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NaaS Technology (NAAS)
NASDAQ:NAAS
Risk Overview Q4, 2023
Risk Distribution
48% Finance & Corporate
16% Legal & Regulatory
12% Tech & Innovation
12% Ability to Sell
7% Macro & Political
6% Production
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
NaaS Technology 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.
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 33 Risks
Finance & Corporate
With 33 Risks
Number of Disclosed Risks
69
-2
From last reportS&P 500 Average: 31
69
-2
From last reportS&P 500 Average: 31
Recent Changes
5Risks added
1Risks removed
15Risks changed
Since Dec 2023
5Risks added
1Risks removed
15Risks changed
Since Dec 2023
Number of Risk Changed
15
+12
From last reportS&P 500 Average: 2
15
+12
From last reportS&P 500 Average: 2
See the risk highlights of NaaS Technology 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 69
Finance & Corporate
Total Risks: 33/69 (48%)Above Sector Average
Share Price & Shareholder Rights19 | 27.5%
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 1
The voting rights of holders of ADSs are limited by the terms of the deposit agreement, and you may not be able to exercise your right to direct the voting of the underlying ordinary shares represented by your ADSs.Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 2
ADS holders may not be entitled to a jury trial with respect to claims arising under the deposit agreement, which could result in less favorable outcomes to the plaintiff(s) in any such action.The deposit agreement governing the ADSs representing our ordinary shares provides that, subject to the depositary's right to require a claim to be submitted to arbitration, the federal or state courts in the City of New York have exclusive jurisdiction to hear and determine claims arising under the deposit agreement and in that regard, to the fullest extent permitted by law, ADS holders waive the right to a jury trial of any claim they may have against us or the depositary arising out of or relating to our shares, our ADSs or the deposit agreement, including any claim under the U.S. federal securities laws.
If we or the depositary opposed a jury trial demand based on the waiver, the court would determine whether the waiver was enforceable based on the facts and circumstances of that case in accordance with the applicable state and federal law. To our knowledge, the enforceability of a contractual pre-dispute jury trial waiver in connection with claims arising under the federal securities laws has not been finally adjudicated by the U.S. Supreme Court. However, we believe that a pre-dispute contractual waiver of jury trial is generally enforceable, including under the laws of the State of New York, which govern the deposit agreement, by the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York or a state court in New York County, New York. In determining whether to enforce a pre-dispute contractual waiver of jury trial, courts will generally consider whether a party knowingly, intelligently and voluntarily waived the right to a jury trial. We believe that this is the case with respect to the deposit agreement and our ADSs. It is advisable that you consult legal counsel regarding the jury waiver provision before entering into the deposit agreement.
If you or any other holders or beneficial owners of ADSs bring a claim against us or the depositary in connection with matters arising under the deposit agreement or our ADSs, including claims under federal securities laws, you or such other holder or beneficial owner may not be entitled to a jury trial with respect to such claims, which may have the effect of limiting and discouraging lawsuits against us and the depositary. If a lawsuit is brought against either or both of us and the depositary under the deposit agreement, it may be heard only by a judge or justice of the applicable trial court, which would be conducted according to different civil procedures and may result in different outcomes than a trial by jury would have, including results that could be less favorable to the plaintiffs in any such action.
Nevertheless, if this jury trial waiver provision is not enforced, to the extent a court action proceeds, it would proceed under the terms of the deposit agreement with a jury trial. No condition, stipulation or provision of the deposit agreement or ADSs shall relieve us or the depositary from our respective obligations to comply with the Securities Act and the Exchange Act.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 3
Our memorandum and articles of association contain anti-takeover provisions that could have a material adverse effect on the rights of holders of our Class A ordinary shares and ADSs.Our currently effective memorandum and articles of association contain provisions to limit the ability of others to acquire control of our company or cause us to engage in change-of-control transactions. These provisions could have the effect of depriving our shareholders of an opportunity to sell their shares at a premium over prevailing market prices by discouraging third parties from seeking to obtain control of our company in a tender offer or similar transaction. Our board of directors has the authority, without further action by our shareholders, to issue preferred shares in one or more series and to fix their designations, powers, preferences, privileges and relative participating, optional or special rights and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions, including dividend rights, conversion rights, voting rights, terms of redemption and liquidation preferences, any or all of which may be greater than the rights associated with our ordinary shares, including ordinary shares represented by ADSs. Preferred shares could be issued quickly with terms calculated to delay or prevent a change in control of our company or make removal of management more difficult. If our board of directors decides to issue preferred shares, the price of our ADSs may fall and the voting and other rights of the holders of our ordinary shares and our ADSs may be materially and adversely affected.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 4
We are a foreign private issuer within the meaning of the rules under the Exchange Act, and as such we are exempt from certain provisions applicable to U.S. domestic public companies.We qualify as a foreign private issuer under the Exchange Act, and exempt from certain provisions of the securities rules and regulations in the United States that are applicable to U.S. domestic issuers, including:
- the rules under the Exchange Act requiring the filing with the SEC of quarterly reports on Form 10-Q or current reports on Form 8-K;- the sections of the Exchange Act regulating the solicitation of proxies, consents, or authorizations in respect of a security registered under the Exchange Act;- the sections of the Exchange Act requiring insiders to file public reports of their stock ownership and trading activities and liability for insiders who profit from trades made in a short period of time; and - the selective disclosure rules by issuers of material nonpublic information under Regulation FD promulgated by SEC.
We are required to file an annual report on Form 20-F within four months of the end of each fiscal year. However, the information we are required to file with or furnish to the SEC are less extensive and less timely compared to that required to be filed with the SEC by U.S. domestic issuers. As a result, you may not be afforded the same protections or information that would be made available to you were you investing in a U.S. domestic issuer.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 5
As a company incorporated in the Cayman Islands, we are permitted to adopt certain home country practices in relation to corporate governance matters that differ significantly from the Nasdaq Stock Market listing standards.As a Cayman Islands company listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market, we are subject to the Nasdaq Stock Market listing standards, which requires listed companies to have, among other things, a majority of their board members to be independent and independent director oversight of executive compensation and nomination of directors. However, Nasdaq Stock 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 Stock Market listing standards.
We are permitted to elect to rely on home country practice to be exempted from the corporate governance requirements. If we choose to follow home country practice in the future, our shareholders may be afforded less protection than they would otherwise enjoy if we complied fully with the Nasdaq Stock Market listing standards.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 6
Our corporate structure, together with applicable law, may impede our shareholders from asserting claims against us and our principals.Most of our operations and records, and most of our senior management are located in China. Shareholders of companies such as us have limited ability to assert and collect on claims in litigation against our PRC subsidiaries and their principals. In addition, China has very restrictive secrecy laws that prohibit the delivery of many of the financial records maintained by a business located in China to third parties absent PRC government's approval. Since discovery is an important part of proving a claim in litigation, and since most if not all of our records will be in China, PRC secrecy laws could frustrate efforts to prove a claim against us or our management. In addition, in order to commence litigation in the United States against an individual such as an officer or director, that individual must be served. Generally, service requires the cooperation of the country in which a defendant resides. China has a history of failing to cooperate in efforts to affect such service upon PRC citizens in China.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 7
You may face difficulties in protecting your interests, and your ability to protect your rights through U.S. courts may be limited, because we are incorporated under Cayman Islands law.We are an exempted company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands with limited liability. Our corporate affairs are governed by our memorandum and articles of association as may be amended form time to time, the Companies Act (As Revised) of the Cayman Islands and the common law of the Cayman Islands. The rights of shareholders to take action against us and our directors, actions by minority shareholders and the fiduciary duties of our directors under Cayman Islands law 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 English common law, which are generally of persuasive authority, but are not binding, on a court in the Cayman Islands. The rights of our shareholders and the fiduciary duties of our directors under Cayman Islands law are not as clearly established as they would be under statutes or judicial precedent in some jurisdictions in the United States. In particular, the Cayman Islands has a different body of securities laws than the United States, and provide significantly less protection to investors. In addition, with respect to Cayman Islands companies, plaintiffs may face special obstacles, including but not limited to those relating to jurisdiction and standing, in attempting to assert derivative claims in state or federal courts of the United States There is no statutory recognition in the Cayman Islands of judgments obtained in the United States, although the courts of the Cayman Islands will in certain circumstances, recognize and enforce a non-penal judgment of a foreign court of competent jurisdiction without retrial on the merits.
Shareholders of Cayman Islands exempted companies like us have no general rights under Cayman Islands law to inspect corporate records (other than our memorandum and articles of association, the register of mortgages and charges, and copies of any special resolutions passed by our shareholders) or to obtain copies of lists of shareholders of these companies. Our directors have discretion under our currently effective 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 resolution or to solicit proxies from other shareholders in connection with a proxy contest.
Certain corporate governance practices in the Cayman Islands differ significantly from requirements for companies incorporated in other jurisdictions such as the U.S. If we choose to follow our home country practice in the future, our shareholders may be afforded less protection than they otherwise would under rules and regulations applicable to U.S. domestic issuers.
As a result of all of the above, public shareholders may have greater difficulty in protecting their interests in the face of actions taken by our management, members of the board of directors or controlling shareholders than they would as public shareholders of a company incorporated in the United States.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 8
We are a "controlled company" within the meaning of the Nasdaq Stock Market Rules, and as a result, may rely on exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements that provide protection to shareholders of other companies.NewLink has the right to vote 62.0% of our ordinary shares. As a result, we are considered a "controlled company" as defined under the Nasdaq Stock Market Rules as set forth in Listing Rule 5605(b), because NewLink owns more than 50% of our total voting power. For so long as we remain a controlled company, we will be permitted to elect to rely, and may rely, on certain exemptions from corporate governance rules, including an exemption from the rule that a majority of our board of directors must be independent directors or that we have to establish a nominating committee and a compensation committee composed entirely of independent directors. As a result, you will not have the same protection afforded to shareholders of companies that are subject to these corporate governance requirements.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 9
Our multi-class share structure with different voting rights will significantly limit your ability to influence corporate matters and could discourage others from pursuing any change of control transactions that holders of the Class A ordinary shares and the ADSs may view as beneficial.Our authorized and issued ordinary shares are divided into Class A ordinary shares, Class B ordinary shares and Class C ordinary shares. In respect of matters requiring the votes of our shareholders, holders of Class A ordinary shares, Class B ordinary shares and Class C ordinary shares vote together as one class, and holders of Class A ordinary shares are entitled to one vote per share while holders of Class B ordinary shares and Class C ordinary shares are entitled to ten votes per share and two votes per share, respectively. Each Class B ordinary share and each Class C ordinary share is convertible into one Class A ordinary shares at any time by the holder thereof, while Class A ordinary shares are not convertible into Class B ordinary share or Class C ordinary shares under any circumstances. Our currently effective memorandum and articles of association prohibits any Class B ordinary shares held by NewLink from being disposed of or otherwise transferred to any person other than to Mr. Zhen Dai and persons affiliated with him. Our currently effective memorandum and articles of association also requires any Class B ordinary shares or Class C ordinary shares to be automatically converted into Class A ordinary shares upon a transfer of such Class B ordinary shares or Class C ordinary shares to any person other than to Mr. Zhen Dai and persons affiliated with him.
