events not solely within the Company’s control) is classified as temporary equity. At all other times, ordinary shares are classified as shareholders’ equity. The Company’s ordinary shares features certain redemption rights that are considered to be outside of the Company’s control and subject to occurrence of uncertain future events. Accordingly, as of February 24, 2020, ordinary shares subject to possible redemption were presented as temporary equity, outside of the shareholders’ equity section of the Company’s balance sheet.

 

Offering costs

 

Total offering costs amounted to $5,758,283, including fair value placed on the Representative’s Shares and Representative’s Warrants, at $1,035,000 and $1,640,028, respectively. Of the total $5,758,283 transaction cost, the cash transaction costs amounted to $3,083,255, of which $2,415,000 was underwriting fees, including $402,500 deferred underwriting commission, payable at the consummation of the Business Combination (as described below), and $668,255 of other offering costs of legal, accounting and other expenses incurred through the IPO that are directly related to the IPO. All of the transaction costs were charged to the equity of the Company. In addition, $787,635 of cash is held outside of the Trust Account (described as below) and is available for working capital purposes.

  

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Income taxes

 

The Company accounts for income taxes under ASC Topic 740, “Income Taxes,” which requires an asset and liability approach to financial accounting and reporting for income taxes. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are computed for differences between the financial statement and tax bases of assets and liabilities that will result in future taxable or deductible amounts, based on enacted tax laws and rates applicable to the periods in which the differences are expected to affect taxable income. Valuation allowances are established, when necessary, to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount expected to be realized.

 

ASC Topic 740 prescribes a recognition threshold and a measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. For those benefits to be recognized, a tax position must be more-likely-than-not to be sustained upon examination by taxing authorities. The Company’s management determined that the British Virgin Islands is the Company’s only major tax jurisdiction. The Company recognizes accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as income tax expense. There were no unrecognized tax benefits and no amounts accrued for interest and penalties as of February 24, 2020. The Company is currently not aware of any issues under review that could result in significant payments, accruals or material deviation from its position.

 

There is currently no taxation imposed on income by the government of the British Virgin Islands. In accordance with British Virgin Islands federal income tax regulations, income taxes are not levied on the Company. Consequently, income taxes are not reflected in the Company’s financial statements. The Company’s management does not expect that the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits will materially change over the next twelve months.

 

Concentration of credit risk

 

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist of a cash account in a financial institution which, at times may exceed the Federal depository insurance coverage of $250,000. At February 24, 2020, the Company had not experienced losses on this account and management believes the Company is not exposed to significant risks on such account.

 

Fair value of financial instruments

 

The fair value of the Company’s assets and liabilities, which qualify as financial instruments under ASC Topic 820, “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures,” approximates the carrying amounts represented in the accompanying balance sheets, primarily due to their short-term nature.

 

Recently issued accounting standards

 

The Company’s management does not believe that any recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting pronouncements, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on the Company’s financial statement.

 

NOTE 3. INTIAL PUBLIC OFFERING

 

Pursuant to the IPO, the Company sold 13,800,000 Units at a purchase price of $10.00 per Unit, which include the underwriters’ full exercise of over-allotment option in the amount of 1,800,000 Units. Each Unit consists of one ordinary share, no par value, one right, and one redeemable warrant (each whole warrant, a “Public Warrant”). Each right entitles the holder thereof to receive one-tenth (1/10) of one ordinary share upon the consummation of the Business Combination. Each Public Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one-half (1/2) of one ordinary share at an exercise price of $11.50 per full share (subject to certain adjustments) (see Note 7).

 

NOTE 4. PRIVATE PLACEMENT

 

Simultaneously with the closing of the IPO, the Sponsor, anchor investors and I-Bankers purchased an aggregate of 350,000 Private Units, of which 275,000 were purchased by the Company’s Sponsor and anchor investors and 75,000 were purchased by I-Bankers, for an aggregate purchase price of $3,500,000. Each Private Unit consists of one ordinary share (“Private Share”), one right (“Private Right”) and one warrant (“Private Warrant”). Each Private Right entitles the holder thereof to receive one-tenth (1/10) of one ordinary share upon the consummation of the Business Combination. Each warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one-half (1/2) of one ordinary share at an exercise price of $11.50 per full share. The net proceeds from the private placement was added to the proceeds from the IPO being held in the Trust Account. If the Company does not complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period, the net proceeds from the sale of the private placement will be used to fund the redemption of the Public Shares (subject to the requirements of applicable law) and Private Units and all underlying securities will expire worthless.

