As filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on September 30, 2024.
Registration No. 333-[•]
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
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FORM F-1
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
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Zhibao Technology Inc.
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
Not Applicable
(Translation of Registrant’s name into English)
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Cayman Islands | 6411 | Not Applicable | ||
(State or other jurisdiction of | (Primary Standard Industrial | (I.R.S. Employer |
Floor 3, Building 6, Wuxing Road, Lane 727
Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201204
Tel: +86 (21) -5089-6502
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of Registrant’s principal executive office)
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Puglisi & Associates
850 Library Avenue, Suite 204
Newark, DE 19711
Tel: (302) 738-6680
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
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Copies to:
Richard I. Anslow, Esq.
Lijia Sanchez, Esq.
Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP
1345 Avenue of the Americas, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10105
Tel: (212) 370-1300
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Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after this registration statement becomes effective.
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box. ☒
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933.
Emerging growth company ☒
If an emerging growth company that prepares its financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards† provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐
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† The term “new or revised financial accounting standard” refers to any update issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board to its Accounting Standards Codification after April 5, 2012.
The Registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or until the registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
The information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. The Selling Shareholder named in this prospectus may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and the Selling Shareholder is not soliciting offers to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS | Subject to Completion, DATED September 30, 2024 |
Up to 3,282,563 Class A Ordinary Shares
Issuable upon Conversion of a Senior Secured Convertible Promissory Note
Up to 74,451 Class A Ordinary Shares
Issuable upon Exercise of a Warrant
Up to 984,769 Class A Ordinary Shares
Issuable upon Exercise of a Pre-Funded Warrant
Zhibao Technology Inc.
This prospectus relates to the resale, from time to time, by an institutional investor (the “Investor” or “Selling Shareholder”) identified in this prospectus under the caption “Selling Shareholder,” of (i) an aggregate of up to 3,282,563 Class A ordinary shares, par value $$0.0001 per share of Zhibao Technology Inc., which the Investor may acquire upon the full conversion of a senior secured 10% original issue discount convertible promissory note (the “Note”), (ii) an aggregate of up to 74,451 Class A ordinary shares, which the Investor may acquire upon the exercise of the outstanding warrants (each a “Common Warrant,” and collectively, the “Common Warrants”), and (iii) an aggregate of up to 984,769 Class A ordinary shares, which the Investor may acquire upon the exercise of the pre-funded warrant (each a “Pre-Funded Warrant,” and collectively, the “Pre-Funded Warrants,” together with the Common Warrants, the “Warrants”), exercisable only upon the occurrence of an Event of Default (as defined in the Note). We issued the Note and the Warrants to the Selling Shareholder in a private placement offering (the “Private Placement”), pursuant to the terms and condition of a securities purchase agreement, dated as of September 23, 2024, by and between the Company and the Investor (the “Securities Purchase Agreement”), where EF Hutton LLC acted as the sole placement agent in the Private Placement.
We are not selling any securities under this prospectus, and we will not receive proceeds from the sale of our Class A ordinary shares by the Selling Shareholder. However, we may receive proceeds from the cash exercise of the Common Warrants, which, if exercised in cash at the current applicable exercise price of $4.71 per share with respect to all of the 74,451 Class A ordinary shares, would result in gross proceeds to us of approximately $350,664.21. See “Use of Proceeds” beginning on page 64 and “Plan of Distribution” beginning on page 69 of this prospectus for more information.
We will pay the expenses of registering the Class A ordinary shares offered by this prospectus, but all selling and other expenses incurred by the Selling Shareholder will be paid by the Selling Shareholder. The Selling Shareholder may sell our Class A ordinary shares offered by this prospectus from time to time on terms to be determined at the time of sale through ordinary brokerage transactions or through any other means described in this prospectus under “Plan of Distribution.” The prices at which the Selling Shareholder may sell shares will be determined by the prevailing market price for our Class A ordinary shares or in negotiated transactions.
Our Class A ordinary shares are traded on the Nasdaq Capital Market, or Nasdaq, under the symbol “ZBAO.” On September 26, 2024, the last reported sale price for our Class A ordinary shares was $3.60 per share.
We are both an “emerging growth company” and a “foreign private issuer” as defined under the U.S. federal securities laws and, as such, may elect to comply with certain reduced public company reporting requirements for this and future filings. We are also a “controlled company” under the Nasdaq Rules. See “Prospectus Summary — Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company”, “Prospectus Summary — Implications of Being a Foreign Private Issuer” and “Prospectus Summary — Implications of Being a Controlled Company.”
We currently have two classes of ordinary shares outstanding: Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares. The rights of the holders of our Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares are identical, except with respect to voting and conversion. Each Class A ordinary share is entitled to one vote and each Class B ordinary share is entitled to twenty votes. Each Class B ordinary share is convertible into one Class A ordinary share at the option of the holder of
such Class B ordinary share at any time, but Class A ordinary shares shall not be convertible into Class B ordinary shares under any circumstances. Upon any transfer of Class B ordinary shares by a holder to any person or entity other than holders of Class B ordinary shares or their affiliates, such Class B ordinary shares shall be automatically and immediately converted into the equivalent number of Class A ordinary shares. Holders of Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares will vote together as a single class on all matters submitted to vote of our shareholders, unless otherwise required by law or our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association.
We may rely on dividends and other distributions on equity paid by our PRC Subsidiaries for our cash and financing requirements and we expect that our distribution of earnings or settlement of amounts owed will be done through our PRC Subsidiaries. If any of our PRC Subsidiaries incurs debt on its own behalf in the future, the instruments governing such debt may restrict its ability to pay dividends to us. For a description of factors that may affect the ability of our PRC subsidiaries to transfer cash or assets to us, see” Prospectus Summary — Dividend and Other Distributions or Assets Transfer among Zhibao and Its Subsidiaries” on page 10. See “Risk Factors — Risks Related to Doing Business in China — We may rely on dividends and other distributions on equity paid by our PRC Subsidiaries to fund any cash and financing requirements we may have, and the PRC Subsidiaries’ restrictions on paying dividends or making other payments to us could restrict our ability to satisfy our liquidity requirements and have a material and adverse effect on our ability to conduct our business” on page 35.
Investors are cautioned that we are not a PRC operating company but a Cayman Islands holding company with operations conducted by our PRC Subsidiaries in China, and that you are purchasing shares of Zhibao, a Cayman Islands holding company instead of purchasing equity securities of our PRC Subsidiaries that have business operations in China and you may never hold any equity interests in our PRC Subsidiaries in China. We control and receive the economic benefits of our PRC Subsidiaries’ business operation, if any, through equity ownership. We do not have, nor had we ever, have a variable interest entity (“VIE”) structure. Our corporate structure, i.e., a Cayman Islands holding company with operations conducted by our PRC Subsidiaries, involves unique risks to investors. The PRC regulatory authorities could disallow this structure, which would likely result in a material change in our operations and/or a material change in the value of the securities we are registering for sale, including a significant decline in the value of such securities or such securities becoming worthless.
Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Before buying any Class A ordinary shares, you should carefully read the discussion of the material risks of investing in our Class A ordinary shares under the heading “Risk Factors” beginning on page 21 of this prospectus.
There are significant legal and operational risks associated with having operating structure as a Cayman Islands holding company with substantially all of operations conducted by our PRC Subsidiaries in China, including changes in the legal, political and economic policies of the PRC government, the relations between China and the United States, or Chinese or United States regulations, which risks could result in a material change in our operations and/or the value of the securities we are registering for sale, or could significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to continue to offer securities to investors and cause the value of such securities to significantly decline or be worthless. Given the PRC government’s authority, oversight may also extend to Zhibao Technology Limited (“Zhibao HK”), our Hong Kong subsidiary, and the legal and operational risks associated with operating in mainland China could also apply to Zhibao HK. Hong Kong is a special administrative region of the PRC and the basic policies of the PRC regarding Hong Kong are reflected in the Basic Law, namely, Hong Kong’s constitutional document, which provides Hong Kong with a high degree of autonomy and executive, legislative and independent judicial powers, including that of final adjudication under the principle of “one country, two systems”. We cannot assure you that there will not be any changes in the economic, political and legal environment in Hong Kong. We may be subject to uncertainty about any future actions of the PRC government and is possible that most of the legal and operational risks associated with operating in the PRC may also apply to the PRC operating entities’ operations in Hong Kong if they conduct business in Hong Kong in the future. The PRC government may intervene or influence the PRC operating entities’ future operations in Hong Kong at any time and exert more influence over the manner in which the PRC operating entities must conduct their business activities. Such government actions, if and when they occur, could result in a material change in their future operations in Hong Kong. As of the date of this prospectus, our Hong Kong subsidiary is only a holding company with no business operations since its incorporation in Hong Kong, and we believe the Hong Kong Laws and ordinances have no impact on our ability to conduct our business through our PRC Subsidiaries, accept foreign investment or listing on an U.S. exchange. For a description of our corporate structure as well as related risks, see “Corporate History and Structure” beginning on page 73, “Risk Factors — The PRC government exerts substantial influence over the manner in which we conduct our business activities. The PRC government may also
intervene or influence our operations and this offering at any time, which could result in a material change in our operations and our Class A ordinary shares could decline in value or become worthless” beginning on page 27, and “Risk Factors — Within our direct holding structure, substantial uncertainties exist with respect to the requirement of National Financial Regulatory Administration and how it may impact the viability of our current corporate structure, corporate governance and business operations” on page 41.
We are both an “emerging growth company” and a “foreign private issuer” as defined under the U.S. federal securities laws and, as such, may elect to comply with certain reduced public company reporting requirements for this and future filings. We are also a “controlled company” under the Nasdaq Rules. See “Prospectus Summary — Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company”, “Prospectus Summary — Implications of Being a Foreign Private Issuer” and “Prospectus Summary — Implications of Being a Controlled Company.”
Our officers and directors have significant influence over the Company due to their significant shareholding in the Company. Mr. Botao Ma, our Chairman of the board of directors and our Chief Executive Officer beneficially holding 16,579,977 Class B ordinary shares, beneficially own approximately 52.60% of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares (including Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares) and is able to exercise approximately 94.47% of the total voting power of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares. For more information regarding Mr. Ma’s beneficial ownership, see “Principal Shareholders” and “Risk Factors — Risks Related to Offering and Ownership of Class A Ordinary Shares — Our Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the board of directors, Mr. Botao Ma, has a significant influence over our company. His interests may not be aligned with the interests of our other shareholders and he could prevent or cause a change of control or other transactions, which may cause a material decline in the value of our Class A ordinary shares” on page 54. As a result of Mr. Ma’s significant ownership, we may be deemed a “controlled company” under Nasdaq Rules. However, we do not intend to avail ourselves of the corporate governance exemptions offered to a “controlled company” under the Nasdaq Rules. See “Prospectus Summary — Implications of Being a Controlled Company.”
On December 28, 2021, the Cybersecurity Review Measures (2021 version) was promulgated and became effective on February 15, 2022, which iterates that any “online platform operators” possessing personal information of more than one million users which seeks to list in a foreign stock exchange should be subject to cybersecurity review. The Cybersecurity Review Measures (2021 version), further elaborates the factors to be considered when assessing the national security risks of the relevant activities, including, among others, (i) the risk of core data, important data or a large amount of personal information being stolen, leaked, destroyed, and illegally used or exited the country; and (ii) the risk of critical information infrastructure, core data, important data or a large amount of personal information being affected, controlled, or maliciously used by foreign governments after listing abroad. The Cyberspace Administration of China (“CAC”) requires that under the new rules, companies possessing personal information of more than 1,000,000 users must now apply for cybersecurity approval when seeking listings in other nations because of the risk that such data and personal information could be “affected, controlled, and maliciously exploited by foreign governments.” The cybersecurity review will also look into the potential national security risks from overseas IPOs. As a network platform operator who possesses personal information of more than one million users for purposes of the Cybersecurity Review Measures (2021 version), we have applied for and completed a cybersecurity review with respect to our initial public offering closed on April 3, 2024 (the “IPO”) and we are not required to do the cybersecurity review for this offering, pursuant to the Cybersecurity Review Measures (2021 version). See “Risk Factors — Risks Related to Doing Business in China — Uncertainties in the interpretation and enforcement of PRC laws and regulations could limit the legal protections available to you and us” beginning on page 24 and “Risk Factors — Risks Related to Doing Business in China — Our business processes a certain quantity of personal information, and failure to protect private or sensitive information of customers or improper handling of such information could have a material and adverse effect on our business. In light of recent events indicating greater oversight by the Cyberspace Administration of China, or CAC, over data security, we are subject to a variety of laws and other obligations regarding cybersecurity and data protection, and any failure to comply with applicable laws and obligations could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and the offering” beginning on page 27.
On February 17, 2023, the China Securities Regulatory Commission (the “CSRC”) released the Trial Administrative Measures of Overseas Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies (the “Trial Measures”) with five interpretive guidelines (together with the New Overseas Listing Rules, collectively, the “New Overseas Listing Rules”), which came into effect on March 31, 2023. The New Overseas Listing Rules apply to overseas securities offerings and/or listings conducted by (i) companies incorporated in the PRC, or PRC domestic companies, directly and (ii) companies incorporated overseas with operations primarily in the PRC and valued on the basis of
interests in PRC domestic companies, or indirect offerings. Under the New Overseas Listing Rules, a filing-based regulatory system applies to “indirect overseas offerings and listings” of companies in mainland China, which refers to securities offerings and listings in an overseas market made under the name of an offshore entity but based on the underlying equity, assets, earnings or other similar rights of a company in mainland China that operates its main business in mainland China. The New Overseas Listing Rules state that, any post-listing follow-on offering by an issuer in an overseas market, including issuance of shares, convertible notes, exchangeable notes and preferred shares, shall be subject to filing requirement within three business days after the completion of the offering. Additionally, if we do not obtain the permissions and approvals of the filing procedure for any subsequent offering in a timely manner under PRC laws and regulations, we may be subject to investigations by competent PRC regulators, fines or penalties, ordered to suspend our relevant operations and rectify any non-compliance, prohibited from engaging in relevant business or conducting any offering, and these risks could result in a material adverse change in our operations, limit our ability to continue to offer securities to investors, or cause such securities to significantly decline in value or become worthless. Based on our understanding of the rules, we are required to submit the filing report to the CSRC within three business days upon the first closing of the transactions contemplated under the Securities Purchase Agreements and report share issuance status to the CSRC upon completion of all subsequent closings. On September 26, 2024, we made the initial CSRC Filing with the CSRC and will report share issuance status to the CSRC upon completion of all subsequent closings in compliance with New Overseas Listing Rules. It is uncertain whether such filing can be completed or how long it will take to complete such filing. Any delay in completing such filing procedures might affect the other filing procedures with respect to other applicable circumstances, under the New Overseas Listing Rules in the future, such as the secondary listing, primary listing, spin-off listing and making overseas offering and listing anew after being delisted from an overseas exchange, which might affect our future public market financings and capital market transactions. To date, there are uncertainties in the interpretation and enforcement of these new laws and guidelines, which could materially and adversely impact our business and financial outlook and may impact our ability to accept foreign investments, or continue to list on a U.S. or other foreign exchange. See “Risks Related to Doing Business in China — The CSRC released the New Overseas Listing Rules for China-based companies seeking to conduct overseas offering and listing in foreign markets, effective as of March 31, 2023. Under the New Overseas Listing Rules, the PRC government exerts more oversight and control over offerings that are conducted overseas and foreign investment in China-based issuers, which could significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to continue to offer our Class A ordinary shares to investors and could cause the value of our Class A ordinary shares to significantly decline or such shares to become worthless” beginning on page 37 for a description of the New Overseas Listing Rules and how they may impact our company and this offering.
Furthermore, as more stringent criteria have been imposed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (the “PCAOB”) recently, trading in our Class A ordinary shares may be prohibited if the PCAOB determines that it cannot completely inspect or investigate our auditor, and as a result Nasdaq may determine to delist our Class A ordinary shares. Pursuant to the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act (the “HFCA Act”), if the PCAOB is unable to inspect an issuer’s auditors for three consecutive years, the issuer’s securities are prohibited to trade on a U.S. stock exchange. On December 16, 2021, the PCAOB issued its determination that the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely PCAOB-registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and in Hong Kong, because of positions taken by PRC authorities in those jurisdictions, and the PCAOB included in the report of its determination a list of the accounting firms that are headquartered in mainland China or Hong Kong. On August 26, 2022, the “CSRC, the Ministry of Finance of the PRC (the “MOF”), and the PCAOB signed a Statement of Protocol (the “Protocol”) to allow the PCAOB to inspect and investigate completely registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong, consistent with the HFCA Act, and the PCAOB will be required to reassess its determinations by the end of 2022. Pursuant to the fact sheet with respect to the Protocol disclosed by the SEC, the PCAOB shall have independent discretion to select any issuer audits for inspection or investigation and has the unfettered ability to transfer information to the SEC. On December 15, 2022, the PCAOB announced that it was able to secure complete access to inspect and investigate PCAOB-registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong completely. On December 29, 2022, the Accelerating Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act was enacted, which amended the HFCA Act by decreasing the number of non-inspection years from three years to two, thus reducing the time period before our Class A ordinary shares may be prohibited from trading or delisted. Our auditor, Marcum Asia CPAs LLP, the headquarter of which is based in New York, is currently subject to inspection by the PCAOB at least every three years. Therefore, it is not subject to the determinations announced by the PCAOB on December 16, 2021 as it is not on the list published by the PCAOB. However, our auditor’s China affiliate is located in, and organized under the laws of the PRC. We cannot assure you that we will not be identified by the SEC under the HFCA Act as an issuer
that has retained an auditor that has a branch or office located in a foreign jurisdiction that the PCAOB determines it is unable to inspect or investigate completely because of a position taken by an authority in that foreign jurisdiction. In the event the PRC authorities would further strengthen regulations over auditing work of the PRC companies listed on the U.S. stock exchanges, which would prohibit our current auditor to perform work in China, then we would need to change our auditor and the audit workpapers prepared by our new auditor may not be inspected by the PCAOB without the approval of the PRC authorities, in which case the PCAOB may not be able to fully evaluate the audit or the auditors’ quality control procedures. In addition, there can be no assurance that, if we have a “non-inspection” year, we will be able to take any remedial measures. If any such event were to occur, trading in our securities could in the future be prohibited under the HFCA Act and, as a result, we cannot assure you that we will be able to maintain the listing of our Class A ordinary shares on Nasdaq or that you will be allowed to trade our Class A ordinary shares in the United States on the “over-the-counter” markets or otherwise. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event it is later determined that the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely our auditor, then such lack of inspection could cause our securities to be delisted from the stock exchange. See “Risk Factors — Risks Related to Doing Business in China — Our Class A ordinary shares may be delisted under the HFCA Act if the PRC adopts positions at any time in the future that would prevent the PCAOB from continuing to inspect or investigate completely accounting firms headquartered in mainland China or Hong Kong. The delisting of our Class A ordinary shares, or the threat of their being delisted, may materially and adversely affect the value of your investment. Furthermore, the U.S. Senate passed the Accelerating Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, which amends the HFCA Act and requires the SEC to prohibit an issuer’s securities from trading on any U.S. stock exchanges if its auditor is not subject to PCAOB inspections for two consecutive years instead of three, thus reducing the time before our Class A ordinary shares may be prohibited from trading or delisted. The HFCA Act, the Accelerating Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, which amends the HFCA Act, together with recent joint statement by the SEC and PCAOB, the PCAOB’s determinations, and the Nasdaq rule changes all call for additional and more stringent criteria to be applied to emerging market companies upon assessing the qualification of their auditors, especially the non-U.S. auditors who are not inspected by the PCAOB. These developments add uncertainties to our offering.” beginning on page 21 of this prospectus.
Neither the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense. The securities are not being offered in any jurisdiction where the offer is not permitted.
The date of this prospectus is [ ], 2024.
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F-1 |
This prospectus contains forward-looking statements that are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. See “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”
i
Unless otherwise indicated, in this prospectus, the following terms shall have the meaning set out below:
“BVI” | British Virgin Islands. | |
“China” or the “PRC” | The People’s Republic of China, including Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau, and the term “Chinese” has a correlative meaning for the purposes of this prospectus only, unless the context otherwise indicates. The references to laws and regulations of “China” or the “PRC” are only to such laws and regulations of mainland China, excluding, for the purpose of this prospectus only, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau. | |
“Code” | The Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. | |
“Class A ordinary shares” | Class A ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, of Zhibao Technology Inc. | |
“Class B ordinary shares” | Class B ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, of Zhibao Technology Inc. | |
“Common Warrants” | Refers to the Class A ordinary shares warrants issued by the Company to the Investor on September 23, 2024. | |
“Exchange Act” | Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. | |
“Hong Kong” | The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China. | |
“Investor” or “Selling Shareholder” | Refer to L1 Capital Global Opportunities Master Fund. | |
“Macau” | The Macao Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China. | |
“mainland China” | The People’s Republic of Mainland China, excluding Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau for the purpose of this prospectus. | |
“Nasdaq” | Nasdaq Capital Market. | |
“Note” | Refers to the senior secured 10% original issue discount convertible note in the principal amount of up to $2,500,000 issued by the Company to the Investor on September 23, 2024. | |
“ODI Filings” | The formalities and filings of overseas direct investment of PRC enterprises, including but not limited to fulfilling the filing, approval or registration procedures in the development and reform authorities, the competent commercial authorities, and foreign exchange administration authorities and competent banks authorized by such authorities. | |
“ordinary shares” | Ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, of Zhibao Technology Inc., including Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares. | |
“PCAOB” | Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. | |
“PRC Subsidiaries” or “Zhibao China Group” | All references to “PRC Subsidiaries” or “Zhibao China Group” are to Zhibao China, Shanghai Anyi, Sunshine Insurance Brokers, and Zhibao Health. | |
“Pre-Funded Warrants” | Refers to the pre-funded class A ordinary shares purchase warrants issued by the Company to the Investor on September 23, 2024. | |
“RMB”, “Chinese Yuan” or “Renminbi” | Legal currency of mainland China. | |
“SEC” | The United States Securities and Exchange Commission. |
ii
“Securities Act” | The Securities Act of 1933, as amended. | |
“Shanghai Anyi” | Shanghai Anyi Network Technology Co., Ltd., a limited liability company organized under the laws of China and a wholly-owned subsidiary of WFOE. | |
“Securities Purchase Agreement” | Refers to the securities purchase agreement, dated as of September 23, 2024, entered into by and between the Company and the Investor | |
“Sunshine Insurance Brokers” | Sunshine Insurance Brokers (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., a limited liability company organized under the laws of China and a wholly-owned subsidiary of WFOE. | |
“US”, “U.S.” or “USA” | The United States of America. | |
“US$,” “U.S. dollars,” “$,” or “dollars” | Legal currency of the United States. | |
“WFOE” or “Zhibao China” | Zhibao Technology Co., Ltd., previously known as Shanghai Julai Investment Management Co., Ltd. and Zhibao Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., successively, a limited liability company organized under the laws of China, which is wholly-owned by Zhibao HK. | |
“Zhibao,” “our company,” “Company,” “we,” “us,” “our,” or “ourselves” | All references to “Zhibao,” “our company,” “Company,” “we,” “us,” “our,” “ourselves” or similar terms used in this prospectus are to Zhibao Technology Inc., an exempted company incorporated with limited liability under the laws of Cayman Islands, unless the context otherwise indicates. | |
“Zhibao BVI” | Zhibao Technology Holdings Limited, a limited company incorporated under the laws of British Virgin Islands and a wholly owned subsidiary of Zhibao. | |
“Zhibao HK” | Zhibao Technology Limited, a limited company organized under the laws of Hong Kong and a wholly owned subsidiary of Zhibao BVI. | |
“Zhibao Health” | Shanghai Zhibao Health Management Co., Ltd., a limited liability company organized under the laws of China and a wholly-owned subsidiary of WFOE. |
Our reporting currency is the US$. The functional currency of our PRC Subsidiaries is RMB. This prospectus contains conversion of certain RMB amounts into U.S. dollar amounts at specified rates solely for the convenience of the reader. The conversion of RMB into U.S. dollars in this prospectus is based on the exchange rate set forth in the H.10 statistical release of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. Unless otherwise noted, all translations from RMB to U.S. dollars and from U.S. dollars to RMB in this prospectus are made at the rate of RMB 7.0999 to US$1.00, the rate in effect as of December 29, 2023. Notwithstanding the foregoing, we make no representation that any RMB or U.S. dollar amounts could have been, or could be, converted into U.S. dollars or RMB, as the case may be, at any particular rate, or at all. The PRC government imposes control over its foreign currency reserves in part through direct regulation of the conversion of RMB into foreign exchange.
Numerical figures included in this prospectus may be subject to rounding adjustments. Accordingly, numerical figures shown as totals in various tables may not be arithmetic aggregations of the figures that precede them.
For the sake of clarity, this prospectus follows the English naming convention of first name followed by last name, regardless of whether an individual’s name is Chinese or English. For example, the name of our Chairman is presented as “Botao Ma”, even though, in Chinese, Mr. Ma’s name is presented as “Ma Botao”.
Our fiscal year end is June 30. References to a particular “fiscal year” are to our fiscal year ended June 30 of that calendar year. References to a particular “year” are also to our fiscal year ended June 30 of that calendar year unless the text indicates otherwise. Our audited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (the “U.S. GAAP”).
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Except where indicated or where the context otherwise requires, all information in this prospectus assumes no exercise by the underwriters of their over-allotment option.
We obtained the industry, market and competitive position data in this prospectus from our own internal estimates, surveys, and research as well as from publicly available information, industry and general publications and research, surveys and studies conducted by third parties, including, but not limited to, an industry report (“Frost & Sullivan Report”) issued in June 2021 and updated in February 2023 that was commissioned by us and prepared by Frost & Sullivan, a third-party industry research firm, to provide information regarding our industry and market position in China. The information disclosed in the Frost & Sullivan Report reflects estimates of market conditions based on publicly available sources and trade opinion surveys, and is prepared primarily as a market research tool. Industry publications, research, surveys, studies and forecasts generally state that the information they contain has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but that the accuracy and completeness of such information is not guaranteed. Forecasts and other forward-looking information obtained from these sources are subject to the same qualifications and uncertainties as the other forward-looking statements in this prospectus, and to risks due to a variety of factors, including those described under “Risk Factors.” These and other factors could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in these forecasts and other forward-looking information.
Our PRC Subsidiaries have proprietary rights to trademarks used in this prospectus that are important to their business, many of which are registered under applicable intellectual property laws. Solely for convenience, some of the trademarks, service marks and trade names referred to in this prospectus are without the ®, ™ and other similar symbols, but such references are not intended to indicate, in any way, that our PRC Subsidiaries will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, their rights to these trademarks, service marks and trade names.
This prospectus contains additional trademarks, service marks and trade names of others. All trademarks, service marks and trade names appearing in this prospectus are, to our knowledge, the property of their respective owners. We do not intend our use or display of other companies’ trademarks, service marks or trade names to imply a relationship with, or endorsement or sponsorship of us by, any other person.
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This summary highlights certain information contained elsewhere in this prospectus. This summary does not contain all of the information you should consider before buying shares in this offering. You should read the entire prospectus carefully, including our financial statements and related notes and the risks described under “Risk Factors.” This summary contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, such as statements about our plans, objectives, expectations, assumptions or future events. These statements involve estimates, assumptions, known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from any future results, performances or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. See “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”
Overview
Zhibao Technology Inc. is a holding company incorporated as an exempted company on January 11, 2023 under the laws of the Cayman Islands. It operates substantially all of its business through its PRC Subsidiaries, or Zhibao China Group, in particular Zhibao China and Sunshine Insurance Brokers.
We are a leading and high growth InsurTech company primarily engaging in providing digital insurance brokerage services through Zhibao China Group in China. 2B2C (“to-business-to-customer”) digital embedded insurance is our innovative business model, which Zhibao China Group pioneered in China. Zhibao China Group launched the first digital insurance brokerage platform in China in 2020, which is powered by their proprietary PaaS (“Platform as a Service”). According to the Frost & Sullivan Report, the total market size of the 2B2C digital insurance brokerage services sector in China, contributed by over 20 market players in the PRC market, was approximately RMB807.4 million in 2022, among which Zhibao China Group ranked number one, with a market share of approximately 17.4% and a revenue of approximately RMB140.6 million. According to the Frost & Sullivan Report, the 2B2C digital insurance brokerage services sector is the fastest growing segment within the digital insurance brokerage service industry, with a historical compound annual growth rate (“CAGR”) of approximately 54.6% from 2018 to 2022, which also presents a substantial growth potential to reach approximately RMB6.2 billion in 2027, with an estimated CAGR of approximately 50.1% from 2022 to 2027. We believe that 2B2C digital embedded insurance is shaping the future of the industry.
2B2C digital embedded insurance refers to our one-stop customized insurance brokerage model conducted through Zhibao China Group, under which we provide proprietary and customized insurance solutions to be digitally embedded in the existing customer engagement matrix of business entities (our “business channels” or “B channels”) to reach and serve such B channels’ existing pool of end customers (“end customers” or “C”). Each B channel encompasses a specific scenario where its end customers also have potential, untapped insurance needs. For example, a Chinese travel agency (our B channel) has an average of 100,000 Chinese tourists traveling to the U.S. for tourism every year. We believe this presents an untapped scenario-specific opportunity for international travel accident insurance needs for a pool of 100,000 Chinese tourists as end customers. These end customers might otherwise have to search for and purchase insurance separately or might not purchase insurance at all. After Zhibao China Group reaching an agreement with such travel agency to become one of our B channels, they build and embed a travel insurance solution across this travel agency’s matrix of digital channels, including its website, App, Douyin (the Chinese equivalent of TikTok), WeChat Mini Program, and other social media accounts. Consequently, we, through Zhibao China Group, may pinpoint the 100,000-strong customer base and provide insurance brokerage services which are specifically and accurately tailored to the insurance needs of these end customers.
Our service portfolio through Zhibao China Group includes (1) insurance brokerage services, and (2) managing general underwriting (“MGU”) services, a specialized insurance brokerage service whereby the insurance companies authorize us to assist them in underwriting, claims and risk control services. It broadly covers insurance product design and customization, selection of insurance companies, technology system interconnection and delivery, customer AARRR (Acquisition, Activation, Retention, Referral, Revenue) operation, customer service, compliance management, data analysis, all of which are integrated in each of our insurance solutions. Each insurance solution generally applies to one specific scenario in a particular sector, with customized product design and services relevant for that scenario and sector. As of the date of this prospectus, we, through Zhibao China Group, have developed more than 40 proprietary and innovative digital insurance solutions addressing different scenarios in a wide range of industries, including but not limited to travel, sports, logistics, utilities (i.e., gas and electricity), and e-commerce. Zhibao China Group acquire and analyze customer data, utilize big data and artificial intelligence (“AI”) technology
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to continually iterate and enhance our digital insurance solutions. This iterative process, in addition to continually improving our digital insurance solutions, will keep us abreast of the new trends and customer preferences in the market.
Zhibao China Group secure and serve our end customers through our B channels. Our B channels cover a wide range of industries and organizations, including but not limited to internet platforms, large and medium-sized enterprises, and government agencies. While B channels have end customers with potential insurance needs relevant and specific to their primary operations, they usually do not have the experience and expertise to effectively provide insurance related services. In order to address this pain-point, we, through Zhibao China Group, provide them with our customized digital insurance solutions specifically tailored to their business. Our 2B2C model thrives because our relationship with B channels is mutually beneficial and sustainable for all participants. Our B channels view us as a valuable partner as we empower them to provide insurance as a value-added service to their end customers, a potential competitive advantage for them. By embedding our digital insurance solutions into our B channels’ online matrix to reach their customer base, we maintain a captive, stable and sustainable source of end customers at low cost. The end customers, as a result, can conveniently and efficiently access quality brokerage services and suitable insurance products tailored to their actual needs. As of the date of this prospectus, we, through Zhibao China Group, have cooperated with more than 1,500 B channels, and secured more than 10 million end customers through them. We will expand the number of B channels as a key growth strategy of our business.
Under our business model, Zhibao China Group represent end customers as their authorized insurance broker to negotiate with insurance companies and select the most suitable insurance products for our end customers. As of the date of this prospectus, we have partnered with over 100 insurance companies (including their subsidiaries and branches) through Zhibao China Group.
While embedded insurance brokerage is still at an early stage of development in China, we believe it is the future of insurance brokerage industry.
Our revenue reached approximately RMB 142.1 million (US$19.6 million) for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023, representing an increase of approximately RMB 33.9 million (US$4.7 million), or 31%, from approximately RMB 108.2 million (US$16.2 million) for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022. We achieved profitability for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022 with our net income reaching approximately RMB 14.3 million (US$2.1 million). For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023, we incurred net loss of approximately RMB 43.1 million (US$5.9 million), among which RMB 54.7 million ($7.5 million) related to share-based compensation expenses arising from issuance of Class A ordinary shares to a related party. Excluding such one-off expenses, we would have achieved net income of approximately RMB 11.6 million ($1.6 million). Our revenue reached approximately RMB 84.3 million ($11.9 million) for the six months ended December 31, 2023, representing an decrease of approximately RMB 7.5 million ($1.1 million), or 8%, from approximately RMB 91.8 million ($12.9 million) for the six months ended December 31, 2022. Our net loss for the six months ended December 31, 2023 was approximately RMB 8.5 million ($1.2 million), compared to net income of approximately RMB 8.9 million ($1.3 million) in the same period of 2022.
Our Revenue Model
Our revenue consists of (i) brokerage Zhibao China Group receive for their general digital insurance brokerage services (“Insurance Brokerage”), and (ii) MGU service fees (“MGU Service Fees”) Zhibao China Group receive for their MGU services.
Insurance Brokerage refer to the commissions or fees Zhibao China Group receive from insurance companies for the digital insurance brokerage services they offer to our end customers (who pay insurance premium to insurance companies according to the terms of their policies), primarily at the range of 10% – 35% for property & casualty insurance products, 10% – 35% for health insurance products and 50% – 80% for life insurance products, of gross written premium per insurance policy depending on the type of the insurance, the specific insurance products, and their negotiated terms with each insurance company. Insurance Brokerage accounted for approximately 78%, 84% and 88%, respectively, of our total revenues for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2022 and 2023 and the six months ended December 31, 2023.
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MGU Service Fees refer to service fees Zhibao China Group receive from insurance companies for the MGU services they provide to such insurance companies, usually at an average of approximately 15% of gross written premium per insurance policy depending on the type of insurance, and their negotiated terms with each insurance company. MGU Service Fees accounted for approximately 22%, 16% and 12%, respectively, of our total revenues for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2022 and 2023 and the six months ended December 31, 2023.
Strengths
We believe that the following strengths contribute to Zhibao China Group’s growth and differentiate us from our competitors:
• Innovative Business Model — 2B2C Embedded Insurance
We are a pioneer and market leader through Zhibao China Group in 2B2C embedded insurance business in China. Our 2B2C model is key to enable us to acquire end customers at minimal cost and therefore to achieve higher efficiency compared with our industry peers, who might gain customers by investing a large amount of capital through direct-to-consumer advertisement and other marketing channels. Each of our B channels has already developed a stable relationship with their end customers. By embedding our customized digital insurance solutions into B channels’ online matrix, we can reach end customers more precisely and efficiently. As the first-mover and a market leader in 2B2C embedded insurance brokerage service in China, we have entrenched relationships with B channels and other industry participants through Zhibao China Group. As of the date of this prospectus, we have cumulatively cooperated with over 1,500 B channels and will continue to expand the number of B channels as a key growth strategy.
• Market Leading Digital Insurance Solutions
As of the date of this prospectus, we, through Zhibao China Group, have developed over 40 proprietary and innovative digital insurance solutions which are built and operated based on their PaaS. Each of our proprietary digital insurance solutions primarily consists of insurance product(s), a solution-specific technology system, customer AARRR operations plan, and customer service plan. They are specifically tailored to the various scenarios of our B channels and their end customers’ insurance needs. Our digital insurance solutions can largely reduce point-of-sale friction and deliver the digital insurance brokerage services which are relevant and tailored to the separate needs of our B channels and end customers. Through our digital insurance solutions on Zhibao China Group’s PaaS, Zhibao China Group acquire and analyze customer data, and utilize big data and AI technology to continually iterate and enhance our digital solutions. This iterative process, in addition to continually improving our digital solutions, will keep us abreast of the new trends and customer preferences in the market.
• Advanced Technology Platform
Zhibao China Group launched the first digital insurance brokerage platform in China in 2020. This platform includes (i) 2B2C insurance PaaS, (ii) digital insurance solutions, and (iii) delivery system. Through their platform, they can provide SaaS (“Software as a service”) to our various B channels and insurance brokerage services to our end customers effectively and efficiently.
(i) Zhibao China Group’s PaaS is a cloud-based development platform which offers a collection of 2B2C insurance tools for building the systems required for various insurance solutions efficiently. Their PaaS was developed out of their professional knowledge and experience gained from real-world deployment of systems in the past eight years. The tools of their PaaS are analogous to providing “pre-washed” and “pre-cut” raw materials, allowing them to quickly and reliably output “cooked dishes”. Without such a PaaS, building the necessary solution-specific systems would be a complicated and slow process with no guarantee of a positive user experience. Their PaaS is not only for our internal solution-specific systems but can be extended to our independent sales partners. It allows such partners to share our tools and workflows, and incubate new solutions without having to start from scratch each time. Furthermore, the unified design foundation of their PaaS allows them to develop brand new solutions as well as to piggyback additional solutions on top of those already deployed with reusable system components, data consistency and customer convenience.
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(ii) Our various insurance solutions are built and run based on the PaaS. These solutions are delivered to B channels by embedding within the B channels’ platforms, including but not limited to WeChat Official Accounts, websites, and insurance modules within Apps. Our end customers may purchase insurance products and have access to insurance services through our embedded insurance solutions on our B channels’ website, App, H5 page, or QR codes.
(iii) The delivery system, developed according to the best practices of digital insurance brokerage services, breaks down our various solutions into workflows, work nodes, automatic resource assignments, and deliverable standards. On the delivery system, business opportunities are segregated into different industries which are automatically mapped to our various solutions. It also allows Zhibao China Group to collect and consider the specific needs from each B channel. The delivery system then runs the pre-set workflow, standardizing the processes and providing higher-quality and higher-efficiency deliverables. According to the specific needs of our B channels, the delivery system is capable of making changes to the standard workflow to meet these customizations. The delivery system helps us greatly improve our delivery efficiency, quality and channel satisfaction.
• Experienced Management Team with Extensive Expertise in Insurance Industry and Digital Technology
We have an experienced and devoted management team that has helmed the acceleration of our growth and steered our strategic direction. Our management team is passionate about innovation in providing digital insurance solutions to end customers. Our founder and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Botao Ma has accumulated more than 30 years of management experience in the insurance industry. Our Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Yuanwen Xia, has more than 15 years of experience in PwC and investment sector. Our Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Xiao Luo has more than 15 years of experience in insurance brokerage business. Our Chief Technology Officer, Mr. Yugang Wang, has more than 20 years of digital technology and management experience in the insurance industry. Our management team has extensive experience in China’s insurance market; in particular, our team’s expertise in the insurance brokerage industry will help steer the Company to continuously maintain and extend our leading position in the digitalization of the insurance brokerage industry in China. Their influences across the market have already, and will continue to, attract more B channels and deepen relationships with existing B channels and insurance companies, all of which will sustain and accelerate the rapid-paced growth of the Company.
Growth Strategies
We intend to grow our business by pursuing the following key strategies through Zhibao China Group:
• Accelerate the Expansion of B Channels
We plan to scale up our business by rapidly expanding the number of B channels. We intend to penetrate new markets, increase market share in existing markets and access a broader range of B channels in China. With the continuing development of our 2B2C business, we, through Zhibao China Group, have developed insurance companies as a special type of B channel, providing digital brokerage services and supports for their existing individual policyholders. We plan to cooperate with more insurance companies as a key focus for expansion.
• Expand Our Sales Force
We plan to increase the number of sales teams both in the head office and branch offices. We also plan to develop more independent sales partners who are not directly employed by us or Zhibao China Group but provide leads for new B channels, for example smaller-scale niche players in the 2B2C business sector. We have an established workflow to efficiently establish relations with sales partners powered by Zhibao China Group’s delivery system, which provides contracting, training, online customer AARRR operations, and an online portal for requesting sales support. The growth of our nationwide network of sales partners is integral to our rapid expansion and growth of the market.
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• Drive Additional Conversions for Existing End Customers — Our 2C Business
Through our B channels, we are accumulating an ever-larger pool of potential end customers. Although the initial customer interaction is related to the specific scenario and sector of the B channel, end customer may have additional needs that have not yet been addressed. For example, a medical insurance end customer might have additional demand for travel, household, or life insurance. We intend to strengthen our to-customer, or 2C business through Zhibao China Group by targeting our existing customer base to meet the additional needs of each end customer. Our 2C business is an increasingly important part of our business growth in the coming years.
• Upgrade and Enrich Our Digital Insurance Solutions
Currently we have over 40 proprietary digital insurance solutions on Zhibao China Group’s platform, which covers various scenarios in a variety of industries. We will keep refining and upgrading our insurance solutions to keep abreast of new trends and customer preferences. In addition to optimizing our existing insurance solutions, we are developing new insurance solutions to meet emerging demands. We intend to develop solutions across every sector of the economy, thus ultimately covering every aspect of the end customers’ daily life to deliver all-around insurance coverage.
• Upgrade and Enhance Our PaaS
Zhibao China Group are the first to establish a PaaS in the digital insurance brokerage market in China. We intend to invest in the research and development (“R&D”) of new technologies to upgrade and enhance the PaaS to maintain our leadership position in China. In particular, we plan to enrich the technology infrastructure tools and functionalities of the business components of the PaaS, and introduce new AI and business intelligence (BI) functionalities, continually strengthening our data security and governance.
• Expand the Scale of the MGU business.
Zhibao China Group pioneered the MGU business model in China. Under this model, in addition to providing general digital insurance brokerage services to our end customers, Zhibao China Group also assist insurance companies in product design, underwriting, reinsurance, claims and risk control services. We intend to increase the number of MGU partners (insurance companies) from 7 to 15 by the end of 2024, and expand the insurance products from the current high-end medical insurance and long-term disability lines to mid-end medical and personal accident lines in the future.
• Establish our subsidiary reinsurance company in Labuan, Malaysia
We are in the process of establishing our subsidiary reinsurance company in Labuan, Malaysia. Through this subsidiary, we intend to support our brokerage and MGU services. As of the date of this prospectus, we have submitted our application for licensing and are in discussions with regulators in anticipation to begin operations in the 4th quarter of 2024.
• M&A Opportunities
There is a fragmented constellation of smaller-scale firms engaged in online insurance agency or brokerage business in China. They are commonly lacking in industry recognition, technological capacity, team expertise, capital, and market resources, therefore they face significant headwinds in scaling up their business and attaining profitability. However, some of them have built strong ties with B channels in niche industries, providing us with potential targets for M&A. We plan to invest in potential M&A targets in the future, especially those who can bring new B channel resources.
Market Opportunity
Along with the development of the PRC insurance industry and the progress of digital industrial transformation in the PRC in recent years, insurance brokerage service institutions are recognized by more policyholders and insurance companies. According to the Frost & Sullivan Report, the total market size of the Chinese insurance industry in terms of insurance premium grew steadily and is expected to reach approximately RMB 5.8 trillion by 2027, at a CAGR of 4.3% from 2022 to 2027. Within the insurance industry, the insurance brokerage services industry in terms of revenue
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grew substantially at a CAGR of 21.1% from 2018 to 2022 and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 13.9% from 2022 to 2027. Furthermore, the market size of the digital insurance brokerage services industry in terms of revenue is estimated to substantially grow at a CAGR of 28.2% from 2022 to 2027. It is noteworthy that, within the market, the digital scenario-embedded insurance brokerage (also known as 2B2C) services industry is the fastest growing segment, with a historical CAGR of 54.6% from 2018 to 2022. It also presents a substantial growth potential, with an estimated CAGR of 50.1% from 2022 to 2027.
The convergence of digital technology and changing consumer preferences in the insurance industry give digital insurance brokerage service providers, like us, a competitive advantage as digital technology assists us in connecting end customers through more channels, thus enhancing our operation efficiency. We believe, in the future, the digital insurance brokerage service will take more market share.
In recent years, consumer behaviors have undergone profound changes. Research shows that insurance customers in the internet era pay more attention to product transparency and service experience while demonstrating a strong preference for personalization, customization, and scenario orientation. In addition, millennials (who were generally born between the early 1980s and the mid-to-late 1990s) are gradually becoming the leading consumption group of insurance, which are expected to surpass generation X (who is generally born between the mid-1960s and the late 1970s) to become the main consumption group within the next decade. The millennials can obtain information through the internet more conveniently and efficiently, and are more receptive to digital insurance and pay more attention to product diversity and personalization, which provide great potential for the development of digital embedded insurance brokerage services.
Our Corporate History and Structure
Zhibao is a Cayman Islands exempted company incorporated on January 11, 2023. Structured as a holding company with no material operations, Zhibao conducts its operations in China through its PRC Subsidiaries, primarily Zhibao China and Sunshine Insurance Brokers.
Zhibao China, previously known as Shanghai Julai Investment Management Co., Ltd. and Zhibao Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., successively, started its business in the insurance brokerage industry since 2016 in China. With the growth of our business and in order to facilitate international capital investment in us, we started a reorganization as described below involving new offshore and onshore entities in December 2022 and completed it in March 2023.
Zhibao BVI, incorporated on January 12, 2023 under the laws of British Virgin Islands, is our wholly-owned subsidiary in BVI and a holding company with no business operations, which, in turn, wholly owns all of the equity interest of Zhibao HK, a limited company incorporated on January 19, 2023 under the laws of Hong Kong.
Zhibao HK, as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Zhibao BVI, is a holding company with no business operations, which, in turn, wholly owns all of the equity interest of Zhibao China or WFOE, a wholly foreign-owned enterprise formed on November 24, 2015 in Shanghai under the laws of China, currently with a registered capital of RMB 53,974,752. Zhibao China wholly owns Shanghai Anyi, Sunshine Insurance Brokers and Zhibao Health, primarily providing MGU services.
Shanghai Anyi was incorporated in Shanghai under the laws of China on September 18, 2015, currently with a registered capital of RMB10 million. Shanghai Anyi was originally 100% controlled by Shanghai Xinhui Investment Consulting Co., Ltd. (“Shanghai Xinhui”), a related party controlled by our Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Botao Ma. All of the equity interest of Shanghai Anyi was later transferred to Zhibao China on July 12, 2016, with a consideration of RMB 10 million. After such transfer, Shanghai Anyi became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Zhibao China, primarily providing R&D services to Sunshine Insurance Brokers and Zhibao China.
Sunshine Insurance Brokers was incorporated in Shanghai under the laws of China on November 17, 2011, currently with a registered capital of RMB 50 million. Sunshine Insurance Brokers was originally 100% controlled by an unrelated third party, all of the equity interest of which was thereafter transferred to Zhibao China on January 4, 2016, with a consideration of RMB 10 million. After such transfer, Sunshine Insurance Brokers became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Zhibao China, primarily providing insurance brokerage services.
