As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 3, 2024
Registration No. 333-276830
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
________________
Amendment No. 3
to
FORM S-1
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
________________
Fly-E Group, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
________________
Delaware |
3711 |
92-0981080 |
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(State or other jurisdiction of |
(Primary Standard Industrial |
(I.R.S. Employer |
136-40 39th Avenue
Flushing, NY 11354
(929) 410-2770
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)
________________
Zhou Ou
Chief Executive Officer
136-40 39th Avenue
Flushing, NY 11354
(929) 410-2770
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
________________
Copies to:
Richard Aftanas, Esq. |
Joseph M. Lucosky, Esq. |
_____________
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: As soon as practicable after the effective date of this registration statement.
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, 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 post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) 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. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act:
Large accelerated filer |
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Accelerated filer |
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Non-accelerated filer |
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Smaller reporting company |
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Emerging growth company |
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If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐
The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
The information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. These securities may not be sold until the registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell, nor does it seek an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
Subject to Completion Dated May 3, 2024
PROSPECTUS
3,000,000 Shares
Fly-E Group, Inc.
Common Stock
This is the initial public offering of Fly E-Group, Inc. We are offering 3,000,000 shares of our common stock, par value $0.01 per share. Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for shares of our common stock. We anticipate the initial public offering price will be between $4.00 and $5.00 per share.
We have applied to have shares of our common stock listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “FLYE.” There can be no assurance that such application will be approved. If shares of our common stock are not approved for listing on Nasdaq, we will not consummate this offering.
We are an “emerging growth company” and a “smaller reporting company” as defined in the federal securities laws and will be subject to reduced public company reporting requirements. See “Prospectus Summary — Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company” and “Prospectus Summary — Implications of Being a Smaller Reporting Company.”
After the completion of this offering, our directors and executive officers will continue to control a majority of the voting power of our common stock. As a result, although we do not expect to rely on the “controlled company” exemption, we will be a “controlled company” under the listing rules of Nasdaq, and we will qualify for exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements. See “Management — Controlled Company Exemption.”
An investment in shares of our common stock is highly speculative, involves a high degree of risk and should be considered only by persons who can afford the loss of their entire investment, See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 10 of this prospectus before you make your decision to invest in our common stock.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
Per Share |
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Initial public offering price |
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Underwriting discounts and commissions(1) |
$ |
$ |
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Proceeds to us, before expenses(2) |
$ |
$ |
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(1) Represents underwriting discounts equal to (i) 7% per share, which is the underwriting discounts we have agreed to pay on investors in this offering introduced by the underwriters; and (ii) 5.5% per share, which is the underwriting discounts we have agreed to pay on investors in this offering introduced by us. For purpose of the calculation only, we assume 100% investors in this offering are introduced by the underwriters. We have also agreed to issue a warrant or warrants to the representative of the underwriters exercisable in the aggregate for up to such number of shares equal to 5% of the number of shares sold in this offering (the “Representative Warrants”), to reimburse the underwriters for certain expenses and to provide the representative a non-accountable expense allowance equal to 1% of the gross proceeds of this offering, payable at the closing of the offering. See “Underwriting”.
(2) The proceeds to us presented in this table does not give effect to the exercise of (i) the option we have granted to the underwriters as described below and (ii) the Representative’s Warrants.
We have granted the underwriters an option exercisable for a period of 30 days from the date of this prospectus to purchase up to 450,000 additional shares of our common stock from us from time to time and in whole or in part at the initial public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions, solely to cover over-allotments, if any. If the underwriters exercise their option in full, the total initial public offering price will be $_____, underwriting discounts and commissions will be $_____ (assuming all investors in the offering are introduced by the underwriters) and proceeds to us, before expenses, will be $_____.
The underwriters expect to deliver the shares of common stock to investors on or about ________________, 2024.
The Benchmark Company
The date of this prospectus is ___________________, 2024.
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Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations |
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Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management |
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Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences to Non-U.S. Holders |
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F-1 |
i
No dealer, salesperson or other person is authorized to give any information or to represent anything not contained in this prospectus. You must not rely on any unauthorized information or representations. This prospectus is an offer to sell only the shares offered hereby, but only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so. The information contained in this prospectus is current only as of its date.
Market data and certain industry data and forecasts used throughout this prospectus were obtained from internal company surveys, market research, consultant surveys, publicly available information, reports of governmental agencies and industry publications and surveys. Although we are responsible for all of the disclosures contained in this prospectus and we believe the market and industry data included in this prospectus is reliable, we have not independently verified any of the data from third party sources, nor have we ascertained the underlying economic assumptions relied upon therein. Similarly, we believe our internal surveys, industry forecasts and market research are reliable, even though such surveys, forecasts and research have not been independently verified. The market and industry data and forecasts included in this prospectus involve a number of assumptions and limitations, and you are cautioned not to give undue weight to such information. While we are not aware of any misstatements regarding the market and industry data and forecasts presented in this prospectus, such data and forecasts involve risks and uncertainties and are subject to change based on various factors, including those discussed under the headings entitled “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” in this prospectus.
ii
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This document contains forward-looking statements. In addition, from time to time, we or our representatives may make forward-looking statements orally or in writing. We base these forward-looking statements on our expectations and projections about future events, which we derive from the information currently available to us. Such forward-looking statements relate to future events or our future performance, including: our financial performance and projections; our growth in revenue and earnings; and our business prospects and opportunities. You can identify forward-looking statements by those that are not historical in nature, particularly those that use terminology such as “may,” “should,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “contemplates,” “estimates,” “believes,” “plans,” “projected,” “predicts,” “potential,” or “hopes” or the negative of these or similar terms. In evaluating these forward-looking statements, you should consider various factors, including: our ability to change the direction of the Company; our ability to keep pace with new technology and changing market needs; and the competitive environment of our business. These and other factors may cause our actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking statement. Forward-looking statements are only predictions. The forward-looking events discussed in this document and other statements made from time to time by us or our representatives, may not occur, and actual events and results may differ materially and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions about us. We are not obligated to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events discussed in this document and other statements made from time to time by us or our representatives might not occur.
While we believe we have identified material risks, these risks and uncertainties are not exhaustive. Other sections of this prospectus describe additional factors that could adversely impact our business and financial performance. Moreover, we operate in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks and uncertainties emerge from time to time, and it is not possible to predict all risks 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.
Although we believe the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee future results, level of activity, performance or achievements. Moreover, neither we nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of any of these forward-looking statements. You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. We are under no duty to update any of these forward-looking statements after the date of this prospectus to conform our prior statements to actual results or revised expectations, and we do not intend to do so.
Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about:
• our ability to obtain additional funding to market our vehicles and develop new products;
• our ability to produce our vehicles with sufficient volume and quality to satisfy customers;
• the inability of our principal vendors to deliver the necessary components for our vehicles at prices and volumes acceptable to us;
• our principal vendors failing to perform quality control on our products;
• the inability to obtain sufficient intellectual property protection for our brand and technologies;
• our vehicles failing to perform as expected;
• our facing product warranty claims or product recalls;
• our facing adverse determinations in significant product liability claims;
• customers not adopting electric vehicles;
• the development of alternative technology that adversely affects our business;
• the lingering impact of COVID-19 on our business;
• increased government regulation of our industry; and
• tariffs and currency exchange rates.
We caution you not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this prospectus in the case of forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus.
iii
This summary highlights information contained elsewhere in this prospectus. This summary does not contain all of the information that you should consider before deciding to invest in our common stock. You should read this entire prospectus carefully, including the “Risk Factors” section, our historical consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto, each included elsewhere in this prospectus. Unless otherwise indicated or the context requires otherwise, the words “we,” “us,” “our,” the “Company,” or “our Company,” and “Fly-E Group” refer to Fly-E Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
Overview
We are an electric vehicle (“EV”) company that is principally engaged in designing, installing and selling smart electric motorcycles (“E-motorcycles”), electric bikes (“E-bikes”), electric scooters (“E-scooters”) and related accessories under the brand “Fly E-Bike.” At Fly E-Bike, our commitment is to encourage people to incorporate eco-friendly transportation into their active lifestyles, ultimately contributing towards building a more environmentally friendly future.
Fly E-Bike was established in 2018 with its first store opened in New York. Our business has grown rapidly since then and we are now one of the leading providers of E-bikes for food delivery workers in New York City. As of May 3, 2024, we have 39 retail stores, including 38 stores in the United States and one store in Canada. We plan to expand our presence in the United States and extend our business into South America and Europe in the future. We also sell our products through our online store at flyebike.com.
We have a diversified product portfolio that is designed to satisfy the various demands of our customers and address different urban travel scenarios. Additionally, we aim to refresh our product offerings continuously to align with evolving market trends. As of May 3, 2024, we offered 21 E-motorcycle products, 21 E-bike products and 34 E-scooter products.
We are currently developing the Fly E-Bike app, which is a management service mobile software for our EVs. We aim to design an app that will bring users a comprehensive intelligent experience to create a safer and more satisfying riding life. The development of the app is still in its preliminary stage. We have launched a testing version of the app, which is currently unavailable to our customers.
We source a significant portion of our vehicle components from China and the United States, and then assemble them into our vehicles in a leased facility located in Brooklyn, New York. In the year ended March 31, 2023, we produced 2,039 E-motorcycles, 5,953 E-bikes and 2,279 E-scooters in this facility. For the year ended March 31, 2024, we produced 8,390 E-motorcycles, 7,638 E-bikes and 3,171 E-scooters at the same facility. In response to the increasing demand for our products, we are currently looking to lease a larger assembling facility to replace our current facility in the near future.
Our Industry
The EV industry has been experiencing significant growth and innovation in recent years. With the advancement of technology and the increasing demand for environmentally friendly transportation options, E-bikes, E-motorcycles and E-scooters have become popular choices for commuting, leisure and sports. As the demand for sustainable transportation options continues to grow, the EV industry is poised for further growth and development.
Some of the major trends driving the growth of the EV industry include the increasing demand for sustainable transportation options, advancements in battery and motor technology, and the growing popularity of E-bike sharing services. Government incentives and regulations, such as tax credits and subsidies for the purchase of EVs, are also driving the growth of the industry.
City bikes and city E-bikes are popular in big cities in the United States, such as New York City, Miami and Dallas. There is also a growing popularity of E-scooters as an increasing number of EV merchants are launching their businesses in these cities.
1
New York City is a major commercial hub and the largest metropolitan area in the United States. As a result, the volume of small package deliveries in New York City is remarkably high, and it has continued to grow over the years. With the rise of E-commerce and online shopping, more and more people in New York City are relying on package deliveries for their everyday needs, leading to a significant increase in small package delivery volume. The COVID-19 pandemic has further accelerated this trend as more people have turned to online shopping.
The high volume of package deliveries in New York City has led to concerns about traffic congestion and delivery vehicle emissions, which the city is working to address through initiatives such as congestion pricing and EV incentives. For short-distance deliveries within urban areas, E-bike delivery can be a more efficient and environmentally friendly option compared to truck delivery. E-bikes can navigate through congested city streets, often taking shorter routes that trucks cannot access, and deliver packages quickly without contributing to traffic congestion or air pollution. Additionally, E-bikes are often cheaper to operate and maintain than trucks. We expect that other large densely populated cities in the United States, such as Miami and Dallas, face similar challenges and will continue to adopt the use of E-bikes, E-motorcycles and E-scooters to meet their delivery needs.
Our Products
We offer a diverse product portfolio that satisfies various demands of our customers and addresses different urban travel scenarios. Following market trends and technological updates, we continuously develop and add new products into our portfolio to meet our customers’ needs. We also aim to continuously introduce upgrades and refreshes to our existing models.
E-motorcycles
Our E-motorcycle category consists of 21 different products, which include a range of E-moped, E-motorcycle and E-tricycle.
E-moped
Our E-moped product line is one of our most popular, featuring a range of eight different models. Our E-mopeds can run an average of 20-70 miles on a single charge, with a top speed of 20-38 miles per hour. Additionally, our E-mopeds are capable of holding a payload of 185-400 pounds. Each E-moped offer several standard features, including a remote key fob, alarm system, lockable under-seat storage, front and rear suspension, and a complete lighting package. Some models also offer a USB phone charging port for added convenience. These features make them an ideal choice for delivery workers.
All of our E-mopeds feature a low seat height and large tires, providing excellent stability at all speeds and on all surfaces. Moreover, their electric drivetrain requires no clutch or gears, making them easy to operate for almost anyone.
E-motorcycle
We also offer E-motorcycles that are designed for urban commuting and city riding, offering a range of 25-80 miles on a single charge and a top speed of 30-59 miles per hour. They have a payload capacity of 160-400 pounds and feature a powerful electric motor with multiple riding modes to choose from. Additionally, our E-motorcycles are equipped with advanced safety features, including anti-lock brakes and a high-performance suspension system, ensuring optimal handling and rider safety.
E-tricycle
The Fly-Tricycle is an electric three-wheel vehicle that offers three seats. The interior of this vehicle is crafted with high-quality automotive-grade materials, ensuring long-lasting durability. This vehicle can run a range of 43-62 miles on a single charge, with a top speed of 30 miles per hour. Additionally, the Fly-Tricycle is capable of holding a payload of 1,239 pounds.
2
E-bikes
We currently offer 34 different E-bike products, which include City E-bikes, foldable E-bikes and standard E-bikes.
City E-bike
Our City E-Bike has a range of 15-20 miles on a single charge and a maximum speed of 20 miles per hour. It has a payload capacity of 200 pounds and an under-seat storage area.
Foldable E-bike
Our foldable E-bikes, including the Dolphin E-Bike and the Air-2, are versatile and convenient for folding. They are capable of running 20-25 miles on a single charge with a top speed of 23 miles per hour. In addition, our foldable E-bikes have a payload capacity of 250 pounds. They are compact, portable and easy to store, making them a good choice for people who are conscious of space limitations, such as those who live in small apartments in big cities.
Standard E-bike
Our standard E-bikes are designed to be lightweight and come in a variety of different outlook designs, with multiple speed options to choose from. They offer a range of 20-60 miles on a single charge, with a top speed range of 15-32 miles per hour, and have a payload capacity of 180-250 pounds.
E-scooters
Our E-scooter segment currently offers 12 different products, which the Insurgent E-Scooter, Flytron, H-Max and H-1 models.
Our E-scooters offer a range of 15-45 miles on a single charge and a top speed range of 15-40 miles per hour. They are also capable of holding a weight range of 250-330 pounds. Additionally, our smart E-scooters are equipped with hydraulic disc brakes made from special alloys. The brake discs are slotted to extend the life of the system. The hardware of the brakes is complemented by the electronic braking system, which provides for intelligent braking and recycling kinetic energy. Certain of our models also employ the combined braking system, which intelligently splits braking force between the front and rear discs to shorten the braking distance at higher speeds.
Accessories and spare parts
We offer a comprehensive line of Fly E-Bike branded accessories and spare parts. We also sell traditional bikes.
Risks Relating to Our Business
Our business and ability to execute our business strategy are subject to a number of risks of which you should be aware before you decide to buy our securities. In particular, you should consider the following risks, which are discussed more fully in the section entitled “Risk Factors”:
• We may be unable to meet our growing production plans and delivery plans, any of which could harm our business and prospects.
• We are dependent on certain principal vendors in China for a significant portion of our vehicle components, and the inability of these vendors to deliver necessary components of our products according to our schedule and at prices, quality levels and volumes acceptable to us, or our inability to efficiently manage these components, could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and operating results.
• We rely on third parties for quality control on the parts sourced from China.
• Our success will depend on our ability to economically produce our vehicles at scale, and our ability to produce vehicles of sufficient quality and appeal to customers on schedule and at scale is unproven.
3
• Changes in our supply chain may result in increased cost. If we are unsuccessful in our efforts to control and reduce supplier costs and manage inventory at optimal levels, our operating results will suffer.
• Increases in costs, disruption of supply, or shortage of materials used to manufacture the component parts used in our vehicles, including potential risks stemming from the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, could harm our business.
• Our vehicles may not perform in line with customer expectations.
• Our future growth is dependent on the demand for, and upon consumers’ willingness to adopt electric vehicles.
• The electric mobility industry is subject to rapidly changing and often complex regulatory environments.
• We may be unable to adequately control the costs associated with our operations.
• We may not succeed in establishing, maintaining and strengthening our brand, which could materially and adversely affect customer acceptance of our products, which could in turn materially affect our business, results of operations or financial condition.
• We have a relatively short operating history, which makes it difficult to evaluate our future prospects, forecast financial results, and assess the risks and challenges we may face.
• We identified material weaknesses and significant deficiencies in our internal control over financial reporting.
• The markets in which we operate are in their infancy and highly competitive, and we may not be successful in competing in this industry.
• An adverse determination in any significant product liability claim against us could materially adversely affect our business, results of operations or financial condition.
• We are dependent upon our executives for their services and any interruption in their ability to provide their services could cause us to cease operations.
• Our management team does not have any experience in operating a publicly traded company.
• We may need to defend ourselves against patent or trademark infringement claims, which may be time-consuming and would cause us to incur substantial costs.
• If we are unable to adequately establish, maintain, protect and enforce our intellectual property and proprietary rights, our reputation may be harmed, we may be subject to litigation, and our business may be adversely affected.
• Improper activities by third parties, exploitation of encryption technology, new data-hacking tools and discoveries and other events or developments may result in future intrusions into or compromise of our networks and technology systems.
• Potential tariffs or a global trade war could increase our costs and could further increase the cost of our products, which could adversely impact the competitiveness of our products and our financial results.
• We may be unable to improve our existing products and develop and market new products that respond to customer needs and preferences and achieve market acceptance.
• We have limited experience servicing our vehicles, and if we are unable to address the service requirements of our customers, our business could be materially and adversely affected.
• Significant product repair and/or replacement due to product warranty claims or product recalls could have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations or financial condition.
• If our vehicle owners customize our vehicles or change the charging infrastructure with aftermarket products, the vehicle may not operate properly, which may create negative publicity and could harm our business.
4
Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company
We qualify as an “emerging growth company” under the federal securities laws and, therefore, we may take advantage of certain exemptions from various public company reporting requirements, including:
• a requirement to only have two years of audited financial statements and only two years of related selected financial data and management’s discussion and analysis;
• exemption from the auditor attestation requirement on the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting;
• reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation; and
• exemptions from the requirements of holding a non-binding advisory stockholder vote on executive compensation and any golden parachute payments.
We may take advantage of these provisions for up to five years or such earlier time that we are no longer an emerging growth company. We would cease to be an emerging growth company if we have more than $1.235 billion in total annual growth revenues, have issued more than $1 billion of non-convertible debt in the past three years, or if we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer under the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). We may choose to take advantage of some, but not all, of the available benefits available to emerging growth companies. We have taken advantage of some of the reduced reporting requirements in this prospectus. Accordingly, the information contained herein may be different than the information you receive from other public companies in which you hold stock. In addition, an emerging growth company may delay adopting new or revised accounting standards until such time as those standards apply to private companies. We have elected to avail ourselves of this exemption from new or revised accounting standards and, therefore, we will not be subject to the same new or revised accounting standards as other public companies that are not emerging growth companies.
Implications of Being a Smaller Reporting Company
We are a smaller reporting company as defined in the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. We may take advantage of certain of the scaled disclosures available to smaller reporting companies and will be able to take advantage of these scaled disclosures for so long as (i) the market value of our voting and non-voting common stock held by non-affiliates is less than $250 million measured on the last business day of our second fiscal quarter or (ii) our annual revenue is less than $100 million during the most recently completed fiscal year and the market value of our voting and non-voting common stock held by non-affiliates is less than $700 million measured on the last business day of our second fiscal quarter. Specifically, as a smaller reporting company, we may choose to present only the two most recent fiscal years of audited financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and have reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation and, if we are a smaller reporting company with less than $100 million in annual revenue, we would not be required to obtain an attestation report on internal control over financial reporting issued by our independent registered public accounting firm.
Implication of Being a Controlled Company
As of the date of this prospectus, our directors and executive officers beneficially own approximately 76.5% of the outstanding shares of our common stock. Upon closing of this offering, we expect that our directors and executive officers will beneficially own approximately 67.3% of our common stock (or approximately 66.1% if the underwriters exercise in full their overallotment to purchase additional shares of our common stock). Therefore, our directors and executive officers will be able to have a significant influence over fundamental and significant corporate matters and transactions. As such, we will be a “controlled company” under the listing rules of Nasdaq and we will qualify for exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements afforded to controlled companies. However, we do not expect to rely on these exceptions. See “Management — Controlled Company Exemption” and “Risk Factors — Risks Related to Our Common Stock and this Offering — Our directors and executive officers will continue to exercise significant control over us after this offering, which will limit your ability to influence corporate matters and could delay or prevent a change in corporate control.”
Company Information
Our principal executive office is located at 136-40 39th Avenue, Flushing, NY11354. Our website address is flyebike.com. The information on or accessible through our website is not part of this prospectus.
5
The Offering
Securities we are offering |
3,000,000 shares of common stock. |
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Initial public offering price |
We anticipate the initial public offering price will be between $4.00 and $5.00 per share. |
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Shares of common stock outstanding immediately before this offering |
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Shares of common stock outstanding immediately after this offering |
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Over-allotment option |
We have granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 450,000 shares of our common stock at the initial public offering price less underwriting discounts and commissions, solely to cover over-allotments, if any. |
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Use of proceeds |
We intend to use the net proceeds of this offering to cover the purchase of inventory and production costs of our vehicles, the expansion of our retail stores, our technology, research and development initiatives, and for general corporate purposes. See “Use of Proceeds”. |
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Risk Factors |
See “Risk Factors” on page 10 of this prospectus and other information appearing elsewhere in this prospectus for a discussion of factors you should carefully consider before deciding whether to invest in our securities. |
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Lock-up |
We, our directors, executive officers, and holders of more than 5% of the outstanding shares of our common stock have agreed not to offer, issue, sell, contract to sell, encumber, grant any option for the sale of or otherwise dispose of any of our securities for a period of 180 days after the date of this prospectus. See “Underwriting”. |
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Representative’s Warrants |
We have agreed to issue to the representative of the underwriters or its designees at the closing of this offering, warrants to purchase the number of shares of our common stock equal to 5% of the aggregate number of shares sold in this offering (the “Representative’s Warrants”). The Representative’s Warrants will be exercisable at any time and from time to time, in whole or in part, during the four-and-a-half-year period commencing six months after the commencement of sales in this offering. The exercise price of the Representative’s Warrants will equal 100% of the initial public offering price per share, subject to adjustments. See “Underwriting”. |
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Nasdaq listing and symbol |
We have applied to have shares of our common stock listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market (“Nasdaq”) under the symbol “FLYE”. No assurance can be given that our application for listing will be approved by Nasdaq or that a trading market will develop for our common stock. We will not proceed with this offering in the event shares of our common stock are not approved for listing on Nasdaq. |
6
In this prospectus, the number of shares of common stock to be outstanding after this offering is based on 22,000,000 shares outstanding as of the date of this prospectus and does not include the 2,500,000 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under the FLY-E Group Inc. 2024 Omnibus Incentive Plan, which will become effective immediately before the effectiveness of this registration statement.
Unless otherwise indicated, this prospectus reflects and assumes:
• no exercise by the underwriters of their over-allotment option or the Representative’s Warrants;
• An initial public offering price of $4.50 per share of common stock, which is the midpoint of the estimated price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus;
• the 1-for-110,000 stock split of our common stock effected on April 2, 2024; and
• the filing and effectiveness of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and the adoption of our amended and restated bylaws immediately prior to the consummation of this offering.
7
Summary Consolidated Financial Data
The following tables set forth a summary of our consolidated financial data as of the dates and for the periods presented. We have derived the summary statement of consolidated operations data for the years ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, and the consolidated balance sheet data as of March 31, 2023 and 2022, from our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. We have derived the summary consolidated statement of operations data for the nine months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, and the consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2023, from our unaudited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. Share and per share data in the table below have been retroactively adjusted to give effect to the 1-for-110,000 stock split effected on April 2, 2024.
You should read this data together with our consolidated financial statements and related notes appearing elsewhere in this prospectus and the sections in this prospectus entitled “Capitalization” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.” Our historical results for any prior period are not necessarily indicative of our future results.
Statement of Consolidated Operations data:
For the Nine Months ended |
For the Years Ended |
|||||||||||||||
2023 |
2022 |
2023 |
2022 |
|||||||||||||
Revenues |
$ |
24,034,397 |
|
$ |
16,458,002 |
|
$ |
21,774,937 |
|
$ |
17,192,659 |
|
||||
Cost of Revenues |
|
14,577,570 |
|
|
9,914,056 |
|
|
13,485,405 |
|
|
13,950,620 |
|
||||
Gross Profit |
|
9,456,827 |
|
|
6,543,946 |
|
|
8,289,532 |
|
|
3,242,039 |
|
||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Operating Expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
Selling Expenses |
|
4,637,043 |
|
|
2,592,312 |
|
|
3,667,227 |
|
|
2,042,668 |
|
||||
General and Administrative Expenses |
|
2,773,626 |
|
|
1,901,954 |
|
|
2,309,927 |
|
|
571,639 |
|
||||
Total operating expenses |
|
7,410,669 |
|
|
4,494,266 |
|
|
5,977,154 |
|
|
2,614,307 |
|
||||
Income from Operations |
|
2,046,158 |
|
|
2,049,680 |
|
|
2,312,378 |
|
|
627,732 |
|
||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Other Expenses, net |
|
(24,123 |
) |
|
(17,463 |
) |
|
(11,574 |
) |
|
(48,503 |
) |
||||
Interest Expenses, net |
|
(82,150 |
) |
|
(34,017 |
) |
|
(100,341 |
) |
|
— |
|
||||
Income Before Income Taxes |
|
1,939,885 |
|
|
1,998,200 |
|
|
2,200,463 |
|
|
579,229 |
|
||||
Income Tax Expense |
|
(731,997 |
) |
|
(654,654 |
) |
|
(821,892 |
) |
|
(171,208 |
) |
||||
Net Income |
|
1,207,888 |
|
|
1,343,546 |
|
|
1,378,571 |
|
|
408,021 |
|
||||
Foreign currency translation adjustment |
|
3,101 |
|
|
— |
|
|
— |
|
|
— |
|
||||
Total Comprehensive Income |
$ |
1,210,989 |
|
$ |
1,343,546 |
|
$ |
1,378,571 |
|
$ |
408,021 |
|
8
Consolidated Balance Sheet data:
December 31, 2023 |
March 31, |
March 31, |
||||||||||
ASSETS |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Current Assets |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Cash |
$ |
1,173,228 |
|
$ |
358,894 |
|
$ |
395,034 |
|
|||
Accounts receivable |
|
587,797 |
|
|
389,077 |
|
|
54,325 |
|
|||
Accounts receivable – related parties |
|
366,714 |
|
|
136,565 |
|
|
— |
|
|||
Inventories, net |
|
5,378,351 |
|
|
3,838,754 |
|
|
4,605,526 |
|
|||
Prepayments and other receivables |
|
1,093,546 |
|
|
782,819 |
|
|
145,189 |
|
|||
Prepayments and Other receivables – related parties |
|
461,500 |
|
|
— |
|
|
— |
|
|||
Total Current Assets |
|
9,061,136 |
|
|
5,506,109 |
|
|
5,200,074 |
|
|||
Property and equipment, net |
|
1,120,243 |
|
|
785,285 |
|
|
424,480 |
|
|||
Security deposits |
|
820,809 |
|
|
424,942 |
|
|
294,262 |
|
|||
Deferred IPO costs |
|
202,307 |
|
|
75,819 |
|
|
— |
|
|||
Deferred tax assets, net |
|
7,794 |
|
|
211,100 |
|
|
659,900 |
|
|||
Operating lease right-of-use assets |
|
12,042,292 |
|
|
10,261,556 |
|
|
8,083,920 |
|
|||
Intangible assets, net |
|
108,750 |
|
|
— |
|
|
— |
|
|||
Total Assets |
|
23,363,331 |
|
$ |
17,264,811 |
|
$ |
14,662,636 |
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Current Liabilities |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Accounts payable |
$ |
979,331 |
|
$ |
1,005,401 |
|
$ |
1,076,329 |
|
|||
Current portion of long-term loan payables |
|
1,210,507 |
|
|
412,224 |
|
|
— |
|
|||
Accrued expenses and other payables |
|
598,744 |
|
|
365,662 |
|
|
470,759 |
|
|||
Other payables – related parties |
|
182,232 |
|
|
332,481 |
|
|
2,828,804 |
|
|||
Operating lease liabilities – current |
|
2,400,008 |
|
|
1,836,737 |
|
|
1,312,549 |
|
|||
Taxes payable |
|
1,072,070 |
|
|
959,456 |
|
|
734,429 |
|
|||
Total Current Liabilities |
|
6,442,892 |
|
|
4,911,961 |
|
|
6,422,870 |
|
|||
Long-term loan payables |
|
442,336 |
|
|
723,228 |
|
|
— |
|
|||
Long-term loan payables – related parties |
|
— |
|
|
150,000 |
|
|
— |
|
|||
Operating lease liabilities – non-current |
|
10,344,485 |
|
|
8,979,193 |
|
|
7,117,908 |
|
|||
Deferred tax liabilities, net |
|
22,200 |
|
|
— |
|
|
— |
|
|||
Total Liabilities |
|
17,251,913 |
|
|
14,764,382 |
|
|
13,540,778 |
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Stockholders’ Equity |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Preferred stock, $0.01 par value, 4,400,000 shares authorized and nil outstanding as of December 31, 2023, March 31, 2023 and March 31, 2022 |
|
— |
|
|
— |
|
|
— |
|
|||
Common stock, $0.01 par value, 44,000,000 shares authorized and 22,000,000 shares outstanding as of December 31, 2023, March 31, 2023 and March 31, 2022* |
|
220,000 |
|
|
220,000 |
|
|
220,000 |
|
|||
Additional Paid-in Capital |
|
2,400,000 |
|
|
— |
|
|
— |
|
|||
Shares Subscription Receivable |
|
(219,998 |
) |
|
(219,998 |
) |
|
(219,998 |
) |
|||
Retained Earnings |
|
3,708,315 |
|
|
2,500,427 |
|
|
1,121,856 |
|
|||
Accumulated other comprehensive income |
|
3,101 |
|
|
— |
|
|
— |
|
|||
Total Stockholders’ Equity |
|
6,111,418 |
|
|
2,500,429 |
|
|
1,121,858 |
|
|||
Total Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity |
$ |
23,363,331 |
|
$ |
17,264,811 |
|
$ |
14,662,636 |
|
____________
* Shares and per share data are presented on a retroactive basis to reflect the nominal share issuance on December 21, 2022 and to give effect to the stock split completed on April 2, 2024.
9
Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider each of the following risks, together with all other information set forth in this prospectus, including the financial statements and the related notes, before making a decision to buy shares of our common stock. If any of the following risks materializes, our business could be harmed. In that case, the trading price of shares of our common stock could decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment.
Risks Related to the Company’s Business, Operations, and Industry
We may be unable to meet our growing production plans and delivery plans, any of which could harm our business and prospects.
In order to meet the increasing demand of our products, we plan to open more stores in the future. Our plans call for achieving and sustaining increases in vehicles production and deliveries. Our ability to achieve these plans will depend upon a number of factors, including our suppliers’ ability to support our needs and our ability to utilize our current assembling capacity, achieve the planned production yield and further increase capacity as planned while maintaining our desired quality levels and optimize design and production changes. If we are unable to realize our plans, our brand, business, prospects, financial condition and operating results could be materially damaged.
We are dependent on certain principal vendors in China for a significant portion of our vehicle components, and the inability of these vendors to deliver necessary components of our products according to our schedule and at prices, quality levels and volumes acceptable to us, or our inability to efficiently manage these components, could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and operating results.
We source a significant portion of our vehicle components from China and then assemble these parts into our products in the United States. We rely on certain principal vendors who help us source parts used in our vehicles from various suppliers in China.
If our principal vendors decide to terminate their partnership with us, experience sourcing failures, or otherwise become unable to provide us with the necessary components in sufficient quantities, in a timely manner, and on acceptable terms, we may have to delay the production and sale of our products or find an alternative vendor. Any significant unanticipated demand would require us to procure additional components in a short amount of time. While we believe that we will be able to secure additional or alternate sources of supply for most of our components in a relatively short time frame, there is no assurance that we will be able to do so or develop our own replacements for certain highly customized components of our products.
In addition, as a result of COVID-19, normal economic life throughout China was sharply curtailed and there were disruptions to normal operation of businesses in various areas. For example, in 2022, when China rigorously enforced its “Zero-COVID” policy, some manufacturing facilities were closed and work at other facilities was curtailed in many places where we sourced our vehicle components. Some of our vendors had to temporarily close a facility for disinfecting after employees tested positive for COVID-19, and others faced staffing shortages from employees who were sick or apprehensive about coming to work. Further, the ability of our vendors to ship their goods to us became difficult as transportation networks and distribution facilities reduced capacity, all of which caused an increase in shipping costs and time and affected the availability of inventories to meet our sales demand.
Although the anti-pandemic policies have been eased in China since the beginning of 2023, it is uncertain whether the Chinese government will tighten its restrictive policies and measures again in the future. Furthermore, the lingering impacts of the global pandemic may continue adversely affecting our supply chain, which in turn may materially and adversely affect our business and results of operations. Although our business operations were not materially impacted because of measures we took during the lockdown period in 2022, which included increasing order quantities for vehicle components and maintaining higher inventory levels, as well as avoiding heavy reliance on a single vendor, there can be no assurance as to whether and to what extent these mitigation measures will be effective in the event of future supply chain disruptions. Maintenance of high inventories can increase our costs and involve other risks. See “Changes in our supply chain may result in increased cost. If we are unsuccessful in our efforts to control and reduce supplier costs and manage inventory at optimal levels, our operating results will suffer.” In addition, if we encounter unexpected difficulties with our principal vendors, and if we are unable to fill these needs from other vendors in a timely manner, we could experience production delays and potential loss of access to important
10
technology and parts for producing, servicing and supporting our vehicles. The loss of any vendors or the disruption in the supply of components from these vendors could lead to design changes and delays in product deliveries to our customers, which could hurt our relationships with our customers and result in negative publicity, damage to our brand and a material and adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results.
We rely on third parties for quality control on the parts sourced from China.
We rely on one of our principal vendors in China to monitor the factories manufacturing the parts sourced from China for use in our vehicles. We have limited control over the ability of third-party manufacturers to maintain adequate quality control, quality assurance and qualified personnel. If our principal vendor fails to perform its duties, including proper inspections on sample products before mass production, the third-party manufacturers may fail to manufacture our product components according to our schedule and requirements or at all. The quality of our products is crucial to our continued growth. If our principal vendor fails to perform its supervising and inspecting duties properly, our final products could have quality issues, which could result in product recall, return of products and potential lawsuits against us if our products cause any injuries or damages due to the quality issues. Any occurrence of the foregoing could hurt our relationship with our customers and result in negative publicity, damage to our brand and a material and adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results.
Our success will depend on our ability to economically produce our vehicles at scale, and our ability to produce vehicles of sufficient quality and appeal to customers on schedule and at scale is unproven.
Our business success will depend in large part on our ability to economically produce, market and sell our vehicles at sufficient capacity to meet the demands of our customers. We will need to scale our production capacity in order to successfully implement our growth strategy.
We currently have one facility in which we assemble all of our products in Brooklyn, New York. We have no experience in large-scale production of our vehicles, and we do not know whether we will be able to develop efficient, automated, low-cost production capabilities and processes, such that we will be able to meet the quality, price and production standards, as well as the production volumes, required to successfully market our vehicles and meet our business objectives and customer needs. Any failure to develop and scale our production capability and processes could have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results.
Changes in our supply chain may result in increased cost. If we are unsuccessful in our efforts to control and reduce supplier costs and manage inventory at optimal levels, our operating results will suffer.
As we plan to continue expanding our business, we expect to include more products and their components in our inventory, which will make it more challenging for us to manage our inventory effectively and will put more pressure on our warehousing system. Maintaining excessive inventory levels beyond customer demand can lead to higher inventory carrying costs. High inventory levels may also require us to commit substantial capital resources, preventing us from using that capital for other important purposes. On the other hand, if we underestimate customer demand or encounter delays from our vendors in supplying vehicle components promptly, we may face inventory shortages. This could potentially compel us to procure vehicle components at higher costs, leading to a backorder situation or unfulfilled customer orders, which could lead to potential cancellations or loss of customers to competitors and negatively impact our brand image and reputation.
There is no assurance that our suppliers will ultimately be able to meet our cost, quality and volume needs, or do so on a timely basis. Furthermore, as the volume of our sales increases, we will need to accurately forecast, purchase and warehouse components at much higher volumes than we have experience with. If we are unable to accurately match the timing and quantities of component purchases to our actual needs, or successfully implement automation, inventory management and other systems to accommodate the increased complexity in our supply chain, we may incur unexpected production disruption, or storage, transportation and write-off costs. Any of the above could have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results.
11
Increases in costs, disruption of supply, or shortage of materials used to manufacture the component parts used in our vehicles, including potential risks stemming from the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, could harm our business.
We may experience increases in the cost or a sustained interruption in the supply or shortage of materials. Any such increase, supply interruption or shortage could materially and negatively impact our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results. The prices for these materials fluctuate, and their available supply may be unstable, depending on market conditions and global demand for these materials, including as a result of increased production of similar products by our competitors, and could adversely affect our business and operating results. These risks include:
• an increase in the cost, or decrease in the available supply, of materials used in the battery packs;
• tariffs on the materials we source in China; and
• fluctuations in the value of the Chinese Renminbi against the U.S. dollar as our purchases for the components of our products are denominated in Chinese Renminbi.
Disruption in our supply chain and rising prices of raw materials as a result of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine may also negatively impact our businesses. In February 2022, Russian military forces launched a military action in Ukraine. The ongoing military action between Russia and Ukraine, sanctions and other measures imposed against Russia, Belarus, the Crimea Region of Ukraine, the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic and the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic by the U.S. and other countries and bodies around the world, as well as the existing and potential further responses from Russia or other countries to such sanctions, tensions and military actions, has in the past and in the future could continue to adversely affect the global economy and financial markets and could adversely affect our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results. Additional potential sanctions and penalties have also been proposed and/or threatened. Although our operations have not experienced a material adverse impact on supply chain or other aspects of our business from the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, during times of war and other major conflicts, we and the third parties upon which we rely may be vulnerable to a heightened risk of these attacks that could materially disrupt our operations, supply chain, and ability to produce, sell and distribute our products. We cannot predict the progress or outcome of the conflict in Ukraine or its impacts in Ukraine, Russia or Belarus as the conflict, and any resulting government reactions, are rapidly developing and beyond our control. The extent and duration of the military action, sanctions and resulting market disruptions could be significant, could result in increases in commodity, freight, logistics and input costs and could potentially have substantial impact on the global economy and our business for an unknown period of time.
Substantial increases in the prices for our materials or prices charged to us would increase our operating costs, and could reduce our margins if we cannot recoup the increased costs through increased prices. Any attempts to increase prices in response to increased material costs could result in cancellations of vehicle orders and therefore materially and adversely affect our brand, business, prospects, financial condition and operating results.
Our vehicles may not perform in line with customer expectations.
Our vehicles may not perform in line with customers’ expectations. For example, our vehicles may not have the durability or longevity of other vehicles in the market, and may not be as easy and convenient to repair as other vehicles on the market. Any product defects or any other failure of our vehicles to perform as expected could harm our reputation and result in adverse publicity, lost revenue, delivery delays, product recalls, product liability claims, harm to our brand and reputation, and significant warranty and other expenses, and could have a material adverse impact on our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results.
In addition, the range of our vehicles on a single charge declines principally as a function of usage, time and charging patterns as well as other factors. For example, a customer’s use of his or her electric vehicle as well as the frequency with which he or she charges the battery can result in additional deterioration of the battery’s ability to hold a charge. Furthermore, our vehicles may contain defects in design and manufacture that may cause them not to perform as expected or that may require repair. If any of our vehicles fail to perform as expected, we may need to delay deliveries, initiate product recalls and provide servicing or updates under warranty at our expenses, which could materially and adversely affect our brand, business, prospects, financial condition and operating results.
12
Our future growth is dependent on the demand for, and upon consumers’ willingness to adopt electric vehicles.
Demand for our products depends to a large extent on general, economic, political and social conditions in a given market and the introduction of new electric vehicles and technologies. As our business grows, economic conditions and trends will impact our business, prospects and operating results as well.
Demand for our electric vehicles may also be affected by factors directly impacting the price or the cost of purchasing and operating electric vehicles such as sales and financing incentives, prices of raw materials, parts and components and governmental regulations, including tariffs, import regulation and other taxes. Volatility in demand may lead to lower vehicle unit sales, which may result in further downward price pressure and adversely affect our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results.
In addition, the demand for our vehicles and services will highly depend upon the adoption by consumers of new energy vehicles in general and electric vehicles in particular. The market for new energy vehicles is still rapidly evolving, characterized by rapidly changing technologies, price and other competition, evolving government regulation and industry standards and changing consumer demands and behaviors.
Other factors that may influence the adoption of new energy vehicles, and specifically electric vehicles, include:
• perceptions about electric vehicle quality, safety, design, performance and cost, especially if adverse events or accidents occur that are linked to the quality or safety of electric vehicles, whether or not such vehicles are produced by us or other companies;
• perceptions about vehicle safety in general;
• the limited range over which electric vehicles may be driven on a single battery charge and the speed at which batteries can be recharged;
• the decline of an electric vehicle’s range resulting from deterioration over time in the battery’s ability to hold a charge;
• the availability of service for electric vehicles;
• the environmental consciousness of consumers;
• the availability of tax and other governmental incentives to purchase and operate electric vehicles or future regulation requiring increased use of nonpolluting vehicles; and
• macroeconomic factors.
Any of the factors described above may cause current or potential customers not to purchase our electric vehicles and use our services. If the market for electric vehicles does not develop as we expect or develops more slowly than we expect, our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results will be affected.
The electric mobility industry is subject to rapidly changing and often complex regulatory environments.
The electric mobility industry is subject to rapidly changing and often complex regulatory environments at local, state, national, and international levels. Evolving regulations related to safety standards, emissions, licensing, and operational requirements can have a substantial impact on our business operations and profitability. Compliance with these changing regulations may necessitate costly modifications to our products, business processes, or market strategies, which could lead to increased expenses and delays in product development and market entry. Failure to navigate and adhere to evolving regulations adequately could result in legal and financial liabilities, damage to our reputation, and potential market restrictions. Furthermore, inconsistency in regulations between different jurisdictions may create challenges in maintaining uniform business practices and product offerings, increasing our exposure to regulatory risks. Furthermore, a significant portion of our customer base comprises food delivery workers, and if leading food delivery platforms like Uber Eats and DoorDash impose new requirements on the type of electric vehicles they allow, non-compliance on our part could result in the loss of these customers. While we believe we are presently in compliance with applicable laws and regulations in our operating regions, there can be no assurance that we can always promptly adapt to the rapidly changing regulatory environment. If we fail to effectively adjust to the changing regulatory landscape and comply with applicable laws and regulations in our operating regions, our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results would be materially and adversely affected.
13
We may be unable to adequately control the costs associated with our operations.
We expect to incur significant costs which will impact our profitability, including research and development expenses as we roll out new models and improve existing models, raw material procurement costs and selling and distribution expenses as we build our brand and market our vehicles. Our ability to remain profitable in the future will not only depend on our ability to successfully market our vehicles and other products and services but also to control our costs. If we are unable to cost efficiently design, manufacture, market, sell and distribute and service our vehicles and services, our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results would be materially and adversely affected.
We may not succeed in establishing, maintaining and strengthening our brand, which could materially and adversely affect customer acceptance of our products, which could in turn materially affect our business, results of operations or financial condition.
Our business and prospects heavily depend on our ability to develop, maintain and strengthen the Fly E-Bike brand. If we are unable to establish, maintain and strengthen our brand, we may lose the opportunity to build and maintain a critical mass of customers. Our ability to develop, maintain and strengthen our brand will depend heavily on the success of our marketing efforts. Failure to develop and maintain a strong brand could materially and adversely affect customer acceptance of our vehicles, could result in suppliers and other third parties being less likely to invest time and resources in developing business relationships with us, and could materially adversely affect our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results.
We have a relatively short operating history, which makes it difficult to evaluate our future prospects, forecast financial results, and assess the risks and challenges we may face.
Our business is relatively new and rapidly evolving. We first launched our business in 2018 and have a limited operating history. We have encountered in the past, and will encounter in the future, risks and uncertainties frequently experienced by growing companies with limited operating histories in rapidly changing industries. Risks and challenges we have faced or expect to face as a result of our relatively limited operating history and evolving business model include our ability to:
• make operating decisions and evaluate our future prospects and the risks and challenges we may encounter;
• forecast our revenue and budget for and manage our expenses;
• attract new customers and retain existing customers in a cost-effective manner;
• comply with existing and new or modified laws and regulations applicable to our business;
• manage our business assets and expenses;
• plan for and manage capital expenditures for our current and future offerings and manage our supply chain and supplier relationships related to our current and future offerings;
• anticipate and respond to macroeconomic changes and changes in the markets in which we operate;
• maintain and enhance the value of our reputation and brand;
• effectively manage our growth and business operations;
• successfully expand our geographic reach;
• hire, integrate and retain talented people at all levels of our organization; and
• successfully develop new features, offerings and services to enhance the experience of customers.
If our assumptions regarding these risks and uncertainties, which we use to plan and operate our business, are incorrect or change, or if we do not address these risks successfully, our results of operations could differ materially from our expectations and our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results could be adversely affected.
14
We identified material weaknesses and significant deficiencies in our internal control over financial reporting. If we are unable to remediate these material weaknesses and significant deficiencies, or identify additional material weaknesses and significant deficiencies in the future or otherwise fail to maintain an effective system of internal controls, we may not be able to accurately or timely report our financial condition or results of operations, which may adversely affect our business and stock price.
In connection with the preparation and audit of our consolidated financial statements for the year ended March 31, 2023, we identified material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting. A material weakness is a deficiency, or combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of our annual or interim consolidated financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. The material weaknesses that have been identified included our lack of (i) sufficient financial reporting and accounting personnel with appropriate knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (the “U.S. GAAP”) and SEC reporting requirements to properly address complex U.S. GAAP accounting issues and to prepare and review our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures to fulfill U.S. GAAP and SEC financial reporting requirements, (ii) formal internal control policies and internal independent supervision functions to establish formal risk assessment process and internal control framework, and (iii) sufficient controls designed and implemented in IT environment and IT general control activities, which are mainly associated with areas of logical access security, computer operation and service organization control monitoring activities. We have also identified significant deficiencies in our internal control over financial reporting during the review of our internal control.
In response to the material weaknesses and significant deficiencies identified prior to this offering, we are in the process of implementing a number of measures to address the material weaknesses and significant deficiencies identified, including but not limited to (i) hiring additional qualified accounting and financial personnel with appropriate knowledge and experience in U.S. GAAP accounting and SEC reporting; (ii) organizing regular training for our accounting staff, especially training related to U.S. GAAP and SEC reporting requirements; and (iii) regularly conducting checks on the IT software we utilize to ensure its proper functionality, and arranging training sessions for our IT staff. We also plan to adopt additional measures to improve our internal control over financial reporting, including, among others, creating a U.S. GAAP accounting policies and procedures manual, which will be maintained, reviewed and updated, on a regular basis, to the latest U.S. GAAP accounting standards, and establishing an audit committee and strengthening corporate governance as well as general control over our information technology. While we believe these efforts will remediate the material weaknesses and significant deficiencies, we may not be able to complete our evaluation, testing or any required remediation in a timely fashion, or at all. We cannot assure you that the measures we have taken to date and may take in the future, will be sufficient to remediate the control deficiencies that led to our material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting, to prevent the identification of new significant deficiencies in the future or that they will prevent or avoid potential future material weaknesses. The effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting is subject to various inherent limitations, including cost limitations, judgments used in decision making, assumptions about the likelihood of future events, the possibility of human error and the risk of fraud. If we are unable to remediate the material weaknesses and significant deficiencies, our ability to record, process and report financial information accurately, and to prepare financial statements within the time periods required of public companies could be adversely affected which, in turn, may adversely affect our reputation and business and the market price of our common stock. In addition, any such failures could result in litigation or regulatory actions by the SEC or other regulatory authorities, loss of investor confidence, delisting of our securities and harm our reputation and financial condition, or diversion of financial and management resources from the operation of our business.
The markets in which we operate are in their infancy and highly competitive, and we may not be successful in competing in this industry.
The market of electric two-wheel vehicles is in its infancy, and we expect it will become more competitive in the future. There is no assurance that our vehicles will be successful in the respective markets in which they compete. A significant and growing number of established and new companies, as well as other companies, have entered or are reported to have plans to enter the electric vehicle market. Most of our current and potential competitors have significantly greater financial, technical, manufacturing, marketing, sales networks and other resources than we do and may be able to devote greater resources to the design, development, manufacturing, distribution, promotion, sale and support of their products. Increased competition could result in lower vehicles sales, price reductions, revenue shortfalls, loss of customers and loss of market share, which could harm our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results.
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An adverse determination in any significant product liability claim against us could materially adversely affect our business, results of operations or financial condition.
The development, production, marketing, sale and usage of our vehicles will expose us to significant risks associated with product liability claims. Our business is vulnerable to product liability claims, and we may face inherent risk of exposure to claims in the event our vehicles do not perform or are claimed to not have performed as expected. If our products are defective, malfunction or are used incorrectly by our customers, it may result in bodily injury, property damage or other injury, including death, which could give rise to product liability claims against us. For example, our certain EVs use lithium-ion batteries, which, if not appropriately managed and controlled, can rapidly release energy by venting smoke and flames that can ignite nearby materials. Furthermore, there is some risk of electrocution if individuals who attempt to repair battery packs do not follow applicable maintenance and repair protocols. Any such damage or injury would likely lead to product liability claims against us and potentially a safety recall. Any losses that we may suffer from any liability claims and the effect that any product liability litigation may have upon the brand image, reputation and marketability of our products could have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations or financial condition. No assurance can be given that material product liability claims will not be made in the future against us, or that claims will not arise in the future in excess or outside of our insurance coverage and contractual indemnities with suppliers and manufacturers. We may not be able to obtain adequate product liability insurance for our existing or new products or the cost of doing so may be prohibitive. Adverse determinations of material product liability claims made against us could also harm our reputation and cause us to lose customers and could have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results.
We are dependent upon our executives for their services and any interruption in their ability to provide their services could cause us to cease operations.
The loss of the services of our CEO could have a material adverse effect on us. We do not maintain any key man life insurance on our executives, including our CEO. The loss of the services of any of our executive management could impair our ability to execute our business plan and growth strategy, as we may not be able to find suitable individuals to replace such personnel on a timely basis or without incurring increased costs, or at all. Our future success will also depend on our ability to attract, retain and motivate other highly skilled employees. Competition for personnel in our industry is intense. We may not be able to retain our key employees or attract, assimilate or retain other highly qualified employees in the future. If we do not succeed in attracting new personnel or retaining and motivating our current personnel, our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results will be adversely affected.
Our management team does not have any experience in operating a publicly traded company.
While our management team has a wide breadth of business experience, none of our executive officers have held an executive position at a publicly traded company. Given the onerous compliance requirements to which public companies are subject, there is a chance our executive officers will fail to perform at a level expected of public company officers. In such an event, the Company’s share price could be adversely effected. The management team’s limited experience in dealing with the increasingly complex laws pertaining to public companies could be a significant disadvantage in that it is likely that an increasing amount of their time may be devoted to these activities which will result in less time being devoted to the management and growth of the company. We may not have adequate personnel with the appropriate level of knowledge, experience and training in the accounting policies, practices or internal control over financial reporting required of public companies in the United States. In addition, the development and implementation of the standards and controls necessary for us to achieve the level of accounting standards required of a public company in the United States may require costs greater than expected. It is possible that we will be required to expand our employee base and hire additional employees to support our operations as a public company which will increase our operating costs in future periods.
We may need to defend ourselves against patent or trademark infringement claims, which may be time-consuming and would cause us to incur substantial costs.
Companies, organizations or individuals, including our competitors, may hold or obtain patents, trademarks or other proprietary rights that would prevent, limit or interfere with our ability to make, use, develop, sell or market our vehicles, which could make it more difficult for us to operate our business. From time to time, we may receive communications from holders of patents or trademarks regarding their proprietary rights. Companies holding patents
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or other intellectual property rights may bring suits alleging infringement of such rights or otherwise assert their rights. If we are determined to have infringed upon a third party’s intellectual property rights, we may be required to do one or more of the following:
• cease selling, incorporating certain components into, or using vehicles or offering goods or services that incorporate or use the challenged intellectual property;
• pay substantial damages;
• seek a license from the holder of the infringed intellectual property right, which license may not be available on reasonable terms or at all;
• redesign our vehicles or other goods or services; or
• establish and maintain alternative branding for our products and services.
In the event of a successful claim of infringement against us and our failure or inability to obtain a license to the infringed technology or other intellectual property right, our business, prospects, operating results and financial condition could be materially and adversely affected. In addition, any litigation or claims, whether or not valid, could result in substantial costs, negative publicity and diversion of resources and management attention.
If we are unable to adequately establish, maintain, protect and enforce our intellectual property and proprietary rights, our reputation may be harmed, we may be subject to litigation, and our business may be adversely affected.
Our future success and competitive position depend on our ability to establish, maintain, protect and enforce our intellectual property and proprietary rights. We currently hold one trademark in the United States. Other than that, we do not own any issued patents, copyright nor other intellectual property registrations in the United States. We also seek to protect our trade secrets and other proprietary information through common law copyright and trademark principles, but these actions may be inadequate. The steps we have taken and will take may not prevent unauthorized use, reverse engineering or misappropriation of our technologies and we may be unable to detect any of the foregoing. Our lack of intellectual property protection in the United States may restrict our ability to protect our technologies and processes from competition. Defending and enforcing our intellectual property rights may result in litigation, which can be costly and divert management attention and resources. We plan to apply for patents, additional trademarks and other intellectual property registrations in the United States in the future to protect our brand and technologies. However, the intellectual property application process is complex and can be time-consuming. Even after investing significant resources in preparing and filing an application, there is no guarantee that it will be granted. If our efforts to protect our technologies and intellectual property are inadequate, the value of our brand and other intangible assets may be diminished and competitors may be able to mimic our cloud services. Any of these events could have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results.
Improper activities by third parties, exploitation of encryption technology, new data-hacking tools and discoveries and other events or developments may result in future intrusions into or compromise of our networks and technology systems.
Our systems, website, data (wherever stored), software or networks and those of third-party suppliers and service providers, are vulnerable to security breaches, including unauthorized access, computer viruses or other malicious code and other cyber threats that could have a security impact. We, our third-party suppliers and service providers may not be able to anticipate evolving techniques used to effect security breaches (which change frequently and may not be known until launched), or prevent attacks by hackers, including phishing or other cyber-attacks, or prevent breaches due to employee error or malfeasance, in a timely manner or at all. Cyber-attacks have become far more prevalent in the past few years, potentially leading to the theft or manipulation of confidential and proprietary information or loss of access to, or destruction of, data on our or third-party systems, as well as interruptions or malfunctions in our or third parties’ operations. If a breach occurs within the supply chain, disjointed or delayed response efforts can exacerbate the impact, prolong recovery time, and increase potential damage to our operations and reputation. In addition, at present, there are no existing contractual agreements delineating cybersecurity responsibilities between our company and our suppliers or service providers. This absence of clear terms poses a risk wherein disputes regarding liability and accountability in the event of a security breach may emerge. Such disputes could potentially result in legal complexities, financial losses, and impeded incident resolution within our supply chain.
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We have taken and are taking steps to monitor and enhance the security of our information technology systems. Furthermore, our board of directors schedules periodic discussions with management regarding significant risk exposures, including risks related to data privacy and cybersecurity, and assists in taking steps to mitigate the risk of cyberattacks on us. However, the techniques used by cyber criminals change frequently and often cannot be recognized until launched against a target; accordingly, we may not be able to anticipate these frequently changing techniques, implement adequate preventive measures for all of them or remediate any unauthorized access on a timely basis. All preventive measures, as well as additional measures that may be required to comply with rapidly evolving security standards and protocols imposed by law, regulation, industry standards or contractual obligations, may cause us to incur substantial expenses. Any unauthorized access into our customers’ sensitive information, data belonging to us or our vendors or employee data, even if we are compliant with industry security standards, could put us at a competitive disadvantage, result in deterioration of our customers’, vendors’ and employees’ confidence in us and subject us to investigations, required notifications, potential litigation, liability, fines and penalties and consent decrees, resulting in a possible material adverse impact on our brand, business, prospects, financial condition and operating results.
Potential tariffs and other restrictions on trade could increase our costs and could further increase the cost of our products, which could adversely impact the competitiveness of our products and our financial results.
We source a significant portion of our vehicle components from China. We cannot predict what actions may be taken with respect to tariffs or trade relations between the United States and China, what products may be subject to such actions, or what actions may be taken by the China in retaliation. The adoption and expansion of trade restrictions, the occurrence of a trade war, or other governmental action related to tariffs, trade agreements or related policies have the potential to adversely impact our supply chain and access to equipment, our costs and our product margins. Any such cost increases or decreases in availability could slow our growth and cause our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results to suffer.
We may be unable to improve our existing products and develop and market new products that respond to customer needs and preferences and achieve market acceptance.
We may not be able to compete as effectively with our competitors, and ultimately satisfy the needs and preferences of our customers unless we can successfully enhance existing products, develop new innovative products and distinguish our products from our competitors’ products through innovation and design. Product development requires significant financial, technological and other resources. There can be no assurance that we will be able to incur a level of investment in research and development that will be sufficient to successfully make us competitive in product innovation and design. In addition, even if we are able to successfully enhance existing products and develop new products, there is no guarantee that the markets for our existing products and new products will progress as anticipated. If any of the markets in which our existing products compete do not develop as expected, our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results could be materially adversely affected.
We have limited experience servicing our vehicles, and if we are unable to address the service requirements of our customers, our business could be materially and adversely affected.
We have limited experience servicing or repairing our vehicles. Servicing electric vehicles is different than servicing traditional vehicles and requires specialized skills, including training and servicing techniques for electric vehicles. If we are unable to successfully address the servicing requirements of our customers or establish a market perception that we maintain high-quality support, our reputation could be harmed, we may be subject to claims from our customers, and our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results may be materially and adversely affected.
Significant product repair and/or replacement due to product warranty claims or product recalls could have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations or financial condition.
We provide a three-month warranty against defects for our EVs and three-month warranty on the battery. Our warranty will generally require us to repair or replace defective products during such warranty periods at no cost to the consumer. We will record provisions based on an estimate of product warranty claims, but there is the possibility that actual claims may exceed these provisions and therefore negatively impact our results of operations of financial condition.
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In addition, we may in the future be required to make product recalls or could be held liable in the event that some of our products do not meet safety standards or statutory requirements on product safety, even if the defects related to any such recall or liability are not covered by our limited warranty. The repair and replacement costs that we could incur in connection with a recall could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations or financial condition. Product recalls could also harm our reputation and cause us to lose customers, particularly if recalls cause consumers to question the safety or reliability of our products, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results.
If our vehicle owners customize our vehicles or change the charging infrastructure with aftermarket products, the vehicle may not operate properly, which may create negative publicity and could harm our business.
Electric vehicle enthusiasts may seek to “hack” our vehicles to modify their performance, which could compromise vehicle safety systems. Also, customers may customize their vehicles with after-market parts that can compromise driver safety. We do not test, nor do we endorse, such changes or products. In addition, the use of improper external cabling or unsafe charging outlets can expose our customers to injury from high voltage electricity. Such unauthorized modifications could reduce the safety of our vehicles and any injuries resulting from such modifications could result in adverse publicity which would negatively affect our brand and harm our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results.
Risks Related to Our Common Stock and this Offering
Prior to this offering, we had no public market for our common stock and you may not be able to resell our common stock at or above the price you paid, or at all.
There has been no public market for our common stock prior to this offering. The initial public offering price for our common stock will be determined through negotiations between us and the underwriters, and may vary from the market price of our common stock following the completion of this offering. An active or liquid market in our common stock may not develop upon completion of this offering or, if it does develop, it may not be sustainable. In the absence of an active trading market for our common stock, you may not be able to resell any shares you hold at or above the initial public offering price or at all. We cannot predict the prices at which our common stock will trade.
If a limited number of participants in this offering purchase a significant percentage of the offering, the effective public float may be smaller than anticipated and the price of our common stock may be volatile.
As a company conducting a relatively small public offering, we are subject to the risk that a small number of investors will purchase a high percentage of the offering. If this were to happen, investors could find the market price of our common stock to be more volatile than they might otherwise anticipate. Companies that experience such volatility in their stock price may be more likely to be the subject of securities litigation. In addition, if a large portion of our public float were to be held by a few investors, smaller investors may find it more difficult to sell their common stock.
Our directors and executive officers will continue to exercise significant control over us after this offering, which will limit your ability to influence corporate matters and could delay or prevent a change in corporate control.
Immediately following the completion of this offering, the existing holdings of our directors and executive officers will be, in the aggregate, approximately 67.3% of our outstanding common stock. As a result, these stockholders will be able to influence our management and affairs and control the outcome of matters submitted to our stockholders for approval, including the election of directors and any sale, merger, consolidation, or sale of all or substantially all of our assets.
These stockholders acquired their shares of common stock for substantially less than the price of the shares of common stock being acquired in this offering, and these stockholders may have interests, with respect to their common stock, that are different from those of investors in this offering and the concentration of voting power among one or more of these stockholders may have an adverse effect on the price of our common stock.
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In addition, this concentration of ownership might adversely affect the market price of our common stock by: (1) delaying, deferring or preventing a change of control of our company; (2) impeding a merger, consolidation, takeover or other business combination involving our company; or (3) discouraging a potential acquirer from making a tender offer or otherwise attempting to obtain control of our company.
If you purchase our common stock sold in this offering, you will experience immediate and substantial dilution.
If you purchase shares of our common stock in this offering, you will experience substantial and immediate dilution in the as adjusted net tangible book value per share after giving effect to this offering of $3.80 per share, based on an assumed initial public offering price of $4.50 per share, because the price that you pay will be substantially greater than the as adjusted net tangible book value per share that you acquire. This dilution is due in large part to the fact that our earlier investors paid substantially less than the initial public offering price per share when they purchased shares of our common stock. You will experience additional dilution when we issue additional shares of common stock. See “Dilution.”
Our management will have broad discretion in application of the net proceeds of this offering and may not use these proceeds effectively.
Our management will have considerable discretion in the application of the net proceeds of this offering. As a result, investors will be relying upon management’s judgment with only limited information about our specific intentions for the use of the net proceeds of this offering. We may use the net proceeds for purposes that do not yield a significant return or any return at all for our stockholders. In addition, pending their use, we may invest the net proceeds from this offering in a manner that does not produce income or that loses value. See “Use of Proceeds.”