As of the date of this annual report, NewLink beneficially owns 242,662,399 Class B ordinary shares and 1,364,885,373 Class C ordinary shares, held directly by NewLink or indirectly through Newlinks Envision Limited, which collectively account for an aggregate of 83.7% of the voting power represented by all our issued and outstanding shares. As a result, NewLink will have the power to control all matters submitted to our shareholders for approval, including the election of directors, amendments of our organizational documents and any merger, consolidation, sale of all or substantially all of our assets and all other major corporate transactions. Mr. Zhen Dai, as the chairman of the board of directors and chief executive officer of NewLink, is expected to be able to exercise, through NewLink, significant influence and vote power over matters submitted to our shareholders for approval. In addition, NewLink may choose to distribute all or any of our ordinary shares to NewLink's shareholders. By way of example, a distribution of 100% of our ordinary shares owned by NewLink to its shareholders will result in all issued and outstanding Class C ordinary shares being converted into Class A ordinary shares and all issued and outstanding Class B ordinary shares being held by Mr. Zhen Dai or his affiliates, and those Class B ordinary shares are expected to account for approximately 52.8% of the voting power represented by all our issued and outstanding shares, giving Mr. Zhen Dai the direct power to control all matters submitted to our shareholders for approval.
Each of NewLink and Mr. Zhen Dai may have interests that differ from the interests of our other shareholders and may vote its Class B ordinary shares and/or Class C ordinary shares in ways with which other shareholders may disagree or which may be adverse to such other shareholders' interests. The concentrated control over us will likely exist regardless of whether and to what extent NewLink distributes to its shareholders any ordinary shares, and will have the effect of delaying, preventing or deterring a change in control of us, could deprive our shareholders of an opportunity to receive a premium for their shares as part of a sale of us, and could have a negative effect on the market price of our ordinary shares or ADSs.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 10
Our holding company structure involves unique risks to investors. If in the future we were to amend our operating structure to use any VIE again for our operations in China or if PRC regulatory authorities were to disallow our holding company structure, additional risks and uncertainties will be involved.NaaS Technology Inc. is not an operating company but a Cayman Islands holding company and our operations are primarily conducted through our PRC subsidiaries. PRC regulatory authorities could disallow this holding company structure.
We do not have any VIE and we conduct our operations in China through our subsidiaries following the completion of the Restructuring. If in the future we were to amend our operating structure to use any VIE again for our operations in China, the PRC government could disallow this structure or find the contractual arrangement that we may adopt to establish a VIE structure to be non-compliant with PRC regulations relating to the relevant industries and as a result we could be subject to severe penalties.
There are substantial uncertainties regarding the interpretation and application of current and future PRC laws, regulations and rules relating to a VIE structure and it is uncertain whether any new PRC laws or regulations in this respect will be adopted or if adopted, what they would provide. Meanwhile, there are very few precedents and little formal guidance as to how contractual arrangements in the context of a consolidated variable interest entity should be interpreted or enforced under PRC law.
If our current holding company structure is disallowed by PRC regulatory authorities or if we were to adopt a VIE structure in the future and if we or any VIE that we may establish were to be found in violation of any existing or future PRC laws or regulations, or fail to obtain or maintain any of the required permits or approvals, PRC governmental authorities would have broad discretion to take action in dealing with such violations or failures, including:
- revoking the business licenses and/or operating licenses of the relevant entities;- imposing fines on the relevant entities;- confiscating the income of the relevant entities that is deemed to be obtained through illegal operations;- discontinuing or placing restrictions or onerous conditions on the operations of the relevant entities;- placing restrictions on the right to collect revenues of the relevant entities;- shutting down the servers or blocking the app/websites of the relevant entities; or - requiring the relevant entity to restructure its ownership structure or operations.
Any of these actions could cause significant disruption to our business operations, severely damage our reputation, and have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations, which, in turn, would likely result in a material change in our operations and in the value of our securities and could cause the value of our securities to significantly decline or become worthless.
In addition, if we were to adopt a VIE structure for our operations in China in the future, we will have to rely on contractual arrangements with the VIE and its shareholders for the conduct of such operations. These contractual arrangements, however, may not be as effective as direct ownership in the VIE. If we were to have direct ownership of the VIE, we would be able to exercise our rights as a shareholder to effect changes in the board of directors of the VIE, which in turn could implement changes, subject to any applicable fiduciary obligations, at the management and operational level. On the other hand, under contractual arrangements, we will have to rely on the performance by the VIE and its shareholders of their contractual obligations in order to exercise control over the VIE. The VIE and its shareholders could breach their contractual arrangements with us by, among other things, failing to conduct the operations of the VIE in an acceptable manner or taking other actions that are detrimental to our interests. To the extent there will be any dispute relating to these contracts, we may have to incur substantial costs and expend additional resources to enforce such arrangements through the operations of PRC law and arbitration, litigation and other legal proceedings and therefore will be subject to uncertainties in the PRC legal system. We may also have to rely on legal remedies under PRC law, including seeking specific performance or injunctive relief, and contractual remedies, which we cannot assure you will be sufficient or effective under PRC law.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 11
The PCAOB had historically been unable to inspect our auditor in relation to their audit work performed for our financial statements and the inability of the PCAOB to conduct inspections of our auditor in the past has deprived our investors with the benefits of such inspections.Changed
Our auditor, the independent registered public accounting firm that issues the audit report included elsewhere in this annual report, as an auditor of companies that are traded publicly in the United States and a firm registered with the PCAOB, is subject to laws in the United States pursuant to which the PCAOB conducts regular inspections to assess its compliance with the applicable professional standards. The auditor is located in mainland China, a jurisdiction where the PCAOB was historically unable to conduct inspections and investigations completely before 2022. As a result, we and investors in our ADSs were deprived of the benefits of such PCAOB inspections. The inability of the PCAOB to conduct inspections of auditors in mainland China in the past has made it more difficult to evaluate the effectiveness of our independent registered public accounting firm's audit procedures or quality control procedures as compared to auditors outside of China that are subject to the PCAOB inspections. On December 15, 2022, the PCAOB issued a report that vacated its December 16, 2021 determination and removed mainland China and Hong Kong from the list of jurisdictions where it is unable to inspect or investigate completely registered public accounting firms. However, if the PCAOB determines in the future that it no longer has full access to inspect and investigate completely accounting firms in mainland China and Hong Kong, and we use an accounting firm headquartered in one of these jurisdictions to issue an audit report on our financial statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, we and investors in our ADSs would be deprived of the benefits of such PCAOB inspections again, which could cause investors and potential investors in our ADSs to lose confidence in our audit procedures and reported financial information and the quality of our financial statements.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 12
Substantial future sales or perceived sales of our ordinary shares or ADSs in the public market could cause the price of our ADSs to decline.Changed
Sales of our ordinary shares or ADSs, either in the public market or through private placement, or the perception that these sales could occur, could cause the market price of our ADSs to decline. It cannot be predicted 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 ADSs.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 13
The trading price of our ADSs is likely to be volatile, which could result in substantial losses to investors.Changed
The trading price of our ADSs has fluctuated significantly and will continue to be volatile and could fluctuate widely. Many factors that are beyond our control may materially adversely affect the market price and marketability of our ADSs and our ability to raise capital through equity financings. These factors include the following:
- regulatory developments affecting us or our industries;- variations in our revenues, earnings, cash flow and data related to our operations;- changes in market condition, market potential and competitive landscape;- announcements of new investments, acquisitions, strategic partnerships or joint ventures by us or our competitors;- fluctuations in global and Chinese economies;- changes in financial estimates by securities analysts;- adverse publicity about us or our industries;- additions or departures of key personnel and senior management;- release of lock-up or other transfer restrictions on our outstanding equity securities or sales of additional equity securities; and - potential litigation or regulatory investigations.
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, it may be required to pay significant damages, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 14
If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, the market price for our ADS and trading volume could decline.Changed
The trading market for our ADSs 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 cover us downgrade our ADSs or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, the market price for our ADSs would likely decline. If one or more of these analysts cease coverage of us 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 15
Our multi-class voting structure may render the ADSs representing our Class A ordinary shares ineligible for inclusion in certain stock market indices, and thus adversely affect the trading price and liquidity of our ADSs.Changed
We cannot predict whether our multi-class share structure with different voting rights will result in a lower or more volatile market price of our ADSs, adverse publicity, or other adverse consequences. Certain index providers have announced restrictions on including companies with multi-class share structures in certain of their indices. For example, S&P Dow Jones and FTSE Russell have changed their eligibility criteria for inclusion of shares of public companies on certain indices, including the S&P 500, to exclude companies with multiple classes of shares and companies whose public shareholders hold no more than 5% of total voting power from being added to such indices. As a result, our multi-class voting structure may prevent the inclusion of the ADSs representing our Class A ordinary shares in such indices, which could adversely affect the trading price and liquidity of the ADSs representing our Class A ordinary shares. In addition, several shareholder advisory firms have announced their opposition to the use of multiple class structure and our multi-class structure may cause shareholder advisory firms to publish negative commentary about our corporate governance, in which case the market price and liquidity of our ADSs could be adversely affected.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 16
Holders of the Investor Warrants and FA Warrants will have no rights as holders of ADSs or our ordinary shares until they acquire such ADSs and underlying ordinary shares.Added
Until investors acquire our ADSs and underlying ordinary shares upon exercise of the Investor Warrants or FA Warrants, they will have no rights with respect to our ADSs or ordinary shares. Upon exercise of the Investor Warrants or FA Warrants, holders will be entitled to exercise the rights of a holder of our ADSs only as to matters for which the record date occurs after the exercise date.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 17
There is no public market for the Investor Warrants or FA Warrants.Added
There is no established trading market for the Investor Warrants or FA Warrants, and we do not plan on applying to list these warrants on Nasdaq, any other national securities exchange or any other nationally recognized trading system. Accordingly, we do not expect an active market for these warrants to develop or be sustained and it may be difficult for you to sell your warrants at the time you wish to sell them, at a price that is attractive to you, or at all.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 18
There can be no assurance that the Investor Warrants or FA Warrants will be in the money at the time they become exercisable, and they may expire worthless.Added
The initial exercise price for the Investor Warrants and FA Warrants is US$1.49 per ADS. There can be no assurance that such warrants will be in the money following the time they become exercisable and prior to their expiration, and as such, these warrants may expire worthless.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 19
Future issuance of ADSs or ordinary shares will result in additional dilution of the percentage ownership of our shareholders and could cause the price of the ADSs to fall.Added
5,000,000 ADSs are issuable upon exercise of the Investor Warrants and FA Warrants. Additional ADSs are issuable upon conversion of the LMR Convertible Notes. The Investor Warrants and the LMR Convertible Notes provide for a fluctuating conversion price, which is subject to anti-dilution adjustments (including for certain offerings of our ADSs and ordinary shares) and certain floor price. The exercise of the Investor Warrants and FA Warrants, and the conversion of some or all of our LMR Convertible Notes will dilute the ownership interests of our shareholders and holders of our ADSs, and the lower the prevailing price of our ADSs is at the time of the relevant exercise or conversion, the larger dilution would result from such conversion. Furthermore, any sales in the public market of such additional ADSs issuable upon exercise of the Investor Warrants and FA Warrants and conversion of the LMR Convertible Notes may create a downward pressure on the market price of our ADSs and/or may increase the opportunities to create short positions with respect to the ADSs, which could in turn further adversely affect the prevailing market price of our ADSs. In addition, the existence of the Investor Warrants, FA Warrants and LMR Convertible Notes, in itself, may encourage short selling by market participants because their exercise or conversion could trigger the market dynamic that would depress the price of our ADSs.