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Zhibao Health, previously known as Shanghai Zhongzhi Chengcheng Healthy Service Co., Ltd., was incorporated in Shanghai under the laws of China on November 16, 2022, currently with a registered capital of RMB 1 million. Zhibao Health is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Zhibao China, primarily engaged in the health management services.
The chart below shows our corporate structure as of the date of this prospectus:
For more details regarding our corporate structure, see “Corporate History and Structure” on page 73.
Recent Regulatory Developments in China
In recent years, the PRC government initiated a series of regulatory actions and made a number of public statements on the regulation of business operations in China, including cracking down on illegal activities in the securities market, enhancing supervision over China-based companies listed overseas, adopting new measures to extend the scope of cybersecurity reviews, and expanding efforts in anti-monopoly enforcement.
Among other things, the Regulations on Mergers and Acquisitions of Domestic Enterprises by Foreign Investors (the “M&A Rules”) and the Anti-Monopoly Law of the People’s Republic of China promulgated by the SCNPC which became effective in 2008, amended in 2022 (“Anti-Monopoly Law”), established additional procedures and requirements that could make merger and acquisition activities by foreign investors more time-consuming and complex. Such regulation requires, among other things, that the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China (the “MOFCOM”) be notified in advance of any change-of-control transaction in which a foreign investor acquires control of a PRC domestic enterprise or a foreign company with substantial PRC operations, if certain thresholds under the Provisions of the State Council on the Standard for Declaration of Concentration of Business Operators, issued by the State Council in 2008, revised in 2018 and 2024, are triggered. Moreover, the Anti-Monopoly Law requires that transactions which involve the national security, the examination on the national security shall also be conducted according to the relevant provisions of the Measures for the Safety Examination of Foreign Investment. In addition, the PRC Measures for the Security Review of Foreign Investment which became effective in January 2021 require acquisitions by foreign investors of PRC companies engaged in military-related or certain other industries that are crucial to national security be subject to security review before consummation of any such acquisition.
On July 6, 2021, the relevant PRC government authorities made public the Opinions on Strictly Cracking Down on Illegal Securities Activities in Accordance with the Law (the “Opinions”). These opinions emphasized the need to strengthen the administration over illegal securities activities and the supervision on overseas listings by China-based companies and proposed to take effective measures, such as promoting the construction of relevant regulatory systems to deal with the risks and incidents faced by China-based overseas-listed companies. Pursuant to the Opinions, Chinese regulators are required to accelerate rulemaking related to the overseas issuance and listing of securities, and update the existing laws and regulations related to data security, cross-border data flow, and management of confidential
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information. Numerous regulations, guidelines and other measures are expected to be adopted under the umbrella of or in addition to the Cybersecurity Law of the PRC (the “Cybersecurity Law”) and the Data Security Law. As of the date of this prospectus, no official guidance or related implementation rules have been issued yet and the interpretation of these opinions remains unclear at this stage. See “Risk Factors — Risks Related to Doing Business in China — Uncertainties in the interpretation and enforcement of PRC laws and regulations could limit the legal protections available to you and us” on page 24 and “Risk Factors — Risks Related to Doing Business in China — Our business processes a certain quantity of personal information, and failure to protect private or sensitive information of customers or improper handling of such information could have a material and adverse effect on our business. In light of recent events indicating greater oversight by the Cyberspace Administration of China, or CAC, over data security, we are subject to a variety of laws and other obligations regarding cybersecurity and data protection, and any failure to comply with applicable laws and obligations could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and the offering” on page 27.
On December 28, 2021, the Cybersecurity Review Measures (2021 version), which were promulgated and became effective on February 15, 2022, provide that any “online platform operators” possessing personal information of more than one million users which seeks to list in a foreign stock exchange should be subject to cybersecurity review. The Cybersecurity Review Measures (2021 version), further list the factors to be considered when assessing the national security risks of the relevant activities, including, among others, (i) the risk of core data, important data or a large amount of personal information being stolen, leaked, destroyed, and illegally used or exited the country; and (ii) the risk of critical information infrastructure, core data, important data or a large amount of personal information being affected, controlled, or maliciously used by foreign governments after listing abroad. The CAC requires that under the new rules, companies possessing personal information of more than 1,000,000 users must now apply for cybersecurity approval when seeking listings in other nations because of the risk that such data and personal information could be “affected, controlled, and maliciously exploited by foreign governments.” The cybersecurity review will also look into the potential national security risks from overseas IPOs. As a network platform operator who possesses personal information of more than one million users for purposes of the Cybersecurity Review Measures (2021 version), we have applied for and completed a cybersecurity review with respect to the IPO and we are not required to do the cybersecurity review for this offering pursuant to the Cybersecurity Review Measures (2021 version). See “Risk Factors — Risks Related to Doing Business in China — Uncertainties in the interpretation and enforcement of PRC laws and regulations could limit the legal protections available to you and us” on page 24 and “Risk Factors — Risks Related to Doing Business in China — Our business processes a certain quantity of personal information, and failure to protect private or sensitive information of customers or improper handling of such information could have a material and adverse effect on our business. In light of recent events indicating greater oversight by the Cyberspace Administration of China, or CAC, over data security, we are subject to a variety of laws and other obligations regarding cybersecurity and data protection, and any failure to comply with applicable laws and obligations could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and the offering” on page 27.
On February 17, 2023, the CSRC released the New Overseas Listing Rules, which came into effect on March 31, 2023. The New Overseas Listing Rules apply to overseas securities offerings and/or listings conducted by (i) companies incorporated in the PRC, or PRC domestic companies, directly and (ii) companies incorporated overseas with operations primarily in the PRC and valued on the basis of interests in PRC domestic companies, or indirect offerings. The New Overseas Listing Rules requires (1) the filings of the overseas offering and listing plan by the PRC domestic companies with the CSRC under certain conditions, and (2) the filing of their underwriters with the CSRC under certain conditions and the submission of an annual report to of such filed underwriters the CSRC within the required timeline. The required filing scope is not limited to the initial public offering, but also includes subsequent overseas securities offerings, single or multiple acquisition(s), share swap, transfer of shares or other means to seek an overseas direct or indirect listing, a secondary listing or dual listing.
Under the New Overseas Listing Rules, a filing-based regulatory system applies to “indirect overseas offerings and listings” of companies in mainland China, which refers to securities offerings and listings in an overseas market made under the name of an offshore entity but based on the underlying equity, assets, earnings or other similar rights of a company in mainland China that operates its main business in mainland China. The New Overseas Listing Rules state that, any post-listing follow-on offering by an issuer in an overseas market, including issuance of shares, convertible notes, exchangeable notes and preferred shares, shall be subject to filing requirement within three business days after the completion of the offering.
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On the same day, the CSRC also held a press conference for the release of the New Overseas Listing Rules and issued the Overseas Listing Notice. Under the Overseas Listing Notice, a company that has already completed overseas listing will be considered as an existing listed company and is not required to make any filing until it conducts a new offering in the future.
Based on our understanding of the rules, we are required to submit the filing report to the CSRC within three business days upon the first closing of the transactions contemplated under the Securities Purchase Agreements and report share issuance status to the CSRC upon completion of all subsequent closings. On September 26, 2024, we made the initial CSRC Filing with the CSRC and will report share issuance status to the CSRC upon completion of all subsequent closings in compliance with New Overseas Listing Rules. It is uncertain whether such filing can be completed or how long it will take to complete such filing. Any delay in completing such filing procedures might affect the other filing procedures with respect to other applicable circumstances, under the New Overseas Listing Rules in the future, such as the secondary listing, primary listing, spin-off listing and making overseas offering and listing anew after being delisted from an overseas exchange, which might affect our future public market financings and capital market transactions.
As of the date of this prospectus, except for the filing with the CSRC, and the licenses and permissions held by Zhibao’s PRC Subsidiaries under “Regulatory Permissions”, the Company believes it is not required to obtain permission or approval from any other PRC state or local government and has not received any denial to list on the U.S. exchange. See “Business — Regulatory Permissions”. However, if any other filings, approval, review or other procedure is required, there is no assurance that we will be able to obtain such filings, approval or complete such review or other procedures timely or at all. For any approval or permission that we have received or may receive in future, it could nevertheless be revoked or cancelled, and the terms of its reissuance may impose restrictions on our operations and offerings relating to our securities. Besides, the New Overseas Listing Rules may subject us to additional compliance requirement in the future. Any failure of us to fully comply with new regulatory requirements may significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to continue to offer our Class A ordinary shares, cause significant disruption to our business operations, and severely damage our reputation, which would materially and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations and cause our Class A ordinary shares to significantly decline in value or become worthless.
On February 24, 2023, the CSRC, together with other PRC government authorities, released the Provisions on Strengthening the Confidentiality and Archives Administration Related to the Overseas Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic Enterprises (the “Confidentiality and Archives Administration Provisions”), which came into effect on March 31, 2023. The Confidentiality and Archives Administration Provisions require, among others, that PRC domestic enterprises seeking to offer and list securities in overseas markets, either directly or indirectly, shall establish the confidentiality and archives system, and shall complete approval and filing procedures with competent authorities, if such PRC domestic enterprises or their overseas listing entities provide or publicly disclose documents or materials involving state secrets and work secrets of PRC government agencies to relevant securities companies, securities service institutions, overseas regulatory agencies and other entities and individuals. It further stipulates that providing or publicly disclosing documents and materials which may adversely affect national security or public interests, and accounting files or copies of important preservation value to the state and society shall be subject to corresponding procedures in accordance with relevant laws and regulations.
We have been closely monitoring regulatory developments in China regarding any necessary approvals from the CSRC, the CAC or other PRC regulatory authorities required for our operations and overseas listings, including this offering. However, there remains significant uncertainty as to the enactment, interpretation and implementation of regulatory requirements related to overseas securities offerings and other capital markets activities. The PRC government may take actions to exert more oversight and control over offerings by China-based issuers conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in such companies, which could significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to continue to offer securities to investors outside China and cause the value of our securities to significantly decline or become worthless. If it is determined in the future that the approval or permissions of any PRC regulatory authority is required for our operations through our PRC Subsidiaries and this offering and we or our PRC Subsidiaries do not receive or maintain the approvals or permissions, or we or our PRC Subsidiaries inadvertently conclude that such approvals or permissions are not required, or applicable laws, regulations, or interpretations change such that we or our PRC Subsidiaries are required to obtain approvals or permissions in the future, we and our PRC Subsidiaries may be subject to investigations by competent regulators, fines or penalties, ordered to suspend our PRC Subsidiaries’ relevant operations and rectify any non-compliance, limit our ability to pay dividends outside of mainland China, delay or
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restrict the repatriation of the proceeds from any future financings into mainland China or take other actions prohibited from engaging in relevant business or conducting any offering, and these risks could result in a material adverse change in our operations, significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to continue to offer securities to investors, or cause such securities to significantly decline in value or become worthless. See “Risk Factors — Risks Related to Doing Business in China — Uncertainties in the interpretation and enforcement of PRC laws and regulations could limit the legal protections available to you and us” on page 24, “Risk Factors — Risks Related to Doing Business in China — The PRC government exerts substantial influence over the manner in which we conduct our business activities. The PRC government may also intervene or influence our operations and this offering at any time, which could result in a material change in our operations and our Class A ordinary shares could decline in value or become worthless” on page 27, and “Risk Factors — Risks Related to Doing Business in China — Our business processes a certain quantity of personal information, and failure to protect private or sensitive information of customers or improper handling of such information could have a material and adverse effect on our business. In light of recent events indicating greater oversight by the Cyberspace Administration of China, or CAC, over data security, we are subject to a variety of laws and other obligations regarding cybersecurity and data protection, and any failure to comply with applicable laws and obligations could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and the offering” on page 27.
Dividend and Other Distributions or Assets Transfer among Zhibao and Its Subsidiaries
Zhibao is a holding company with no material operations of its own and does not generate any revenue. It currently conducts substantially all of its operations through its PRC Subsidiaries. We are permitted under PRC laws and regulations to provide funding to our PRC Subsidiaries only through loans or capital contributions, and only if we satisfy the applicable government registration and approval requirements.
We may rely on dividends and other distributions on equity paid by our PRC Subsidiaries for our cash and financing requirements and our distribution of earnings or settlement of amounts owed will be done through our PRC Subsidiaries. If any of our PRC Subsidiaries incurs debt on its own behalf in the future, the instruments governing such debt may restrict its ability to pay dividends to us.
We have adopted our cash management policy which dictates the purpose, amount and procedure of cash transfers among Zhibao and our subsidiaries. Historically, one PRC operating entity provides financial support for other entities’ operations by inter-company loans and they have not experienced difficulties or limitations on their ability to transfer cash between themselves. Prior to our reorganization for purpose of the IPO, cash transfers among our PRC operating entities and their subsidiaries were generally approved by the management of the company providing the funds. After our reorganization, cash transfers among Zhibao and our subsidiaries of less than RMB1 million (US$0.14 million) must be reported to, reviewed and approved by the chief financial officer of the company initiating such cash transfers; cash transfers equal to or in excess of RMB1 million (US$0.14 million) must be approved by the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of Zhibao. Based on the advice of our Cayman counsel, Ogier (Cayman) LLP, there are currently no limitations imposed by Cayman Islands law on Zhibao’s ability to transfer cash between Zhibao and its investors, other than as set out under “Dividend Policy”, and we do not expect that there are any limitations on Zhibao’s ability to transfer cash between Zhibao and its investors going forward. However, there is no assurance that Cayman government will not intervene or impose restrictions in future on Zhibao’s ability to transfer or distribute cash between Zhibao and its investors. Among Zhibao and its subsidiaries, cash is transferred from Zhibao and Zhibao HK as needed in the form of capital contributions or working capital loans, as the case may be, to the PRC Subsidiaries as we are permitted under PRC laws and regulations to provide funding to our PRC Subsidiaries only through loans or capital contributions, and only if we satisfy the applicable government registration and approval requirements. We believe that there is no restriction imposed by the Hong Kong government on the transfer of capital within, into and out of Hong Kong (including funds from Hong Kong to mainland China), except transfer of funds involving money laundering and criminal activities. We do not expect that there are any material limitations in the future on Zhibao’s ability to transfer cash originating from our PRC Subsidiaries, through our corporate structure, to investors. However, the PRC government currently imposes foreign exchange controls on the conversion of RMB into foreign currencies and the remittance of currencies out of mainland China. In addition, the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law and its implementation rules provide that a withholding tax at a rate of 10% will be applicable to dividends payable by PRC companies to non-PRC-resident enterprises unless reduced under treaties or arrangements between the PRC central government and the governments of other countries or regions where the non-PRC resident enterprises are tax resident. Further, to the extent cash or assets in our business are in mainland China or Hong Kong or a mainland
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China or Hong Kong entity, the funds or assets may not be available to fund operations or for other use outside of mainland China or Hong Kong due to interventions in or the imposition of restrictions and limitations on the ability of our company and our subsidiaries by the PRC government to transfer cash or assets. There can be no assurance that the PRC government will not intervene or impose restrictions in future on our ability to transfer funds or distribute dividends within our PRC Subsidiaries or to investors. As of the date of this prospectus, no transfers, dividends or other distributions have been made from our subsidiaries to Zhibao or our investors, and no transfers, loans, or capital contributions have been made from Zhibao to any of our subsidiaries or our investors. See “Prospectus Summary — Our Corporate History and Structure — Condensed Consolidating Schedule” on page 18, consolidated financial statements beginning on page F-1, “Prospectus Summary — Summary of Significant Risks Affecting Our Company” on pages 14, and “Prospectus Summary — Dividend and Other Distributions or Assets Transfer among Zhibao and Its Subsidiaries” on pages 10. See “Risk Factors — Risks Related to Doing Business in China — To the extent cash or assets in our business are in mainland China or Hong Kong or a mainland China or Hong Kong entity, the funds or assets may not be available to fund operations or for other use outside of mainland China or Hong Kong due to interventions in or the imposition of restrictions and limitations on the ability of our company and our subsidiaries by the PRC government to transfer cash or assets, which may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and may result in our inability to sustain our growth and expansion strategies” on page 39. In the future, cash proceeds raised from overseas financing activities may be transferred by us based on current statutory limits to our PRC Subsidiaries via loans or capital contribution, as the case may be.
We intend to keep any future earnings to re-invest in and finance the expansion of our business, and we do not anticipate that any cash dividends will be paid or any assets will be transferred in the foreseeable future. As of the date of this prospectus, none of our subsidiaries have made any dividends or distributions to us or our investors, and we have not made any dividends or distributions to our subsidiaries or investors.
Under the laws of the Cayman Islands, a Cayman Islands company may pay a dividend on its shares out of either profit or share premium account, provided that in no circumstances may a dividend be paid if following such payment the company would be unable to pay its debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business. If we determine to pay dividends on any of our Class A ordinary shares in the future, as a holding company, we will be dependent on receipt of funds from our PRC Subsidiaries.
Current PRC regulations permit our indirect PRC Subsidiaries to pay dividends to the Company only out of its accumulated profits, if any, determined in accordance with Chinese accounting standards and regulations. Therefore, under our current corporate structure, we rely on dividend payments or other distributions from our PRC Subsidiaries to fund any cash and financing requirements we may have, including the funds necessary to pay dividends and other cash distributions to our shareholders or to service any debt we may incur. Our PRC Subsidiaries generate and retain cash generated from operating activities and re-invest it in our business. If our PRC Subsidiaries incur debt on its own behalf in the future, the instruments governing such debt may restrict its ability to pay dividends to us.
Our PRC Subsidiaries are permitted to pay dividends only out of their retained earnings. However, our PRC Subsidiaries are required to set aside at least 10% of its after-tax profits each year, after making up for previous year’s accumulated losses, if any, to fund certain statutory reserves, until the aggregate amount of such funds reaches 50% of its registered capital. This portion of our PRC Subsidiaries’ net assets is prohibited from being distributed to their shareholders as dividends. In addition, our PRC Subsidiaries are also required to further set aside a portion of its after-tax profits to fund the employee welfare fund, although the amount to be set aside, if any, is determined at the discretion of its board of directors. Although the statutory reserves can be used, among other ways, to increase the registered capital and eliminate future losses in excess of retained earnings of the respective companies, the reserve funds are not distributable as cash dividends except in the event of liquidation. See “Regulation — Regulations on Dividend Distributions”. However, our PRC Subsidiaries have not made any dividends or other distributions to our holding company or any U.S. investors as of the date of this prospectus. See also “Risk Factors — Risks Related to Doing Business in China — We may rely on dividends and other distributions on equity paid by our PRC Subsidiaries to fund any cash and financing requirements we may have, and the PRC Subsidiaries’ restrictions on paying dividends or making other payments to us could restrict our ability to satisfy our liquidity requirements and have a material and adverse effect on our ability to conduct our business.”
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The PRC government also imposes controls on the conversion of RMB into foreign currencies and the remittance of currencies out of the PRC. Therefore, we may experience difficulties in completing the administrative procedures necessary to obtain and remit foreign currency for the payment of dividends from our profits, if any. Furthermore, if our subsidiaries in the PRC incur debt on their own in the future, the instruments governing the debt may restrict their ability to pay dividends or make other payments. See “Risk Factors — Risks Related to Doing Business in China — Restrictions on currency exchange may limit our ability to utilize our revenues or make foreign currency payments effectively.”
Cash dividends, if any, on our ordinary shares will be paid in U.S. dollars. If we are considered a PRC tax resident enterprise for tax purposes, any dividends we pay to our overseas shareholders may be regarded as China-sourced income and as a result may be subject to PRC withholding tax at a rate of up to 10%. A 10% PRC withholding tax is applicable to dividends payable to investors that are non-resident enterprises. Any gain realized on the transfer of ordinary shares by such investors is also subject to PRC tax at a current rate of 10% which in the case of dividends will be withheld at source if such gain is regarded as income derived from sources within the PRC.
Pursuant to the Arrangement between Mainland China and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and Tax Evasion on Income, or the Double Tax Avoidance Arrangement, the 10% withholding tax rate may be lowered to 5% if a Hong Kong resident enterprise owns no less than 25% of a PRC project. However, the 5% withholding tax rate does not automatically apply and certain requirements must be satisfied, including without limitation that (a) the Hong Kong project must be the beneficial owner of the relevant dividends; and (b) the Hong Kong project must directly hold no less than 25% share ownership in the PRC project during the 12 consecutive months preceding its receipt of the dividends. In current practice, a Hong Kong entity must obtain a tax resident certificate from the Hong Kong tax authority to apply for the 5% lower PRC withholding tax rate. As the Hong Kong tax authority will issue such a tax resident certificate on a case-by-case basis, we cannot assure you that we will be able to obtain the tax resident certificate from the relevant Hong Kong tax authority and enjoy the preferential withholding tax rate of 5% under the Double Taxation Arrangement with respect to dividends to be paid by our PRC Subsidiaries to its immediate holding company, Zhibao HK. As of the date of this prospectus, we have not applied for the tax resident certificate from the relevant Hong Kong tax authority. Zhibao HK intends to apply for the tax resident certificate when our WFOE plans to declare and pay dividends to Zhibao HK. See “Risk Factors — Risks Related to Doing Business in China — Dividends payable to our foreign investors and gains on the sale of our ordinary shares by our foreign investors may be subject to PRC tax.”
Recent Developments
On December 12, 2023, our shareholders approved, among other things, to adjust our authorized share capital and to adopt a dual-class share structure, consisting of Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares. Each Class A ordinary share is entitled to one vote per share on all matters subject to vote at general meetings of our company. Each Class B ordinary share is entitled to twenty (20) votes per share on all matters subject to vote at general meetings of our company. The issued and outstanding ordinary shares then held beneficially by Mr. Botao Ma, our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer were reclassified as Class B ordinary shares. All other ordinary shares then issued and outstanding were reclassified as Class A ordinary shares. On the same date, we amended and restated our then effective memorandum of association and articles of association in their entirety and adopted our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association which reflect, among other things, the changes to our capital structure. As a result of such changes, Mr. Botao Ma held approximately 94.87% of our outstanding voting power.
On February 4, 2024, our shareholders and our director approved, among other things, to adjust our authorized share capital whereby we reclassified 44,394,436 Class A ordinary shares as 44,394,436 Class B ordinary shares and amended our authorized share capital to reflect (i) 450,000,000 Class A ordinary shares with a par value of US$0.0001 each and 50,000,000 Class B ordinary shares with a par value of US$0.0001 each, and (ii) the issuance of an aggregate of 20,000,000 ordinary shares, at par value of $0.0001, to all existing shareholders on a pro rata basis. On the same date, we amended and restated our then effective amended and restated memorandum of association and articles of association in their entirety and adopted our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association which reflect, among other things, the changes to our capital structure. As a result of such changes and the Class A ordinary shares sold in the IPO, Mr. Botao Ma holds approximately 94.47% of our outstanding voting power as of the date of this prospectus.
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On April 3, 2024, we closed the IPO for aggregate gross proceeds of $6,000,000, before deducting underwriting discounts and offering expenses. The Class A ordinary shares began trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market on April 2, 2024 under the symbol “ZBAO.”
On May 15, 2024, we issued an additional 23,765 Class A ordinary shares pursuant to the partial exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option in connection with the IPO at $4.00 per share, resulting in additional gross proceeds of $95,060.
On September 23, 2024, the Company entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement with the Investor. The Securities Purchase Agreement provides for loans in an aggregate principal amount of up to $8.0 million under three tranches. As of September 23, 2024, upon the initial closing of the first tranche (the “First Closing of First Tranche”), the Investor funded $675,000 (net of original issue discount of 10%) (the “First Tranche”) and the Investor has agreed to fund, (i) in a subsequent closing of the First Tranche, an additional $675,000 (net of original issue discount of 10%), subject to the satisfaction of the Equity Conditions (as defined in the Securities Purchase Agreement), after the Company provides written confirmation to the Investor that a resale registration statement on Form F-1 has been filed with the SEC for the registration of Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of the Note and the exercise of the Common Warrants, and, (ii) in a subsequent closing of the First Tranche, another $900,000 upon the execution of a duly executed deposit account control agreement (“DACA”) and establishment of a DACA account, subject to the satisfaction of the Equity Conditions (as defined in the Securities Purchase Agreement). The Company and Investor have agreed to consummate an additional financing of $2,500,000 in the second tranche (“Second Tranche”) after 120 days following effectiveness of the resale registration statement, subject to certain conditions contemplated under the Securities Purchase Agreement. The Securities Purchase Agreement also contemplates a third tranche (“Third Tranche”) financing of aggregate of up to $3,000,000, upon the mutual consent of the Investor and Company, after 180 days following the closing date of the Second Tranche.
In consideration for the Investor’s funding of the First Closing of First Tranche, on September 23, 2024, the Company issued and sold to the Investor, in the Private Placement, (i) a Note in the aggregate principal amount of up to $2,500,000, (ii) Common Warrants to purchase up to 74,451 Class A ordinary shares at an initial exercise price of $4.71 per share, subject to certain adjustments, and (iii) a Pre-Funded Warrant to purchase up to 191,522 Class A ordinary shares (based on $750,000 divided by the 10-day volume weighted average price (“VWAP”) for the 10 trading day period immediately prior to the First Closing of First Tranche) at a nominal exercise price of $0.0001 per share, subject to certain adjustments. Pre-Funded Warrants may only be exercised upon occurrence of an Event of Default (as defined in the Note). The Note is initially convertible into Class A ordinary shares at conversion price of $4.71, subject to certain adjustments (the “Conversion Price”), provided that the Conversion Price shall not be reduced below $0.7616 (the “Floor Price”). The Note does not bear any interest and matures on September 23, 2025.
In connection with the Securities Purchase Agreement, on September 23, 2024, the Company entered into a registration rights agreement with the Investor pursuant to which the registrable securities held by the Investor, subject to certain conditions, are entitled to registration under the Securities Act. To secure the obligations of the Company to repay the Note, on the same date, the Company and its subsidiaries entered into a security agreement with the Investor, which granted the Investor a lien and security interest in and to all of the Company’s DACA account to be established following the First Closing of First Tranche and any assets of the Company that are or become located in the United States. To guarantee the obligations under the security agreement, on the same day, the Company and its subsidiaries as guarantors also entered into a guarantee agreement. Each guarantor, jointly and severally, hereby unconditionally and irrevocably guarantees the full and prompt payment and performance to the Investor, as primary obligor and not as surety, when due, whether at maturity or by reason of acceleration or otherwise, of any and all of the obligations under the security agreement. In connection with the consummation of the First Closing of First Tranche, the Company paid $47,250 (representing 7% of gross proceeds) to EF Hutton LLC, the sole placement agent in the Private Placement and $6,750 expenses pursuant to an engagement letter.
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Summary of Significant Risks Affecting Our Company
Our business is subject to multiple risks and uncertainties, as more fully described in “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this prospectus. We urge you to read “Risk Factors” beginning on page 21 and this prospectus in full. Our significant risks may be summarized as follows:
Risks Related to Doing Business in China
We are subject to risks and uncertainties relating to doing business in China in general, including, but are not limited to, the following:
• Our Class A ordinary shares may be delisted under the HFCA Act if the PRC adopts positions at any time in the future that would prevent the PCAOB from continuing to inspect or investigate completely accounting firms headquartered in mainland China or Hong Kong. The delisting of our Class A ordinary shares, or the threat of their being delisted, may materially and adversely affect the value of your investment. Furthermore, the U.S. Senate passed the Accelerating Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, which amends the HFCA Act and requires the SEC to prohibit an issuer’s securities from trading on any U.S. stock exchanges if its auditor is not subject to PCAOB inspections for two consecutive years instead of three, thus reducing the time before our Class A ordinary shares may be prohibited from trading or delisted. As a result, trading in our securities may be prohibited under the HFCA Act, as amended by the Accelerating Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, and related regulations if the PCAOB determines that it cannot inspect or investigate completely our auditor for a period of two consecutive years, and that as a result an exchange may determine to delist our securities. The HFCA Act, the Accelerating Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, which amends the HFCA Act, together with recent joint statement by the SEC and PCAOB, the PCAOB’s determinations, and the Nasdaq rule changes all call for additional and more stringent criteria to be applied to emerging market companies upon assessing the qualification of their auditors, especially the non-U.S. auditors who are not inspected by the PCAOB. These developments add uncertainties to our offering. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 21.
• Changes in the political and economic policies of the PRC government or in relations between China and the United States may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and may result in our inability to sustain our growth and expansion strategies. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 23.
• Uncertainties in the interpretation and enforcement of PRC laws and regulations could limit the legal protections available to you and us. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 24.
• The PRC government exerts substantial influence over the manner in which we conduct our business activities. The PRC government may also intervene or influence our operations and this offering at any time, which could result in a material change in our operations and our Class A ordinary shares could decline in value or become worthless. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 27.
• Our business processes a certain quantity of personal information, and failure to protect private or sensitive information of end customers or improper handling of such information could have a material and adverse effect on our business. In light of recent events indicating greater oversight by the Cyberspace Administration of China, or CAC, over data security, we are subject to a variety of laws and other obligations regarding cybersecurity and data protection, and any failure to comply with applicable laws and obligations could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and the offering. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 27.
• PRC regulation on loans to, and direct investment in, our PRC Subsidiaries by offshore holding companies and governmental control in currency conversion may delay or prevent us from using the proceeds of any future offerings to make loans to or make additional capital contributions to our PRC Subsidiaries, which could materially and adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 31.
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• The CSRC has recently released the New Overseas Listing Rules for China-based companies seeking to conduct overseas offering and listing in foreign markets, effective as of March 31, 2023. The New Overseas Listing Rules requires any post-listing follow-on offering by an issuer in an overseas market, including issuance of shares, convertible notes and other similar securities, shall be subject to filing requirement within three business days after the completion of the offering. Under the New Overseas Listing Rules, the PRC government exerts more oversight and control over offerings that are conducted overseas and foreign investment in China-based issuers, which could significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to continue to offer our Class A ordinary shares to investors and could cause the value of our Class A ordinary shares to significantly decline or such shares to become worthless. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 37.
• Within our direct holding structure, substantial uncertainties exist with respect to the requirement of National Financial Regulatory Administration and how it may impact the viability of our current corporate structure, corporate governance and business operations. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 41.
• Failure to make adequate contributions to various employee benefit plans and withhold individual income tax on employees’ salaries as required by PRC regulations or comply with laws and regulations on other employment practices may subject us to penalties. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 42.
Risks Related to Our Business and Industry
In the following discussion of risks related to our business and industry, unless otherwise provided, “we,” “us,” “our,” or “ourselves” refer to Zhibao’s PRC Subsidiaries or Zhibao China Group.
Risks and uncertainties related to our business and industry include, but are not limited to, the following:
• We are dependent on key insurance companies on the supply of insurance products to our end customers, the loss of which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 43.
• We are dependent on our B channels to reach end customers. Failure to acquire new B channels or retain existing B channels in a cost-effective manner, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 44.
• Our PRC subsidiary, namely Zhibao China, significantly relies on a third party (“MGU Partner”), its subsidiaries, affiliates, successors and assigns to conduct MGU services. Failure to comply with the relevant laws and regulations with regard to the MGU services will adversely and materially affect our business, financial conditions and results of operations.
• The innovative insurance technology and infrastructure we use to optimize our insurance solutions require continuous developments and upgrades. We cannot assure you that these technologies will fully support our business. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 45.
• The regulation on the requirement of a company to make a filing on internet information service in China is subject to interpretation, and our operation of digital insurance broker services could be harmed if we are deemed to have violated applicable laws and regulations. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 45.
• If we are unable to attract, incentivize and retain talented professionals, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be affected. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 45.
• We are subject to governmental regulations and other legal obligations related to privacy, information security, and data protection, and any security breaches, and our actual or perceived failure to comply with our legal obligations could harm our brand and business. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 46.
• Zhibao has identified a material weakness in its internal controls over financial reporting. If Zhibao does not adequately remediate this material weakness, or if it experiences additional material weaknesses in the future or otherwise fails to maintain effective internal controls, it may not be able to accurately or timely report its financial condition or results of operations, or comply with the accounting and reporting requirements applicable to public companies, which may adversely affect investor confidence in Zhibao and the market price of its shares. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 52.
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Risks Related to Offering and Ownership of Class A Ordinary Shares
Risks and uncertainties related to this offering and ownership of Class A ordinary shares include, but are not limited to, the following:
• The trading market for our Class A ordinary shares is very new, and consistently robust and liquid trading market may not develop or be sustained over the long term.. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 54.
• Nasdaq may apply additional and more stringent criteria for our continued listing because we commutated a small public offering and insiders currently hold a large portion of our listed securities. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 54.
• Our Chairman of the board of directors and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Botao Ma, beneficially owns 16,579,977 Class B ordinary shares, currently representing approximately 94.47% of the voting power of our outstanding share capital, and has significant influence over all corporate matters for which shareholder approval is required. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 54.
• The trading price of our Class A ordinary shares may be volatile, which could result in substantial losses to investors. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 55.
• The sale or availability for sale of substantial amounts of our Class A ordinary shares could adversely affect their market price. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 56.
• Certain recent initial public offerings of companies with public floats comparable to our public float have experienced extreme volatility that was seemingly unrelated to the underlying performance of the respective company. We may experience similar volatility, which may make it difficult for prospective investors to assess the value of our Class A ordinary shares. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 56.
• Because we do not expect to pay dividends in the foreseeable future, you must rely on price appreciation of our Class A ordinary shares for return on your investment. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 56.
• If we are classified as a passive foreign investment company, United States taxpayers who own our Class A ordinary shares may have adverse United States federal income tax consequences. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 57.
• We are an emerging growth company within the meaning of the Securities Act and may take advantage of certain reduced reporting requirements. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 60.
• We are a “controlled company” within the meaning of the Nasdaq Stock Market Rules and, as a result, may rely on exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements that provide protection to shareholders of other companies. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 58.
• Nasdaq may delist our securities from trading on its exchange, which could limit investors’ ability to make transactions in our securities and subject us to additional trading restrictions. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 61.
Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company
We had less than $1.235 billion in revenue during our last fiscal year. As a result, we qualify as an “emerging growth company” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”), and may take advantage of reduced public reporting requirements. These provisions include, but are not limited to:
• being permitted to present only two years of audited financial statements and only two years of related Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in our filings with the SEC;
• not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements in the assessment of our internal control over financial reporting;
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• reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in periodic reports, proxy statements and registration statements; and
• exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved.
We may take advantage of these provisions until the last day of our fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of the date of the first sale of our Class A ordinary shares in the IPO. However, if certain events occur before the end of such five-year period, including if we become a “large accelerated filer,” if our annual gross revenues exceed $1.235 billion or if we issue more than $1.0 billion of non-convertible debt in any three-year period, we will cease to be an emerging growth company before the end of such five-year period.
Section 107 of the JOBS Act provides that an emerging growth company can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), for complying with new or revised accounting standards. We have elected to take advantage of this extended transition period and acknowledge such election is irrevocable pursuant to Section 107 of the JOBS Act.
Implications of Being a Foreign Private Issuer
We report under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), as a non-U.S. company with “foreign private issuer” status. Even after we no longer qualify as an emerging growth company, so long as we qualify as a foreign private issuer under the Exchange Act, we will be exempt from certain provisions of the Exchange Act and the rules thereunder that are applicable to U.S. domestic public companies, including:
• the rules under the Exchange Act that require U.S. domestic public companies to issue financial statements prepared under U.S. GAAP;
• the sections of the Exchange Act that regulate the solicitation of proxies, consents or authorizations in respect of any securities registered under the Exchange Act;
• the sections of the Exchange Act that require insiders to file public reports of their share ownership and trading activities and that impose liability on insiders who profit from trades made in a short period of time; and
• the rules under the Exchange Act that require the filing with the SEC of quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, containing unaudited financial and other specified information, and current reports on Form 8-K, upon the occurrence of specified significant events.
We will file with the SEC, within four months after the end of each fiscal year (or such other reports required by the SEC), an annual report on Form 20-F containing financial statements audited by an independent registered public accounting firm.
We may take advantage of these exemptions until such time as we are no longer a foreign private issuer. We would cease to be a foreign private issuer at such time as more than 50% of our outstanding voting securities are held by U.S. residents and any of the following three circumstances applies: (i) the majority of our executive officers or directors are U.S. citizens or residents, (ii) more than 50% of our assets are located in the United States or (iii) our business is administered principally in the United States.
Both foreign private issuers and emerging growth companies are also exempt from certain of the more extensive SEC executive compensation disclosure rules. Therefore, if we no longer qualify as an emerging growth company but remain a foreign private issuer, we will continue to be exempt from such rules and will continue to be permitted to follow our home country practice as to the disclosure of such matters.
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Implications of Being a Controlled Company
Under the Nasdaq Rules, a controlled company is a company of which more than 50% of the voting power for the election of directors is held by an individual, a group or another company. We may be deemed a controlled company because Mr. Botao Ma, our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, currently owns more than 50% of our voting power. For so long as we remain a controlled company, we are exempt from the obligation to comply with certain Nasdaq corporate governance requirements, including:
• our board of directors is not required to be comprised of a majority of independent directors;
• our board of directors is not subject to the compensation committee requirement; and
• we are not subject to the requirements that director nominees be selected either by the independent directors or a nomination committee comprised solely of independent directors.
The controlled company exemptions do not apply to the audit committee requirement or the requirement for executive sessions of independent directors. We are required to disclose in our annual report that we are a controlled company and the basis for that determination. Although we do not plan to take advantage of the exemptions provided to controlled companies, we may in the future take advantage of such exemptions.
Corporate Information
Our principal executive offices are located at Floor 3, Building 6, Wuxing Road, Lane 727, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, China, 201204, and our telephone number is +86 21-5089-6502. Our website is www.zhibao-tech.com. Information contained on, or available through, our website does not constitute part of, and is not deemed incorporated by reference into, this prospectus. Our registered office in the Cayman Islands is located at the office of Sertus Incorporations (Cayman) Limited, Sertus Chambers, Governors Square, Suite # 5-204, 23 Lime Tree Bay Avenue, P.O. Box 2547, Grand Cayman, KY1-1104, Cayman Islands, or such other place in the Cayman Islands as the directors may, from time to time decide. Our agent for service of process in the United States is Puglisi & Associates, 850 Library Avenue, Suite 204, Newark, DE 19711.
Summary Financial Information Related to The Company
The PRC Subsidiaries contributed to 100% of our consolidated revenue for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2022 and 2023, and for the six months ended December 31, 2022 and 2023. The following tables present selected condensed consolidating schedules of Zhibao and its subsidiaries as of and for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2022 and 2023, which have been derived from our audited consolidated financial statements for those years, and as of December 31, 2023 and for the six months ended December 31, 2022 and 2023, which have been derived from our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements for those periods.
The tables below demonstrate the quantitative metrics of the condensed consolidating schedule that disaggregates operations and depicts the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of Zhibao and its subsidiaries as of June 30, 2022, and 2023 and December 31, 2023, and for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2022 and 2023 and the six months ended December 31, 2022 and 2023.
Condensed Consolidating Schedule — Statement of Operations
For the Fiscal Year Ended | |||||||||
2022 | 2023 | 2023 | |||||||
RMB | RMB | USD | |||||||
Revenues | 108,224,804 |
| 142,102,834 |
| 19,596,877 |
| |||
Cost of revenues | (61,051,878 | ) | (83,485,203 | ) | (11,513,136 | ) | |||
Total operating expenses | (34,531,577 | ) | (103,170,372 | ) | (14,277,844 | ) | |||
Income tax benefits (expenses) | 2,110,635 |
| (541,460 | ) | (74,671 | ) | |||
Net Income (Loss) | 14,259,406 |
| (43,098,780 | ) | (5,943,593 | ) |
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For the Six Months Ended | |||||||||
2022 | 2023 | 2023 | |||||||
RMB | RMB | USD | |||||||
Revenues | 91,799,665 |
| 84,254,221 |
| 11,866,959 |
| |||
Cost of revenues | (58,724,886 | ) | (54,192,050 | ) | (7,632,791 | ) | |||
Total operating expenses | (26,581,142 | ) | (38,441,128 | ) | (5,414,319 | ) | |||
Income tax benefits | 2,672,359 |
| 137,354 |
| 19,346 |
| |||
Net Income (Loss) | 8,911,788 |
| (8,546,000 | ) | (1,203,678 | ) |
Condensed Consolidating Schedule — Balance Sheet
As of | As of | |||||
2023 | 2023 | |||||
RMB | RMB | USD | ||||
Cash and cash equivalents | 9,873,678 | 5,536,235 | 779,762 | |||
Total current assets | 113,706,012 | 219,775,639 | 30,954,750 | |||
Total non-current assets | 14,330,155 | 14,408,107 | 2,029,338 | |||
Total assets | 128,036,167 | 234,183,746 | 32,984,088 | |||
Total current liabilities | 94,300,176 | 217,490,816 | 30,632,939 | |||
Total non-current liabilities | 2,280,852 | 1,333,518 | 187,822 | |||
Total liabilities | 96,581,028 | 218,824,334 | 30,820,761 |
Condensed Consolidating Schedule — Statement of Cash Flows
For the Fiscal Year Ended | |||||||||
2022 | 2023 | 2023 | |||||||
RMB | RMB | USD | |||||||
Net cash used in operating activities | (989,204 | ) | (1,123,895 | ) | (154,993 | ) | |||
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities | (3,193,861 | ) | 13,974,214 |
| 1,927,132 |
| |||
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities | 6,650,000 |
| (4,555,972 | ) | (628,297 | ) |
For the Six Months Ended | |||||||||
2022 | 2023 | 2023 | |||||||
RMB | RMB | USD | |||||||
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities | 205,695,961 |
| 85,607,856 |
| 12,057,615 |
| |||
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities | 14,739,082 |
| (264,606 | ) | (37,269 | ) | |||
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities | (2,365,769 | ) | 9,275,004 |
| 1,306,356 |
|
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Class A ordinary shares being offered by the Selling Shareholder: | (i) Up to 3,282,563 Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of the Note; (ii) Up to 74,451 Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of a Warrant; and (iii) Up to 984,769 Class A ordinary shares, issuable upon exercise of a Pre-Funded Warrant, which will become exercisable only upon the occurrence of an Event of Default (as defined in the Note). | |
Number of Class A ordinary shares outstanding before the offering: | 14,707,073 Class A ordinary shares. | |
Number of Class A ordinary shares outstanding after the offering: | 18,974,405 Class A ordinary shares, based on 14,707,073 shares of our Class A ordinary shares outstanding as of September 17, 2024, assuming full conversion of the First Tranche Note, at a conversion rate of $4.71 per share, full exercise of the First Tranche Warrants, registration of 100% of the Class A ordinary shares convertible under the First Tranche Note and exercisable under the First Tranche Warrant and the full exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrants which solely for purposes of the Registration Statement of which this Prospectus forms a part were estimated by dividing $750,000 by the Floor Price under the Notes. | |
Use of Proceeds | We will not receive any proceeds from the resale or other disposition of the Class A ordinary shares by the Selling Shareholder. However, we will receive the proceeds of any cash exercise of the Warrants. We intend to use the net proceeds from any cash exercise of the Warrants for working capital and general corporate purposes. See “Use of Proceeds.” | |
Rights associated with our ordinary shares: | Holders of Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares have the same rights except for voting rights and conversion. Each Class A ordinary share is entitled to one vote and each Class B ordinary share is entitled to twenty votes. Each Class B ordinary share is convertible into one Class A ordinary share at the option of the holder of such Class B ordinary share at any time, but Class A ordinary shares shall not be convertible into Class B ordinary shares under any circumstances. Upon any transfer of Class B ordinary shares by a holder to any person or entity other than holders of Class B ordinary shares or their affiliates, such Class B ordinary shares shall be automatically and immediately converted into the equivalent number of Class A ordinary shares. Holders of Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares will vote together as a single class on all matters submitted to a vote of our shareholders. | |
Nasdaq symbol: | “ZBAO” | |
Transfer agent and registrar | Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company | |
Risk factors: | Investing in our Class A ordinary shares involves a significant degree of risk. As an investor you should be able to bear a complete loss of your investment. You should carefully consider the information set forth in the “Risk Factors” section beginning on page 21 and the other information in this prospectus for a discussion of the factors you should consider carefully before you decide to invest in our Class A ordinary shares. |
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Investing in our Class A ordinary shares is highly speculative and involves a significant degree of risk. You should carefully consider the following risks, as well as other information contained in this prospectus, before making an investment in our company. The risks discussed below could materially and adversely affect our business, prospects, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows, ability to pay dividends and the trading price of our Class A ordinary shares. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we currently deem to be immaterial may also materially and adversely affect our business, prospects, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and ability to pay dividends, and you may lose all or part of your investment.
Risks Related to Doing Business in China
Our Class A ordinary shares may be delisted under the HFCA Act if the PRC adopts positions at any time in the future that would prevent the PCAOB from continuing to inspect or investigate completely accounting firms headquartered in mainland China or Hong Kong. The delisting of our Class A ordinary shares, or the threat of their being delisted, may materially and adversely affect the value of your investment. Furthermore, the U.S. Senate passed the Accelerating Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, which amends the HFCA Act and requires the SEC to prohibit an issuer’s securities from trading on any U.S. stock exchanges if its auditor is not subject to PCAOB inspections for two consecutive years instead of three, thus reducing the time before our Class A ordinary shares may be prohibited from trading or delisted. The HFCA Act, the Accelerating Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, which amends the HFCA act, together with recent joint statement by the SEC and PCAOB, the PCAOB’s determinations, and the Nasdaq rule changes all call for additional and more stringent criteria to be applied to emerging market companies upon assessing the qualification of their auditors, especially the non-U.S. auditors who are not inspected by the PCAOB. These developments add uncertainties to our offering.
On April 21, 2020, SEC Chairman Jay Clayton and PCAOB Chairman William D. Duhnke III, along with other senior SEC staff, released a joint statement highlighting the disclosure, financial reporting and other risks associated with investing in companies based in or have substantial operations in emerging markets including China as well as the limited remedies available to investors who might take legal action against such companies. The joint statement emphasized the risks associated with lack of access for the PCAOB to inspect auditors and audit work papers in China and higher risks of fraud in emerging markets.
On May 18, 2020, Nasdaq filed three proposals with the SEC to (i) apply minimum offering size requirement for companies primarily operating in “Restrictive Market,” (ii) adopt a new requirement relating to the qualification of management or board of director for Restrictive Market companies, and (iii) apply additional and more stringent criteria to an applicant or listed company based on the qualifications of the company’s auditors. These proposals were approved by the SEC on October 4, 2021. These developments add uncertainties to our offering, including the possibility that Nasdaq can stop trading in our securities if the PCAOB cannot inspect or fully investigate our auditor.
Furthermore, various equity-based research organizations have recently published reports on China-based companies after examining their corporate governance practices, related party transactions, sales practices and financial statements, and these reports have led to special investigations and listing suspensions on U.S. national exchanges. Any similar scrutiny on us, regardless of its lack of merit, could cause the market price of our shares to fall, divert management resources and energy, cause us to incur expenses in defending ourselves against rumors, and increase the premiums we pay for director and officer insurance.
