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TABLE OF CONTENTS
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 6, 2020
Registration No. 333-
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM F-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
HUTCHISON CHINA MEDITECH LIMITED
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
N/A
(Translation of Registrant's name into English)
| Cayman Islands (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) | Not Applicable (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
48th Floor, Cheung Kong Center
2 Queen's Road Central
Hong Kong
Telephone: +852 2121 8200
(Address and telephone number of principal executive offices)
Cogency Global Inc.
122 East 42nd Street, 18th Floor
New York, NY 10168
Telephone: +1 800 221 0102
(Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)
| Copies to: | ||
Paul W. Boltz, Jr. Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher 32/F Gloucester Tower, The Landmark, 15 Queen's Road Central Hong Kong Telephone: +852 2214 3723 | Christian Hogg Chief Executive Officer Level 18, The Metropolis Tower 10 Metropolis Drive Hunghom, Kowloon Hong Kong Telephone: +852 2121 8200 | |
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public:
From time to time after effectiveness of this registration statement (except as otherwise described herein).
If only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. o
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box. ý
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. o
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. o
If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.C. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ý
If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.C. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box. o
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
| Title of each class of Securities to be Registered | Amount to be Registered(1) | Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Share(1) | Proposed Maximum Aggregate Offering Price(1) | Amount of Registration Fee(1) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ordinary Shares, US$0.10 par value(2) | — | — | — | — | ||||
| ||||||||
P R O S P E C T U S
Hutchison China MediTech Limited
American Depositary Shares
Representing Ordinary Shares
We may, from time to time, offer to sell in one or more offerings our American depositary shares, or ADSs, representing our ordinary shares. Each ADS represents five ordinary shares.
Each time we sell ADSs pursuant to this prospectus, we will provide a supplement to this prospectus that contains specific information about the offering and the specific terms of the securities offered. Any prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement carefully before you invest in our ADSs.
Our ADSs are listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market and our ordinary shares are listed on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange, or AIM, under the symbol "HCM."
Investing in our ADSs involves a high degree of risk. See the "Risk Factors" section of our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, and the applicable prospectus supplement.
Neither the SEC, nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The date of this prospectus is April 6, 2020.
If you are in a jurisdiction where offers to sell, or solicitations of offers to purchase, the securities offered by this document are unlawful, or if you are a person to whom it is unlawful to direct these types of activities, then the offer presented in this document does not extend to you. The information contained in this document speaks only as of the date of this document, unless the information specifically indicates that another date applies.
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS | 1 | |||
OUR COMPANY | 2 | |||
RISK FACTORS | 4 | |||
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS | 5 | |||
USE OF PROCEEDS | 6 | |||
CAPITALIZATION AND DILUTION | 7 | |||
DESCRIPTION OF THE SECURITIES | 8 | |||
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION | 31 | |||
ENFORCEMENT OF CIVIL LIABILITIES | 33 | |||
LEGAL MATTERS | 35 | |||
EXPERTS | 36 | |||
WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION | 37 | |||
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE | 38 | |||
PART II INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS | II-1 | |||
EXHIBIT INDEX | II-4 | |||
SIGNATURES | II-5 | |||
POWER OF ATTORNEY | II-5 | |||
SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE IN THE UNITED STATES | II-6 |
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This prospectus is a part of a registration statement on Form F-3 that we have filed with the SEC utilizing a "shelf" registration process. Under this shelf process, we may, from time to time, sell ADSs as described in this prospectus in one or more offerings. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the ADSs that we may offer. Each time we sell ADSs, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should read both this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement, together with additional information under the headings "Incorporation of Certain Documents By Reference" and "Where You Can Find More Information" and any other information that you may need to make a decision to invest in our ADSs.
This prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any security other than the securities covered by this prospectus, nor does it constitute an offer to or solicitation of any person in any jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation may not lawfully be made.
In this prospectus, unless otherwise indicated, references to the "company," "Chi-Med," "we," "us" and "our" refer to Hutchison China MediTech Limited and its consolidated subsidiaries and joint ventures. References to "China" or the "PRC" refer to the People's Republic of China, excluding, for the purpose of this prospectus only, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Macau Special Administrative Region and Taiwan.
Neither we nor any underwriter have authorized anyone to provide you with different or additional information to that contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any applicable prospectus supplement or in any free writing prospectus prepared by us or on our behalf or to which we have referred you. We take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. This prospectus may only be used where it is legal to sell these securities. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement or the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than their respective dates. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.
This prospectus and the information incorporated by reference herein include trademarks, service marks and trade names owned by us or other companies. All trademarks, service marks and trade names included or incorporated by reference into this prospectus are the property of their respective owners.
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We are an innovative, commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company based in China aiming to become a fully integrated global leader in the discovery, development and commercialization of targeted therapies and immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer and immunological diseases. Our strategy is to leverage the highly specialized expertise of our drug discovery division, known as our Innovation Platform, to develop and expand our drug candidate portfolio for the global market. Built over our 19-year history, we believe we have established the key building blocks for achieving this mission, as discussed below.
Our Innovation Platform has a comprehensive drug discovery and development operation covering chemistry, biology, pharmacology, toxicology, chemistry and manufacturing controls for clinical and commercial supply, clinical and regulatory and other functions. The core research and development philosophy of our Innovation Platform focuses on the treatment of cancer and immunological diseases through multiple modalities and mechanisms. Led by a team of approximately 500 scientists and staff, we have produced eight self-discovered and developed drug candidates that are currently in clinical trials, including five in global development, as of the date of this prospectus.
Our first wave of drug candidates includes fruquintinib, surufatinib and savolitinib. In late 2018, we launched fruquintinib, sold under the brand name Elunate, for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer in collaboration with Eli Lilly and Company in China. At the beginning of 2020, we procured Elunate's inclusion on China's National Reimbursement Drug List, which we believe is likely to give significantly more patients access to this treatment. Elunate's launch was followed in 2019 by surufatinib's successful Phase III result and new drug application submission for the treatment of nonpancreatic neuroendocrine tumors in China as well as its successful Phase III result for pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors in January 2020. Savolitinib is in late-stage development globally in partnership with AstraZeneca AB for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer, both as a monotherapy and in combination with Tagrisso, and for the treatment of kidney and gastric cancer.
Our second wave of drug candidates includes HMPL-523 and HMPL-689, which focus on B-cell malignancies, as well as combination therapies using our first wave drug candidates with programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors. Our second wave of drug candidates are now mostly in proof-of-concept studies. In addition, we are focusing on the third wave of innovation with a particular emphasis on studying additional combination therapies, developing HMPL-453 and HMPL-306 and furthering our pre-clinical programs for therapies addressing aberrant genetic drivers, inactivated T-cell response and insufficient T-cell response.
We further plan to enrich our global pipeline of self-discovered drug candidates by advancing a broad range of early-stage drug candidates, which include biologics addressing novel targets designed for use in combination with our small molecules as well as potentially a broad range of third-party therapies. In addition, we expect to expand our portfolio of drug candidates in oncological and immunological therapeutic areas by pursuing business development opportunities with other biopharmaceutical companies both in China and globally. We may also explore opportunities to acquire rights to complementary drug candidates and/or interests in other biopharmaceutical companies to supplement our in-house research and development capabilities and to enhance our drug candidate pipeline.
In addition to our Innovation Platform, we have established a large-scale, profitable drug marketing and distribution platform in China, known as our Commercial Platform. Our Commercial Platform has an expansive network throughout China primarily focused on the distribution of prescription drugs. More recently, we are building an in-house oncology sales and marketing team to commercialize any of our unpartnered oncology drugs which are approved for commercial sale in China, including surufatinib potentially as early as 2020.
Our U.S.-based clinical team leads our growth strategy outside of China, significantly broadening our international clinical development operations, particularly in the United States, Europe and Japan. This
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team has demonstrated a productive track record by gaining orphan drug designation for surufatinib from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and initiating global Phase I trials for HMPL-523 and HMPL-689 in 2019. This team is also planning global Phase III registration studies of fruquintinib and surufatinib, which are expected to be initiated in 2020.
Hutchison China MediTech Limited was incorporated in the Cayman Islands on December 18, 2000 as an exempted company with limited liability under the Companies Law, Cap 22 (Law 3 of 1961, as consolidated and revised) of the Cayman Islands, which we refer to as the Companies Law. The address of our registered office in the Cayman Islands is P.O. Box 309, Ugland House, Grand Cayman, KY1-1104, Cayman Islands. Our principal executive offices are located at 48th Floor, Cheung Kong Center, 2 Queen's Road Central, Hong Kong. Our telephone number at that address is +852 2121 8200. Our agent for service of process in the United States is Cogency Global Inc., located at 122 East 42nd Street, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10168.
Our website address iswww.chi-med.com. Our website and the information contained on our website do not constitute a part of this prospectus.
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Investing in our ADSs involves a high degree of risk. Before making an investment decision, you should carefully consider the risks described in the applicable prospectus supplement, together with all of the other information incorporated by reference into this prospectus, including those set forth in "Item 3.D. "Risk Factors" in our annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2019, filed with the SEC on March 3, 2020, as well as any amendment or update to our risk factors reflected in subsequent filings with the SEC. The risks and uncertainties described in that section and in the other documents incorporated by reference are not the only risks and uncertainties we face. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also impair our business operations. If negative events occur, our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects would suffer. In that event, the market price of our ADSs could decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment.
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CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus and the documents incorporated herein by reference contain forward-looking statements made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements relate to future events or to our future financial performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. The words "anticipate," "assume," "believe," "contemplate," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "goal," "intend," "may," "might," "objective," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "positioned," "seek," "should," "target," "will," "would," or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words.
These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about our business and the industry in which we operate and management's beliefs and assumptions, are not guarantees of future performance or development and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors. More detailed information about these and other factors is referenced under "Risk Factors" in this prospectus as well as in other documents incorporated herein by reference. Additional risks may be included in a prospectus supplement relating to a particular offering of our ADSs.
