UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 10-Q

 

☒ QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

For the quarterly period ended June 30, 2019March 31, 2020

 

or

 

☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

For the transition period from ____ to _____

 

Commission File Number:  001-34647

 

ChinaNet Online Holdings, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Nevada20-4672080
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) (I.R.S.(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

 

No. 39 South Min Zhuang Road, Building 6,

Yu Quan Hui Gu Tuspark, Haidian District, Beijing, PRC 100195

 (Address(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

 

+86-10-6084-6616

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

N/A

(Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last report)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each classTrading Symbol(s)Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, par value $0.001CNETNasdaq Capital Market

 

Indicate by check whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days: Yes ☒ No ☐

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No ☐

 

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 ☐      Accelerated filer ☐      Non-accelerated filer ☒     Smaller reporting company ☒     

Large accelerated filer ☐Accelerated filer ☐
Non-accelerated filer ☒Smaller reporting company ☒
Emerging growth company ☐

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No ☒

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each classTrading Symbol(s)Name of each exchange on which registered
$0.001 Common StockCNETNasdaq Capital Market

As of August 19, 2019,June 26, 2020, the registrant had 16,412,54321,691,926 shares of common stock outstanding.

 

 

 

EXPLANATORY NOTE

ChinaNet Online Holdings, Inc. (the “Company”) is relying on the SEC Order under Section 36 of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), providing conditional relief to public companies that are unable to timely comply with their filing obligations as a result of the outbreak of COVID-19, as set forth in SEC Release No. 34-883465, dated on March 25, 2020 (the “Order”) to file its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2020 (the “10-Q”) after the May 15, 2020 (the “Original Due Date”). The 10-Q is hereby filed on the extended due date permitted under the Order, i.e., 45 days after the Original Due Date, or June 29, 2020.

As disclosed in the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on May 15, 2020 (the “8-K”), which was filed as a condition to seeking relief provided by the Order, the reasons that the Company could not file the 10-Q on a timely basis are summarized as follows:

The Company conducts its business operations in China, primarily in two cities, Beijing and Xiaogan City, Hubei Province. Xiaogan City is located approximately 70 kilometers from WuHan, the provincial capital of Hubei Province which was the critical epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak. In accordance with the epidemic control measures imposed by the local governments, since February 2020, the Company, along with most other business entities in Xiaogan City and Beijing remained closed after the Chinese New Year holiday (January 24-February 2, 2020) and were unable to reopen until mid-March or early-April in 2020. As a result, the Company’s accounting and other staff, who are instrumental in the daily accounting work and periodical closing (annual and quarterly) and audit/review process, had been unable to come to work during the office shutdown.

Normally, the Company commences its annual closing and audit preparation work in January, and prepares its annual report on Form 10-K and cooperates with the auditors to complete the annual audit procedures during the first fiscal quarter, in order to ensure a timely filing of its annual report on Form 10-K every year. However, the outbreak of COVID-19 in China during the first fiscal quarter of 2020 has posed a significant impact on the Company’s ability to file on a timely basis its annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 (the “10-K”), which includes, among other things, delayed audit preparation and cooperation procedures due to business shutdown until Mid-March or early-April; delayed audit confirmation response and delivery from commercial banks, suppliers and customers, resulted from business shutdown and other epidemic control measures put in place by the local government of different cities in China during the outbreak, and slow recovery of operations afterwards; and delayed on-site audit arrangements in the Company’s operational offices, resulted from travel restriction and mandatory quarantine policies imposed by the local governments.

The Company had not filed the 10-K with the SEC within the 45 days after March 30, 2020 due to the fact that the Company was unable to finalize its financial results as well as the disclosure requirements of the 10-K without unreasonable expense or effort, which resulted from circumstances related to the COVID-19 outbreak described above. Furthermore, the Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2020 cannot be filed after the Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 has been filed.

On May 27, 2020, the Company filed the Form 10-K. On June 10, 2020, the Company filed an amendment to Form 10-K to supplement the disclosure in connection with the Company’s reliance on the Order. As a result, the Company’s quarterly closing and the preparation of the 10-Q was postponed accordingly, which adversely impacted the Company’s ability to file the 10-Q on a timely basis.

The Company is herein filing the Form 10-Q after the Form 10-K had been filed and all the required procedures and process were completed.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATIONPAGE
   
Item 1. Interim Financial Statements 
   
 Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of June 30, 2019March 31, 2020 (Unaudited) and December 31, 201820191-2
   
 Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss for the Six and Three Months Ended June 30,March 31, 2020 and 2019 and 2018 (Unaudited)

3-4

   
 Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the SixThree Months Ended June 30,March 31, 2020 and 2019 and 2018 (Unaudited)

5-6

   
 Condensed Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity for the Six and Three Months Ended June 30,March 31, 2020 and 2019 and 2018 (Unaudited)7-87
   
 Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)9-308-25
   
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations31-4126-34
  
Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk4134
   
Item 4. Controls and Procedures4134
   
PART II. OTHER INFORMATION 
   
Item 1. Legal Proceedings4234
   
Item 1A. Risk Factors4234
  
Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds4234
   
Item 3. Defaults Upon Senior Securities4235
  
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures4235
   
Item 5. Other Information4235
   
Item 6. Exhibits4336
   
Signatures4437
    

 

 

PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION

 

Item 1.Interim Financial Statements

 

CHINANET ONLINE HOLDINGS, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(In thousands, except for number of shares and per share data)

  June 30,
2019
 December 31,
2018
  (US $) (US $)
  (Unaudited)  
Assets        
Current assets:        
Cash and cash equivalents $

1,379

  $

3,717

 
Term deposit, restricted  25   25 
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $1,373 and $3,393, respectively  6,749   6,359 
Prepayment and deposit to suppliers, net  2,049   2,154 
Due from related parties, net  -   226 
Other current assets, net  8   19 
Total current assets  10,210   12,500 
         
Long-term investments  36   - 
Property and equipment, net  99   142 
Intangible assets, net  36   45 
Operating lease right-of-use assets  17   - 
Blockchain application platform development costs  3,724   3,725 
Deferred tax assets, net  549   556 
Total Assets $14,671  $16,968 
         
Liabilities and Equity        
Current liabilities:        
Short-term bank loan * $873  $874 
Accounts payable *  742   2,869 
Advance from customers *  2,768   1,061 
Advance from a customer, related *  53   - 
Accrued payroll and other accruals *  289   521 
Taxes payable *  3,082   2,997 
Lease payment liability related to a short-term lease *  118   - 
Other current liabilities *  162   118 
Warrant liabilities  135   606 
Total current liabilities  8,222   9,046 

 

1
  

March 31,

2020

 December 31,
2019
  (US $) (US $)
  (Unaudited)  
Assets        
Current assets:        
Cash and cash equivalents $1,555  $1,603 
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $3,504 and $3,148, respectively  3,070   3,260 
Prepayment and deposit to suppliers  4,946   6,980 
Due from related parties, net  51   81 
Other current assets, net  831   11 
Total current assets  10,453   11,935 
         
Long-term investments  34   35 
Operating lease right-of-use assets  9   12 
Property and equipment, net  75   78 
Intangible assets, net  1,698   1,899 
Blockchain platform applications development costs  4,175   3,879 
Long-term prepayments  1,344   - 
Deferred tax assets, net  706   713 
Total Assets $18,494  $18,551 
         
Liabilities and Equity        
Current liabilities:        
Short-term bank loan * $-  $430 
Accounts payable *  257   408 
Advances from customers *  2,104   2,006 
Accrued payroll and other accruals *  524   491 
Taxes payable *  3,261   3,214 
Lease payment liabilities related to short-term leases *  170   136 
Other current liabilities *  442   221 
Warrant liabilities  61   107 
Total current liabilities  6,819   7,013 


CHINANET ONLINE HOLDINGS, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (CONTINUED)

(In thousands, except for number of shares and per share data)

 

 June 30,
2019
 December 31,
2018
 

March 31,

2020

 December 31,
2019
 (US $) (US $) (US $) (US $)
 (Unaudited)   (Unaudited)  
Long-term liabilities:                
Long-term borrowing from a director  127   128   124   125 
Total Liabilities  8,349   9,174   6,943   7,138 
                
Commitments and contingencies                
                
Equity:                
ChinaNet Online Holdings, Inc.’s stockholders’ equity                
Common stock (US$0.001 par value; authorized 50,000,000 shares; issued and outstanding 16,412,543 shares and 16,382,543 shares at June 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively)  16   16 
Common stock (US$0.001 par value; authorized 50,000,000 shares; issued and outstanding 21,691,926 shares and 19,629,403 shares at March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively)  22   20 
Additional paid-in capital  38,301   38,275   45,485   43,111 
Statutory reserves  2,607   2,607   2,607   2,607 
Accumulated deficit  (36,029)  (34,512)  (38,083)  (35,773)
Accumulated other comprehensive income  1,481   1,457   1,576   1,505 
Total ChinaNet Online Holdings, Inc.’s stockholders’ equity  6,376   7,843   11,607   11,470 
                
Noncontrolling interests  (54)  (49)  (56)  (57)
Total equity  6,322   7,794   11,551   11,413 
                
Total Liabilities and Equity $14,671  $16,968  $18,494  $18,551 

 

*All of the VIEs' assets can be used to settle obligations of their primary beneficiary. Liabilities recognized as a result of consolidating these VIEs do not represent additional claims on the Company’s general assets (Note 2).

 

 

 

 

See notes to unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements

2

CHINANET ONLINE HOLDINGS, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE LOSS

(In thousands, except for number of shares and per share data)

  Three Months Ended March 31,
  2020 2019
  (US $) (US $)
  (Unaudited) (Unaudited)
     
Revenues        
From unrelated parties $4,371  $8,560 
From related parities  13   7 
Total revenues  4,384   8,567 
Cost of revenues  3,485   8,125 
Gross profit  899   442 
         
Operating expenses        
Sales and marketing expenses  165   169 
General and administrative expenses  2,796   810 
Research and development expenses  214   201 
Total operating expenses  3,175   1,180 
         
Loss from operations  (2,276)  (738)
         
Other income/(expenses)        
Interest expense, net  (1)  (11)
Other expenses  (1)  (2)
Change in fair value of warrant liabilities  46   (350)
Total other income/(expenses)  44   (363)
         
Loss before income tax expense and noncontrolling interests  (2,232)  (1,101)
Income tax expense  (78)  (39)
Net loss  (2,310)  (1,140)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests  -   2 
Net loss attributable to ChinaNet Online Holdings, Inc. $(2,310) $(1,138)

 

  Six Months Ended June 30, Three Months Ended June 30,
  2019 2018 2019 2018
  (US $) (US $) (US $) (US $)
  (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited)
Revenues                
From unrelated parties $23,912  $30,780  $15,352  $22,520 
From a related party  108   -   101   - 
Total revenues  24,020   30,780   15,453   22,520 
Cost of revenues  23,212   29,211   15,087   21,552 
Gross profit  808   1,569   366   968 
                 
Operating expenses                
Sales and marketing expenses  350   844   181   280 
General and administrative expenses  2,058   2,842   1,248   1,478 
Research and development expenses  360   458   159   240 
Impairment on intangible assets  -   1,878   -   1,878 
Impairment on goodwill  -   5,412   -   5,412 
Total operating expenses  2,768   11,434   1,588   9,288 
                 
Loss from operations  (1,960)  (9,865)  (1,222)  (8,320)
                 
Other income (expenses)                
Impairment on long-term investments  -   (471)  -   - 
Interest expense, net  (23)  (19)  (12)  (9)
Other expenses  (4)  (28)  (2)  (6)
Change in fair value of warrant liabilities  471   948   821   (526)
Total other income/(expenses)  444   430   807   (541)
                 
Loss before income tax (expense)/benefit and noncontrolling interests  (1,516)  (9,435)  (415)  (8,861)
Income tax (expense)/benefit  (6)  (689)  33   (693)
Net loss  (1,522)  (10,124)  (382)  (9,554)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests  5   55   3   50 
Net loss attributable to ChinaNet Online Holdings, Inc. $(1,517) $(10,069) $(379) $(9,504)

3

CHINANET ONLINE HOLDINGS, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE LOSS (CONTINUED)

(In thousands, except for number of shares and per share data)

 Six Months Ended June 30, Three Months Ended June 30, Three Months Ended March 31,
 2019 2018 2019 2018 2020 2019
 (US $) (US $) (US $) (US $) (US $) (US $)
 (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited)
            
Net loss $(1,522) $(10,124) $(382) $(9,554) $(2,310) $(1,140)
Foreign currency translation gain/(loss)  24   194   60   (280)  72   (36)
Comprehensive loss $(1,498) $(9,930) $(322) $(9,834)  (2,238)  (1,176)
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests  5   49   2   52 
Comprehensive (income)/loss attributable to noncontrolling interests  (1)  3 
Comprehensive loss attributable to ChinaNet Online Holdings, Inc. $(1,493) $(9,881) $(320) $(9,782) $(2,239) $(1,173)
                        
Loss per share                        
Loss per common share                        
Basic and diluted $(0.09) $(0.64) $(0.02) $(0.60) $(0.11) $(0.07)
                        
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding:                        
        
Basic and diluted  16,411,548   15,676,249   16,412,543   15,866,305   20,397,406   16,410,543 

 

 

 

 

See notes to unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements

 

4

CHINANET ONLINE HOLDINGS, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(In thousands)

 

 Six Months Ended June 30, Three Months Ended March 31,
 2019 2018 2020 2019
 (US $) (US $) (US $) (US $)
 (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited)
Cash flows from operating activities                
Net loss $(1,522) $(10,124) $(2,310) $(1,140)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities        
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by/(used in) operating activities        
Depreciation and amortization  52   427   207   38 
Amortization of operating lease right-of-use assets  87   -   3   84 
Share-based compensation expenses  203   151   1,919   101 
Provision for allowances for doubtful accounts  460   794   410   192 
Impairment on intangible assets  -   1,878 
Impairment on goodwill  -   5,412 
Impairment on long-term investments  -   471 
Deferred taxes  6   689   (5)  39 
Change in fair value of warrant liabilities  (471)  (948)  (46)  350 
Changes in operating assets and liabilities                
Accounts receivable  (866)  (257)  (255)  (547)
Prepayment and deposit to suppliers  (76)  1,504   2,236   22 
Due from related parties  227   23   29   27 
Other current assets  11   (16)  (5)  10 
Long-term prepayments  (1,125)  - 
Accounts payable  (2,153)  (1,402)  (147)  (1,833)
Advance from customers  1,733   (2,197)
Advance from a customer, related  54   - 
Advances from customers  123   562 
Accrued payroll and other accruals  (232)  (154)  34   (114)
Lease payment liability related to a short-term lease  120   - 
Other current liabilities  (39)  (495)  319   (115)
Taxes payable  91   (77)  94   65 
Lease payment liability related to short-term leases  37   - 
Prepaid lease payment  (10)  -   -   (11)
Net cash used in operating activities  (2,325)  (4,321)
Net cash provided by/(used in) operating activities  1,518   (2,270)
                
Cash flows from investing activities                
Payment for purchase of office equipment  -   (6)
Investment to an investee  (36)  - 
Investment to an ownership investee company  -   (36)
Short-term loan to an unrelated party  -   (2,111)  (815)  - 
Collection of short-term loan from an unrelated party  -   4,668 
Payment for acquisition of noncontrolling interest  -   (1,177)
Payment for blockchain application platform development costs  -   (3,752)
Purchase of software technology  -   (447)
Payment for blockchain platform applications development costs  (302)  - 
Net cash used in investing activities  (36)  (2,825)  (1,117)  (36)

 

 

5

5

 

CHINANET ONLINE HOLDINGS, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (CONTINUED)

(In thousands)

 

 Six Months Ended June 30, Three Months Ended March 31,
 2019 2018 2020 2019
 (US $) (US $) (US $) (US $)
 (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited)
Cash flows from financing activities                
Proceeds from issuance of common stock and warrant (net of cash offering cost of US$809)  -   10,263 
Repayment to investors related to terminated security purchase agreements  -   (957)
Proceeds from short-term bank loan  442   -   -   445 
Repayment of short-term bank loan  (442)  -   (430)  (445)
Net cash provided by financing activities  -   9,306 
Net cash used in financing activities  (430)  - 
                
Effect of exchange rate fluctuation on cash and cash equivalents  23   (26)  (19)  47 
                
Net (decrease)/increase in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash  (2,338)  2,134 
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents  (48)  (2,259)
                
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of the period  3,742   2,952 
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of the period $1,404  $5,086 
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period  1,603   3,742 
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period $1,555  $1,483 
                
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information                
                
Income taxes paid $-  $-  $-  $- 
Interest expense paid $25  $130  $2  $13 

 

See notes to unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements

 

6

CHINANET ONLINE HOLDINGS, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN EQUITY

FOR THE SIX AND THREE MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2019
(In thousands, except for number of shares)

  Common stock Additional
paid-in
capital
 Statutory
reserves
 Accumulated
deficit
 Accumulated other
comprehensive
income
 Noncontrolling
interests
 Total equity
  Number of
shares
 Amount            
    (US $) (US $) (US $) (US $) (US $) (US $) (US $)
                                 
Balance, January 1, 2019  16,382,543  $16  $38,275  $2,607  $(34,512) $1,457  $(49) $7,794 
Share-based compensation  30,000   -   13   -   -   -   -   13 
Net loss for the period  -   -   -   -   (1,138)  -   (2)  (1,140)
Foreign currency translation adjustment  -   -   -   -   -   (35)  (1)  (36)
Balance, March 31, 2019 (unaudited)  16,412,543   16   38,288   2,607   (35,650)  1,422   (52)  6,631 
Share-based compensation  -   -   13   -   -   -   -   13 
Net loss for the period  -   -   -   -   (379)  -   (3)  (382)
Foreign currency translation adjustment  -   -   -   -   -   59   1   60 
Balance, June 30, 2019 (Unaudited)  16,412,543  $16  $38,301  $2,607  $(36,029) $1,481  $(54) $6,322 

See notes to unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements

7

CHINANET ONLINE HOLDINGS, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN EQUITY

FOR THE SIX AND THREE MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2018

(In thousands, except for number of shares)

  Common stock  Additional paid-in capital   Statutory reserves   Accumulated deficit   Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)   Noncontrolling interests   Total equity 
  Number of shares Amount            
    (US $) (US $) (US $) (US $) (US $) (US $) (US $)
                 