On May 20, 2020 and December 2, 2020, the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives, respectively, passed S. 945, the HFCA Act, which was signed into law on December 18, 2020. The HFCA Act requires a foreign company to certify that it is not owned or manipulated by a foreign government if the PCAOB is unable to audit specified reports because the company uses a foreign auditor not subject to PCAOB inspection. If the PCAOB is unable to inspect the company’s auditors for three consecutive years, the issuer’s securities are prohibited from trading on a national exchange. Although we believe that the HFCA Act and the related regulations do not currently affect us, we cannot assure you that there will not be any further implementations and interpretations of the HFCA Act or the related regulations, which might pose regulatory risks to and impose restrictions on us because of our primary operations in China.
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The lack of access to the PCAOB inspection in China prevents the PCAOB from fully evaluating audits and quality control procedures of the auditors based in China. As a result, the investors may be deprived of the benefits of such PCAOB inspections. The inability of the PCAOB to conduct inspections of auditors in China makes it more difficult to evaluate the effectiveness of these accounting firms’ audit procedures or quality control procedures as compared to auditors outside of China that are subject to the PCAOB inspections, which could cause existing and potential investors in our stock to lose confidence in our audit procedures and reported financial information and the quality of our financial statements.
On December 2, 2021, the SEC issued final rules under the HFCA Act, which became effective on January 10, 2022, amending the disclosure requirements in annual reports. These amendments apply to registrants that the SEC identifies as having filed an annual report issued by a registered public accounting firm that is located in a foreign jurisdiction that the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely because of a position taken by an authority in that jurisdiction. The amendments require the submission of documentation to the Commission establishing that such a registrant is not owned or controlled by a governmental entity in that foreign jurisdiction and also require disclosure in a foreign issuer’s annual report regarding the audit arrangements of, and governmental influence on, such registrants. The Commission is to identify a reporting company that has retained a registered public accounting firm to issue an audit report where that registered public accounting firm has a branch or office that:
• Is located in a foreign jurisdiction; and
• The PCAOB has determined that it is unable to inspect or investigate completely because of a position taken by an authority in the foreign jurisdiction.
Once identified, Section 104(i)(2)(B) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires these issuers, which the SEC refers to as “Commission-Identified Issuers,” to submit in connection with their annual report documentation to the Commission establishing that they are not owned or controlled by a governmental entity in that foreign jurisdiction and to name any director who is affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party or whether the company’s articles include any charter of the Chinese Communist Party.
On December 16, 2021, the PCAOB determined that the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely PCAOB-registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and in Hong Kong, because of positions taken by PRC authorities in those jurisdictions, and the PCAOB included in the report of its determination a list of the accounting firms that are headquartered in mainland China or Hong Kong. Our auditor, Marcum Asia CPAs LLP, the headquarter of which is based in New York, is currently subject to inspection by the PCAOB at least every three years. Therefore, it is not subject to the determinations announced by the PCAOB on December 16, 2021 as it is not on the list published by the PCAOB. However, our auditor’s China affiliate is located in, and organized under the laws of the PRC. We cannot assure you that we will not be identified by the SEC under the HFCA Act as an issuer that has retained an auditor that has a branch or office located in a foreign jurisdiction that the PCAOB determines it is unable to inspect or investigate completely because of a position taken by an authority in that foreign jurisdiction. In the event the PRC authorities would further strengthen regulations over auditing work of Chinese companies listed on the U.S. stock exchanges, which would prohibit our current auditor to perform work in China, then we would need to change our auditor and the audit workpapers prepared by our new auditor may not be inspected by the PCAOB without the approval of the PRC authorities, In which case the PCAOB may not be able to fully evaluate the audit or the auditors’ quality control procedures. In addition, there can be no assurance that, if we have a “non-inspection” year, we will be able to take any remedial measures. If any such event were to occur, trading in our securities could in the future be prohibited under the HFCA Act and, as a result, we cannot assure you that we will be able to maintain the listing of our Class A ordinary shares on Nasdaq or that you will be allowed to trade our Class A ordinary shares in the United States on the “over-the-counter” markets or otherwise. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event it is later determined that the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely our auditor, then such lack of inspection could cause our securities to be delisted from the stock exchange. Furthermore, due to the recent developments in connection with the implementation of the HFCAA, we cannot assure you whether the SEC, Nasdaq or other regulatory authorities would apply additional and more stringent criteria to us after considering the effectiveness of our auditor’s audit procedures and quality control procedures, adequacy of personnel and training, or sufficiency of resources, geographic reach or experience as it relates to the audit of our financial statements. The requirement in the HFCA Act that the PCAOB be permitted to inspect the issuer’s public accounting firm within three years, may result in our delisting in the future if the PCAOB is unable to inspect our accounting firm at such future time.
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On August 26, 2022, the CSRC, the MOF, and the PCAOB signed the Protocol to allow the PCAOB to inspect and investigate completely registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong, consistent with the HFCA Act, and the PCAOB will be required to reassess its determinations by the end of 2022. Pursuant to the fact sheet with respect to the Protocol disclosed by the SEC, the PCAOB shall have independent discretion to select any issuer audits for inspection or investigation and has the unfettered ability to transfer information to the SEC.
On December 15, 2022, the PCAOB announced that it was able to secure complete access to inspect and investigate PCAOB-registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong completely.
On December 29, 2022, the Accelerating Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act was enacted, which amended the HFCA Act by decreasing the number of non-inspection years from three years to two, thus reducing the time period before our Class A ordinary shares may be prohibited from trading or delisted. As a result, trading in our securities may be prohibited under the HFCA Act, as amended by the Accelerating Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, and related regulations if the PCAOB determines that it cannot inspect or investigate completely our auditor for a period of two consecutive years, and that as a result an exchange may determine to delist our securities.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, we cannot assure you that, because our books and records are primarily located in mainland China, we will in the future be able to become an issuer that is not a Commission-Identified Issuer, in which event our Class A ordinary shares may not be tradable in any United States stock exchange or market and it may be necessary for us to list on a foreign exchange in order that our Class A ordinary shares can be traded. It is possible that, in the event trading in our stock in the United States is no longer possible, you may lose the entire value of your Class A ordinary shares.
Further, new laws and regulations or changes in laws and regulations in both the United States and China could affect our ability to list our shares on Nasdaq, which could materially impair the market for and market price of our Class A ordinary shares.
Changes in the political and economic policies of the PRC government or in relations between China and the United States may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and may result in our inability to sustain our growth and expansion strategies.
We are a Cayman Islands holding company and are not a PRC operating company. As a holding company with no material operations of our own, we conduct substantially all of our operations in the PRC through our PRC Subsidiaries and substantially all of our revenues is sourced from the PRC. Accordingly, our financial condition and results of operations are affected to a significant extent by economic, political and legal developments in the PRC or changes in government relations between China and the United States or other governments. There is significant uncertainty about the future relationship between the United States and China with respect to trade policies, treaties, government regulations and tariffs.
The PRC economy differs from the economies of most developed countries in many respects, including the extent of government involvement, level of development, growth rate, control of foreign exchange and allocation of resources. Although the PRC government has implemented measures emphasizing the utilization of market forces for economic reform, the reduction of state ownership of productive assets, and the establishment of improved corporate governance in business enterprises, a substantial portion of productive assets in China is still owned by the government. In addition, the PRC government continues to play a significant role in regulating industry development by imposing industrial policies. The PRC government also exercises significant control over China’s economic growth by allocating resources, controlling payment of foreign currency-denominated obligations, setting monetary policy, regulating financial services and institutions and providing preferential treatment to particular industries or companies.
While the PRC economy has experienced significant growth in the past four decades, growth has been uneven, both geographically and among various sectors of the economy. The PRC government has implemented various measures to encourage economic growth and guide the allocation of resources. Some of these measures may benefit the overall PRC economy, but may also have a negative effect on us. Our financial condition and results of operation could be materially and adversely affected by government control over capital investments or changes in tax regulations that are applicable to us. In addition, the PRC government has implemented in the past certain measures, including interest rate increases, to control the pace of economic growth. These measures may cause decreased economic activity.
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In July 2021, the PRC government provided new guidance on China-based companies raising capital outside of China. In light of such developments, the SEC has imposed enhanced disclosure requirements on China-based companies seeking to register securities with the SEC. As substantially all of our operations are based in China, any future Chinese, U.S. or other rules and regulations that place restrictions on capital raising or other activities by China based companies could adversely affect our business and results of operations. If the business environment in China deteriorates from the perspective of domestic or international investment, or if relations between China and the United States or other governments deteriorate, the PRC government may intervene with our operations and our business in China and United States, as well as the market price of our Class A ordinary shares, may also be adversely affected.
Uncertainties in the interpretation and enforcement of PRC laws and regulations could limit the legal protections available to you and us.
Our PRC Subsidiaries are subject to various PRC laws, rules and regulations generally applicable to companies in China. The PRC legal system is based on written statutes. Unlike common law systems, it is a system in which legal cases have limited value as precedents. In the late 1970s, the PRC government began to promulgate a comprehensive system of laws and regulations governing economic matters in general. The overall effect of legislation over the past four decades has significantly increased the protections afforded to various forms of foreign or private-sector investment in China.
As relevant laws and regulations are relatively new and the PRC legal system continues to rapidly evolve with little advance notice, the interpretations of many laws, regulations and rules are not always uniform and enforcement of these laws, regulations and rules involve uncertainties.
From time to time, we may have to resort to administrative and court proceedings to enforce our legal rights. However, since PRC administrative and court authorities have significant discretion in interpreting and implementing statutory and contractual terms, it may be more difficult to evaluate the outcome of administrative and court proceedings and the level of legal protection we enjoy than in more developed legal systems. Furthermore, the PRC legal system is based in part on government policies and internal rules (some of which are not published in a timely manner or at all) that may have retroactive effect. As a result, we may not be aware of our violation of these policies and rules until sometime after the violation. Such uncertainties, including uncertainty over the scope and effect of our contractual, property (including intellectual property) and procedural rights, and any failure to respond to changes in the regulatory environment in China could materially and adversely affect our business, impede our ability to continue our operations and reduce the value of your investment in Zhibao.
On December 28, 2021, the Cybersecurity Review Measures (2021 version) which were promulgated and became effective on February 15, 2022, provide that any “online platform operators” possessing personal information of more than one million users which seeks to list in a foreign stock exchange should be subject to cybersecurity review. The Cybersecurity Review Measures (2021 version), further list the factors to be considered when assessing the national security risks of the relevant activities, including, among others, (i) the risk of core data, important data or a large amount of personal information being stolen, leaked, destroyed, and illegally used or exited the country; and (ii) the risk of critical information infrastructure, core data, important data or a large amount of personal information being affected, controlled, or maliciously used by foreign governments after listing abroad. The CAC requires that under the new rules, companies possessing personal information of more than 1,000,000 users must apply for cybersecurity approval when seeking listings in other nations because of the risk that such data and personal information could be “affected, controlled, and maliciously exploited by foreign governments.” The cybersecurity review will also look into the potential national security risks from overseas IPOs. As a network platform operator who possesses personal information of more than one million users for purposes of the Cybersecurity Review Measures (2021 version), we have applied for and completed a cybersecurity review with respect to the IPO and we are not required to do the cybersecurity review for this offering pursuant to the Cybersecurity Review Measures (2021 version).
As of the date of this prospectus, our PRC Subsidiaries had personal information of more than 10 million end customers through their digital insurance brokerage services and MGU services. Based upon the advice of our PRC counsel, Jinghe Law Firm, that each of our PRC Subsidiaries, is deemed a “personal information processor” under the Personal Information Protection Law (“PIPL”) because they can all independently determine the handling purpose and method in the handling of personal information as defined in the PIPL.
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In addition, neither Zhibao nor any of its subsidiaries is deemed an operator of any “critical information infrastructure” as defined under the PRC Cybersecurity Law and the Security Protection Measures on Critical Information Infrastructure promulgated by the State Council on July 30, 2021, which became effective on September 1, 2021, because neither of them is identified and notified by the PRC competent government authorities that any of them is a critical information infrastructure operator (“CIIO”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, Zhibao and its subsidiaries will be deemed an “online platform operator” possessing personal information of more than one million users under the Cybersecurity Review Measures if the platform operated by the Company for our digital insurance brokerage services and MGU services possesses personal information of more than one million users.
On February 17, 2023, the CSRC released the New Overseas Listing Rules, which came into effect on March 31, 2023. The New Overseas Listing Rules apply to overseas securities offerings and/or listings conducted by (i) companies incorporated in the PRC, or PRC domestic companies, directly and (ii) companies incorporated overseas with operations primarily in the PRC and valued on the basis of interests in PRC domestic companies, or indirect offerings. The New Overseas Listing Rules requires (1) the filings of the overseas offering and listing plan by the PRC domestic companies with the CSRC under certain conditions, and (2) the filing of their underwriters with the CSRC under certain conditions and the submission of an annual report to of such filed underwriters the CSRC within the required timeline. The required filing scope is not limited to the initial public offering, but also includes subsequent overseas securities offerings, single or multiple acquisition(s), share swap, transfer of shares or other means to seek an overseas direct or indirect listing, a secondary listing or dual listing.
Under the New Overseas Listing Rules, a filing-based regulatory system applies to “indirect overseas offerings and listings” of companies in mainland China, which refers to securities offerings and listings in an overseas market made under the name of an offshore entity but based on the underlying equity, assets, earnings or other similar rights of a company in mainland China that operates its main business in mainland China. The New Overseas Listing Rules state that, any post-listing follow-on offering by an issuer in an overseas market, including issuance of shares, convertible notes, exchangeable notes and preferred shares, shall be subject to filing requirement within three business days after the completion of the offering.
On the same day, the CSRC also held a press conference for the release of the New Overseas Listing Rules and issued the Overseas Listing Notice. Under the Overseas Listing Notice, a company that has already completed overseas listing will be considered as an existing listed company and is not required to make any filing until it conducts a new offering in the future.
Based on our understanding of the rules, we are required to submit the filing report to the CSRC within three business days upon the first closing of the transactions contemplated under the Securities Purchase Agreements and report share issuance status to the CSRC upon completion of all subsequent closings. On September 26, 2024, we made the initial CSRC Filing with the CSRC and will report share issuance status to the CSRC upon completion of all subsequent closings in compliance with New Overseas Listing Rules. It is uncertain whether such filing can be completed or how long it will take to complete such filing. Any delay in completing such filing procedures might affect the other filing procedures with respect to other applicable circumstances, under the New Overseas Listing Rules in the future, such as the secondary listing, primary listing, spin-off listing and making overseas offering and listing anew after being delisted from an overseas exchange, which might affect our future public market financings and capital market transactions.
As of the date of this prospectus, except for the filing with the CSRC, and the licenses and permissions held by Zhibao’s PRC Subsidiaries under “Regulatory Permissions”, the Company believes it is not required to obtain permission or approval from any other PRC state or local government and has not received any denial to list on the U.S. exchange. See “Business — Regulatory Permissions”. However, if any other filings, approval, review or other procedure is required, there is no assurance that we will be able to obtain such filings, approval or complete such review or other procedures timely or at all. For any approval or permission that we have received or may receive in future, it could nevertheless be revoked or cancelled, and the terms of its reissuance may impose restrictions on our operations and offerings relating to our securities. Besides, the New Overseas Listing Rules may subject us to additional compliance requirement in the future. Any failure of us to fully comply with new regulatory requirements may significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to continue to offer our Class A ordinary shares, cause significant disruption to our business operations, and severely damage our reputation, which would materially and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations and cause our Class A ordinary shares to significantly decline in value or become worthless.
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On February 24, 2023, the CSRC, together with other PRC government authorities, released the Provisions on Strengthening the Confidentiality and Archives Administration Related to the Overseas Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic Enterprises (the “Confidentiality and Archives Administration Provisions”), which come into effect on March 31, 2023. The Confidentiality and Archives Administration Provisions require, among others, that PRC domestic enterprises seeking to offer and list securities in overseas markets, either directly or indirectly, shall establish the confidentiality and archives system, and shall complete approval and filing procedures with competent authorities, if such PRC domestic enterprises or their overseas listing entities provide or publicly disclose documents or materials involving state secrets and work secrets of PRC government agencies to relevant securities companies, securities service institutions, overseas regulatory agencies and other entities and individuals. It further stipulates that providing or publicly disclosing documents and materials which may adversely affect national security or public interests, and accounting files or copies of important preservation value to the state and society shall be subject to corresponding procedures in accordance with relevant laws and regulations.
Given the PRC government’s authority, oversight may also extend to Zhibao HK, our Hong Kong subsidiary, and the legal and operational risks associated with operating in mainland China could also apply to Zhibao HK. In Hong Kong, the basic policies of the PRC regarding Hong Kong are reflected in the Basic Law, which provides Hong Kong with a high degree of autonomy and executive, legislative and independent judicial powers, including that of final adjudication under the principle of “one country, two systems”. We cannot assure you that there will not be any changes in the economic, political and legal environment in Hong Kong. We may be subject to uncertainty about any future actions of the PRC government and is possible that most of the legal and operational risks associated with operating in the PRC may also apply to the PRC operating entities’ operations in Hong Kong if they conduct business in Hong Kong in the future. The PRC government may intervene or influence the PRC operating entities’ future operations in Hong Kong at any time and exert more influence over the manner in which the PRC operating entities must conduct their business activities. Such government actions, if and when they occur, could result in a material change in their operations in Hong Kong. The protection of personal data is governed by the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (Chapter 486 of The Laws of Hong Kong) (the “PDPO”) in Hong Kong. All organizations that collect, hold, process or use personal data must comply with the PDPO, including the six Data Protection Principles (“DPPs”) in Schedule 1 of the PDPO. In particular, Data Protection Principle 4 specifies the data security requirements which stipulate that, among other things, all practicable steps shall be taken to ensure that any personal data held by a data user is protected against unauthorized or accidental access, processing, erasure, loss or use. In addition, the Competition Ordinance and the relevant anti-monopoly law in Hong Kong are designed to promote competition and prohibit anti-competitive practices for entities conducting business operations in Hong Kong. The Merger Rule in the Competition Ordinance prohibits undertakings from directly or indirectly carrying out a merger that has, or is likely to have, the effect of substantially reduce the level of competition in Hong Kong. This rule is only applicable to telecommunication carrier licensees. There is no general merger control regime in Hong Kong. We believe, as of the date of this prospectus, the relevant data security, anti-monopoly and merger laws and ordinance in Hong Kong, i.e. the PDPO and the Competition Ordinance are not applicable to our HK subsidiary and have no impact on our ability to conduct our business through our PRC operating entities, accept foreign investment or listing on an U.S. exchange as our Hong Kong subsidiary is currently a holding company with no material operations since its incorporation in Hong Kong. Furthermore, there are currently no regulatory actions related to data security or anti-monopoly concerns in Hong Kong that may impact our ability to conduct our business through our PRC operating entities, accept foreign investment or continue to list on a U.S./foreign exchange, and our Hong Kong subsidiary has not received any inquiry, notice, warning or sanctions regarding our continued listing on the Nasdaq from the Hong Kong government. Notwithstanding the foregoing, there is no assurance that regulators in Hong Kong will not take a contrary view or will not subsequently require us to obtain any approval or permission in Hong Kong and subject us to fines or penalties for non-compliance.
The PRC government authorities may further strengthen oversight and control over offerings that are conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in China-based issuers like us. Any such action may adversely affect our operations and significantly limit or hinder our ability to continue to offer securities to investors or reduce the value of such securities or cause such securities to become worthless.
There are risks arising from the legal systems in China, including the risks and uncertainties regarding the interpretation, application and enforcement of current and future PRC laws and regulations. The rules and regulations in China can change quickly with little advance notice and uncertainties in the interpretation and enforcement of PRC laws, rules and regulations could limit the legal protections available to you and us. The PRC government may intervene or influence our operations at any time, or may exert more control over offerings conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in China-based issuers, which could result in a material change in our operations, financial performance and/or the value of the Class A ordinary shares we are registering for sale, or impair our ability to raise money.
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The PRC government exerts substantial influence over the manner in which we conduct our business activities. The PRC government may also intervene or influence our operations and this offering at any time, which could result in a material change in our operations and our Class A ordinary shares could decline in value or become worthless.
We are a Cayman Islands holding company and are not a PRC operating company. As a holding company with no material operations of our own, we conduct substantially all of our operations in China through our PRC Subsidiaries. We control and receive the economic benefits of our PRC Subsidiaries’ business operation, if any, through equity ownership. We do not have, nor had we ever, used a VIE structure. Our corporate structure, i.e., a Cayman Islands holding company with operations conducted by our PRC Subsidiaries, involves unique risks to investors. The PRC regulatory authorities could change the rules and regulations regarding foreign ownership in the industry in which the company operates, which would likely result in a material change in our operations and/or a material change in the value of the securities we are registering for sale, including that it could cause the value of such securities to significantly decline or become worthless.
Except for the filing requirements under the Trial Measures, we are currently not required to obtain approval from any PRC authorities to list on U.S. exchanges. However, if any of our holding company were required to obtain approval in the future and were denied permission from Chinese authorities to list on U.S. exchanges, we will not be able to continue listing on any U.S. exchange, continue to offer securities to investors, or materially affect the interest of the investors and cause significantly depreciation of our price of Class A ordinary shares.
The PRC government has exercised and continues to exercise substantial control over virtually every sector of the Chinese economy through regulation and state ownership. Our ability to operate in China may be harmed by changes in its laws and regulations, including those relating to foreign investment, taxation, environmental regulations, land use rights, property and other matters. The central or local governments of these jurisdictions may impose new, stricter regulations or interpretations of existing regulations that would require additional expenditures and efforts on our part to ensure our compliance with such regulations or interpretations. Accordingly, government actions in the future, including any decision not to continue to support recent economic reforms and to return to a more centrally planned economy or regional or local variations in the implementation of economic policies, could have a significant effect on economic conditions in China or particular regions thereof, and could require us to divest ourselves of any interest we then hold in our operations in China.
For example, the Chinese cybersecurity regulator announced on July 2, 2021, that it had begun an investigation of Didi Global Inc. (NYSE: DIDI) and two days later ordered that the company’s app be removed from smartphone app stores. Similarly, our business segments may be subject to various government and regulatory interference in the regions in which we operate. We could be subject to regulation by various political and regulatory entities, including various local and municipal agencies and government sub-divisions. We may incur increased costs necessary to comply with existing and newly adopted laws and regulations or penalties for any failure to comply.
Furthermore, it is uncertain when and whether we will be required to obtain permission from the PRC government to list on U.S. exchanges in the future, and even when such permission is obtained, whether it will be denied or rescinded. On October 19, 2023, the CSRC published such Filing Completion Notice confirming that we completed the filing procedures with the CSRC under the Trial Measures. Upon completion of the CSRC filing procedures, which was evidenced by the Filing Completion Notice, we have fulfilled the CSRC’s requirements regarding our overseas offering and listing under the Trial Measures.
Our business processes a certain quantity of personal information, and failure to protect private or sensitive information of customers or improper handling of such information could have a material and adverse effect on our business. In light of recent events indicating greater oversight by the Cyberspace Administration of China, or CAC, over data security, we are subject to a variety of laws and other obligations regarding cybersecurity and data protection, and any failure to comply with applicable laws and obligations could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and the offering.
Our business involves collecting and retaining certain internal and end customer personal data. For example, our PRC Subsidiaries collect end customer’s personal information in the ordinary course of business, including consumer profile data and purchase data. We and our PRC Subsidiaries also maintain information about various aspects of our operations as well as regarding our employees. The integrity and protection of our customers, employees and company data is critical to our business. Our customers and employees expect that we and our PRC Subsidiaries will adequately
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protect their personal information. We and our PRC Subsidiaries are required by applicable laws to keep strictly confidential the personal information that we and our and our PRC Subsidiaries collect, and to take adequate security measures to safeguard such information.
The PRC regulators have been increasingly focused on regulating data security and data protection, especially as to private or sensitive information. We expect that these areas will receive greater attention from regulators, as well as attract public scrutiny and attention going forward. This greater attention, scrutiny, and enforcement, including more frequent inspections, could increase our compliance costs and subject us to heightened risks and challenges associated with data security and protection. If we are unable to manage these risks, our reputation and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected. Besides, we face risks inherent in handling and protecting such data, including protecting the data hosted in our system, detecting and prohibiting unauthorized data share and transfer, preventing attacks on our system by outside parties or fraudulent behavior or improper use by our employees, and maintaining and updating our database. Any system failure, security breach or third parties attacks or attempts to illegally obtain the data that results in any actual or perceived release of user data could damage our reputation and brand, deter current and potential customers from using our services, damage our business, and expose us to potential legal liability.
On November 7, 2016, the SCNPC issued the Cybersecurity Law, which became effective on June 1, 2017. Pursuant to the Cybersecurity Law, network operators must not, without users’ consent, collect their personal information, and may only collect users’ personal information necessary to provide their services. Providers are also obliged to provide security maintenance for their products and services and shall comply with provisions regarding the protection of personal information as stipulated under the relevant laws and regulations. The Cybersecurity Law also provides that personal information and important data collected and generated by a CIIO in the course of its operations in China must be stored in China.
The PRC regulatory requirements regarding cybersecurity are evolving and we are subject to local laws and regulations relating to the collection, use, storage, transfer, disclosure and security of personally identifiable information with respect to our end customers and employees including any requests from regulatory and government authorities relating to the data we collected. For instance, various regulatory bodies in China, including the CAC, the Ministry of Public Security and the SAMR, have enforced data privacy and protection laws and regulations with varying and evolving standards and interpretations. On June 10, 2021, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress promulgated the Data Security Law which took effect in September 2021. The Data Security Law requires that data shall not be collected by theft or other illegal means, and it also provides that a data classification and hierarchical protection system. The data classification and hierarchical protection system protects data according to its importance in economic and social development, and the damages it may cause to national security, public interests, or the legitimate rights and interests of individuals and organizations if the data is falsified, damaged, disclosed, illegally obtained or illegally used, which protection system is expected to be built by the state for data security in the near future.
On November 14, 2021, the CAC released the Network Internet Data Protection Draft Regulations (draft for comments) and accepted public comments until December 13, 2021. The Network Internet Data Protection Draft Regulations provide that data processors refer to individuals or organizations that autonomously determine the purpose and the manner of processing data. If a data processor that processes personal data of more than one million users intends to list overseas, it shall apply for a cybersecurity review. In addition, data processors that process important data or are listed overseas shall carry out an annual data security assessment on their own or by engaging a data security services institution, and the data security assessment report for the prior year should be submitted to the local cyberspace affairs administration department before January 31 of each year.
Further, the Cybersecurity Review Measures (2021 version), which were promulgated on December 28, 2021 and effective on February 15, 2022, provides that if a CIIO purchases internet products and services that affect or may affect national security as well as any online platform operators processing the personal information of more than one million users which seek to list on a foreign stock exchange shall file a cybersecurity review with the Cybersecurity Review Office (“CRO”) in China. The Cybersecurity Review Measures also figure out the following key points:
• companies who are engaged in data processing are also subject to the regulatory scope;
• the CSRC is included as one of the regulatory authorities for purposes of jointly establishing the state cybersecurity review working mechanism; and
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• the risks of core data, material data or large amounts of personal information being stolen, leaked, destroyed, damaged, illegally used or transmitted to overseas parties and the risks of critical information infrastructure, core data, material data or large amounts of personal information being influenced, controlled or used maliciously shall be collectively taken into consideration during the cybersecurity review process.
The Cybersecurity Review Measures (2021 version) iterates that any “online platform operators” possessing personal information of more than one million users which seeks to list in a foreign stock exchange should be subject to cybersecurity review. The Cybersecurity Review Measures (2021 version), further elaborates the factors to be considered when assessing the national security risks of the relevant activities, including, among others, (i) the risk of core data, important data or a large amount of personal information being stolen, leaked, destroyed, and illegally used or exited the country; and (ii) the risk of critical information infrastructure, core data, important data or a large amount of personal information being affected, controlled, or maliciously used by foreign governments after listing abroad. The CAC requires that under the new rules, companies possessing personal information of more than 1,000,000 users must now apply for cybersecurity approval when seeking listings in other nations because of the risk that such data and personal information could be “affected, controlled, and maliciously exploited by foreign governments.” The cybersecurity review will also look into the potential national security risks from overseas IPOs.
On July 7, 2022, the CAC published the Outbound Data Transfer Security Assessment Measures (the “Outbound Data Transfer Security Assessment Measures”), which became effective on September 1, 2022 and specifies the circumstances in which data processors providing data outbound shall apply for outbound data transfer security assessment coordinated by the CAC: (i) any data processor transfers important data to overseas; (ii) any critical information infrastructure operator or data processor who processes personal information of over 1 million people provides personal information to overseas; (iii) any data processor who provides personal information to overseas and has already provided personal information of more than 100,000 people or sensitive personal information of more than 10,000 people to overseas since January 1st of the previous year and; and (iv) other circumstances under which the data cross-border transfer security assessment is required as prescribed by the CAC. However, it does not clarify the scope of the meaning of other circumstances under which the CAC would require the outbound data transfer security assessment, which leaves more uncertainties in its application and enforcement. If we are deemed to be a data handler providing important data outbound, we could be subject to the outbound data security assessment with national Cyberspace Administration as mentioned above. As a network platform operator who possess personal information of more than one million users for purposes of the Cybersecurity Review Measures (2021 version), we have applied for and completed a cybersecurity review with respect to the IPO pursuant to the Cybersecurity Review Measures (2021 version).
On June 10, 2021, the SCNPC promulgated the PRC Data Security Law, which took effect in September 2021. The PRC Data Security Law imposes data security and privacy obligations on entities and individuals carrying out data activities, and introduces a data classification and hierarchical protection system based on the importance of data in economic and social development, and the degree of harm it will cause to national security, public interests, or legitimate rights and interests of individuals or organizations when such data is tampered with, destroyed, leaked, illegally acquired or used. The PRC Data Security Law also provides for a national security review procedure for data activities that may affect national security and imposes export restrictions on certain data an information. On November 14, 2021, the CAC published the Administration Measures for Cyber Data Security (Draft for Public Comments), which reiterates that cyberspace operators with personal information of more than one million users listing in a foreign country should apply for a cybersecurity review. Certain internet platforms in China have been reportedly subject to heightened regulatory scrutiny in relation to cybersecurity matters.
As a network platform operator who possesses personal information of more than one million users for purposes of the Cybersecurity Review Measures (2021 version), we have applied for and completed a cybersecurity review with respect to the IPO pursuant to the Cybersecurity Review Measures (2021 version). However, there remains uncertainty as to how the Cybersecurity Review Measures will be interpreted or implemented and how the PRC regulatory agencies, including the CAC or the NFRA, may adopt new laws, regulations, rules, or detailed implementation and interpretation related to the Cybersecurity Review Measures. We cannot assure you that we and/or our PRC Subsidiaries will comply with such regulations in all respects and we and/or our PRC Subsidiaries may be ordered to rectify or terminate any actions that are deemed illegal by regulatory authorities. We or our PRC Subsidiaries may not be able to pass such review in relation to this offering in a timely manner or at all. Any failure or delay in the completion of the cybersecurity review procedures or any other non-compliance with the related laws and regulations may result in fines or other penalties, including suspension of business, website closure, and revocation of prerequisite licenses, as well as reputational damage or legal proceedings or actions against us, which could materially and adversely affect our business and impede our ability to continue our operations.
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The enforcement of the PRC Labor Contract Law and other labor-related regulations in the PRC may increase our labor costs, impose limitations on our labor practices and adversely affect our business and our results of operations.
The PRC Labor Law and the Labor Contract Law of the People’s Republic of China (the “Labor Contract Law”) require that employers must execute written employment contracts with full-time employees. All employers must compensate their employees with wages equal to at least the local minimum wage standards. Violations of the PRC Labor Law and the Labor Contract Law may result in the imposition of fines, compensations and other administrative sanctions, and serious violations may constitute criminal offenses.
The protection of employees who, under the PRC Labor Contract Law, have the right, among others, to enter into written labor contracts, to enter into labor contracts with no fixed terms under certain circumstances, to receive overtime wages and to terminate or alter terms in labor contracts. Besides, we are required to pay various statutory employee benefits, including pension, housing fund, medical insurance, work-related injury insurance, unemployment insurance and maternity insurance to designated government agencies for the benefit of our employees under the PRC laws and regulations. The relevant government agencies may examine whether an employer has made adequate payments to the statutory employee benefits, and those employers who fail to make adequate payments may be subject to late payment fees, fines and/or other penalties.
In addition, the Labor Contract Law, which became effective in January 2008 with its amendments being effective in July 2013 and its implementing rules being effective in September 2008, introduces specific provisions related to fixed-term employment contracts, part-time employment, probation, consultation with labor unions and employee assemblies, employment without a written contract, dismissal of employees, severance, and collective bargaining, which together represent enhanced enforcement of labor laws and regulations. For example, according to the PRC Labor Contract Law, an employer is obliged to sign an unfixed-term labor contract with any employee who has worked for the employer for 10 consecutive years. Further, if an employee requests or agrees to renew a fixed-term labor contract that has already been entered into twice consecutively, the resulting contract must have an unfixed term, with certain exceptions. The employer must pay economic compensation to an employee where a labor contract is terminated or expires in accordance with the PRC Labor Contract Law, except for certain situations which are specifically regulated. In addition, the government has issued various labor-related regulations to further protect the rights of employees. According to such laws and regulations, employees are entitled to annual leave ranging from five to 15 days and are able to be compensated for any untaken annual leave days in the amount of three times their daily salary, subject to certain exceptions.
In the event that we decide to terminate some of our employees or otherwise to change our employment or labor practices, the Labor Contract Law and its implement rules, and other labor-related regulation may also limit our ability to effect those changes in a manner that we believe to be cost-effective, which could adversely affect our business and results of operations. We expect that our labor costs, including wages and employee benefits, will continue to increase. Unless we are able to control our labor costs or pass on these increased labor costs to the insurance companies by increasing the fees of our brokerage services, our financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected.
Our PRC Subsidiaries are currently not subject to any labor disputes or related query, investigation or interference by a PRC governing body. However, due to the uncertainties as to the interpretation and implementation of these PRC laws and regulations, our PRC Subsidiaries’ employment practices may not be at all times deemed in compliance with the laws and regulations. If we are subject to severe penalties or incur significant liabilities in connection with labor disputes or investigations, our business and financial conditions may be adversely affected.
PRC regulations relating to foreign exchange registration of overseas investment by PRC residents may subject our PRC resident beneficial owners of our PRC Subsidiaries to liability or penalties, limit our ability to inject capital into the subsidiary, limit PRC Subsidiaries’ ability to increase its registered capital or distribute profits to us, or may otherwise adversely affect us.
On July 4, 2014, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange of the People’s Republic of China, or SAFE, promulgated the Circular on Relevant Issues Relating to Domestic Resident’s Investment and Financing and Roundtrip Investment through Special Purpose Vehicles, or SAFE Circular 37, which replaced the former Notice on Relevant Issues Concerning Foreign Exchange Administration for PRC Residents to Engage in Financing and Inbound Investment via Overseas Special Purpose Vehicles (generally known as SAFE Circular 75) promulgated by SAFE on October 21,
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2005. On February 13, 2015, SAFE further promulgated the Circular on Further Simplifying and Improving the Administration of the Foreign Exchange Concerning Direct Investment (“SAFE Circular 13”), which took effect on June 1, 2015. This SAFE Circular 13 has amended SAFE Circular 37 by requiring PRC residents or entities to register with qualified banks rather than SAFE or its local branch in connection with their direct establishment or indirect control of an offshore entity established for the purpose of overseas investment or financing with such mainland China residents’ legally owned assets or equity interests in domestic enterprises or offshore assets or interests. Qualified local banks will directly examine and accept foreign exchange registration for overseas direct investment, including the initial foreign exchange registration and amendment registration, under Circular 37 from June 1, 2015.
These circulars further require amendment to the registration in the event of any significant changes with respect to the special purpose vehicle, such as an increase or decrease of capital contributed by PRC residents, share transfer or exchange, merger, division or other material events. In the event that a PRC resident holding interests in a special purpose vehicle fails to complete the required SAFE registration, the PRC subsidiaries of that special purpose vehicle may be prohibited from making profit distributions to the offshore parent and from carrying out subsequent cross-border foreign exchange activities, and the special purpose vehicle may be restricted in its ability to contribute additional capital into its PRC subsidiaries. Furthermore, it is unclear how this regulation, and any future regulation concerning offshore or cross-border transactions, will be interpreted, amended and implemented by the relevant PRC government authorities, and we cannot predict how these regulations will affect our business operations or future strategy. Failure to comply with the various SAFE registration requirements described above could result in liability under PRC law for evasion of foreign exchange controls. This may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
According to SAFE Circular 37 and SAFE Circular 13, our shareholders or beneficial owners who are PRC residents are subject to Circular 37 or other foreign exchange administrative regulations in respect of their investment in our company. To the best of our knowledge, as of the date of this prospectus, all of our PRC resident shareholders who directly or indirectly hold shares in our Cayman Islands holding company and who are known to us have completed the application for foreign exchange registrations for their foreign investment in our company in accordance with SAFE Circular 37 and SAFE Circular 13. We have taken steps to notify significant beneficial owners of ordinary shares whom we know are PRC residents of their filing obligations. However, we may not at all times be fully aware or informed of the identities of all our shareholders or beneficial owners that are required to make such registrations, and we may not always be able to compel them to comply with all relevant foreign exchange regulations. As a result, we cannot assure you that all of our shareholders or beneficial owners who are PRC residents will at all times comply with, or in the future make or obtain any applicable registrations or approvals required by all relevant foreign exchange regulations. The failure or inability of such individuals to comply with the registration procedures set forth in these regulations may subject us to fines or legal sanctions, restrictions on our cross-border investment activities or our PRC Subsidiaries’ ability to distribute dividends to, or obtain foreign-exchange-dominated loans from, our company, or prevent us from making distributions or paying dividends. As a result, our business operations and our ability to make distributions to you could be materially and adversely affected.
Furthermore, as these foreign exchange regulations are still relatively new and their interpretation and implementation have been constantly evolving, it is unclear how these regulations, and any future regulation concerning offshore or cross-border transactions, will be interpreted, amended and implemented by the relevant government authorities. We cannot predict how these regulations will affect our business operations or future strategy. In addition, if we decide to acquire a PRC domestic company, we cannot assure you that we or the owners of such company, as the case may be, will be able to obtain the necessary approvals or complete the necessary filings and registrations required by the foreign exchange regulations. This may restrict our ability to implement our acquisition strategy and could adversely affect our business and prospects.
PRC regulation on loans to, and direct investment in, our PRC Subsidiaries by offshore holding companies and governmental control in currency conversion may delay or prevent us from using the proceeds of any future offerings to make loans to or make additional capital contributions to our PRC Subsidiaries, which could materially and adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business.
Zhibao is an exempted company incorporated in the Cayman Islands with limited liability structured as a holding company conducting its operations substantially in China through its PRC Subsidiaries. As permitted under PRC laws and regulations, in utilizing the proceeds of any future offerings, we may make loans to our PRC Subsidiaries subject to the approval from governmental authorities and limitation of amount, or we may make additional capital
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contributions to our PRC Subsidiaries. For the fiscal years ended June 30, 2022 and 2023 and six months ended December 31, 2023, Zhibao has not made any loans or capital contributions to WFOE. Furthermore, loans by us to our PRC Subsidiaries to finance its activities cannot exceed the statutory limits and are subject to the requirement of making necessary filings in the Foreign Investment Comprehensive Management Information System and registration with other governmental authorities in China.
The SAFE promulgated the Notice of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange on Reforming the Administration of Foreign Exchange Settlement of Capital of Foreign-invested Enterprises (“SAFE Circular 19”), effective on June 1, 2015, in replacement of the Circular on the Relevant Operating Issues Concerning the Improvement of the Administration of the Payment and Settlement of Foreign Currency Capital of Foreign-Invested Enterprises, the Notice from the State Administration of Foreign Exchange on Relevant Issues Concerning Strengthening the Administration of Foreign Exchange Businesses, and the Circular on Further Clarification and Regulation of the Issues Concerning the Administration of Certain Capital Account Foreign Exchange Businesses. According to SAFE Circular 19, the flow and use of the RMB capital converted from foreign currency-denominated registered capital of a foreign-invested company is regulated such that RMB capital may not be used for the issuance of RMB entrusted loans, the repayment of inter-enterprise loans or the repayment of bank loans that have been transferred to a third party. Although SAFE Circular 19 allows RMB capital converted from foreign currency-denominated registered capital of a foreign-invested enterprise to be used for equity investments within the PRC, it also reiterates the principle that RMB converted from the foreign currency-denominated capital of a foreign-invested company may not be directly or indirectly used for purposes beyond its business scope. Thus, it is unclear whether the SAFE will permit such capital to be used for equity investments in the PRC in actual practice. The SAFE promulgated the Notice of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange on Reforming and Standardizing the Foreign Exchange Settlement Management Policy of Capital Account (“SAFE Circular 16”), effective on June 9, 2016, which reiterates some of the rules set forth in SAFE Circular 19, but changes the prohibition against using RMB capital converted from foreign currency-denominated registered capital of a foreign-invested company to issue RMB entrusted loans to a prohibition against using such capital to grant loans to non-associated enterprises. Violations of SAFE Circular 19 and SAFE Circular 16 could result in administrative penalties. SAFE Circular 19 and SAFE Circular 16 may significantly limit our ability to transfer any foreign currency we hold, to our PRC Subsidiaries, which may adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business in the PRC.
In light of the various requirements imposed by PRC regulations on loans to, and direct investment in, the PRC subsidiaries by offshore holding companies, and the fact that the PRC government may at its discretion restrict access to foreign currencies for current account transactions in the future, we cannot assure you that we will be able to complete the necessary government registrations or obtain the necessary government approvals on a timely basis, if at all, with respect to future loans by us to our PRC Subsidiaries or with respect to future capital contributions by us to our PRC Subsidiaries. If we fail to complete such registrations or obtain such approvals, our ability to use the proceeds from any future offerings and to capitalize or otherwise fund our PRC operations may be negatively affected, which could materially and adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business.
Under the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law, we may be classified as a PRC “resident enterprise” for PRC enterprise income tax purposes. Such classification would likely result in unfavorable tax consequences to us and our non-PRC enterprise shareholders and has a material adverse effect on our results of operations and the value of your investment.
Under the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law (“EIT Law”), that became effective in January 2008 and was amended in February 2017 and December 2018, as well as its implementing rules, an enterprise established outside the PRC with “de facto management bodies” within the PRC is considered a “resident enterprise” for PRC enterprise income tax purposes and is generally subject to a uniform 25% enterprise income tax rate on its worldwide income. Under the implementation rules to the EIT Law, a “de facto management body” is defined as a body that has material and overall management and control over the manufacturing and business operations, personnel and human resources, finances and properties of an enterprise. In addition, a circular, known as SAT Circular 82, issued in April 2009 by the State Administration of Taxation (the “SAT”), specifies that certain offshore incorporated enterprises controlled by PRC enterprises or PRC enterprise groups will be classified as PRC resident enterprises if the following are located or resident in the PRC: senior management personnel and departments that are responsible for daily production, operation and management; financial and personnel decision making bodies; key properties, accounting books, company seal, and minutes of board meetings and shareholders’ meetings; and half or more of the senior management or directors having voting rights. Further to SAT Circular 82, the SAT issued a bulletin, known as SAT Bulletin 45, which took effect
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in September 2011, to provide more guidance on the implementation of SAT Circular 82 and clarify the reporting and filing obligations of such “Chinese-controlled offshore incorporated resident enterprises.” SAT Bulletin 45 provides procedures and administrative details for the determination of resident status and administration on post-determination matters. Although both SAT Circular 82 and SAT Bulletin 45 only apply to offshore enterprises controlled by PRC enterprises or PRC enterprise groups, not those controlled by PRC individuals or foreign individuals, the determining criteria set forth in SAT Circular 82 and SAT Bulletin 45 may reflect the SAT’s general position on how the “de facto management body” test should be applied in determining the tax resident status of offshore enterprises, regardless of whether they are controlled by PRC enterprises, PRC enterprise groups or by PRC or foreign individuals.
We do not believe that we, as an exempted company incorporated in the Cayman Islands with limited liability, meet all of the conditions above; thus we do not believe that we are a PRC resident enterprise, though all members of our management team as well as the management team of our offshore holding company are located in China. However, if the PRC tax authorities determine that we are a PRC resident enterprise for PRC enterprise income tax purposes, a number of unfavorable PRC tax consequences could follow. First, we will be subject to the uniform 25% enterprise income tax on our world-wide income, which could materially reduce our net income. In addition, we will also be subject to PRC enterprise income tax reporting obligations. However, the tax resident status of an enterprise is subject to determination by the PRC tax authorities and uncertainties remain with respect to the interpretation of the term “de facto management body.”
Finally, since there remain uncertainties regarding the interpretation and implementation of the EIT Law and its implementation rules, it is uncertain whether, if we are regarded as a PRC resident enterprise, any dividends payable by us to our investors and gains on the sale of our shares would become subject to PRC withholding tax, at a rate of 10% in the case of non-PRC enterprises (subject to the provisions of any applicable tax treaty). It is unclear whether non-PRC enterprise shareholders of our company would be able to claim the benefits of any tax treaties between their country of tax residence and the PRC in the event that we are treated as a PRC resident enterprise. Any such tax may reduce the returns on your investment in the Class A ordinary shares.
There are significant uncertainties under the EIT Law relating to the withholding tax liabilities of our PRC Subsidiaries, and dividends payable by our PRC Subsidiaries to our offshore subsidiaries may not qualify for certain treaty benefits.
Under the EIT Law and its implementation rules, we, as a non-resident enterprise, that is, an enterprise lawfully incorporated pursuant to the laws of a foreign country (region) that has an office or premises established in China with no actual management functions performed in China, or an enterprise that has income derived from or accruing in China although it does not have an office or premises in China, will be subject to a withholding tax rate of 10%.
Pursuant to a special arrangement between Hong Kong and China, such rate may be reduced to 5% if a Hong Kong resident enterprise owns more than 25% of the equity interest in the PRC company. Zhibao China is 100% owned by Zhibao HK. Accordingly, Zhibao HK may qualify for a 5% tax rate in respect of distributions from Zhibao China when it becomes operational and is not obligated to pay more than 50% of the income in twelve months to residents in third country or region. Under the Notice of the State Administration of Taxation on Issues regarding the Administration of the Dividend Provision in Tax Treaties promulgated on February 20, 2009, the taxpayer needs to satisfy certain conditions to utilize the benefits under a tax treaty. These conditions include: (1) the taxpayer must be the beneficial owner of the relevant dividends, and (2) the corporate shareholder to receive dividends from the PRC Subsidiaries must have continuously met the direct ownership thresholds during the 12 consecutive months preceding the receipt of the dividends. Further, under Announcement of the State Administration of Taxation on Issues Relating to “Beneficial Owner” in Tax Treaties, which took effect on April 1, 2018, a “Beneficial Owner” shall mean a person who has ownership and control over the income and the rights and property from which the income is derived. To determine the “beneficial owner” status of a resident of the treaty counterparty who needs to take advantage of the tax treaty benefits, a comprehensive analysis shall be carried out, taking into account actual conditions of the specific case.