As an emerging growth company, we are exempt from the requirements under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act that a public accounting firm attest as to internal controls, and we lack the financial controls and safeguards required of public companies.
We do not have the internal infrastructure necessary, and are not required, to complete an attestation about our financial controls that would be required under Section 404 of the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002. There can be no assurance that there are no significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in the quality of our financial controls. We expect to incur additional expenses and diversion of management’s time if and when it becomes necessary to perform the system and process evaluation, testing and remediation required in order to comply with the management certification and auditor attestation requirements.
If we are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market and our financial condition deteriorates, we may not meet continued listing standards on the Nasdaq Capital Market.
The Nasdaq Capital Market also requires companies to fulfill specific requirements in order for their shares to continue to be listed. In order to qualify for continued listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market, we must meet certain criteria, including the following:
• Our shareholders’ equity must be at least $2,500,000; or the market value of our listed securities must be at least $35,000,000; or our net income from continuing operations in our last fiscal year (or two of the last three fiscal years) must have been at least $500,000;
• The market value of our publicly held shares must be at least $1,000,000;
• The minimum bid price for our shares must be at least $1.00 per share;
• We must have at least 300 shareholders;
• We must have at least 500,000 publicly held shares;
• We must have at least 2 market makers; and
• We must have adopted Nasdaq-mandated corporate governance measures, including a board of directors comprised of a majority of independent directors, an Audit Committee comprised solely of independent directors and the adoption of a code of ethics among other items.
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If our shares are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market but are delisted from the Nasdaq Capital Market at some later date, our shareholders could find it difficult to sell our shares. In addition, if our common stock is delisted from the Nasdaq Capital Market at some later date, we may apply to have our common stock quoted on the Bulletin Board or in the “pink sheets” maintained by the National Quotation Bureau, Inc. The Bulletin Board and the “pink sheets” are generally considered to be less efficient markets than the Nasdaq Capital Market. In addition, if our common stock is not so listed or are delisted at some later date, our common stock may be subject to the “penny stock” regulations. These rules impose additional sales practice requirements on broker-dealers that sell low-priced securities to persons other than established customers and institutional accredited investors and require the delivery of a disclosure schedule explaining the nature and risks of the penny stock market. As a result, the ability or willingness of broker-dealers to sell or make a market in our common stock might decline. If our common stock is not so listed or is delisted from the Nasdaq Capital Market at some later date or become subject to the penny stock regulations, it is likely that the price of our shares would decline and that our shareholders would find it difficult to sell their shares.
The price of our common stock may be volatile and fluctuate substantially and rapidly, which could result in the loss of a significant part of your investment.
The market price of our common stock following this offering may fluctuate substantially and rapidly and may be higher or lower than the public offering price. The stock market, in general, and the market for smaller companies such as ours, in particular, have experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations. Such volatility, including any stock-run up, may be unrelated or disproportionate to the actual or expected operating performance and financial condition or prospects of those companies, making it difficult for the investors to assess the rapidly changing value of our common stock. These fluctuations may be even more pronounced in the trading market for our common stock shortly following the listing of our common stock on Nasdaq as a result of the limited public float available following the offering. The market price for our common stock may be influenced by many factors, including:
• limited trading volume;
• our success in commercializing our products;
• developments with respect to competitive products or technologies;
• developments or disputes concerning patent applications, issued patents or other intellectual property or proprietary rights;
• the recruitment or departure of key personnel;
• actual or anticipated changes in estimates as to financial results, commercialization timelines or recommendations by securities analysts;
• variations in our financial results or the financial results of companies that are perceived to be similar to us;
• sales of common stock by us, our executive officers, directors or principal stockholders or others;
• general economic, industry and market conditions, such as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our industry;
• the publication of unfavorable research reports and updates thereto by financial analysts; and
• the other factors described in this “Risk Factors” section.
In the past, many companies that have experienced volatility in the market price of their stock have been subject to securities class action litigation. We may be the target of this type of litigation in the future. Securities litigation against us could result in substantial costs and divert our management’s attention from other business concerns, which could seriously harm our business.
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We will incur increased costs as a result of being a publicly traded company.
As a company with publicly traded securities, we will incur additional legal, accounting and other expenses not presently incurred. In addition, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, as well as rules promulgated by the SEC and the national securities exchange on which we list, requires us to adopt corporate governance practices applicable to U.S. public companies. These rules and regulations will increase our legal and financial compliance costs.
If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or reports about us, or if they adversely change their recommendations regarding our common stock, then our stock price and trading volume could decline.
The trading market for our common stock will be influenced by the research and reports that industry or securities analysts publish about us, our industry and our market. If no analyst elects to cover us and publish research or reports about us, the market for our common stock could be severely limited and our stock price could be adversely affected. As a small-cap company, we are more likely than our larger competitors to lack coverage from securities analysts. In addition, even if we receive analyst coverage, if one or more analysts ceases coverage of us or fails to regularly publish reports on us, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which in turn could cause our stock price or trading volume to decline. If one or more analysts who elect to cover us issue negative reports or adversely change their recommendations regarding our common stock, our stock price could decline.
We are an “emerging growth company” and we cannot be certain if the reduced disclosure requirements applicable to “emerging growth companies” will make our common stock less attractive to investors.
We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the federal securities laws, and we may take advantage of certain exemptions and relief from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not “emerging growth companies.” In particular, while we are an “emerging growth company”, (1) we will not be required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, (2) we will be exempt from any rules that may be adopted by the PCAOB requiring mandatory audit firm rotations or a supplement to the auditor’s report on financial statements, (3) we will be subject to reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements and (4) we will not be required to hold nonbinding advisory votes on executive compensation or shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. We currently intend to take advantage of these exemptions. In addition, an emerging growth company may take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) for complying with new or revised accounting standards, meaning that the company can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We have elected to avail ourselves of this exemption from new or revised accounting standards and, therefore, we will not be subject to the same new or revised accounting standards as other public companies that are not emerging growth companies.
We may remain an “emerging growth company” until the fiscal year-end following the fifth anniversary of the completion of this initial public offering, though we may cease to be an “emerging growth company” earlier under certain circumstances, including (1) if we become a large accelerated filer, (2) if our gross revenue exceeds $1.235 billion in any fiscal year, or (3) if we issue more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible notes in any three year period. We cannot assure you that we will be able to take advantage of all of the benefits of the available to emerging growth companies.
We are a “smaller reporting company” and, even if we no longer qualify as an emerging growth company, we may still be subject to reduced reporting requirements.
We are a “smaller reporting company” as defined in the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Smaller reporting companies may choose to present only the two most recent fiscal years of audited financial statements in their annual reports on Form 10-K and have reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation and, if a smaller reporting company has less than $100 million in annual revenue, it would not be required to obtain an
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attestation report on internal control over financial reporting issued by its independent registered public accounting firm. We will remain a smaller reporting company until the last day of any fiscal year for so long as either: (i) the market value of our shares of common stock held by non-affiliates does not equal or exceed $250 million measured on the last business day of our second fiscal quarter; or (ii) our annual revenues is less than $100 million during the most recently completed fiscal year and the market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates is less than $700 million measured on the last business day of our second fiscal quarter. To the extent we take advantage of such reduced disclosure obligations, it may make the comparison of our financial statements with other public companies difficult or impossible.
We may issue shares of preferred stock in the future, which could make it difficult for another company to acquire us or could otherwise adversely affect holders of our common stock, which could depress the price of our common stock.
Our certificate of incorporation authorizes us to issue one or more series of preferred stock. Our board of directors will have the authority to determine the preferences, limitations and relative rights of the shares of preferred stock and to fix the number of shares constituting any series and the designation of such series, without any further vote or action by our shareholders. Our preferred stock could be issued with voting, liquidation, dividend and other rights superior to the rights of our common stock. The potential issuance of preferred stock may delay or prevent a change in control of us, discouraging bids for our common stock at a premium to the market price, and materially adversely affect the market price and the voting and other rights of the holders of our common stock.
We have never declared or paid any cash dividends or distributions on our capital stock. We do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future.
We have never declared or paid any cash dividends or distributions on our capital stock. We currently intend to retain our future earnings, if any, to support operations and to finance expansion and therefore we do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future.
The declaration, payment and amount of any future dividends will be made at the discretion of the board of directors, and will depend upon, among other things, the results of our operations, cash flows and financial condition, operating and capital requirements, and other factors as the board of directors considers relevant. There is no assurance that future dividends will be paid, and, if dividends are paid, there is no assurance with respect to the amount of any such dividend. As a result, investors will be reliant upon capital appreciation for any returns on their investment in the shares of our common stock.
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We estimate that we will receive net proceeds from the sale of shares of common stock in this offering of approximately $11.5 million (or approximately $13.4 million if the underwriters’ option to purchase additional common stock from us is exercised in full), based upon an assumed initial public offering price of $4.50 per share, the midpoint of the range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.
We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering as follows: (i) approximately $3 million for purchase of inventory and production costs of our vehicles; (ii) approximately $2 million for the expansion of our retail stores; (iii) approximately $3 million for our technology, research and development efforts, and (iv) and the reminder for working capital.
To the extent the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares of common stock from us, we intend to use any additional net proceeds from exercise for working capital.
Pending the use of proceeds from this offering as described above, we plan to invest the net proceeds that we receive in this offering in short-term and intermediate-term interest-bearing obligations, investment-grade securities, certificates of deposit or direct or guaranteed obligations of the U.S. government.
Our management will have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds from this offering and investors will be relying on the judgment of our management regarding the application of the proceeds.
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We have never declared or paid any cash or other dividends or distributions on our capital stock. We currently intend to retain earnings, if any, to finance the growth and development of our business. We do not expect to pay any cash dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future. Payment of future dividends, if any, will be at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend on our financial condition, results of operations, capital requirements, restrictions contained in any financing instruments, provisions of applicable law and other factors the board deems relevant.
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The following table sets forth our cash and cash equivalents and capitalization as of December 31, 2023 on:
• an actual basis; and
• a pro forma basis after giving effect to the sale of 3,000,000 shares of our common stock in this offering at an assumed initial public offering price of $4.50 per share (the midpoint of the range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus), and our receipt of the estimated $11,494,110 in net proceeds from this offering, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.
You should read this capitalization table together with “Use of Proceeds,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our financial statements and the related notes appearing elsewhere in this prospectus.
At December 31, 2023 |
||||||||
Actual |
Pro Forma |
|||||||
Cash and cash equivalents |
$ |
1,173,228 |
|
$ |
12,869,645 |
|
||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Debt: |
|
|
|
|
||||
Current portion of long-term loan payables |
|
1,210,507 |
|
|
1,210,507 |
|
||
Long-term loan payables |
|
442,336 |
|
|
442,336 |
|
||
Total debt |
|
1,652,843 |
|
|
1,652,843 |
|
||
Stockholders’ equity: |
|
|
|
|
||||
Common stock: 44,000,000 shares authorized and 22,000,000 shares outstanding; 100,000,000 shares authorized, and 25,000,000 shares issued and outstanding, pro forma |
|
220,000 |
|
|
250,000 |
|
||
Additional paid-in capital |
|
2,400,000 |
|
|
13,864,110 |
|
||
Shares Subscription Receivable |
|
(219,998 |
) |
|
(219,998 |
) |
||
Retained earnings |
|
3,708,315 |
|
|
3,708,315 |
|
||
Accumulated other comprehensive loss |
|
3,101 |
|
|
3,101 |
|
||
Total stockholders’ equity |
|
6,111,418 |
|
|
17,605,528 |
|
||
Total capitalization |
$ |
7,764,261 |
|
$ |
19,258,371 |
|
The number of shares of common stock to be outstanding after this offering is based on 22,000,000 shares outstanding as of December 31, 2023.
26
Our net tangible book value as of December 31, 2023 was approximately $5,800,000 or $0.26 per share of common stock based upon 22,000,000 shares of common stock outstanding on that date. Net tangible book value per share represents the amount of our total tangible assets reduced by the amount of our total liabilities, divided by the total number of shares of common stock outstanding.
Our as adjusted net tangible book value will be approximately $17,497,000 or $0.70 per share. As adjusted net tangible book value per share represents as adjusted net tangible book value divided by the total number of shares outstanding after giving effect to the sale of the shares in this offering at the assumed initial public offering price of $4.50 per share, the midpoint of the range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and other estimated offering expenses payable by us. This represents an immediate increase in as adjusted net tangible book value of $0.44 per share to existing stockholders and an immediate dilution of $3.80 per share to investors purchasing shares of common stock in this offering at the assumed public offering price.
The following table illustrates this dilution on a per share basis to new investors:
Offering with |
Offering with |
|||||
Assumed initial public offering price per share |
$ |
4.50 |
$ |
4.50 |
||
Net tangible book value per share as of December 31, 2023 |
|
0.26 |
|
0.26 |
||
Increase in net tangible book value per share to the existing stockholders attributable to this offering |
|
0.44 |
|
0.50 |
||
Pro forma net tangible book value per share after giving effect to this offering |
|
0.70 |
|
0.76 |
||
Dilution in net tangible book value per share to new investors |
$ |
3.80 |
$ |
3.74 |
The following tables set forth, as of December 31, 2023, the number of shares of common stock purchased from us, the total consideration paid to us and the average price per share paid by the existing holders of our common stock and the price to be paid by new investors at the public offering price.
Shares Purchased |
Total Consideration |
Average Price Per Share |
||||||||||||
Number |
Percent |
Amount |
Percent |
|||||||||||
Existing stockholders |
22,000,000 |
88.00 |
% |
$ |
2,620,000 |
16.25 |
% |
$ |
0.12 |
|||||
Investors purchasing shares in this offering |
3,000,000 |
12.00 |
% |
$ |
13,500,000 |
83.75 |
% |
|
4.50 |
|||||
Total |
25,000,000 |
100.00 |
% |
$ |
16,120,000 |
100.00 |
% |
$ |
0.64 |
The number of shares of common stock to be outstanding after this offering is based on 22,000,000 shares outstanding as of December 31, 2023.
If the underwriters exercise their overallotment option, our as pro forma net tangible book value following the offering will be $0.76 per share, and the dilution to new investors in the offering will be $3.74 per share.
A $1.00 increase or decrease in the assumed public offering price per share would increase or decrease our as adjusted net tangible book value after this offering by approximately $2.76 million, and dilution per share to new investors by approximately $0.11.
27
MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The following discussion of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and the notes thereto included in this prospectus. The following discussion contains forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. See “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements”.
Overview
We are an electric vehicle (“EV”) company that is principally engaged in designing, installing and selling smart electric motorcycles (“E-motorcycles”), electric bikes (“E-bikes”), electric scooters (“E-scooters”) and related accessories under the brand “Fly E-Bike.” At Fly E-Bike, our commitment is to encourage people to incorporate eco-friendly transportation into their active lifestyles, ultimately contributing towards building a more environmentally friendly future.
Fly E-Bike was established in 2018 with its first store opened in New York. Our business has grown rapidly since then and we are now one of the leading providers of E-bikes for food delivery workers in New York City. As of May 3, 2024, we have 39 retail stores, including 38 stores in the U.S. and one store in Canada. We plan to expand our presence in the United States and extend our business into South America and Europe in the future. We also sell our products through our online store at flyebike.com.
We have a diversified product portfolio that is designed to satisfy the various demands of our customers and address different urban travel scenarios. Additionally, we aim to refresh our product offerings continuously to align with evolving market trends. As of May 3, 2024, we offered 21 E-motorcycle products, 21 E-bike products and 34 E-scooter products.
We are currently in the process of developing a Fly E-Bike app, which is a management service mobile software for our EVs. We aim to design an app that will bring users a comprehensive intelligent experience to create a safer and more satisfying riding life. The development of the app is still in its preliminary stage. We have launched a testing version of the app, which is currently unavailable to our customers.
We source a significant portion of our vehicle components from China and the United States, and then assemble them into our vehicles in a facility located in Brooklyn, New York. For the year ended March 31, 2023, we produced 2,039 E-motorcycles, 5,953 E-bikes and 2,279 E-scooters at this facility. For the year ended March 31, 2024, we produced 8,390 E-motorcycles, 7,638 E-bikes and 3,171 E-scooters at the same facility. In response to the increasing demand for our products, we are currently looking to lease a larger assembling facility to replace our current facility in the near future.
Key Factors that Affect Operating Results
Our results of operations and financial condition are affected by the general factors driving the U.S.’s electric two-wheeled vehicles industry, including, among others, the U.S.’s overall economic growth, the increase in per capita disposable income, the expansion of urbanization, the growth in consumer spending and consumption upgrades, the competitive environment, governmental policies and initiatives towards electric two-wheeled vehicles, as well as the general factors affecting the electric two-wheeled vehicles industry in overseas markets. Unfavorable changes in any of these general industry conditions could negatively affect demand for our products and materially and adversely affect our results of operations.
While our business is influenced by these general factors, our results of operations are more directly affected by company specific factors, including the following major factors:
New Customers
Our growth will depend on our ability to achieve sales targets, including our ability to attract new customers, which in turn depends in part on our ability to execute on our retail strategy and produce effective marketing initiatives to expand our brand perception with prospective customers. As of May 3, 2024, we have 38 retail stores in the United States and one in Canada. It is critical for us to successfully manage production ramp-up and quality control to deliver to customers in adequate volume and quality.
28
With respect to branding and marketing, we plan to raise brand awareness through both traditional and social media channels and connect with customers through physical touchpoints such as our retail stores and distributors. We believe that effective marketing can boost our brand awareness and contribute to increased sales. In addition, we intend to provide superior customer experience through our trained technicians who will provide after-sale maintenance and repair services at our retail stores. An inability to attract new customers would substantially impact our ability to grow revenue or improve our financial results.
Product Sales Price and Volume
The increase in our product sales price was a key driver of our revenue growth during the year ended March 31, 2023. Our net revenues increased by 26.7% from $17.2 million for the year ended March 31, 2022 to $21.8 million for the year ended March 31, 2023, primarily attributable to the increase of the average sale price for our EVs by $297, or 46.1%, from $644 in the year ended March 31, 2022 to $941 in the year ended March 31, 2023, while our sales volume slightly decreased by 1,118 units, from 12,381 units in the year ended March 31, 2022 to 11,263 units in the year ended March 31, 2023.
For the nine months ended December 31, 2023, our net revenues increased by 46.0% to $24.0 million, compared to $16.5 million for the same period in 2022, which was primarily driven by increased product sales volume and higher average sales price. In particular, the number of EVs sold increased by 5,071, or 59.6%, from 8,509 in the nine months ended December 31, 2022 to 13,580 in nine months ended December 31, 2023. The average sales price per EV increased by $59, or 6.5%, from $913 in the nine months ended December 31, 2022 to $972 in nine months ended December 31, 2023.
In the future, our ability to increase our product sales price and volume will depend on our ability to innovate in design and technology and offer products that meet the customers’ demand. We currently have a streamlined product portfolio consisting of three categories, with multiple models and specifications for each category. Moreover, our ability to increase the sales price and volume will depend on our ability to continually enhance our brand to attract customers, as well as our ability to successfully execute our retail stores and expand our sales network both domestically and globally. However, our product sales price is influenced by various factors such as market demand and competitors’ pricing, and although we continue working on product improvements and retail expansion, there can be no guarantee of sustained sales price increase or improved sales volume. If our prices remain stable, increasing sales volume would become important for continued revenue growth, and failure to do so would significantly impact our ability to grow revenue or improve our financial results.
Employees
Our payroll expenses were $1.9 million for the year ended March 31, 2023, compared to $1.0 million for the year ended March 31, 2022. For the nine months ended December 31, 2023, our payroll expenses were $3.0 million, compared to $1.4 million for the same period in 2022. As our business expands, we expect increased payroll expenses due to hiring more employees for our retail stores and corporate office. Each of our retail stores has a minimum of two employees, and additional office employees will be hired to support retail stores in customer service and marketing. In addition, to maintain excellent customer service in our retail stores, each store will have at least one trained repair professional, further contributing to the increase in payroll expenses. An inability to effectively manage payroll expenses while expanding the business would significantly impact our ability to grow revenue or improve our financial results.
Vendor and Supply Management
During the year ended March 31, 2023, we worked with three principal vendors, Transpro US Inc., Anhui Ineo International Trading Co., Ltd. and Fly Wing E-Bike Inc., each of which respectively supplied approximately 33%, 21% and 12% accessories and components used in all our products for the year ended March 31, 2023. During the year ended March 31, 2022, Anhui Ineo International Trading Co., Ltd. supplied approximately 70% of our accessories and components.
During the nine months ended December 31, 2023, we worked with three principal vendors, Fly Wing E-Bike Inc., Xiamen Finely Technology Co., Ltd. and Anhui Ineo International Trading Co., Ltd., each of which respectively supplied approximately 35%, 20% and 13% of our accessories and components. During the nine months ended
29
December 31, 2022, we worked with three principal vendors, Transpro US Inc., Anhui Ineo International Trading Co., Ltd. and Nanrobot Technology Co., Limited, each of which respectively supplied approximately 36%, 26% and 11% of our accessories and components.
We have implemented a centralized vendor management system that streamlines purchasing, enhances our negotiating power and maintains strong vendor relationships. We believe this approach delivers cost savings, improved risk management and increased negotiating power, ultimately benefiting our operating results. Changes in costs related to our major vendors can significantly affect our financial condition and operating results.
Recently, the COVID-19 pandemic and conflict between Russia and Ukraine have caused supply chain disruptions and challenges for many companies. For example, following the launch of a military action in Ukraine by Russia in February 2022, commodity prices, including the price of oil, gas, nickel, copper and aluminum increased. Our results of operations have not been materially impacted by either COVID-19-related supply chain constraints or the Russia-Ukraine conflict. However, the extent and duration of the military action, sanctions and resulting market disruptions could be significant, could result in increases in commodity, freight, logistics and input costs and could potentially have substantial impact on the global economy and our business for an unknown period of time.
Market Trends and Competition
We operate in a rapidly growing EV market with a special focus on E-motorcycles, E-bikes and E-scooters. However, increased competition may pressure prices and margins, reducing sales volume, revenues, and sales margin for us. Additionally, marketing and advertising costs may rise as we differentiate ourselves and maintain our market position. Moreover, competitors may impact customer acquisition and retention, satisfaction and loyalty. While we believe we maintain competitive advantages in several areas, including brand, product design and quality, smart features, omnichannel retail model, customer satisfaction and loyalty, we must continuously innovate, invest in research and development and marketing to maintain our competitive edge and unique selling points.
Regulatory Landscape
We operate in an industry that is subject to extensive environmental, safety and other laws and regulations, which include products safety and testing, as well as battery safety and disposal. These requirements create additional costs and possible production delay in connection with the testing and manufacturing of our products. We also benefit from environmental regulations in our target markets which include economic incentives to purchasers of EVs and tax credits for EV manufacturers. As such, while we expect environmental regulations to provide a tailwind to our growth, it is possible for other regulations to result in margin pressures.
How to Assess Our Performance
In assessing performance, management considers a variety of performance and financial measures, including principal growth in net sales, gross profit, gross margin, selling, general and administrative expenses and EBITDA. The key measures that we use to evaluate the performance of our business are set forth below.
Net Sales
We generate revenue from sales of our EVs, their accessories and spare parts, and provision of repair services at our retail stores. Our net sales comprise gross sales net of discounts and return allowances. We do not record sales taxes as a component of retail revenues as we consider it a pass-through conduit for collecting and remitting sales taxes. Return allowances, which reduce net revenues, are estimated based on historical experience.
E-bikes, E-motorcycles and E-scooters sales. We generate a substantial majority of our revenues from sales of E-bikes, E-motorcycles and E-scooters directly to customers through our online store and retail stores, and to our distributors.
Accessories and spare parts sales. We also sell accessories and spare parts for our EVs, such as rear storage boxes and front baskets. In addition, we offer Fly E-Bike branded accessories and general merchandise, such as decorative car plates, key chains and apparel.
Service revenues. We also provide repair services at our retail stores for a fee.
30
Cost of Sales
Cost of sales includes product costs, warehouse rent expenses, payroll costs, depreciation costs, inventory reserves, warranty costs, and logistic costs. The logistic costs incurred to receive products from our vendors are included in our inventory and recognized as cost of sales upon sale of products to our customers.
Gross Profit and Gross Margin
We calculate gross profit as net sales and less cost of revenue. Gross margin represents gross profit as a percentage of its net sales.
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses
Selling, general and administrative expenses primarily consist of retail operational expenses, salaries and benefits costs, marketing, advertising, and corporate overhead.
Marketing costs primarily consist of advertising and payroll and related expenses for personnel engaged in marketing and selling activities.
We expect that our selling and marketing expenses will continue to increase in the foreseeable future, as we plan to further expand our sales network and retail channels, and engage in more selling and marketing activities to enhance our brand and attract more purchases from new and existing customers.
General and administrative expenses primarily consist of costs for corporate functions, including payroll and related expenses, facilities and equipment expenses, such as depreciation and amortization expense and rent, and professional fees. We expect that our general and administrative will increase in the foreseeable future, as we hire additional personnel and incur additional expenses related to the anticipated growth of our business and our operation as a public company after the completion of this offering.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
To supplement our financial information presented in accordance with the generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (the “U.S. GAAP”), management periodically uses certain “non-GAAP financial measures,” as such term is defined under the rules of the SEC, to clarify and enhance understanding of past performance and prospects for the future. Generally, a non-GAAP financial measure is a numerical measure of a company’s operating performance, financial position or cash flows that excludes or includes amounts that are included in or excluded from the most directly comparable measure calculated and presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. For example, non-GAAP measures may exclude the impact of certain items such as acquisitions, divestitures, gains, losses and impairments, or items outside of management’s control. Management believes that the following non-GAAP financial measure provides investors and analysts useful insight into our financial position and operating performance. Any non-GAAP measure provided should be viewed in addition to, and not as an alternative to, the most directly comparable measure determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Further, the calculation of these non-GAAP financial measures may differ from the calculation of similarly titled financial measures presented by other companies and therefore may not be comparable among companies.
We use EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) to evaluate our operating performance. We believe EBITDA provides additional insight into our underlying, ongoing operating performance and facilitates year-to-year comparisons by excluding the earnings impact of interest, tax, depreciation and amortization and that presenting EBITDA is more representative of our operational performance and may be more useful for investors.
We reconcile our non-GAAP financial measure to our net income, which is its most directly comparable financial measure calculated and presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. EBITDA includes adjustments for provision for income taxes, as applicable, interest income and expense, depreciation, and amortization. EBITDA does not represent and should not be considered an alternative to net income as determined by U.S. GAAP, and our calculations thereof may not be comparable to those reported by other companies. We believe EBITDA is an important measure of operating performance and provides useful information to investors because it highlights trends in our business that may not otherwise be apparent when relying solely on U.S. GAAP measures and because it eliminates items that have less bearing on our operating performance. EBITDA, as presented herein, is a supplemental measure
31
of our performance that is not required by, or presented in accordance with, U.S. GAAP. We use non-GAAP financial measures as supplements to our U.S. GAAP results in order to provide a more complete understanding of the factors and trends affecting our business. EBITDA is a measure of operating performance that is not defined by U.S. GAAP and should not be considered a substitute for net (loss) income as determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
EBITDA along with a reconciliation to net income is shown within the Results of Operations below.
Results of Operations for the nine months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022
The following table sets forth the components of our results of operations for the nine months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022:
For the nine months ended December 31, |
|||||||||||||||
2023 |
2022 |
Change |
Percentage Change |
||||||||||||
Net Revenues |
$ |
24,034,397 |
|
$ |
16,458,002 |
|
$ |
7,576,395 |
|
46.0 |
% |
||||
Cost of Revenues |
|
14,577,570 |
|
|
9,914,056 |
|
|
4,663,514 |
|
47.0 |
% |
||||
Gross Profit |
|
9,456,827 |
|
|
6,543,946 |
|
|
2,912,881 |
|
44.5 |
% |
||||
Operating Expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
Selling Expenses |
|
4,637,043 |
|
|
2,592,312 |
|
|
2,044,731 |
|
78.9 |
% |
||||
General and Administrative Expenses |
|
2,773,626 |
|
|
1,901,954 |
|
|
871,672 |
|
45.8 |
% |
||||
Total Operating Expenses |
|
7,410,669 |
|
|
4,494,266 |
|
|
2,916,403 |
|
64.9 |
% |
||||
Income from Operations |
|
2,046,158 |
|
|
2,049,680 |
|
|
(3,522 |
) |
(0.2 |
)% |
||||
Other Expenses, net |
|
(24,123 |
) |
|
(17,463 |
) |
|
(6,660 |
) |
38.1 |
% |
||||
Interest Expenses, net |
|
(82,150 |
) |
|
(34,017 |
) |
|
(48,133 |
) |
141.5 |
% |
||||
Provision for Income Taxes |
|
(731,997 |
) |
|
(654,654 |
) |
|
(77,343 |
) |
11.8 |
% |
||||
Net Income |
$ |
1,207,888 |
|
$ |
1,343,546 |
|
$ |
(135,658 |
) |
(10.1 |
)% |
Net Revenues
The following table sets forth our net revenues by retail and whole sales for the nine months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022:
For the nine months ended December 31, |
||||||||||||
2023 |
2022 |
Change |
Percentage Change |
|||||||||
Sales-Retail |
$ |
19,229,491 |
$ |
14,214,290 |
$ |
5,015,201 |
35.3 |
% |
||||
Sales-Wholesale |
$ |
4,804,906 |
$ |
2,243,712 |
$ |
2,561,194 |
114.1 |
% |
||||
Net Revenues |
$ |
24,034,397 |
$ |
16,458,002 |
$ |
7,576,395 |
46.0 |
% |
Our net revenues were $24.0 million for the nine months ended December 31, 2023, an increase of $7.6 million, or 46.0%, from $16.5 million for the nine months ended December 31, 2022. Our net revenue increase was driven primarily by higher sales volume and an increase in the average per unit sales price of our EVs. The number of EVs sold increased by 5,071, or 59.6%, from 8,509 in the nine months ended December 31, 2022 to 13,580 in the nine months ended December 31, 2023. The average per unit sales price of our EVs increased 6.5% from $913 in the nine months ended December 31, 2022 to $972 in the nine months ended December 31, 2023.
Our retail sales revenue increased $5.0 million, or 35.3%, from $14.2 million for the nine months ended December 31, 2022 to $19.2 million for the nine months ended December 31, 2023. Our wholesale revenue increased $2.6 million, or 114.1%, from $2.2 million for the nine months ended December 31, 2022 to $4.8 million for the nine months ended December 31, 2023. The increase in wholesale revenue was primarily attributable to the addition of two new distributors we worked with, both of which experienced rapid growth during the nine months ended December 31, 2023.
Cost of Revenues
Cost of revenues increased $4.7 million, or 47.0%, from $9.9 million for the nine months ended December 31, 2022, to $14.6 million for the nine months ended December 31, 2023. The increase in cost of revenues was primarily attributable to the increase in the number of EVs sold in the nine months ended December 31, 2023.
32
Gross Margin
The following table shows our gross profit and gross margin for the nine months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022:
For the nine months ended December 31, |
||||||||||||
2023 |
2022 |
Change |
Percentage |
|||||||||
Gross Profit |
$ |
9,456,827 |
|
6,543,946 |
|
2,912,878 |
44.5 |
% |
||||
Gross Margin |
|
39.3 |
% |
39.8 |
% |
|
Gross profit was $9.5 million and $6.5 million for the nine months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Gross margin was 39.3% and 39.8% of the nine months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
Total Operating Expenses
The following table sets forth the components of our total operating expenses for the nine months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022:
For the nine months ended December 31, |
||||||||||||
2023 |
2022 |
Change |
Percentage |
|||||||||
Selling Expenses |
$ |
4,637,043 |
|
2,592,312 |
|
2,044,731 |
78.9 |
% |
||||
General and Administrative Expenses |
|
2,773,626 |
|
1,901,954 |
|
871,672 |
45.8 |
% |
||||
Total Operating Expenses |
$ |
7,410,669 |
|
4,494,266 |
|
2,916,403 |
64.9 |
% |
||||
Percentage of Net Revenue |
|
30.8 |
% |
27.3 |
% |
|
Total operating expenses were $7.4 million for the nine months ended December 31, 2023, an increase of $2.9 million, or 64.9%, compared to $4.5 million for the nine months ended December 31, 2022. The increase in operating expenses was primarily attributable to the increase in our payroll expenses, rent expenses, meals and entertainment expenses, and professional fees.
Selling Expenses
For the nine months ended December 31, 2023, the total payroll expenses were $1.3 million, compared to $1.0 million for the same period in 2022; rent expenses were $1.7 million, compared to $1.3 million for the same period in 2022; marketing referral expenses were $1.1 million, compared to $0.03 million for the same period in 2022; and depreciation expenses were $0.2 million, compared to $0.07 million for the same period in 2022. The increase in these expenses was primarily due to the increase in the number of new stores and new employees hired for these new stores in the nine months ended December 31, 2023.
General and Administrative Expenses
Various general and administrative expenses increased during the nine months ended December 31, 2023 compared to the same period of the previous year. For the nine months ended December 31, 2023, meals and entertainment expenses increased to $0.3 million, compared to $0.2 million for the same period in 2022, primarily due to increased meal expenses for employees who worked overtime; payroll expenses increased to $0.7 million from $0.4 million for the same period in 2022 primarily due to additional hires in operation and accounting departments; rent expenses increased to $0.2 million, compared to $0.1 million for the same period of the prior year, primarily due to the additional leasing of corporate office space in the nine months ended December 31, 2023.
Other Expenses, net
Other expenses were $24,123 for the nine months ended December 31, 2023 an increase of $6,660 or 38.1%, from $17,463 for the nine months ended December 31, 2022. The increase in other expenses was primarily due to a settlement payment of $43,701 related to an incident at one of our retail stores, offset by the Company’s receipt of the New York State Seed Funding for small business of $15,202 and a one-time promotion bonus of $4,655 from an online sales platform we use during the nine months ended December 31, 2023.
33
Income Tax Provisions
Provisions for income taxes were $0.73 million for the nine months ended December 31, 2023, an increase of $0.08 million from $0.65 million for the nine months ended December 31, 2022. This increase was due mainly to our increased taxable income and tax penalty paid for the late payment of our 2022 annual income tax during the nine months ended December 31, 2023.
Net Income
Net income was $1.2 million for the nine months ended December 31, 2023, a decrease of $0.1 million or 8.3%, from $1.3 million for the nine months ended December 31, 2022, which was mainly attributable to the reasons discussed above.
EBITDA
The following table sets forth the components of our EBITDA for the nine months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022:
For the nine months ended December 31, |
|||||||||||||||
2023 |
2022 |
Change |
Percentage Change |
||||||||||||
Net Income from Operations |
$ |
1,207,888 |
|
$ |
1,343,546 |
|
$ |
(135,658 |
) |
(10.1 |
)% |
||||
Income Tax Provision |
|
731,997 |
|
|
654,654 |
|
|
77,343 |
|
11.8 |
% |
||||
Depreciation |
|
203,788 |
|
|
93,231 |
|
|
110,557 |
|
118.6 |
% |
||||
Interest Expenses |
|
82,150 |
|
|
34,017 |
|
|
48,133 |
|
141.5 |
% |
||||
Amortization |
|
782 |
|
|
— |
|
|
782 |
|
100.0 |
% |
||||
EBITDA |
$ |
2,225,823 |
|
$ |
2,125,448 |
|
$ |
100,375 |
|
4.7 |
% |
||||
Percentage of Net Revenue |
|
9.3 |
% |
|
12.9 |
% |
|
|
|
Before interest expenses, income tax, depreciation, and amortization, for the nine months ended December 31, 2023, our net income was $2.2 million, an increase of $0.1 million, compared to $2.1 million for the nine months ended December 31, 2022, which was mainly attributable to the increase in sales described above. The ratio of EBITDA to revenue was 9.3% and 12.9% for the nine months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The decrease in the ratio of EBITDA was mainly due to the increase in our marketing referral expenses as a result of increased marketing activities.
Results of Operations for the years ended March 31, 2023 and 2022
The following table sets forth the components of our results of operations for the years ended March 31, 2023 and 2022:
For the years ended March 31, |
|||||||||||||||
2023 |
2022 |
Change |
Percentage |
||||||||||||
Revenues, net |
$ |
21,774,937 |
|
$ |
17,192,659 |
|
$ |
4,582,278 |
|
26.7 |
% |
||||
Cost of Revenues |
|
13,485,405 |
|
|
13,950,620 |
|
|
(465,215 |
) |
(3.3 |
)% |
||||
Gross Profit |
|
8,289,532 |
|
|
3,242,039 |
|
|
5,047,493 |
|
155.7 |
% |
||||
Operating Expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||
Selling Expenses |
|
3,667,227 |
|
|
2,042,668 |
|
|
1,624,559 |
|
79.5 |
% |
||||
General and Administrative Expenses |
|
2,309,927 |
|
|
571,639 |
|
|
1,738,288 |
|
304.1 |
% |
||||
Total Operating Expenses |
|
5,977,154 |
|
|
2,614,307 |
|
|
3,362,847 |
|
128.6 |
% |
||||
Income from Operations |
|
2,312,378 |
|
|
627,732 |
|
|
1,684,646 |
|
268.4 |
% |
||||
Other Expenses, net |
|
(11,574 |
) |
|
(48,503 |
) |
|
(36,929 |
) |
71.6 |
% |
||||
Interest Expenses, net |
|
(100,341 |
) |
|
— |
|
|
100,341 |
|
100.0 |
% |
||||
Provision for Income Taxes |
|
(821,892 |
) |
|
(171,208 |
) |
|
(650,684 |
) |
380.1 |
% |
||||
Net income |
$ |
1,378,571 |
|
$ |
408,021 |
|
$ |
970,550 |
|
237.9 |
% |
34
Revenues
For the years ended March 31, |
|||||||||||||
2023 |
2022 |
Change |
Percentage |
||||||||||
Sales-Retail |
$ |
18,844,921 |
$ |
12,804,757 |
$ |
6,040,164 |
|
47.2 |
% |
||||
Sales-Wholesale |
$ |
2,930,016 |
$ |
4,387,902 |
$ |
(1,457,886 |
) |
(33.2 |
)% |
||||
Total Net Revenues |
$ |
21,774,937 |
$ |
17,192,659 |
$ |
4,582,278 |
|
26.7 |
% |
Our net revenues were $21.8 million for the year ended March 31, 2023, an increase of $4.6 million, or 26.7%, from $17.2 million for the year ended March 31, 2022. The increase in our net revenues was driven primarily by the increase of the average sale price of our EVs by $297, or 46.1%, from $644 in the year ended March 31, 2022 to $941 in the year ended March 31, 2023, despite that our sales volume slightly decreased by 1,118 units, from 12,381 units in the year ended March 31, 2022 to 11,263 units in the year ended March 31, 2023.
Our retail sales revenue increased $6.0 million, or 47.2%, from $12.8 million for the year ended March 31, 2022 to $18.8 million for the year ended March 31, 2023. Our wholesale revenue decreased $1.5 million, or 33.2%, from $4.4 million for the year ended March 31, 2022 to $2.9 million for the year ended March 31, 2023. The decrease in wholesale revenue primarily resulted from management’s focus shift towards expanding our retail stores during the year ended March 31, 2023.
Cost of Revenues
Cost of revenues decreased $0.5 million, or 3.3%, from $14.0 million for the year ended March 31, 2022, to $13.5 million for the year ended March 31, 2023. The decrease in cost of revenues was primarily attributable to the decrease in logistics costs as the Company sourced more EV parts and accessories within the United States rather than importing from overseas during the year ended March 31, 2023.
Gross Margin
The following table shows our gross profit and gross margin for the years ended March 31, 2023 and 2022:
For the years ended March 31, |
||||||||||||
2023 |
2022 |
Change |
Percentage Change |
|||||||||
Gross Profit |
$ |
8,289,532 |
|
3,242,039 |
|
5,047,493 |
155.7 |
% |
||||
Gross Margin |
|
38.1 |
% |
18.9 |
% |
|
|
Gross profit was $8.3 million and $3.2 million for the years ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Gross margin was 38.1% and 18.9% for the years ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The significant increase in gross profit and gross margin was a result of higher average per unit selling price, increasing from $644 for the year ended March 31, 2022 to $941 for the year ended March 31, 2023. These improvements were driven by product upgrades, enhanced sales channels, and an improved brand image in the market.
Total Operating Expenses
The following table sets for the components of our total operating expenses for the years ended March 31, 2023 and 2022:
For the years ended March 31, |
||||||||||||
2023 |
2022 |
Change |
Percentage |
|||||||||
Selling Expenses |
$ |
3,667,227 |
|
2,042,668 |
|
1,624,559 |
79.5 |
% |
||||
General and Administrative Expenses |
|
2,309,927 |
|
571,639 |
|
1,738,288 |
304.1 |
% |
||||
Total Operating Expenses |
$ |
5,977,154 |
|
2,614,307 |
|
3,362,847 |
128.6 |
% |
||||
Percentage of Revenue |
|
27.4 |
% |
15.2 |
% |
|
|
35
Total operating expenses were $6.0 million for the year ended March 31, 2023, an increase of $3.4 million, or 128.6%, compared to $2.6 million for the year ended March 31, 2022. The increase in operating expenses was attributable to the increase in our payroll expenses, rent expenses, meals and entertainment expenses, professional fees, and development expenses as we expanded our business.
Selling Expenses
Total payroll expenses were $1.4 million for the year ended March 31, 2023, compared to $0.7 million for the year ended March 31, 2022. Rent expenses were $1.7 million for the year ended March 31, 2023, compared to $1.0 million for the year ended March 31, 2022. Utilities expenses were $0.13 million for the year ended March 31, 2023, compared to $0.06 million for the year ended March 31, 2022. The increase in these expenses was primarily due to the increase in the number of new stores and new employees hired for these new stores in the year ended March 31, 2023.
General and Administrative Expenses
Various general and administrative expenses increased during the year ended March 31, 2023 compared to the previous year. Meals and entertainment expenses increased to $0.3 million for the year ended March 31, 2023, compared to $0.04 million for the year ended March 31, 2022, primarily due to increased meal expenses for employees who worked overtime. Professional fees increased to $0.6 million for the year ended March 31, 2023, compared to $0.1 million for the year ended March 31, 2022, primarily attributable to the increase in audit fee, consulting, and legal counsel expenses associated with our proposed IPO. Payroll expenses increased to $0.5 million for the year ended March 31, 2023 from $0.2 million for the year ended March 31, 2022 primarily due to additional hires in operation and accounting departments. Rent expenses increased to $0.1 million for the year ended March 31, 2023, compared to $0.05 million for the prior year as a result of office space expansion in the year ended March 31, 2023.
Other Expenses, net
Other expenses were $11,915 for the year ended March 31, 2023, and $48,503 for the year ended March 31, 2022. The decrease in other expenses was primarily attributable to absence of foreign exchange losses recorded in the year ended March 31, 2023. During the year ended March 31, 2022, we conducted transactions with vendors in China using China’s currency Renminbi (RMB). However, in the year ended March 31, 2023, we switched to using U.S. dollar for inventory purchases, resulting in no foreign exchange loss recorded in the year ended March 31, 2023.
Income Tax Provisions
Provisions for income taxes were $0.8 million for the year ended March 31, 2023, an increase of $0.6 million from $0.2 million for the year ended March 31, 2022. This increase was due to our increased taxable income for the year ended March 31, 2023.
Net Income
Net income was $1.4 million for the year ended March 31, 2023, an increase of $1.0 million, or 238%, from $0.4 million for the year ended March 31, 2022, which was mainly attributable to the reasons discussed above.
EBITDA
The following table set forth the components of our EBITDA for the years ended March 31, 2023 and 2022:
For the years ended March 31, |
||||||||||||||
2023 |
2022 |
Change |
Percentage |
|||||||||||
Net Income from Operations |
$ |
1,378,571 |
|
$ |
408,021 |
|
$ |
970,550 |
237.9 |
% |
||||
Income Tax Provision |
|
821,892 |
|
|
171,208 |
|
|
650,684 |
380.1 |
% |
||||
Depreciation |
|
145,783 |
|
|
95,162 |
|
|
50,621 |
53.2 |
% |
||||
Interest Expenses |
|
100,341 |
|
|
— |
|
|
100,341 |
100 |
% |
||||
Amortization |
|
— |
|
|
— |
|
|
— |
N/A |
|
||||
EBITDA |
$ |
2,466,587 |
|
$ |
674,391 |
|
$ |
1,772,196 |
262.8 |
% |
||||
Percentage of Revenue |
|
11.2 |
% |
|
3.9 |
% |
|
|
36
Before interest expenses, income tax, depreciation, and amortization, for the year ended March 31, 2023, our net income was $2.5 million, an increase of $1.8 million, compared to $0.7 million for the year ended March 31, 2022, which was mainly attributable to the increase in sales described above. The ratio of EBITDA to revenue was 11.2% and 3.9% for the years ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
As of December 31, 2023, we had cash of $1.2 million. We had working capital of 2.6 million and $0.6 million as of December 31, 2023 and March 31, 2023, respectively. We had net income of $1.2 million and $1.3 million for the nine months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
We had funded our working capital and other capital requirements in the past primarily by equity contributions from our stockholders, cash flow from operations, and bank loans. Our ability to repay our current obligation will depend on the future realization of our current assets. Management has considered the historical experience, the economy, trends in the retail industry, the expected collectability of the accounts receivables and the realization of the inventories as of December 31, 2023. Our ability to continue to fund these items may be affected by general economic, competitive and other factors, many of which are outside of our control.
We believe our cash on hand will be sufficient to meet our current and anticipated needs for general corporate purposes for at least the next 12 months. We may, however, need additional cash resources in the future if we experience changes in business conditions or other developments. We may also need additional cash resources in the future if we find and wish to pursue opportunities for investment, acquisition, capital expenditure or similar actions. If we determine that our cash requirements exceed the amount of cash we have on hand, we may seek to issue equity or equity linked securities or obtain debt financing. The issuance and sale of additional equity would result in further dilution to our stockholders. The incurrence of indebtedness would result in increased fixed obligations and could result in operating covenants that would restrict our operations. We cannot assure you that financing will be available in amounts or on terms acceptable to us, if at all.
Our accounts receivable represents primarily accounts receivable from the distributors that purchased our EVs and other products. As of December 31, 2023 and March 31, 2023, our accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts, was $0.6 million and $0.4 million, respectively. Our accounts receivable turnover period decreased from 68 days in the year ended March 31, 2023 to 54 days in the nine months ended December 31, 2023, which was mainly attributable to a stricter credit policy implemented towards our U.S. distributors.
Our accounts payable represents primarily accounts payable to suppliers from whom we purchased accessories and components for our products. As of December 31, 2023 and March 31, 2023, our accounts payable was $1.0 million and $1.0 million, respectively. Our accounts payable turnover period decreased to 26 days in the nine months ended December 31, 2023 from 49 days for the year ended March 31, 2023, which was primarily the result of the Company’s switch to a new vendor and the clearance of one vendor’s balance during this period.
Our inventories primarily include our EVs, their accessories and spare parts. As of December 31, 2023 and March 31, 2023, our inventories, net of allowance, were $5.4 million and $3.8 million, respectively. The increase in inventory was primarily due to our anticipation of future sales growth. Our inventory turnover days decreased to 86 days in the nine months ended December 31, 2023 from 114 days in the year ended March 31, 2023, which was primarily due to our enhanced supply chain management, allowing us to convert our inventory into sales more efficiently.
For the nine months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, the interest expenses on our outstanding loans amounted to $82,150 and $34,017, respectively. Refer to Note 7 of the Notes to the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements included within this prospectus for further information on details of our outstanding loans.
The following table summarizes our cash flow data for the nine months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022:
For the nine months ended |
||||||||
2023 |
2022 |
|||||||
Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities |
$ |
1,743,987 |
|
$ |
1,289,941 |
|
||
Net Cash Used in Investing Activities |
|
(963,304 |
) |
|
(269,006 |
) |
||
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities |
|
30,550 |
|
|
(1,066,311 |
) |
||
Net Change in Cash |
$ |
811,233 |
|
$ |
(45,375 |
) |
37
The following table summarizes our cash flow data for the years ended March 31, 2023 and 2022:
For the years ended |
||||||||
2023 |
2022 |
|||||||
Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities |
$ |
1,757,139 |
|
$ |
11,688 |
|
||
Net Cash Used in Investing Activities |
|
(442,915 |
) |
|
(323,544 |
) |
||
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Financing Activities |
|
(1,350,364 |
) |
|
534,536 |
|
||
Net Change in Cash |
$ |
(36,140 |
) |
$ |
222,680 |
|
Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities for the nine months ended December 31, 2023 was $1.7 million, which was mainly comprised of net income of $1.2 million, an increase in accounts payable of $2.3 million, a noncash item of amortization of right-of-use assets of $1.8 million, offset by an increase in inventories of $1.8 million and a decrease in operating lease liabilities of $1.7 million.
Net cash provided by operating activities for the nine months ended December 31, 2022 was $1.3 million, which was mainly comprised of net income of $1.3 million, noncash item of an increase in inventories of $0.6 million, and a noncash item of amortization of right-of-use assets of $1.6 million, offset by an increase in account receivable of $0.7 million, and a decrease in operating lease liabilities of $1.4 million.
Net cash provided by operating activities for the year ended March 31, 2023 was $1.8 million, which was mainly comprised of net income of $1.4 million, deferred income tax expenses of $0.4 million, amortization of right-of-use assets of $1.9 million and provision for inventories of $0.8 million, offset by an increase in account receivable of $0.5 million, an increase in prepayments of $0.6 million and a decrease in operating lease liabilities of $1.7 million.
Net cash provided by operating activities for the year ended March 31, 2022 was $11,688, which was mainly comprised of net income of $0.4 million, an increase in accounts payable of $1.1 million, an increase in taxes payable of $0.6 million and noncash item of depreciation and amortization of right-of-use assets of $1.2 million, offset by noncash item of deferred income taxes expense of $0.5 million, an increase in inventories of $2.1 million as we stocked up our inventories to ensure we have sufficient products for sales, and a decrease in operating lease liabilities of $0.7 million.
Investing Activities
Net cash used in investing activities was $1.0 million for the nine months ended December 31, 2023, which was due to the purchase of equipment of $0.5 million, payment of intangible assets of $0.1 million and the prepayment to related parties for software development of $0.4 million.
Net cash used in investing activities was $0.3 million for the nine months ended December 31, 2022, which was due to the purchase of equipment of $0.3 million.
Net cash used in investing activities was $0.4 million for the year ended March 31, 2023, which was due to the purchase of equipment of $0.4 million.
Net cash used in investing activities was $0.3 million for the year ended March 31, 2022, which was due to the purchase of equipment of $0.3 million.
Financing Activities
Net cash provided by financing activities was $30,550 for the nine months ended December 31, 2023, which consisted of repayment of the related party’s loan of $0.2 million, repayments of loan payables of $0.4 million, repayments of other payables of related party of $0.2 million, payments of deferred IPO cost of $0.1 million, and payments of related-party receivable of $0.1 million, offset by borrowing from loan payables of $0.8 million and capital contribution from shareholders of $0.1 million.
Net cash used in financing activities was $1.1 million for the nine months ended December 31, 2022, which consisted of repayments of other payables of related parties of $1.6 million, offset by borrowing from loan payables of $0.7 million.
38
Net cash used in financing activities was $1.4 million for the year ended March 31, 2023, which consisted of repayments to related parties and loan payable of $2.8 million, deferred IPO cost of $0.1 million, offset by borrowings from loan payable of $1.5 million.
Net cash provided by financing activities was $0.5 million for the year ended March 31, 2022, which consisted of borrowings from related parties of $0.5 million.
Commitments and Contractual Obligations
The following table presents our material contractual obligations as of December 31, 2023:
Contractual Obligations |
Total |
Less than |
1 – 2 |
3 – 5 |
Thereafter |
||||||
Operating Lease Obligations and others |
$ |
12,744,493 |
2,400,008 |
4,548,532 |
2,788,380 |
3,007,573 |
|||||
Loan Payable |
|
1,652,843 |
1,210,507 |
263,783 |
178,553 |
— |
|||||
Total Contractual Obligations |
$ |
14,397,336 |
3,610,515 |
4,812,315 |
2,966,933 |
3,007,573 |
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
We have not entered into any transactions, agreements or other contractual arrangements that would result in off-balance sheet liabilities.
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
Foreign exchange risk
A substantial majority of all of our revenues and expenses are denominated in U.S. dollars. We do not believe that we currently have any significant direct foreign exchange risk and have not used any derivative financial instruments to hedge exposure to such risk. In addition, as our business and operation expand in European and other overseas markets in the future, we may be exposed to increased foreign exchange risks for other currencies.
Interest rate risk
Our exposure to interest rate risk primarily relates to the interest expenses on our short-term and long-term bank borrowings. Our short-term and long-term bank borrowing bears interests at fixed rates. We have not been exposed to, nor do we anticipate being exposed to, material risks due to changes in market interest rates. However, our future interest expenses may exceed expectations due to changes in market interest rates. If we were to renew these short-term and long-term bank borrowings, we might be subject to interest rate risk.
Critical Accounting Estimates
Estimated allowance for inventories
Our estimated allowance for the inventory obsolescence reserves is based on our assessment of realization of inventory. Any excess of the cost over the realizable value of each items of inventories recognized as a provision for diminution in the value of inventories. As of December 31, 2023 and March 31, 2023, we recorded inventory allowance balance of $403,031 and $431,363, respectively.
Estimated useful lives of long-lived assets
The judgment that the long-lived assets, which include property, plant and equipment and right-of-use assets, are being amortized over their useful lives and are not impaired are significant accounting estimates. We have estimated the useful life and residual value and concluded that no impairment loss was recognized as of December 31, 2023 and March 31, 2023.
39
Estimated of the valuation allowance of deferred tax assets
We recognize deferred tax assets to the extent that we believe that these assets are more likely than not to be realized. In making such a determination, we consider all available positive and negative evidence, including future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences, projected future taxable income, tax-planning strategies, and results of recent operations. We have not assessed a valuation allowance as we determine it is more likely than not that all deferred tax assets will be realized before expiration.
Critical Accounting Policies
The preparation of the financial statements in conformity with the U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the dates of the financial statements and the reported amounts of expenses during the reporting periods.
Revenue recognition
We follow the revenue accounting requirements of Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) (“Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 606”). The core principle underlying the revenue recognized that was included in the contract liabilities of this ASU allows us to recognize — revenue that represents the transfer of goods and services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which we expect to be entitled in such exchange. This will require us to identify contractual performance obligations and determine whether revenue should be recognized at a point in time or over time, based on when control of goods and services transfers to a customer.
Revenue from sales of products is recognized when the products are accepted by our customers or distributors. Acceptance of the products is evidenced by goods receipt notes signed by the distributors, which generally take place at our warehouse. No further obligations remain upon acceptance, and the risks and rewards of ownership of the products are transferred to the distributors. The distributors have no rights to return the products. For overseas sales to distributors, risks and rewards of ownership are transferred to the distributors when the products are delivered to and accepted by distributors at the named port of shipment. When selling products to customers through our online store and retail stores, we are responsible for delivery. Acceptance of the products is evidenced by delivery notes signed by the customers, signifying the transfer of ownership risks and rewards. For online purchases, we offer a seven-day return-and-refund policy to customers.
Revenue is recognized net of return allowances, and sales tax. Return allowances, which reduce net revenues, are estimated based on historical experience. Historically, the Company has not experienced any significant returns.
Product warranties
We provide a three-month warranty on our vehicles and the battery pack. We accrue warranty reserves at the time a vehicle is delivered to the customer. Warranty reserves include our best estimate of the projected cost to repair or to replace any items under warranty, based on actual warranty experience as it becomes available and other known factors that may impact our evaluation of historical data. We review our reserves regularly to ensure that our accruals are adequate in meeting expected future warranty obligations, and we will adjust our estimates as needed. Factors that could have an impact on the warranty reserve include the following: changes in manufacturing quality, shifts in product mix, changes in warranty coverage periods, product recalls and changes in sales volume. Warranty expense is recorded as a component of cost of revenues in the statement of operations. The portion of the warranty provision which is expected to be incurred within three months from the balance sheet date will be classified as current and classified as short-term liabilities.
Income taxes
We provide current income tax expenses in accordance with the laws of the relevant taxing authorities. As part of the process of preparing financial statements, we are required to estimate our income taxes in each of the tax jurisdictions in which we operate, including New York State, New York City, New Jersey, Texas, California, Washington, D.C. and Florida.
40
We account for income taxes using the asset and liability approach. Under this method, deferred income taxes are recognized for tax consequences in future years based on differences between the tax bases of assets and liabilities and their reported amounts in the financial statements at each year-end and tax loss carry forwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates applicable for the differences that are expected to reverse.
A valuation allowance is recorded to reduce deferred tax assets to the extent that we consider it is more likely than not that a deferred tax asset will not be realized in the foreseeable future.
We record uncertain tax positions in accordance with ASC 740 on the basis of a two-step process in which (1) we determines if the weight of available evidence indicates that it is more likely than not that the tax position will be sustained on audit, including resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes, and (2) measures the tax benefit as the largest amount that is more likely than not to be realized upon ultimate settlement. An uncertain income tax provision will not be recognized if it has less than a 50 percent likelihood of being sustained.
We consider many factors when evaluating our tax positions and estimating its tax benefits, which may require periodic adjustments, and which may not accurately forecast actual outcomes. We will include interest and fines arising from the underpayment of income taxes as a component of the provision for income taxes (if anticipated). Penalties and interest incurred related to underpayment of income tax are classified as penalties in the period incurred.
41
Overview
We are an electric vehicle (“EV”) company that is principally engaged in designing, installing and selling smart electric motorcycles (“E-motorcycles”), electric bikes (“E-bikes”), electric scooters (“E-scooters”) and related accessories under the brand “Fly E-Bike.” At Fly E-Bike, our commitment is to encourage people to incorporate eco-friendly transportation into their active lifestyles, ultimately contributing towards building a more environmentally friendly future.
Fly E-Bike was established in 2018 with its first store opened in New York. Our business has grown rapidly since then and we are now one of the leading providers of E-bikes for food delivery workers in New York City. As of May 3, 2024, we have 39 retail stores, including 38 stores in the United States and one store in Canada. We plan to expand our presence in the United States and extend our business into South America and Europe. We also sell our products through our online store at flyebike.com.
We have a diversified product portfolio that is designed to satisfy the various demands of our customers and address different urban travel scenarios. Additionally, we aim to refresh our product offerings continuously to align with evolving market trends. As of May 3, 2024, we offered 21 E-motorcycle products, 21 E-bike products and 34 E-scooter products.
We build our smart E-bikes based on advanced and innovative technologies, including smart technologies, powertrain and battery technologies and automotive inspired functionalities. Adhering to our user-centric philosophy in product design, we collect user feedback and product performance data to develop new products or functionalities to satisfy unmet demand. All our products are designed to embody themes of style, freedom and technology. Some of our E-bikes are specifically designed for food delivery workers and are featured with longer battery life and stable backseat for holding a basket. In addition, we designed an easy battery swap system for these E-bikes, allowing food delivery workers to easily replace a fully charged battery at any of our stores within a minute.
Our History and Corporate Structure
We initially started our business in 2018 as Ctate Inc. (“Ctate”), a New York corporation. Our business has experienced rapid growth since then and we opened multiple retail stores within a short period of time. In the interest of efficient management, each retail store was managed by a separate company wholly owned by Ctate.
Fly E-Bike, Inc. (“Fly E-Bike”), a Delaware corporation, was a wholly owned subsidiary of Ctate incorporated on August 22, 2022. On September 12, 2022, Ctate and Fly E-Bike entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger, pursuant to which Ctate merged into and with Fly E-Bike, with Fly E-Bike being the surviving corporation.
Fly-E Group, Inc. (“Fly-E Group” or the “Company”), a Delaware corporation, was incorporated on November 1, 2022. On December 21, 2022, Fly E-Bike, the stockholders of Fly E-Bike and Fly-E Group entered into a Share Exchange Agreement, pursuant to which Fly-E Group acquired all of the issued and outstanding shares of Fly E-Bike by issuing its shares to the stockholders of Fly E-Bike on a one-for-one basis (the “Share Exchange”). As a result of the Share Exchange, Fly E-Bike became a wholly owned subsidiary of Fly-E Group. Fly-E Group has no substantive operations other than holding all of the issued and outstanding shares of Fly E-Bike and Fly EV, Inc. Our business is primarily conducted through Fly E-Bike and its subsidiaries. Fly EV. Inc. is a Delaware corporation incorporated on November 1, 2022 and currently has no substantive operations.
Our Industry
E-motorcycles, E-bikes and E-scooters are the two-wheelers that run on electric energy that is converted into mechanical energy rather than running on fuel. They are chargeable and eco-friendly automotive solutions. E-motorcycles and E-bikes are built with solid metal and fiber frames that are combined with mechanical and electronic components. An E-scooter is a plug-in EV powered by electric power. These scooters offer additional advantages such as agility, flexibility, versatility and ease of maneuver in high traffic congestion areas.
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The EV industry has been experiencing significant growth and innovation in recent years. With the advancement of technology and the increasing demand for environmentally friendly transportation options, E-bikes, E-motorcycles and E-scooters have become popular choices for commuting, leisure and sports. As the demand for sustainable transportation options continues to grow, the EV industry is poised for further growth and development.
Some of the major trends driving the growth of the EV industry include the increasing demand for sustainable transportation options, advancements in battery and motor technology, and the growing popularity of E-bike sharing services. Government incentives and regulations, such as tax credits and subsidies for the purchase of EVs, are also driving the growth of the industry.
The Asia-Pacific region is the largest market for the electric two-wheelers due to the growing awareness about the benefits of electric vehicles, rising personal disposable income, growing demand for affordable electric vehicles for short-distance commuting and increasing adoption of smart technologies. We believe that North America is expected to experience significant growth in the future due to growing government initiatives to raise awareness of such products among individuals.
City bikes and city E-bikes are popular in big cities in the United States, such as New York City, Miami and Dallas. There is also a growing popularity of E-scooters as an increasing number of EV merchants are launching their businesses in these cities.
The growth of the EV industry is further accelerated by the rise in small package deliveries in big cities. New York City is a major commercial hub and the largest metropolitan area in the United States. As a result, the volume of small package deliveries in New York City is remarkably high, and it has continued to grow over the years. With the rise of E-commerce and online shopping, more and more people in New York City are relying on package deliveries for their everyday needs, leading to a significant increase in small package delivery volume. The COVID-19 pandemic has further accelerated this trend as more people have turned to online shopping.
