Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as
defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports
pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required
to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during
the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was
required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing
requirements for the past 90 days.
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and
posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required
to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of
this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that
the registrant was required to submit and post such files).
Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405
of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the
best of registrants knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements
incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this
Form 10-K. [ ]
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an
accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See
the definition for large accelerated filer, accelerated filer, and smaller
reporting company in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):
Large Accelerated Filer [ ]
Non-Accelerated Filer [ ]
Accelerated Filer [ ]
Smaller Reporting Company [X]
Indicate by check mark whether registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule
12b-2 of the Act).
The aggregate market value of the registrants common stock held by
non-affiliates of the registrant as of June 30, 2011, was approximately
$21,622,133 based on $1.87, the price at which the registrants common stock was
last sold on that date.
There were a total of 26,803,044 shares of the registrant’s common stock outstanding as of April 16, 2012.
This Amendment No. 1 on Form 10-K/A (this Amendment No. 1) to the Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011 (the Annual
Report) of China GengSheng Minerals, Inc. (the Company) is being filed to
amend and include certain disclosure, which is set forth below:
Additionally, in this Amendment No.1, we also included a dated consent letter
from PKF Hong Kong, our independent registered public accounting firm, currently
dated certifications from the Companys Principal Executive Officer and
Principal Financial Officer as required by Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act
of 2002 and currently dated certifications from the Companys Principal
Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer as required by Section 906 of
the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
Except as described above, no other changes have been made to the Annual Report,
and this Amendment No. 1 does not amend or update any other information
contained in the Annual Report.
ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
The market price of our common stock could fluctuate
substantially due to a variety of factors, including market perception of our
ability to achieve our planned growth, quarterly operating results of other
companies in the same industry, trading volume in our common stock, changes in
general conditions in the economy and the financial markets or other
developments affecting our competitors or us. In addition, the stock market is
subject to extreme price and volume fluctuations. This volatility has had a
significant effect on the market price of securities issued by many companies
for reasons unrelated to their operating performance and could have the same
effect on our common stock.
2
RISKS RELATED TO OUR BUSINESS
The slow recovery from the global economic crisis could affect the overall availability and cost of external financing for our operation.
The slow recovery of the global financial markets from the global economic crisis and turmoil may adversely impact our business, the business and financial condition of our customers and the business of potential investors from whom we expect to
generate our potential sources of capital financing. Presently it is unclear to what extent the economic stimulus measures and other actions taken or contemplated by the Chinese governments and other governments throughout the world will mitigate
the effects of the negative impact caused by the economic turmoil on our industry and other industries that affect our business. Although these conditions have not presently impaired our ability to access credit markets and finance our operations,
the impact of the current crisis on our ability to obtain capital financing in the future, and the cost and terms of same, is unclear.
A downturn or negative changes in the highly volatile steel and iron industry will harm our business and profitability.
The iron and steel industries accounted for approximately 60% to 70% of the consumption in the Chinese refractory industry according to the industry association statistics. Because our largest customers are in the steel industry, our business
performance is closely tied to the performance of the steel industry. The sector as a whole is cyclical and its profitability can be volatile as a result of general economic conditions, labor costs, competition, import duties, tariffs and currency
exchange rates. These macroeconomic factors have historically resulted in wide fluctuations in Chinese and global economies in which steel companies sell their products. In our case, future economic downturns, stagnant economies or currency
fluctuations in China or globally could decrease the demand for steel products both in China and overseas and, in turn, could negatively impact our sales, margins and profits.
Industry growth rate for refractory products may decelerate and may affect our future revenue growth.
In China, the production of refractory materials has experienced fast growth in recent years driven largely by growth in China’s steel production. China has become the largest country for producing and consuming refractories, among which 60%
to 70% were demanded by companies in the steel industry. Our industry’s growth has been primarily driven by the growth in the Chinese steel industry. According to figures provided by World Steel Association, Chinese steel output grew from an
annual output of 157 million tons in 2001 to 696 million tons in 2011, representing a compounded average growth rate of 14.5% . Going forward, however, the forecast provided by the China International Capital Corporation suggests that the annual
output of steel in China will not maintain this growth rate.