Entitlement to a lower tax rate on dividends according to tax treaties or arrangements between the PRC central government and governments of other countries or regions is subject to Announcement of State Taxation Administration on Promulgation of the Administrative Measures on Non-resident Taxpayers Enjoying Treaty Benefits (“Circular 35”). Circular 35 provides that non-resident enterprises are not required to obtain pre-approval from the relevant tax authority in order to enjoy the reduced withholding tax. Instead, non-resident enterprises and their withholding agents may, by self-assessment and on confirmation that the prescribed criteria to enjoy the tax treaty benefits are met, directly apply
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the reduced withholding tax rate, and file necessary forms and supporting documents when performing tax filings, which will be subject to post-tax filing examinations by the relevant tax authorities. As a result, we cannot assure you that we will be entitled to any preferential withholding tax rate under tax treaties for dividends received from WFOE.
Enhanced scrutiny over acquisition transactions by the PRC tax authorities may have a negative impact on potential acquisitions we may pursue in the future.
Pursuant to the Notice on Strengthening Administration of Enterprise Income Tax for Share Transfers by Non-PRC Resident Enterprises (“SAT Circular 698”) issued by the SAT on December 10, 2009, where a foreign investor transfers the equity interests of a resident enterprise indirectly via disposition of the equity interests of an overseas holding company, or an “indirect transfer,” and such overseas holding company is located in a tax jurisdiction that (i) has an effective tax rate less than 12.5% or (ii) does not tax foreign income of its residents, the foreign investor shall report the indirect transfer to the competent tax authority. The PRC tax authority will examine the true nature of the indirect transfer, and if the tax authority considers that the foreign investor has adopted an “abusive arrangement” in order to avoid PRC tax, it may disregard the existence of the overseas holding company and re-characterize the indirect transfer.
On February 3, 2015, the SAT issued the Announcement of the State Administration of Taxation on Several Issues Concerning the Enterprise Income Tax on Indirect Property Transfer by Non-Resident Enterprises (“SAT Bulletin 7”), to supersede existing provisions in relation to the “indirect transfer” as set forth in SAT Circular 698, while the other provisions of SAT Circular 698 remain in force. Pursuant to SAT Bulletin 7, where a non-resident enterprise indirectly transfers properties such as equity in PRC resident enterprises without any justifiable business purposes and aiming to avoid the payment of enterprise income tax, such indirect transfer must be reclassified as a direct transfer of equity in PRC resident enterprises. To assess whether an indirect transfer of PRC taxable properties has reasonable commercial purposes, all arrangements related to the indirect transfer must be considered comprehensively and factors set forth in SAT Bulletin 7 must be comprehensively analyzed in light of the actual circumstances. SAT Bulletin 7 also provides that, where a non-PRC resident enterprise transfers its equity interests in a resident enterprise to its related parties at a price lower than the fair market value, the competent tax authority has the power to make a reasonable adjustment to the taxable income of the transaction.
On October 17, 2017, the SAT issued the Announcement of the State Administration of Taxation on Matters Concerning Withholding of Income Tax of Non-resident Enterprises as Source (“SAT Bulletin 37”), which repealed the entire SAT Circular 698 and the provision in relation to the time limit for the withholding agent to declare to the competent tax authority for payment of such tax of SAT Bulletin 7. Pursuant to SAT Bulletin 37, the income from a property transfer, as stipulated in the second item under Article 19 of the EIT Law, shall include the income derived from transferring such equity investment assets as stock equity. The balance of deducting the equity’s net value from the total income from equity transfer shall be taxable income from equity transfer. Where a withholding agent enters into a business contract, involving the income specified in the third paragraph of Article 3 in the EIT Law, with a non-resident enterprise, the tax-excluding income of the non-resident enterprise will be treated as the tax-including income, based on which the tax payment will be calculated and remitted, if it is agreed in the contract that the withholding agent shall assume the tax payable.
It is possible that we or our non-PRC resident investors may become at risk of being taxed under SAT Bulletin 7 and SAT Bulletin 37 and may be required to expend valuable resources to comply with SAT Bulletin 7 and SAT Bulletin 37 or to establish that we or our non-PRC resident investors should not be taxed under SAT Bulletin 7 and SAT Bulletin 37, which may have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations or such non-PRC resident investors’ investment in us.
Dividends payable to our foreign investors and gains on the sale of our Class A ordinary shares by our foreign investors may be subject to PRC tax.
Under the EIT Law and its implementation regulations issued by the State Council, a 10% PRC withholding tax is applicable to dividends payable to investors that are non-resident enterprises, which do not have an establishment or place of business in the PRC or which have such establishment or place of business but the dividends are not effectively connected with such establishment or place of business, to the extent such dividends are derived from sources within the PRC. Any gain realized on the transfer of ordinary shares by such investors is also subject to PRC tax at a current rate of 10% which in the case of dividends will be withheld at source if such gain is regarded as income derived from
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sources within the PRC. If we are deemed a PRC resident enterprise, dividends paid on our ordinary shares, and any gain realized from the transfer of our ordinary shares, may be treated as income derived from sources within the PRC and may as a result be subject to PRC taxation. See “Regulation — Regulations Relating to Taxation.” Furthermore, if we are deemed a PRC resident enterprise, dividends payable to individual investors who are non-PRC residents and any gain realized on the transfer of ordinary shares by such investors may be subject to PRC tax at a current rate of 20%. Any PRC tax liability may be reduced under applicable tax treaties. However, it is unclear whether holders of our ordinary shares would be able to claim the benefit of income tax treaties or agreements entered into between China and other countries or areas if we are considered a PRC resident enterprise. If dividends payable to our non-PRC investors, or gains from the transfer of our Class A ordinary shares by such investors are subject to PRC tax, the value of your investment in our Class A ordinary shares may decline significantly.
We may rely on dividends and other distributions on equity paid by our PRC Subsidiaries to fund any cash and financing requirements we may have, and the PRC Subsidiaries’ restrictions on paying dividends or making other payments to us could restrict our ability to satisfy our liquidity requirements and have a material and adverse effect on our ability to conduct our business.
Zhibao is an exempted company incorporated in the Cayman Islands with limited liability structured as a holding company. We may need dividends and other distributions on equity from our PRC Subsidiaries to satisfy our liquidity requirements, including the funds necessary to pay dividends and other cash distributions to shareholders and service, any debt Zhibao may incur. Our PRC Subsidiaries generate and retain cash generated from operating activities and re-invest it in our business. Current PRC regulations permit our PRC Subsidiaries to pay dividends to us only out of its accumulated profits, if any, determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations. In addition, our PRC Subsidiaries are required to set aside at least 10% of its accumulated profits each year, if any, to fund certain reserve funds until the total amount set aside reaches 50% of its registered capital. Our PRC Subsidiaries may also allocate a portion of its after-tax profits based on PRC accounting standards to employee welfare and bonus funds at their discretion. These reserves are not distributable as cash dividends. Furthermore, if our PRC Subsidiaries incur debt on its own behalf in the future, the instruments governing the debt may restrict their ability to pay dividends or make other payments to us. Any limitation on the ability of our PRC Subsidiaries to distribute dividends or to make payments to us may restrict our ability to satisfy our liquidity requirements.
In addition, the EIT Law, and its implementation rules provide that a withholding tax rate of up to 10% will be applicable to dividends payable by Chinese companies to non-PRC-resident enterprises unless otherwise exempted or reduced according to treaties or arrangements between the PRC central government and governments of other countries or regions where the non-PRC-resident enterprises are incorporated.
In response to the persistent capital outflow in China and the RMB’s depreciation against the U.S. dollar in the fourth quarter of 2016, the People’s Bank of China (“PBOC”) and SAFE promulgated a series of capital control measures in early 2017, including stricter vetting procedures for domestic companies to remit foreign currency for overseas investments, dividends payments and shareholder loan repayments. The PRC government may continue to strengthen its capital controls, and more restrictions and substantial vetting process may be put forward by SAFE for cross-border transactions falling under both the current account and the capital account. Any limitation on the ability of our PRC Subsidiaries to pay dividends or make other kinds of payments to us could materially and adversely limit our ability to grow, make investments or acquisitions that could be beneficial to our business, pay dividends, or otherwise fund and conduct our business.
Fluctuations in exchange rates could result in foreign currency exchange losses to us and may reduce the value of, and amount in U.S. Dollars of dividends payable on, our shares in foreign currency terms and could impact our gross profit and gross margin.
The value of the RMB and the Hong Kong dollar against the U.S. dollar and other currencies may fluctuate and is affected by, among other things, changes in political and economic conditions and the foreign exchange policy adopted by the PRC government. In August 2015, the PBOC, changed the way it calculates the mid-point price of RMB against the U.S. dollar, requiring the market-makers who submit for reference rates to consider the previous day’s closing spot rate, foreign-exchange demand and supply as well as changes in major currency rates. In 2018, the value of the RMB appreciated by approximately 5.5% against the U.S. dollar; and in 2019, the RMB appreciated by approximately 1.9% against the U.S. dollar. It is difficult to predict how market forces or PRC or U.S. government policy, including any interest rate increases by the Federal Reserve, may impact the exchange rate between the RMB and the U.S. dollar in
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the future. There remains significant international pressure on the PRC government to adopt a more flexible currency policy, including from the U.S. government, which has threatened to label China as a “currency manipulator,” which could result in greater fluctuation of the RMB against the U.S. dollar. However, the PRC government may still at its discretion restrict access to foreign currencies for current account transactions in the future. Therefore, it is difficult to predict how market forces or government policies may impact the exchange rate between the RMB and the U.S. dollar or other currencies in the future. In addition, the PBOC regularly intervenes in the foreign exchange market to limit fluctuations in RMB exchange rates and achieve policy goals. If the exchange rate between RMB and U.S. dollar fluctuates in unanticipated manners, our results of operations and financial condition, and the value of, and dividends payable on, our shares in foreign currency terms may be adversely affected. We may not be able to pay dividends in foreign currencies to our shareholders. Appreciation of RMB to U.S. dollar will result in foreign currency translation gain, while depreciation of RMB to U.S. dollar will result in foreign currency translation loss.
Restrictions on currency exchange may limit our ability to utilize our revenues or make foreign currency payments effectively.
All of our revenues are denominated in Renminbi. The Renminbi is currently convertible under the “current account,” which includes dividends, trade and service-related foreign exchange transactions, but not under the “capital account,” which includes foreign direct investment and loans, including loans we may secure from our onshore subsidiaries. Currently, our WFOE may purchase foreign currency for settlement of “current account transactions,” including payment of dividends to us, without the approval of SAFE by complying with certain procedural requirements. However, the relevant PRC governmental authorities may limit or eliminate our ability to purchase foreign currencies in the future for current account transactions. Since we expect a significant portion of our future revenue will be denominated in Renminbi, any existing and future restrictions on currency exchange may limit our ability to utilize revenue generated in Renminbi to fund our business activities outside of the PRC or pay dividends in foreign currencies to our shareholders. Foreign exchange transactions under the capital account remain subject to limitations and require approvals from, or registration with, SAFE and other relevant PRC governmental authorities. This could affect our ability to obtain foreign currency through debt or equity financing for our subsidiaries.
Also, substantially all of the Company’s operating activities that were conducted through the PRC Subsidiaries in China and related assets and liabilities are denominated in Renminbi, which is not freely convertible into foreign currencies. All foreign exchange transactions take place either through the Peoples’ Bank of China (“PBOC”) or other authorized financial institutions at exchange rates quoted by PBOC. Approval of foreign currency payments by the PBOC or other regulatory institutions requires submitting a payment application form together with suppliers’ invoices and signed contracts. The value of Renminbi is subject to changes in central government policies and to international economic and political developments affecting supply and demand in the China Foreign Exchange Trading System market.
It may be difficult for overseas shareholders and/or regulators to conduct investigation or collect evidence within China.
Shareholder claims or regulatory investigation that are common in the United States generally are difficult to pursue as a matter of law or practicality in China. For example, in China, there are significant legal and other obstacles to providing information needed for regulatory investigations or litigation initiated outside China. Although the authorities in China may establish a regulatory cooperation mechanism with the securities regulatory authorities of another country or region to implement cross-border supervision and administration, such cooperation with the securities regulatory authorities in the Unities States may not be efficient in the absence of mutual and practical cooperation mechanism. Furthermore, according to Article 177 of the PRC Securities Law, or Article 177, which became effective in March 2020, no overseas securities regulator is allowed to directly conduct investigation or evidence collection activities within the territory of the PRC without first receiving approval from the CSRC. While detailed interpretation of or implementation rules under Article 177 have yet to be promulgated, the inability for an overseas securities regulator to directly conduct investigation or evidence collection activities within China may further increase difficulties faced by you in protecting your interests.
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The CSRC has recently released the New Overseas Listing Rules for China-based companies seeking to conduct overseas offering and listing in foreign markets, effective as of March 31, 2023. Under the New Overseas Listing Rules, the PRC government exerts more oversight and control over offerings that are conducted overseas and foreign investment in China-based issuers, which could significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to continue to offer our Class A ordinary shares to investors and could cause the value of our Class A ordinary shares to significantly decline or such shares to become worthless.
The General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the General Office of the State Council jointly issued the Opinions, which was made available to the public on July 6, 2021. The Opinions emphasized the need to strengthen the administration over illegal securities activities, and the need to strengthen the supervision over overseas listings by Chinese companies. Effective measures, such as promoting the construction of relevant regulatory systems will be taken to deal with the risks and incidents of China-concept overseas listed companies, and cybersecurity and data privacy protection requirements and similar matters.
On February 17, 2023, the CSRC released the New Overseas Listing Rules, which came into effect on March 31, 2023. The New Overseas Listing Rules apply to overseas securities offerings and/or listings conducted by (i) companies incorporated in the PRC, or PRC domestic companies, directly and (ii) companies incorporated overseas with operations primarily in the PRC and valued on the basis of interests in PRC domestic companies, or indirect offerings. The New Overseas Listing Rules requires (1) the filings of the overseas offering and listing plan by the PRC domestic companies with the CSRC under certain conditions, and (2) the filing of their underwriters with the CSRC under certain conditions and the submission of an annual report to of such filed underwriters the CSRC within the required timeline. The required filing scope is not limited to the initial public offering, but also includes subsequent overseas securities offerings, single or multiple acquisition(s), share swap, transfer of shares or other means to seek an overseas direct or indirect listing, a secondary listing or dual listing.
Under the New Overseas Listing Rules, a filing-based regulatory system applies to “indirect overseas offerings and listings” of companies in mainland China, which refers to securities offerings and listings in an overseas market made under the name of an offshore entity but based on the underlying equity, assets, earnings or other similar rights of a company in mainland China that operates its main business in mainland China. The New Overseas Listing Rules state that, any post-listing follow-on offering by an issuer in an overseas market, including issuance of shares, convertible notes, exchangeable notes and preferred shares, shall be subject to filing requirement within three business days after the completion of the offering.
On the same day, the CSRC also held a press conference for the release of the New Overseas Listing Rules and issued the Overseas Listing Notice. Under the Overseas Listing Notice, a company that has already completed overseas listing will be considered as an existing listed company and is not required to make any filing until it conducts a new offering in the future.
Based on our understanding of the rules, we are required to submit the filing report to the CSRC within three business days upon the first closing of the transactions contemplated under the Securities Purchase Agreements and report share issuance status to the CSRC upon completion of all subsequent closings. On September 26, 2024, we made the initial CSRC Filing with the CSRC and will report share issuance status to the CSRC upon completion of all subsequent closings in compliance with New Overseas Listing Rules. It is uncertain whether such filing can be completed or how long it will take to complete such filing. Any delay in completing such filing procedures might affect the other filing procedures with respect to other applicable circumstances, under the New Overseas Listing Rules in the future, such as the secondary listing, primary listing, spin-off listing and making overseas offering and listing anew after being delisted from an overseas exchange, which might affect our future public market financings and capital market transactions.
As of the date of this prospectus, except for the filing with the CSRC, and the licenses and permissions held by Zhibao’s PRC Subsidiaries under “Regulatory Permissions”, the Company believes it is not required to obtain permission or approval from any other PRC state or local government and has not received any denial to list on the U.S. exchange. See “Business — Regulatory Permissions”. However, if any other filings, approval, review or other procedure is required, there is no assurance that we will be able to obtain such filings, approval or complete such review or other procedures timely or at all. For any approval or permission that we have received or may receive in future, it could nevertheless be revoked or cancelled, and the terms of its reissuance may impose restrictions on our operations and offerings relating to our securities. Besides, the New Overseas Listing Rules may subject us to additional compliance requirement in the future. Any failure of us to fully comply with new regulatory requirements
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may significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to continue to offer our Class A ordinary shares, cause significant disruption to our business operations, and severely damage our reputation, which would materially and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations and cause our Class A ordinary shares to significantly decline in value or become worthless.
On February 24, 2023, the CSRC, together with other PRC government authorities, released the Provisions on Strengthening the Confidentiality and Archives Administration Related to the Overseas Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic Enterprises (the “Confidentiality and Archives Administration Provisions”), which came into effect on March 31, 2023. The Confidentiality and Archives Administration Provisions require, among others, that PRC domestic enterprises seeking to offer and list securities in overseas markets, either directly or indirectly, shall establish the confidentiality and archives system, and shall complete approval and filing procedures with competent authorities, if such PRC domestic enterprises or their overseas listing entities provide or publicly disclose documents or materials involving state secrets and work secrets of PRC government agencies to relevant securities companies, securities service institutions, overseas regulatory agencies and other entities and individuals. It further stipulates that providing or publicly disclosing documents and materials which may adversely affect national security or public interests, and accounting files or copies of important preservation value to the state and society shall be subject to corresponding procedures in accordance with relevant laws and regulations.
As of the date of this prospectus, we believe, except for the New Overseas Listing Rules and Overseas Listing Notice and the Cybersecurity Review Measures (2021 version), no other relevant laws or regulations in the PRC explicitly require us to seek approval or permissions from any other PRC governmental authorities for our offering and continued listing on the Nasdaq, nor has our company, any of our subsidiaries received any inquiry, notice, warning or sanctions regarding our continued listing on the Nasdaq from any other PRC governmental authorities. As a network platform operator who possesses personal information of more than one million users for purposes of the Cybersecurity Review Measures (2021 version), we completed a cybersecurity review with respect to the IPO pursuant to the Cybersecurity Review Measures (2021 version). We have been closely monitoring regulatory developments in China regarding any necessary approvals from the CAC or other PRC regulatory authorities required for our operations and future overseas listings. However, there remains significant uncertainty as to the enactment, interpretation and implementation of regulatory requirements related to overseas securities offerings and other capital markets activities. The PRC government may take actions to exert more oversight and control over offerings by China-based issuers conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in such companies, which could significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to continue to offer securities to investors outside China and cause the value of our securities to significantly decline or become worthless. If it is determined in the future that the approval or permissions of any regulatory authority is required for our operations through our PRC Subsidiaries and this offering and we or our PRC Subsidiaries do not receive or maintain the approvals or permissions, or we or our PRC Subsidiaries inadvertently conclude that such approvals or permissions are not required, or applicable laws, regulations, or interpretations change such that we or our PRC Subsidiaries are required to obtain approvals or permissions in the future, we and our PRC Subsidiaries may be subject to investigations by competent regulators, fines or penalties, ordered to suspend our relevant operations and rectify any non-compliance, limit our ability to pay dividends outside of mainland China, delay or restrict the repatriation of the proceeds from any future financings into mainland China or take other actions prohibited from engaging in relevant business or conducting any offering, and these risks could result in a material adverse change in our operations, significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to continue to offer securities to investors, or cause such securities to significantly decline in value or become worthless.
The M&A Rules and certain other PRC regulations establish complex procedures for some acquisitions of Chinese companies by foreign investors, which could make it more difficult for us to pursue growth through acquisitions in China.
The M&A Rules discussed in the preceding risk factor and related regulations and rules concerning mergers and acquisitions established additional procedures and requirements that could make merger and acquisition activities by foreign investors more time-consuming and complex. For example, the M&A Rules require that MOFCOM be notified in advance of any change-of-control transaction in which a foreign investor takes control of a PRC domestic enterprise, if (i) any important industry is concerned, (ii) such transaction involves factors that have or may have impact on the national economic security, or (iii) such transaction will lead to a change in control of a domestic enterprise which holds a famous trademark or PRC time-honored brand, (iv) or in circumstances where overseas companies established or controlled by PRC enterprises or residents acquire affiliated domestic companies. Mergers, acquisitions or contractual arrangements that allow one market player to take control of or to exert decisive impact on
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another market player must also be notified in advance to the MOFCOM when the threshold under the Provisions on Thresholds for Prior Notification of Concentrations of Undertakings issued by the State Council in August 2008 is triggered.
In addition, the security review rules issued by the MOFCOM that became effective in September 2011 specify that mergers and acquisitions by foreign investors that raise “national defense and security” concerns and mergers and acquisitions through which foreign investors may acquire de facto control over domestic enterprises that raise “national security” concerns are subject to strict review by the MOFCOM, and the rules prohibit any activities attempting to bypass a security review, including by structuring the transaction through a proxy or contractual control arrangement. Furthermore, according to the security review, foreign investments that would result in acquiring the actual control of assets in certain key sectors, such as critical agricultural products, energy and resources, equipment manufacturing, infrastructure, transport, cultural products and services, information technology, Internet products and services, financial services and technology sectors, are required to obtain approval from designated governmental authorities in advance.
In the future, we may grow our business by acquiring complementary businesses. Complying with the requirements of the above-mentioned regulations and other relevant rules to complete such transactions, if required, could be time-consuming, and any required approval processes, including obtaining approval from the MOFCOM or its local counterparts may delay or inhibit our ability to complete such transactions. It is unclear whether our business would be deemed to be in an industry that raises “national defense and security” or “national security” concerns. However, the MOFCOM or other government agencies may publish explanations in the future determining that our business is in an industry subject to the security review, in which case our future acquisitions in the PRC, including those by way of entering into contractual control arrangements with target entities, may be closely scrutinized or prohibited. Our ability to expand our business or maintain or expand our market share through future acquisitions would as such be materially and adversely affected. Furthermore, according to the M&A Rules, if a PRC entity or individual plans to merge or acquire its related PRC entity through an overseas company legitimately incorporated or controlled by such entity or individual, such a merger and acquisition will be subject to examination and approval by the MOFCOM. There is a possibility that the PRC regulators may promulgate new rules or explanations requiring that we obtain the approval of the MOFCOM or other PRC governmental authorities for our completed or ongoing mergers and acquisitions. There is no assurance that, if we plan to make an acquisition, we can obtain such approval from the MOFCOM or any other relevant PRC governmental authorities for our mergers and acquisitions, and if we fail to obtain those approvals, we may be required to suspend our acquisition and be subject to penalties. Any uncertainties regarding such approval requirements could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and corporate structure.
To the extent cash or assets in our business are in mainland China or Hong Kong or a mainland China or Hong Kong entity, the funds or assets may not be available to fund operations or for other use outside of mainland China or Hong Kong due to interventions in or the imposition of restrictions and limitations on the ability of our company and our subsidiaries by the PRC government to transfer cash or assets, which may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and may result in our inability to sustain our growth and expansion strategies.
Zhibao is an offshore holding company with no material operations of its own, and conducts substantially all of its operations through its PRC Subsidiaries. As of the date of this prospectus, substantially all of our cash and assets are located in the PRC. As a holding company, Zhibao may rely on dividends and other distributions on equity paid by its PRC Subsidiaries for its cash and financing requirements. If any of our PRC Subsidiaries incurs debt on its own behalf in the future, the instruments governing such debt may restrict its ability to pay dividends to us. We are currently in the process of adopting our formal cash management policies which will dictate the purpose, amount and procedure of cash transfers among Zhibao and our subsidiaries. Historically, one PRC operating entity provides financial support for other entities’ operations by inter-company loans and they have not experienced difficulties or limitations on their ability to transfer cash between themselves. Prior to our reorganization for purpose of the IPO, cash transfers among our PRC operating entities and their subsidiaries were generally approved by the management of the company providing the funds. After our reorganization, cash transfers among Zhibao and our subsidiaries of less than RMB1 million (US$0.14 million) must be reported to, reviewed and approved by the chief financial officer of the company initiating such cash transfers; cash transfers equal to or in excess of RMB1 million (US$0.14 million) must be approved by the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of Zhibao. We believe that there is no restriction imposed by the Hong Kong government on the transfer of capital within, into and out of Hong Kong
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(including funds from Hong Kong to mainland China), except transfer of funds involving money laundering and criminal activities. However, to the extent cash or assets in our business are in mainland China or Hong Kong or a mainland China or Hong Kong entity, the funds or assets may not be available to fund operations or for other use outside of mainland China or Hong Kong due to interventions in or the imposition of restrictions and limitations on the ability of our company and our subsidiaries by the PRC government to transfer cash or assets. As of the date of this prospectus, no transfers, dividends or other distributions have been made from our subsidiaries to Zhibao or our investors, and no transfers, loans, or capital contributions have been made from Zhibao to any of our subsidiaries or our investors.
The PRC government imposes controls on the convertibility of the Renminbi into foreign currencies and, in certain cases, the remittance of currency out of mainland China. If the foreign exchange control system prevents us from obtaining sufficient foreign currencies to satisfy our foreign currency demands, we may not be able to transfer cash out of mainland China, and pay dividends in foreign currencies to our shareholders. Therefore, to the extent cash or assets in our business are in mainland China or Hong Kong or a mainland China or Hong Kong entity, the funds or assets may not be available to fund operations or for other use outside of mainland China or Hong Kong due to interventions in or the imposition of restrictions and limitations on the ability of our company and our subsidiaries by the PRC government to transfer cash or assets, which may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and may result in our inability to sustain our growth and expansion strategies.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, there can be no assurance that the PRC government will not intervene or impose restrictions in future on our ability to transfer or distribute cash within our PRC Subsidiaries or to foreign investors, which could result in an inability or prohibition on making transfers or distributions outside of mainland China and may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
You may experience difficulties in effecting service of legal process, enforcing foreign judgments or bringing actions in China against us or our management named in the prospectus based on foreign laws.
Zhibao is an exempted company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands. We conduct substantially all of our operations in China through our PRC Subsidiaries, and substantially all of our assets are located in China. In addition, our executive officers and certain directors are PRC nationals and reside within China for a significant portion of the time. The PRC does not have treaties providing for the reciprocal recognition and enforcement of judgments of courts with the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan and many other jurisdictions. As a result, it may not be possible for investors to serve process upon us or those persons in China, or to enforce against us or them in China, any judgments obtained from non-PRC jurisdictions. As a result, it may be difficult for you to effect service of process upon us or those persons inside China. It may also be difficult for you to enforce judgments obtained in U.S. courts based on the civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities laws against us and our officers and directors who do not reside in the United States or have substantial assets located in the United States. In addition, there is uncertainty as to whether the courts of the PRC would recognize or enforce judgments of U.S. courts against us or such persons predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state.
Furthermore, there is uncertainty as to whether the courts of Hong Kong would (i) recognize or enforce judgments of United States courts obtained against us or our directors or officers predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States or (ii) entertain original actions brought in Hong Kong against us or our directors or officers predicated upon the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States. We believe that foreign judgments of United States courts will not be directly enforced in Hong Kong as there are currently no treaties or other arrangements providing for reciprocal enforcement of foreign judgments between Hong Kong and the United States. However, the common law permits an action to be brought upon a foreign judgment. As a result, a foreign judgment itself may form the basis of a cause of action since the judgment may be regarded as creating a debt between the parties to it. In a common law action for enforcement of a foreign judgment in Hong Kong, the enforcement is subject to various conditions, including but not limited to, that the foreign judgment is a final judgment conclusive upon the merits of the claim, the judgment is for a liquidated amount in civil matter and not in respect of taxes, fines, penalties, or similar charges, the proceedings in which the judgment was obtained were not contrary to natural justice, and the enforcement of the judgment is not contrary to public policy of Hong Kong. Such a judgment must be for a fixed sum and must also come from a “competent” court as determined by the private international law rules applied by the Hong Kong courts. The defenses that are available to a defendant in a common law action brought on the basis of a foreign judgment include lack of jurisdiction, breach of natural justice, fraud, and contrary to public policy. However, a separate legal action for debt must be commenced in Hong Kong in
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order to recover such debt from the judgment debtor. As a result, subject to the conditions with regard to enforcement of judgments of United States courts being met, including but not limited to the above, a foreign judgment of the United States of civil liabilities predicated solely upon the federal securities laws of the United States or the securities laws of any State or territory within the United States could be enforceable in Hong Kong.
Shareholder claims that are common in the United States, including securities law class actions and fraud claims, generally are difficult to pursue as a matter of law or practicality in China. For example, in China, there are significant legal and other obstacles to obtaining information needed for shareholder investigations or litigation outside China or otherwise with respect to foreign entities. Although the local authorities in China may establish a regulatory cooperation mechanism with the securities regulatory authorities of another country or region to implement cross-border supervision and administration, such regulatory cooperation with the securities regulatory authorities in the United States has not been efficient in the absence of mutual and practical cooperation mechanism. According to Article 177 of the PRC Securities Law which became effective in March 2020, no overseas securities regulator is allowed to directly conduct investigation or evidence collection activities within the PRC. Accordingly, without the consent of the competent PRC securities regulators or other relevant authorities, no entity or individual may provide any documents and materials relating to securities business activities to foreign entities or government agencies.
The tension in international trade and rising political tension, particularly between U.S. and China, may adversely impact our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Although cross-border business may not be an area of our focus, as we plan to expand our business internationally in the future, any unfavorable government policies on international trade, such as capital controls or tariffs, may affect the demand for our products and services, impact our competitive position, or prevent us from being able to conduct business in certain countries. If any new tariffs, legislation, or regulations are implemented, or if existing trade agreements are renegotiated, such changes could adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Recently, there have been heightened tensions in international economic relations, such as the one between the United States and China. The U.S. government has recently imposed, and has recently proposed to impose additional, new, or higher tariffs on certain products imported from China to penalize China for what it characterizes as unfair trade practices. China has responded by imposing, and proposing to impose additional, new, or higher tariffs on certain products imported from the United States. Following mutual retaliatory actions for months, on January 15, 2020, the United States and China entered into the Economic and Trade Agreement Between the United States of America and the People’s Republic of China as a phase one trade deal, effective on February 14, 2020.
Although the direct impact of the current international trade tension, and any escalation of such tension, on the insurance industry in China is uncertain, the negative impact on general, economic, political and social conditions may adversely impact our business, financial condition and results of operations.
In addition, political tensions between the United States and China have escalated due to, among other things, trade disputes, the COVID-19 outbreak, sanctions imposed by the U.S. Department of Treasury on certain officials of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the central government of the PRC and the executive orders issued by U.S. President Donald J. Trump in August 2020 that prohibit certain transactions with certain Chinese companies and their applications. Rising political tensions could reduce levels of trades, investments, technological exchanges and other economic activities between the two major economies, which would have a material adverse effect on global economic conditions and the stability of global financial markets. Any of these factors could have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations.
Within our direct holding structure, substantial uncertainties exist with respect to the requirement of National Financial Regulatory Administration and how it may impact the viability of our current corporate structure, corporate governance and business operations.
The China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission(“CBRIC”), which was replaced by the National Financial Regulatory Administration on May 18, 2023, published the Notice on Clarifying Relevant Measures for the Opening-up of the Insurance Intermediary Market on December 3, 2021, which provides that overseas insurance brokerage companies with actual business experience and in compliance with the relevant provisions of the CBIRC are allowed to invest in and establish insurance brokerage companies in China to engage in insurance brokerage business. However, insurance brokage business is not a foreign restricted or forbidden business provided by the Special Entry Management Measures (Negative List) for the Access of Foreign Investment (2021 version). So, according to our
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former PRC counsel, AllBright Law Offices’ consultation with the CBRIC, only when a shareholder whose beneficiary owner is not a PRC citizen holding exceeds 25% total shares of the Company, such shareholder shall be an overseas insurance brokerage company with actual business experience and in compliance with the relevant provisions of the CBIRC.
However, because these laws, regulations and standards are subject to varying interpretations, there remain substantial uncertainties as to whether and what standards will be imposed on a PRC insurance brokerage company with respect to its foreign investors. For example, it is unclear as to whether the approval requirement with the NFRA will apply to our PRC Subsidiaries engaged in insurance brokerage once such business is regarded as foreign restricted or otherwise our corporate structure might be considered as not incompliance with the relevant requirement of the NFRA regarding foreign investment restriction. If so, we and/or our PRC Subsidiaries may be required to obtain an approval to carry out our business in China or we and/or our PRC Subsidiaries may be required to relinquish relevant licenses pertaining to restricted businesses. Should the insurance brokerage become subject to foreign investment restrictions, the viability of our current corporate structure, corporate governance and business operations may be materially impacted in many aspects.
We are subject to risks relating to the leased properties of our PRC Subsidiaries.
Our PRC Subsidiaries lease real properties for our offices in China, and as of the date of this prospectus, our PRC Subsidiaries have a total of 17 lease agreements for these leased properties that have not been registered with the PRC governmental authorities as required by PRC law. Although the failure to do so does not in itself invalidate the leases, our PRC Subsidiaries may be ordered by the PRC government authorities to rectify such noncompliance and, if such noncompliance is not rectified within a given period of time, our PRC Subsidiaries may be subject to fines imposed by PRC government authorities ranging from RMB1,000 (approximately $155) and RMB10,000 (approximately $1,553) for each lease agreement that has not been registered with the relevant PRC governmental authorities.
The ownership certificates or other similar proof of the leased properties have not been provided to our PRC Subsidiaries by the relevant lessors. Therefore, we cannot assure you that such lessors are entitled to lease the relevant real properties to our PRC Subsidiaries. If the lessors are not entitled to lease the real properties to our PRC Subsidiaries and the owners of such real properties decline to ratify the lease agreements between our PRC Subsidiaries and the respective lessors, our PRC Subsidiaries may not be able to enforce their rights to lease such properties under the respective lease agreements against the owners. As of the date of this Prospectus, we and our PRC Subsidiaries are not aware of any claim or challenge brought by any third parties concerning the use of the leased properties without obtaining proper ownership proof. If the lease agreements are claimed as null and void by third parties who are the real owners of such leased real properties, our PRC Subsidiaries could be required to vacate the properties, in the event of which our PRC Subsidiaries could only initiate the claim against the lessors under relevant lease agreements for indemnities for their breach of the relevant leasing agreements. We cannot assure you that suitable alternative locations are readily available on commercially reasonable terms, or at all, and if our PRC Subsidiaries are unable to relocate our offices in a timely manner, our operations may be interrupted.
Failure to make adequate contributions to various employee benefit plans and withhold individual income tax on employees’ salaries as required by PRC regulations or comply with laws and regulations on other employment practices may subject us to penalties.
Companies operating in China are required to participate in various government sponsored employee benefit plans, including certain social insurance, housing funds and other welfare-oriented payment obligations, and contribute to the plans in amounts equal to certain percentages of salaries, including bonuses and allowances, of the PRC subsidiaries’ employees up to a maximum amount specified by the local government from time to time at locations where the PRC subsidiaries operate their businesses. The requirement of employee benefit plans has not been implemented consistently by the local governments in China given the different levels of economic development in different locations. Companies operating in China are also required to withhold individual income tax on employees’ salaries based on the actual salary of each employee upon payment.
As of the date of this prospectus, although the PRC subsidiaries did not fully comply with the relevant requirements and have not made adequate contributions to various employee benefit plans in the history, they did not receive any notification from the competent PRC government for penalties in connection with such noncompliance. Over the past years, the PRC subsidiaries have not been making social payments for certain of their sales teams,
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while the applicable PRC laws and regulations on employee benefits stipulate that employers shall be responsible for making payments based on the actual wage paid to employees. With respect to the underpaid employee benefits, the PRC subsidiaries may be required to make up the contributions for these plans as well as to pay late fees and fines. With respect to the under-withheld individual income tax, the PRC subsidiaries may be required to make up sufficient withholding and pay late fees and fines. For example, an employer that has not made social insurance contributions at a rate and based on an amount prescribed by the law, or at all, may be ordered to rectify the non-compliance and pay the required contributions within a stipulated deadline and be subject to a late fee of up to 0.05% per day, as the case may be. If the employer still fails to rectify the failure to make social insurance contributions within the stipulated deadline, it may be subject to a fine ranging from one to three times of the amount overdue. If there is a failure to pay the full amount of housing provident fund as required, the housing provident fund management center may require payment of the outstanding amount within a prescribed period. If the payment is not made within such time limit, an application may be made to the PRC courts for compulsory enforcement. If the PRC subsidiaries are subject to late fees or fines in relation to the underpaid employee benefits and under-withheld individual income tax, our financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected. The PRC subsidiaries may also be subject to regulatory investigations and other penalties if their other employment practices are deemed to be in violation of relevant PRC laws and regulations.
Risks Related to Our Business and Industry
In the following discussion of risks related to our business and industry, unless otherwise provided, “we,” “us,” “our,” or “ourselves” refer to Zhibao’s PRC Subsidiaries or Zhibao China Group.
We primarily operate in the digital insurance brokerage service industry in China, which is emerging, rapidly evolving, and competitive. As a result, predicting our prospects is challenging and our historical operating and financial results may not necessarily predict our future performance.
We operate in China’s digital insurance brokerage service industry, which is emerging, rapidly evolving, and fiercely competitive. Due to the relatively new nature, business models continue to evolve, and the regulatory framework governing the industry is also developing and may remain uncertain in the near future. As our business grows and in response to evolving end customers/B channels’ needs and market competition, we will continue to introduce new insurance solutions and services, optimize existing ones, and adjust our business model as needed. However, significant changes to our business model may not yield the anticipated results and could have an adverse impact on our financial condition and results of operations.
As a result, it is challenging to predict our future prospects accurately. If we fail to educate our B channels and end customers on the value of our insurance solutions and services, fail to meet the needs of our target market, or if the market for our offerings does not develop as expected, our business and results of operations may suffer.
We are dependent on key insurance companies on the supply of insurance products to our end customers, the loss of which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We are dependent on key insurance company on the supply of insurance products to our end customers. For the fiscal years ended June 30, 2022 and 2023, one key insurance company accounted for approximately 14.4% and 11.7%, respectively, of our revenues. One of our PRC Subsidiaries, Zhibao China, has over three years of partnership with such company since January 2020, and we believe that Zhibao China has established a stable and healthy partnership with such company and expect to partner with such company on a long term. See “Business — Insurance Companies” and “Business — Material Contracts”.
Our ability to maintain close relationships with these major insurance companies is essential to the growth and profitability of our business. However, a major insurance company in one year may not provide the same level of revenues for us in any subsequent year. The services we provide to insurance companies, and the revenues so generated from those services, may decline or vary over time. In addition, our reliance on any individual insurance company for a significant portion of our revenues may give that insurance company a certain degree of pricing leverage against us when negotiating contracts and terms of service. A number of factors other than our performance could cause the loss of or reduction in business or revenues from an insurance company, and these factors are not predictable. These factors may include organization restructuring, pricing pressure, changes to its strategy, or switching to another services provider. The loss of cooperation with any of major insurance companies could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.
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We are dependent on our B channels to reach end customers. Failure to acquire new B channels or retain existing B channels in a cost-effective manner, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.
Our B channels are indispensable to our business operations by allowing our PaaS to be embedded in their customer engagement matrix, including their websites, App, Wechat Mini Programs, Douyin (the Chinese equivalent of TikTok) and other social media accounts, which provide us with a stable and reliable end customer base. As of the date of this prospectus, we have established business cooperation with more than 1,500 business channels, through which we have acquired more than 10 million end customers.
Our ability to cost-effectively attract and secure new B channels and retain and maintain existing B channels, is crucial to driving our business growth and expansion, thus indirectly achieving profitability. Although our B channels do not directly generate any revenues for us, they are essential to our business as they provide us unique opportunities to reach and serve the end customers. There can be no assurance that new B channels will stay with us. In addition, if the existing B channels no longer find our PaaS or services appealing, or if our competitors offer more attractive services or better customer services, our existing B channels may lose interest in us or even cease to transact with us. Any adverse changes to our relationships with B channels could have a material adverse effect on our image, brand and reputation, as well as on our business, financial condition and results of operations. If we are unable to retain our existing B channels or to acquire new B channels in a cost-effective manner, our business and results of operations will be adversely affected.
Our PRC subsidiary, namely Zhibao China, significantly relies on a third party (“MGU Partner”), its subsidiaries, affiliates, successors and assigns to conduct MGU services. Failure to comply with the relevant laws and regulations with regard to the MGU services will adversely and materially affect our business, financial conditions and results of operations.
According to the Regulatory Provision on Insurance Agents, which was published on November 12, 2020 and effective on January 1, 2021, a specialized insurance agency or a corporate sideline insurance agency engaging in insurance agency business in the PRC shall satisfy the criteria stipulated by the insurance regulatory authority under the State Council and obtain the relevant insurance agency business permit. The subsidiary of our MGU Partner is qualified to carry out insurance agency business with an insurance agency business permit and we rely on our MGU Partner, its subsidiaries, affiliates, successors and assigns to carry out our MGU business. However, we cannot assure you that such business model is stable and the entering-into and performance of the contracts with such MGU Partner, its subsidiaries, affiliates, successors and assigns for MGU services are compliant with relevant PRC laws and regulations. Furthermore, we also cannot assure you that such MGU Partner, its subsidiaries, affiliates, successors and assigns engaged in the MGU services will be able to maintain and renew all licenses, permits and approvals necessary for their operations or comply with all applicable laws and regulations.
As the date of this Prospectus, Zhibao China, as well as the MGU Partner, its subsidiaries, affiliates, successors and assigns has not been subject to any notice, fines or other penalties from competent government authorities or claims or allegations of its clients related to the above-mentioned business. If our MGU business is considered as non-compliance by any government authorities, we will terminate such business timely under which circumstance, we might be subject to administrative penalties and contractual liabilities owed to its clients and our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.
If we fail to accelerate expansion of 2B2C business to drive growth in our 2C business, our business and results of operations could be adversely affected.
Our future growth depends on our ability to sustain the expansion of our 2B2C business and convert the end customers secured through our 2B2C business into our direct customers, or 2C business. With our strong position as a first mover in the 2B2C embedded insurance brokerage market, we aim to further broaden our B channel base through enhanced collaborations with insurance companies, other insurance brokerage companies, and technology firms with resources to B channels. We also plan to convert end customers secured through our 2B2C model into direct customers and fuel growth in our 2C business. To achieve these goals, we will employ two strategies. First, we will offer personalized insurance consultations to end customers through multiple channels, including, among others, WeChat Mini Program, phone, or face-to-face meetings. Our aim is to steer their attention towards comprehensive family security plans, leading to long-term insurance commitments with us. Second, we will provide targeted consulting
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services to guide end customers towards suitable insurance options and facilitate short-term policy conversions. However, our offerings may not always meet the needs of those potential or existing end customers. If they cannot find desirable insurance options at competitive prices and terms, or if their experience with us is unsatisfactory, they may lose trust and terminate their commitments. In such a scenario, they may switch to other platforms, which could significantly impact our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
The innovative insurance technology and infrastructure we use to optimize our insurance solutions requires continuous developments and upgrades. We cannot assure you that these technologies will fully support our business.
We regard insurance technology and infrastructure as critical to our ability to optimize our insurance solutions provided to our B channels and end customers. We have invested substantial resources in developing the sophisticated and innovative technology systems that we use for optimizing our insurance solutions on our PaaS. We will continually strive to improve and expand, upgrade and update our insurance solutions through our research and development and technology innovations in order to deliver innovative and comprehensive new, updated or upgraded insurance solutions to meet the evolving needs of our B channels and end customers. Our aim is to subdivide solutions across various scenarios, and ultimately infiltrate every aspect of the end customers’ daily life, delivering unparalleled service to our B channels and end customers. To achieve such, we are dedicated to expanding our investment in our insurance technology infrastructure, our research and development of new technologies and existing technology upgrade or updates through any future financings. However, there is no assurance that we will be able to keep up with technological improvements or that the technology developed by others will not render our solutions less competitive or attractive.
If we are unable to attract, incentivize and retain talented professionals, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be affected.
We believe our success greatly depends on our ability to attract, incentivize and retain talented professionals. To maintain and improve our competitive advantage in the market, we intend to implement several initiatives to retain and attract more mid- to high-level personnel. These include formulating a market-oriented compensation structure for our employees and implementing a standardized multi-level performance review mechanism. However, the competition for talented professionals with expertise in insurance, sales and marketing, and technology is fierce in China. Moreover, we invest significant time and resources in training our employees, which increases their value to competitors who may attempt to recruit them. Failure to retain our employees could result in significant expenses in hiring and training new employees. Moreover, our ability to serve customers and business channels could suffer, leading to an adverse impact on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
The regulation on the requirement of a company to make a filing on internet information service in China is subject to interpretation, and our operation of digital insurance broker services could be harmed if we are deemed to have violated applicable laws and regulations.
The interpretation and application of existing Chinese laws and regulations, the stated positions of the main governing authority, the MIIT, and the possibility of adopting new laws or regulations have created significant uncertainties regarding the legality of the businesses and activities of the PRC companies with internet operations. In particular, according to the Internet Information Services Administrative Measures promulgated by the State Council on September 25, 2000, the activities of Internet content providers are regulated by various PRC governmental authorities depending on the specific activities conducted by the Internet content provider.
Our processing of policyholder information and completing insurance transactions through our platform in real time might fall into the category of “B21 Online Data Processing and Transaction Processing Business” in the “Telecommunications Business Classification Catalog (2015 Edition)” promulgated by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology on June 6, 2019, for which a value-added telecommunications business license must be obtained in accordance with the “Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Telecommunications” promulgated by the State Council on February 6, 2016 and the “Internet Information Service Management Measures” promulgated by the State Council on January 8, 2011.
Given the “Measures for the Regulation of Internet Insurance Business” promulgated by the CBIRC on December 7, 2020 only requires Internet insurance institutions to complete the Internet information service filing procedures with the Internet industry management department for self-operated network platforms, whether our failure to obtain a value-added telecommunications business operation license constitutes a violation is subject to
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interpretation. If we are deemed to be required to obtain value-added telecommunications business operation license and, therefore, found to be in violation of the law, we might be subject to confiscation of illegal gains, penalties, suspension of certain types of services, or orders to shut down relevant websites. Such consequences could negatively impact our net revenues and results of operations.
Our operating history may not be indicative of our future growth or financial results, and we may not be able to sustain our historical growth rates.