Balance, January 1, 2020  19,629,403  $20  $43,111  $2,607  $(35,773) $1,505  $(57) $11,413 
Share-based compensation in exchange for services from nonemployees  430,000   -   477   -   -   -   -   477 
Share-based compensation in exchange for services from employees and directors  1,632,523   2   1,897   -   -   -   -   1,899 
Net loss for the period  -   -   -   -   (2,310)  -   -   (2,310)
Foreign currency translation adjustment  -   -   -   -   -   71   1   72 
Balance, March 31, 2020 (unaudited)  21,691,926  $22  $45,485  $2,607  $(38,083) $1,576  $(56) $11,551 

 

 Common stock Additional
paid-in
capital
 Statutory
reserves
 Accumulated
deficit
 Accumulated other
comprehensive
income
 Noncontrolling
interests
 Total equity Common stock  Additional paid-in capital   Statutory reserves   Accumulated deficit   Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)   Noncontrolling interests   Total equity 
 Number of
shares
 Amount             Number of shares Amount            
   (US $) (US $) (US $) (US $) (US $) (US $) (US $)   (US $) (US $) (US $) (US $) (US $) (US $) (US $)
                                
Balance, January 1, 2018  13,982,542  $14  $31,554  $2,607  $(20,487) $1,598  $177  $15,463 
Issuance of common stock for private placement, net of $1.89 million proceeds allocated to investor warrants labilities and $1.20 million direct offering costs (including $0.39 million proceeds allocated to placement agent warrants liabilities), respectively  2,150,001   2   7,986   -   -   -   -   7,988 
Balance, January 1, 2019  16,382,543  $16  $38,275  $2,607  $(34,512) $1,457  $(49) $7,794 
Share-based compensation  -   -   75   -   -   -   -   75   30,000   -   13   -   -   -   -   13 
Net loss for the period  -   -   -   -   (565)  -   (5)  (570)  -   -   -   -   (1,138)  -   (2)  (1,140)
Foreign currency translation adjustment  -   -   -   -   -   466   8   474   -   -   -   -   -   (35)  (1)  (36)
Balance, March 31, 2018 (Unaudited)  16,132,543  $16  $39,615  $2,607  $(21,052) $2,064  $180  $23,430 
Share-based compensation  -   -   76   -   -   -   -   76 
Purchase noncontrolling interest in a Variable Interest Entity  -   -   (1,838)  -   -   -   (130)  (1,968)
Net loss for the period  -   -   -   -   (9,504)  -   (50)  (9,554)
Foreign currency translation adjustment  -   -   -   -   -   (278)  (2)  (280)
Balance, June 30, 2018 (Unaudited)  16,132,543  $16  $37,853  $2,607  $(30,556) $1,786   (2) $11,704 
Balance, March 31, 2019 (unaudited)  16,412,543  $16  $38,288  $2,607  $(35,650) $1,422  $(52) $6,631 

 

See notes to unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements

8

7

CHINANET ONLINE HOLDINGS, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

1.Organization and nature of operations

 

ChinaNet Online Holdings, Inc. (the “Company”) was incorporated in the State of Texas in April 2006 and re-domiciled to become a Nevada corporation in October 2006. On June 26, 2009, the Company consummated a share exchange transaction with China Net Online Media Group Limited (the “Share Exchange”), a company organized under the laws of British Virgin Islands (“China Net BVI”). As a result of the Share Exchange, China Net BVI became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company and the Company is now a holding company, which, through certain contractual arrangements with operating companies in the People’s Republic of China (the “PRC”), is engaged in providing advertising, precision marketing, online to offline (O2O) sales channel expansion and the related data and technical services to small and medium enterprises in the PRC, through distribution of the right to use search engine marketing servicePRC. In early 2018, the Company purchased from key search engines, online advertising placements oncommenced to expand its business into the Company’s advertising portals, salesblockchain industry and the related technology. As of effective sales lead information and provisionMarch 31, 2020, the Company was in the process of TV advertising service.developing its blockchain-powered platform applications (See Note 11).

 

2.Variable interest entities

 

Summarized below is the information related to the VIEs’ assets and liabilities reported in the Company’s condensed consolidated balance sheets as of June 30, 2019March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2018,2019, respectively:

 

 June 30,
2019
 December 31,
2018
 

March 31,

2020

 

December 31,

2019

 US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000)
 (Unaudited)   (Unaudited)  
Assets                
Current assets:                
Cash and cash equivalents $

660

  $

2,303

  $1,301  $699 
Term deposit, restricted  

25

   

25

 
Accounts receivable, net  6,749   6,359   2,384   2,876 
Prepayment and deposit to suppliers, net  1,773   1,724 
Prepayment and deposit to suppliers  2,302   3,998 
Due from related parties, net  -   26   51   81 
Other current assets, net  3   11   9   6 
Total current assets  9,210   10,448   6,047   7,660 
                
Long-term investments  36   -   34   35 
Operating lease right-of-use assets  9   12 
Property and equipment, net  58   84   39   40 
Intangible assets, net  34   42   20   25 
Operating lease right-of-use assets  17   - 
Deferred tax assets, net  549   556   706   713 
Total Assets $9,904  $11,130  $6,855  $8,485 
                
Liabilities                
Current liabilities:                
Short-term bank loan $873  $874  $-  $430 
Accounts payable  740   2,868   257   408 
Advance from customers  2,766   1,059 
Advance from a customer, related  53   - 
Advances from customers  1,601   2,006 
Accrued payroll and other accruals  152   155   86   132 
Taxes payable  2,648   2,562   2,539   2,568 
Lease payment liability related to a short-term lease  48   - 
Lease payment liabilities related to short-term leases  39   19 
Other current liabilities  75   55   112   84 
Total current liabilities  7,355   7,573   4,634   5,647 
                
Total Liabilities $7,355  $7,573  $4,634  $5,647 

 

All of the VIEs' assets can be used to settle obligations of their primary beneficiary. Liabilities recognized as a result of consolidating these VIEs do not represent additional claims on the Company’s general assets. See additional discussion related to restrictions on foreign currency exchange in the PRC in Note 18 and Note 20.

8

CHINANET ONLINE HOLDINGS, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

 

Summarized below is the information related to the financial performance of the VIEs reported in the Company’s condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss for the six and three months ended June 30,March 31, 2020 and 2019, and 2018, respectively:

 

9

CHINANET ONLINE HOLDINGS, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

 Six Months Ended June 30, Three Months Ended June 30, Three Months Ended March 31,
 2019 2018 2019 2018 2020 2019
 US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000)
 (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited)
            
Revenues $24,020  $30,773  $15,453  $22,520  $2,936  $8,567 
Cost of revenues  (23,212)  (29,211)  (15,087)  (21,552)  (2,845)  (8,125)
Total operating expenses  (1,862)  (10,025)  (1,151)  (8,763)  (744)  (711)
Net loss before allocation to noncontrolling interests  (1,086)  (8,861)  (764)  (8,183)  (651)  (322)

 

3.Summary of significant accounting policies

 

a)Basis of presentation

 

The unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements are prepared and presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”).

 

The unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial information as of June 30, 2019March 31, 2020 and for the six and three months ended June 30,March 31, 2020 and 2019 and 2018 have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Certain information and footnote disclosures, which are normally included in complete consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP, have been omitted pursuant to those rules and regulations. The unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial information should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and the notes thereto, included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018,2019, previously filed with the SEC (the “2018“2019 Form 10-K”) on April 15, 2019.May 27, 2020.

 

In the opinion of management, all adjustments (which include normal recurring adjustments) necessary to present a fair statement of the Company’s condensed consolidated financial position as of June 30, 2019,March 31, 2020, its condensed consolidated results of operations for the six and three months ended June 30,March 31, 2020 and 2019, and 2018, and its condensed consolidated cash flows for the sixthree months ended June 30,March 31, 2020 and 2019, and 2018, as applicable, have been made. The interim results of operations are not necessarily indicative of the operating results for the full fiscal year or any future periods.

 

b)Liquidity and management’s planGoing concern

 

The Company incurred operating losses and had negative operating cash flows and may continue to incur operating losses, and as a result, to generate negative cash flows as the Company implements its future business plan. The Company’s net loss attributable to stockholders for the six and three months ended June 30, 2019March 31, 2020 was approximately US$1.522.31 million, and US$0.38 million, respectively, compared with approximately US$10.07 million and US$9.501.14 million for the six and three months ended June 30, 2018, respectively.March 31, 2019. As of June 30, 2019,March 31, 2020, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of approximately US$1.401.56 million, and net cash used in operating activities during the six months ended June 30, 2019 wascompared with approximately US$2.33 million.1.60 million as of December 31, 2019.

 

On August 7, 2019,The Company does not currently have sufficient cash or commitments for financing to sustain its operation for the twelve months from the issuance date of these financial statements. The Company plans to optimize its internet resources cost investment strategy to improve the gross profit margin of its core business and to further strengthen the accounts receivables collection management and negotiate with vendors for more favorable payment terms, all of which will help to substantially increase the cashflows from operations. However, the COVID-19 outbreak incurred in the first fiscal quarter of 2020 in the PRC has had and may continue to have an adverse effect on the Company’s business operations and cashflows. If the Company entered intofails to achieve these goals, the Company may need additional financing to execute its business plan. If additional financing is required, the Company cannot predict whether this additional financing will be in the form of equity, debt, or another form, and the Company may not be able to obtain the necessary additional capital on a Securities Purchase Agreement (the “Securities Purchase Agreement”) with selected investors (the “Investors”) relatedtimely basis, on acceptable terms, or at all. In the event that financing sources are not available, or that the Company is unsuccessful in increasing its gross profit margin and reducing operating losses, the Company may be unable to the purchase and saleimplement its current plans for expansion, repay debt obligations or respond to competitive pressures, any of which would have a material adverse effect on the Company’s common stock (the “Shares”). The Company has agreedbusiness, prospects, financial condition and results of operations. These factors raise substantial doubt about the Company's ability to issue an aggregate of 3,216,860 Shares in consideration for approximately $4.8 million. Each Share was sold to the Investors at $1.4927 per Share. The private placement was conducted pursuant to Section 4(2) of the Securities Act of 1933,continue as amended, and Regulation S promulgated thereunder (the “PIPE transaction”). Although the PIPE transaction has not been closed as ofa going concern within one year after the date hereof, the Company determined it is probable that the PIPE transaction will be closed within the assessment period.

financial statements are issued.

 

9

10

CHINANET ONLINE HOLDINGS, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements as of March 31, 2020 have been prepared under the assumption that the Company will continue as a going concern, which contemplates, among other things, the realization of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business over a reasonable period of time. The Company's ability to continue as a going concern is dependent upon its uncertain ability to increase gross profit margin and reduce operating loss from its core business and/or obtain additional equity and/or debt financing. The accompanying financial statements as of March 31, 2020 do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of these uncertainties. If the Company is unable to continue as a going concern, it may have to liquidate its assets and may receive less than the value at which those assets are carried on the financial statements.

 

c)Principles of consolidation

 

The unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements include the accounts of all the subsidiaries and VIEs of the Company. All transactions and balances between the Company and its subsidiaries and VIEs have been eliminated upon consolidation.

 

d)Use of estimates

 

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of these consolidated financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. The Company continually evaluates these estimates and assumptions based on the most recently available information, historical experience and various other assumptions that the Company believes to be reasonable under the circumstances. Since the use of estimates is an integral component of the financial reporting process, actual results could differ from those estimates.

 

e)Foreign currency translation

 

The exchange rates used to translate amounts in RMB into US$ for the purposes of preparing the condensed consolidated financial statements are as follows:

 

  June 30, 2019 December 31, 2018
         
Balance sheet items, except for equity accounts  6.8747   6.8632 
  March 31, 2020 December 31, 2019
         
Balance sheet items, except for equity accounts  7.0851   6.9762 

 

  Six Months Ended June 30,
  2019 2018
         
Items in the statements of operations and comprehensive loss, and statements of cash flows  6.7808   6.3711 

  Three Months Ended June 30,
  2019 2018
         
Items in the statements of operations and comprehensive loss  6.8137   6.3789 
  Three Months Ended March 31,
  2020 2019
         
Items in the statements of operations and comprehensive loss  6.9790   6.7468 

 

No representation is made that the RMB amounts could have been, or could be converted into US$ at the above rates.

 

10

CHINANET ONLINE HOLDINGS, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

f)Fair value measurement

 

Liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis by level within the fair value hierarchy as of June 30, 2019March 31, 2020 and December 31, 20182019 are as follows:

 

    Fair value measurement at reporting date using
  As of
June 30, 2019
 Quoted Prices
in Active Markets
for Identical 
Assets/Liabilities
(Level 1)
 Significant
Other
Observable Inputs
(Level 2)
 Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)
  US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000)
  (Unaudited)      
               
Warrant liabilities (Note 17)  135  -  -   135 
    

 

Fair value measurement at reporting date using

  

 

 

 

As of

March 31, 2020

 

 Quoted Prices
in Active Markets
for Identical Assets/Liabilities
(Level 1)
  Significant
Other
Observable Inputs
(Level 2)
   Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)
 
  US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000)
  (Unaudited)      
         
Warrant liabilities (Note 17)  61  -  -   61 

 

    Fair value measurement at reporting date using
  As of
December 31, 2018
 Quoted Prices
in Active Markets
for Identical 
Assets/Liabilities
(Level 1)
 Significant
Other
Observable Inputs
(Level 2)
 Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)
  US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000)
               
Warrant liabilities (Note 17)  606  -  -   606 

11

CHINANET ONLINE HOLDINGS, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

    

 

Fair value measurement at reporting date using

  

 

 

 

As of

December 31, 2019

 

 Quoted Prices
in Active Markets
for Identical Assets/Liabilities
(Level 1)
  Significant
Other
Observable Inputs
(Level 2)
   Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)
 
  US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000)
         
Warrant liabilities (Note 17)  107  -  -   107 

 

g)Revenue recognition

 

All of the Company’s revenues are generated from the PRC. The following tables present the Company’s revenues disaggregated by products and services and timing of revenue recognition:

 

 Six Months Ended June 30, Three Months Ended June 30, Three Months Ended March 31,
 2019 2018 2019 2018 2020 2019
 US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000)
 (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited)
                
Internet advertising and data service                
Internet advertising and related services        
--distribution of the right to use search engine marketing service  18,580   25,848   11,855   19,405   1,988   6,725 
--online advertising placements  5,406   4,551   3,575   2,954   948   1,831 
--sales of effective sales lead information  29   283   23   161   -   6 
TV advertising service  -   91   -   - 
Others  5   7   -   - 
--data and technical services  300   5 
Ecommerce O2O advertising and marketing services  503   - 
Technical solution services  645   - 
Total revenues $24,020  $30,780  $15,453  $22,520   4,384   8,567 

 

 Six Months Ended June 30, Three Months Ended June 30, Three Months Ended March 31,
 2019 2018 2019 2018 2020 2019
 US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000)
 (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited)
            
Revenue recognized over time  23,991   30,497   15,430   22,359   3,739   8,561 
Revenue recognized at a point in time  29   283   23   161   645   6 
Total revenues $24,020  $30,780  $15,453  $22,520   4,384   8,567 

 

Contract costs

 

For the six and three months ended June 30,March 31, 2020 and 2019, and 2018, the Company did not have any significant incremental costs of obtaining contracts with customers incurred and/or costs incurred in fulfilling contracts with customers, that shall be recognized as an asset and amortized to expenses in a pattern that matches the timing of the revenue recognition of the related contract.

 

11

12

CHINANET ONLINE HOLDINGS, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

Contract liabilitiesbalances

 

The table below summarized the movement of the Company’s contract liabilities (advance from customers) for the sixthree months ended June 30, 2019:March 31, 2020:

 

  Contract liabilities
  US$(’000)
   
Balance as of January 1, 20192020  1,0612,006 
Exchange translation adjustment  (231)
Revenue recognized from beginning contract liability balancesbalance  (6191,146)
Advances received from customers related to unsatisfied performance obligations  2,3811,275 
Balance as of June 30, 2019March 31, 2020 (Unaudited)  2,821
Including:
--advance from customers2,768
--advance from a customer, related53
Total contract liabilities as of June 30, 2019 (Unaudited)2,8212,104 

 

Advance from customers related to unsatisfied performance obligations are generally refundable. Refund of advance from customers were insignificant for both the six and three months ended June 30, 2019March 31, 2020 and 2018.2019.

 

For the six and three months ended June 30,March 31, 2020 and 2019, and 2018, there is no revenue recognized from performance obligations that were satisfied in prior periods.

 

Transaction price allocated to remaining performance obligation

The Company has elected to apply the practical expedient in paragraph ASC Topic 606-10-50-14 and did not disclose the information related to transaction price allocated to the performance obligations that are unsatisfied or partially unsatisfied as of June 30, 2019, because all performance obligations of the Company’s contracts with customers have an original expected duration of one year or less.

h)Advertising expenses

Advertising costs for the Company’s own brand building are expensed when incurred and are included in “sales and marketing expenses” in the statements of operations and comprehensive loss. No advertising expenses for the Company’s own brand building was incurred for the six or three months ended June 30, 2019. For the six and three months ended June 30, 2018, advertising expenses for the Company’s own brand building were approximately US$0.41 million and US$0.02 million, respectively.

i)Research and development expenses

 

The Company accounts for expenses for the enhancement, maintenance and technical support to the Company’s Internet platforms and intellectual properties that are used in its daily operations in research and development expenses. Research and development costs are charged to expense when incurred. Expenses for research and development for the six months ended June 30, 2019 and 2018 were approximately US$0.36 million and US$0.46 million, respectively. Expenses for research and development for the three months ended June 30,March 31, 2020 and 2019 and 2018 were approximately US$0.160.21 million and US$0.240.20 million, respectively.

 

j)i)Lease

 

On January 1, 2019,As of March 31, 2020, operating lease right-of-use assets recognized by the Company adopted ASC Topic 842, “Lease”, applyingwas approximately US$0.01 million, operating lease liabilities recognized was approximately US$0.01 million, which was included in the optional transition method in accordance with ASU No. 2018-11, which permitted the Company to change its date of initial applicationCompany’s other current liabilities and was fully paid to the beginning of the period of adoption of ASC Topic 842 (i.e. January 1, 2019) and recognize the effects of applying ASC Topic 842 as a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings as of January 1, 2019, and remain applying ASC Topic 840lessor in the comparative periods. The adoption of ASC Topic 842 didn’t result in a material adjustment to the Company’s accumulated deficit as of January 1, 2019.April 2020.