We caution you that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and that our actual results of operations, financial condition and liquidity, and the development of the industry in which we operate may differ materially from those made in or suggested by the forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus. In addition, even if our results of operations, financial condition and liquidity, and the development of the industry in which we operate, are consistent with the forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus, those results or developments may not be indicative of results or developments in subsequent periods.
Given these risks and uncertainties, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement that we make in this prospectus speaks only as of the date of such statement, and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements or to publicly announce the results of any revisions to any of those statements to reflect future events or developments. Comparisons of results for current and any prior periods are not intended to express any future trends or indications of future performance, unless specifically expressed as such, and should only be viewed as historical data.
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Except as otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus supplement, we intend to use the net proceeds we receive from our sale of the ADSs covered by this prospectus for general corporate purposes, which may include working capital, capital expenditures, research and development expenditures, clinical trial expenditures and commercial expenditures. Additional information on the use of net proceeds we receive from the sale of securities covered by this prospectus may be set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to the specific offering.
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A prospectus supplement will include information on our consolidated capitalization and the dilution you may experience in connection with the offering.
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We may issue from time to time, in one or more offerings, ordinary shares represented by ADSs. The terms of the offering, the offering price and the net proceeds to us will be contained in the prospectus supplement, and other offering material, relating to such offer. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should carefully read this prospectus and any prospectus supplement before you invest in any of our ADSs.
Description of Ordinary Shares
We are a Cayman Islands company and our affairs are governed by our memorandum and articles of association and the Companies Law.
As of the date of this prospectus, the authorized share capital of our company is US$150,000,000, divided into 1,500,000,000 ordinary shares, of par value US$0.10 each as authorized by shareholders' resolutions dated April 24, 2019 and May 29, 2019. As of the date of this prospectus, there are 690,574,765 ordinary shares issued and outstanding. All of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares are fully paid.
Our Memorandum and Articles of Association
The following are summaries of material provisions of our memorandum and articles of association and of the Companies Law, insofar as they relate to the material terms of our ordinary shares. This summary is not complete, and you should read our memorandum and articles of association, which have been filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.
Objects of Our Company
Under our memorandum and articles of association, the objects of our company are unrestricted and we have the full power and authority to carry out any object except as prohibited or limited by the Companies Law.
Ordinary Shares
Our ordinary shares are issued in registered form and are issued when registered in our register of members. Our shareholders who are non-residents of the Cayman Islands may freely hold and vote their ordinary shares.
Dividends
Under our memorandum and articles of association, our board of directors may from time to time declare dividends in any currency to be paid to the members but no dividend shall be declared in excess of the amount recommended by our board of directors. Dividends may be declared and paid out of the profits of our company, realized or unrealized, or from any reserve set aside from profits which our directors determine is no longer needed. With the sanction of an ordinary resolution, dividends may also be declared and paid out of share premium account or any other fund or account which can be authorized for this purpose in accordance with the Companies Law. Except in so far as the rights attaching to, or the terms of issue of, any share otherwise provide: (a) all dividends shall be declared and paid according to the amounts paid up on the shares in respect of which the dividend is paid, but no amount paid up on a share in advance of calls shall be treated for this purpose as paid up on that share; and (b) all dividends shall be apportioned and paid pro rata according to the amounts paid up on the shares during any portion or portions of the period in respect of which the dividend is paid.
Our board of directors may from time to time pay to the members such interim dividends as appear to the board of directors to be justified by the profits of our company, whenever such profits, in the opinion of our board of directors, justify such payment.
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Our board of directors may deduct from any dividend or other moneys payable to a member by our company on or in respect of any shares all sums of money (if any) presently payable by such shareholder to our company on account of calls or otherwise.
No dividend or other moneys payable by our company on or in respect of any share shall bear interest against our company.
Any dividend, interest or other sum payable in cash to the holder of shares may be paid by check or warrant sent through the post addressed to the holder at his or her registered address or, in the case of joint holders, addressed to the holder whose name stands first in the register of members in respect of the shares at his or her address as appearing in the register of members or addressed to such person and at such address as the holder or joint holders may in writing direct. Every such check or warrant shall, unless the holder or joint holders otherwise direct, be made payable to the order of the holder or, in the case of joint holders, to the order of the holder whose name stands first on the register of members in respect of such shares, and shall be sent at his, her or their risk and payment of the check or warrant by the bank on which it is drawn shall constitute a good discharge to our company.
All dividends or bonuses unclaimed for one year after having been declared may be invested or otherwise made use of by our board of directors for the benefit of our company until claimed. Any dividend or bonuses unclaimed after a period of six years from the date of declaration shall be forfeited and shall revert to our company.
Whenever our board of directors has resolved that a dividend be paid or declared, our board of directors may further resolve that such dividend be satisfied wholly or in part by the distribution of specific assets of any kind and in particular of paid up shares, debentures or warrants to subscribe securities of our company or any other company, or in any one or more of such ways, and where any difficulty arises in regard to the distribution the board of directors may settle the same as it thinks expedient, and in particular may issue certificates in respect of fractions of shares, disregard fractional entitlements or round the same up or down, and may fix the value for distribution of such specific assets, or any part thereof, and may determine that cash payments shall be made to any of our members upon the footing of the value so fixed in order to adjust the rights of all parties, and may vest any such specific assets in trustees as may seem expedient to our board of directors and may appoint any person to sign any requisite instruments of transfer and other documents on behalf of the persons entitled to the dividend, and such appointment shall be effective and binding on our members.
Whenever our board of directors has resolved that a dividend be paid or declared on any class of the share capital of our company, our board of directors may further resolve either: (a) that such dividend be satisfied wholly or in part in the form of an allotment of shares credited as fully paid up, provided that our members entitled thereto will be entitled to elect to receive such dividend (or part thereof if our board of directors so determines) in cash in lieu of such allotment; or (b) that the members entitled to such dividend shall be entitled to elect to receive an allotment of shares credited as fully paid up in lieu of the whole or such part of the dividend as our board of directors may think fit. We may upon the recommendation of our board of directors by ordinary resolution resolve in respect of any one particular dividend of our company that notwithstanding the provisions as set out in our memorandum and articles of association in respect of the foregoing, a dividend may be satisfied wholly in the form of an allotment of shares credited as fully paid up without offering any right to shareholders to elect to receive such dividend in cash in lieu of such allotment.
Voting Rights
Under our memorandum and articles of association, subject to any special rights or restrictions as to voting for the time being attached to any shares by or in accordance with the articles of the association of our company, at any general meeting on a show of hands every member present in person (or being a corporation, is present by a duly authorized representative), or by proxy shall have one vote and on a poll
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every member present in person or by proxy or, in the case of a member being a corporation, by its duly authorized representative shall have one vote for every fully paid share of which he is the holder but so that no amount paid up or credited as paid up on a share in advance of calls or installments is treated for the foregoing purposes as paid up on the share. A resolution put to the vote of a meeting shall be decided on a show of hands unless (before or on the declaration of the result of the show of hands or on the withdrawal of any other demand for a poll) a poll is demanded.
A poll may be demanded (a) by the chairman of such meeting, or (b) by at least five members present in person or in the case of a member being a corporation by its duly authorized representative or by proxy for the time being entitled to vote at the meeting, or (c) by a member or members present in person or in the case of a member being a corporation by its duly authorized representative or by proxy and representing not less than one-tenth of the total voting rights of all members having the right to vote at the meeting, or (d) by a member or members present in person or in the case of a member being a corporation by its duly authorized representative or by proxy and holding shares in our company conferring a right to vote at the meeting being shares on which an aggregate sum has been paid up equal to not less than one-tenth of the total sum paid up on all shares conferring that right.
No member shall, unless our board of directors otherwise determines, be entitled to attend and vote and to be reckoned in a quorum at any general meeting unless he or she is duly registered and all calls or other sums presently payable by him or her in respect of shares in our company have been paid. Furthermore, our memorandum and articles of association provide that if any member, or any other person appearing to be interested in shares held by such member, has been duly served with a notice issued by or on behalf of our company requiring disclosure of interests in shares pursuant to Section 793 of the Companies Act 2006 of England and Wales and is in default for the prescribed period referred to in the article of association of our company in supplying to our company the information thereby required, then the directors of our company may in their absolute discretion at any time thereafter serve a notice, called a Direction Notice, upon such member in accordance with the articles of association of our company, pursuant to which such member may be precluded from attending, voting or being reckoned in a quorum at any general meeting. The Direction Notice may direct that such member shall not be entitled to vote or exercise any right conferred by membership in relation to meetings of our company in respect of the shares to which the notice relates. Where the holding represents more than 25% of the share capital of our company, then the Direction Notice may additionally direct that (i) in respect of such shares, the payment of dividends or other money which would otherwise be payable on them may be withheld; and (ii) no transfer of any of the shares held by such member shall be registered unless: (a) the member is not himself in default as regards supplying the information required and (b) the transfer is of part only of the member's holding and when presented for registration is accompanied by a certificate of the member in a form satisfactory to the directors to the effect that after due and careful enquiry the directors are satisfied that no person in default as regards supplying such information is interested in any of the shares which are the subject of the transfer.
Under our memorandum and articles of association, an ordinary resolution to be passed at a meeting by the shareholders requires the affirmative vote of a simple majority of the votes cast by such members as, being entitled so to do, vote in person or, in the case of any member being a corporation, by its duly authorized representative or, where proxies are allowed, by proxy at a general meeting of which not less than 14 clear days' notice has been duly given, while a special resolution requires the affirmative vote passed by a majority of not less than three-fourths of votes cast by such members as, being entitled so to do, vote in person or, in the case of such members as are corporations, by their respective duly authorized representative or, where proxies are allowed, by proxy at a general meeting of which not less than 21 clear days' notice, specifying (without prejudice to the power contained in the memorandum and articles of association of our company to amend the same) the intention to propose the resolution as a special resolution, has been duly given. Provided that, except in the case of an annual general meeting, if it is so agreed by a majority in number of the members having the right to attend and vote at any such meeting,
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being a majority together holding not less than 95% in nominal value of the shares giving that right and in the case of an annual general meeting, if it is so agreed by all members of our company entitled to attend and vote thereat, a resolution may be proposed and passed as a special resolution at a meeting of which less than 21 clear days' notice has been given. Both ordinary resolutions and special resolutions may also be passed by a unanimous written resolution signed by all the shareholders of our company, as permitted by the Companies Law and our memorandum and articles of association. A special resolution will be required for important matters such as a change of name or making changes to our memorandum and articles of association. Holders of the ordinary shares may, among other things, divide or consolidate their shares by ordinary resolution.