Our operating history may not be indicative of our future growth or financial results. There is no assurance that we will be able to grow our revenues in future periods. Our growth rates may decline for any number of possible reasons, and some of them are beyond our control, including decreasing customer demand, increasing competition, declining growth of the insurance industry in general, or changes in government policies or general economic conditions. We will continue to expand our sales network, and upgrade, update, renovate our insurance resolutions to bring greater convenience to our B channels and end customers and to increase our B channels/end customer base and volume of sales on our PaaS.
However, the execution of our expansion plan is subject to uncertainty and the sales may not grow at the rate we expect for the reasons stated above. If our growth rates decline, investors’ perceptions of our business and prospects may be adversely affected and the market price of our Class A ordinary shares could decline.
We may encounter difficulties expanding into new businesses or industries, which may affect adversely our results of operations and financial condition.
We may encounter difficulties and face risks in connection with our expansion into new businesses or industries. We cannot assure you that our expansion into new businesses will be successful, as we may have limited experience in such industries. We cannot assure you that we will be able to generate sufficient profits to justify the costs of expanding into new businesses or industries. Any new business in which we invest or which we intend to develop may require our additional capital investment, R&D efforts, as well as our management’s attention. If such new business does not progress as planned, our results of operations and financial condition may be affected adversely.
We may be subject to legal or other proceedings in the ordinary course of our business. If the outcome of these proceedings are adverse to us, they could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
During the ordinary course of our business operations, we may be involved in legal disputes or regulatory and other proceedings relating to, including but not limited to, contractual disputes, product liability claims and employees’ claims. Especially, for contractual disputes, we cannot assure you that the venue and governing law agreed in relevant contracts are always favorable to us. Any such legal disputes or proceedings may subject us to substantial liabilities and may have a material and adverse effect on our reputation, business, financial condition and results of operations. Among those proceedings, some of them may be relating to our products or services or complaints from third parties.
If we become involved in material or protracted legal proceedings or other legal disputes in the future, we may incur substantial legal expenses and our management may need to devote significant time and attention to handle such proceedings and disputes, thereby diverting their attention from our business operations. In addition, the outcome of such proceedings or disputes may be uncertain and could result in settlement or outcomes which may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We are subject to governmental regulations and other legal obligations related to privacy, information security, and data protection, and any security breaches, and our actual or perceived failure to comply with our legal obligations could harm our brand and business.
We generate, collect, store and process a large amount of personal, transactional, statistical and behavioral data, including certain personal and other sensitive data from our end customers, including names, identity card numbers, telephone numbers, correspondence addresses, and payment or transaction related information. We face risks inherent in handling large volumes of data and in securing and protecting such data. In particular, we face a number of data-related challenges related to our business operations, including: (i) protecting the data in and hosted on our system and servers, including against attacks on our system and cloud servers by external parties or fraudulent
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behavior by our employees; (ii) addressing concerns related to privacy and sharing, safety, security and other factors; and (iii) complying with applicable laws, rules and regulations relating to the collection, use, disclosure or security of personal information, including any requests from regulatory and government authorities relating to such data.
Although we have taken steps to protect such data, technology renovations or updates, increased level of expertise of hackers, new discoveries in the field of cryptography or others could still result in breach of the security measures that we use. On December 28, 2012, SCNPC promulgated the Decision to Strengthen the Protection of Internet Information, or the Information Protection Decision, to strengthen the protection of personal information on the internet. The Information Protection Decision provides that internet content providers must expressly inform their users of the purpose, manner to collect and use the users’ personal information and the scope of the information to be collected and used by the provider. As of the date of this prospectus, we have not experienced any material breach of our cybersecurity system or measures. As techniques used to sabotage or obtain unauthorized access to systems change frequently and generally are not recognized until they are launched against a target, we may be unable to anticipate these techniques or to implement adequate preventative measures. Any accidental or wilful security breaches or other unauthorized access to our system and cloud servers could cause confidential information to be accessed, stolen and used for illegal or unauthorized purposes. Security breaches or unauthorized access to confidential information could also expose us to liability related to the loss of the information, time-consuming and expensive litigation and negative publicity. If security measures are breached because of third-party action, employee error, malfeasance or otherwise, or if design flaws in our technology infrastructure are exposed and exploited, our relationships with end customers, B channels, and other business partners could be severely damaged, we could incur significant liability, and our business and operations could be adversely affected.
In addition, PRC government authorities have enacted a series of laws and regulations in regard of the protection of personal information, under which telecommunication business operators, internet service providers and other value chain operators are required to comply with the principles of legality, justification and necessity, to clearly indicate the purposes, methods and scope of any information collection and usage, to obtain the consent of customers, and to keep collected personal information confidential, as well as to establish customer information protection system with appropriate remedial measures. On November 7, 2016, the SCNPC promulgated the PRC Cybersecurity Law, which took effect on June 1, 2017. Pursuant to the Cybersecurity Law, any individual or organization using the network must comply with the constitution and the applicable laws, follow the public order and respect social moralities; and must not endanger cybersecurity, or engage in activities by making use of the network that endanger the national security, honor and interests, or infringe on the fame, privacy, intellectual property and other legitimate rights and interests of others. The PRC Cybersecurity Law sets forth various security protection obligations for network operators, which are defined as “owners and administrators of networks and network service providers”, including, among others, complying with a series of requirements of graded cybersecurity protection systems; verifying users’ real identity; localizing the personal information and important data gathered and produced by key information infrastructure operators during operations within the PRC; and providing assistance and support to government authorities where necessary for protecting national security and investigating crimes. Significant capital, managerial and human resources are required to comply with legal requirements, enhance information security and to address any issues caused by security failures. However, there is uncertainty as to the interpretation and application of such laws which may be interpreted and applied in a manner inconsistent with our current policies and practices or require changes to the features of our system. We cannot assure you that our existing information protection system and technical measures will be considered sufficient under applicable laws and regulations. If we are unable to address any information protection concerns, protect our systems or to comply with the then applicable laws and regulations, we may incur additional costs and liability and our reputation, business and operations might be adversely affected. In addition, complying with various laws and regulations may cause us to incur substantial costs or require us to change our business practices, including our data practices, in a manner adverse to our business.
We are currently taking compliance measures to ensure that we obtain consent from our end customers to use their information within the scope of authorization, and we have taken technical measures to ensure the security of such information and prevent the information from being divulged, damaged or lost. However, since the Cybersecurity Law and relevant regulations, rules and measures are relatively new, there are uncertainties as to the interpretation and application of these laws and regulations, and it is possible that our data protection practices are or will be inconsistent with regulatory requirements. Any violation of the provisions and requirements under the Cybersecurity Law and other relevant regulations, rules and measures may subject us to warnings, fines, confiscation of illegal gains, revocation of licenses, suspension of business, shutting down of websites or even criminal liabilities. Complying with such requirements could cause us to incur substantial expenses or to alter or change our practice in a manner
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that could harm our business. Any systems failure or security breach or lapse that results in the unauthorized release of our customer data could harm our reputation and brand and, consequently, our business, in addition to exposing us to potential legal liability. Furthermore, end customers may have concerns about our practices with regard to the collection, use, disclosure, or security of personal information or other privacy related matters, and any negative publicity on our information safety or privacy protection mechanism and policy, even if unfounded, could damage our reputation and brand and adversely affect our business and results of operations.
We may be subject to liability if private information that we receive is not secure or if we violate privacy laws and regulations.
We are or may become subject to a variety of laws and regulations in China, the United States and other jurisdictions where we operate our business regarding privacy, data security, cybersecurity and data protection. These laws and regulations are continuously evolving and developing. The scope and interpretation of the laws that are or may be applicable to us are often uncertain and may be conflicting, particularly with respect to foreign laws. In particular, there are numerous laws and regulations regarding privacy and the collection, sharing, use, processing, disclosure, and protection of personal information and other customer data in different jurisdictions. Such laws and regulations often vary in scope, may be subject to differing interpretations, and may be inconsistent among different jurisdictions.
The European Union Parliament approved a new data protection regulation, known as the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”), which came into effect in May 2018. The GDPR includes operational requirements for companies that receive or process personal data of residents of the European Economic Area. The GDPR imposes significant penalties for non-compliance. Although we do not conduct any business in the European Economic Area, in the event that residents of the European Economic Area access our website and input protected information, we may become subject to provisions of the GDPR.
In February 2022, the Russian Federation commenced a military invasion of Ukraine, and as a result, the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom and other jurisdictions have imposed sanctions on certain Russian and Ukrainian persons and entities, including certain Russian banks, energy companies and defense companies, and have imposed restrictions on exports of various items to Russian and certain regions of Ukraine (including the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic and Crimea). Moreover, on February 22, 2022, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the United States issued sanctions aimed at limiting Russia’s ability to raise funds through sovereign debt. These geopolitical issues have resulted in increasing global tensions and create uncertainty for global commerce. Any or all of these factors could negatively affect demand for our products and our business, financial condition and result of operations even though we do not conduct any business in Russia or Ukraine.
We are also subject to laws restricting disclosure of information relating to our employees. We strive to comply with all applicable laws, policies, legal obligations, and industry codes of conduct relating to privacy, data security, cybersecurity and data protection. However, given that the scope, interpretation, and application of these laws and regulations are often uncertain and may be conflicting, it is possible that these obligations may be interpreted and applied in a manner that is inconsistent from one jurisdiction to another and may conflict with other rules or our practices. Any failure or perceived failure by us or our third-party service-providers to comply with our privacy or security policies or privacy-related legal obligations, or any compromise of security that results in the unauthorized release or transfer of personally identifiable information or other customer data, may result in governmental enforcement actions, litigation, or negative publicity, and could have an adverse effect on our business and operating results. Although we maintain cybersecurity insurance, we cannot assure you that this insurance will cover or satisfy any claim made against us or adequately cover any defense costs we may incur.
Our ability to protect the confidential information of our customers may be adversely affected by cyberattacks, computer viruses, physical or electronic break-ins or similar disruptions.
We collect, store, and process certain personal and other sensitive data from our customers, which makes us an attractive target and potentially vulnerable to cyberattacks, computer viruses, physical or electronic break-ins or similar disruptions. While we have taken steps to mitigate the cyberattack risks and protect the confidential information that we have access to, including but not limited to installation and periodical updates of antivirus software and backup of information on our computer systems, our security measures could be breached. Because techniques used
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to sabotage or obtain unauthorized access to systems change frequently and generally are not recognized until they are launched against a target, we may be unable to anticipate these techniques or to implement adequate preventative measures. Any cybersecurity incident, accidental or willful security breaches or other unauthorized access to our systems could cause confidential information to be stolen and used for criminal purposes. Cybersecurity incidents, security breaches or unauthorized access to confidential information could also expose us to liability related to the loss of the information, time-consuming and expensive litigation and negative publicity. If security measures are breached because of third-party action, employee error, malfeasance or otherwise, or if design flaws in our technology infrastructure are exposed and exploited, our relationships with our customers could be severely damaged, we could incur significant liability, and our business and operations could be adversely affected.
Meanwhile, if we fail to protect confidential information, we may be involved in various claims and litigations raised for privacy or other damages. Such claims and litigations will take a lot of time and resources to defend and we cannot assure you these claims or litigations will result in a favorable outcome. In February 2022, the Russian Federation commenced a military invasion of Ukraine, and Russian actions with respect to Ukraine have resulted in certain broad sanctions being imposed by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom and other international authorities. We cannot predict the impact of Russian actions in Ukraine or the reaction to such actions by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom or other international authorities. In connection with the aforesaid military invasion, cybersecurity experts anticipate a meaningful increase in cyberattack and cybercrime activity in connection with the Russian invasion of Ukraine around the globe. However, as of the date of this prospectus, there is no new or heightened risk of potential cyberattacks on the Company by state actors or others since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The successful operation of our business depends upon the performance and reliability of the internet infrastructure in China.
Our business depends on the performance and reliability of the internet infrastructure in China. Almost all access to the internet is maintained through state-owned telecommunication operators under the administrative control and regulatory supervision of the MIIT. In addition, the national networks in China are connected to the internet through state-owned international gateways, which are the only channels through which a domestic Chinese user can connect to the internet outside of China. We may not have access to alternative networks in the event of disruptions, failures or other problems with China’s internet infrastructure. In addition, the internet infrastructure in China may not support the demands associated with continued growth in Internet usage.
The failure of telecommunications network operators to provide us with the requisite bandwidth could also interfere with the speed and availability of our APP and our website. We have no control over the costs of the services provided by the national telecommunications operators. If the prices that we pay for telecommunications and internet services rise significantly, our gross margins could be adversely affected. In addition, if internet access fees or other charges to internet users increase, our user traffic may decrease, which in turn may significantly decrease our revenues.
Part of our services could be disrupted by network interruptions.
Part of our services depends on the efficient and uninterrupted operation of our computer and communications systems. Substantially all of our computer hardware and our cloud computing services is currently located in China. Although we have prepared for contingencies through redundancy measures and disaster recovery plans, such preparation may not be sufficient and we do not carry business interruption insurance. Despite any precautions we may take, the occurrence of a natural disaster, such as an earthquake, flood or fire, or other unanticipated problems at our facilities in China, including power outages, telecommunications delays or failures, break-ins to our systems or computer viruses, could result in delays or interruptions to our APP and website, loss of our and customers’ data and business interruption for us and our customers. Any of these events could damage our reputation, significantly disrupt our operations and subject us to liability, which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
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Infringement of our intellectual property right by any third party or loss of our intellectual property rights may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We rely on a combination of trademark, copyright and trade secret protection laws in China and other jurisdictions, as well as confidentiality procedures and contractual provisions, to protect our intellectual property rights. We also have confidentiality arrangements with our employees and any third parties who may access our proprietary information, and we rigorously control access to our proprietary technology and information.
Intellectual property protection may not be sufficient in China or other countries. Confidentiality agreements may be breached by counterparties, we may not be able to enforce these agreements and there may not be adequate remedies available to us for any such breach. Accordingly, we may not be able to effectively protect our intellectual property rights or to enforce our contractual rights in China or elsewhere. Policing any unauthorized use of our intellectual property is difficult, time-consuming, and costly, and the steps we have taken may be inadequate to prevent the misappropriation of our intellectual property. In the event that we resort to litigation to enforce our intellectual property rights, such litigation could result in substantial costs and a diversion of our managerial and financial resources. We can provide no assurance that we will prevail in such litigation. Furthermore, we may be subject to the risks of losing our intellectual property rights or the intellectual property rights licensed from other third-parties due to several reasons. Certain intellectual property rights, such as trademarks, are subject to a limited period of time. Upon the expiry of such period of time, others may freely use such intellectual properties without any license or charges, which may impose competitive harm to us and in turn adversely affect our business and prospects. The intellectual property rights that we currently have may also be revoked, invalidated or deprived by regulatory authorities as a result of intellectual property claims or challenges successfully raised by third parties. We may also rely on certain intellectual property rights licensed from other third parties. There can be no guarantee that we will be able to maintain such licenses at all times or renew such licenses upon expiry. Moreover, our trade secrets may be leaked or otherwise become available to, or be independently discovered by, our competitors. Any failure in maintaining, protecting or enforcing our intellectual property rights could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We may be subject to intellectual property infringement claims from third parties, which may be expensive to defend with no assurance of success and may disrupt our business and operations.
We cannot be certain that our operations or any aspects of our business do not or will not infringe upon or otherwise violate trademark, copyrights or other intellectual property rights held by third parties. We may, and from time to time in the future be, subject to legal proceedings and claims relating to the intellectual property rights of others. There could also be existing trademarks or other intellectual property of which we are not aware that we may infringe. While we do not know of any intellectual property rights on which our products or our business infringe, we cannot assure you that holders of trademark or other intellectual property rights purportedly relating to some aspect of our technology or business, would not seek to enforce such intellectual property rights against us or that they will not be successful in any such enforcement action. If an action is commenced in China, the application and interpretation of China’s intellectual property laws and the procedures and standards for granting and protecting intellectual property rights in China are still evolving and are uncertain, and we cannot assure you that PRC courts or regulatory authorities would agree with our analysis or be consistent with a decision in the United States. If we are found to have violated the intellectual property rights of others, we may be subject to liability for our infringement activities or may be prohibited from using such intellectual property, and we may incur licensing fees or damages or be forced to develop alternatives of our own. In addition, we may incur significant expenses, and may be forced to divert management’s time and other resources from our business and operations to defend against these third-party infringement claims, regardless of their merits.
If we are unable to manage our growth or execute our strategies effectively, our business and prospects may be materially and adversely affected.
To accommodate our growth, we anticipate that we will need to implement a variety of new and upgraded operational and financial systems, procedures and controls, including the improvement of our accounting and other internal management systems. We will also need to continue to expand, train, manage and motivate our workforce and manage our relationships with our B channels and end customers. All of these endeavors involve risks and will require substantial management effort and significant additional expenditures. We may not be able to manage our growth or execute our strategies effectively, and any failure to do so may have a material adverse effect on our business and prospects.
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The wide variety of payment methods that we accept subjects us to third-party payment processing-related risks.
We accept payments from customers in China through a variety of methods, including bank transfers, online payments (Alipay, WeChat Pay and other major payments), debit cards and credit cards issued by banks in China. We may be subject to fraud and other illegal activities in connection with the payment methods we accept. In addition, we are subject to rules, regulations and requirements, regulatory or otherwise, governing electronic funds transfers, which could change or be reinterpreted to make it difficult or impossible for us to comply. If we fail to comply with these rules or requirements, we may be subject to fines and higher transaction fees and lose our ability to accept online payments (Alipay, WeChat Pay and other major payments), debit card or credit card payments from our customers, process electronic funds transfers or facilitate other types of online payments, and our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected. Further, to the extent that payment is made to us in China, we will have to comply with PRC banking regulations as to making payments in China.
Our success depends on our ability to retain our core management team and other key personnel.
Our performance depends on the continued service and performance of our directors and senior management as they are expected to play an important role in guiding the implementation of our business strategies and future plans. The loss of the services of one or more of our core management team members could impede implementation of our business plan and result in reduced profitability. For example, Our founder and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Botao Ma has accumulated more than 30 years of management experience in insurance industry. Our Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Yuanwen Xia, has more than 15 years of experience in PwC and investment sector. Our Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Xiao Luo has more than 15 years of experience in insurance brokerage business. Our Chief Technology Officer, Mr. Yugang Wang, has more than 20 years of digital technology and management experience in the insurance industry. If any of our core management team members were to terminate his or her employment with us, there can be no assurance that we would be able to find suitable replacements in a timely manner, at acceptable cost or at all. The loss of services of core management team members or the inability to identify, hire, train and retain other qualified and managerial personnel in the future may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
Competition for our employees is intense, and we may not be able to attract and retain the highly skilled employees needed to support our business.
As we continue to experience growth, we believe our success depends on the efforts and talents of our employees, including management team, sales team and R&D personnel. Our future success depends on our continued ability to attract, develop, motivate and retain highly qualified and skilled employees. Competition for highly skilled personnel is extremely intense. We may not be able to hire and retain these personnel at compensation levels consistent with our existing compensation and salary structure.
In addition, we invest significant time and expense in training our employees, which increases their value to competitors who may seek to recruit them. If we fail to retain our employees, we could incur significant expenses in hiring and training their replacements, and the quality of our services and our ability to serve customers could diminish, resulting in a material adverse effect on our business.
Our business, financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected by an economic downturn.
Because our sales may depend on customers’ levels of disposable income, perceived job prospects and willingness to spend, our business and prospects may be affected by global economic conditions. The global financial markets experienced significant disruptions in 2008 and the United States, Europe and other economies went into recession. The recovery from the lows of 2008 and 2009 was uneven and is continuously facing new challenges, including the escalation of the European sovereign debt crisis since 2011 and the slowdown of the Chinese economy since 2012. The economic conditions in the markets in which our products are sold are sensitive to both global economic conditions, and the particular changes in each country’s economic and political policies and its expected or perceived overall economic growth rate. A decline in the economic prospects in the mechanics and other industries could alter current or prospective customers’ spending priorities. Therefore, a slowdown in China’s economy or the global economy may lead to a reduction in demand for our products, which could materially and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.
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Zhibao has identified a material weakness in its internal controls over financial reporting. If Zhibao does not adequately remediate this material weakness, or if it experiences additional material weaknesses in the future or otherwise fails to maintain effective internal controls, it may not be able to accurately or timely report its financial condition or results of operations, or comply with the accounting and reporting requirements applicable to public companies, which may adversely affect investor confidence in Zhibao and the market price of its shares.
Prior to the IPO, Zhibao was a private company and was never required to evaluate its internal control within a specified period, and, as a result, it may experience difficulty in meeting these reporting requirements in a timely manner. Its management has not completed assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over U.S. GAAP financial reporting, and its independent registered public accounting firm has not conducted an audit of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting. However, in the course of preparing and auditing its consolidated financial statements for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2022 and 2023, and reviewing its unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements for the six months ended December 31, 2022 and 2023 included in this prospectus, it respectively identified one material weakness in its internal control over financial reporting as of June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2023. In accordance with reporting requirements set forth by the SEC, a “material weakness” is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the Company’s annual or interim consolidated financial statements may not be prevented or detected on a timely basis.
The material weakness identified included insufficient number of personnel with an appropriate level of U.S. GAAP knowledge and experience and ongoing training in the application of U.S. GAAP commensurate with its financial reporting requirements. Neither Zhibao nor its independent registered public accounting firm undertook a comprehensive assessment of its internal control under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act for purposes of identifying and reporting any material weakness in its internal control over financial reporting. Zhibao is required to do so only after it becomes a public company and it is exempt from the auditor attestation requirements as long as it is an emerging growth company. Had it performed a formal assessment of its internal control over financial reporting or had its independent registered public accounting firm performed an audit of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting, additional material weaknesses may have been identified.
Following the identification of the material weakness and control deficiencies, Zhibao has taken some remedial measures including hiring more qualified accounting personnel with relevant U.S. GAAP and SEC reporting experience and qualifications to strengthen its financial reporting function and to set up a financial and system control framework. Zhibao will continue to take additional measures to remediate the material weakness, including (i) implementing regular and continuous U.S. GAAP accounting and financial reporting training programs for its accounting and financial reporting personnel; and (ii) appointing independent directors. However, the implementation of these measures may not fully address the material weakness in its internal control over financial reporting. Zhibao’s failure to correct the material weakness or its failure to discover and address any other material weaknesses or control deficiencies could result in inaccuracies in its financial statements and could also impair its ability to comply with applicable financial reporting requirements and related regulatory filings on a timely basis. As a result, Zhibao’s business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects, as well as the trading price of its Class A ordinary shares, may be materially and adversely affected. Moreover, ineffective internal control over financial reporting significantly hinders its ability to prevent fraud.
After the completion of the IPO in April 2024, Zhibao became a public company in the United States subject to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and an emerging growth company exempted from certain internal control reporting requirement. Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 requires that it includes a report of management on its internal control over financial reporting in its annual report in its second annual report on Form 20-F. In addition, once Zhibao ceases to be an “emerging growth company” as such term is defined in the JOBS Act, its independent registered public accounting firm must attest to and report on the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting. Zhibao’s management may conclude that its internal control over financial reporting is not effective. Moreover, even if Zhibao’s management concludes that its internal control over financial reporting is effective, its independent registered public accounting firm, after conducting the independent audit testing, may issue a report that is qualified if the accounting firm is not satisfied with Zhibao’s internal controls or the level at which Zhibao’s controls are documented, designed, operated or reviewed, or if it interprets the relevant requirements differently from Zhibao. In addition, after Zhibao becomes a public company, its reporting obligations may place a significant strain on its management, operational and financial resources and systems for the foreseeable future. It may be unable to timely complete its evaluation testing and any required remediation.
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During the course of documenting and testing Zhibao’s internal control procedures, in order to satisfy the requirements of Section 404, it may identify other weaknesses and deficiencies in its internal control over financial reporting. In addition, if it fails to maintain the adequacy of its internal control over financial reporting, as these standards are modified, supplemented or amended from time to time, it may not be able to conclude on an ongoing basis that it has effective internal control over financial reporting in accordance with Section 404. If it fails to achieve and maintain an effective internal control environment, it could suffer material misstatements in its financial statements and fail to meet its reporting obligations, which would likely cause investors to lose confidence in its reported financial information. This could in turn limit its access to capital markets, harm its results of operations, and lead to a decline in the trading price of its shares.
Additionally, ineffective internal control over financial reporting could expose Zhibao and its PRC Subsidiaries to increased risk of fraud or misuse of corporate assets and subject Zhibao to potential delisting from the stock exchange on which it lists, regulatory investigations and civil or criminal sanctions. It may also be required to restate its consolidated financial statements from prior periods.
We may need additional capital but may not be able to obtain it on favorable terms or at all.
We may require additional cash resources due to future growth and development of our business, including any investments or acquisitions we may decide to pursue. If our cash resources are insufficient to satisfy our cash requirements, we may seek to issue additional equity or debt securities or obtain new or expanded credit facilities. Our ability to obtain external financing in the future is subject to a variety of uncertainties, including our future financial condition, results of operations, cash flows, share price performance, liquidity of international capital and lending markets and PRC governmental regulations over foreign investment in the PRC. In addition, incurring indebtedness would subject us to increased debt service obligations and could result in operating and financing covenants that would restrict our operations. There can be no assurance that financing will be available in a timely manner or in amounts or on terms acceptable to us, or at all. Any failure to raise needed funds on terms favorable to us, or at all, could severely restrict our liquidity as well as have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Moreover, any issuance of equity or equity-linked securities could result in significant dilution to our existing shareholders.
Our business operations are located in China, which renders us especially sensitive to local conditions and changes, such as those with respect to laws and regulations, economic and political environments, force majeure events, natural disasters or mass civil movements.
Currently, our business operations are based in China. Our business operations are therefore exposed to any deterioration in the economic, social and/or political conditions, significant changes in laws and regulations governing the insurance brokerage services industry, as well as any incidence of social movements, strike, riot, civil disturbances, mass civil movements, disobedience, recurrence of past outbreaks or epidemics, occurrence of any future epidemic outbreaks, natural disasters or other catastrophic events in China. Since our business operations are primarily located in China, the aforesaid adverse circumstances may materially and adversely disrupt operations of our insurance brokerage services, and in turn, our revenues and profitability, and consequently, our results of operations and financial condition.
Zhibao is a Cayman Islands exempted company, and will rely on dividends paid by its PRC Subsidiaries for its cash needs and financing. Any limitation on the ability of its PRC Subsidiaries to make dividend payments to Zhibao, or any tax implications of making dividend payments to Zhibao, could limit our ability to pay Zhibao’s expenses or pay dividends to holders of Zhibao’s ordinary shares.
Zhibao is a holding company and conducts substantially all of its business through its PRC Subsidiaries. Zhibao may rely on dividends to be paid by its WFOE to fund its cash and financing requirements, including the funds necessary to pay dividends and other cash distributions to its shareholders, to service any debt it may incur and to pay it operating expenses. Zhibao’s PRC Subsidiaries generate and retain cash generated from operating activities and re-invest it in their business. If WFOE incurs debt on its own behalf in the future, the instruments governing the debt may restrict its ability to pay dividends or make other distributions to Zhibao.
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Under PRC laws and regulations, WFOE may pay dividends only out of its accumulated profits as determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations. In addition, WFOE is required to set aside at least 10% of its accumulated after-tax profits each year, if any, to fund a certain statutory reserve fund, until the aggregate amount of such fund reaches 50% of its registered capital.
WFOE generates primarily all of its revenue in Renminbi, which is not freely convertible into other currencies. As a result, any restriction on currency exchange may limit the ability of WFOE to use its Renminbi revenues to pay dividends to Zhibao. The PRC government may continue to strengthen its capital controls, and more restrictions and substantial vetting process may be put forward by the SAFE for cross-border transactions falling under both the current account and the capital account. Any limitation on the ability of WFOE to pay dividends or make other kinds of payments to Zhibao could materially and adversely limit its ability to grow, make investments or acquisitions that could be beneficial to its business, pay dividends, or otherwise fund and conduct its business.
Risks Related to Offering and Ownership of Class A Ordinary Shares
The trading market for our Class A ordinary shares is very new, and consistently robust and liquid trading market may not develop or be sustained over the long term.
We only recently consummated our IPO in April 2024, and so the trading market for our Class A ordinary shares is very new and unestablished. If a consistently robust and liquid trading market for our Class A ordinary shares does not develop, you may not be able to sell your shares quickly or at the market price. Our ability to raise capital to continue to fund operations by selling our securities and our ability to acquire other companies or technologies by using our securities as consideration may also be impaired.
Nasdaq may apply additional and more stringent criteria for our continued listing because we commutated a small public offering and insiders currently hold a large portion of our listed securities.
Nasdaq Listing Rule 5101 provides Nasdaq with broad discretionary authority over the initial and continued listing of securities in Nasdaq and Nasdaq may use such discretion to apply additional or more stringent criteria for the continued listing of particular securities, or suspend or delist particular securities based on any event, condition, or circumstance that exists or occurs that makes continued listing of the securities on Nasdaq inadvisable or unwarranted in the opinion of Nasdaq, even though the securities meet all enumerated criteria for continued listing on Nasdaq. In addition, Nasdaq has used its discretion to deny continued listing or to apply additional and more stringent criteria in the instances, including but not limited to: (i) where the company engaged an auditor that has not been subject to an inspection by PCAOB, an auditor that PCAOB cannot inspect, or an auditor that has not demonstrated sufficient resources, geographic reach, or experience to adequately perform the company’s audit; (ii) where the company planned a small public offering, which would result in insiders holding a large portion of the company’s listed securities. Nasdaq was concerned that the offering size was insufficient to establish the company’s initial valuation, and there would not be sufficient liquidity to support a public market for the company; and (iii) where the company did not demonstrate sufficient nexus to the U.S. capital market, including having no U.S. shareholders, operations, or members of the board of directors or management. The IPO was relatively small and the insiders of our Company hold a large portion of the company’s listed securities following the consummation of the IPO. Nasdaq might apply the additional and more stringent criteria for our continued listing, which might cause suspension or even de-listing our securities listed on Nasdaq.
Our Chairman of the board of directors and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Botao Ma, beneficially owns 16,579,977 Class B ordinary shares, currently representing approximately 94.47% of the voting power of our outstanding share capital, and has significant influence over all corporate matters for which shareholder approval is required.
We have a dual-class share structure such that our ordinary shares consist of Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares. Holders of our Class A ordinary shares and our Class B ordinary shares shall at all times vote together as one class on all resolutions submitted to a vote by our shareholders. Each Class A ordinary share shall entitle the holder thereof to one vote on all matters subject to vote at our general meetings, and each Class B ordinary share shall entitle the holder thereof to twenty votes on all matters subject to vote at our general meetings. Each Class B ordinary share is convertible into one Class A ordinary share at any time by the holder thereof, while Class A ordinary shares are not convertible into Class B ordinary shares under any circumstances. Upon any sale, transfer, assignment
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or disposition of any Class B ordinary share by the holder of such Class B ordinary share to any person who is not an affiliate of such shareholder, such Class B ordinary share shall be automatically and immediately converted into one Class A ordinary share.
Mr. Botao Ma, our Chairman of the board of directors and our Chief Executive Officer beneficially holding 16,579,977 Class B ordinary shares, is able to exercise approximately 94.47% of the total voting power of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares. Mr. Ma could have significant influence on determining the outcome of any corporate transaction or other matter submitted to the shareholders for approval, including mergers, consolidations, the election of directors and other significant corporate actions. In cases where his interests are aligned, he has the power to prevent or cause a change in control. Without the consent of Mr. Ma, we may be prevented from entering into transactions that could be beneficial to us or our minority shareholders. In addition, Mr. Ma could violate his fiduciary duties by diverting business opportunities from us to himself or others. The interests of Mr. Ma may differ from the interests of our other shareholders. The concentrated voting power owned by Mr. Ma may cause a material decline in the value of our Class A ordinary shares. For more information regarding our beneficial owners and their affiliated entities, see “Principal Shareholders.”
The trading price of our Class A ordinary shares may be volatile, which could result in substantial losses to investors.
The trading price of our Class A ordinary shares may be volatile and could fluctuate widely due to factors beyond our control. This may happen because of the broad market and industry factors, like the performance and fluctuation of the market prices of other companies with business operations located primarily in China that have listed their securities in the United States. A number of Chinese companies have listed or are in the process of listing their securities on U.S. stock markets. The securities of some of these companies have experienced significant volatility, including price declines in connection with their initial public offerings. The trading performance of these Chinese companies’ securities after their offerings may affect the attitudes of investors toward Chinese companies listed in the United States in general and consequently may impact the trading performance of our Class A ordinary shares, regardless of our actual operating performance.
In addition to market and industry factors, the price and trading volume for our Class A ordinary shares may be highly volatile for factors specific to our own operations, including the following:
• regulatory developments affecting us or our industry;
• actual or anticipated fluctuations in our quarterly results of operations and changes or revisions of our expected results;
• changes in financial estimates by securities research analysts;
• conditions in the market for intermediary services;
• announcements by us or our competitors of new product and/or service offerings, acquisitions, strategic relationships, joint ventures, capital raisings or capital commitments;
• additions to or departures of our senior management;
• fluctuations of exchange rates between the Renminbi and the U.S. dollar;
• release or expiry of lock-up or other transfer restrictions on our outstanding shares;
• negative publicity regarding Chinese listed companies;
• Political or legal actions taken or restrictions imposed by the government in China; and
• sales or perceived potential sales of additional Class A ordinary shares.
Any of these factors may result in large and sudden changes in the volume and price at which our Class A ordinary shares will trade.
In the past, shareholders of public companies have often brought securities class action suits against those companies following periods of instability in the market price of their securities. If we were involved in a class action suit, it could divert a significant amount of our management’s attention and other resources from our business and
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operations and require us to incur significant expenses to defend the suit, which could harm our results of operations. Any such class action suit, whether or not successful, could harm our reputation and restrict our ability to raise capital in the future. In addition, if a claim is successfully made against us, we may be required to pay significant damages, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
Certain recent initial public offerings of companies with public floats comparable to our public float have experienced extreme volatility that was seemingly unrelated to the underlying performance of the respective company. We may experience similar volatility, which may make it difficult for prospective investors to assess the value of our Class A ordinary shares.
In addition to the risks addressed above in “— The trading price of our Class A ordinary shares may be volatile, which could result in substantial losses to investors”, our Class A ordinary shares may be subject to extreme volatility that is seemingly unrelated to the underlying performance of our business. Recently, companies with comparable public floats and initial public offering sizes have experienced instances of extreme stock price run-ups followed by rapid price declines, and such stock price volatility was seemingly unrelated to the respective company’s underlying performance. Although the specific cause of such volatility is unclear, our public float may amplify the impact the actions taken by a few shareholders have on the price of our Class A ordinary shares, which may cause our share price to deviate, potentially significantly, from a price that better reflects the underlying performance of our business. Should our Class A ordinary shares experience run-ups and declines that are seemingly unrelated to our actual or expected operating performance and financial condition or prospects, prospective investors may have difficulty assessing the rapidly changing value of our Class A ordinary shares. In addition, investors of our Class A ordinary shares may experience losses, which may be material, if the price of our Class A ordinary shares declines at any time or if such investors purchase shares of our Class A ordinary shares prior to any price decline.
If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or reports about our business, or if they adversely change their recommendations regarding our Class A ordinary shares, the market price for our Class A ordinary shares and trading volume could decline.
The trading market for our Class A ordinary shares is influenced by research or reports that industry or securities analysts publish about our business. If one or more analysts who cover us downgrade our Class A ordinary shares, the market price for our Class A ordinary shares would likely decline. If one or more of these analysts cease to cover us or fail to regularly publish reports on us, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which in turn could cause the market price or trading volume for our Class A ordinary shares to decline.
The sale or availability for sale of substantial amounts of our Class A ordinary shares could adversely affect their market price.
Sales of substantial amounts of our Class A ordinary shares, including Class B ordinary shares, which will automatically convert into Class A ordinary shares upon transfer, or convertible promissory notes convertible into our Class A ordinary shares under certain conditions, in the public market at any time, or the perception that these sales could occur, could adversely affect the market price of our Class A ordinary shares and could materially impair our ability to raise capital through equity offerings in the future. The Class A ordinary shares sold under this prospectus are freely tradable without restriction or further registration under the Securities Act, and shares held by our existing shareholders may also be sold in the public market subsequent to the IPO subject to the restrictions in Rule 144 under the Securities Act and the applicable lock-up agreements. There are currently 14,707,073 Class A ordinary shares and 16,816,692 Class B ordinary shares outstanding. We cannot predict what effect, if any, market sales of securities held by our significant shareholders or any other shareholder or the availability of these securities for future sale will have on the market price of our Class A ordinary shares.
Because we do not expect to pay dividends in the foreseeable future, you must rely on price appreciation of our Class A ordinary shares for return on your investment.
We do not expect to pay any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. Therefore, you should not rely on an investment in our Class A ordinary shares as a source for any future dividend income.
Our board of directors has complete discretion as to whether to distribute dividends. Even if our board of directors decides to declare and pay dividends, the timing, amount and form of future dividends, if any, will depend on, among other things, our future results of operations and cash flow, our capital requirements and surplus, the amount
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of distributions, if any, received by us from our subsidiaries, our financial condition, contractual restrictions and other factors deemed relevant by our board of directors. Accordingly, the return on your investment in our Class A ordinary shares will likely depend entirely upon any future price appreciation of our Class A ordinary shares. There is no guarantee that our Class A ordinary shares will appreciate in value or even maintain the price at which you purchased our Class A ordinary shares. You may not realize a return on your investment in our Class A ordinary shares and you may even lose your entire investment.
You may have to rely on the judgment of our management as to the use of the net proceeds from our future financings, and such use may not produce income or increase our share price.
We will not receive any proceeds from the resale or other disposition of the Class A ordinary shares by the Selling Shareholder. However, we will receive the proceeds of any cash exercise of the Warrants. We intend to use the net proceeds from any cash exercise of the Warrants for working capital and general corporate purposes. We also plan to use the net proceeds of our future offerings of our securities primarily for the R&D on new services and technologies, and upgrades, updates and improvement of existing services and technologies, and new hires of R&D staff; develop new insurance solutions, and upgrades, updates and enhancement of existing insurance solutions; sales, marketing and brands promotion; business expansions, mergers and acquisitions although as of the date of this prospectus, we have not identified, or engaged in any material discussions with any potential target for such business expansions; working capital and other general corporate purposes. See “Use of Proceeds.” However, our management will have considerable discretion in the application of the net proceeds received by us. You will not have the opportunity, as part of your investment decision, to assess whether proceeds are being used appropriately. The net proceeds may be used for corporate purposes that do not improve our efforts to achieve or maintain profitability or increase our share price. The net proceeds from our future financings may be placed in investments that do not produce income or that lose value.
An investment in our company may involve tax implications, and you are encouraged to consult your own advisors as neither we nor any related party is offering any tax assurances or guidance regarding our Class A ordinary shares or your investment.
An investment in our company generally involves complex federal, state and local income tax considerations. Neither the Internal Revenue Service nor any State or local taxing authority has reviewed the transactions described herein and may take different positions than the ones contemplated by management. You are strongly urged to consult your own tax and other advisors prior to investing, as neither we nor any of our officers, directors or related parties is offering you tax or similar advice, nor are any such persons making any representations and warrants regarding such matters.
If we are classified as a passive foreign investment company, United States taxpayers who own our Class A ordinary shares may have adverse United States federal income tax consequences.
A non-U.S. corporation such as us will be classified as a passive foreign investment company, which is known as a PFIC, for any taxable year if, for such year, either
• At least 75% of our gross income for the year is passive income; or
• The average percentage of our assets (determined at the end of each quarter) during the taxable year which produces passive income or which are held for the production of passive income is at least 50%.
Passive income generally includes dividends, interest, rents, royalties (other than rents or royalties derived from the active conduct of a trade or business) and gains from the disposition of passive assets.
If we are determined to be a PFIC for any taxable year (or portion thereof) that is included in the holding period of a U.S. taxpayer who holds our Class A ordinary shares, the U.S. taxpayer may be subject to increased U.S. federal income tax liability and may be subject to additional reporting requirements.
Depending on the amount of cash we hold and the amount of cash we raise in our future offerings of our securities, together with any other assets held for the production of passive income, it is possible that, for our current taxable year or for any subsequent year, more than 50% of our assets may be assets which produce passive income. We will make this determination following the end of any particular tax year. Although the law in this regard is unclear, we treat our consolidated affiliated entities as being owned by us for United States federal income tax purposes,
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not only because we exercise effective control over the operation of such entities but also because we are entitled to substantially all of their economic benefits, and, as a result, we consolidate their operating results in our consolidated financial statements. For purposes of the PFIC analysis, in general, a non-U.S. corporation is deemed to own its pro rata share of the gross income and assets of any entity in which it is considered to own, directly or indirectly, at least 25% of the equity by value.
Our status as a PFIC is a fact-intensive determination made on an annual basis. Accordingly, our U.S. counsel expresses no opinion with respect to our PFIC status and also expresses no opinion with regard to our expectations regarding our PFIC status.
For a more detailed discussion of the application of the PFIC rules to us and the consequences to U.S. taxpayers who own our ordinary shares if we were determined to be a PFIC, see “Taxation — Material United States Federal Income Tax Considerations — Passive Foreign Investment Company.”
The amended and restated memorandum and articles of association that we adopted contain anti-takeover provisions that could have a material adverse effect on the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares.
Some provisions of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may discourage, delay or prevent a change in control of our company or management that shareholders may consider favorable, including provisions that authorize our board of directors to issue shares at such times and on such terms and conditions as the board of directors may decide without any further vote or action by our shareholders.
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association contain provisions to limit the ability of others to acquire control of our company or cause us to engage in change-of-control transactions. These provisions could have the effect of depriving our shareholders of an opportunity to sell their shares at a premium over prevailing market prices by discouraging third parties from seeking to obtain control of our company in a tender offer or similar transaction. Our dual-class voting structure gives disproportionate voting power to the holders of our Class B ordinary shares. In addition, our board of directors will have the authority, without further action by our shareholders, to issue preferred shares in one or more series and to fix their designations, powers, preferences, privileges, and relative participating, optional or special rights and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions, including dividend rights, conversion rights, voting rights, terms of redemption and liquidation preferences, any or all of which may be greater than the rights associated with our Class A ordinary shares. Preferred shares could be issued quickly with terms calculated to delay or prevent a change in control of our company or make removal of management more difficult. If our board of directors decides to issue preferred shares, the price of our Class A ordinary shares may fall and the voting and other rights of the holders of our Class A ordinary shares may be materially and adversely affected.
We are a “controlled company” within the meaning of the Nasdaq Stock Market Rules and, as a result, may rely on exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements that provide protection to shareholders of other companies.
We are a “controlled company” as defined under the Nasdaq Stock Market Rules because our Chairman of the board of directors and our Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Botao Ma, beneficially owns more than 50% of our total voting power. For so long as we remain a controlled company under that definition, we are permitted to elect to rely on, and may rely on, certain exemptions from corporate governance rules, including an exemption from the rule that a majority of our board of directors must be independent directors. As a result, you may not have the same protection afforded to shareholders of companies that are subject to these corporate governance requirements.
You may face difficulties in protecting your interests, and your ability to protect your rights through U.S. courts may be limited, because we are incorporated under Cayman Islands law.
We are an exempted company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands with limited liability. As a result, it may be difficult for investors to effect service of process within the United States upon our directors or officers, or enforce judgments obtained in the United States courts against our directors or officers.
Our corporate affairs are governed by our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, as amended from time to time, the Companies Act (Revised) of the Cayman Islands and the common law of the Cayman Islands. The rights of shareholders to take action against the directors, actions by minority shareholders and the fiduciary duties of our directors to us under Cayman Islands law are to a large extent governed by the common
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law of the Cayman Islands. The common law of the Cayman Islands is derived in part from comparatively limited judicial precedent in the Cayman Islands as well as from the common law of England, the decisions of whose courts are of persuasive authority, but are not binding, on a court in the Cayman Islands. The rights of our shareholders and the fiduciary duties of our directors under Cayman Islands law are not as clearly established as they would be under statutes or judicial precedent in some jurisdictions in the United States. In particular, the Cayman Islands has a less developed body of securities laws than the United States. Some U.S. states, such as Delaware, have more fully developed and judicially interpreted bodies of corporate law than the Cayman Islands. In addition, Cayman Islands companies may not have the standing to initiate a shareholder derivative action in a federal court of the United States.
Shareholders of Cayman Islands exempted companies like us have no general rights under Cayman Islands law to inspect corporate records or to obtain copies of the register of members of these companies. Our directors have discretion under our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association to determine whether or not, and under what conditions, our corporate records may be inspected by our shareholders, but are not obliged to make them available to our shareholders. This may make it more difficult for you to obtain the information needed to establish any facts necessary for a shareholder motion or to solicit proxies from other shareholders in connection with a proxy contest.
Certain corporate governance practices in the Cayman Islands, which is our home country, differ significantly from requirements for companies incorporated in other jurisdictions such as the U.S. Currently, we do not plan to rely on home country practice with respect to any corporate governance matter. However, if we choose to follow our home country practice in the future, our shareholders may be afforded less protection than they otherwise would under rules and regulations applicable to U.S. domestic issuers.
As a result of all of the above, public shareholders may have more difficulty in protecting their interests in the face of actions taken by our management, members of the board of directors or controlling shareholders than they would as public shareholders of a company incorporated in the United States. For a discussion of significant differences between the provisions of the Companies Act of the Cayman Islands and the laws applicable to companies incorporated in the United States and their shareholders, see “Description of Our Securities — Comparison of Cayman Islands Corporate Law and U.S. Corporate Law.”
You may be unable to present proposals before annual general meetings or extraordinary general meetings not called by shareholders.
The laws of the Cayman Islands provide shareholders with only limited rights to requisition a general meeting, and does not provide shareholders with any right to put any proposal before a general meeting. These rights, however, may be provided in a company’s articles of association. Our amended and restated articles of association allow our shareholders holding shares representing in aggregate not less than ten (10%) percent of our voting share capital in issue, to requisition a general meeting of our shareholders, in which case our directors are obliged to call such meeting. Advance notice of at least fourteen (14) clear days is required for the convening of our general shareholders’ meeting. A quorum required for a meeting of shareholders consists of at least one or more shareholders present or by proxy, or if a corporation, by its duly authorized representative, representing not less than one-third of all votes attaching to all ordinary shares in issue and entitled to vote at such general meeting of the Company. For these purposes, “clear days” means that period excluding (a) the day when the notice is given or deemed to be given and (b) the day for which it is given or on which it is to take effect.
Certain judgments obtained against us by our shareholders may not be enforceable.
We are a Cayman Islands exempted company and substantially all of our assets are located outside of the United States. Substantially all of our current operations are conducted in the PRC. In addition, most of our current directors and officers are nationals and residents of countries other than the United States. Substantially all of the assets of these persons are located outside the United States. As a result, it may be difficult or impossible for you to bring an action against us or against these individuals in the United States in the event that you believe that your rights have been infringed under the U.S. federal securities laws or otherwise. Even if you are successful in bringing an action of this kind, the laws of the Cayman Islands and of the PRC may render you unable to seek recognition and/or enforce a judgment against our assets or the assets of our directors and officers. For more information regarding the relevant laws of the Cayman Islands and the PRC, see “Enforceability of Civil Liabilities.”