We may also need additional capital in the future to finance our operations. We may sell ordinary shares, convertible securities or other equity securities in one or more transactions at prices and in a manner we determine from time to time. Furthermore, we may issue additional ADSs and ordinary shares in connection with the grant of equity awards to employees under our equity incentive plans. Any such issuance of additional share capital may cause shareholders to experience significant dilution of their ownership interests and the value of our securities to decline.
Accounting & Financial Operations4 | 5.8%
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 1
We are subject to risks related to the restatement of NaaS's financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2021 and the pro forma information for the year ended December 31, 2021.Changed
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 2
NaaS is an early-stage company with a history of losses, and we expect to incur significant expenses and continuing losses for the near term.NaaS incurred net loss of RMB260.5 million, RMB5,637.4 million and RMB1307.2 million (US$184.1 million) in 2021, 2022 and 2023, respectively, and adjusted net loss of RMB249.7 million, RMB354.1 million and RMB703.8 million (US$99.1 million) in 2021, 2022 and 2023, respectively. We expect to continue to incur operating and net losses for the near term. There can be no assurance that we will be able to achieve profitability in the future. Our potential profitability is particularly dependent upon the continued adoption of EVs by consumers and fleet operators, the widespread adoption of electric passenger and other vehicles and other electric transportation modalities, which may not occur.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 3
If we do not appropriately maintain effective internal control over financial reporting in accordance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, we may be unable to accurately report our financial results and the market price of our securities may be adversely affected.Changed
We are subject to reporting obligations under the U.S. securities laws. The SEC, as required under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, adopted rules requiring every public company to include a management report on such company's internal control over financial reporting in its annual report, which contains management's assessment of the effectiveness of the company's internal control over financial reporting. In addition, an independent registered public accounting firm must attest to and report on the effectiveness of the company's internal control over financial reporting.
Our management has concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was effective as of December 31, 2023. See "Item 15. Controls and Procedures." Our independent registered public accounting firm has issued an attestation report, which has concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was effective in all material aspects as of December 31, 2023. However, if we fail to maintain an effective system of internal control over financial reporting in the future, our management and our independent registered public accounting firm may not be able to conclude that we have effective internal control over financial reporting at a reasonable assurance level. This could in turn result in loss of investor confidence in the reliability of our financial statements and negatively impact the trading price of our Class A ordinary shares and ADSs. Furthermore, we have incurred and anticipate that we will continue to incur considerable costs, management time and other resources in an effort to comply with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and other requirements.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 4
We will not pay dividends for the foreseeable future, you must rely on price appreciation of the ADSs for return on your investment.We intend to retain any future earnings to finance the operation and expansion of our business, and we do not expect to declare or pay any dividends in the foreseeable future. As a result, you may only receive a return on your investment in our ADSs if the market price of our ADSs increases.
Debt & Financing4 | 5.8%
Debt & Financing - Risk 1
We may rely on dividends and other distributions on equity paid by our PRC subsidiaries to fund any cash and financing requirements we may have, and any limitation on the ability of our PRC subsidiaries to make payments to us could have a material and adverse effect on our ability to conduct our business.Debt & Financing - Risk 2
There are uncertainties with respect to indirect transfers of equity interests in PRC resident enterprises by our non-PRC holding companies.Pursuant to the Circular on Strengthening Administration of Enterprise Income Tax for Share Transfers by Non-PRC Resident Enterprises, or SAT Circular 698, issued by the SAT in 2009 with retroactive effect from January 1, 2008, where a non-resident enterprise transfers the equity interests of a PRC resident enterprise indirectly by disposition of the equity interests of an overseas holding company, or an Indirect Transfer, and such overseas holding company is located in a tax jurisdiction that: (a) has an effective tax rate less than 12.5% or (b) does not tax foreign income of its residents, the non-resident enterprise, being the transferor, must report the Indirect Transfer to the competent tax authority of the PRC resident enterprise.
On February 3, 2015, the SAT issued a Public Notice Regarding Certain Corporate Income Tax Matters on Indirect Transfer of Properties by Non-Resident Enterprises, or SAT Public Notice 7. SAT Public Notice 7 supersedes certain rules with respect to the Indirect Transfer under SAT Circular 698 but does not touch upon the other provisions of SAT Circular 698, which remain in force. SAT Public Notice 7 has introduced a new tax regime that is significantly different from the previous one contemplated under SAT Circular 698. SAT Public Notice 7 extends its tax jurisdiction to not only Indirect Transfers set forth under SAT Circular 698 but also transactions involving transfer of other taxable assets through the offshore transfer of a foreign intermediate holding company. In addition, SAT Public Notice 7 provides clearer criteria than SAT Circular 698 for assessment of reasonable commercial purposes and has introduced safe harbors for internal restructurings of group companies and the purchase and sale of equity through a public securities market. SAT Public Notice 7 also brings challenges to both foreign transferors and transferees (or other person who is obligated to pay for the transfer) of taxable assets. Where a non-resident enterprise transfers taxable assets indirectly by disposing of the equity interests of an overseas holding company, which will be deemed as an Indirect Transfer, the non-resident enterprise as either transferor or transferee, or the PRC entity that directly owns the taxable assets, may report such Indirect Transfer to the tax authority. Using a "substance over form" principle, the PRC tax authority may disregard the existence of the overseas holding company if it lacks a reasonable commercial purpose and was established for the purpose of reducing, avoiding or deferring PRC tax. As a result, gains derived from a Indirect Transfer may be subject to PRC enterprise income tax, and the transferor will be subject to the obligation to withhold applicable taxes, currently at a rate of 10%.
On October 17, 2017, SAT issued the Announcement of the State Administration of Taxation on Issues Concerning the Withholding of Nonresident Enterprise Income Tax at Source, or SAT Bulletin 37, which became effective on December 1, 2017 and abolished SAT Circular 698 as well as certain provisions in SAT Circular 7. The SAT Bulletin 37 further clarifies the practice and procedure for the withholding of non-resident enterprise income tax. Pursuant to SAT Bulletin 37, where the party responsible to withhold such income tax did not or was unable to withhold, and the nonresident enterprise receiving such income failed to declare and pay the taxes that should have been withheld to the tax authority, both parties may be subject to penalties.
We face uncertainties as to the reporting and other implications of certain past and future transactions where PRC taxable assets are involved, including the Mergers and the Transactions. We may be subject to filing obligations or taxed or subject to withholding obligations with respect to such transactions, under SAT Public Notice 7 and SAT Bulletin 37. For transfers of shares in us by investors that are non-PRC resident enterprises, our PRC subsidiaries may be requested to assist in the filing under SAT Public Notice 7 and SAT Bulletin 37. As a result, we may be required to expend valuable resources to comply with SAT Public Notice 7 and SAT Bulletin 37 or to request the transferors from whom our purchase taxable assets to comply with these circulars, or to establish that our should not be taxed under these circulars, which may have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
Debt & Financing - Risk 3
You may be subject to limitations on transfer of your ADSs.Your ADSs are transferable on the books of the depositary. However, the depositary may close its transfer books at any time or from time to time when it deems expedient in connection with the performance of its duties. In addition, the depositary may refuse to deliver, transfer or register transfers of ADSs generally when our books or the books of the depositary are closed, or at any time if we or the depositary deems it advisable to do so because of any requirement of law or of any government or government body, or under any provision of the deposit agreement, or for any other reason.
Debt & Financing - Risk 4
We expect to raise additional funds and these funds may not be available when needed, if at all.Changed
We expect to raise additional capital to further scale and expand our business. We may raise additional funds through the issuance of equity, equity-related or debt securities, or through obtaining credit from government or financial institutions. In addition, the fact that NaaS has a limited operating history means there is limited historical data for us to project the demand for our products and services in the future. As a result, our future capital requirements may be uncertain and actual capital requirements may be different from what we currently anticipate. Our ability to obtain the necessary financing to carry out our business plan is subject to a number of factors, including general market conditions and investor acceptance of our business plan. These factors may make the timing, amount, terms and conditions of such financing unattractive or unavailable to us. There is no certainty that additional funds will be available on favorable terms when required, or at all. If additional funds cannot be obtained when needed, our financial condition, results of operations, business and prospects could be materially and adversely affected.
We may raise funds through the issuance of debt securities or through loan arrangements, the terms of which could require significant interest payments, contain covenants that restrict our business, or other unfavorable terms. In addition, to the extent we raise funds through the sale of additional equity securities, our shareholders would experience additional dilution.
Historically we had net operating cash outflows. There can be no assurance that we will not experience net operating cash outflow or liquidity problems in the future. If we fail to generate sufficient cash flow from our operations, or if we fail to maintain sufficient cash or obtain additional external financing, our liquidity position may be adversely affected. If we do not have sufficient cash flows to fund our business, operations and capital expenditure, our business and financial position will be materially and adversely affected.
