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Top Wealth Group Holding Limited (TWG)
:TWG
US Market

Top Wealth Group Holding Limited (TWG) Risk Analysis

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Public companies are required to disclose risks that can affect the business and impact the stock. These disclosures are known as “Risk Factors”. Companies disclose these risks in their yearly (Form 10-K), quarterly earnings (Form 10-Q), or “foreign private issuer” reports (Form 20-F). Risk factors show the challenges a company faces. Investors can consider the worst-case scenarios before making an investment. TipRanks’ Risk Analysis categorizes risks based on proprietary classification algorithms and machine learning.

Top Wealth Group Holding Limited disclosed 70 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Top Wealth Group Holding Limited reported the most risks in the “Finance & Corporate” category.

Risk Overview Q4, 2023

Risk Distribution
70Risks
34% Finance & Corporate
23% Legal & Regulatory
14% Production
11% Macro & Political
10% Ability to Sell
7% Tech & Innovation
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
This chart displays the stock's most recent risk distribution according to category. TipRanks has identified 6 major categories: Finance & corporate, legal & regulatory, macro & political, production, tech & innovation, and ability to sell.

Risk Change Over Time

S&P500 Average
Sector Average
Risks removed
Risks added
Risks changed
Top Wealth Group Holding Limited Risk Factors
New Risk (0)
Risk Changed (0)
Risk Removed (0)
No changes from previous report
The chart shows the number of risks a company has disclosed. You can compare this to the sector average or S&P 500 average.

The quarters shown in the chart are according to the calendar year (January to December). Businesses set their own financial calendar, known as a fiscal year. For example, Walmart ends their financial year at the end of January to accommodate the holiday season.

Risk Highlights Q4, 2023

Main Risk Category
Finance & Corporate
With 24 Risks
Finance & Corporate
With 24 Risks
Number of Disclosed Risks
70
S&P 500 Average: 31
70
S&P 500 Average: 31
Recent Changes
0Risks added
0Risks removed
0Risks changed
Since Dec 2023
0Risks added
0Risks removed
0Risks changed
Since Dec 2023
Number of Risk Changed
0
S&P 500 Average: 3
0
S&P 500 Average: 3
See the risk highlights of Top Wealth Group Holding Limited in the last period.

Risk Word Cloud

The most common phrases about risk factors from the most recent report. Larger texts indicate more widely used phrases.