  

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NOTE 5. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

 

Founder Shares

 

In October 2018, the Company issued 1,437,500 ordinary shares to its initial shareholders (the “Founder Shares”) for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, or approximately $0.017 per share. In January and February 2020, the Company effected 2 for 1 and 1.2 for 1 share dividends, respectively, for each ordinary share outstanding, resulting in the initial shareholders owning an aggregate of 3,450,000 Founder Shares. The share dividends are retroactively restated in the accompanying financial statements.

 

Of the 3,450,000 Founder Shares, 450,000 shares were subject to forfeiture by the initial shareholders to the extent that the underwriters’ over-allotment was not exercised in full or in part. As a result of the underwriters’ election to fully exercise their over-allotment option, 450,000 Founder Shares are no longer subject to forfeiture.

 

Additionally, subject to certain limited exceptions, the initial shareholders have agreed to escrow (and not transfer any ownership interest in) their Founder Shares, excluding any Units or shares comprising Units acquired by the initial shareholders in the offering or in the open market: (i) with respect to 50% of the Founder Shares for a period ending on the earlier of the six month anniversary of the Business Combination or the date on which the closing price of the ordinary shares exceeds $12.50 for any 20 trading days within a 30-trading day period following the closing of the Business Combination and (ii) with respect to the other 50% of the Founder Shares for a period ending on the six month anniversary of the closing of the Business Combination, unless approved by the Company’s public stockholders. However, if, after a Business Combination, there is a transaction whereby all the outstanding shares are exchanged or converted into cash (as they would be in a post-asset sale liquidation) or another issuer’s shares, then the Founder Shares (or any ordinary shares thereunder) shall be permitted to come out of escrow to participate. In addition, all initial shareholders have agreed to escrow (and not transfer any ownership interest in) their Private Units (or any securities comprising the Private Units), excluding any Units acquired by initial shareholders in the Proposed Offering or in the open market, until thirty (30) days following the closing of the Business Combination.

 

Promissory Note — Related Party

 

The Company’s initial shareholders has signed a promissory note to loan the Company up to $300,000 to be used for the IPO (the “Note”). The Note was non-interest bearing, unsecured and due on the earlier of December 31, 2020 or the closing of the IPO. On February 24, 2020, the total outstanding balance of $182,500 of the Note was repaid.

 

Advance from Related Party

 

As of February 24, 2020, the initial shareholders had advanced an aggregate of $103,171 to the Company, of which $78,121 was advanced by Mr. Chunyi (Charlie) Hao, the Company’s Chairman, Chief Financial Offer and director, and $25,050 was advanced by an affiliate of one of the initial shareholders of the Company. Of the $103,171, $78,121 was repaid and the remaining $25,050 remains outstanding as of February 24, 2020.

 

Administrative Support Arrangement

 

The Company entered into an administrative support agreement with an affiliate of the Company’s officers, pursuant to which commencing on February 19, 2020 through the earlier of the consummation of a Business Combination or the Company’s liquidation, to pay an affiliate of the Company’s officers up to a maximum of $120,000 in the aggregate for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative services. Such administrative fees shall be paid on a quarterly basis at $30,000 per quarter until the maximum fee is reached, or if earlier, until the consummation of the Company’s Business Combination or liquidation.

  

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Related Party Loans

 

In order to finance transaction costs in connection with a Business Combination, the Sponsor, officers and directors or their respective affiliates may, but are not obligated to, loan the Company funds as may be required (the “Working Capital Loans”). If the Company completes a Business Combination, the Company would repay the Working Capital Loans. In the event that a Business Combination does not close, the Company may use a portion of proceeds held outside the Trust Account to repay the Working Capital Loans, but no proceeds held in the Trust Account would be used to repay the Working Capital Loans. Such Working Capital Loans would be evidenced by promissory notes. The notes would either be repaid upon consummation of a Business Combination, without interest, or, at the lender’s discretion, or converted upon consummation of a Business Combination into additional Private Units at a price of $10.00 per Unit (the “Working Capital Units”). As of February 24, 2020, no Working Capital Loans have been issued.