Corporate Activity and Growth6 | 8.7%
Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 1
We rely on our collaborative arrangements with the operator of Kuaidian in delivering our EV charging solutions.Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 2
NewLink exercises substantial influence over us. Our operation is dependent on our collaboration with NewLink.As of the date of this annual report, NewLink has the right to vote 62.0% of our ordinary shares and has substantial influence over our affairs. We also rely on certain services provided by and cooperative arrangements entered into with NewLink and we benefit significantly from the strong market position, industrial insights, brand recognition and extensive upstream and downstream resources of NewLink.
There is no assurance that we will continue to maintain the same collaborative arrangements with or receive the same level of support from NewLink. Any failure by NewLink to perform its obligations under these arrangements or any change to NewLink's own business, including its future operational needs, results of operations and cash flow and capital expenditure requirements, could affect our arrangements with NewLink or the level of support that NewLink is able or willing to offer to us, which in turn could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. Prior to the completion of the Mergers, NewLink bore certain expenses which were incurred for our benefits but there is no certainty that NewLink will continue to do so. If we were to settle such expenses on our own historically, our financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected and could have differed from those presented in this annual report. In addition, to our knowledge, NewLink intends to distribute some or all of the ordinary shares of ours that it owns to its shareholders, which could significantly reduce its shareholding. In the event that NewLink ceases to be a significant shareholder of ours as a result of such distribution, our collaborative relationship with NewLink may suffer, and NewLink may reduce the level of support it affords us or otherwise take actions that are not in our best interests or the best interests of our other shareholders, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 3
NaaS has a limited operating history. NaaS recently restructured certain aspects of its corporate organization and business operations, adopted a new and unproven business model and expanded into new business segments, and we are subject to significant risks in relation to such transition.NaaS launched its mobility connectivity services in 2019. Full station operation commenced in June 2020 and new initiatives were launched one month later. NaaS began to provide hardware procurement services in July 2020, and electricity procurement services in October 2020. NaaS further added SaaS products and services targeting EVs and station operation and maintenance to its portfolio of solutions in 2021. We launched our photovoltaic-related business and our energy storage services in June 2023 and September 2023, respectively, and we released an autonomous charging robot prototype in 2023.
Historically, the EV charging service business of NaaS in China was primarily carried out through NewLink and its consolidated entities. Kuaidian Power Beijing also operated Kuaidian, the mobile application and the Weixin mini-program that connect EV drivers with charging stations and chargers. In early 2022, NaaS entered into a series of transactions to restructure its organization and its EV charging service business, including transactions where (i) Dada Auto, through a subsidiary, entered into contractual arrangements with Kuaidian Power Beijing, as a result of which Kuaidian Power Beijing initially became a VIE of Dada Auto, but such arrangements were terminated in April 2022 and Kuaidian Power Beijing ceased being a VIE of Dada Auto, and (ii) the ownership of Kuaidian as well as the rights to access and use certain data generated by or in the possession of Kuaidian were transferred to a third-party service provider. For more information on our corporate history and the Restructuring, see "Item 4. Information on the Company-A. History and Development of the Company" and "Item 3. Key Information-D. Risk Factors-Risks Related to Our Business and Industry-We rely on our collaborative arrangements with the operator of Kuaidian in delivering our EV charging solutions."
As a result of the Restructuring, we do not have any VIE and we conduct our operations in China through our subsidiaries as of the date of this annual report. We are subject to many risks associated with NaaS's limited operating history and the Restructuring. As a result of the divestment of the rights of NaaS in the operation of Kuaidian and related data, NaaS has been and we currently are in the process of, adjusting the business operations and model with respect to EV charging services. There is no assurance that such adjustment will be successful or will result in growth, revenue or profit. We may further experience a loss of continuity, loss of accumulated knowledge or loss of efficiency during the transitional period. Additionally, it is difficult to forecast the full impact of the Restructuring and it is uncertain whether the Restructuring will eventually be beneficial to us. We are also faced with risks and challenges with respect to our ability to:
- manage changes in our business operations following the Restructuring;- navigate an evolving and complex regulatory environment;- improve and maintain our operational efficiency;- establish, retain and expand our customer base;- successfully market our product and service offerings;- attract, retain, and motivate talented employees;- anticipate and adapt to changing market conditions and demands, including technological developments and changes in competitive landscape; and - build a well-recognized and respected brand as we cease to conduct our business through Kuaidian or under the "Kuaidian" brand.
In addition, because NaaS has a limited operating history and track record and operate in a rapidly evolving market, any predictions about our future revenues and expenses may not be as accurate as they would be if NaaS had had a longer operating history or operated in a more predictable market. NaaS encountered in the past, and we will continue to encounter in the future, risks and uncertainties frequently experienced by fast-growing companies with limited operating histories in rapidly changing industries. If our assumptions regarding these risks and uncertainties, which we use to plan and operate our business, are incorrect or outdated, or if we do not address these risks successfully, our results of operations could differ materially from expectations, and our business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.
Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 4
NaaS experienced rapid growth and we expect to invest in growth for the foreseeable future. If we fail to manage growth effectively, our business, operating results and financial condition could be adversely affected.The growth and expansion of NaaS's business placed, and the continued growth and expansion of our business following the completion of the Mergers will continue to place, a significant strain on management, operations, financial infrastructure and corporate culture. We will need to continue to improve our operational, financial and management controls and reporting systems and procedures in order to manage growth in operations and personnel. Failure to manage growth effectively could result in loss of customers, difficulty in attracting new customers, declines in quality of products and services or in customer satisfaction, increases in costs, difficulties and delays in introducing new products and services or enhancing existing products and services, information security vulnerabilities or other operational difficulties, any of which could have adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 5
Acquisitions or strategic investments could be difficult to identify and integrate, divert the attention of key management personnel, disrupt our business, dilute shareholder value and adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.As part of the business strategy, NaaS made investments in and we are expected to make acquisitions of, or investments in, businesses, services or technologies, including with our affiliates, that are complementary to our EV charging services or otherwise.
The process of identifying and consummating acquisitions and investments, and the subsequent integration of new assets and businesses into our own business, requires attention from our management and could result in a diversion of resources from our existing business, which in turn could have an adverse effect on our operations. In addition, NewLink continues to have significant influence in determining the outcome of our corporate actions and may from time to time make strategic decisions, including in respect of our investments and mergers and acquisitions activities and strategies, that it believes are in the best interests of its business as a whole. These decisions may be different from the decision that we would have made on our own and may be made in ways that favor NewLink and may not coincide with the interests of our other shareholders.
Even if we identify an appropriate acquisition or investment target, we may not be able to negotiate the terms of the proposed transaction or finance the proposed transaction successfully, or we or the sellers may not be able to fulfill all of the closing conditions. Failure to consummate such transactions could cause the costs and management time incurred thereby, which could be significant, to be futile. As a result, our results of operations and financial condition may be materially and adversely impacted. On August 22, 2023, we entered into a share purchase agreement with the existing shareholders of Charge Amps to acquire 100% of its issued and outstanding shares. The agreement was terminated on November 22, 2023 and the acquisition was not closed. We may be subject to claims, liabilities and litigations in connection with this termination, and our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results and the value of our securities could be materially and adversely affected as a result.
Even if the desired acquisitions or investments are completed successfully, the acquired assets or businesses may not generate the expected financial results. Acquisitions or investments could also result in the use of cash, potentially dilutive issuances of equity securities, the occurrence of goodwill impairment charges, amortization expenses for other intangible assets and exposure to potential unknown liabilities of the acquired business or investment. In addition, our due diligence may fail to identify all of the problems, liabilities or other shortcomings or challenges of an acquired business, product, technology or investment, including issues related to intellectual property, product quality or product architecture, regulatory compliance practices, revenue recognition or other accounting practices or issues with employees or customers.
Our past and future acquisitions or investments may not ultimately strengthen our competitive position or achieve our goals and business strategy; we may be subject to claims or liabilities assumed from acquired companies, products, or technologies; acquisitions or investments we complete could be viewed negatively by our customers, investors, and securities analysts; and we may incur costs and expenses necessary to address, or be subject to claims and penalties arising from, an acquired company's failure to comply with laws and governmental rules and regulations, including data protection laws. Additionally, we may be subject to litigation or other claims or unforeseen and unexpected liabilities in connection with the acquired company, including claims from terminated employees, former shareholders or other third parties, which may differ from or be more significant than the risks its business faces. An acquired company may also need to implement or improve its controls, procedures and policies, and we may face associated risks if any of those controls, procedures or policies are insufficiently effective. We may face challenges in addressing possible differences in corporate cultures and management philosophies. We may also face retention or cultural challenges associated with integrating employees from the acquired company into our organization, or we may be unable to retain key business relationships. If we are unsuccessful at integrating acquisitions or investments, in a timely manner, our revenue and operating results could be adversely affected. Any integration process may require significant time and resources, which may disrupt our ongoing business and divert management's attention, and we may not be able to manage the integration process successfully or in a timely manner. We may not successfully evaluate or utilize the acquired technology or personnel, realize anticipated synergies from the acquisition or investment, or accurately forecast the financial impact of an acquisition or investment transaction or the related integration of such acquisition or investment, including accounting charges and any potential impairment of goodwill and intangible assets recognized in connection with such transaction. We may also face difficulties in managing tax costs or inefficiencies associated with integrating the operation costs of the combined group. NaaS have and may continue to pay cash, incur debt, or issue equity or equity-linked securities to pay for any acquisitions or investments, each of which could adversely affect our financial condition. Furthermore, the sale of equity or issuance of equity-linked debt to finance any such transaction could result in dilution to our shareholders. The occurrence of any of these risks could harm our business, operating results, and financial condition.
Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 6
Our management team has limited experience managing a public company.Most members of our management team have not previously served as management of a publicly traded company and may not have experience complying with the increasingly complex laws pertaining to public companies. Our management team may not successfully or efficiently manage a public company that is subject to significant regulatory oversight and reporting obligations under the federal securities laws as well as the continuous scrutiny of securities analysts and investors like us. These new obligations and constituents will require significant attention from our management and could divert their attention away from the day-to-day management of our business, which could adversely affect our business and financial performance.
Legal & Regulatory
Total Risks: 11/69 (16%)Below Sector Average
Regulation8 | 11.6%
Regulation - Risk 1
We may be required to obtain additional licenses in relation to our ongoing business operations and may be subject to penalties for failing to obtain certain licenses with respect to our past operations.Regulation - Risk 2
Uncertainties with respect to the PRC legal system could adversely affect us.We conduct our business primarily through subsidiaries in China. Operations in China are governed by PRC laws and regulations. The PRC legal system is a civil law system based on written statutes. Unlike the common law system, prior court decisions under the civil law system may be cited for reference but have limited precedential value. The PRC legal system is evolving rapidly, and the interpretation and enforcement of many laws, regulations and rules may involve uncertainties.