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We are an emerging growth company within the meaning of the Securities Act and may take advantage of certain reduced reporting requirements.
We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the JOBS Act, and we may take advantage of certain exemptions from requirements applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies including, most significantly, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 for so long as we are an emerging growth company.
The JOBS Act also provides that an emerging growth company does not need to comply with any new or revised financial accounting standards until such date that a private company is otherwise required to comply with such new or revised accounting standards. In other words, an “emerging growth company” can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We have elected to take advantage of the extended transition period. As a result of this election, our future financial statements may not be comparable to other public companies that comply with the public company effective dates for these new or revised accounting standards.
We are a foreign private issuer within the meaning of the rules under the Exchange Act, and as such we are exempt from certain provisions applicable to United States domestic public companies.
Because we are a foreign private issuer under the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), we are exempt from certain provisions of the securities rules and regulations in the United States that are applicable to U.S. domestic issuers, including:
• the rules under the Exchange Act requiring the filing of quarterly reports on Form 10-Q or current reports on Form 8-K with the SEC;
• the sections of the Exchange Act regulating the solicitation of proxies, consents, or authorizations in respect of a security registered under the Exchange Act;
• the sections of the Exchange Act requiring insiders to file public reports of their share ownership and trading activities and liability for insiders who profit from trades made in a short period of time; and
• the selective disclosure rules by issuers of material non-public information under Regulation FD.
We will be required to file an annual report on Form 20-F within four months of the end of each fiscal year. In addition, we intend to publish our results on a quarterly basis through press releases, distributed pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Nasdaq Capital Market. Press releases relating to financial results and material events will also be furnished to the SEC on Form 6-K. However, the information we are required to file with or furnish to the SEC will be less extensive and less timely compared to that required to be filed with the SEC by U.S. domestic issuers. As a result, you may not be afforded the same protections or information, which would be made available to you, were you investing in a U.S. domestic issuer.
We may incur significantly increased costs and devote substantial management time as a result of the listing of our Class A ordinary shares.
We may incur additional legal, accounting and other expenses as a public reporting company, particularly after we cease to qualify as an emerging growth company. For example, we may be required to comply with the additional requirements of the rules and regulations of the SEC and the Nasdaq rules, including applicable corporate governance practices. We expect that compliance with these requirements m increase our legal and financial compliance costs and will make some activities more time-consuming and costly. In addition, we expect that our management and other personnel will need to divert attention from operational and other business matters to devote substantial time to these public company requirements. We cannot predict or estimate the number of additional costs we may incur as a result of becoming a public company or the timing of such costs.
In addition, changing laws, regulations and standards relating to corporate governance and public disclosure are creating uncertainty for public companies, increasing legal and financial compliance costs and making some activities more time-consuming. These laws, regulations and standards are subject to varying interpretations, in many cases due to their lack of specificity, and, as a result, their application in practice may evolve over time as new guidelines are provided by regulatory and governing bodies. This could result in continuing uncertainty regarding compliance
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matters and higher costs necessitated by ongoing revisions to disclosure and governance practices. We intend to invest resources to comply with evolving laws, regulations and standards, and this investment may result in increased general and administrative expenses and a diversion of management’s time and attention from revenue-generating activities to compliance activities. If our efforts to comply with new laws, regulations and standards differ from the activities intended by regulatory or governing bodies due to ambiguities related to their application and practice, regulatory authorities may also initiate legal proceedings against us and our business may be adversely affected.
Nasdaq may delist our securities from trading on its exchange, which could limit investors’ ability to make transactions in our securities and subject us to additional trading restrictions.
Our Class A ordinary shares are listed on the Nasdaq under the symbol “ZBAO.” We cannot assure you that our securities continue to be listed on Nasdaq in the future. In order to continue listing our securities on Nasdaq, we must maintain certain financial, distribution and stock price levels. Generally, we must maintain a minimum amount in shareholders’ equity (generally $2,500,000) and a minimum number of holders of our securities (generally 300 public holders). We cannot assure you that we will continue to meet those continued listing requirements.
If Nasdaq delists our securities from trading on its exchange and we are not able to list our securities on another national securities exchange, we expect our securities could be quoted on an over-the-counter market. If this were to occur, we could face significant material adverse consequences, including:
• a limited availability of market quotations for our securities;
• reduced liquidity for our securities;
• a determination that our Class A ordinary shares come within the definition of “penny stock” which will require brokers trading in our Class A ordinary shares to adhere to more stringent rules and possibly result in a reduced level of trading activity in the secondary trading market for our securities;
• a limited amount of news and analyst coverage; and
• a decreased ability to issue additional securities or obtain additional financing in the future.
The National Securities Markets Improvement Act of 1996, which is a federal statute, prevents or preempts the states from regulating the sale of certain securities, which are referred to as “covered securities.” Because our Class A ordinary shares are listed on Nasdaq, our Class A ordinary shares are covered securities. Although the states are pre-empted from regulating the sale of our securities, the federal statute does allow the states to investigate companies if there is a suspicion of fraud, and, if there is a finding of fraudulent activity, then the states can regulate or bar the sale of covered securities in a particular case.
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CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus contains forward-looking statements that reflect our current expectations and views of future events. The forward-looking statements are contained principally in the sections entitled “Prospectus Summary,” “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” “Our Business” and “Regulation.” Known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, including those listed under “Risk Factors,” may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements.
You can identify some of these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “is/are likely to,” “potential,” “continue” or other similar expressions. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. These forward-looking statements include statements relating to:
• our dependence on the development, update, upgrade and innovations of insurance solutions and technologies on a timely basis;
• our dependence on growth in the demand for our services;
• our ability to attract and retain B channels and end customers;
• our ability to build stable and health relationships with insurance companies;
• our ability to compete effectively;
• our ability to successfully manage our business expansion in response to changing industry and market conditions;
• implementation of our expansion plans and our ability to obtain capital resources for our planned growth;
• our dependence on key personnel;
• our ability to expand into new businesses and industries, and to undertake mergers, acquisitions, investments or divestments;
• the effect of the Underwriters’ stabilization activity or the exercise by the underwriters of their over-allotment option;
• changes in technology and competing services;
• general economic and political conditions, including those related to the insurance brokerage industry;
• possible disruptions in commercial activities caused by events such as natural disasters, terrorist activities;
• fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; and
• other factors in the “Risk Factors” section in this prospectus.
These forward-looking statements are subject to various and significant risks and uncertainties, including those which are beyond our control. Although we believe that our expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, our expectations may later be found to be incorrect. The forward-looking statements made in this prospectus relate only to events or information as of the date on which the statements are made in this prospectus. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. You should thoroughly read this prospectus and the documents that we refer to herein with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from and worse than what we expect. We qualify all of our forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements. We disclaim any obligation to update our forward-looking statements, except as required by law.
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This prospectus includes statistical and other industry and market data that we obtained from industry publications and research, surveys and studies conducted by third parties. Industry publications and third-party research, surveys and studies generally indicate that their information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, although they do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of such information. Statistical data in these publications also include projections based on a number of assumptions. While we believe these industry publications and third-party research, surveys and studies are reliable, you are cautioned not to give undue weight to this information.
In addition, the new and rapidly changing nature of the insurance brokerage industry results in significant uncertainties for any projections or estimates relating to the growth prospects or future condition of our industry. Furthermore, if any one or more of the assumptions underlying the market data are later found to be incorrect, actual results may differ from the projections based on these assumptions. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.
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We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of the Class A ordinary shares upon the conversion of the Note by the Selling Shareholder. However, we will receive proceeds from the exercise of the Common Warrants by the Selling Shareholder to the extent they are exercised for cash. We estimate that the maximum proceeds that we may receive from the exercise of the Common Warrants, assuming all the Common Warrants from the First Tranche are exercised at an exercise price of $4.71 and subject to the amount of additional Common Warrants issuable in the Second Tranche under a Securities Purchase Agreement between the Company and the Investor, dated as of September 23, 2024 (the “Securities Purchase Agreement”) and excluding the nominal exercise price of $0.0001 per share for the Pre-Funded Warrants (which may only be exercisable upon the occurrence of an Event of Default as defined in the Note), will be at a minimum $350,664.21. We do not know, however, whether any of the Common Warrants will be exercised or, if any of the Common Warrants are exercised, when they will be exercised. It is possible that the Common Warrants will expire and never be exercised. There are circumstances under which the Common Warrants may be exercised on a cashless basis. In these circumstances, even if the Common Warrants are exercised, we may not receive any proceeds, or the proceeds that we do receive may be significantly less than what we might expect. We intend to use the aggregate net proceeds from the exercise of the Common Warrants for general corporate purposes, including working capital. The actual allocation of proceeds realized from the exercise of these Common Warrants will depend upon the amount and timing of such exercises, our operating revenues and cash position at such time and our working capital requirements. The Selling Shareholder will pay any expenses incurred by the Selling Shareholder for brokerage, accounting, tax or legal services or any other expenses incurred by the Selling Shareholder in disposing of its Class A ordinary shares. We will bear all other costs, fees and expenses incurred in effecting the registration of the shares covered by this prospectus, including, without limitation, all registration fees and fees and expenses of our counsel and our accountants.
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Subject to the provisions of the Companies Act and any rights attaching to any class or classes of shares under and in accordance with our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, as amended from time to time, our board of directors has discretion regarding whether to declare or pay dividends or distributions out of our funds which are lawfully available for that purpose. In addition, our shareholders may by ordinary resolution declare a dividend, provided that no dividend may exceed the amount recommended by our directors. Subject to the requirements of the Companies Act regarding the application of a company’s share premium account and with the sanction of an ordinary resolution, dividends may also be declared and paid out of any share premium account. The directors when paying dividends to shareholders may make such payment either in cash or in specie. Unless provided by the rights attached to a share, no dividend shall bear interest. All dividends are subject to certain restrictions under Cayman Islands law, namely that a Cayman Islands company may pay a dividend on its shares out of either profit or share premium account, provided that in no circumstances may a dividend be paid if following such payment the company would be unable to pay its debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business. Even if our board of directors decides to pay dividends, the form, frequency and amount will depend upon our future operations and earnings, capital requirements and surplus, general financial condition, contractual restrictions and other factors that the board of directors may deem relevant.
We have never declared or paid cash dividends on our shares. We currently do not have any plans to pay cash dividends. Rather, we currently intend to retain all of our available funds and any future earnings to operate and grow our business.
Cash dividends on our ordinary shares, if any, will be paid in U.S. dollars.
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PRIVATE PLACEMENT
On September 23, 2024, the Company entered into the Securities Purchase Agreement with the Investor. The Securities Purchase Agreement provides for loans in an aggregate principal amount of up to $8.0 million under three tranches. On September 23, 2024, upon the First Closing of First Tranche, the investor funded approximately $675,000 (net of original issue discount of 10.0%) in a private placement offering, pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Securities Purchase Agreement, and the Investor also agreed to fund (i) in a subsequent closing of the First Tranche, an additional $675,000 (net of original issue discount of 10%), subject to the satisfaction of the Equity Conditions (as defined in the Securities Purchase Agreement), after the Company provides written confirmation to the Investor that a resale registration statement on Form F-1 has been filed with the SEC for the registration of Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of the Note and the exercise of the Common Warrants, and, (ii) in a subsequent closing of the First Tranche, another $900,000 upon the execution of a duly executed DACA and establishment of a DACA account, subject to the satisfaction of the Equity Conditions (as defined in the Securities Purchase Agreement). The Company and Investor have agreed to consummate an additional financing of $2,500,000 in the Second Tranche after 120 days following effectiveness of the resale registration statement, subject to certain conditions contemplated under the Securities Purchase Agreement. The Securities Purchase Agreement also contemplates a Third Tranche financing of aggregate of up to $3,000,000, upon the mutual consent of the Investor and Company, after 180 days following the closing date of the Second Tranche.
In consideration for the Investor’s funding of the First Closing of First Tranche, on September 23, 2024, the Company issued and sold to the Investor, in a private placement, (i) a Note in the aggregate principal amount of up to $2,500,000, (ii) Common Warrants to purchase up to 74,451 Class A ordinary shares at an initial exercise price of $4.71 per share, subject to certain adjustments, and (iii) a Prefunded Warrant to purchase up to 191,522 Class A ordinary shares (based on $750,000 divided by the 10-day VWAP for the 10 trading day period immediately prior to the First Closing of First Tranche) at a nominal exercise price of $0.0001 per share, subject to certain adjustments. Pre-Funded Warrants may only be exercised upon occurrence of an Event of Default (as defined in the Note). The Note is initially convertible into Class A ordinary shares at conversion price of $4.71, subject to certain adjustments, the Conversion Price, provided that the Conversion Price shall not be reduced below $0.7616, the Floor Price. The Note does not bear any interest and matures on September 23, 2025.
The Common Warrant is exercisable upon issuance at an initial exercise price of $4.71 per share. The exercise price and number of underlying shares of the Common Warrant are subject to certain adjustments, including a reduction in the exercise price and an increase in the number of underlying shares in the event that at any time during the 18-month period following the original issuance date of the Common Warrant, the Company issues, sells or grants any ordinary share and/or ordinary share equivalents at a price per share that is less than the exercise price then in effect, subject to certain exceptions.
Pre-Funded Warrants may only be exercised upon occurrence of an Event of Default (as defined in the Note). The number of shares underlying the Pre-Funded Warrants is subject to potential increase in the event the average daily VWAP for the 10 trading days immediately preceding the first occurrence of an Event of Default is less than the average daily VWAP for the 10 Trading Days immediately preceding the issuance date of the Pre-Funded Warrants, to a number of Class A ordinary shares determined by dividing (A) $750,000 by (B) the average daily VWAP for the 10 trading days immediately preceding the date of the first occurrence of an Event of Default.
In connection with the Securities Purchase Agreement, on September 23, 2024, the Company entered into a registration rights agreement with the Investor pursuant to which the registrable securities held by the Investor, subject to certain conditions, are entitled to registration under the Securities Act. Pursuant to the registration rights agreement, the Company is required to, within 15 days from September 23, 2024, file with the SEC (at the Company’s sole cost and expense) a registration statement to register the registrable securities and to cause such resale registration statement to be effective within 45 days after the filing date of the resale registration statement if the the SEC indicates to the Company that such resale registration statement will be subject to a “limited” review, or within 65 after the filing date of the resale registration statement if the SEC indicates to the Company that such registration statement will be subject to a “full” review.
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To secure the obligations of the Company to repay the Note, on the same date, the Company and its subsidiaries entered into a security agreement with the Investor, which granted the Investor a lien and security interest in and to all of the Company’s DACA account to be established following the First Closing of First Tranche and any assets of the Company that are or become located in the United States. To guarantee the obligations under the security agreement, on the same day, the Company and its subsidiaries as guarantors also entered into a guarantee agreement. Each guarantor, jointly and severally, hereby unconditionally and irrevocably guarantees the full and prompt payment and performance to the Investor, as primary obligor and not as surety, when due, whether at maturity or by reason of acceleration or otherwise, of any and all of the obligations under the security agreement.
Under the terms of the Securities Purchase Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement and the Note, the Company is required to reserve and register an aggregate of 4,341,783 Class A ordinary shares in the resale registration statement, which represents 100% of the total number of Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of the Note at a conversion price equal to the Floor Price of $0.7616 per share set forth in the Note and 100% of the total number of Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrants.
In connection with the consummation of the First Closing of First Tranche, the Company paid $47,250 (representing 7% of gross proceeds) to EF Hutton LLC, the sole placement agent in the Private Placement and $6,750 expenses pursuant to an engagement letter.
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SELLING SHAREHOLDER
The Class A ordinary shares being offered by the Selling Shareholder are those issuable to the Selling Shareholder upon conversion of the Note and/or exercise of the Warrants. For additional information regarding the issuances of the Note and the Warrants, see “Private Placement” above. We are registering the Class A ordinary shares in order to permit the Selling Shareholder to offer the shares for resale from time to time. Except for the ownership of the Class A ordinary shares and the Warrants, and as otherwise provided below, the Selling Shareholder has not had any material relationship with us within the past three years.
The table below lists the Selling Shareholder and other information regarding the beneficial ownership of the Class A ordinary shares by the Selling Shareholder. The second column lists the number of Class A ordinary shares beneficially owned by the Selling Shareholder, based on its ownership of Class A ordinary shares, the Note (assuming the number of Class A ordinary shares which may be received upon conversion of the Note at a conversion price of $0.7616 per share based on the Floor Price), the Common Warrants, and the Prefunded Warrants, as applicable, immediately prior to this offering, assuming the full conversion of the Note, by the Investor, and the full exercise of the applicable Warrants, by the Selling Shareholder for all Class A ordinary shares thereunder, without regard to any limitations on exercises. The third and fourth columns assume the sale of Class A ordinary shares convertible under the Note, and exercisable by the Selling Shareholder under the Warrants, pursuant to this prospectus.
The third column also lists the Class A ordinary shares being registered by this prospectus for the resale of the Class A ordinary shares by the Selling Shareholder.
In accordance with the terms of a registration rights agreement with the Investor, this prospectus generally covers the resale of the maximum number of Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of the Note and the exercise of the Warrants by the Investor.
Under the terms of the Note and the Warrants, the Selling Shareholder may not exercise the Warrants nor convert the Note to the extent such exercise would cause such Selling Shareholder, together with its affiliates and attribution parties, to beneficially own a number of Class A ordinary shares which would exceed 4.99% or 9.99%, as applicable, of our then outstanding Class A ordinary shares following such conversion or exercise, as applicable, excluding for purposes of such determination Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of the Note or exercise of such Warrants which have not been exercised. The number of Class A ordinary shares, in the table below, being registered by this prospectus for resale by the Selling Shareholder, does not reflect this limitation. The Selling Shareholder may sell all, some or none of their shares in this offering. See “Plan of Distribution.”
Name of Selling Shareholder | Shares | Shares | Shares | Percentage of | ||||
L1 Capital Global Opportunities Master Fund | 772,425 | 4,341,783 | — | — |
____________
(1) Percentages are based on 31,523,765 ordinary shares outstanding as of September 17, 2024.
(2) Beneficial ownership reflects Class A ordinary shares which are convertible under the Note, within the next 60 days, at a Floor Price of $0.7616 per share. Does not include the remaining Class A ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of the Note and exercise of the Warrants and the additional 984,769 Class A ordinary shares underlying the Prefunded Warrants which Prefunded Warrants are only exercisable upon an event of default. All of these securities are subject to a beneficial ownership limitation (the “Beneficial Ownership Limitation”) on the Investor’s ability to convert the Note and exercise the Warrants, to the extent any such conversion or exercise would cause the Investor to beneficially own more than 4.99% of the outstanding shares of the Company, which may be increased to up to 9.99% with 61 days’ notice. David Feldman and Joel Arber are the Directors of L1 Capital Global Opportunities Master Fund. As such they may be deemed to be beneficial owners of such Class A ordinary shares. To the extent Mr. Feldman and Mr. Arber are deemed to beneficially own such securities, Mr. Feldman and Mr. Arber disclaim beneficial ownership of these securities for all other purposes. The business address of L1 Capital Global Opportunities Master Fund is 161A Shedden Road, 1 Artillery Court, PO Box 10085, Grand Cayman KY1-1001, Cayman Islands.
(3) Consists of (i) 3,282,563 Class A ordinary shares issuable upon full conversion of the Note, (ii) 74,451 Class A ordinary shares issuable upon full exercise of the Common Warrants, and (iii) 984,769 Class A ordinary shares issuable upon exercise of the Prefunded Warrants which are only exercisable upon the occurrence of an Event of Default. This reflects 100% of the number of shares (i) convertible under the Note at a conversion price of $0.7616 (the Floor Price under the Note), (ii) exercisable under the Common Warrants, and (iii) exercisable under the Prefunded Warrants, as required to be registered under the terms of the Securities Purchase Agreement and the related registration rights agreement between the Company and the Investor. This does not give effect to the Beneficial Ownership Limitation.
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The Selling Shareholder of the securities and any of their pledgees, assignees and successors-in-interest may, from time to time, sell any or all of its securities covered hereby on the principal trading market or any other stock exchange, market or trading facility on which the securities are traded or in private transactions. These sales may be at fixed or negotiated prices. The Selling Shareholder may use any one or more of the following methods when selling securities:
• ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker-dealer solicits purchasers;
• block trades in which the broker-dealer will attempt to sell the securities as agent but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the transaction;
• purchases by a broker-dealer as principal and resale by the broker-dealer for its account;
• an exchange distribution in accordance with the rules of the applicable exchange;
• privately negotiated transactions;
• settlement of short sales;
• in transactions through broker-dealers that agree with the Selling Shareholder to sell a specified number of such securities at a stipulated price per security;
• through the writing or settlement of options or other hedging transactions, whether through an options exchange or otherwise;
• a combination of any such methods of sale; or
• any other method permitted pursuant to applicable law.
The Selling Shareholder may also sell securities under Rule 144 or any other exemption from registration under the Securities Act, if available, rather than under this prospectus.
Broker-dealers engaged by the Selling Shareholder may arrange for other brokers-dealers to participate in sales. Broker-dealers may receive commissions or discounts from the Selling Shareholder (or, if any broker-dealer acts as agent for the purchaser of securities, from the purchaser) in amounts to be negotiated, but, except as set forth in a supplement to this Prospectus, in the case of an agency transaction not in excess of a customary brokerage commission in compliance with FINRA Rule 2121; and in the case of a principal transaction a markup or markdown in compliance with FINRA Rule 2121.
In connection with the sale of the securities or interests therein, the Selling Shareholder may enter into hedging transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions, which may in turn engage in short sales of the securities in the course of hedging the positions they assume. The Selling Shareholder may also sell securities short and deliver these securities to close out their short positions, or loan or pledge the securities to broker-dealers that in turn may sell these securities. The Selling Shareholder may also enter into option or other transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions or create one or more derivative securities which require the delivery to such broker-dealer or other financial institution of securities offered by this prospectus, which securities such broker-dealer or other financial institution may resell pursuant to this prospectus (as supplemented or amended to reflect such transaction).
The Selling Shareholder and any broker-dealers or agents that are involved in selling the securities may be deemed to be “underwriters” within the meaning of the Securities Act in connection with such sales. In such event, any commissions received by such broker-dealers or agents and any profit on the resale of the securities purchased by them may be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts under the Securities Act. The Selling Shareholder has informed the Company that it does not have any written or oral agreement or understanding, directly or indirectly, with any person to distribute the securities.
The Company is required to pay certain fees and expenses incurred by the Company incident to the registration of the securities. The Company has agreed to indemnify the Selling Shareholder against certain losses, claims, damages and liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.
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We agreed to keep this prospectus effective until the earlier of: (i) the date that all securities covered by the by the 2024 RRA have been sold, or (ii) the two years after the date that the Registration Statement is declared effective. The resale securities will be sold only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers if required under applicable state securities laws. In addition, in certain states, the resale securities covered hereby may not be sold unless they have been registered or qualified for sale in the applicable state or an exemption from the registration or qualification requirement is available and is complied with.
Under applicable rules and regulations under the Exchange Act, any person engaged in the distribution of the resale securities may not simultaneously engage in market making activities with respect to the Class A ordinary shares for the applicable restricted period, as defined in Regulation M, prior to the commencement of the distribution. In addition, the Selling Shareholder will be subject to applicable provisions of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, including Regulation M, which may limit the timing of purchases and sales of the Class A ordinary shares by the Selling Shareholder or any other person. We will make copies of this prospectus available to the Selling Shareholder and have informed it of the need to deliver a copy of this prospectus to each purchaser at or prior to the time of the sale (including by compliance with Rule 172 under the Securities Act).
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ENFORCEABILITY OF CIVIL LIABILITIES
We were incorporated in the Cayman Islands as an exempted company with limited liability in order to enjoy the following benefits:
• political and economic stability;
• an effective judicial system;
• a favorable tax system;
• the absence of exchange control or currency restrictions; and
• the availability of professional and support services.
However, certain disadvantages accompany incorporation in the Cayman Islands. These disadvantages include, but are not limited to, the following:
• the Cayman Islands has a less developed body of securities laws as compared to the United States and these securities laws provide significantly less protection to investors; and
• Cayman Islands companies may not have the standing to sue before the federal courts of the United States.
Our constitutional documents do not contain provisions requiring that disputes, including those arising under the securities laws of the United States, between us, our officers, directors and shareholders, be arbitrated. Currently, substantially all of our operations are conducted outside the United States, and substantially all of our assets are located outside the United States. All of our officers are nationals or residents of jurisdictions other than the United States and a substantial portion of their assets are located outside the United States. As a result, it may be difficult for a shareholder to effect service of process within the United States upon these persons, or to enforce against us or them judgments obtained in United States courts, including judgments predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States.
We have appointed Puglisi & Associates, as our agent upon whom process may be served in any action brought against us under the securities laws of the United States.
Ogier (Cayman) LLP, our counsel as to Cayman Islands law, and Jinghe Law Firm, our counsel as to PRC law, have advised us, respectively, that there is uncertainty as to whether the courts of the Cayman Islands and China, respectively, would:
• recognize or enforce judgments of United States courts obtained against us or our directors or officers predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States; or
• entertain original actions brought in each respective jurisdiction against us or our directors or officers predicated upon the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States.
Enforcement of Judgments/Enforcement of Civil Liabilities
We have been advised by our Cayman Islands legal counsel, Ogier (Cayman) LLP, that the courts of the Cayman Islands are unlikely (i) to recognize or enforce judgments of courts of the United States obtained against us or our directors or officers that are predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any State; and (ii) in original actions brought in the Cayman Islands to impose liabilities against us or our directors or officers that are predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or the securities laws of any state in the United States, so far as the liabilities imposed by those provisions are penal in nature. In those circumstances, although there is currently no statutory enforcement or treaty between the United States and the Cayman Islands providing for enforcement of judgments obtained in the United States, the courts of the Cayman Islands will recognize and enforce a foreign money judgment of a foreign court of competent jurisdiction without retrial on the merits based on the principle that a judgment of a competent foreign court imposes upon the judgment debtor an obligation to pay the sum for which judgment has been given provided certain conditions are met. For a foreign judgment to be enforced in the Cayman Islands, such judgment must be final and conclusive given by a court of competent jurisdiction (the courts of the Cayman Islands will apply the rules of Cayman Islands private international
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law to determine whether the foreign court is a court of competent jurisdiction), and must not be in respect of taxes or a fine or penalty, inconsistent with a Cayman Islands judgment in respect of the same matter, impeachable on the grounds of fraud or obtained in a manner, and or be of a kind the enforcement of which is, contrary to natural justice or the public policy of the Cayman Islands. A Cayman Islands Court may stay enforcement proceedings if concurrent proceedings are being brought elsewhere.
We have been advised by our PRC counsel, Jinghe Law Firm, that the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments are provided for under the PRC Civil Procedure Law. PRC courts may recognize and enforce foreign judgments in accordance with the requirements of the PRC Civil Procedure Law based either on treaties between China and the country where the judgment is made or on reciprocity between different jurisdictions, and PRC courts will not recognize or enforce these foreign judgments if PRC courts believe the foreign judgments violate the basic principles of PRC laws or national sovereignty, security or public interest after review. However, currently, China does not have treaties or reciprocity arrangement providing for recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments ruled by courts in the United States or the Cayman Islands. Thus, it is uncertain whether a PRC court would enforce a judgment ruled by a court in the United States or the Cayman Islands.
Service of process upon Hong Kong-based entities or individuals may be difficult to obtain within the U.S. There is also uncertainty as to whether the courts of Hong Kong would (i) recognize or enforce judgments of U.S. courts obtained against these Hong Kong-based entities or individuals predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the U.S. or any state in the U.S. or (ii) entertain original actions brought in Hong Kong against these Hong Kong-based entities or individuals predicated upon the securities laws of the U.S. or any state in the U.S. A judgment of a court in the U.S. predicated upon U.S. federal or state securities laws may be enforced in Hong Kong at common law by bringing an action in a Hong Kong court on that judgment for the amount due thereunder and then seeking summary judgment on the strength of the foreign judgment, provided that the foreign judgment, among other things, is (1) for a debt or a definite sum of money (not being taxes or similar charges to a foreign government taxing authority or a fine or other penalty) and (2) final and conclusive on the merits of the claim, but not otherwise. Such a judgment may not, in any event, be so enforced in Hong Kong if (a) it was obtained by fraud; (b) the proceedings in which the judgment was obtained were opposed to natural justice; (c) its enforcement or recognition would be contrary to the public policy of Hong Kong; (d) the court of the U.S. was not jurisdictionally competent; or (e) the judgment was in conflict with a prior Hong Kong judgment. Hong Kong has no arrangement for the reciprocal enforcement of judgments with the U.S. As a result, there is uncertainty as to the enforceability in Hong Kong, in original actions or in actions for enforcement, of judgments of U.S. courts of civil liabilities predicated solely upon the federal securities laws of the U.S. or the securities laws of any State or territory within the U.S.
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CORPORATE HISTORY AND STRUCTURE
Corporate History
Zhibao is a Cayman Islands exempted company incorporated on January 11, 2023. Structured as a holding company with no material operations, Zhibao conducts its operations in China through its PRC Subsidiaries, primarily Zhibao China and Sunshine Insurance Brokers.
We have started our business in the insurance brokerage industry through Zhibao China since 2016. With the growth of our business and in order to facilitate international capital investment in us, we started a reorganization as described below involving new offshore and onshore entities in December 2022 and completed it in March 2023.
Zhibao BVI, incorporated on January 12, 2023 under the laws of British Virgin Islands, is our wholly-owned subsidiary in BVI and a holding company with no business operations, which, in turn, wholly owns all of the equity interest of Zhibao HK, a limited company incorporated on January 19, 2023 under the laws of Hong Kong.
Zhibao HK, as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Zhibao BVI, is a holding company with no business operations, which, in turn, wholly owns all of the equity interest of Zhibao China. Zhibao China wholly owns Shanghai Anyi and Sunshine Insurance Brokers.
Our PRC Subsidiaries
Our operations in China are primarily conducted by our PRC Subsidiaries. Below is a brief description of our PRC Subsidiaries:
Zhibao China or WFOE is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Zhibao HK, incorporated in Shanghai under the laws of China on November 24, 2015. Zhibao China was originally named as Shanghai Julai Investment Management Co., Ltd., which was first changed to Zhibao Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. in May 2018, and then to Zhibao Technology Co., Ltd. in October 2022. After several rounds of capital increase, it currently has a registered capital of RMB53,974,752, primarily engaged in MGU services.
Shanghai Anyi was incorporated in Shanghai under the laws of China on September 18, 2015, currently with a registered capital of RMB10 million. Shanghai Anyi was originally 100% controlled by Shanghai Xinhui, a related party controlled by our Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Botao Ma. All of the equity interest of Shanghai Anyi was later transferred to Zhibao China on July 12, 2016, with a consideration of RMB 10 million. After such transfer, Shanghai Anyi became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Zhibao China, primarily providing R&D services to Sunshine Insurance Brokers and Zhibao China.
Sunshine Insurance Brokers was incorporated in Shanghai under the laws of China on November 17, 2011, currently with a registered capital of RMB50 million. Sunshine Insurance Brokers was originally 100% controlled by an unrelated third party, all of the equity interest of which was thereafter transferred to Zhibao China on January 4, 2016, with a consideration of RMB 10 million. After such transfer, Sunshine Insurance Brokers became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Zhibao China, primarily providing insurance brokerage services. As of the date of this prospectus, Sunshine Insurance Brokers have 10 branches located in Beijing, Guangzhou, Harbin, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Jinan, Linyi, Qingdao City, Shenzhen and Yunnan.
Zhibao Health, previously known as Shanghai Zhongzhi Chengcheng Healthy Service Co., Ltd., was incorporated in Shanghai under the laws of China on November 16, 2022, currently with a registered capital of RMB 1 million. Zhibao Health is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Zhibao China, primarily engaged in the health management services.
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Corporate Structure
The chart below summarizes our corporate structure, including our subsidiaries, as of the date of this prospectus:
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MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF
FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and related notes that appear in this prospectus. In addition to historical consolidated financial information, the following discussion contains forward-looking statements that reflect our plans, estimates, and beliefs. Our actual results could differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to these differences include those discussed below and elsewhere in this prospectus, particularly in “Risk Factors.” All amounts included herein with respect to the six months ended December 31, 2022 and 2023 are derived from our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. All amounts included herein with respect to the fiscal years ended June 30, 2022 and 2023 are derived from our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. Our financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, or U.S. GAAP.
Overview
Zhibao Technology Inc. is a holding company incorporated as an exempted company on January 11, 2023 under the laws of the Cayman Islands. It operates substantially all of its business through its PRC Subsidiaries, or Zhibao China Group, in particular Zhibao China and Sunshine Insurance Brokers.
We are a leading and high growth InsurTech company primarily engaging in providing digital insurance brokerage services through Zhibao China Group in China. 2B2C digital embedded insurance is our innovative business model, which Zhibao China Group pioneered in China. Zhibao China Group launched the first digital insurance brokerage platform in China in 2020, which is powered by their proprietary PaaS. According to the Frost & Sullivan Report, the total market size of the 2B2C digital insurance brokerage services sector in China, contributed by over 20 market players in the PRC market, was approximately RMB 807.4 million in 2022, among which Zhibao China Group ranked number one, with a market share of approximately 17.4% and a revenue of approximately RMB 140.6 million. Under the Frost & Sullivan Report, the 2B2C digital insurance brokerage services sector is the fastest growing segment within the digital insurance brokerage service industry, with a historical compound annual growth rate (“CAGR”) of approximately 54.6% from 2018 to 2022, which also presents a substantial growth potential to reach approximately RMB 6.2 billion in 2027, with an estimated CAGR of approximately 50.1% from 2022 to 2027. We believe that 2B2C digital embedded insurance is shaping the future of the industry.
2B2C digital embedded insurance refers to our one-stop customized insurance brokerage model conducted through Zhibao China Group, under which we provide proprietary and customized insurance solutions to be digitally embedded in the existing customer engagement matrix of our B channels to reach and serve such B channels’ existing pool of end customers. Each B channel encompasses a specific scenario where its end customers also have potential, untapped insurance needs. For example, a Chinese travel agency (our B channel) has an average of 100,000 Chinese tourists traveling to the U.S. for tourism every year. We believe this presents an untapped scenario-specific opportunity for international travel accident insurance needs for a pool of 100,000 Chinese tourists as end customers. These end customers might otherwise have to search for and purchase insurance separately or might not purchase insurance at all. After Zhibao China Group reaching an agreement with such travel agency to become one of our B channels, they build and embed a travel insurance solution across this travel agency’s matrix of digital channels, including its website, App, Douyin (the Chinese equivalent of TikTok), WeChat Mini Program, and other social media accounts. Consequently, we, through Zhibao China Group, may pinpoint the 100,000-strong customer base and provide insurance brokerage services which are specifically and accurately tailored to the insurance needs of these end customers.
Our service portfolio through Zhibao China Group includes (1) insurance brokerage services, and (2) MGU services, a specialized insurance brokerage service whereby the insurance companies authorize us to assist them in underwriting, claims and risk control services. It broadly covers insurance product design and customization, selection of insurance companies, technology system interconnection and delivery, customer AARRR operation, customer service, compliance management, and data analysis, all of which are integrated in each of our insurance solutions. Each insurance solution generally applies to one specific scenario in a particular sector, with customized product design and services relevant for that scenario and sector. As of the date of this prospectus, we, through Zhibao China Group, have developed more than 40 proprietary and innovative digital insurance solutions addressing different scenarios in a wide range of industries, including but not limited to travel, sports, logistics, utilities (i.e., gas and electricity), and
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e-commerce. Zhibao China Group acquire and analyze customer data, utilize big data and AI technology to continually iterate and enhance our digital insurance solutions. This iterative process, in addition to continually improving our digital insurance solutions, will keep us abreast of the new trends and customer preferences in the market.
Zhibao China Group secure and serve our end customers through our B channels. Our B channels cover a wide range of industries and organizations, including but not limited to internet platforms, large and medium-sized enterprises, and government agencies. While B channels have end customers with potential insurance needs relevant and specific to their primary operations, they usually do not have the experience and expertise to effectively provide insurance related services. In order to address this pain-point, we provide them with our customized digital insurance solutions specifically tailored to their business. Our 2B2C model thrives because our relationship with B channels is mutually beneficial and sustainable for all participants. Our B channels view us as a valuable partner as we empower them to provide insurance as a value-added service to their end customers, a potential competitive advantage for them. By embedding our digital insurance solutions into our B channels’ online matrix to reach their customer base, we maintain a captive, stable and sustainable source of end customers at low cost. The end customers, as a result, can conveniently and efficiently access quality brokerage services and suitable insurance products tailored to their actual needs. As of the date of this prospectus, we, through Zhibao China Group, have cooperated with more than 1,500 B channels, and secured more than 10 million end customers through them. We will expand the number of B channels as a key growth strategy of our business.
Under our business model, Zhibao China Group represent end customers as their authorized insurance broker to negotiate with insurance companies and select the most suitable insurance products for our end customers. As of the date of this prospectus, we have partnered with over 100 insurance companies (including their subsidiaries and branches) through Zhibao China Group.
While embedded insurance brokerage is still at an early stage of development in China, we believe it is the future of insurance brokerage industry.
For the six months ended December 31, 2022 and 2023, our revenue was approximately RMB 91.8 million and RMB 84.3 million (US$11.9 million), respectively. We achieved profitability for the six months ended December 31, 2022 with our net income reaching approximately RMB 8.9 million. For the six months ended December 31, 2023, we incurred net loss of approximately RMB 8.5 million (US$1.2 million).
Our revenue reached approximately RMB 142.1 million (US$19.6 million) for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023, representing an increase of approximately RMB 33.9 million (US$4.7 million), or 31%, from approximately RMB 108.2 million (US$16.2 million) for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022. We achieved profitability for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022 with our net income reaching approximately RMB 14.3 million (US$2.1 million). For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023, we incurred net loss of approximately RMB 43.1 million (US$5.9 million), among which RMB 54.7 million ($7.5 million) related to share-based compensation expenses arising from issuance of ordinary shares to a related party. Excluding such one-off expenses, we would have achieved net income of approximately RMB 11.6 million ($1.6 million).
Reorganization
For the purpose of our IPO and listing on the Nasdaq, a reorganization of our legal structure was completed on March 10, 2023. The reorganization involved the incorporation of the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiaries, including Zhibao BVI, Zhibao HK and Zhibao HK’s wholly-owned subsidiary — Zhibao China. Zhibao, through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, is engaged in the digital insurance brokerage business through its own sales team and outside marketing force.
In March 2023, four preferred shareholders of Zhibao China surrendered their equity interest in Zhibao China. In April 2023, three of the four preferred shareholders determined to contribute the cash consideration to be received from Zhibao China in return for their equity surrender to Zhibao directly. In May 2023, Zhibao issued an aggregate of 2,287,360 ordinary shares of the Company to the three investors.
Since our businesses are effectively controlled by the same group of the shareholders before and after the reorganization, they are considered under common control. The above-mentioned transactions were accounted for as a recapitalization. The consolidation of Zhibao and its subsidiaries has been accounted for at historical cost and prepared on the basis as if the aforementioned transactions had become effective as of the beginning of the first period presented in the consolidated financial statements.
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Key Factors that Affect Operating Results
Our business, financial condition and results of operations have been, and are expected to continue to be, affected by a number of factors, which primarily include the following:
Our ability to accelerate the expansion of 2B2C business and drive additional conversion for end customers
Our future growth depends on our ability to sustain the expansion of our 2B2C business and drive additional conversion for end customers. With our strong position as a first mover in the 2B2C embedded insurance market, we aim to further broaden our B channels base through expansion of our sales teams and independent sales partners with resources to B channels. We also plan to strengthen our 2C business by targeting our existing customer base to meet the additional needs of each end customer. To achieve the goal, we will offer personalized insurance consultations to end customers through multiple channels, such as WeChat Mini Program, phone, or face-to-face meetings. Our aim is to steer their attention towards comprehensive family security plans, leading to long-term insurance commitments with us. Besides, we will also provide targeted consulting services to guide end customers towards suitable insurance options and facilitate short-term policy conversions.
Our ability to utilize innovative insurance technology and infrastructure
We regard insurance technology and infrastructure as critical to our ability to optimize our insurance solutions provided to our business channels and end customers. We have invested substantial resources in developing the sophisticated and innovative technology systems that we use for optimizing our insurance solutions. We will continually upgrade and enhance our insurance technologies to upgrade and enrich our digital insurance solutions to keep us abreast of the new trends and customer preferences in the market. Our aim is to develop solutions across every sector of the economy, and ultimately cover every aspect of the end customers’ daily life.
Our ability to attract, incentivize and retain talented professionals
We believe our success greatly depends on our ability to attract, incentivize and retain talented professionals. To maintain and improve our competitive advantage in the market, we intend to implement several initiatives to retain and attract more mid- to high-level personnel. These include formulating a market-oriented compensation structure for our employees and implementing a standardized multi-level performance review mechanism. We also plan to invest more time and resources in training to increase the value of our employees. We need more talented professionals for the expansion of our business.
Key Components of Results of Operations
Revenues
Our revenues consist of (i) Insurance Brokerage Zhibao China Group receive from their digital insurance brokerage services, and (ii) MGU Service Fees Zhibao China Group receive from insurance companies for MGU services. For the fiscal years ended June 30, 2022 and 2023, our revenues were approximately RMB 108.2 million (US$16.2 million) and RMB 142.1 million (US$19.6 million), respectively. For the six months ended December 31, 2022 and 2023, our revenues were approximately RMB 91.8 million and RMB 84.3 million (US$11.9 million), respectively. The following table sets forth a breakdown of our revenue by service type for the fiscal years indicated.
For the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, | |||||||||||||
2022 | 2023 | ||||||||||||
RMB | % | RMB | US$ | % | |||||||||
Insurance Brokerage | 84,342,916 |
| 78 | 119,765,046 |
| 16,516,355 |
| 84 | |||||
MGU Service Fees | 24,272,566 |
| 22 | 22,814,079 |
| 3,146,205 |
| 16 | |||||
Less: business taxes and surcharges | (390,678 | ) | — | (476,291 | ) | (65,683 | ) | — | |||||
108,224,804 |
| 100 | 142,102,834 |
| 19,596,877 |
| 100 |
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For the Six Months Ended December 31, | |||||||||||||
2022 | 2023 | ||||||||||||
RMB | % | RMB | US$ | % | |||||||||
Insurance Brokerage | 77,093,268 |
| 84 | 75,354,494 |
| 10,613,458 |
| 88 | |||||
MGU Service Fees | 15,042,464 |
| 16 | 9,217,678 |
| 1,298,283 |
| 12 | |||||
Less: business taxes and surcharges | (336,067 | ) | — | (317,951 | ) | (44,782 | ) | — | |||||
91,799,665 |
| 100 | 84,254,221 |
| 11,866,959 |
| 100 |
For the fiscal years ended June 30, 2022 and 2023, all insurance applications submitted by end customers were fully approved by insurance companies without any denial. The following table sets forth a breakdown of the number of insurance policies submitted by end customers and related revenues, disaggregating by product types.
For the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, | ||||||||||
2022 | 2023 | |||||||||
Revenues | Number of | Revenues | Number of | |||||||
RMB | RMB | US$ | ||||||||
Insurance Brokerage | ||||||||||
Property & casualty insurance products | 36,174,763 | 119,246 | 47,456,050 | 6,544,489 | 141,567 | |||||
Life insurance products | 10,169,747 | 1,889 | 3,469,862 | 478,516 | 945 | |||||
Health insurance product | 22,129,817 | 102,424 | 58,115,503 | 8,014,494 | 350,962 | |||||
Others | 15,868,589 | — | 10,723,631 | 1,478,856 | — | |||||
Total | 84,342,916 | 223,559 | 119,765,046 | 16,516,355 | 493,483 | |||||
MGU Service Fees | ||||||||||
Health insurance product | 24,272,566 | 945 | 22,814,079 | 3,146,205 | 1,072 | |||||
Total | 24,272,566 | 945 | 22,814,079 | 3,146,205 | 1,072 |
For the six months ended December 31, 2022 and 2023, all insurance applications submitted by end customers were fully approved by insurance companies without any denial. The following table sets forth a breakdown of the number of insurance policies submitted by end customers and related revenues, disaggregating by product types.
For the Six Months Ended December 31, | ||||||||||
2022 | 2023 | |||||||||
Revenues | Number of | Revenues | Number of | |||||||
RMB | RMB | US$ | ||||||||
Insurance Brokerage | ||||||||||
Property & casualty insurance products | 16,259,830 | 39,025 | 29,086,093 | 4,096,691 | 271,848 | |||||
Life insurance products | 2,909,791 | 502 | 19,178 | 2,701 | 24 | |||||
Health insurance product | 55,294,404 | 277,171 | 39,532,139 | 5,567,985 | 310,860 | |||||
Others | 2,629,243 | — | 6,717,084 | 946,081 | — | |||||
Total | 77,093,268 | 316,698 | 75,354,494 | 10,613,458 | 582,732 | |||||
MGU Service Fees | ||||||||||
Health insurance product | 15,042,464 | 672 | 9,217,678 | 1,298,283 | 601 | |||||
Total | 15,042,464 | 672 | 9,217,678 | 1,298,283 | 601 |
Insurance Brokerage
Insurance Brokerage services is our PRC Subsidiaries’ primary business line. We provide embedded digital insurance brokerage services through our PRC Subsidiaries to end customers through B channels supported by the digital insurance brokerage platform — a proprietary platform of our PRC Subsidiaries providing insurance solutions
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embedded in the customer engagement matrix of our B channels, including their websites, App, Wechat Mini Programs, Douyin (the Chinese equivalent of TikTok) and other social media accounts. An insurance solution refers to an insurance brokerage service specially designed for a B channel and its end customers, which integrates online operations, systems, insurance products and customer services.
The commission fees are calculated on a predetermined percentage of insurance premium of each insurance policy. Commission fees are recognized when our PRC Subsidiaries complete the insurance brokerage services, at which point our PRC Subsidiaries successfully place an insurance policy for the end customers.
For the six months ended December 31, 2022 and 2023, the revenues generated from the general digital insurance brokerage services were approximately RMB 77.1 million and RMB 75.4 million (US$10.6 million), respectively, accounting for approximately 84% and 88%, respectively, of our total revenues. The increase in the insurance brokerage commissions as a percentage of total revenues for such periods was mainly due to the increase in volume of transactions on our platform, primarily contributed by larger customer base and more available diverse products.
For the fiscal years ended June 30, 2022 and 2023, the revenues generated from the general digital insurance brokerage services were approximately RMB 84.3 million (US$12.6 million) and RMB 119.8 million (US$16.5 million), respectively, accounting for approximately 78% and 84%, respectively, of our total revenues. The increase in the insurance brokerage commissions as a percentage of total revenues for such periods was mainly due to the increase in volume of transactions on our platform, primarily contributed by larger customer base and more available diverse products.