The high volume of package deliveries in New York City has led to concerns about traffic congestion and delivery vehicle emissions, which the city is working to address through initiatives such as congestion pricing and EV incentives. For short-distance deliveries within urban areas, E-bike delivery can be a more efficient and environmentally friendly option compared to truck delivery. E-bikes can navigate through congested city streets, often taking shorter routes that trucks cannot access, and deliver packages quickly without contributing to traffic congestion or air pollution. Additionally, E-bikes are often cheaper to operate and maintain than trucks. We expect that other large densely populated cities in the United States, such as Miami and Dallas, face similar challenges and will continue to adopt the use of E-bikes, E-motorcycles, and E-scooters to meet their delivery needs.
Our Strengths
Early Entry into the Market: We entered the EV market early and were able to seize the market opportunities to experience rapid growth. We started our business in 2018 and were able to leverage the potential created by the thriving E-commerce industry. Additionally, the COVID-19 lockdown further amplified the demand for online food and essential item deliveries, creating a favorable environment for the expansion and utilization of EVs, particularly E-bikes, which further accelerated our business growth.
Brand Reputation: We have a strong brand reputation for consistent delivery of high-quality EV products and excellent customer service. Our brand and retail stores have become reliable business partners for most food delivery workers, especially in New York City. As a result, they have come to recognize our name and trust our services, establishing a loyal customer base for us.
Innovative Products and Services: We continue to offer innovative, differentiated products and services that help set us apart from our competitors. Since 2018, we have launched over 67 new products and introduced new versions to our existing products with upgrades to design, motor and battery technology. Additionally, we are developing the Fly E-Bike app, which will be designed for customers to better manage and enjoy their riding experience. We are also developing the Fly E-Bike Care, an extended warranty program that will provide value-added options for our customers in the near future.
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Our Strategies
Our plan to grow our business using the following key strategies:
Enhance our position as a leader in urban mobility: We are one of the leading providers of urban mobility solutions for New York City, particularly for food and package delivery workers. We intend to leverage this first mover advantage to continue to solidify our market leadership, by enhancing our brand, continuing to innovate, growing our product and service portfolio and expanding our sales network.
Improve brand recognition: We will maintain our commitment to providing exceptional customer service as a means of further enhancing our brand. We will provide an enhanced shopping experience by effectively managing and upgrading our retail stores. In addition, we plan to open more flagship stores in high-traffic retail locations in New York City and other major cities in the United States to further elevate the quality of our brand messaging. Furthermore, we plan to increase our offerings of accessories, such as introducing more style options to our branded apparel, to further strengthen our customers’ connection to Fly E-Bike. We also intend to collaborate with other lifestyle brands across different industries to further promote our brand image.
Continue our innovation: We will persist in advancing our product line by incorporating cutting-edge design, optimizing user experience and delivering optimal performance. We are developing our Fly E-Bike app, which we plan to include functions to improve the communication between our customers and our products. Additionally, we plan to launch Fly E-Bike Care in the near future, a service designed to function as an insurance policy and provide customers with continuous maintenance services beyond the manufacturer and battery warranty period.
Expand our sales network: We plan to further expand our sales network in United States and internationally. As of May 3, 2024, we operate one store in Canada and 38 retail stores in the United States, spanning across the states of New York, Texas, Florida, Washington D.C., California and New Jersey. We plan to significantly increase our footprint in the United States by opening our stores in additional states. In addition, we intend to enter selected overseas markets that offer identified growth opportunities and favorable government policies, such as South America and Europe.
Diversify our service offerings: We are planning to broaden our business by leveraging our existing retail stores as logistics hubs for small package delivery. We are currently in the process of seeking business partners, assembling a delivery team and developing an app for the delivery business.
Our Products
We offer a diverse product portfolio that satisfies various demands of our customers and addresses different urban travel scenarios. Following market trends and technological updates, we continuously develop and add new products into our portfolio to meet our customers’ needs. We also regularly introduce upgrades and refreshes to our existing models.
E-motorcycles
Our E-motorcycle category consists of 21 different products, which include a range of E-moped, E-motorcycle and E-tricycle.
E-moped
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(Fly-7) |
(Fly-10) |
(Fly-Pro) |
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Our E-moped product line is one of our most popular, featuring a range of eight different models. Our E-mopeds can run an average of 20-70 miles on a single charge, with a top speed of 20-38 miles per hour. Additionally, our E-mopeds are capable of holding a payload of 185-400 pounds. Each E-moped offer several standard features, including a remote key fob, alarm system, lockable under-seat storage, front and rear suspension, and a complete lighting package. Some models also offer a USB phone charging port for added convenience. These features make them an ideal choice for delivery workers.
All of our E-mopeds feature a low seat height and large tires, providing excellent stability at all speeds and on all surfaces. Moreover, their electric drivetrain requires no clutch or gears, making them easy to operate for almost anyone.
E-motorcycle
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(RZ) |
(FTC) |
(DY-VNM SL) |
We also offer E-motorcycles that are designed for urban commuting and city riding, offering a range of 25-80 miles on a single charge and a top speed of 30-59 miles per hour. They have a payload capacity of 160-400 pounds and feature a powerful electric motor with multiple riding modes to choose from. Additionally, our E-motorcycles are equipped with advanced safety features, including anti-lock brakes and a high-performance suspension system, ensuring optimal handling and rider safety.
E-tricycle
(Fly-Tricycle)
The Fly-Tricycle is an electric three-wheel vehicle that offers three seats. The interior of this vehicle is crafted with high-quality automotive-grade materials, ensuring long-lasting durability. This vehicle can run a range of 43-62 miles on a single charge, with a top speed of 30 miles per hour. Additionally, the Fly-Tricycle is capable of holding a payload of 1,239 pounds.
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E-bikes
We currently offer 34 different E-bike products, which include a range of City E-bike, foldable E-bike and standard E-bike.
City E-bike
(City E-Bike)
Our City E-Bike has a range of 15-20 miles on a single charge and a maximum speed of 20 miles per hour. It has a payload capacity of 200 pounds and an under-seat storage area.
Foldable E-bike
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(Dolphin E-Bike) |
(Air-2) |
Our foldable E-bikes, including the Dolphin E-Bike and the Air-2, are versatile and convenient for folding. They are capable of running 20-25 miles on a single charge with a top speed of 23 miles per hour. In addition, our foldable E-bikes have a payload capacity of 250 pounds. They are compact, portable and easy to store, making them a good choice for people who are conscious of space limitations, such as those who live in small apartments in big cities.
Standard E-bike
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(Sword Fish E-Bike) |
(Rhino) |
Our standard E-bikes are designed to be lightweight and come in a variety of different outlook designs, with multiple speed options to choose from. They offer a range of 20-60 miles on a single charge, with a top speed range of 15-32 miles per hour, and have a payload capacity of 180-250 pounds.
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E-scooters
Our E-scooter segment currently offers 12 different products, which include the Insurgent E-Scooter, Flytron, H-Max and H-1 models.
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(Insurgent E-Scooter) |
(Flytron) |
(H-Max) |
(H-1) |
Our E-scooters offer a range of 15-45 miles on a single charge and a top speed range of 15-40 miles per hour. They are also capable of holding a weight range of 250-330 pounds. Additionally, our smart E-scooters are equipped with hydraulic disc brakes made from special alloys. The brake discs are slotted to extend the life of the system. The hardware of the brakes is complemented by the electronic braking system, which provides for intelligent braking and recycling kinetic energy. Certain of our models also employ the combined braking system, which splits braking force between the front and rear discs to shorten the braking distance at higher speeds.
Accessories and spare parts
We offer a comprehensive line of Fly E-Bike branded accessories and spare parts. We also sell traditional bikes.
For accessories, we offer riding gear, such as raincoats, gloves and knee pads, and accessories that can be installed on our products to enhance their functionality, such as storage baskets and tail boxes, smart phone holders, backrests and locks, among others. We also sell branded apparel.
In addition, we provide performance upgrades, including high-performance upgrade components for wheels, shock absorbers, brake calipers and carbon fiber body panels, among others.
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Fly E-Bike App
We are currently developing the Fly E-Bike app, which is a management service mobile software for our EVs. We aim to design an app that will bring users a comprehensive intelligent experience to create a safer and more satisfying riding life. The development of the app is still in its preliminary stage. We have launched a testing version of the app, which is currently unavailable to our customers. Once development is completed, the app is expected to include functions such as GPS, navigation, battery and tire pressure management, online shopping, and anti-theft features.
After Sales Services
Our EVs are primarily serviced through our retail stores, which provide repair, maintenance and bodywork services. Our regular maintenance services include exterior check, mechanical structure service, motor system check, electrification service, battery maintenance service, tire pressure check and cleaning services. We also provide other value-added services through our retail stores, including GPS add-on and installation, and theft reporting.
Warranty Policy
Manufacturer Warranty
We offer a three-month limited manufacturer’s warranty on all models of our E-bikes, E-motorcycles and E-scooters. The warranty period starts on the day the product is delivered to the customer. This warranty only covers limited factory defects and minor cosmetic damages. It does not cover misuse or broken parts caused by the user or by any other events.
Battery Warranty
We also offer a three-month warranty on battery for any manufacturer defect in material or workmanship. If a battery becomes faulty within the specified warranty period, we will replace it free of charge.
Fly E-Bike Care
We plan to launch our value-added Fly E-Bike Care program in the near future, which will function as an insurance policy to provide customers with continuous maintenance services beyond the warranty period mentioned above. This program will be designed to offer a wider range of coverage than the manufacturer and battery warranties, including accidental damages caused by customers. Additionally, we intend to add a “Fly E-Bike Care” feature to our app, which will send maintenance reminders to users based on their driving behavior and mileage.
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Manufacturing and Assembly
We source a significant portion of our vehicle components from China and the United States. For the nine months ended December 31, 2023, 51% and 49% of the parts were from China and the United States, respectively. For the years ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, over 40% and 80% of the parts were sourced from China, respectively. For the year ended March 31, 2023, we sourced over 50% of our vehicle components from the United States. Although we rely on certain principal vendors in China and the United States for most of our components, we believe there are multiple sources for each of our critical components.
To ensure a secure and reliable supply chain, we have implemented a centralized vendor management system that consolidates all vendor management activities under a centralized team. This approach enables us to streamline our purchasing process, enhance our negotiating power and maintain better relationships with our vendors.
We are currently working with three principal vendors, Fly Wing E-Bike Inc., Xiamen Finely Technology Co., Ltd. (“XFT”), and Anhui Ineo International Trading Co., Ltd., each of which respectively supplied approximately 35%, 20% and 13% of our accessories and components during the nine months ended December 31, 2023. During the year ended March 31, 2023, our top three principal vendors included Transpro US Inc., Anhui Ineo International Trading Co., Ltd. and Fly Wing E-Bike Inc., each of which respectively supplied approximately 33%, 21% and 12% accessories and components. During the year ended March 31, 2022, Anhui Ineo International Trading Co., Ltd. supplied approximately 70% of our accessories and components. Our principal vendors are responsible for sourcing all the parts used in our vehicles from various suppliers, and they also oversee the quality control process. We maintain close relationships with our principal vendors to ensure that we have access to high-quality accessories and components for our EVs at competitive prices and receive reliable and timely deliveries. We work closely with them to improve our supply chain efficiency and reduce costs.
Our centralized vendor management system also helps us to manage risk more effectively by identifying potential risks and developing strategies to mitigate them. Rather than dealing with the original suppliers, we monitor the performance of our principal vendors, which enables us to quickly identify and address any problems and manage the supply resources more efficiently. This approach helps us to reduce the risk of supply chain disruptions, which can have a significant impact on our business operations.
After importing the accessories and components, we assemble them into our vehicles in a leased facility located in Brooklyn, New York. In the year ended March 31, 2023, we produced 2,039 E-motorcycles, 5,953 E-bikes and 2,279 E-scooters in this facility. For the year ended March 31, 2024, we produced 8,390 E-motorcycles, 7,638 E-bikes and 3,171 E-scooters at the same facility. In response to the increasing demand for our products, we are currently looking to lease a larger assembling facility to replace our current facility in the near future.
Quality Control
We believe that the quality of our products is crucial to our continued growth. We place great emphasis on quality control and have implemented stringent monitoring and quality control systems to manage our operations.
For the parts sourced from China, we rely on our one of our principal vendors in China, XFT, to monitor the factories responsible for manufacturing these parts used in our vehicles. Its duties include the following:
Factory check: XFT is responsible for confirming the size, production capacity and certification qualifications of a factory, confirming whether the equipment required for the production line is complete and whether the testing equipment is complete, checking the factory’s quality assurance process and other quality control procedures.
Proofing: After the samples that meet the requirements are confirmed by XFT and us, they will be sealed as golden samples, and mass production is required to follow the golden sample standard.
Mass production: Before the start of mass production, the factory is required to develop and review standard operating procedures and quality assurance standards that are acceptable to XFT and us. XFT will closely follow the production process, ensuring that strict quality control measures are implemented at every stage of production. After the mass production starts, XFT will perform the first article inspection to confirm whether the mass production meets the required standards.
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Inspection: After mass production, in addition to requiring the factory to submit a quality control report, XFT will send its own quality control personnel to conduct random inspections on the products according to the corresponding standards of acceptable quality level.
We also source certain parts used in our vehicles from the United States. For these parts, our U.S. principal vendors and our quality control team perform quality control procedures similar to those discussed above for our China-sourced parts. This includes ensuring that the parts meet our quality standards and specifications, as well as conducting regular factory audits and inspections to identify any potential issues, and ensure ongoing compliance with our requirements.
We have not experienced any significant product recall, refunds or other quality control outbreak since we commenced operations.
Sales and Marketing
We have established an omnichannel retail model network to sell our products and provide services to our customers. We currently operate 39 retail stores and work with 80 distributors in the United States to sell our products. In addition, we have our own online store and Fly E-Bike app. We also leverage our omnichannel retail network to deliver maintenance and repair services at our retail stores and to collect data for business insights.
We focus on promoting awareness of our brand as a lifestyle brand with high-quality smart E-bikes, E-motorcycles and E-scooters. Our brand and products are marketed to retail customers through digital and experiential activities as well as through more traditional promotional and advertising activities. We aim to engage in cost-effective marketing activities by taking advantage of social media and to build an online and offline ecosystem of users that will promote awareness of our brand.
One key component of our strategy is to expand our presence on social media platforms. We currently have accounts on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and WeChat, on which we frequently post guides, videos and tutorials that educate people on how to use and maintain E-bikes, E-scooters and E-motorcycles, as well as benefits of E-mobility.
In terms of offline marketing, we prioritize in-store promotions and targeted advertising. This includes offering discounts and special deals in our retail stores, as well as using targeted advertising to reach potential customers who are likely to be interested in our products. We also place ads in local newspapers and magazines and distribute flyers on the streets to promote the opening of new stores. Additionally, our products have gained significant visibility among food delivery workers in New York City, who make up the majority of our customer base. The increasing trend of people ordering food delivery, particularly during and after the COVID-19 lockdown, has contributed to the widespread visibility of our products in the cities.
Our Distribution Channels
Retail Distribution Network
Our sales are conducted through both retail stores and distributors.
Out of our 38 retail stores in the United States, 28 are situated in New York, while four are in New Jersey, two in Florida, two in Texas, one in California and one in Washington, D.C. We also operate one retail store in Canada. Our retail stores adopt a consistent design and layout and provide a consistent shopping experience. We closely monitor the sales performance, service level and activities within our retail stores. We will continue to collect store operation data such as consumer traffic flow and traffic flow sources, test drive frequencies and sales conversion rate. This information helps us adjust store-specific retailing and marketing strategies, thereby increasing per store sales.
In terms of our distributors, most of them are located in the United States. Our distributors purchase products from us at a wholesale price, and are responsible for the logistics, warehousing and distribution to other retail stores. We do not charge any initial fees or continuing fees to our distributors. The majority of our distributors make full payments upfront for their orders, which helps us improve cash flow management.
We intend to expand our overseas market and are currently working with one distributor in the Dominican Republic.
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Online Distribution Network
All of our products can be purchased on our website, flyebike.com, and Fly E-Bike app.
We have adopted an online to offline model that enables us to seamlessly integrate the online and offline networks to provide a cohesive and consistent experience to our customers. The online platform acts as a conduit for influencing customers and directing sales to our retail stores. Our customers can conveniently place orders online and pick up their products at our retail stores.
Our Customers
We acquire customers through multiple channels, including (i) referrals from our existing customers, (ii) our distributors, and (iii) our marketing and promotional activities. Due to our strong brand image, loyal customer base and evolving product portfolio, we believe there are significant growth opportunities across these channels. No customers account for more than 10% of our revenues for the nine months ended December 31, 2023, and for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2023 and 2022. The majority of our customers are food delivery workers in New York City. This group constitutes approximately 70% of our customer base for the year ended March 31, 2023.
Environmental Matters
We are subject to federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations that impose limitations on the discharge of pollutants into the environment and establish standards for the handling, generation, emission, release, discharge, treatment, storage and disposal of certain materials, substances and wastes and the remediation of environmental contaminants (collectively, “Environmental Laws”). In the ordinary course of our assembling processes, we may use materials or generate waste that are subject to these Environmental Laws.
We endeavor to adhere to all applicable Environmental Laws and act as necessary to comply with these laws. We maintain an environmental and safety program at our facilities. The environmental and safety program includes obtaining environmental permits as required, capturing and appropriately disposing of any waste by-products, tracking hazardous waste generation and disposal, air emissions, safety situations, material safety data sheet management, storm water management and recycling, and auditing and reporting on its compliance.
Intellectual Property
We currently hold one trademark in the United States, which covers our logo. We also hold four trademarks in China, which cover the names “FLY E-BIKE”, “FLY EBIKE”, “FLYEBIKE” and our logo. Additionally, we have two trademarks in the Dominican Republic covering the name “FLY E-BIKE” and our logo, and one trademark in Panama covering the name “FLY E-BIKE”. All these trademarks are effective from 2022 to 2033. In addition, we have applied for trademark rights for the name “FLY E-BIKE” in Canada, and the application is currently pending.
Other than the trademarks mentioned above, we do not own any patents, copyrights or other intellectual property registrations in the United States. We plan to seek further intellectual property registrations in the United States in the future. We currently also seek to protect our trade secrets and other proprietary information through common law copyright and trademark principles.
Competition
There are numerous companies that sell E-bikes, E-motorcycles and E-scooters in the United States and even more globally. The markets for EVs are highly competitive based on a number of factors, including innovation, performance, price, technology, product features, styling, fit and finish, brand recognition, quality and distribution. We believe our ability to compete successfully in these markets depends on our ability to capitalize on our competitive strengths and build brand recognition.
Many companies, which have greater financial and marketing resources than us, make electric two-wheelers, including Trek Bicycle Corporation, Specialized Bicycle Components, Inc., Specialized Bicycle Components, Inc. and Rad Power Bikes Inc. While we believe we are well positioned in this competitive market, there is no assurance that our vehicles will be successful in the respective markets in which they compete. See “Risk Factors — Risks Related to the Company’s Business, Operations, and Industry — The markets in which we operate are in their infancy and highly competitive, and we may not be successful in competing in this industry.”
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Regulation
We are subject to a wide variety of laws and regulations in the United States. These laws and regulations govern various items directly or indirectly related to our business, such as labor and employment, anti-discrimination, product liability, vehicle defects, vehicle maintenance and repairs, personal injury, rider text messaging, service payments, consumer protection, taxation, privacy, data security, intellectual property, competition, terms of service, mobile application accessibility, insurance, money transmittal, and environmental, health and safety. They are often complex and subject to varying interpretations, in many cases due to their lack of specificity. As a result, their application in practice may change or develop over time through judicial decisions or as new guidance or interpretations are provided by regulatory and governing bodies, such as federal, state, and local administrative agencies.
The micromobility industry is relatively nascent and rapidly evolving. New laws and regulations continue to be adopted, implemented, interpreted and iterated upon in response to our growing industry and associated technology. As we expand our business into new markets or introduce new offerings into existing markets, regulatory bodies or courts may claim that (i) we are subject to additional requirements or (ii) we are prohibited from conducting our business in certain jurisdictions.
Our products may also be subject to various environmental, health, and safety regulations, including, but not limited to, those regarding product safety and waste management. For example, we are subject to environmental laws and regulations regarding the handling and disposal of hazardous substances and solid wastes, including electronic wastes and batteries. These laws regulate the generation, storage, treatment, transportation and disposal of solid and hazardous waste, and may impose strict, joint and several liability for the investigation and remediation of areas where hazardous substances may have been released or disposed. For instance, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, as amended (“CERCLA”) and comparable state laws impose liability, without regard to fault or the legality of the original conduct, on certain classes of persons that contributed to the release of a hazardous substance into the environment. These persons include current and prior owners or operators of the site where the release of the hazardous substance occurred as well as companies that disposed or arranged for the disposal of hazardous substances found at the site. Under CERCLA, these persons may be subject to joint and several strict liability for the costs of cleaning up the hazardous substances that have been released into the environment, for damages to natural resources, and for the costs of certain health studies. CERCLA also authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) and, in some instances, third parties to act in response to threats to the public health or the environment and seek to recover costs incurred from the responsible classes of persons. In the course of ordinary operations, we, through third parties and contractors, may handle hazardous substances within the meaning of CERCLA and similar state statutes and, as a result, may be jointly and severally liable for all or part of the costs required to clean up sites at which these hazardous substances have been released into the environment.
We may also be subject to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (“RCRA”) and comparable state statutes for the generation, storage, or disposal of solid wastes, which may include hazardous wastes. RCRA regulates both solid and hazardous wastes, but, in particular, imposes strict requirements on the generation, storage, treatment, transportation and disposal of hazardous wastes. In addition, federal and state laws may require or otherwise regulate the reuse and recycling of batteries, including lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries, used in our products.
Certain of our products are also regulated by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (“CPSC”) pursuant to various federal laws. CPSC can require the manufacturer of products containing a safety defect to recall or repurchase such products and may also impose fines or penalties on the manufacturer. Similar laws exist in some states, cities, and other countries in which we sell our products.
Certain of our products are also regulated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”) pursuant to various federal laws and regulations. NHTSA can require the manufacturer of motor vehicles or motor vehicle equipment containing a safety defect to recall or repurchase such products and may also impose fines or penalties on the manufacturer. Certain of our products are also regulated by EPA, and the California Air Resources Board (“CARB”) for products sold in California. EPA and CARB can require the manufacturer to recall or repurchase vehicles that are uncertified or that contain an emission-related defect and may also impose fines or penalties on the manufacturer.
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In addition, some of our products may be subject to local laws and regulations. For instance, in March 2023, the New York City Council amended its administrative code to require that all powered bicycles, powered mobility devices including electric scooters, and storage batteries for such mobility devices distributed, sold, leased, rented, or offered for sale, lease, or rental in New York City must be certified as compliant with the applicable Underwriter Laboratories (UL) standard, which is a widely recognized standard for safety in electrical products in the United States. The law became effective in September 2023.
Additionally, because we receive, use, transmit, disclose, and store personally identifiable information and other data relating to users on our platform, we are subject to numerous local, municipal, state, federal, and international laws and regulations that address privacy, data protection, and the collection, storing, sharing, use, transfer, disclosure, and protection of certain types of data. Such regulations include the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991, the U.S. Federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 and Section 5(a) of the Federal Trade Commission Act of 1914.
We plan to sell and distribute our vehicles internationally through international distributors. As such, we will be subject to the local laws of each jurisdiction in which we sell our vehicles. These regulations may result in increased costs and expenses, which may materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations or financial condition.
Employees
As of March 31, 2024, we had 84 employees, consisting of 57 full-time employees and 27 part-time employees.
Our employees are not represented by a labor organization or covered by a collective bargaining agreement. We believe that we maintain a good working relationship with our employees and to date, we have not experienced any significant labor disputes.
Legal Proceedings
We may be subject to legal proceedings, investigations and claims incidental to the conduct of our business from time to time. We are not currently a party to, nor are we aware of, any legal proceedings, investigations or claims which, in the opinion of our management, are likely to have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.
Properties
Our corporate and executive offices are located in a leased facility in 136-40 39th Avenue, Flushing, NY 11354, where we lease approximately 2,500 square feet of under a lease that is due to expire on October 31, 2024. In addition, we lease a warehouse in Brooklyn, New York, where we assemble all of our vehicles. The warehouse, which comprises three areas in one location totaling approximately 27,000 square feet, is under three separate leases that are due to expire on December 14, 2025, May 30, 2026 and May 14, 2027, respectively. While we believe our facilities are sufficient to meet our needs in the near term, as we expand our operations, we may require additional space in which to assemble our vehicles and we do not have any commitments for such space. All of our retail stores are leased. We do not own any real property.
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Directors and Executive Officers
The following table sets forth the names and ages of all of our directors and executive officers as of May 3, 2024:
Name |
Age |
Position |
||
Zhou (Andy) Ou |
35 |
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer |
||
Ruifeng (Steven) Guo |
36 |
Director and Chief Financial Officer |
||
Rui (Ricky) Feng |
39 |
Chief Operating Officer |
||
Ke (Simon) Zhang |
37 |
Chief Human Resource Officer |
||
Bin Wang |
66 |
Director Nominee |
||
Lun Feng |
64 |
Director Nominee |
||
Alan Jacobs |
82 |
Director Nominee |
Set forth below is biographical information about each of the individuals named in the tables above:
Zhou (Andy) Ou, Founder, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Ou founded Fly E-Bike in 2018 and has since served as our Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”). Before founding Fly E-Bike, Mr. Ou operated a motorcycle repair business for over eight years, and previously held a managerial position at a food delivery company. We believe that Mr. Ou’s prior experience in the motorcycle industry and his understanding of the delivery industry, combined with his tenure at our company, qualifies him to serve as our Chairman of the Board.
Ruifeng (Steven) Guo, Director and Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Guo joined our company as a tax and financial advisor in March 2020 and has been serving as our Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”) since December 2022. Upon effectiveness of this registration statement, Mr. Guo will serve as our full-time CFO. He is currently a partner at DGLG Accounting and Tax LLC, a U.S. financial consulting firm, where he has been working since May 2020. Mr. Guo was appointed as our director on September 1, 2023. Additionally, he is the managing partner at SJ International Development, a New York based real estate management company, since October 2020. Mr. Guo is also the managing partner at PJMG LLC, a New York based consulting company, since June 2019. Prior to that, Mr. Guo worked as a senior business manager at Xinyuan Real Estate Co., Ltd. from April 2018 to April 2020. Between 2013 and 2017, Mr. Guo worked as an associate and senior auditor at three auditing firms, including Friedman LLP, Marcum LLP and Janover LLC. Mr. Guo obtained his Bachelor of Economy from Beijing International Studies University in 2010 and his MBA in Accounting from Hofstra University in 2012. Mr. Guo was selected to serve as a member of our board of directors because of his senior-level experience in the financial services industry and his extensive knowledge of our business and industry.
Rui (Ricky) Feng, Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Feng joined us as a retail store manager in 2018 and was responsible for overseeing our supply chain, implementing effective customer strategies, and ensuring legal compliance. He has served as our Chief Operating Officer since December 2022. Prior to joining us, Mr. Feng owned and operated a restaurant for four years, which provided him with valuable experience in managing a business.
Ke (Simon) Zhang, Chief Human Resource Officer. Mr. Zhang has also been serving as our Chief Human Resource Officer since December 2022. Mr. Zhang previously served as our director and resigned from this position on September 1, 2023. He joined us as a retail store manager in 2018, where he was responsible for overseeing various HR functions, including recruiting, employee training and development and managing our benefits system.
Bin Wang, Director Nominee. Mr. Wang has been nominated to serve as a director upon effectiveness of this registration statement. Mr. Wang has over 30 years of management experience in the financial industry. He currently serves as the Managing Director of Eon Capital International Ltd, a Hong Kong corporate advisory service company. He has also been a member of the board of directors of Maison Solutions Inc., a Nasdaq-listed company, since 2023. Previously, from 2018 to 2020, Mr. Wang was the Chairman and CEO of Alberton Acquisition Corp., a Nasdaq-listed company. From 2007 to 2018, he provided financial advisory services to dozens of corporate clients in the United States and Asia. Mr. Wang graduated from Northwestern Polytechnic University in 1980, obtained his Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Xi’an Jiaotong University in 1983, and earned his Master of Arts degree in economics from Illinois State University in 1992. Mr. Wang was nominated to serve as a member of our board of directors because of his extensive senior-level experience in the financial services industry and his profound knowledge of our business and the industry as a whole.
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Lun Feng, Director Nominee. Mr. Feng has been nominated to serve as a director upon effectiveness of this registration statement. Since August 2015, Mr. Feng has held the position of executive director at Si Fang Yu Feng Investment Co., Ltd., a Chinese investment management company. From June 2009 to June 2021, he served as the chairman of the board of directors at Beijing Wan Tong Li Ti Zhi Cheng Investment Co., Ltd., a Chinese investment management company. Additionally, Mr. Feng currently holds the position of an independent director at three public companies listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange and Shenzhen Stock Exchange. These companies include Bank of Xi’an Co., Ltd., Shanghai Xinnanyang Only Education and Technology Co., Ltd., and Bona Film Group Co., Ltd. Mr. Feng received his bachelor’s degree in political economy from Northwest University (China) in 1982. Mr. Feng was nominated to serve as a member of our board of directors because of his extensive senior-level management experience of public companies, his board experience and his extensive knowledge of our business and industry.
Alan Jacobs, Director Nominee. Mr. Jacobs has been nominated to serve as a director upon effectiveness of this registration statement. Mr. Jacobs has over 40 years of experience as a corporate and securities attorney, investment banker, business and financial advisor and senior executive of both private and public companies. Since August 2018, Mr. Jacobs has been serving as President at Worthy Lending, LLC. In addition, he has been serving as Executive Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Strategy Officer of Worthy Financial, Inc. since January 2016. Mr. Jacobs currently serves as President of the Worthy Lending V subsidiary. He currently also serves as Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, and a member of the board of directors of Worthy Financial, Inc.’s wholly owned subsidiaries, including Worthy Peer Capital, Inc., Worthy Peer Capital II, Inc., Worthy Community Bonds, Inc., Worthy Community Bonds II, Inc. and Worthy Property Bonds, Inc., and as President of their respective wholly owned loan and investment subsidiaries, all since their respective dates of organization. From 2016 to 2018 Mr. Jacobs was the Founder and President of CorpFin Management Group where he was focused on business development, strategic planning, and corporate development. From September 2014 to December 2015, Mr. Jacobs was associated with ViewTrade Securities, a FINRA registered broker-dealer where he was focused on advisory and corporate services. Prior to that time and for more than 30 years, Mr. Jacobs was associated with several FINRA registered broker-dealers including Ladenburg Thalman & Co.. Inc., Josephthal & Company, and Capital Growth Securities. Mr. Jacobs received his bachelor’s degree from Franklin and Marshall College in 1963 and his law degree from Columbia University in 1966. Mr. Jacobs was nominated to serve as a member of our board of directors because of his extensive experience in the investment and financial services industry.
Director Independence
The rules of the Nasdaq Stock Market, or the Nasdaq Rules, require a majority of a listed company’s board of directors to be composed of independent directors within one year of listing. In addition, the Nasdaq Rules require that, subject to specified exceptions, each member of a listed company’s audit, compensation and nominating and governance committees be independent. Under the Nasdaq Rules, a director will only qualify as an independent director if, in the opinion of our board of directors, that person does not have a relationship that would interfere with the exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director. The Nasdaq Rules also require that audit committee members satisfy independence criteria set forth in Rule 10A-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act. In order to be considered independent for purposes of Rule 10A-3, a member of an audit committee of a listed company may not, other than in his or her capacity as a member of the audit committee, the board of directors, or any other board committee, accept, directly or indirectly, any consulting, advisory, or other compensatory fee from the listed company or any of its subsidiaries or otherwise be an affiliated person of the listed company or any of its subsidiaries. In considering the independence of compensation committee members, the Nasdaq Rules require that our board of directors must consider additional factors relevant to the duties of a compensation committee member, including the source of any compensation we pay to the director and any affiliations with the Company.
Committees of the Board of Directors
Upon effectiveness of this registration statement, our board of directors will establish an audit committee, a compensation committee and a nominating and governance committee. Each of these committees will operate under a charter that will be approved by our board of directors prior to the effectiveness of this registration statement.
Audit Committee. Our audit committee will consist of three independent directors. The members of the audit committee will be Bin Wang, Lun Feng and Alan Jacobs. The audit committee shall consist exclusively of directors who are financially literate. In addition, upon effectiveness of this registration statement, Mr. Wang will be considered an “audit committee financial expert” as defined by the SEC’s rules and regulations.
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The audit committee responsibilities include:
• overseeing the compensation and work of and performance by our independent auditor and any other registered public accounting firm performing audit, review or attestation services for us;
• engaging, retaining and terminating our independent auditor and determining the terms thereof;
• assessing the qualifications, performance and independence of the independent auditor;
• evaluating whether the provision of permitted non-audit services is compatible with maintaining the auditor’s independence;
• reviewing and discussing the audit results, including any comments and recommendations of the independent auditor and the responses of management to such recommendations;
• reviewing and discussing the annual and quarterly financial statements with management and the independent auditor;
• producing a committee report for inclusion in applicable SEC filings;
• reviewing the adequacy and effectiveness of internal controls and procedures;
• establishing procedures regarding the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints received regarding the accounting, internal accounting controls, or auditing matters and conducting or authorizing investigations into any matters within the scope of the responsibility of the audit committee; and
• reviewing transactions with related persons for potential conflict of interest situations.
Compensation Committee. Our compensation committee will consist of three independent directors. The members of the Compensation Committee will be Lun Feng, Bin Wang and Alan Jacobs. The committee has primary responsibility for:
• reviewing and recommending all elements and amounts of compensation for each executive officer, including any performance goals applicable to those executive officers;
• reviewing and recommending for approval the adoption, any amendment and termination of all cash and equity-based incentive compensation plans;
• once required by applicable law, causing to be prepared a committee report for inclusion in applicable SEC filings;
• approving any employment agreements, severance agreements or change of control agreements that are entered into with the CEO and certain executive officers; and
• reviewing and recommending the level and form of non-employee director compensation and benefits.
Nominating and Governance Committee. The Nominating and Governance Committee will consist of three independent directors. The members of the Nominating and Governance Committee will be Alan Jacobs, Bin Wang and Lun Feng. The Nominating and Governance Committee’s responsibilities include:
• recommending persons for election as directors by the stockholders;
• recommending persons for appointment as directors to the extent necessary to fill any vacancies or newly created directorships;
• reviewing annually the skills and characteristics required of directors and each incumbent director’s continued service on the board;
• reviewing any stockholder proposals and nominations for directors;
• advising the board of directors on the appropriate structure and operations of the board and its committees;
• reviewing and recommending standing board committee assignments;
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• developing and recommending to the board Corporate Governance Guidelines, a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and other corporate governance policies and programs and reviewing such guidelines, code and any other policies and programs at least annually;
• making recommendations to the board as to determinations of director independence; and
• making recommendations to the board regarding corporate governance based upon developments, trends, and best practices.
The Nominating and Governance Committee will consider stockholder recommendations for candidates for the board of directors.
Board Diversity
Our Nominating and Governance Committee will be responsible for reviewing with the board of directors, on an annual basis, the appropriate characteristics, skills, and experience required for the board of directors as a whole and its individual members. Although our board of directors does not have a formal written diversity policy with respect to the evaluation of director candidates, in its evaluation of director candidates, our Nominating and Governance Committee will consider factors including, without limitation, issues of character, integrity, judgment, potential conflicts of interest, other commitments, and diversity, and with respect to diversity, such factors as gender, race, ethnicity, experience, and area of expertise, as well as other individual qualities and attributes that contribute to the total diversity of viewpoints and experience represented on the board of directors.
The Nominating and Governance Committee will ensure compliance with the new rule by Nasdaq for board diversity (the “Nasdaq Diversity Rule”), on or before the date required under the Nasdaq Diversity Rule. The Nasdaq Diversity Rule requires, assuming our shares of common stock are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market and that we are a smaller reporting company, that we will have at least two directors serving on our board of directors, at least one of which identifies as female and the second of which identifies as female, underrepresented minority or LGBTQ+, by December 31, 2026, unless our board of directors is comprised of five or less directors.
Controlled Company Exemptions
Because our directors and executive officers will continue to control a majority of the voting power of our common stock after the completion of this offering, we will be a “controlled company” for purposes of the listing standards of Nasdaq and the rules of the SEC. As a “controlled company”, exemptions under the listing standards of Nasdaq will exempt us from certain of Nasdaq’s corporate governance requirements, including the following requirements:
• that our board of directors be composed of a majority of “independent directors,” as defined under the rules of Nasdaq,
• that our compensation committee be composed entirely of independent directors, and
• that our nominating and governance committee be composed entirely of independent directors.
Although we do not currently expect to rely on the exemptions afforded by Nasdaq to controlled companies, we may elect to do so in the future. Accordingly, for so long as we are a “controlled company” and to the extent we elect to take advantage of these exemptions, holders of our common stock may not have the same protections afforded to shareholders of companies that are subject to all of Nasdaq’s corporate governance requirements. If we cease to be a “controlled company”, we will be required to comply with these provisions within the transition periods specified in the rules of Nasdaq.
These exemptions do not modify the independence requirements for our audit committee.
Code of Business Conduct and Ethics
Prior to this offering, we will adopt a written code of business conduct and ethics that applies to our directors, officers and employees, including our principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions. Following this offering, a copy of the code will be made available on the Corporate Governance section of our website, which is located at flyebike.com. If we make
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any substantive amendments to, or grant any waivers from, the code of business conduct and ethics for any officer or director, we will disclose the nature of such amendment or waiver on our website or in a current report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC.
Compensation of Executive Officers
Summary Compensation Table
The following table shows the compensation awarded to or earned during the years ended March 31, 2024 and 2023 by our chief executive officer. Other than as listed below, we did not have any officers that received more than $100,000 in compensation during the years ended March 31, 2024 and 2023. The person listed in the following table is referred to herein as the “named executive officer.”
Summary Compensation Table
Name and principal position |
Year |
Salary |
Bonus |
Stock |
Option |
All Other |
Total |
|||||||||
Zhou Ou |
2024 |
$ |
100,000 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
$ |
100,000 |
|||||||
Chief Executive Officer |
2023 |
$ |
100,000 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
$ |
100,000 |
Narrative Disclosure to Summary Compensation Table
Zhou Ou, Chief Executive Officer
We plan to enter into an employment agreement with Mr. Ou in the near future. In order to support our operations and allocate more resources towards our development, Mr. Ou received compensation at the level of a store manager for the years ended March 31, 2024 and 2023.
As of March 31, 2024, there were no option or stock awards outstanding.
Director Compensation
Our employee directors do not currently receive any compensation for serving as directors. The appointment of our independent directors will take effect upon the effectiveness of this registration statement. Each independent director is entitled to an annual cash compensation of $50,000.
Policies on Clawback and Recovery of Compensation
In connection with this offering, we are required to adopt and we will adopt, prior to the listing of our shares on Nasdaq, a clawback policy to address the recovery of erroneously-awarded incentive compensation in compliance with the requirements of the Dodd-Frank Act, final SEC rules and applicable listing standards.
2024 Omnibus Incentive Plan
Before the effectiveness of this registration statement, we plan to adopt the FLY-E Group Inc. 2024 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the “2024 Plan”) in order to grant equity-based and other incentive awards to our officers, employees, directors, consultants and advisers. The purpose of the 2024 Plan is to help us attract, motivate and retain such persons with awards under the 2024 Plan and thereby enhance shareholder value. The 2024 Plan will be effective upon our shareholders’ approval (the “Effective Date”). The following is a summary of the material terms of the 2024 Plan.
Plan Administration
The 2024 Plan will be administered by our Compensation Committee. Our board of directors will retain the authority under the 2024 Plan to exercise any or all of the powers and authorities related to the administration and implementation of the 2024 Plan.
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Award Eligibility
Awards under the 2024 Plan may be made to our or any of our affiliates’ employees, officers and directors, as well as to consultants and advisors currently providing services to us or any of our affiliates at the time of such award.
Shares Subject to the 2024 Plan
The number of shares of our common stock available for issuance under the 2024 Plan is 2,500,000 (the “Share Limit”).
Reversion of Shares
If any shares covered by an award are not purchased or are forfeited or expire, or if any award otherwise terminates without delivery of any shares subject to the award or is settled in cash in lieu of shares, then the number of shares counted against the Share Limit with respect to such award will, to the extent of any such forfeiture, termination, expiration or settlement, again be available for issuance under the 2024 Plan.
Awards
The 2024 Plan provides for the grant of awards of stock options, stock appreciation rights (“SARs”), restricted stock, restricted stock units, deferred stock units, unrestricted stock, dividend equivalent rights, and other equity-based awards.
Stock Options
Stock options granted under the 2024 Plan may be nonqualified stock options or incentive stock options within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code. Each option will become vested and exercisable at such times and under such conditions as our Compensation Committee may approve consistent with the terms of the 2024 Plan. No option may be exercisable more than ten years after the option grant date. Our Compensation Committee may include in the option agreement provisions specifying the period during which an option may be exercised following termination of the grantee’s service.
The exercise price per share of our common stock for each option granted under the 2024 Plan may not be less than 100%, or 110% in the case of an incentive stock option granted to a stockholder who owns more than ten percent of our voting stock, of the fair market value of a share of our common stock on the option grant date, except in the case of an option granted upon assumption of, or in substitution for, outstanding awards previously granted under a compensatory plan by a business entity acquired or to be acquired by us or an affiliate of ours or with which we or an affiliate has combined or will combine. Payment of the exercise price for shares purchased pursuant to the exercise of an option may be made in such forms as are approved by our Compensation Committee. These forms may include, in our Compensation Committee’s discretion, cash, cash equivalents, shares of our common stock and net issuance.
Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, and Deferred Stock Units
Restricted stock is an award of our common stock on which vesting restrictions are imposed that subject such shares of our common stock to a substantial risk of forfeiture, as defined in Section 83 of the Code. A restricted stock unit is an award that represents a conditional right to receive shares of our common stock in the future and that may be made subject to the same types of restrictions and risk of forfeiture as restricted stock. A deferred stock unit is a restricted stock unit that may be settled at some point in the future at a time or times consistent with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code.
Stock Appreciation Rights
A SAR is a right to receive upon exercise, in the form of common stock, cash or a combination of common stock and cash, the excess of the fair market value of one share of common stock on the exercise date over the grant price of the SAR. SARs may be granted in conjunction with all or a part of any option or other award granted under the 2024 Plan, or without regard to any option or other award. Upon exercise of a SAR, the holder will be entitled to receive, in the specified form of consideration, the excess of the fair market value of one share of our common stock on the exercise date over the exercise price of the SAR, as determined by our Compensation Committee. The exercise price of a SAR may not be less than the fair market value of a share of our common stock on the grant date.
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Dividend Equivalent Rights
Dividend equivalent rights entitle the grantee to receive cash, shares of our common stock, or a combination of both equal to the amount of that the grantee would have received had the grantee held a specified number of shares of our common stock during the period. Dividend equivalent rights may be granted independently or in connection with the grant of any equity-based award, except that no dividend equivalent right may be granted in connection with, or related to an option or SAR.
Other Equity-Based Awards
Our Compensation Committee may grant other types of equity-based or equity-related awards in such amounts and subject to such terms and conditions as our Compensation Committee may determine, including unrestricted stock and dividend equivalent rights which are described in more detail in the 2024 Plan.
Changes to Capital Structure
In the event of a merger, reorganization, recapitalization, reclassification, stock split, reverse stock split, spin-off combination of shares, exchange of shares, stock dividend or other distribution payable in capital stock, or other increase or decrease in such shares effected without the receipt of consideration by us, then the number and kind of shares for which grants of options and other awards may be made under the 2024 Plan may be adjusted proportionately and accordingly by our Compensation Committee.
Change of Control
Except as otherwise provided in the applicable award agreement, upon the occurrence of a change of control of our Company in which outstanding awards are not being assumed or continued, all outstanding shares of restricted stock, restricted stock units, deferred stock units, dividend equivalent rights and performance-based awards will be deemed to have vested and any underlying shares of our common stock will be deemed delivered immediately before the change of control; and either or both of the following actions shall be taken: (i) at our Compensation Committee’s discretion, all options and SARs will become exercisable fifteen days before the change of control (with any exercise of an option or SAR during such fifteen day period to be contingent upon the consummation of the change of control) and terminate upon the change of control to the extent not exercised; and/or (ii) at our Compensation Committee’s discretion, all options, SARs, shares of restricted stock, restricted stock units, deferred stock units, dividend equivalent rights and/or performance-based awards will be canceled and cashed out in connection with the change of control. Other equity-based awards will be governed by the terms of the applicable award agreement.
If we experience a change of control in which outstanding awards that are not exercised prior to the change of control will be assumed or continued by the surviving entity, then, except as otherwise provided in the applicable award agreement, in another agreement with the grantee, or as otherwise set forth in writing, upon the occurrence of the change of control, the 2024 Plan and the awards granted under the 2024 Plan will continue in the manner and under the terms so provided in the event of the change of control to the extent that provision is made in writing in connection with such change of control for the assumption or continuation of such awards, or for the substitution for such awards with new awards, with appropriate adjustments as to the number of shares (disregarding any consideration that is not common stock) and exercise prices of options and SARs.
Plan Amendment and Termination
The Compensation Committee may adopt, amend and rescind rules relating to the administration of the 2024 Plan, and our board of directors may amend, suspend, or terminate the 2024 Plan at any time; provided, that, no such amendment or termination will be made that materially and adversely impairs the rights of any participant with respect to any award granted under the 2024 Plan without the participant’s consent, other than amendments that are necessary to permit the granting of awards in compliance with applicable laws. The 2024 Plan will automatically terminate the day before the tenth (10th) anniversary of the Effective Date, unless earlier terminated by our board of directors or in accordance with the terms of the 2024 Plan.
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CERTAIN Relationships and Related Party Transactions
From April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2024, our Chairman and CEO, Mr. Ou, provided financial support to the Company by advancing funds and making various payments on behalf of the Company totaling $4,198,875. These amounts payable to Mr. Ou are unsecured, bear no interest and do not have a maturity date. From April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2024, the Company repaid a total of $3,641,811 to Mr. Ou, including repayment of amounts owed to Mr. Ou prior to April 1, 2021. As of March 31, 2024, the Company transferred $2,263,630 of the payable balance along with a cash contribution of $136,370 from Mr. Ou as capital contribution. As of March 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, the remaining balance of these payables was $92,229, $332,481 and $2,476,418, respectively.
From April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2024, Mr. Rui Feng, our Chief Operating Officer, advanced a total of $55,136 to the subsidiaries of the Company to support their business operations. These amounts payable to Mr. Feng are unsecured, bear no interest and do not have a maturity date. From April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2024, the Company repaid $118,760 to Mr. Feng, including repayment of amounts owed to him prior to April 1, 2021. As of March 31, 2024, the Company has paid off all amounts owed to Mr. Feng.
From April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2024, Mr. Ke Zhang, our Chief Human Resource Officer, advanced an aggregate of $158,942 to the subsidiaries of the Company to support their business operations. These amounts payable to Mr. Zhang are unsecured, bear no interest and do not have a maturity date. From April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2024, the Company repaid $340,772 to Mr. Zhang, including repayment of amounts owed to him prior to April 1, 2021. As of March 31, 2024, the Company has paid off all amount owed to Mr. Zhang.
On March 6, 2021, the Company and DGLG Accounting and Tax LLC (“DGLG”) entered into an engagement letter, wherein the Company engaged DGLG as a consultant to assist the Company in its IPO planning, financing and tax services. Mr. Guo is a partner at DGLG. In December 2022, the Company hired Mr. Guo as its CFO. Under the terms of the engagement agreement with DGLG, the Company has agreed to compensate DGLG for consulting services based on an hourly fee arrangement. For the years ended March 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, DGLG’s consulting fees were $100,000, $25,000 and nil, respectively. For the years ended March 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, the Company paid DGLG a total of $117,550, $13,050 and $32,919, respectively, for tax services.
On February 1, 2023, PJMG LLC (“PJMG”), a company in which Mr. Guo, our CFO, holds over 50% of the equity interests, provided a loan of $150,000 to the Company (the “PJMG Loan”). The PJMG Loan was unsecured, bore no interest and was set to mature on May 31, 2024. Furthermore, the Company has agreed to retain the services of PJMG as a consultant following the completion of its IPO. To secure these services, the Company prepaid a total of $210,000 to PJMG during the year ended March 31, 2024, of which $150,000 was applied to offset the PJMG Loan.
Fly E Bike SRL, a company formed under the laws of the Dominican Republic and in which Mr. Ou holds over 50% of the equity interests, is a distributor for the Company. During the years ended March 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, Fly E Bike SRL purchased certain EV products from the Company in the amount of $326,914, $136,565 and nil, respectively. As of March 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, the Company had accounts receivable from Fly E Bike SRL in the amounts of $384,144, $136,565 and nil, respectively. In addition, during the year ended March 31, 2024, the Company advanced a total of $653,829 to Fly E Bike SRL. Such advance is unsecured, bears no interest and does not have a maturity date. As of March 31, 2024, Fly E Bike SRL has repaid $530,804 to the Company.
In December 2023, the Company engaged DF Technology US Inc (“DFT”) for certain technology services. Mr. Guo, our CFO, owns over 50% of the equity interest in DFT. For the year ended March 31, 2024, the Company paid a total of $1,554,000 to DFT as prepayment for software development.
Policies and Procedures for Related Party Transactions
Our audit committee charter will provide that our audit committee will be responsible for reviewing and approving in advance any related party transaction. This will cover, with certain exceptions set forth in Item 404 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, any transaction, arrangement or relationship, or any series of similar transactions, arrangements or relationships in which we were or are to be a participant, where the amount involved exceeds $120,000 and a related person had or will have a direct or indirect material interest, including, without limitation, purchases of goods or services by or from the related person or entities in which the related person has a material interest, indebtedness, guarantees of indebtedness and employment by us of a related person. All of the transactions described in this section occurred prior to the creation of our audit committee and the adoption of this policy, and, as such, they were not conducted on an arm’s length basis.
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SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT
The following table sets forth information, as of May 3, 2024, regarding beneficial ownership of our common stock by:
• each of our directors;
• each of our executive officers;
• all directors and executive officers as a group; and
• each person, or group of affiliated persons, known by us to beneficially own more than five percent of our shares of common stock.
Beneficial ownership is determined according to the rules of the SEC, and generally means that person has beneficial ownership of a security if he or she possesses sole or shared voting or investment power of that security, and includes options that are currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days. Each director or officer, as the case may be, has furnished us with information with respect to beneficial ownership. Except as otherwise indicated, we believe that the beneficial owners of common stock listed below, based on the information each of them has given to us, have sole investment and voting power with respect to their shares, except where community property laws may apply. Except as otherwise noted below, the address for each person or entity listed in the table is c/o Fly-E Group, Inc., 136-40 39th Avenue, Flushing, NY 11354.
Name and address of beneficial owner |
Shares beneficially owned prior to offering |
Percentage owned prior to offering(1) |
Percentage owned after offering(1) |
||||
Executive Officers and Directors |
|
||||||
Zhou Ou |
7,700,000 |
35.0 |
% |
30.8% |
|||
Ruifeng Guo |
— |
— |
|
—% |
|||
Rui Feng |
1,760,000 |
8.0 |
% |
7.0% |
|||
Ke Zhang |
7,370,000 |
33.5 |
% |
29.5% |
|||
Directors and Officers as a group (four persons) |
16,830,000 |
76.5 |
% |
67.3% |
____________
(1) Based on 22,000,000 shares of common stock outstanding as of May 3, 2024.
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The following description of the material terms of our securities and the provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws, which will become effective prior to the consummation of this offering, are summaries and are qualified by reference to such documents. We have filed copies of these documents with the SEC as exhibits to our registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.
Authorized Capital Stock
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation authorizes us to issue up to 100,000,000 shares of common stock and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock. We will have 25,000,000 shares of common stock outstanding immediately after the closing of this offering.
Common Stock
Shares of our common stock have the following rights, preferences and privileges:
Voting
Each holder of common stock is entitled to one vote for each share of common stock held on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders. Any action at a meeting at which a quorum is present will be decided by a majority of the voting power present in person or represented by proxy, except in the case of any election of directors, which will be decided by a plurality of votes cast. There is no cumulative voting.
Dividends
Holders of our common stock are entitled to receive dividends when, as and if declared by our board of directors out of funds legally available for payment, subject to the rights of holders, if any, of any class of stock having preference over the common stock. Any decision to pay dividends on our common stock will be at the discretion of our board of directors. Our board of directors may or may not determine to declare dividends in the future. See “Dividend Policy.” The board’s determination to issue dividends will depend upon our profitability and financial condition any contractual restrictions, restrictions imposed by applicable law and the SEC, and other factors that our board of directors deems relevant.
Liquidation Rights
In the event of a voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, the holders of our common stock will be entitled to share ratably on the basis of the number of shares held in any of the assets available for distribution after we have paid in full, or provided for payment of, all of our debts and after the holders of all outstanding series of any class of stock have preference over the common stock, if any, have received their liquidation preferences in full.
Other
Our issued and outstanding shares of common stock are fully paid and nonassessable. Holders of shares of our common stock are not entitled to preemptive rights. Shares of our common stock are not convertible into shares of any other class of capital stock, nor are they subject to any redemption or sinking fund provisions.
Preferred Stock
We are authorized to issue up to 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation authorizes the board of directors to issue these shares in one or more series, to determine the designations and the powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof, including the dividend rights, conversion or exchange rights, voting rights (including the number of votes per share), redemption rights and terms, liquidation preferences, sinking fund provisions and the
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number of shares constituting the series. Our board of directors could, without stockholder approval, issue preferred stock with voting and other rights that could adversely affect the voting power and other rights of the holders of common stock and which could have the effect of making it more difficult for a third party to acquire, or of discouraging a third party from attempting to acquire, a majority of our outstanding voting stock.
Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaw Provisions
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and bylaws include a number of anti-takeover provisions that may have the effect of encouraging persons considering unsolicited tender offers or other unilateral takeover proposals to negotiate with our board of directors rather than pursue non-negotiated takeover attempts. These provisions include:
Advance Notice Requirements. Our bylaws establish advance notice procedures with regard to stockholder proposals relating to the nomination of candidates for election as directors or new business to be brought before meetings of stockholders. These procedures provide that notice of stockholder proposals must be timely and given in writing to our corporate Secretary. Generally, to be timely, notice must be received at our principal executive offices not later than 90 days and not earlier than 120 calendar days prior to the first anniversary date of the immediately preceding year’s annual meeting, subject to certain exceptions. The notice must contain the information required by the bylaws, including information regarding the proposal and the proponent.
Special Meetings of Stockholders. Our bylaws provide that special meetings of stockholders may be called at any time by only the board of directors or the Chief Executive Officer.
No Written Consent of Stockholders. Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws provide that any action required or permitted to be taken by stockholders must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting of stockholders and may not be effected by any consent in writing by such stockholders.
Amendment of Bylaws. Our bylaws may be altered, amended or repealed and new bylaws may be adopted by the stockholders or by the board of directors at any regular meeting of the stockholders or of the board of directors, at any special meeting of the stockholders or of the board of directors or by written action by the board of directors if notice of such alteration, amendment, repeal or adoption of new bylaws be contained in the notice of such meeting or any notice required for such written action.
Preferred Stock. Our certificate of incorporation authorizes our board of directors to create and issue rights entitling our stockholders to purchase shares of our stock or other securities. The ability of our board to establish the rights and issue substantial amounts of preferred stock without the need for stockholder approval may delay or deter a change in control of us. See “Preferred Stock” above.
Delaware Takeover Statute
Upon completion of the offering, we will not be subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”). In general, Section 203 prohibits a Delaware corporation from engaging in a “business combination” with an “interested shareholder” for a three-year period following the time that the person becomes an interested shareholder, unless the business combination is approved in a prescribed manner. A “business combination” includes, among other things, a merger, asset or stock sale or other transaction resulting in a financial benefit to the interested shareholder. An “interested shareholder” is a person who, together with affiliates and associates, owns, or did own within three years prior to the determination of interested shareholder status, 15% or more of the corporation’s voting stock.
Under Section 203 of the DGCL, a business combination between a corporation and an interested shareholder is prohibited unless it satisfies one of the following conditions: (1) before the shareholder became an interested shareholder, the board of directors approved either the business combination or the transaction which resulted in the shareholder becoming an interested shareholder; (2) upon consummation of the transaction which resulted in the shareholder becoming an interested shareholder, the interested shareholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding for purposes of determining the
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voting stock outstanding, shares owned by persons who are directors and also officers, and employee stock plans, in some instances; or (3) at or after the time the shareholder became an interested shareholder, the business combination was approved by the board of directors and authorized at an annual or special meeting of the shareholders by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the outstanding voting stock which is not owned by the interested shareholder.
A Delaware corporation may “opt out” of these provisions with an express provision in its original certificate of incorporation or an express provision in its certificate of incorporation or bylaws resulting from a shareholders’ amendment approved by at least a majority of the outstanding voting shares.
Limitations on Liability and Indemnification of Officers and Directors
Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws limit the liability of our officers and directors and provide that we will indemnify our officers and directors, in each case, to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL. We expect to obtain additional directors’ and officers’ liability insurance coverage prior to the completion of this offering.
Listing
We have applied to list the shares of our common stock offered hereby on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “FLYE.”
Registrar and Transfer Agent
The registrar and transfer agent for our common stock is VStock Transfer, LLC. The transfer agent’s address is 18 Lafayette Place, Woodmere, New York 11598.
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Shares Eligible for Future Sale
Future sales of substantial amounts of common stock in the public market after this offering could adversely affect market prices prevailing from time to time and could impair our ability to raise capital through the sale of our equity securities. We are unable to estimate the number of shares of common stock that may be sold in the future.
Upon the closing of this offering, we will have:
• 25,000,000 shares of common stock outstanding; and
• 150,000 shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of warrants to be issued to the representative of the underwriters in connection with this offering.
All of the shares sold in this offering will be freely tradable without restriction under the Securities Act unless purchased by one of our affiliates as that term is defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act, which generally includes directors, officers or 10% stockholders. None of the holders of shares of our common stock or securities exercisable for or convertible into shares of our common stock have any registration rights.
Lock-Up
Our directors, officers and holders of more than 5% of our outstanding shares of common stock have agreed not to offer, sell, dispose of or hedge any shares of our common stock, subject to specified limited exceptions, during the period continuing through the date that is 180 days after the date of this offering.
Rule 144
Shares of common stock held by any of our affiliates, as that term is defined in Rule 144 of the Securities Act, as well as shares held by our current stockholders, may be resold only pursuant to further registration under the Securities Act or in transactions that are exempt from registration under the Securities Act. In general, under Rule 144 as currently in effect, any person who is or has been our affiliate during the 90 days immediately preceding the sale and who has beneficially owned shares for at least six months is entitled to sell, within any three-month period commencing 90 days after the date of this prospectus, a number of shares that does not exceed the greater of: (i) 1% of the number of shares of common stock then outstanding, or (ii) the average weekly trading volume of the common stock during the four calendar weeks preceding the filing of a Form 144 with respect to the sale.
Sales under Rule 144 by our affiliates will also be subject to manner of sale provisions and notice requirements and to the availability of current public information about us.
Regulation S
Regulation S under the Securities Act provides that securities owned by any person may be sold without registration in the United States, provided that the sale is effected in an “offshore transaction” and no “directed selling efforts” are made in the United States (as these terms are defined in Regulation S) and subject to certain other conditions. In general, this means that our shares of common stock may be sold in some manner outside the United States without requiring registration in the United States.
Rule 701
In general, under Rule 701 as in effect on the date of this prospectus, any of our employees, directors, officers, consultants, or advisors who purchased shares from us in reliance on Rule 701 in connection with a compensatory stock or option plan or other written agreement before the effective date of this offering, or who purchase shares from us after that date upon the exercise of options granted before that date, are eligible to resell such shares 90 days after the effective date of this offering in reliance upon Rule 144. If such person is not an affiliate, such sale may be made subject only to current public information provisions of Rule 144. If such a person is an affiliate, such sale may be made under Rule 144 without compliance with the holding period requirement, but subject to the other Rule 144 restrictions described above.
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MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES FOR NON-U.S. HOLDERS
The following is a summary of material U.S. federal income tax consequences to non-U.S. holders (as defined below) of the purchase, ownership and disposition of our common stock issued pursuant to this offering. This discussion is not a complete analysis of all potential U.S. federal income tax consequences relating thereto, does not address the special tax accounting rules under Section 451(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), or any U.S. federal non-income tax consequences, such as estate or gift tax consequences, or any tax consequences arising under any state, local or foreign tax laws. This discussion is based on the Code, Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder, judicial decisions, and published rulings and administrative pronouncements of the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) all as in effect on the date hereof. These authorities are subject to differing interpretations and may change, possibly retroactively, resulting in U.S. federal income tax consequences different from those discussed below. We have not requested a ruling from the IRS with respect to the statements made and the conclusions reached in the following summary, and there can be no assurance that the IRS or a court will agree with such statements and conclusions.
This discussion is limited to non-U.S. holders who purchase our common stock pursuant to this offering and who hold our common stock as a “capital asset” within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code (generally, property held for investment). This discussion does not address all of the U.S. federal income tax consequences that may be relevant to a non-U.S. holder in light of such non-U.S. holder’s particular circumstances. This discussion also does not consider any specific facts or circumstances that may be relevant to non-U.S. holders subject to special rules under the U.S. federal income tax laws, including:
• certain former citizens or long-term residents of the United States;
• partnerships or other entities or arrangements treated as pass-through or disregarded entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes (and investors therein);
• “controlled foreign corporations” as defined in Section 957 of the Code;
• “passive foreign investment companies” as defined in Section 1297 of the Code;
• corporations that accumulate earnings to avoid U.S. federal income tax;
• banks, financial institutions, investment funds, insurance companies, brokers, dealers or traders in securities;
• tax-exempt organizations and governmental organizations;
• tax-qualified retirement plans;
• persons who acquire our common stock through the exercise of an option or otherwise as compensation;
• “qualified foreign pension funds” as defined in Section 897(l)(2) of the Code and entities all of the interests of which are held by qualified foreign pension funds;
• persons that own or have owned, actually or constructively, more than 5% of our common stock;
• persons who have elected to mark securities to market; and
• persons holding our common stock as part of a hedging or conversion transaction or straddle, or synthetic security or a constructive sale, or other risk reduction strategy or integrated investment.
If an entity or arrangement that is classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds our common stock, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner in the partnership will generally depend on the status of the partner, the activities of the partnership and certain determinations made at the partner level. Partnerships holding our common stock and the partners in such partnerships are urged to consult their tax advisors about the particular U.S. federal income tax consequences to them of holding and disposing of our common stock.
THIS DISCUSSION IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TAX ADVICE. PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS SHOULD CONSULT THEIR TAX ADVISORS REGARDING THE PARTICULAR U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES TO THEM OF ACQUIRING, OWNING AND DISPOSING OF
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OUR COMMON STOCK, AS WELL AS ANY TAX CONSEQUENCES ARISING UNDER ANY STATE, LOCAL OR FOREIGN TAX LAWS AND ANY OTHER U.S. FEDERAL TAX LAWS OR UNDER ANY APPLICABLE INCOME TAX TREATY.