From time to time, we may have to resort to administrative and court proceedings to enforce our legal rights. Any administrative and court proceedings in China may be protracted, resulting in substantial costs and diversion of resources and management attention. Since PRC administrative and court authorities have significant discretion in interpreting and implementing statutory and contractual terms, it may be difficult to evaluate the outcome of administrative and court proceedings and the level of legal protection we enjoy. These uncertainties may impede our ability to enforce the contracts we have entered into and could materially and adversely affect our business and results of operations. Furthermore, the PRC legal system is based, in part, on government policies and internal rules, some of which may have retroactive effect. As a result, we may not always be aware of any potential violation of these policies and rules. Such unpredictability towards our contractual, property and procedural rights could adversely affect our business and impede our ability to continue our operations.
The PRC government has significant oversight over the conduct of our business and it has recently indicated an intent to exert more oversight over offerings that are conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in China-based issuers. Any such action could significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors and cause the value of such securities to significantly decline or be worthless.
Regulation - Risk 3
PRC regulation of loans to and direct investment in PRC entities by offshore holding companies and governmental control of currency conversion may delay or prevent us from making loans to our PRC subsidiaries or making additional capital contributions to our wholly foreign-owned subsidiaries in China, which could materially and adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business.We are an offshore holding company conducting our operations in China through our PRC subsidiaries. We may make loans to our PRC subsidiaries subject to the approval from governmental authorities and limitation of amount, or we may make additional capital contributions to our wholly foreign-owned subsidiaries in China.
Any loans to our wholly foreign-owned subsidiaries in China, which are treated as foreign-invested enterprises under PRC law, are subject to PRC regulations and foreign exchange loan registrations. For example, loans by us to any of our wholly foreign-owned subsidiaries in China to finance its activities cannot exceed statutory limits, i.e., the difference between its total amount of investment and its registered capital, or certain amount calculated based on elements including capital or net assets, the cross-border financing leverage ratio and the macro prudential coefficient, or Macro-prudential Management Mode, under applicable PRC laws and the loans must be registered with the local counterpart of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, or SAFE, or filed with SAFE in its information system. According to the Circular of the People's Bank of China and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange on Adjusting the Macro-prudent Adjustment Parameter for Cross-border Financing issued on January 7, 2021, the limit for the total amount of foreign debt under the Macro-prudential Management Mode is adjusted to two times of our subsidiary's net assets.
Moreover, any medium or long-term loan to be provided by us to our PRC subsidiaries must also be registered with the NDRC.
We may also decide to finance our wholly foreign-owned subsidiaries in China by means of capital contributions. These capital contributions shall go through record-filing procedures from competent administration for market regulation. SAFE issued the Circular on the Management Concerning the Reform of the Payment and Settlement of Foreign Currency Capital of Foreign-Invested Enterprises, or SAFE Circular 19, which took effect on June 1, 2015. SAFE Circular 19 allows for the use of RMB converted from the foreign currency-denominated capital for equity investments in the PRC provided that such usage shall fall into the scope of business of the foreign-invested enterprise, which will be regarded as the reinvestment of foreign-invested enterprise. In addition, SAFE promulgated the Circular Regarding Further Promotion of the Facilitation of Cross-Border Trade and Investment on October 23, 2019, or SAFE Circular 28, pursuant to which all foreign-invested enterprises can make equity investments in China with their capital funds in accordance with the law. The Circular Regarding Further Optimizing the Cross-border RMB Policy to Support the Stabilization of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment jointly promulgated by the People's Bank of China, NDRC, the Ministry of Commerce, the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission and SAFE on December 31, 2020 and effective on February 4, 2021 allows the non-investment foreign-invested enterprises to make domestic reinvestment with RMB capital in accordance with the law on the premise that they comply with prevailing regulations and the invested projects in China are authentic and compliant. In addition, if a foreign-invested enterprise uses RMB income under capital accounts to conduct domestic reinvestment, the invested enterprise is not required to open a special deposit account for RMB capital.
In light of the various requirements imposed by PRC regulations on loans to and direct investment in PRC entities by offshore holding companies, we cannot assure you that we will be able to complete the necessary government registrations or record-filings on a timely basis, or at all, with respect to future loans or future capital contributions to our PRC subsidiaries. As a result, uncertainties exist as to our ability to provide prompt financial support to our PRC subsidiaries when needed. If we fail to complete such registrations or record-filings, our ability to use foreign currency, and to capitalize or otherwise fund our PRC operations may be negatively affected, which could materially and adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business.
Regulation - Risk 4
Certain transactions completed as part of the Restructuring may not have received the necessary approval.According to the M&A Rules, where a domestic company, enterprise or natural person intends to acquire its or his/her related domestic company in the name of an offshore company which it or he/she lawfully established or controls, the acquisition should be subject to the examination and approval of the Ministry of Commerce. Historically, NaaS's acquisition of several PRC entities could have fallen within the ambit of the M&A Rules and required the prior approval of the Ministry of Commerce. No such approval had been applied for or obtained and the acquisition could be deemed invalid.
Regulation - Risk 5
It may be difficult for overseas regulators to conduct investigation or collect evidence within China.Shareholder claims or regulatory investigation that are common in the United States generally are difficult to pursue as a matter of law or practicality in China. For example, in China, there are significant legal and other obstacles to providing information needed for regulatory investigations or litigation initiated outside China. Although PRC government authorities may establish a regulatory cooperation mechanism with the securities regulatory authorities of another country or region to implement cross-border supervision and administration, such cooperation with the securities regulatory authorities in the Unities States may not be efficient in the absence of mutual and practical cooperation mechanism. Furthermore, according to Article 177 of the PRC Securities Law, or Article 177, which became effective in March 2020, no overseas securities regulator is allowed to directly conduct investigation or evidence collection activities within the territory of the PRC. While detailed interpretation of or implementation rules under Article 177 have yet to be promulgated, the inability for an overseas securities regulator to directly conduct investigation or evidence collection activities within China may further increase difficulties faced by you in protecting your interests.
Regulation - Risk 6
Our ADSs may be prohibited from trading in the United States under the HFCAA in the future if the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely auditors located in mainland China and Hong Kong. The delisting of our ADSs, or the threat of their being delisted, may materially and adversely affect the value of your investment.Changed
Pursuant to the HFCAA, if the SEC determines that we have filed audit reports issued by a registered public accounting firm that has not been subject to inspections by the PCAOB for two consecutive years, the SEC will prohibit our shares or our ADSs from being traded on a national securities exchange or in the over-the-counter trading market in the United States. On December 16, 2021, the PCAOB issued a report to notify the SEC of its determination that the PCAOB was unable to inspect or investigate completely registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong and our auditor was subject to that determination. In May 2022, the SEC conclusively listed RISE as a Commission-Identified Issuer under the HFCAA following the filing of RISE's annual report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021. On December 15, 2022, the PCAOB removed mainland China and Hong Kong from the list of jurisdictions where it is unable to inspect or investigate completely registered public accounting firms. As of the date of this annual report, the PCAOB has not issued any new determination that it is unable to inspect or investigate completely registered public accounting firms headquartered in any jurisdiction. For this reason, we do not expect to be identified as a Commission-Identified Issuer under the HFCAA after we file our annual report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.
Each year, the PCAOB will determine whether it can inspect and investigate completely audit firms in mainland China and Hong Kong, among other jurisdictions. If the PCAOB determines in the future that it no longer has full access to inspect and investigate completely accounting firms in mainland China and Hong Kong and we use an accounting firm headquartered in one of these jurisdictions to issue an audit report on our financial statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, we would be identified as a Commission-Identified Issuer following the filing of the annual report on Form 20-F for the relevant fiscal year. In accordance with the HFCAA, our securities would be prohibited from being traded on a national securities exchange or in the over-the-counter trading market in the United States if we are identified as a Commission-Identified Issuer for two consecutive years in the future. If our shares and ADSs 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 ADSs will develop outside of the United States. A prohibition of being able to trade in the United States would substantially impair your ability to sell or purchase our ADSs when you wish to do so, and the risk and uncertainty associated with delisting would have a negative impact on the price of our ADSs. 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.
Regulation - Risk 7
The approval of and filing with CSRC or other PRC government authorities may be required retrospectively in connection with the Mergers and the Transactions under PRC law, and, if required, it is uncertain whether such approval can be obtained or filing completed or how long it will take to obtain such approval or complete such filing.Changed
Most of our operations are based in China. We are and will be subject to PRC laws relating to, among others, restrictions over foreign investments and data security. The Chinese government has recently sought to exert more control and impose more restrictions on China-based companies raising capital offshore and such efforts may continue or intensify in the future. The Chinese government's exertion of more control over overseas listing of, offerings conducted overseas by and/or foreign investment in China-based companies could retrospectively affect the Mergers and result in a material change in our operations, significantly limit or completely hinder our abilities to offer or continue to offer securities to foreign investors, and cause the value of ADSs to significantly decline or be worthless.
The Regulations on Mergers and Acquisitions of Domestic Enterprises by Foreign Investors, or the M&A Rules, adopted by six PRC regulatory agencies in 2006 and amended in 2009, requires an overseas special purpose vehicle formed for listing purposes through acquisitions of PRC domestic companies and controlled by PRC persons or entities to obtain the approval of CSRC prior to the listing and trading of such special purpose vehicle's securities on an overseas stock exchange. The interpretation and application of the regulations remain unclear, and the Mergers and the Transactions may ultimately require approval of CSRC. If it is determined that CSRC approval is required retrospectively for the Mergers or the Transactions, it is uncertain whether we can or how long we will take to obtain the approval and, even if such CSRC approval is obtained, the approval could be rescinded. Any failure to obtain or delay in obtaining the CSRC approval for the Mergers and the Transactions, or a rescission of such approval if obtained, could subject us to sanctions imposed by CSRC or other PRC regulatory authorities, which could include fines and penalties on our operations, restrictions or limitations on our abilities to pay dividends outside of China, and other forms of sanctions that may materially and adversely affect their business, financial condition, and results of operations.
On July 6, 2021, PRC government authorities issued Opinions on Strictly Cracking Down Illegal Securities Activities in Accordance with the Law. These opinions emphasized the need to strengthen the administration over illegal securities activities and the supervision on overseas listings by China-based companies and proposed to take effective measures, such as promoting the establishment of regulatory systems to deal with the risks and incidents faced by China-based overseas-listed companies.