Transfer of Ordinary Shares
Subject to the provisions set forth below, any of our shareholders may transfer all or any of his or her ordinary shares by an instrument of transfer in the usual or common form or in any other form approved by our board of directors.
Our board of directors may, in its absolute discretion, and without giving any reason therefor, refuse to register a transfer of any share (not being a fully paid up share) to a person whom it does not approve, or any share issued under any share incentive scheme for employees upon which a restriction on transfer imposed thereby still subsists, and it may also, without prejudice to the foregoing generality, refuse to register a transfer of any share to more than four joint holders or a transfer of any share (not being a fully paid up share) on which our company has a lien. Our board of directors may decline to recognize any instrument of transfer unless:
If our board of directors refuses to register a transfer of any share, it shall, within two months after the date on which the transfer was lodged with our company, send to each of the transferor and the transferee notice of such refusal.
Notwithstanding above, our board of directors may permit shares of any class to be held in uncertificated form to be transferred without an instrument of transfer by means of a relevant system, including CREST, an electronic settlement system for U.K. and Irish securities operated by Euroclear UK & Ireland Limited for the paperless settlement of securities in uncertificated form.
Where any class of shares is a participating security and our company is entitled under the Companies Law, our memorandum and articles of association or any applicable regulations to sell, transfer, dispose of, forfeit, re-allot, accept the surrender of or otherwise enforce a lien over a share held in uncertificated form without an instrument of transfer, our company shall be entitled:
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The registration of transfers of shares or of any class of shares may be suspended at such times and for such periods as our directors may from time to time determine, provided that the register of members shall not be closed for more than 30 days in any year.
Liquidation
Under our memorandum and articles of association, subject to any special rights, privileges or restrictions as to the distribution of available surplus assets on liquidation for the time being attached to any class or classes of shares (i) if our company shall be wound up and the assets available for distribution amongst the members of our company shall be more than sufficient to repay the whole of the capital paid up at the commencement of the winding up, the excess shall be distributedpari passu amongst such members in proportion to the amount paid up on the shares held by them respectively and (ii) if our company shall be wound up and the assets available for distribution amongst the members as such shall be insufficient to repay the whole of the paid-up capital such assets shall be distributed so that, as nearly as may be, the losses shall be borne by the members in proportion to the capital paid up, or which ought to have been paid up, at the commencement of the winding up on the shares held by them respectively.
If our company shall be wound up (whether the liquidation is voluntary or by the court) the liquidator may, with the authority of a special resolution and any other sanction required by the Companies Law, divide among the members in specie or kind the whole or any part of the assets of our company and whether or not the assets shall consist of properties of one kind or shall consist of properties to be divided as aforesaid of different kinds, and may for such purpose set such value as he or she deems fair upon any one or more class or classes of property and may determine how such division shall be carried out as between the members or different classes of members. The liquidator may, with the like authority, vest any part of the assets in trustees upon such trusts for the benefit of the members as the liquidator with the like authority shall think fit, and the liquidation of our company may be closed and our company dissolved, but so that no contributory shall be compelled to accept any shares or other property in respect of which there is a liability.
Calls on Shares and Forfeiture of Shares
Our board of directors may from time to time make calls upon members in respect of any moneys unpaid on their shares, and each member shall (subject to being given at least 14 clear days' notice specifying the time and place of payment) pay to our company as required by such notice the amount called on such shares. The shares that have been called upon and remain unpaid are subject to forfeiture. Notwithstanding any such forfeiture described above, our board of directors may at any time, before any shares so forfeited shall have been sold, re-alloted or otherwise disposed of, permit the forfeited shares to be bought back upon the terms of payment of all calls and interest due upon, and expenses incurred in respect of, the shares and upon further terms (if any) as it thinks fit. The forfeiture of a share shall not prejudice the right of our company to any call already made, or installment payable, thereon.
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Redemption, Repurchase and Surrender of Ordinary Shares
Under our memorandum and articles of association, subject to the Companies Law, our memorandum and articles of association and the AIM Rules for Companies, or the AIM Rules, as described below, any power of our company to purchase or otherwise acquire its own shares shall be exercisable by our board of directors in such manner, upon such terms and subject to such conditions as it thinks fit. Pursuant to the AIM Rules, there are certain restrictions on the purchase or early redemption of shares by an AIM-traded company during prescribed periods prior to the publication of financial results or when the company is in possession of non-public price sensitive information. Furthermore, under the Companies Law, the redemption or repurchase of any share may be paid out of our company's profits or out of the share premium account or out of the proceeds of a fresh issue of shares made for the purpose of such redemption or repurchase, or out of capital if our company is able to, immediately following such payment, pay its debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business. In addition, under the Companies Law no such share may be redeemed or repurchased (a) unless it is fully paid, (b) if as a result of the redemption or repurchase would result in there being no issued shares of our company other than shares held as treasury shares. Under our memorandum and articles of association, our board of directors may accept the surrender of any share liable to be forfeited hereunder and, in such case, references in our memorandum and articles of association to forfeiture will include surrender.
Variations of Rights of Shares
According to our articles of association and without prejudice to our memorandum and articles of association, all or any of the special rights attached to the shares or any class of shares may, unless otherwise provided by the terms of issue of the shares of that class, from time to time, whether or not our company is being wound up, be varied, modified or abrogated either with the consent in writing of the holders of not less than three-fourths in nominal value of the issued shares of that class or with the sanction of a special resolution passed at a separate general meeting of the holders of the shares of that class. The special rights conferred upon the holders of any shares or class of shares shall not, unless otherwise expressly provided in the rights attaching to or the terms of issue of such shares, be deemed to be varied, modified or abrogated by the creation or issue of further shares rankingpari passu with such existing class of shares.
Issuance of Additional Shares
Our memorandum and articles of association authorizes our board of directors to issue additional ordinary shares from time to time as our board of directors shall determine, to the extent of available authorized but unissued shares.
Our memorandum and articles of association also provides that, subject to any special rights conferred on the holders of any shares or class of shares, any share in our company (whether forming part of the present capital or not) may be issued with or have attached thereto such rights or restrictions whether in regard to dividend, voting, return of capital or otherwise as our company may by ordinary resolution determine or, if there has not been any such determination or so far as the same shall not make specific provision, as our board of directors may determine.
Subject to any special rights conferred on the holders of any shares or attaching to any class of shares, shares may be issued on the terms that they may be, or at the option of our company or the holder are, liable to be redeemed on such terms and in such manner, including out of capital, as our board of directors may deem fit.
Any preferred shares may be issued or converted into shares that, at a determinable date or at the option of our company or the holder if so authorized by our memorandum and articles of association, are liable to be redeemed on such terms and in such manner as our company before the issue or conversion may be ordinary resolution of the members determine.
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Inspection of Books and Records
Our shareholders do not have a general right under Cayman Islands law to inspect or obtain copies of our list of shareholders or our corporate records.
Anti-Takeover Provisions
Some provisions of our memorandum and articles of association may discourage, delay or prevent a change of control of our company or management that shareholders may consider favorable, including provisions that:
However, under Cayman Islands law, our directors may only exercise the rights and powers granted to them under our memorandum and articles of association for a proper purpose and for what they believe in good faith to be in the best interests of our company.
General Meetings of Shareholders and Shareholder Proposals
Our shareholders' general meetings may be held in such time and place within or outside the Cayman Islands as our board of directors considers appropriate.
As a Cayman Islands exempted company, we are not obliged by the Companies Law to call shareholders' annual general meetings. Our memorandum and articles of association provide that we shall in each year hold a general meeting as our annual general meeting. Our board of directors may whenever it thinks fit call extraordinary general meetings.
Cayman Islands law does not provide shareholders with an express right to put any proposal before a general meeting. However, these rights may be provided in a company's articles of association. Our memorandum and articles of association allow our shareholders holding shares representing in aggregate not less than one-tenth of the paid up capital of our company carrying the right of voting at general meetings of our company shall at all times have the right, by written requisition to our board of directors or the secretary of our company, to require an extraordinary general meeting to be called by the board of directors for the transaction of any business specified in such requisition; however, our memorandum and articles of association do not provide our shareholders with any right to put any proposals before annual general meetings or extraordinary general meetings not called by such shareholders.
Exempted Company
We are an exempted company with limited liability under the Companies Law. Any company that is registered in the Cayman Islands and the objects of which are to be carried out mainly outside of the Cayman Islands may apply to be registered as an exempted company.
Register of Members
Under the Companies Law, our company must keep a register of members and there should be entered therein:
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In accordance with Section 48 of the Companies Law, the register of members isprima facie evidence of the registered holder or member of shares of a company. Therefore, a person becomes a registered holder or member of shares of our company only upon entry being made in the register of members. Upon the closing of this offering, the register of members will be immediately updated to record and give effect to the issue of shares by us to the depositary (or its nominee). Once our register of members has been updated, the shareholders recorded in the register of members should be deemed to have legal title to the shares set against their name.
If the name of any person is, without sufficient cause, entered in or omitted from our register of members, or if default is made or unnecessary delay takes place in entering on the register the fact of any person having ceased to be a member of our company, the person or member aggrieved (or any member of our company or our company itself) may apply to the Cayman Islands Grand Court for an order that the register be rectified, and the Court may either refuse such application or it may, if satisfied of the justice of the case, make an order for the rectification of the register.
Differences in Corporate Law
The Companies Law is derived, to a large extent, from the older Companies Acts of England but does not follow recent U.K. statutory enactments, and accordingly there are significant differences between the Companies Law and the current Companies Act of England and Wales. In addition, the Companies Law differs from laws applicable to U.S. corporations and their shareholders. Set forth below is a summary of the significant differences between the provisions of the Companies Law applicable to our company and the laws applicable to companies incorporated in the United States and their shareholders.