 

For the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, total operating lease cost recognized was approximately US$0.05 million (including approximately US$0.04 million short-term leases cost) and US$0.09 million, respectively.

Supplemental information related to operating leases (All amounts are presented in thousands of U.S. dollars):

13
  Three Months Ended March 31,
  2020 2019
     
Operating cash flows used for operating leases  -   93 
Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for new lease liabilities  -   10 
Weighted-average discount rate  6%  6%

  As of March 31,
  2020 2019
         
Weighted-average remaining lease term (years)  0.96   1.96 

12

CHINANET ONLINE HOLDINGS, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

The Company leases two offices in the PRC from unrelated third parties during its normal course of business, of which one office is used as the Company’s principle executive office in Beijing, the other is used as the Company’s office in Hubei. Other than these, the Company does not have any other contract that is or contains a lease under ASC Topic 842.

The Company’s lease contracts do not contain any option for the Company to extend or terminate the lease, and do not contain the option for the Company to purchase the underlying assets. Based on the noncancelable lease period in the contract, the Company considers contract-based, asset-based, market-based and entity-based factors to determine the term over which it is reasonably certain to extend the lease, and then determine the lease term of each contract, which is 2-3 years.

The Company’s lease contracts only contain fixed lease payments and do not contain any residual value guarantee. The lease payments of the Company’s Beijing office are required to be paid on a quarterly basis, and the lease payments of its Hubei office are required to be paid on an annual basis.

The Company’s office lease contracts do not contain any nonlease component and are classified as operating leases in accordance with ASC Topic 842-10-25-3.

As the implicit rates of the Company leases cannot be readily determined, in accordance with ASC Topic 842-20-30-3, the Company uses its incremental borrowing rate as the discount rate to determine the present value of the lease payments for each lease contract. The discount rate used by the Company is 6%, which is determined based on the interest rate commonly used by the commercial banks in the PRC for the 1-5 years long-term loan lent to business entities on a collateralized basis.

The Company’s lease agreement of its previous executive office in Beijing expired on March 31, 2019. In mid-August 2019, the Company relocated to a new Beijing office leased from another unrelated third party. From April 1, 2019 through the date of the relocation, the Company continued staying in its previous executive office in Beijing on a separately negotiated fixed daily rate as agreed by the Company and the lessor. Because the duration of this lease was less than twelve months, it met the definition of a short-term lease under ASC 842. As a result, in accordance with ASC 842-20-25-2, as an accounting policy, the Company elected not to apply the recognition requirements in this Subtopic (i.e. not to recognize right-of-use asset and related lease liability) to this short-term lease. Instead, the Company recognized the lease payments of this short-term lease in its consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss on a straight-line basis over the lease term. For the three months ended June 30, 2019, short-term lease cost recognized under ASC 842-20-25-2 was approximately US$0.13 million. As of June 30, 2019, unpaid lease payments related to this short-term lease was approximately US$0.12 million.

As of June 30, 2019, operating lease right-of-use assets recognized by the Company was approximately US$17 thousand, operating lease liabilities recognized was approximately US$10 thousand, which was included in the Company’s other current liabilities.

For the six and three months ended June 30, 2019, total operating lease cost recognized under ASC Topic 842 was approximately US$88 thousand and US$3 thousand, respectively. For the six and three months ended June 30, 2018, operating lease cost recognized under ASC Topic 840 was approximately US$0.18 million and US$0.09 million, respectively.

As of June 30, 2019, the Company’s total undiscounted lease payments of approximately US$10 thousand approximate its total operating lease liabilities recognized due to their short maturities. The Company’s lease payments as of June 30, 2019 will mature for the year ending December 31, 2020.

Supplemental information related to operating leases:

Operating cash flows used for operating leases (in thousands of U.S. dollars)93
Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for new lease liabilities (in thousands of U.S. dollars)10
Weighted-average remaining lease term (years)1.71
Weighted-average discount rate6%

k)Impact of recently issued accounting pronouncements

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, “Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments”. The amendments in this ASU require the measurement and recognition of expected credit losses for financial assets held at amortized cost. The amendments in this ASU replace the existing incurred loss impairment model with an expected loss methodology, which will result in more timely recognition of credit losses. In November 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-19, “Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses”, which among other things, clarifies that receivables arising from operating leases are not within the scope of Subtopic 326-20. Instead, impairment of receivables arising from operating leases should be accounted for in accordance with Topic 842, Leases. For public entities, the amendments in these ASUs are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company is currently evaluating the impact on its consolidated financial position and results of operations upon adopting these amendments.

14

CHINANET ONLINE HOLDINGS, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-13, “Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework—Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement”. The amendments in this ASU eliminate, add and modify certain disclosure requirements for fair value measurements. The amendments in this ASU, among other things, require public companies to disclose the range and weighted average used to develop significant unobservable inputs for Level 3 fair value measurements. The amendments in this ASU are effective for all entities for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019, and entities are permitted to early adopt either the entire standard or only the provisions that eliminate or modify the requirements. The Company does not expect the adoption of these amendments to have a material impact on its consolidated financial position and results of operations.

4.Accounts receivable, net

 

 June 30,
2019
 December 31,
2018
 

March 31,

2020

 

December 31,

2019

 US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000)
 (Unaudited)   (Unaudited)  
        
Accounts receivable  8,122   9,752   6,574   6,408 
Allowance for doubtful accounts  (1,373)  (3,393)  (3,504)  (3,148)
Accounts receivable, net  6,749   6,359   3,070   3,260 

 

All of the accounts receivable are non-interest bearing. Based on the assessment of the collectability of the accounts receivable as of June 30, 2019March 31, 2020 and December 31, 20182019, the Company provided approximately US$1.43.50 million and US$3.43.15 million allowance for doubtful accounts, respectively, which were primarily related to the accounts receivable of the Company’s internetInternet advertising and TV advertising businessrelated services segment with an aging over six months. The Company evaluates its accounts receivable with an aging over six months and determines the allowance based on aging data, historical collection experience, customer specific facts and economic conditions. For the sixthree months ended June 30,March 31, 2020 and 2019, and 2018, approximately US$0.460.41 million and US$0.800.19 million allowance for doubtful accounts was provided, respectively. For the three months ended June 30, 2019 and 2018, approximately US$0.27 million and US$0.31 million allowance for doubtful accounts was provided, respectively. As of June 30, 2019, the Company also charged off approximately US$2.5 million account receivable balances against the allowance, as all means of collection have been exhausted and the potential for recovery is considered remote.

 

5.Prepayments and deposit to suppliers net

 

  June 30,
2019
 December 31,
2018
  US$(’000) US$(’000)
  (Unaudited)  
     
Deposits to internet resources providers  656   963 
Prepayments to internet resources providers  1,081   727 
Other deposits and prepayments  312   464 
   2,049   2,154 
  

March 31,

2020

 

December 31,

2019

  US$(’000) US$(’000)
  (Unaudited)  
     
Deposits to advertising resources providers  1,311   1,315 
Prepayments to advertising resources providers  2,329   4,361 
Prepayment of license fee  796   1,062 
Other deposits and prepayments  510   242 
   4,946   6,980 

 

15

CHINANET ONLINE HOLDINGS, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

6.Due from related parties, net

 

 June 30,
2019
 December 31,
2018
 

March 31,

2020

 

December 31,

2019

 US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000)
 (Unaudited)   (Unaudited)  
        
An officer of the Company  -   200 
Guohua Shiji (Beijing) Communication Co., Ltd.  175   201 
Zhongwang Xiyue Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd. (“Zhongwang Xiyue”)  51   81 
Guohua Shiji (Beijing) Communication Co., Ltd. (“Guohua Shiji”)  169   172 
  175   401   220   253 
Allowance for doubtful accounts  (175)  (175)  (169)  (172)
Due from related parties, net  -   226   51   81 

 

Related parties of the Company represented the Company’s direct or indirect unconsolidated investee companies and entities that the Company’s officers or directors can exercise significant influence, as well as an officer of the Company.

Due from an officer of the Company as of December 31, 2018 represented a US$0.20 million fund advanced to one of the Company’s officers during the third fiscal quarter of 2018 for the purpose of setting up and providing finance to a proposed business entity in Taiwan. The Company intended to set up and expand its business in Taiwan through establishing the VIE arrangements with this Taiwan entity. This Taiwan entity was incorporated in September 2017 and is wholly-owned by the officer referred above, and has no fund and business activities since incorporation. Based on the fact that there are still legal obstacles to establish the VIE agreements between an entity that is ultimately controlled by the PRC citizens with an entity duly organized under the law of Taiwan, the Company terminated the plan, and the US$0.2 million fund advanced was fully returned to the Company in April 2019.influence.

 

As of June 30, 2019March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2018,2019, due from Zhongwang Xiyue represented the outstanding receivable for the advertising and marketing service that the Company provided to this related party in its normal course of business, which is on the same terms as those provided to its unrelated clients.

13

CHINANET ONLINE HOLDINGS, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

As of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, due from related parties also included a short-term working capital loan to Guohua Shiji (Beijing) Communication Co., Ltd. (“Guohua Shiji”).Shiji. As of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2018, the outstanding amount of the loan was RMB1.38 million (approximately US$0.20 million), of which RMB0.18 million (approximately US$0.03 million) was collected by the Company during the first fiscal quarter of 2019, and the Company had provided full allowance to against the remaining amount of this loan, as of June 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, as the business activities of Guohua Shiji had significantly declined in recent years.become dormant and recovery was considered remote.

 

7.Other current assets, net

 

  March 31, 2020 December 31,2019
   Gross   Allowance for doubtful accounts   Net   Gross   Allowance for doubtful accounts   Net 
  US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000)
  (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited)      
             
Staff advances for business operations  16   -   16   11   -   11 
Short-term loan to an unrelated party  815   -   815   -   -   - 
Overdue deposits  706   (706)  -   717   (717)  - 
Total  1,537   (706)  831   728   (717)  11 

As of June 30, 2019 and DecemberMarch 31, 2018,2020, other current assets primarily includedinclude a short-termtemporary working capital loan that the Company lent to an unrelated party during the first fiscal quarter of RMB1.02020. This loan is unsecured, interest free and payment on demand.

As of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, other current assets also included an approximately RMB5 million (approximately US$0.15 million) lent to a former unconsolidated investee of the Company, and an approximately RMB11 million (approximately US$1.610.7 million) overdue contractual deposits in the aggregate, which weredeposit related to an advertising resources purchase contractscontract that had been completed with no further cooperation. Based on the assessment of the collectability of thesethis overdue depositsdeposit as of March 31, 2020 and short-term working capital loan,December 31, 2019, the Company had provided full allowance to against thesethis doubtful accounts as of June 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018. As of June 30, 2019, the Company charged off the approximately US$0.15 million short-term working capital loan and US$0.85 million overdue deposits receivable against the allowance, respectively, because for this portion of debts, all means of collection have been exhausted and the potential for recovery is considered remote.

As of June 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, the remaining balances of other current assets represented small amounts of staff advances for business operations.account.

 

8.Long-term investments

 

As of June 30,March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, long-term investment of approximately RMB0.25 million (approximately US$0.040.03 million) represented the Company’s contribution of its pro-rata share of cash investment to one of its equity ownership investee entities, Local Chain Xi’an Information Technology Co., Ltd. (“Local Chain Xi’an) in January 2019. Local Chain Xi’an was incorporated in October 2018, which is preliminarily engaged in providing technical supports to online advertising and precision marketing.. The Company beneficially owns a 4.9% equity interest in this entity.Local Chain Xi’an.

 

The Company measures this investment which do not have readily determinable fair values at cost minus impairment, if any, plus or minus changes resulting from observable price changes in orderly transactions for the identical or a similar investment of the Company.

 

169.Property and equipment, net
  

March 31,

2020

 

December 31,

2019

  US$(’000) US$(’000)
  (Unaudited)  
     
Vehicles  747   758 
Office equipment  1,310   1,331 
Electronic devices  923   937 
Property and equipment, cost  2,980   3,026 
Less: accumulated depreciation  (2,905)  (2,948)
Property and equipment, net  75   78 

Depreciation expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 were approximately US$2,000 and US$33,000, respectively.

14

CHINANET ONLINE HOLDINGS, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

9.Property and equipment, net

  June 30,
2019
 December 31,
2018
  US$(’000) US$(’000)
  (Unaudited)  
     
Leasehold improvement  320   321 
Vehicles  769   771 
Office equipment  1,351   1,353 
Electronic devices  951   952 
Property and equipment, cost  3,391   3,397 
Less: accumulated depreciation  (3,292)  (3,255)
Property and equipment, net  99   142 

 

Depreciation expenses for the six months ended June 30, 2019 and 2018 were approximately US$43,000 and US$91,000, respectively. Depreciation expenses for the three months ended June 30, 2019 and 2018 were approximately US$10,000 and US$43,000, respectively.

10.Intangible assets, net

 

 As of June 30, 2019 (Unaudited) As of March 31, 2020 (Unaudited)
Items Gross
Carrying
Value
 Accumulated
Amortization
 Impairment Net
Carrying
Value
 

Gross

Carrying

Value

 

Accumulated

Amortization

 Impairment 

Net

Carrying

Value

 US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000)
Intangible assets not subject to amortization:                        
Domain name  1,405   -   (1,405)  -   1,363   -   (1,363)  - 
Intangible assets subject to amortization:                                
Customer relationship  1,938   (1,938)  -   -   1,880   (1,880)  -   - 
Non-compete agreements  1,066   (579)  (487)  -   1,035   (563)  (472)  - 
Software technologies  298   (298)  -   -   289   (289)  -   - 
Cloud compute software technology  1,350   (903)  (414)  33 
Intelligent marketing data service platform  4,697   (1,903)  (2,794)  -   4,557   (1,846)  (2,711)  - 
Internet safety, information exchange security and data encryption software  1,891   (425)  (1,466)  -   1,835   (413)  (1,422)  - 
Cloud video management system  1,382   (343)  (1,039)  -   1,341   (333)  (1,008)  - 
Cloud compute software technology  1,310   (888)  (402)  20 
Licensed products use right  1,207   (45)  -   1,162 
Other computer software  114   (111)  -   3   871   (355)  -   516 
Total $14,141  $(6,500) $(7,605) $36  $15,688  $(6,612) $(7,378) $1,698 

 

 As of December 31, 2018 As of December 31, 2019
Items Gross
Carrying
Value
 Accumulated
Amortization
 Impairment Net
Carrying
Value
 

Gross

Carrying

Value

 

Accumulated

Amortization

 Impairment 

Net

Carrying

Value

 US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000)
Intangible assets not subject to amortization:                                
Domain name  1,408   -   (1,408)  -   1,385   -   (1,385)  - 
Intangible assets subject to amortization:                                
Customer relationship  1,941   (1,941)  -   -   1,909   (1,909)  -   - 
Non-compete agreements  1,068   (580)  (488)  -   1,051   (571)  (480)  - 
Software technologies  299   (299)  -   -   294   (294)  -   - 
Cloud compute software technology  1,353   (896)  (415)  42 
Intelligent marketing data service platform  4,705   (1,906)  (2,799)  -   4,629   (1,876)  (2,753)  - 
Internet safety, information exchange security and data encryption software  1,894   (426)  (1,468)  -   1,863   (419)  (1,444)  - 
Cloud video management system  1,383   (343)  (1,040)  -   1,362   (338)  (1,024)  - 
Cloud compute software technology  1,331   (898)  (408)  25 
Licensed products use right  1,202   (15)  -   1,187 
Other computer software  114   (111)  -   3   872   (185)  -   687 
Total $14,165  $(6,502) $(7,618) $45  $15,898  $(6,505) $(7,494) $1,899 

 

15

17

CHINANET ONLINE HOLDINGS, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

Amortization expenses for the six months ended June 30, 2019 and 2018 were approximately US$9,000 and US$336,000, respectively. Amortization expenses for the three months ended June 30,March 31, 2020 and 2019 and 2018 were approximately US$4,000205,000 and US$168,000,5,000, respectively.

 

Based on the adjusted carrying value of the finite-lived intangible assets after the deduction of the impairment losses, which has a weighted average remaining useful life of 1.986.27 years as of June 30, 2019,March 31, 2020, and assuming no further subsequent impairment of the underlying intangible assets, the estimated future amortization expenses is approximately US$9,000 for the year ending December 31, 2019, approximately US$18,0000.62 million for the year ending December 31, 2020, and approximately US$9,0000.13 million for the year ending December 31, 2021.2021, and approximately US$0.12 million each year for the year ending December 31, 2022 through 2024.

 

11.Blockchain software application platform development costs

 

In early 2018, the Company announced its expansion into the blockchain industry and the related technology. In February 2018, the Company entered into a technical development contract with an unrelated entity to develop certaina blockchain technology-based softwareplatform application platform for internal use.use by the Company. Total amount of the contract was US$4.5 million. In March 2018, the Company entered into a RMB3.0 million (approximately US$0.440.42 million) social network-based software application development contract with another unrelated entity, which software application the Company had further decided to be combined into the current under developing blockchain technology-based application platform, as discussed above.platform. These two blockchain technology-based applications are named OMG and Bo!News, respectively. As of June 30,March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, in accordance with ASC 350-40 “Intangibles-Goodwill and Other-Internal-Use Software”, the Company had capitalized approximately US$3.724.18 million softwareand US$3.88 million development costs in the aggregate forunder these two contracts. In August 2019, after the preliminary testingcontracts, respectively. As of the beta modules and discussion with potential cooperators,date hereof, the Company decidedis in the process of further developing and adjusting its blockchain-powered applications on the blockchain infrastructure platform to tune and upgrade some functions of the backstage applications ofmake the platform which are withina better synergism with the service scopecurrent business and client base. The Company had originally scheduled to complete the adjustments and upgrades of Bo!News, to launch the development contracts signed. The complete combined beta version of the upgraded platform is expected to be readyOMG for trial by the end of 2019.May 2020, and to complete the integration of BO!News and OMG for commercial release by the end of 2020. However, due to the COVID-19 outbreak in China during the first fiscal quarter of 2020, the Company currently anticipates that the commercial releasing schedule will likely be postponed for 1 to 2 months.

 

According to the development contracts the Company signed with the counter parties, the Company will not bear any development risk related loss unless the counter party has no fault during the development and the causes for failure is considered reasonable as consentedagreed by both parties. In the latter case, the related development loss will be shared by both parties based on further negotiation.negotiations. As of the date hereof, the Company doeshas not been aware of any technical risks or other factors that may lead to any failure or partial failure of these development projects.