Risk Factors Full Breakdown - Total Risks 70

Finance & Corporate
Total Risks: 24/70 (34%)Below Sector Average
Share Price & Shareholder Rights16 | 22.9%
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 1
As an "emerging growth company" under applicable law, we will be subject to lessened disclosure requirements. Such reduced disclosure may make our Ordinary Shares less attractive to investors.
For as long as we remain an "emerging growth company," as defined in the JOBS Act, we will elect to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not "emerging growth companies", including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. Because of these lessened regulatory requirements, our shareholders would be left without information or rights available to shareholders of more mature companies. If some investors find our Ordinary Shares less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our Ordinary Shares and our share price may be more volatile.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 2
We are an "emerging growth company" within the meaning of the Securities Act, and if we take advantage of certain exemptions from disclosure requirements available to emerging growth companies, this could make it more difficult to compare our performance with other public companies.
We are an "emerging growth company" within the meaning of the Securities Act, as modified by the JOBS Act. Section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act exempts emerging growth companies from being required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies (that is, those that have not had a Securities Act registration statement declared effective or do not have a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act) are required to comply with the new or revised financial accounting standards. The JOBS Act provides that a company can elect to opt out of the extended transition period and comply with the requirements that apply to non-emerging growth companies but any such an election to opt out is irrevocable. We have elected not to opt out of such extended transition period, which means that when a standard is issued or revised, and it has different application dates for public or private companies, we, as an emerging growth company, can adopt the new or revised standard at the time private companies adopt the new or revised standard. This may make comparison of our financial statements with another public company which is neither an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company which has opted out of using the extended transition period difficult or impossible because of the potential differences in accountant standards used.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 3
There can be no assurance that we will not be a passive foreign investment company, or PFIC, for United States federal income tax purposes for any taxable year, which could subject United States investors in our Ordinary Shares to significant adverse United States income tax consequences.
We will be classified as a passive foreign investment company, or PFIC, for any taxable year if either (i) 75% or more of our gross income for such year consists of certain types of "passive" income, or (ii) 50% or more of the value of our assets (determined on the basis of a quarterly average) during such year produce or are held for the production of passive income (the "asset test"). Based upon our current and expected income and assets, as well as projections as to the market price of our Ordinary Shares, we do not presently expect to be classified as a PFIC for the current taxable year or the foreseeable future. While we do not expect to be a PFIC, because the value of our assets, for purposes of the asset test, may be determined by reference to the market price of our Ordinary Shares, fluctuations in the market price of our Ordinary Shares may cause us to become a PFIC classification for the current or subsequent taxable years. The determination of whether we will be or become a PFIC will also depend, in part, on the composition and classification of our income, including the relative amounts of income generated by and the value of assets of our future strategic investment business as compared to our other businesses. Because there are uncertainties in the application of the relevant rules, it is possible that the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, or IRS, may challenge our classification of certain income and assets as non-passive which may result in our being or becoming a PFIC in the current or subsequent years. In addition, the composition of our income and assets will also be affected by how, and how quickly, we use our liquid assets and the cash raised in the initial public offering. If we determine not to deploy significant amounts of cash for active purposes, our risk of being a PFIC may substantially increase. Because there are uncertainties in the application of the relevant rules and PFIC status is a factual determination made annually after the close of each taxable year, there can be no assurance that we will not be a PFIC for the current taxable year or any future taxable year. If we are a PFIC in any taxable year, a U.S. Holder (as defined in "Taxation-United States Federal Income Tax Considerations") may incur significantly increased United States income tax on gain recognized on the sale or other disposition of our Ordinary Shares and on the receipt of distributions on our Ordinary Shares to the extent such gain or distribution is treated as an "excess distribution" under the United States federal income tax rules, and such holder may be subject to burdensome reporting requirements. Further, if we are a PFIC for any year during which a U.S. Holder holds our Ordinary Shares, we will generally continue to be treated as a PFIC for all succeeding years during which such U.S. Holder holds our Ordinary Shares. For more information see "Item 10. Additional Information-10.E. Taxation-United States Federal Income Tax Considerations-Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules."
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 4
As a company incorporated in the Cayman Islands, we are permitted to adopt certain Cayman Islands' practices in relation to corporate governance matters that differ significantly from the Nasdaq Capital Market listing standards; these practices may afford less protection to shareholders than they would enjoy if we complied fully with the Nasdaq Capital Market listing standards.
As a Cayman Islands company to be listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market, we are subject to the Nasdaq Capital Market listing standards. However, the Nasdaq Capital Market rules permit a foreign private issuer like us to follow the corporate governance practices of its home country. Certain corporate governance practices in the Cayman Islands, which is our home country, may differ significantly from the Nasdaq Capital Market listing standards. Currently, we do not plan to rely on home country practices with respect to our corporate governance. However, if we choose to follow home country practices in the future, our shareholders may be afforded less protection than they would otherwise enjoy under the Nasdaq Capital Market listing standards applicable to U.S. domestic issuers.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 5
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 a company formed under the laws of the Cayman Islands. Our corporate affairs are governed by our memorandum and articles of association, the Companies Act and the common law of the Cayman Islands. The rights of shareholders to take action against our directors, actions by our minority shareholders and the fiduciary duties of our directors to us under the Cayman Islands laws are to a large extent governed by the common 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 the Cayman Islands laws 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, the Cayman Islands companies may not have standing to initiate a shareholder derivative action in a federal court of the United States. Shareholders of Cayman Islands companies like us have no general rights under the Cayman Islands laws to inspect corporate records, other than the amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and any special resolutions passed by such companies, and the registers of mortgages and charges of such 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, where our holding company was incorporated, differ significantly from requirements for companies incorporated in other jurisdictions such as the United States. Currently, we do not plan to rely on home country practice with respect to our corporate governance. However, if we choose to follow the Cayman Islands' 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 our board of directors, or our Controlling Shareholder than they would as public shareholders of a company incorporated in the United States.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 6
If we cease to qualify as a foreign private issuer, we would be required to comply fully with the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act applicable to U.S. domestic issuers, and we would incur significant additional legal, accounting and other expenses that we would not incur as a foreign private issuer.
We qualify as a foreign private issuer. As a foreign private issuer, we will be exempt from the rules under the Exchange Act prescribing the furnishing and content of proxy statements, and our officers, directors and principal shareholders will be exempt from the reporting and short-swing profit recovery provisions contained in Section 16 of the Exchange Act. In addition, we will not be required under the Exchange Act to file periodic reports and financial statements with the SEC as frequently or as promptly as U.S. domestic issuers, and we will not be required to disclose in our periodic reports all of the information that U.S. domestic issuers are required to disclose. We may cease to qualify as a foreign private issuer in the future, and consequently, we would be required to fully comply with the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act applicable to U.S. domestic issuers, and we would incur significant additional legal, accounting and other expenses that we would not incur as a foreign private issuer.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 7
Although as a foreign private issuer we are exempt from certain corporate governance standards applicable to U.S. issuers, if we cannot satisfy, or continue to satisfy, the initial listing requirements and other rules of Nasdaq, our securities may be delisted, which could negatively impact the price of our securities and your ability to sell them.
In order to maintain our listing on Nasdaq, we will be required to comply with certain rules of Nasdaq, including those regarding minimum stockholders' equity, minimum share price, minimum market value of publicly held shares, and various additional requirements. Even if we initially meet the listing requirements and other applicable rules of Nasdaq, we may not be able to continue to satisfy these requirements and applicable rules. If we are unable to satisfy the criteria of Nasdaq for maintaining our listing, our securities could be subject to delisting, which would have a negative effect on the price of our Ordinary Shares and impair your ability to sell your shares. If Nasdaq does not list our securities, or subsequently delists our securities from trading, we could face significant consequences, including: - a limited availability for market quotations for our Ordinary Shares;- reduced liquidity with respect to our Ordinary Shares;- a determination that our Ordinary Shares are "penny stock," which will require brokers trading in our 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 Ordinary Shares;- limited amount of news and analyst coverage; and - a decreased ability to issue additional securities or obtain additional financing in the future.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 8
Because we are a foreign private issuer and are exempt from certain Nasdaq corporate governance standards applicable to U.S. issuers, you will have less protection than you would have if we were a domestic issuer.
The Nasdaq Listing Rules require listed companies to have, among other things, a majority of its board members be independent. As a foreign private issuer, however, we are permitted to, and we may follow home country practice in lieu of the above requirements. The corporate governance practice in our home country, the Cayman Islands, does not require a majority of our board to consist of independent directors. In addition, the Nasdaq Listing Rules also require U.S. domestic issuers to have a compensation committee, a nominating/corporate governance committee and an audit committee. We, as a foreign private issuer, are not subject to these requirements. The Nasdaq Listing Rules may require shareholder approval for certain corporate matters, such as requiring that shareholders be given the opportunity to vote on all equity compensation plans and material revisions to those plans, certain ordinary share issuances. We intend to comply with the corporate governance requirements of the Nasdaq Listing Rules. However, we may, in the future, consider following home country practice in lieu of the requirements under the Nasdaq Listing Rules with respect to certain corporate governance standards which may afford less protection to investors.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 9
Our board of directors may decline to register transfers of Ordinary Shares in certain circumstances.
Our board of directors may, in its sole discretion, decline to register any transfer of any ordinary share which is not fully paid up or on which we have a lien. Our directors may also decline to register any transfer of any share unless (i) the instrument of transfer is lodged with us, accompanied by the certificate for the shares to which it relates and such other evidence as our board of directors may reasonably require to show the right of the transferor to make the transfer; (ii) the instrument of transfer is in respect of only one class of shares; (iii) the instrument of transfer is properly stamped, if required; (iv) in the case of a transfer to joint holders, the number of joint holders to whom the share is to be transferred does not exceed four; (v) the shares conceded are free of any lien in favor of us; or (vi) a fee of such maximum sum as Nasdaq may determine to be payable, or such lesser sum as our board of directors may from time to time require, is paid to us in respect thereof. If our directors refuse to register a transfer they shall, within three months after the date on which the instrument of transfer was lodged, send to each of the transferor and the transferee notice of such refusal. The registration of transfers may, after compliance with any notice requirement of the Nasdaq Stock Market, be suspended and the register closed at such times and for such periods as our board of directors may from time to time determine, provided, however, that the registration of transfers shall not be suspended nor the register closed for more than 30 days in any year.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 10
The sale or availability for sale of substantial amounts of our Ordinary Shares in the public market could adversely affect their market price.
Sales of substantial amounts of our Ordinary Shares in the public market, or the perception that these sales could occur, could adversely affect the market price of our Ordinary Shares and could materially impair our ability to raise capital through equity offerings in the future. The 2,000,000 Ordinary Shares sold in our initial public offering completed are freely tradable without restriction or further registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, and shares held by our existing shareholders may also be sold in the public market in the future, subject to the restrictions in Rule 144 and Rule 701 under the Securities Act and the applicable lock-up agreements. 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 Ordinary Shares.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 11
If we fail to meet applicable listing requirements, Nasdaq may delist our Ordinary Shares from trading, in which case the liquidity and market price of our Ordinary Shares could decline.
Assuming our Ordinary Shares are listed on Nasdaq, we cannot assure you that we will be able to meet the continued listing standards of Nasdaq in the future. If we fail to comply with the applicable listing standards and Nasdaq delists our Ordinary Shares, we and our Shareholders could face significant material adverse consequences, including: - a limited availability of market quotations for our Ordinary Shares;- reduced liquidity for our Ordinary Shares;- a determination that our Ordinary Shares are "penny stock", which would require brokers trading in our 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 Ordinary Shares;- a limited amount of news about us and analyst coverage of us; and - a decreased ability for us to issue additional equity securities or obtain additional equity or debt financing in the future. The National Securities Markets Improvement Act of 1996, which is a federal statute, prevents or pre-empts the states from regulating the sale of certain securities, which are referred to as "covered securities." Because Ordinary Shares are listed on Nasdaq, such securities 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. Further, if we were no longer listed on Nasdaq, our securities would not be covered securities and we would be subject to regulations in each state in which we offer our securities.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 12
If securities or industry analysts do not publish or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, or if they adversely change their recommendations regarding our Ordinary Shares, the market price for our Ordinary Shares and trading volume could decline.
The trading market for our Ordinary Shares will depend in part on the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish about us or our business. If research analysts do not establish and maintain adequate research coverage or if one or more of the analysts who covers us downgrades our Ordinary Shares or publishes inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, the market price for our Ordinary Shares would likely decline. If one or more of these analysts cease coverage of the Company or fail to publish reports on us regularly, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which, in turn, could cause the market price or trading volume for our Ordinary Shares to decline.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 13
Our Ordinary Shares may be thinly traded and you may be unable to sell at or near ask prices or at all if you need to sell your shares to raise money or otherwise desire to liquidate your shares.
When our Ordinary Shares are trading on Nasdaq, our Ordinary Shares may be "thinly-traded", meaning that the number of persons interested in purchasing our Ordinary Shares at or near bid prices at any given time may be relatively small or non-existent. This situation may be attributable to a number of factors, including the fact that we are relatively unknown to stock analysts, stock brokers, institutional investors and others in the investment community that generate or influence sales volume, and that even if we came to the attention of such persons, they tend to be risk-averse and might be reluctant to follow an unproven company such as ours or purchase or recommend the purchase of our shares until such time as we become more seasoned. As a consequence, there may be periods of several days or more when trading activity in our shares is minimal or non-existent, as compared to a seasoned issuer which has a large and steady volume of trading activity that will generally support continuous sales without an adverse effect on share price. Broad or active public trading market for our Ordinary Shares may not develop or be sustained.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 14
The trading price of our Ordinary Shares may be volatile, which could result in substantial losses to you.
The trading price of our Ordinary Shares is likely to be volatile and could fluctuate widely due to factors beyond our control. This may happen due to broad market and industry factors, such as performance and fluctuation in the market prices or underperformance or deteriorating financial results of other listed companies based in Hong Kong and Mainland China. The securities of some of these companies have experienced significant volatility since their initial public offerings, including, in some cases, substantial price declines in the trading price of their securities. The trading performances of other Hong Kong and Chinese companies' securities after their offerings may affect the attitudes of investors towards Hong Kong-based, U.S.-listed companies, which consequently may affect the trading performance of our Ordinary Shares, regardless of our actual operating performance. In addition, any negative news or perceptions about inadequate corporate governance practices or fraudulent accounting, corporate structure or matters of other Hong Kong and Chinese companies may also negatively affect the attitudes of investors towards Hong Kong and Chinese companies in general, including us, regardless of whether we have conducted any inappropriate activities. Furthermore, securities markets may from time to time experience significant price and volume fluctuations that are not related to our operating performance, which may have a material and adverse effect on the trading price of our Ordinary Shares. In addition to the above factors, the price and trading volume of our Ordinary Shares may be highly volatile due to multiple factors, including the following: - political, social and economic conditions in Mainland China and Hong Kong;- variations in our revenue, profit, and cash flow;- the operating and stock price performance of other companies, other industries and other events or factors beyond our control;- fluctuations of exchange rates among HKD, RMB, and USD;- general market conditions or other developments affecting us or the caviar industry in which we operate;- actual or anticipated fluctuations in our results of operations and changes or revisions of our expected results;- changes in financial estimates or recommendations by securities research analysts;- detrimental negative publicity about us, our services, our officers, directors, Controlling Shareholders, other beneficial owners, our business partners, or our industry;- announcements by us or our competitors of new product offerings, acquisitions, strategic relationships, joint ventures, capital raisings or capital commitments;- additions to or departures of our senior management;- litigation or regulatory proceedings involving us, our officers, Directors, or Controlling Shareholders;- developments in information technology and our capability to catch up with the technology innovations in the industry;- the realization of any of the other risk factors presented in this annual report;- changes in investors' perception of our Company and the investment environment generally;- the liquidity of the market for our Ordinary Shares;- release or expiry of lock-up or other transfer restrictions on our outstanding Ordinary Shares; and - sales or perceived potential sales of additional Ordinary Shares. Any of these factors may result in large and sudden changes in the volume and price at which our Ordinary Shares will be traded. Recently, there have been instances of extreme stock price run-ups followed by rapid price declines and strong stock price volatility with a number of recent initial public offerings, especially among companies with relatively smaller public floats. As a relatively small-capitalization company with relatively small public float, we may experience greater stock price volatility, extreme price run-ups, lower trading volume and less liquidity than large-capitalization companies. In particular, our Ordinary Shares may be subject to rapid and substantial price volatility, low volumes of trades and large spreads in bid and ask prices. Such volatility, including any stock-run up, may be unrelated to our actual or expected operating performance, financial conditions or prospects, making it difficult for prospective investors to assess the rapidly changing value of our Ordinary Shares. In addition, if the trading volumes of our Ordinary Shares are low, persons buying or selling in relatively small quantities may easily influence prices of our Ordinary Shares. This low volume of trades could also cause the price of our Ordinary Shares to fluctuate greatly, with large percentage changes in price occurring in any trading day session. Holders of our Ordinary Shares may also not be able to readily liquidate their investment or may be forced to sell at depressed prices due to low volume trading. Broad market fluctuations and general economic and political conditions may also adversely affect the market price of our Ordinary Shares. As a result of this volatility, investors may experience losses on their investment in our Ordinary Shares. A decline in the market price of our Ordinary Shares also could adversely affect our ability to issue additional shares of Ordinary Shares or other securities and our ability to obtain additional financing in the future. No assurance can be given that an active market in our Ordinary Shares will develop or be sustained. If an active market does not develop, holders of our Ordinary Shares may be unable to readily sell the shares they hold or may not be able to sell their shares at all. 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 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 conditions and results of operations.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 15
The PCAOB may be unable to inspect or fully investigate our auditors as required under the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, or the HFCAA, as amended. If the PCAOB is unable to conduct such inspections for two consecutive years, the SEC will prohibit the trading of our shares. The delisting of our shares, or the threat of their being delisted, may materially and adversely affect the value of your investment. Additionally, the inability of the PCAOB to conduct inspections of our auditors would deprive our investors of the benefits of such inspections.