MGU Service Fees
Our PRC Subsidiaries provide MGU services to our end customers on behalf of the insurance companies and our PRC Subsidiaries are authorized to assist the insurance companies in product design, underwriting, reinsurance, claims and risk control services within specific product or market segments. Our PRC Subsidiaries’ MGU service is powered by its MGU system, which is customized and developed specifically for their MGU business and constitutes part of their digital insurance brokerage platform. For the MGU business, our PRC Subsidiaries act as a third party administrator for our insurance companies, and an insurance license is not required for this business model.
Our PRC Subsidiaries receive MGU Service Fees from insurance companies. MGU Service Fees are calculated on a predetermined percentage of insurance premium of each insurance policy. MGU Service Fees are generally comprised of i) underwriting services, the revenue of which are recognized at a point when the PRC Subsidiaries complete the underwriting services, and ii) claims and risk control services, the revenue of which are recognized ratably over the terms of insurance policies.
For the six months ended December 31, 2022 and 2023, the revenues generated from the MGU services were approximately RMB 15.0 million and RMB 9.2 million (US$1.3 million), respectively, accounting for approximately 16% and 12%, respectively, of our total revenues. The MGU Service Fees as a percentage of total revenues for the period ended December 31, 2022 and 2023 kept stable. The PRC Subsidiaries’ MGU services focus on health insurance products for high-value individuals, which was a relatively small market and therefore the growth in MGU service was slower than that of insurance brokerage services. The decrease in the MGU Service Fees as a percentage of total revenues for such periods was mainly due to its slower growth as compared to insurance brokerage services. The PRC Subsidiaries’ MGU services focus on health insurance products for high-value individuals, which was a relatively small market and therefore the growth in MGU service was slower than that of insurance brokerage services.
For the fiscal years ended June 30, 2022 and 2023, the revenues generated from the MGU services were approximately RMB 24.3 million (US$3.6 million) and RMB 22.8 (US$3.1 million), respectively, accounting for approximately 22% and 16%, respectively, of our total revenues. The decrease in the MGU Service Fees as a percentage of total revenues for such periods was mainly due to slower growth as compared to insurance brokerage services. The PRC Subsidiaries’ MGU services focus on health insurance products for high-value individuals, which was a relatively small market and therefore the growth in MGU service was slower than that of insurance brokerage services.
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Cost of revenues
Our cost of revenue primarily consists of intermediary fees paid to our B channels for allowing our insurance solutions to be embedded in the platforms of our B channels and other services to facilitate the insurance brokerage and MGU services. These costs are charged to the consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income as incurred.
For the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, | ||||||||||
2022 | 2023 | |||||||||
RMB | % | RMB | US$ | % | ||||||
Insurance Brokerage | 49,137,691 | 80 | 71,399,238 | 9,846,405 | 86 | |||||
MGU Services | 11,914,187 | 20 | 12,085,965 | 1,666,731 | 14 | |||||
61,051,878 | 100 | 83,485,203 | 11,513,136 | 100 |
For the Six Months Ended December 31, | ||||||||||
2022 | 2023 | |||||||||
RMB | % | RMB | US$ | % | ||||||
Insurance Brokerage | 51,681,491 | 88 | 48,546,165 | 6,837,584 | 90 | |||||
MGU Services | 7,043,395 | 12 | 5,645,885 | 795,206 | 10 | |||||
58,724,886 | 100 | 54,192,050 | 7,632,791 | 100 |
Selling expenses
Selling expenses primarily consist of (i) staff costs, consisting of salaries, social insurance, and housing funds for our personnel in our sales departments; (ii) service fees; (iii) entertainment expenses and (iv) other miscellaneous expenses.
General and administrative expenses
General and administrative expenses primarily consist of (i) staff costs, consisting of salaries, social insurance, housing funds and share-based compensation for our personnel in our finance and human resource departments; (ii) professional service fees, such as legal fees for our daily operations; (iii) rental and property management expenses for our offices in headquarter and branches, (iv) provision against doubtful accounts and (iv) other miscellaneous expenses.
Research and development expenses
Research and development expenses primarily consist of (i) staff costs, consisting of salaries, social insurance, and housing funds for our personnel in our research and development departments; (ii) our sourcing labor cost which were incurred to improve our digital insurance brokerage platform primarily embedded in the platforms of our B channels; and (iii) other miscellaneous expenses.
Taxation
Cayman Islands
Under the current laws of the Cayman Islands, the Company is not subject to tax on income or capital gains. Additionally, upon payments of dividends by the Company in the Cayman Islands to its shareholders, no withholding tax will be imposed.
British Virgin Islands (“BVI”)
Under the current and applicable laws of BVI, the subsidiary in BVI is not subject to tax on income or capital gains.
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Hong Kong
Under the Hong Kong tax laws, subsidiary in Hong Kong is subject to Hong Kong Profits Tax on the taxable income as reported in its statutory financial statements adjusted in accordance with relevant Hong Kong tax laws. The applicable tax rate for the first HKD$2 million of assessable profits is 8.25% and assessable profits above HKD$2 million will continue to be subject to the rate of 16.5% for corporations in Hong Kong, effective from the year of assessment 2018/2019.
China
Effective from January 1, 2008, the PRC’s statutory EIT rate is 25%.
Results of Operations
For Six Months Ended December 31, 2023 and 2022
The following table sets forth a summary of our results of operations for the years/periods indicated, both in dollar amounts and as percentages of total revenue. This information should be read together with our consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus. The operating results in any period are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for any future period.
For the Six Months Ended December 31, | |||||||||||||||
2022 | 2023 | ||||||||||||||
RMB | % | RMB | US$ | % | |||||||||||
Revenues | 91,799,665 |
| 100 |
| 84,254,221 |
| 11,866,959 |
| 100 |
| |||||
Cost of revenues | (58,724,886 | ) | (64 | ) | (54,192,050 | ) | (7,632,791 | ) | (64 | ) | |||||
33,074,779 |
| 36 |
| 30,062,171 |
| 4,234,168 |
| 36 |
| ||||||
|
|
|
|
| |||||||||||
Operating expenses |
|
|
|
|
| ||||||||||
Selling and marketing expenses | (12,672,484 | ) | (14 | ) | (20,993,374 | ) | (2,956,855 | ) | (25 | ) | |||||
General and administrative expenses | (9,907,082 | ) | (11 | ) | (10,153,441 | ) | (1,430,082 | ) | (12 | ) | |||||
Research and development expenses | (4,001,576 | ) | (4 | ) | (7,294,313 | ) | (1,027,382 | ) | (9 | ) | |||||
Total operating expenses | (26,581,142 | ) | (29 | ) | (38,441,128 | ) | (5,414,319 | ) | (46 | ) | |||||
Income (loss) from operations | 6,493,637 |
| 7 |
| (8,378,957 | ) | (1,180,151 | ) | (10 | ) | |||||
|
|
|
|
| |||||||||||
Interest expense, net | (549,856 | ) | (1 | ) | (431,796 | ) | (60,817 | ) | (1 | ) | |||||
Other income, net | 295,648 |
| 0 |
| 127,399 |
| 17,944 |
| 0 |
| |||||
Income (Loss) Before Income Taxes | 6,239,429 |
| 6 |
| (8,683,354 | ) | (1,223,024 | ) | (11 | ) | |||||
|
|
|
|
| |||||||||||
Income tax benefits | 2,672,359 |
| 3 |
| 137,354 |
| 19,346 |
| (0 | ) | |||||
Net Income (Loss) | 8,911,788 |
| 9 |
| (8,546,000 | ) | (1,203,678 | ) | (11 | ) |
Revenues
Our revenues decreased by approximately RMB 7.5 million (US$1.1 million), or 8% to approximately RMB 84.3 million (US$11.9 million) for the six months ended December 31, 2023 from approximately RMB 91.8 million for the Six Months Ended December 31, 2022. The decrease was primarily driven by a decrease of approximately RMB 1.7 million from the digital insurance brokerage, and a decrease of approximately RMB 5.8 million from our MGU service fees, as more fully discussed below.
• Insurance Brokerage. Our revenues from digital insurance brokerage decreased by approximately RMB 1.7 million, or 2%, to approximately RMB 75.4 million (US$10.6 million) for the six months ended December 31, 2023 from approximately RMB 77.1 million for the six months ended December 31, 2022. The decrease was mainly attributable to a decrease of gross written premiums (“GWP”) from approximately
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RMB 494.8 million for the six months ended December 31, 2022 to approximately RMB 468.8 million (US$66.0 million) for the six months ended December 31, 2023. The decrease in GWP was primarily due to a decrease of the number of insurance policies for property & casualty insurance products.
• MGU Service Fees. MGU Service Fees decreased by approximately RMB 5.8 million, or 39% to approximately RMB 9.2 million (US$1.3 million) for the six months ended December 31, 2023 from approximately RMB 15.0 million for the six months ended December 31, 2022. The decrease was mainly attributable to decreased fee rate charged of our customers to enhance our competition in MGU services, leading to more insurance companies’ engagement with us for our provision of MGU services. The GWP for the MGU services was approximately RMB 101.6 million and 72.4 million (US$10.2 million) for the six months ended December 31, 2022 and 2023, respectively.
Cost of revenues
Our cost of revenue decreased by approximately 8% from RMB 58.7 million for the six months ended December 31, 2022 to approximately RMB 54.2 million (US$7.6 million) for the six months ended December 31, 2023. The decrease of cost of revenues was in line with the decrease of revenues.
Gross margin
As a result of foregoing, our gross margin kept stable at 64.0% and 64.3%, respectively, for the six months ended December 31, 2022 and 2023.
Selling expenses
Our selling expenses increased by approximately RMB 8.3 million, or 66% from approximately RMB 12.7 million for the six months ended December 31, 2022 to approximately RMB 21.0 million (US$3.0 million) for the six months ended December 31, 2023. The increase was mainly due to (i) an increase of approximately RMB4.2 million in salary and welfare expenses for our sales team as a result of employment of more sales persons with anticipation to increase the GWP for both of our digital brokerage services and MGU services, (ii) an increase in marketing service fees of approximately RMB 2.0 million, or 28% from approximately RMB 6.8 million for the six months ended December 31, 2022 to approximately RMB 8.8 million (US$1.2 million) for the same period of 2023 because we incurred an increase in online marketing expenses to promote our digital insurance brokerage services, and (iii) an increase in other expenses of approximately RMB 1.7 million incurred by our sales teams with the increase of headcount.
General and administrative expenses
Our general and administrative expenses increased by approximately RMB 0.3 million, or 2% from approximately RMB 9.9 million for the six months ended December 31, 2022 to approximately RMB 10.2 million (US$1.4 million) for the six months ended December 31, 2023. The increase was mainly due to an increase of approximately RMB 1.3 million in provision for credit losses since our adoption of ASU 2016-13 on July 1, 2023, partially offset by a decrease of RMB 0.5 million in share-based compensation expenses and a decrease of approximately RMB 0.6 million in other expenses as we adopted cost saving policy in the Company.
Research and development expenses
Our research and development expenses increased by approximately RMB 3.3 million, or 82% from approximately RMB 4.0 million for the six months ended December 31, 2022 to approximately RMB 7.3 million (US$1.0 million) for the six months ended December 31, 2023. The increase was mainly due to an increase of labor cost from our research and development department because we increased headcounts for the development of our platform.
Income tax benefits (expenses)
For the six months ended December 31, 2022, we recorded income tax benefits of RMB 2.7 million. The income tax benefits were due to the fact that we reversed the valuation allowance of deferred tax assets arising from brought forward net operating losses (“NOL”) in the year of 2022 because we earned net income from Shanghai Anyi, one of our PRC Subsidiaries and we expect to utilize these NOL in the future.
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For the six months ended December 31, 2023, we recorded income tax benefits of RMB 0.1 million. The income tax benefits were caused by an increase of deferred tax assets arising from provision for credit losses, partially offset by an increase of valuation allowance against brought forward NOL.
Net income (loss)
As a result of the foregoing, we had a net income of approximately RMB 8.9 million for the six months ended December 31, 2022, and a net loss of approximately RMB 8.5 million for the six months ended December 31, 2023.
For Fiscal Years ended June 30, 2023 and 2022
The following table sets forth a summary of our results of operations for the years/periods indicated, both in dollar amounts and as percentages of total revenue. This information should be read together with our consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus. The operating results in any period are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for any future period.
For the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, | |||||||||||||||
2022 | 2023 | ||||||||||||||
RMB | % | RMB | US$ | % | |||||||||||
Revenues | 108,224,804 |
| 100 |
| 142,102,834 |
| 19,596,877 |
| 100 |
| |||||
Cost of revenues | (61,051,878 | ) | (56 | ) | (83,485,203 | ) | (11,513,136 | ) | (59 | ) | |||||
47,172,926 |
| 44 |
| 58,617,631 |
| 8,083,741 |
| 41 |
| ||||||
|
|
|
|
| |||||||||||
Operating expenses |
|
|
|
|
| ||||||||||
Selling and marketing expenses | (12,728,488 | ) | (12 | ) | (22,495,891 | ) | (3,102,325 | ) | (16 | ) | |||||
General and administrative expenses | (14,059,968 | ) | (13 | ) | (70,991,876 | ) | (9,790,227 | ) | (50 | ) | |||||
Research and development expenses | (7,743,121 | ) | (7 | ) | (9,682,605 | ) | (1,335,292 | ) | (7 | ) | |||||
Total operating expenses | (34,531,577 | ) | (32 | ) | (103,170,372 | ) | (14,227,844 | ) | (73 | ) | |||||
Income (loss) from operations | 12,641,349 |
| 12 |
| (44,552,741 | ) | (6,144,103 | ) | (32 | ) | |||||
|
|
|
|
| |||||||||||
Interest expense, net | (1,165,915 | ) | (1 | ) | (912,397 | ) | (125,825 | ) | (1 | ) | |||||
Other income, net | 673,337 |
| 1 |
| 2,907,818 |
| 401,006 |
| 2 |
| |||||
Income (Loss) Before Income Taxes | 12,148,771 |
| 12 |
| (42,557,320 | ) | (5,868,922 | ) | (31 | ) | |||||
|
|
|
|
| |||||||||||
Income tax benefits (expenses) | 2,110,635 |
| 2 |
| (541,460 | ) | (74,671 | ) | (0 | ) | |||||
Net Income (Loss) | 14,259,406 |
| 14 |
| (43,098,780 | ) | (5,943,593 | ) | (31 | ) |
Revenues
Our revenues increased by approximately RMB 33.9 million (US$4.7 million), or 31% to approximately RMB 142.1 million (US$19.6 million) for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023 from approximately RMB 108.2 million (US$16.2 million) for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022. The increase was primarily driven by an increase of approximately RMB 35.4 million from the digital insurance brokerage, partially offset by a decrease of approximately RMB 1.5 million from our MGU service fees, as more fully discussed below.
• Insurance Brokerage. Our revenues from digital insurance brokerage increased by approximately RMB 35.4 million, or 42%, to approximately RMB 119.8 million (US$16.5 million) for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023 from approximately RMB 84.3 million for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022. The increase was mainly attributable to an increase in commission rate from weighted average rate of approximately 5.6% for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022 to approximately 13.9% for the same period of 2023.
• MGU Service Fees. MGU Service Fees decreased by approximately RMB 1.5 million, or 6% to approximately RMB 22.8 million (US$3.1 million) for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023 from approximately RMB 24.3 million for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022. The decrease was mainly
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attributable to decreased fee rate charged of our customers to enhance our competition in MGU services, leading to more insurance companies’ engagement with us for our provision of MGU services. The GWP for the MGU services was approximately RMB 146 million and RMB 152 million (US$21 million) for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2022 and 2023, respectively.
Cost of revenues
Our cost of revenue increased by approximately 37% from RMB 61.1 million for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022 to approximately RMB 83.5 million (US$11.5 million) for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023. The increase of cost of revenues was in line with the increase of revenues.
Gross margin
As a result of foregoing, our gross margin kept stable at 44% and 41%, respectively, for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2022 and 2023.
Selling expenses
Our selling expenses increased by approximately RMB 9.8 million, or 77% from approximately RMB 12.7 million for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022 to approximately RMB 22.5 million (US$3.1 million) for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023. The increase was mainly due to (i) an increases of approximately RMB3.4 million in salary and welfare expenses for our sales team as a result of the increased performance related bonus for our sales-persons with an increase in revenues and (ii) an increase in marketing service fees of approximately RMB 5.3 million, or 303% from approximately RMB 1.7 million for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022 to approximately RMB 7.0 million (US$1.0 million) for the same period of 2023. For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023, the Company incurred marketing service fees of approximately $5.5 million for one newly-launched insurance product.
General and administrative expenses
Our general and administrative expenses increased by approximately RMB 56.9 million, or 405% from approximately RMB 14.1 million for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022 to approximately RMB 71.0 million (US$9.8 million) for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023. The increase was mainly due to an increase in share-based compensation expenses of approximately RMB 54.7 million as we issued ordinary shares to a related party which is wholly controlled by Mr. Ma, our Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer. The difference of RMB 54.7 million between the consideration we received from the related party and fair value of ordinary shares were deemed as share-based compensation expenses. In addition, the increase was attributable to an increase of approximately RMB 1.7 million in professional and consulting expenses because we engaged auditors, consultants and valuation team for our IPO, and an increase of approximately RMB 1.9 million in provision against certain long-aged accounts receivable, partially net off by a decrease of approximately RMB 1.0 million in technical service expenses which was incurred to support our daily operations.
Research and development expenses
Our research and development expenses increased by approximately RMB 2.0 million, or 25% from approximately RMB 7.7 million for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022 to approximately RMB 9.7 million (US$1.3 million) for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023. The increase was mainly due to an increase of labor cost from our research and development department.
Income tax benefits (expenses)
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022, we recorded income tax benefits of RMB 2.1 million. The income tax benefits was a result that we reversed the valuation allowance of deferred tax assets arising from net operating losses (“NOL”) brought forward from previous periods because we earned net income from Shanghai Anyi and Sunshine Insurance Broker, two of our PRC subsidiaries, and we expect to utilize these NOL in the future.
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Our income tax expenses changed from income tax benefits of approximately RMB 2.1 million for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022 to income tax expenses of approximately RMB 0.5 million (US$0.1 million) for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023, as we generated taxable income in Sunshine Insurance Brokers and Shanghai Anyi, both are our PRC Subsidiaries.
Net income (loss)
As a result of the foregoing, we had a net income of approximately RMB 14.3 million for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022, and a net loss of approximately RMB 43.1 million for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023.
Discussion of Certain Balance Sheet Items
The following table sets forth selected information from our consolidated balance sheets as of June 30, 2022 and 2023 and December 31, 2023. This information should be read together with our consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus.
As of | As of June 30, | |||||
2022 | 2023 | |||||
RMB | RMB | RMB | ||||
ASSETS | ||||||
Current Assets | ||||||
Cash and cash equivalents | 5,536,235 | 2,593,997 | 9,873,678 | |||
Restricted cash | 103,954,158 | 3,980,192 | 4,999,974 | |||
Accounts receivable, net | 83,367,397 | 49,797,570 | 77,750,249 | |||
Due from related parties | 9,358,971 | 22,817,152 | 8,526,012 | |||
Deferred offering costs | 6,009,101 | — | 4,223,769 | |||
Prepaid expenses and other current assets | 11,549,777 | 5,022,627 | 8,332,330 | |||
Total Current Assets | 219,775,639 | 84,211,538 | 113,706,012 | |||
Property and equipment, net | 2,516 | 34,226 | 2,516 | |||
Intangible assets, net | 1,596,592 | 1,865,157 | 2,183,677 | |||
Operating lease right of use assets | 3,340,565 | 1,857,577 | 4,327,705 | |||
Restricted cash, noncurrent | 5,000,000 | 5,000,000 | 5,000,000 | |||
Deferred tax assets | 3,007,328 | 2,110,635 | 1,604,757 | |||
Other non-current assets | 1,461,106 | 818,397 | 1,211,500 | |||
Total Non-Current Assets | 14,408,107 | 11,685,992 | 14,330,155 | |||
Total Assets | 234,183,746 | 95,897,530 | 128,036,167 | |||
LIABILITIES | ||||||
Current Liabilities | ||||||
Short-term borrowings | 26,814,237 | 28,000,000 | 27,267,797 | |||
Accounts payable | 44,671,491 | 21,388,964 | 31,436,527 | |||
Insurance premium payable | 107,381,104 | 3,445,253 | 3,553,377 | |||
Income tax payable | 28,146 | — | 28,343 | |||
Due to related parties | 11,790,200 | 1,750,000 | 290,200 | |||
Operating lease liabilities, current | 1,985,778 | 856,569 | 2,009,034 | |||
Accrued expenses and other liabilities | 9,819,860 | 6,023,246 | 14,714,898 | |||
Subscription fees advanced from shareholders | 15,000,000 | 15,000,000 | 15,000,000 | |||
Total Current Liabilities | 217,490,816 | 76,464,032 | 94,300,176 | |||
Operating lease liabilities, noncurrent | 1,333,518 | 750,707 | 2,273,154 | |||
Deferred tax liabilities | — | — | 7,698 | |||
Total Liabilities | 218,824,334 | 77,214,739 | 96,581,028 |
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Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash, current and noncurrent
Cash and cash equivalents consist of funds deposited with banks, which are highly liquid and are unrestricted as to withdrawal or use. Restricted cash mainly represents the unremitted insurance premiums collected from certain insureds, which are held in custody until disbursed to insurance companies.
The total balance of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash, current and noncurrent, were approximately RMB 19.9 million and RMB 114.5 million (US$16.1 million) as of June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2023, respectively. For the six months ended December 31, 2023, the change in balance of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash, current and noncurrent, was a result of approximately RMB 85.6 million provided by operating activities, and approximately RMB 9.3 million provided by our financing activities, partially offset by approximately RMB 0.3 million used in investing activities.
Accounts receivable
As of June 30, 2022 and 2023, turnover days of accounts receivable were approximately 121 days and 166 days, respectively. The increase in turnover days was primarily because we provided insurance brokerage services with new customers in May and June 2023 and the collection of outstanding receivables was not completed as of June 30, 2023.
As of June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2023, turnover days of accounts receivable were approximately 166 days and 188 days, respectively. The increase in turnover days was primarily because we provided insurance brokerage services with new customers in November and December 2023 and the collection of outstanding receivables was not completed as of December 31, 2023.
Our turnover days for accounts receivable as of June 30, 2022 and 2023 was calculated as the average of the beginning and ending balance of the gross carrying amount of accounts receivable for the year, divided by our revenues for the year, multiplied by 365 days.
Our turnover days for accounts receivable as of December 31, 2023 was calculated as the average of the beginning and ending balance of the gross carrying amount of accounts receivable for the period, divided by our revenues for the year, multiplied by 181 days.
We are generally granted credit term of up to 60 days for our insurance companies after they have confirmed the brokerage with us.
For the fiscal years ended June 30, 2022 and 2023, the Company accrued provisions of approximately nil and RMB 1.9 million, respectively, for doubtful accounts of accounts receivable. For the fiscal years ended June 30, 2022 and 2023, the Company wrote off doubtful allowance of approximately nil and RMB 0.3 million, respectively, against accounts receivable, the collection of which was remote.
For the six months ended December 31, 2022 and 2023, the Company accrued provisions of approximately RMB nil and RMB 1.3 million, respectively, for credit losses. For the six months ended December 31, 2022 and 2023, the Company wrote off doubtful allowance of approximately RMB 0.3 million and RMB nil, respectively, against accounts receivable, the collection of which was remote.
Due from related parties
As of June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2023, the balance due from related parties represented balance due from Shanghai GBG Enterprise Management Consulting Co., Ltd. (“Shanghai GBG”), for which Mr. Ma, our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, is the legal representative. See Note 14 — Related Party Transactions and Balances to our consolidated financial statements.
As of June 30, 2022, the balance due from related parties consisted of balance due from Shanghai GBG and due from Mr. Ma, our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, which is the outstanding fees to subscribe for restricted shares transferred from certain employees. See Note 14 — Related Party Transactions and Balances to our consolidated financial statements.
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Operating lease right of use assets and operating lease liabilities
As of June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2023, we had operating lease right of use assets of approximately RMB 4.3 million and RMB 3.3 million (US$0.5 million), respectively. The change in operating lease right of use assets was primarily due to amortization of operating lease right of use assets.
As of June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2023, we had operating lease liabilities, including current and noncurrent, of approximately RMB 4.3 million and RMB 3.3 million (US$0.5 million), respectively. The change in operating lease liabilities was primarily due to payment of rental expenses and accretion of lease liabilities using incremental rate.
As of June 30, 2022 and 2023, we had operating lease right of use assets of approximately RMB 1.9 million and RMB 4.3 million (US$0.6 million), respectively, and we had operating lease liabilities, including current and noncurrent, of approximately RMB 1.6 million and RMB 4.3 million (US$0.6 million), respectively.
As compared with the balances as of June 30, 2022, the change in operating lease right of use assets and lease liabilities as of June 30, 2023 were mainly because we entered into additional lease agreements under non-cancellable operating lease agreements to expand our office spaces in Shanghai and Beijing.
Accounts payable
The accounts payables mainly represented intermediary fees due to B channels, for allowing our digital insurance solutions to be embedded in their platforms. The intermediary fees are calculated as a percentage of Insurance Brokerage earned. The balance of accounts payable increased from approximately RMB 31.4 million as of June 30, 2023 to approximately RMB 44.7 million (US$6.3 million) as of December 31, 2023. The increases were a result of increasing insurance brokerage earned from embedded platforms of our B channels. The balance of accounts payable increased from approximately RMB 21.4 million as of June 30, 2022 to approximately RMB 31.4 million (US$4.3 million) as of June 30, 2023. The increases were a result of increasing Insurance Brokerage earned from embedded platforms of our B channels.
Accrued expenses and other liabilities
As of June 30, 2022 and 2023 and December 31, 2023, our accrued expenses and other liabilities were approximately RMB 6.0 million, RMB 14.7 million (US$2.0 million) and RMB 9.8 million (US$1.4 million), respectively.
As compared with the balance as of June 30, 2023, the balance of accrued expenses and other liabilities decreased by approximately RMB 4.9 million as of December 31, 2023, which were mainly due to a decrease of approximately RMB 4.4 million in payables to various suppliers resulting from continuous expansion of our insurance brokerage business.
As compared with the balance as of June 30, 2022, the balance of accrued expenses and other liabilities increased by approximately RMB 8.7 million as of June 30, 2023, which were mainly due to (i) an increase of approximately RMB 4.7 million in payables to various suppliers and an increase of approximately RMB 1.9 million in other tax payable. Both increases resulted from continuous expansion of our insurance brokerage business, and (ii) an increase of RMB 1.9 million in accrued payroll and welfare which was primarily attributed to an increase of approximately RMB 2.0 million in accrued welfare expenses. The Company accrued increasing social welfare expenses as certain of our sales teams selected to participate in the social welfare scheme in the year of 2023. Over the past years, certain of our sales teams selected not to participate in the social welfare scheme, and we did not accrue such expenses for these headcounts.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
To date, we have financed our operating and investing activities primarily through cash generated from operating activities and equity financing from institutional investors. As of December 31, 2023, we reported working capital of approximately RMB 2.3 million (US$0.3 million) and accumulated deficits of approximately RMB 153.6 million (US$21.6 million), respectively. For the six months ended December 31, 2023, we had operating cash inflows
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of approximately RMB 85.6 million (US$12.1 million). As of June 30, 2023, we reported working capital of approximately RMB 19.4 million (US$2.7 million) and accumulated deficits of approximately RMB 137.5 million (US$19.0 million), respectively. For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023, we had cash outflows of approximately RMB 1.1 million (US$0.2 million).
Cash flows
The following table sets forth a summary of our cash flows for the periods presented:
For the Six Months Ended December 31, | |||||||||
2022 | 2023 | 2023 | |||||||
RMB | RMB | USD | |||||||
Net cash provided by operating activities | 205,695,961 |
| 85,607,856 |
| 12,057,615 |
| |||
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities | 14,739,082 |
| (264,606 | ) | (37,269 | ) | |||
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities | (2,365,769 | ) | 9,275,004 |
| 1,306,356 |
| |||
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents | — |
| (1,513 | ) | (213 | ) | |||
Net increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash | 218,069,274 |
| 94,616,741 |
| 13,326,489 |
| |||
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of the period | 11,574,189 |
| 19,873,652 |
| 2,799,145 |
| |||
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of the period | 229,643,463 |
| 114,490,393 |
| 16,125,634 |
|
The following table sets forth a summary of our cash flows for the fiscal years presented:
For the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, | |||||||||
2022 | 2023 | 2023 | |||||||
RMB | RMB | USD | |||||||
Net cash used in operating activities | (989,204 | ) | (1,123,895 | ) | (154,993 | ) | |||
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities | (3,193,861 | ) | 13,974,214 |
| 1,927,132 |
| |||
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities | 6,650,000 |
| (4,555,972 | ) | (628,297 | ) | |||
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents | — |
| 5,116 |
| 706 |
| |||
Net increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash | 2,466,935 |
| 8,229,463 |
| 1,144,548 |
| |||
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of the year | 9,107,254 |
| 11,574,189 |
| 1,596,154 |
| |||
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of the year | 11,574,189 |
| 19,873,652 |
| 2,740,702 |
|
Operating activities
For the six months ended December 31, 2022 and 2023
Net cash provided by operating activities for the six months ended December 31, 2022 was approximately RMB 205.7 million, primarily attributable to net income of approximately RMB 8.9 million, adjusted for non-cash deferred tax benefits of approximately RMB 2.7 million, and changes in operating assets and liabilities, primarily consisting of (i) an increase of approximately RMB 35.2 million in accounts receivable as a result of increase in revenues, (ii) an increase of approximately RMB 20.2 million in accounts payable as a result of increase in insurance brokerage earned from embedded platforms of our B channels, (iii) an increase of approximately RMB 207.3 million in insurance premium payable as a result of increase of unremitted insurance premiums, and (v) a decrease of approximately RMB 7.6 million in accrued expenses and other liabilities because we accelerated our payments to insurance companies and suppliers.
Net cash provided by operating activities for the six months ended December 31, 2023 was approximately RMB 85.6 million (US$12.1 million), primarily attributable to net loss of approximately RMB 8.5 million (US$1.2 million), adjusted for provision of credit losses of approximately RMB 1.3 million (US$0.2 million), and changes in operating assets and liabilities, primarily consisting of (i) an increase of approximately RMB 15.8 million
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(US$2.2 million) in accounts receivable as a result of an increase in revenues recognized in November and December 2023, (ii) an increase of approximately RMB 3.2 million (US$0.5 million) in prepaid expenses and other current assets which was primarily attributable to an increase of approximately RMB 5.1 million (US$0.7 million) in collected insurance premium on behalf of insurance suppliers, partially offset by a decrease of approximately $1.5 million (US$0.2 million) in advance to staff for various operating expenses, (iii) an increase of approximately RMB 13.2 million (US$1.9 million) in accounts payable as a result of delayed payments of service fees to our business channels, (iv) an increase of approximately RMB 103.8 million (US$14.6 million) due to insurance carriers, and (v) an increase of approximately RMB 4.9 million (US$0.7 million) in accrued expenses and other liabilities which was caused by increasing operating expenses.
For the fiscal years ended June 30, 2022 and 2023
Net cash used in operating activities for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022 was approximately RMB 1.0 million, primarily attributable to net income of approximately RMB 14.3 million, adjusted for (i) an increase of approximately RMB 28.6 million in accounts receivable as a result of increase in revenues, (ii) a decrease of approximately RMB 1.0 million in due from a related party which provided insurance claims and customer maintenance services for us, (iii) an increase of approximately RMB 17.3 million in accounts payable as a result of increase in revenues, which is the base we calculate the service change for our business channels, (iv) an increase of approximately RMB 1.5 million in insurance premium payable as a result of increase of unremitted insurance premiums, and (v) a decrease of approximately RMB 4.7 million in accrued expenses and other liabilities because we accelerated our payments to insurance companies and suppliers.
Net cash used in operating activities for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023 was approximately RMB 1.1 million (US$0.2 million), primarily attributable to net loss of approximately RMB 43.1 million (US$5.9 million), adjusted for non-cash share-based compensation expenses of RMB 55.3 million (US$7.6 million) and provision against doubtful receivables of approximately RMB 1.9 million, and changes in operating assets and liabilities, primarily consisting of (i) an increase of approximately RMB 29.8 million (US$4.1 million) in accounts receivable and an increase of approximately RMB 2.7 million (US$0.4 million) in due from a related party as a result of increase in revenues, (ii) an increase of approximately RMB 3.3 million (US$0.5 million) in prepaid expenses and other current assets which was primarily attributable to an increase of RMB 1.9 million in advance to staff for various operating expenses and an increase of RMB 1.8 million in government grant receivable, (iii) an increase of approximately RMB 10.0 million (US$1.4 million) in accounts payable as a result of increase in revenues, which is the base we calculate the service change for our business channels, and (iv) an increase of approximately RMB 8.7 million (US$1.2 million) in accrued expenses and other liabilities which was caused by increasing operating expenses.
Investing activities
For the six months ended December 31, 2022 and 2023
For the six months ended December 31, 2022, we reported cash provided by investing activities of approximately RMB 14.7 million, which was primarily provided by collection of loans of approximately RMB 16.0 million from related parties, partially offset by purchase of intangible assets of approximately RMB 1.2 million.
For the six months ended December 31, 2023, we reported cash used in investing activities of approximately RMB 0.3 million (US$37,269), which was used in purchase of intangible assets of approximately RMB 0.3 million (US$37,269).
For the fiscal years ended June 30, 2022 and 2023
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022, we reported cash used in investing activities of approximately RMB 3.2 million (US$0.5 million), which was primarily used in loans made to related parties and payments on behalf of a related party of approximately RMB 0.4 million (US$59,719) and approximately RMB 5.4 million (US$0.8 million), partially offset by collection of loans of approximately RMB 2.8 (US$0.4 million) million from related parties.
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023, we reported cash provided by investing activities of approximately RMB 14.0 million (US$1.9 million), which was primarily provided by collection of loans of approximately RMB 15.8 (US$2.2 million) million from related parties, partially offset by purchase of intangible assets of approximately RMB 1.8 million (US$0.2 million)
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Financing activities
For the six months ended December 31, 2022 and 2023
For the six months ended December 31, 2022, we used cash of approximately RMB 2.4 million in financing activities, which was primarily used in repayment of bank borrowings of approximately RMB 12.4 million, repayment of related party borrowings of approximately RMB 0.2 million, and payment of offering costs of approximately RMB 2.4 million, partially offset by proceeds of approximately RMB 12.1 million from short-term bank borrowings.
For the six months ended December 31, 2023, we provided cash of approximately RMB 9.3 million (US$1.3 million) in financing activities, which was primarily provided by proceeds of approximately RMB 25.0 million (US$3.5 million) from short-term bank borrowings and borrowings of approximately RMB 26.5 million (US$3.7 million) from a related party, partially offset by repayment of bank borrowings of approximately RMB 25.5 million (US$3.6 million), repayment of related party borrowings of approximately RMB 15.0 million (US$2.1 million), and payment of offering costs of approximately RMB 1.8 million (US$0.2 million).
For the fiscal years ended June 30, 2022 and 2023
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022, we generated cash of approximately RMB 6.7 million (US$1.0 million) from financing activities, which was primarily generated from proceeds of approximately RMB 26.0 million (US$3.9 million) from short-term bank borrowings, capital contribution of approximately RMB 6.2 million (US$0.9 million) from our shareholders and borrowings of approximately RMB 8.3 million (US$1.2 million) from related parties, partially offset by repayment of bank borrowings of approximately RMB 26.0 million (US$3.9 million) and repayment of related party borrowings of approximately RMB 7.9 million (US$1.2 million).
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023, we used cash of approximately RMB 4.6 million (US$0.6 million) in financing activities, which was primarily used in repayment of bank borrowings of approximately RMB 30.9 million (US$4.3 million), repayment of related party borrowings of approximately RMB 0.4 million (US$60,265), and payment of offering costs of approximately RMB 4.2 million (US$0.6 million), partially offset by proceeds of approximately RMB 30.2 million (US$4.2 million) from short-term bank borrowings and capital contribution of RMB 0.6 million (US$82,744) from our shareholders.
Trend Information
Other than as disclosed in this annual report, we are not aware of any trends, uncertainties, demands, commitments or events for the current fiscal year that are reasonably likely to have a material effect on our net revenues, income, profitability, liquidity or capital reserves, or that caused the disclosed financial information to be not necessarily indicative of future operating results or financial conditions.
Research and Development
Research and development expenses consist primarily of staff cost and outsourced labor cost for the research and development of our platform, including technology innovations, development and updates, and system function and feature updates and upgrades. Our R&D efforts also involve research and development on our insurance solutions’ development, replacement, updates, upgrades, and innovations. See “Business — Research and Development” for more information regarding our plan to develop this platform.
During the six months ended December 31, 2022 and 2023, we incurred research and development expenses of approximately RMB 4.0 million and RMB 7.3 million (US$1.0 million), respectively.
During the fiscal years ended June 30, 2022 and 2023, we incurred research and development expenses of approximately RMB 7.7 million and RMB 9.7 million (US$1.3 million), respectively.
We will continue to work on the development of our platform. We may need to devote more resources and funds to improve/add functions as our business develops. We plan to fund the further development of our platform through equity and/or debt financing, if cash generated from our operations is insufficient.
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Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
Foreign Exchange Risk
Foreign currency risk is the risk of loss resulting from changes in foreign currency exchange rates. Fluctuations in exchange rates between the RMB and other currencies in which we conduct business may affect our financial position and results of operations.
Our subsidiaries are operating in mainland China and Hong Kong with substantially all of their transactions settled in RMB. As a result of, we are mainly exposed to foreign exchange risk arising from our cash and cash equivalents denominated in RMB.
However, we consider that our business in mainland China is not exposed to any significant foreign exchange risk as there are no significant financial assets or liabilities of these subsidiaries denominated in the currencies other than the functional currency.
Interest Rate Risk
Our exposure to interest rate risk primarily relates to the interest income generated by excess cash, which is mostly held in interest-bearing bank deposits and financial products purchased from financial institutions. Interest-earning instruments carry a degree of interest rate risk. We have not been exposed to material risks due to changes in interest rates, and we have not used any derivative financial instruments to manage our interest risk exposure.
Holding Company Structure
All of our revenues have been, and we expect they are likely to continue to be, in the form of Renminbi. Under existing PRC foreign exchange regulations, payments of current account items, including profit distributions, interest payments and trade and service-related foreign exchange transactions, can be made in foreign currencies without prior SAFE approval as long as certain routine procedural requirements are fulfilled. Therefore, our PRC Subsidiaries are allowed to pay dividends in foreign currencies to us without prior SAFE approval by following certain routine procedural requirements and clearance of taxes. However, current PRC regulations permit our PRC subsidiaries to pay dividends to us only out of its accumulated profits, if any, determined in accordance with Chinese accounting standards and regulations. Our PRC Subsidiaries are required to set aside at least 10% of their after-tax profits after making up previous years’ accumulated losses each year, if any, to fund certain reserve funds until the total amount set aside reaches 50% of its registered capital. These reserves are not distributable as cash dividends. Historically, our PRC Subsidiaries have not paid dividends to us, and they will not be able to pay dividends until they generate accumulated profits. Furthermore, capital account transactions, which include foreign direct investment in and loans to our PRC Subsidiaries, must be approved by and/or registered with SAFE, its local branches and certain local banks, as the case may be.
As a Cayman Islands exempted company and offshore holding company, we are permitted under PRC laws and regulations to provide funding to our PRC Subsidiaries only through loans or capital contributions, subject to the approval, filings or registration of government authorities and limits on the amount of capital contributions and loans. This may delay us from using the proceeds from any future offerings to make loans or capital contributions to our PRC Subsidiaries. We expect to invest substantially all of the proceeds from any future offerings in our PRC operations within the business scopes of our PRC Subsidiaries. See “Risk Factors — Risks Related to Doing Business in China — PRC regulation on loans to, and direct investment in, our PRC Subsidiaries by offshore holding companies and governmental control in currency conversion may delay or prevent us from using the proceeds of any future offerings to make loans to or make additional capital contributions to our PRC Subsidiaries, which could materially and adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business”.
Critical Accounting Estimates
We prepare our consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, which requires our management to make estimates that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the balance sheet dates, as well as the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. To the extent that there are material differences between these estimates and actual results, our financial
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condition or results of operations would be affected. We base our estimates on our own historical experience and other assumptions that we believe are reasonable after taking account of our circumstances and expectations for the future based on available information. We evaluate these estimates on an ongoing basis.
Our expectations regarding the future are based on available information and assumptions that we believe to be reasonable, which together form our basis for making judgments about matters that are not readily apparent from other sources. Since the use of estimates is an integral component of the financial reporting process, our actual results could differ from those estimates. Some of our accounting policies require a higher degree of judgment than others in their application.
We consider an accounting estimate to be critical if: (i) the accounting estimate requires us to make assumptions about matters that were highly uncertain at the time the accounting estimate was made, and (ii) changes in the estimate that are reasonably likely to occur from period to period or use of different estimates that we reasonably could have used in the current period, would have a material impact on our financial condition or results of operations. When reading our consolidated financial statements, you should consider our selection of critical accounting policies, the judgment and other uncertainties affecting the application of such policies and the sensitivity of reported results to changes in conditions and assumptions.
When reading our consolidated financial statements, you should consider our selection of critical accounting policies, the judgment and other uncertainties affecting the application of such policies and the sensitivity of reported results to changes in conditions and assumptions. Our critical accounting policies and practices include the following: (i) revenue recognition; (ii) accounts receivable, net; and (iii) income taxes. See Note 2 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies to our consolidated financial statements for the disclosure of these accounting policies. We believe the following accounting estimates involve the most significant judgments used in the preparation of our financial statements.
While management believes its judgments, estimates and assumptions are reasonable, they are based on information presently available and actual results may differ significantly from those estimates under different assumptions and conditions. We believe that the following critical accounting estimates involve the most significant judgments used in the preparation of our financial statements.
(a) Allowance for credit losses
Accounts receivable, net are stated at the original amount less an allowance for credit losses.
Prior to adoption of ASU 2016-13, an accounts receivable is recorded when we have unconditional rights to the consideration for which we have completed performance obligation. We review the accounts receivable on a periodic basis and make specific allowances when there is doubt as to the collectability of individual balances. Based on our credit term granted to insurance suppliers, accounts older than 60 days are considered past due. Management also periodically evaluates individual customer’s financial condition, credit history and the current economic conditions to make adjustments in the allowance when necessary. Account balances are charged off against the allowance in the event that the insurance suppliers file for bankruptcy or liquidation with the local court under which circumstance the potential for recovery is considered remote.
On July 1, 2023, we adopted Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments (“ASU 2016-13”), using the modified retrospective transition method. ASU 2016-13 replaces the existing incurred loss impairment model with an expected loss methodology, which will result in more timely recognition of credit losses. Upon adoption, we changed the impairment model to utilize a forward-looking current expected credit losses (CECL) model in place of the incurred loss methodology for financial instruments measured at amortized cost and receivables resulting from the application of ASC 606, including contract assets. The adoption of the guidance resulted in an increase of RMB 8,821,129 in the allowance for credit losses for accounts receivable on July 1, 2023.
For the six months ended December 31, 2022 and 2023, we accrued provisions for credit losses of approximately RMB nil and RMB 1.3 million (US$0.2 million), respectively. During the six months ended December 31, 2022 and 2023, we wrote off the allowance of approximately RMB 0.3 million and RMB nil against accounts receivable because the chance of collection is deemed to be remote.
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(b) Valuation of deferred tax assets
Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period including the enactment date. Valuation allowances are established, when necessary, to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount expected to be realized. Current income taxes are provided for in accordance with the laws of the relevant taxing authorities.
As of June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2023, deferred tax assets from the net operating loss carryforwards amounted to approximately RMB 8.2 million and RMB 9.4 million (US$1.3 million), respectively. We generated net income in certain PRC Subsidiaries for the six months ended December 31, 2022, while we incurred net operating losses in PRC Subsidiaries for the six months ended December 31, 2023. Thus, we utilized net operating loss and we reversed a valuation allowance of approximately RMB 4.4 million for the six months ended December 31, 2022.
The provisions of ASC 740-10-25, “Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes,” prescribe a more-likely-than-not threshold for consolidated financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken (or expected to be taken) in a tax return. This interpretation also provides guidance on the recognition of income tax assets and liabilities, classification of current and deferred income tax assets and liabilities, accounting for interest and penalties associated with tax positions, and related disclosures. The PRC operating entities in PRC are subject to examination by the relevant tax authorities. According to the PRC Tax Administration and Collection Law, the statute of limitations is three years if the underpayment of taxes is due to computational errors made by the taxpayer or the withholding agent. The statute of limitations is extended to five years under special circumstances, where the underpayment of taxes is more than RMB 100,000 ($14,100). In the case of transfer pricing issues, the statute of limitation is ten years. There is no statute of limitation in the case of tax evasion. Penalties and interest incurred related to underpayment of income tax are classified as income tax expense in the period incurred.
As of June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2023, there were RMB1.0 million and RMB1.0 million of unrecognized tax benefits, respectively, that would affect the annual effective tax rate if recognized. The unrecognized tax benefit was presented as a reduction of the Deferred tax assets — Net operating loss carrying forwards in the consolidated financial statements as of June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2023. The Company recognizes interest and penalty charges related to uncertain tax positions as necessary in the provision for income taxes. For the six months ended December 31, 2022 and 2023, no interest expense or penalty was accrued in relation to the unrecognized tax benefit. The Company has a liability for accrued interest of nil as of June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2023, respectively.
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements
A list of recently issued accounting pronouncements that are relevant to us is included in note 2 to our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
In addition to consolidated U.S. GAAP financial measures, we consistently evaluate our use of and calculation of the non-GAAP financial measures, “Adjusted EBITDA” and Adjusted earnings (loss) per share (“Adjusted EPS”).
Adjusted EBITDA is a financial measure defined as our EBITDA, adjusted to eliminate the effects of certain non-cash and/or non-recurring items, that do not reflect our ongoing strategic business operations. EBITDA is computed as net income (loss) before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization. Adjusted EBITDA is EBITDA further adjusted for certain income and expenses, which management believes results in a performance measurement that represents a key indicator of the Company’s core business operations of digital insurance brokerage services. The adjustments currently include share-based compensation expenses, gain from early termination of leases and provision of doubtful accounts,
Adjusted EPS is a financial measure defined as our EBITDA divided by our diluted weighted-average shares outstanding, adjusted with the EPS impact related to the adjustments made to EBITDA to derive Adjusted EBITDA.
We believe Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EPS can be important financial measures because they allow management, investors, and our board of directors to evaluate and compare our operating results, including our return on capital and operating efficiencies, from period-to-period by making such adjustments.