 

12.Long-term prepayments

As of March 31, 2020, long-term prepayments represented a portion of the Company’s prepayments, of which approximately US$1.12 million was paid to one of its advertising resource suppliers and the remaining approximately US$0.22 million was paid to one of its professional service suppliers. The Company recorded these amounts as long-term prepayments because they were not expected to be consumed within one year of March 31, 2020.

13.Short-term bank loan and credit facility

 

As of June 30,December 31, 2019, the Company had a revolving credit facility of RMB5.0 million (approximately US$0.7 million) for short-term working capital loans granted by a major financial institution in China, which currently is available to the Company untilexpired in January 2020.

As of June 30,December 31, 2019, under the revolving credit facility, the Company borrowed RMB3.0 million (approximately US$0.440.43 million) short-term bank loan, which will mature in January 2020.

As of June 30, 2019, the Company borrowed another RMB3.0 million (approximately US$0.44 million) short-term working capital loan from the same financial institution, of which RMB1.5 million (approximately US$0.22 million) matured and was repaid on July 29, 2019 and the remaining RMB1.5 million (approximately US$0.22 million) will mature in September 2019.January 2020.

 

Collateral for the above discussed revolving credit facility and short-term bank loans included an unlimited guarantee from Mr. Handong Cheng (Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Company) and his spouse and an approximately US$0.03 million term deposit, which will mature on September 21, 2019.

1814.Accrued payroll and other accruals
  

March 31,

2020

 

December 31,

2019

  US$(’000) US$(’000)
  (Unaudited)  
     
Accrued payroll and staff welfare  128   173 
Accrued operating expenses  396   318 
   524   491 

16

CHINANET ONLINE HOLDINGS, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

Interest rate of the current outstanding short-term working capital loans was 5.655% per annum, which is 30% over the benchmark rate of the People’s Bank of China (the “PBOC”).

13.15.Advance from a customer, relatedTaxation

 

As of June 30, 2019, advance from a customer, related represented advance payments received from a customer that one of the Company’s executive officer and director can exercise significant influence, which was related to unsatisfied performance obligations for the use of the Company’s distribution of the right to use search engine marketing service.

14.Accrued payroll and other accruals

  June 30,
2019
 December 31,
2018
  US$(’000) US$(’000)
  (Unaudited)  
     
Accrued payroll and staff welfare  185   208 
Accrued operating expenses  104   313 
   289   521 

15.Taxation

1)Income tax

The entities within the Company file separate tax returns in the respective tax jurisdictions in which they operate.

i). The Company is incorporated in the state of Nevada. Under the current law of Nevada, the Company is not subject to state corporate income tax. Following the Share Exchange, the Company became a holding company and does not conduct any substantial operations of its own. Effective from January 1, 2018, the Company is subject to the new GILTI tax rules. The GILTI provisions impose a tax on foreign income in excess of a deemed return on tangible assets of controlled foreign corporations (“CFCs”), subject to the possible use of foreign tax credits and a deduction equal to 50 percent to offset the income tax liability, subject to some limitations. Under U.S. GAAP, the Company has made an accounting policy choice of treating taxes due on future U.S. inclusions in taxable income related to GILTI as a current period expense when incurred. For the six and three months ended June 30, 2019 and 2018, no provision for federal corporate income tax has been made in the financial statements as the Company has no aggregated positive tested income.

ii). China Net BVI and ChinaNet Investment BVI were incorporated in the British Virgin Islands (“BVI”). Under the current law of the BVI, these BVI companies are not subject to tax on income or capital gains. Additionally, upon payments of dividends by these BVI companies to its respective shareholders, no BVI withholding tax will be imposed.

iii). China Net HK was incorporated in Hong Kong and does not conduct any substantial operations of its own. Effective from April 1, 2018, a two-tier corporate income tax system was officially implemented in Hong Kong. The applicable income tax rate is 8.25% for the first HK$2.0 million profits, and the subsequent profits are taxed at 16.5%. No provision for Hong Kong income tax has been made in the financial statements as China Net HK has no assessable profits for the six and three months ended June 30, 2019 or any prior periods. Additionally, upon payments of dividends by China Net HK to its shareholders, no Hong Kong withholding tax will be imposed.

iv). The Company’s PRC operating subsidiaries and VIEs, being incorporated in the PRC, are governed by the income tax law of the PRC and is subject to PRC enterprise income tax (“EIT”). The EIT rate of PRC is 25%, which applies to both domestic and foreign invested enterprises.

19

CHINANET ONLINE HOLDINGS, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

As approved by the related PRC governmental authorities, Business Opportunity Online continuously qualified as a High and New Technology Enterprise until November 2021, which enabled the entity, as approved by the local tax authorities of Beijing, the PRC, to continue enjoying the preferential EIT rate of 15% until November 2021. Therefore, for the six and three months ended June 30, 2019 and 2018, the applicable EIT rate of Business Opportunity Online was 15%. In accordance with the 2018 Bulletin No. 45 issued by the PRC State Administration of Taxation, which come into effect from January 1, 2018, an enterprise that obtains qualification as or remains as a High and New Technology Enterprise or Small and Medium-sized Tech Enterprise in any time of 2018 and afterwards, is allowed to carry forward all its previous five years’ net operating losses NOLs (starting from NOL of 2013) to up to ten years, compared with the PRC standard NOLs carryforward period of 5 years.
The applicable EIT rate for other PRC operating entities of the Company was 25% for the six and three months ended June 30, 2019 and 2018.
The current EIT law also imposed a 10% withholding income tax for dividends distributed by a foreign invested enterprise to its immediate holding company outside China. A lower withholding tax rate will be applied if there is a tax treaty arrangement between mainland China and the jurisdiction of the foreign holding company. Holding companies in Hong Kong, for example, will be subject to a 5% withholding tax rate, subject to approval from the related PRC tax authorities.
2)Turnover taxes and the relevant surcharges

Service revenues provided by the Company’s PRC operating subsidiaries and VIEs were subject to Value Added Tax (“VAT”). VAT rate for provision of modern services (other than lease of corporeal movables) is 6%, and for small scale taxpayer, 3%. Therefore, for the six and three months ended June 30, 2019 and 2018, the Company’s service revenues are subject to VAT at a rate of 6%, after deducting the VAT paid for the services purchased from suppliers, or at a rate of 3% without any deduction of VAT paid for the services purchased from suppliers. The surcharges of the VAT in the aggregate is 12% to 14% of the VAT, depending on which tax jurisdiction the Company’s PRC operating subsidiaries and VIE operate in.

As of June 30, 2019March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2018,2019, taxes payable consists of:

 

  June 30,
2019
 December 31,
2018
  US$(’000) US$(’000)
  (Unaudited)  
     
PRC turnover tax and surcharge payable  1,303   1,215 
PRC enterprise income tax payable  1,779   1,782 
Total taxes payable  3,082   2,997 
   
  

March 31,

2020

 

December 31,

2019

  US$(’000) US$(’000)
  (Unaudited)  
         
Turnover tax and surcharge payable  1,234   1,244 
Enterprise income tax payable  2,027   1,970 
Total taxes payable  3,261   3,214 

 

For the six and three months ended June 30,March 31, 2020 and 2019, and 2018, the Company’s income tax (expense)/benefitexpense consisted of:

 

  Six Months Ended June 30, Three Months Ended June 30,
  2019 2018 2019 2018
  US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000)
  (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited)
         
Current-PRC  -   -   -   - 
Deferred-PRC  (6)  (689)  33   (693)
Income tax (expense)/benefit  (6)  (689)  33   (693)

20

CHINANET ONLINE HOLDINGS, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

  Three Months Ended March 31,
  2020 2019
  US$(’000) US$(’000)
  (Unaudited) (Unaudited)
     
Current  (83)  - 
Deferred  5   (39)
Income tax expense  (78)  (39)

 

The Company’s deferred tax assets as of June 30, 2019March 31, 2020 and December 31, 20182019 were as follows:

 

 June 30,
2019
 December 31,
2018
 

March 31,

2020

 

December 31,

2019

 US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000)
 (Unaudited)   (Unaudited)  
        
Tax effect of net operating losses carried forward  9,601   9,243   9,578   9,160 
Bad debts provision  499   1,188   794   743 
Valuation allowance  (9,551)  (9,875)  (9,666)  (9,190)
Deferred tax assets, net  549   556   706   713 

 

The U.S. holding company has incurred aggregate NOLs of approximately US$19.7US22.3 million and US$19.220.3 million as of June 30, 2019March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2018,2019, respectively. The NOLs carryforwards incurred prior toas of December 31, 2017 gradually expire over time, the last of which expires in 2037. NOLs incurred after December 31, 2017 will no longer be available to carry back but can be carried forward indefinitely, subject to an annual limit of 80% on the amount of taxable income that can be offset by NOLs arising in tax years ending after December 31, 2017. The Company maintains a full valuation allowance against its net U.S. deferred tax assets, since due to uncertainties surrounding future utilization, the Company estimates there will not be sufficient future earnings to utilize its U.S. deferred tax assets.

 

The NOLs carried forward incurred by the Company’s PRC subsidiaries and VIEs were approximately US$26.323.9 million and US$25.223.6 million as of June 30, 2019March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2018,2019, respectively. The losses carryforwards gradually expire over time, the last of which expires in 20292030 due to certain subsidiary enjoys the High and New Technology Enterprise’s privileged NOLs carryforward policy. The related deferred tax assets were calculated based on the respective NOLs incurred by each of the PRC subsidiaries and VIEs and the respective corresponding enacted tax rate that will be in effect in the period in which the losses are expected to be utilized.

 

17

CHINANET ONLINE HOLDINGS, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

The Company recorded approximately US$9.69.7 million and US$9.99.2 million valuation allowance as of June 30, 2019March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2018,2019, respectively, because it is considered more likely than not that a portion of the deferred tax assets will not be realized through sufficient future earnings of the entities to which the operating losses related.

 

For the six and three months ended June 30,March 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company recorded approximately US$0.450.55 million and US$0.26 million deferred tax valuation allowance, respectively. For the six and three months ended June 30, 2018, the Company recorded approximately US$1.17 million and US$0.760.19 million deferred tax valuation allowance, respectively.

 

16.Long-term borrowing from a director

 

Long-term borrowing from a director is a non-interest bearing loan from a director of the Company relating to the original paid-in capital contribution in the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary Rise King WFOE, which is not expected to be repaid within one year.

 

17.Warrant liabilities

 

On January 17, 2018, theThe Company consummated a registered directdirector offering of 2,150,001 shares of the Company’s common stock to certain institutional investors at a purchase price of $5.15 per share (“thein January 2018 (the “2018 Financing”). As, as part of the transaction, the Company also issued to the investors and the placement agent warrants for theto purchase of up to 645,000 and 129,000 shares of the Company’s common stock at an exercise price of $6.60 per share, respectively.

The Company accounted for thethese warrants issuing in the Financing as derivative liabilities, as the strike price of the warrants is dominated in a currency (U.S. dollar) other than the functional currency of the Company (Renminbi or Yuan) and is not considered index to the Company’s own stock.liabilities. As a result, these warrants were remeasured at fair value as of each reporting date with changes in fair value be recorded in earnings in each reporting period.

21

CHINANET ONLINE HOLDINGS, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

 

Fair value of the warrants

 

The Company used Binomial model to determine the fair value of the Warrants based on the assumptions summarized as below:

 

  Investors warrants Placement agent warrants
  December 31,
2018
 March 31,
2019
 June 30,
2019
 December 31,
2018
 March 31,
2019
 June 30,
2019
             
Stock price $1.34  $1.95  $1.35  $1.34  $1.95  $1.35 
Years to maturity  1.55   1.30   1.10   2.05   1.80   1.55 
Risk-free interest rate  2.50%  2.27%  1.73%  2.50%  2.27%  1.73%
Dividend yield  -   -   -   -   -   - 
Expected volatility  199%  216%  90%  176%  187%  202%
Exercise Price $6.60  $6.60  $6.60  $6.60  $6.60  $6.60 
                         
Fair value of the warrant $0.78  $1.23  $0.05  $0.80  $1.26  $0.80 

  Investors warrants Placement agent warrants
  January 17,
2018
 March 31,
2018
 June 30,
2018
 January 17,
2018
 March 31,
2018
 June 30,
2018
             
Stock price $3.98  $1.67  $2.52  $3.98  $1.67  $2.52 
Years to maturity  2.50   2.30   2.10   3.00   2.80   2.55 
Risk-free interest rate  2.22%  2.35%  2.53%  2.39%  2.50%  2.56%
Dividend yield  -   -   -   -   -   - 
Expected volatility  158%  164%  174%  147%  152%  159%
Exercise Price $6.60  $6.60  $6.60  $6.60  $6.60  $6.60 
                         
Fair value of the warrant $2.93  $1.03  $1.71  $2.99  $1.06  $1.74 

Changes in fair value of warrant liabilities

Six and Three Months Ended June 30, 2019 (Unaudited)

 As of As of As of Change in Fair Value (gain)/loss
 June 30,
2019
 March 31,
2019
 December 31,
2018
 Six Months Ended
June 30, 2019
 Three Months Ended
June 30, 2019
Fair value of the Warrants:                    
Investor warrants  32   793   503   (471)  (761)
Placement agent warrants  103   163   103   -   (60)
Warrant liabilities  135   956   606   (471)  (821)

Six and Three Months Ended June 30, 2018 (Unaudited)

 As of As of As of Change in Fair Value (gain)/loss
 June 30,
2018
 March 31,
2018
 January 17,
2018
 Six Months Ended
June 30, 2018
 Three Months Ended
June 30, 2018
Fair value of the Warrants:                    
Investor warrants  1,103   664   1,890   (787)  439 
Placement agent warrants  224   137   385   (161)  87 
Warrant liabilities  1,327   801   2,275   (948)  526 
  Investors warrants Placement agent warrants
   As of
December 31, 2019
   As of
March 31, 2020
   As of
December 31, 2019
   As of
March 31, 2020
 
         
Stock price $1.17  $0.95  $1.17  $0.95 
Years to maturity  0.55   0.30   1.05   0.80 
Risk-free interest rate  1.58%  0.10%  1.57%  0.13%
Dividend yield  -   -   -   - 
Expected volatility  60%  99%  80%  78%
Exercise Price * $1.4927  $1.4927  $1.4927  $1.4927 
                 
Fair value of the warrant $0.11  $0.07  $0.28  $0.12 
                 
Warrant Liabilities (US$’000) $71  $45  $36  $16 

 

 

  Investors warrants Placement agent warrants
   As of
December 31, 2018
   As of
March 31, 2019
   As of
December 31, 2018
   As of
March 31, 2019
 
         
Stock price $1.34  $1.95  $1.34  $1.95 
Years to maturity  1.55   1.30   2.05   1.80 
Risk-free interest rate  2.50%  2.27%  2.50%  2.27%
Dividend yield  -   -   -   - 
Expected volatility  199%  216%  176%  187%
Exercise Price * $6.60  $6.60  $6.60  $6.60 
                 
Fair value of the warrant $0.78  $1.23  $0.80  $1.26 
                 
Warrant Liabilities (US$’000) $503  $793  $103  $163 

* On September 25, 2019, as a result of the close on the first half of a private placement with a selected group of investors, the exercise price of the warrants issued in the 2018 Financing that contain the “full ratchet” price protection in the event of subsequent issuances below the applicable exercise price (the “Down round feature”) was adjusted to $1.4927.

22

18

CHINANET ONLINE HOLDINGS, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

Changes in fair value of warrant liabilities

Three Months Ended March 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

  

 

As of

March 31, 2020

 

 

 

As of

December 31, 2019

 

 

 

Change in Fair Value

(gain)/loss

 

  US$’000 US$’000 US$’000
Fair value of the Warrants:            
Investor warrants  45   71   (26)
Placement agent warrants  16   36   (20)
Warrant liabilities  61   107   (46)

Three Months Ended March 31, 2019 (Unaudited)

  

 

As of

March 31, 2019

 

 

 

As of

December 31, 2018

 

 

 

Change in Fair Value

(gain)/loss

 

  US$’000 US$’000 US$’000
Fair value of the Warrants:            
Investor warrants  793   503   290 
Placement agent warrants  163   103   60 
Warrant liabilities  956   606   350 

 

Warrants issued and outstanding as of June 30, 2019March 31, 2020 and their movements during the sixthree months then ended are as follows:

 

 Warrant Outstanding Warrant Exercisable Warrant Outstanding Warrant Exercisable
 Number of
underlying
shares
 Weighted
Average
Remaining
Contractual
Life (Years)
 Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
 Number of
underlying
shares
 Weighted
Average
Remaining
Contractual
Life (Years)
 Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
  Number of underlying shares   Weighted
Average
Remaining
Contractual
Life (Years)
  Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
  Number of underlying shares   Weighted
Average
Remaining
Contractual
Life (Years)
  Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
                        
Balance, January 1, 2019  774,000   1.63  $6.60   774,000   1.63  $6.60 
Balance, January 1, 2020  774,000   0.63  $1.4927   774,000   0.63  $1.4927 
Granted/Vested  -           -           -           -         
Forfeited  -           -           -           -         
Exercised  -           -           -           -         
Balance, June 30, 2019 (Unaudited)  774,000   1.13  $6.60   774,000   1.13  $6.60 
Balance, March 31, 2020 (Unaudited)  774,000   0.38  $1.4927   774,000   0.38  $1.4927 

 

18.Restricted net assets

 

As substantially all of the Company’s operations are conducted through its PRC subsidiaries and VIEs, the Company’s ability to pay dividends is primarily dependent on receiving distributions of funds from its PRC subsidiaries and VIEs. Relevant PRC statutory laws and regulations permit payments of dividends by its PRC subsidiaries and VIEs only out of their retained earnings, if any, as determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations and after it has met the PRC requirements for appropriation to statutory reserves. Paid in capital of the PRC subsidiaries and VIEs included in the Company’s consolidated net assets are also non-distributable for dividend purposes.