If the steel industry experiences such a slowdown, our growth prospects will likewise be curtailed. Additionally, the market for monolithic refractories in China is still in the developmental stage, and successful market penetration of the
monolithic refractories depends heavily on two factors. First, successful market penetration depends on technological progress that results in products that provide better performance by our customers, new varieties of products that meet our
customer’s future requirements, and more efficient and effective installation and maintenance methods. Second, successful market penetration also depends on our marketing strategy and our ability to execute that strategy while maintaining a
high quality of service to our customers. Our future revenue growth without acquisitions may maintain, but nevertheless, we may not match our past growth rate.
Our inability to overcome fierce competition in the highly fragmented and highly competitive Chinese refractory market could reduce our revenue and net income.
The refractory market in China is highly fragmented with over 2,000 producers of refractory products, according to the Chairman of the Association of China Refractory Industry. Our competitors manufacture products that are similar to and directly
compete with the products that we manufacture and market. We compete with many other refractory manufacturers in China, on a region-by-region basis, and with international competitors on a world-wide basis. Our main competitors are located in China
and include Puyang Punai High-temperature Materials Co., Ltd., Wuhan Ruisheng Specialty Refractory Materials Co., Ltd., Beijing Lirr Refractories Co., Ltd. and others. Currently, our primary international competitor is Mineral Technologies, Inc. in
the United States.
As a regional market leader in the monolithic refractory marketplace in China, we can buy raw materials in large quantities allowing us to negotiate volume discount that results in lower price than what is offered to our smaller competitors. As our
smaller competitors consolidate and grow larger, they may be able to negotiate similar volume discount from raw material suppliers. Under such scenario, any cost advantage that we currently enjoy may be reduced or eliminated altogether. Although our
smaller competitors may pay higher materials costs relative to our material costs, their operating and administrative costs may be lower than ours, which may allow our competitors to offer very competitive prices for their products and services.
Their competitive prices may force us to lower our prices, and to sell products and services at a loss in order to maintain our market share. Currently, we have a policy for setting a pricing floor so that we do not sell products at a loss; however,
we cannot assure that we can maintain this policy indefinitely. Thus, increased competition in our industry could reduce our revenue and net income.
Any decrease in the availability, or increase in the cost, of raw materials and energy could materially increase our costs and jeopardize our current profit margins and profitability.
The principal raw materials used in our refractory products are several forms of the minerals SiO
2
, Al
2
0
3
, and MgO, including bauxite, mullite, corundum, processed
Al
2
0
3
, Spinel,
magnesia, calcium aluminates cement, and silica. We use bauxite primarily in the
production of refractory materials, fracture proppants and some industrial ceramic products. The availability of these raw materials and energy resources may decrease and their prices can become volatile as a result of, among other things, changes
in overall supply and demand levels and new laws or regulations. Our ability to achieve our sales target depends on our ability to maintain what we believe to be adequate inventories of raw materials to meet reasonably anticipated orders from our
customers. In 2011, raw material costs accounted for 86.8% of the production cost for refractory products, 50.5% for fracture proppant products and 66.7% for industrial ceramics products and 85.0% for micropowder products.
3
Our production facilities are located in Gongyi, Henan Province, where there is currently abundant reserve of bauxite and corundum for refractory manufacturing. Although our proximity to bauxite allows us to benefit from a relatively short delivery
time and lower shipping costs, we may experience supply shortages or price increases or both due to sharp increases in overall industry demand for bauxite. Besides purchasing bauxite from local suppliers, we also purchase bauxite, mullite, magnesia,
calcium aluminates cement and other raw materials from suppliers in Shanxi Province, Shandong Province, Liaoning Province and Gansu Province. All of these locations are outside of Henan Province and any increase in shipping costs will increase our
cost of raw materials from these sources and will decrease our revenues and profitability.
Further, if our existing suppliers are unable or unwilling to deliver raw materials needed on time to meet our production schedules, we may be unable to produce certain products, which could result in a decrease in revenues and profitability, a loss
of goodwill with our customers, and could damage our reputation as a reliable supplier in our industry. In the event that our raw material and energy costs increase, we may not be able to pass these higher costs on to our customers in full or at all
due to contractual agreements or pricing pressures in the refractory market. Any increase in the prices for raw materials or energy resources could materially increase our costs and therefore lower our earnings and profitability.
Actions by the Chinese government could drive up our material costs and could have a negative impact on our profitability.