 

Related Party Extension Loans

 

As discussed in Note 1, the Company may extend the period of time to consummate a Business Combination up to two times, each by an additional three months (for a total of 21 months to complete a Business Combination). In order to extend the time available for the Company to consummate a Business Combination, the initial shareholders and/or their affiliates or designees must deposit into the Trust Account up to an aggregate of $2,760,000 for a total of two extensions. Any such payments would be made in the form of a loan. The terms of the loan in connection with the loan have not yet been negotiated. If the Company completes a Business Combination, the Company would repay such loaned amounts out of the proceeds of the Trust Account released to the Company. If the Company does not complete a Business Combination, the Company will not repay such loans.

 

NOTE 6. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

 

Registration Rights

 

Pursuant to a registration rights agreement entered into by and among the Company, the initial shareholders, anchor investors and I-Bankers on February 19, 2020, the holders of the Founder Shares, Private Units (and underlying securities), and Working Capital Units (and underlying securities) will be entitled to registration rights. The holders of a majority-in-interest of these securities are entitled to make up to three demands that the Company register such securities. In addition, the holders have certain “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to the consummation of a Business Combination.

 

Business Combination Marketing Agreement

 

The Company has engaged I-Bankers as an advisor in connection with the Company’s Business Combination to assist the Company in holding meetings with the Company’s shareholders to discuss the potential Business Combination and the target business’ attributes, introduce the Company to potential investors that are interested in purchasing the Company’s securities in connection with the Business Combination, assist the Company in obtaining shareholder approval for the Business Combination and assist the Company with its press releases and public filings in connection with the Business Combination. Pursuant to the Company’s agreement with I-Bankers, (i) if the amount of cash held in the Trust Account immediately prior to the Business Combination, after redemptions, is at least 50% of the gross proceeds of the IPO, then the advisory fees payable to I-Bankers will be 2.75% of the cash remaining in the Trust Account, (ii) if the amount of cash held in the Trust Account immediately prior to the Business Combination, after redemptions, is less than 50% of the gross proceeds of the IPO, then the advisory fees payable to I-Bankers will be 1.375% of the gross proceeds of the IPO, and (iii) notwithstanding (i) and (ii) above, if the amount of cash held in the Trust Account immediately prior to the Business Combination, after redemptions, is less than $20,000,000, then the advisory fees payable to I-Bankers will be paid in a combination of cash and securities in the same proportion as the cash and securities consideration paid to the target and its shareholders in the Business Combination, provided that in no event shall the cash portion of such advisory fees be less than $1,000,000.

 

Deferred offering commission

 

The deferred offering commission of $402,500 is to be paid out of the trust account to I-Bankers and EarlyBird only on completion of the Company's Business Combination. The deferred offering commission will be paid only upon consummation of a Business Combination. If the Business Combination is not consummated, such deferred offering commission will be forfeited. None of the underwriters will be entitled to any interest accrued on the deferred offering commission.

  

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Representative’s Shares

 

On February 24, 2020, the Company issued an aggregate of 103,500 Representative’s Shares to the underwriters, in connection with their services as underwriters for the IPO. The underwriters have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of Representative’s Shares until the completion of the Company’s initial business combination. In addition, the underwriters agreed (i) to waive their redemption rights with respect to such shares in connection with the completion of the initial Business Combination and (ii) to waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to the Representative’s Shares if the Company fails to complete its initial Business Combination within the Combination Period.  Based on the IPO price of $10.00 per Unit, the fair value of the 103,500 ordinary shares was $1,035,000, which was an expense of the IPO resulting in a charge directly to shareholders’ equity upon the completion of the IPO.

 

The shares have been deemed compensation by FINRA and are therefore subject to a lock-up for a period of 180 days immediately following the date of the effectiveness of the registration statement of the Company in connection with the IPO, pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110(g)(1). Pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110(g)(1), these securities will not be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction that would result in the economic disposition of the securities by any person for a period of 180 days immediately following the effective date of the registration statement, nor may they be sold, transferred, assigned, pledged or hypothecated for a period of 180 days immediately following the effective date of the registration statement except to any underwriter and selected dealer participating in the offering and their bona fide officers or partners.