Definition of Non-U.S. Holder
For purposes of this discussion, a non-U.S. holder is any beneficial owner of our common stock that is not a “U.S. holder” or a partnership (including any entity or arrangement treated as a partnership) for U.S. federal income tax purposes. A U.S. holder is any person that, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, is or is treated as any of the following:
• an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States;
• a corporation created or organized under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia;
• an estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income tax regardless of its source; or
• a trust (1) whose administration is subject to the primary supervision of a U.S. court and which has one or more U.S. persons who have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (2) that has a valid election in effect under applicable Treasury Regulations to be treated as a U.S. person.
Distributions on Our Common Stock
As described under “Dividend Policy”, we do not anticipate declaring or paying, in the foreseeable future, any cash distributions on our capital stock. However, if we distribute cash or other property to holders of shares of our common stock, such distributions will constitute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent such distribution is made from our current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles. Amounts not treated as dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes will constitute a return of capital and will first be applied against and reduce a holder’s tax basis in our common stock, but not below zero. Any excess will be treated as gain realized on the sale or other disposition of our common stock and will be treated as described under “Material U.S. federal income tax consequences for non-U.S. holders — Gain on disposition of our common stock” below.
Subject to the discussion below regarding effectively connected income, backup withholding and FATCA (as defined below), dividends paid to a non-U.S. holder of shares of our common stock generally will be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax at a rate of 30% of the gross amount of the dividends or such lower rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty. To receive the benefit of a reduced treaty rate, a non-U.S. holder must furnish us or our withholding agent with a valid IRS Form W-8BEN (in the case of individuals) or IRS Form W-8BEN-E (in the case of entities), or other appropriate form, certifying such holder’s qualification for the reduced rate. This certification must be provided to us or our withholding agent before the payment of the dividends and must be updated periodically. In the case of a non-U.S. Holder that is an entity, Treasury Regulations and the relevant tax treaty provide rules to determine whether, for purposes of determining the applicability of the tax treaty, dividends will be treated as paid to the entity or to those holding an interest in the entity. If the non-U.S. holder holds our common stock through a financial institution or other agent acting on the non-U.S. holder’s behalf, the non-U.S. holder will be required to provide appropriate documentation to the agent, which then will be required to provide certification to us or our withholding agent, either directly or through other intermediaries.
If a non-U.S. holder holds shares of our common stock in connection with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States, and dividends paid on our common stock are effectively connected with such holder’s U.S. trade or business (and are attributable to such holder’s permanent establishment or fixed base in the United States if required by an applicable tax treaty), the non-U.S. holder will be exempt from U.S. federal withholding tax. To claim the exemption, the non-U.S. holder must generally furnish a valid IRS Form W-8ECI (or applicable successor form) to the applicable withholding agent.
However, any such effectively connected dividends generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net income basis at the regular U.S. federal income tax rates in the same manner as if such holder were a resident of the United States. A non-U.S. holder that is a foreign corporation also may be subject to an additional branch profits tax equal to 30% (or such lower rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty) of its effectively connected dividends, as adjusted for certain items.
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Non-U.S. holders that do not provide the required certification on a timely basis, but that qualify for a reduced treaty rate, may obtain a refund of any excess amounts withheld by timely filing an appropriate claim for refund with the IRS. Non-U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors regarding any applicable income tax treaties that may provide for different rules.
Gain on Disposition of Our Common Stock
Subject to the discussion below regarding backup withholding and FATCA, a non-U.S. holder generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on any gain realized on the sale or other disposition of our common stock, unless:
• the gain is effectively connected with the non-U.S. holder’s conduct of a trade or business in the United States and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, is attributable to a permanent establishment or fixed base maintained by the non-U.S. holder in the United States;
• the non-U.S. holder is a nonresident alien individual present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year of the disposition, and certain other requirements are met; or
• our common stock constitutes a “United States real property interest” by reason of our status as a United States real property holding corporation (USRPHC) for U.S. federal income tax purposes at any time within the shorter of the five-year period preceding the disposition or the non-U.S. holder’s holding period for our common stock, and our common stock is not “regularly traded” on an established securities market during the calendar year in which the sale or other disposition occurs.
Gain described in the first bullet point above generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net income basis at the regular U.S. federal income tax rates in the same manner as if such holder were a resident of the United States. A non-U.S. holder that is a foreign corporation also may be subject to an additional branch profits tax equal to 30% (or such lower rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty) of its effectively connected earnings and profits for the taxable year, as adjusted for certain items.
Gain described in the second bullet point above will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at a flat 30% rate (or such lower rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty), but may be offset by certain U.S.- source capital losses (even though the individual is not considered a resident of the United States), provided that the non-U.S. holder has timely filed U.S. federal income tax returns with respect to such losses.
Determining whether we are a USRPHC depends on the fair market value of our U.S. real property interests relative to the fair market value of our other trade or business assets and our foreign real property interests. We believe that we are not currently, and we do not anticipate becoming, a USRPHC for U.S. federal income tax purposes, although there can be no assurance we will not in the future become a USRPHC. Even if we are treated as a USRPHC, gain realized by a non-U.S. Holder on a disposition of our common stock will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax so long as (1) the non-U.S. Holder owned, directly, indirectly and constructively, no more than 5% of our common stock at all times within the shorter of (a) the five-year period preceding the disposition or (b) the holder’s holding period and (2) our common stock is regularly traded on an established securities market within the meaning of applicable U.S. Treasury regulations. There can be no assurance that our common stock qualifies as regularly traded on an established securities market. If any gain on a non-U.S. holder’s disposition of our common stock is taxable because we are a USRPHC and such holder’s ownership of our common stock exceeds 5%, such holder will be taxed on such disposition generally in the manner applicable to U.S. persons and in addition, a purchaser of such holder’s common stock may be required to withhold tax with respect to that obligation.
Non-U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors regarding any applicable income tax treaties that may provide for different rules.
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Information Reporting and Backup Withholding
Annual reports are required to be filed with the IRS and provided to each non-U.S. holder indicating the amount of distributions on our common stock paid to such holder and the amount of any tax withheld with respect to those distributions. These information reporting requirements apply even if no withholding was required because the distributions were effectively connected with the holder’s conduct of a U.S. trade or business, or withholding was reduced or eliminated by an applicable income tax treaty. This information also may be made available under a specific treaty or agreement with the tax authorities in the country in which the non-U.S. holder resides or is established. Backup withholding, currently at a 24% rate, generally will not apply to payments to a non-U.S. holder of dividends on or the gross proceeds of a disposition of our common stock provided the non-U.S. holder furnishes the required certification for its non-U.S. status, such as by providing a valid IRS Form W-8BEN, IRS Form W-8BEN-E or IRS Form W-8ECI, or otherwise establishes an exemption, and if the payor does not have actual knowledge, or reason to know, that the holder is a U.S. person who is not an exempt recipient.
Backup withholding is not an additional tax. If any amount is withheld under the backup withholding rules, the non-U.S. holder should consult with a U.S. tax advisor regarding the possibility of and procedure for obtaining a refund or a credit against the non-U.S. holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, if any.
Withholding on Foreign Entities
Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, which are commonly referred to as FATCA, impose a U.S. federal withholding tax of 30% on certain payments made to a “foreign financial institution” (as specially defined under these rules) unless such institution enters into an agreement with the U.S. government to withhold on certain payments and to collect and provide to the U.S. tax authorities substantial information regarding certain U.S. account holders of such institution (which includes certain equity and debt holders of such institution, as well as certain account holders that are foreign entities with U.S. owners) or an exemption applies. FATCA also generally imposes a U.S. federal withholding tax of 30% on certain payments made to a “non-financial foreign entity” (as specially defined under these rules) unless such entity provides the withholding agent a certification that it does not have any “substantial United States owners” or provides information identifying certain direct and indirect U.S. owners of the entity or an exemption applies. An intergovernmental agreement between the United States and an applicable foreign country may modify these requirements. Under certain circumstances, a non-U.S. holder might be eligible for refunds or credits of such taxes. FATCA currently applies to dividends paid on our common stock and would have applied also to payments of gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of our common stock. However, the U.S. Treasury Department has released proposed regulations under FATCA providing for the elimination of the federal withholding tax of 30% applicable to gross proceeds of a sale or other disposition of from property of a type that can produce U.S. source dividends or interest. Under these proposed Treasury Regulations (which may be relied upon by taxpayers prior to finalization), FATCA will not apply to gross proceeds from sales or other dispositions of our common stock.
Prospective investors are encouraged to consult with their tax advisors regarding the possible implications of FATCA on their investment in our common stock.
EACH PROSPECTIVE INVESTOR SHOULD CONSULT ITS TAX ADVISOR REGARDING THE TAX CONSEQUENCES OF PURCHASING, HOLDING AND DISPOSING OF OUR COMMON STOCK, INCLUDING THE CONSEQUENCES OF ANY RECENT AND PROPOSED CHANGE IN APPLICABLE LAW, AS WELL AS TAX CONSEQUENCES ARISING UNDER ANY STATE, LOCAL, NON-U.S. OR U.S. FEDERAL NON-INCOME TAX LAWS.
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We have entered into an underwriting agreement with The Benchmark Company, LLC, as the representative of the underwriters (“Benchmark” or the “Representative”), with respect to the shares sold in this offering. Subject to the terms and conditions of the underwriting agreement, we have agreed to sell to the underwriters named below, and the underwriters have agreed, severally and not jointly, to purchase from us the number of shares of common stock set forth opposite the underwriter’s name in the following table at the initial public offering price less the underwriting discounts set forth in the cover page of this prospectus:
Underwriter |
Number of |
|
The Benchmark Company, LLC |
|
|
TOTAL |
3,000,000 |
The underwriters have committed to purchase all of the shares offered by us other than those shares covered by the over-allotment option described below, if they purchase any shares. The obligations of the underwriters may be terminated upon the occurrence of certain events specified in the underwriting agreement. Furthermore, pursuant to the underwriting agreement, the underwriters’ obligations are subject to customary conditions, representations and warranties contained in the underwriting agreement, such as receipt by the underwriters of officers’ certificates and legal opinions.
We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against specified liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute to payments the underwriters may be required to make in respect of those liabilities.
The underwriters are offering the shares, subject to prior sale, when, as and if issued to and accepted by them, subject to approval of legal matters by their counsel and other conditions contained in the underwriting agreement. The underwriters reserve the right to withdraw, cancel or modify offers to the public and to reject orders in whole or in part.
Over-Allotment Option
We have granted the underwriters an option to purchase from us, at the initial public offering price less the underwriting discounts and commissions, up to an additional 450,000 shares of our common stock, solely to cover over- allotments, if any. The underwriters may exercise this option, in whole or in part, for shares of our common stock, any time during the 30-day period from the date of this prospectus. If this option is exercised in full, the total price to the public will be $_______, underwriting discounts and commissions will be $_______ (assuming all investors in the offering are introduced by the underwriters) and the net proceeds to us, before expenses, will be $_________.
Underwriting Discount, Commissions and Expenses
The following table shows the per share and total underwriting discounts and commissions to be paid to the underwriters and the proceeds to us before expenses. These amounts are shown assuming both no exercise and full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares of our common stock.
Total |
|||||||||
Per Share |
No Exercise |
Full Exercise |
|||||||
Initial public offering price |
$ |
$ |
$ |
||||||
Underwriting discounts and commissions (7%)(1) |
$ |
$ |
$ |
||||||
Proceeds, before expenses, to us |
$ |
$ |
$ |
____________
(1) Represents underwriting discounts equal to (i) 7% per share, which is the underwriting discounts we have agreed to pay on investors in this offering introduced by the underwriters; and (ii) 5.5% per share, which is the underwriting discounts we have agreed to pay on investors in this offering introduced by us. For purpose of the calculation only, we assume 100% investors in this offering are introduced by the underwriters.
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The Representative has advised us that the underwriters propose initially to offer the shares to the public at the initial public offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus and to dealers at that price less a concession not in excess of $____ per share. After the initial public offering, the public offering price, concession and discount may be changed.
We have agreed to pay all of the expenses relating to the offering, including, but not limited to, (a) all filing fees and communication expenses relating to the registration of the shares of common stock to be sold in this offering with the SEC; (b) all fees and expenses relating to the listing of the shares on the Nasdaq Capital Market and such other exchanges as the Company and the Representative together determine, including any fees charged by DTC; (c) all filing fees and communication expenses associated with the review of the offering by FINRA; (d) all fees, expenses and disbursements relating to the registration or qualification of the shares under “blue sky” or securities laws of such states of the United States of America and other jurisdictions designated by the Representative, including the reasonable fees and expenses of the Representative’s blue sky counsel; (e) all fees, expenses and disbursements relating to the registration, qualification or exemption of the shares under the securities laws of such foreign jurisdictions designated by the Representative; (f) the costs of mailing and printing the underwriting documents (including the Underwriting Agreement, any Blue Sky Surveys and, if appropriate, any Agreement Among Underwriters, Selected Dealers’ Agreement, Underwriters’ Questionnaire and Power of Attorney), registration statements, prospectuses and all amendments, supplements and exhibits thereto and as many preliminary and final prospectuses as the Representative may reasonably deem necessary; (g) the costs of preparing, printing and delivering certificates representing the common stock issued in this offering; (h) transfer and/or stamp taxes, if any, payable upon our transfer of the shares to the underwriters; (i) the fees and expenses of the transfer agent for our common stock; (j) the cost associated with the Representative’s use of Ipreo’s book building, prospectus tracking and compliance software for the offering; (k) the fees and expenses of the Company’s accountants; (l) expenses incurred by the Underwriters for any roadshow for the offering; (n) the fees of counsel to the Underwriters in an amount not to exceed $135,000; provided that the forgoing underwriter’s out-of-pocket expenses shall not exceed $160,000. Additionally, we have agreed to pay all fees, expenses and disbursements relating to background checks of our directors and offices in an amount not to exceed $7,500.
We have paid a $25,000 expense advance to the Representative, which shall be applied against actual out-of-pocket-accountable expenses, which will be returned to us to the extent such out-of-pocket accountable expenses are not actually incurred in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(4)(A). We have agreed to pay to the Representative a non-accountable expense allowance of 1.0% of the gross proceeds of the offering at the closing of the offering.
We estimate that the total expenses of the offering payable by us, excluding the total underwriting discounts and commissions and non-accountable expense allowance, will be approximately $925,890.
Discretionary Accounts
The underwriters do not intend to confirm sales of the shares offered hereby to any accounts over which they have discretionary authority.
Electronic Distribution
A prospectus in electronic format may be made available on the websites maintained by one or more of the underwriters or selling group members, if any, participating in the offering. Benchmark may allocate a number of shares to the underwriters and selling group members, if any, for sale to their online brokerage account holders. Any such allocations for online distributions will be made by Benchmark on the same basis as other allocations.
Representative’s Warrants
We have agreed to issue to the Representative or its designees at the closing of this offering warrants to purchase the number of common stock equal to 5% of the aggregate number of shares sold in this offering. The warrants will be exercisable at any time and from time to time, in whole or in part, during the four-and-a-half-year period commencing six months after the commencement of sales in this offering. The warrants will be exercisable at a per share price equal to 100% of the initial public offering price per share in the offering. The Warrants provide for registration rights (including a one-time demand registration right at our expense and unlimited piggyback rights, each expiring five (5) years from commencement of sales of the offering) and customary anti-dilution provisions, as permitted by FINRA Rule 5110(g)(8).
72
The warrants have been deemed compensation by FINRA and are therefore subject to a 180-day lock-up pursuant to Rule 5110(e)(1) of FINRA. The Representative (or permitted assignees under Rule 5110(e)(1)) will not sell, transfer, assign, pledge, or hypothecate these warrants or the securities underlying these warrants, nor will they engage in any hedging, short sale, derivative, put, or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of the warrants or the underlying securities for a period of 180 days from the date of this prospectus. The warrants and the common stocks underlying the warrants are being registered as a part of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part and will be freely tradable upon the declaration of the effectiveness of such registration statement by the SEC.
The exercise price and number of shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants may be adjusted in certain circumstances including in the event of a stock dividend, extraordinary cash dividend or recapitalization, reorganization, merger or consolidation.
Lock-Up Agreements
Our officers and directors, and holders of more than 5% of our outstanding shares of common stock have agreed not to, without the prior written consent of the Representative, directly or indirectly, offer to sell, sell, pledge or otherwise transfer or dispose of any shares of our common stock (or enter into any transaction or device that is designed to, or could be expected to, result in the transfer or disposition by any person at any time in the future of shares of our common stock, enter into any swap or other derivatives transaction that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic benefits or risks of ownership of shares of common stock, make any demand for or exercise any right or cause to be filed a registration statement, including any amendments thereto, with respect to the registration of any of the shares of common stock or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of common stock or any other of our securities or publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing, subject to customary exceptions, for periods of 180 days from the date of this prospectus.
Tail Financing
If during the twelve (12) month period that is following the closing of this initial public offering, we consummate a financing with investors with whom we have had a conference call or a meeting arranged by the Representative during the period in which we engaged the representative, we will pay the Representative a fee equal 7% of the proceeds of such financing; provided, however, if the underwriting agreement is terminated for cause by the Company, no tail financing fee shall be payable as provided in FINRA Rule 5110(g)(5)(B).
Right of First Refusal
We have granted the Representative the right to act as lead or joint-lead investment banker, lead or joint book-runner and/or lead or joint placement agent, for any of our future public and private equity and debt offerings, including all equity linked financings, during the twelve (12) month period following the completion of this initial public offering; provided, however, if the underwriting agreement is terminated for cause by the Company, the right of first refusal shall be terminated as provided in FINRA Rule 5110(g)(5)(B).
Determination of Offering Price
The public offering price was negotiated between Benchmark and us. In determining the public offering price of our common stock, Benchmark considered:
• the history and prospects for the industry in which we compete;
• our financial information;
• the ability of our management and our business potential and earning prospects;
• the prevailing securities markets at the time of this offering; and
• the recent market prices of, and the demand for, publicly traded shares of generally comparable companies, as well as the recent market price of our Company’s common stock.
73
Stabilization
In connection with this offering, the underwriter may engage in stabilizing transactions, over-allotment transactions, syndicate-covering transactions, penalty bids, and purchases to cover positions created by short sales.
• Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase securities so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum and are engaged in for the purpose of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the securities while the offering is in progress.
• Over-allotment transactions involve sales by the underwriter of securities in excess of the number of securities the underwriter is obligated to purchase. This creates a syndicate short position which may be either a covered short position or a naked short position. In a covered short position, the number of securities over-allotted by the underwriter is not greater than the number of securities that they may purchase in the over-allotment option. In a naked short position, the number of securities involved is greater than the number of securities in the over-allotment option. The underwriter may close out any short position by exercising their over-allotment option and/or purchasing securities in the open market.
• Syndicate covering transactions involves purchases of securities in the open market after the distribution has been completed in order to cover syndicate short positions. In determining the source of securities to close out the short position, the underwriter will consider, among other things, the price of securities available for purchase in the open market as compared with the price at which they may purchase securities through exercise of the over-allotment option. If the underwriter sells more securities than could be covered by exercise of the over-allotment option and, therefore, have a naked short position, the position can be closed out only by buying securities in the open market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriter is concerned that after pricing there could be downward pressure on the price of the securities in the open market that could adversely affect investors who purchase in the offering.
• Penalty bids permit the underwriter to reclaim a selling concession from a syndicate member when the securities originally sold by that syndicate member are purchased in stabilizing or syndicate covering transactions to cover syndicate short positions.
These stabilizing transactions, over-allotment transactions, syndicate covering transactions, and penalty bids may have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of our securities or preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of our securities. As a result, the price of our securities in the open market may be higher than it would otherwise be in the absence of these transactions. Neither we nor the underwriter make any representation or prediction as to the effect that the transactions described above may have on the price of our securities. These transactions may be affected on the Nasdaq Stock Market, in the over-the-counter market or otherwise and, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time.
Passive Market Making
In connection with this offering, underwriter, and selling group members may engage in passive market making transactions in our securities on the Nasdaq Stock Market in accordance with Rule 103 of Regulation M under the Exchange Act, during a period before the commencement of offers or sales of the shares and extending through the completion of the distribution. A passive market maker must display its bid at a price not in excess of the highest independent bid of that security. However, if all independent bids are lowered below the passive market maker’s bid, then that bid must then be lowered when specified purchase limits are exceeded.
Other Relationships
The underwriters and their respective affiliates are full service financial institutions engaged in various activities, which may include sales and trading, commercial and investment banking, advisory, investment management, investment research, principal investment, hedging, market making, brokerage and other financial and non-financial activities and services. Certain of the underwriters and their respective affiliates have provided, and may in the future provide, a variety of these services to us and to persons and entities with relationships with us, for which they received or will receive customary fees and expenses.
74
SELLING RESTRICTIONS
Other than in the United States, no action has been taken by us or the underwriter that would permit a public offering of the securities offered by this prospectus in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required. The securities offered by this prospectus may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, nor may this prospectus or any other offering material or advertisements in connection with the offer and sale of any such securities be distributed or published in any jurisdiction, except under circumstances that will result in compliance with the applicable rules and regulations of that jurisdiction. Persons who come into possession of this prospectus are advised to inform themselves about and to observe any restrictions relating to the offering and the distribution of this prospectus. This prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities offered by this prospectus in any jurisdiction in which such an offer or a solicitation is unlawful.
European Economic Area
In relation to each member state of the European Economic Area that has implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a relevant member state), with effect from and including the date on which the Prospectus Directive is implemented in that relevant member state (the relevant implementation date), an offer of shares described in this prospectus may not be made to the public in that relevant member state other than:
• to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined in the Prospectus Directive;
• to fewer than 100 or, if the relevant member state has implemented the relevant provision of the 2010 PD Amending Directive, 150 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined in the Prospectus Directive), as permitted under the Prospectus Directive, subject to obtaining the prior consent of the relevant Dealer or Dealers nominated by us for any such offer; or
• in any other circumstances falling within Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive, provided that no such offer of shares shall require us or any underwriter to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive.
For purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer of securities to the public” in any relevant member state means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the shares to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for the shares, as the expression may be varied in that member state by any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in that member state, and the expression “Prospectus Directive” means Directive 2003/71/EC (and amendments thereto, including the 2010 PD Amending Directive, to the extent implemented in the relevant member state) and includes any relevant implementing measure in the relevant member state. The expression 2010 PD Amending Directive means Directive 2010/73/EU.
The sellers of the shares have not authorized and do not authorize the making of any offer of shares through any financial intermediary on their behalf, other than offers made by the underwriters with a view to the final placement of the shares as contemplated in this prospectus. Accordingly, no purchaser of the shares, other than the underwriters, is authorized to make any further offer of the shares on behalf of the sellers or the underwriters.
United Kingdom
This prospectus is only being distributed to, and is only directed at, persons in the United Kingdom that are qualified investors within the meaning of Article 2(1)(e) of the Prospectus Directive that are also (i) investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the “Order”) or (ii) high net worth entities, and other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (each such person being referred to as a “relevant person”). This prospectus and its contents are confidential and should not be distributed, published or reproduced (in whole or in part) or disclosed by recipients to any other persons in the United Kingdom. Any person in the United Kingdom that is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents.
Hong Kong
Our securities may not be offered or sold by means of any document other than (i) in circumstances which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of the Companies Ordinance (Cap.32, Laws of Hong Kong), (ii) to “professional investors” within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap.571, Laws of Hong Kong)
75
and any rules made thereunder or (iii) in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a “prospectus” within the meaning of the Companies Ordinance (Cap.32, Laws of Hong Kong), and no advertisement, invitation or document relating to the securities may be issued or may be in the possession of any person for the purpose of issue (in each case whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere), which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public in Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to the securities which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to “professional investors” within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap.571, Laws of Hong Kong) and any rules made thereunder.
People’s Republic of China
This prospectus has not been and will not be circulated or distributed in the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”), and our securities may not be offered or sold, and will not be offered or sold to any person for re-offering or resale, directly or indirectly, to any resident of the PRC except pursuant to applicable laws and regulations of the PRC.
Singapore
This prospectus has not been registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, this prospectus and any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of our securities may not be circulated or distributed, nor may the securities be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor (as defined under Section 4A of the Securities and Futures Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore (the “SFA”) ) pursuant to Section 274 of the SFA, (ii) to a relevant person (as defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA) pursuant to Section 275(1) of the SFA, or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A), and in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275 of the SFA or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA, in each case subject to conditions set forth in the SFA.
Where our securities are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 by a relevant person which is a corporation (which is not an accredited investor as defined in Section 4A of the SFA) the sole business of which is to hold investments and the entire share capital of which is owned by one or more individuals, each of whom is an accredited investor, the securities or securities-based derivatives contracts (each as defined in Section 2(1) of the SFA) of that corporation shall not be transferable for six months after that corporation has acquired our securities under Section 275 except: (a) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the SFA or to a relevant person, (b) where such transfer arises from an offer in that corporation’s securities pursuant to Section 275(1A) of the SFA, and in accordance with the conditions, specified in Section 275 of the SFA; (c) where no consideration is or will be given for the transfer; (d) where such transfer is by operation of law; or (e) as specified in Section 276(7) of the SFA.
Where the securities are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is a trust (where the trustee is not an accredited investor (as defined in Section 4A of the SFA)) whose sole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary of the trust is an accredited investor, the beneficiaries’ rights and interest (howsoever described) in that trust shall not be transferable for six months after that trust has acquired the shares under Section 275 of the SFA except: (1) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the SFA or to a relevant person, (2) where such transfer arises from an offer that is made on terms that such rights or interest are acquired at a consideration of not less than S$200,000 (or its equivalent in a foreign currency) for each transaction (whether such amount is to be paid for in cash or by exchange of securities or other assets), (3) where no consideration is or will be given for the transfer, (4) where the transfer is by operation of law, or (5) as specified in Section 276(7) of the SFA.
76
The validity of the securities offered hereby will be passed upon for us by Hogan Lovells US LLP, New York, New York. Lucosky Brookman LLP has represented the underwriters in connection with this offering.
The consolidated financial statements as of March 31, 2023 and 2022 appearing in this prospectus have been audited by Marcum Asia CPAs LLP (“Marcum Asia”) and Friedman LLP (“Friedman”), an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of such firm as experts in auditing and accounting.
The office of Marcum Asia is located at 7 Pennsylvania Plaza, Suite 830, New York, NY 10001. The office of Friedman is located at One Liberty Plaza, 165 Broadway, 21st Floor, New York, NY 10006.
CHANGE IN REGISTRANT’S CERTIFYING ACCOUNTANT
Effective September 1, 2022, Friedman, our then independent registered public accounting firm, combined with Marcum LLP and continued to operate as an independent registered public accounting firm. On January 5, 2023, our board of directors dismissed Friedman and engaged Marcum Asia to serve as our independent registered public accounting firm. The services previously provided by Friedman are now provided by Marcum Asia.
Friedman’s report on our consolidated financial statements for the year ended March 31, 2022 did not contain an adverse opinion or a disclaimer of opinion and were not qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope, or accounting principles. Furthermore, during our fiscal year ended March 31, 2022 and through January 5, 2023, there have been no disagreements with Friedman on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedure, which disagreements, if not resolved to Friedman’s satisfaction, would have caused Friedman to make reference to the subject matter of the disagreement in connection with its reports on our financial statements for such periods.
For our fiscal year ended March 31, 2022 and the subsequent interim period through January 5, 2023, there were no “reportable events”, as defined in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K.
During our fiscal year ended March 31, 2022 and through January 5, 2023, neither our Company nor anyone acting on our behalf consulted Marcum Asia with respect to any of the matters or reportable events described in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act for the shares of common stock being offered by this prospectus. This prospectus, which is part of the registration statement, does not contain all of the information included in the registration statement and the exhibits. For further information about us and the common stock offered by this prospectus, you should refer to the registration statement and its exhibits. References in this prospectus to any of our contracts or other documents are not necessarily complete, and you should refer to the exhibits attached to the registration statement for copies of the actual contract or document. You may read and copy any document that we file at the SEC’s public reference room located at 100 F Street, NE, Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the public reference rooms. SEC filings are also available to the public at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
We will be subject to the reporting and information requirements of the Exchange Act and, as a result, will file periodic and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. We expect to make our periodic reports and other information filed with or furnished to the SEC, available, free of charge, through our website as soon as reasonably practicable after those reports and other information are filed with or furnished to the SEC. Additionally, these periodic reports, proxy statements and other information will be available for inspection and copying at the public reference room and website of the SEC referred to above.
77
Consolidated Financial Statements as of and for the years ended
March 31, 2023 and 2022
Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements as of and for the nine months ended
December 31, 2023 and 2022
Page |
||
Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2023 and March 31, 2023 |
F-27 |
|
F-28 |
||
F-29 |
||
F-30 |
||
Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements |
F-31 |
F-1
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Shareholders and Board of Directors of
Fly-E Group, Inc.
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheet of Fly-E Group, Inc. (the “Company”) as of March 31, 2023, the related consolidated statements of income, stockholders’ equity and cash flows for the year ended March 31, 2023, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of March 31, 2023, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the year then ended, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“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 also audited adjustments to the 2022 financial statements to retroactively effect the stock split as described in Note 8. In our opinion, such adjustments are appropriate and have been properly applied. We were not engaged to audit, review, or apply any procedures to the Company’s 2022 financial statements other than with respect to the adjustments and, accordingly, we do not express an opinion or any other form of assurance on the 2022 financial statements as a whole.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB and in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are 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 statements, 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 statements. 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 statements. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
/s/ Marcum Asia CPAs LLP
Marcum Asia CPAs LLP
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2022 (such date takes into account the acquisition of certain assets of Friedman LLP by Marcum Asia CPAs LLP effective September 1, 2022).
New York, NY
August 11, 2023, except for Note 8 as to which the date is April 22, 2024
F-2
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Board of Directors and
Stockholders of Fly-E Group, Inc.
Opinion on the Consolidated Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheet of Fly-E Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries (the “Company”) as of March 31, 2022, and the related consolidated statements of income, changes in stockholders’ equity and cash flows for the year ended March 31, 2022, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the consolidated financial statements). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of March 31, 2022, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the year ended March 31, 2022, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
We were not engaged to audit, review or apply any procedures to the adjustments to retroactively apply the effects of the stock split described in Note 8, accordingly, we do not express an opinion or any other form of assurance about whether such adjustments are appropriate and have been properly applied. Those adjustments were audited by Marcum Asia CPAs LLP.
Basis for Opinion
These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s consolidated financial statements based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“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 and in accordance with the auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are 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 consolidated financial statements, 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 consolidated financial statements. Our audit also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statements. We believe that our audit provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
/s/ Friedman LLP
We served as the Company’s auditor during 2022
New York, New York
December 28, 2022
F-3
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(Expressed in U.S. dollars, except for the number of shares)
March 31, |
March 31, |
|||||||
ASSETS |
|
|
|
|
||||
Current Assets |
|
|
|
|
||||
Cash |
$ |
358,894 |
|
$ |
395,034 |
|
||
Accounts receivable |
|
389,077 |
|
|
54,325 |
|
||
Accounts receivable – related parties |
|
136,565 |
|
|
— |
|
||
Inventories, net |
|
3,838,754 |
|
|
4,605,526 |
|
||
Other receivables |
|
782,819 |
|
|
145,189 |
|
||
Total Current Assets |
|
5,506,109 |
|
|
5,200,074 |
|
||
Property and equipment, net |
|
785,285 |
|
|
424,480 |
|
||
Security deposits |
|
424,942 |
|
|
294,262 |
|
||
Deferred IPO costs |
|
75,819 |
|
|
— |
|
||
Deferred tax assets, net |
|
211,100 |
|
|
659,900 |
|
||
Operating lease right-of-use assets |
|
10,261,556 |
|
|
8,083,920 |
|
||
Total Assets |
$ |
17,264,811 |
|
$ |
14,662,636 |
|
||
|
|
|
|
|||||
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY |
|
|
|
|
||||
Current Liabilities |
|
|
|
|
||||
Accounts payable |
$ |
1,005,401 |
|
$ |
1,076,329 |
|
||
Current portion of long-term loan payables |
|
412,224 |
|
|
— |
|
||
Accrued expenses and other payables |
|
365,662 |
|
|
470,759 |
|
||
Other payables – related parties |
|
332,481 |
|
|
2,828,804 |
|
||
Operating lease liabilities – current |
|
1,836,737 |
|
|
1,312,549 |
|
||
Taxes payable |
|
959,456 |
|
|
734,429 |
|
||
Total Current Liabilities |
|
4,911,961 |
|
|
6,422,870 |
|
||
Long-term loan payables |
|
723,228 |
|
|
— |
|
||
Long-term loan payables – related parties |
|
150,000 |
|
|
— |
|
||
Operating lease liabilities – non-current |
|
8,979,193 |
|
|
7,117,908 |
|
||
Total Liabilities |
|
14,764,382 |
|
|
13,540,778 |
|
||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Commitment and Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Stockholders’ Equity |
|
|
|
|
||||
Preferred stock, $0.01 par value, 4,400,000 shares authorized and nil outstanding as of March 31, 2023 and 2022* |
|
— |
|
|
— |
|
||
Common stock, $0.01 par value, 44,000,000 shares authorized and 22,000,000 shares outstanding as of December 31, 2023 and March 31, 2023* |
|
220,000 |
|
|
220,000 |
|
||
Shares Subscription Receivable |
|
(219,998 |
) |
|
(219,998 |
) |
||
Retained Earnings |
|
2,500,427 |
|
|
1,121,856 |
|
||
Total Stockholders’ Equity |
|
2,500,429 |
|
|
1,121,858 |
|
||
Total Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity |
$ |
17,264,811 |
|
$ |
14,662,636 |
|
____________
* Shares and per share data are presented on a retroactive basis to reflect the nominal share issuance on December 21, 2022 and to give effect to the stock split completed on April 2, 2024.
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
F-4
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
(Expressed in U.S. dollars, except for the number of shares)
For the Years Ended |
||||||||
2023 |
2022 |
|||||||
Revenues |
$ |
21,774,937 |
|
$ |
17,192,659 |
|
||
Cost of Revenues |
|
13,485,405 |
|
|
13,950,620 |
|
||
Gross Profit |
|
8,289,532 |
|
|
3,242,039 |
|
||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Operating Expenses |
|
|
|
|
||||
Selling Expenses |
|
3,667,227 |
|
|
2,042,668 |
|
||
General and Administrative Expenses |
|
2,309,927 |
|
|
571,639 |
|
||
Total operating expenses |
|
5,977,154 |
|
|
2,614,307 |
|
||
Income from Operations |
|
2,312,378 |
|
|
627,732 |
|
||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Other Expenses, net |
|
(11,574 |
) |
|
(48,503 |
) |
||
Interest Expenses, net |
|
(100,341 |
) |
|
— |
|
||
Income Before Income Taxes |
|
2,200,463 |
|
|
579,229 |
|
||
Income Tax Expense |
|
(821,892 |
) |
|
(171,208 |
) |
||
Net Income |
$ |
1,378,571 |
|
$ |
408,021 |
|
||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Earnings per Share |
$ |
0.06 |
|
$ |
0.02 |
|
||
Weighted Average Number of Common Stock |
|
|
|
|
||||
– Basic and Diluted* |
|
22,000,000 |
|
|
22,000,000 |
|
____________
* Shares and per share data are presented on a retroactive basis to reflect the nominal share issuance on December 21, 2022 and to give effect to the stock split completed on April 2, 2024.
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
F-5
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
(Expressed in U.S. dollars, except for the number of shares)
|
|
Shares |
Additional |
Retained |
Total |
|||||||||||||||||
Shares* |
Amount |
Shares* |
Amount |
|||||||||||||||||||
Balance at March 31, 2021 |
— |
$ |
— |
22,000,000 |
$ |
220,000 |
(219,998 |
) |
$ |
— |
$ |
713,835 |
$ |
713,837 |
||||||||
Net Income |
— |
|
— |
— |
|
— |
— |
|
|
— |
|
408,021 |
|
408,021 |
||||||||
Balance at March 31, 2022 |
— |
$ |
— |
22,000,000 |
$ |
220,000 |
(219,998 |
) |
$ |
— |
$ |
1,121,856 |
$ |
1,121,858 |
||||||||
Net Income |
— |
|
— |
— |
|
— |
— |
|
|
— |
|
1,378,571 |
|
1,378,571 |
||||||||
Balance at March 31, 2023 |
— |
$ |
— |
22,000,000 |
$ |
220,000 |
(219,998 |
) |
$ |
— |
$ |
2,500,427 |
$ |
2,500,429 |
____________
* Shares and per share data are presented on a retroactive basis to reflect the nominal share issuance on December 21, 2022 and to give effect to the stock split completed on April 2, 2024.
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
F-6
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(Expressed in U.S. dollars, except for the number of shares)
For the Years Ended |
||||||||
2023 |
2022 |
|||||||
Cash flows from operating activities |
|
|
|
|
||||
Net income |
$ |
1,378,571 |
|
$ |
408,021 |
|
||
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities: |
|
|
|
|
||||
Depreciation expense |
|
145,783 |
|
|
95,162 |
|
||
Deferred income taxes expenses (benefits) |
|
448,800 |
|
|
(484,000 |
) |
||
Amortization of operating lease right-of-use assets |
|
1,905,028 |
|
|
908,728 |
|
||
Inventories reserve |
|
431,363 |
|
|
279,985 |
|
||
Changes in operating assets and liabilities: |
|
|
|
|
||||
Accounts receivable |
|
(334,752 |
) |
|
161,405 |
|
||
Accounts receivable – related parties |
|
(136,565 |
) |
|
— |
|
||
Inventories |
|
335,409 |
|
|
(2,131,637 |
) |
||
Other receivables and other current assets |
|
(637,630 |
) |
|
(77,709 |
) |
||
Security deposits |
|
(130,680 |
) |
|
(161,688 |
) |
||
Accounts payable |
|
(70,928 |
) |
|
1,076,329 |
|
||
Accrued expenses and other payables |
|
(105,097 |
) |
|
62,929 |
|
||
Operating lease liabilities |
|
(1,697,190 |
) |
|
(743,811 |
) |
||
Taxes payable |
|
225,027 |
|
|
617,974 |
|
||
Net cash provided by operating activities |
|
1,757,139 |
|
|
11,688 |
|
||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Cash flows from investing activities |
|
|
|
|
||||
Payments of property and equipment |
|
(442,915 |
) |
|
(323,544 |
) |
||
Net cash (used in) investing activities |
|
(442,915 |
) |
|
(323,544 |
) |
||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Cash flows from financing activities |
|
|
|
|
||||
Deferred IPO Cost |
|
(75,819 |
) |
|
— |
|
||
Borrowing from loan payables |
|
1,500,000 |
|
|
— |
|
||
Repayments of loan payables |
|
(278,222 |
) |
|
— |
|
||
Borrowing from other payables – related parties |
|
— |
|
|
534,536 |
|
||
Repayments on other payables – related parties |
|
(2,496,323 |
) |
|
— |
|
||
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities |
|
(1,350,364 |
) |
|
534,536 |
|
||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net changes in cash |
|
(36,140 |
) |
|
222,680 |
|
||
Cash at beginning of the year |
|
395,034 |
|
|
172,354 |
|
||
Cash at the end of the year |
$ |
358,894 |
|
$ |
395,034 |
|
||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information |
|
|
|
|
||||
Cash paid for interest expense |
$ |
100,387 |
|
|
— |
|
||
Cash paid for income taxes |
$ |
148,064 |
|
$ |
37,235 |
|
||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities |
|
|
|
|
||||
Initial recognition of Right-Of-Use Assets and Lease Liabilities |
$ |
4,082,664 |
|
$ |
6,311,020 |
|
||
Unpaid deferred IPO costs |
$ |
11,717 |
|
|
— |
|
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
F-7
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
1 — DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS, ORGANIZATION AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION
Organization and principal activities
Fly-E Group, Inc. (the “Company” or “Fly-E Group”) was incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware on November 1, 2022. The Company has no substantive operations other than holding all of the issued and outstanding shares of Fly E-Bike Inc. (“Fly E-Bike”) and Fly EV, Inc. (“Fly EV”). Fly E-Bike and Fly EV were incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware on August 22, 2022 and November 1, 2022, respectively. Fly EV has no substantive operations. The Company, through its wholly owned subsidiaries, is principally engaged in designing, installing and selling smart electric bikes (“E-bikes”), electric motorcycles (“E-motorcycles”), electric scooters (“E-scooters”) and related accessories under the brand name of “Fly E-Bike.” The Company’s principal operations and geographic markets are mainly in the United States of America (the “U.S.”). As of August 1, 2023, the Company has opened a total of 32 stores in the U.S.
The Company’s business was initially operated under CTATE INC. (“Ctate”), a corporation formed under the laws of the State of New York in 2018. Before merging with Fly E-Bike, Ctate owned 27 companies, each of which operated a Fly E-Bike store. On September 12, 2022, Ctate and Fly E-Bike, which was a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ctate, entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger, pursuant to which Ctate merged into and with Fly E-Bike, with Fly E-Bike being the surviving corporation (the “Merger”). As a result of the Merger, the original shareholders of Ctate became the stockholders of Fly E-Bike and subsequently effectively controlled the combined entity.
On December 21, 2022, Fly-E Group and Fly E-Bike entered into a Share Exchange Agreement, pursuant to which Fly-E Group acquired all of the issued and outstanding shares of Fly E-Bike by issuing its shares to the stockholders of Fly E-Bike on a one-for-one basis (the “Share Exchange”). As a result of the Share Exchange, Fly E-Bike became a wholly owned subsidiary of Fly-E Group.
As a result of the Merger and the Share Exchange, Fly E-Bike and its subsidiaries are under common control of Fly-E Group, resulting in the consolidation of Fly E-Bike and its subsidiaries, which was accounted as a reorganization of entities under common control at carrying value. The consolidated financial statements are prepared on the basis as if the reorganization became effective as of the beginning of the first period presented in the accompanying consolidated financial statements of Fly-E Group.
The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the financial statements of the Company and each of the following subsidiaries as of March 31, 2023.
Name |
Background |
Ownership |
||
FLY-E GROUP, INC. |
• A Delaware corporation • Incorporated on November 1, 2022 • A holding company |
Parent Company |
||
FLY EV, INC. |
• A Delaware corporation • Incorporated on November 1, 2022 • A holding Company |
100% owned by Fly-E Group, Inc. |
||
FLY E-BIKE, INC. |
• A Delaware Company • Incorporated on August 22, 2022 • A holding Company |
100% owned by Fly-E Group, Inc. |
||
UNIVERSE KING CORP |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on November 19, 2018 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
UFOTS CORP. |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on May 2, 2019 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
F-8
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
1 — DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS, ORGANIZATION AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION (cont.)
Name |
Background |
Ownership |
||
ARFY CORP. |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on April 29, 2020 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
TKPGO CORP. |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on July 3, 2018 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLYFLS INC |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on October 13, 2020 • A retail store and corporate office |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLY37 INC |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on October 14, 2020 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FIYET INC |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on November 12, 2020 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLY GC INC. |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on November 13, 2020 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLY MHT INC. |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on December 15, 2020 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLYAM INC |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on February 19, 2021 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
OFLYO INC |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on March 29, 2021 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLYEBIKE INC |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on March 30, 2021 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLYCLB INC |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on April 15, 2021 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLYEBIKE NJ INC |
• A New Jersey corporation • Incorporated on June 8, 2021 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
ESEBIKE INC |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on October 13, 2021 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLYEBIKEMIAMI INC |
• A Florida corporation • Incorporated on June 30, 2021 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
F-9
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
1 — DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS, ORGANIZATION AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION (cont.)
Name |
Background |
Ownership |
||
GOFLY INC |
• A Texas corporation • Incorporated on July 23, 2021 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLY14 CORP. |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on September 15, 2021 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
EDISONEBIKE INC. |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on October 13, 2021 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLYTRON INC. |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on November 9, 2021 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLYCYCLE INC. |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on January 10, 2022 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLYNJ2 INC. |
• A New Jersey corporation • Incorporated on February 10, 2022 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLYBWY INC. |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on March 2, 2022 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLYCORONA INC. |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on March 9, 2022 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
MEEBIKE |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on March 25, 2022 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLY6AVE, INC. |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on April 16, 2022 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLY E BIKE NJ3, INC |
• A New Jersey corporation • Incorporated on July 18, 2022 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLYEBIKE BROOKLYN, INC. |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on November 2, 2022 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLY E-BIKE SAN ANTONIO INC |
• A Texas corporation • Incorporated on January 1, 2023 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
F-10
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
1 — DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS, ORGANIZATION AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION (cont.)
Name |
Background |
Ownership |
||
FLYEBIKE WORLD INC. |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on February 27, 2023 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLY DELIVERY INC. |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on March 2, 2023 • A delivery store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
Liquidity
As March 31, 2023 the Company had working capital of approximately $0.6 million and cash of approximately $0.4 million. The Company had net income of $1.4 million and $0.4 million for the years ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The management plans to increase the Company’s revenue by strengthening its sales force, providing attractive sales incentive programs, and increasing marketing and promotion activities. Management also intends to raise additional funds by way of a private or public offering, or by obtaining loans from banks, related parties or others. The working capital requirements are affected by the efficiency of operations and depend on the Company’s ability to increase its revenue. The Company anticipates that it will continue to incur net income for the foreseeable future and believes that its cash on hand and operating cash flows will be sufficient to fund its operations over at least the next 12 months from the date of issuance of these financial statements. However, the Company may need additional cash resources in the future if the Company wishes to pursue opportunities for investment, expansion of new stores, acquisition, strategic cooperation, or other similar actions. If it is determined that the cash requirements exceed the Company’s amounts of cash on hand, the Company may seek to issue debt or equity securities or obtain a credit facility.
2 — SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
(a) Basis of Presentation
The accompanying consolidated financial statements of the Company have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. (the “U.S. GAAP”) and regulations of the Securities Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).
The accompanying consolidated financial statements contemplate the realization of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business. The realization of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business are dependent on, among other things, the Company’s ability to operate profitably, to generate cash flows from operations, and its ability to attract investors and to borrow funds on reasonable economic terms.
(b) Principles of Consolidation
The consolidated financial statements include the financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries over which the Company exercises control and, when applicable, entities for which the Company has a controlling financial interest. All transactions and balances among the Company and its subsidiaries have been eliminated upon consolidation.
(c) Segment Information
The Company’s chief operating decision-makers (i.e., chief executive officer and his direct reports) review financial information presented on a consolidated basis, accompanied by disaggregated information about revenues by different revenues streams for purposes of allocating resources and evaluating financial performance. The Company and its subsidiaries offer E-bikes, E-motorcycles, E-scooters and other items and services in its stores. The Company’s retail operating divisions are geographically based, have similar economic characteristics and similar expected long-term financial performance. The Company’s operating segments are reported in one reportable segment-wholesale and retail. There are no segment managers who are held accountable for operations,
F-11
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
2 — SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (cont.)
operating results and plans for levels or components below the consolidated unit level. Based on qualitative and quantitative criteria established by Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 280, “Segment Reporting”, the Company considers itself to be operating within one reportable segment.
(d) Use of Estimates
In the application of the Company’s accounting policies, management is required to make judgments, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates. Significant accounting estimates include, but not limited to, useful lives of depreciable property and equipment, impairment of long-lived assets, the realization of deferred income tax assets, allowance for inventories, and discount rate for operating leases. Changes in facts and circumstances may result in revised estimates. Actual results could differ from those estimates, and as such, differences may be material to the consolidated financial statements.
(e) Commitments and Contingencies
In the normal course of business, the Company is subject to loss contingencies, such as legal proceedings and claims arising out of its business, which cover a wide range of matters, including, among others, government investigations, shareholder lawsuits, and non-income tax matters.
An accrual for a loss contingency is recognized when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of loss can be reasonably estimated. If a potential material loss contingency is not probable but is reasonably possible, or is probable but cannot be estimated, then the nature of the contingent liability, together with an estimate of the range of possible loss if determinable and material, is disclosed.
(f) Cash
Cash consists of cash on hand and cash deposited with banks. The Company’s cash is maintained at financial institutions in the U.S. Deposits in these financial institutions may, from time to time, exceed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s (the “FDIC”) federally insured limits, which is $250,000. The Company has not incurred any losses during the past for amount over the FDIC limits. As of March 31, 2023 and 2022, no balance deposited with banks was uninsured.
(g) Accounts Receivable
Accounts receivables include trade account due from customers. Accounts receivables are recorded at the invoiced amount less an allowance for any uncollectible accounts and do not bear interest, which are due after 30 to 90 days, depending on the credit term with the customers. Management considers the following factors when determining the collectability of specific accounts: historical experience, credit worthiness of the clients, aging of the receivables and other specific circumstances related to the accounts. An allowance for doubtful accounts is made and recorded into general and administrative expenses based on the aging of accounts receivable and on any specifically identified accounts receivable that may become uncollectible. Accounts receivable which are deemed to be uncollectible are charged off against the allowance after all means of collection have been exhausted and the potential for recovery is considered remote. No allowance for doubtful accounts as of March 31, 2023 and 2022 was recorded.
(h) Inventories, Net
Inventories, consisting of products available for sale, are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value using the first-in-first-out method. Adjustments to the carrying value are recorded for estimated obsolescence or excess inventory equal to the difference between the cost of inventory and the estimated net realizable value based upon assumptions about future demand and market conditions. Inventory cost consists of the direct cost of merchandise including freight.
F-12
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
2 — SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (cont.)
(i) Prepayments and Other Receivables
Prepayments and other receivables are mainly prepayments to vendors, prepaid expenses paid to service providers, prepaid taxes, advances to employees, and other deposits. Management regularly reviews the aging of such balances and changes in payment and realization trends and records allowances when management believes that the collection of amounts due is at risk. Accounts considered uncollectable are written off against allowances after exhaustive efforts at collection are made. As of March 31, 2023 and 2022, no allowance against prepayments and other receivables was recorded.
(j) Property and Equipment, Net
Property and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation and any recorded impairment.
The estimated useful lives are as follows:
Machinery and equipment |
5 years |
|
Furniture and fixtures |
5 years |
|
Leasehold improvements |
3 – 10 years (shorter of lease term or useful lives) |
|
Motor vehicles |
5 years |
Depreciation on property and equipment is calculated on the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets. The cost and related accumulated depreciation of assets sold or otherwise retired are eliminated from the accounts and any gain or loss is included in the consolidated statements of operations. Expenditures for maintenance and repairs are charged to earnings as incurred, while additions, renewals, and betterments, which are expected to extend the useful life of assets, are capitalized. The Company also re-evaluates the periods of depreciation to determine whether subsequent events and circumstances warrant revised estimates of useful lives.
(k) Impairment of Long-lived Assets
At the end of each reporting period, the Company reviews the carrying amounts of its property, plant and equipment, and right-of-use assets, to determine whether there is any indication that the carrying value of an asset may not be recoverable. The Company assesses the recoverability of the assets based on the undiscounted future cash flows the assets are expected to generate and recognize an impairment loss when estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to result from the use of the asset plus net proceeds expected from disposition of the asset, if any, are less than the carrying value of the asset. If an impairment is identified, the Company will reduce the carrying amount of the asset to its estimated fair value based on a discounted cash flows approach or, when available and appropriate, to comparable market values. As of March 31, 2023 and 2022, no impairment of long-lived assets was recognized.
(l) Deferred IPO Costs
The Company complies with the requirements of FASB ASC Topic 340-10-S99-1, “Other Assets and Deferred Costs — SEC Materials” (“ASC 340-10-S99”) and SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin Topic 5A, “Expenses of Offering”. Deferred IPO costs consist of underwriting, legal, accounting and other professional expenses incurred through the balance sheet date that are directly related to the Proposed Public Offering and that will be charged to additional paid in capital upon the completion of the Proposed Public Offering. Should the Proposed Public Offering prove to be unsuccessful, these deferred costs, as well as additional expenses to be incurred, will be charged to operations.
F-13
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
2 — SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (cont.)
(m)Fair Value Measurements
Fair value is defined as the price that would be received for an asset, or paid to transfer a liability, in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. Valuation techniques maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs. When determining the fair value measurements for assets and liabilities, the Company considers the principal or most advantageous market in which it would transact and consider assumptions that market participants would use when pricing the asset or liability. The following summarizes the three levels of inputs required to measure fair value, of which the first two are considered observable and the third is considered unobservable:
Level-1 |
— |
Observable inputs that reflect quoted prices (unadjusted) for identical assets or liabilities in active markets. |
||
Level-2 |
— |
Include other inputs that are directly or indirectly observable in the marketplace. |
||
Level-3 |
— |
Unobservable inputs which are supported by little or no market activity. |
The fair value for certain assets and liabilities such as cash, accounts receivable, other receivables, prepayments and other current assets, short-term loans, accounts payable, contract liabilities, accrued expenses and other payables, and tax payables have been determined to approximate carrying amounts due to the short maturities of these instruments. The Company believes that its long-term loan to a third party approximates the fair value based on current yields for debt instruments with similar terms. The Company and its subsidiaries did not have any non-financial assets or liabilities that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of March 31, 2023 and 2022.
(n) Revenue Recognition
The Company follows the revenue accounting requirements of Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. The core principle underlying the revenue recognition of this ASC allows the Company to recognize revenue that represents the transfer of products and services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the Company expects to be entitled in such exchange. This will require the Company to identify contractual performance obligations and determine whether revenue should be recognized at a point in time or over time, based on when control of products and services transfers to a customer.
To achieve that core principle, the Company applies a five-step model to recognize revenue from customer contracts. The five-step model requires that the Company (i) identify the contract with the customer, (ii) identify the performance obligations in the contract, (iii) determine the transaction price, including variable consideration to the extent that it is probable that a significant future reversal will not occur, (iv) allocate the transaction price to the respective performance obligations in the contract, and (v) recognize revenue when (or as) the Company satisfies the performance obligation.
Product revenue — Performance obligations satisfied at point in time
The Company generates substantially all its revenues from sales of products such as smart E-bikes, E-motorcycles, E-scooters and accessories to the retail and wholesale customers through its wholly owned subsidiaries stores. In accordance with ASC 606, the Company’s performance obligations are satisfied upon the control of products being passed to the customer, which is the point in time that the customers are able to direct the use of and obtain substantially all of the economic benefit of the products or services. The transfer of control typically occurs at a point in time based on consideration of when the customer has an obligation to pay for the products, and physical possession of, legal title to, and the risks and rewards of ownership of the products have been transferred, and the customer has accepted the products. Revenue is recognized net of estimates of variable consideration, including product returns, customer discounts and allowance. which occurs at the point of sale, or the services have been rendered. Historically, the Company has not experienced any significant returns nor provided significant customer discounts.
F-14
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
2 — SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (cont.)
The Company offers an assurance-type warranty to its customers. An assurance-type warranty guarantees that the product will perform as promised and is not a performance obligation. This type of warranty promises to repair or replace a delivered good or service if it does not perform as expected. Since an assurance-type warranty guarantees the functionality of a product, the warranty is not accounted for as a separate performance obligation, and thus no transaction price is allocated to it. Rather, to account for an assurance-type warranty the vendor should estimate and accrue a warranty liability when the promised good or service is delivered to the customer (see ASC 460-10).
Since the contract price and term are fixed and enforceable, and an assurance-type warranty guarantees the functionality of a product, and the warranty is not accounted for as a separate performance obligation, no transaction price is allocated to it. The Company recognizes sales in full at the point in time when the products are delivered or accepted by the customers, in accordance with the acceptance term specified in the contract. The Company records estimated future warranty costs under ASC 460. Such estimated costs for warranties are estimated at the time of delivery and these warranties are not service warranties separately sold by the Company. Generally, the estimated claim rates of warranty are based on actual warranty experience or the Company’s best estimate. The Company accrued $22,056 and $53,541 of warranty reserves under accrued expenses and other payables as of March 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
Disaggregated information of revenues by business lines are as follows:
For the year ended |
||||||
2023 |
2022 |
|||||
USD |
USD |
|||||
Sale-retail |
$ |
18,844,921 |
$ |
12,804,757 |
||
Sale-wholesale |
|
2,930,016 |
|
4,387,902 |
||
Net revenues |
$ |
21,774,937 |
$ |
17,192,659 |
(o) Selling and Marketing Expenses
Selling and marketing expenses mainly consist of advertising costs, promotion expenses and payroll and related expenses for personnel engaged in selling and marketing activities. Advertising expenses, which consist primarily of online and offline advertisements, are expenses when the services are received. The advertising expenses were $49,420 and $51,332 for the years ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
(p) Income Taxes
Current income taxes are provided based on net income/(loss) for financial reporting purposes and adjusted for income and expense items which are not assessable or deductible for income tax purposes, in accordance with the regulations of the relevant tax jurisdictions.
Deferred taxes are accounted for using the asset and liability method in respect of temporary differences arising from differences between the carrying amount of assets and liabilities in the consolidated financial statements and the corresponding tax basis used in the computation of assessable tax profit. In principle, deferred tax liabilities are recognized for all taxable temporary differences. Deferred tax assets are recognized to the extent that it is probable that taxable profit will be available against which deductible temporary differences can be utilized.
Deferred tax is calculated using tax rates that are expected to apply to the period when the asset is realized, or the liability is settled. Deferred tax is charged or credited in the income statement, except when it is related to items credited or charged directly to equity, in which case the deferred tax is also dealt with in equity. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance when, in the opinion of management, it is more likely than not that some portion or all the deferred tax assets will not be realized. Current income taxes are provided for in accordance with the laws of the relevant taxing authorities.
F-15
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
2 — SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (cont.)
An uncertain tax position is recognized as a benefit only if it is “more likely than not” that the tax position would be sustained in a tax examination, with a tax examination being presumed to occur. The amount recognized is the largest amount of tax benefit that is greater than 50% likely of being realized on examination. For tax positions not meeting the “more likely than not” test, no tax benefit is recorded. No penalties and interest incurred related to underpayment of income tax are classified as income tax expense in the period incurred. The tax returns filed in 2018 to 2021 are subject to examination by any appropriate tax authorities.
(q) Leases
The Company accounts for leases in accordance with ASC 842. The Company leases premises for offices, warehouses, and retail stores under non-cancellable operating leases.
The Company recognizes right-of-use assets and lease liabilities for all leases at the commencement date of a lease, except for short-term leases and low-value asset leases accounted for applying a recognition exemption where lease payments are recognized as expenses on a straight-line basis over the lease terms. Leases with an initial term of 12 months or less are short-term leases and not recognized as operating lease right-of-use assets and operating lease liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets. The Company recognizes lease expense for short-term leases on a straight-line basis over the lease term.
Right-of-use assets are initially measured at cost, which comprises the initial measurement of lease liabilities adjusted for lease payments made at or before the commencement date, plus any initial direct costs incurred and an estimate of costs needed to restore the underlying assets, and less any lease incentives received. Right-of-use assets are subsequently measured at cost less accumulated depreciation and impairment losses and adjusted for any remeasurement of the lease liabilities. Right-of-use assets are presented on a separate line in the consolidated balance sheets.
Right-of-use assets are depreciated using the straight-line method from the commencement dates to the earlier of the end of the useful lives of the right-of-use assets or the end of the lease terms.
Lease liabilities are initially measured at the present value of the lease payments, which comprise fixed payments, in-substance fixed payments, variable lease payments which depend on an index or a rate. The lease payments are discounted using the interest rate implicit in a lease if that rate can be readily determined. If that rate cannot be readily determined, the Company uses the lessee’s incremental borrowing rate.
Subsequently, lease liabilities are measured at amortized cost using the effective interest method, with interest expense recognized over the lease terms. When there is a change in a lease term or a change in future lease payments resulting from a change in an index or a rate used to determine those payments, the Company remeasures the lease liabilities with a corresponding adjustment to the right-of-use-assets. However, if the carrying amount of the right-of-use assets is reduced to zero, any remaining amount of the remeasurement is recognized in profit or loss. Lease liabilities are presented on a separate line in the consolidated balance sheets.
Variable lease payments that do not depend on an index or a rate are recognized as expenses in the periods in which they are incurred.
(r) Concentration and Risk
Concentration of customers and suppliers
No customers individually represented greater than 10% of total net revenues of the Company for the years ended March 31, 2023, and 2022.
F-16
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
2 — SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (cont.)
For the year ended March 31, 2023, the Company’s top three suppliers represented 33%, 21% and 12% of total purchase of the Company respectively. One supplier represented 70% of total purchases of the Company for the year ended March 31, 2022. As of March 31, 2023, three suppliers accounted for 55%, 27%, and 11% of accounts payable balance respectively. One supplier accounted for 100% of the accounts payable balance as of March 31, 2022.
Concentration of credit risk
Financial instruments that are potentially subject to credit risk consist principally of accounts receivable. The Company believes the concentration of credit risk in its account receivable is substantially mitigated by its ongoing credit evaluation process and relatively short collection terms. The Company does not generally require collateral from customers. The Company evaluates the need for an allowance for doubtful accounts based upon factors surrounding the credit risk of specific customers, historical trends, and other information. Historically, the Company did not have any bad debt on its account receivable.
Financial instruments that potentially expose the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist principally of cash and cash equivalents, term deposits, restricted cash, short-term investments, and accounts receivable, net. The Company’s investment policy requires cash and cash equivalents, term deposits, restricted cash, and short-term investments to be placed with high-quality financial institutions and to limit the amount of credit risk from any one issuer. The Company regularly evaluates the credit standing of the counterparties or financial institutions.
(s) Related Parties
A related party is generally defined as (i) any person and or their immediate family hold 10% or more of the Company’s securities (ii) the Company’s management and/or their immediate family, (iii) someone that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by or is under common control with the Company, or (iv) anyone who can significantly influence the financial and operating decisions of the Company. A transaction is considered to be a related party transaction when there is a transfer of resources or obligations between related parties. Related parties may be individuals or corporate entities. Transactions involving related parties cannot be presumed to be carried out on an arm’s length basis, as the requisite conditions of competitive, free market dealings may not exist. Representations about transactions with related parties, if made, shall not imply that the related party transactions were consummated on terms equivalent to those that prevail in arm’s length transactions unless such representations can be substantiated.
(t) Earnings Per Share
The Company computes earnings per share (“EPS”) in accordance with ASC 260, “Earnings per Share”. ASC 260 requires companies to present basic and diluted EPS. Basic EPS is measured as net income divided by the weighted average common stock outstanding for the period. Diluted EPS presents the dilutive effect on a per share basis of the potential common stock (e.g., convertible securities, options, and warrants) as if they had been converted at the beginning of the periods presented, or issuance date, if later. Potential shares of common stock that have an anti-dilutive effect (i.e., those that increase income per share or decrease loss per share) are excluded from the calculation of diluted EPS.
For the years ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, there were no dilutive shares.