In past years, the Chinese government has shut down some outdated mineral mines in China. These shutdowns have decreased the overall supply of raw materials needed to produce refractory products. As a result, the materials costs for our products
have increased. If the Chinese government shuts down more mineral mines, we could experience further supply shortages and price increases that could have a negative impact on our profitability.
We may experience fluctuation of profit performance and our future profitability is not assured.
As we are facing fierce competition and the cost of our raw materials and energy keep rising, we have experienced significant pressure in refractories segment, our largest product segment which accounted for approximately 60.5% of total revenue in
2011. We may experience fluctuation of profit performance and our profitability is not assured.
Specific factors that may undermine our financial objectives include, among others:
-
Volatile iron and steel producer spending levels, which particularly affects our refractories segment which constitutes the largest portion of mix;
-
Adverse changes to our product mix, both fundamentally (resulting from new product transitions, the declining profitability of certain legacy products and the termination of certain products with declining margins, among other things) and due to
demand fluctuations;
-
Intense pricing pressure across our product lines due to competitive forces, which continues to offset many of the cost improvements we are realizing quarter over quarter;
-
Rising cost of materials and energy that significantly impact our profitability, particularly in our refractories segment;
-
Execution challenges, which limit revenue opportunities and harm profitability, market opportunities and customer relations;
Continuing high levels of selling, general and administrative, ("SG&A") expenses. Taken together, these factors limit our ability to predict future profitability levels and to achieve our long-term profitability objectives. While some of these
factors may diminish over time as we improve our cost structure and focus on enhancing our product mix, several factors, such as continuous pricing pressure, increasing competition, rising costs of raw materials and energy, are likely to remain
endemic to our businesses. If we fail to achieve profitability expectations, our business and financial condition may be materially adversely impacted.
We may not be able to implement our business plan because we may be unable to fund the substantial ongoing capital and maintenance expenditures needed for our operations and to invest in new projects at the same time.
Our operations are capital intensive and the nature of our business and our business strategy need substantial additional working capital investment. We need capital to build new production lines, acquire new equipment, maintain the condition of our
existing equipment, maintain compliance with environmental laws and regulations, and to pursue new market opportunities. We may not be able to fund our capital expenditures from operating cash flow and from the proceeds of borrowings available for
capital expenditures under our credit facilities, and we may need additional debt or equity financing. We cannot assure that this type of financing will be available or, if available, it may result in increased interest expenses, increased leverage
and decreased income available to fund further expansion. In addition, future debt financings may limit our ability to withstand competitive pressures and render us more vulnerable to economic downtowns. If we are unable to fund our capital
requirements, we may be unable to implement our business plan and our financial performance may be adversely impacted.
4
Approximately 63.9% of our sales revenues were derived from our ten largest customers, and any reduction in revenues from any of these customers would reduce our revenues and net income.
While we have over 170 active customers, approximately 63.9% of our sales revenue came from our top ten customers in 2011, with Jolly alone accounted for approximately 14.1% of our sales revenue in the same period. If we cease to do business at or
above current levels with Jolly or any one of our other largest customers which contribute significantly to our sales revenues, and we are unable to generate additional sales revenues with new and existing customers that purchase a similar amount of
our products, then our revenues and net income would decline considerably.
A significant interruption or casualty loss at any of our facilities could increase our production costs and reduce our sales and earnings.
Our manufacturing process requires large industrial facilities for crushing, smashing, batching, molding and baking raw materials. After the refractory products come off the production line, we need additional facilities to inspect, package, and
store the finished goods. Our facilities may experience interruptions or major accidents and may be subject to unplanned events such as explosions, fires, inclement weather, acts of God, terrorism, accidents and transportation interruptions. Any
shutdown or interruption of any facility would reduce the output from that facility, which could substantially impair our ability to meet sales targets. Interruptions in production capabilities will inevitably increase production costs and reduce
our sales and earnings. In addition to the revenue losses, longer-term business disruption could result in the loss of goodwill with our customers. To the extent these events are not covered by insurance, our revenues, margins and cash flows may be
adversely impacted by events of this type.
Environmental regulations impose substantial costs and limitations on our operations.