On February 17, 2023, CSRC published the Overseas Listing Measures which took effect on March 31, 2023. Under the Overseas Listing Measures, a filing-based regulatory system applies to "indirect overseas offerings and listings" of companies in mainland China, which refers to securities offerings and listings in an overseas market made under the name of an offshore entity but based on the underlying equity, assets, earnings or other similar rights of a company in mainland China that operates its main business in mainland China. The Overseas Listing Measures states that, any post-listing follow-on offering by an issuer in an overseas market, including issuance of shares, convertible notes and other similar securities, shall be subject to filing requirement within three business days after the completion of the offering. Therefore, any of our future offering and listing of our securities in an overseas market may be subject to the filing requirements under the Overseas Listing Measures. In connection with the Overseas Listing Measures, on February 17, 2023 CSRC also published the Notice on Overseas Listing Measures. According to the Notice on Overseas Listing Measures, issuers that have already been listed in an overseas market by March 31, 2023, the date the Overseas Listing Measures became effective, are not required to make any immediate filing and are only required to comply with the filing requirements under the Overseas Listing Measures when it subsequently seeks to conduct a follow-on offering.
On December 27, 2021, the National Development and Reform Commission, or the NDRC, and the Ministry of Commerce, jointly issued the Special Administrative Measures (Negative List) for Foreign Investment Access (2021 Version), or the 2021 Negative List, which became effective on January 1, 2022. Pursuant to the 2021 Negative List, if a PRC domestic company, which engages in any prohibited business set out in the list, seeks an overseas offering or listing, it must first obtain the approval from the competent governmental authorities. In addition, the foreign investors in such company must not be involved in its operation or management, and their ownership interest should be subject to limitations imposed under regulations on investments in domestic securities by foreign investors. Because the 2021 Negative List is recently issued, there remain substantial uncertainties as to the interpretation and implementation of these new requirements, and it is unclear as to whether and to what extent we will be subject to these new requirements. If we are required to comply with these requirements but fail to do so on a timely basis if at all, our business operation, financial conditions and business prospect may be adversely and materially affected.
In addition, there is no assurance that new rules or regulations promulgated in the future will not impose additional requirements on us, including retrospectively with respect to the Mergers and the Transactions. If it is determined in the future that approval and filing from CSRC or other regulatory authorities or other procedures, including the cybersecurity review under the 2022 Cybersecurity Review Measures and the Draft Administrative Regulations on Network Data Security, are required for the Mergers or Transactions, on a retrospective basis, it is uncertain whether such approval can be obtained or filing procedures completed, or how long it will take to obtain such approval or complete such filing procedures. Any failure to obtain such approval or complete such filing procedures or any delay in obtaining such approval or completing such filing procedures for the Mergers or Transactions, or a rescission of any such approval if obtained, would subject us to sanctions by CSRC or other PRC regulatory authorities. These regulatory authorities may impose fines and penalties on our operations in China, limit our abilities to carry out business operations in China or pay dividends outside China, delay or restrict the repatriation of our offshore funds into China or take other actions that could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects, as well as the trading price of the ADSs. CSRC and other PRC regulatory authorities may also order us, or make it advisable for us, to unwind or reverse the Mergers and the Transactions. In addition, if CSRC or other regulatory authorities in China subsequently promulgate new rules or issue directives requiring that we obtain additional approvals or complete additional filing or other regulatory procedures for our prior offerings overseas, there is no assurance that we will be able to comply with these requirements and may not be able to obtain any waiver of such requirements, if and when procedures are established to obtain such a waiver. Any of the foregoing could materially and adversely affect our business, prospects, financial condition, reputation, and the trading price of our listed securities.
Regulation - Risk 8
Any failure to comply with PRC regulations regarding the registration requirements for employee stock incentive plans may subject the PRC plan participants or us to fines and other legal and administrative sanctions.Changed
Pursuant to the Notice on Issues Concerning the Foreign Exchange Administration for Domestic Individuals Participating in Stock Incentive Plan of Overseas Publicly Listed Company, issued by SAFE in February 2012, employees, directors, supervisors and other senior management participating in any stock incentive plan of an overseas publicly listed company who are PRC citizens or who are non-PRC citizens residing in China for a continuous period of not less than one year, subject to exceptions, are required to register with SAFE through a domestic qualified agent, which could be a PRC subsidiary of such overseas listed company, and complete certain other procedures. We and our directors, executive officers and other employees who are PRC citizens or who reside in the PRC for a continuous period of not less than one year and who have been granted restricted shares, restricted share units or options are subject to these regulations. Failure to complete the SAFE registrations may result in fines and legal sanctions and may also limit our ability to contribute additional capital into our subsidiaries in China and limit these subsidiaries' ability to distribute dividends to us. We also face regulatory uncertainties that could restrict our ability to adopt additional incentive plans for our directors and employees under PRC law.
Taxation & Government Incentives2 | 2.9%
Taxation & Government Incentives - Risk 1
It is unclear whether we will be considered a PRC "resident enterprise" under the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law and, depending on the determination of our PRC "resident enterprise" status, our global income may be subject to the 25% PRC enterprise income tax, which could materially and adversely affect our results of operations.Taxation & Government Incentives - Risk 2
There can be no assurance that we will not be classified as a passive foreign investment company, or PFIC, for U.S. federal income tax purposes for any taxable year, which could result in adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences to U.S. Holders of our ADSs or Class A ordinary shares.A non-U.S. corporation, such as our company, will be classified as a passive foreign investment company, or PFIC, for any taxable year if either (i) at least 75% of its gross income for such year consists of certain types of "passive" income; or (ii) at least 50% of the value of its assets (generally determined on the basis of a quarterly average) during such year is attributable to assets that produce passive income or are held for the production of passive income, or the asset test. Based on the current and anticipated value of our assets and composition of our income and assets, we do not expect to be a PFIC for the taxable year ended December 31, 2023 or the foreseeable future.
While we do not expect to be or become a PFIC for the taxable year ended December 31, 2023, no assurance can be given in this regard because the determination of whether we are or will become a PFIC for any taxable year is a fact-intensive inquiry made on an annual basis that depends, in part, upon the composition and classification of our income and assets. In particular, increased volatility in the market price of our ADSs may significantly increase our risk of becoming a PFIC. The market price of our ADSs may continue to fluctuate widely and, consequently, we cannot assure you of our PFIC status for any taxable year. Fluctuations in the market prices of our ADSs and Class A ordinary shares may cause us to be or become a PFIC for the current or subsequent taxable years because the value of our assets for the purpose of the asset test, including the value of our goodwill and other unhooked intangibles, may be determined by reference to the market price of our ADSs from time to time (which may be volatile). The composition of our income and assets may also be affected by how, and how quickly, we use our liquid assets.
If we were to be or become a PFIC for any taxable year during which a U.S. Holder (as defined in "Item 10. Additional Information-E. Taxation-United States Federal Income Tax Considerations") holds our ADSs or Class A ordinary shares, certain adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences could apply to such U.S. Holder. See "Item 10. Additional Information-E. Taxation-United States Federal Income Tax Considerations-Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules."
Environmental / Social1 | 1.4%
Environmental / Social - Risk 1
Our business is subject to complex and evolving PRC laws and regulations regarding cybersecurity and data privacy.Tech & Innovation
Total Risks: 8/69 (12%)Below Sector Average
Innovation / R&D2 | 2.9%
Innovation / R&D - Risk 1
We expect to incur research and development costs in and to devote significant resources to the development of new products and services, which could significantly reduce our profitability and may never result in revenue.Innovation / R&D - Risk 2
The EV charging and energy solution industries and their technologies are rapidly evolving and may be subject to unforeseen changes.Changed
The EV charging and energy solution markets are in their early stage and are constantly evolving. New demands and preferences continue to emerge from industry participants, especially from charging stations and other energy asset owners and EV drivers. The EV charging market in China is unique in the sense that there is overall a very high demand for public charging infrastructure due to the scarcity of private or residential charging facilities. The trend towards the primacy of public charging is expected to continue in China and our product and service offerings are tailored in anticipation of this market development. There is however no assurance that public charging will be or will remain as the predominant mode of charging in China and the possibility of a transition to private charging or battery swap as the primary mode of charging, following a change in end-user preference, legislative initiatives or otherwise, cannot be gainsaid. There are similarly uncertainties in the prospects of the energy solutions market. We will be tested on our ability to forecast and meet shifts in the market and to make timely adaptation of our product and service offerings. If we fail to do so, our business, operating results, prospects and financial condition will be adversely affected.
The EV charging and energy solution industries are also characterized by rapid technological change, which will require us to continue to innovate in our product and service offerings. Any delays in such development could adversely affect market acceptance of our solutions. Our future success will depend upon our ability to develop and introduce a variety of new capabilities and innovations to our product and service offerings, to address the changing needs of the EV charging and energy solution markets. As new products and services are introduced, gross margins tend to decline in the near term and improve as the product and services become more mature and gain traction in the market. As EV and EV charging technologies change, we may need to upgrade our technologies, software and other product and service offerings in order to serve vehicles that have the latest technology, which could involve substantial costs. We also have to keep abreast of the latest trends in the energy solution market and tailor our solutions timely and effectively. Even if we are able to keep pace with changes in technology and develop new products and services, our research and development expenses could increase, our gross margins could be adversely affected in some periods and our prior products could become obsolete more quickly than expected. There is no guarantee that any new products or services will be released in a timely manner, or at all, or achieve market acceptance. Delays in this respect could damage our relationships with customers and lead them to seek alternative providers. If we are unable to devote adequate resources to innovate and meet customer requirements on a timely basis or to remain competitive with technological alternatives, our products and services could lose market share, our revenue will decline, our may experience higher operating losses and our business and prospects could be adversely affected.
Trade Secrets4 | 5.8%
Trade Secrets - Risk 1
Unpatented proprietary technology, trade secrets, processes and know-how are relied on.Trade Secrets - Risk 2
We may need to defend against intellectual property infringement or misappropriation claims, which may be time-consuming and expensive.From time to time, the holders of intellectual property rights may assert their rights and urge us to take licenses, and/or may bring suits alleging infringement, misappropriation or other violation of such rights. There can be no assurance that we will be able to mitigate the risk of potential suits or other legal demands by competitors or other third-parties. Accordingly, we may consider entering into licensing agreements with respect to such rights, although no assurance can be given that such licenses can be obtained on acceptable terms or that litigation will not occur, and such licenses and associated litigation could significantly increase our operating expenses. In addition, if we are determined to have or believe there is a high likelihood that we have infringed upon, misappropriated or otherwise violated a third party's intellectual property rights, we may be required to cease making, selling or incorporating certain key components or intellectual property into the products and services we offer, to pay substantial damages and/or royalties, to redesign our products and services, and/or to establish and maintain alternative branding. In addition, to the extent that our customers and business partners become the subject of any allegation or claim regarding the infringement, misappropriation or other violation of intellectual property rights related to our products and services, we may be required to indemnify such customers and business partners. If we were required to take one or more such actions, our business, prospects, operating results and financial condition could be materially and adversely affected. In addition, any litigation or claims, whether or not valid, could result in substantial costs, negative publicity and diversion of resources and management attention.