(u) Recent Accounting Pronouncements
The Company considers the applicability and impact of all accounting standards updates (“ASUs”). Management periodically reviews new accounting standards that are issued. Under the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, as amended (the “JOBS Act”), the Company meets the definition of an emerging growth company and has elected the extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards, which delays the adoption of these accounting standards until they would apply to private companies.
F-17
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
2 — SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (cont.)
In May 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-05, which is an update to ASU Update No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments — Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments, which introduced the expected credit losses methodology for the measurement of credit losses on financial assets measured at amortized cost basis, replacing the previous incurred loss methodology. The amendments in Update 2016-13 added Topic 326, Financial Instruments — Credit Losses, and made several consequential amendments to the Codification. Update 2016-13 also modified the accounting for available-for-sale debt securities, which must be individually assessed for credit losses when fair value is less than the amortized cost basis, in accordance with Subtopic 326-30, Financial Instruments — Credit Losses — Available-for-Sale Debt Securities. The amendments in this Update address those stakeholders’ concerns by providing an option to irrevocably elect the fair value option for certain financial assets previously measured at amortized cost basis. For those entities, the targeted transition relief will increase comparability of financial statement information by providing an option to align measurement methodologies for similar financial assets. Furthermore, the targeted transition relief also may reduce the costs for some entities to comply with the amendments in Update 2016-13 while still providing financial statement users with decision-useful information. In November 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-10, which to update the effective date of ASU No. 2016-13 for private companies, not-for-profit organizations and certain smaller reporting companies applying for credit losses, leases, and hedging standard. The new effective date for these preparers is for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022. ASU 2019-05 is effective for the Company for annual and interim reporting periods beginning April 1, 2023 as the Company is qualified as an emerging growth company. The Company is currently evaluating the impact ASU 2019-05 may have on its consolidated financial statements.
Except as mentioned above, the Company does not believe other recently issued but not yet effective accounting standards, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets, statements of income and comprehensive income and statements of cash flows.
3 — INVENTORIES, NET
Inventories, net consisted of the following:
March 31, |
March 31, |
|||||||
Battery |
$ |
1,370,513 |
|
$ |
2,224,452 |
|
||
Electric Vehicle |
|
2,485,573 |
|
|
2,320,713 |
|
||
Tire |
|
414,031 |
|
|
340,346 |
|
||
Inventories |
|
4,270,117 |
|
|
4,885,511 |
|
||
Inventory reserves |
|
(431,363 |
) |
|
(279,985 |
) |
||
Inventories, net |
$ |
3,838,754 |
|
$ |
4,605,526 |
|
Movements of inventory reserves are as follows:
March 31, |
March 31, |
|||||
Beginning balance |
$ |
279,985 |
$ |
242,252 |
||
Addition |
|
151,378 |
|
37,733 |
||
Write off |
|
— |
|
— |
||
Ending Balance |
$ |
431,363 |
$ |
279,985 |
F-18
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
4 — PREPAYMENTS AND OTHER RECEIVABLES
Prepayments and other current assets on March 31, 2023 and 2022 consisted of the following:
March 31, |
March 31, |
|||||
Prepaid tax |
$ |
— |
$ |
5,800 |
||
Prepaid rent |
|
26,332 |
|
44,040 |
||
Prepaid salary |
|
— |
|
6,023 |
||
Prepayments to vendor |
|
647,746 |
|
— |
||
Prepayments to DMV |
|
500 |
|
— |
||
Prepaid insurance |
|
108,241 |
|
— |
||
Other receivable-services |
|
— |
|
89,326 |
||
Total Prepayment and Other Receivables |
$ |
782,819 |
$ |
145,189 |
5 — PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NET
Property and equipment on March 31, 2023 and 2022 consisted of the following:
March 31, |
March 31, |
|||||||
Furniture & Fixtures |
$ |
113,485 |
|
$ |
48,143 |
|
||
Machinery & Equipment |
|
103,684 |
|
|
58,116 |
|
||
Automobile |
|
242,633 |
|
|
161,058 |
|
||
Leasehold improvements |
|
575,134 |
|
|
261,030 |
|
||
Property and Equipment |
|
1,034,936 |
|
|
528,347 |
|
||
Less: Accumulated depreciation |
|
(249,651 |
) |
|
(103,867 |
) |
||
Property and Equipment, net |
$ |
785,285 |
|
$ |
424,480 |
|
Depreciation expenses were $145,783 and $95,162 for the years ended March 31, 2023 and March 31, 2022, respectively.
6 — ACCRUED EXPENSES AND OTHER PAYABLES
March 31, |
March 31, |
|||||
Accrued payroll |
$ |
15,808 |
$ |
53,395 |
||
Rent payable |
|
— |
|
28,168 |
||
Advances from customers |
|
36,396 |
|
21,626 |
||
Accrued warranty |
|
22,056 |
|
53,541 |
||
Payroll tax and sales tax payable |
|
155,689 |
|
114,806 |
||
Accrued store expenses |
|
123,996 |
|
199,223 |
||
Accrued IPO offering cost |
|
11,717 |
|
— |
||
Accrued Expenses and Other Payables |
$ |
365,662 |
$ |
470,759 |
F-19
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
7 — Loan Payable
A summary of the Company’s loans is listed as follows:
Lender |
Due Date |
March 31, |
March 31, |
||||||
Flushing Bank(i) |
June 1, 2027 |
$ |
435,537 |
|
$ |
— |
|||
Chase Bank(ii) |
October 25, 2027 |
|
214,529 |
|
|
— |
|||
Chase Bank(iii) |
January 12, 2028 |
|
68,051 |
|
|
||||
Xuper Loan(iv)(v) |
May 01, 2023 |
|
259,072 |
|
|
— |
|||
Leaf Capital Funding, LLC(vi) |
September 30, 2027 |
|
58,263 |
|
|
— |
|||
Sinoelite Corp(vii) |
April 03, 2024 |
|
100,000 |
|
|
— |
|||
Total loan payables |
|
1,135,452 |
|
|
— |
||||
Current portion of loan payables |
|
(412,224 |
) |
|
— |
||||
Long-term loan payables |
$ |
723,228 |
|
$ |
— |
____________
(i) On June 14, 2022, Ctate (now merged into Fly E-Bike, Inc.) obtained a five-year long-term loan of $500,000 from Flushing Bank with an annual interest rate of 7%. The collateral provided includes Ctate Inc.’s all inventories, accounts, notes, machinery, equipment, fixtures and other products, and any proceeds and products generated from these items in any form. From April 1 to July 31, 2023, the Company paid off $$39,698 on principal and interest of the loan.
(ii) On October 25, 2022, the Company’s subsidiary, Universe King Corp. obtained a five-year long-term loan of $230,000 from Chase Bank with an annual interest rate of 10.35%. Mr. Ke Zhang, a director and an original stockholder of the Company, provided a guarantee on this loan. To secure payment and performance of the liabilities, Universe King Corp. pledges, assigns and grants to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., a continuing security interest in, all of its right, title and interest in all of its properties, whether now owned or hereinafter acquired and whether now existing or hereafter arising. From April 1 to July 31, 2023, the Company paid off $19,706 on principal and interest of the loan.
(iii) On January 12, 2023, the Company’s subsidiary, Arfy Corp. obtained a five-year long-term loan of $70,000 from Chase Bank with an annual interest rate of 9.8%. Mr. Tong Chen, an original stockholder of the Company, provided a guarantee on this loan. To secure payment and performance of the liabilities, Arfy Corp. pledges, assigns and grants to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., a continuing security interest in, all of its right, title and interest in all of its properties, whether now owned or hereinafter acquired and whether now existing or hereafter arising. From April 1 to July 31, 2023, the Company paid off $5,940 on principal and interest of the loan.
(iv) On January 11, 2023, Fly E-Bike, Inc. obtained a seven-month short-term loan of $250,000 from Xuper Funding with annual interest rate of 136%. On May 1, 2023, the Company paid off this loan in full.
(v) On February 23, 2023, Fly E-Bike, Inc. obtained a seven-month short-term loan of $100,000 from Xuper Funding with an annual interest rate of 54%. On May 1, 2023, the Company paid off this loan in full.
(vi) On August 24, 2022, Universe King Corp. obtained a five-year long-term loan of $63,674 from Leaf Capital Funding, LLC with an annual interest rate 7.0%. The collateral provided included the Fuso trucks, whether now owned or hereafter acquired by Universe King Corp., and together with all accessories, accessions, attachments thereto, and all other substitutions, renewals, replacements and improvements and all proceeds of the foregoing, including proceeds in the form of goods, accounts, chattel paper, rentals, documents, instruments, general intangibles, investment property, deposit accounts, letter of credit rights, insurance payments, and supporting obligations. From April 1 to July 31, 2023, the Company paid off $5,047 on principal and interest of the loan.
(vii) On January 3, 2023, Fly E-Bike, Inc. obtained a one-year and three-month long-term loan of $100,000 from Sinoelite Corp with no interest. As of July 31, 2023, the Company has not paid off any amount of the loan.
For the years ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, the total interest expenses on the Company’s outstanding loans amounted to $100,387 and $0, respectively.
F-20
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
8 — SHAREHOLDER’S EQUITY
Prior to the effectiveness of the stock split discussed below, the Company was authorized to issue 400 shares of common stock having a par value of $0.01 per share and 40 shares of preferred stock having a par value of $0.01 per share. 200 shares of common stock were issued on December 21, 2022.
On March 27, 2024, the Company’s board of directors approved a 1-for-110,000 stock split of the Company’s capital stock. The stock split became effective on April 2, 2024. The par value of the Company’s common stock remained unchanged at $0.01 per share, and the number of authorized shares of the Company’s capital stock was increased from 440 to 48,400,000, with the number of authorized shares of common stock and preferred stock being increased from 400 to 44,000,000 and from 40 to 4,400,000, respectively.
9 — INCOME TAX
(a) Current Tax
Fly-E Group, Fly EV and Fly E-Bike are Delaware companies that were incorporated on November 1, 2022, November 1, 2022 and August 22, 2022, respectively. As a result of the reorganization discussed under Note 1, all of FLY-E Groups subsidiaries would separately file the short year corporation income tax returns for the period ended December 21, 2022, and a consolidated federal tax return, as well as combined tax returns for New Jersey, New York State, Florida, Texas, and New York City for the period December 22, 2022 to March 31, 2023.
Most subsidiaries of the Company were incorporated in the State of New York and are subject to the U.S. federal corporate income taxes with a tax rate of 21.0%. The State of New York levies a corporate income tax rate of 8.45% on state-level earnings. In addition, a sum of fixed dollar minimum taxes is imposed on the taxable group members, in accordance with their gross receipts within the State of New York. The City of New York levies a 6.50% city corporate income tax, along with a sum of fixed dollar minimum taxes, applied to taxable group members based on their gross receipts within the city. One of the Company’s subsidiaries is located in Florida, which imposes a state income tax rate of 5.5%. Three subsidiaries are located in New Jersey, and the state of New Jersey imposes 9.0% state Income tax rate for one subsidiary’s 2022 short year tax return for tax income base above $100,000, 7.5% state income tax rate for the second subsidiary’s 2022 short year tax return for tax income base between $50,000 to $100,000, and 6.5% state income tax rate for the third subsidiary’s 2022 short year tax return and 2022 combined New Jersey short year tax return for tax income base below $50,000. Two subsidiaries of the Company are located in Texas, which imposes a state franchise tax rate of 0.331% on the appointed state revenue. Income tax on unappropriated earnings is accrued during the period the earnings arise and adjusted to the extent that distributions are approved by the stockholders in the following year.
Income tax expense for the years ended March 31, 2023 and 2022 amounted to $821,892 and $171,208, respectively. Significant components of the provision for income taxes are as follows:
F-21
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
9 — INCOME TAX (cont.)
The following table reconciles to the Company’s effective tax rate:
For the years ended |
||||||
2023 |
2022 |
|||||
Pre-tax book income |
2,200,463 |
|
579,229 |
|
||
Federal Statutory rate |
21.00 |
% |
21.00 |
% |
||
State income tax rate, net of federal income tax benefit |
9.5 |
% |
3.7 |
% |
||
City income tax rate, net of federal income tax benefit |
6.9 |
% |
0.0 |
% |
||
Permanent differences |
1.6 |
% |
2.2 |
% |
||
Return to project adjustment |
(1.6 |
)% |
2.7 |
% |
||
Total |
37.4 |
% |
29.60 |
% |
Penalties and interest incurred related to underpayment of income tax are classified as penalties in the period incurred. No significant penalties or interest relating to income taxes have been incurred during the years ended March 31, 2023 and 2022. As of March 31, 2023, the Company has received no notice of audit from the IRS, States or City for the tax years ended December 31, 2018 through March 31, 2023.
(b) Deferred Tax Assets
Deferred taxes are accounted for using the asset and liability method in respect of temporary differences arising from differences between the carrying amount of assets and liabilities in the consolidated financial statements and the corresponding tax basis used in the computation of assessable tax profit. In principle, deferred tax liabilities are recognized for all taxable temporary differences. Deferred tax assets are recognized to the extent that it is probable that taxable profit will be available against which deductible temporary differences can be utilized.
Deferred tax is calculated using tax rates that are expected to apply to the period when the asset is realized, or the liability is settled. Deferred tax is charged or credited in the income statement, except when it is related to items credited or charged directly to equity, in which case the deferred tax is also dealt with in equity.
Net deferred tax assets as of March 31, 2023, and 2022 amounted to $211,100 and $659,900, respectively. Significant components of deferred tax assets, net was as follows:
For the years ended |
||||||||
2023 |
2022 |
|||||||
Net operating loss carry forwards |
$ |
93,800 |
|
$ |
584,000 |
|
||
Inventory reserve |
|
155,400 |
|
|
119,900 |
|
||
Deferred Rent |
|
192,500 |
|
|
— |
|
||
Less: Valuation allowance |
|
— |
|
|
— |
|
||
Total deferred tax assets |
$ |
441,700 |
|
$ |
703,900 |
|
||
Accumulated depreciation |
|
(230,600 |
) |
|
(44,000 |
) |
||
Total deferred tax liabilities |
|
(230,600 |
) |
|
(44,000 |
) |
||
Total deferred tax assets, net |
$ |
211,100 |
|
$ |
659,900 |
|
As of March 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company had approximately $0.40 million and $0.70 million, respectively, in net deferred tax assets (“DTAs”). These DTAs include approximately $0.09 million and $0.58 million, respectively, related to net operating loss carry-forwards that can be used to offset taxable income in future periods, of which $0.19 million and $0 were related to deferred rent, and $0.16 million and $0.12 million were related to inventory allowance for the years ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. At this time, management considers it more likely than not that the Company will have sufficient taxable income in the future that will allow it to realize these DTAs.
Therefore, a substantial valuation allowance to reduce the Company’s U.S. DTAs may be not required. Positive evidence could include, among other things: (a) existing firm sales backlog that will produce more than enough taxable income to realize the deferred tax asset based on existing sales price structures, (b) an excess of appreciated asset value of $0.23 million and $0.04 million, respectively for the year end for March 31, 2023 and 2022, over
F-22
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
9 — INCOME TAX (cont.)
the tax basis of the entity’s net assets in an amount sufficient to realize the DTA, and (c) a strong earnings history exclusive of the losses that created the future deductible amount (tax loss carry-forward or deductible temporary difference). As of March 31, 2023, the Company had approximately $2.2 million pre-tax book income, compared to $0.58 million pre-tax income for year end March 31, 2022, and part of previous net tax loss carryforward was used as to reduce taxable income in the current period.
In assessing the realization of DTAs, management considers whether it is more likely than not that some portion or all the DTAs will be realized. The ultimate realization of DTAs depends upon the Company’s future generation of taxable income during the periods in which temporary differences representing net future deductible amounts become deductible. Management considers the scheduled reversal of deferred tax liabilities, projected future taxable income and tax planning strategies in making this assessment. After consideration of all the information available, management believes that there was no significant uncertainty exists with respect to future realization of the DTAs and has therefore no need for valuation allowance.
Net operating Loss
A net operating loss (“NOL”) arising in a tax year beginning after 2020 has no carryback period, but may be carried forward indefinitely until it is fully absorbed. An NOL arising in a tax year beginning in 2018, 2019, or 2020 is carried back five years and has an unlimited carryforward period. A group of corporations filing a consolidated return determines its NOL on a consolidated basis. The separate taxable income of each member of the group is determined without taking into account any separate NOL deduction. Member NOLs arising during a consolidated return year are taken into account in determining the group’s Consolidated NOL for that year. Thus, the positive net income of some members is netted against the NOLs for other members to determine whether, on net basis, the group has a Consolidated NOL.
As of March 31, 2023 and 2022, Fly-E Group’s subsidiaries had approximately $0.41 million and $1.65 million, respectively, of U.S. federal net operating loss carryovers available to offset future taxable income which do not expire but are limited to 80% of income until utilized. As of March 31, 2023 and 2022, Fly-E Group’s subsidiaries had approximately $0.06 million and $1.61 million, respectively, of New York State net operating loss which can be carried forward up to 20 years and begin to expire in 2040 to offset future taxable income.
Uncertain Tax Positions
The Company evaluates each uncertain tax position (including the potential application of interest and penalties) based on the technical merits, and measures the unrecognized benefits associated with the tax positions. As of March 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company did not have any significant unrecognized uncertain tax positions.
10 — LEASES
Effective on April 1, 2019, the Company adopted Topic 842. At the inception of a contract, the Company determines if the arrangement is, or contains, a lease. The leases of the Company mainly consisted of offices, retail stores and warehouses.
The Company’s operating right-of-use (“ROU”) assets and lease liabilities were as follows:
For the years ended |
||||||
2023 |
2022 |
|||||
Operating ROU: |
|
|
||||
ROU assets |
$ |
10,261,556 |
$ |
8,083,920 |
||
Total operating ROU assets |
$ |
10,261,556 |
$ |
8,083,920 |
F-23
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
10 — LEASES (cont.)
For the years ended |
||||||
2022 |
2022 |
|||||
Operating lease obligations: |
|
|
||||
Current operating lease liabilities |
$ |
1,836,737 |
$ |
1,312,549 |
||
Non-current operating lease liabilities |
|
8,979,193 |
|
7,117,908 |
||
Total lease liabilities |
$ |
10,815,930 |
$ |
8,430,457 |
The Company had 31 and 27 leases as of March 31, 2023 and March 31, 2022, respectively.
The weighted average lease term, discount rates, and remaining lease terms for the operating leases as of March 31, 2023 were as follows:
Remaining lease term and discount rate:
Weighted average discount rate |
5% |
|
Weighted average remaining lease term (years) |
6.47 Years |
The weighted average lease term, discount rates, and remaining lease terms for the operating lease as of March 31, 2022 were as follows:
Remaining lease term and discount rate:
Weighted average discount rate |
4.5% |
|
Weighted average remaining lease term (years) |
7.06 Years |
The Company leases its offices, warehouse, and retail stores under non-cancelable operating lease agreements. Lease expenses were $2,343,869, including $486,200 cost of goods-occupancy cost, $1,741,287 rent expense in selling expense, and $116,382 rent expense in general and administrative expense for the year ended March 31, 2023. Lease expenses were $1,251,531, including $226,354 cost of goods-occupancy cost, $977,924 rent expense in selling expense, and $47,262 rent expense in general and administrative expense for the year ended March 31, 2022.
As of March 31, 2023, future minimum lease liabilities, all under office and facilities non-cancelable operating lease agreements, were as follows:
Year Ending March 31, |
Operating |
|||
2023 |
$ |
2,328,360 |
|
|
2024 |
|
2,291,221 |
|
|
2025 |
|
2,100,834 |
|
|
2026 |
|
1,563,555 |
|
|
2027 |
|
1,022,656 |
|
|
Thereafter |
|
3,495,949 |
|
|
Total lease payments |
|
12,802,575 |
|
|
Less: interest |
|
(1,986,645 |
) |
|
Present value of lease liabilities |
$ |
10,815,930 |
|
F-24
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
11 — COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Commitments
The Company has not entered any off-balance sheet financial guarantees or other off-balance sheet commitments to guarantee the payment obligations of any third parties. The Company has not entered any derivative contracts that are indexed to its shares and classified as shareholder’s equity or that are not reflected in its consolidated financial statements. Furthermore, the Company does not have any retained or contingent interest in assets transferred to an unconsolidated entity that serves as credit, liquidity or market risk support to such entity. The Company does not have any variable interest in any unconsolidated entity that provides financing, liquidity, market risk or credit support to itself or engages in leasing, hedging or product development services with itself.
Contingencies
Legal
From time to time, the Company is a party to certain legal proceedings, as well as certain asserted and unasserted claims. Amounts accrued, as well as the total amount of reasonably possible losses with respect to such matters, individually and in the aggregate, are not deemed to be material to the consolidated financial statements.
The Company’s products and other production facilities as well as the packaging, storage, distribution, advertising and labelling of its products, are subject to extensive legal and regulatory requirements. For example, pursuant to the DMV registration requirement, the Company must satisfy the DMV Registration requirements and conduct required testing for all of its products sold in U.S. Loss of or failure to renew or obtain necessary permits, licenses, registrations, or certificates could prevent the Company from legally selling its products in the U.S. If the Company were found to be in violation of applicable laws and regulations, it could be subject to administrative punishment, including fines, injunctions, recalls or asset seizures, as well as potential criminal sanctions, any of which could have a material adverse effect on its business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. As pf the date hereof, the Company believes it is in compliance with the relevant regulations in the U.S.
Inflation
Inflationary factors, such as increases in personnel and overhead costs, could impair the Company’s operating results. Although the Company does not believe that inflation has had a material impact on the Company’s financial position or results of operations to date, a high rate of inflation in the future may have an adverse effect on the Company’s ability to maintain current levels of gross margin and operating expenses as a percentage of sales revenue if the revenues do not increase with such increased costs.
12 — RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
Related party balances
Accounts receivable — related parties
Name of Related Party |
Relationship |
Nature |
March 31, |
March 31, |
||||||
Fly E Bike SRL |
Zhou Ou (CEO), owns over 50% equity interest of this entity |
Accounts receivable |
$ |
136,565 |
|
— |
||||
Accounts receivable-related parties |
$ |
136,565 |
$ |
— |
F-25
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
12 — RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS (cont.)
As of July 31, 2023, the Company has not receive any amount of the accounts receivable.
Other payables — related parties
Name of Related Party |
Relationship |
Nature |
March 31, |
March 31, |
||||||
Zhou Ou |
Chairman, CEO |
Other payable |
$ |
332,481 |
$ |
2,476,418 |
||||
Xi Lin |
Shareholder |
Other payable |
|
— |
|
73,645 |
||||
Lin Xie |
Shareholder |
Other payable |
|
— |
|
29,646 |
||||
Tong Chen |
Shareholder |
Other payable |
|
— |
|
— |
||||
Rui Feng |
Shareholder |
Other payable |
|
— |
|
64,225 |
||||
Ke Zhang |
Shareholder |
Other payable |
|
— |
|
184,870 |
||||
Other Payables-related parties |
$ |
332,481 |
$ |
2,828,804 |
As of March 31, 2023, the Company has paid off $2,496,323 other payable of related parties.
Loan payables — related parties
Name of Related Party |
Relationship |
Nature |
March 31, |
March 31, |
||||||
PJMG LLC |
Ruifeng Guo (CFO), owns over 50% equity interest of this entity |
Loan payable |
$ |
150,000 |
|
— |
||||
Loan Payables-related parties |
$ |
150,000 |
$ |
— |
On January 3, 2023, Fly E-Bike, Inc. obtained a two-year long-term loan of $150,000 from PJMG LLC with no interest. As of July 31, 2023, the Company has not paid off any amount of the loan.
Related party transactions
Revenues — related parties
On March 19, 2023, Fly E Bike SRL, a distributor the Company works with and in which Mr. Ou holds over 50% of the equity interest, purchased certain EV products from the Company in the amount of $136,565.
13 — SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
The Company has evaluated subsequent events after March 31, 2023, up through August 11, 2023, the date at which the consolidated financial statements were issued.
On April 13, 2023, the Company opened a new store at 6788 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, FL 33141.
On May 31, 2023, the Company opened a new store at 3927 Georgia Avenue NW Washington, DC 20011.
On June 2, 2023, the Company opened a new store at 659 10th Avenue, New York, NY 10036.
F-26
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(Expressed in U.S. dollars, except for the number of shares)
December 31, |
March 31, |
|||||||
ASSETS |
|
|
|
|
||||
Current Assets |
|
|
|
|
||||
Cash |
$ |
1,173,228 |
|
$ |
358,894 |
|
||
Accounts receivable |
|
587,797 |
|
|
389,077 |
|
||
Accounts receivable – related parties |
|
366,714 |
|
|
136,565 |
|
||
Inventories, net |
|
5,378,351 |
|
|
3,838,754 |
|
||
Prepayments and other receivables |
|
1,093,546 |
|
|
782,819 |
|
||
Prepayments and other receivables – related parties |
|
461,500 |
|
|
— |
|
||
Total Current Assets |
|
9,061,136 |
|
|
5,506,109 |
|
||
Property and equipment, net |
|
1,120,243 |
|
|
785,285 |
|
||
Security deposits |
|
820,809 |
|
|
424,942 |
|
||
Deferred IPO costs |
|
202,307 |
|
|
75,819 |
|
||
Deferred tax assets, net |
|
7,794 |
|
|
211,100 |
|
||
Operating lease right-of-use assets |
|
12,042,292 |
|
|
10,261,556 |
|
||
Intangible assets, net |
|
108,750 |
|
|
— |
|
||
Total Assets |
$ |
23,363,331 |
|
$ |
17,264,811 |
|
||
|
|
|
|
|||||
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY |
|
|
|
|
||||
Current Liabilities |
|
|
|
|
||||
Accounts payable |
$ |
979,331 |
|
$ |
1,005,401 |
|
||
Current portion of long-term loan payables |
|
1,210,507 |
|
|
412,224 |
|
||
Accrued expenses and other payables |
|
598,744 |
|
|
365,662 |
|
||
Other payables – related parties |
|
182,232 |
|
|
332,481 |
|
||
Operating lease liabilities – current |
|
2,400,008 |
|
|
1,836,737 |
|
||
Taxes payable |
|
1,072,070 |
|
|
959,456 |
|
||
Total Current Liabilities |
|
6,442,892 |
|
|
4,911,961 |
|
||
Long-term loan payables |
|
442,336 |
|
|
723,228 |
|
||
Long-term loan payables – related parties |
|
— |
|
|
150,000 |
|
||
Operating lease liabilities – non-current |
|
10,344,485 |
|
|
8,979,193 |
|
||
Deferred tax liabilities, net |
|
22,200 |
|
|
— |
|
||
Total Liabilities |
|
17,251,913 |
|
|
14,764,382 |
|
||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Commitment and Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Stockholders’ Equity |
|
|
|
|
||||
Preferred stock, $0.01 par value, 4,400,000 shares authorized and nil outstanding as of December 31, 2023 and March 31, 2023* |
|
— |
|
|
— |
|
||
Common stock, $0.01 par value, 44,000,000 shares authorized and 22,000,000 shares outstanding as of December 31, 2023 and March 31, 2023* |
|
220,000 |
|
|
220,000 |
|
||
Additional Paid-in Capital |
|
2,400,000 |
|
|
— |
|
||
Shares Subscription Receivable |
|
(219,998 |
) |
|
(219,998 |
) |
||
Retained Earnings |
|
3,708,315 |
|
|
2,500,427 |
|
||
Accumulated other comprehensive income |
|
3,101 |
|
|
— |
|
||
Total Stockholders’ Equity |
|
6,111,418 |
|
|
2,500,429 |
|
||
Total Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity |
$ |
23,363,331 |
|
$ |
17,264,811 |
|
____________
* Shares and per share data are presented on a retroactive basis to reflect the nominal share issuance on December 21, 2022 and to give effect to the stock split completed on April 2, 2024.
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.
F-27
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
(Expressed in U.S. dollars, except for the number of shares)
For the Nine Months Ended |
||||||||
2023 |
2022 |
|||||||
Revenues |
$ |
24,034,397 |
|
$ |
16,458,002 |
|
||
Cost of Revenues |
|
14,577,570 |
|
|
9,914,056 |
|
||
Gross Profit |
|
9,456,827 |
|
|
6,543,946 |
|
||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Operating Expenses |
|
|
|
|
||||
Selling Expenses |
|
4,637,043 |
|
|
2,592,312 |
|
||
General and Administrative Expenses |
|
2,773,626 |
|
|
1,901,954 |
|
||
Total Operating Expenses |
|
7,410,669 |
|
|
4,494,266 |
|
||
Income from Operations |
|
2,046,158 |
|
|
2,049,680 |
|
||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Other Expenses, net |
|
(24,123 |
) |
|
(17,463 |
) |
||
Interest Expenses, net |
|
(82,150 |
) |
|
(34,017 |
) |
||
Income Before Income Taxes |
|
1,939,885 |
|
|
1,998,200 |
|
||
Income Tax Expense |
|
(731,997 |
) |
|
(654,654 |
) |
||
Net Income |
$ |
1,207,888 |
|
$ |
1,343,546 |
|
||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Foreign currency translation adjustment |
|
3,101 |
|
|
— |
|
||
Total Comprehensive Income |
$ |
1,210,989 |
|
$ |
1,343,546 |
|
||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Earnings per Share |
$ |
0.05 |
|
$ |
0.06 |
|
||
Weighted Average Number of Common Stock |
|
|
|
|
||||
– Basic and Diluted* |
|
22,000,000 |
|
|
22,000,000 |
|
____________
* Shares and per share data are presented on a retroactive basis to reflect the nominal share issuance on December 21, 2022 and to give effect to the stock split completed on April 2, 2024.
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.
F-28
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN
STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
(Expressed in U.S. dollars, except for the number of shares)
|
|
Additional |
Shares |
Accumulated |
Retained |
Total |
|||||||||||||||||||
Shares* |
Amount |
Shares* |
Amount |
||||||||||||||||||||||
Balance at March 31, 2023 |
— |
$ |
— |
22,000,000 |
$ |
220,000 |
$ |
— |
(219,998 |
) |
$ |
— |
$ |
2,500,427 |
$ |
2,500,429 |
|||||||||
Net Income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
440,443 |
|
440,443 |
||||||||||||||||
Capital Contributions from Stockholders |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,400,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,400,000 |
|||||||||
Balance at June 30, 2023 |
— |
$ |
— |
22,000,000 |
$ |
220,000 |
$ |
2,400,000 |
(219,998 |
) |
$ |
— |
$ |
2,940,870 |
$ |
5,340,872 |
|||||||||
Net Income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
746,556 |
|
746,556 |
|||||||||
Balance at September 30, 2023 |
— |
$ |
— |
22,000,000 |
$ |
220,000 |
$ |
2,400,000 |
(219,998 |
) |
$ |
— |
|
3,687,426 |
|
6,087,428 |
|||||||||
Net Income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
20,889 |
|
20,889 |
||||||||||||||||
Foreign currency translation adjustment |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3,101 |
|
|
|
3,101 |
|||||||||
Balance at December 31, 2023 |
— |
$ |
— |
22,000,000 |
$ |
220,000 |
$ |
2,400,000 |
(219,998 |
) |
$ |
3,101 |
$ |
3,708,315 |
$ |
6,111,418 |
|
|
Additional |
Shares |
Accumulated |
Retained |
Total |
||||||||||||||||||
Shares* |
Amount |
Shares* |
Amount |
|||||||||||||||||||||
Balance at March 31, 2022 |
— |
$ |
— |
22,000,000 |
$ |
220,000 |
— |
(219,998 |
) |
$ |
— |
$ |
1,121,856 |
$ |
1,121,858 |
|||||||||
Net Income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
575,811 |
|
575,811 |
|||||||||
Balance at June 30, 2022 |
— |
$ |
— |
22,000,000 |
$ |
220,000 |
— |
(219,998 |
) |
$ |
— |
$ |
1,697,667 |
$ |
1,697,669 |
|||||||||
Net Income |
|
|
|
|
|
425,335 |
|
425,335 |
||||||||||||||||
Balance at September 30, 2022 |
— |
$ |
— |
22,000,000 |
$ |
220,000 |
— |
(219,998 |
) |
$ |
— |
$ |
2,123,002 |
$ |
2,123,004 |
|||||||||
Net Income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
342,400 |
|
342,400 |
|||||||||
Balance at December 31, 2022 |
— |
$ |
— |
22,000,000 |
$ |
220,000 |
— |
(219,998 |
) |
$ |
— |
$ |
2,465,402 |
$ |
2,465,404 |
____________
* Shares and per share data are presented on a retroactive basis to reflect the nominal share issuance on December 21, 2022 and to give effect to the stock split completed on April 2, 2024.
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.
F-29
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(Expressed in U.S. dollars, except for the number of shares)
For the Nine Months Ended |
||||||||
2023 |
2022 |
|||||||
Cash flows from operating activities |
|
|
|
|
||||
Net income |
$ |
1,207,888 |
|
$ |
1,343,545 |
|
||
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities: |
|
|
|
|
||||
Depreciation expense |
|
203,788 |
|
|
93,231 |
|
||
Amortization expense |
|
782 |
|
|
— |
|
||
Deferred income taxes expenses |
|
225,506 |
|
|
155,200 |
|
||
Amortization of operating lease right-of-use assets |
|
1,798,832 |
|
|
1,600,986 |
|
||
Inventories reserve |
|
287,946 |
|
|
609,264 |
|
||
Changes in operating assets and liabilities: |
|
|
|
|
||||
Accounts receivable |
|
(198,720 |
) |
|
(727,660 |
) |
||
Accounts receivable – related parties |
|
(230,149 |
) |
|
— |
|
||
Inventories |
|
(1,827,543 |
) |
|
(465,500 |
) |
||
Prepayments and other receivables |
|
(310,727 |
) |
|
(186,100 |
) |
||
Security deposits |
|
(395,867 |
) |
|
(129,545 |
) |
||
Accounts payable |
|
2,287,560 |
|
|
103,538 |
|
||
Accrued expenses and other payables |
|
233,082 |
|
|
(147,324 |
) |
||
Operating lease liabilities |
|
(1,651,005 |
) |
|
(1,414,690 |
) |
||
Taxes payable |
|
112,614 |
|
|
454,996 |
|
||
Net cash provided by operating activities |
|
1,743,987 |
|
|
1,289,941 |
|
||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Cash flows from investing activities |
|
|
|
|
||||
Payments of equipment |
|
(503,772 |
) |
|
(269,006 |
) |
||
Prepayment – related parties |
|
(350,000 |
) |
|
— |
|
||
Payments of intangible assets |
|
(109,532 |
) |
|
— |
|
||
Net cash used in investing activities |
|
(963,304 |
) |
|
(269,006 |
) |
||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Cash flows from financing activities |
|
|
|
|
||||
Other receivable to related parties |
|
(111,500 |
) |
|
— |
|
||
Borrowing from loan payables |
|
845,000 |
|
|
730,000 |
|
||
Repayments of loan payables |
|
(362,583 |
) |
|
(51,953 |
) |
||
Repayments on related parties – other payables |
|
(200,249 |
) |
|
(1,568,623 |
) |
||
Payments of related party loan |
|
(150,000 |
) |
|
— |
|
||
Deferred IPO Cost |
|
(126,488 |
) |
|
(175,734 |
) |
||
Capital Contributions from Shareholders |
|
136,370 |
|
|
— |
|
||
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities |
|
30,550 |
|
|
(1,066,311 |
) |
||
Net changes in cash |
|
811,233 |
|
|
(45,375 |
) |
||
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash |
|
3,101 |
|
|
— |
|
||
Cash at beginning of the period |
|
358,894 |
|
|
395,034 |
|
||
Cash at the end of the period |
$ |
1,173,228 |
|
$ |
349,659 |
|
||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information |
|
|
|
|
||||
Cash paid for interest expense |
$ |
82,150 |
|
|
34,017 |
|
||
Cash paid for income taxes |
$ |
435,881 |
|
$ |
44,453 |
|
||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities |
|
|
|
|
||||
Settlement of accounts payable by related parties |
$ |
50,000 |
|
$ |
— |
|
||
Settlement of accounts payable by capital contribution |
$ |
2,263,630 |
|
$ |
— |
|
||
Purchase of vehicle funded by financing loan |
$ |
34,974 |
|
$ |
63,674 |
|
||
Initial recognition of Right-Of-Use Assets and Lease Liabilities |
$ |
3,579,568 |
|
$ |
4,482,716 |
|
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.
F-30
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
1 — DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS, ORGANIZATION AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION
Organization and principal activities
Fly-E Group, Inc. (the “Company” or “Fly-E Group”) was incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware on November 1, 2022. The Company has no substantive operations other than holding all of the issued and outstanding shares of Fly E-Bike Inc. (“Fly E-Bike”) and Fly EV, Inc. (“Fly EV”). Fly E-Bike and Fly EV were incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware on August 22, 2022 and November 1, 2022, respectively. Fly EV has no substantive operations. The Company, through its wholly owned subsidiaries, is principally engaged in designing, installing and selling smart electric bikes (“E-bikes”), electric motorcycles (“E-motorcycles”), electric scooters (“E-scooters”) and related accessories under the brand name of “Fly E-Bike.” The Company’s principal operations and geographic markets are mainly in the United States of America (the “U.S.”). As of April 3, 2024, the Company has opened a total of 39 stores, including 38 stores in the U.S and one store in Canada. The Company also operates an online store.
The Company’s business was initially operated under CTATE INC. (“Ctate”), a corporation formed under the laws of the State of New York in 2018. Before merging with Fly E-Bike, Ctate owned 27 companies, each of which operated a Fly E-Bike store. On September 12, 2022, Ctate and Fly E-Bike, which was a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ctate, entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger, pursuant to which Ctate merged into and with Fly E-Bike, with Fly E-Bike being the surviving corporation (the “Merger”). As a result of the Merger, the original shareholders of Ctate became the stockholders of Fly E-Bike and subsequently effectively controlled the combined entity.
On December 21, 2022, Fly-E Group and Fly E-Bike entered into a Share Exchange Agreement, pursuant to which Fly-E Group acquired all of the issued and outstanding shares of Fly E-Bike by issuing its shares to the stockholders of Fly E-Bike on a one-for-one basis (the “Share Exchange”). As a result of the Share Exchange, Fly E-Bike became a wholly owned subsidiary of Fly-E Group.
As a result of the Merger and the Share Exchange, Fly E-Bike and its subsidiaries are under common control of Fly-E Group, resulting in the consolidation of Fly E-Bike and its subsidiaries, which was accounted as a reorganization of entities under common control at carrying value. The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements are prepared on the basis as if the reorganization became effective as of the beginning of the first period presented in the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of Fly-E Group.
The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the financial statements of the Company and each of the following subsidiaries as of December 31, 2023.
Name |
Background |
Ownership |
||
FLY-E GROUP, INC. |
• A Delaware corporation • Incorporated on November 1, 2022 • A holding company |
Parent Company |
||
FLY EV, INC. |
• A Delaware corporation • Incorporated on November 1, 2022 • A holding Company |
100% owned by Fly-E Group, Inc. |
||
FLY E-BIKE, INC. |
• A Delaware Company • Incorporated on August 22, 2022 • A holding Company |
100% owned by Fly-E Group, Inc. |
||
UNIVERSE KING CORP |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on November 19, 2018 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
UFOTS CORP. |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on May 2, 2019 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
F-31
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
1 — DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS, ORGANIZATION AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION (cont.)
Name |
Background |
Ownership |
||
ARFY CORP. |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on April 29, 2020 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
TKPGO CORP. |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on July 3, 2018 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLYFLS INC |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on October 13, 2020 • A retail store and corporate office |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLY37 INC |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on October 14, 2020 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FIYET INC |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on November 12, 2020 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLY GC INC. |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on November 13, 2020 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLY MHT INC. |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on December 15, 2020 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLYAM INC |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on February 19, 2021 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
OFLYO INC |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on March 29, 2021 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLYEBIKE INC |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on March 30, 2021 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLYCLB INC |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on April 15, 2021 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLYEBIKE NJ INC |
• A New Jersey corporation • Incorporated on June 8, 2021 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
ESEBIKE INC |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on October 13, 2021 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLYEBIKEMIAMI INC |
• A Florida corporation • Incorporated on June 30, 2021 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
F-32
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
1 — DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS, ORGANIZATION AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION (cont.)
Name |
Background |
Ownership |
||
GOFLY INC |
• A Texas corporation • Incorporated on July 23, 2021 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLY14 CORP. |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on September 15, 2021 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
EDISONEBIKE INC. |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on October 13, 2021 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLYTRON INC. |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on November 9, 2021 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLYCYCLE INC. |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on January 10, 2022 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLYNJ2 INC. |
• A New Jersey corporation • Incorporated on February 10, 2022 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLYBWY INC. |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on March 2, 2022 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLYCORONA INC. |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on March 9, 2022 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
MEEBIKE |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on March 25, 2022 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLY6AVE, INC. |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on April 16, 2022 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLY E BIKE NJ3, INC |
• A New Jersey corporation • Incorporated on July 18, 2022 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLYEBIKE BROOKLYN, INC. |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on November 2, 2022 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLY E-BIKE SAN ANTONIO INC |
• A Texas corporation • Incorporated on January 1, 2023 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLYEBIKE WORLD INC. |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on February 27, 2023 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
F-33
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
1 — DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS, ORGANIZATION AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION (cont.)
Name |
Background |
Ownership |
||
FLY DELIVERY INC. |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on March 2, 2023 • A delivery store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLYEBIKE MIAMI2 INC. |
• A Florida corporation • Incorporated on April 13, 2023 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLYDC INC. |
• A Washington, DC corporation • Incorporated on May 31, 2023 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLYMHT659 INC. |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on June 2, 2023 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLYBX745 INC. |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on June 15, 2023 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLYJH8509 INC. |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on August 30, 2023 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLYBX2381 INC. |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on August 30, 2023 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLYNJ4 INC. |
• A New York corporation • Incorporated on October 4, 2023 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLYTORONTO Corp. |
• A Toronto corporation • Incorporated on October 18, 2023 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
||
FLYLA INC. |
• A California corporation • Incorporated on December 1, 2023 • A retail store |
100% owned by Fly E-Bike, Inc. |
Liquidity
As of December 31, 2023, the Company had working capital of approximately $2.2 million and cash of approximately $1.2 million. The Company had net income of approximately $1.2 million and $1.3 million for the nine months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The management plans to increase the Company’s revenue by strengthening its sales force, providing attractive sales incentive programs, and increasing marketing and promotion activities. Management also intends to raise additional funds by way of a private or public offering, or by obtaining loans from banks, related parties or others. On September 20, 2023, Fly-E Group, Inc obtained a line of credit of $1 million from Bank of Hope with a floating annual interest rate, and the current annual interest rate is 8.5%. The working capital requirements are affected by the efficiency of operations and depend on the Company’s ability to increase its revenue. The Company anticipates that it will continue to incur net income for the foreseeable future and believes that its cash on hand and operating cash flows will be sufficient to fund its operations over at least the next 12 months from the date of issuance of these unaudited condensed consolidated
F-34
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
1 — DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS, ORGANIZATION AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION (cont.)
financial statements. However, the Company may need additional cash resources in the future if the Company wishes to pursue opportunities for investment, expansion of new stores, acquisition, strategic cooperation, or other similar actions. If it is determined that the cash requirements exceed the Company’s amounts of cash on hand, the Company may seek to issue debt or equity securities or obtain a credit facility.
2 — SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
(a) Basis of Presentation
The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of the Company have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. (the “U.S. GAAP”) and regulations of the Securities Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).
The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements contemplate the realization of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business. The realization of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business are dependent on, among other things, the Company’s ability to operate profitably, to generate cash flows from operations, and its ability to attract investors and to borrow funds on reasonable economic terms. The results of operations for the nine months ended December 31, 2023 are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for any other interim period or for the full fiscal year ending March 31, 2024. Accordingly, these statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited financial statements and note thereto as of and for the years ended March 31, 2023 and 2022.
(b) Principles of Consolidation
The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries over which the Company exercises control and, when applicable, entities for which the Company has a controlling financial interest. All transactions and balances among the Company and its subsidiaries have been eliminated upon consolidation.
(c) Segment Information
The Company’s chief operating decision-makers (i.e., chief executive officer and his direct reports) review financial information presented on a consolidated basis, accompanied by disaggregated information about revenues by different revenues streams for purposes of allocating resources and evaluating financial performance. The Company and its subsidiaries offer E-bikes, E-motorcycles, E-scooters and other items and services in its stores. The Company’s retail operating divisions are geographically based, have similar economic characteristics and similar expected long-term financial performance. The Company’s operating segments are reported in one reportable segment. There are no segment managers who are held accountable for operations, operating results and plans for levels or components below the consolidated unit level. Based on qualitative and quantitative criteria established by Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 280, “Segment Reporting”, the Company considers itself to be operating within one reportable segment.
(d) Use of Estimates
In the application of the Company’s accounting policies, management is required to make judgments, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates. Significant accounting estimates include, but not limited to, useful lives of depreciable property and equipment, impairment of long-lived assets, the realization of deferred income tax assets, allowance for inventories, and discount rate for operating leases. Changes in facts and circumstances may result in revised estimates. Actual results could differ from those estimates, and as such, differences may be material to the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.
F-35
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
2 — SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (cont.)
(e) Commitments and Contingencies
In the normal course of business, the Company is subject to loss contingencies, such as legal proceedings and claims arising out of its business, which cover a wide range of matters, including, among others, government investigations, shareholder lawsuits, and non-income tax matters.
An accrual for a loss contingency is recognized when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of loss can be reasonably estimated. If a potential material loss contingency is not probable but is reasonably possible, or is probable but cannot be estimated, then the nature of the contingent liability, together with an estimate of the range of possible loss if determinable and material, is disclosed.
(f) Cash
Cash consists of cash on hand and cash deposited with banks. The Company’s cash is maintained at financial institutions in the U.S. Deposits in these financial institutions may, from time to time, exceed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s (the “FDIC”) federally insured limits, which is $250,000. The Company has not incurred any losses during the past for amount over the FDIC limits. As of December 31, 2023 and March 31, 2023, no balance deposited with banks was uninsured.
(g) Accounts Receivable
Accounts receivable includes trade account due from customers. Accounts receivable is recorded at the invoiced amount less an allowance for any uncollectible accounts and does not bear interest, which is due after 30 to 90 days, depending on the credit term with the customers. Management considers the following factors when determining the collectability of specific accounts: historical experience, credit worthiness of the clients, aging of the receivables and other specific circumstances related to the accounts. An allowance for doubtful accounts is made and recorded into general and administrative expenses based on the aging of accounts receivable and on any specifically identified accounts receivable that may become uncollectible. Accounts receivable which is deemed to be uncollectible is charged off against the allowance after all means of collection have been exhausted and the potential for recovery is considered remote. No allowance for doubtful accounts as of December 31, 2023 and March 31, 2023 was recorded.
(h) Inventories, Net
Inventories, consisting of products available for sale, are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value using the first-in-first-out method. Adjustments to the carrying value are recorded for estimated obsolescence or excess inventory equal to the difference between the cost of inventory and the estimated net realizable value based upon assumptions about future demand and market conditions. Inventory cost consists of the direct cost of merchandise including freight. For the nine months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, the impairment loss was $287,946 and $609,264, respectively.
(i) Prepayments and Other Receivables
Prepayments and other receivables are mainly prepayments to vendors, prepaid expenses paid to service providers, prepaid taxes, advances to employees, and other deposits. Management regularly reviews the aging of such balances and changes in payment and realization trends and records allowances when management believes that the collection of amounts due is at risk. Accounts considered uncollectable are written off against allowances after exhaustive efforts at collection are made. As of December 31, 2023 and March 31, 2023, no allowance against prepayments and other receivables was recorded.
F-36
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
2 — SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (cont.)
(j) Property and Equipment, Net
Property and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation and any recorded impairment.
The estimated useful lives are as follows:
Machinery and equipment |
5 years |
|
Furniture and fixtures |
5 years |
|
Leasehold improvements |
3 – 10 years (shorter of lease term or useful lives) |
|
Motor vehicles |
5 years |
Depreciation on property and equipment is calculated on the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets. The cost and related accumulated depreciation of assets sold or otherwise retired are eliminated from the accounts and any gain or loss is included in the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations. Expenditures for maintenance and repairs are charged to earnings as incurred, while additions, renewals, and betterments, which are expected to extend the useful life of assets, are capitalized. The Company also re-evaluates the periods of depreciation to determine whether subsequent events and circumstances warrant revised estimates of useful lives.
(k) Definite-Lived Intangible Assets
The Company owns property rights of certain technologies and designs that relate to the Underwriter Laboratories certificates issued for its products. The Company capitalizes the costs associated with design, development, acquisition and maintenance of its acquired property rights and amortizes these assets over their remaining useful lives on a straight-line basis. Any further payments made to maintain or develop the property rights would be capitalized and amortized over the balance of the useful life for the property rights. The estimated useful life and amortization method are reviewed at the end of each reporting period, with the effect of any changes in the estimate being accounted for on a prospective basis.
The estimated useful lives of intangibles assets are as follows:
property rights |
15-20 years |
(l) Impairment of Long-lived Assets
At the end of each reporting period, the Company reviews the carrying amounts of its property, plant and equipment, intangible assets subject to amortization, and right-of-use assets, to determine whether there is any indication that the carrying value of an asset may not be recoverable. The Company assesses the recoverability of the assets based on the undiscounted future cash flows the assets are expected to generate and recognize an impairment loss when estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to result from the use of the asset plus net proceeds expected from disposition of the asset, if any, are less than the carrying value of the asset. If an impairment is identified, the Company will reduce the carrying amount of the asset to its estimated fair value based on a discounted cash flows approach or, when available and appropriate, to comparable market values. As of December 31, 2023 and March 31, 2023, no impairment of long-lived assets was recognized.
(m) Deferred IPO Costs
The Company complies with the requirements of FASB ASC Topic 340-10-S99-1, “Other Assets and Deferred Costs — SEC Materials” (“ASC 340-10-S99”) and SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin Topic 5A, “Expenses of Offering”. Deferred IPO costs consist of underwriting, legal, accounting and other professional expenses incurred
F-37
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
2 — SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (cont.)
through the balance sheet date that are directly related to the Proposed Public Offering and that will be charged to additional paid in capital upon the completion of the Proposed Public Offering. Should the Proposed Public Offering prove to be unsuccessful, these deferred costs, as well as additional expenses to be incurred, will be charged to operations.
(n) Fair Value Measurements
Fair value is defined as the price that would be received for an asset, or paid to transfer a liability, in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. Valuation techniques maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs. When determining the fair value measurements for assets and liabilities, the Company considers the principal or most advantageous market in which it would transact and consider assumptions that market participants would use when pricing the asset or liability. The following summarizes the three levels of inputs required to measure fair value, of which the first two are considered observable and the third is considered unobservable:
Level-1 — |
Observable inputs that reflect quoted prices (unadjusted) for identical assets or liabilities in active markets. |
|||
Level-2 — |
Include other inputs that are directly or indirectly observable in the marketplace. |
|||
Level-3 — |
Unobservable inputs which are supported by little or no market activity. |
The fair value for certain assets and liabilities such as cash, accounts receivable, other receivables, prepayments and other current assets, short-term loans, accounts payable, contract liabilities, accrued expenses and other payables, and tax payables have been determined to approximate carrying amounts due to the short maturities of these instruments. The Company believes that its long-term loan to a third party approximates the fair value based on current yields for debt instruments with similar terms. The Company and its subsidiaries did not have any non-financial assets or liabilities that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of December 31, 2023 and March 31, 2023.
(o) Revenue Recognition
The Company follows the revenue accounting requirements of Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. The core principle underlying the revenue recognition of this ASC allows the Company to recognize revenue that represents the transfer of products and services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the Company expects to be entitled in such exchange. This will require the Company to identify contractual performance obligations and determine whether revenue should be recognized at a point in time or over time, based on when control of products and services transfers to a customer.
To achieve that core principle, the Company applies a five-step model to recognize revenue from customer contracts. The five-step model requires that the Company (i) identify the contract with the customer, (ii) identify the performance obligations in the contract, (iii) determine the transaction price, including variable consideration to the extent that it is probable that a significant future reversal will not occur, (iv) allocate the transaction price to the respective performance obligations in the contract, and (v) recognize revenue when (or as) the Company satisfies the performance obligation.
Product revenue — Performance obligation satisfied at point in time
The Company generates substantially all its revenues from sales of products such as smart E-bikes, E-motorcycles, E-scooters and accessories to the retail and wholesale customers through its wholly owned subsidiaries stores. In accordance with ASC 606, the Company’s performance obligations are satisfied upon the control of products being passed to the customer, which is the point in time that the customers are able to direct the use of and obtain
F-38
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
2 — SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (cont.)
substantially all of the economic benefit of the products or services. The transfer of control typically occurs at a point in time based on consideration of when the customer has an obligation to pay for the products, and physical possession of, legal title to, and the risks and rewards of ownership of the products have been transferred, and the customer has accepted the products. Revenue is recognized net of estimates of variable consideration, including product returns, customer discounts and allowance. which occurs at the point of sale, or the services have been rendered. Historically, the Company has not experienced any significant returns nor provided significant customer discounts.
The Company offers an assurance-type warranty to its customers. An assurance-type warranty guarantees that the product will perform as promised and is not a performance obligation. This type of warranty promises to repair or replace a delivered good or service if it does not perform as expected. Since an assurance-type warranty guarantees the functionality of a product, the warranty is not accounted for as a separate performance obligation, and thus no transaction price is allocated to it. Rather, to account for an assurance-type warranty the vendor should estimate and accrue a warranty liability when the promised good or service is delivered to the customer (see ASC 460-10).
Since the contract price and term are fixed and enforceable, and an assurance-type warranty guarantees the functionality of a product, and the warranty is not accounted for as a separate performance obligation, no transaction price is allocated to it. The Company recognizes sales in full at the point in time when the products are delivered or accepted by the customers, in accordance with the acceptance term specified in the contract. The Company records estimated future warranty costs under ASC 460. Such estimated costs for warranties are estimated at the time of delivery and these warranties are not service warranties separately sold by the Company. Generally, the estimated claim rates of warranty are based on actual warranty experience or the Company’s best estimate. The Company accrued $59,961 and $22,056 of warranty reserves under accrued expenses and other payables as of December 31, 2023 and March 31, 2023, respectively.
Disaggregated information of revenues by business lines are as follows:
For the nine months ended |
||||||
2023 |
2022 |
|||||
Sale-retail |
$ |
19,229,491 |
$ |
14,214,290 |
||
Sale-wholesale |
|
4,804,906 |
|
2,243,712 |
||
Net revenues |
$ |
24,034,397 |
$ |
16,458,002 |
(p) Selling and Marketing Expenses
Selling and marketing expenses mainly consist of advertising costs, promotion expenses and payroll and related expenses for personnel engaged in selling and marketing activities. Advertising expenses, which consist primarily of online and offline advertisements, are expenses when the services are received. The advertising expenses were $32,695 and $24,846 for the nine months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
(q) Software Development costs
ASC Topic 985-20, Software — Costs of Software to Be Sold, Leased, or Marketed, requires companies to expense software development costs as they incur them until technological feasibility has been established, at which time those costs are capitalized until the product is available for general release to customers. The development of the Fly E-Bike app is still in its preliminary stage and the development of core functions has not yet been completed. As a result, the Company expensed the development costs of the Fly E-Bike app as they incurred. For the nine months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, development costs amounted to $7,460 and $59,820, respectively, which were recorded under General and Administrative expenses.
F-39
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
2 — SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (cont.)
(r) Income Taxes
Current income taxes are provided based on net income/(loss) for financial reporting purposes and adjusted for income and expense items which are not assessable or deductible for income tax purposes, in accordance with the regulations of the relevant tax jurisdictions.
Deferred taxes are accounted for using the asset and liability method in respect of temporary differences arising from differences between the carrying amount of assets and liabilities in the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and the corresponding tax basis used in the computation of assessable tax profit. In principle, deferred tax liabilities are recognized for all taxable temporary differences. Deferred tax assets (the “DTAs”) are recognized to the extent that it is probable that taxable profit will be available against which deductible temporary differences can be utilized.
Deferred tax is calculated using tax rates that are expected to apply to the period when the asset is realized, or the liability is settled. Deferred tax is charged or credited in the income statement, except when it is related to items credited or charged directly to equity, in which case the deferred tax is also dealt with in equity. DTAs are reduced by a valuation allowance when, in the opinion of management, it is more likely than not that some portion or all the DTAs will not be realized. Current income taxes are provided for in accordance with the laws of the relevant taxing authorities.
An uncertain tax position is recognized as a benefit only if it is “more likely than not” that the tax position would be sustained in a tax examination, with a tax examination being presumed to occur. The amount recognized is the largest amount of tax benefit that is greater than 50% likely of being realized on examination. For tax positions not meeting the “more likely than not” test, no tax benefit is recorded. No penalties and interest incurred related to underpayment of income tax are classified as income tax expense in the period incurred. The tax returns filed in 2018 to 2021 are subject to examination by any appropriate tax authorities.
(s) Leases
The Company accounts for leases in accordance with ASC 842. The Company leases premises for offices, warehouses, and retail stores under non-cancellable operating leases.
The Company recognizes right-of-use assets and lease liabilities for all leases at the commencement date of a lease, except for short-term leases and low-value asset leases accounted for applying a recognition exemption where lease payments are recognized as expenses on a straight-line basis over the lease terms. Leases with an initial term of 12 months or less are short-term leases and not recognized as operating lease right-of-use assets and operating lease liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets. The Company recognizes lease expense for short-term leases on a straight-line basis over the lease term.
Right-of-use assets are initially measured at cost, which comprises the initial measurement of lease liabilities adjusted for lease payments made at or before the commencement date, plus any initial direct costs incurred and an estimate of costs needed to restore the underlying assets, and less any lease incentives received. Right-of-use assets are subsequently measured at cost less accumulated depreciation and impairment losses and adjusted for any remeasurement of the lease liabilities. Right-of-use assets are presented on a separate line in the consolidated balance sheets.
Right-of-use assets are depreciated using the straight-line method from the commencement dates to the earlier of the end of the useful lives of the right-of-use assets or the end of the lease terms.
Lease liabilities are initially measured at the present value of the lease payments, which comprise fixed payments, in-substance fixed payments, variable lease payments which depend on an index or a rate. The lease payments are discounted using the interest rate implicit in a lease if that rate can be readily determined. If that rate cannot be readily determined, the Company uses the lessee’s incremental borrowing rate.
F-40
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
2 — SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (cont.)
Subsequently, lease liabilities are measured at amortized cost using the effective interest method, with interest expense recognized over the lease terms. When there is a change in a lease term or a change in future lease payments resulting from a change in an index or a rate used to determine those payments, the Company remeasures the lease liabilities with a corresponding adjustment to the right-of-use-assets. However, if the carrying amount of the right-of-use assets is reduced to zero, any remaining amount of the remeasurement is recognized in profit or loss. Lease liabilities are presented on a separate line in the consolidated balance sheets.
Variable lease payments that do not depend on an index or a rate are recognized as expenses in the periods in which they are incurred.
(t) Concentration and Risk
Concentration of customers and suppliers
No customers individually represented greater than 10% of total net revenues of the Company for the nine months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022.
For the nine months ended December 31, 2023, the Company’s top three suppliers represented 35%, 20% and 13% of total purchases of the Company, respectively. As of December 31, 2023, three suppliers accounted for 38%, 33%, and 25% of accounts payable balance, respectively. As of March 31, 2023, three suppliers accounted for 55%, 27% and 11% of accounts payable balance, respectively. As of December 31, 2022, two suppliers accounted for 68% and 20% of accounts payable balance, respectively.
Concentration of credit risk
Financial instruments that are potentially subject to credit risk consist principally of accounts receivable. The Company believes the concentration of credit risk in its account receivable is substantially mitigated by its ongoing credit evaluation process and relatively short collection terms. The Company does not generally require collateral from customers. The Company evaluates the need for an allowance for doubtful accounts based upon factors surrounding the credit risk of specific customers, historical trends, and other information. Historically, the Company did not have any bad debt on its account receivable.
Financial instruments that potentially expose the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist principally of cash and cash equivalents, term deposits, restricted cash, short-term investments, and accounts receivable, net. The Company’s investment policy requires cash and cash equivalents, term deposits, restricted cash, and short-term investments to be placed with high-quality financial institutions and to limit the amount of credit risk from any one issuer. The Company regularly evaluates the credit standing of the counterparties or financial institutions.
(u) Related Parties
A related party is generally defined as (i) any person and or their immediate family hold 10% or more of the Company’s securities (ii) the Company’s management and/or their immediate family, (iii) someone that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by or is under common control with the Company, or (iv) anyone who can significantly influence the financial and operating decisions of the Company. A transaction is considered to be a related party transaction when there is a transfer of resources or obligations between related parties. Related parties may be individuals or corporate entities. Transactions involving related parties cannot be presumed to be carried out on an arm’s length basis, as the requisite conditions of competitive, free market dealings may not exist. Representations about transactions with related parties, if made, shall not imply that the related party transactions were consummated on terms equivalent to those that prevail in arm’s length transactions unless such representations can be substantiated.
F-41
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
2 — SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (cont.)
(v) Earnings Per Share
The Company computes earnings per share (“EPS”) in accordance with ASC 260, “Earnings per Share”. ASC 260 requires companies to present basic and diluted EPS. Basic EPS is measured as net income divided by the weighted average common stock outstanding for the period. Diluted EPS presents the dilutive effect on a per share basis of the potential common stock (e.g., convertible securities, options, and warrants) as if they had been converted at the beginning of the periods presented, or issuance date, if later. Potential shares of common stock that have an anti-dilutive effect (i.e., those that increase income per share or decrease loss per share) are excluded from the calculation of diluted EPS.
For the nine months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, there were no dilutive shares.
(w) Foreign Currencies Translation
Transactions denominated in currencies other than the functional currency are translated into the functional currency at the exchange rates prevailing at the dates of the transaction. Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in currencies other than the functional currency are translated into the functional currency using the applicable exchange rates at the balance sheet dates. The resulting exchange differences are recorded in the statement of operations. The reporting currency of the Company is United States Dollar ($). The Company’s subsidiary in Canada maintains its books and records in its local currency, Canadian dollar (CAD), which is the functional currency for this subsidiary as it is the primary currency of the economic environment in which this entity operates.
In general, for consolidation purposes, assets and liabilities of subsidiaries whose functional currency is not United States Dollar are translated into United States Dollar in accordance with ASC Topic 830-30, “Translation of Financial Statement”, using the exchange rate on the balance sheet date. Revenues and expenses are translated at average rates prevailing during the period. The gains and losses resulting from translation of financial statements of foreign subsidiaries are recorded as a separate component of accumulated other comprehensive income within the statement of stockholders’ equity.