 

Representative’s Warrants

 

On February 24, 2020, the Company issued an aggregate of 690,000 Representative’s Warrants, exercisable at $12.00 per full share the underwriters, in connection with their services as underwriters for the IPO. The Representative’s Warrants may be exercised for cash or on a cashless basis, at the holder’s option, at any time during the period commencing on the later of the first anniversary of the effective date of the registration statement of the Company and the closing of the Company’s initial Business Combination and terminating on the fifth anniversary of such effectiveness date. The underwriters have each agreed that neither it nor its designees will be permitted to exercise the warrants after the five year anniversary of the effective date of the registration statement. The Company accounted for the 690,000 warrants as an expense of the IPO resulting in a charge directly to stockholders’ equity. The fair value of Representative’s Warrants was estimated to be approximately $1,640,028 (or $2.38 per warrant) using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. The fair value of the Representative’s Warrants granted to the Underwriters was estimated as of the date of grant using the following assumptions: (1) expected volatility of 31.5%, (2) risk-free interest rate of 1.536%, share price at $10.00 with a strike price at $12.00 and (3) expected life of five years. 

 

The Representative’s Warrants and such shares purchased pursuant to the Representative’s Warrants have been deemed compensation by FINRA and are therefore subject to a lock-up for a period of 360 days immediately following the date of the effectiveness of the registration statement pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110(g)(1). Pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110(g)(1), these securities will not be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction that would result in the economic disposition of the securities by any person for a period of 360 days immediately following the effective date of the registration statement, nor may they be sold, transferred, assigned, pledged or hypothecated for a period of 360 days immediately following the effective date of the registration statement except to any underwriter and selected dealer participating in the IPO and their bona fide officers or partners. The Representative’s Warrants grant to holders demand and “piggy back” rights for periods of five and seven years, respectively, from the effective date of the registration statement with respect to the registration under the Securities Act of the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the Representative’s Warrants. The Company will bear all fees and expenses attendant to registering the securities, other than underwriting commissions, which will be paid for by the holders themselves. The exercise price and number of ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the Representative’s Warrants may be adjusted in certain circumstances including in the event of a share dividend, or the Company’s recapitalization, reorganization, merger or consolidation. However, the Representative’s Warrants will not be adjusted for issuances of ordinary shares at a price below its exercise price.

  

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NOTE 7. SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

 

Preferred Shares — The Company is authorized to issue an unlimited number of preferred shares, no par value, divided into five classes, Class A through Class E, each with such designation, rights and preferences as may be determined by a resolution of the Company’s board of directors to amend the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association to create such designations, rights and preferences. The Company has five classes of preferred shares to give the Company flexibility as to the terms on which each Class is issued. All shares of a single class must be issued with the same rights and obligations. Accordingly, starting with five classes of preferred shares will allow the Company to issue shares at different times on different terms. As of February 24, 2020, there were no preferred shares designated, issued or outstanding.

 

Ordinary Shares — The Company is authorized to issue an unlimited number of ordinary shares, no par value. Holders of the Company’s ordinary shares are entitled to one vote for each share. As of February 24, 2020, there were 4,361,817 ordinary shares issued and outstanding, excluding 13,341,683 ordinary shares subject to possible redemption.

 

Rights — Each holder of a right will receive one-tenth (1/10) of one ordinary share upon consummation of the Business Combination, even if the holder of such right redeemed all ordinary shares held by him, her or it in connection with the Business Combination or an amendment to the Company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association with respect to the Company’s pre-Business Combination activities. No additional consideration will be required to be paid by a holder of rights in order to receive his, her or its additional ordinary shares upon consummation of a Business Combination as the consideration related thereto has been included in the unit purchase price paid for by investors in the IPO. The shares issuable upon exchange of the public rights will be freely tradable (except to the extent held by affiliates of the Company).