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Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EPS are provided in addition to and should not be considered to be a substitute for, or superior to net income (loss), the comparable measures under U.S. GAAP. Further, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EPS should not be considered as an alternative to revenue growth, net income (loss), diluted earnings (loss) per share or any other performance measure derived in accordance with U.S. GAAP, or as an alternative to cash flow from operating activities as a measure of our liquidity. Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EPS have limitations as analytical tools, and you should not consider such measures either in isolation or as substitutes for analyzing our results as reported under U.S. GAAP.
Reconciliations of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EPS to the most comparable U.S. GAAP financial metric for historical periods are presented in the table below:
For the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, | |||||||||
2022 | 2023 | 2023 | |||||||
RMB | RMB | USD | |||||||
Reconciliation of non-GAAP income (loss) from operations: |
|
|
| ||||||
Net Income (Loss) | 14,259,407 |
| (43,098,780 | ) | (5,943,593 | ) | |||
Depreciation and amortization expenses | 710,708 |
| 928,385 |
| 128,030 |
| |||
Income tax (benefits) expenses | (2,110,635 | ) | 541,460 |
| 74,671 |
| |||
Interest expenses | 1,459,818 |
| 1,241,082 |
| 171,153 |
| |||
EBITDA | 14,319,297 |
| (40,387,853 | ) | (5,569,739 | ) | |||
|
|
| |||||||
Adjustments: |
|
|
| ||||||
Share-based compensation expenses | 535,853 |
| 55,266,010 |
| 7,621,531 |
| |||
Gain from early termination of right-of-use assets | (108,372 | ) | (58,092 | ) | (8,011 | ) | |||
Loss from disposal of property and equipment | — |
| 13,223 |
| 1,824 |
| |||
Provision for doubtful receivables | — |
| 1,854,686 |
| 255,773 |
| |||
Adjusted EBITDA | 14,746,778 |
| 16,687,974 |
| 2,301,378 |
|
For the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, | |||||||||
2022 | 2023 | 2023 | |||||||
RMB | RMB | USD | |||||||
Reconciliation of non-GAAP Basic and Dilutive Earnings (Loss) Per Share: |
|
|
| ||||||
Net Income (Loss) | 0.54 |
| (1.61 | ) | (0.22 | ) | |||
Depreciation and amortization expenses | 0.03 |
| 0.03 |
| 0.00 |
| |||
Income tax (benefits) expenses | (0.08 | ) | 0.02 |
| 0.00 |
| |||
Interest expenses | 0.06 |
| 0.06 |
| 0.01 |
| |||
EBITDA per share | 0.55 |
| (1.51 | ) | (0.21 | ) | |||
|
|
| |||||||
Adjustments: |
|
|
| ||||||
Share-based compensation expenses | 0.02 |
| 2.07 |
| 0.29 |
| |||
Gain from early termination of right-of-use assets | (0.00 | ) | (0.00 | ) | (0.00 | ) | |||
Loss from disposal of property and equipment | — |
| 0.00 |
| 0.00 |
| |||
Provision for doubtful receivables | — |
| 0.07 |
| 0.01 |
| |||
Adjusted EBITDA per share | 0.57 |
| 0.63 |
| 0.09 |
|
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For the Six Months Ended December 31, | |||||||||
2022 | 2023 | 2023 | |||||||
RMB | RMB | USD | |||||||
Reconciliation of non-GAAP income (loss) from operations: |
|
|
| ||||||
Net Income (Loss) | 8,911,788 |
| (8,546,000 | ) | (1,203,678 | ) | |||
Depreciation and amortization expenses | 528,648 |
| 587,085 |
| 82,689 |
| |||
Income tax benefits | (2,672,359 | ) | (137,354 | ) | (19,346 | ) | |||
Interest expenses | 668,772 |
| 507,297 |
| 71,451 |
| |||
EBITDA | 7,436,849 |
| (7,588,972 | ) | (1,068,884 | ) | |||
|
|
| |||||||
Adjustments: |
|
|
| ||||||
Share-based compensation expenses | 531,100 |
| — |
| — |
| |||
Gain from early termination of right-of-use assets | (108,372 | ) | — |
| — |
| |||
Provision for expected credit loss | 1,870 |
| 1,315,635 |
| 185,303 |
| |||
Adjusted EBITDA | 7,861,447 |
| (6,273,337 | ) | (883,581 | ) |
For the Six Months Ended December 31, | |||||||||
2022 | 2023 | 2023 | |||||||
RMB | RMB | USD | |||||||
Reconciliation of non-GAAP Basic and Dilutive Earnings (Loss) Per Share: |
|
|
| ||||||
Net Income (Loss) | 0.34 |
| (0.28 | ) | (0.04 | ) | |||
Depreciation and amortization expenses | 0.02 |
| 0.02 |
| 0.00 |
| |||
Income tax benefits | (0.10 | ) | (0.00 | ) | (0.00 | ) | |||
Interest expenses | 0.03 |
| 0.02 |
| 0.00 |
| |||
EBITDA per share | 0.29 |
| (0.24 | ) | (0.04 | ) | |||
|
|
| |||||||
Adjustments: |
|
|
| ||||||
Share-based compensation expenses | 0.02 |
| — |
| — |
| |||
Gain from early termination of right-of-use assets | (0.00 | ) | — |
| — |
| |||
Provision for expected credit loss | 0.00 |
| 0.04 |
| 0.01 |
| |||
Adjusted EBITDA per share | 0.31 |
| (0.20 | ) | (0.03 | ) |
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In the following discussion of our business, unless otherwise provided, “we,” “us,” “our,” or “ourselves” refer to Zhibao’s PRC Subsidiaries or Zhibao China Group.
Overview
Zhibao Technology Inc. is a holding company incorporated as an exempted company on January 11, 2023 under the laws of the Cayman Islands. It operates substantially all of its business through its PRC Subsidiaries, or Zhibao China Group, in particular Zhibao China and Sunshine Insurance Brokers.
We are a leading and high growth InsurTech company primarily engaging in providing digital insurance brokerage services in China. 2B2C digital embedded insurance is our innovative business model, which we pioneered in China. We launched the first digital insurance brokerage platform in China in 2020, which is powered by their proprietary PaaS. According to the Frost & Sullivan Report, the total market size of the 2B2C digital insurance brokerage services sector in China, contributed by over 20 market players in the PRC market, was approximately RMB807.4 million in 2022, among which Zhibao China Group ranked number one, with a market share of approximately 17.4% and a revenue of approximately RMB140.6 million. Under the Frost & Sullivan Report, the 2B2C digital insurance brokerage services sector is the fastest growing segment within the digital insurance brokerage service industry, with a historical compound annual growth rate (“CAGR”) of approximately 54.6% from 2018 to 2022, which also presents a substantial growth potential to reach approximately RMB6.2 billion in 2027, with an estimated CAGR of approximately 50.1% from 2022 to 2027. We believe that 2B2C digital embedded insurance is shaping the future of the industry.
2B2C digital embedded insurance refers to our one-stop customized insurance brokerage model, under which we provide proprietary and customized insurance solutions to be digitally embedded in the existing customer engagement matrix of our B channels to reach and serve such B channels’ existing pool of end customers. Each B channel encompasses a specific scenario where its end customers also have potential, untapped insurance needs. For example, a Chinese travel agency (our B channel) has an average of 100,000 Chinese tourists traveling to the U.S. for tourism every year. We believe this presents an untapped scenario-specific opportunity for international travel accident insurance needs for a pool of 100,000 Chinese tourists as end customers. These end customers might otherwise have to search for and purchase insurance separately or might not purchase insurance at all. After reaching an agreement with such travel agency to become one of our B channels, we build and embed a travel insurance solution across this travel agency’s matrix of digital channels, including its website, App, Douyin (the Chinese equivalent of TikTok), WeChat Mini Program, and other social media accounts. Consequently, we may pinpoint the 100,000-strong customer base and provide insurance brokerage services which are specifically and accurately tailored to the insurance needs of these end customers.
Our service portfolio includes (1) insurance brokerage services, and (2) MGU services, a specialized insurance brokerage service whereby the insurance companies authorize us to assist them in underwriting, claims and risk control services. It broadly covers insurance product design and customization, selection of insurance companies, technology system interconnection and delivery, customer AARRR operation, customer service, compliance management, and data analysis, all of which are integrated in each of our insurance solutions. Each insurance solution generally applies to one specific scenario in a particular sector, with customized product design and services relevant for that scenario and sector. As of the date of this prospectus, we have developed more than 40 proprietary and innovative digital insurance solutions addressing different scenarios in a wide range of industries, including but not limited to travel, sports, logistics, utilities (i.e., gas and electricity), and e-commerce. We acquire and analyze customer data, utilize big data and AI technology to continually iterate and enhance our digital insurance solutions. This iterative process, in addition to continually improving our digital insurance solutions, will keep us abreast of the new trends and customer preferences in the market.
We secure and serve our end customers through our B channels. Our B channels cover a wide range of industries and organizations, including but not limited to internet platforms, large and medium-sized enterprises, and government agencies. While B channels have end customers with potential insurance needs relevant and specific to their primary operations, they usually do not have the experience and expertise to effectively provide insurance related services. In order to address this pain-point, we provide them with our customized digital insurance solutions specifically tailored to their business. Our 2B2C model thrives because our relationship with B channels is mutually beneficial and sustainable for all participants. Our B channels view us as a valuable partner as we empower them to provide insurance as a value-added service to their end customers, a potential competitive advantage for them. By embedding our digital
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insurance solutions into our B channels’ online matrix to reach their customer base, we maintain a captive, stable and sustainable source of end customers at low cost. The end customers, as a result, can conveniently and efficiently access quality brokerage services and suitable insurance products tailored to their actual needs. As of the date of this prospectus, we have cooperated with more than 1,500 B channels, and secured more than 10 million end customers through them. We will expand the number of B channels as a key growth strategy of our business.
Under our business model, we represent end customers as their authorized insurance broker to negotiate with insurance companies and select the most suitable insurance products for our end customers. As of the date of this prospectus, we have partnered with over 100 insurance companies (including their subsidiaries and branches).
While embedded insurance brokerage is still at an early stage of development in China, we believe it is the future of insurance brokerage industry.
Our revenue reached approximately RMB 142.1 million (US$19.6 million) for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023, representing an increase of approximately RMB 33.9 million (US$4.7 million), or 31%, from approximately RMB 108.2 million (US$16.2 million) for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022. We achieved profitability for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022 with our net income reaching approximately RMB 14.3 million (US$2.1 million). For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023, we incurred net loss of approximately RMB 43.1 million (US$5.9 million), among which RMB 54.7 million ($7.5 million) related to share-based compensation expenses arising from issuance of ordinary shares to a related party. Excluding such one-off expenses, we would have achieved net income of approximately RMB 11.6 million ($1.6 million). Our revenue reached approximately RMB 84.3 million ($11.9 million) for the six months ended December 31, 2023, representing an decrease of approximately RMB 7.5 million ($1.1 million), or 8%, from approximately RMB 91.8 million ($10.8 million) for the six months ended December 31, 2022. Our net loss for the six months ended December 31, 2023 was approximately RMB 8.5 million ($1.2 million), compared to net income of approximately RMB 8.9 million ($1.3 million) in the same period of 2022.
Our Revenue Model
Our revenue consists of (i) Insurance Brokerage we receive for our general digital insurance brokerage services, (ii) MGU Service Fees we receive for our MGU services.
Insurance Brokerage refer to the commissions or fees we receive from our insurance companies for the digital insurance brokerage services we offer to our end customers (who pay insurance premium to insurance companies according to the terms of their policies), usually at the range of 10% – 35% for property & casualty insurance products, 10% – 35% for health insurance products and 50% – 80% for life insurance products, of gross written premium per insurance policy depending on the type of the insurance, the specific insurance products, and our negotiated terms with each insurance company. Insurance Brokerage accounted for approximately 78%, 84% and 88%, respectively, of our total revenues for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2022 and 2023 and the six months ended December 31, 2023.
MGU Service Fees refer to service fees we receive from insurance companies for the MGU services we provide to them, usually at an average of approximately 15% of gross written premium per insurance policy depending on the type of insurance, and our negotiated terms with each insurance company. MGU Service Fees accounted for approximately 22%, 16% and 12%, respectively, of our total revenues for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2022 and 2023 and the six months ended December 31, 2023.
Our Strengths
We believe that the following strengths contribute to our growth and differentiate us from our competitors:
• Innovative Business Model — 2B2C Embedded Insurance
We are a pioneer and market leader in 2B2C embedded insurance business in China. Our 2B2C model is key to enable us to acquire end customers at minimal cost and therefore to achieve higher efficiency compared with our industry peers, who might gain customers by investing a large amount of capital through direct-to-consumer advertisement and other marketing channels. Each of our B channels has already developed a stable relationship with their end customers. By embedding our customized digital insurance solutions into B channels’ online matrix, we can reach end customers more precisely and efficiently. As the first-mover and a market leader in 2B2C embedded insurance brokerage service in
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China, we have entrenched relationships with B channels and other industry participants. As of the date of this prospectus, we have cumulatively cooperated with over 1,500 B channels and will continue to expand the number of B channels as a key growth strategy.
• Market Leading Digital Insurance Solutions
As of the date of this prospectus, we have developed over 40 proprietary and innovative digital insurance solutions which are built and operated based on our PaaS. Each of our proprietary digital insurance solutions primarily consists of insurance product(s), a solution-specific technology system, customer AARRR operations plan, and customer service plan. They are specifically tailored to the various scenarios of our B channels and their end customers’ insurance needs. Our digital insurance solutions can largely reduce point-of-sale friction and deliver the digital insurance brokerage services which are relevant and tailored to the separate needs of our B channels and end customers. Through our digital insurance solutions on our PaaS, we acquire and analyze customer data, and utilize big data and AI technology to continually iterate and enhance our digital solutions. This iterative process, in addition to continually improving our digital solutions, will keep us abreast of the new trends and customer preferences in the market.
• Advanced Technology Platform
We launched the first digital insurance brokerage platform in China in 2020. This platform includes (i) 2B2C insurance PaaS, (ii) digital insurance solutions, and (iii) delivery system. Through our platform, we can provide SaaS to our various B channels and insurance brokerage services to our end customers effectively and efficiently.
(i) Our PaaS is a cloud-based development platform which offers a collection of 2B2C insurance tools for building the systems required for various insurance solutions efficiently. Our PaaS was developed out of our professional knowledge and experience gained from real-world deployment of systems in the past eight years. The tools of our PaaS are analogous to providing “pre-washed” and “pre-cut” raw materials, allowing us to quickly and reliably output “cooked dishes”. Without such a PaaS, building the necessary solution-specific systems would be a complicated and slow process with no guarantee of a positive user experience. Our PaaS is not only for our internal solution-specific systems but can be extended to our independent sales partners. It allows such partners to share our highly efficient tools and workflows, and incubate new solutions without having to start from scratch each time. Furthermore, the unified design foundation of our PaaS allows us to develop brand new solutions as well as to piggyback additional solutions on top of those already deployed with reusable system components, data consistency and customer convenience.
(ii) Our various insurance solutions are built and run based on the PaaS. These solutions are delivered to B channels by embedding within the B channels’ platforms, including but not limited to WeChat Official Accounts, websites, and insurance modules within Apps. Our end customers may purchase insurance products and have access to insurance services through our embedded insurance solutions on our B channels’ website, App, H5 page, or QR codes.
(iii) Our delivery system, developed according to the best practices of digital insurance brokerage services, breaks down our various solutions into workflows, work nodes, automatic resource assignments, and deliverable standards. On the delivery system, business opportunities are segregated into different industries which are automatically mapped to our various solutions. It also allows us to collect and consider the specific needs from each B channel. The delivery system then runs the pre-set workflow, standardizing our processes and providing higher-quality and higher-efficiency deliverables. According to the specific needs of our B channels, the delivery system is capable of making changes to the standard workflow to meet these customizations. Our delivery system helps us greatly improve our delivery efficiency, quality and channel satisfaction.
• Experienced Management Team with Extensive Expertise in Insurance Industry and Digital Technology
We have an experienced and devoted management team that has helmed the acceleration of our growth and steered our strategic direction. Our management team is passionate about innovation in providing digital insurance solutions to end customers. Our founder and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Botao Ma has accumulated more than 30 years of management experience in the insurance industry. Our Chief
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Financial Officer, Mr. Yuanwen Xia, has more than 15 years of experience in PwC and investment sector. Our Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Xiao Luo has more than 15 years of experience in insurance brokerage business. Our Chief Technology Officer, Mr. Yugang Wang, has more than 20 years of digital technology and management experience in the insurance industry. Our management team has extensive experience in China’s insurance market; in particular, our team’s expertise in the insurance brokerage industry will help steer the Company to continuously maintain and extend our leading position in the digitalization of the insurance brokerage industry in China. Their influences across the market have already, and will continue to, attract more B channels and deepen relationships with existing B channels and insurance companies, all of which will sustain and accelerate the rapid-paced growth of the Company.
Our Growth Strategies
We intend to grow our business by pursuing the following key strategies:
• Accelerate the Expansion of B Channels
We plan to scale up our business by rapidly expanding the number of B channels. We intend to penetrate new markets, increase market share in existing markets and access a broader range of B channels in China. With the continuing development of our 2B2C business, we have developed insurance companies as a special type of B channel, providing digital brokerage services and supports for their existing individual policyholders. We plan to cooperate with more insurance companies as a key focus for expansion.
• Expand Our Sales Force
We plan to increase the number of sales teams both in the head office and branch offices. We also plan to develop more independent sales partners who are not directly employed by us but provide leads for new B channels, for example smaller-scale niche players in the 2B2C business sector. We have an established workflow to efficiently establish relations with sales partners powered by our delivery system, which provides contracting, training, online customer AARRR operations, and an online portal for requesting sales support. The growth of our nationwide network of sales partners is integral to our rapid expansion and growth of the market.
• Drive Additional Conversions for Existing End Customers — Our 2C Business
Through our B channels, we are accumulating an ever-larger pool of potential end customers. Although the initial customer interaction is related to the specific scenario and sector of the B channels, end customer may have additional needs that have not yet been addressed. For example, a medical insurance end customer might have additional demand for travel, household, or life insurance. We intend to strengthen our to-customer, or 2C business by targeting our existing customer base to meet the additional needs of each end customer. Our 2C business is an increasingly important part of our business growth in the coming years.
• Upgrade and Enrich Our Digital Insurance Solutions
Currently we have over 40 proprietary digital insurance solutions on our platform, which covers various scenarios in a variety of industries. We will keep refining and upgrading our insurance solutions to keep abreast of new trends and customer preferences. In addition to optimizing our existing insurance solutions, we are developing new insurance solutions to meet emerging demands. We intend to develop solutions across every sector of the economy, thus ultimately covering every aspect of the end customers’ daily life to deliver all-around insurance coverage.
• Upgrade and Enhance Our PaaS
We are the first to establish a PaaS in the digital insurance brokerage market in China. We intend to invest in the research and development (“R&D”) of new technologies to upgrade and enhance our PaaS to maintain our leadership position in China. In particular, we plan to enrich the technology infrastructure tools and functionalities of the business components of our PaaS, and introduce new AI and business intelligence (BI) functionalities, continually strengthening our data security and governance.
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• Expand the Scale of the MGU business.
We pioneered the MGU business model in China. Under this model, in addition to providing general digital insurance brokerage services to our end customers, we also assist insurance companies in product design, underwriting, reinsurance, claims and risk control services. We intend to increase the number of MGU partners (insurance companies) from 7 to 15 by the end of 2024, and expand the insurance products from the current high-end medical insurance and long-term disability lines to mid-end medical and personal accident lines in the future.
• Establish our subsidiary reinsurance company in Labuan, Malaysia
We are in the process of establishing our subsidiary reinsurance company in Labuan, Malaysia. Through this subsidiary, we intend to support our brokerage and MGU services. As of the date of this prospectus, we have submitted our application for licensing and are in discussions with regulators in anticipation to begin operations in the 4th quarter of 2024.
• M&A Opportunities
There is a fragmented constellation of smaller-scale firms engaged in online insurance agency or brokerage business in China. They are commonly lacking in industry recognition, technological capacity, team expertise, capital, and market resources, therefore they face significant headwinds in scaling up their business and attaining profitability. However, some of them have built strong ties with B channels in niche industries, providing us with potential targets for M&A. We plan to invest in potential M&A targets in the future, especially those who can bring new B channel resources.
Market Opportunity
Along with the development of the PRC insurance industry and the progress of digital industrial transformation in the PRC in recent years, insurance brokerage service institutions are recognized by more policyholders and insurance companies. According to the Frost & Sullivan Report, the total market size of the Chinese insurance industry in terms of insurance premium grew steadily and is expected to reach approximately RMB 5.8 trillion by 2027, at a CAGR of 4.3% from 2022 to 2027. Within the insurance industry, the insurance brokerage services industry in terms of revenue grew substantially at a CAGR of 21.1% from 2018 to 2022 and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 13.9% from 2022 to 2027. Furthermore, the market size of the digital insurance brokerage services industry in terms of revenue is estimated to substantially grow at a CAGR of 28.2% from 2022 to 2027. It is noteworthy that, within the market, the digital scenario-embedded insurance brokerage (also known as 2B2C) services industry is the fastest growing segment, with a historical CAGR of 54.6% from 2018 to 2022. It also presents a substantial growth potential, with an estimated CAGR of 50.1% from 2022 to 2027.
The convergence of digital technology and changing consumer preferences in the insurance industry give digital insurance brokerage service providers, like us, a competitive advantage as digital technology assists us in connecting end customers through more channels, thus enhancing our operation efficiency. We believe, in the future, the digital insurance brokerage service will take more market share.
In recent years, consumer behaviors have undergone profound changes. Research shows that insurance customers in the internet era pay more attention to product transparency and service experience while demonstrating a strong preference for personalization, customization, and scenario orientation. In addition, millennials (who were generally born between the early 1980s and the mid-to-late 1990s) are gradually becoming the leading consumption group of insurance, which are expected to surpass generation X (who is generally born between the mid-1960s and the late 1970s) to become the main consumption group within the next decade. The millennials can obtain information through the internet more conveniently and efficiently, and are more receptive to digital insurance and pay more attention to product diversity and personalization, which provide great potential for the development of digital embedded insurance brokerage services.
Regulatory Permissions
As of September 30, 2024, except for the filing with the CSRC which we have submitted on September 25, 2024, we are not required to, and have not applied for, received or been denied approval or permission from the PRC authorities in connection with the Private Placement.
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We believe that as Zhibao’s Hong Kong subsidiary Zhibao HK is a holding company with no business operations since its incorporation, neither Zhibao HK is currently required to obtain regulatory approval from the Hong Kong government for our overseas listing plan in the U.S., nor has Zhibao HK been required to obtain any specific license or permission for its operation in Hong Kong, except that Zhibao HK is required to obtain and maintain a general business registration certificate, which is current as of the date of this prospectus.
As of September 27, 2024, Zhibao and its subsidiaries have received from PRC authorities all requisite licenses, permissions or approvals required to engage in the businesses currently conducted in China, and no permission or approval has been denied. Such licenses and permissions include but are not limited to business license and insurance broker license. The following table provides details on the licenses and permissions held by Zhibao’s PRC Subsidiaries:
Company | License/Permission | Issuing Authority | Validity | |||
Zhibao China | Business License | China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone Lingang New Area Administration for Market Regulation | No Fixed Term | |||
Shanghai Anyi | Business License | Shanghai Pudong New Area Administration for Market Regulation | No Fixed Term | |||
Sunshine Insurance Brokers | Business License | Shanghai Pudong New Area Administration for Market Regulation | November 16, 2041 | |||
Record-filing Certificate of Classification Protection of Information System Security — S3A3 | Shanghai Municipal Public Security Bureau | Long Term | ||||
Insurance brokerage license | China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission Shanghai Bureau | September 1, 2026 | ||||
Zhibao Health | Business License | Shanghai Pudong New Area Administration for Market Regulation | November 15, 2052 |
Our Services
Our service portfolio includes (i) insurance brokerage services, and (ii) MGU services.
Insurance Brokerage Services — Our Primary Business Line
Insurance Brokerage Services is our primary business line, accounting for over 75% of our overall revenue. We provide embedded digital insurance brokerage services to end customers through B channels supported by our digital insurance brokerage platform — our proprietary PaaS providing insurance solutions embedded in the customer engagement matrix of our B channels, including but not limited to their websites, App, Wechat Mini Programs, Douyin (the Chinese equivalent of TikTok) and other social media accounts. An insurance solution refers to an insurance brokerage service specially designed for a B channel and its end customers, which integrates online operations, systems, insurance products and customer services.
For the fiscal years ended June 30, 2022 and 2023 and six months ended December 31, 2023, the revenue generated from the digital insurance brokerage services was approximately RMB 84.3 million (US$12.6 million), RMB 119.8 million (US$16.5 million) and RMB 75.4 million (US$10.6 million), respectively, accounting for approximately 78%. 84% and 88%, respectively, of our total revenues.
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Overview of Platform
With a deep understanding of the needs and challenges facing our B channels and end customers, driven by digital technology, we introduced 2B2C business model as our primary marketing channel by building relationships with B channels to reach end customers and utilizing our digital insurance brokerage platform to support this business model. Our platform, launched in 2020, adopts this new business model and is embedded in, and primarily accessible through, the digital platforms of our B channels, i.e. their websites, Apps, WeChat Mini Programs, coupled with a small amount of transactions through our direct operation channel, primarily our own WeChat Mini Program. A wide range of digital insurance brokerage services run on our platform, including customer AARRR operation, channel management, and customer service, specific to each solution and each embedded scenario.
Our platform is the first digital insurance brokerage platform in China, which provides a wide range of insurance solutions to our end customers. As of the date of this prospectus, we have more than 40 innovative insurance solutions on our platform covering the corresponding insurance scenarios in different industries, including but not limited to travel, outdoor activities, sports, travel, logistics, utilities (e.g., municipal gas), and e-commerce. Each insurance solution generally targets one scenario within the primary industry of our B channels and based on the actual needs of their end customers, powered and supported by a series of proprietary systems we build and run on our platform. Each end customer accesses our insurance solutions via a system embedded in our B channel’s digital channels, or via our own WeChat Mini Program. Once they log into our system and prior to clicking the “Purchase” button, our end user must agree to our Brokerage Agreement, authorizing us to represent him (or her) in securing such insurance transaction. Afterwards, the insurance premium is collected either by the insurance company directly or via us (for later settlement with the insurer) and the policy is electronically and automatically issued by the insurance company.
Each of our insurance solutions includes the following elements:
(i) Insurance Product Design and Customization: we customize and design bespoke insurance products, including insurance coverage, premium price, and service offerings that cater to the specific business nature of our B channels and the needs of their end customers.
(ii) Insurer Selection: We represent our B channels and end customers when selecting an insurance company. If necessary, we will set up a bidding process to obtain the best terms and conditions from insurance companies on behalf of our end customers. After an insurance is placed with an insurer, we will continually monitor its service performance, and request service improvement when necessary.
(iii) Technology System Interconnection: we set up customized one-stop digital insurance brokerage service systems for our B channels and end customers, including the establishment of a B channel specific and dedicated service website or other online portal for end customers, and the integration of this portal into our platform.
(iv) Customer AARRR Operation and Promotion: we carry out various marketing and promotional activities for end customers on a variety of digital channels including but not limited to website, App, social media, WeChat Official Account and Mini Programs, Douyin (the Chinese version of TikTok) and other social media accounts.
(v) Customer Service: We have a dedicated and experienced customer service team, combined with AI, to provide end customers with one-on-one insurance policy consultation, claim support and other services via online, phone, and in-person meeting.
(vi) Regulatory Compliance Management: We ensure that insurance product, sales process, online and offline marketing and service are all in compliance with the relevant PRC regulation and rules. All sales should be pre-approved and all the records are kept on our business management system. This includes retracing of the process and recordings of the sales transaction as required by the relevant regulator, as well as relevant data privacy and security regulations in China.
(vii) Data Analysis: We collect data during the course of our insurance brokerage services, including but not limited to sales, claims, operation, and market feedback data. We utilize big data technology and our proprietary algorithms to keep improving every aspect of our insurance solutions and share the data analysis with our B channels and the insurance companies (if necessary).
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Working Mechanism of Platform and Its Technology Infrastructure
The working mechanism of our platform is illustrated in below chart:
We launched the first digital insurance brokerage platform in 2020 in China. This platform includes (i) the 2B2C insurance PaaS, (ii) our digital insurance solutions, and (iii) delivery system. Through our platform, we can provide SaaS to our various B channels and insurance brokerage services to our end customers.
(i) Our PaaS is a cloud-based development and running platform which offers a collection of 2B2C insurance tools for building the systems required for various insurance solutions efficiently. Our PaaS was developed out of our professional knowledge and experience gained from real-world deployment of systems over the course of the past 8 years. The work mechanism of our PaaS is illustrated in the below chart.
Business SaaS Systems Grouping contains the specific SaaS systems provided to each relevant participants in the insurance brokerage business. For example, the B Channel Center provides SaaS functionality to our B channels, including multi-level distribution, reconciliation of accounts, business analytics etc. At the simplest level, after setting up the relevant sales team/distribution network and insurance products within our B Channel Center, we can quickly launch insurance sales to end customers.
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Biz Components & Tools Grouping provides a complete and fundamental toolset for our 2B2C brokerage business. For example, our integrated payment center collects Alipay, WeChat Pay and other major payment methods into an integrated tool. All solutions that utilize this tool enables end customers to use the most convenient payment methods to complete their payment. Our unified messaging tool provides access to short messaging service (“SMS”), WeChat messaging, email and other communication channels with various templates. Solutions that utilize this component can choose various communication channels relevant to their specific scenario to reach and engage end customers. As a further example, our AI Q&A Tool allows our various solutions to provide online automated responses to varying communication strategies. Our Biz Components & Tools offers abundant fundamental tools to our different solutions, greatly improving our ability to quickly respond to business needs and deploy necessary systems.
Data Center provides a strong data analytics capability and data intelligence tools. For example, it can intelligently assess and matches end customer needs via customer-insight and digital customer AARRR operation tools, provided that we receive customer permission to do so. This can improve customer experience, operational efficiency, and customer value add across the client’s entire lifecycle with us. It can also provide various analytics and reporting tools for our various solutions, providing our B channels with improved management and data analysis capabilities.
Technical Center is the operational platform that our various solution operating systems utilizing our PaaS run on. This technical system utilizes cloud infrastructure provided by leading cloud systems providers, and has received ISO 27001 and local equivalent data security certification. Utilizing our technology platform provides usability, strong operational reliability, expandability and security. It helps reduce technological complexity for our systems, greatly improving efficiency for our online systems and therefore our business.
Our PaaS was developed out of our professional knowledge and experience gained from real-world deployment of systems in the past eight years. The tools of our PaaS is analogous to providing “pre-washed” and “pre-cut” raw materials, allowing us to quickly and reliably output “cooked dishes”. Without such a PaaS, building the necessary solution-specific systems would be a complicated and slow process with no guarantee of a positive user experience. Our PaaS is not only for our internal solution-specific systems, but can be extended to our independent sales partners. It allows such partners to share our highly-efficient tools and workflows, and incubate new solutions without having to start from scratch each time. Furthermore, the unified design foundation of our PaaS allows us to develop brand new solutions as well as to piggyback additional solutions on top of those already deployed with reusable system components, data consistency and customer convenience.
(ii) Our various insurance solutions are built and run based on the PaaS. These solutions are delivered to B channels by embedding within the B channels’ platforms, including but not limited to WeChat Official Accounts, Websites, and insurance modules within Apps. Our end customers can purchase insurance products and have access to insurance services via our B channel’s website, App, H5 page, QR codes.
(iii) Our delivery system, according to the best practices of digital insurance brokerage service, breaks down our various solutions into workflows, work nodes, automatic resource assignments, and deliverable standards. On the delivery system, business opportunities are segregated into different industries which are automatically mapped to our various solutions. It also allows us to collect and consider the specific needs from each B channel. The delivery system then runs the pre-set workflow, standardizing our processes and providing higher-quality and higher-efficiency deliverables. According to the specific needs of our B channels, the delivery system can make changes to the standard workflow to meet these customizations. Our delivery system helps us greatly improve our delivery efficiency, quality and channel satisfaction.
MGU Services
We provide MGU services to insurance companies and are authorized to assist them in product design, underwriting, reinsurance, claims and risk control services within specific product or market segments. Our MGU service is powered by our MGU system, which is customized and developed specifically for our MGU business and constitutes part of our digital insurance brokerage platform. For our MGU business, we act as a third-party administrator (“TPA”) for our insurance companies, and an insurance license is not required for this business model.
We are the pioneer of the MGU model in China with a focus on high-end medical insurance. We provide one-stop digital MGU services to domestic insurance companies and overseas reinsurance companies, covering product design, underwriting, risk control, claims settlement, reinsurance, sales and supplier management and other related matters.
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Our MGU services provide the easiest and most efficient way for overseas insurances or reinsurance companies to enter the China market as they do not need to invest in and scale up their own local capabilities. Conversely, our MGU services allow local Chinese insurers to easily enter a niche or specialized market segment with minimal up-front investment. The demand for high-end medical insurance is growing and the market size in terms of gross written premium (“GWP”) is expanding rapidly. We currently have MGU agreements with seven insurance companies, including five domestic insurers and two international reinsurers.
For the fiscal years ended June 30, 2022 and 2023 and six months ended December 31, 2023, the revenues generated from the MGU services were approximately RMB 24.3 million (US$3.6 million), RMB 22.8 million (US$3.1 million) and RMB 9.2 million (US$1.3 million), respectively, accounting for approximately 22%, 16%, and 12% respectively, of our total revenues.
Our B Channels
Our B channels are indispensable to our model by allowing our platform to be embedded in their customer engagement channels, which provide us with a stable and reliable end customer base. This allows us to minimize our customer acquisition costs compared with traditional brokerage service providers, who may invest in a large amount of capital in direct-to-consumer marketing and advertising.
Our B channels include internet platforms, government agencies, and large and medium-size enterprises, covering most provinces and major cities of China, including but not limited to Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen. We expect to expand our B channel base by enhancing our cooperation with insurance companies, other insurance brokerage companies and technology companies who have connections to potential target B channels. Although our B channels do not directly generate any revenues for us, they are essential to our business as they provide us unique opportunities to reach and serve the end customers. As of the date of this prospectus, we have a total of more than 1,500 B channels.
Our B channels generally charge certain intermediary fees for allowing our platform to be embedded in their customer engagement channels (“Intermediary Fees”) ranging from 30% to 50% of the Insurance Brokerage Fee collected by us.
We generally have a multi-year agreement with each of our B channels. The key terms of the agreements include our service to end customers, revenue sharing, each parties’ responsibility in the service process.
We have established healthy and stable relationships with our B channels, which form a solid, constant, and reliable source of end customers for our operation. We will continue to deepen our relationship with existing B channels, and identify and secure new B channels to drive our continual growth.
Our End Customers
A sound customer base is instrumental to our success. Our end customers generally include individuals, families, and small- and medium enterprises (“SMEs”), the vast majority of which are sourced from our B channels. Our end customers can access our insurance services via our embedded online brokerage system in the B channels’ customer engagement channels or via our own WeChat Mini Program.
Our end customers may be converted into our direct customers and receive our ongoing insurance brokerage services by logging into our WeChat Mini Program, thus driving growth in our direct-to-customer, or 2C business. We started our 2C business in the middle of 2022 and have launched a number of 2C solutions to provide the consulting service and different types of insurance products to end customers with different needs.
As of the date of this prospectus, we have a total of more than 10 million end customers. While we do not collect any revenue directly from our end customers (i.e., membership fees), we do receive revenue in the form of Insurance Brokerage and MGU Fees from the insurance companies as a result of these end customers purchasing (an) insurance policy(s).
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Insurance Companies
Insurance companies are essential to our business model as they provide insurance services to our end customers. As of the date of this prospectus, we have partnered with over 100 insurance companies (including their subsidiaries and branches) in China, which provide our end customers with a wide variety of insurance products.
Insurance companies we work with include property and casualty (P&C) insurance companies, life and pension insurance companies, health insurance companies and other insurance institutions. Our agreements with insurance companies are governed by either framework agreements or confirmed through emails, containing customary contract terms in our industry. Each insurance company is required to be qualified to do insurance business under the competent jurisdictions to provide insurance products and service to our end customers.
Insurance companies are connected with us through our PaaS and offline activities.
Our revenues are generated from Insurance Brokerage and MGU Services Fees, most of which are sourced from insurance companies, generally payable to us after the end customer has purchased and paid for their policy. For the fiscal years ended June 30, 2022 and 2023, one key insurance company (“Key Insurer A”) contributed approximately RMB 15.7 million and RMB 16.6 million, respectively, to our revenues, accounting for approximately 14.4% and 11.7%, respectively, of our total revenues. For the six months ended December 31, 2023, one key insurance company (“Key Insurer B”) accounted for more than 15% of our total revenues. Zhibao China and Sunshine Insurance Brokers have over two years of partnership with Key Insurer A and Key Insurer B, and we expect that Zhibao China and Sunshine Insurance Brokers will continue to have a stable and healthy partnership with those companies. We will continue to work with our existing insurance company partners, and identify and secure new insurance company partners, to expand our supply base.
Marketing and Sales
We market and sell our services through (i) independent sales partners, (ii) B channels, and (iii) our own sales team.
Independent Sales Partners refers to those partners who source B channels on our behalf and receive certain fees from us, usually in the range of 15% to 50% of Insurance Brokerage. We generally have a long-term agreement of one year or above with each of independent sales partners, with customary contract terms. As of the date of this prospectus, we have a total of approximately 40 independent sales partners, and approximately 20% of B channels are secured through them.
B Channels refer to our business channels who allow our digital brokerage solutions to be embedded in their various platforms to reach their end customer base. As of the date of this prospectus, we have established business cooperation with more than 1,500 business channels, through which we have acquired more than 10 million end customers.
We will continue to work with existing independent sales partners and business channels, and identify and secure new independent sales partners and business channels, to expand our marketing base and strength our brand recognition in China.
Our Own Sales Team refers to our own sales employees who develop B channels. As of August 31, 2024, we have a direct sales team of 82 people, all of whom are our full-time employees. The compensation package for our sales team includes fixed base salaries and commissions ranging from 0 – 10% of our revenue. Our own sales team are located in both our head office and branches. We provide our sales team with regular training and delivery systems to assist them in quickly becoming proficient and productive sales personnel.
Customer Services
We provide basic customer services and value-added customer services to our end customers. Basic customer services include insurance policy renewal, day-to-day consultation, claims assistance and other related services, to our end customers. Value-added customer services refer to health service, family insurance planning and other related services.
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All end customers may contact us through our WeChat Official Account, our WeChat Mini Program and our customer service hotline at 400-820-9619 for assistance. We may also provide offline face-to-face customer services based on the needs of the end customers.
As of August 31, 2024, we have an operations team of 43 people, including an online service team of 30 people, primarily responsible for online customer service operations, and an additional team of 13 people carrying out customer AARRR operation activities.
Research and Development (“R&D”)
Our R&D primarily focuses on the research and development of our digital insurance brokerage platform, including technology innovations, development, system function and feature upgrades. Our R&D efforts also involve research and development on our insurance solutions’ innovations, replacement, upgrades, upgrades and improvement.
As of August 31, 2024, we had a team of 26 employees engaged in the R&D activities, all of which had obtained at least a Bachelor degree, with average R&D work experience of approximately 9 years. For the fiscal years ended June 30, 2022 and 2023 and six months ended December 31, 2023, our R&D expenses were approximately RMB 7.7 million (US$1.2 million), RMB 9.7 million (US$1.3 million) and RMB 7.3 million (US$1.0 million), respectively. R&D expenses mainly consist of salaries, and mandatory social insurance and housing funds contributions for our R&D personnel and outsourcing costs. We invest in R&D to continually develop and enhance the functionality of our platform and related systems, therefore keeping us abreast of new trends and customer preferences.
We adhere to a market-oriented R&D approach, and from May 2017 to December 2020, we and Fudan University jointly established China’s first Insurtech Lab, primarily focusing on the insurance product innovations and risk management supported by artificial intelligence and big data technology.
In the future, we expect R&D expenses to increase as we continue to accelerate the development of new services and functions, in addition to enhancing and upgrading existing services and functions.
Environmental Matters
Due to the nature of our services, Zhibao’s PRC operating entities are not involved in the high-risk and heavy pollution industry. We are in strict compliance with the national and local environmental laws and regulations in China, and prioritize the environmental protection in our daily business operations.
As of the date of this prospectus, we are not aware of any warning, investigations, prosecutions, disputes, claims or other proceedings in respect of environmental protection, nor have we been punished or can foresee any punishment to be made by any government authorities of China. If new services are developed in the future and environmental measures are needed according to law, we will take corresponding environmental protection measures according to relevant laws and regulations.
Our Competition
The insurance brokerage industry is an increasingly competitive segment. However, we believe that we can achieve long-term success by differentiating ourselves from our competitors through our ongoing innovations. We pioneered an innovative business model, the 2B2C embedded insurance model in 2016. According to the Frost & Sullivan Report, we rank number one in the 2B2C digital insurance brokerage service market in terms of revenue and market share in China. In addition, we have established the very first digital insurance brokerage platform powered by our proprietary PaaS in China. We believe that as the first mover, we are well positioned to capitalize on China’s fast-growing insurance market opportunity for our future business growth with our ever-upgrading technology, brand recognition, and sales and marketing resources.
We have the following direct and non-direct competitors:
(i) Our direct competitors are those insurance brokerage firms which also engage in 2B2C insurance brokerage services. They are the later comers and are much smaller scale compared to us. They usually focus on one business area. For example, a small 2B2C insurance brokerage firm specializes on insurance services for short-term homestay rentals (similar to Airbnb). There are quite a number of such niche 2B2C insurance
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brokerage firms in China. However, some of them lack access to capital, technology, brand recognition and industry resources, and face significant headwinds to scale up their operations. We view these small and specialized players as M&A targets for us in the near future. According to the Frost & Sullivan Report, the top three 2B2C insurance brokerage firms in China are:
1. Zhibao
2022 market share 17.4%
2. Zhongce Insurance Broker Co. Ltd.
2022 market share 9.6%
3. Guangrun Insurance Broker Co. Ltd.
2022 market share 7.4%
(ii) In-house brokerage firms of internet companies are our non-direct competitors. These firms are usually fully owned subsidiaries of large internet companies. As such they are not independent brokers, their coverage is usually limited to the industry and end customer base of their parent company. Compared to them, we can directly and independently provide brokerage services to a wide variety of industries and end customers. We view these in-house brokerage firms as potential partners of our PaaS and digital insurance solutions.
(iii) Other independent digital insurance brokerage firms are our non-direct competitors. They have different business models from ours. They source and acquire end customers through capital-intensive direct marketing, advertising and acquisition. We believe that our 2B2C model is a superior one and can generate higher economic efficiency and capital return.
Our competitors, especially those focusing on traditional 2B business, may have stronger financial foundations, more established brand recognition, and/or longer standing relationships with their clients. However, we believe we can effectively compete in the industry based on our following principal competitive edges:
• Innovative 2B2C embedded insurance brokerage service business model with a stable source of end customers and minimal customer acquisition costs;
• Focus on Individual and SME business, a major driver of future growth in the Chinese insurance market;
• Innovative, diversified, and highly customized digital insurance solutions;
• Powerful technology platform;
• Brand equity and stable relationships with B channels and end customers;
• Diversified business portfolio and effective sales and marketing management system;
• Technology innovations and strong R&D capabilities.
Material Contracts
Set forth below is a summary of all material agreements to which we are a party.
Cooperation Agreement with Key Insurer A
On December 27, 2019, Zhibao China entered into a cooperation agreement with Key Insurer A for a term of two years commencing from January 1, 2020, ending on December 31, 2021, which was automatically renewed for an additional 12 months. On February 10, 2023, Zhibao China signed a new cooperation agreement with Key Insurer A, effective from January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2024, under similar terms and conditions.
Pursuant to those agreements, Zhibao China agreed to provide Key Insurer A with MGU services for its insurance products, including but not limited to insurance product design, assistance in sales and trainings, quotation management, assistance in enrollment and claims, risk management, customer services, and value-added services such
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as clinic appointments and scheduling. Key Insurer A provides our end customers with a variety of insurance products, among others, the Group Global Medical Insurance, Personal Global Medical Insurance, Group Disability Insurance, Global Cancer Medical Insurance, and Life Insurance.
In return for our MGU services, Key Insurer A pays us certain MGU Service Fees. In terms of the sales of its insurance products through its own sales team, Key Insurer A agreed to pay Zhibao China 14% of the premium of each insurance policy for managing Group Global Medical Insurance, Personal Global Medical Insurance, and Global Cancer Medical Insurance, and 18.21% of the premium of each insurance policy for managing Group Disability Insurance and Life Insurance. In terms of the sales of insurance products through the assistance of Zhibao China or with the assistance of “a third party” introduced by Zhibao China, Key Insurer A agreed to pay Zhibao China the difference between the maximum sales expense rate as stipulated in those agreements and the actual sales expense rate paid by Key Insurer A to the third party, at an average rate of approximately 15% in the practice.
Those agreements may be terminated immediately if (i) either party files for, or is in the proceeding of, bankruptcy, (ii) either party has sold, or intends to sell, 50% or more of its business without providing a written notice to the other party, and (iii) either party breaches the obligations as stipulated in those agreements and fails to cure the breach within 60 days after the receipt of the other party’s written request to cure.
As of the date of this prospectus, Zhibao China is current with its obligations under those agreements.
Cooperation Agreement with Key Insurer B
The cooperation agreement between Sunshine Insurance Brokers and Key Insurer B has been renewed annually since 2022. In December 2023, Sunshine Insurance Brokers entered into a cooperation agreement with Key Insurer B, which serves as primary insurer, and several co-insurers, for a term of one year commencing from January 1, 2024 and ending on December 31, 2024.
Pursuant to the agreement, Sunshine Insurance Brokers agreed to provide the insurers with digital insurance brokerage services for its insurance products, including but not limited to assisting in insurance product design and formation of co-insurance groups, WeChat official account registration and development and implementation of certain product promotion plans, as well as providing customer consultation services. The insurers provide our end customers with a variety of medical insurance products.
In return for our insurance brokerage services, the insurers pay us certain brokerage fees. The insurers agreed to pay Zhibao China 10.6% of the premium of each insurance policy generated through our brokerage services for a variety of medical insurance products.
This agreement may not be terminated unilaterally by any of the insurers during the term of the agreement unless we breach our obligations under the agreement. Pursuant to this agreement, if any of the insurers unilaterally ceases their performance under this agreement, it should be considered as a breach of contract and their undertakings shall be shared proportionately among the remaining insurers.
As of the date of this prospectus, Sunshine Insurance Brokers is current with its obligations under this agreement.
Shareholder Agreements between Zhibao China and Certain Investors
Between September 2016 and March 2021, Zhibao China completed several rounds of equity financing by entering into a series of shareholder agreements (the “Shareholder Agreements”) with certain investors, including four venture capital investors (“preferred shareholders”) to raise