Mergers and Similar Arrangements
The Companies Law permits mergers and consolidations between Cayman Islands companies and between Cayman Islands companies and non-Cayman Islands companies. For these purposes, (a) "merger" means the merging of two or more constituent companies and the vesting of their undertaking, property and liabilities in one of such companies as the surviving company and (b) a "consolidation" means the combination of two or more constituent companies into a consolidated company and the vesting of the undertaking, property and liabilities of such companies in the consolidated company. A merger of two or more constituent companies under Cayman Islands law requires a plan of merger or consolidation to be approved by the directors of each constituent company and (a) authorization by a special resolution of the members of each constituent company and (b) such other authorization, if any, as may be specified in such constituent company's articles of association.
A merger between a Cayman Islands parent company and its Cayman Islands subsidiary or subsidiaries does not require authorization by a resolution of shareholders. For this purpose, a subsidiary is a company of which at least 90% of the votes represented by issued shares of the subsidiary company are held by the parent company.
The consent of each holder of a fixed or floating security interest over a constituent company is required unless this requirement is waived by a court in the Cayman Islands.
Save in certain circumstances, a dissident shareholder of a Cayman Islands constituent company is entitled to payment of the fair value of his shares upon dissenting to a merger or consolidation. The exercise of appraisal rights will preclude the exercise of any other rights save for the right to seek relief on the grounds that the merger or consolidation is void or unlawful.
In addition, there are statutory provisions that facilitate the reconstruction and amalgamation of companies, provided that the scheme of arrangement is approved by a majority in number of each class of shareholders or creditors (representing 75% by value) with whom the arrangement is to be made, and who must, in addition represent three-fourths in value of each such class of shareholders or creditors, as the case may be, that are present and voting either in person or by proxy at a meeting, or meetings, convened
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for that purpose. The convening of the meetings and subsequently the arrangement must be sanctioned by the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands. While a dissenting shareholder has the right to express to the court the view that the transaction ought not to be approved, the Grand Court can be expected to approve the arrangement if it determines that:
When a takeover offer is made and accepted by holders of 90% in value of the shares affected within four months, the offeror may, within a two-month period commencing on the expiration of such four month period, require the holders of the remaining shares to transfer such shares on the terms of the offer. An objection can be made to the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands but this is unlikely to succeed in the case of an offer which has been so approved unless there is evidence of fraud or bad faith.
If an arrangement and reconstruction is thus approved, the dissenting shareholder would have no rights comparable to appraisal rights, which would otherwise ordinarily be available to dissenting shareholders of Delaware corporations, providing rights to receive payment in cash for the judicially determined value of the shares.
Shareholders' Suits
The Cayman Islands Grand Court Rules allow shareholders to seek leave to bring derivative actions in the name of the company against wrongdoers. In principle, we will normally be the proper plaintiff and a derivative action may not be brought by a minority shareholder. However, based on English authorities, which would in all likelihood be of persuasive authority in the Cayman Islands, exceptions to the foregoing principle apply in circumstances in which:
Indemnification of Directors and Executive Officers and Limitation of Liability
Cayman Islands law does not limit the extent to which a company's memorandum and articles of association may provide for indemnification of officers and directors, except to the extent any such provision may be held by the Cayman Islands courts to be contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification against civil fraud or the consequences of committing a crime. Our memorandum and articles of association require us to indemnify our officers and directors for losses, damages, costs and expenses incurred in their capacities as such unless such losses or damages arise from dishonesty or fraud of such directors or officers. This standard of conduct is generally the same as permitted under the Delaware General Corporation Law for a Delaware corporation.
In addition, upon completion of this offering we expect to enter into indemnification agreements with our directors and executive officers that provide such persons with additional indemnification beyond that provided in our memorandum and articles of association to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.
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Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to our directors, officers or persons controlling us under the foregoing provisions, we have been informed that in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.
Duties of Directors
Under Cayman Islands law, our directors have a fiduciary duty to act honestly, in good faith, with skill and care and with a view to our best interests. Our directors also have a duty to exercise skills they actually possess and such care and diligence that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in comparable circumstances. In fulfilling their duty of care to us, our directors must ensure compliance with our memorandum and articles of association, as amended and restated from time to time. Our company has the right to seek damages if a duty owed by our directors is breached. Our board of directors has all the powers necessary for managing, and for directing and supervising, our business affairs. The functions and powers of our board of directors include, among others:
A director who is in any way, whether directly or indirectly, interested in a contract or proposed contract with our company shall declare the nature of his or her interest at a meeting of the directors in accordance with the Companies Law and our articles of association. Except as provided in the memorandum and articles of association of our company, a director shall not vote in respect of any contract, arrangement, transaction or any other proposal whatsoever in which he has an interest which (together with any interest of any person connected with him) is a material interest otherwise than by virtue of his or her interests in shares or debentures or other securities of or otherwise in or through our company. A director of our company may not be counted in the quorum at a meeting in relation to any resolution on which that director is prohibited from voting. Our directors may exercise all the powers of our company to borrow money, mortgage our undertaking, property and uncalled capital and issue debentures or other securities whether outright or as collateral security for any debt, liability or obligation of our company or of any third party.
Directors' Fiduciary Duties.
Under Delaware corporate law, a director of a Delaware corporation has a fiduciary duty to the corporation and its shareholders. This duty has two components: the duty of care and the duty of loyalty. The duty of care requires that a director act in good faith, with the care that an ordinarily prudent person would exercise under similar circumstances. Under this duty, a director must inform himself of, and disclose to shareholders, all material information reasonably available regarding a significant transaction. The duty of loyalty requires that a director acts in a manner he reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the corporation. He must not use his corporate position for personal gain or advantage. This duty prohibits self-dealing by a director and mandates that the best interest of the corporation and its shareholders take precedence over any interest possessed by a director, officer or controlling shareholder and not shared by the shareholders generally. In general, actions of a director are presumed to have been made on an informed basis, in good faith and in the honest belief that the action taken was in the best interests of the corporation. However, this presumption may be rebutted by evidence of a breach of one of
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the fiduciary duties. Should such evidence be presented concerning a transaction by a director, the director must prove the procedural fairness of the transaction, and that the transaction was of fair value to the corporation.
Cayman Islands laws do not restrict transactions with directors but a director of a Cayman Islands company is in the position of a fiduciary with respect to the company and a director is required to exercise a duty of care, a duty to act bona fide in the best interests of the company, a duty not to make a profit based on his or her position as director (unless the company permits him to do so) and a duty not to put himself in a position where the interests of the company conflict with his or her personal interest or his or her duty to a third party. A director of a Cayman Islands company also owes to the company a duty to act with skill and care.
Shareholder Action by Written Consent
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation may eliminate the right of shareholders to act by written consent by amendment to its certificate of incorporation. Cayman Islands laws and our articles of association provide that shareholders may approve corporate matters by way of a unanimous written resolution signed by or on behalf of each shareholder who would have been entitled to vote on such matter at a general meeting without a meeting being held.
Shareholder Proposals
The Delaware General Corporation Law does not provide shareholders an express right to put any proposal before the annual meeting of shareholders, but in keeping with common law, Delaware corporations generally afford shareholders an opportunity to make proposals and nominations provided that they comply with the notice provisions in the certificate of incorporation or bylaws. The Companies Law does not provide shareholders with an express right to put forth any proposal before the annual general meeting of the shareholders. However, depending on what is stipulated in a company's articles of association, shareholders in an exempted Cayman Islands company may make proposals in accordance with the relevant shareholder requisition provisions. For shares that are represented by ADSs, the depositary in many cases may be the only shareholder. In such cases, only the depositary has the direct right to requisition a shareholders' meeting. However, unless otherwise provided in the deposit agreement, the holders of the ADSs generally do not have the right to petition the depositary to requisition a shareholders' meeting or to put forth shareholder proposals through the depositary.
Cumulative Voting
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, cumulative voting for elections of directors is not permitted unless the corporation's certificate of incorporation specifically provides for it. Cumulative voting potentially facilitates the representation of minority shareholders on a board of directors since it permits the minority shareholder to cast all the votes to which the shareholder is entitled on a single director, which increases the shareholder's voting power with respect to electing such director. There are no prohibitions in relation to cumulative voting under the laws of the Cayman Islands, but our articles of association do not provide for cumulative voting. As a result, our shareholders are not afforded any less protections or rights on this issue than shareholders of a Delaware corporation.
Removal of Directors
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a director of a corporation with a classified board may be removed only for cause with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Under our memorandum and articles of association, directors may be removed by special resolution of our shareholders.
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Transactions with Interested Shareholders
The Delaware General Corporation Law contains a business combination statute applicable to Delaware corporations whereby, unless the corporation has specifically elected not to be governed by such statute by amendment to its certificate of incorporation, it is prohibited from engaging in certain business combinations with an "interested shareholder" for three years following the date that such person becomes an interested shareholder. An interested shareholder generally is a person or a group who or which owns or owned 15% or more of the target's outstanding voting share within the past three years. This has the effect of limiting the ability of a potential acquirer to make a two-tiered bid for the target in which all shareholders would not be treated equally. The statute does not apply if, among other things, prior to the date on which such shareholder becomes an interested shareholder, the board of directors approves either the business combination or the transaction which resulted in the person becoming an interested shareholder. This encourages any potential acquirer of a Delaware corporation to negotiate the terms of any acquisition transaction with the target's board of directors.
Cayman Islands law has no comparable statute. As a result, we cannot avail ourselves of the types of protections afforded by the Delaware business combination statute.
Dissolution; Winding up
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, unless the board of directors approves the proposal to dissolve, dissolution must be approved by shareholders holding 100% of the total voting power of the corporation. Only if the dissolution is initiated by the board of directors may it be approved by a simple majority of the corporation's outstanding shares. Delaware law allows a Delaware corporation to include in its certificate of incorporation a supermajority voting requirement in connection with dissolutions initiated by the board.
A Cayman Islands company may be wound up compulsorily by order of the Court of the Cayman Islands, voluntarily or under supervision of the Court of the Cayman Islands. The Court of the Cayman Islands has authority to order winding up in a number of specified circumstances including where it is, in the opinion of the Court, just and equitable to do so.