Our products are not considered environmentally hazardous materials, however, the dust produced during our production process is considered hazardous to the environment. We have environmental liability risks and limitations on operations brought
about by the requirements of environmental laws and regulations. We are subject to various national and local environmental laws and regulations concerning issues such as air emissions, waste water discharges, and solid and hazardous waste
management and disposal. These laws and regulations are becoming increasingly stringent. While we believe that our facilities are in material compliance with all applicable environmental laws and regulations, the risks of substantial unanticipated
costs and liabilities related to compliance with these laws and regulations are an inherent part of our business. It is possible that future conditions may develop, arise or be discovered that create new environmental compliance or remediation
liabilities and costs. While we believe that we can comply with environmental legislation and regulatory requirements and that the costs of compliance have been included within budgeted cost estimates, compliance may prove to be more costly than
anticipated.
Climate change and related regulatory responses may impact our business.
Climate change as a result of emissions of greenhouse gases is a significant topic of discussion. It is impracticable to predict with any certainty the impact of climate change on our business or the regulatory responses to it, although we recognize
that they could be significant. The most direct impact is likely to be an increase in energy costs, which would increase our operating costs, primarily through increased utility and transportations costs. In addition, many of our customers operate
in the manufacturing industry. Any restrictions or penalties imposed under a cap and trade system might significantly impact their operations, which in turn, would adversely affect their demand for our products. However, it is too soon for us to
predict with any certainty the ultimate impact, either directionally or quantitatively, of climate change and related regulatory responses.
If our customers and/or the ultimate consumers of products which use our products successfully assert product liability claims against us due to defects in our products, our operating results may suffer and our reputation may be harmed.
Our products are widely used as protective linings in industrial furnaces operating in highly hazardous environments because those furnaces must operate under extremely high temperatures in order to produce iron, steel and other industrial products.
Significant property damage, personal injuries and even death can result from the malfunctioning of high temperature furnaces as a result of defects in our refractory products. The costs and resources needed to defend product liability claims could
be substantial. We could be responsible for paying some or all of the damages if found liable. We do not have product liability insurance. The publicity surrounding these sorts of claims is also likely damage our reputation, regardless of whether
such claims are successful. Any of these consequences resulting from defects in our products would hurt our operating results and stockholder value.
If we are not able to adequately secure and protect our patent, trademark and other proprietary rights our business may be materially affected.
We hold sixty two patents related to our production and some of these patents
are key technology widely used in our process to improve the efficiency of
production. We also rely on non-disclosure agreements and other confidentiality
procedures to protect our intellectual property rights in various jurisdictions.
These technologies are very important to our business and it may be possible for
unauthorized third parties to copy or reverse engineer our products, or
otherwise obtain and use information that we regard as proprietary. Furthermore,
third parties could challenge the scope or enforceability of our patents. In
certain foreign countries, including China where we operate, the laws do not
protect our proprietary rights to the same extent as the laws of the United
States. Decided court cases in Chinas civil law system do not have binding
legal effect on future decisions and even where adequate law exists in China,
enforcement based on existing
law may be uncertain and sporadic and it may be difficult to obtain enforcement of a judgment by a court of another jurisdiction. In addition, the relative inexperience of China’s judiciary in many cases creates additional uncertainty as to
the outcome of any litigation, and interpretation of statutes and regulations may be subject to government policies reflecting domestic political changes. Any misappropriation of our intellectual property could have a material adverse effect on our
business and results of operations, and we cannot assure that the measures we take to protect our proprietary rights are adequate.
5
Expansion of our business may place a significant strain on our management and operational infrastructure and impede our ability to meet any increased demand for our products.
Our business plan is to significantly grow our operations by meeting the anticipated growth in demand for existing products and by introducing new product offerings. Growth in our business may place a significant strain on our personnel, management,
financial systems and other resources. Our business growth also presents numerous risks and challenges, including:
-
Our ability to successfully and rapidly expand sales to potential customers in response to increasing demand;
-
The costs associated with such growth, which are difficult to quantify, but could be significant; and
-
The costs associated with developing new products to keep pace with rapid technological changes.
To accommodate the growth and compete effectively, we may need to obtain additional funding to improve information systems, procedures and controls and expand, train, motivate and manage existing and additional employees. Funding may not be
available in a sufficient amount or on favorable terms, if at all. If we are not able to manage these activities and implement these strategies successfully to expand to meet any increased demand, our operating results could suffer.
Improvements in the quality and lifespan of refractory products may decrease product turnover and our sales revenues.