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 risks associated with investing in companies based in or have substantial operations in emerging markets including China. 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 a minimum offering size requirement for companies primarily operating in a "Restrictive Market", (ii) adopt a new requirement relating to the qualification of management or board of directors 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. On May 20, 2020, the U.S. Senate passed the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act ("HFCAA"), requiring a foreign company to certify it is not owned or controlled 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 to trade on a national securities exchange or in the over-the-counter trading market in the U.S. On December 2, 2020, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the HFCAA. On December 18, 2020, the HFCAA was signed into law. On March 24, 2021, the SEC announced that it had adopted interim final amendments to implement congressionally mandated submission and disclosure requirements of the HFCAA. The interim final amendments will apply to registrants that the SEC identifies as having filed an annual report on Forms 10-K, 20-F, 40-F or N-CSR with an audit report issued by a registered public accounting firm that is located in a foreign jurisdiction and that the PCAOB has determined it is unable to inspect or investigate completely because of a position taken by an authority in that jurisdiction. The SEC will implement a process for identifying such a registrant and any such identified registrant will be required to submit documentation to the SEC establishing that it is not owned or controlled by a governmental entity in that foreign jurisdiction, and will also require disclosure in the registrant's annual report regarding the audit arrangements of, and governmental influence on, such a registrant. On June 22, 2021, the U.S. Senate passed the Accelerating Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act ("AHFCAA"), which was signed into law on December 29, 2022, amending the HFCAA and requiring the SEC to prohibit an issuer's securities from trading on any U.S. stock exchange if its auditor is not subject to PCAOB inspections for two consecutive years instead of three consecutive years. On September 22, 2021, the PCAOB adopted a final rule implementing the HFCAA, which provides a framework for the PCAOB to use when determining, as contemplated under the HFCAA, whether the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely registered public accounting firms located in a foreign jurisdiction because of a position taken by one or more authorities in that jurisdiction. On December 2, 2021, the SEC issued amendments to finalize rules implementing the submission and disclosure requirements in the HFCAA. The rules apply to registrants that the SEC identifies as having filed an annual report with an audit report issued by a registered public accounting firm that is located in a foreign jurisdiction and that PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely because of a position taken by an authority in foreign jurisdictions. On December 16, 2021, the PCAOB issued a report on its determinations that it 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, which determinations were vacated on December 15, 2022. On August 26, 2022, the PCAOB announced that it had signed a Statement of Protocol (the "SOP") with the China Securities Regulatory Commission and the Ministry of Finance of China. The SOP, together with two protocol agreements governing inspections and investigations (together, the "SOP Agreement"), establishes a specific, accountable framework to make possible complete inspections and investigations by the PCAOB of audit firms based in mainland China and Hong Kong, as required under U.S. law. 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 in 2022. The PCAOB Board vacated its previous 2021 determinations that the PCAOB was unable to inspect or investigate completely registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong. However, whether the PCAOB will continue to be able to satisfactorily conduct inspections of PCAOB-registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong is subject to uncertainties and depends on a number of factors out of our and our auditor's control. The PCAOB continues to demand complete access in mainland China and Hong Kong moving forward and is making plans to resume regular inspections in early 2023 and beyond, as well as to continue pursuing ongoing investigations and initiate new investigations as needed. The PCAOB has also indicated that it will act immediately to consider the need to issue new determinations with the HFCAA if needed. Our auditor, Onestop Assurance PAC, the independent registered public accounting firm that issues the audit report for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 included in this annual report, is currently subject to PCAOB inspections and the PCAOB is able to inspect our auditor. Onestop Assurance PAC, headquartered in Singapore, has been inspected by the PCAOB on a regular basis. Our auditor is not headquartered in mainland China or Hong Kong and was not identified in this report as a firm subject to the PCAOB's determination. Therefore, we believe that, as of the date of this annual report, our auditor is not subject to the PCAOB determinations. Our ability to retain an auditor subject to PCAOB inspection and investigation, including but not limited to inspection of the audit working papers related to us, may depend on the relevant positions of U.S. and Chinese regulators. With respect to audits of companies with operations in China, such as the Company, there are uncertainties about the ability of our auditor to fully cooperate with a request by the PCAOB for audit working papers in China without the approval of Chinese authorities. Whether the PCAOB will be able to conduct inspections of our auditor, including but not limited to inspection of the audit working papers related to us, in the future is subject to substantial uncertainty and depends on a number of factors out of our, and our auditor's, control. If our shares and shares are prohibited from trading in the United States, there is no certainty that we will be able to list on a non-U.S. exchange or that a market for our shares will develop outside of the United States. Such a prohibition would substantially impair your ability to sell or purchase our shares when you wish to do so, and the risk and uncertainty associated with delisting would have a negative impact on the price of our shares. Also, such a prohibition would significantly affect our ability to raise capital on terms acceptable to us, or at all, which would have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition, and prospects.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 16
Our controlling shareholder has substantial influence over our company and his interests may not be aligned with the interests of our other shareholders.
As of the date of this Annual Report,, our largest shareholder, Winwin Development Group Limited, beneficially own approximately 69.52% of the aggregate voting power of our issued and outstanding Ordinary Shares, assuming no exercise of the underwriter's over-allotment option, or approximately 68.81% assuming full exercise of the underwriter's over-allotment option. Winwin Development Group Limited is in turn beneficially owned as to 90% and 10% by Mr. Kim Kwan Kings, WONG, our Chief Executive Officer, Chairman and Director, and Mr. Kin Fai, CHONG, respectively; and Mr. Kim Kwan Kings, WONG is also the sole director of Winwin Development Group Limited. As a result, Winwin Development Group Limited has the ability to control the outcome of matters submitted to the shareholders for approval, including the election of directors and any merger, consolidation, or sale of all or substantially all of our assets. Because our controlling shareholder, Winwin Development Group Limited, has consideration influence over our corporate matters, his interests may differ from the interests of our company as a whole and may have potential conflicts of interest with us. Accordingly, our controlling shareholders could control the outcome of any corporate transaction or other matters submitted to the shareholders for approval, including mergers, consolidations, election of directors and other significant corporate actions, including the power to prevent or cause a change in control. The interests of our largest shareholder may differ from the interests of our other shareholders. The controlling shareholder could, for example, appoint directors and management without the requisite experience, relations or knowledge to steer our company properly because of their affiliations or loyalty, and such actions may materially and adversely affect our business and financial condition. Without the consent of our controlling shareholders, we may be prevented from entering into transactions that could be beneficial to us or our other shareholders. The concentration in the ownership of our shares may cause a material decline in the value of our shares. Currently, we do not have any arrangements with our principal shareholder to address potential conflicts of interest. If we cannot resolve any conflict of interest or dispute between us and the controlling shareholder, we may have to resort to legal actions, which could disrupt our business and subject us to substantial uncertainty as to the outcome of any such legal proceedings.
Accounting & Financial Operations4 | 5.7%
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 1
Our internal controls over financial reporting may not be effective and our independent registered public accounting firm may not be able to certify as to their effectiveness, which could have a significant and adverse effect on our business and reputation.
Prior to our initial public offering, we were a private company with limited accounting personnel and other resources to address our internal controls and procedures. Accordingly, we will be in a continuing process of developing, establishing, and maintaining internal controls and procedures that will allow our management to report on, and our independent registered public accounting firm to attest to, our internal controls over financial reporting if and when required to do so under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. As a company with less than US$1.235 billion in revenue for the fiscal year of 2023, we qualify as an "emerging growth company" pursuant to the JOBS Act. An emerging growth company may take advantage of specified reduced reporting and other requirements that are otherwise applicable generally to public companies. These provisions include exemption from the auditor attestation requirement under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 in the assessment of the emerging growth company's internal control over financial reporting. This annual report does not include a report of management's assessment regarding internal control over financial reporting or an attestation report by our independent registered public accounting firm due to a transition period established by rules of the SEC for newly listed public companies.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 2
Because the amount, timing, and whether or not we distribute dividends at all is entirely at the discretion of our board of directors, you must rely on price appreciation of our Ordinary Shares for return on your investment.
Our board of directors has complete discretion as to whether to distribute dividends. In addition, our shareholders may by ordinary resolution declare a dividend, but no dividend may exceed the amount recommended by our board of directors. In either case, all dividends are subject to certain restrictions under the Cayman Islands law, namely that the Company may only pay dividends out of profits or share premium, and provided that under no circumstances may a dividend be paid if this would result in the Company being unable to pay its debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business. 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 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 Ordinary Shares will likely depend entirely upon any future price appreciation of our Ordinary Shares. We cannot assure you that our Ordinary Shares will appreciate in value or even maintain the price at which you purchased the Ordinary Shares. You may not realize a return on your investment in our Ordinary Shares and you may even lose your entire investment in our Ordinary Shares.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 3
We may not be able to maintain our historical growth rates or gross profit margins, and our operating results may fluctuate significantly. If our results fall below market expectations, the trading price of our Ordinary Shares may be affected.
We have experienced significant growth in our revenue and gross profit in the past years. We cannot assure you that we will be able to maintain our revenue growth or gross profit margins at historical levels, or at all. Moreover, our operating results may fluctuate significantly as a result of numerous factors, many of which are outside of our control. These factors include, among others: - our ability to maintain and further promote our operating subsidiary as a world-renowned supplier of caviar products;- our ability to attract new customers, maintain existing customers and expand our market share;- the success of our marketing and brand building efforts;- the timing and market acceptance of new products introduced by us or our competitors;- our ability to broaden our product portfolio at a reasonable cost and in a timely manner;- fluctuations in demand for our products as a result of changes in pricing policies by us or our competitors;- our ability to develop new products in response to changes in customer demographics and consumer tastes and preferences; and - changes in global economic conditions.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 4
We have a short operating history and are subject to risks and uncertainties associated with operating in a rapidly developing and evolving industry. Our limited operating history makes it difficult to evaluate our business and prospects.
We established our caviar business in Hong Kong in August 2021 and have subsequently experienced rapid growth. We expect we will continue to expand as global market presence, broaden our product portfolio, enlarge our customer bases and explore new market opportunities. However, due to our limited operating history, our historical growth rate may not be indicative of our future performance. Our future performance may be more susceptible to certain risks than a company with a longer operating history in a different industry. Many of the factors discussed below could adversely affect our business and prospects and future performance, including: - our ability to maintain, expand and further develop our relationships with customers;- our ability to introduce and manage new caviar products in response to changes in customer demographics and consumer tastes and preferences;- the continued growth and development of the caviar industry;- our ability to maintain the quality of our caviar products;- our ability to effectively manage our growth;- our ability to compete effectively with our competitors in the caviar industry; and - our ability to attract and retain qualified and skilled employees. You should consider our business and prospects in light of the risks and uncertainties we face as a fast growing company operating in a rapidly developing and evolving market. We may not be successful in addressing the risks and uncertainties listed above, among others, which may materially and adversely affect our business and prospects and future performance.
Debt & Financing1 | 1.4%
Debt & Financing - Risk 1
We may not be able to obtain finance from time to time to fund our operations and maintain growth.
In order to fund our operations and maintain our growth or expand our business, we may need to obtain future funding including equity financing or banking facilities from our banks from time to time. However, we may face the limitation of not having sufficient amount of security or pledge to secure additional debt financing. Further, there may be occasions where we are unable to obtain financing at commercial terms favorable or acceptable to us or at all. If these circumstances arise, our business, results of operations, and growth could be compromised.
Corporate Activity and Growth3 | 4.3%
Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 1
We will incur increased costs as a result of being a public company, particularly after we cease to qualify as an "emerging growth company."
We will incur significant legal, accounting and other expenses as a public company that we did not incur as a private company. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as well as rules subsequently implemented by the SEC, Nasdaq Capital Market, impose various requirements on the corporate governance practices of public companies. Compliance with these rules and regulations increases our legal and financial compliance costs and makes some corporate activities more time-consuming and costly. After we are no longer an "emerging growth company," or until five years following the completion of our initial public offering, whichever is earlier, we expect to incur significant expenses and devote substantial management effort toward ensuring compliance with the requirements of Section 404 and the other rules and regulations of the SEC. For example, as a public company, we have been required to increase the number of independent directors and adopt policies regarding internal controls and disclosure controls and procedures. We have incurred additional costs in obtaining director and officer liability insurance. In addition, we will incur additional costs associated with our public company reporting requirements. It may also be more difficult or costly for us to find qualified persons to serve on our board of directors or as executive officers as a public company. We are currently evaluating and monitoring developments with respect to these rules and regulations, and we cannot predict or estimate with any degree of certainty the amount of additional costs we may incur or the timing of such costs.
Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 2
We may grow, in part, through acquisitions, which involve various risks, and we may not be able to identify or acquire companies consistent with our growth strategy or successfully integrate acquired businesses into our operations.
We may intend to pursue opportunities to expand our business by acquiring other companies in the future. Acquisitions involve risks, including those relating to: - identification of appropriate acquisition candidates;- negotiation of acquisitions on favorable terms and valuations;- integration of acquired businesses and personnel;- implementation of proper business and accounting controls;- ability to obtain financing, at favorable terms or at all;- diversion of management attention;- retention of employees and customers;- non-employee driver attrition;- unexpected liabilities; and - detrimental issues not discovered during due diligence. Acquisitions also may affect our short-term cash flow and net income as we expend funds, potentially increase indebtedness and incur additional expenses. If we are not able to identify or acquire companies consistent with our growth strategy, or if we fail to successfully integrate any acquired companies into our operations, we may not achieve anticipated increases in revenue, cost savings and economies of scale, our operating results may actually decline and acquired goodwill and intangibles may become impaired.
Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 3
Our growth prospects may be limited if we do not successfully implement our future plans and growth strategy.
Our growth is based on assumptions of future events which include (a) the continuous growth in the caviar industry; (b) our ability in further expanding our global market presence; (c) our ability in strengthening our sales and marketing activities; (d) expansion in our sources of caviar as well as product portfolio; and (e) expansion in our customer base. Furthermore, our future business plans may be hindered by other factors that are beyond our control, such as competition within the caviar industry and market conditions. Therefore, there is no assurance that any of our future business plans will materialize within the planned timeframe, or that our objectives will be fully or partially accomplished. Our prospects must be considered in light of the risks and challenges which we may encounter in various stages of the development of our business. If the assumptions which underpin our future plans prove to be incorrect, our future plans may not be effective in enhancing our growth, in which case our business, financial conditions and results of operations may be adversely affected.
Legal & Regulatory
Total Risks: 16/70 (23%)Above Sector Average
Regulation13 | 18.6%
Regulation - Risk 1
Failure to maintain and renew the food factory license for our food processing factory premises may materially and adversely our business and results of operations.
Pursuant to section 31(1) of the Food Business Regulation (Chapter 132X of the Laws of Hong Kong) ("FBR"), no person shall carry on or cause, permit or suffer to be carried on any food factory business except under and in accordance with a food factory license from the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department of Hong Kong (the "FEHD"), which is required for the food business involving the preparation of food for sale for human consumption off the premises. The FEHD may grant a provisional food factory license to a new applicant who has fulfilled the basic requirements in accordance with the FBR pending fulfilment of all outstanding requirements for the issue of a full food factory license. A provisional food factory licenses is valid for a period of six months or lesser and a full food factory license is valid generally for a period of one year, both subject to payment of the prescribed license fees and continuous compliance with the requirements under the relevant legislation and regulations. A provisional food factory license is renewable once and a full food factory license is renewable annually. We have leased a food processing factory located in Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong from the supply chain management company for carrying out the packaging and labelling of our caviar products. The food processing factory has obtained a full food factory license from the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department of Hong Kong which is essential for food business involving the preparation of food for sale for human consumption off the premises. The license is valid for one year from April 18, 2024 to April 17, 2025, subject to further renewal. In compliance with the FBR, we rely on the landlord of our food processing factory premises to apply for, maintain and renew the food factory license from the FEHD for the operation of our food processing factory premises. There is no assurance that our food processing factory premises will obtain the required food factory license. If we or the landlord fails to comply with the applicable requirements or any required conditions, the food factory license may be suspended, cancelled or denied renewal upon its expiry, which could result in disruption to our ongoing business and thereby materially and adversely affect our business, financial position, results of operations and prospects. We may also be liable to fines and/or other legal consequences for failure to obtain the necessary approvals, licenses and permits, which may materially and adversely affect our business and results of operations.
Regulation - Risk 2
Uncertainties with respect to the PRC legal system, including uncertainties regarding the enforcement of laws, and sudden or unexpected changes in laws and regulations in China could adversely affect us and limit the legal protections available to you and us.
The HK subsidiary was formed under and are governed by the laws of the HK, however, we may be subject to the uncertainties of PRC legal system. The PRC legal system is based on written statutes. Prior court decisions may be cited for reference, but have limited precedential value. In 1979, the PRC government began to promulgate a comprehensive system of laws and regulations governing economic matters in general, such as foreign investment, corporate organization and governance, commerce, taxation and trade. As a significant part of our business is conducted in HK, our operations may be governed by PRC laws and regulations. However, since the PRC legal system continues to evolve rapidly, the interpretations of many laws, regulations and rules are not always uniform and enforcement of these laws, regulations and rules involves uncertainties, which may limit legal protections available to us. In addition, some regulatory requirements issued by certain PRC government authorities may not be consistently applied by other PRC government authorities (including local government authorities), thus making strict compliance with all regulatory requirements impractical, or in some circumstances impossible. For example, we may have to resort to administrative and court proceedings to enforce the legal protection that we enjoy either by law or contract. However, since PRC administrative and court authorities have discretion in interpreting and implementing statutory and contractual terms, it may be more difficult to predict 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 on a timely basis or at all and 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, could materially and adversely affect our business and impede our ability to continue our operations. Furthermore, if China adopts more stringent standards with respect to environmental protection or corporate social responsibilities, we may incur increased compliance costs or become subject to additional restrictions in our operations. Intellectual property rights and confidentiality protections in China may also not be as effective as in the United States or other countries. In addition, we cannot predict the effects of future developments in the PRC legal system on our business operations, including the promulgation of new laws, or changes to existing laws or the interpretation or enforcement thereof. These uncertainties could limit the legal protections available to us and our investors, including you. Moreover, any litigation in China may be protracted and result in substantial costs and diversion of our resources and management attention.
Regulation - Risk 3
The PRC government may exert substantial influence and discretion over mainland China residents and the manner in which companies incorporated under the PRC laws must conduct their business activities. Through our subsidiaries, we are a Hong Kong-based company with no operations in mainland China, and mainland China residents may purchase our subsidiaries' product in Hong Kong. If we were to become subject to such direct influence or discretion, it may result in a material change in our subsidiaries' operations.
We currently have no operations in mainland China. Our principal executive offices are located, and our subsidiaries operate, in Hong Kong, a special administrative region of China. In addition, we do not solicit any client or collect, store or process in mainland China any personal data of any client. As of the date of this Annual Report, the PRC government has not exerted direct influence and discretion over the manner in which our subsidiaries conduct their business activities outside of mainland China. However, there is no guarantee that we will not be subject to such direct influence or discretion in the future due to changes in laws or other unforeseeable reasons or as a result of our expansion or acquisition of operations in mainland China, considering our subsidiaries' clients include residents of mainland China. The legal system of mainland China is evolving rapidly and the PRC laws, regulations, and rules may change quickly with little advance notice. In particular, because these laws, rules and regulations are relatively new, and because of the limited number of published decisions and the non-precedential nature of these decisions, the interpretation of these laws, rules and regulations may contain inconsistences, the enforcement of which involves uncertainties. The PRC government may exercise substantial control over many sectors of the economy in mainland China through regulation and/or state ownership. Government actions have had, and may continue to have, a significant effect on economic conditions in mainland China and businesses which are subject to such government actions. If we or our subsidiaries to become subject to the direct intervention or influence of the PRC government at any time due to changes in laws or other unforeseeable reasons or as a result of our development, expansion or acquisition of operations in mainland China, it may require a material change in our subsidiaries' operations and/or result in increased costs necessary to comply with existing and newly adopted laws and regulations or penalties for any failure to comply.
Regulation - Risk 4
Our subsidiaries' business, our financial condition and results of operations, and/or the value of our Ordinary Shares or our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors may be materially and adversely affected by existing or future PRC laws and regulations which may become applicable to our subsidiaries.
We have no operations in Mainland China. However, our operating subsidiary, or TW HK is located and operate in Hong Kong, a special administrative region of the PRC, there is no guarantee that if certain existing or future PRC laws become applicable to our subsidiaries, it will not have a material adverse impact on our subsidiaries' business, financial condition and results of operations and/or our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors. Except for the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Region of the People's Republic of China ("Basic Law"), national laws of mainland China ("National Laws") do not apply in Hong Kong unless they are listed in Annex III of the Basic Law and applied locally by promulgation or local legislation. National Laws that may be listed in Annex III are currently limited under the Basic Law to those which fall within the scope of defense and foreign affairs as well as other matters outside the limits of the autonomy of Hong Kong. PRC laws and regulations relating to data protection, cyber security and the anti-monopoly have not been listed in Annex III and thus they may not apply directly to Hong Kong. The PRC laws and regulations are evolving, and their enactment timetable, interpretation and implementation involve significant uncertainties. To the extent any PRC laws and regulations become applicable to our subsidiaries, we may be subject to the risks and uncertainties associated with the legal system in mainland China, including with respect to the enforcement of laws and the possibility of changes of rules and regulations with little or no advance notice. We may also become subject to the PRC laws and regulations to the extent our subsidiaries commence business and customer facing operations in mainland China as a result of any future acquisition, expansion or organic growth. There is no guarantee that this will continue to be the case in the future in relation to the continued listing of our securities on a securities exchange outside of the PRC, or even when such permission is obtained, it will not be subsequently denied or rescinded. It remains uncertain as to the enactment, interpretation and implementation of regulatory requirements related to overseas securities offering and other capital markets activities and due to the possibility that laws, regulations, or policies in the PRC could change rapidly in the future, it remains uncertain whether the PRC government will adopt additional requirements or extend the existing requirements to apply to our operating subsidiary located in Hong Kong. It is also uncertain whether the Hong Kong government will be mandated by the PRC government, despite the constitutional constraints of the Basic Law, to control over offerings conducted overseas and/or foreign investment of entities in Hong Kong, including our operating subsidiary. Any actions by the PRC government to exert more oversight and control over offerings (including businesses whose primary operations are in Hong Kong) that are conducted overseas and/or foreign investments in Hong Kong-based issuers could significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors and cause the value of our securities to significantly decline or be worthless.
Regulation - Risk 5