 

19

CHINANET ONLINE HOLDINGS, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

In accordance with the PRC regulations on Enterprises with Foreign Investment, a WFOE established in the PRC is required to provide certain statutory reserves, namely general reserve fund, the enterprise expansion fund and staff welfare and bonus fund which are appropriated from net profit as reported in the enterprise’s PRC statutory accounts. A WFOE is required to allocate at least 10% of its annual after-tax profit to the general reserve until such reserve has reached 50% of its registered capital based on the enterprise’s PRC statutory accounts. Appropriations to the enterprise expansion fund and staff welfare and bonus fund are at the discretion of the board of directors. The aforementioned reserves can only be used for specific purposes and are not distributable as cash dividends. Rise King WFOE is subject to the above mandated restrictions on distributable profits. Additionally, in accordance with the Company Law of the PRC, a domestic enterprise is required to provide a statutory common reserve of at least 10% of its annual after-tax profit until such reserve has reached 50% of its registered capital based on the enterprise’s PRC statutory accounts. A domestic enterprise is also required to provide for a discretionary surplus reserve, at the discretion of the board of directors. The aforementioned reserves can only be used for specific purposes and are not distributable as cash dividends. All of the Company’s other PRC subsidiaries and PRC VIEs are subject to the above mandated restrictions on distributable profits.

 

As a result ofIn accordance with these PRC laws and regulations, the Company’s PRC subsidiaries and VIEs are restricted in their ability to transfer a portion of their net assets to the Company. As of June 30, 2019March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2018,2019, net assets restricted in the aggregate, which include paid-in capital and statutory reserve funds of the Company’s PRC subsidiaries and VIEs that are included in the Company’s consolidated net assets, were both approximately US$12.0 million.

 

The current PRC Enterprise Income Tax (“EIT”) Law also imposedimposes a 10% withholding income tax for dividends distributed by a foreign invested enterprise to its immediate holding company outside China. A lower withholding tax rate will be applied if there is a tax treaty arrangement between mainland China and the jurisdiction of the foreign holding company. Holding companies in Hong Kong, for example, will be subject to a 5% withholding tax rate, subject to approval from the related PRC tax authorities.

 

The ability of the Company’s PRC subsidiaries and VIEs to make dividends and other payments to the Company may also be restricted by changes in applicable foreign exchange and other laws and regulations.

 

Foreign currency exchange regulation in China is primarily governed by the following rules:

 

Foreign Exchange Administration Rules (1996), as amended in August 2008, or the Exchange Rules;
Administration Rules of the Settlement, Sale and Payment of Foreign Exchange (1996), or the Administration Rules.
lForeign Exchange Administration Rules (1996), as amended in August 2008, or the Exchange Rules;
lAdministration Rules of the Settlement, Sale and Payment of Foreign Exchange (1996), or the Administration Rules.

 

Currently, under the Administration Rules, Renminbi is freely convertible for current account items, including the distribution of dividends, interest payments, trade and service related foreign exchange transactions, but not for capital account items, such as direct investments, loans, repatriation of investments and investments in securities outside of China, unless the prior approval of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (the “SAFE”) is obtained and prior registration with the SAFE is made. Foreign-invested enterprises like Rise King WFOE that need foreign exchange for the distribution of profits to its shareholders may effect payment from their foreign exchange accounts or purchase and pay foreign exchange rates at the designated foreign exchange banks to their foreign shareholders by producing board resolutions for such profit distribution. Based on their needs, foreign-invested enterprises are permitted to open foreign exchange settlement accounts for current account receipts and payments of foreign exchange along with specialized accounts for capital account receipts and payments of foreign exchange at certain designated foreign exchange banks.

 

23

CHINANET ONLINE HOLDINGS, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

Although the current Exchange Rules allow the convertibilityconverting of Chinese Renminbi into foreign currency for current account items, conversion of Chinese Renminbi into foreign exchange for capital items, such as foreign direct investment, loans or securities, requires the approval of SAFE, which is under the authority of the People’s Bank of China. These approvals, however, do not guarantee the availability of foreign currency conversion. The Company cannot be sure that it will be able to obtain all required conversion approvals for its operations or the Chinese regulatory authorities will not impose greater restrictions on the convertibility of Chinese Renminbi in the future. Currently, most of the Company’s retained earnings are generated in Renminbi. Any future restrictions on currency exchanges may limit the Company’s ability to use its retained earnings generated in Renminbi to make dividends or other payments in U.S. dollars or fund possible business activities outside China.

20

CHINANET ONLINE HOLDINGS, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

19.Employee defined contribution plan

 

Full time employees of the Company in the PRC participate in a government mandated defined contribution plan, pursuant to which certain pension benefits, medical care, employee housing fund and other welfare benefits are provided to employees. Chinese labor regulations require that the PRC subsidiaries of the Company make contributions to the government for these benefits based on certain percentages of the employees’ salaries. The employee benefits were expensed as incurred. The Company has no legal obligation for the benefits beyond the contributions made. The total amounts for such employee benefits were approximately US$0.170.04 million and US$0.18 million for the six months ended June 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively. The total amounts for such employee benefits were approximately US$0.08 million and US$0.100.09 million for the three months ended June 30,March 31, 2020 and 2019, and 2018, respectively.

 

20.Concentration of risk

 

Credit risk

 

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to significant concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents and accounts receivable. As of June 30, 2019, 50%Mach 31, 2020, 99% of the Company’s cash and cash equivalents were held by major financial institutions located in Mainland and Hong Kong, China, the remaining 50%1% was held by a financial institution located in the United States of America. The Company believes that these financial institutions located in Mainland China and the United States of America are of high credit quality. For accounts receivable, the Company extends credit based on an evaluation of the customer’s financial condition, generally without requiring collateral or other security. In order to minimize the credit risk, the Company delegated a team responsible for credit approvals and other monitoring procedures to ensure that follow-up action is taken to recover overdue debts. Further, the Company reviews the recoverable amount of each individual receivable at each balance sheet date to ensure that adequate allowances are made for doubtful accounts. In this regard, the Company considers that the Company’s credit risk for accounts receivable and other receivables is significantly reduced.

Risk arising from operations in foreign countries

All of the Company’s operations are conducted within the PRC. The Company’s operations in the PRC are subject to various political, economic, and other risks and uncertainties inherent in the PRC. Among other risks, the Company’s operations in the PRC are subject to the risks of restrictions on transfer of funds, changing taxation policies, foreign exchange restrictions; and political conditions and governmental regulations.

Currency convertibility risk

Significant part of the Company’s businesses is transacted in RMB, which is not freely convertible into foreign currencies. All foreign exchange transactions take place either through the People’s Bank of China or other banks authorized to buy and sell foreign currencies at the exchange rates quoted by the People’s Bank of China. Approval of foreign currency payments by the People’s Bank of China or other regulatory institutions requires submitting a payment application form together with suppliers’ invoices and signed contracts. These exchange control measures imposed by the PRC government authorities may restrict the ability of the Company’s PRC subsidiaries and VIEs to transfer its net assets, which to the Company through loans, advances or cash dividends.

24

CHINANET ONLINE HOLDINGS, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

 

Concentration of customers

 

The following tables summarized the information about the Company’s concentration of customers for the six and three months ended June 30,March 31, 2020 and 2019, and 2018, respectively:

 

 Customer A Customer B Customer C Customer A Customer B Customer C Customer D Customer E Customer F
                  
Six Months Ended June 30, 2019            
Three Months Ended March 31, 2020                        
Revenues, customer concentration risk  13%  -   *   *   *   *   *   15%  11%
                                    
Three Months Ended June 30, 2019            
Three Months Ended March 31, 2019                        
Revenues, customer concentration risk  11%  -   -   17%  *   -   -   -   - 
                                    
Six Months Ended June 30, 2018            
Revenues, customer concentration risk  14%  14%  * 
            
Three Months Ended June 30, 2018            
Revenues, customer concentration risk  19%  *   11%
            
As of June 30, 2019            
As of March 31, 2020                        
Accounts receivable, customer concentration risk  66%  -   *   27%  12%  24%  11%  -   - 
                                    
As of December 31, 2018            
As of December 31, 2019                        
Accounts receivable, customer concentration risk  74%  -   12%  57%  13%  12%  -   -   - 

 

* Less than 10%.

 

- No transaction incurred for the reporting period/no balance existed as of the reporting date.

 

Concentration of suppliers

 

The following tables summarized the information about the Company’s concentration of suppliers for the six and three months ended June 30,March 31, 2020 and 2019, and 2018, respectively:

 

 Supplier A Supplier B Supplier A Supplier B
    
Six Months Ended June 30, 2019        
Three Months Ended March 31, 2020        
Cost of revenues, supplier concentration risk  90%  *   71%  11%
                
Three Months Ended June 30, 2019        
Three Months Ended March 31, 2019        
Cost of revenues, supplier concentration risk  91%  *   89%  - 
        
Six Months Ended June 30, 2018        
Cost of revenues, supplier concentration risk  83%  13%
        
Three Months Ended June 30, 2018        
Cost of revenues, supplier concentration risk  87%  10%

 

* Less than 10%.

- No transaction incurred for the reporting period/no balance existed as of the reporting date.

25

21

CHINANET ONLINE HOLDINGS, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

 

21.Commitments and contingencies

 

In 2018, the Company entered into contracts with two unrelated third parties in relation to the development of the Company’s blockchain-powered marketing and advertising application platform.blockchain technology-powered platform applications. Total contract amount of these two contracts was approximately US$4.944.92 million. As of June 30, 2019,March 31, 2020, the Company had paid approximately US$3.724.18 million in the aggerate, and the remaining unpaid contract amount is expected to be paid during the year ending December 31, 2019.2020.

 

The Company is currently not a party to any legal or administrative proceedings and are not aware of any pending or threatened legal or administrative proceedings against us in all material aspects. The Company may from time to time become a party to various legal or administrative proceedings arising in its ordinary course of business.

 

22.Segment reporting

 

The Company follows ASC Topic 280 “Segment Reporting”, which requires that companies disclose segment data based on how management makes decisions about allocating resources to segments and evaluating their performance. Reportable operating segments include components of an entity about which separate financial information is available and which operating results are regularly reviewed by the chief operating decision maker (“CODM”), the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, to make decisions about resources to be allocated to the segment and assess each operating segment’s performance.

 

Six

Previously, the Company had four reportable segments, which were Internet advertising and related services, TV advertising service, Blockchain technology and Corporate. From fiscal 2020, the Company has a new reportable segment, which is Ecommerce O2O advertising and marketing services segment. In additional, due to the Company’s TV advertising business gradually became dormant since fiscal 2019, and the remaining general operating expenses, net loss and total assets amounts of the Company’s TV advertising segment were and are expected to continue be immaterial, the Company combines the results of operations of its TV advertising segment and other disclosure information with its new Ecommerce O2O advertising and marketing services segment in fiscal 2020. As a result, the related disclosures for the respective corresponding periods in fiscal 2019 have been reclassified in comfort with the disclosures in fiscal 2020.

Three Months Ended June 30, 2019March 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

 Internet Ad.
and data
service
 TV
Ad.
 Blockchain
technology
 Corporate Inter-
segment and
reconciling
item
 Total  Internet Ad
and related
services
   Ecommerce
O2O Ad and
marketing
services
   Blockchain
technology
   Corporate   Inter- segment
and reconciling
item
   Total 
 US$
(‘000)
 US$
(‘000)
 US$
(‘000)
 US$
(‘000)
 US$
(‘000)
 US$
(‘000)
 US$(‘000) US$(‘000) US$(‘000) US$(‘000) US$(‘000) US$(‘000)
                        
Revenues  24,020   -   -   -   -   24,020   3,236   503   -   645   -   4,384 
Cost of revenues  23,212   -   -   -   -   23,212   3,110   375   -   -   -   3,485 
Total operating expenses  1,850   36   11   871(1)  -   2,768   1,022   4   1   2,148(1)  -   3,175 
Depreciation and amortization expense included in total operating expenses  35   -   1   16   -   52   206   -   -   1   -   207 
Operating loss  (1,042)  (36)  (11)  (871)  -   (1,960)
Operating (loss)/income  (896)  124   (1)  (1,503)  -   (2,276)
                                                
Change in fair value of warrant liabilities  -   -   -   471   -   471   -   -   -   46   -   46 
                                                
Net loss  (1,075)  (36)  (11)  (400)  -   (1,522)
Net (loss)/income  (893)  103   (1)  (1,519)  -   (2,310)
                                                
Total assets-June 30, 2019  11,550   229   3,389   16,143   (16,640)  14,671 
Total assets-December 31, 2018  12,756   207   3,396   17,155   (16,546)  16,968 
Expenditure for long-term assets  -   -   302   -   -   302 
                        
Total assets-March 31, 2020  11,521   2,844   4,180   21,940   (21,991)  18,494 
Total assets-December 31, 2019  13,332   2,075   3,885   21,338   (22,079)  18,551 

 

(1) Including approximately US$203,000 share-based compensation expenses.

(1)Including approximately US$1,919 thousands share-based compensation expenses.

26

22

CHINANET ONLINE HOLDINGS, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

 

Three Months Ended June 30,March 31, 2019 (Unaudited)

 

 Internet Ad.
and data
service
 TV Ad. Blockchain
technology
 Corporate Inter-
segment and
reconciling
item
 Total Internet Ad.
and related
services
 Ecommerce
O2O Ad and
marketing
services
 Blockchain
technology
 Corporate Inter- segment
and reconciling
item
 Total
 US$
(‘000)
 US$
(‘000)
 US$
(‘000)
 US$
(‘000)
 US$
(‘000)
 US$
(‘000)
 US$
(‘000)
 US$
(‘000)
 US$
(‘000)
 US$
(‘000)
 US$
(‘000)
 US$
(‘000)
                        
Revenues  15,453   -   -   -   -   15,453   8,567   -   -   -   -   8,567 
Cost of revenues  15,087   -   -   -   -   15,087   8,125   -   -   -   -   8,125 
Total operating expenses  1,145   18   6   419(1)  -   1,588   705   18   5   452(1)  -   1,180 
Depreciation and amortization expense included in total operating expenses  12   -   1   1   -   14   23   -   -   15   -   38 
Operating loss  (779)  (18)  (6)  (419)  -   (1,222)  (263)  (18)  (5)  (452)  -   (738)
                                                
Change in fair value of warrant liabilities  -   -   -   821   -   821   -   -   -   (350)  -   (350)
                                                
Net (loss)/income  (760)  (17)  (6)  401   -   (382)
Net loss  (315)  (19)  (5)  (801)  -   (1,140)

 

(1) Including approximately US$102,000
(1)Including approximately US$101 thousands share-based compensation expenses.

Six Months Ended June 30, 2018

  Internet Ad.
and data
service
 TV Ad. Blockchain
technology
 Corporate Inter-
segment and
reconciling
item
 Total
  US$
(‘000)
 US$
(‘000)
 US$
(‘000)
 US$
(‘000)
 US$
(‘000)
 US$
(‘000)
             
Revenues  30,689   91   -   371   (371)  30,780 
Cost of revenues  29,173   38   -   -   -   29,211 
Total operating expenses  10,388   47   4   1,366(1)  (371)  11,434 
Depreciation and amortization expense included in total operating expenses  389   -   -   38   -   427 
Impairment on goodwill included in total operating expenses  5,412   -   -   -   -   5,412 
Impairment on intangible assets included in total operating expenses  1,878   -   -   -   -   1,878 
Operating (loss)/income  (8,872)  6   (4)  (995)  -   (9,865)
                         
Impairment on long-term investments  -   -   -   (471)  -   (471)
                         
Change in fair value of warrant liabilities  -   -   -   948   -   948 
                         
Net (loss)/income  (9,271)  6   (4)  (855)  -   (10,124)
                         
Expenditure for long-term assets  448   -   3,755   2   -   4,205 

(1) Including approximately US$151,000 share-based compensation expenses.

27

CHINANET ONLINE HOLDINGS, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

 

Three Months Ended June 30, 2018 (Unaudited)

  Internet Ad.
and data
service
 TV Ad. Blockchain
technology
 Corporate Inter-
segment and
reconciling
item
 Total
  US$
(‘000)
 US$
(‘000)
 US$
(‘000)
 US$
(‘000)
 US$
(‘000)
 US$
(‘000)
             
Revenues  22,520   -   -   -   -   22,520 
Cost of revenues  21,552   -   -   -   -   21,552 
Total operating expenses  8,766   25   4   493(1)  -   9,288 
Depreciation and amortization expense included in total operating expenses  192   -   -   19   -   211 
Impairment on goodwill included in total operating expenses  5,412   -   -   -   -   5,412 
Impairment on intangible assets included in total operating expenses  1,878   -   -   -   -   1,878 
Operating loss  (7,798)  (25)  (4)  (493)  -   (8,320)
                         
Change in fair value of warrant liabilities  -   -   -   (526)  -   (526)
                         
Net loss  (8,198)  (14)  (4)  (1,338)  -   (9,554)
                         
Expenditure for long-term assets  -   -   2,555   1   -   2,556 

(1) Including approximately US$76,000 share-based compensation expenses.

23.Loss per share

 

Basic and diluted loss per share for each of the periods presented are calculated as follows (All amounts, except number of shares and per share data, are presented in thousands of U.S. dollars):

 

 Three Months Ended March 31,
 Six Months Ended June 30, Three Months Ended June 30, 2020 2019
 2019 2018 2019 2018 US$(’000) US$(’000)
 (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited)
            
Net loss attributable to ChinaNet Online Holdings, Inc. (numerator for basic and diluted loss per share) $(1,517) $(10,069) $(379) $(9,504) $(2,310) $(1,138)
                        
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding -Basic and diluted  16,411,548   15,676,249   16,412,543   15,866,305   20,397,406   16,410,543 
                        
Loss per share-Basic and diluted $(0.09) $(0.64) $(0.02) $(0.60)
Loss per share -Basic and diluted $(0.11) $(0.07)

 

23

28

CHINANET ONLINE HOLDINGS, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

For the three months ended March 31, 2020, the diluted loss per share calculation did not include warrants and options to purchase up to 774,000 and 755,216 shares of the Company’s common stock, respectively, because their effect was anti-dilutive, as the Company incurred a loss for the period.

 

For the six and three months ended June 30,March 31, 2019, the diluted loss per share calculation did not include warrants and options to purchase up to 774,000 and 835,216 shares of the Company’s common stock, respectively, because their effect was anti-dilutive, as the Company incurred a net loss for both periods.

For the six and three months ended June 30, 2018, the diluted loss per share calculation did not include warrants and options to purchase up to 774,000 and 835,216 shares of the Company’s common stock, respectively, and 266,238 shares of unvested restricted common stock before they were vested during the third quarter of 2018, because their effect was anti-dilutive, as the Company incurred a net loss for both periods.period.