A company may be wound up voluntarily when the members so resolve in general meeting by special resolution, or, in the case of a limited duration company, when the period fixed for the duration of the company by its memorandum expires, or the event occurs on the occurrence of which the memorandum provides that the company is to be dissolved, or, the company does not commence business for a year from its incorporation (or suspends its business for a year), or, the company is unable to pay its debts. In the case of a voluntary winding up, such company is obliged to cease to carry on its business from the time of passing the resolution for voluntary winding up or upon the expiry of the period or the occurrence of the event referred to above.
Variation of Rights of Shares
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation may vary the rights of a class of shares with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares of such class, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Cayman Islands law has no comparable statute.
Amendment of Governing Documents
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation's governing documents may be amended with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Under Cayman Islands law, our memorandum and articles of association may only be amended with a special resolution of our shareholders
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Description of American Depositary Receipts
American Depositary Shares
Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas serves as the depositary bank for our ADSs, each of which represents ownership of five ordinary shares, deposited with Deutsche Bank AG, London Branch, as custodian for the depositary. Each ADS will also represent ownership of any other securities, cash or other property which may be held by the depositary. The depositary's corporate trust office at which the ADSs are administered is located at 60 Wall Street, New York, NY 10005, USA. The principal executive office of the depositary is located at the same address.
The Direct Registration System, or DRS, is a system administered by The Depository Trust Company, or DTC, pursuant to which the depositary may register the ownership of uncertificated ADSs, which ownership shall be evidenced by periodic statements issued by the depositary to the ADS holders entitled thereto.
We do not treat ADS holders as our shareholders and accordingly, you, as an ADS holder, will not have shareholder rights. Cayman Islands law governs shareholder rights. The depositary will be the holder of the ordinary shares underlying your ADSs. As a holder of ADSs, you will have ADS holder rights. A deposit agreement among us, the depositary and you, as an ADS holder, and the beneficial owners of ADSs sets out ADS holder rights as well as the rights and obligations of the depositary. The laws of the State of New York govern the deposit agreement and the ADSs.
The following is a summary of the material provisions of the deposit agreement. For more complete information, you should read the entire deposit agreement and the form of American Depositary Receipt. For directions on how to obtain copies of those documents, see "Where You Can Find More Information."
Holding the ADSs
How will you hold your ADSs?
You may hold ADSs either (1) directly (a) by having an American Depositary Receipt, or ADR, which is a certificate evidencing a specific number of ADSs, registered in your name, or (b) by holding ADSs in DRS, or (2) indirectly through your broker or other financial institution. If you hold ADSs directly, you are an ADS holder. This description assumes you hold your ADSs directly. If you hold the ADSs indirectly, you must rely on the procedures of your broker or other financial institution to assert the rights of ADS holders described in this section. You should consult with your broker or financial institution to find out what those procedures are.
Dividends and Other Distributions
How will you receive dividends and other distributions on the shares?
The depositary has agreed to pay to you the cash dividends or other distributions it or the custodian receives on ordinary shares or other deposited securities, after deducting its fees and expenses and any applicable taxes and governmental charges. You will receive these distributions in proportion to the number of ordinary shares your ADSs represent as of the record date (which will be as close as practicable to the record date for our ordinary shares) set by the depositary with respect to the ADSs.
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the deposit agreement allows the depositary to distribute the foreign currency to those ADS holders. It will hold the foreign currency it cannot convert for the account of the ADS holders who have not been paid and such funds will be held or the respective accounts of the ADS holders. It will not invest the foreign currency and it will not be liable for any interest for the respective accounts of the ADS holders.
Before making a distribution, any taxes or other governmental charges, together with fees and expenses of the depositary, that must be paid, will be deducted. See "—Payment of Taxes." It will distribute only whole U.S. dollars and cents and will round fractional cents down to the nearest whole cent. If the exchange rates fluctuate during a time when the depositary cannot convert the foreign currency, you may lose some or all of the value of the distribution.
If the depositary makes rights available to you, it will establish procedures to distribute such rights and enable you to exercise the rights upon your payment of applicable fees, charges and expenses incurred by the depositary and taxes and/or other governmental charges. The Depositary shall not be obliged to make available to you a method to exercise such rights to subscribe for ordinary shares (rather than ADSs).
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U.S. securities laws may restrict transfers and cancellation of the ADSs representing ordinary shares purchased upon exercise of rights. For example, you may not be able to trade these ADSs freely in the United States. In this case, the depositary may deliver restricted depositary shares that have the same terms as the ADSs described in this section except for changes needed to put the necessary restrictions in place.
There can be no assurance that you will be given the opportunity to exercise rights on the same terms and conditions as the holders of ordinary shares or be able to exercise such rights.
The depositary is not responsible if it decides that it is unlawful or impractical to make a distribution available to any ADS holders. We have no obligation to register ADSs, shares, rights or other securities under the Securities Act. We also have no obligation to take any other action to permit the distribution of ADSs, shares, rights or anything else to ADS holders. This means that you may not receive the distributions we make on our shares or any value for them if we and/or the depositary determines that it is illegal or not practicable for us or the depositary to make them available to you.
Deposit, Withdrawal and Cancellation
How are ADSs issued?
The depositary will deliver ADSs if you or your broker deposit ordinary shares or evidence of rights to receive ordinary shares with the custodian. Upon payment of its fees and expenses and of any taxes or charges, such as stamp taxes or stock transfer taxes or fees, the depositary will register the appropriate number of ADSs in the names you request and will deliver the ADSs to or upon the order of the person or persons entitled thereto. The depositary will not accept the deposit of fractional ordinary shares and therefore will only issue ADSs representing a whole number of ordinary shares.
How do ADS holders cancel an American Depositary Share?
You may turn in your ADSs at the depositary's corporate trust office or by providing appropriate instructions to your broker. Upon payment of its fees and expenses and of any taxes or charges, such as stamp taxes or stock transfer taxes or fees, the depositary will deliver the ordinary shares and any other deposited securities underlying the ADSs to you or a person you designate at the office of the custodian. Or, at your request, risk and expense, the depositary will deliver the deposited securities at its corporate trust office, to the extent permitted by law. Please keep in mind that the depositary will only accept ADSs for cancellation that represent a whole number of securities on deposit.
How do ADS holders interchange between Certificated ADSs and Uncertificated ADSs?
You may surrender your ADR to the depositary for the purpose of exchanging your ADR for uncertificated ADSs. The depositary will cancel that ADR and will send you a statement confirming that you are the owner of uncertificated ADSs. Alternatively, upon receipt by the depositary of a proper
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instruction from a holder of uncertificated ADSs requesting the exchange of uncertificated ADSs for certificated ADSs, the depositary will execute and deliver to you an ADR evidencing those ADSs.
Voting Rights
How do you vote?
You may instruct the depositary to vote, or cause the custodian to vote, the ordinary shares or other deposited securities underlying your ADSs at any meeting at which you are entitled to vote pursuant to any applicable law, the provisions of the deposit agreement, the provisions of our memorandum and articles of association, and the provisions of or governing the deposited securities.Otherwise, you could exercise your right to vote directly if you withdraw the ordinary shares. However, you may not know about the meeting sufficiently enough in advance to withdraw the ordinary shares.
If we ask for your instructions and upon timely notice from us by regular, ordinary mail delivery, or by electronic transmission, as described in the deposit agreement, the depositary will notify you of the upcoming meeting at which you are entitled to vote pursuant to any applicable law, the provisions of our memorandum and articles of association, and the provisions of or governing the deposited securities, and arrange to deliver our voting materials to you.
The materials will include or reproduce (a) such notice of meeting or solicitation of consents or proxies; (b) a statement that the ADS holders at the close of business on the ADS record date will be entitled, subject to any applicable law, the provisions of our memorandum and articles of association, and the provisions of or governing the deposited securities, to instruct the depositary as to the exercise of the voting rights, if any, pertaining to the ordinary shares or other deposited securities represented by such holder's ADSs; and (c) a brief statement as to the manner in which such instructions may be given to the depositary or in which voting instructions may be deemed to have been given, including an express indication that instructions may be given (or be deemed to have been given if no instruction is received) to the depositary to give a discretionary proxy to a person or persons designated by us. Voting instructions may be given only in respect of a number of ADSs representing an integral number of ordinary shares or other deposited securities. For instructions to be valid, the depositary must receive them in writing on or before the date specified. The depositary will endeavor, as far as practicable and permitted under applicable law, the provisions of the deposit agreement, the provisions of our memorandum and articles of association, and the provisions of or governing the deposited securities, to vote, or cause the custodian to vote, the ordinary shares or other deposited securities (in person or by proxy) as you instruct.
We cannot assure you that you will receive the voting materials in time to ensure that you can instruct the depositary to vote the ordinary shares underlying your ADSs. In addition, there can be no assurance that ADS holders and beneficial owners generally, or any holder or beneficial owner in particular, will be given the opportunity to vote or cause the custodian to vote on the same terms and conditions as the holders of our ordinary shares.
In the event that the depositary (i) does not receive timely voting instructions from you, or (ii) receives timely voting instructions that fail to specify the manner in which the depositary is to vote, the depositary will (unless otherwise specified in the voting materials distributed to you) deem that you have instructed the depositary to give a discretionary proxy to a person designated by us with respect to such deposited securities, and the depositary will give a discretionary proxy to a person designated by us to vote such deposited securities. However, no such instruction will be deemed to have been given and no such discretionary proxy will be given with respect to any matter if we inform the depositary that we do not wish such proxy to be given, that substantial opposition exists or that the matter materially and adversely affects the rights of holders of the ordinary shares.
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In the event that voting on any resolution or matter is conducted on a show of hands basis in accordance with our memorandum and articles of association, the depositary will refrain from voting and the voting instructions (or the deemed voting instructions, as set out above) received by the depositary from you will lapse. The depositary will have no obligation to demand, voting on a poll basis with respect to any resolution and will not be liable for not having voting on a poll basis.