Trade Secrets - Risk 3
We may not be able to adequately establish, maintain, protect and enforce our intellectual property and proprietary rights or prevent others from unauthorized use of our technology and intellectual property rights, which could harm our business and competitive position and also make us subject to ligations brought by third parties.Our intellectual property is an essential asset of our business and such intellectual property forms an essential part of our asset. Failure to adequately protect such intellectual property rights could result in our competitors offering similar products and services, potentially resulting in the loss of our competitive advantage and a decrease in our revenue, which would adversely affect our business prospects, financial condition and operating results. Our success depends on the ability to protect our core technology and intellectual property. We expect to rely on a combination of intellectual property rights, such as patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets (including know-how), in addition to employee and third-party nondisclosure agreements, intellectual property licenses and other contractual rights, to establish, maintain, protect and enforce our rights in our technology, proprietary information and processes. Intellectual property laws and our procedures and restrictions will provide only limited protection and any of our intellectual property rights may be challenged, invalidated, circumvented, infringed or misappropriated. If we fail to protect our intellectual property rights adequately, we may lose an important advantage in the markets in which we compete. While we are expected to take measures to protect our intellectual property, such efforts may be insufficient or ineffective, and any of our intellectual property rights may be challenged, which could result in them being narrowed in scope or declared invalid or unenforceable. Other parties may also independently develop technologies that are substantially similar or superior. We may also be forced to bring claims against third parties, or defend claims that they may bring against us, to determine the ownership of what we regard as our intellectual property. However, the measures we will take to protect our intellectual property from unauthorized use by others may not be effective and there can be no assurance that our intellectual property rights will be sufficient to protect against others offering products, services or technologies that are substantially similar or superior to those of ours and that compete with our business.
Litigation may be necessary in the future to enforce our intellectual property rights and to protect our trade secrets. Our efforts to enforce our intellectual property rights may be met with defenses, counterclaims and countersuits attacking the validity and enforceability of our intellectual property. Any litigation initiated concerning the violation by third parties of our intellectual property rights is likely to be expensive and time-consuming and could lead to the invalidation of, or render unenforceable, our intellectual property, or could otherwise have negative consequences for us. Furthermore, it could result in a court or governmental agency invalidating or rendering unenforceable our patents or other intellectual property rights upon which the suit is based. We will not be able to protect our intellectual property if we are unable to enforce our rights or if we fail to detect unauthorized use of our intellectual property. Our inability to protect our proprietary technology against unauthorized copying or use, as well as any costly litigation or diversion of our management's attention and resources, could delay the introduction and implementation of new technologies. Moreover, policing unauthorized use of technologies, trade secrets and intellectual property may be difficult, expensive and time-consuming. If we fail to meaningfully establish, maintain, protect and enforce our intellectual property and proprietary rights, our business, operating results and financial condition could be adversely affected.
Trade Secrets - Risk 4
Your right to participate in any future rights offerings may be limited, which may cause dilution to your holdings, and you may not receive cash dividends if it is impractical to make them available to you.We may from time to time distribute rights to our shareholders, including rights to acquire our securities. However, we cannot make rights available to you in the United States unless we register both the rights and the securities to which the rights relate under the Securities Act or an exemption from the registration requirements is available. Under the deposit agreement, the depositary will not make rights available to you unless both the rights and the underlying securities to be distributed to ADS holders are either registered under the Securities Act or exempt from registration under the Securities Act. We are under no obligation to file a registration statement with respect to any such rights or securities or to endeavor to cause a registration statement, if filed, to be declared effective. There might not be an exemption from registration under the Securities Act available to us for our rights offering. Accordingly, you may be unable to participate in our rights offerings and may experience dilution in your holdings.
The depositary of our ADSs has agreed to pay to you the cash dividends or other distributions it or the custodian receives on our ordinary shares or other deposited securities after deducting its fees and expenses. You will receive these distributions in proportion to the number of ordinary shares your ADSs represent. However, the depositary may, at its discretion, decide that it is inequitable or impractical to make a distribution available to any holders of ADSs. For example, the depositary may determine that it is not practicable to distribute certain property through the mail, or that the value of certain distributions may be less than the cost of mailing them. In these cases, the depositary may decide not to distribute such property to you.
Technology2 | 2.9%
Technology - Risk 1
We depend on the information systems of our own and those of third parties for the effective delivery and performance of our products and services, and the overall effective and efficient functioning of our business. Failure to maintain or protect our information systems and data integrity effectively could harm our business, financial condition and results of operations.Technology - Risk 2
We utilize open-source software, which may pose particular risks and could be harmful.We utilize open-source software to develop our products and services. Some open-source software licenses require those who distribute open-source software as part of their own software products to publicly disclose all or part of the source code to such software product or to make available any modifications or derivative works of the open-source code on unfavorable terms or at no cost. This could result in our proprietary software being made available in the source code form and/or licensed to others under open-source licenses, which could allow our competitors or other third parties to use our proprietary software freely without spending the development effort, and which could lead to a loss of the competitive advantage of our proprietary technologies and, as a result, sales of our products and services. The terms of many open-source licenses have not been interpreted by courts, and there is a risk that open-source software licenses could be construed in a manner that imposes unanticipated conditions or restrictions on our ability to provide or distribute our products or services or retain ownership of our proprietary intellectual property. Additionally, we could face claims from third parties claiming ownership of, or demanding release of, the open-source software or derivative works that we developed using such software, which could include our proprietary source code, or otherwise seeking to enforce the terms of, or alleging breach of, the applicable open-source license. These claims could result in litigation and could require us to make our proprietary software source code freely available, purchase a costly license, or cease offering the implicated products or services unless and until our can re-engineer them to avoid breach of the applicable open-source software licenses or potential infringement. This re-engineering process could require us to expend significant additional research and development resources and may not be successful.
Additionally, the use of certain open-source software can lead to greater risks than use of third-party commercial software, as open-source licensors generally do not provide warranties or controls on the origin of software. There is typically no support available for open-source software, the authors of such open-source software may not implement or push updates to address security risks and may abandon further development and maintenance. Many of the risks associated with the use of open-source software, such as the lack of warranties or assurances of title, non-infringement or performance, cannot be eliminated, and could, if not properly addressed, negatively affect our business. Any of these risks could be difficult to eliminate or manage, and, if not addressed properly, could adversely affect our ownership of proprietary intellectual property, the quality and security of our services and products, or our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Ability to Sell
Total Risks: 8/69 (12%)Below Sector Average
Competition1 | 1.4%
Competition - Risk 1
We face intense competition, including from a number of companies in China, and expect to face significant competition in the future.Changed
Demand3 | 4.3%
Demand - Risk 1
Demand for EVs may also be affected by factors directly impacting automobile prices or the cost of purchasing and operating automobiles, such as sales and financing incentives, prices of raw materials and parts and components, cost of fuel and governmental regulations, including tariffs, import regulation and other taxes. Volatility in demand may lead to lower vehicle unit sales, which may result in reduced demand for EV charging services and related solutions and therefore adversely affect our business, financial condition and operating results.Demand - Risk 2
Our future growth and success is highly correlated with and thus dependent upon the continuing rapid adoption of EVs for passenger and fleet applications.Our future growth is highly dependent upon the adoption of EVs by businesses and consumers. The market for EVs is still rapidly evolving, characterized by rapidly changing technologies, competitive pricing and competitive factors, evolving government regulation and industry standards and changing consumer demands and behaviors, changing levels of concern related to environmental issues and governmental initiatives related to climate change and the environment generally. Although the demand for EVs has grown in recent years, there is no guarantee of continuing future demand. If the market for EVs develops more slowly than expected, or if the demand for EVs decreases, our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results would be harmed. The market for EVs could be affected by numerous factors, such as:
- perceptions about EV features, quality, safety, performance and cost;- perceptions about the limited range over which EVs may be driven on a single battery charge;- competition, including from other types of alternative fuel vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and high fuel-economy internal combustion engine vehicles;- volatility in the cost of oil and gasoline;- concerns regarding the stability of the electrical grid;- the decline of EV battery's ability to hold a charge over time;- availability of service for EVs;- consumers' perception about the convenience and cost of charging EVs;- increases in fuel efficiency;- government regulations and economic incentives, including adverse changes in, or expiration of, favorable tax incentives related to EVs, EV charging stations or decarbonization generally;- relaxation of government mandates or quotas regarding the sale of EVs; and - concerns about the future viability of EV manufacturers.
In addition, sales of vehicles in the automotive industry can be cyclical, which may affect growth in the acceptance of EVs. It is uncertain how macroeconomic factors will impact demand for EVs, particularly since they can be more expensive than traditional gasoline-powered vehicles, when the automotive industry globally has been experiencing a recent decline in sales. There have been fluctuations in terms of year-over-year growth in sales volume in China recently for passenger vehicles in general as well as for EVs. It cannot be predicted how the consumer demand for EVs and for passenger vehicles in general will develop in the future. Amid the market slowdown, certain automakers operating in China have suffered declining performance or financial difficulties. If the consumer demand for EVs in China abates, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.
Demand - Risk 3
We derived a significant portion of our revenue from a limited number of energy solutions customers. The loss of one or more of our key customers could adversely affect our results of operations.Changed
For the year ended December 31, 2023, two energy solutions customers accounted for approximately 23% and 17%, respectively, of our total revenues. A substantial portion of our revenue may continue to be derived from a relatively limited number of customers. If we were to lose any of our key customers, or if any of such customers decides to conduct its business in a way that is not aligned with our business interests, or take other actions that are detrimental to our interests, there could be a material adverse effect on our results of operations, business, financial condition, and prospects. Key customers may also seek, and on occasion receive, pricing, payment or other commercial terms that are less favorable to us and can hurt our competitive position.