 

24.Share-based compensation expenses

 

In January 2019,February 2020, under its 2015 Omnibus Securities and Incentive Plan, the Company granted and issued 30,000in the aggregate of approximately 1.60 million fully-vested shares of the Company’s restricted common stock to its management and employees for their services provided. These shares were valued at the closing bid price of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant, which is US$1.18 per share. Total compensation expenses of approximately US$1.89 million was recorded for the three months ended March 31, 2020.

In March 2020, under its 2015 Omnibus Securities and Incentive Plan, the Company granted and issued 0.03 million fully-vested shares of the Company’s restricted common stock to one of its independent directors in exchange for his services to the Company for the year ending December 31, 2019.2020. These shares were valued at US$1.77 per share, the closing bid price of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant.grant, which is US$1.11 per share. Total compensation expense isexpenses amortized overfor the requisite service period. For the six and three months ended June 30, 2019, compensation expense recognizedMarch 31, 2020 was approximately US$26,000 and US$13,000, respectively.0.01 million.

 

In December 2018,March 2020, the Company granted and issued 250,000430,000 shares of the Company restricted common stock to a management consulting and advisory service provider in exchange for its service for a one-year period. Thesetwo-year period until February 2022. According to the service agreement, these shares wereare fully-vested upon issuance at the contract inception and shall not be subject to forfeiture upon termination of the agreement. The Company valued these shares at US$1.431.11 per share, the closing bid price of the Company’s common stock on the grant date of grant. The Companythese shares and recorded the related total cost of approximately US$358,0000.48 million as a prepayment asset in prepayment and deposit to suppliers account upon grant and issuance of these fully-vested and nonforfeitable shares. Total compensation expenses amortized for the six and three months ended June 30, 2019March 31, 2020 was approximately US$177,000 and US$89,000, respectively.0.02 million.

 

Options issuedThe table below summarized share-based compensation expenses recorded for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and outstanding2019, respectively:

  Three Months Ended March 31,
  2020 2019
  US$(’000) US$(’000)
  (Unaudited) (Unaudited)
     
Sales and marketing expenses  122   - 
General and administrative expenses  1,651   101 
Research and development expenses  146   - 
Total  1,919   101 

The aggregate unrecognized share-based compensation expenses as of June 30, 2019March 31, 2020 was approximately US$0.48 million, of which approximately US$0.20 million will be recognized for the year ending December 31, 2020, approximately US$0.24 million will be recognized for the year ending December 31, 2021 and their movements duringapproximately US$0.04 million will be recognized for the six months then ended are as follows:

  Option Outstanding Option Exercisable
  Number of
underlying
shares
 Weighted
Average
Remaining
Contractual
Life (Years)
 Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
 Number of
underlying
shares
 Weighted
Average
Remaining
Contractual
Life (Years)
 Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
             
Balance, January 1, 2019  835,216   2.04  $2.49   835,216   2.04  $2.49 
Granted/Vested  -           -         
Forfeited  -           -         
Exercised  -           -         
Balance, June 30, 2019 (Unaudited)  835,216   1.54  $2.49   835,216   1.54  $2.49 

year ending December 31, 2022.

29

24

CHINANET ONLINE HOLDINGS, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

 

The aggregate intrinsic value of the above options was zeroOptions issued and outstanding as of June 30, 2019March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2018, as their respective exercise prices were all higher thanmovements during the Company’s closing stock price on the last trading day of each reporting period.

The table below summarized share-based compensation expenses recorded for the six and three months then ended June 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively:are as follows:

 

  Six Months Ended June 30, Three Months Ended June 30,
  2019 2018 2019 2018
  US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000) US$(’000)
  (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited)
         
Sales and marketing expenses  -   27   -   14 
General and administrative expenses  203   102   102   51 
Research and development expenses  -   22   -   11 
Total  203   151   102   76 
  Option Outstanding Option Exercisable
   Number of underlying shares   Weighted
Average
Remaining
Contractual
Life (Years)
  Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
  Number of underlying shares   Weighted
Average
Remaining
Contractual
Life (Years)
  Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
             
Balance, January 1, 2020  755,216   1.15  $2.43   755,216   1.15  $2.43 
Granted/Vested  -           -         
Forfeited  -           -         
Exercised  -           -         
Balance, March 31, 2020 (Unaudited)  755,216   0.90  $2.43   755,216   0.90  $2.43 

 

The aggregate unrecognized share-based compensation expenses as of June 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018 was approximately US$0.19 million and US$0.34 million, respectively. All unrecognized share-based compensation expenses as of June 30, 2019 will be recognized for the year ending December 31, 2019.

 

25.Subsequent event

 

In May 2020, one of the Company’s consolidated VIEs, Business Opportunity Online Hubei incorporated a new wholly-owned subsidiary, ChinaNet Online (Guangdong) Technology Co., Ltd. (“ChinaNet Online Guangdong”). ChinaNet Online Guangdong was established for the Company to expand its corporate business and technology headquarters to Southern China. ChinaNet Online Guangdong is currently in its setup period.

The Company has performed an evaluation of subsequent events through the date the financial statements were issued and has determined that there are no events that would have required adjustment or disclosureprimarily conducts its operations in the PRC. In January 2020, an outbreak of a novel coronavirus (COVID-19) surfaced in Wuhan City, Hubei province of the PRC, and spread all over the country during the first fiscal quarter of 2020. The outbreak caused the Chinese government to require businesses to close, people to quarantine, and also to restrict certain travel within the country. The spread of COVID-19 has resulted in the World Health Organization declaring the outbreak of COVID-19 as a global pandemic. In cooperation with the government authorities, the Company’s operating offices (especially that in Xiaogan City, Hubei province) were shut down for approximately one to two months after the Chinese New Year Holiday and were unable to reopen until mid-March or early-April in 2020. The Company’s principle business activity is to provide online advertising and marketing services to small and medium enterprises in the PRC, which is particularly sensitive to changes in general economic conditions. The pandemic of COVID-19 in the PRC had caused decreases in or delays in advertising spending and had negatively impacted the Company’s short-term ability to grow revenues. While the COVID-19 pandemic is still in developing stages worldwide, international stock markets have begun to reflect the uncertainty associated with the slow-down in the global economy and the reduced levels of international travel experienced since the beginning of January, large declines in oil prices and the significant decline in the Dow Industrial Average at the end of February and beginning of March 2020 was largely attributed to the effects of COVID-19. Although the Chinese government have declared the COVID-19 outbreak largely under control within its border, the Company will continue to assess its financial statements, exceptimpacts for those have discussedthe remainder of the year. There can be no assurance that this assessment will enable the Company to avoid part or all of any impact from the spread of COVID-19 or its consequences, including downturns in Note 3(b) and Note 12.business sentiment generally or in the Company’s sector in particular.

 

30

Item 2 Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

 

Forward-Looking Statements

 

You should read the following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and the related notes included elsewhere in this interim report. Our consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. The following discussion and analysis contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including, without limitation, statements regarding our expectations, beliefs, intentions or future strategies that are signified by the words “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “believe,” or similar language. All forward-looking statements included in this document are based on information available to us on the date hereof, and we assume no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Our business and financial performance are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. In evaluating our business, you should carefully consider the information set forth under the heading “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018.2019. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.

 

Overview

Overview

 

Our company iswas incorporated in the State of Texas in April 2006 and re-domiciled to become a Nevada corporation in October 2006. As a result of a share exchange transaction we consummated with China Net BVI in June 2009, we are now a holding company, which through certain contractual arrangements with operating companies in the PRC, is engaged in providing advertising, precision marketing, online to offline sales channel expansion and the related data and technical services to small and medium enterprisesSMEs in the PRC.

 

Through our PRC operating subsidiaries and VIEs, we primarily operate a one-stop services for our clients on our Omni-channel advertising, precision marketing and data analysis management system. We offer a variety channels of advertising and marketing services through this system, which primarily include distribution of the right to use search engine marketing services we purchased from key search engines, provision of online advertising placements on our web portals, sales of effective sale lead information as well as sell provision of TV advertising serviceother related value-added data and technical services to maximize market exposure and effectiveness for our clients.

To enhance the reliability of our future blockchain services and optimize location for client proximity, we incorporated a new wholly-owned subsidiary, ChinaNet Online (Guangdong) Technology Co., Ltd. (“ChinaNet Online Guangdong”) in May 2020 as we are in the process of expanding our corporate business and technology headquarters to the city of Guangzhou in Southern China. We expect to officially open our new Guangzhou headquarters in July 2020.

 

Basis of presentation, management estimates and critical accounting policies

 

Our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) and include the accounts of our company, and all of our subsidiaries and VIEs. We prepare financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP, which requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities on the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the financial reporting period. We continually evaluate these estimates and assumptions based on the most recently available information, our own historical experience and various other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. Since the use of estimates is an integral component of the financial reporting process, actual results could differ from those estimates. Some of our accounting policies require higher degrees of judgment than others in their application. In order to understand the significant accounting policies that we adopted for the preparation of our condensed consolidated interim financial statements, readers should refer to the information set forth in Note 3 “Summary of significant accounting policies” to our audited financial statements in our 20182019 Form 10-K. Please refer to Note 3 to the unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements for the discussion of the newly adopted lease accounting policy and the impact of other recently issued accounting standards.


A.       RESULTS OF OPERATIONS FOR THE SIX AND THREE MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30,MARCH 31, 2020 AND 2019 AND 2018

 

The following table sets forth a summary, for the periods indicated, of our consolidated results of operations. Our historical results presented below are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for any future period. All amounts, except number of shares and per share data, are presented in thousands of U.S. dollars.

 

  Three Months Ended March 31,
  2020 2019
  (US $) (US $)
  (Unaudited) (Unaudited)
     
Revenues        
From unrelated parties $4,371  $8,560 
From related parties  13   7 
Total revenues  4,384   8,567 
Cost of revenues  3,485   8,125 
Gross profit  899   442 
         
Operating expenses        
Sales and marketing expenses  165   169 
General and administrative expenses  2,796   810 
Research and development expenses  214   201 
Total operating expenses  3,175   1,180 
         
Loss from operations  (2,276)  (738)
         
Other income/(expenses)        
Interest expense, net  (1)  (11)
Other expenses  (1)  (2)
Change in fair value of warrant liabilities  46   (350)
Total other income/(expenses)  44   (363)
         
Loss before income tax expense and noncontrolling interests  (2,232)  (1,101)
Income tax expense  (78)  (39)
Net loss  (2,310)  (1,140)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests  -   2 
Net loss attributable to ChinaNet Online Holdings, Inc. $(2,310) $(1,138)

31Revenues

  Six Months Ended June 30, Three Months Ended June 30,
  2019 2018 2019 2018
  (US $) (US $) (US $) (US $)
  (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited)
Revenues                
From unrelated parties $23,912  $30,780  $15,352  $22,520 
From a related party  108   -   101   - 
Total revenues  24,020   30,780   15,453   22,520 
Cost of revenues  23,212   29,211   15,087   21,552 
Gross profit  808   1,569   366   968 
                 
Operating expenses                
Sales and marketing expenses  350   844   181   280 
General and administrative expenses  2,058   2,842   1,248   1,478 
Research and development expenses  360   458   159   240 
Impairment on intangible assets  -   1,878   -   1,878 
Impairment on goodwill  -   5,412   -   5,412 
Total operating expenses  2,768   11,434   1,588   9,288 
                 
Loss from operations  (1,960)  (9,865)  (1,222)  (8,320)
                 
Other income (expenses)                
Impairment on long-term investments  -   (471)  -   - 
Interest expense, net  (23)  (19)  (12)  (9)
Other expenses  (4)  (28)  (2)  (6)
Change in fair value of warrant liabilities  471   948   821   (526)
Total other income/(expenses)  444   430   807   (541)
                 
Loss before income tax (expense)/benefit and noncontrolling interests  (1,516)  (9,435)  (415)  (8,861)
Income tax (expense)/benefit  (6)  (689)  33   (693)
Net loss  (1,522)  (10,124)  (382)  (9,554)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests  5   55   3   50 
Net loss attributable to ChinaNet Online Holdings, Inc. $(1,517) $(10,069) $(379) $(9,504)

Revenues

 

The following tables set forth a breakdown of our total revenues, disaggregated by type of services for the periods indicated, with inter-company transactions eliminated:

 

  Six Months Ended June 30,
  2019 2018
Revenue type (Amounts expressed in thousands of US dollars, except percentages)
         
-Internet advertising and data service $5,435   22.6% $4,834   15.7%
-Distribution of the right to use search engine marketing service  18,580   77.4%  25,848   84.0%
-Technical and other services  5   -   7   - 
Internet advertising and related data services  24,020   100%  30,689   99.7%
TV advertising service  -   -   91   0.3%
Total $24,020   100% $30,780   100%

  Three Months Ended June 30,
  2019 2018
Revenue type (Amounts expressed in thousands of US dollars, except percentages)
         
-Internet advertising and data service $3,598   23.3% $3,115   13.8%
-Distribution of the right to use search engine marketing service  11,855   76.7%  19,405   86.2%
Internet advertising and related data services  15,453   100%  22,520   100%
TV advertising service  -   -   -   - 
Total $15,453   100% $22,520   100%

32

  Three Months Ended March 31,
  2020 2019
Revenue type (Amounts expressed in thousands of US dollars, except percentages)
         
-Internet advertising and related data service $948   21.6% $1,837   21.4%
-Distribution of the right to use search engine marketing service  1,988   45.4%  6,725   78.5%
-Data and technical services  300   6.8%  5   0.1%
Internet advertising and related services  3,236   73.8%  8,567   100%
Ecommerce O2O advertising and marketing services  503   11.5%  -   - 
Technical solution services  645   14.7%  -   - 
Total $4,384   100.0% $8,567   100.0%

 

Total Revenues: Our total revenues decreased to US$24.02 million and US$15.454.38 million for the six and three months ended June 30, 2019, respectively,March 31, 2020 from US$30.78 million and US$22.528.57 million for the same periodsperiod last year, respectively, which was primarily due to decrease in revenues from distribution of the right to use the search engine marketing service we purchased from key search engines in the second fiscal quarter of 2019, compared with that in the same period last year.

We derive the majority of our advertising and data service revenues from distribution of the right to use the search engine marketing (“SEM”) services, sale of advertising space on our internet ad portals and sales of effective sales lead information, all of which management considers as one aggregate business operation and relies upon the consolidated results of all operations in this business unit to make decisions about allocating resources and evaluating performance.

Our advertising and marketing services to related parties were provided in the ordinary course of business on the same terms as those provided to our unrelated customers. For the six and three ended December 31, 2019, service revenue from related parties was less than 1% of the total revenue for each respective reporting period.

Internet advertising revenues for the six and three months ended June 30, 2019 was approximately US$5.44 million and US$3.60 million, respectively, compared with US$4.83 million and US$3.12 million for the six and three months ended June 30, 2018, respectively. Due to increase in other new form of self-media advertising channels, our clients continued tightening their investment budget on advertising and marketing activities through traditional ad portal platforms, and focused more on new interactive advertising channels, and singular ad, cheaper advertising channel, e.g. search engine marketing, which brings customers with direct internet traffic flow through clicks. As a result, we experienced decline in revenues from this business category from fiscal 2017. In order to maintain the customer base for our ad portals and maintain our overall industry competitive position, we increased our investment in cost consumption for effective sale lead generation to improve the ad effectiveness and increase customers’ satisfaction. As a result of this investment, revenues from this service increased by approximately 12% and 16% for the six and three months ended June 30, 2019, respectively, compared with that in the same periods last year, respectively. In future periods, we intend to optimize our cost control mechanism for our ad portals, which aiming to help our ad portals to achieve more accurate advertising and marketing results that will lead to increasing sales lead conversion rate for our customers with more acceptable and lower costs, and thereby improve the gross profit margin of this business category.
Revenue generated from distribution of the right to use search engine marketing service provided by key search engines for the six and three months ended June 30, 2019 was approximately US$18.58 million and US$11.86 million, respectively, compared with approximately US$25.85 million and US$19.41 million, respectively. Customers use this third-party search engine marketing service to increasing exposure through attracting more visits to their websites and achieve higher sales lead conversion rate, through bidding selected effective key words on different search engines. As discussed in the above paragraph, in recent years, our customers turn to choose more economic and singular marketing channel with more direct feedbacks and results, e.g. search engine marketing service, given our penetration in the advertising industry, solid partnership relations with key search engines and relative large amount of purchase, we were able to offer our customers with search engine resource at relatively lower rate compared with the market, as a result, since fiscal 2017, our revenue from distribution of right to use search engine market service provided by key search engines contributed more than 70% of our total revenues for each of our reporting period. The decrease in our revenues from this business category in the second fiscal quarter of 2019, compared with that in the second fiscal quarter of 2018 was primarily due to that as compared with the same period last year, the key suppliers of ours tightened their credit policies to us, more working capital was required for the same volume of search engine resource compared with last year, on the other hand, our collection of the accounts receivables did not improve significantly compared with previous quarters, and the profitability of our core business and working capital available during the period were limited, all of which decrease the volume of search engine resource that we purchased and redistributed to our customers during the period, as compared with the same period last year. In response, we have started to require our customers to pay more in advances, further strengthen our account receivables management and actively negotiating with our key suppliers for more favorite credit policies. We expect the decrease in revenues from thisour Internet advertising and related services business category was temporary andsegment, as a result of the situation will improve inCOVID-19 outbreak during the second halffirst fiscal quarter of 2019.2020.

lRevenues from our core businesses, Internet advertising and distribution of the right to use search engine marketing service for the three months ended March 31, 2020 decreased significantly to US$0.95 million and US$1.99 million, respectively, compared with US$1.84 million and US$6.73 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019, respectively. The decreases were directly attributable to the COVID-19 outbreak during the first fiscal quarter of 2020 in China, which caused our operating offices, along with most of our customers and suppliers’ remain closed after the Chinese New Year holiday in February and March 2020, resulted from the epidemic control measures imposed by the local governments.

lFor the three months ended March 31, 2020, we generated an approximately US$0.30 million Internet advertising related data and technical service revenue from distribution of the right to access a data analysis and management system we purchased from a third party.

 

33lFor the three months ended March 31, 2020, we also generated an approximately US$0.50 million Ecommerce O2O advertising and marketing service revenues from distribution of the advertising spaces in outdoor billboards we purchased from a third party; and an approximately US$0.65 million revenue from providing E-commence website technical design service.