Neither the depositary nor the custodian will (i) exercise any discretion as to voting or (ii) vote, attempt to exercise the right to vote, or in any way make use of for purposes of establishing a quorum or otherwise, the ordinary shares or other deposited securities underlying your ADSs except pursuant to your written instructions, including the deemed instruction to the depositary to give a discretionary proxy to a person designated by us. For the purpose of establishing a quorum at a shareholder meeting and subject to applicable law, regulation and our memorandum and articles of association, if we request in writing, the depositary will represent all deposited securities underlying your ADSs whether or not it has received voting instructions from you for the purpose of establishing a quorum at a meeting of shareholders.
The depositary is not liable for failing to carry out voting instructions or for the manner or effect of any such vote.This means that you may not be able to exercise your right to vote and you may have no recourse if the ordinary shares underlying your ADSs are not voted as you requested.
In order to give you a reasonable opportunity to instruct the depositary as to the exercise of voting rights relating to deposited securities, if we request the depositary to act, we will give the depositary notice of any such meeting and details concerning the matters to be voted at least 30 days in advance of the meeting date.
Compliance with Regulations
Information Requests
Each ADS holder and beneficial owner shall (a) provide such information as we or the depositary may request pursuant to law, including, without limitation, relevant Cayman Islands law, any applicable law of the United States, our memorandum and articles of association, any resolutions of our Board of Directors adopted pursuant to such memorandum and articles of association, the requirements of any markets or exchanges upon which the ordinary shares, depositary interests of the Company, ADSs or ADRs are listed or traded, or to any requirements of any electronic book-entry system by which the ADSs or ADRs may be transferred, regarding the capacity in which they own or owned ADRs, the identity of any other persons then or previously interested in such ADRs and the nature of such interest, and any other applicable matters, and (b) be bound by and subject to applicable provisions of the laws of the Cayman Islands, our memorandum and articles of association, and the requirements of any markets or exchanges upon which the ADSs, depositary interests of the Company, ADRs or ordinary shares are listed or traded, or pursuant to any requirements of any electronic book-entry system by which the ADSs, ADRs or ordinary shares may be transferred, to the same extent as if such ADS holder or beneficial owner held ordinary shares directly, in each case irrespective of whether or not they are ADS holders or beneficial owners at the time such request is made.
Disclosure of Interests
Each ADS holder and beneficial owner shall comply with our requests pursuant to Cayman Islands law, the rules and requirements of the NASDAQ Stock Market and any other stock exchange on which the ordinary shares or depositary interests of the Company are, or will be, registered, traded or listed or our memorandum and articles of association, which requests are made to provide information, inter alia, as to the capacity in which such ADS holder or beneficial owner owns ADSs and regarding the identity of another person interested in such ADSs and the nature of such interest and various other matters, whether or not they are ADS holders or beneficial owners at the time of such requests.
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Fees and Expenses
As an ADS holder, you will be required to pay the following service fees to the depositary bank and certain taxes and governmental charges (in addition to any applicable fees, expenses, taxes and other governmental charges payable on the deposited securities represented by any of your ADSs):
Service | Fees | |
|---|---|---|
• To any person to which ADSs are issued or to any person to which a distribution is made in respect of ADS distributions pursuant to stock dividends or other free distributions of stock, bonus distributions, stock splits or other distributions (except where converted to cash) | Up to US$0.05 per ADS issued | |
• Cancellation or withdrawal of ADSs, including the case of termination of the deposit agreement | Up to US$0.05 per ADS cancelled | |
• Distribution of cash dividends | Up to US$0.05 per ADS held | |
• Distribution of cash entitlements (other than cash dividends) and/or cash proceeds from the sale of rights, securities and other entitlements | Up to US$0.05 per ADS held | |
• Distribution of ADSs pursuant to exercise of rights | Up to US$0.05 per ADS held | |
• Depositary services | Up to US$0.05 per ADS held on the applicable record date(s) established by the depositary bank (an annual fee) |
As an ADS holder, you will also be responsible to pay certain fees and expenses incurred by the depositary bank and certain taxes and governmental charges (in addition to any applicable fees, expenses, taxes and other governmental charges payable on the deposited securities represented by any of your ADSs) such as:
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The depositary fees payable upon the issuance and cancellation of ADSs are typically paid to the depositary bank by the brokers (on behalf of their clients) receiving the newly issued ADSs from the depositary bank and by the brokers (on behalf of their clients) delivering the ADSs to the depositary bank for cancellation. The brokers in turn charge these fees to their clients. Depositary fees payable in connection with distributions of cash or securities to ADS holders and the depositary services fee are charged by the depositary bank to the holders of record of ADSs as of the applicable ADS record date.
The depositary fees payable for cash distributions are generally deducted from the cash being distributed or by selling a portion of distributable property to pay the fees. In the case of distributions other than cash (i.e., share dividends, rights), the depositary bank charges the applicable fee to the ADS record date holders concurrent with the distribution. In the case of ADSs registered in the name of the investor (whether certificated or uncertificated in direct registration), the depositary bank sends invoices to the applicable record date ADS holders. In the case of ADSs held in brokerage and custodian accounts (via DTC), the depositary bank generally collects its fees through the systems provided by DTC (whose nominee is the registered holder of the ADSs held in DTC) from the brokers and custodians holding ADSs in their DTC accounts. The brokers and custodians who hold their clients' ADSs in DTC accounts in turn charge their clients' accounts the amount of the fees paid to the depositary banks.
In the event of refusal to pay the depositary fees, the depositary bank may, under the terms of the deposit agreement, refuse the requested service until payment is received or may set off the amount of the depositary fees from any distribution to be made to the ADS holder.
The depositary has agreed to pay certain amounts to us in exchange for its appointment as depositary. We may use these funds towards our expenses relating to the establishment and maintenance of the ADR program, including investor relations expenses, or otherwise as we see fit. The depositary may pay us a fixed amount, it may pay us a portion of the fees collected by the depositary from holders of ADSs, and it may pay specific expenses incurred by us in connection with the ADR program. Neither the depositary nor we may be able to determine the aggregate amount to be paid to us because (i) the number of ADSs that will be issued and outstanding and the level of dividend and/or servicing fees to be charged may vary, and (ii) our expenses related to the program may not be known at this time.
Payment of Taxes
You will be responsible for any taxes or other governmental charges payable, or which become payable, on your ADSs or on the deposited securities represented by any of your ADSs. The depositary may refuse to register or transfer your ADSs or allow you to withdraw the deposited securities represented by your ADSs until such taxes or other charges are paid. It may apply payments owed to you or sell deposited securities represented by your ADSs to pay any taxes owed and you will remain liable for any deficiency. If the depositary sells deposited securities, it will, if appropriate, reduce the number of ADSs to reflect the sale and pay to you any net proceeds, or send to you any property, remaining after it has paid the taxes. You agree to indemnify us, the depositary, the custodian and each of our and their respective agents, directors, employees and affiliates for, and hold each of them harmless from, any claims with respect to taxes (including applicable interest and penalties thereon) arising out of any refund of taxes, reduced rate of withholding at source or other tax benefit obtained for you. Your obligations under this paragraph shall survive any transfer of ADRs, any surrender of ADRs and withdrawal of deposited securities or the termination of the deposit agreement.
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Reclassifications, Recapitalizations and Mergers
If we: | Then: | |
|---|---|---|
| Change the nominal or par value of our ordinary shares | The cash, shares or other securities received by the depositary will become deposited securities. | |
| Reclassify, split up or consolidate any of the deposited securities | Each ADS will automatically represent its equal share of the new deposited securities. | |
| Distribute securities on the ordinary shares that are not distributed to you, or recapitalize, reorganize, merge, liquidate, sell all or substantially all of our assets, or take any similar action | The depositary may distribute some or all of the cash, shares or other securities it received. It may also deliver new ADSs or ask you to surrender your outstanding ADRs in exchange for new ADRs identifying the new deposited securities. |
Amendment and Termination
How may the deposit agreement be amended?
We may agree with the depositary to amend the deposit agreement and the form of ADR without your consent for any reason. If an amendment adds or increases fees or charges, except for taxes and other governmental charges or expenses of the depositary for registration fees, facsimile costs, delivery charges or similar items, including expenses incurred in connection with foreign exchange control regulations and other charges specifically payable by ADS holders under the deposit agreement, or materially prejudices a substantial existing right of ADS holders, it will not become effective for outstanding ADSs until 30 days after the depositary notifies ADS holders of the amendment.At the time an amendment becomes effective, you are considered, by continuing to hold your ADSs, to agree to the amendment and to be bound by the ADRs and the deposit agreement as amended. If any new laws are adopted which would require the deposit agreement to be amended in order to comply therewith, we and the depositary may amend the deposit agreement in accordance with such laws and such amendment may become effective before notice thereof is given to ADS holders.
How may the deposit agreement be terminated?
The depositary will terminate the deposit agreement if we ask it to do so, in which case the depositary will give notice to you at least 90 days prior to termination. The depositary may also terminate the deposit agreement if the depositary has told us that it would like to resign, or if we have removed the depositary, and in either case we have not appointed a new depositary within 90 days. In either such case, the depositary must notify you at least 30 days before termination.
After termination, the depositary and its agents will do the following under the deposit agreement but nothing else: collect distributions on the deposited securities, sell rights and other property and deliver ordinary shares and other deposited securities upon cancellation of ADSs after payment of any fees, charges, taxes or other governmental charges. Six months or more after the date of termination, the depositary may sell any remaining deposited securities by public or private sale. After that, the depositary will hold the money it received on the sale, as well as any other cash it is holding under the deposit agreement, for thepro rata benefit of the ADS holders that have not surrendered their ADSs. It will not invest the money and has no liability for interest. After such sale, the depositary's only obligations will be to account for the money and other cash. After termination, we shall be discharged from all obligations under the deposit agreement except for our obligations to the depositary thereunder.
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Books of Depositary
The depositary maintains ADS holder records at its depositary office. You may inspect such records at such office during regular business hours but solely for the purpose of communicating with other holders in the interest of business matters relating to the Company, the ADRs and the deposit agreement.
The depositary maintains facilities in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York to record and process the issuance, cancellation, combination, split-up and transfer of ADRs.