Sales & Marketing3 | 4.3%
Sales & Marketing - Risk 1
We rely on marketing, branding and promotional activities to maintain, enhance and protect our reputation and brand recognition, expand our business and improve the efficiency of our solutions, which activities may be costly and may not be effective.Sales & Marketing - Risk 2
Failure to effectively expand our sales and marketing capabilities could harm our ability to efficiently deliver our solutions, retain existing customers, increase our customer base, or achieve broader market acceptance of our solutions.Our ability to efficiently deliver our solutions, retain existing customers, grow our customer base, achieve broader market acceptance, grow revenue, and achieve and sustain profitability will depend, to a significant extent, on our ability to effectively expand our sales and marketing operations and activities. Sales and marketing expenses represent a significant percentage of our total revenue, and our operating results will suffer if sales and marketing expenditures do not contribute significantly to increasing revenue.
We are and we expect to be dependent on our in-house business development team to identify new charging station customers and explore near-term and long-term opportunities and convert them into our customers. We expect to continue expanding our direct business development force but we may not be able to recruit or retain a sufficient number of qualified personnel, which may adversely affect our ability to expand our business development capabilities. New hires require significant training and time before they achieve full productivity, particularly in new sales territories. Furthermore, hiring business development personnel in new regions can be costly, complex and time-consuming, and requires additional set up and upfront costs that may be disproportionate to the initial revenue expected from those countries. There is significant competition for qualified business development personnel with strong sales skills and technical knowledge. Our ability to achieve significant revenue growth in the future will depend, in large part, on our success in recruiting, training, incentivizing and retaining a sufficient number of qualified business development personnel and on such personnel attaining desired productivity levels within a reasonable amount of time.
We also seek to improve the efficiency of our mobility connectivity services and attract more charging stations and end-users to join our network through a variety of online and offline marketing and branding activities and promotions targeting end-users and other users of our EV charging network. This continues to require us to improve our marketing approaches and experiment with new marketing methods to keep pace with industry developments and end-user preferences. Failure to refine our existing marketing strategies or to introduce new marketing activities in a cost-effective manner could reduce our customer mindshare, lower the effectiveness of the EV charging solutions we provide to our station customers and negatively impact our revenues, and consequently affect our profitability.
Our business will be harmed if we fail to continue investing in our sales and marketing capabilities or if our continuing investment does not generate a proportionate increase in revenue.
Sales & Marketing - Risk 3
Our results of operation and future profitability are and will remain highly dependent on the success of our charging services.Changed
Our results of operation and future profitability are and will continue to substantially depend on the commercial success and market acceptance of our charging services. As a result of such dependence, a significant decline in the demand for or pricing of our charging services would have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results and financial condition. Any decline in the market demand for these solutions or any failure to timely improve our solutions or introduce new solutions could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. To the extent that our EV charging solutions do not meet customer expectations, in terms of quality, cost or otherwise, our future profitability may be materially and adversely affected. There can also be no assurance that we will be able to broaden our product and service portfolio or reduce our reliance on charging services.
Brand / Reputation1 | 1.4%
Brand / Reputation - Risk 1
The obligation to disclose information publicly may put us at a disadvantage to our competitors that are private companies.Macro & Political
Total Risks: 5/69 (7%)Below Sector Average
Economy & Political Environment4 | 5.8%
Economy & Political Environment - Risk 1
Heightened tensions in international relations, particularly between the United States and China, may adversely impact our business, financial condition, and results of operations.Economy & Political Environment - Risk 2
Changes in China's economic, political or social conditions, or government policies could materially and adversely affect our business and operations.Substantially all of our assets and operations are located in China. Accordingly, our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects may be influenced to a significant degree by political, economic, and social conditions in China generally and by continued yet slowing economic growth in China as a whole.
The Chinese economy differs from the economies of most developed countries in many respects, including the level of government involvement, level of development, growth rate, control of foreign exchange, and allocation of resources. Although the PRC government has implemented measures emphasizing the utilization of market forces for economic reform, the reduction of state ownership of productive assets, and the establishment of improved corporate governance in business enterprises, a substantial portion of productive assets in China is still owned by the government. In addition, the PRC government continues to play a significant role in regulating industry development by imposing industrial policies. The PRC government also exercises significant control over China's economic growth through resource allocation, controlling payment of foreign currency-denominated obligations, setting monetary policy, and providing preferential treatment to particular industries or companies.
While the Chinese economy has experienced significant growth over the past decades, growth has been uneven, both geographically and among various sectors of the economy, and the rate of growth has been slowing down in recent years. Any adverse changes in economic conditions in China, in the policies of the PRC government or in the laws and regulations in China could have a material adverse effect on the overall economic growth of China. Such developments could lead to reduction in demand for our services and products and adversely affect our competitive position, and could adversely affect our business and operating results. 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 us. For example, our financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected by government control over capital investments or changes in tax regulations. In addition, in the past the PRC government has implemented certain measures, including interest rate adjustment, to control the pace of economic growth. These measures may cause decreased economic activity in China, which may adversely affect our business and operating results.
Economy & Political Environment - Risk 3
The PRC government has significant oversight over business operations conducted in China, and may intervene or influence our operations at any time, which could result in a material adverse change in our operations and the value of our ADSs.The PRC government has significant oversight over business operations conducted in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, and the PRC government may intervene and influence our operations at any time, which could result in a material adverse change in our operation and the value of the ADSs. Specifically, the operational risks associated with being based in and having operations in mainland China also apply to operations in Hong Kong and Macau. While entities and businesses in Hong Kong and Macau operate under different sets of laws from mainland China, the legal risks associated with being based in and having operations in mainland China could apply to operations in Hong Kong and Macau, if the laws applicable to mainland China become applicable to entities and businesses in Hong Kong and Macau in the future.
Also, the PRC government has recently indicated that it may exert more oversight and control over offerings that are conducted overseas by or foreign investment in China-based issuers which may significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities and cause the value of such securities to significantly decline or be worthless. For example, on July 6, 2021, PRC government authorities published the Opinions on Strictly Scrutinizing Illegal Securities Activities in Accordance with the Law. These opinions emphasized the need to strengthen the administration over illegal securities activities and the supervision on overseas listings by China-based companies and proposed to take effective measures, such as promoting the establishment of regulatory systems to deal with the risks and incidents faced by China-based overseas-listed companies. On November 14, 2021, CAC released the Administrative Regulation on Network Data Security for public comments through December 13, 2021 for public comments, which stipulates, among others, that a prior cybersecurity review is required for the overseas listing of data processors who process over one million users' personal information, and the listing of data processors in Hong Kong which affects or may affect national security. On December 28, 2021, the Chinese government promulgated the 2022 Cybersecurity Review Measures, which came into effect on February 15, 2022. According to the 2022 Cybersecurity Review Measures, (i) critical information infrastructure operators that purchase network products and services and internet platform operators that conduct data processing activities shall be subject to cybersecurity review in accordance with the 2022 Cybersecurity Review Measures if such activities affect or may affect national security; and (ii) internet platform operators holding personal information of more than one million users and seeking to have their securities listed on a stock exchange in a foreign country are required to file for cybersecurity review with the Cybersecurity Review Office.
There is a general lack of official guidance with respect to the implementation and interpretation of the 2022 Cybersecurity Review Measures and the Opinions given the recency of their issuance. It is also uncertain when and in what form will the Draft Regulations be enacted and how they will be interpreted and implemented by PRC governmental authorities once in effect. As a result, we may be retrospectively required to obtain regulatory approvals from and complete additional procedures with CSRC, CAC or other PRC governmental authorities for the Mergers and the Transactions. In addition, if CSRC, CAC or other regulatory agencies subsequently promulgate new rules or regulations that require us to obtain additional approvals or complete additional procedures for the Mergers or the Transactions, or for our listing or offering overseas, such approvals may not be obtained and such procedures may not be completed in a timely manner or at all. Any such circumstance could significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities and cause the value of such securities to significantly decline or be worthless. In addition, implementation of industry-wide regulations directly targeting our operations could cause the value of the ADSs to significantly decline. Therefore, investors of the ADSs face potential uncertainty from actions taken by the PRC government affecting our business.
Economy & Political Environment - Risk 4
A severe or prolonged downturn in the Chinese or global economy could materially and adversely affect our business and financial condition.Added
COVID-19 had a severe and negative impact on the Chinese and the global economy from 2020 through 2022, and the global macroeconomic environment still faces numerous challenges. The growth rate of the Chinese economy has been slowing since 2010 and the Chinese population began to decline in 2022. The Federal Reserve and other central banks outside of China have raised interest rates. The Russia-Ukraine conflict, the Hamas-Israel conflict and attacks on shipping in the Red Sea have heightened geopolitical tensions across the world. The impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict on Ukraine food exports has contributed to increases in food prices and thus to inflation more generally. There have also been concerns about the relationship between China and other countries which may potentially have economic effects. In particular, there is significant uncertainty about the future relationship between the United States and China with respect to a wide range of issues including trade policies, treaties, government regulations and tariffs. See also "-Heightened tensions in international relations, particularly between the United States and China, may adversely impact our business, financial condition, and results of operations." Economic conditions in China are sensitive to global economic conditions, as well as changes in domestic economic and political policies and the expected or perceived overall economic growth rate in China. Any severe or prolonged slowdown in the global or Chinese economy may materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition
Natural and Human Disruptions1 | 1.4%
Natural and Human Disruptions - Risk 1
Natural disasters, terrorist activities, political unrest, and other outbreaks could disrupt our production, delivery, and operations, which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.Production
Total Risks: 4/69 (6%)Below Sector Average
Manufacturing1 | 1.4%
Manufacturing - Risk 1
Our business is subject to risks associated with construction, cost overruns and delays, and other contingencies that may arise in the course of completing installations, and such risks may increase in the future as we expand the scope of such services with other parties.Employment / Personnel2 | 2.9%
Employment / Personnel - Risk 1
We rely on the service of our founders and certain members of our executive management team, and the loss of any of them may adversely affect our operations. Further, if we are unable to attract or retain key employees and hire qualified management, technical, engineering and sales personnel, our ability to compete and successfully grow our business would be harmedEmployment / Personnel - Risk 2
Failure to make adequate contributions to various employee benefit plans as required by PRC regulations may subject us to penalties.Companies operating in China are required to participate in various government sponsored employee benefit plans, including certain social insurance, housing funds and other welfare-oriented payment obligations, and contribute to these plans based on the salaries, including bonuses and allowances, of the employees subject to any maximum amount of contribution specified by local authorities from time to time. This has however not been implemented consistently by local authorities. Certain of our subsidiaries in China have not made adequate employee benefit payments, and as a result, we may be required to make up for the contributions due and to pay late fees and fines.
Costs1 | 1.4%
Costs - Risk 1
We may face inventory riskSee 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.