 

Cost of revenues

 

Our cost of revenues consisted of costs directly related to the offering of our online advertising, precision marketing and related data and technical services, and cost related to our TVEcommerce O2O advertising and marketing service. The following table sets forth our cost of revenues, disaggregated by type of services, by amount and gross profit ratio for the periods indicated, with inter-company transactions eliminated:

 

  Six Months Ended June 30,
  2019 2018
  (Amounts expressed in thousands of US dollars, except percentages)
  Revenue Cost GP ratio Revenue Cost GP ratio
             
-Internet advertising and data service $5,435   5,218   4% $4,834   4,207   13%
-Distribution of the right to use search engine marketing service  18,580   17,989   3%  25,848   24,966   3%
-Technical and other services  5   5   -   7   -   100%
Internet advertising and related data services  24,020   23,212   3%  30,689   29,173   5%
TV advertising service  -   -   -   91   38   58%
Total $24,020  $23,212   3% $30,780  $29,211   5%

  Three Months Ended June 30,
  2019 2018
  (Amounts expressed in thousands of US dollars, except percentages)
  Revenue Cost GP ratio Revenue Cost GP ratio
             
-Internet advertising and data service $3,598   3,484   3% $3,115   2,732   12%
-Distribution of the right to use search engine marketing service  11,855   11,598   2%  19,405   18,820   3%
-Technical and other services  -   5   -   -   -   - 
Internet advertising and related data services  15,453   15,087   2%  22,520   21,552   4%
TV advertising service  -   -   -   -   -   - 
Total $15,453  $15,087   2% $22,520  $21,552   4%
  Three Months Ended March 31,
  2020 2019
  (Amounts expressed in thousands of US dollars, except percentages)
  Revenue Cost GP ratio Revenue Cost GP ratio
             
-Internet advertising and related data service $948   834   12% $1,837   1,734   6%
-Distribution of the right to use search engine marketing service  1,988   2,011   -1%  6,725   6,391   5%
-Data and technical services  300   265   12%  5   -   100%
Internet advertising and related services  3,236   3,110   4%            
Ecommerce O2O advertising and marketing services  503   375   25%  -   -   - 
Technical solution services  645   -   100%  -   -   - 
Total $4,384  $3,485   21% $8,567  $8,125   5%

 

Cost of revenues: our total cost of revenues decreased to US$23.21 million and US$15.093.49 million for the six and three months ended June 30, 2019, respectively,March 31, 2020 from US$29.21 million and US$21.558.13 million for the six and three months ended June 30, 2018, respectively.March 31, 2019. Our cost of revenues primarily consists of search engine marketing resources purchased from key search engines, cost of outdoor advertising resource, license fee paid for providing date and technical services, purchased and other direct costs associated with providing theour services. The decrease in our total cost of revenues for the six and three months ended June 30, 2019March 31, 2020 was primarily due to the decrease in costs associated with distribution of the right to use search engine marketing service we purchased from key search engines and cost related to providing Internet advertising services on our ad portals, which was in line with the decrease in the related revenues as discussed above, which was partially offset by an increase in cost of online advertising placements service on our own ad portals, as a result of increase in the related service revenues and cost investments to maintain customer base and competitive advantage through improve the customers’ satisfaction of its ad placements on our own ad portals during the periods.above.

 

lCosts for internet advertising and data service primarily consist of cost of internet traffic flow and technical services we purchased from other portals and technical suppliers for obtaining effective sales lead generation to promote business opportunity advertisements placed on our own ad portals. For the three months ended March 31, 2020, our total cost of revenues for Internet advertising and data service decreased significantly to US$0.83 million from approximately US$1.73 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019, which was in line with the revenues decrease as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak during the period. The gross margin rate of our internet advertising and data service was 12% for the three months ended March 31, 2020, compared with 6% for the three months ended March 31, 2019. Along with our enhancement of data analysis capabilities and optimization of cost control mechanism, the gross profit margin of this business started to improve from the second half of 2019. However, as the business activities of this business for the three months ended March 31, 2020 was significantly affected by the COVID-19 outbreak during the period, the performance of this business for the three months ended March 31, 2020 in terms of revenue volume and related cost consumption may not be indicative for the full fiscal year or any future periods, or comparable to any historical reporting periods.

lCosts for search engine marketing service was direct search engine resource costs consumed for the right to use search engine marketing service we purchased from key search engines and distributed to our customers. We purchased these search engine resources from well-known search engines in China, for example, Baidu, Qihu 360 and Sohu (Sogou) etc. We purchased the resource in relatively large amounts under our own name at a relatively lower rate compared to the market. We charged our clients the actual cost they consumed on search engines for the use of this service and a premium at certain percentage of that actual consumed cost. For the three months ended March 31, 2020, our total cost of revenues for distribution of the right to use search engine marketing service decreased significantly to US$2.01 million from approximately US$6.39 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019, which was in line with the decrease in revenues as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak during the period. Gross margin rate of this service decreased to -1% for the three months ended March 31, 2020, as we had to sell the resource pre-purchased from key search engines with no profit to meet our working capital needs under the COVID-19 outbreak circumstance. As stated above, due to the COVID-19 outbreak impacts during the first fiscal quarter of 2020, the performance of this business for the three months ended March 31, 2020 in terms of revenue volume and related cost consumption may not be indicative for the full fiscal year or any future periods, or comparable to any historical reporting periods.
Costs for internet advertising and data service were primarily consist of cost of internet traffic flow and technical services we purchased from other portals and technical suppliers for obtaining effective sales lead generation to promote business opportunity advertisements placed on our own ad portals. For the six and three months ended June 30, 2019, our total cost of revenues for internet advertising and data service was approximately US$5.22 million and US$3.48 million, respectively, compared with approximately US$4.21 million and US$2.73 million for the six and three months ended June 30, 2018, respectively. The gross margin rate of our internet advertising and data service revenues decreased to 4% and 3%, respectively, for the six and three months ended June 30, 2019, compared with 13% and 12% for the six and three months ended June 30, 2018, respectively. As stated in previous quarters, the decrease in our gross margin rate of this business category was primarily due to the fact that in order to retain the customer base of our ad portals under the recent downturn economy environment in China and intense market competition in the internet ad industry with new interactive advertising channels as discussed in the revenue section above, we had to invest aggressively to obtain more valid and active sales lead generations for the improvement of the effectiveness and efficiency of ad placements for our customers.
lFor the three months ended March 31, 2020, cost for our Internet advertising related data and technical service revenue of approximately US$0.27 million was the amortized licensee fee for the use of the related data analysis and management system during the period.

 

34lFor the three months ended March 31, 2020, cost for our Ecommerce O2O advertising and marketing service revenues of approximately US$0.38 million was the amortized cost for the related outdoor billboards ad spaces we pre-purchased.

Costs for search engine marketing service was direct search engine resource costs consumed for the right to use search engine marketing service we purchased from key search engines and distributed to our customers. We purchased these search engine resources from well-known search engines in China, for example, Baidu, Qihu 360 and Sohu (Sogou) etc. The purchase of the resource in relatively large amounts under our own name allowed us to get it at a relatively low rate compared to the market. We charge our clients the actual cost they consumed on search engines for the use of this service and a premium at certain percentage of that actual consumed cost. Gross margin rates of this service for the six and three months ended June 30, 2019 was approximately 3% and 2%, respectively, compared with approximately 3% for both the six and three months ended June 30, 2018.

 

Gross Profit

 

As a result of the foregoing, our gross profit was approximately US$0.810.90 million and US$0.370.44 million for the six and three months ended June 30,March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, compared with approximately US$1.57 million and US$0.97 million for the six and three months ended June 30, 2018, respectively. Our overall gross margin decreased to 3%was 21% and 2%5% for the six and three months ended June 30,March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, compared with 5% and 4% forrespectively. As stated above, as the same periods last year, respectively. The decrease in our gross profit and overall gross margin rate were primarily due to (1) the decrease in gross profit marginbusiness activities of our internet advertising and data service, which was 4% and 3%core businesses for the six and three months ended June 30, 2019, respectively, compared with 13% and 12%March 31, 2020 were significantly affected by the COVID-19 outbreak during the period, our financial performance for the six and three months ended June 30, 2018;March 31, 2020 in terms of revenue streams, revenue volume and (2)related cost consumption may not be indicative for the decrease in sales volume from our distribution of the rightfull fiscal year or any future periods, or comparable to use search engine marketing service during the second fiscal quarter of 2019, as discussed above.any historical reporting periods.

 

Operating Expenses

 

Our operating expenses consist of sales and marketing expenses, general and administrative expenses and research and development expenses. The following tables set forth our operating expenses, divided into their major categories by amount and as a percentage of our total revenues for the periods indicated.

 

  Six Months Ended June 30,
  2019 2018
  (Amounts expressed in thousands of US dollars, except percentages)
  Amount % of total
revenue
 Amount % of total
revenue
         
Total Revenues $24,020   100% $30,780   100%
Gross Profit  808   3%  1,569   5%
Sales and marketing expenses  350   1%  844   3%
General and administrative expenses  2,058   9%  2,842   9%
Research and development expenses  360   2%  458   1%
Impairment on intangible assets  -   -   1,878   6%
Impairment on goodwill  -   -   5,412   18%
Total operating expenses $2,768   12% $11,434   37%

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 Three Months Ended June 30, Three Months Ended March 31,
 2019 2018 2020 2019
 (Amounts expressed in thousands of US dollars, except percentages) (Amounts expressed in thousands of US dollars, except percentages)
 Amount % of total
revenue
 Amount % of total
revenue
 Amount % of total revenue Amount % of total revenue
                
Total Revenues $15,453   100% $22,520   100% $4,384   100% $8,567   100%
Gross Profit  366   2%  968   4%  899   21%  442   5%
Sales and marketing expenses  181   1%  280   1%  165   4%  169   2%
General and administrative expenses  1,248   8%  1,478   7%  2,796   64%  810   10%
Research and development expenses  159   1%  240   1%  214   5%  201   2%
Impairment on intangible assets  -   -   1,878   8%
Impairment on goodwill  -   -   5,412   24%
Total operating expenses $1,588   10% $9,288   41% $3,175   73% $1,180   14%

 

Operating Expenses: Our total operating expenses was approximately US$2.773.18 million and US$1.591.18 million for the six and three months ended June 30,March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, compared with approximately US$11.43 million and US$9.29 millionrespectively. The increase was primarily attribute to the increase in share-based compensation expenses for the sixissuance of restricted shares to our employees under our 2015 Omnibus Securities and Incentive Plan during the three months ended June 30, 2018, respectively.March 31, 2020.

 

lSales and marketing expenses: Sales and marketing expenses decreased towas both US$0.35 million and US$0.180.17 million for the six and three months ended June 30, 2019, respectively, compared with approximately US$0.84 millionMarch 31, 2020 and US$0.28 million for the six and three months ended June 30, 2018, respectively.2019. Our sales and marketing expenses primarily consist of advertising expenses for brand development that we pay to different media outlets for the promotion and marketing of our advertising web portals and our services, other advertising and promotional expenses, staff salaries, staff benefits, performance bonuses, travelling expenses, communication expenses and other general office expenses of our sales department. Due to certain aspects of our business nature, the fluctuation of our sales and marketing expenses usually does not have a direct linear relationship with the fluctuation of our net revenues. For the sixthree months ended June 30, 2019,March 31, 2020, the decreasechanges in our sales and marketing expenses was primarily due to the following reasons: (1) general departmental expenses decreased by approximately US$0.13 million, due to the decreaseCOVID-19 outbreak during the first fiscal quarter of 2020 in advertisingChina, which caused our operating offices closure after the Chinese New Year holiday in February and March 2020, resulted from the epidemic control measures imposed by the local governments where we operate; and (2) the increase in share-based compensation expenses for our own brand development of approximately US$0.41 million;0.12 million, related to restricted shares granted and (2) the decrease in approximately US$0.08 million staff salary and benefit expenses and other general departmental expenses, as a result of cost reduction plan executed by management. For the three months ended June 30, 2019, the decrease inissued to our sales and marketing expenses was primarily due to decrease in staff salary and benefit expenses and other general departmental expenses, as a resultduring the first fiscal quarter of cost reduction plan executed by management.
2020.

lGeneral and administrative expenses: General and administrative expenses decreasedincreased to US$2.06 million and US$1.252.80 million for the six and three months ended June 30, 2019, respectively, compared withMarch 31, 2020 from US$2.84 million and US$1.480.81 million for the six and three months ended June 30, 2018, respectively.same period in 2019. Our general and administrative expenses primarily consist of salaries and benefits of management, accounting and administrative personnel, office rentals, depreciation of office equipment, allowance for doubtful accounts, professional service fees, maintenance, utilities and other office expenses. For the sixthree months ended June 30, 2019,March 31, 2020, the change in our general and administrative expenses was primarily due to the following reasons: (1) the decreaseincrease in general administrative expenses, such as: professional service expenses, salary and benefit expenses and other general officeshare-based compensation expenses of approximately US$0.551.55 million, due to cost reduction plan executed by management;restricted shares granted and issued in the first fiscal quarter of 2020; (2) the decreaseincrease in allowance for doubtful accounts of approximately US$0.330.22 million; and (3) the increase in share-based compensationprofessional service fees and intangible assets amortization expenses of approximately US$0.10 million. For the three months ended June 30, 2019, the change in our general and administrative expenses was primarily due to the following reasons: (1) the decrease in general administrative expenses, such as: professional service expenses, salary and benefit expenses and other general office expenses of approximately US$0.23 million, due to cost reduction plan executed by management; (2) the decrease in allowance for doubtful accounts of approximately US$0.05 million; and (3) the increase in share-based compensation expenses of approximately US$0.050.22 million.

 
lResearch and development expenses: Research and development expenses was approximatelywere US$0.360.21 million and US$0.160.20 million for the six and three months ended June 30,March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, compared with approximately US$0.46 million and US$0.24 million for the six and three months ended June 30, 2018, respectively. Our research and development expenses primarily consist of salaries and benefits of our research and development staff, equipment depreciation expenses, and office utilities and supplies allocated to our research and development department etc. The decreaseFor the three months ended March 31, 2020, the changes in our research and development expenses for the six and three months ended June 30, 2019, compared with that in the respectively same period last year, was primarily due to the cost reduction plan executedfollowing reasons: (1) general departmental expenses decreased by management.
Impairment on intangible assets: For the six and three months ended June 30, 2018, we recognized an approximately US$1.880.13 million, impairment loss on intangible assets,due to the same reason related to the COVID-19 outbreak as these intangible assets are not expecteddiscussed above; and (2) the increase in share-based compensation expenses of approximately US$0.15 million, related to be ablerestricted shares granted and issued to generate economic benefit forour R&D staff during the Company in future periods.first fiscal quarter of 2020.

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Impairment on goodwill: Due to decrease in overall gross profit margin and continued operating losses incurred from our internet advertising and data services reporting unit, we performed interim goodwill impairment test as of June 30, 2018. As a result, for the six and three months ended June 30, 2018, we recognized an approximately US$5.41 million impairment loss on goodwill, by comparing the fair value of the reporting unit with its carrying value.

 

Loss from operations: As a result of the foregoing, we incurred a loss from operations of approximately US$1.962.28 million and US$9.870.74 million for the six months ended June 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively. For the three months ended June 30, 2019 and 2018, we incurred a loss from operations of approximately US$1.22 million and US$8.32 million respectively.

Impairment on long-term investments: we recognized an approximately US$0.47 million other-than temporary impairment on our long-term investment to ChinaNet Chuang Tou for the six months ended June 30, 2018, representing the amount we expected not recoverable upon termination of the company.

Interest expense, net: For the six and three months ended June 30, 2019 and 2018, interest income was immaterial. For the six months ended June 30, 2019 and 2018, interest expense of both approximately US$0.02 million incurred, and for the three months ended June 30,March 31, 2020 and 2019, and 2018, interest expense of both approximately US$0.01 million incurred were all related to the short-term bank loans we borrowed from major financial institutions in the PRC to supplement our short-term working capital needs.respectively.

Change in fair value of warrant liabilities: we issued warrants in our Financing consummated in January 2018, which we determined that should be accounted for as derivative liabilities, as the warrants are dominated in a currency (U.S. dollar) other than our functional currency (Renminbi or Yuan). As a result, a gain of change in fair value of these warrant liabilities of approximately US$0.470.05 million and US$0.82 million werewas recorded for the six and three months ended June 30, 2019, respectively,March 31, 2020, compared with a gain of change in fair value of approximately US$0.95 million and a loss of change in fair value of these warrant liabilities of approximately US$0.530.35 million recorded for the six and three months ended June 30, 2018, respectively.March 31, 2019.

Loss before income tax (expense)/benefitexpense and noncontrolling interests: As a result of the foregoing, our loss before income tax (expense)/benefitexpense and noncontrolling interest was approximately US$1.522.23 million and US$9.44 million for the six months ended June 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively. our loss before income tax (expense)/benefit and noncontrolling interest was approximately US$0.42 million and US$8.861.10 million for the three months ended June 30,March 31, 2020 and 2019, and 2018, respectively.

 

Income Tax (expense)/benefit:expense: For the sixthree months ended June 30,March 31, 2020, we recognized an approximately US$0.08 million income tax expense in relation to net income generated by one of our operating subsidiaries for the period, which amount was partially offset by an approximately US$0.01 million income tax benefit recognized in relation to the net operating loss incurred by another operating VIE of ours for the period, which we consider likely to be utilized with respect to future earnings of this entity. For the three months ended March 31, 2019, we recognized an approximately US$6 thousand0.06 million income tax expense in relation to utilization of previously recognized deferred tax assets by one of our PRC operating VIEs for the period. For the three months ended June 30, 2019, we reversedperiod, which amount was partially offset by an approximately US$0.030.02 million income tax expensesbenefit recognized in relation to utilization of previously recognized deferred tax assets by one of our PRCthe net operating VIEs during the first fiscal quarter of 2019, due to further net loss incurred duringby another operating VIE of ours for the second fiscal quarterperiod, which we consider likely to be utilized with respect to future earnings of 2019, which resulted in a less amount of utilization of the previously recognized deferred tax assets. For the six and three months ended June 30, 2018, we recognized a deferred income tax expense of approximately US$0.69 million for both periods, which was primarily related to the additional deferred tax assets valuation allowance provided during the periods.this entity.