 

Warrants — Warrant underlying units sold in the IPO (the “Public Warrants”) may only be exercised for a whole number of shares. No fractional shares will be issued upon exercise of the Public Warrants. The Public Warrants will become exercisable on the later of (a) the consummation of a Business Combination or (b) twelve (12) months from the effective date of the registration statement relating to the IPO. No Public Warrants will be exercisable for cash unless the Company has an effective and current registration statement covering the ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the Public Warrants and a current prospectus relating to such ordinary shares. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a registration statement covering the ordinary shares issuable upon the exercise of the Public Warrants is not effective within 90 days from the consummation of a Business Combination, the holders may, until such time as there is an effective registration statement and during any period when the Company shall have failed to maintain an effective registration statement, exercise the Public Warrants on a cashless basis pursuant to an available exemption from registration under the Securities Act. If an exemption from registration is not available, holders will not be able to exercise their Public Warrants on a cashless basis. The Public Warrants will expire five years from the consummation of a Business Combination or earlier upon redemption or liquidation.

 

The warrants underlying the Private Units (the “Private Warrants”), if any, will be identical to the Public Warrants underlying the Units being sold in the IPO, except that the Private Warrants and the ordinary shares issuable upon the exercise of the Private Warrants will not be transferable, assignable or salable until 30 days after the completion of a Business Combination, subject to certain limited exceptions. Additionally, the Private Warrants will be exercisable on a cashless basis and be non-redeemable so long as they are held by the initial purchasers or their permitted transferees. If the Private Warrants are held by someone other than the initial purchasers or their permitted transferees, the Private Warrants will be redeemable by the Company and exercisable by such holders on the same basis as the Public Warrants.

 

The warrant exercise (for both Public Warrant and Private Warrant) price is adjusted, if (x) the Company issues additional ordinary shares or equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of the initial Business Combination at an issue price or effective issue price of less than $9.50 per ordinary share (with such issue price or effective issue price to be determined in good faith by the Company’s board of directors), (y) the aggregate gross proceeds from such issuances represent more than 60% of the total equity proceeds, and interest thereon, available for the funding of the initial Business Combination, and (z) the volume weighted average trading price of the ordinary shares during the 20 trading day period starting on the trading day prior to the day on which the Company consummates the initial Business Combination (such price, the “Market Price”) is below $9.50 per share, the exercise price of the warrants will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 115% of the Market Price, and the $18.00 per share redemption trigger price described above will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 180% of the Market Price.

 

The Company may call the warrants for redemption (excluding the Private Warrants, any outstanding Representative’s Warrants, and any warrants underlying units issued to the Sponsor, initial shareholders, officers, directors or their affiliates in payment of Working Capital Loans made to the Company), in whole and not in part, at a price of $0.01 per warrant:

 

at any time while the warrants are exercisable,

  

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upon not less than 30 days’ prior written notice of redemption to each warrant holder,

 

if, and only if, the reported last sale price of the ordinary shares equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations and recapitalizations), for any 20 trading days within a 30 trading day period ending on the third trading business day prior to the notice of redemption to warrant holders, and

 

if, and only if, there is a current registration statement in effect with respect to the issuance of the ordinary shares underlying such warrants at the time of redemption and for the entire 30-day trading period referred to above and continuing each day thereafter until the date of redemption.

 

If the Company calls the warrants for redemption as described above, management will have the option to require all holders that wish to exercise the warrants to do so on a “cashless basis,” as described in the warrant agreement. The exercise price and number of ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants may be adjusted in certain circumstances including in the event of a stock dividend, extraordinary dividend or recapitalization, reorganization, merger or consolidation. However, the warrants will not be adjusted for issuances of ordinary shares at a price below its exercise price. Additionally, in no event will the Company be required to net cash settle the warrants. If the Company is unable to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period and the Company liquidates the funds held in the Trust Account, holders of warrants will not receive any of such funds with respect to their warrants, nor will they receive any distribution from the Company’s assets held outside of the Trust Account with respect to such warrants. Accordingly, the warrants may expire worthless.

 

NOTE 8. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

 

The Company did not identify any subsequent events and transactions that occurred after the balance sheet date through the date that the financial statement was issued. Based upon this review, the Company did not identify any subsequent events that would have required adjustment or disclosure in the financial statement.

 

 

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