The PRC government may intervene or influence the Hong Kong operations of an offshore holding company, such as ours, at any time. The PRC government may exert more control over offerings conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in Hong Kong-based issuers. If the PRC government exerts more oversight and control over offerings that are conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in Hong Kong-based issuers and we were to be subject to such oversight and control, it may result in a material adverse change to our subsidiaries' business operations, including our subsidiaries' operations in Hong Kong.
As a company mainly conducting business in Hong Kong, a special administrative region of China and our subsidiaries' clients include mainland China residents, our subsidiaries' business and our prospects, financial condition, and results of operations may be influenced to a significant degree by political, economic, and social conditions in China generally. The PRC government may intervene or influence the operations in mainland China of an offshore holding company at any time, which, if extended to our subsidiaries' operations in Hong Kong, could result in a material adverse change to our subsidiaries' operations. The PRC government has recently indicated an intent to exert more oversight and control over listings conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in issuers based in mainland China. For instance, on July 6, 2021, the relevant PRC governmental authorities promulgated the Opinions on Strictly Cracking Down on Illegal Securities Activities, which emphasized the need to strengthen the supervision over overseas listings by companies in mainland China. We cannot assure you that the oversight will not be extended to companies operating in Hong Kong like us and any such action may significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer our securities to investors, result in a material adverse change to our subsidiaries' business operations, including our subsidiaries' Hong Kong operations, and damage our reputation.
Regulation - Risk 6
All of our operations are in Hong Kong. However, due to the long arm application of the current PRC laws and regulations, the PRC government may exercise significant direct oversight and discretion over the conduct of our business and may intervene or influence our operations, which could result in a material change in our operations and/or the value of our Ordinary Shares. Our Operating Subsidiaries in Hong Kong may be subject to laws and regulations of the Mainland China, which may impair our ability to operate profitably and result in a material negative impact on our operations and/or the value of our Ordinary Shares. Furthermore, the changes in the policies, regulations, rules, and the enforcement of laws of the PRC may also occur quickly with little advance notice and our assertions and beliefs of the risk imposed by the PRC legal and regulatory system cannot be certain.
Our operating subsidiary is located and operates its business in Hong Kong, a special administrative region of the PRC. The operating subsidiary, or TW HK does not have operation in Mainland China and is not regulated by any regulator in Mainland China. As a result, the laws and regulations of the Mainland China do not currently have any material impact on our business, financial condition and results of operation. Furthermore, except for the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ("Basic Law"), national laws of the Mainland China do not apply in Hong Kong unless they are listed in Annex III of the Basic Law and applied locally by promulgation or local legislation. National laws that may be listed in Annex III are currently limited under the Basic Law to those which fall within the scope of defense and foreign affairs as well as other matters outside the limits of the autonomy of Hong Kong. National laws and regulations relating to data protection, cybersecurity and the anti-monopoly have not been listed in Annex III and so do not apply directly to Hong Kong. However, due to long arm provisions under the current Mainland China laws and regulations, there remain regulatory and legal uncertainty with respect to the implementation of laws and regulations of Mainland China to Hong Kong. As a result, there is no guarantee that the PRC government may not choose to implement the laws of the Mainland China to Hong Kong and exercise significant direct influence and discretion over the operation of our operating subsidiary in the future and, it will not have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations, due to changes in laws, political environment or other unforeseeable reasons. In the event that we or our Hong Kong operating subsidiary were to become subject to laws and regulations of Mainland China, the legal and operational risks associated in Mainland China may also apply to our operations in Hong Kong, and we face the risks and uncertainties associated with the legal system in the Mainland China, complex and evolving Mainland China laws and regulations, and as to whether and how the recent PRC government statements and regulatory developments, such as those relating to data and cyberspace security and anti-monopoly concerns, would be applicable to companies like our operating subsidiary and us, given the substantial operations of our operating subsidiary in Hong Kong and the PRC government may exercise significant oversight over the conduct of business in Hong Kong. The laws and regulations in the Mainland China are evolving, and their enactment timetable, interpretation, enforcement, and implementation involve significant uncertainties, and may change quickly with little advance notice, along with the risk that the PRC government may intervene or influence our operating subsidiary's operations at any time could result in a material change in our operations and/or the value of our securities. Moreover, there are substantial uncertainties regarding the interpretation and application of Mainland China laws and regulations including, but not limited to, the laws and regulations related to our business and the enforcement and performance of our arrangements with customers in certain circumstances. The laws and regulations are sometimes vague and may be subject to future changes, and their official interpretation and enforcement may involve substantial uncertainty. The effectiveness and interpretation of newly enacted laws or regulations, including amendments to existing laws and regulations, may be delayed, and our business may be affected if we rely on laws and regulations which are subsequently adopted or interpreted in a manner different from our understanding of these laws and regulations. New laws and regulations that affect existing and proposed future businesses may also be applied retroactively. We cannot predict what effect the interpretation of existing or new PRC laws or regulations may have on our business. The laws, regulations, and other government directives in the Mainland China may also be costly to comply with, and such compliance or any associated inquiries or investigations or any other government actions may: - delay or impede our development;- result in negative publicity or increase our operating costs;- require significant management time and attention;- cause devaluation of our securities or delisting; and,- subject us to remedies, administrative penalties and even criminal liabilities that may harm our business, including fines assessed for our current or historical operations, or demands or orders that we modify or even cease our business operations.
Regulation - Risk 7
The enactment of Law of the PRC on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (the "Hong Kong National Security Law") could impact our Hong Kong subsidiaries.
On June 30, 2020, the Standing Committee of the PRC National People's Congress adopted the Hong Kong National Security Law. This law defines the duties and government bodies of the Hong Kong National Security Law for safeguarding national security and four categories of offences - secession, subversion, terrorist activities, and collusion with a foreign country or external elements to endanger national security - and their corresponding penalties. On July 14, 2020, the former U.S. President Donald Trump signed the Hong Kong Autonomy Act, or HKAA, into law, authorizing the U.S. administration to impose blocking sanctions against individuals and entities who are determined to have materially contributed to the erosion of Hong Kong's autonomy. On August 7, 2020 the U.S. government imposed HKAA-authorized sanctions on eleven individuals, including former HKSAR chief executive Carrie Lam. On October14, 2020, the U.S. State Department submitted to relevant committees of Congress the report required under HKAA, identifying persons materially contributing to "the failure of the Government of China to meet its obligations under the Joint Declaration or the Basic Law." The HKAA further authorizes secondary sanctions, including the imposition of blocking sanctions, against foreign financial institutions that knowingly conduct a significant transaction with foreign persons sanctioned under this authority. The imposition of sanctions may directly affect the foreign financial institutions as well as any third parties or customers dealing with any foreign financial institution that is targeted. On March 19, 2024, the Legislative Council of Hong Kong passed the Safeguarding National Security bill. The Safeguarding National Security Ordinance (effective on March 23, 2024) was enacted according to the Article 23 of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region which stipulates that Hong Kong shall enact laws on its own to prohibit any act of treason, secession, sedition, subversion against the central people's government, or theft of state secrets. The Safeguarding National Security Ordinance mainly covers five types of offences: treason, insurrection, offences in connection with state secrets and espionage, sabotage endangering national security and related activities, and external interference and organizations engaging in activities endangering national security. It is difficult to predict the full impact of the Hong Kong National Security Law and HKAA and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance on Hong Kong and companies located in Hong Kong. If our Hong Kong subsidiaries are determined to be in violation of the Hong Kong National Security Law or the HKAA or the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, by competent authorities, our business operations, financial position and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.
Regulation - Risk 8
The Hong Kong legal system embodies uncertainties which could limit the legal protections available to the Operating Subsidiaries.
Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region of the PRC. Following British colonial rule from 1842 to 1997, China assumed sovereignty under the "one country, two systems" principle. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's constitutional document, the Basic Law, ensures that the current principles and policies regarding Hong Kong will remain unchanged for 50 years. Hong Kong has enjoyed the freedom to function with a high degree of autonomy for its affairs, including currencies, immigration and customs operations, and its independent judiciary system. On July 14, 2020, the former President of the U.S., Mr. Donald Trump, signed the Hong Kong Autonomy Act and an executive order to remove the preferential trade status of Hong Kong, pursuant to § 202 of the United States-Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992. The U.S. government has determined that Hong Kong is no longer sufficiently autonomous to justify preferential treatment in relation to the PRC, especially with the issuance of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (the "Hong Kong National Security Law") on July 1, 2020. Hong Kong will now be treated as Mainland China, in terms of visa application, academic exchange, tariffs and trading, etc. According to § 3(c) of the executive order issued on July 14, 2020, the license exception for exports and re-exports to Hong Kong and transfer within the PRC is revoked, while exports of defense items are banned. On the other hand, the existing punitive tariffs the U.S. imposed on the Mainland China will also be applied to Hong Kong exports. Losing its special status, Hong Kong's competitiveness as a food trading hub may deteriorate in the future as its tax benefits as a result of preferential situation no longer exists and companies might prefer exporting through other cities. The level of activities of domestic exports and re-exports and other trading activities in Hong Kong may decline owing to the tariff being imposed on Hong Kong exports and the export restriction. In the event that Hong Kong loses its position as a food trading hub in Asia, the demand for food export or re-export from Hong Kong and thus our business, financial conditions and results of operations, may be adversely affected. According to the Hong Kong Policy Act Report issued by the Department of State in 2021, 2022 and 2023, since July 2020, the suspension of an agreement concerning surrender of fugitive offenders and the terminations of an agreement concerning transfer of sentenced persons and an agreement concerning certain reciprocal tax exemptions, there were no terminations pursuant to § 202(d) of the United States-Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992 or determinations under § 201(b) up to the date of this annual report. The executive order to remove the preferential trade status of Hong Kong remains in effect. Since July 2020 and as of the date of this annual report, the removal of the preferential trade status of Hong Kong did not have a material impact on our business and operations.
Regulation - Risk 9
The Chinese government may intervene or influence our Chinese supplier and its exclusive overseas agent's operations at any time, or may exert more control over how our PRC-based supplier operate their business or cooperate with us. This could result in a material change in our PRC-based supplier's operations and indirectly the value of our Ordinary Shares.
We rely on one PRC-based sturgeon farm for our supply of caviar, with which we entered into supplier agreement through its exclusive overseas agent. The PRC government may choose to exercise significant oversight and discretion, and the policies, regulations, rules, and the enforcement of laws of the Chinese government to which our PRC-based supplier and its exclusive overseas agent is subject to may change rapidly and with little advance notice. As a result, the application, interpretation, and enforcement of new and existing laws and regulations in the PRC are often uncertain. In addition, these laws and regulations may be interpreted and applied inconsistently by different agencies or authorities, and may be inconsistent with our supplier or its exclusive overseas agent's current policies and practices. New laws, regulations, and other government directives in the PRC may also be costly to comply with, and such compliance or any associated inquiries or investigations or any other government actions may: - Delay or impede our supplier's development;- result in negative publicity or increase our supplier's operating costs;- require significant management time and attention; and/or - subject us to remedies, administrative penalties and even criminal liabilities that may harm our supplier's business, including fines assessed for our supplier's current or historical operations, or demands or orders that our supplier modifies or even ceases their business practices. The PRC government initiated a series of regulatory actions and statements to regulate business operations in certain areas in China with little advance notice, including cracking down on illegal activities in the securities market, enhancing supervision over China-based companies listed overseas using a variable interest entity ("VIE") structure, adopting new measures to extend the scope of cybersecurity reviews, and expanding the efforts in anti-monopoly enforcement. These regulatory actions and statements emphasize the need to strengthen the administration over illegal securities activities and the supervision of China-based companies seeking overseas listings. Additionally, companies are required to undergo a cybersecurity review if they hold large amounts of data related to issues of national security, economic development or public interest before carrying our mergers, restructuring or splits that affect or may affect national security. These statements were recently issued and their official guidance and interpretation remain unclear at this time. The Chinese government may intervene or influence our PRC-based supplier's operations at any time and may exert more control over offerings conducted overseas and foreign investment in China-based companies, which may result in a material change in our PRC-based operations. Any legal or regulatory changes that restrict or otherwise unfavorably impact our PRC-based supplier's ability to conduct their business could decrease demand for their services, reduce revenues, increase costs, require them to obtain more licenses, permits, approvals or certificates, or subject them to additional liabilities. To the extent any new or more stringent measures are implemented, our supplier's and our business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected, and the value of our Ordinary Shares could decrease or become worthless.
Regulation - Risk 10
Our Hong Kong subsidiaries may be subject to restrictions on paying dividends or making other payments to us, which may restrict their ability to satisfy liquidity requirements, conduct business and pay dividends to holders of our ordinary shares.
We are a holding company incorporated in the Cayman Islands with the majority of our operations in Hong Kong. Accordingly, most of our cash is maintained in Hong Kong dollars. We rely in part on dividends from our Hong Kong subsidiaries for our cash and financing requirements, such as the funds necessary to service any debt we may incur. There is currently no restriction or limitation under the laws of Hong Kong on the conversion of Hong Kong dollars into foreign currencies and the transfer of currencies out of Hong Kong and the foreign currency regulations of mainland China do not currently have any material impact on the transfer of cash between us and our Hong Kong subsidiaries. However, there is a possibility that certain PRC laws and regulations, including existing laws and regulations and those enacted or promulgated in the future were to become applicable to our Hong Kong subsidiaries in the future and the PRC government may prevent our cash maintained in Hong Kong from leaving or restrict the deployment of the cash into our business or for the payment of dividends in the future. Any such controls or restrictions, if imposed in the future and to the extent cash is generated in our Hong Kong subsidiaries and to the extent assets (other than cash) in our business are located in Hong Kong or held by a Hong Kong entity and may need to be used to fund operations outside of Hong Kong, may adversely affect our ability to finance our cash requirements, service debt or make dividend or other distributions to our shareholders. Furthermore, there can be no assurance that the PRC government will not intervene or impose restrictions on our ability to transfer or distribute cash within our organization, which could result in an inability or prohibition on making transfers or distributions to entities outside of Hong Kong and adversely affect our business.
Regulation - Risk 11
If we and/or our subsidiaries were to be required to obtain any permission or approval from or complete any filing procedure with the China Securities Regulatory Commission (the "CSRC"), the CAC, or other PRC governmental authorities in connection with the initial public offering ("IPO") or future follow-on offerings under PRC laws, we and/or our subsidiaries may be fined or subject to other sanctions, and our subsidiaries' business and our reputation, financial condition, and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.
The Cybersecurity Review Measures jointly promulgated by the CAC and other relevant PRC governmental authorities on December 28, 2021 required that, among others, "critical information infrastructure" or network platform operators holding over one million users' personal information to apply for a cybersecurity review before any public offering on a foreign stock exchange. However, this regulation is recently issued and there remain substantial uncertainties about its interpretation and implementation. As of the date of this Annual Report, we and our subsidiaries do not have any business operation or maintain any office or personnel in mainland China. We and our subsidiaries have not collected, stored, or managed any personal information in mainland China. Based on our inquiry with the China Cybersecurity Review Technology and Certification Center (the "CCRC") and the assessment conducted by the management, we believe that we and our subsidiaries are not currently required to proactively apply to a cybersecurity review for our IPO or follow-on offerings overseas, on the basis that (i) our subsidiaries are incorporated in Hong Kong, the British Virgin Islands, and other jurisdictions outside of mainland China and operate in Hong Kong without any subsidiary or variable interest entities ("VIE") structure in mainland China, and we do not maintain any office or personnel in mainland China; (ii) except for the Basic Law, the National Laws do not apply in Hong Kong unless they are listed in Annex III of the Basic Law and applied locally by promulgation or local legislation, and National Laws that may be listed in Annex III are currently limited under the Basic Law to those which fall within the scope of defense and foreign affairs as well as other matters outside the limits of the autonomy of Hong Kong, and PRC laws and regulations relating to data protection and cyber security have not been listed in Annex III as the date of this Annual Report; (iii) our data processing activities are solely carried out by our overseas entities outside of mainland China for the purpose of offering products or services in Hong Kong and other jurisdictions outside of mainland China; (iv) we and our subsidiaries do not control more than one millions users' personal information as of the date of this Annual Report; (v) as of the date of this Annual Report, we and our subsidiaries have not received any notice of identifying us as critical information infrastructure from any relevant PRC governmental authorities; (vi) as of the date of this Annual Report, none of us or our subsidiaries have been informed by any PRC governmental authority of any requirement for a cybersecurity review; and (vii) based on our inquiry with the CCRC, the officer who provides cybersecurity review consultation service under CCRC believes that we are currently not required to apply to a cybersecurity review for our public offerings on a foreign stock exchange with the CAC because we neither currently have any operation in mainland China nor control more than one millions users' personal information as of the date of this Annual Report. Additionally, we believe that we and our subsidiaries are compliant with the regulations and policies that have been issued by the CAC to date and there was no material change to these regulations and policies since our IPO. However, regulatory requirements on cybersecurity and data security in the mainland China are constantly evolving and can be subject to varying interpretations or significant changes, which may result in uncertainties about the scope of our responsibilities in that regard, and there can be no assurance that the relevant PRC governmental authorities, including the CAC, would reach the same conclusion as our PRC counsel. We will closely monitor and assess the implementation and enforcement of the Cybersecurity Review Measures. If the Cybersecurity Review Measures mandates clearance of cybersecurity and/or data security regulators and other specific actions to be completed by companies like us, we may face uncertainties as to whether we can meet such requirements timely, or at all. On February 17, 2023, the CSRC promulgated the Trial Administrative Measures of Overseas Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies (the "Trial Measures") and five supporting guidelines, which took effect on March 31, 2023. The Trial Measures requires companies in mainland China that seek to offer and list securities overseas, both directly and indirectly, to fulfill the filing procedures with the CSRC. According to the Trial Measures, the determination of the "indirect overseas offering and listing by companies in mainland China" shall comply with the principle of "substance over form" and particularly, an issuer will be required to go through the filing procedures under the Trial Measures if the following criteria are met at the same time: (i) 50% or more of the issuer's operating revenue, total profits, total assets or net assets as documented in its audited consolidated financial statements for the most recent accounting year are accounted for by companies in mainland China; and (ii) the main parts of the issuer's business activities are conducted in mainland China, or its main places of business are located in mainland China, or the senior managers in charge of its business operation and management are mostly Chinese citizens or domiciled in mainland China. On the same day, the CSRC held a press conference for the release of the Trial Measures and issued the Notice on Administration for the Filing of Overseas Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies, which clarifies that (i) on or prior to the effective date of the Trial Measures, companies in mainland China that have already submitted valid applications for overseas offering and listing but have not obtained approval from overseas regulatory authorities or stock exchanges shall complete the filing before the completion of their overseas offering and listing; and (ii) companies in mainland China which, prior to the effective date of the Trial Measures, have already obtained the approval from overseas regulatory authorities or stock exchanges and are not required to re-perform the regulatory procedures with the relevant overseas regulatory authority or stock exchange, but have not completed the indirect overseas listing, shall complete the overseas offering and listing before September 30,2023, and failure to complete the overseas listing within such six-month period will subject such companies to the filing requirements with the CSRC. Based on the assessment conducted by the management, we are not subject to the Trial Measures, because we are incorporated in the Cayman Islands and our subsidiaries are incorporated in Hong Kong, the British Virgin Islands and other regions outside of mainland China and operate in Hong Kong without any subsidiary or VIE structure in mainland China, and we do not have any business operations or maintain any office or personnel in mainland China. However, as the Trial Measures and the supporting guidelines are newly published, there exists uncertainty with respect to the implementation and interpretation of the principle of "substance over form". As of the date of this Annual Report, there was no material change to these regulations and policies since our IPO If our offering, including the IPO and future follow-on offerings, and listing were later deemed as "indirect overseas offering and listing by companies in mainland China" under the Trial Measures, we may need to complete the filing procedures for our offering, including the IPO and future follow-on offerings, and listing. If we are subject to the filing requirements, we cannot assure you that we will be able to complete such filings in a timely manner or even at all. Since these statements and regulatory actions are new, it is also highly uncertain in the interpretation and the enforcement of the above cybersecurity and overseas listing laws and regulation. There is no assurance that the relevant PRC governmental authorities would reach the same conclusion as us. If we and/or our subsidiaries are required to obtain approval or fillings from any governmental authorities, including the CAC and/or the CSRC, in connection with the listing or continued listing of our securities on a stock exchange outside of Hong Kong or mainland China, it is uncertain how long it will take for us and/or our subsidiaries to obtain such approval or complete such filing, and, even if we and our subsidiaries obtain such approval or complete such filing, the approval or filing could be rescinded. Any failure to obtain or a delay in obtaining the necessary permissions from or complete the necessary filing procedure with the PRC governmental authorities to conduct offerings or list outside of Hong Kong or mainland China may subject us and/or our subsidiaries to sanctions imposed by the PRC governmental authorities, which could include fines and penalties, suspension of business, proceedings against us and/or our subsidiaries, and even fines on the controlling shareholder and other responsible persons, and our subsidiaries' ability to conduct our business, our ability to invest into mainland China as foreign investments or accept foreign investments, or our ability to list on a U.S. or other overseas exchange may be restricted, and our subsidiaries' business, and our reputation, financial condition, and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.
Regulation - Risk 12
Our operations, revenue and profitability could be adversely affected if we fail to adhere to Hong Kong and international regulations to which we are subject to, or due to the changes in laws and regulations in the countries where we do business.