Technological and manufacturing improvements have made refractory products more durable and more efficient. While making products more durable and more efficient is generally a positive development, the increased quality and durability of refractory
products could lead to declining consumption and turnover of refractory products. With the growth rate in the steel industry decelerating and with the consumption rate of refractory products per metric ton of steel produced decreasing, the
refractory industry’s future growth rate may decelerate. We can increase our prices to offset the decrease in product consumption, but we cannot assure that price increases will be acceptable to our customers.
Our new products are complex and may contain defects that are detected only after their release to our customers, which may cause us to incur significant unexpected expenses and lost sales.
Our products are highly complex and must operate at high temperatures for a long period of time. Although our new products are tested prior to release, they can only be fully tested when they are used by our customers. Consequently, our customers
may discover defects after new products have been released. Although we have test procedures and quality control standards in place designed to minimize the number of defects in our products, we cannot guarantee that our new products will be
completely free of defects when released. If we are unable to quickly and successfully correct the defects identified after their release, we could experience significant costs associated with compensating our customers for damages caused by our
products, costs associated with correcting the defects, costs associated with design modifications, and costs associated with service or warranty claims or both. Additionally, we could lose customers, lose market share and suffer damage to our
reputation.
Our holding company structure may limit the payment of dividends.
We have no direct business operations, other than our ownership of our subsidiaries. While we have no current intention of paying dividends, should we decide in the future to do so, as a holding company, our ability to pay dividends and meet other
obligations depends upon the receipt of dividends or other payments from our operating subsidiaries and other holdings and investments. In addition, our operating subsidiaries, from time to time, may be subject to restrictions on their ability to
make distributions to us, including as a result of restrictive covenants in loan agreements, restrictions on the conversion of local currency into U.S. dollars or other hard currency and other regulatory restrictions as discussed below. If future
dividends are paid in RMB, fluctuations in the exchange rate for the conversion of RMB into U.S. dollars may reduce the amount received by U.S. stockholders upon conversion of the dividend payment into U.S. dollars.
Chinese regulations currently permit the payment of dividends only out of accumulated profits as determined in accordance with Chinese accounting standards and regulations. Our subsidiaries in China are also required to set aside a portion of their
after-tax profits according to Chinese accounting standards and regulations to fund certain reserve funds. Currently, our subsidiaries in China are the only sources of revenues or investment holdings for the payment of dividends. If they do not
accumulate sufficient profits under Chinese accounting standards and regulations to first fund certain reserve funds as required by Chinese accounting standards, we will be unable to pay any dividends.
6
We completed our new fine precisions abrasives production facility in 2009 and we have earned revenue in 2010 and 2011 but we cannot guarantee that we will earn the estimated revenues in the future or that it ultimately will be profitable.
We initiated the construction of our fine precisions abrasives production facility in 2008 and completed it in 2009. We entered into trial production in July 2009 and initiated sales in August 2010. In 2011, the company sold approximately 3,429 ton
abrasives. However, we cannot guarantee that we will continue to earn revenue or that the business will be profitable.
We may incur significant costs to ensure compliance with United States corporate governance and accounting requirements.
We may incur significant costs associated with our public company reporting requirements, costs associated with newly applicable corporate governance requirements, including requirements under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (“Sarbanes-Oxley
Act”) and other rules implemented by the Securities and Exchange Commission. We expect all of these applicable rules and regulations to significantly increase our legal and financial compliance costs and to make some activities more time
consuming and costly. We also expect that these applicable rules and regulations may make it more difficult and more expensive for us to obtain director and officer liability insurance and we may be required to accept reduced policy limits and
coverage or incur substantially higher costs to obtain the same or similar coverage. As a result, it may be more difficult for us to attract and retain qualified individuals to serve on our board of directors or as executive officers. We are
currently evaluating and monitoring developments with respect to these newly applicable rules, and we cannot predict or estimate the amount of additional costs we may incur or the timing of such costs.
If we fail to maintain an effective system of internal control over financial reporting, our ability to accurately and timely report our financial results or prevent fraud may be adversely affected and investor confidence and the market price
of our ordinary shares may be adversely impacted.
Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires annual management assessments of the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting. Pursuant to Rule 13a-15(b)
under the Exchange Act, the Company carried out an evaluation with the participation of the Company’s management, including our Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President, Shunqing Zhang, our Chief Financial Officer, Ningfang Liang, of
the effectiveness of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined under Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act) as of December 31, 2011. Based on this evaluation, our chief executive officer and chief financial officer concluded
that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of the end of the period covered by this report.
However, a control system, no matter how well designed and implemented, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the control system are met. Furthermore, the design of a control system must reflect the fact that
there are internal resource constraints, and the benefit of controls must be weighed relative to their corresponding costs. Because of the limitations in all control systems, no evaluation of controls can provide complete assurance that all control
issues and instances of error, if any, within our company are detected. These inherent limitations include the realities that judgments in decision-making can be faulty, and that breakdowns can occur due to human error or mistake. Additionally,
controls, no matter how well designed, could be circumvented by the individual acts of specific persons within the organization. The design of any system of controls is also based in part upon certain assumptions about the likelihood of future
events, and there can be no assurance that any design will succeed in achieving its stated objectives under all potential future conditions. If we fail to achieve and maintain the adequacy of our internal controls, we may not be able to ensure that
we can conclude on an ongoing basis that we have effective internal controls over financial reporting in accordance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Moreover, effective internal controls, particularly those related to revenue recognition,
are necessary for us to produce reliable financial reports and are important to helping prevent financial fraud. If we cannot provide reliable financial reports or prevent fraud, our business and operating results could be harmed, investors could
lose confidence in our reported financial information, and the trading price of our common stock could drop significantly. In addition, we cannot be certain that material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in our internal controls will not be
discovered in the future.
As with other independent registered public accounting firms operating in
the Peoples Republic of China (PRC), the PRC authorities currently do not
permit the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (the PCAOB) to inspect
our auditor, which may deprive investors of the benefits of PCAOB inspections.
As an auditor of public companies in the United States and a firm registered
with the PCAOB, our independent registered public accounting firm that issues
the audit reports included in our annual reports or other reports filed with the
SEC is required by the United States law to undergo regular inspections by the
PCAOB to assess its compliance with the United States law and professional
standards of the PCAOB. Because our auditor is located in Hong Kong, a special
administrative region of the PRC, a jurisdiction where the PCAOB is currently
unable to conduct inspections without the approval of the PRC authorities, our
auditor, like other independent registered public accounting firms operating in
the PRC, is currently not inspected by the PCAOB.
Inspections of other firms that the PCAOB has conducted outside of the PRC have
identified deficiencies in those firms audits and quality control procedures,
which may be addressed as part of the inspection process to improve future audit
quality. The inability of the PCAOB to conduct inspections of independent
registered public accounting firms operating in the PRC makes it more difficult
to evaluate the effectiveness of our auditors audits and quality control
procedures. As a result, investors may be deprived of the benefits of PCAOB
inspections.
RISKS RELATED TO DOING BUSINESS IN CHINA
Chinese corporate income tax law could adversely affect our business and our net income.
China passed a new Enterprise Income Tax Law, or the New EIT Law, and its implementation regulations, both of which became effective on January 1, 2008. Under the New EIT Law, an enterprise established outside of China with “de facto
management bodies” within China is considered a “resident enterprise,” meaning that it can be treated in a manner similar to a Chinese domestic enterprise for enterprise income tax purposes. The implementing rules of the New EIT
Law define de facto management as “substantial and overall management and control over the production and operations, personnel, accounting, and properties” of the enterprise. On April 22, 2009, the State Administration of Taxation
issued the Notice Concerning Relevant Issues Regarding Cognizance of Chinese Investment Controlled Enterprises Incorporated Offshore as Resident Enterprises pursuant to Criteria of de facto Management Bodies, or the Notice, further interpreting the
application of the New EIT Law and its implementation with respect to non-Chinese enterprises or group controlled offshore entities. Pursuant to the Notice, an enterprise incorporated in an offshore jurisdiction and controlled by a Chinese
enterprise or group will be classified as a “non-domestically incorporated resident enterprise” if (i) its senior management in charge of daily operations reside or perform their duties mainly in China; (ii) its financial or personnel
decisions are made or approved by bodies or persons in China; (iii) substantial assets and properties, accounting books, corporate chops, board and shareholder minutes are kept in China; and (iv) at least half of its directors with voting rights or
senior management often resident in China. A resident enterprise would be generally subject to the uniform 25% enterprise income tax rate as to its worldwide income. Although the Notice is directly applicable to enterprises registered in an offshore
jurisdiction and controlled by Chinese domestic enterprises or groups, it is uncertain whether the PRC tax authorities will make reference to the Notice when determining the resident status of other offshore companies, such as China GengSheng
Minerals, Inc., Gengsheng International Corporation and Smarthigh Holding Limited. Since substantially all
of our management is currently based in China, it is likely we may be treated as a Chinese resident enterprise for enterprise income tax purposes. The tax consequences of such treatment are currently unclear, as they will depend on how local tax
authorities apply or enforce the New EIT Law or the implementation regulations.