(x) Recent Accounting Pronouncements
The Company considers the applicability and impact of all accounting standards updates (“ASUs”). Management periodically reviews new accounting standards that are issued. Under the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, as amended (the “JOBS Act”), the Company meets the definition of an emerging growth company and has elected the extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards, which delays the adoption of these accounting standards until they would apply to private companies.
In May 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-05, which is an update to ASU Update No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments — Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments, which introduced the expected credit losses methodology for the measurement of credit losses on financial assets measured at amortized cost basis, replacing the previous incurred loss methodology. The amendments in Update 2016-13 added Topic 326, Financial Instruments — Credit Losses, and made several consequential amendments to the Codification. Update 2016-13 also modified the accounting for available-for-sale debt securities, which must be individually assessed for credit losses when fair value is less than the amortized cost basis, in accordance with Subtopic 326-30, Financial Instruments — Credit Losses — Available-for-Sale Debt Securities. The amendments in this Update address those stakeholders’ concerns by providing an option to irrevocably elect the fair value option for certain financial assets previously measured at amortized cost basis. For those entities, the targeted transition relief will increase comparability of financial statement information by providing an option to align measurement methodologies for similar financial assets. Furthermore, the targeted transition relief also may reduce the costs for some entities to comply with the amendments in Update 2016-13 while still providing financial statement users with decision-useful information. In November 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-10, which to update the effective date of ASU No. 2016-13 for private companies, not-for-profit organizations and certain smaller
F-42
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
2 — SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (cont.)
reporting companies applying for credit losses, leases, and hedging standard. The new effective date for these preparers was for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022. ASU 2019-05 was effective for the Company for annual and interim reporting periods beginning April 1, 2024 as the Company is qualified as an emerging growth company. The Company is currently evaluating the impact ASU 2019-05 may have on its unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.
Except as mentioned above, the Company does not believe other recently issued but not yet effective accounting standards, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on the Company’s unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets, statements of income and comprehensive income and statements of cash flows.
3 — INVENTORIES, NET
Inventories, net consisted of the following:
December 31, |
March 31, |
|||||||
Batteries |
$ |
1,284,932 |
|
$ |
1,370,513 |
|
||
Electric Vehicles |
|
3,038,934 |
|
|
2,485,573 |
|
||
Tires |
|
528,927 |
|
|
414,031 |
|
||
Accessories |
|
928,588 |
|
|
— |
|
||
Inventories |
|
5,781,381 |
|
|
4,270,117 |
|
||
Inventory reserves |
|
(403,031 |
) |
|
(431,363 |
) |
||
Inventories, net |
$ |
5,378,351 |
|
$ |
3,838,754 |
|
Movements of inventory reserves are as follows:
December 31, |
March 31, |
||||||
Beginning balance |
$ |
431,363 |
|
$ |
279,985 |
||
Addition |
|
287,946 |
|
|
151,378 |
||
Write off |
|
(316,278 |
) |
|
— |
||
Ending Balance |
$ |
403,031 |
|
$ |
431,363 |
As of December 31,2023 and March 31, 2023, the inventory allowance balance was $403,031 and $431,363, respectively. For the nine months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, the impairment loss was $287,946 and $609,264, respectively.
4 — PREPAYMENTS AND OTHER RECEIVABLES
Prepayments and other current assets on December 31, 2023 and March 31, 2023 consisted of the following:
December 31, |
March 31, |
|||||
Prepaid rent |
|
103,195 |
|
26,332 |
||
Prepayments to vendors |
|
471,822 |
|
647,746 |
||
Prepaid iCloud Server |
|
4,867 |
|
— |
||
Prepayments to DMV |
|
— |
|
500 |
||
Prepaid insurance |
|
246,941 |
|
108,241 |
||
Prepayments to landlord |
|
250,000 |
|
— |
||
Prepayments to other service providers |
|
16,721 |
|
— |
||
Total Prepayment and Other Receivables |
$ |
1,093,546 |
$ |
782,819 |
F-43
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
5 — PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NET
Property and equipment on December 31, 2023 and March 31, 2023 consisted of the following:
December 31, |
March 31, |
|||||||
Furniture & Fixtures |
$ |
356,482 |
|
$ |
113,485 |
|
||
Machinery & Equipment |
|
158,779 |
|
|
103,684 |
|
||
Automobile |
|
306,607 |
|
|
242,633 |
|
||
Leasehold improvements |
|
751,814 |
|
|
575,134 |
|
||
Property and Equipment |
|
1,573,682 |
|
|
1,034,936 |
|
||
Less: Accumulated depreciation |
|
(453,439 |
) |
|
(249,651 |
) |
||
Property and Equipment, net |
$ |
1,120,243 |
|
$ |
785,285 |
|
For the nine months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, the depreciation expenses were $203,788 and $93,231, respectively.
6 — INTANGIBLE ASSETS, NET
Intangible assets on December 31, 2023 and March 31, 2023 consisted of the following:
December 31, |
March 31, |
||||||
Property rights |
$ |
109,532 |
|
$ |
— |
||
Intangible assets |
|
109,532 |
|
|
— |
||
Less: Accumulated Amortization |
|
(782 |
) |
|
— |
||
Intangible assets, net |
$ |
108,750 |
|
$ |
— |
For the nine months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, the amortization expenses were $782 and nil, respectively.
7 — ACCRUED EXPENSES AND OTHER PAYABLES
December 31, |
March 31, |
|||||
Accrued payroll |
$ |
167,361 |
$ |
15,808 |
||
Advances from customers |
|
30,705 |
|
36,396 |
||
Advances from a third party |
|
49,000 |
|
— |
||
Accrued warranty |
|
59,961 |
|
22,056 |
||
Payroll tax and sales tax payable |
|
192,906 |
|
155,689 |
||
Accrued store expenses |
|
16,619 |
|
123,996 |
||
Accrued IPO offering cost |
|
11,717 |
|
11,717 |
||
Other payable to landlord |
|
18,000 |
|
— |
||
Accrued freight in cost |
|
52,475 |
|
— |
||
Accrued Expenses and Other Payables |
$ |
598,744 |
$ |
365,662 |
F-44
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
8 — Loan Payable
A summary of the Company’s loans is listed as follows:
Lender |
Due Date |
December 31, |
March 31, |
|||||||
Flushing Bank(i) |
June 1, 2027 |
$ |
— |
|
$ |
435,537 |
|
|||
Chase Bank(ii) |
October 25, 2027 |
|
185,989 |
|
|
214,529 |
|
|||
Chase Bank(iii) |
January 12, 2028 |
|
59,494 |
|
|
68,051 |
|
|||
Chase Bank(x) |
September 28, 2028 |
|
230,451 |
|
|
— |
|
|||
Xuper Loan(iv)(v) |
May 01, 2023 |
|
— |
|
|
259,072 |
|
|||
Leaf Capital Funding, LLC(vi) |
December 31, 2027 |
|
49,783 |
|
|
58,263 |
|
|||
Sinoelite Corp(vii) |
April 03, 2024 |
|
100,000 |
|
|
100,000 |
|
|||
Automobile Loan – Honda(viii) |
June 25, 2027 |
|
30,900 |
|
|
— |
|
|||
Bank of Hope(ix) |
September 15, 2024 |
|
391,226 |
|
|
— |
|
|||
Bank of Hope(ix) |
September 22, 2024 |
|
400,000 |
|
|
— |
|
|||
Bank of Hope(ix) |
December 12, 2024 |
|
205,000 |
|
|
— |
|
|||
Total loan payables |
|
1,652,843 |
|
|
1,135,452 |
|
||||
Current portion of loan payables |
|
(1,210,507 |
) |
|
(412,224 |
) |
||||
Long-term loan payables |
$ |
442,336 |
|
$ |
723,228 |
|
____________
(i) On June 14, 2022, Ctate (now merged into Fly E-Bike, Inc.) obtained a five-year long-term loan of $500,000 from Flushing Bank with an annual interest rate of 7%. The collateral provided includes all of Ctate’s inventory, accounts, notes, machinery, equipment, fixtures and other products, and any proceeds and products generated from these items in any form. On September 20, 2023, the Company paid off this loan in full.
(ii) On October 25, 2022, the Company’s subsidiary, Universe King Corp. obtained a five-year long-term loan of $230,000 from JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. with an annual interest rate of 10.35%. Mr. Ke Zhang, the Company’s Chief Human Resource Officer, provided a guarantee on this loan. To secure payment and performance of the liabilities, Universe King Corp. pledged to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., a continuing security interest in all of its right, title and interest in all of its properties, whether now owned or hereinafter acquired and whether now existing or hereafter arising. From January 1 to April 3, 2024, the Company paid $14,831 on principal and interest of the loan.
(iii) On January 12, 2023, the Company’s subsidiary, Arfy Corp. obtained a five-year long-term loan of $70,000 from JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. with an annual interest rate of 9.8%. Mr. Tong Chen, an original stockholder of the Company, provided a guarantee on this loan. To secure payment and performance of the liabilities, Arfy Corp. pledged to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., a continuing security interest in all of its right, title and interest in all of its properties, whether now owned or hereinafter acquired and whether now existing or hereafter arising. From January 1 to April 3, 2024, the Company paid $4,455 on principal and interest of the loan.
(iv) On January 11, 2023, Fly E-Bike, Inc. obtained a seven-month short-term loan of $250,000 from Xuper Funding with annual interest rate of 136%. On May 1, 2023, the Company paid off this loan in full.
(v) On February 23, 2023, Fly E-Bike, Inc. obtained a seven-month short-term loan of $100,000 from Xuper Funding with an annual interest rate of 54%. On May 1, 2023, the Company paid off this loan in full.
(vi) On August 24, 2022, Universe King Corp. obtained a five-year long-term loan of $63,674 from Leaf Capital Funding, LLC with an annual interest rate 7.0%. The collateral provided included the Fuso trucks, whether now owned or hereafter acquired by Universe King Corp., and together with all accessories, accessions, attachments thereto, and all other substitutions, renewals, replacements and improvements and all proceeds of the foregoing. From January 1 to April 3, 2024, the Company paid $3,785 on principal and interest of the loan.
(vii) On January 3, 2023, Fly E-Bike, Inc. obtained a one-year and three-month long-term loan of $100,000 from Sinoelite Corp with no interest.
(viii) On June 12, 2023, Flyebikemiami Inc obtained a four-year long-term loan of $34,974 from AutoNation Honda Miami Lakes with an annual interest rate 3.98%. The collateral provided was the Honda vehicle purchased by Flyebikemiami Inc. From January 1 to April 3, 2024, the Company paid $2,368 on principal and interest of the loan.
F-45
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
8 — Loan Payable (cont.)
(ix) On September 20, 2023, Fly-E Group, Inc obtained a line of credit of $1,000,000 from Bank of Hope with a floating annual interest rate, currently at 8.5%. On the same date, the Company withdrew $391,226 from Bank of Hope to pay off the loan balance with Flushing Bank as of September 15, 2023. On September 22, 2023 and December 12, 2023, the Company withdrew $400,000 and $205,000, respectively, from Bank of Hope to support its business operations.
(x) On October 2, 2023, the Company’s subsidiary, Fly14 Corp. obtained a five-year long-term loan of $240,000 from JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. with an annual interest rate of 10.40%. To secure payment and performance of the liabilities, Fly14 Corp. pledged to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., a continuing security interest in all of its right, title and interest in all of its properties, whether now owned or hereinafter acquired and whether now existing or hereafter arising. From January 1 to April 3, 2024, the Company paid $15,494 on principal and interest of the loan.
For the nine months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, the total interest expenses on the Company’s outstanding loans amounted to $82,150 and $34,017, respectively.
9 — STOCKHOLDER’S EQUITY
Prior to the effectiveness of the stock split discussed below, the Company was authorized to issue 400 shares of common stock having a par value of $0.01 per share and 40 shares of preferred stock having a par value of $0.01 per share. There were 200 shares of common stock were issued and outstanding prior to the effectiveness of the stock split.
On March 27, 2024, the Company’s board of directors approved a 1-for-110,000 stock split of the Company’s capital stock. The stock split became effective on April 2, 2024. The par value of the Company’s common stock remained unchanged at $0.01 per share, and the number of authorized shares of the Company’s capital stock was increased from 440 to 48,400,000, with the number of authorized shares of common stock and preferred stock being increased from 400 to 44,000,000 and from 40 to 4,400,000, respectively.
During the nine months ended December 31, 2023, Mr. Ou paid certain vendors of the Company to settle certain accounts payable balance on behalf the Company. On June 30, 2023, the Company transferred $2.26 million, a portion of the accounts payable balance, along with a cash contribution of $0.14 million from Mr. Zhou Ou as capital contribution (see Note 13). As of December 31, 2023, a total of $2.4 million were transferred and recorded as capital contribution (see Note 13).
10 — INCOME TAX
(a) Current Tax
Income tax expense for the nine months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 amounted to $0.73 million and $0.65 million, respectively. Significant components of the provision for income taxes are as follows:
F-46
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
10 — INCOME TAX (cont.)
The following table reconciles to the Company’s effective tax rate:
For the nine months ended |
||||||
2023 |
2022 |
|||||
Pre-tax book income |
1,939,885 |
|
1,998,200 |
|
||
Federal Statutory rate |
21.0 |
% |
21.0 |
% |
||
State income tax rate, net of federal income tax benefit |
8.0 |
% |
8.5 |
% |
||
City income tax rate, net of federal income tax benefit |
5.0 |
% |
5.5 |
% |
||
Foreign statutory rate |
(0.4 |
)% |
— |
|
||
Permanent differences |
5.3 |
% |
0.7 |
% |
||
Return to project adjustment |
(1.4 |
)% |
(2.9 |
)% |
||
Total |
37.5 |
% |
32.8 |
% |
Penalties and interest incurred related to underpayment of income tax are classified as penalties in the period incurred. For the nine months ended December 31, 2023, the Company incurred $42,141 income tax related penalty included in taxes payable in the unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets.
United States
Income tax expense for the nine months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 amounted to $0.74 million and $0.65 million, respectively. Significant components of the provision for income taxes are as follows:
For the nine months ended |
||||||
2023 |
2022 |
|||||
Current |
|
|
||||
Federal |
$ |
183,589 |
$ |
294,020 |
||
State |
|
182,860 |
|
128,271 |
||
City |
|
139,904 |
|
77,163 |
||
Deferred |
|
|
||||
Federal |
|
166,500 |
|
58,400 |
||
State |
|
42,300 |
|
49,300 |
||
City |
|
24,500 |
|
47,500 |
||
Total |
$ |
741,653 |
$ |
654,654 |
Canada
Fly Toronto Corp, a subsidiary of the Company, was formed under the laws of Canada and conducts its business primarily in Canada.
F-47
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
10 — INCOME TAX (cont.)
Income tax benefit for the nine months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 amounted to $7,656 and nil, respectively. Significant components of the provision for income taxes are as follows:
For the nine months ended December 31, |
|||||||
2023 |
2022 |
||||||
Current |
|
|
|
||||
Federal |
$ |
— |
|
$ |
— |
||
State |
|
— |
|
|
— |
||
City |
|
— |
|
|
— |
||
Deferred |
|
|
|
||||
Federal |
|
(4,334.00 |
) |
|
— |
||
State |
|
(3,322.00 |
) |
|
— |
||
City |
|
— |
|
|
— |
||
Total |
$ |
(7,656 |
) |
$ |
— |
(b) Deferred Tax Assets (Liabilities)
Net DTAs as of December 31, 2023 amounted to $14,406, and as of March 31, 2023, net Deferred Tax Assets (the “DTLs”) amounted to $211,100. Significant components of DTAs (DTLs), net are as follows:
As of December 31, |
As of |
|||||||
Net operating loss carry forwards |
$ |
7,958 |
|
$ |
93,800 |
|
||
Inventory reserve |
|
153,100 |
|
|
155,400 |
|
||
Deferred Rent |
|
226,200 |
|
|
192,500 |
|
||
Less: Valuation allowance |
|
— |
|
|
— |
|
||
Total deferred tax assets (DTAs) |
$ |
387,258 |
|
$ |
441,700 |
|
||
Accumulated depreciation |
|
(401,664 |
) |
|
(230,600 |
) |
||
Total deferred tax liabilities (DTLs) |
|
(401,664 |
) |
|
(230,600 |
) |
||
Total deferred tax (liabilities) assets, net |
$ |
14,406 |
|
$ |
211,100 |
|
||
Deferred tax assets (liabilities) – U.S., net |
$ |
(22,200 |
) |
$ |
211,100 |
|
||
Deferred tax asset – Canada, net |
$ |
7,794 |
|
|
— |
|
As of December 31, 2023 and March 31, 2023, the Company had approximately $0.39 million and $0.44 million, respectively, in the DTAs, which respectively included approximately $0.001 million and $0.09 million related to net operating loss carryforwards that can be used to offset taxable income in future periods, $0.23 million and $0.19 million related to deferred rent, and $0.16 million and $0.15 million related to inventory allowance.
As of December 31, 2023 and March 31, 2023, the Company had approximately $0.40 million and $0.23 million, respectively, in the DTLs that related to accumulated depreciation.
Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the estimated future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases, and operating loss and tax credit carryforwards. As of December 31, 2023 and March 31, 2023, the Company recorded approximately $0.01 million and $0.21 million, respectively, in the net DTAs. As of December 31, 2023, management considered it more likely than not that the Company will have sufficient taxable income in the future that will allow the Company to realize these net DTAs. .
Therefore, a substantial valuation allowance to reduce the Company’s federal DTAs may not be required. Positive evidence could include, among other things: (a) existing firm sales backlog that will produce more than enough taxable income to realize the DTAs based on existing sales price structures, (b) an excess of appreciated asset value
F-48
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
10 — INCOME TAX (cont.)
of $0.39 million and $0.44 million, respectively as of December 31, 2023 and March 31, 2023, over the tax basis of the entity’s net assets in an amount sufficient to realize the DTA, and (c) a strong earnings history exclusive of the losses that created the future deductible amount (tax loss carry-forward or deductible temporary difference). For the nine months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company’s pre-tax book income in the U.S. was approximately $1.97 million and $2.00 million, respectively, and part of previous net tax loss carry forward was used to reduce taxable income in the current period. In addition, for the nine months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company’s pre-tax book loss in Canada was approximately $33,146 and nil, respectively.
Uncertain Tax Positions
The Company evaluates each uncertain tax position (including the potential application of interest and penalties) based on the technical merits, and measures the unrecognized benefits associated with the tax positions. As of December 31, 2023 and March 31,2023, the Company did not have any significant unrecognized uncertain tax positions.
11 — LEASES
Effective on April 1, 2019, the Company adopted Topic 842. At the inception of a contract, the Company determines if the arrangement is, or contains, a lease. The leases of the Company mainly consisted of offices, retail stores and warehouses.
The Company’s operating right-of-use (“ROU”) assets and lease liabilities were as follows:
December 31, 2023 |
March 31, |
|||||
Operating ROU: |
|
|
||||
ROU assets |
$ |
12,042,292 |
$ |
10,261,556 |
||
Total operating ROU assets |
$ |
12,042,292 |
$ |
10,261,556 |
December 31, |
March 31, |
|||||
Operating lease obligations: |
|
|
||||
Current operating lease liabilities |
$ |
2,400,008 |
$ |
1,836,737 |
||
Non-current operating lease liabilities |
|
10,344,485 |
|
8,979,193 |
||
Total lease liabilities |
$ |
12,744,493 |
$ |
10,815,930 |
The Company had 38 and 31 leases as of December 31, 2023 and March 31, 2023, respectively.
The weighted average lease term, discount rates, and remaining lease terms for the operating leases as of December 31, 2023 were as follows:
Remaining lease term and discount rate:
Weighted average discount rate |
5.5% |
|
Weighted average remaining lease term (years) |
5.86 years |
The weighted average lease term, discount rates, and remaining lease terms for the operating lease as of March 31, 2023 were as follows:
Remaining lease term and discount rate:
Weighted average discount rate |
5% |
|
Weighted average remaining lease term (years) |
6.47 years |
F-49
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
11 — LEASES (cont.)
The Company leases its offices, warehouse, and retail stores under non-cancellable operating lease agreements. Lease expenses were $2.33 million, including $0.39 million cost of goods-occupancy cost, $1.73 million rent expense in selling expense, and $0.21 million rent expense in general and administrative expense for the nine months ended December 31, 2023. Lease expenses were $1.73 million, including $0.36 million cost of goods-occupancy cost, $1.25 million rent expense in selling expense, and $0.12 million rent expense in general and administrative expense for the nine months ended December 31, 2022.
As of December 31, 2023, future minimum lease liabilities, all under office and facilities non-cancellable operating lease agreements, were as follows:
As of December 31, 2023 |
Operating Lease Liabilities |
|||
2024 |
$ |
3,038,734 |
|
|
2025 |
|
2,997,897 |
|
|
2026 |
|
2,444,350 |
|
|
2027 |
|
1,911,471 |
|
|
2028 |
|
1,347,683 |
|
|
Thereafter |
|
3,321,781 |
|
|
Total lease payments |
|
15,061,916 |
|
|
Less: interest |
|
(2,317,423 |
) |
|
Present value of lease liabilities |
$ |
12,744,493 |
|
12 — COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Commitments
The Company has not entered any off-balance sheet financial guarantees or other off-balance sheet commitments to guarantee the payment obligations of any third parties. The Company has not entered any derivative contracts that are indexed to its shares and classified as shareholder’s equity or that are not reflected in its unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements. Furthermore, the Company does not have any retained or contingent interest in assets transferred to an unconsolidated entity that serves as credit, liquidity or market risk support to such entity. The Company does not have any variable interest in any unconsolidated entity that provides financing, liquidity, market risk or credit support to itself or engages in leasing, hedging or product development services with itself.
Contingencies
Legal
From time to time, the Company is a party to certain legal proceedings, as well as certain asserted and unasserted claims. Amounts accrued, as well as the total amount of reasonably possible losses with respect to such matters, individually and in the aggregate, are not deemed to be material to the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.
The Company’s products and other production facilities as well as the packaging, storage, distribution, advertising and labeling of its products, are subject to extensive legal and regulatory requirements. For example, pursuant to the DMV registration requirement, the Company must satisfy the DMV Registration requirements and conduct required testing for all of its products sold in U.S. Loss of or failure to renew or obtain necessary permits, licenses, registrations, or certificates could prevent the Company from legally selling its products in the U.S. If the Company were found to be in violation of applicable laws and regulations, it could be subject to administrative punishment, including fines, injunctions, recalls or asset seizures, as well as potential criminal sanctions, any of which could have a material adverse effect on its business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. As of the date hereof, the Company believes it is in compliance with the relevant regulations in the U.S.
F-50
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
12 — COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (cont.)
Inflation
Inflationary factors, such as increases in personnel and overhead costs, could impair the Company’s operating results. Although the Company does not believe that inflation has had a material impact on the Company’s financial position or results of operations to date, a high rate of inflation in the future may have an adverse effect on the Company’s ability to maintain current levels of gross margin and operating expenses as a percentage of sales revenue if the revenues do not increase with such increased costs.
13 — RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
(A) Related party balances
Accounts receivable — related parties
Name of Related Party |
Relationship |
Nature |
December 31, 2023 |
March 31, |
||||||
Fly E Bike SRL |
Zhou Ou (CEO), owns over 50% equity interest of this entity |
Accounts receivable |
$ |
366,714 |
|
136,565 |
||||
Accounts receivable-related parties |
$ |
366,714 |
$ |
136,565 |
Prepayments and other receivables — related parties — related party
During the nine months ended December 31, 2023, the Company advanced $111,500 to Fly E Bike SRL, a distributor the Company works with and in which Mr. Ou holds over 50% of the equity interest. This advance is unsecured, bears no interest and does not have a maturity date. On February 29, 2024, Fly E Bike SRL repaid $111,500 to the Company.
In December 2023, the Company engaged DF Technology US Inc (“DFT”) for certain technology services. Mr. Guo, the Company’s CFO, owns over 50% of the equity interest in DFT. In December 2023, the Company paid $350,000 to DFT as prepayment for software development.
Other payables — related parties
Name of Related Party |
Relationship |
Nature |
December 31, |
March 31, |
||||||
Zhou Ou |
Chairman, CEO |
Other payable |
$ |
182,230 |
$ |
332,481 |
||||
Other Payables-related parties |
$ |
182,230 |
$ |
332,481 |
____________
(i) Represents the remaining balance of the advance provided by the related party to the Company’s subsidiaries for the purpose of supporting their business operations.
F-51
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
13 — RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS (cont.)
All of the above payables are unsecured, non-interest bearing, and due on demand.
Loan payables — related party
Name of Related Party |
Relationship |
Nature |
December 31, |
March 31, |
||||||
PJMG LLC |
Ruifeng Guo (CFO), owns over 50% equity interest of this entity |
Loan payable |
$ |
— |
|
150,000 |
||||
Loan Payables-related parties |
$ |
— |
$ |
150,000 |
On January 3, 2023, Fly E-Bike, Inc. obtained a two-year long-term loan of $150,000 from PJMG LLC with no interest. Mr. Guo owns 50% of the equity interest in PJMG LLC. During the nine months ended December 31, 2023, the Company made a total prepayment of $150,000 for post-IPO service fees. This prepayment was subsequently offset against the loan payables to PJMG LLC.
(B) Related party transactions
Revenues — related party
For the nine months ended |
||||||||||
Name of Related Party |
Relationship |
Nature |
2023 |
2022 |
||||||
Fly E Bike SRL |
Zhou Ou (CEO), owns over 50% equity interest of this entity |
Product sales |
$ |
309,484 |
|
— |
||||
Revenues-related parties |
$ |
309,484 |
$ |
— |
During the nine months ended December 31, 2023, Fly E Bike SRL purchased certain EV products from the Company in the amount of 309,484.
(C) Other Related Party Transactions
(i) During the nine months ended December 31, 2023, Mr. Ou paid certain vendors of the Company to settle certain accounts payable balance on behalf the Company. On June 30, 2023, the Company transferred $2,263,630, a portion of the accounts payable balance, along with a cash contribution of $136,370 from Mr. Zhou Ou as capital contribution (see Note 9). As of December 31, 2023, a total of $2,400,000 were transferred and recorded as capital contribution (see Note 9).
(ii) On March 6, 2021, the Company and DGLG entered into an engagement letter, wherein the Company engaged DGLG as a consultant to assist the Company in its IPO planning, financing and tax services. Mr. Guo, the Company’s CFO, is a partner at DGLG. Under the terms of the engagement agreement with DGLG, the Company has agreed to compensate DGLG for consulting services based on an hourly fee arrangement. DGLG’s consulting fees were $100,000 and $25,000 for the nine months ended December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively. In addition, during the nine months ended December 31, 2023, the Company paid DGLG a total of $64,950 for tax services rendered by DGLG.
F-52
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
14 — SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
The Company has evaluated subsequent events after December 31, 2023, up through April 3, 2024, the date at which the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements were issued.
On February 5, 2024, FLYJH8509 INC, a subsidiary of the Company, entered into an asset purchase agreement with Roobike Inc., pursuant to which FLYJH8509 INC acquired certain assets of Roobike Inc. for a cash purchase price of $108,897.80. Roobike Inc. is a retail seller of electric bikes and motorcycles.
On February 5, 2024, FLYBX2381 INC, a subsidiary of the Company, entered into an asset purchase agreement with Friendbike Inc., pursuant to which FLYBX2381 INC acquired certain assets of Friendbike Inc. for a cash purchase price of $265,297.36. Friendbike Inc. is a retail seller of electric bikes and motorcycles.
On March 27, 2024, the Company’s board of directors approved a 1-for-110,000 stock split of the Company’s stock. The stock split became effective on April 2, 2024 (see Note 9).
F-53
3,000,000 Shares
Fly-E Group, Inc.
Common Stock
____________
Prospectus
____________
___________, 2024
The Benchmark Company
Through and including ___________________, 2024 (the 25th day after the date of this prospectus), all dealers effecting transactions in these securities, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to a dealer’s obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as an underwriter and with respect to an unsold allotment or subscription.
PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 13. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.
The following table sets forth the estimated costs and expenses to be incurred in connection with the issuance and distribution of the shares of common stock being registered hereby, other than underwriting discounts and commissions and non-accountable expense allowance. All amounts are estimates except the SEC registration fee and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) filing fee and the stock exchange listing fee.
The following expenses will be borne solely by the registrant:
Amount |
|||
SEC registration fee |
$ |
2,673 |
|
FINRA filing fee |
|
3,217 |
|
Nasdaq listing fee |
|
50,000 |
|
Printing and engraving expenses |
|
30,000 |
|
Underwriter out-of-pocket expenses |
|
160,000 |
|
Legal fees and expenses |
|
475,000 |
|
Accounting fees and expenses |
|
100,000 |
|
Transfer agent and registrar fees and expenses |
|
5,000 |
|
Miscellaneous fees and expenses |
|
100,000 |
|
Total |
|
925,890 |
Item 14. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
Pursuant to Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”), a corporation shall have the power to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than a derivative action by or in the right of such corporation) by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such corporation, or serving at the request of such corporation in such capacity for another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred in connection with such action, suit or proceeding, if such person acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of such corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful.
The DGCL also permits indemnification by a corporation under similar circumstances for expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such persons in connection with the defense or settlement of a derivative action or suit, except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to such corporation unless the Delaware Court of Chancery or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which such court shall deem proper.
To the extent a present or former director or officer is successful in the defense of such an action, suit or proceeding referenced above, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, a corporation is required by the DGCL to indemnify such person for actual and reasonable expenses incurred in connection therewith. Expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by such persons in defending any action, suit or proceeding may be paid in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding upon in the case of a current officer or director, receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such person to repay such amount if it is ultimately determined that such person is not entitled to be so indemnified.
The DGCL provides that the indemnification described above shall not be deemed exclusive of other indemnification that may be granted by a corporation pursuant to its bylaws, disinterested directors’ vote, stockholders’ vote and agreement or otherwise.
II-1
Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL enables a corporation, in its certificate of incorporation or an amendment thereto, to eliminate or limit the personal liability of a director to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for violations of the directors’ fiduciary duty, except (i) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) pursuant to Section 174 of the DGCL (providing for liability of directors for unlawful payment of dividends or unlawful stock purchases or redemptions) or (iv) for any transaction from which a director derived an improper personal benefit. Our certificate of incorporation provides for such limitations on liability for its directors.
The DGCL also provides corporations with the power to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such corporation in a similar capacity for another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against any liability asserted against him or her in any such capacity or arising out of his or her status as such, whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify him or her against such liability as described above. In connection with this offering, the registrant will obtain liability insurance for its directors and officers. Such insurance would be available to its directors and officers in accordance with its terms.
Our certificate of incorporation requires us to indemnify and hold harmless, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law as it presently exists or may hereafter be amended, any person (a “covered person”) who was or is made or is threatened to be made a party or is otherwise involved in any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (a “proceeding”) by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director, officer or member of a committee, or, while a director or officer, is or was serving at our request as a director or officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise or non-profit entity, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, against all liability and loss suffered and expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgment, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with a proceeding.
In addition, under our certificate of incorporation, in certain circumstances, we are required to pay the expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by a covered person in defending a proceeding in advance of the final disposition of such proceeding; provided, however, that we are not required to advance any expenses to a person against whom we directly bring an action, suit or proceeding alleging that such person (1) committed an act or omission not in good faith or (2) committed an act of intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law. Additionally, an advancement of expenses incurred by a covered person shall be made only upon delivery to us of an undertaking, by or on behalf of such covered person, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined by final judicial decision from which there is no further right to appeal or otherwise in accordance with Delaware law that such covered person is not entitled to be indemnified for such expenses.
In addition, we plan to enter into indemnification agreements with our directors and executive officers that provide for additional indemnification protections, which form of agreement has been filed as an exhibit to this registration statement.
Item 15. Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities.
Except as set forth below, in the three years preceding the filing of this registration statement, the registrant has not issued any securities that were not registered under the Securities Act:
On December 21, 2022, the Company and Fly E-Bike, Inc. (“Fly E-Bike”) entered into a Share Exchange Agreement, pursuant to which the Company acquired 200 shares of common stock of Fly E-Bike, representing all of the issued and outstanding shares of Fly E-Bike, by issuing its shares of common stock to the stockholders of Fly E-Bike on a one-for-one basis. Such share issuance was deemed to be exempt under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, by virtue of Section 4(2) thereof as transactions not involving any public offering.
II-2
Item 16. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules.
(a) Exhibits
EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit |
|
|
1.1 |
||
3.1 |
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Fly-E Group, Inc. |
|
3.2 |
||
4.1 |
||
4.2 |
||
5.1 |
||
10.1 |
Form of the Independent Director’s Agreement of Fly-E Group, Inc.^ |
|
10.2 |
||
10.3 |
||
16.1 |
Letter dated April 3, 2024 from Friedman LLP to the Securities and Exchange Commission^ |
|
21.1 |
||
23.1 |
||
23.2 |
||
23.3 |
||
24.1 |
||
99.1 |
||
99.2 |
||
99.3 |
||
107 |
____________
^ Previously filed.
(b) Financial Statement Schedules: None.
Item 17. Undertakings
The undersigned hereby undertakes:
(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:
(i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;
(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement;
(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;
(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, 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.
II-3
(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) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 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 (§ 230.424 of this chapter);
(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.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the provisions referenced in Item 14 of this Registration Statement, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the 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 hereunder, 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 of whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that:
(1) For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.
(2) For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus 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.
II-4
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the registrant has duly caused this Amendment No. 3 to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the city of New York, New York, on May 3, 2024.
FLY-E GROUP, INC. |
||||
By: |
/s/ Zhou Ou |
|||
Zhou Ou |
||||
Chief Executive Officer |
POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Zhou Ou as attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and re-substitution, to sign on his or her behalf, individually and in any and all capacities, including the capacities stated below, any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement and any registration statements filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 462 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, relating thereto and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting to 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 and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent, or his or her substitute, 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 and on the dates indicated:
SIGNATURE |
TITLE |
DATE |
||
/s/ Zhou Ou |
Chairman of the Board of Directors and |
May 3, 2024 |
||
Zhou Ou |
(Principal Executive Officer) |
|||
/s/ Ruifeng Guo |
Director and Chief Financial Officer |
May 3, 2024 |
||
Ruifeng Guo |
(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) |
II-5
Exhibit 1.1
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
between
Fly-E Group, Inc.
and
The Benchmark Company, LLC
as Representative of the Several Underwriters
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
between
Fly-E Group, Inc.
and
The Benchmark Company, LLC
as Representative of the Several Underwriters
New York, New York
[●], 2024
The Benchmark Company, LLC
as Representative of the several Underwriters named on Schedule 1 hereto
150 East 58th Street, 17th Floor
New York, New York 10155
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned, Fly-E Group, Inc., a corporation incorporated under the law of the State of Delaware (the “Company”), hereby confirms its agreement (this “Agreement”) with The Benchmark Company, LLC (hereinafter referred to as “you” (including its correlatives) or the “Representative”) and with the other underwriters named on Schedule 1 hereto for which the Representative is acting as representative (the Representative and such other underwriters being collectively called the “Underwriters” or, individually, an “Underwriter”) as follows:
1. Purchase and Sale of Shares.
1.1 Firm Shares.
1.1.1. Purchase of Firm Shares. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell to the several Underwriters, severally and not jointly, and the Underwriters agree to purchase from the Company, severally and not jointly, an aggregate of [●] shares, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company’s common stock (such shares being the “Firm Shares” and such common stock being the “Common Stock”) as set forth opposite their respective names on Schedule 1 hereto at a purchase price (net of underwriting discounts and commissions) equal to $[●] per share (such purchase price being equal to 93% of the initial public offering price per Firm Share). The Firm Shares are to be offered initially to the public at the offering price set forth on the cover page of the Prospectus (as defined in Section 2.1.1 hereof).
1.1.2. Payment and Delivery. Delivery and payment for the Firm Shares shall be made at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the second (2nd) Business Day (as defined below) following the effective date (the “Effective Date”) of the Registration Statement (as defined in Section 2.1.1 below) (or the third (3rd) Business Day following the Effective Date if the Registration Statement is declared effective after 4:01 p.m., New York City time) or at such earlier time as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company, at the offices of Lucosky Brookman LLP, counsel to the Underwriters, or at such other place (or remotely by facsimile or other electronic transmission) as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company. The hour and date of delivery and payment for the Firm Shares is called the “Closing Date”. Payment for the Firm Shares shall be made on the Closing Date by wire transfer in Federal (same day) funds, payable to the order of the Company upon delivery to the Representative of certificates (in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative) representing the Firm Shares (or through the facilities of the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) for the account of the Underwriters. The Firm Shares shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Representative may request in writing at least two (2) Business Days prior to the Closing Date. The Company shall not be obligated to sell or deliver the Firm Shares except upon tender of payment by the Representative for all of the Firm Shares. The term “Business Day” means any day other than Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in The City of New York are authorized or required by law to remain closed; provided, however, for clarification, commercial banks shall not be deemed to be authorized or required by law to remain closed due to “stay-at-home,” “shelter-in-place,” “non-essential employee” or any other similar orders or restrictions or the closure of any physical branch locations at the direction of any governmental authority so long as the electronic funds transfer systems (including for wire transfers) of commercial banks in The City of New York generally are open for use by customers on such day.
1.2. Over-allotment Option.
1.2.1. Option Shares. For the purposes of covering any over-allotments in connection with the distribution and sale of the Firm Shares, the Company hereby grants to the Underwriters an option to purchase up to [●] additional shares of Common Stock (the “Option Shares”) representing fifteen percent (15%) of the Firm Shares sold in the offering, from the Company (the “Over-allotment Option”). The Option Shares shall be identical in all respects to the Firm Shares. The Option Shares shall be purchased for the account of each of the several Underwriters in the same proportion as the number of Firm Shares, set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name on Schedule 1 hereto, bears to the total number of Firm Shares (subject to adjustment by the Representative to eliminate fractions). No Option Shares shall be sold or delivered unless the Firm Shares previously have been, or simultaneously are, sold and delivered. The right to purchase the Option Shares, or any portion thereof, may be exercised from time to time and to the extent not previously exercised may be surrendered and terminated at any time upon notice by the Representative to the Company. The purchase price to be paid per Option Share shall be equal to the purchase price per Firm Share set forth in Section 1.1.1 hereof. The Firm Shares and the Option Shares are hereinafter referred to together as the “Public Shares”. The offering and sale of the Firm Shares and the Option Shares is hereinafter referred to as the “Offering”.
1.2.2. Exercise of Option. The Over-allotment Option granted pursuant to Section 1.2.1 hereof may be exercised by the Representative as to all (at any time) or any part (from time to time) of the Option Shares within thirty (30) days after the Effective Date. The Underwriters shall not be under any obligation to purchase any Option Shares prior to the exercise of the Over-allotment Option. The Over-allotment Option granted hereby may be exercised by the giving of oral notice to the Company from the Representative, which must be confirmed in writing by overnight mail or facsimile or other electronic transmission setting forth the number of Option Shares to be purchased and the date and time for delivery of and payment for the Option Shares (the “Option Closing Date”), which shall not be later than five (5) full Business Days after the date of the notice or such other time as shall be agreed upon by the Company and the Representative, at the offices of counsel to the Underwriters or at such other place (including remotely by facsimile or other electronic transmission) as shall be agreed upon by the Company and the Representative. If such delivery and payment for the Option Shares does not occur on the Closing Date, the Option Closing Date will be as set forth in the notice. Upon exercise of the Over-allotment Option with respect to all or any portion of the Option Shares, subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Company shall become obligated to sell to the Underwriters the number of Option Shares specified in such notice and, subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, shall purchase the number of Option Shares specified in such notice.
1.2.3. Payment and Delivery. Payment for the Option Shares shall be made on the Option Closing Date by wire transfer in Federal (same day) funds, payable to the order of the Company upon delivery to you of certificates (in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters) representing the Option Shares (or through the facilities of DTC) for the account of the Underwriters. The Option Shares shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Representative may request in writing at least one (1) full Business Day prior to the Option Closing Date. The Company shall not be obligated to sell or deliver the Option Shares except upon tender of payment by the Representative for applicable Option Shares.
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1.3. Representative’s Warrant.
1.3.1. Purchase Warrants. The Company hereby agrees to issue and sell to the Representative (and/or its designees) on the Closing Date, and on each Option Closing Date, if any, a warrant or warrants (the “Representative’s Warrants”) to purchase an aggregate of [●] shares of Common Stock (or [●] shares of Common Stock if the Underwriters exercise the Over-allotment Option in full) equal to 5.0% of aggregate number of Firm Shares and Option Shares issued on such Closing Date and Option Closing Date, as applicable, sold in the Offering pursuant to a warrant agreement substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit A hereto (the “Representative’s Warrant Agreement”). Each Representative’s Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase shares of Common Stock at the exercise price thereof. The Representative’s Warrant shall be exercisable, in whole or in part, commencing on a date which is six (6) months after the Effective Date and expiring on the five-year anniversary of the Effective Date at an initial exercise price of $[●] per share, which is equal to 100% of the initial public offering price of the Firm Shares. The Representative’s Warrant and the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Representative’s Warrant (the “Representative’s Shares” and, together with the Public Shares, the “Shares”) are hereinafter referred to together as the “Representative’s Securities”. The Representative understands and agrees that there are significant restrictions pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110 on the transfer of the Representative’s Warrant and the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Representative Warrant during the one hundred eighty (180) day period commencing on the Effective Date and by its acceptance thereof shall agree that it will not sell, transfer, assign, pledge or hypothecate the Representative’s Warrant, or any portion thereof, or be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of such securities for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days following the Effective Date to anyone other than (i) an Underwriter or a selected dealer in connection with the Offering, or (ii) a bona fide officer or partner of the Representative or of any such Underwriter or selected dealer; and only if any such transferee agrees to the foregoing restrictions and those in the Representative’s Warrant Agreement.
1.3.2 Delivery. Delivery of the Representative’s Warrant shall be made on the Closing Date and shall be issued in the name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Representative may request.
1.4. Right of First Refusal. Subject to the right of the Company to terminate this Agreement for cause pursuant to Rule 5110(g)(5)(B) of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”), the Company agrees that, if, for the period ending twelve (12) months from the Closing Date, the Company, any successor to or any subsidiary of the Company decides to raise funds by means of a public offering (including at-the-market facility) or a private placement or any other capital raising financing of equity or equity-linked securities, in each case, the Representative (or any affiliate designated by the Representative) shall have the irrevocable right of first refusal to act as lead or joint investment banker, lead or joint bookrunner and/or lead or joint placement agent, at the Representative’s sole discretion, with respect to each and every such financing or refinancing on terms customary to the Representative. The Representative shall have the sole right to determine whether any other broker dealer shall have the right to participate in any such Offering and the economic terms of any such participation.
1.5. Tail Fee. Subject to the right of the Company to terminate this Agreement for cause pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110(g)(5(B), the Representative shall be entitled to a cash fee equal to seven percent (7.0%) of the gross proceeds received by the Company from the sale of any equity or equity linked securities to any investor with whom the Company has had a conference call or meeting arranged by the Representative, provided that any such sale of equity or equity linked securities is consummated at any time within the twelve (12) month period following the earlier to occur of (i) the expiration or termination the letter agreement dated August 26, 2022, as amended, relating to the engagement of the Representative by the Company for the Offering and (ii) the Closing.
2. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to the Underwriters as of the Applicable Time (as defined below), as of the Closing Date and as of the Option Closing Date, if any, as follows:
2.1. Filing of Registration Statement.
2.1.1. Pursuant to the Securities Act. The Company has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement, and an amendment or amendments thereto, on Form S-1 (File No. 333-276830), including any related prospectus or prospectuses, for the registration of the Public Shares and the Representative Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), which registration statement and amendment or amendments have been prepared by the Company in all material respects in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Securities Act (the “Securities Act Regulations”). Except as the context may otherwise require, such registration statement, as amended, on file with the Commission at the time the registration statement became effective (including the Preliminary Prospectus included in the registration statement, financial statements, schedules, exhibits and all other documents filed as a part thereof and all information deemed to be a part thereof as of the Effective Date pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 430A of the Securities Act Regulations (the “Rule 430A Information”)), is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement”. If the Company files any registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Securities Act Regulations, then after such filing, the term “Registration Statement” shall include such registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Securities Act Regulations. The Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission on the date hereof.
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Each prospectus used prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and each prospectus that omitted the Rule 430A Information that was used after such effectiveness and prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, is herein called a “Preliminary Prospectus.” The Preliminary Prospectus, subject to completion, dated [●], 2024, that was included in the Registration Statement immediately prior to the Applicable Time is hereinafter called the “Pricing Prospectus.” The final prospectus in the form first furnished to the Underwriters for use in the Offering is hereinafter called the “Prospectus.”
“Applicable Time” means [●], New York City time, on the date of this Agreement.
“Bona Fide Electronic Road Show” means a “bona fide electronic road show”, as defined in Rule 433(h)(5) of the Securities Act Regulations.
“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 of the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 433”), including without limitation any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act Regulations) relating to the Public Shares that is (i) required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (ii) a “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i) of the Securities Act Regulations, whether or not required to be filed with the Commission, or (iii) exempt from filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Public Shares or of the Offering that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g) of the Securities Act Regulations.
“Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors (other than a Bona Fide Electronic Road Show), as evidenced by its being specified in Schedule 2-B hereto.
“Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not an Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus.
“Pricing Disclosure Package” means any Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus issued at or prior to the Applicable Time, the Pricing Prospectus and the information included on Schedule 2-A hereto, all considered together.
2.1.2. Pursuant to the Exchange Act. The Company has filed with the Commission a Form 8-A (File No. 001-[●]) for the registration of the Common Stock pursuant to Section 12(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). Such registration has become effective on or prior to the date hereof. The Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating such registration, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission is contemplating terminating such registration.
2.2. Stock Exchange Listing. The Public Shares have been approved for listing and are listed on The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (the “Exchange”), subject only to official notice of issuance. The Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, delisting the Public Shares from the Exchange, nor has the Company received any notification that the Exchange is contemplating terminating such listing except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
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2.3. No Stop Orders, etc. Neither the Commission nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any state regulatory authority has issued any order preventing or suspending the use of the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or has instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened to institute, any proceedings with respect to such an order. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information.
2.4. Disclosures in Registration Statement.
2.4.1. Compliance with Securities Act and 10b-5 Representation.
(i) At the time of effectiveness of the Registration Statement (or at the time of any post-effective amendments thereto) and at all times subsequent thereto up to the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, each of the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus contains and will contain all material statements that are required to be stated therein in accordance with the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations, and conforms or will conform, in all material respects, to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations. Each of the Registration Statement and each post-effective amendment thereto, if any, at the time it became effective, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations. Each Preliminary Prospectus, including the prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment or supplement thereto, and the Prospectus, at the time each was filed with the Commission, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations. Each Preliminary Prospectus delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with this Offering and the Prospectus was or will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to the Commission’s EDGAR filing system (“EDGAR”), except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T promulgated under the Securities Act (“Regulation S-T”).
(ii) Neither the Registration Statement nor any amendment thereto, at its effective time, as of the Applicable Time, at the Closing Date or at any Option Closing Date, contained, contains or will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
(iii) The Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, at the Closing Date or at any Option Closing Date (if any), did not, does not and will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and each Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus hereto does not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, and each such Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus, as supplemented by and taken together with the Pricing Prospectus as of the Applicable Time, did not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to statements made or statements omitted in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company with respect to the Underwriters by the Representative expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto. The parties acknowledge and agree that such information provided by or on behalf of any Underwriter consists solely of the following disclosure contained in the “Underwriting” section of the Prospectus: the names of the Underwriters, the first sentence following the table set forth under the sub-caption “Underwriting Discount, Commissions and Expenses”, the information set forth under the sub-captions “Stabilization,” and “Passive Market Making” and the table showing the number of securities to be purchased by each Underwriter (the “Underwriters’ Information”); and
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(iv) Neither the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto, as of its issue date, at the time of any filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act Regulations, at the Closing Date or at any Option Closing Date, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to the Underwriters’ Information.
2.4.2. Disclosure of Agreements. The agreements and documents described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained therein and there are no agreements or other documents required by the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or to be filed with the Commission as exhibits to the Registration Statement, that have not been so described or filed. Each agreement or other instrument (however characterized or described) to which the Company is a party or by which it is or may be bound or affected and (i) that is referred to in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, or (ii) is material to the Company’s business, has been duly authorized and validly executed by the Company, is in full force and effect in all material respects and is enforceable against the Company and, to the Company’s knowledge, the other parties thereto, in accordance with its terms, except (x) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, (y) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under the federal and state securities laws, and (z) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought. None of such agreements or instruments has been assigned by the Company, and neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any other party is in default thereunder and, to the Company’s knowledge, no event has occurred that, with the lapse of time or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute a default thereunder except for any such default or event which would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change (as such term is defined in Section 2.5.1 below). Performance by the Company of the material provisions of such agreements or instruments will not result in a violation of any existing applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any governmental agency or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its assets or businesses (each, a “Governmental Entity”), including, without limitation, those relating to environmental laws and regulations.
2.4.3. Prior Securities Transactions. During the period starting three (3) years prior to the date of this Agreement, no securities of the Company have been sold by the Company or by or on behalf of, or for the benefit of, any person or persons controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Company, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Preliminary Prospectus.
2.4.4. Regulations. The disclosures in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus concerning the effects of federal, state, local and all foreign regulation on the Offering and the Company’s business as currently contemplated are correct in all material respects and no other such regulations are required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus which are not so disclosed.
2.4.5. No Other Distribution of Offering Materials. The Company has not, directly or indirectly, distributed and will not distribute any offering material in connection with the Offering other than any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Prospectus and other materials, if any, permitted under the Securities Act and consistent with Section 3.2 below.
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2.5. Changes After Dates in Registration Statement.
2.5.1. No Material Adverse Change. Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except as otherwise specifically stated therein: (i) there has been no material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, results of operations, or business, assets or prospects of the Company, nor to the Company’s knowledge, any change or development that, individually or in the aggregate, would have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, assets or prospects of the Company (a “Material Adverse Change”); (ii) there have been no material transactions entered into by the Company, other than as contemplated pursuant to this Agreement; and (iii) no officer or director of the Company has resigned from any position with the Company.
2.5.2. Recent Securities Transactions, etc. Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and except as may otherwise be indicated or contemplated herein or disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has not: (i) issued any securities or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, for borrowed money; or (ii) declared or paid any dividend or made any other distribution on or in respect to its capital stock.
2.6. Independent Accountants. Marcum Asia CPAs LLP (the “Auditor”), whose reports are filed with the Commission as part of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, is an independent registered public accounting firm as required by the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (the “PCAOB”), including the rules and regulations promulgated by such entity. To the Company’s knowledge, after reasonable inquiry, the Auditor is currently registered and in good standing with the PCAOB and the PCAOB has not made any determination with respect to the Auditor under the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act. The Auditor has not, during the periods covered by the financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, provided to the Company any non-audit services, as such term is used in Section 10A(g) of the Exchange Act. To the Company’s knowledge, no person who has been suspended or barred from being associated with a registered public accounting firm, or who has failed to comply with any sanction pursuant to Rule 5300 promulgated by the PCAOB, has participated in or otherwise aided the preparation of, or audited, the financial statements, supporting schedules or other financial data filed with the Commission as a part of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus.
2.7. Financial Statements, etc.
2.7.1. Financial Statements. The financial statements, including the notes thereto and supporting schedules (if any) included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, fairly present in all material respects the financial position, the results of operations, changes in stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company at the dates and for the periods to which they apply. Such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”), consistently applied throughout the periods involved; provided that unaudited interim financial statements are subject to year-end audit adjustments that are not expected to be material in the aggregate and do not contain all of the notes required by GAAP and the supporting schedules, if any, included in the Registration Statement present fairly the information required to be stated therein. Except as included therein, no historical or pro forma financial statements are required to be included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus under the Securities Act or the Securities Act Regulations. All disclosures contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission), if any, comply in all material respects with Regulation G of the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K of the Securities Act, to the extent applicable. Each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus discloses all material off-balance sheet transactions, arrangements, obligations (including contingent obligations), and other relationships of the Company with unconsolidated entities or other persons that may have a material current or future effect on the Company’s financial condition, changes in financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures, capital resources, or significant components of revenues or expenses. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (a) neither the Company nor any of its direct and indirect subsidiaries, including each entity disclosed or described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as being a subsidiary of the Company (each, a “Subsidiary” and, collectively, the “Subsidiaries”), has incurred any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent, or entered into any material transactions other than in the ordinary course of business, (b) the Company has not declared or paid any dividends or made any distribution of any kind with respect to its capital stock, (c) there has not been any change in the capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, other than in the course of business or pursuant to any grants under any stock compensation plan, and (d) there has not been any Material Adverse Change in the Company’s long-term or short-term debt.
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2.7.2. Company’s Accounting System. The Company makes and keeps accurate books and records and maintains a system of internal accounting controls designed, and which the Company reasonably believes is sufficient, to provide reasonable assurance that: (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. The Company has not received any notice, oral or written, from the Company’s board of directors stating that it is reviewing or investigating, and neither the Company’s independent auditors nor its internal auditors have recommended that the Company’s board of directors review or investigate, (i) adding to, deleting, changing the application of, or changing the Company’s disclosure with respect to, any of the Company’s material accounting policies; or (ii) any matter which could result in a restatement of the Company’s financial statements for any annual or interim period during the current or prior three fiscal years.
2.8. Authorized Capital; Options, etc. The Company had, at the date or dates indicated in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the duly authorized, issued and outstanding capitalization as set forth therein. Based on the assumptions stated in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company will have on the Closing Date the adjusted stock capitalization set forth therein. Except as set forth in, or contemplated by, the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, on the Effective Date, as of the Applicable Time and on the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, there will be no stock options, warrants, or other rights to purchase or otherwise acquire any authorized, but unissued shares of Common Stock of the Company or any security convertible or exercisable into shares of Common Stock of the Company, or any contracts or commitments to issue or sell shares of Common Stock or any such options, warrants, rights or convertible securities.
2.9. Valid Issuance of Securities, etc.
2.9.1. Outstanding Securities. All issued and outstanding securities of the Company issued prior to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; the holders thereof have no rights of rescission with respect thereto, and are not subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; and none of such securities were issued in violation of the preemptive rights of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company. The authorized shares of Common Stock conform in all material respects to all statements relating thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The offers and sales of the outstanding shares of Common Stock were at all relevant times either registered under the Securities Act and applicable state securities or “blue sky” laws or, based in part on the representations and warranties of the purchasers of such shares, exempt from such registration requirements.
2.9.2. Securities Sold Pursuant to this Agreement. The Shares have been duly authorized for issuance and sale and, when issued and paid for, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable; the Representative’s Warrants have been duly authorized for issuance and, when issued in accordance with their terms and the terms of this Agreement, will be valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except (x) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, (y) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under the federal and state securities laws, and (z) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought. The Company has reserved from its duly authorized capital stock the maximum number of shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to this Agreement and the Representative’s Warrants. The holders of the Shares are not and will not be subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; the Shares are not and will not be subject to the preemptive rights of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company. The Shares conform in all material respects to all statements with respect thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
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2.10. Registration Rights of Third Parties. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no holders of any securities of the Company or any rights exercisable for or convertible or exchangeable into securities of the Company have the right to require the Company to register any such securities of the Company under the Securities Act or to include any such securities in a registration statement to be filed by the Company.
2.11. Validity and Binding Effect of Agreements. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the Representative’s Warrant Agreement and the Representative’s Warrant have been duly and validly authorized by the Company, and, when executed and delivered, will constitute, the valid and binding agreements of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective terms, except: (i) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally; (ii) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under the federal and state securities laws; and (iii) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought. Each of this Agreement, the Representative’s Warrant Agreement, the Representative’s Warrant and each Lock-Up Agreement (as defined in Section 2.24) conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
2.12. No Conflicts, etc. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, the Representative’s Warrant Agreement and the Representative’s Warrant and all documents ancillary thereto the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, by the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus and the issuance and sale of the Public Shares (including the use of proceeds from the Offering as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus and the compliance by the Company with the terms hereof and thereof do not and will not, (i) result in any violation of the provisions of the Company’s certificate of incorporation (as amended or restated from time to time, the “Charter”) or the by-laws (as amended or restated from time to time, the “Bylaws”) of the Company; (ii) result in breach of, is in default (or, with the giving of notice or lapse of time, would be in default) (“Default”) or a Debt Repayment Triggering Event under, conflict with any of the terms and provisions of, or result in the creation, modification, termination or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company pursuant to the terms of, any indenture, loan, credit agreement, note, lease, license agreement, contract, franchise or other instrument (including, without limitation, any pledge agreement, security agreement, mortgage or other instrument or agreement evidencing, guaranteeing, securing or relating to indebtedness) to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound, or to which any of their respective properties or assets are subject (each, an “Existing Instrument”) or (iii) violate any existing applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any Governmental Entity as of the date hereof, except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for such breaches, defaults, conflicts or such liens, charges or encumbrances which, individually or in the aggregate, would not have or would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change. As used herein, a “Debt Repayment Triggering Event” means any event or condition which gives, or with the giving of notice or lapse of time would give, the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the purchase redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
2.13. No Defaults; Violations. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, is in Default in the due performance and observance of any term, covenant or condition of any Existing Instrument, except for such Defaults as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Change. The Company is not in violation of any franchise, license, permit, applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment or decree of any Governmental Entity, except for such violations, individually or in the aggregate, which would not have or would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.
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2.14. Corporate Power; Licenses; Consents.
2.14.1. Conduct of Business. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has all requisite corporate power and authority, and has all requisite consents, authorizations, approvals, licenses, certificates, clearances, permits and orders and supplements and amendments thereto (collectively, “Authorizations”) required of and from all Governmental Entities as of date hereof to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except, in each case, where the failure to have such Authorizations (individually or in the aggregate) would not have or would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change.
2.14.2. Transactions Contemplated Herein. The Company has all corporate power and authority to enter into this Agreement, the Representative’s Warrant Agreement and the Representative’s Warrant and to carry out the provisions and conditions hereof and thereof, and all Authorizations required in connection therewith have been obtained. No Authorization of, and no filing with, any Governmental Entity, the Exchange or another body is required for the valid issuance, sale and delivery of the Shares and the consummation of the transactions and agreements contemplated by this Agreement, the Representative’s Warrant Agreement or the Representative’s Warrant and as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except with respect to applicable federal and state securities laws and the rules and regulations FINRA.
2.15. D&O Questionnaires. To the knowledge of the Company, all information contained in the questionnaires (the “Questionnaires”) completed by each of the Company’s directors and officers prior to the Offering, as may be updated to the time of the Offering (the “Insiders”) as supplemented by all information concerning the Insiders described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus provided to the Representative and to counsel to the Underwriters, is true and correct in all material respects and the Company has not become aware of any information which would cause the information disclosed in the Questionnaires to become materially inaccurate, incorrect or incomplete.
2.16. Litigation; Governmental Proceedings. There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry, arbitration, investigation, litigation or governmental proceeding pending involving the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened against the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any executive officer or director which is required to be disclosed and has not been disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or in connection with the Company’s listing application for the listing of the Public Shares on the Exchange.
2.17. Due Incorporation; Valid Existence. The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing and in good standing under the law of the State of Delaware, and has the corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Representative’s Warrant Agreement and the Representative’s Warrant. The Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business or otherwise, except where the failure to so qualify or be in good standing, would not have or would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.
2.18. Insurance. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries carries or is entitled to the benefits of insurance (including, without limitation, as to directors’ and officers’ insurance coverage), with reputable insurers, in such amounts and covering such risks as is customary for companies engaged in similar business which the Company believes are adequate to protect the Company and its business, and, to the Company’s knowledge, all such insurance is in full force and effect. None of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (i) has received written notice from any insurer or agent of such insurer that capital improvements or other expenditures are required or necessary to be made in order to continue such insurance or (ii) has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage at reasonable cost from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business.
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2.19. Transactions Affecting Disclosure to FINRA.
2.19.1. Finder’s Fees. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no claims, payments, arrangements, agreements or understandings relating to the payment of a finder’s, consulting or origination fee by the Company or any Insider with respect to the sale of the Public Shares hereunder or any other arrangements, agreements or understandings of the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its shareholders that may affect the Underwriters’ compensation, as determined by FINRA.
2.19.2. Payments Within Twelve (12) Months. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has not made any direct or indirect payments (in cash, securities or otherwise) in connection with the Offering to: (i) any person, as a finder’s fee, consulting fee or otherwise, in consideration of such person raising capital for the Company or introducing to the Company persons who raised or provided capital to the Company; (ii) any FINRA member; or (iii) any person or entity that has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any FINRA member, within the twelve (12) months prior to the Effective Date, other than the payment to the Underwriters as provided hereunder in connection with the Offering.
2.19.3. Use of Proceeds. None of the net proceeds of the Offering will be paid by the Company to any participating FINRA member or its affiliates, except as specifically authorized herein.
2.19.4. FINRA Affiliation. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there is no (i) officer or director of the Company, (ii) beneficial owner of 5% or more of any class of the Company’s securities or (iii) beneficial owner of the Company’s unregistered equity securities which were acquired during the 180-day period immediately preceding the filing of the Registration Statement that is an affiliate or associated person of a FINRA member participating in the Offering (as determined in accordance with the rules and regulations of FINRA).
2.19.5. Information. All information provided by the Company in its FINRA questionnaire to counsel to the Underwriters specifically for use by such counsel in connection with its Public Offering System filings (and related disclosure) with FINRA is true, correct and complete in all material respects.
2.20. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. None of the Company and its Subsidiaries or, to the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company and its Subsidiaries or any other person acting on behalf of, and with authority from, the Company and its Subsidiaries, has, directly or indirectly, given or agreed to give any money, gift or similar benefit (other than legal price concessions to customers in the ordinary course of business) to any customer, supplier, employee or agent of a customer or supplier, or official or employee of any Governmental Entity (domestic or foreign) or any political party or candidate for office (domestic or foreign) or other person who was, is, or may be in a position to help or hinder the business of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (or assist any of them in connection with any actual or proposed transaction) that (i) might subject the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to any damage or penalty in any civil, criminal or governmental litigation or proceeding, (ii) if not given in the past, might have had a Material Adverse Change or (iii) if not continued in the future, might adversely affect the assets, business, operations or prospects of the Company. The Company has taken reasonable steps to ensure that its accounting controls and procedures are sufficient to cause the Company to comply in all material respects with the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
2.21. Compliance with Sanction Laws. None of the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any directors, officers or employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any agent, affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is currently the subject or the target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. government, (including, without limitation, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury or the U.S. Department of State and including, without limitation, the designation as a “specially designated national” or “blocked person”), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (OFSI) or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor is the Company or any of its subsidiaries located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject or target of Sanctions, including, without limitation, the Republic of Belarus, Crimea, the Russian Federation, Republic of Cuba, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), the Libyan Arab Republic, the Syrian Arab Republic, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the Republic of Yemen (each, a “Sanctioned Country”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the Offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any Subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity (i) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business with any person that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject or target of Sanctions, (ii) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business in any Sanctioned Country or (iii) in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions. For the past three years, the Company has not knowingly engaged in and is not now knowingly engaged in any dealings or transactions with any person that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject or the target of Sanctions or with any Sanctioned Country.