 

Net loss: As a result of the foregoing, for the sixthree months ended June 30,March 31, 2020 and 2019, and 2018, we incurred a total net loss of approximately US$1.522.31 million and US$10.12 million, respectively. For the three months ended June 30, 2019 and 2018, we incurred a total net loss of approximately US$0.38 million and US$9.551.14 million, respectively.

 

Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest: Beijing Chuang Fu Tian Xia was 51% owned by Business Opportunity Online upon incorporation until we purchased the remaining 49% equity interest in it in May 2018. In May 2018, we incorporated a new majority-owned subsidiary, Business Opportunity Chain and beneficially ownedowns 51% equity interest in it. For the six and three months ended June 30,March 31, 2020 and 2019, net loss allocated to the noncontrolling interest of Business Opportunity Chain was approximately US$5 thousandnil and US$3 thousand, respectively. For the six and three months ended June 30, 2018, net loss allocated to the noncontrolling interests of Beijing Chuang Fu Tian Xia and Business Opportunity Chain was approximately US$0.06 million and US$0.050.002 million, respectively.

 

Net loss attributable to ChinaNet Online Holdings, Inc.: Total net loss as adjusted by net loss attributable to the noncontrolling interest shareholders as discussed above yields the net loss attributable to ChinaNet Online Holdings, Inc. Net loss attributable to ChinaNet Online Holdings, Inc. was US$1.522.31 million and US$10.07 million for the six months ended June 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively. Net loss attributable to ChinaNet Online Holdings, Inc. was approximately US$0.38 million and US$9.501.14 million for the three months ended June 30,March 31, 2020 and 2019, and 2018, respectively.

37

B.       LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

 

Cash and cash equivalents represent cash on hand and deposits held at call with banks. We consider all highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less at the time of purchase to be cash equivalents. As of June 30, 2019,March 31, 2020, we had cash and cash equivalents of approximately US$1.41.56 million.

 

Our liquidity needs include (i) net cash used in operating activities that consists of (a) cash required to fund the initial build-out, continued expansion of our network and new services and (b) our working capital needs, which include deposits and advance payments forto search engine resource and other advertising resource providers, payment of our operating expenses and financing of our accounts receivable; and (ii) net cash used in investing activities that consist of the investment in software technologies to expand technologies related to our blockchain technology relatedexisting and future business activities, investment to enhance the functionality of our current advertising portals for providing advertising, marketing and data services and to secure the safety of our general network, and investment in other general office equipment.network. To date, we have financed our liquidity need primarily through proceeds we generated from financing activities.

 

As discussed in Note 3(b) to our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements, we expectthere is substantial doubt about our ability to consummate an approximately US$4.8 million PIPE transaction in August 2019.continue as a going concern within one year after the date that the financial statements are issued. We intend to improve our cashflow status through improving gross profit margin, strengthening receivables collection management, negotiating with vendors for more favorable payment terms and obtaining more credit facilities from banks or other form of financing.

 

The following table provides detailed information about our net cash flow for the periods indicated:

 

  Six Months Ended June 30,
  2019 2018
  Amounts in thousands of US dollars
     
Net cash used in operating activities $(2,325) $(4,321)
Net cash used in investing activities  (36)  (2,825)
Net cash provided by financing activities  -   9,306 
Effect of foreign currency exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash  23   (26)
Net (decrease)/increase in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash $(2,338) $2,134 
  Three Months Ended March 31,
  2020 2019
  Amounts in thousands of US dollars
     
Net cash provided by/(used in) operating activities $1,518  $(2,270)
Net cash used in investing activities  (1,117)  (36)
Net cash used in financing activities  (430)  - 
Effect of foreign currency exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents  (19)  47 
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents $(48) $(2,259)

 

Net cash provided by/(used inin) operating activities

 

For the sixthree months ended June 30, 2019,March 31, 2020, our net cash used inprovided by operating activities of approximately US$2.331.52 million were primarily attributable to:

 

(1)net loss excluding approximately US$0.050.21 million of non-cash expenses of depreciation and amortizations; approximately US$0.09 million amortization of operating lease right-of-use assets; approximately US$0.201.92 million share-based compensation; approximately US$0.460.41 million allowance for doubtful accounts; approximately US$0.470.05 million gain from change in fair value of warrant liabilities and approximately US$0.010.005 million deferred tax expense,benefit, yielded the non-cash items excluded net lossincome of approximately US$1.180.18 million.

(2)the receipt of cash from operations from changes in operating assets and liabilities such as:

-prepayment and deposit to suppliers decreased by approximately US$2.24 million, primarily due to utilization of the prepayment made to suppliers in fiscal 2019 through Ad resource and other services received from suppliers during the first fiscal quarter of 2020;

-advance from customers and a related party increased by approximately US$1.790.12 million, in the aggregate, primarily due to new advance payments received that related to unsatisfied service performance obligationsfrom customers during the first halffiscal quarter of 2019,2020, which was partially offset by recognition of revenue from opening contract liabilities during the period;

-due from related parties decreased by approximately US$0.230.03 million, primarily due to collection of US$0.2 millionadvertising service fee from an officer of our company and a portion of a related party loan of approximately US$0.03 million (Note 6);
parties;
-unpaid lease payments related to a short-term lease we entered into during the second fiscal quarter of 2019 increased by approximately US$0.12 million,

38

 

-taxes payableaccruals, tax payables, short-term lease payment payables and other current liabilities increased by approximately US$0.09 million;0.48 million in the aggregate, primarily due to temporary delay of some payments during the COVID-19 outbreak in the first fiscal quarter of 2020 and
some of the payments were not due until later periods.
-other current assets decreased by approximately US$0.01 million.

(3)offset by the use from operations from changes in operating assets and liabilities such as:

-accounts receivable increased by approximately US$0.870.26 million;

-accounts payable decreased by approximately US$2.150.15 million; and

-long-term prepayment increased by approximately US$1.13 million, which prepayment was made for the purchase of ad resource during the first fiscal quarter of 2020, and this amount was not expected to be consumed within one year of March 31, 2020.

For the three months ended March 31, 2019, our net cash used in operating activities of approximately US$2.27 million were primarily attributable to:

(1)net loss excluding approximately US$0.04 million of non-cash expenses of depreciation and amortizations; approximately US$0.08 million amortization of operating lease right-of-use assets; approximately US$0.10 million share-based compensation; approximately US$0.19 million allowance for doubtful accounts; approximately US$0.35 million loss from change in fair value of warrant liabilities and approximately US$0.04 million deferred tax expense, yielded the non-cash items excluded net loss of approximately US$0.34 million.

(2)the receipt of cash from operations from changes in operating assets and liabilities such as:

-advance from customers increased by approximately US$0.56 million, primarily due to new advance payments received from customers during the first fiscal quarter of 2019, which was partially offset by recognition of revenue from opening contract liabilities during the period;

-taxes payable increased by approximately US$0.07 million;

-other current assets decreased by approximately US$0.01 million;

-loan to a related party of the Company decreased by approximately US$0.03 million due to repayment received during the period; and

-prepayment to suppliers decreased by approximately US$0.02 million.

(3)offset by the use from operations from changes in operating assets and liabilities such as:

-accounts receivable increased by approximately US$0.55 million;

-accounts payable decreased by approximately US$1.83 million, due to settlement with major suppliers of search engine resource in the first halffiscal quarter of 2019;

-accruals and other current liabilities decreased by approximately US$0.270.23 million in the aggregate, due to settlement of these operational liabilities and payment for operating lease liabilities during the first halffiscal quarter of 2019;
and
-Prepayment and deposit to suppliers increased by approximately US$0.08 million; and

-we also prepaid approximately US$0.01 million lease payment during the period.

 

For the six months ended June 30, 2018, our net cash used in operating activities of approximately US$4.32 million were primarily attributable to:

(1)net loss excluding approximately US$0.43 million of non-cash expenses of depreciation and amortizations; approximately US$0.15 million share-based compensation; approximately US$0.79 million allowance for doubtful accounts; approximately US$0.47 million impairment on long-term investments; approximately US$1.88 million impairment on intangible assets; approximately US$5.41 million impairment on goodwill; approximately US$0.95 million gain from change in fair value of warrant liabilities and approximately US$0.69 million deferred tax expense, yielded the non-cash items excluded net loss of approximately US$1.25 million.
(2)the receipt of cash from operations from changes in operating assets and liabilities such as:
-deposit and prepayment to suppliers decreased by approximately US$1.50 million, primarily due to utilize the prepayments made in previous period and refund of contract deposit due to expiration/termination of supplier contracts.
(3)offset by the use from operations from changes in operating assets and liabilities such as:
-accounts receivable and due from related parties for advertising services provided increased by approximately US$0.23 million, primarily due to increase in search engine marketing and data service revenues during the period;
-accounts payable decreased by approximately US$1.40 million, due to subsequent settlement with the major suppliers during the period, which payments were temporarily delayed due to working capital deficit we suffered before our financing in January 2018;
-advance from customers decreased by approximately US$2.20 million, primarily due to recognizing revenues from beginning contract liabilities during the period;
-accruals and other payables decreased by approximately US$0.65 million, due to settlement of these operational liabilities after the financing in January 2018;
-other receivables increased by approximately US$0.02 million; and
-tax payables decreased by approximately US$0.08 million.

Net cash used in investing activities

 

For the sixthree months ended June 30,March 31, 2020, (1) we made an additional payment of approximately US$0.30 million for the development of our blockchain technology-based platform applications and (2) we lent to an unrelated third party a short-term loan of approximately US$0.82 million. In the aggregate, these transactions resulted in a cash outflow from investing activities of approximately US$1.12 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020.

For the three months ended March 31, 2019, we contributed our pro-rata share of cash investment of approximately US$0.04 million to an ownership investee company incorporated in October 2018, which transaction was recorded as a cash outflow from investing activities during the period.

39

For the six months ended June 30, 2018, (1) we paid approximately US$6 thousand for the purchase of general office equipment; (2) we lent an unrelated party short-term loan of approximately US$2.0 million during the first fiscal quarter of 2018 and another unrelated entity short-term loan of approximately US$0.11 million during the second fiscal quarter of 2018; (3) we collected the approximately US$2.67 million short-term loan lent to an unrelated entity in the third quarter of 2017, and in the second fiscal quarter of 2018, we also collected the approximately US$2.0 million short-term loan lent during the first fiscal quarter of 2018; (4) we paid approximately US$1.18 million for the acquisition of the 49% noncontrolling interest in a majority-owned subsidiary of ours; and (5) we prepaid approximately US$3.75 million in the aggregate, for the development of certain blockchain technology based applications, and paid approximately US$0.45 million to settle the remaining balance of an intangible assets purchased in the four fiscal quarter of 2016. In the aggregate, these transactions resulted in a net cash outflow from investing activities of approximately US$2.83 million for the six months ended June 30, 2018.

Net cash provided byused in financing activities

 

For the sixthree months ended June 30,March 31, 2020, we repaid an approximately US$0.43 million short-term bank loan matured in January 2020.

For the three months ended March 31, 2019, we repaid approximately US$0.440.45 million short-term bank loan matured in the first fiscal quarter of 2019, which we re-borrowed with the same amount during the same period.

 

For the six months ended June 30, 2018, (1) we consummated a registered direct offering of 2,150,001 shares of our common stock to certain institutional investors at a purchase price of $5.15 per share. We received net proceeds of approximately $10.26 million, after deduction of approximately US$0.81 million direct financing cost paid in cash; and (2) Due to termination of security purchase agreements in May 2016, we repaid our previous investors in the aggregate of approximately US$0.96 million guarantee payment and prepayment received upon entering the agreements during the first half of 2018. In the aggregate, these transactions resulted in a net cash inflow from financing activities of approximately US$9.31 million for the six months ended June 30, 2018.

Restricted Net Assets

 

As substantially all of our operations are conducted through our PRC subsidiaries and VIEs, our ability to pay dividends is primarily dependent on receiving distributions of funds from our PRC subsidiaries and VIEs. Relevant PRC statutory laws and regulations permit payments of dividends by our PRC subsidiaries and VIEs only out of their retained earnings, if any, as determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations and after it has met the PRC requirements for appropriation to statutory reserves. Paid in capital of the PRC subsidiaries and VIEs included in our consolidated net assets are also not distributable for dividend purposes.

 

In accordance with the PRC regulations on Enterprises with Foreign Investment, a WFOE established in the PRC is required to provide certain statutory reserves, namely general reserve fund, the enterprise expansion fund and staff welfare and bonus fund which are appropriated from net profit as reported in the enterprise’s PRC statutory accounts. A WFOE is required to allocate at least 10% of its annual after-tax profit to the general reserve until such reserve has reached 50% of its registered capital based on the enterprise’s PRC statutory accounts. Appropriations to the enterprise expansion fund and staff welfare and bonus fund are at the discretion of the board of directors. The aforementioned reserves can only be used for specific purposes and are not distributable as cash dividends. Rise King WFOE is subject to the above mandated restrictions on distributable profits. Additionally, in accordance with the Company Law of the PRC, a domestic enterprise is required to provide a statutory common reserve of at least 10% of its annual after-tax profit until such reserve has reached 50% of its registered capital based on the enterprise’s PRC statutory accounts. A domestic enterprise is also required to provide for a discretionary surplus reserve, at the discretion of the board of directors. The aforementioned reserves can only be used for specific purposes and are not distributable as cash dividends. All of our other PRC subsidiaries and PRC VIEs are subject to the above mandated restrictions on distributable profits.

 

As a result ofIn accordance with these PRC laws and regulations, our PRC subsidiaries and VIEs are restricted in their ability to transfer a portion of their net assets to us. As of June 30, 2019March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2018,2019, net assets restricted in the aggregate, which includes paid-in capital and statutory reserve funds of our PRC subsidiaries and VIEs that are included in our consolidated net assets were both approximately US$12.0 million.

 

The current PRC Enterprise Income Tax (“EIT”) Law also imposedimposes a 10% withholding income tax for dividends distributed by a foreign invested enterprise to its immediate holding company outside China, which were exempted under the previous EIT law. A lower withholding tax rate will be applied if there is a tax treaty arrangement between mainland China and the jurisdiction of the foreign holding company. Holding companies in Hong Kong, for example, will be subject to a 5% rate, subject to approval from the related PRC tax authorities.

 

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The ability of our PRC subsidiaries to make dividends and other payments to us may also be restricted by changes in applicable foreign exchange and other laws and regulations.

 

Foreign currency exchange regulation in China is primarily governed by the following rules:

 

lForeign Exchange Administration Rules (1996), as amended in August 2008, or the Exchange Rules;

lAdministration Rules of the Settlement, Sale and Payment of Foreign Exchange (1996), or the Administration Rules.
Administration Rules of the Settlement, Sale and Payment of Foreign Exchange (1996), or the Administration Rules.

 

Currently, under the Administration Rules, Renminbi is freely convertible for current account items, including the distribution of dividends, interest payments, trade and service related foreign exchange transactions, but not for capital account items, such as direct investments, loans, repatriation of investments and investments in securities outside of China, unless the prior approval of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (the “SAFE”) is obtained and prior registration with the SAFE is made. Foreign-invested enterprises like Rise King WFOE that need foreign exchange for the distribution of profits to its shareholders may effect payment from their foreign exchange accounts or purchase and pay foreign exchange rates at the designated foreign exchange banks to their foreign shareholders by producing board resolutions for such profit distribution. Based on their needs, foreign-invested enterprises are permitted to open foreign exchange settlement accounts for current account receipts and payments of foreign exchange along with specialized accounts for capital account receipts and payments of foreign exchange at certain designated foreign exchange banks.


Although the current Exchange Rules allow the convertibilityconverting of Renminbi into foreign currency for current account items, conversion of Renminbi into foreign exchange for capital items, such as foreign direct investment, loans or securities, requires the approval of SAFE, which is under the authority of the People’s Bank of China. These approvals, however, do not guarantee the availability of foreign currency conversion. We cannot be sure that it will be able to obtain all required conversion approvals for our operations or the Chinese regulatory authorities will not impose greater restrictions on the convertibility of Renminbi in the future. Currently, most of our retained earnings are generated in Renminbi. Any future restrictions on currency exchanges may limit our ability to use retained earnings generated in Renminbi to make dividends or other payments in U.S. dollars or fund possible business activities outside China.

 

C.       OFF-BALANCE SHEET ARRANGEMENTS

 

None.

 

Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

 

Not applicable to smaller reporting companies.

 

Item 4. Controls and Procedures

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

 

Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our principal executive officer and principal accounting and financial officer, we conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2019,March 31, 2020, as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act. Based on this evaluation, our principal executive officer and principal financial officer have concluded that during the period covered by this report, the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of such date to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us in our Exchange Act reports is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

 

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Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

 

On July 8, 2019, Zhige Zhang resigned as the Company’s Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Zhang’s resignation did not result from any disagreement with the Company. On that same day, Mark Li was appointed as the Company’s new Chief Financial Officer. Other than this change, thereThere was no change in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the secondfirst fiscal quarter of 20192020 covered by this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

 

PART II.  OTHER INFORMATION

 

Item 1.  Legal Proceedings

 

We are currently not a party to any legal or administrative proceedings and are not aware of any pending or threatened legal or administrative proceedings against us in all material aspects. We may from time to time become a party to various legal or administrative proceedings arising in the ordinary course of our business.

 

Item 1A. Risk Factors

 

This information has been omitted based on the Company’s status as a smaller reporting company.

 

Item 2.  Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds

 

None.


Item 3.  Defaults Upon Senior Securities

 

None.

 

Item 4.  Mine Safety Disclosures

 

None.Not applicable.

 

Item 5.  Other Information

 

None.

 

 

 

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Item 6.  Exhibits

 

The exhibits listed on the Exhibit Index below are provided as part of this report.

Exhibit No. Document Description
31.1 Certification of the Principal Executive Officer pursuant to Rule 13A-14(A)/15D-14(A) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
   
31.2 Certification of the Principal Accounting and Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13A-14(A)/15D-14(A) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
   
32.1 Certification of the Principal Executive Officer and of the Principal Accounting and Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1350 (Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002).
   
101 Interactive Data Files

 

 

 

 

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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

 CHINANET ONLINE HOLDINGS, INC.
   
Date: August 19, 2019June 29, 2020By:/s/ Handong Cheng
 

 

Name: Handong Cheng

 

Title: Chief Executive Officer

(Principal Executive Officer)

 

By:

/s/ Mark Li

 Name: Mark Li
 

Title: Chief Financial Officer

(Principal Accounting and Financial Officer)

 

 

 

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