We source the caviar from the sturgeon farm in the PRC. Furthermore, we substantially rely on the third-party distributors to place and export our products into the overseas market from Hong Kong. Therefore, we along with our suppliers and distributors may be subject to a variety of Hong Kong and foreign laws and government regulations applicable to food products and caviar trade, including numerous licensing requirements, trade and pricing practices, tax, environmental matters, food safety and other laws and regulations relating to the sourcing, manufacturing, storing, labeling, marketing, advertising, selling, displaying, transporting, distributing and usage of our products in in Hong Kong and outside the Hong Kong in markets in which we source caviar or which our products may be stored, distributed, marketed, transported or sold. The governments of countries into which we source raw product or our distributors sell our caviar products, from time to time, may consider regulatory proposals relating to raw materials, tax, food safety and quality, markets, and environmental regulations, which, if adopted, could lead to disruptions in distribution of our products, which, in turn, could affect our profitability. Furthermore, we are not able to control or monitor the markets or jurisdictions where our distributors place or sell our products, and we do not have any agreements or understandings with our distributors regarding the distribution of our product in the foreign market. Therefore, there are significant uncertainty as to the foreign laws and regulations in markets or jurisdictions where we, or our product, may be subject to. The compliance with these highly uncertain, new, evolving, or revised tax, environmental, food quality and safety, labeling or other laws or regulations, or new, evolving, or changed interpretations or enforcement of existing laws or regulations, may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or operating results. Changes in legal or regulatory requirements, such as new food safety requirements and revised labeling regulations, or evolving interpretations, of existing legal or regulatory requirements, may result in increased compliance costs, capital expenditures, and other financial obligations that could adversely affect our business or financial results. If we are found in violation of the applicable laws and regulations in markets where our distributors sell our product, we could be subject to civil remedies, including fines, injunctions, termination of necessary licenses or permits, or recalls, as well as potential criminal sanctions, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business. Even if regulatory agency review does not result in these types of determinations, it could potentially create negative publicity or perceptions which could harm our business or reputation. Further, modifications to international trade policy, including the imposition of increased or new tariffs, quotas, or trade barriers, could have a negative impact on us or the industries we serve, including as a result of related uncertainty, and could materially and adversely impact our business, financial condition, operating results, and cash flows. In addition, our international sales could be adversely affected by violations of the anti-money laundering and trade sanction laws and similar anti-corruption and international trade laws. Misconducts, including illegal, fraudulent or collusive activities, by our distributors, suppliers, business partners, or our agent may harm our brand and reputation and adversely affect our business and results of operations. It is not always possible to identify and deter such misconduct, and the precautions we take to detect and prevent these activities may not be effective. Violations of laws or allegations of such violations, regardless in Hong Kong or in foreign countries where our suppliers are located or our distributors operate, could materially and adversely affect our reputation, disrupt our business and result in a material adverse effect on our results of operations, cash flows, and financial condition. Our growth strategy depends in part on our ability to expand our operations globally. Competition in various markets is increasing as our competitors grow their global operations and low-cost local manufacturers expand and improve their production capacities. However, certain markets may have greater political, economic, and currency volatility and greater vulnerability to infrastructure and labor disruptions than more established markets. If we cannot successfully manage associated political, economic, and regulatory risks, our product sales, financial condition, and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.
Regulation - Risk 13
We operate in a highly regulated industry.
Wild sturgeon is one the most critically endangered species worldwide. Since 1998, international trade in all species of sturgeons has been regulated under Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora ("CITES") owing to concerns over the impact of unsustainable harvesting of and illegal trade in sturgeon populations in the wild. The CITES listing of all species of sturgeon means that caviar, the unfertilized sturgeon roe, from wild-caught sturgeon can no longer be traded, but caviar from captive bred sturgeon is exempt. As a supplier of captive bred caviar, which is not only a food product intended for human consumption, but also a product that is regulated worldwide under the CITES, we are therefore subject to extensive governmental regulation. We must comply with various laws and regulations in Hong Kong as well as laws and regulations administered by government entities and agencies outside Hong Kong. Both the PRC and Hong Kong are parties to CITES. Pursuant to the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance (Chapter 586 of the Laws of Hong Kong) (the "PESO"), the importation, introduction from the sea, exportation, re-exportation and possession or control of specified endangered species of animals and plants, along with parts and derivatives of those species, are regulated under the PESO. Schedule 1 to the PESO sets out a list of species and categorizes them into different appendices which are regulated with varying degrees of control under the PESO. Sturgeons are included as regulated species under the PESO. For further details on the regulations applicable to us and our business, please refer to the section titled "Regulations". With respect to our importation of caviar from the PRC sturgeon farm into Hong Kong, the PRC sturgeon farm is responsible for applying for and obtaining CITES permit from the relevant regulatory authority in the PRC; whereas the supply chain management company is responsible for applying for and obtaining import license from the Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department of Hong Kong on our behalf. The CITES permit needs to be submitted to the customs of HK before the caviar is accepted to HK territories. As of the date of this annual report, the PRC sturgeon farm, through its sole appointed distributor for overseas market, possesses the requisite import and export qualification and permit in the PRC. We have obtained all required CITES permits as well as the export and re-export license in respect of each batch of caviar exported to Hong Kong. With respect to our exportation of caviar from Hong Kong to foreign countries, we have engaged the supply chain management company to apply for and obtain re-export license from the Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department of Hong Kong on our behalf. In the event that the PRC sturgeon farm or we were found to be in violation of the relevant laws and regulations in respect of CITES, and such violations materially impacted the ability of the PRC sturgeon farm or us to continue to export caviar, our business operation will be significantly disturbed, and our business, financial conditions, results of operations and prospects could be materially and adversely affected. We confirm that all the required CITES permits and export and re-export licenses required for our business operation have been received. To ensure third party compliance with the applicable permitting and licensing requirements, we have employed the following control measures: - We require the PRC sturgeon farm or its agent to provide the requisite import and export qualification and permit in the PRC for our confirmation each year;- We examine the required CITES permit in respect of each batch of caviar exported by the PRC sturgeon farm or its agent passed through its distributor to us. If we discover that the distributor has failed to obtain the required CITES permit, we reject the respective batch of caviar exported to us; and - We examine the re-export license obtained by the supply chain management company on our behalf and ensure the supply chain management company obtain all the required licenses. In the event that that the PRC sturgeon farm fails to obtain the required CITES permits, the shipment may experience delay in clearance, seized by authorities or returned. In the event that the supply chain management company fails to obtain the required re-export license on our behalf, we may face prosecution, fine and forfeiture of our products. In such events our business, financial conditions, our results of operations and prospects could be materially and adversely affected by the disruption of supply and the failure to export. Furthermore, the relevant laws, regulations and rules are subject to modification and change. We cannot predict the impact that any such change would have on the caviar industry generally or on our business in particular. Any legislative or regulatory change that imposes further restriction on, among other things, the production, processing, import or export of caviar, could disrupt our supply of caviar or increase our compliance costs, which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. In addition to PESO and CITES, as a food supplier, we are also subject to law and regulations regarding product manufacturing, food safety, required testing, and appropriate labeling and marketing of our products in Hong Kong or overseas. It is possible that such laws and regulations the governing bodies or the interpretation thereof may change over time. As such, there is a risk that our products could become non-compliant with the relevant governing bodies laws or regulations and any such non-compliance could harm our business. The failure to comply with applicable regulatory requirements could result in, among other things, administrative, civil, or criminal penalties or fines, mandatory or voluntary product recalls, warning, cease orders against operations, closure of facilities or operations, the loss, revocation, or modification of any existing licenses, permits, registrations, or approvals or the failure to obtain additional licenses, permits, registrations, or approvals in new jurisdictions where we intend to do business, any of which could negatively affect our business, reputation, financial condition, and results of operations.
Litigation & Legal Liabilities3 | 4.3%
Litigation & Legal Liabilities - Risk 1
Our business and reputation may be affected by product liability claims, litigation, complaints or adverse publicity in relation to our products.
As the caviar products we sell are for human consumption, there is an inherent health risk which may result from tampering by unauthorized third parties, or product contamination or degeneration, including the presence of foreign contaminants, chemicals, substances or other agents or residues during the various stages of farming, processing and transportation. Litigation and complaints from consumers or government authorities concerning product quality, health or other issues may affect our industry as a whole and may cause consumers to avoid consuming the caviar products that we sell. Any litigation or adverse publicity surrounding any of these allegations may negatively affect our businesses, regardless of whether the allegations are true, thereby discouraging consumers from buying our products. We may also become party to various other lawsuits, claims, and other legal proceedings arising in the normal course of business, which may include lawsuits, claims, or other legal proceedings relating to the marketing and labeling of products or brand, intellectual property, contracts, product recalls or withdrawals, employment matters, environmental matters, or other aspects of our business. Even when lawsuits, claims, and other legal proceedings are not merited, the defense of lawsuits and claims divert the attention of management and other personnel and may result in adverse publicity about our products and brand, and we may incur significant expenses in defending these lawsuits and claims. In connection with claims, litigation or other legal proceedings, we may be required to pay damage awards or settlements or become subject to injunctions or other equitable remedies, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial position, cash flows, or results of operations. Certain claims may not be covered by insurance or certain covered claims may exceed applicable coverage limits, or one or more of our insurance carriers could become insolvent. The outcome of litigation is often difficult to predict and the outcome of pending or future litigation may have a material adverse effect on our financial position, cash flows, or results of operations. Adverse publicity about regulatory or legal action against us or adverse publicity about our products (including the resources needed to produce them) could damage our reputation and brand image, undermine consumer confidence, and reduce demand for our products, even if the regulatory or legal action is unfounded or not material to our operations or even if the adverse publicity regarding our products is unfounded. Moreover, unfavorable studies or media reports (including those regarding the health impact of caviar) may have a negative impact on the public perception of caviar, whether or not the claims are accurate. We cannot guarantee that our products will not cause any health-related illnesses or injury in the future, or that we will not be subject to claims or litigation relating to such matters. If any of the above were to occur, our sales could be negatively impacted, which could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial conditions, results of operation and prospects.
Litigation & Legal Liabilities - Risk 2
We are subject to risks relating to litigation and disputes, which could adversely affect our business, prospects, results of operations and financial conditions, and may face significant liabilities as a result.
We may be subject to litigation, disputes or claims of various types brought by our competitors, suppliers, customers, employees, business partners, lenders or other third parties. We cannot assure you that we will not be subject to disputes, complaints or legal proceedings in the future, which may damage our reputation, evolve into litigations or otherwise have a material adverse impact on our reputation and business. Should any future claims against us fall outside the scope and/or limit of insurance coverage, our financial position may be adversely affected. Regardless of the merits, legal proceedings can be time-consuming and costly, and may divert our management's attention away from our business operation, thereby adversely affecting our business operation and financial position. Legal proceedings which result in unfavorable judgment against us may cause financial losses and damages to our reputation, thereby materially and adversely affecting our business, financial position, results of operations and prospect.
Litigation & Legal Liabilities - Risk 3
The enforcement of foreign civil liabilities in the Cayman Islands and Hong Kong is subject to certain conditions. Therefore, certain judgments obtained against us by our shareholders may be difficult to enforce in such jurisdictions.
We are a company formed under the laws of the Cayman Islands. We conduct our operations outside the United States and substantially all of our assets are located outside the United States. In addition, substantially all of our directors and executive officers reside outside the United States, and most of their assets 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 them 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, Hong Kong, or other relevant jurisdictions may render you unable to enforce a judgment against our assets or the assets of our directors and officers. There is uncertainty as to whether the courts of the Cayman Islands would (1) recognize or enforce judgments of U.S. courts obtained against us or our directors or officers that are predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the United States or the securities laws of any state in the United States, or (2) entertain original actions brought in the Cayman Islands against us or our directors or officers that are predicated upon the federal securities laws of the United States or the securities laws of any state in the United States. Although there is no statutory enforcement in the Cayman Islands of judgments obtained in the federal or state courts of the United States (and the Cayman Islands are not a party to any treaties for the reciprocal enforcement or recognition of such judgments), a judgment in personam obtained in such jurisdiction will be recognized and enforced in the courts of the Cayman Islands at common law, without any re-examination of the merits of the underlying dispute, by an action commenced on the foreign judgment debt in the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands, provided such judgment (a) is given by a competent foreign court with jurisdiction to give the judgment, (b) imposes a specific positive obligation on the judgment debtor (such as an obligation to pay a liquidated sum or perform a specified obligation), (c) is final and conclusive, (d) is not in respect of taxes, a fine or a penalty) has not been obtained by fraud; and (f) was not obtained in a manner and is not of a kind the enforcement of which is contrary to natural justice or the public policy of the Cayman Islands. However, the Cayman Islands courts are unlikely to enforce a judgment obtained from the U.S. courts under civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities law if such judgment is determined by the courts of the Cayman Islands to give rise to obligations to make payments that are penal or punitive in nature. Because such a determination has not yet been made by a court of the Cayman Islands, it is uncertain whether such civil liability judgments from U.S. courts would be enforceable in the Cayman Islands. A Cayman Islands court may stay enforcement proceedings if concurrent proceedings are being brought elsewhere. Judgment of United States courts will not be directly enforced in Hong Kong. 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. That is to say, 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 a 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 order to recover such debt from the judgment debtor.
Production
Total Risks: 10/70 (14%)Above Sector Average
Manufacturing3 | 4.3%
Manufacturing - Risk 1
Our business is affected by the quality and quantity of the caviar that is harvested by the PRC sturgeon farm.
Our ability to successfully sell our product and the price therefor, is highly dependent on the quality of the caviar supplied by the PRC sturgeon farm operated by Fujian Longhuang. A number of factors can negatively affect the quality of the caviar sold, including the quality of the broodstock, water conditions in the farm, the food and additives consumed by the fish, population levels in the farm, and the amount of time that it takes to bring a sturgeon to harvest, including transportation and processing, all of which are beyond our control. Optimal growing conditions cannot always be assured. Furthermore, if our caviar product supplied by the PRC sturgeon farm is perceived by the market to be of lower quality than other available sources, we may experience reduced demand for our product and may not be able to sell our products at the prices that we expect or at all. As we continue to expand our operations and to establish relationship with new sturgeon farms, we potentially may face additional challenges with maintaining the quality of our products. We cannot guarantee that we will not face quality issues in the future, any of which could cause damage to our reputation, and a loss of consumer confidence in our products, which could have a material adverse effect on our business results and the value of our brands. Caviar as the luxury food items, any real or perceived quality or food safety concerns or failures to comply with applicable food regulations and requirements, whether or not ultimately based on fact and whether or not involving us (such as incidents involving our competitors), could cause negative publicity and reduced confidence in our company, brand or products, which could in turn harm our reputation and sales, and could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. Although we believe we have a rigorous quality control process, there can be no assurance that our products will always comply with the standards set for our products. Additionally, we have no control over our products once purchased by consumers. Accordingly, consumers may store our products improperly or for long periods of time, which may adversely affect the quality and safety of our products. While we have procedures in place to handle consumer questions and complaints, there can be no assurance that our responses will be satisfactory to consumers, which could harm our reputation. If consumers do not perceive our products to be safe or of high quality as a result of such actions outside our control or if they believe that we did not respond to a complaint in a satisfactory manner, then the value of our brand would be diminished, and our reputation, business, financial condition and results of operations would be adversely affected. Any loss of confidence on the part of consumers in our products or in the safety and quality of our products would be difficult and costly to overcome. Any such adverse effect c may significantly reduce our brand value. Issues regarding the safety of any of our products, regardless of the cause, may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Manufacturing - Risk 2
Our caviar products are processed in our single food processing facility and any damage to or disruption at this facility would materially and adversely affect its business, financial condition and results of operations.
We process substantially all of our products at a single food processing factory leased from and operated by Sunfun China, the supply chain management service provider we have engaged since 2021. Any facility disruption, equipment failures, natural disaster, fire, power interruption, pandemic, work stoppage (such as due to a COVID-19 outbreak or otherwise), regulatory or food safety issue or other problem at this facility would significantly disrupt our ability to process and deliver our products and operate its business. The facility and equipment is costly and may require substantial time to replace or repair if necessary. During such time, we may not be able to find suitable factory to replace the output from our facility on a timely basis or at a reasonable cost, if at all. We may also experience facility shutdowns or periods of reduced production because of regulatory issues, equipment failure or delays in deliveries. Any such disruption or unanticipated event may cause significant interruptions or delays in our business. Any disruption in the operation of our facility, or damage to a material amount of our equipment or inventory, would materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. We do not own any real properties. The lease agreement for our food processing factory has a term of 18 months and may be renewed upon mutual agreement. The current lease with Sunfun China commenced from February 11, 2023 and until September 10, 2024. There is no assurance that such tenancy agreement will not be terminated before its expiration or will be renewed on commercially favorable terms. In the event that the tenancy agreement is terminated or not renewed, our business and operation may be interrupted and adversely affected as we will have to relocate our food processing factory to other premises. In the event that we fail to relocate our food processing factory to suitable alternative premises in a timely manner or at all, our business operations, financial position, results of operations and reputation would be adversely affected. Even if we are able to relocate our food processing factory to an alternative premises, such relocation will incur relocation costs, which may be substantial and in turn adversely affect our financial conditions. Besides, in the event that our rental expenses for the food processing factory increase, our operating expenses will increase which will in turn materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations and prospects.
Manufacturing - Risk 3
Product contamination and the failure to maintain food safety and consistent quality could have a material and adverse effect on our brand, business and financial performance.
Food safety and quality control are of paramount importance to our reputation and business, and we face an inherent risk of food contamination and liability claims. To ensure food safety and quality, we have established a comprehensive set of standards and requirements covering each facet of our supply chain, ranging from procurement, logistics, warehousing to packaging as detailed in the section titled "Business - Quality Control." However, due to the rapid growth in scale of our operations, there is no assurance that our quality control systems will prove to be effective at all times, or that we can identify any defects in our quality control systems in a timely manner. The sale of products for human use and consumption involves the risk of injury or illness to the end-consumers. Such injuries may result from inadvertent mislabeling, tampering by unauthorized third parties, product contamination or spoilage, the presence of foreign objects, substances, chemicals, or residues introduced during the packing, storage, handling or transportation phases. Any food contamination that we fail to detect or prevent could adversely affect the quality of our caviar products, which could lead to liability claims, and the imposition of penalties or fines by relevant authorities. Furthermore, any instances of food contamination or regulatory noncompliance, whether or not caused by our actions, could compel us, our suppliers, our distributor or our other customers, depending on the circumstances, to recall or withdraw products, suspend production of our products, or cease operations. in accordance with the laws and regulations in the jurisdictions in which we operate our business or distribute our products. Food recalls could result in significant losses due to their associated costs, the destruction of product inventory, lost sales due to the unavailability of the product for a period of time and potential loss of existing distributors or customers and a potential negative impact on our ability to attract new customers and maintain our current customer base due to negative consumer experiences or because of an adverse impact on our brand and reputation. In addition, as a caviar supplier, our product may be subject to targeted, large-scale tampering as well as to opportunistic, individual product tampering. Forms of tampering could include the introduction of foreign material, chemical contaminants and pathological organisms into consumer products as well as product substitution. Food business operators like us, or our distributors, must at all stages of production, sales and distribution within the businesses under their control ensure that foods satisfy the requirements of food related laws and regulations, in particular as to food safety. If we or our distributors do not adequately address the possibility, or any actual instance, of product tampering, we could face possible seizure or recall of our products and the imposition of civil or criminal sanctions, which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. Even if a situation does not necessitate a recall or market withdrawal, product liability claims might be asserted against us. While we are subject to governmental inspection and regulations and believe our facilities and those of our suppliers, supply-chain management company, logistic service providers, and the distributors will comply in all material respects with all applicable laws and regulations, there can be no assurance that our caviar supplier, logistic service provider, and distributors will always be able to adopt appropriate quality control systems and meet our quality control requirements in respect of the products or services they provide. Any failure of our caviar supplier, logistic service provider, or distributor to provide satisfactory products or services could harm our reputation and adversely impact our operations. If the consumption of any of our products causes, or is alleged to have caused, a health-related illness or death to a consumer, we may become subject to claims or lawsuits relating to such matters. Even if a product liability claim is unsuccessful or is not fully pursued, the negative publicity surrounding any assertion that our products caused illness or physical harm could cause consumers to lose confidence in the safety and quality of our products. Furthermore, we currently do not maintain any product liability insurance and may not have adequate resources to satisfy a judgment in the event of a successful product liability claim against us. The successful assertion of product liability claims against us could result in potentially significant monetary damages and require us to make significant payments.
Employment / Personnel1 | 1.4%
Employment / Personnel - Risk 1