These facilities may be closed at any time or from time to time when such action is deemed necessary or advisable by the depositary in connection with the performance of its duties under the deposit agreement.
Limitations on Obligations and Liability
Limits on our Obligations and the Obligations of the Depositary and the Custodian; Limits on Liability to Holders of ADSs
The deposit agreement expressly limits our obligations and the obligations of the depositary and the custodian. It also limits our liability and the liability of the depositary. The depositary and the custodian:
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The depositary and any of its agents also disclaim any liability (i) for any failure to carry out any instructions to vote, the manner in which any vote is cast or the effect of any vote or failure to determine that any distribution or action may be lawful or reasonably practicable or for allowing any rights to lapse in accordance with the provisions of the deposit agreement, (ii) the failure or timeliness of any notice from us, the content of any information submitted to it by us for distribution to you or for any inaccuracy of any translation thereof, (iii) any investment risk associated with the acquisition of an interest in the deposited securities, the validity or worth of the deposited securities, the credit-worthiness of any third party, (iv) for any tax consequences that may result from ownership of ADSs, ordinary shares or deposited securities, or (vi) for any acts or omissions made by a successor depositary whether in connection with a previous act or omission of the depositary or in connection with any matter arising wholly after the removal or resignation of the depositary, provided that in connection with the issue out of which such potential liability arises the depositary performed its obligations without gross negligence or willful misconduct while it acted as depositary.
In addition, the deposit agreement provides that each party to the deposit agreement (including each holder, beneficial owner and holder of interests in the ADRs) irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any right it may have to a trial by jury in any lawsuit or proceeding against the depositary or our company related to our shares, the ADSs or the deposit agreement.
In the deposit agreement, we and the depositary agree to indemnify each other under certain circumstances.
Limitations on Deposits of Securities
The depositary shall not knowingly accept for deposit under the deposit agreement any ordinary shares or other deposited securities required to be registered under the provisions of the Securities Act, unless a registration statement is in effect with respect thereto.
Requirements for Depositary Actions
Before the depositary will issue, deliver or register a transfer of an ADS, split-up, subdivide or combine ADSs, make a distribution on an ADS, or permit withdrawal of ordinary shares, the depositary may require:
The depositary may refuse to issue and deliver ADSs or register transfers of ADSs generally when the register of the depositary or our transfer books are closed or at any time if the depositary or we determine that it is necessary or advisable to do so.
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Your Right to Receive the Ordinary Shares Underlying Your ADSs
You have the right to cancel your ADSs and withdraw the underlying ordinary shares at any time except:
This right of withdrawal may not be limited by any other provision of the deposit agreement.
Pre-release of ADSs
The deposit agreement permits the depositary to deliver ADSs before deposit of the underlying ordinary shares. This is called a pre-release of the ADSs. The depositary may also deliver ordinary shares upon cancellation of pre-released ADSs (even if the ADSs are cancelled before the pre-release transaction has been closed out). A pre-release is closed out as soon as the underlying ordinary shares are delivered to the depositary. The depositary may receive ADSs instead of ordinary shares to close out a pre-release. The depositary may pre-release ADSs only under the following conditions: (1) before or at the time of the pre-release, the person to whom the pre-release is being made represents to the depositary in writing that it or its customer (a) owns the ordinary shares or ADSs to be deposited, (b) agrees to indicate the depositary as owner of such ordinary shares or ADSs in its records and to hold such ordinary shares or ADSs in trust for the depositary until such ordinary shares or ADSs are delivered to the depositary or the custodian, (c) unconditionally guarantees to deliver such ordinary shares or ADSs to the depositary or the custodian, as the case may be, and (d) agrees to any additional restrictions or requirements that the depositary deems appropriate; (2) the pre-release is fully collateralized with cash, United States government securities or other collateral that the depositary considers appropriate; and (3) the depositary must be able to close out the pre-release on not more than five business days' notice. Each prerelease is subject to further indemnities and credit regulations as the depositary considers appropriate. In addition, the depositary will normally limit the number of ADSs that may be outstanding at any time as a result of pre-release to 30% of the ADSs then outstanding, although the depositary may disregard the limit from time to time, if it thinks it is appropriate to do so.
Direct Registration System
In the deposit agreement, all parties to the deposit agreement acknowledge that the DRS and Profile Modification System, or Profile, will apply to uncertificated ADSs upon acceptance thereof to DRS by DTC. DRS is the system administered by DTC pursuant to which the depositary may register the ownership of uncertificated ADSs, which ownership shall be evidenced by periodic statements issued by the depositary to the ADS holders entitled thereto. Profile is a required feature of DRS which allows a DTC participant, claiming to act on behalf of an ADS holder, to direct the depositary to register a transfer of those ADSs to DTC or its nominee and to deliver those ADSs to the DTC account of that DTC participant without receipt by the depositary of prior authorization from the ADS holder to register such transfer.
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We may sell ADSs in any of the ways described below or in any combination:
The distribution of the ADSs by us may be effected from time to time in one or more transactions:
Each prospectus supplement will describe the method of distribution of the securities and any applicable restrictions.
The prospectus supplement will describe the terms of the offering of the ADSs, including the following:
Any offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers will be specified in the applicable prospectus supplement and may be changed from time to time.
Only the agents or underwriters named in each prospectus supplement are agents or underwriters in connection with the ADSs being offered thereby.
We may authorize underwriters, dealers or other persons acting as our agents to solicit offers by certain institutions to purchase securities from us pursuant to delayed delivery contracts providing for payment and delivery on the date stated in each applicable prospectus supplement. Each contract will be for an amount not less than, and the aggregate amount of securities sold pursuant to such contracts shall not be less nor more than, the respective amounts stated in each applicable prospectus supplement. Institutions with whom the contracts, when authorized, may be made include commercial and savings banks, insurance companies, pension funds, investment companies, educational and charitable institutions and other institutions, but shall in all cases be subject to our approval. Delayed delivery contracts will be subject only to those conditions set forth in each applicable prospectus supplement, and each prospectus supplement will set forth any commissions we pay for solicitation of these contracts.
Agents, underwriters and other third parties described above may be entitled to indemnification by us against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, or to contribution from us with respect to payments which the agents, underwriters or other third parties may be required to make in respect thereof. Agents, underwriters and such other third parties may be customers of, engage in transactions with, or perform services for us in the ordinary course of business. We may also use underwriters or such other third parties with whom we have a material relationship. We will describe the nature of any such relationship in the applicable prospectus supplement.
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One or more firms, referred to as "remarketing firms," may also offer or sell the securities, if a prospectus supplement so indicates, in connection with a remarketing arrangement upon their purchase. Remarketing firms will act as principals for their own accounts or as our agents. These remarketing firms will offer or sell the securities in accordance with the terms of the securities. Each prospectus supplement will identify and describe any remarketing firm and the terms of its agreement, if any, with us and will describe the remarketing firm's compensation. Remarketing firms may be deemed to be underwriters in connection with the securities they remarket. Remarketing firms may be entitled under agreements that may be entered into with us to indemnification by us against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, and may engage in transactions with or perform services for us in the ordinary course of business.
Certain underwriters may use this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement for offers and sales related to market-making transactions in the securities. These underwriters may act as principal or agent in these transactions, and the sales will be made at prices related to prevailing market prices at the time of sale. Any underwriters involved in the sale of the securities may qualify as "underwriters" within the meaning of Section 2(a)(11) of the Securities Act. In addition, the underwriters' commissions, discounts or concessions may qualify as underwriters' compensation under the Securities Act and the rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.
Our ADSs are listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market. Underwriters may make a market in our ADSs, but will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. We can make no assurance as to the development, maintenance or liquidity of any trading market for the securities.
Certain persons participating in an offering may engage in overallotment, stabilizing transactions, short covering transactions and penalty bids in accordance with rules and regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act. Overallotment involves sales in excess of the offering size, which create a short position. Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying security so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum. Short covering transactions involve purchases of the securities in the open market after the distribution is completed to cover short positions. Penalty bids permit the underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from a dealer when the securities originally sold by the dealer are purchased in a short covering transaction to cover short positions. Those activities may cause the price of the securities to be higher than it would otherwise be. If commenced, the underwriters may discontinue any of the activities at any time.
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ENFORCEMENT OF CIVIL LIABILITIES
We are incorporated in the Cayman Islands to take advantage of certain benefits associated with being a Cayman Islands exempted company, such as:
However, certain disadvantages accompany incorporation in the Cayman Islands. These disadvantages include, but are not limited to:
Our constituent documents do not contain provisions requiring that disputes, including those arising under the securities laws of the United States, between us, our officers, directors and shareholders, be arbitrated.
Substantially all of our operations are conducted in China, and substantially all of our assets are located in China. Most of our directors and executive officers are nationals or residents of jurisdictions other than the United States and most of their assets are located outside the United States. As a result, it may be difficult for a shareholder to effect service of process within the United States upon these persons, or to enforce against us or them judgments obtained in U.S. courts, including judgments predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States.
We have appointed Cogency Global Inc., located at 122 East 42nd Street, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10168 as our agent upon whom process may be served in any action brought against us under the securities laws of the United States.
Conyers Dill & Pearman, our legal counsel as to Cayman Islands law, and King & Wood Mallesons, our legal counsel as to PRC law, have advised us, respectively, that there is uncertainty as to whether the courts of the Cayman Islands and the PRC, respectively, would:
There is uncertainty with regard to Cayman Islands law relating to whether a judgment obtained from the United States courts under civil liability provisions of the securities laws will be determined by the courts of the Cayman Islands as penal or punitive in nature. The courts of the Cayman Islands may not recognize or enforce the judgment against a Cayman Islands company, and because the courts of the Cayman Islands have yet to rule on whether such judgments are penal or punitive in nature, it is uncertain whether such judgments from the U.S. courts would be enforceable in the Cayman Islands. Conyers Dill & Pearman has advised us that the courts of the Cayman Islands would recognize as a valid judgment, a final and conclusive judgment in personam obtained in the federal or state courts of the United States under
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which a sum of money is payable (other than a sum of money payable in respect of multiple damages, taxes or other charges of a like nature or in respect of a fine or other penalty) or, in certain circumstances, an in personam judgment for non-monetary relief, and would give a judgment based thereon provided that (a) such courts had proper jurisdiction over the parties subject to such judgment, (b) such courts did not contravene the rules of natural justice of the Cayman Islands, (c) such judgment was not obtained by fraud, (d) the enforcement of the judgment would not be contrary to the public policy of the Cayman Islands, (e) no new admissible evidence relevant to the action is submitted prior to the rendering of the judgment by the courts of the Cayman Islands, and (f) there is due compliance with the correct procedures under the laws of the Cayman Islands.