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2.22. Compliance with Anti-Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, including the Money Laundering Control Act of 1986, as amended, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any Governmental Entity (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”); and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any Governmental Entity involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.
2.23. Officers’ Certificate. Any certificate signed by any duly authorized officer of the Company and delivered to the Representative or to counsel to the Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriters as to the matters covered thereby.
2.24. Lock-Up Agreements. Schedule 3 hereto contains a complete and accurate list of the Company’s officers, directors and each holder of more than five percent (5%) of the Company’s outstanding shares of Common Stock (or securities convertible or exercisable into shares of Common Stock) (collectively, the “Lock-Up Parties”). The Company has caused each of the Lock-Up Parties to deliver to the Representative an executed Lock-Up Agreement, in the form set forth in Exhibit B (the “Lock-Up Agreement”), on or prior to the execution of this Agreement.
2.25. Subsidiaries. Each of the Subsidiaries has been duly incorporated or organized, as the case may be, and is validly existing as a corporation, partnership or limited liability company, as applicable, in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization and has the power and authority (corporate or other) to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. Each of the Company’s subsidiaries is duly qualified as a foreign corporation, partnership limited liability company or similar corporate entity, as applicable, to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to so qualify or be in good standing would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Change. All of the issued and outstanding share capital or other equity or ownership interests of each of the Company’s subsidiaries have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and are owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance or adverse claim. None of the outstanding share capital or equity interest in any subsidiary was issued in violation of preemptive or similar rights of any security holder of such subsidiary. The constitutive or organizational documents of each of the subsidiaries comply in all material respects with the requirements of applicable laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation or organization and are in full force and effect. The Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than the subsidiaries listed in Exhibit 21.1 to the Registration Statement.
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2.26. Related Party Transactions. There are no business relationships or related party transactions involving the Company or any other person required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus that have not been described as required.
2.27. Board of Directors. The Board of Directors of the Company is comprised of the persons set forth under the heading of the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus captioned “Management.” The qualifications of the persons serving as board members and the overall composition of the board comply with the Exchange Act, the Exchange Act Regulations, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules promulgated thereunder (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) applicable to the Company and the listing rules of the Exchange. At least one member of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert,” as such term is defined in Item 407 of Regulation S-K and the listing rules of the Exchange. In addition, at least a majority of the persons serving on the Board of Directors qualify as “independent” as defined under the listing rules of the Exchange.
2.28. Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance. The Company is, or at the Applicable Time and on the Closing Date will be, in material compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act applicable to it, and has implemented or will implement such programs and taken reasonable steps to ensure the Company’s future compliance (not later than the relevant statutory and regulatory deadlines therefor) with all of the material provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
2.29. Disclosure Controls and Procedures; Deficiencies in or Changes to Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. The Company and its Subsidiaries maintain systems of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined under Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act Regulations) that comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act and have been designed by, or under the supervision of, their respective principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP, including, but not limited to, internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there have been no significant deficiencies or material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. The Company is not aware of any change in its internal control over financial reporting that has occurred during its most recent fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company is not aware of any material weaknesses in its internal controls. The Company’s auditors and the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company have been advised of: (i) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal controls over financial reporting which are known to the Company’s management and that have adversely affected or are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’ ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and (ii) any fraud known to the Company’s management, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting.
2.30. No Investment Company Status. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the Offering and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will not be, an “investment company” as defined in and pursuant to the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
2.31. No Labor Disputes. No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent. The Company is not aware that any officer, key employee or significant group of employees of the Company plans to terminate employment with the Company.
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2.32. Intellectual Property Rights. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries owns or possesses or has valid rights to use or has the right to acquire on reasonable terms, all patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, copyrights, licenses, inventions, trade secrets and similar rights (“Intellectual Property Rights”) necessary for the conduct of the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries as currently carried on and as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except where the failure to own or possess, have a valid right license to or have the ability to acquire on reasonable terms any of the foregoing would not have or would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change. To the knowledge of the Company, no action or use by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries necessary for the conduct of its business as currently carried on and as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus will involve or give rise to any infringement of, or license or similar fees for, any Intellectual Property Rights of others. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any notice alleging any such infringement, fee or conflict with asserted Intellectual Property Rights of others. Except as would not reasonably be expected to result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Change (A) to the knowledge of the Company, there is no infringement, misappropriation or violation by third parties of any of the Intellectual Property Rights owned by the Company; (B) there is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the rights of the Company in or to any such Intellectual Property Rights, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim, that would, individually or in the aggregate, together with any other claims in this Section 2.32, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; (C) the Intellectual Property Rights owned by the Company and, to the knowledge of the Company, the Intellectual Property Rights licensed to the Company have not been adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction invalid or unenforceable, in whole or in part, and there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the validity or scope of any such Intellectual Property Rights, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim that would, individually or in the aggregate, together with any other claims in this Section 2.32, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; (D) there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others that the Company infringes, misappropriates or otherwise violates any Intellectual Property Rights or other proprietary rights of others, the Company has not received any written notice of such claim and the Company is unaware of any other facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim that would, individually or in the aggregate, together with any other claims in this Section 2.32, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; and (E) to the Company’s knowledge, no employee of the Company is in or has ever been in violation in any material respect of any term of any employment contract, patent disclosure agreement, invention assignment agreement, non-competition agreement, non-solicitation agreement, nondisclosure agreement or any restrictive covenant to or with a former employer where the basis of such violation relates to such employee’s employment with the Company, or actions undertaken by the employee while employed with the Company and could reasonably be expected to result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Change. To the Company’s knowledge, all material technical information developed by and belonging to the Company which has not been patented has been kept confidential. To the Company’s knowledge, the Company has taken all actions reasonably necessary to protect, and where necessary register, the copyrights, trademarks, patent rights and trade secrets owned by or licensed exclusively to the Company (solely where the Company has the right to take such actions as to in-licensed intellectual property rights). Each current and former employee and individual contractor of the Company who is or was involved in the creation or development of any Company Intellectual Property has executed and delivered and, to the Company’s knowledge, is in compliance with an employment or consulting agreement containing nondisclosure, assignment and non-solicitation provisions, except as could not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Change. The Company is not a party to or bound by any options, licenses or agreements with respect to the Intellectual Property Rights of any other person or entity that are required to be set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and are not described therein. The Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus contain in all material respects the same description of the matters set forth in the preceding sentence. None of the technology employed by the Company has been obtained or is being used by the Company in violation of any contractual obligation binding on the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its officers, directors or employees, or otherwise in violation of the rights of any persons.
2.33. Taxes. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has filed all returns (as hereinafter defined) required to be filed with taxing authorities prior to the date hereof or has duly obtained extensions of time for the filing thereof. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has paid all taxes (as hereinafter defined) shown as due on such returns that were filed and has paid all taxes imposed on or assessed against the Company or such respective Subsidiary, except those that are being contested in good faith or as would not have or would not reasonably be expected to result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Change. The provisions for taxes payable, if any, shown on the financial statements filed with or as part of the Registration Statement are sufficient for all accrued and unpaid taxes, whether or not disputed, and for all periods to and including the dates of such consolidated financial statements. Except as disclosed in writing to the Underwriters, (i) no issues have been raised (and are currently pending) by any taxing authority in connection with any of the returns or taxes asserted as due from the Company or its Subsidiaries, and (ii) no waivers of statutes of limitation with respect to the returns or collection of taxes have been given by or requested from the Company or its Subsidiaries. The term “taxes” mean all federal, state, local, foreign and other net income, gross income, gross receipts, sales, use, ad valorem, transfer, franchise, profits, license, lease, service, service use, withholding, payroll, employment, excise, severance, stamp, occupation, premium, property, windfall profits, customs, duties or other taxes, fees, assessments or charges of any kind whatever, together with any interest and any penalties, additions to tax or additional amounts with respect thereto. The term “returns” means all returns, declarations, reports, statements and other documents required to be filed in respect to taxes.
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2.34. Compliance with Laws. The Company: (A) is and at all times has been in compliance with all statutes, rules, or regulations applicable to the conduct of its business as described in the Registration Statement, Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (“Applicable Laws”), except as could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change; (B) has not received any notice from any governmental authority alleging or asserting noncompliance with any Applicable Laws or any Authorizations required of and from all Governmental Entities as of date hereof to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; (C) possesses all material Authorizations and such Authorizations are valid and in full force and effect and are not in material violation of any term of any such Authorizations; (D) has not received notice of any claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action from any governmental authority or third party alleging that any product operation or activity is in violation of any Applicable Laws or Authorizations and has no knowledge that any such governmental authority or third party is considering any such claim, litigation, arbitration, action, suit, investigation or proceeding; (E) has not received written notice that any governmental authority has taken, is taking or intends to take action to limit, suspend, modify or revoke any Authorizations and has no knowledge that any such governmental authority is considering such action; (F) has filed, obtained, maintained or submitted all material reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments as required by any Applicable Laws or Authorizations and that all such reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments were complete and correct in all material respects on the date submitted (or were corrected or supplemented by a subsequent submission); and (G) has not, either voluntarily or involuntarily, initiated, conducted, or issued or caused to be initiated, conducted or issued, any recall, market withdrawal or replacement, safety alert, post-sale warning, or other notice or action relating to the alleged lack of safety or efficacy of any product or any alleged product defect or violation and, to the Company’s knowledge, no third party has initiated, conducted or intends to initiate any such notice or action.
2.35. ERISA Compliance. The Company is not subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, or the regulations and published interpretations thereunder.
2.36. Environmental Laws. The Company is in compliance with all foreign, federal, state and local rules, laws and regulations relating to the use, treatment, storage and disposal of hazardous or toxic substances or waste and protection of health and safety or the environment which are applicable to their businesses (“Environmental Laws”), except where the failure to comply would not, singularly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change. There has been no storage, generation, transportation, handling, treatment, disposal, discharge, emission, or other release of any kind of toxic or other wastes or other hazardous substances by, due to, or caused by the Company (or, to the Company’s knowledge, any other entity for whose acts or omissions the Company is or may otherwise be liable) upon any of the property now or previously owned or leased by the Company, or upon any other property, in violation of any law, statute, ordinance, rule, regulation, order, judgment, decree or permit or which would, under any law, statute, ordinance, rule (including rule of common law), regulation, order, judgment, decree or permit, give rise to any liability, except for any violation or liability which would not have, singularly or in the aggregate with all such violations and liabilities, a Material Adverse Change; and there has been no disposal, discharge, emission or other release of any kind onto such property or into the environment surrounding such property of any toxic or other wastes or other hazardous substances with respect to which the Company has knowledge, except for any such disposal, discharge, emission, or other release of any kind which would not have, singularly or in the aggregate with all such discharges and other releases, a Material Adverse Change. In the ordinary course of business, the Company conducts periodic reviews of the effect of Environmental Laws on their business and assets, in the course of which they identify and evaluate associated costs and liabilities (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws or governmental permits issued thereunder, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties). On the basis of such reviews, the Company has reasonably concluded that such associated costs and liabilities would not have, singularly or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Change.
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2.37. Title to Property. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has good and marketable title in fee simple to, or have valid rights to lease or otherwise use, all items of real or personal property which are material to the business of the Company, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, security interests, claims and defects that do not, singly or in the aggregate, materially affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company; and all of the leases and subleases material to the business of the Company, and under which the Company holds properties described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, are in full force and effect, and the Company has not received any notice of any material claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company under any of the leases or subleases mentioned above, or affecting or questioning the rights of the Company to the continued possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such lease or sublease.
2.38. Contracts Affecting Capital. There are no transactions, arrangements or other relationships between and/or among the Company, any of its affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act Regulations) and any unconsolidated entity, including, but not limited to, any structured finance, special purpose or limited purpose entity that could reasonably be expected to materially affect the Company’s liquidity or the availability of or requirements for their capital resources required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus which have not been described as required.
2.39. Loans to Directors or Officers. There are no outstanding loans, advances (except normal advances for business expenses in the ordinary course of business) or guarantees or indebtedness by the Company to or for the benefit of any of the officers or directors of the Company, or any of their respective family members, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
2.40. Ineligible Issuer. At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time of effectiveness of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto, at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the Securities Act Regulations) of the Public Shares and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act Regulations, without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to such Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an ineligible issuer.
2.41. Emerging Growth Company. From the time of initial confidential submission of the Registration Statement to the Commission (or, if earlier, the first date on which the Company engaged in oral or written communications within the meaning of Section 5(d) of the Securities Act) through the date hereof, the Company has been and is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act (an “Emerging Growth Company”). The Company will promptly notify the Representatives if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the later of (i) the time when a prospectus relating to the Public Shares is not required by the Securities Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 of the Securities Act Regulations or any similar rule) and (ii) the expiration of the Lock-Up Period (as defined herein).
2.42. Smaller Reporting Company. As of the time of filing of the Registration Statement, the Applicable Time, the date hereof and the Closing Date, the Company was a “smaller reporting company”, as defined in Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K and Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act Regulations.
2.43. Free-Writing Prospectus and Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company has not, without the prior written consent of the Representative, made any offer relating to the Public Shares that would constitute an issuer free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 433, or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act Regulations. The Company: (a) has not engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communication (as defined herein) other than with the consent of the Representative with entities that are “qualified institutional buyers” within the meaning of Rule 144A of the Securities Act Regulations or institutions that are “accredited investors” within the meaning of Rule 501 of the Securities Act Regulations (b) has not authorized anyone to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications other than its officers and the Representative and individuals engaged by the Representative. The Company has not distributed any written Testing-the-Waters Communications. “Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the Securities Act or Rule 163B of the Securities Act Regulations.
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2.44. Industry Data. The statistical and market-related data included in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company reasonably and in good faith believes are reliable and accurate or represent the Company’s good faith estimates that are made on the basis of data derived from such sources.
2.45. Electronic Road Show. The Company has made available a Bona Fide Electronic Road Show in compliance with Rule 433(d)(8)(ii) of the Securities Act Regulations such that no filing of any “road show” (as defined in Rule 433(h) of the Securities Act Regulations) is required in connection with the Offering.
2.46. Margin Securities. The Company owns no “margin securities” as that term is defined in Regulation U of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve Board”), and none of the proceeds of Offering will be used, directly or indirectly, for the purpose of purchasing or carrying any margin security, for the purpose of reducing or retiring any indebtedness which was originally incurred to purchase or carry any margin security or for any other purpose which might cause any of the shares of Common Stock to be considered a “purpose credit” within the meanings of Regulation T, U or X of the Federal Reserve Board.
2.47. Dividends and Distributions. Except as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package, Registration Statement and the Prospectus, no Subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited or restricted, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such Subsidiary’s capital stock (to the extent that any such prohibition or restriction on dividends and/or distributions would have a material effect to the Company), from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such Subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such Subsidiary’s property or assets to the Company or any other Subsidiary of the Company, except as may otherwise be provided in current loan or mortgage-related documents.
2.48. Forward-Looking Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.
2.49. Integration. Neither the Company, nor any of its affiliates, nor any person acting on its or their behalf has, directly or indirectly, made any offers or sales of any security or solicited any offers to buy any security, under circumstances that would cause the Offering to be integrated with prior offerings by the Company for purposes of the Securities Act that would require the registration of any such securities under the Securities Act.
2.50. Confidentiality and Non-Competition. To the Company’s knowledge, no director, officer, key employee or consultant of the Company is subject to any confidentiality, non-disclosure, non-competition agreement or non-solicitation agreement with any employer (other than the Company) or prior employer that could materially affect his or her ability to be and act in his or her respective capacity of the Company or be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.
2.51. Corporate Records. The minute books of the Company have been made available to the Underwriters and counsel for the Underwriters, and such books (i) contain a complete summary of all material meetings and actions of the board of directors (including each board committee) and stockholders of the Company (or analogous governing bodies and interest holders, as applicable), since the time of its respective incorporation or organization through the date of the latest meeting and action, and (ii) accurately in all material respects reflect all material transactions referred to in such minutes. There are no material transactions, agreements, dispositions or other actions of the Company that are not properly approved and/or accurately and fairly recorded in the minute books of the Company, as applicable.
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2.52. Diligence Materials. The Company has provided to the Representative and counsel to the Underwriters all materials required or necessary to respond in all material respects to the diligence request submitted to the Company or counsel to the Company by the Representative.
2.53. Stabilization. Neither the Company nor, to its knowledge, any of its employees, directors or shareholders (without the consent of the Representative) has taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that has constituted or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under Regulation M of the Exchange Act, or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Public Shares.
2.54. No Further Authorizations or Approvals Required. No consent, approval, authorization or other order of, or registration or filing with, any court or other governmental or regulatory authority or agency, is required for the Company’s execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, and by the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, except such as have been obtained or made by the Company and are in full force and effect under the Securities Act and such as may be required under applicable state securities or blue sky laws or FINRA or the Exchange.
3. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees as follows:
3.1. Amendments to Registration Statement. The Company shall deliver to the Representative, prior to filing, any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus proposed to be filed after the Effective Date and not file any such amendment or supplement to which the Representative shall reasonably object in writing.
3.2. Federal Securities Laws.
3.2.1. Compliance. The Company, subject to Section 3.2.2, shall comply with the requirements of Rule 430A of the Securities Act Regulations, and will notify the Representative promptly, and confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement shall become effective or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus shall have been filed; (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission; (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or for additional information; (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Public Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the Securities Act concerning the Registration Statement and (v) if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act in connection with the Offering of the Public Shares. The Company shall effect all filings required under Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act Regulations, in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)), and shall take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such prospectus. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order, prevention or suspension and, if any such order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment.
3.2.2. Continued Compliance. The Company shall comply with the Securities Act, the Securities Act Regulations, the Exchange Act and the Exchange Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Public Shares as contemplated in this Agreement and in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus relating to the Public Shares is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172 of the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 172”), would be) required by the Securities Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Public Shares, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or for the Company, to (i) amend the Registration Statement in order that the Registration Statement will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; (ii) amend or supplement the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order that the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser or (iii) amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, in order to comply with the requirements of the Securities Act or the Securities Act Regulations, the Company will promptly (A) give the Representative notice of such event; (B) prepare any amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus comply with such requirements and, a reasonable amount of time prior to any proposed filing or use, furnish the Representative with copies of any such amendment or supplement and (C) file with the Commission any such amendment or supplement; provided that the Company shall not file or use any such amendment or supplement to which the Representative or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object. The Company will furnish to the Underwriters such number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriters may reasonably request. The Company has given the Representative notice of any filings made pursuant to the Exchange Act or the Exchange Act Regulations within forty-eight (48) hours prior to the Applicable Time. The Company shall give the Representative notice of its intention to make any such filing from the Applicable Time until the later of the Closing Date and the exercise in full or expiration of the Over-allotment Option specified in Section 1.2 hereof and will furnish the Representative with copies of the related document(s) a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which the Representative or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object.
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3.2.3. Exchange Act Registration. For a period of three (3) years after the date of this Agreement, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the registration of the Common Stock under the Exchange Act, unless the Company is taken private in a bona fide acquisition transaction.
3.2.4. Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Representative, it shall not make any offer relating to the Public Shares that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” or a portion thereof, required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433; provided that the Representative shall be deemed to have consented to each Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus hereto and any “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i) that has been reviewed by the Representative. The Company represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each such free writing prospectus consented to, or deemed consented to, by the Underwriters as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and that it has complied and will comply with the applicable requirements of Rule 433 with respect thereto, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Underwriters and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.
3.2.5. Testing-the-Waters Communications. If at any time following the distribution of any written Testing-the-Waters Communication there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such written Testing-the-Waters Communication included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company shall promptly notify the Representative and shall promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such written Testing-the-Waters Communication to eliminate or correct such untrue statement or omission.
3.3. Delivery to the Underwriters of Registration Statements. The Company has delivered or made available or shall deliver or make available to the Representative and counsel for the Representative, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith) and signed copies of all consents and certificates of experts, and will also deliver to the Underwriters, without charge, a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) for each of the Underwriters. The copies of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
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3.4. Delivery to the Underwriters of Prospectuses. The Company has delivered or made available or will deliver or make available to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each Preliminary Prospectus as such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the Securities Act. The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Public Shares is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the Securities Act, such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as such Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
3.5. Effectiveness and Events Requiring Notice to the Representative. The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Registration Statement to remain effective with a current prospectus for at least nine (9) months after the Applicable Time, and shall notify the Representative promptly and confirm the notice in writing: (i) of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto; (ii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of the initiation, or the threatening, of any proceeding for that purpose; (iii) of the issuance by any state securities commission of any proceedings for the suspension of the qualification of the Public Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction or of the initiation, or the threatening, of any proceeding for that purpose; (iv) of the mailing and delivery to the Commission for filing of any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus; (v) of the receipt of any comments or request for any additional information from the Commission; and (vi) of the happening of any event during the period described in this Section 3.5 that, in the judgment of the Company, makes any statement of a material fact made in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus untrue or that requires the making of any changes in (a) the Registration Statement in order to make the statements therein not misleading, or (b) in the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. If the Commission or any state securities commission shall enter a stop order or suspend such qualification at any time, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain promptly the lifting of such order.
3.6. Review of Financial Statements. For a period of two (2) years after the date of this Agreement, the Company, at its expense, shall cause its regularly engaged independent registered public accounting firm to review (but not audit) the Company’s financial statements for each of the three fiscal quarters immediately preceding the announcement of any quarterly financial information.
3.7. Listing. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the listing of the Common Stock (including the Shares) on the Exchange for at least three (3) years from the date of this Agreement.
3.8. Financial Public Relations Firm. As of the Effective Date, the Company shall have retained a financial public relations firm reasonably acceptable to the Representative and the Company, which shall initially be [●], which firm shall be experienced in assisting issuers in initial public offerings of securities and in their relations with their security holders, and shall retain such firm or another firm reasonably acceptable to the Representative for a period of not less than two (2) years after the Effective Date.
3.9. Reports to the Representative.
3.9.1. Periodic Reports, etc. For a period of three (3) years after the date of this Agreement, the Company shall furnish or make available to the Representative copies of such financial statements and other periodic and special reports as the Company from time to time furnishes generally to holders of any class of its securities and also promptly furnish to the Representative: (i) a copy of each periodic report the Company shall be required to file with the Commission under the Exchange Act and the Exchange Act Regulations; (ii) a copy of every press release and every news item and article with respect to the Company or its affairs which was released by the Company; (iii) a copy of each Form 8-K prepared and filed by the Company; (iv) a copy of each registration statement filed by the Company under the Securities Act; (v) a copy of each report or other communication furnished to stockholders and (vi) such additional documents and information with respect to the Company and the affairs of any future subsidiaries of the Company as the Representative may from time to time reasonably request. Documents filed with the Commission pursuant to its EDGAR system or press releases shall be deemed to have been delivered to the Representative pursuant to this Section 3.9.1. Any documents not filed with the Commission pursuant to its EDGAR system shall be delivered to ____________, with a copy to ____________.
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3.9.2. Transfer Agent; Transfer Sheets. For a period of three (3) years after the date of this Agreement, the Company shall retain a transfer agent and registrar acceptable to the Representative (the “Transfer Agent”) and, for a period of one (1) year after the date of this Agreement, the Company shall furnish to the Representative at the Company’s sole cost and expense such transfer sheets of the Company’s securities as the Representative may reasonably request, including the daily and monthly consolidated transfer sheets of the Transfer Agent and DTC. VStock Transfer, LLC is acceptable to the Representative to act as Transfer Agent for the shares of Common Stock.
3.9.3. Trading Reports. For a period of three (3) years after the date of this Agreement, during such time as any of the Shares are listed on the Exchange, the Company shall provide to the Representative, at the Company’s expense, such reports published by the Exchange relating to price trading of the Shares, as the Representative shall reasonably request.
3.10. Payment of Expenses.
3.10.1. General Expenses Relating to the Offering. The Company hereby agrees to pay on each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, to the extent not paid at the Closing Date, all expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Agreement, including, but not limited to: (a) all filing fees and communication expenses relating to the registration of the shares of Common Stock to be sold in the Offering (including the Option Shares) with the Commission; (b) all filing fees and communication expenses associated with the review of the offering by FINRA; (c) all fees and expenses relating to the listing of the shares of Common Stock on the Exchange and such other stock exchanges as the Company and the Representative together determine; (d) all fees, expenses and disbursements relating to the registration or qualification of the Public Shares under the “blue sky” securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions as the Representative may reasonably designate (including, without limitation, all filing and registration fees, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of “blue sky” counsel; (e) all fees, expenses and disbursements relating to the registration, qualification or exemption of the Public Shares under the securities laws of such foreign jurisdictions as the Representative may reasonably designate; (f) the costs of all mailing and printing of the underwriting documents (including, without limitation, the Underwriting Agreement, any Blue Sky Surveys and, if appropriate, any Agreement Among Underwriters, Selected Dealers’ Agreement, Underwriters’ Questionnaire and Power of Attorney), Registration Statements, Prospectuses and all amendments, supplements and exhibits thereto and as many preliminary and final Prospectuses as the Representative may reasonably deem necessary; (g) the costs of preparing, printing and delivering certificates representing the Public Shares; (h) fees and expenses of the transfer agent for the shares of Common Stock; (i) stock transfer and/or stamp taxes, if any, payable upon the transfer of securities from the Company to the Underwriters; (j) the fees and expenses of the Company’s accountants; (k) the fees and expenses of the Company’s legal counsel and other agents and representatives; (l) expenses incurred by the Underwriters for any roadshow for the Offering, (m) the cost associated with the Representative’s use of Ipreo’s book building, prospectus tracking and compliance software for the Offering; and (n) the fees and expenses of the counsel to the Underwriters up to a maximum of $135,000. The Company hereby agrees to pay on each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, to the extent not paid at the Closing Date, to the Representative, from the gross proceeds of the Offering, for accountable expenses actually incurred by the Representative in connection with the transaction in an amount of up to $160,000. In addition to the forgoing, the Company agrees to be responsible for the costs of background checks on its senior management in an amount not to exceed $7,500. The Representative may deduct from the net proceeds of the Offering payable to the Company on the Closing Date, or the Option Closing Date, if any, the expenses set forth herein to be paid by the Company to the Underwriters, less the Advance (as such term is defined in Section 8.3 hereof). The Company has advanced to the Representative the sum of $25,000 against fees and expenses of legal counsel and other out-of-pocket accountable expenses anticipated to be incurred, subject to reimbursement by the Representative to the Company if not actually incurred, in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(4)(A) and Rule 5110(g)(5)(A). Such sum shall be credited against the legal fees and expenses and other out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Representative.
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3.10.2. Non-Accountable Expense Allowance. The Company further agrees that, on the Closing Date, in addition to the expenses payable pursuant to Section 3.10.1, it shall pay to the Representative a non-accountable expense allowance equal to one percent (1.0%) of the gross proceeds received by the Company from the Offering.
3.11. Application of Net Proceeds. The Company shall apply the net proceeds from the Offering received by it in a manner consistent with the application thereof described under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
3.12. Delivery of Earnings Statements to Security Holders. The Company shall make generally available to its security holders as soon as practicable, but not later than the first (1st) day of the fifteenth (15th) full calendar month following the date of this Agreement, an earnings statement (which need not be certified by independent registered public accounting firm unless required by the Securities Act or the Securities Act Regulations, but which shall satisfy the provisions of Rule 158(a) under Section 11(a) of the Securities Act) covering a period of at least twelve (12) consecutive months beginning after the date of this Agreement.
3.13. Stabilization. Neither the Company nor, to its knowledge, any of its employees, directors or shareholders (without the consent of the Representative) has taken or shall take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that has constituted or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under Regulation M of the Exchange Act, or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Public Shares.
3.14. Internal Controls. The Company shall maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that: (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary in order to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.
3.15. Accountants. As of the date of this Agreement, the Company has retained a nationally recognized independent registered public accounting firm, as required by the Securities Act, the Securities Act Regulations and the PCAOB, reasonably acceptable to the Representative, and the Company shall continue to retain a nationally recognized independent registered public accounting firm for a period of at least three (3) years after the date of this Agreement. The Representative acknowledges that the Auditor is acceptable to the Representative.
3.16. FINRA. The Company shall advise the Representative (who shall make an appropriate filing with FINRA) if it is or becomes aware that (i) any officer or director of the Company, (ii) any beneficial owner of 5% or more of any class of the Company’s securities or (iii) any beneficial owner of the Company’s unregistered equity securities which were acquired during the one hundred and eighty (180) days immediately preceding the filing of the Registration Statement is or becomes an affiliate or associated person of a FINRA member participating in the Offering (as determined in accordance with the rules and regulations of FINRA).
3.17. No Fiduciary Duties. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters’ responsibility to the Company is solely contractual in nature and that none of the Underwriters or their affiliates or any selling agent shall be deemed to be acting in a fiduciary capacity, or otherwise owes any fiduciary duty to the Company or any of its affiliates in connection with the Offering and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
3.18. Company Lock-Up Agreement. The Company, on behalf of itself and any successor entity, agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representative, it will not, for a period of 180 days after the date of this Agreement (the “Lock-Up Period”), (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of capital stock of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of the Company; (ii) file or cause to be filed any registration statement with the Commission relating to the offering of any shares of capital stock of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of the Company, other than the filing of a registration statement on Form S-8 or any successor form thereto with respect to the registration of securities to be offered under any employee benefit or equity incentive plans of the Company referred to in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; or (iii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of capital stock of the Company, whether any such transaction described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above is to be settled by delivery of shares of capital stock of the Company or such other securities, in cash or otherwise.
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The restrictions contained in this Section 3.18 shall not apply to (i) the Public Shares to be sold hereunder, (ii) the issuance by the Company of shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of a stock option or warrant or the conversion of a security outstanding on the date hereof, which is disclosed in the Registration Statement, or (iii) the issuance by the Company of stock options or other stock-based awards or the issuance by the Company of shares of capital stock of the Company under any equity compensation plan of the Company; provided that, prior to the issuance of any such stock options or shares of capital stock of the Company that vest within the Lock-Up Period, each recipient thereof shall sign and deliver a Lock-Up Agreement.
3.19. Release of D&O Lock-up Period. If the Representative, in its sole discretion, agrees to release or waive the restrictions set forth in the Lock-Up Agreements described in Section 2.24 hereof for an officer or director of the Company and provide the Company with notice of the impending release or waiver at least three (3) Business Days before the effective date of the release or waiver, the Company agrees to announce the impending release or waiver by a press release substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto through a major news service at least two (2) Business Days before the effective date of the release or waiver.
3.20. Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts, in cooperation with the Underwriters, if necessary, to qualify the Public Shares for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the Representative may designate with the consent of the Company and to maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required to complete the distribution of the Public Shares; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject.
3.21. Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Public Shares is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the Securities Act, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act within the time periods required by the Exchange Act and Exchange Act Regulations. Additionally, the Company shall report the use of proceeds from the issuance of the Public Shares as may be required under Rule 463 under the Securities Act Regulations.
3.22. Emerging Growth Company Status. The Company shall promptly notify the Representative if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the later of (i) completion of the distribution of the Public Shares within the meaning of the Securities Act and (ii) fifteen (15) days following the completion of the Lock-Up Period.
3.23. Reservation of Common Stock. As of the date hereof, the Company has reserved and the Company shall continue to reserve and keep available at all times, free of preemptive rights, a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock for the purpose of enabling the Company to issue Option Shares pursuant to the Over-allotment Option and Representative’s Shares pursuant to any exercise of the Representative’s Warrants.
3.24. Press Releases. Prior to the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, the Company shall not issue any press release or other communication directly or indirectly or hold any press conference with respect to the Company, its condition, financial or otherwise, or earnings, business affairs or business prospects (except for routine oral marketing communications in the ordinary course of business and consistent with the past practices of the Company and of which the Representative is notified), without the prior written consent of the Representative, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, unless in the judgment of the Company and its counsel, and after notification to the Representative, such press release or communication is required by law.
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3.25. Sarbanes-Oxley. For a period of one (1) year after the date of this Agreement, the Company shall at all times comply in all material respects with all applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in effect from time to time.
3.26. IRS Forms. If requested by the Representative, the Company shall deliver to each Underwriter (or its agent), prior to or at the Closing Date, a properly completed and executed Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) Form W-9, together with all required attachments to such form.
4. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Public Shares, as provided herein, shall be subject to (i) the continuing accuracy in all material respects of the representations and warranties of the Company as of the date hereof and as of each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any; (ii) the accuracy of the statements of officers of the Company made pursuant to the provisions hereof; (iii) the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder; and (iv) the following conditions:
4.1. Regulatory Matters.
4.1.1. Effectiveness of Registration Statement; Rule 430A Information. The Registration Statement has become effective not later than 5:30 p.m., New York City time, on the date of this Agreement or such later date and time as shall be consented to in writing by you, and, at each of the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the Securities Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated by the Commission. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information. The Prospectus containing the Rule 430A Information shall have been filed with the Commission in the manner and within the time frame required by Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act Regulations (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)) or a post-effective amendment providing such information shall have been filed with, and declared effective by, the Commission in accordance with the requirements of Rule 430A of the Securities Act Regulations.
4.1.2. FINRA Clearance. On or before the date of this Agreement, the Representative shall have received clearance from FINRA as to the amount of compensation allowable or payable to the Underwriters as described in the Registration Statement.
4.1.3. Exchange Stock Market Clearance. On the Closing Date, the Public Shares shall have been approved for listing on the Exchange, subject only to official notice of issuance.
4.2. Company Counsel Matters.
4.2.1. Closing Date Opinion of Counsel. On the Closing Date, the Representative shall have received the favorable opinion and negative assurance letter of Hogan Lovells US LLP, counsel to the Company (“Company Counsel”), as to the federal law of the United States of America, the law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”) and the law of the State of New York), dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representative, each in a form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative.
4.2.2. Option Closing Date Opinions of Counsel. On the Option Closing Date, if any, the Representative shall have received the favorable opinion and negative assurance letter of Company Counsel, dated the Option Closing Date, addressed to the Representative and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative, confirming as of the Option Closing Date, the opinions rendered and statements made by such counsel on the Closing Date pursuant to Section 4.2.1.
4.3. Comfort Letters.
4.3.1. Comfort Letter. At the time this Agreement is executed, the Representative shall have received a “cold comfort letter” from the Auditor containing statements and information of the type customarily included in accountants’ comfort letters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, addressed to the Representative and in form and substance satisfactory in all respects to the Representative and counsel to the Underwriters, dated as of the date of this Agreement.
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4.3.2. Bring-down Comfort Letter. At each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, the Representative shall have received from the Auditor a letter, dated as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as applicable, to the effect that the Auditor reaffirms the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to Section 4.3.1.
4.4. Officers’ Certificates.
4.4.1. Officers’ Certificate. The Company shall have furnished to the Representative a certificate, dated the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date (if such date is other than the Closing Date), of its Chief Executive Officer or President and its Chief Financial Officer stating that (i) such officers have carefully examined the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and, in their opinion, the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto, as of the Applicable Time and as of the Closing Date (or any Option Closing Date if such date is other than the Closing Date) did not include any untrue statement of a material fact and did not omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and the Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time and as of the Closing Date (or any Option Closing Date if such date is other than the Closing Date), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as of its date and as of the Closing Date (or any Option Closing Date if such date is other than the Closing Date), the Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto, as of the respective date thereof and as of the Closing Date, did not include any untrue statement of a material fact and did not omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading, (ii) since the effective date of the Registration Statement, no event has occurred which should have been set forth in a supplement or amendment to the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, (iii) to the best of their knowledge after reasonable investigation, as of the Closing Date (or any Option Closing Date if such date is other than the Closing Date), the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct and the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date (or any Option Closing Date if such date is other than the Closing Date), and (iv) there has not been, subsequent to the date of the most recent audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Disclosure Package, any material adverse change in the financial position or results of operations of the Company, or any change or development that, singularly or in the aggregate, involves a Material Adverse Change, except as set forth in the Prospectus.
4.4.2. Secretary’s Certificate. At each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, the Representative shall have received a certificate of the Company signed by the Secretary of the Company, dated the Closing Date or the Option Date, as the case may be, respectively, certifying: (i) that each of the Charter and Bylaws is true and complete, has not been modified and is in full force and effect; (ii) that the resolutions of the Company’s Board of Directors relating to the Offering are in full force and effect and have not been modified; (iii) as to the accuracy and completeness of all correspondence between the Company or its counsel and the Commission; and (iv) as to the incumbency of the officers of the Company. The documents referred to in such certificate shall be attached to such certificate.
4.5. No Material Changes. Prior to and on each of the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if any: (i) there shall have been no Material Adverse Change from the latest dates as of which such condition is set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; (ii) no action, suit or proceeding, at law or in equity, shall have been pending or threatened against the Company or any Insider before or by any court or federal or state commission, board or other administrative agency wherein an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding may reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change, except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; (iii) no stop order shall have been issued under the Securities Act and no proceedings therefor shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; (iv) the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto shall contain all material statements which are required to be stated therein in accordance with the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations and shall conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations; (v) the Registration Statement nor any amendment or supplement thereto shall contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and (vi) the Pricing Disclosure Package nor the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto shall contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
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4.6. No Material Misstatement or Omission. The Underwriters shall not have discovered and disclosed to the Company on or prior to the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date that the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto contains an untrue statement of a fact which, in the opinion of counsel to the Underwriters, is material or omits to state any fact which, in the opinion of such counsel, is material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or that the Pricing Disclosure Package, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto contains an untrue statement of fact which, in the opinion of counsel to the Underwriters, is material or omits to state any fact which, in the opinion of counsel to the Underwriters, is material and is necessary in order to make the statements, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
4.7. Corporate Proceedings. All corporate proceedings and other legal matters incident to the authorization, form and validity of each of this Agreement, the Representative’s Warrant Agreement, the Representative’s Warrant and each Lock-Up Agreement, the Public Shares, the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, if any, and the Prospectus and all other legal matters relating to this Agreement, the Representative’s Warrant Agreement, the Representative’s Warrant and each Lock-Up Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby shall be reasonably satisfactory in all material respects to counsel to the Underwriters, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel all documents and information that they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.
4.8. Delivery of Agreements.
4.8.1. Lock-Up Agreements.
On or before the date of this Agreement, the Company shall have delivered to the Representative executed copies of the Lock-Up Agreements
from each of the Lock-
Up Parties.
4.8.2. Representative’s Warrants. At the Closing Date, the Representative’s Warrants and, as to each Option Closing Date, if any, the additional Representative’s Warrants, in definitive form, in such denominations and registered in such names as the Underwriters or their designees request, shall have been delivered to the several Underwriters.
4.9. Additional Documents. At the Closing Date and at each Option Closing Date (if any) Representative Counsel shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may require for the purpose of enabling Representative Counsel to deliver an opinion to the Underwriters, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Public Shares as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the Representative and Representative Counsel.
5. Indemnification.
5.1. Indemnification of the Underwriters.
5.1.1. General. Subject to the conditions set forth below, the Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates and each of its and their respective directors, officers, members, employees, representatives and agents and each person, if any, who controls any such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (collectively the “Underwriter Indemnified Parties,” and each an “Underwriter Indemnified Party”), against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever (including but not limited to any and all legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever, whether arising out of any action between any of the Underwriter Indemnified Parties and the Company or between any of the Underwriter Indemnified Parties and any third party, or otherwise) to which they or any of them may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or any other statute or at common law or otherwise or under the laws of foreign countries, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in (i) the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, or in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any written Testing-the-Waters Communication (as from time to time each may be amended and supplemented); (ii) any materials or information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company in connection with the marketing of the Offering, including any “road show” or investor presentations made to investors by the Company (whether in person or electronically); or (iii) any application or other document or written communication (in this Section 5, collectively called “application”) executed by the Company or based upon written information furnished by the Company in any jurisdiction in order to qualify the Public Shares under the securities laws thereof or filed with the Commission, any state securities commission or agency, the Exchange or any other national securities exchange; or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, unless such statement or omission was made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, the Underwriters’ Information. With respect to any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in the Pricing Disclosure Package, the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 5.1.1 shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter Indemnified Party to the extent that any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense of such Underwriter Indemnified Party results from the fact that a copy of the Prospectus was not given or sent to the person asserting any such loss, liability, claim or damage at or prior to the written confirmation of sale of the Public Shares to such person as required by the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations, and if the untrue statement or omission has been corrected in the Prospectus, unless such failure to deliver the Prospectus was a result of non-compliance by the Company with its obligations under Section 3.3 hereof.
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5.1.2. Procedure. If any action is brought against an Underwriter Indemnified Party in respect of which indemnity may be sought against the Company pursuant to Section 5.1.1, such Underwriter Indemnified Party shall promptly notify the Company in writing of the institution of such action and the Company shall assume the defense of such action, including the employment and fees of counsel (subject to the reasonable approval of such Underwriter Indemnified Party) and payment of actual expenses. Such Underwriter Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ its or their own counsel in any such case, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Underwriter Indemnified Party unless (i) the employment of such counsel at the expense of the Company shall have been authorized in writing by the Company in connection with the defense of such action, or (ii) the Company shall not have employed counsel to have charge of the defense of such action, or (iii) such indemnified party or parties shall have reasonably concluded that there may be defenses available to it or them which are different from or additional to those available to the Company (in which case the Company shall not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party or parties), in any of which events the reasonable fees and expenses of not more than one additional firm of attorneys selected by the Underwriter Indemnified Party (in addition to local counsel) shall be borne by the Company. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if any Underwriter Indemnified Party shall assume the defense of such action as provided above, the Company shall have the right to approve the terms of any settlement of such action, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld.
5.2. Indemnification of the Company. Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and persons who control the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the foregoing indemnity from the Company to the several Underwriters, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or in any application, in reliance upon, and in strict conformity with, the Underwriters’ Information. In case any action shall be brought against the Company or any other person so indemnified based on any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or any application, and in respect of which indemnity may be sought against any Underwriter, such Underwriter shall have the rights and duties given to the Company, and the Company and each other person so indemnified shall have the rights and duties given to the several Underwriters by the provisions of Section 5.1.2. The Company agrees promptly to notify the Representative of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings against the Company or any of its officers, directors or any person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, in connection with the issuance and sale of the Public Shares or in connection with the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any written Testing-the-Waters Communication.
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5.3. Contribution.
5.3.1. Contribution Rights. If the indemnification provided for in this Section 5 shall for any reason be unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under Section 5.1 or 5.2 in respect of any loss, claim, damage or liability, or any action in respect thereof, referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, (i) in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, from the Offering of the Public Shares, or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, with respect to the statements or omissions that resulted in such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, with respect to such Offering shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the Offering of the Public Shares purchased under this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company, as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus, on the one hand, and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters with respect to the shares of the Common Stock purchased under this Agreement, as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus, on the other hand. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the Underwriters, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 5.3.1 were to be determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to herein. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, referred to above in this Section 5.3.1 shall be deemed to include, for purposes of this Section 5.3.1, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 5.3.1 in no event shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the Offering of the Public Shares exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
5.3.2. Contribution Procedure. Within fifteen (15) days after receipt by any party to this Agreement (or its representative) of notice of the commencement of any action, suit or proceeding, such party will, if a claim for contribution in respect thereof is to be made against another party (“contributing party”), notify the contributing party of the commencement thereof, but the failure to so notify the contributing party will not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any other party other than for contribution hereunder. In case any such action, suit or proceeding is brought against any party, and such party notifies a contributing party or its representative of the commencement thereof within the aforesaid fifteen (15) days, the contributing party will be entitled to participate therein with the notifying party and any other contributing party similarly notified. Any such contributing party shall not be liable to any party seeking contribution on account of any settlement of any claim, action or proceeding affected by such party seeking contribution on account of any settlement of any claim, action or proceeding affected by such party seeking contribution without the written consent of such contributing party. The contribution provisions contained in this Section 5.3.2 are intended to supersede, to the extent permitted by law, any right to contribution under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise available. Each Underwriter’s obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 5.3 are several and not joint.
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6. Default by an Underwriter.
6.1. Default Not Exceeding 10% of Firm Shares or Option Shares. If any Underwriter or Underwriters shall default in its or their obligations to purchase the Firm Shares or the Option Shares, if the Over-allotment Option is exercised hereunder, and if the number of the Firm Shares or Option Shares with respect to which such default relates does not exceed in the aggregate 10% of the number of Firm Shares or Option Shares that all Underwriters have agreed to purchase hereunder, then such Firm Shares or Option Shares to which the default relates shall be purchased by the non-defaulting Underwriters in proportion to their respective commitments hereunder.
6.2. Default Exceeding 10% of Firm Shares or Option Shares. In the event that the default addressed in Section 6.1 relates to more than 10% of the Firm Shares or Option Shares, you may in your discretion arrange for yourself or for another party or parties to purchase such Firm Shares or Option Shares to which such default relates on the terms contained herein. If, within one (1) Business Day after such default relating to more than 10% of the Firm Shares or Option Shares, you do not arrange for the purchase of such Firm Shares or Option Shares, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of one (1) Business Day within which to procure another party or parties satisfactory to you to purchase said Firm Shares or Option Shares on such terms. In the event that neither you nor the Company arrange for the purchase of the Firm Shares or Option Shares to which a default relates as provided in this Section 6, this Agreement will automatically be terminated by you or the Company without liability on the part of the Company (except as provided in Sections 3.10 and 5 hereof) or the several Underwriters (except as provided in Section 5 hereof); provided, however, that if such default occurs with respect to the Option Shares, this Agreement will not terminate as to the Firm Shares; and provided, further, that nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of its liability, if any, to the other Underwriters and to the Company for damages occasioned by its default hereunder.
6.3. Postponement of Closing Date. In the event that the Firm Shares or Option Shares to which the default relates are to be purchased by the non-defaulting Underwriters, or are to be purchased by another party or parties as aforesaid, you or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date or Option Closing Date for a reasonable period, but not in any event exceeding five (5) Business Days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or in any other documents and arrangements, and the Company agrees to file promptly any amendment to the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriter may thereby be made necessary. The term “Underwriter” as used in this Agreement shall include any party substituted under this Section 6 with like effect as if it had originally been a party to this Agreement with respect to such shares of Common Stock.
7. Additional Covenants.
7.1. Board Composition and Board Designations. The Company shall ensure that: (i) the qualifications of the persons serving as members of the Board of Directors and the overall composition of the Board comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, with the Exchange Act and with the listing rules of the Exchange or any other national securities exchange, as the case may be, in the event the Company seeks to have its Common Stock listed on another exchange or quoted on an automated quotation system, and (ii) if applicable, at least one member of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert,” as such term is defined under Regulation S-K and the listing rules of the Exchange.
7.2. Prohibition on Press Releases and Public Announcements. For a period ending at 5:00 p.m., New York time, on the first (1st) Business Day following the fortieth (40th) day after the Closing Date, the Company shall not issue press releases or engage in any other publicity without the Representative’s prior written consent, which consent shall not unreasonable be withheld or delayed; provided that the Representative’s consent shall not be required with regard to any press release or other public disclosure that is required by law or any normal and customary press release or any other publicity issued in the ordinary course of the Company’s business.
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8. Effective Date and Termination.
8.1. Effective Date. This Agreement shall become effective when both the Company and the Representative have executed the same and delivered counterparts of such signatures to the other party.
8.2. Termination. The Representative shall have the right to terminate this Agreement at any time prior to any Closing Date, (i) if any domestic or international event or act or occurrence has materially disrupted, or in your reasonable judgment will in the immediate future materially disrupt, general securities markets in the United States; or (ii) if trading on the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC shall have been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading shall have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for securities shall have been required by FINRA or by order of the Commission or any other government authority having jurisdiction; or (iii) if the United States shall have become involved in a new war or an increase in major hostilities; or (iv) if a banking moratorium has been declared by an authority of the State of New York State or by a federal authority of the United States of America; or (v) if a moratorium on foreign exchange trading has been declared which materially adversely impacts the United States securities markets; or (vi) if the Company shall have sustained a material loss by fire, flood, accident, hurricane, earthquake, theft, sabotage or other calamity or malicious act which, whether or not such loss shall have been insured, will, in your reasonable judgment, make it inadvisable to proceed with the delivery of the Firm Shares or Option Shares; or (vii) if the Company is in material breach of any of its representations, warranties or covenants hereunder; or (viii) if, prior to the Closing Date, the Public Shares have not been approved for listing on the Exchange, the Company has taken any action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, delisting shares of the Company’s Common Stock from the Exchange, or the Company has received any notification that the Exchange is contemplating terminating such listing; or (ix) if the Representative shall have become aware after the date hereof of such a material adverse change in the conditions or prospects of the Company, or such adverse material change in the securities market, or any event, act or occurrence that has materially disrupted, or in the opinion of the Representative, will in the future materially disrupt, the securities market, or there shall be such a material adverse change in general financial, political or economic conditions or the effect of international conditions on the financial markets in the United States is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representative, inadvisable or impracticable to proceed with the offering, sale and/or delivery of the Public Shares or to enforce contracts made by the Underwriters for the sale of the Public Shares.
8.3. Expenses. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, except in the case of a default by the Underwriters, pursuant to Section 6.2 above, in the event that this Agreement shall be terminated for any reason whatsoever, within the time specified herein or any extensions thereof pursuant to the terms herein, the Company shall be obligated to pay to the Underwriters their actual and accountable out-of-pocket and documented expenses related to the transactions contemplated herein then due and payable (including the fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters) up to $160,000, inclusive of the $25,000 advance for accountable expenses previously paid by the Company to the Representative (the “Advance”), and upon demand the Company shall pay the full amount thereof to the Representative on behalf of the Underwriters; provided, however, that such expense cap in no way limits or impairs the indemnification and contribution provisions of this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any advance received by the Representative will be reimbursed to the Company to the extent not actually incurred in compliance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(4)(A).
8.4. Indemnification. Notwithstanding any contrary provision contained in this Agreement, any election hereunder or any termination of this Agreement, and whether or not this Agreement is otherwise carried out, the provisions of Section 5 shall remain in full force and effect and shall not be in any way affected by, such election or termination or failure to carry out the terms of this Agreement or any part hereof.
8.5. Representations, Warranties, Agreements to Survive. All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or its Affiliates or selling agents, any person controlling any Underwriter, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company or (ii) delivery of and payment for the Public Shares.
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9. Miscellaneous.
9.1. Notices. All communications hereunder, except as herein otherwise specifically provided, shall be in writing and shall be mailed (registered or certified mail, return receipt requested), personally delivered or sent by facsimile transmission and confirmed and shall be deemed given when so delivered or faxed and confirmed or if mailed, two (2) days after such mailing.
If to the Representative:
The Benchmark Company, LLC
150 East 58th Street, 17th Floor
New York, NY 10155
Attention: Michael Jacobs
E-mail: mjacobs@benchmarkcompany.com
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Lucosky Brookman LLP
101 Wood Avenue South, 5th Floor
Woodbridge, NJ 08830
Attention: Joseph M. Lucosky, Esq.
E-mail: jlucosky@lucbro.com
If to the Company:
Fly-E Group, Inc.
136-40 39th Avenue
Flushing, NY 11354
Attention: Zhou Ou
E-mail: andy@flyebike.com
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Hogan Lovells US LLP
390 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10017
Attention: Richard Aftanas, Esq.
E-Mail: raftanas@hoganlovells.com
9.2. Headings. The headings contained herein are for the sole purpose of convenience of reference, and shall not in any way limit or affect the meaning or interpretation of any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement.
9.3. Amendment. This Agreement may only be amended by a written instrument executed by each of the parties hereto.
9.4. Entire Agreement. This Agreement (together with the other agreements and documents being delivered pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement) constitutes the entire agreement of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings of the parties, oral and written, with respect to the subject matter hereof.
9.5. Binding Effect. This Agreement shall inure solely to the benefit of and shall be binding upon the Representative, the Underwriters, the Company and the controlling persons, directors and officers referred to in Section 5 hereof, and their respective successors, legal representatives, heirs and assigns, and no other person shall have or be construed to have any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of or by virtue of this Agreement or any provisions herein contained. The term “successors and assigns” shall not include a purchaser, in its capacity as such, of securities from any of the Underwriters.
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9.6. Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction; Trial by Jury. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of the State of New York. The Company hereby agrees that any action, proceeding or claim against it arising out of, or relating in any way to this Agreement shall be brought and enforced in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, sitting in the City and County of New York, or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and irrevocably submits to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be exclusive. The Company hereby waives any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an inconvenient forum. Any such process or summons to be served upon the Company may be served by transmitting a copy thereof by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed to it at the address set forth in Section 9.1 hereof. Such mailing shall be deemed personal service and shall be legal and binding upon the Company in any action, proceeding or claim. The Company agrees that the prevailing party(ies) in any such action shall be entitled to recover from the other party(ies) all of its reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses relating to such action or proceeding and/or incurred in connection with the preparation therefor. The Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its stockholders and affiliates) and each of the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
9.7. Execution in Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, and by the different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement and shall become effective when one or more counterparts has been signed by each of the parties hereto and delivered to each of the other parties hereto. Delivery of a signed counterpart of this Agreement by facsimile or email/pdf transmission shall constitute valid and sufficient delivery thereof.
9.8. Waiver, etc. The failure of any of the parties hereto to at any time enforce any of the provisions of this Agreement shall not be deemed or construed to be a waiver of any such provision, nor to in any way effect the validity of this Agreement or any provision hereof or the right of any of the parties hereto to thereafter enforce each and every provision of this Agreement. No waiver of any breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be effective unless set forth in a written instrument executed by the party or parties against whom or which enforcement of such waiver is sought; and no waiver of any such breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment shall be construed or deemed to be a waiver of any other or subsequent breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment.
[Signature Page Follows]
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If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding between the Underwriters and the Company, please so indicate in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding agreement between us.
Very truly yours, | |||
FLY-E GROUP, INC. | |||
By: | |||
Name: | |||
Title: |
Confirmed as of the date first written above mentioned, on behalf of itself and as Representative of the several Underwriters named on Schedule 1 hereto:
THE BENCHMARK COMPANY, LLC | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
Signature Page
Fly E-Group, Inc. – Underwriting Agreement
SCHEDULE 1
Underwriter | Number of Firm Shares to be Purchased | Number
of Option Shares the Over-Allotment | ||||||
The Benchmark Company, LLC | [●] | [●] | ||||||
[●] | [●] | |||||||
TOTAL | [●] | [●] |
SCHEDULE 2-A
Pricing Information
Number of Firm Shares: | [●] | |||
Number of Option Shares: | [●] | |||
Public Offering Price per Firm Share: | $ | [●] | ||
Public Offering Price per Option Share: | $ | [●] | ||
Underwriting Discount per Firm Share: | $ | [●] | ||
Underwriting Discount per Option Share: | $ | [●] | ||
Proceeds to Company per Firm Share (before expenses): | $ | [●] | ||
Proceeds to Company per Option Share (before expenses): | $ | [●] |
SCHEDULE 2-B
Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectuses
None.
SCHEDULE 2-C
Written Testing-the-Waters Communications
None.
SCHEDULE 3
List of Lock-Up Parties
1. | Zhou Ou, Director and Chief Executive Officer |
2. | Ruifeng Guo, Director and Chief Financial Officer |
3. | Rui Feng, Chief Operating Officer |
4. | Ke Zhang, Chief Human Resource Officer |
5. | Bing Wang, Director |
6. | Lun Feng, Director |
7. | Alan Jacobs, Director |
EXHIBIT A
Form of Representative’s Warrant Agreement
See attached
A-1
EXHIBIT B
Form of Lock-Up Agreement
______________, 2024
The Benchmark Company, LLC
150 East 58th St, 17th Floor
New York, NY 10155
Re: Fly-E Group, Inc. – Public Offering
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned, an officer, director and/or a shareholder as of the date of this Agreement of issued and outstanding shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Common Stock”), or rights to acquire shares of Common Stock of Fly-E Group, Inc., a corporation incorporated under the law of the State of Delaware (the “Company”), understands that you are the representative (the “Representative”) of the several underwriters, if any (collectively, the “Underwriters”), named or to be named in the final form of Schedule I to the underwriting agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) to be entered into by the several Underwriters and the Company, providing for the initial public offering by the Company of shares of Common Stock (the “Public Offering”) registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings set forth in the Underwriting Agreement.
In consideration of the Underwriters’ agreement to enter into the Underwriting Agreement and to proceed with the Public Offering, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the undersigned hereby agrees, for the benefit of the Company, the Representative and the other Underwriters that, without the prior written consent of the Representative, the undersigned will not, during the period specified in the following paragraph (the “Lock-Up Period”), directly or indirectly, unless otherwise provided herein, (a) offer, sell, agree to offer or sell, solicit offers to purchase, grant any call option or purchase any put option with respect to, pledge, encumber, assign, borrow or otherwise dispose of (each a “Transfer”) any Relevant Security (as defined below) or otherwise publicly disclose the intention to do so, or (b) establish or increase any “put equivalent position” or liquidate or decrease any “call equivalent position” with respect to any Relevant Security (in each case within the meaning of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the rules and regulations thereunder) with respect to any Relevant Security or otherwise enter into any swap, derivative or other transaction or arrangement that Transfers to another, in whole or in part, any economic consequence of ownership of a Relevant Security, whether or not such transaction is to be settled by the delivery of Relevant Securities, other securities, cash or other consideration, or otherwise publicly disclose the intention to do so. As used herein, the term “Relevant Security” means shares of Common Stock, any warrant or option to purchase such shares or any other security of the Company or any other entity that is convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, shares of Common Stock or any other equity security of the Company, in each case owned beneficially or otherwise by the undersigned on the date of closing of the Public Offering or acquired by the undersigned during the Lock-Up Period.
The restrictions in the foregoing paragraph shall not apply to (a) any exercise (including a cashless exercise or broker-assisted exercise and payment of tax obligations) of options or warrants to purchase Shares; provided that any Shares received upon such exercise, conversion or exchange will be subject to the Lock-Up Period, (b) any establishment of a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of Shares (a “Trading Plan”), provided that (i) the Trading Plan shall not provide for or permit any transfers, sales or other dispositions of Shares during the Lock-Up Period and (ii) the Trading Plan would not require any filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act and no such filing is voluntarily made, or (c) any transfer of shares of Common Stock acquired in open market transactions following the closing of the Public Offering, provided the transfer would not require any filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act and no such filing is voluntarily made. The Lock-Up Period will commence on the date of this Agreement and continue through and include the date that is one-hundred and eighty (180) days after the closing of the Public Offering.
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In addition, the undersigned further agrees that, except for the registration statement filed or to be filed in connection with the Public Offering, during the Lock-Up Period the undersigned will not, without the prior written consent of the Representative: (a) file or participate in the filing with the SEC of any registration statement or circulate or participate in the circulation of any preliminary or final prospectus or other disclosure document, in each case with respect to any proposed offering or sale of a Relevant Security beneficially owned by the undersigned, or (b) exercise any rights the undersigned may have to require registration with the SEC of any proposed offering or sale of a Relevant Security beneficially owned by the undersigned.
In furtherance of the undersigned’s obligations hereunder, the undersigned hereby authorizes the Company during the Lock-Up Period to cause any transfer agent for the Relevant Securities to decline to transfer, and to note stop transfer restrictions on the stock register and other records relating to, Relevant Securities for which the undersigned is the record owner and the transfer of which would be a violation of this Agreement and, in the case of Relevant Securities for which the undersigned is the beneficial but not the record owner, agrees that during the Lock-Up Period it will use its reasonable best efforts to cause the record owner to authorize the Company to cause the relevant transfer agent to decline to transfer, and to note stop transfer restrictions on the stock register and other records relating to, such Relevant Securities to the extent such transfer would be a violation of this Agreement.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the undersigned may transfer the undersigned’s Relevant Securities:
(i) | as a bona fide gift or gifts; |
(ii) | to any trust, partnership, limited liability company or other legal entity commonly used for estate planning purposes which is established for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or a member or members of the immediate family of the undersigned; |
(iii) | if the undersigned is a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity, (1) to another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity that is a direct or indirect affiliate (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) of the undersigned, (2) to limited partners, limited liability company members or shareholders of the undersigned or holders of similar equity interests in the undersigned, or (3) in connection with a sale, merger or transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the undersigned or any other change of control of the undersigned, not undertaken for the purpose of avoiding the restrictions imposed by this Agreement; |
(iv) | if the undersigned is a trust, to the beneficiary of such trust; |
(v) | by testate or intestate succession; |
(vi) | by operation of law, such as pursuant to a qualified domestic order or in connection with a divorce settlement; |
(vii) | pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement; or |
(viii) | to the Company solely in an amount necessary to satisfy tax obligations (withholding or otherwise) in connection with any grant of restricted shares of Common Stock, exercise or vesting of options or warrants to purchase such shares, |
provided, however, in the case of clauses (i)-(vi), that (A) such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value, (B) the transferee agrees in writing with the Underwriters and the Company to be bound by the terms of this Agreement, and (C) such transfer would not require any filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act and no such filing is voluntarily made.
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For purposes of this Agreement, “immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin.
The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that (a) the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this Agreement, (b) this Agreement has been duly authorized (if the undersigned is not a natural person) or, in the case of a natural person, such person has the legal capacity to enter into this Agreement, and (c) this Agreement constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the undersigned, enforceable against the undersigned in accordance with its terms. Upon request, the undersigned will execute any additional documents necessary in connection with the enforcement hereof. Any obligations of the undersigned shall be binding upon the successors and assigns of the undersigned from the date of this Agreement.
The undersigned understands that, if the Underwriting Agreement does not become effective, or if the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Securities to be sold thereunder, the undersigned shall be released from all obligations under this Agreement.
The undersigned, whether or not participating in the Public Offering, understands that the Underwriters are entering into the Underwriting Agreement and proceeding with the Public Offering in reliance upon this Agreement.
This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of the State of New York. Delivery of a signed copy of this Agreement by facsimile or e-mail/.pdf transmission shall be effective as the delivery of the original hereof.
Very truly yours,
Signature: __________________
Name (printed): __________________
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EXHIBIT C
Form of Press Release
Fly-E Group, Inc.
[Date]
Fly-E Group, Inc. (the “Company”) announced today that The Benchmark Company, LLC, acting as representative for the underwriters in the Company’s recent initial public offering of _______ shares of the Company’s common stock, is [waiving] [releasing] a lock-up restriction with respect to _________ shares of the Company’s common stock held by [certain officers or directors] [an officer or director] of the Company. The [waiver] [release] will take effect on _________, 20___, and the shares may be sold on or after such date.
This press release is not an offer or sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction where such offer or sale is prohibited, and such securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
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Exhibit 3.1
AMENDED AND RESTATED
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
____________, 2024
Fly-E Group, Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Corporation”), does hereby certify as follows:
1. The name of the Corporation is Fly-E Group, Inc. The certificate of incorporation of the Corporation was originally filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on November 1, 2022, as amended on April 2, 2024 (the “Certificate of Incorporation”).