We are dependent on our senior management team and other key employees, and the loss of any such personnel could materially and adversely affect our business, operating results and financial conditions.
We believe that our performance and success is, to a certain extent, attributable to the extensive industry knowledge and experience of our key executives and personnel. Our continued success is dependent, to a large extent, on the ability to attract and retain the services of the key management team. However, competition for key personnel in our industry is intense. We may not be able to retain the services of our directors or other key personnel, or attract and retain high-quality personnel in the future. If any of our key personnel departs from us, and we are not able to recruit a suitable replacement with comparable experience to join us on a timely basis, our business, operations and financial conditions may be materially and adversely affected.
Supply Chain4 | 5.7%
Supply Chain - Risk 1
We currently rely on third-party supply chain management company to operate the food processing factory and provision of labor for product packaging. Any failure to adequately store, maintain and deliver our products could materially adversely affect our business, reputation, financial condition, and operating results.
Our ability to adequately process, store, maintain, and deliver our caviar products is critical to our business. We contract with third-party supply chain management company, to operate of our food processing factory and to provide labor for packaging and delivery services for our products. As of the date of Annual Report, we have contracted Sunfun China to operate the aforesaid activities on our behalf. In order to maintain the quality, safety and freshness of our caviar products, the food processing factory is equipped with temperature control system that mandates a prescribed temperature range. Any unexpected and adverse changes in the optimal storage conditions of our food processing factory may expedite the deterioration of such products and in turn heighten the risk of inventory obsolescence or exposure to litigation matters. Any failure by Sunfun China or the third-party supply chain management business partner to adequately store, maintain, or transport our products could negatively impact the safety, quality and merchantability of our products and the experience of our customers. The occurrence of any of these risks could materially adversely affect our business, reputation, financial condition, and operating results. In the event of extended power outages, labor disruptions, natural disasters or other catastrophic occurrences, failures of the temperature control system systems in the food processing factory, warehouses or delivery vehicles, or other circumstances, our inability to store inventory at the controlled temperatures could result in significant product inventory losses, as well as increased risk of food-borne illnesses and other food safety incidents. Further, we rely on the supply chain management company for the provision of labor for carrying out product packaging at our food processing factory. There is no guarantee that the supply chain management company will be able to supply stable labor force or continue to supply labor at fees acceptable to us or our relationship with them could be maintained in the future. Any disruption, delay or inability of the supply chain management company in supplying processing labor to us may materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial conditions and prospects. There is no assurance that the quality of works provided by the processing labor from the supply chain management company can fulfil the requirements of us or our customers. We may not be able to monitor the performance of the processing staff supplied by the supply chain management company as directly and efficiently as with our own labor, thereby exposing us to the risks associated with non-performance, late performance or sub-standard performance ofthe processing staff. Since we remain accountable to our customers for the performance of the processing staff, we may incur additional costs or be subject to liability under the relevant contracts between us and our customers for the processing staff's unsatisfactory performance, thereby resulting in material adverse impacts on our reputation, business operation and financial position.
Supply Chain - Risk 2
We rely on third-party distributors to place our products into the market and we may not be able to control our distributors.
Our customers primarily and substantially consist of the distributors in food and beverage industry, where their end customers are luxurious hotels and restaurants. As we substantially sell and distribute our products through distributors, any one of the following events could result in fluctuation or decline in our revenue and could result in material adverse impact on our financial conditions and results of operations: - reduction, delay or cancelation of orders from one or more of our distributors;- failure to renew distributorship agreements and maintain relationships with our existing distributors;- failure to establish relationships with new distributors on favorable terms; and - inability to timely identify additional or replacement distributors upon the loss of one or more of our distributors. We may not be able to successfully manage our distributors. If the sales volume of our caviar products to consumers are not maintained at a satisfactory level, our distributors may not place or lower their purchase orders placed with us. For international markets, we depend exclusively on third-parties distributor to reach the end-customers. Our success in these markets depends almost entirely upon the efforts of our distributors and logistics and fulfillment partners, over whom we have little or no control. If a distributor or logistics or fulfillment partner, fails to fulfill its contracted services, for any reason, we could lose sales and our ability to compete in that market may be adversely affected. The occurrence of any of these factors could result in a significant decrease in the sales volume of our products and therefore adversely affect our financial conditions and results of operations.
Supply Chain - Risk 3
Failure by our supply chain service or transportation providers or distributors to deliver our raw materials to us or our products to customers on time or at all could result in lost sales.
Historically and as of the date of annual report, we have engaged Sunfun (China) Limited ("Sunfun China"), a supply chain management company in Hong Kong as the principal transportation provider for the delivery of finished products to our distributors and the shipment of caviar to our food processing factory through cold-chain. Our utilization of the third-party supply chain and transportation services is subject to risks, including the effects of health epidemics or pandemics or other contagious outbreaks, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, any shortage of drivers and workers, increases in fuel prices, which would increase our shipping costs, employee strikes, labor shortages, failure to meet customer standards, and severe weather conditions and natural disasters such as fires, floods, typhoon, storms, or earthquakes. These risks may impact the ability of Sunfun China or other supply chain and transportation services providers to provide logistics and transportation services that adequately meet our shipping needs. If Sunfun China or other supply chain and transportation services providers were to fail to deliver raw materials to us in a timely manner, or fail to deliver our products to our customers in a timely manner, we might be unable to meet customer and consumer demands for our products. Furthermore, notwithstanding we have implemented comprehensive set of operation manual and technical protocols with respect to temperature, hygiene and physical conditions for caviar in transit, we cannot assure you that Sunfun China or any other supply chain management company we may engage would follow strictly, and the services provided by the supply chain management company may be interrupted, suspended or cancelled due to unforeseen events, which could cause the rotting of our caviar products and increase our loss rate. Although we do not rely on Sunfun China for transportation services, and Sunfun China's transportation and supply chain services is provided on an as-needed basis, Sunfun has been historically and currently responsible for a significant portion of our shipping needs. Any disruption in our relationship with Sunfun China or the ability of Sunfun China to fulfill its services could affect our business. We may change to other third-party transportation providers at any time, but we could incur costs and expend resources in connection with such change, and we may not be able to obtain terms as favorable as those we receive from Sunfun China, which in turn would increase our costs and adversely affect our business. Any failure of Sunfun China or other third-party transportation provider to deliver raw materials or finished products in a timely manner could harm our reputation, negatively impact our customer relationships, and have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations. For our international markets, we depend exclusively on the distributors to reach our customers. Our success in these markets depends entirely upon the efforts of our distributors and their logistics and fulfillment services supplier, over whom we have no control. If a distributor or logistics or fulfillment service provider, fails to fulfill its contracted services, for any reason, we could lose sales and our ability to compete in that market may be adversely affected.
Supply Chain - Risk 4
We solely and materially rely on Fujian Aoxuanlaisi Biotechnology Co., Ltd ("Fujian Aoxuanlaisi"), the exclusive distributor of a PRC sturgeon farm, as our sole supplier for the supply of caviar raw product. Such arrangement materially and adversely exposes us to unique risk. Any disruption in the supplier's relationships, either between Fujian Aoxuanlaisi and the PRC sturgeon farm, or between Fujian Aoxuanlaisi and us, could have a material adverse effect on our business. Any disruption in the provision of caviar from Fujian Aoxuanlaisi or PRC sturgeon farm and our inability to identify alternative caviar supplier may materially and adversely affect our business operations and financial results.
We solely and materially rely on Fujian Aoxuanlaisi, the agent and sole distributor of a PRC sturgeon farm, as our supplier for caviar raw product. For years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, our procurement from the PRC sturgeon farm, through Fujian Aoxuanlaisi, amounted to approximately US$6.2 million, US$5.3 million, and US$0.3million respectively, representing approximately 64.3%, 90% and 100% of our total purchases for the corresponding year. Before April 2022, we obtain all of the caviar raw product supply from Fujian Aoxuanlaisi on an as-demand per order basis, without any long-term agreement. In April 2022, our Operating Subsidiary, Top Wealth Group (International) Limited, has entered into the Caviar Sales Agreement with Fujian Aoxuanlaisi, the agent and the sole distributor of Fujian Longhuang Biotech Co., Limited ("Fujian Longhuang"), a PRC sturgeon farm. Pursuant to the Caviar Sales Agreement between Fujian Aoxuanlaisi and Top Wealth Group (International) Limited, by way of Power of Attorney, Fujian Aoxuanlaisi appointed Top Wealth Group (International) Limited, our Operating Subsidiary, as its exclusive distributor in Hong Kong and Macau for conducting overseas distribution and granted us the rights to procure caviar directly from it for a term of 10 years, from 30 April 2022 to 30 April 2032. Such arrangement materially and adversely exposes us to unique risk. Our business relies solely and heavily on a stable and adequate supply of caviar from the Fujian Aoxuanlaisi, which ultimately depends on the stable and adequate supply of caviar from Fujian Longhuang, the PRC sturgeon farm, to Fujian Aoxuanlaisi, the PRC sturgeon farm's distributor. If our business relationships with Fujian Aoxuanlaisi is interrupted or terminated, or if for any reason Fujian Aoxuanlaisi became unable or unwilling to continue to provide raw product caviar to us, these would likely lead to a material interruption of our operation or suspension in our ability to obtain caviar supply or fulfilling customer order, until we found another supplier that could supply our product. Furthermore, if the business relationships between Fujian Aoxuanlaisi and Fujian Longhuang are interrupted or terminated, it would also likely lead to a material interruption of our operation or suspension of our ability to obtain caviar supply or fulfilling customer order. Although Fujian Aoxuanlaisi and Fujian Longhuang maintain a long-term exclusive sales agreement for 15 years, from December 2020 to December 2035, whether their relationship may be interrupted or terminated is beyond our control. There are no also assurances that our Caviar Sales Agreement with Fujian Aoxuanlaisi renewed on commercially favorable terms upon its expiration. Any disruption in our supplier relationships, either between Fujian Aoxuanlaisi and Fujian Longhuang, or between Fujian Aoxuanlaisi and us, could have a material adverse effect on our business. Events that adversely affect our suppliers could impair our ability to obtain caviar inventory in the quantities that we desire. Such events include problems with our suppliers' businesses, finances, labor relations, ability to obtain caviar, costs, production, quality control, insurance and reputation, as well as natural disasters, pandemics, or other catastrophic occurrences. A failure by any current or future supplier to comply with food safety, environmental or other laws and regulations, meet required timelines, and hire and retain qualified employees may disrupt our supply of products. In the event of any early termination or non-renewal of the Caviar Sales Agreement with Fujian Aoxuanlaisi or any early termination or non-renewal of long-term exclusive sales agreement between Fujian Aoxuanlaisi and Fujian Longhuang, or in the event of any disruption, delay or inability on the part of with Fujian Aoxuanlaisi in making sufficient and quality supply to us, we cannot assure you that we would be able to identify alternative suppliers on commercially acceptable terms which may thereby result in material and adverse effects on our business, financial conditions and operating results. Failure to find a suitable replacement, even on a temporary basis, would have an adverse effect on our brand image, financial conditions, and the result of operations. Further, should there be any changes in the commercial terms of the Caviar Sales Agreement, especially to the effect that we could no longer act as the exclusive distributor of Fujian Aoxuanlaisi in Hong Kong and Macau, we may face an increase in competition, and we may not be able to continue to procure caviar from the PRC sturgeon farm on commercially acceptable terms. If Fujian Aoxuanlaisi fails to deliver the caviar raw product we need on the terms we have agreed, we may be challenged to secure alternative sources at commercially acceptable prices or on other satisfactory terms, in a timely manner. Any extended delays in securing an alternative source could result in production delays and late shipments of our products to distributors and end-customers, which could materially and adversely affect our customer relationships, profitability, results of operations, and financial condition. If we experience significant increased demand for our products, there can be no assurance that additional supplies of caviar raw product will be available for us when required on acceptable terms, or at all, or that Fujian Aoxuanlaisi or any supplier would allocate sufficient capacity to us in order to meet our requirements, fill our orders in a timely manner or meet our strict quality standards. Even if our existing supplier is able to meet our needs or we are able to find new sources of caviar supply, we may encounter delays in production, inconsistencies in quality, and added costs. We are not likely to be able to pass increased costs to the customer immediately, if at all, which may decrease or eliminate our profitability in any period. Any delays or interruption in or increased costs of our supply of caviar could have a material and adverse effect on our ability to meet consumer demand for our products and result in lower net sales and profitability both in the short and long term.
Costs2 | 2.9%
Costs - Risk 1
Failure to manage our inventory effectively could increase our loss rate, lower our profit margins, or cause us to lose sales, either of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial conditions and results of operations.
Managing our inventory effectively is critical to the success of our business. Since caviar is perishable in nature, if we fail to manage our inventory effectively, we may be subject to a heightened risk of inventory obsolescence, a decline in inventory values, and significant inventory write-downs or write-offs. Moreover, we may be required to lower sale prices in order to reduce inventory level, which may lead to lower gross margins. These factors may materially and adversely affect our results of operations and financial conditions. Further, we are exposed to inventory risks as a result of a variety of factors beyond our control, including changes in consumer preferences or economic conditions, uncertainty of market acceptance of new caviar products, etc. We cannot assure you that there will not be under-stocking or over-stocking of inventory.
Costs - Risk 2
We have limited insurance to cover our potential losses and claims.
We purchase and maintain insurance policies that we believe are customary with the standard commercial practice in our industry and as required under the relevant laws and regulations. However, we cannot guarantee that our insurance policies will provide adequate coverage for all the risks in connection with our business operations. Consistent with customary practice in the caviar industry, we do not carry any business interruption, product liability, or litigation insurance. If we were to incur substantial losses and liabilities that are not covered by our insurance policies, we could suffer significant costs and diversion of our resources, which could have a material and adverse effect on our financial conditions and results of operations. We may be required to bear our losses to the extent that our insurance coverage is insufficient.
Macro & Political
Total Risks: 8/70 (11%)Above Sector Average
Economy & Political Environment2 | 2.9%
Economy & Political Environment - Risk 1
Our business depends to a significant extent upon general economic conditions, consumer demand, preferences and discretionary spending patterns.
Our success is, and will continue to be, dependent on our ability to select, source and sell quality caviar products. However, there is no assurance that we will always succeed in selecting and sourcing quality caviar supplies that cater to the preferences and needs of consumers or achieve anticipated sales at competitive prices. As our caviar products are served at places such as menu-driven high-end restaurants, fine dining establishments, private clubs, hotels, caterers and specialty food stores, our business is significant exposed to the volatility of the general economic conditions and reductions in disposable income levels and discretionary consumer spending. Consumers' willingness to purchase our caviar products may fluctuate as a result of changes in national, regional or global economic conditions, disposable income, discretionary spending, lifestyle choices, public perception of caviar, publicity of our caviar products or our competitors. Future economic conditions such as employment levels, business conditions, housing, interest rates, inflation rates, energy and fuel costs and tax rates could reduce consumer spending or change consumer purchasing habits. The demand for our caviar products may be adversely affected from time to time by economic downturns. If the weak economy continues for a prolonged period of time or worsens, the consumers may choose to spend discretionary money less frequently which could result in a decline in consumers' purchases of luxury food items, particularly in more expensive restaurants or more expensive food items, and, consequently, the businesses of our target customers by, among other things, reducing the frequency with which our customers' customers choose to order luxury food items or the amount they spend on meals while dining out. If our customers' sales decrease, our profitability could decline. Moreover, if the negative economic conditions persist for an extended period of time, consumers might ultimately make long-lasting changes to their discretionary spending behavior, including dining out less frequently on a permanent basis. Accordingly, adverse changes to consumer preferences or consumer discretionary spending, each of which could be affected by many different factors which are out of our control, could harm our business, financial condition or results of operations. Our continued success will depend in part upon our ability to anticipate, identify and respond to changing economic and other conditions and the impact that they may have on discretionary consumer spending. If we fail to successfully adapt our business strategy, brand image and product portfolio to changes in market trends or shifts in consumer preferences and spending patterns, our business, financial conditions and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.
Economy & Political Environment - Risk 2
Changes and the downturn in the economic, political, or social conditions of Hong Kong, Mainland China and other countries or changes to the government policies of Hong Kong and Mainland China could have a material adverse effect on our business and operations.
Our operations are located in Hong Kong. Accordingly, our business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations may be influenced to a significant degree by political, economic and social conditions in Hong Kong and Mainland China generally. Economic conditions in Hong Kong are sensitive to Mainland China and the global economic conditions. Any major changes to Hong Kong's social and political landscape will have a material impact on our business. Economic conditions in Hong Kong and China are sensitive to global economic conditions. Any prolonged slowdown in the global or Chinese economy may affect potential clients' spending power on luxury products as a whole and have a negative impact on our business, results of operations and financial condition. Additionally, continued turbulence in the international markets may adversely affect our ability to access the capital markets to meet liquidity needs. The Mainland China economy differs from the economies of most developed countries in many respects, including the amount of government involvement, level of development, growth rate, control of foreign exchange and allocation of resources. While the economy in the Mainland China has experienced significant growth over the past 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 Chinese economy but may have a negative effect on Hong Kong and us. Additionally, the outbreak of war in Ukraine in 2022 has already affected global economic markets, and the uncertain resolution of this conflict could result in protracted and/or severe damage to the global economy. Russia's recent military interventions in Ukraine have led to, and may lead to, additional sanctions being levied by the United States, European Union and other countries against Russia. The extent and duration of the military action, sanctions, and resulting market disruptions are impossible to predict, but could be substantial. Any such disruptions caused by Russian military action or resulting sanctions may magnify the impact of other risks described in this section. We cannot predict the progress or outcome of the situation in Ukraine, as the conflict and governmental reactions are rapidly developing and beyond their control. Prolonged unrest, intensified military activities, or more extensive sanctions impacting the region could have a material adverse effect on the global economy, and such effect could in turn have a material adverse effect on the operations, results of operations, financial conditions, liquidity and business outlook of our business.
Natural and Human Disruptions4 | 5.7%
Natural and Human Disruptions - Risk 1
Climate change may have a long-term adverse impact on our business and operations.
Climate change may have an adverse impact on global temperatures, weather patterns, and the frequency and severity of extreme weather and natural disasters. In the event that climate change may a negative effect on sturgeon or caviar productivity of our supplier, we may be subject to decreased availability or less favorable pricing for caviar raw product or other commodities that are necessary for our products. Extreme weather conditions may adversely impact the sturgeon farm or facilities of our supplier, lead to the disruption of distribution networks or the availability and cost of key raw materials used by us in production, or the demand for our products. As a result of climate change, our caviar suppliers or their suppliers are highly rely on the availability and quality of water, and could be materially and adversely impacted by to decreased availability of water, deteriorated quality of water or less favorable pricing for water, which could adversely impact their production and thus our operations and sales, profitability, results of operations and financial condition.
Natural and Human Disruptions - Risk 2
Adverse weather conditions, natural disasters, disease, pests and other natural conditions, or shutdown, interruption, and damage to the PRC sturgeon farm, or lack of availability of power, fuel, oxygen, eggs, water, or other key components needed for the operations of the PRC sturgeon farm, could result a loss of a material percentage of our caviar raw product supply and a material adverse effect on our operations, business results, reputation, and the value of our brands.
Our ability to ensure a continuing supply of caviar raw product from our suppliers depends on many factors beyond our control. An interruption in the power, fuel, oxygen supply, water quality systems, or other critical infrastructure of an aquaculture facility for more than a short period of time could lead to the loss of a large number of sturgeon, hence the caviar supply. A shutdown of or damage to PRC sturgeon farm due to natural disaster, reduction in water supply, deterioration of water quality, contamination of aquifers, interruption in services, or human interference could result in a loss of supply of caviar for production. Sturgeon farming of the PRC sturgeon farm is vulnerable to adverse weather conditions, including severe rains, drought and temperature extremes, typhoon, floods and windstorms, which are quite common but difficult to predict. Sturgeon farms are vulnerable to disease and pests, which may vary in severity and effect, depending on the stage of production at the time of infection or infestation, the type of treatment applied and climatic conditions. Unfavorable growing conditions caused by these factors can reduce both sturgeon populations of our supplier and the quality of the sturgeon, and, in extreme cases, entire harvests may be lost. Additionally, adverse weather or natural disasters, including earthquakes, winter storms, droughts, or fires, could impact the manufacturing and business facilities of our supplier, which could result in significant costs and meaningfully reduce our capacity to fulfill orders and maintain normal business operations. These factors may result in lower sales volume and increased costs due increased costs of products. Incremental costs, including transportation, may also be incurred if we need to find alternate short-term supplies of products from alternative areas. These factors can increase costs, decrease revenues and lead to additional charges to earnings, which may have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Natural and Human Disruptions - Risk 3
Any future occurrence of force majeure events, natural disasters or outbreaks of contagious diseases, including the COVID-19 outbreak, may materially and adversely affect our business, financial conditions and results of operations.
Any future occurrence of force majeure events, natural disasters or outbreaks of epidemics and contagious diseases, including avian influenza, severe acute respiratory syndrome, H1N1 influenza, Ebola virus and the recent COVID-19 outbreak in Hong Kong, the PRC and other jurisdictions in or to which our caviar products are grown, produced, distributed or consumed may materially and adversely affect our business, financial conditions and results of operations. An outbreak of an epidemic or contagious disease or other adverse public health developments in the world could result in a widespread health crisis and restrict the level of business activities in affected areas, which may, in turn, materially and adversely affect our business. Since late 2019, the outbreak of a novel strain of coronavirus named COVID-19 has resulted in a high number of fatalities and materially and adversely affected the global economy. Widespread lockdowns, closure of work places, restrictions on mobility and travel were implemented by governments of different countries to contain the spread of the virus. We cannot assure you that any future occurrence of natural disasters or outbreaks of epidemics and contagious diseases, or the measures taken by the government of different countries in response to such contagious diseases will not seriously disrupt our operations or those of our customers or suppliers, which may materially and adversely affect our business, financial conditions and results of operations.