King & Wood Mallesons has further advised us that the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments are provided for under the PRC Civil Procedures Law. PRC courts may recognize and enforce foreign judgments in accordance with the requirements of the PRC Civil Procedures Law based either on treaties between China and the country where the judgment is made or on principles of reciprocity between jurisdictions. China does not have any treaties or other form of reciprocity with the United States or the Cayman Islands that provide for the reciprocal recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments. In addition, according to the PRC Civil Procedures Law, courts in China will not enforce a foreign judgment against us or our directors and officers if they decide that the judgment violates the basic principles of PRC law or national sovereignty, security or public interest. As a result, it is uncertain whether and on what basis a PRC court would enforce a judgment rendered by a court in the United States or in the Cayman Islands. Under the PRC Civil Procedures Law, foreign shareholders may originate actions based on PRC law against a company in China for disputes if they can establish sufficient nexus to the PRC for a PRC court to have jurisdiction, and meet other procedural requirements, including, among others, the plaintiff must have a direct interest in the case, and there must be a concrete claim, a factual basis and a cause for the suit. However, it would be difficult for foreign shareholders to establish sufficient nexus to China by virtue only of holding our ADSs or ordinary shares.
In addition, it will be difficult for U.S. shareholders to originate actions against us in China in accordance with PRC laws because we are incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands and it will be difficult for U.S. shareholders, by virtue only of holding our ADSs or ordinary shares, to establish a connection to China for a PRC court to have jurisdiction as required under the PRC Civil Procedures Law.
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We are being represented by Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher with respect to certain legal matters as to U.S. federal securities laws and New York State law. In connection with particular offerings in the future, and if stated in the applicable prospectus supplements, the validity of the ordinary shares represented by the ADSs offered and certain legal matters as to Cayman Islands law will be passed upon for us by Conyers Dill & Pearman and certain legal matters as to PRC law will be passed upon for us by King & Wood Mallesons. If legal matters in connection with offerings made pursuant to this prospectus are passed upon by counsel to underwriters, dealers or agents, such counsel will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to any such offering.
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The consolidated financial statements and management's assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting (which is included in Management's Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting) incorporated in this prospectus by reference to theannual report on Form 20-F of Hutchison China MediTech Limited for the year ended December 31, 2019 have been so incorporated in reliance on the reports of PricewaterhouseCoopers, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.
The consolidated financial statements of Nutrition Science Partners Limited incorporated in this prospectus by reference to theannual report on Form 20-F of Hutchison China MediTech Limited for the year ended December 31, 2019 have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.
The consolidated financial statements of Shanghai Hutchison Pharmaceuticals Limited incorporated in this prospectus by reference to theannual report on Form 20-F of Hutchison China MediTech Limited for the year ended December 31, 2019 have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers Zhong Tian LLP, an independent auditor, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.
The consolidated financial statements of Hutchison Whampoa Guangzhou Baiyunshan Chinese Medicine Company Limited incorporated in this prospectus by reference to theannual report on Form 20-F of Hutchison China MediTech Limited for the year ended December 31, 2019 have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers Zhong Tian LLP, an independent auditor, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.
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WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
We file annual reports on Form 20-F with the SEC, and we furnish other documents, such as current reports and other information and documents that we file with AIM, to the SEC, as required. The SEC maintains a website that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding registrants that file electronically with the SEC. The address iswww.sec.gov. We also make our SEC filings available on our website's investor relations page as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC. The address for our investor relations page iswww.chi-med.com/investors. The information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement.
This prospectus forms part of a registration statement that we filed with the SEC. The registration statement contains more information than this prospectus regarding us and our ADSs, including certain exhibits and schedules. You can obtain a copy of the registration statement electronically atwww.sec.gov.
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INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
The SEC's rules allow us to "incorporate by reference" information we have filed with the SEC, which means that we can disclose important information by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is a part of this prospectus, and information that we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede the information included and/or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. We incorporate by reference into this prospectus the documents listed below and any future filings made by us with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (other than, in each case, any document or portion of a document that is deemed not to be filed) from the date of this prospectus to the end of the offering of the applicable securities under this prospectus.
Any statement contained in a document that is incorporated by reference will be modified or superseded for all purposes to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus, or in any other document that is subsequently filed with the SEC and incorporated by reference, modifies or is contrary to that previous statement. Any statement so modified or superseded will not be deemed a part of this prospectus except as so modified and superseded. In other words, in the case of a conflict or inconsistency between information contained in this prospectus and information incorporated by reference into this prospectus, you should rely on the information contained in the document that was filed later.
Each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom a copy of this prospectus is delivered may request a copy of any of the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus at no cost. We will not include exhibits to the documents that you request unless the exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference into those documents. You may make your request for any of the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus by writing or telephoning us at the following address:
Attn: Company Secretary
Hutchison China MediTech Limited
48th Floor, Cheung Kong Center
2 Queen's Road Central
Hong Kong
Telephone: +852 2121 8200
These filings are also made available, free of charge, on our website atwww.chi-med.com. The information contained in, and that can be accessed through, our website is not incorporated into and does not form a part of this prospectus.
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PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 8. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
Cayman Islands law does not limit the extent to which a company's memorandum and articles of association may provide for indemnification of officers and directors, except to the extent any such provision may be held by the Cayman Islands courts to be contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification against civil fraud or the consequences of committing a crime. Our memorandum and articles of association require us to indemnify our officers and directors for losses, damages, costs and expenses incurred in their capacities as such unless such losses or damages arise from dishonesty or fraud of such directors or officers.
We have also entered into indemnification agreements with our directors and our executive officers. Under such indemnification agreements, we provide such persons with additional indemnification beyond that provided in our memorandum and articles of association to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling us pursuant to the foregoing provisions, we have been informed that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.
See "Exhibit Index" following the signature pages of this registration statement.
(a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:
(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:
(i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;
(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of this registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in this registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the "Calculation of Registration Fee" table in the effective registration statement;
(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in this registration statement or any material change to such information in this registration statement;
provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii) and (a)(1)(iii) of this section do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the SEC by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in this registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.
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(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initialbona fide offering thereof.
(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.
(4) To file a post effective amendment to the registration statement to include any financial statements required by Item 8.A of Form 20-F at the start of any delayed offering or throughout a continuous offering. Financial statements and other information required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act need not be furnished,provided that the registrant includes in the prospectus by means of a post-effective amendment, financial statements required pursuant to this paragraph (a)(4) and other information necessary to ensure that all other information in the prospectus is at least as current as the date of those financial statements. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to registration statements on Form F-3, a post effective amendment need not be filed to include financial instruments and information required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act if such financial statements and financial information are contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the SEC by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the Form F-3.
(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act to any purchaser:
(i) Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and
(ii) Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.
(6) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned
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registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:
(i) Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned Registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;
(ii) Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned Registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned Registrant;
(iii) The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned Registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned Registrant; and
(iv) Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned Registrant to the purchaser.
(b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the provisions described in Item 6, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
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Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form F-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the city of Hong Kong, on April 6, 2020.
| HUTCHISON CHINA MEDITECH LIMITED | ||||||
By: | /s/ CHRISTIAN HOGG | |||||
| Name: | Christian Hogg | |||||
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |||||
Each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints each of Simon To, Edith Shih and Christian Hogg as his or her attorney-in-fact with full power of substitution, for him or her in any and all capacities, to do any and all acts and all things and to execute any and all instruments which said attorney and agent may deem necessary or desirable to enable the registrant to comply with the Securities Act and any rules, regulations and requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder, in connection with the registration under the Securities Act of securities of the registrant, including, without limitation, the power and authority to sign the name of each of the undersigned in the capacities indicated below to the registration statement on Form F-3 to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission with respect to such securities, to any and all amendments or supplements to such registration statement, whether such amendments or supplements are filed before or after the effective date of such registration statement, to any related registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, and to any and all instruments or documents filed as part of or in connection with such registration statement or any and all amendments thereto, whether such amendments are filed before or after the effective date of such registration statement; and each of the undersigned hereby ratifies and confirms all that such attorney and agent shall do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Signature | Title | Date | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| /s/ CHRISTIAN HOGG Christian Hogg | Chief Executive Officer, Director (principal executive officer) | April 6, 2020 | ||
/s/ JOHNNY CHENG Johnny Cheng | Chief Financial Officer, Director (principal financial and accounting officer) | April 6, 2020 | ||
/s/ SIMON TO Simon To | Chairman of the Board of Directors | April 6, 2020 |
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Signature | Title | Date | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| /s/ WEIGUO SU Weiguo Su | Chief Scientific Officer, Director | April 6, 2020 | ||
/s/ DAN ELDAR Dan Eldar | Director | April 6, 2020 | ||
/s/ EDITH SHIH Edith Shih | Director | April 6, 2020 | ||
/s/ PAUL CARTER Paul Carter | Director | April 6, 2020 | ||
/s/ KAREN FERRANTE Karen Ferrante | Director | April 6, 2020 | ||
/s/ GRAEME JACK Graeme Jack | Director | April 6, 2020 | ||
/s/ TONY MOK Tony Mok | Director | April 6, 2020 |
SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE IN THE UNITED STATES
Pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, the undersigned, the duly authorized representative in the United States of Hutchison China MediTech Limited, has signed this registration statement or amendment thereto in New York, NY on April 6, 2020.
| Cogency Global Inc. (Authorized U.S. Representative) | ||||||
By: | /s/ COLLEEN A. DE VRIES | |||||
| Name: | Colleen A. De Vries | |||||
| Title: | Senior Vice President | |||||
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