2. This Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Amended and Restated Certificate”), which both restates and amends the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, has been approved by the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”) in accordance with Sections 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as amended from time to time (the “DGCL”) and has been adopted by the written consent of the stockholders of the Corporation in accordance with Section 228 of the DGCL.
3. This Amended and Restated Certificate shall become effective on the date of filing with the Secretary of State of Delaware.
4. The text of the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation, as heretofore amended, is hereby amended and restated by this Amended and Restated Certificate to read in its entirety as set forth in EXHIBIT A attached hereto.
By: | ||
Name: | Zhou Ou | |
Title: | Chief Executive Officer |
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EXHIBIT A
FLY-E GROUP, INC.
AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
ARTICLE I: NAME
The name of the corporation is Fly-E Group, Inc. (the “Corporation”).
ARTICLE II: AGENT FOR SERVICE OF PROCESS
The address of the Corporation's registered office in the State of Delaware is 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801, New Castle County. The name of the registered agent of the Corporation at such address is The Corporation Trust Company.
ARTICLE III: PURPOSE
The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”).
ARTICLE IV: AUTHORIZED STOCK
1. Total Authorized. The total number of shares of all classes of stock that the Corporation has authority to issue is 110,000,000 shares, consisting of two classes: 100,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.01 par value per share (the “Common Stock”), and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.01 par value per share (the “Preferred Stock”).
2. Common Stock
2.1 Relative Rights
The Common Stock shall be subject to all of the rights, privileges, preferences and priorities set forth in this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation.
2.2 Dividends
Except as may be provided in any resolution or resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board”) providing for any series of Preferred Stock outstanding at any time, whenever there shall have been paid, or declared and set aside for payment, to the holders of shares of any class or series of stock having preference over the Common Stock as to the payment of dividends, the full amount of dividends and of sinking fund or retirement payments, if any, to which such holders are respectively entitled in preference to the Common Stock, then dividends may be paid on the Common Stock and on any class or series of stock entitled to participate therewith as to dividends, out of any assets legally available for the payment of dividends thereon, but only when and as declared by the Board. Any dividends on the Common Stock will not be cumulative.
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2.3 Dissolution, Liquidation, Winding Up
In the event of any dissolution, liquidation, or winding up of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary, the holders of the Common Stock, and holders of any class or series of stock entitled to participate therewith, in whole or in part, as to the distribution of assets in such event, shall be entitled to participate in the distribution of any assets of the Corporation remaining after the Corporation shall have paid, or provided for payment of, all debts and liabilities of the Corporation and after the Corporation shall have paid, or set aside for payment, to the holders of any class or series of stock having preference over the Common Stock in the event of dissolution, liquidation or winding up the full preferential amounts (if any) to which they are entitled.
2.4 Voting Rights
Each holder of shares of the Common Stock shall be entitled to attend all special and annual meetings. Except as may otherwise be required by law, and subject to the provisions of such resolution or resolutions as may be adopted by the Board pursuant to Section 3 of this Article IV granting the holders of one or more series of the Preferred Stock exclusive or special voting powers with respect to any matter, each holder of the Common Stock shall have one vote with respect to each share of the Common Stock held on all matters voted upon by the stockholders, provided, however, that except as otherwise required by law, holders of the Common Stock, as such, shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including a certificate of designations relating to any series of the Preferred Stock) that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of the Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either voting separately or together with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including a certificate of designations relating to any series of the Preferred Stock) or pursuant to the DGCL. Each holder of shares of the Common Stock may exercise its vote either in person or by proxy.
3. Preferred Stock
The Board is authorized, subject to limitations prescribed by the DGCL and the provisions of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, to provide, by resolution or resolutions from time to time and by filing certificates of designations pursuant to the DGCL, for the issuance of shares of the Preferred Stock in one or more series, to establish from time to time the number of shares to be included in each such series, to fix the voting powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights of the shares of each such series of the Preferred Stock and to fix the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof.
The authority of the Board with respect to each series shall include, but not be limited to, determination of the following: (1) the number of shares constituting that series and the distinctive designation of that series; (2) the dividend rate on the shares of that series, whether dividends shall be cumulative, and, if so, from which date or dates, and the relative rights of priority, if any, of payment of dividends on shares of that series; (3) whether that series shall have voting rights, in addition to the voting rights provided by law, and, if so, the terms of such voting rights; (4) whether that series shall have conversion privileges, and, if so, the terms and conditions of such conversion, including provision for adjustment of the conversion rate in such events as the Board shall determine; (5) whether or not the shares of that series shall be redeemable, and, if so, the terms and conditions of such redemption, including the dates upon or after which they shall be redeemable, and the amount per share payable in case of redemption, which amount may vary under different conditions and at different redemption dates; (6) whether that series shall have a sinking fund for the redemption or purchase of shares of that series, and, if so, the terms and amount of such sinking fund; (7) the rights of the shares of that series in the event of voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, and the relative rights of priority, if any, of payment of shares of that series; and (8) any other relative powers, preferences, and rights of that series, and qualifications, limitations or restrictions on that series as the Board shall determine.
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Except as otherwise required by law, holders of Common Stock shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any certificate of designation relating to any series of Preferred Stock) that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any certificate of designation relating to any series of Preferred Stock) or pursuant to the DGCL.
Except as otherwise required by law, holders of any series of Preferred Stock shall be entitled to only such voting rights, if any, as shall expressly be granted thereto by this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any certificate of designation relating to such series of Preferred Stock).
ARTICLE V: AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS
In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by the DGCL, the Board is expressly authorized and empowered to adopt, alter, amend and repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation without the assent or vote of the stockholders in any manner not inconsistent with the laws of the State of Delaware or this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation.
ARTICLE VI: BOARD OF DIRECTORS
1. Director Powers. The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board. In addition to the powers and authority expressly conferred upon them by statute or by this Amended and Restate Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws of the Corporation, the directors are hereby empowered to exercise all such powers and do all such acts and things as may be exercised or done by the Corporation.
2. Number of Directors. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect additional directors under specified circumstances, the total number of directors constituting the entire Board shall be as fixed from time to time by, or in the manner provided by, the Bylaws of the Corporation.
3. Term. Each director shall hold office until such director's successor is elected and qualified, or until such director's earlier death, resignation or removal. Any director may resign at any time upon notice to the Corporation given in writing or by any electronic transmission permitted in the Corporation's Bylaws.
4. Board Vacancies. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, any vacancy occurring in the Board for any cause, and any newly created directorship resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors, shall, unless (a) the Board determines by resolution that any such vacancies or newly created directorships shall be filled by the stockholders or (b) as otherwise provided by law, be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director, and not by the stockholders. Any director elected in accordance with the preceding sentence shall hold office for a term expiring at the annual meeting of stockholders at which the term of office to which the director has been elected expires or until such director's successor shall have been duly elected and qualified.
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5. Vote by Ballot. Election of directors need not be by written ballot unless the Bylaws of the Corporation shall so provide.
6. Officers. Except as otherwise expressly delegated by resolution of the Board, the Board shall have the exclusive power and authority to appoint and remove officers of the Corporation.
ARTICLE VII: DIRECTOR LIABILITY
1. Limitation of Liability. To the fullest extent permitted by law, no director of the Corporation shall be personally liable for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director. Without limiting the effect of the preceding sentence, if the DGCL is hereafter amended to authorize the further elimination or limitation of the liability of a director, then the liability of a director of the Corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as so amended.
2. Change in Rights. Neither any amendment nor repeal of this Article VII, nor the adoption of any provision of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation inconsistent with this Article VII, shall eliminate, reduce or otherwise adversely affect any limitation on the personal liability of a director of the Corporation existing at the time of such amendment, repeal or adoption of such an inconsistent provision.
ARTICLE VIII: MATTERS RELATING TO STOCKHOLDERS
1. No Action by Written Consent of Stockholders. Subject to the rights of any series of Preferred Stock, no action shall be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation except at a duly called annual or special meeting of stockholders and no action shall be taken by the stockholders by written consent.
2. Annual Meeting of Stockholders. The annual meeting of stockholders shall be held at such place, if any, on such date and at such time as fixed by the Board.
3. Special Meeting of Stockholders. Subject to the rights of any holders of the Preferred Stock, only a majority of the Board or the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation shall be permitted to call a special meeting of stockholders, and the business permitted to be conducted at a special meeting of stockholders shall be limited to matters properly brought before the meeting by or at the direction of the Board.
4. Advance Notice of Stockholder Nominations and Business Transacted at Special Meetings. Advance notice of stockholder nominations for the election of directors of the Corporation and of business to be brought by stockholders before any meeting of stockholders of the Corporation shall be given in the manner provided in the Bylaws of the Corporation. Business transacted at special meetings of stockholders shall be confined to the purpose or purposes stated in the notice of meeting.
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ARTICLE IX: SECTION 203 OF THE DGCL OPT-OUT
The Corporation shall not be governed or subject to Section 203 of the DGCL.
ARTICLE X: CREDITOR AND STOCKHOLDER COMPROMISES
Whenever a compromise or arrangement is proposed between the Corporation and its creditors or any class of them and/or between the Corporation and its stockholders or any class of them, any court of equitable jurisdiction within the State of Delaware may, on the application in a summary way of the Corporation or of any creditor or stockholder thereof or on the application of any receiver or receivers appointed for the Corporation under the provisions of §291 of Title 8 of the DGCL or on the application of trustees in dissolution or of any receiver or receivers appointed for this Corporation under §279 of Title 8 of the DGCL order a meeting of the creditors or class of creditors, and/or of the stockholders or class of stockholders of the Corporation, as the case may be, to be summoned in such manner as the said court directs. If a majority in number representing three-fourths in value of the creditors or class of creditors, and/or of the stockholders or class of stockholders of the Corporation, as the case may be, agree to any compromise or arrangement and to any reorganization of the Corporation as a consequence of such compromise or arrangement, the said compromise or arrangement and the said reorganization shall, if sanctioned by the court to which the said application has been made, be binding on all the creditors or class of creditors, and/or on all the stockholders or class of stockholders, of the Corporation, as the case may be, and also on the Corporation.
ARTICLE XI: AMENDMENT OF CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
The Corporation reserves the right to amend, alter, or repeal any provision contained in this Amended and Restated Certificate, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by the laws of the State of Delaware, and all rights conferred herein are granted subject to this reservation.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Fly-E Group, Inc. has caused this Amended and Restated Certificate to be duly executed and acknowledged in its name and on its behalf by an authorized officer as of the date first set forth above.
By: | ||
Name: | Zhou Ou | |
Title: | Chief Executive Officer |
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Exhibit 4.2
EXHIBIT A
Form of Representative’s Warrant Agreement
THE REGISTERED HOLDER OF THIS PURCHASE WARRANT BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF, AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT SELL, TRANSFER OR ASSIGN THIS PURCHASE WARRANT EXCEPT AS HEREIN PROVIDED AND THE REGISTERED HOLDER OF THIS PURCHASE WARRANT AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT SELL, TRANSFER, ASSIGN, PLEDGE OR HYPOTHECATE THIS PURCHASE WARRANT FOR A PERIOD OF ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY DAYS FOLLOWING THE EFFECTIVE DATE (DEFINED BELOW) TO ANYONE OTHER THAN (I) THE BENCHMARK COMPANY, LLC OR AN UNDERWRITER OR A SELECTED DEALER IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFERING, OR (II) A BONA FIDE OFFICER OR PARTNER OF THE BENCHMARK COMPANY, LLC OR OF ANY SUCH UNDERWRITER OR SELECTED DEALER.
THIS PURCHASE WARRANT IS NOT EXERCISABLE PRIOR TO [________________] [DATE THAT IS SIX MONTHS FROM THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE OFFERING]. VOID AFTER 5:00 P.M., EASTERN TIME, [___________________] [DATE THAT IS FIVE YEARS FROM THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE OFFERING].
COMMON SHARE PURCHASE WARRANT
For the Purchase of [●] Shares of Common Stock
of
Fly-E Group, Inc.
1. Purchase Warrant. THIS CERTIFIES THAT, in consideration of funds duly paid by or on behalf of The Benchmark Company, LLC (“Holder”), as registered owner of this Purchase Warrant, Fly-E Group, Inc., a corporation incorporated under the law of the State of Delaware (the “Company”), Holder is entitled, at any time or from time to time from [________________] [DATE THAT IS SIX MONTHS FROM THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE OFFERING] (the “Commencement Date”), and at or before 5:00 p.m., New York City time, [____________] [DATE THAT IS FIVE YEARS FROM THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE OFFERING] (the “Expiration Date”), but not thereafter, to subscribe for, purchase and receive, in whole or in part, up to [●] shares of common stock of the Company, par value $0.01 per share (the “Shares”), subject to adjustment as provided in Section 6 hereof. If the Expiration Date is a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized by law to close, then this Purchase Warrant may be exercised on the next succeeding day which is not such a day in accordance with the terms herein. During the period ending on the Expiration Date, the Company agrees not to take any action that would terminate this Purchase Warrant. This Purchase Warrant is initially exercisable at $[●] per Share; provided, however, that upon the occurrence of any of the events specified in Section 6 hereof, the rights granted by this Purchase Warrant, including the exercise price per Share and the number of Shares to be received upon such exercise, shall be adjusted as therein specified. The term “Exercise Price” shall mean the initial exercise price or the adjusted exercise price, depending on the context. The term “Effective Date” shall mean [ ], 2024, the date on which the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-276830) of the Company was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”).
2. Exercise.
2.1 Exercise Form. In order to exercise this Purchase Warrant, the exercise form attached hereto (the “Notice of Exercise”) must be duly executed and completed and delivered to the Company, together with this Purchase Warrant and payment of the Exercise Price for the Shares being purchased payable in cash by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated by the Company or by certified check or official bank check unless the cashless exercise procedure specified in Section 2.2 below is specified in the applicable Notice of Exercise. If the subscription rights represented hereby shall not be exercised at or before 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the Expiration Date, this Purchase Warrant shall become and be void without further force or effect, and all rights represented hereby shall cease and expire. Each exercise hereof shall be irrevocable.
2.2 Cashless Exercise. In lieu of exercising this Purchase Warrant by payment by wire transfer or cashier’s check pursuant to Section 2.1 above, this Purchase Warrant may also be exercised, in whole or in part, at such time by means of a “cashless exercise” in which the Holder shall be entitled to receive the number of Shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing [(A-B) (X)] by (A), where:
(A) = | as applicable: (i) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if such Notice of Exercise is (1) both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2.1 hereof on a day that is not a Trading Day or (2) both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2.1 hereof on a Trading Day prior to the opening of “regular trading hours” (as defined in Rule 600(b)(64) of Regulation NMS promulgated under the federal securities laws, “Regular Trading Hours”)) on such Trading Day, (ii) at the option of the Holder, either (x) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise or (y) the Bid Price of the Shares on the principal Trading Market as reported by Bloomberg L.P. as of the time of the Holder’s execution of the applicable Notice of Exercise if such Notice of Exercise is executed during “regular trading hours” on a Trading Day and is delivered within two (2) hours thereafter (including until two (2) hours after the close of Regular Trading Hours on a Trading Day) pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof, which Bid Price shall be shown on supporting documents provided by the Holder to the Company within two (2) Trading Days of delivery of the Notice of Exercise or (iii) the VWAP on the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if the date of such Notice of Exercise is a Trading Day and such Notice of Exercise is both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof after the close of Regular Trading Hours on such Trading Day; |
(B) = | the Exercise Price of this Purchase Warrant, as adjusted hereunder; and |
(X) = | the number of Shares that would be issuable upon exercise of this Purchase Warrant in accordance with the terms of this Purchase Warrant if such exercise were by means of a cash exercise rather than a cashless exercise. |
If Shares are issued in such a “cashless exercise”, the parties acknowledge and agree that in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), the Shares shall take on the securities law characteristics of the Purchase Warrants being exercised, and the holding period of the Purchase Warrants being exercised may be tacked on to the holding period of the Shares. The Company agrees not to take any position contrary to this Section 2.2.
“Bid Price” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the Shares are then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the bid price of the Shares for the time in question (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the Shares are then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b) if the Shares are then quoted on the OTCQB or OTCQX but not listed on any Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of a Share for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the OTCQB or OTCQX as applicable, (c) if the Shares are not then listed or quoted for trading on any of a Trading Market, the OTCQB or OTCQX and if prices for the Shares are then reported on the OTC Pink Open Market (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent bid price per Share so reported, or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of the Shares as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the Holder and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.
“Trading Day” means a day on which the Trading Market is open for trading.
“Trading Market” means any of the following markets or exchanges on which the Shares are listed or quoted for trading on the date in question: the NYSE American, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Global Select Market, or the New York Stock Exchange (or any successors to any of the foregoing).
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“VWAP” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the Shares are then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the daily volume weighted average price of the Shares for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the Shares are then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b) if the Shares are then quoted on the OTCQB or OTCQX but not listed on any Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of a Share for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the OTCQB or OTCQX as applicable, (c) if Shares are not then listed or quoted for trading on the OTCQB or OTCQX and if prices for the Shares are then reported on the OTC Pink Open Market (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the daily volume weighted average price of the Shares for such date (or the nearest preceding date), or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of the Shares as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the Holder and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.
2.3 | Mechanics of Exercise. |
2.3.1 Delivery of Shares Upon Exercise. The Company shall cause the Shares purchased hereunder to be transmitted by its transfer agent to the Holder by crediting the account of the Holder’s or its designee’s balance account with The Depository Trust Company through its Deposit or Withdrawal at Custodian system (“DWAC”) if the Company is then a participant in such system and either (A) there is an effective registration statement permitting the issuance of the Shares to or resale of the Shares by Holder, or (B) the Shares are eligible for resale by the Holder without volume or manner-of-sale limitations pursuant to Rule 144 and, in either case, the Shares have been sold by the Holder prior to the Warrant Share Delivery Date (as defined below), and otherwise by physical delivery of a certificate, registered in the Company’s share register in the name of the Holder or its designee, for the number of Shares to which the Holder is entitled pursuant to such exercise to the address specified by the Holder in the Notice of Exercise by the date that is two (2) Trading Days after the delivery to the Company of the Notice of Exercise (such date, the “Warrant Share Delivery Date”). If the Shares can be delivered via DWAC, the transfer agent shall have received from the Company, at the expense of the Company, any legal opinions or other documentation required by it to deliver such Warrant Shares without legend (subject to receipt by the Company of reasonable back up documentation from the Holder, including with respect to affiliate status) and, if applicable and requested by the Company prior to the Warrant Share Delivery Date, the transfer agent shall have received from the Holder a confirmation of sale of the Shares (provided the requirement of the Holder to provide a confirmation as to the sale of Shares shall not be applicable to the issuance of unlegended Shares upon a cashless exercise of this Purchase Warrant if the Shares are then eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144(b)(l)). The Shares shall be deemed to have been issued, and Holder or any other person so designated to be named therein shall be deemed to have become a holder of record of such shares for all purposes, as of the date the Purchase Warrant has been exercised, with payment to the Company of the Exercise Price (or by cashless exercise, if permitted) and all taxes required to be paid by the Holder, if any, pursuant to Section 2.3.6 prior to the issuance of such shares, having been paid. If the Company fails for any reason to deliver to the Holder the Shares subject to a Notice of Exercise by the second Trading Day following the Warrant Share Delivery Date, the Company shall pay to the Holder, in cash, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, for each $1,000 of Shares subject to such exercise (based on the VWAP of the Shares on the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise), $10 per Trading Day (increasing to $20 per Trading Day on the fifth Trading Day after such liquidated damages begin to accrue) for each Trading Day after the second Trading Day following such Warrant Share Delivery Date until such Shares are delivered or Holder rescinds such exercise.
2.3.2 Delivery of New Warrants Upon Exercise. If this Purchase Warrant shall have been exercised in part, the Company shall, at the request of a Holder and upon surrender of this Purchase Warrant certificate, at the time of delivery of the Shares, deliver to the Holder a new Warrant evidencing the rights of the Holder to purchase the unpurchased Shares called for by this Warrant, which new Warrant shall in all other respects be identical with this Purchase Warrant.
2.3.3 Rescission Rights. If the Company fails to cause its transfer agent to deliver to the Holder the Shares pursuant to Section 2.3.1 by the Warrant Share Delivery Date, then the Holder will have the right to rescind such exercise; provided, however, that the Holder shall be required to return any Shares subject to any such rescinded exercise notice concurrently with the return to Holder of the aggregate Exercise Price paid to the Company for such Shares and the restoration of Holder’s right to acquire such Shares pursuant to this Purchase Warrant (including, issuance of a replacement warrant certificate evidencing such restored right).
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2.3.4 Compensation for Buy-In on Failure to Timely Deliver Shares Upon Exercise. In addition to any other rights available to the Holder, if the Company fails to cause its transfer agent to transmit to the Holder the Shares pursuant to an exercise on or before the Warrant Share Delivery Date, and if after such date the Holder is required by its broker to purchase (in an open market transaction or otherwise) or the Holder’s brokerage firm otherwise purchases, Shares to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Holder of the Shares which the Holder anticipated receiving upon such exercise (a “Buy-In”), then the Company shall (A) pay in cash to the Holder the amount, if any, by which (x) the Holder’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions, if any) for the Shares so purchased exceeds (y) the amount obtained by multiplying (1) the number of Shares that the Company was required to deliver to the Holder in connection with the exercise at issue times (2) the price at which the sell order giving rise to such purchase obligation was executed, and (B) at the option of the Holder, either reinstate the portion of the Purchase Warrant and equivalent number of Shares for which such exercise was not honored (in which case such exercise shall be deemed rescinded) or deliver to the Holder the number of Shares that would have been issued had the Company timely complied with its exercise and delivery obligations hereunder. For example, if the Holder purchases Shares having a total purchase price of $11,000 to cover a Buy-In with respect to an attempted exercise of Shares with an aggregate sale price giving rise to such purchase obligation of $l0,000, under clause (A) of the immediately preceding sentence the Company shall be required to pay the Holder $1,000. The Holder shall provide the Company written notice indicating the amounts payable to the Holder in respect of the Buy-In and, upon request of the Company, evidence of the amount of such loss. Nothing herein shall limit a Holder’s right to pursue any other remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to the Company’s failure to timely deliver Shares upon exercise of the Purchase Warrant as required pursuant to the terms hereof.
2.3.5 No Fractional Shares or Scrip. No fractional shares or scrip representing fractional shares shall be issued upon the exercise of this Purchase Warrant. As to any fraction of a share which the Holder would otherwise be entitled to purchase upon such exercise, the Company shall, at its election, either (a) pay a cash adjustment in respect of such final fraction in an amount equal to such fraction multiplied by the Exercise Price or (b) round up to the next whole share if such fraction is greater than or equal to one-half or round down to the next whole share if such fraction is less than one-half.
2.3.6 Charges, Taxes and Expenses. Issuance of Shares shall be made without charge to the Holder for any issue or transfer tax or other incidental expense in respect of the issuance of such Shares, all of which taxes and expenses shall be paid by the Company, and such Shares shall be issued in the name of the Holder or in such name or names as may be directed by the Holder; provided, however, that in the event that Shares are to be issued in a name other than the name of the Holder, this Purchase Warrant when surrendered for exercise shall be accompanied by the Assignment Form attached hereto duly executed by the Holder and the Company may require, as a condition thereto, the payment of a sum sufficient to reimburse it for any transfer tax incidental thereto. The Company shall pay all transfer agent fees required for same-day processing of any Notice of Exercise and all fees to the Depository Trust Company (or another established clearing corporation performing similar functions) required for same-day electronic delivery of the Shares.
2.3.7 Closing of Books. The Company will not close its shareholder books or records in any manner which prevents the timely exercise of this Purchase Warrant, pursuant to the terms hereof.
2.3.8 Signature. This Section 2 and the exercise form attached hereto set forth the totality of the procedures required of the Holder in order to exercise this Purchase Warrant. Without limiting the preceding sentences, no ink-original exercise form shall be required, nor shall any medallion guarantee (or other type of guarantee or notarization) of any exercise form be required in order to exercise this Purchase Warrant. No additional legal opinion, other information or instructions shall be required of the Holder to exercise this Purchase Warrant. The Company shall honor exercises of this Purchase Warrant and shall deliver Shares underlying this Purchase Warrant in accordance with the terms, conditions and time periods set forth herein.
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2.4 Holder’s Exercise Limitations. The Company shall not effect any exercise of this Purchase Warrant, and a Holder shall not have the right to exercise any portion of this Purchase Warrant, pursuant to Section 2 or otherwise, to the extent that after giving effect to such issuance after exercise as set forth on the applicable Notice of Exercise, the Holder (together with the Holder’s Affiliates (as defined below), and any other Persons (as defined below) acting as a group together with the Holder or any of the Holder’s affiliates), would beneficially own in excess of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation (as defined below). For purposes of the foregoing sentence, the number of Shares beneficially owned by the Holder and its Affiliates shall include the number of Shares issuable upon exercise of this Purchase Warrant with respect to which such determination is being made, but shall exclude the number of Shares which would be issuable upon (i) exercise of the remaining, nonexercised portion of this Purchase Warrant beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates and (ii) exercise or conversion of the unexercised or nonconverted portion of any other securities of the Company (including, without limitation, any other Common Stock Equivalents (as defined below)) subject to a limitation on conversion or exercise analogous to the limitation contained herein beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates. Except as set forth in the preceding sentence, for purposes of this Section 2.4, beneficial ownership shall be calculated in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, it being acknowledged by the Holder that the Company is not representing to the Holder that such calculation is in compliance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the Holder is solely responsible for any schedules required to be filed in accordance therewith. To the extent that the limitation contained in this Section 2.4 applies, the determination of whether this Purchase Warrant is exercisable (in relation to other securities owned by the Holder together with any Affiliates) and of which portion of this Purchase Warrant is exercisable shall be in the sole discretion of the Holder, and the submission of a Notice of Exercise shall be deemed to be the Holder’s determination of whether this Purchase Warrant is exercisable (in relation to other securities owned by the Holder together with any Affiliates) and of which portion of this Purchase Warrant is exercisable, in each case subject to the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, and the Company shall have no obligation to verify or confirm the accuracy of such determination. In addition, a determination as to any group status as contemplated above shall be determined in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. For purposes of this Section 2.4, in determining the number of outstanding Shares, a Holder may rely on the number of outstanding Shares as reflected in (A) the Company’s most recent periodic or annual report filed with the Commission, as the case may be, (B) a more recent public announcement by the Company or (C) a more recent written notice by the Company or the Company’s transfer agent setting forth the number of Shares outstanding. Upon the written or oral request of a Holder, the Company shall within two Trading Days (as defined herein) confirm orally and in writing to the Holder the number of Shares then outstanding. In any case, the number of outstanding Shares shall be determined after giving effect to the conversion or exercise of securities of the Company, including this Purchase Warrant, by the Holder or its Affiliates since the date as of which such number of outstanding Shares was reported. The “Beneficial Ownership Limitation” shall be 4.99% of the number of Shares outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of Shares issuable upon exercise of this Purchase Warrant. The Holder, upon notice to the Company, may increase or decrease the Beneficial Ownership Limitation provisions of this Section 2.4, provided that the Beneficial Ownership Limitation in no event exceeds 9.99% of the number of Shares outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of Shares upon exercise of this Warrant held by the Holder and the provisions of this Section 2.4 shall continue to apply. Any increase in the Beneficial Ownership Limitation will not be effective until the 61st day after such notice is delivered to the Company. The provisions of this paragraph shall be construed and implemented in a manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms of this Section 2.4 to correct this paragraph (or any portion hereof) which may be defective or inconsistent with the intended Beneficial Ownership Limitation herein contained or to make changes or supplements necessary or desirable to properly give effect to such limitation. The limitations contained in this paragraph shall apply to a successor holder of this Purchase Warrant.
“Affiliate” means any Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with a Person, as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 405 under the Securities Act.
“Common Stock Equivalents” means any securities of the Company that would entitle the holder thereof to acquire Shares.
“Person” means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.
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2.5 Legend. Each certificate for the securities purchased under this Purchase Warrant shall bear a legend as follows unless such securities have been registered under the Securities Act:
“THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), OR APPLICABLE STATE LAW. NEITHER THE SECURITIES NOR ANY INTEREST THEREIN MAY BE OFFERED FOR SALE, SOLD OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT AND APPLICABLE STATE LAW WHICH, IN THE OPINION OF COUNSEL TO THE COMPANY, IS AVAILABLE.”
3. Transfer.
3.1 General Restrictions. The registered Holder of this Purchase Warrant agrees by his, her or its acceptance hereof, that such Holder will not: (a) sell, transfer, assign, pledge or hypothecate this Purchase Warrant or the securities issuable hereunder for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days following the Effective Date to anyone other than: (i) The Benchmark Company, LLC (“Benchmark”) or an underwriter or a selected dealer participating in the Offering, or (ii) a bona fide officer or partner of Benchmark or of any such underwriter or selected dealer, in each case in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(e)(1), or (b) for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days following the Effective Date, cause this Purchase Warrant or the securities issuable hereunder to be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of this Purchase Warrant or the securities hereunder, except as provided for in FINRA Rule 5110(e)(2). On and after one hundred eighty (180) days after the Effective Date, transfers to others may be made subject to compliance with or exemptions from applicable securities laws. In order to make any permitted assignment, the Holder must deliver to the Company the assignment form attached hereto duly executed and completed, together with the Purchase Warrant and payment of all transfer taxes, if any, payable in connection therewith. The Company shall within five (5) business days transfer this Purchase Warrant on the books of the Company and shall execute and deliver a new Purchase Warrant or Purchase Warrants of like tenor to the appropriate assignee(s) expressly evidencing the right to purchase the aggregate number of Shares purchasable hereunder or such portion of such number as shall be contemplated by any such assignment.
3.2 Restrictions Imposed by the Securities Act. The securities evidenced by this Purchase Warrant shall not be transferred unless and until: (i) the Company has received the opinion of counsel for the Holder that the securities may be transferred pursuant to an exemption from registration under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws, the availability of which is established to the reasonable satisfaction of the Company (the Company hereby agreeing that the opinion of Lucosky Brookman LLP shall be deemed satisfactory evidence of the availability of an exemption), or (ii) a registration statement or a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement relating to the offer and sale of such securities has been filed by the Company and declared effective by the Commission and compliance with applicable state securities law has been established.
4 Registration Rights.
4.1 Demand Registration.
4.1.1 Grant of Right. The Company, upon written demand (a “Demand Notice”) of the Holders of at least 51% of the Purchase Warrants and/or the underlying Shares, agrees to register, on one (1) occasion, all or any portion of the Shares underlying the Purchase Warrants (collectively, the “Registrable Securities”). On such occasion, the Company will file a registration statement with the Commission covering the Registrable Securities within sixty (60) days after receipt of a Demand Notice and use its reasonable best efforts to have the registration statement declared effective promptly thereafter, subject to compliance with review by the Commission; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to comply with a Demand Notice if the Company has filed a registration statement with respect to which the Holder is entitled to piggyback registration rights pursuant to Section 4.2 hereof and either: (i) the Holder has elected to participate in the offering covered by such registration statement or (ii) if such registration statement relates to an underwritten primary offering of securities of the Company, until the offering covered by such registration statement has been withdrawn or until thirty (30) days after such offering is consummated. The Company covenants and agrees to give written notice of its receipt of any Demand Notice by any Holders to all other registered Holders of the Purchase Warrants and/or the Registrable Securities within ten (10) days after the date of the receipt of any such Demand Notice.
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4.1.2 Terms. The Company shall bear all fees and expenses attendant to the registration of the Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 4.1.1, but the Holders shall pay any and all underwriting commissions and the expenses of any legal counsel selected by the Holders to represent them in connection with the sale of the Registrable Securities. The Company agrees to use its reasonable best efforts to cause the filing required herein to become effective promptly and to qualify or register the Registrable Securities in such states as are reasonably requested by the Holders; provided, however, that in no event shall the Company be required to register the Registrable Securities in a State in which such registration would cause: (i) the Company to be obligated to register or license to do business in such State or submit to general service of process in such State, or (ii) the principal shareholders of the Company to be obligated to escrow their shares of capital stock of the Company. The Company shall cause any registration statement filed pursuant to the demand right granted under Section 4.1.1 to remain effective for a period of at least twelve (12) consecutive months after the date that the Holders of the Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement are first given the opportunity to sell all of such securities. The Holders shall only use the prospectuses provided by the Company to sell the shares covered by such registration statement, and will immediately cease to use any prospectus furnished by the Company if the Company advises the Holder that such prospectus may no longer be used due to a material misstatement or omission. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 4.1.2, the Holder shall be entitled to a demand registration under this Section 4.1.2 on only one (1) occasion and such demand registration right shall terminate on the fifth anniversary of the Effective Date in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(8)(C).
4.2 “Piggy-Back” Registration.
4.2.1 Grant of Right. In addition to the demand right of registration described in Section 4.1 hereof, the Holder shall have the right, for a period of no more than seven (7) years from the Effective Date in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(8)(D), to include the Registrable Securities as part of any other registration of securities filed by the Company (other than in connection with a transaction contemplated by Rule 145(a) promulgated under the Securities Act or pursuant to Form S-8 or Form F-4 or any equivalent form); provided, however, that if, solely in connection with any primary underwritten public offering for the account of the Company, the managing underwriter(s) thereof shall, in its reasonable discretion, impose a limitation on the number of Shares which may be included in the Registration Statement because, in such underwriter(s)’ judgment, marketing or other factors dictate such limitation is necessary to facilitate public distribution, then the Company shall be obligated to include in such Registration Statement only such limited portion of the Registrable Securities with respect to which the Holder requested inclusion hereunder as the underwriter shall reasonably permit. Any exclusion of Registrable Securities shall be made pro rata among the Holders seeking to include Registrable Securities in proportion to the number of Registrable Securities sought to be included by such Holders; provided, however, that the Company shall not exclude any Registrable Securities unless the Company has first excluded all outstanding securities, the holders of which are not entitled to inclusion of such securities in such Registration Statement or are not entitled to pro rata inclusion with the Registrable Securities.
4.2.2 Terms. The Company shall bear all fees and expenses attendant to registering the Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 4.2.1 hereof, but the Holders shall pay any and all underwriting commissions and the expenses of any legal counsel selected by the Holders to represent them in connection with the sale of the Registrable Securities. In the event of such a proposed registration, the Company shall furnish the then Holders of outstanding Registrable Securities with not less than thirty (30) days’ written notice prior to the proposed date of filing of such registration statement. Such notice to the Holders shall continue to be given for each registration statement filed by the Company until such time as all of the Registrable Securities have been sold by the Holder. The holders of the Registrable Securities shall exercise the “piggy-back” rights provided for herein by giving written notice within ten (10) days of the receipt of the Company’s notice of its intention to file a registration statement. Except as otherwise provided in this Purchase Warrant, there shall be no limit on the number of times the Holder may request registration under this Section 4.2.2; provided, however, that such registration rights shall terminate on the fifth anniversary of the Commencement Date.
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4.3 General Terms.
4.3.1 Indemnification. The Company shall indemnify the Holders of the Registrable Securities to be sold pursuant to any registration statement hereunder and each person, if any, who controls such Holders within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act, against all loss, claim, damage, expense or liability (including all reasonable attorneys’ fees and other expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any claim whatsoever) to which any of them may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, arising from such registration statement but only to the same extent and with the same effect as the provisions pursuant to which the Company has agreed to indemnify the Underwriters contained in Section 5.1 of the Underwriting Agreement between the Underwriters and the Company, dated as of [___________], 2024. The Holders of the Registrable Securities to be sold pursuant to such registration statement, and their successors and assigns, shall severally, and not jointly, indemnify the Company, against all loss, claim, damage, expense or liability (including all reasonable attorneys’ fees and other expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any claim whatsoever) to which they may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, arising from information furnished by or on behalf of such Holders, or their successors or assigns, in writing, for specific inclusion in such registration statement to the same extent and with the same effect as the provisions contained in Section 5.2 of the Underwriting Agreement pursuant to which the Underwriters have agreed to indemnify the Company.
4.3.2 Exercise of Purchase Warrants. Nothing contained in this Purchase Warrant shall be construed as requiring the Holders to exercise their Purchase Warrants prior to or after the initial filing of any registration statement or the effectiveness thereof.
4.3.3 Documents Delivered to Holders. The Company shall furnish to each Holder participating in any of the foregoing offerings and to each underwriter of any such offering, if any, a signed counterpart, addressed to such Holder or underwriter, of: (i) an opinion of counsel to the Company, dated the effective date of such registration statement (and, if such registration includes an underwritten public offering, an opinion dated the date of the closing under any underwriting agreement related thereto), and (ii) a “cold comfort” letter dated the effective date of such registration statement (and, if such registration includes an underwritten public offering, a letter dated the date of the closing under the underwriting agreement) signed by the independent registered public accounting firm which has issued a report on the Company’s financial statements included in such registration statement, in each case covering substantially the same matters with respect to such registration statement (and the prospectus included therein) and, in the case of such accountants’ letter, with respect to events subsequent to the date of such financial statements, as are customarily covered in opinions of issuer’s counsel and in accountants’ letters delivered to underwriters in underwritten public offerings of securities. The Company shall also deliver promptly to each Holder participating in the offering requesting the correspondence and memoranda described below and to the managing underwriter, if any, copies of all correspondence between the Commission and the Company, its counsel or auditors and all memoranda relating to discussions with the Commission or its staff with respect to the registration statement and permit each Holder and underwriter to do such investigation, upon reasonable advance notice, with respect to information contained in or omitted from the registration statement as it deems reasonably necessary to comply with applicable securities laws or rules of FINRA. Such investigation shall include access to books, records and properties and opportunities to discuss the business of the Company with its officers and independent auditors, all to such reasonable extent and at such reasonable times as any such Holder shall reasonably request.
4.3.4 Underwriting Agreement. The Company shall enter into an underwriting agreement with the managing underwriter(s), if any, selected by any Holders whose Registrable Securities are being registered pursuant to this Section 4, which managing underwriter shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Company. Such agreement shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Company, each Holder and such managing underwriters, and shall contain such representations, warranties and covenants by the Company and such other terms as are customarily contained in agreements of that type used by the managing underwriter. The Holders shall be parties to any underwriting agreement relating to an underwritten sale of their Registrable Securities and may, at their option, require that any or all the representations, warranties and covenants of the Company to or for the benefit of such underwriters shall also be made to and for the benefit of such Holders. Such Holders shall not be required to make any representations or warranties to or agreements with the Company or the underwriters except as they may relate to such Holders, their Shares and their intended methods of distribution.
4.3.5 Documents to be Delivered by Holders. Each of the Holders participating in any of the foregoing offerings shall furnish to the Company a completed and executed questionnaire provided by the Company requesting information customarily sought of selling security holders.
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4.3.6 Damages. Should the registration or the effectiveness thereof required by Sections 4.1 and 4.2 hereof be delayed by the Company or the Company otherwise fails to comply with such provisions, the Holders shall, in addition to any other legal or other relief available to the Holders, be entitled to obtain specific performance or other equitable (including injunctive) relief against the threatened breach of such provisions or the continuation of any such breach, without the necessity of proving actual damages and without the necessity of posting bond or other security.
4.4 Termination of Registration Rights. The registration rights afforded to the Holders under this Section 4 shall terminate on the earliest date when all Registrable Securities of such Holder either: (i) have been publicly sold by such Holder pursuant to a Registration Statement, (ii) have been covered by an effective Registration Statement on Form S-1 or Form S-3 (or successor forms thereto), which may be kept effective as an evergreen Registration Statement, or (iii) may be sold by the Holder within a 90-day period without registration pursuant to Rule 144 or consistent with applicable SEC interpretive guidance (including CD&I no. 201.04 (April 2, 2007) or similar interpretive guidance).
5. New Purchase Warrants to be Issued.
5.1 Partial Exercise or Transfer. Subject to the restrictions in Section 3 hereof, this Purchase Warrant may be exercised or assigned in whole or in part. In the event of the exercise or assignment hereof in part only, upon surrender of this Purchase Warrant for cancellation, together with the duly executed exercise or assignment form and funds sufficient to pay any Exercise Price and/or transfer tax if exercised pursuant to Section 2.1 hereto, the Company shall cause to be delivered to the Holder without charge a new Purchase Warrant of like tenor to this Purchase Warrant in the name of the Holder evidencing the right of the Holder to purchase the number of Shares purchasable hereunder as to which this Purchase Warrant has not been exercised or assigned.
5.2 Lost Certificate. Upon receipt by the Company of evidence satisfactory to it of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Purchase Warrant and of reasonably satisfactory indemnification or the posting of a bond, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Purchase Warrant of like tenor and date. Any such new Purchase Warrant executed and delivered as a result of such loss, theft, mutilation or destruction shall constitute a substitute contractual obligation on the part of the Company.
6. Adjustments.
6.1 Adjustments to Exercise Price and Number of Securities. The Exercise Price and the number of Shares underlying the Purchase Warrant shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as hereinafter set forth:
6.1.1 Stock Dividends and Splits. If the Company, at any time while this Purchase Warrant is outstanding: (i) pays a stock dividend or otherwise makes a distribution or distributions on the Shares or any other equity or equity equivalent securities payable in Shares (which, for avoidance of doubt, shall not include any Shares issued by the Company upon (A) exercise of this Purchase Warrant or (B) exercise, conversion or exchange of options, warrants, preferred stock, convertible notes, other convertible securities or other Common Stock Equivalents), (ii) subdivides outstanding Shares into a larger number of shares, (iii) combines (including by way of reverse stock split) outstanding Shares into a smaller number of shares, or (iv) issues by reclassification of any shares of capital stock of the Company, then in each case the Exercise Price shall be multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the number of Shares (excluding treasury shares, if any) outstanding immediately before such event and of which the denominator shall be the number of Shares outstanding immediately after such event, and the number of shares issuable upon exercise of this Purchase Warrant shall be proportionately adjusted such that the aggregate Exercise Price of this Purchase Warrant shall remain unchanged. Any adjustment made pursuant to this Section 6.1 shall become effective immediately after the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to receive such dividend or distribution and shall become effective immediately after the effective date in the case of a subdivision, combination or re-classification. For the purposes of clarification, neither the Exercise Price of this Purchase Warrant nor the number of shares issuable upon exercise of this Purchase Warrant will be adjusted in the event that the Company or any subsidiary thereof, as applicable, sells or grants any option to purchase, or sells or grants any right to reprice, or otherwise disposes of or issues (or announces any offer, sale, grant or any option to purchase or other disposition) any Shares or Common Stock Equivalents.
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6.1.2 Subsequent Rights Offerings. In addition to any adjustments pursuant to Section 6.1.1 above, if at any time the Company grants, issues or sells any Common Stock Equivalents or rights to purchase stock, warrants, securities or other property pro rata to the record holders of any class of Shares of the Company (the “Purchase Rights”), then the Holder will be entitled to acquire, upon the terms applicable to such Purchase Rights, the aggregate Purchase Rights which the Holder could have acquired if the Holder bad held the number of Shares acquirable upon complete exercise of this Purchase Warrant (without regard to any limitations on exercise hereof, including without limitation, the Beneficial Ownership Limitation) immediately before the date on which a record is taken for the grant, issuance or sale of such Purchase Rights, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of Shares are to be determined for the grant, issue or sale of such Purchase Rights (provided, however, to the extent that the Holder’s right to participate in any such Purchase Right would result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, then the Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Purchase Right to such extent (or beneficial ownership of such Shares as a result of such Purchase Right to such extent) and such Purchase Right to such extent shall be held in abeyance for the Holder until such time, if ever, as its right thereto would not result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation).
6.1.3 Pro Rata Distributions. During such time as this Purchase Warrant is outstanding, if the Company shall declare or make any dividend (other than cash dividends) or other distribution of its assets (or rights to acquire its assets) to holders of Shares, by way of return of capital or otherwise (including, without limitation, any distribution of shares or other securities, property or options by way of a dividend, spin off, reclassification, corporate rearrangement, scheme of arrangement or other similar transaction) (a “Distribution”), at any time after the issuance of this Purchase Warrant, then, in each such case, the Holder shall be entitled to participate in such Distribution to the same extent that the Holder would have participated therein if the Holder had held the number of Shares acquirable upon complete exercise of this Purchase Warrant (without regard to any limitations on exercise hereof, including without limitation, the Beneficial Ownership Limitation) immediately before the date of which a record is taken for such Distribution, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of Shares are to be determined for the participation in such Distribution (provided, however, to the extent that the Holder’s right to participate in any such Distribution would result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, then the Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Distribution to such extent (or in the beneficial ownership of any Shares as a result of such Distribution to such extent) and the portion of such Distribution shall be held in abeyance for the benefit of the Holder until such time, if ever, as its right thereto would not result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation). To the extent that this Purchase Warrant has not been partially or completely exercised at the time of such Distribution, such portion of the Distribution shall be held in abeyance for the benefit of the Holder until the Holder has exercised this Purchase Warrant.
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6.1.4 Fundamental Transaction. If, at any time while this Purchase Warrant is outstanding, (i) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another Person, (ii) the Company, directly or indirectly, effects any sale, lease, license, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of its assets in one or a series of related transactions, (iii) any, direct or indirect, purchase offer, tender offer or exchange offer (whether by the Company or another Person) is completed pursuant to which holders of Shares of the Company are permitted to sell, tender or exchange their shares for other securities, cash or property and has been accepted by the holders of 50% or more of the outstanding Shares of the Company, (iv) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any reclassification, reorganization or recapitalization of Shares or any compulsory share exchange pursuant to which the Shares are effectively converted into or exchanged for other securities, cash or property, or (v) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions consummates a stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination (including, without limitation, a reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off or scheme of arrangement) with another Person or group of Persons whereby such other Person or group acquires more than 50% of the outstanding Shares of the Company (not including any Shares held by the other Person or other Persons making or party to, or associated or affiliated with the other Persons making or party to, such stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination) (each a “Fundamental Transaction”), then, upon any subsequent exercise of this Purchase Warrant, the Holder shall have the right to receive, for each Share that would have been issuable upon such exercise immediately prior to the occurrence of such Fundamental Transaction, at the option of the Holder (without regard to any limitation in Section 2.4 on the exercise of this Purchase Warrant), the number of Shares of the successor or acquiring corporation or of the Company, if it is the surviving corporation, and any additional consideration (the “Alternate Consideration”) receivable by holders of Shares as a result of such Fundamental Transaction for each Share for which this Purchase Warrant is exercisable immediately prior to such Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitation in Section 2.4 on the exercise of this Warrant). For purposes of any such exercise, the determination of the Exercise Price shall be appropriately adjusted to apply to such Alternate Consideration based on the amount of Alternate Consideration issuable in respect of one Share in such Fundamental Transaction, and the Company shall apportion the Exercise Price among the Alternate Consideration in a reasonable manner reflecting the relative value of any different components of the Alternate Consideration. If holders of Shares of the Company are given any choice as to the securities, cash or property to be received in a Fundamental Transaction, then the Holder shall be given the same choice as to the Alternate Consideration it receives upon any exercise of this Purchase Warrant following such Fundamental Transaction. The Company shall cause any successor entity in a Fundamental Transaction in which the Company is not the survivor (the “Successor Entity”) to assume in writing all of the obligations of the Company under this Purchase Warrant in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6.1.4 pursuant to written agreements in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Holder and approved by the Holder (without unreasonable delay) prior to such Fundamental Transaction and shall, at the option of the Holder, deliver to the Holder in exchange for this Warrant a security of the Successor Entity evidenced by a written instrument substantially similar in form and substance to this Purchase Warrant which is exercisable for a corresponding number of shares of capital stock of such Successor Entity (or its parent entity) equivalent to the Shares acquirable and receivable upon exercise of this Purchase Warrant (without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this Purchase Warrant) prior to such Fundamental Transaction, and with an exercise price which applies the exercise price hereunder to such shares of capital stock (but taking into account the relative value of the Shares pursuant to such Fundamental Transaction and the value of such shares of capital stock, such number of shares of capital stock and such exercise price being for the purpose of protecting the economic value of this Purchase Warrant immediately prior to the consummation of such Fundamental Transaction), and which is reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Holder. Upon the occurrence of any such Fundamental Transaction, the Successor Entity shall succeed to, and be substituted for (so that from and after the date of such Fundamental Transaction, the provisions of this Purchase Warrant referring to the “Company” shall refer instead to the Successor Entity), and may exercise every right and power of the Company and shall assume all of the obligations of the Company under this Purchase Warrant with the same effect as if such Successor Entity had been named as the Company herein.
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6.1.5 Calculations. All calculations under this Section 6.1 shall be made to the nearest cent or the nearest l/100th of a share, as the case may be. For purposes of this Section 6.1, the number of Shares deemed to be issued and outstanding as of a given date shall be the sum of the number of Shares (excluding treasury shares, if any) issued and outstanding.
6.1.6 Notice to Holder.
i. Adjustment to Exercise Price. Whenever the Exercise Price is adjusted pursuant to any provision of this Section 6.1, the Company shall promptly mail to the Holder a notice setting forth the Exercise Price after such adjustment and any resulting adjustment to the number of Shares and setting forth a brief statement of the facts requiring such adjustment.
ii. Notice to Allow Exercise by Holder. If (A) the Company shall declare a dividend (or any other distribution in whatever form) on the Shares, (B) the Company shall declare a special nonrecurring cash dividend on or a redemption of the Shares, (C) the Company shall authorize the granting to all holders of the common stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase any shares of capital stock of any class or of any rights, (D) the approval of any shareholders of the Company shall be required in connection with any reclassification of the Shares, any consolidation or merger to which the Company is a party, any sale or transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or any compulsory share exchange whereby the Shares are converted into other securities, cash or property, or (E) the Company shall authorize the voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of the Company, then, in each case, the Company shall cause to be mailed a notice to the Holder at its last address as it shall appear upon the warrant register of the Company, at least 20 calendar days prior to the applicable record or effective date hereinafter specified, stating (x) the date on which a record is to be taken for the purpose of such dividend, distribution, redemption, rights or warrants, or if a record is not to be taken, the date as of which the holders of the Shares of record to be entitled to such dividend, distributions, redemption, rights or warrants are to be determined or (y) the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange is expected to become effective or close, and the date as of which it is expected that holders of the Shares of record shall be entitled to exchange their shares of the Shares for securities, cash or other property deliverable upon such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange; provided that the failure to provide such notice or any defect therein shall not affect the validity of the corporate action required to be specified in such notice. To the extent that any notice provided hereunder constitutes, or contains, material, non-public information regarding the Company or any of its subsidiaries, the Company shall simultaneously file such notice with the Commission pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K. The Holder shall remain entitled to exercise this Purchase Warrant during the period commencing on the date of such notice to the effective date of the event triggering such notice except as may otherwise be expressly set forth herein.
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6.1.7 Changes in Form of Purchase Warrant. This form of Purchase Warrant need not be changed because of any change pursuant to this Section 6.1, and Purchase Warrants issued after such change may state the same Exercise Price and the same number of Shares as are stated in the Purchase Warrants initially issued pursuant to this Agreement. The acceptance by any Holder of the issuance of new Purchase Warrants reflecting a required or permissive change shall not be deemed to waive any rights to an adjustment occurring after the Commencement Date or the computation thereof.
6.2 Substitute Purchase Warrant. In case of any consolidation of the Company with, or share reconstruction or amalgamation of the Company with or into, another corporation (other than a consolidation or share reconstruction or amalgamation which does not result in any reclassification or change of the outstanding Shares), the corporation formed by such consolidation or share reconstruction or amalgamation shall execute and deliver to the Holder a supplemental Purchase Warrant providing that the holder of each Purchase Warrant then outstanding or to be outstanding shall have the right thereafter (until the stated expiration of such Purchase Warrant) to receive, upon exercise of such Purchase Warrant, the kind and amount of shares of stock and other securities and property receivable upon such consolidation or share reconstruction or amalgamation, by a holder of the number of Shares for which such Purchase Warrant might have been exercised immediately prior to such consolidation, share reconstruction or amalgamation, sale or transfer. Such supplemental Purchase Warrant shall provide for adjustments which shall be identical to the adjustments provided for in this Section 6. The above provision of this Section shall similarly apply to successive consolidations or share reconstructions or amalgamations.
6.3 Elimination of Fractional Interests. The Company shall not be required to issue certificates representing fractions of Shares upon the exercise of the Purchase Warrant, nor shall it be required to issue scrip or pay cash in lieu of any fractional interests, it being the intent of the parties that all fractional interests shall be eliminated by rounding any fraction up or down, as the case may be, to the nearest whole number of Shares or other securities, properties or rights.
7. Reservation and Listing. The Company shall at all times reserve and keep available out of its authorized Shares, solely for the purpose of issuance upon exercise of the Purchase Warrants, such number of Shares or other securities, properties or rights as shall be issuable upon the exercise thereof. The Company covenants and agrees that, upon exercise of the Purchase Warrants and payment of the Exercise Price therefor, in accordance with the terms hereby, all Shares and other securities issuable upon such exercise shall be duly and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and not subject to pre-emptive rights of any shareholder. The Company further covenants and agrees that upon exercise of the Purchase Warrants and payment of the exercise price therefor, all Shares and other securities issuable upon such exercise shall be duly and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and not subject to pre-emptive rights of any shareholder. As long as the Purchase Warrants shall be outstanding, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause all Shares issuable upon exercise of the Purchase Warrants to be listed (subject to official notice of issuance) on all national securities exchanges (or, if applicable, on the OTC Bulletin Board or any successor trading market) on which the Shares issued to the public in the Offering may then be listed and/or quoted.
8. Certain Notice Requirements.
8.1 Holder’s Right to Receive Notice. Nothing herein shall be construed as conferring upon the Holders the right to vote or consent or to receive notice as a shareholder for the election of directors or any other matter, or as having any rights whatsoever as a shareholder of the Company. If, however, at any time prior to the expiration of the Purchase Warrants and their exercise, any of the events described in Section 8.2 shall occur, then, in one or more of said events, the Company shall give written notice of such event at least fifteen (15) days prior to the date fixed as a record date or the date of closing the transfer books for the determination of the shareholders entitled to such dividend, distribution, conversion or exchange of securities or subscription rights, or entitled to vote on such proposed dissolution, liquidation, winding up or sale. Such notice shall specify such record date or the date of the closing of the transfer books, as the case may be. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall deliver to each Holder a copy of each notice given to the other shareholders of the Company at the same time and in the same manner that such notice is given to the shareholders.
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8.2 Events Requiring Notice. The Company shall be required to give the notice described in this Section 8 upon one or more of the following events: (i) if the Company shall take a record of the holders of its Shares for the purpose of entitling them to receive a dividend or distribution payable otherwise than in cash, or a cash dividend or distribution payable otherwise than out of retained earnings, as indicated by the accounting treatment of such dividend or distribution on the books of the Company; (ii) the Company shall offer to all the holders of its Shares any additional shares of capital stock of the Company or securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of the Company, or any option, right or warrant to subscribe therefor; or (iii) a dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Company (other than in connection with a consolidation or share reconstruction or amalgamation) or a sale of all or substantially all of its property, assets and business shall be proposed.
8.3 Transmittal of Notices. All notices, requests, consents and other communications under this Purchase Warrant shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly made when hand delivered or mailed by express mail or private courier service: (i) if to the registered Holder of the Purchase Warrant, to the address of such Holder as shown on the books of the Company, or (ii) if to the Company, to following address or to such other address as the Company may designate by notice to the Holders:
If to the Holder:
The Benchmark Company, LLC
150 East 58th Street, 17th Floor
New York, NY 10155
Attention: Michael Jacobs
E-mail: mjacobs@benchmarkcompany.com
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Lucosky Brookman LLP
101 Wood Avenue South, 5th Floor
Woodbridge, NJ 08330
Attention: Joseph M. Lucosky, Esq.
Fax No.: (732) 395-4401
E-Mail: jlucosky@lucbro.com
If to the Company:
Fly-E Group, Inc.
136-40 39th Avenue
Flushing, NY 11354
Attention: Zhou Ou
E-mail: andy@flyebike.com
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Hogan Lovells US LLP
390 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10017
Attention: Richard Aftanas, Esq.
E-Mail: raftanas@hoganlovells.com
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9. General.
9.1 Amendments. The Company and Benchmark may from time to time supplement or amend this Purchase Warrant without the approval of any of the Holders in order to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision contained herein that may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein, or to make any other provisions in regard to matters or questions arising hereunder that the Company and Benchmark may deem necessary or desirable and that the Company and Benchmark deem shall not adversely affect the interest of the Holders. All other modifications or amendments shall require the written consent of and be signed by the party against whom enforcement of the modification or amendment is sought.
9.2 Headings. The headings contained herein are for the sole purpose of convenience of reference, and shall not in any way limit or affect the meaning or interpretation of any of the terms or provisions of this Purchase Warrant.
9.3 Entire Agreement. This Purchase Warrant (together with the other agreements and documents being delivered pursuant to or in connection with this Purchase Warrant) constitutes the entire agreement of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof, and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings of the parties, oral and written, with respect to the subject matter hereof.
9.4 Binding Effect. This Purchase Warrant shall inure solely to the benefit of and shall be binding upon, the Holder and the Company and their permitted assignees, respective successors, legal representative and assigns, and no other person shall have or be construed to have any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of or by virtue of this Purchase Warrant or any provisions herein contained.
9.5 Governing Law; Submission to Jurisdiction; Trial by Jury. This Purchase Warrant shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the law of the State of New York. The Company hereby agrees that any action, proceeding or claim against it arising out of, or relating in any way to this Purchase Warrant shall be brought and enforced in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, sitting in the City and County of New York, or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and irrevocably submits to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be exclusive. The Company hereby waives any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an inconvenient forum. Any process or summons to be served upon the Company may be served by transmitting a copy thereof by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed to it at the address set forth in Section 8 hereof. Such mailing shall be deemed personal service and shall be legal and binding upon the Company in any action, proceeding or claim. The Company and the Holder agree that the prevailing party(ies) in any such action shall be entitled to recover from the other party(ies) all of its reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses relating to such action or proceeding and/or incurred in connection with the preparation therefor. The Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its shareholders and affiliates) and the Holder hereby irrevocably waive, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
9.6 Waiver, etc. The failure of the Company or the Holder to at any time enforce any of the provisions of this Purchase Warrant shall not be deemed or construed to be a waiver of any such provision, nor to in any way affect the validity of this Purchase Warrant or any provision hereof or the right of the Company or any Holder to thereafter enforce each and every provision of this Purchase Warrant. No waiver of any breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment of any of the provisions of this Purchase Warrant shall be effective unless set forth in a written instrument executed by the party or parties against whom or which enforcement of such waiver is sought; and no waiver of any such breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment shall be construed or deemed to be a waiver of any other or subsequent breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment.
9.7 Execution in Counterparts. This Purchase Warrant may be executed in one or more counterparts, and by the different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement, and shall become effective when one or more counterparts has been signed by each of the parties hereto and delivered to each of the other parties hereto. Such counterparts may be delivered by facsimile transmission or other electronic transmission.
9.8 Exchange Agreement. As a condition of the Holder’s receipt and acceptance of this Purchase Warrant, Holder agrees that, at any time prior to the complete exercise of this Purchase Warrant by Holder, if the Company and Benchmark enter into an agreement (“Exchange Agreement”) pursuant to which they agree that all outstanding Purchase Warrants will be exchanged for securities or cash or a combination of both, then Holder shall agree to such exchange and become a party to the Exchange Agreement.
[Signature Page Follows]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Purchase Warrant to be signed by its duly authorized officer as of the ____ day of _______, 2024.
Very truly yours, | |||
FLY-E GROUP, INC. | |||
By: | |||
Name: | |||
Title: |
[Form to be used to exercise Purchase Warrant]
Date: __________, 20___
The undersigned hereby elects irrevocably to exercise the Purchase Warrant for [●]shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Shares”), of Fly-E Group, Inc., a corporation incorporated under the law of the State of Delaware (the “Company”), and hereby makes payment of $[●] (at the rate of $[●] per Share) in payment of the Exercise Price pursuant thereto. Please issue the Shares as to which this Purchase Warrant is exercised in accordance with the instructions given below and, if applicable, a new Purchase Warrant representing the number of Shares for which this Purchase Warrant has not been exercised.
or
The undersigned hereby elects irrevocably to convert its right to purchase [●] Shares of the Company under the Purchase Warrant for [●] Shares, as determined in accordance with the Section 2.2 of the Purchase Warrant.
The undersigned agrees and acknowledges that the calculation set forth above is subject to confirmation by the Company and any disagreement with respect to the calculation shall be resolved by the Company in its sole discretion.
Please issue the Shares as to which this Purchase Warrant is exercised in accordance with the instructions given below and, if applicable, a new Purchase Warrant representing the number of Shares for which this Purchase Warrant has not been converted.
Signature |
INSTRUCTIONS FOR REGISTRATION OF SECURITIES
Name: | ||
(Print in Block Letters) |
Address: | ||
[Form to be used to assign Purchase Warrant]
ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered Holder to effect a transfer of the within Purchase Warrant):
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, __________________ does hereby sell, assign and transfer unto the right to purchase [●] shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of Fly-E Group, Inc., a corporation incorporated under the law of the State of Delaware (the “Company”), evidenced by the Purchase Warrant and does hereby authorize the Company to transfer such right on the books of the Company.
Dated: __________, 20__
Signature |
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Exhibit 23.1
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm’s Consent
We consent to the inclusion in this Registration Statement of Fly-E Group, Inc. on Amendment No. 3 to Form S-1 (File No. 333-276830) of our report dated August 11, 2023, except for Note 8, as to which the date is April 22, 2024, with respect to our audit of the consolidated financial statements of Fly-E Group Inc. as of March 31, 2023 and for the year then ended, which report appears in the Prospectus, and as part of this Registration Statement. We also consent to the reference to our firm under the heading “Experts” in the Prospectus.
/s/ Marcum Asia CPAs LLP
New York, New York
May 3, 2024
NEW YORK OFFICE ● 7 Penn Plaza ● Suite 830 ● New York, New York ● 10001
Phone 646.442.4845 ● Fax 646.349.5200 ● www.marcumasia.com
Exhibit 23.2
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We consent to the inclusion in this Registration Statement of Fly-E Group, Inc. on Amendment No.3 to Form S-1 (File No. 333-276830) of our report dated December 28, 2022, with respect to our audit of the consolidated balance sheet of Fly-E Group Inc. as of March 31, 2022, and the related consolidated statements of income, changes in stockholders’ equity and cash flows for the year then ended, which report appears in the Prospectus, which is part of this Registration Statement. We also consent to the reference to our Firm under the heading “Experts” in such Prospectus.
We were dismissed as auditor on January 5, 2023 and, accordingly, we have not performed any audit or review procedures with respect to any financial statements for the period after the date of our dismissal.
/s/ Friedman LLP
New York, New York
May 3, 2024