Natural and Human Disruptions - Risk 4
Acts of God, acts of war, epidemics and other disasters could materially and adversely affect our business.
Our business is subject to the general and social conditions in Hong Kong, the PRC and other jurisdictions in or to which our caviar products are grown, produced, distributed or consumed. Natural disasters, epidemics, acts of God and other disasters that are beyond our control could adversely affect the economy, infrastructure and livelihood of the people of such jurisdictions. Our business, results of operations and financial conditions could be adversely affected if these natural disasters occur. Moreover, political unrest, wars and terrorist attacks may cause damage or disruption to us, our employees, suppliers or customers, any of which could adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial conditions or share price. Potential war or threat of terrorist attacks may also cause uncertainty and cause our business to suffer in ways that we cannot currently predict. We cannot control the occurrence of these catastrophic events and our business operations will at the times be subject to the risks of these uncertainties.
Capital Markets2 | 2.9%
Capital Markets - Risk 1
We may be affected by the currency peg system in Hong Kong.
Since 1983, Hong Kong dollars have been pegged to the US dollars at the rate of approximately HKD7.8 to USD1.0. We cannot assure you that this policy will not be changed in the future. If the pegging system collapses and HKD suffer devaluation, the HKD cost of our expenditures denominated in foreign currency may increase. This would in turn adversely affect the operations and profitability of our business.
Capital Markets - Risk 2
Fluctuations in exchange rates could result in foreign currency exchange losses, which may adversely affect our financial conditions, results of operations and cash flows.
We sourced our caviar from the PRC, hence a substantial portion of our purchases were denominated in RMB. Meanwhile, the sales to our customers were billed and settled in HKD. Therefore, we are exposed to foreign exchange risks. The value of HKD against RMB and other currencies may fluctuate and is affected by, among other factors, the policies of the PRC government and changes in the PRC's and international political and economic conditions. As we did not enter into any formal hedging policy, foreign currency exchange contracts or derivative transactions, we are exposed to foreign currency fluctuations. Any appreciation or depreciation of RMB relative to HKD would affect our financial results. Further, it is difficult to predict how market forces or Hong Kong, Mainland China, the U.S. or other government policies may impact the exchange rate among HKD, RMB, USD and other currencies in the future. Moreover, fluctuation in the exchange rate will affect the relative value of earnings from and the value of any foreign currency-denominated investments we make in the future. Should we face significant volatility in these foreign exchange rates and we cannot procure any specific foreign exchange control measures to mitigate such risks, our results of operations and financial performance shall be adversely affected.
Ability to Sell
Total Risks: 7/70 (10%)Above Sector Average
Competition1 | 1.4%
Competition - Risk 1
Failure to compete effectively may adversely affect our market share and profitability.
The industry we operate in is competitive with respect to, among other things, brand recognition, consistent quality, services and prices. Our competitors include a variety of regional, national and international caviar suppliers. Furthermore, new competitors may emerge from time to time, which may further intensify the competition. Increased competition may reduce our margins and market share and impact brand recognition, or result in significant losses. When we set prices, we have to consider how competitors have set prices for the same or similar products. When they cut prices or offer additional benefits to compete with us, we may have to lower our own prices or offer additional benefits or risk losing market share, either of which could harm our financial conditions and results of operations. Some of our current or future competitors may have longer operating histories, greater brand recognition, better supplier relationships, larger customer bases, more comprehensive distribution network, better access to consumers, higher penetration in certain regions or greater financial, technical or marketing resources than we do. In addition, some of our competitors may be able to secure more favorable terms from suppliers, devote greater resources to marketing and promotional campaigns, adopt more aggressive pricing policies and devote substantially more resources to secure more caviar supplies or to their digitalized supply chain management system. We cannot assure you that we will be able to compete successfully against current or future competitors, and competitive pressures may have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial conditions and results of operations. Our ability to effectively compete will depend on various factors, including expansion of our global market presence, enhancement of our sales and marketing activities, expansion of product portfolio and customer base. Failure to successfully compete may prevent us from increasing or sustaining our revenue and profitability and potentially lead to a loss of market share, which could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial conditions and results of operations.
Demand1 | 1.4%
Demand - Risk 1
Our four and three largest customers accounted for a significant portion of our total revenue for the year ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
We derive a substantial portion of our revenue from a limited number of major customers, all of which are our distributors. For the year ended December 31, 2022, there were four customers each generated over 10% of our total revenue for the year, and they in aggregate accounted for approximately 82.6% of our total revenue for the year. One of these four customers is our related party and all of our transactions with such related party have been ceased after December 31, 2022. Our top five customers are Sunfun (China) Limited, accounting for 37.4% of our sales volume, Channel Power Limited, accounting for 17.7% of sales volume, Beauty and Health International Company Limited, accounting for 15% of sales volume, Beauty and Health International E-Commerce Limited, accounting for 12.5% of our sales volume, and Mother Nature Health (HK) Limited, accounting for 9.4% of our sales volume. For the year ended December 31, 2023, there were three customers each generating over 10% of our total revenue for the period, and they in aggregate accounted for approximately 75.5% of our sales volume. Our top three customers for the year ended December 31, 2023 are, Mother Nature Health (HK) Limited, accounting for 34.5 % of our sales volume in the period, Sunfun (China) Limited, accounting for 25.0% of our sales volume, A One Marketing Limited accounting for 16.5% of our sales volume. There is no assurance that any of our major customers will continue to place purchase orders with us in the future. These distributors or any other large customers in the future, may take actions that affect us for reasons it cannot anticipate or control, such as their financial condition, changes in their business strategy or operations, the perceived quality of our products and the availability of competing products. There can be no assurance our customers will continue to purchase its products in the same quantities or on the same terms as in the past. Our major customers rarely provide us with firm, long- or short-term volume purchase commitments. As a result, our customers could significantly decrease or cease their business with us with limited or no notice, and we could have periods with limited orders for our products while still incurring costs related to workforce maintenance, marketing general corporate expenses and other overheads. We may not find new customers to supplement its revenue in periods when it experiences reduced purchase orders, or recover fixed costs incurred during those periods, which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. In the event that any of these major customers ceases to place purchase orders with us or reduces the amount of their purchase orders with us, our business, results of operations, financial condition and future prospects may be adversely affected. Any inability to resolve a significant dispute with any of our key customers, a change in the business condition (financial or otherwise) of any of our key customers, even if unrelated to us, or the loss of or a reduction in sales or anticipated sales to one or more of our most significant distributors may negatively affect us. These major customers may seek to leverage their positions to improve their profitability by demanding improved efficiency, lower pricing, more favorable terms, increased promotional spend, or specifically tailored product or promotional offerings, which may have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, and financial condition. A reduction in sales to one or more major customers could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Sales & Marketing4 | 5.7%
Sales & Marketing - Risk 1
There is no assurance that our customers will continue to place purchase orders with us.
All of our customers place purchase orders with us on an as-needed basis. We normally enter into distributorship agreement with our F&B related distributor customers for a term of one year. During the contract term, our F&B related distributor customers are entitled to place purchase orders with us for each of our products at the unit price, which is typically agreed at a fixed price per kilogram, set forth in the distributorship agreement. There is no assurance that our F&B related distributor customers will renew the framework sales agreement with us with similar terms and conditions. Further, all of our customers place purchase orders with us on an as-needed basis. There is no assurance that our major customers will continue to place purchase orders with us in the future. In the event that any of our major customers ceases to place purchase orders with us, reduces the amount of their purchase orders with us, or requests for more favorable terms and conditions, our business, results of operations, financial conditions and future prospects may be adversely affected.
Sales & Marketing - Risk 2
We are subject to the risks associated with sourcing and manufacturing products from, and selling our product outside of Hong Kong, which could adversely affect our business.
Our direct purchases from non-Hong Kong suppliers represented substantially all of our raw material purchases in the fiscal years 2023, 2022 and 2021, and we expect we will continue to do so. Furthermore, although substantially all of our distributors are in Hong Kong, from our understanding, significant portion of our product are sold overseas by our distributors. We may also in the future enter into agreements with distributors in foreign countries to sell our products. All of these activities are subject to the uncertainties associated with international sales and distribution, including: - difficulties with foreign and geographically dispersed operations;- having to comply with various Hong Kong and international laws;- changes and uncertainties relating to foreign rules and regulations;- tariffs, export or import restrictions, restrictions on remittances abroad, imposition of duties or taxes that limit our ability to import necessary materials;- limitations on our ability to enter into cost-effective arrangements with distributors overseas, or at all;- fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates;- imposition of limitations on production, sale, or export in foreign countries, including due to COVID-19 or other epidemics, pandemics, outbreaks and quarantines;- imposition of limitations on or increase of withholding and other taxes on remittances and other payments by foreign processors or joint ventures;- economic, political, environmental, health-related or social instability in foreign countries and regions;- an inability, or reduced ability, to protect our intellectual property;- availability of government subsidies or other incentives that benefit competitors in their local markets that are not available to us;- difficulties in recruiting and retaining personnel, and managing international operations;- difficulties in enforcing contracts and legal decisions; and - less developed infrastructure. We expect each market to have particular regulatory and funding hurdles to overcome, and future developments in these markets, including the uncertainty relating to governmental policies and regulations, could harm our business. If we expend significant time and resources on expansion plans that fail or are delayed, our reputation, business and financial condition may be adversely affected.
Sales & Marketing - Risk 3
We may incur higher costs in connection with our branding and marketing efforts, and some marketing campaigns may not be effective in attracting or retaining consumers.
We are dedicated to enhancing our brand awareness. As part of our sales and marketing efforts, we have proactively participated in food expo and set up pop-up stores across the world. We have also collaborated with famous food bloggers and used different online platforms and media coverage to promote and strengthen the publicity of our products. We regularly invite chefs of notable hotels and restaurants to our tasting events. However, we cannot guarantee that our marketing efforts will be well received by customers and result in higher sales. In addition, marketing trends and approaches in the caviar market are evolving, which requires us to enhance our marketing approaches and experiment with new marketing methods to keep pace with industry developments and consumer preferences. Failure to refine our marketing approaches or to adopt new, more cost-effective marketing techniques could negatively affect our business, growth prospects and results of operations.
Sales & Marketing - Risk 4
We are subject to credit risk in relation to the collectability of our trade receivables from customers.
We generally grant a credit period of 30 to 60 days to our customers. We cannot assure you that our customers will make payment in full to us on a timely basis. Delays in receiving payments from or non-payment by our customers may result in pressure on our cash flow position and our ability to meet our working capital requirements. Our liquidity and cash flows from operations may be materially and adversely affected if our collection periods lengthen further or if we encounter any material defaults of payment, or provisions for impairment, of our trade receivables from customers. Should these events occur, we may be required to obtain working capital from other sources, such as from third-party financing, in order to maintain our daily operations, and such financing from outside sources may not be available at acceptable terms or at all.
Brand / Reputation1 | 1.4%
Brand / Reputation - Risk 1
Any negative publicity regarding our Company, management team, employees or products, regardless of its veracity, could adversely affect our business.
As a fast-growing supplier of luxury caviar products, our image is highly relevant to the public's perception of us as a business in entirety, which includes not only the quality, safety and competitiveness of our products, but also our corporate management and culture. We cannot guarantee that no one will, intentionally or incidentally, distribute information about us, especially regarding the quality and safety of our products or our internal management matters, which may result in negative perception of us by the public. Any negative publicity about us, management team, employees or products, regardless of veracity, could lead to potential loss of consumer confidence or difficulty in retaining or recruiting talent that is essential to our business operations. As a result, our business, financial conditions, results of operations, reputation and prospects may be materially and adversely affected.
Tech & Innovation
Total Risks: 5/70 (7%)Below Sector Average
Trade Secrets2 | 2.9%
Trade Secrets - Risk 1
We may not be able to adequately protect our intellectual properties, or we may be subject to intellectual property infringement claims or other allegations by third parties, either of which could adversely affect our business and operations.
We rely on a combination of trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets and other intellectual property laws to protect our trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets and other intellectual property rights. As at the date of this annual report, we have registered trademarks in Hong Kong, Macau and the PRC, respectively. We cannot ensure that third parties will not infringe our intellectual property rights. We may, from time to time, have to initiate litigation, arbitration or other legal proceedings to protect our intellectual property rights. Regardless of the judgment, such process would be lengthy and costly as well as divert management's time and attention, thereby resulting in material and adverse impacts on our business, financial conditions and results of operations. Conversely, there is also a risk that third parties may bring a claim against us for infringing their intellectual property rights, thereby requiring us to defend or settle any related intellectual property infringement allegations or disputes. Defending against such claims could be costly, and if we are unsuccessful in defending such claims, we may be prohibited from continuing to use such proprietary information in the future, or may be compelled to pay damages, royalties or other expenses for the use of such proprietary information. Any of the above could negatively affect our sales, profitability, business operations and prospects.
Trade Secrets - Risk 2
Our business depends significantly on the market recognition of our trademarks and brand names. Any damage to our trademarks, brand names or reputation, or any failure to effectively promote our brands, could materially and adversely impact our business and results of operations.
We believe that the market recognition of our trademarks and brand names among our customers have contributed significantly to the growth and success of our business. Therefore, maintaining and enhancing the recognition and image of our brands is critical to our ability to differentiate our caviar products and to compete effectively. Nevertheless, whether we are able to maintain and enhance the recognition and image of our brands is subject to our ability in: - maintaining the popularity, attractiveness, diversity and quality of our caviar products;- maintaining or improving customers' satisfaction with the quality of our caviar products;- offering and maintaining a wide selection of high-quality caviar products;- increasing brand awareness through marketing and brand promotion activities; and - preserving our reputation and goodwill in the event of any negative publicity, internet and data security, product quality, price authenticity, or other issues affecting us or the caviar industry. In the event consumers perceive or experience a reduction in the quality of our products or service, or consider in any way that we fail to deliver quality products consistently, our brand value could suffer, which could have a material and adverse effect on our business. Furthermore, our established brand recognition may attract imitators who intentionally use highly similar trademarks, trade names and/or logos with ours to mislead potential consumers, which may significantly harm our reputation and brand image, thereby causing a decline in our financial performance, reduction in our market share, as well as an increase in the amount of resources for our anti-counterfeiting efforts. We cannot assure you that our measures will provide effective prevention and any infringement act could adversely affect our reputation, results of operations and financial condition.
Cyber Security3 | 4.3%
Cyber Security - Risk 1
If we and/or our subsidiaries were to be required to comply with cybersecurity, data privacy, data protection, or any other PRC laws and regulations related to data and we and/or our subsidiaries cannot comply with such PRC laws and regulations, our subsidiaries' business, financial condition, and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.
We may be subject to a variety of cybersecurity, data privacy, data protection, and other PRC laws and regulations related to data, including those relating to the collection, use, sharing, retention, security, disclosure, and transfer of confidential and private information, such as personal information and other data. These laws and regulations apply not only to third-party transactions, but also to transfers of information within our organization. These laws and regulations may restrict our subsidiaries' business activities and require us and/or our subsidiaries to incur increased costs and efforts to comply, and any breach or noncompliance may subject us and/or our subsidiaries to proceedings against such entity(ies), damage our reputation, or result in penalties and other significant legal liabilities, and thus may materially and adversely affect our subsidiaries' business and our financial condition and results of operations. As the laws and regulations related to cybersecurity, data privacy, and data protection in mainland China where our subsidiaries do not have operations are relatively new and evolving, and their interpretation and application may be uncertain, it is still unclear if we and/or our subsidiaries may become subject to such new laws and regulations. The PRC Data Security Law, or the Data Security Law, which was promulgated by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on June 10, 2021 and took effect on September 1, 2021, requires data collection to be conducted in a legitimate and proper manner, and stipulates that, for the purpose of data protection, data processing activities must be conducted based on data classification and hierarchical protection system for data security. According to Article 2 of the Data Security Law, it applies to data processing activities within the territory of mainland China as well as data processing activities conducted outside the territory of mainland China which jeopardize the national interest or the public interest of China or the rights and interest of any PRC organization and citizens. Any entity failing to perform the obligations provided in the Data Security Law may be subject to orders to correct, warnings and penalties including ban or suspension of business, revocation of business licenses or other penalties. As of the date of this Annual Report, we do not have any operation or maintain any office or personnel in mainland China, and we have not conducted any data processing activities which may endanger the national interest or the public interest of China or the rights and interest of any Chinese organization and citizens. Therefore, we do not believe that the Data Security Law is applicable to us. On August 20, 2021, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China promulgated the Personal Information Protection Law, which integrates the scattered rules with respect to personal information rights and privacy protection and took effect on November 1, 2021. According to Article 3 of the Personal Information Protection Law, it is applied not only to personal information processing activities carried out in the territory of mainland China but also to personal information processing activities outside the mainland China for the purpose of offering products or services to domestic natural persons in the territory of mainland China. The offending entities could be ordered to correct, or to suspend or terminate the provision of services, and face confiscation of illegal income, fines or other penalties. As our subsidiaries' services are provided in Hong Kong, Cayman Islands, British Virgin Islands and the U.S. rather than in the mainland China to clients worldwide, including but not limited to clients of mainland China who visit our offices in these locations, we take the view that we and our subsidiaries are not subject to the Personal Information Protection Law. On July 7, 2022, the Cyberspace Administration of China (the "CAC") issued the Measures for Security Assessment of Outbound Data Transfer, or the Measures, which took effect on September 1, 2022. According to the Measures, in addition to the self-risk assessment requirement for provision of any data outside mainland China, a data processor shall apply to the competent cyberspace department for data security assessment and clearance of outbound data transfer in any of the following events: (i) outbound transfer of important data by a data processor; (ii) outbound transfer of personal information by an operator of critical information infrastructure or a data processor which has processed more than one million users' personal data; (iii) outbound transfer of personal information by a data processor which has made outbound transfers of more than one hundred thousand users' personal information or more than ten thousand users' sensitive personal information cumulatively since January 1 of the previous year; (iv) such other circumstances where ex-ante security assessment and evaluation of cross-border data transfer is required by the CAC. As of the date of this Annual Report, we and our subsidiaries have not collected, stored, or managed any personal information in mainland China. therefore, we believe that the Measures is not applicable to us. However, given the recency of the issuance of the above PRC laws and regulations related to cybersecurity and data privacy, we and our subsidiaries still face uncertainties regarding the interpretation and implementation of these laws and regulations and we could not rule out the possibility that any PRC governmental authorities may subject us and/or our subsidiaries to such laws and regulations in the future. If they are deemed to be applicable to us and/or our subsidiaries, we cannot assure you that we and our subsidiaries will be compliant with such new regulations in all respects, and we and/or our subsidiaries may be ordered to rectify and terminate any actions that are deemed illegal by the PRC governmental authorities and become subject to fines and other government sanctions, which may materially and adversely affect our subsidiaries' business and our financial condition and results of operations.
Cyber Security - Risk 2
Failure to comply with cybersecurity, data privacy, data protection, or any other laws and regulations related to data may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
We may be subject to a variety of cybersecurity, data privacy, data protection, and other laws and regulations related to data, including those relating to the collection, use, sharing, retention, security, disclosure, and transfer of confidential and private information, such as personal information and other data. These laws and regulations, such as the Data Protection Act (As Revised) of the Cayman Islands, apply not only to third-party transactions, but also to transfers of information within our organization, which relates to our investors, employees, contractors and other counterparties. These laws and regulations may restrict our business activities and require us to incur increased costs and efforts to comply, and any breach or non-compliance may subject us to proceedings against us, damage our reputation, or result in penalties and other significant legal liabilities, and thus may materially and adversely affect our business, financial conditions, and results of operations.
Cyber Security - Risk 3
Technology failures or security breaches could disrupt our operations and negatively impact our business.
In the normal course of business, we rely on information technology systems to process, transmit, and store electronic information. For example, we utilize information technology to communicate with the supplier, logistic services provider, and distributors, and to manage our production and distribution facilities and inventory. Information technology systems are also integral to the reporting of our results of operations. Furthermore, a significant portion of the communications between, and storage of personal data of, our personnel, customers, and suppliers depend on information technology, including social media platforms. Our information technology systems may be vulnerable to a variety of interruptions due to events beyond our control, including, but not limited to, natural disasters, terrorist attacks, telecommunications failures, computer viruses, hackers, and other security issues. These events could compromise our confidential information, impede, or interrupt our business operations, and may result in other negative consequences, including remediation costs, loss of revenue, litigation and reputational damage. Furthermore, if a breach or other breakdown results in disclosure of confidential or personal information, we may suffer reputational, competitive and/or business harm. While we have implemented administrative and technical controls and taken other preventive actions to reduce the risk of cyber incidents and protect our information technology, they may be insufficient to prevent physical and electronic break-ins, cyber-attacks, or other security breaches to our computer systems, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.
See a full breakdown of risk according to category and subcategory. The list starts with the category with the most risk. Click on subcategories to read relevant extracts from the most recent report.

FAQ

What are “Risk Factors”?
Risk factors are any situations or occurrences that could make investing in a company risky.
    The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requires that publicly traded companies disclose their most significant risk factors. This is so that potential investors can consider any risks before they make an investment.
      They also offer companies protection, as a company can use risk factors as liability protection. This could happen if a company underperforms and investors take legal action as a result.
        It is worth noting that smaller companies, that is those with a public float of under $75 million on the last business day, do not have to include risk factors in their 10-K and 10-Q forms, although some may choose to do so.
          How do companies disclose their risk factors?
          Publicly traded companies initially disclose their risk factors to the SEC through their S-1 filings as part of the IPO process.
            Additionally, companies must provide a complete list of risk factors in their Annual Reports (Form 10-K) or (Form 20-F) for “foreign private issuers”.
              Quarterly Reports also include a section on risk factors (Form 10-Q) where companies are only required to update any changes since the previous report.
                According to the SEC, risk factors should be reported concisely, logically and in “plain English” so investors can understand them.
                  How can I use TipRanks risk factors in my stock research?
                  Use the Risk Factors tab to get data about the risk factors of any company in which you are considering investing.
                    You can easily see the most significant risks a company is facing. Additionally, you can find out which risk factors a company has added, removed or adjusted since its previous disclosure. You can also see how a company’s risk factors compare to others in its sector.
                      Without reading company reports or participating in conference calls, you would most likely not have access to this sort of information, which is usually not included in press releases or other public announcements.
                        A simplified analysis of risk factors is unique to TipRanks.
                          What are all the risk factor categories?
                          TipRanks has identified 6 major categories of risk factors and a number of subcategories for each. You can see how these categories are broken down in the list below.
                          1. Financial & Corporate
                          • Accounting & Financial Operations - risks related to accounting loss, value of intangible assets, financial statements, value of intangible assets, financial reporting, estimates, guidance, company profitability, dividends, fluctuating results.
                          • Share Price & Shareholder Rights – risks related to things that impact share prices and the rights of shareholders, including analyst ratings, major shareholder activity, trade volatility, liquidity of shares, anti-takeover provisions, international listing, dual listing.
                          • Debt & Financing – risks related to debt, funding, financing and interest rates, financial investments.
                          • Corporate Activity and Growth – risks related to restructuring, M&As, joint ventures, execution of corporate strategy, strategic alliances.
                          2. Legal & Regulatory
                          • Litigation and Legal Liabilities – risks related to litigation/ lawsuits against the company.
                          • Regulation – risks related to compliance, GDPR, and new legislation.
                          • Environmental / Social – risks related to environmental regulation and to data privacy.
                          • Taxation & Government Incentives – risks related to taxation and changes in government incentives.
                          3. Production
                          • Costs – risks related to costs of production including commodity prices, future contracts, inventory.
                          • Supply Chain – risks related to the company’s suppliers.
                          • Manufacturing – risks related to the company’s manufacturing process including product quality and product recalls.
                          • Human Capital – risks related to recruitment, training and retention of key employees, employee relationships & unions labor disputes, pension, and post retirement benefits, medical, health and welfare benefits, employee misconduct, employee litigation.
                          4. Technology & Innovation
                          • Innovation / R&D – risks related to innovation and new product development.
                          • Technology – risks related to the company’s reliance on technology.
                          • Cyber Security – risks related to securing the company’s digital assets and from cyber attacks.
                          • Trade Secrets & Patents – risks related to the company’s ability to protect its intellectual property and to infringement claims against the company as well as piracy and unlicensed copying.
                          5. Ability to Sell
                          • Demand – risks related to the demand of the company’s goods and services including seasonality, reliance on key customers.
                          • Competition – risks related to the company’s competition including substitutes.
                          • Sales & Marketing – risks related to sales, marketing, and distribution channels, pricing, and market penetration.
                          • Brand & Reputation – risks related to the company’s brand and reputation.
                          6. Macro & Political
                          • Economy & Political Environment – risks related to changes in economic and political conditions.
                          • Natural and Human Disruptions – risks related to catastrophes, floods, storms, terror, earthquakes, coronavirus pandemic/COVID-19.
                          • International Operations – risks related to the global nature of the company.
                          • Capital Markets – risks related to exchange rates and trade, cryptocurrency.
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