7
In addition, under the New EIT Law and implementation regulations, PRC income tax at the rate of 10% is applicable to dividends payable to investors that are “non-resident enterprises” (and that do not have an establishment or place of
business in the PRC, or that have such establishment or place of business but the relevant income is not effectively connected with the establishment or place of business) to the extent that such dividends have their source within the PRC unless
there is an applicable tax treaty between the PRC and the jurisdiction in which an overseas holder resides which reduces or exempts the relevant tax. Similarly, any gain realized on the transfer of shares by such investors is also subject to the 10%
PRC income tax if such gain is regarded as income derived from sources within the PRC.
If we are considered a PRC “resident enterprise”, it is unclear whether the dividends we pay with respect to our shares, or the gain you may realize from the transfer of our shares, would be treated as income derived from sources within
the PRC and be subject to PRC tax. If we are required under the New EIT Law to withhold PRC income tax on our dividends payable to our foreign shareholders, or if you are required to pay PRC income tax on the transfer of your shares, the value of
your investment in our shares may be materially and adversely affected.
Future inflation in China may inhibit our ability to conduct business in China.
In recent years, the Chinese economy has experienced periods of rapid expansion and highly fluctuating rates of inflation. During the past ten years, the rate of inflation in China has been as high as 5.9% and as low as -0.8% . These factors have
led to the adoption by the Chinese government, from time to time, of various corrective measures designed to restrict the availability of credit or regulate growth and contain inflation. High inflation may in the future cause the Chinese government
to impose controls on credit or prices, or to take other action, which could inhibit economic activity in China, and thereby harm the market for our products and our company.
Our business is largely subject to the uncertain legal environment in China and our legal protection could be limited.
The Chinese legal system is a civil law system based on written statutes. Unlike common law systems, it is a system in which precedents set in earlier legal cases are not generally used. The overall effect of legislation enacted over the past 20
years has been to enhance the legal protections afforded to foreign-invested enterprises in China. However, these laws, regulations and legal requirements are relatively recent and are evolving rapidly, and their interpretation and enforcement
involve uncertainties. These uncertainties could limit the legal protections available to foreign investors, such as the right of foreign-invested enterprises to hold licenses and permits such as requisite business licenses. In addition, all of our
executive officers and our directors are residents of China and not of the U.S., and substantially all the assets of these persons are located outside the U.S. As a result, it could be difficult for investors to effect service of process in the
U.S., or to enforce a judgment obtained in the U.S. against our Chinese operations and subsidiaries.
The Chinese government exerts substantial influence over the manner in which we must conduct our business activities.
China only recently has permitted provincial and local economic autonomy and private economic activities. The Chinese government has exercised and continues to exercise substantial control over virtually every sector of the Chinese economy through
regulation and state ownership. Our ability to operate in China may be harmed by changes in its laws and regulations, including those relating to taxation, import and export tariffs, environmental regulations, land use rights, property and other
matters. We believe that our operations in China are in material compliance with all applicable legal and regulatory requirements. However, the central or local governments of the jurisdictions in which we operate may impose new, stricter
regulations or interpretations of existing regulations that would require additional expenditures and efforts on our part to ensure our compliance with such regulations or interpretations.
Accordingly, government actions in the future, including any decision not to continue to support recent economic reforms and to return to a more centrally planned economy or regional or local variations in the implementation of economic policies,
could have a significant effect on economic conditions in China or particular regions thereof, and could require us to divest ourselves of any interest we then hold in Chinese properties or joint ventures.
Restrictions on currency exchange may limit our ability to receive and use our revenues effectively.
The majority of our revenues are settled in Renminbi, or RMB. Any future restrictions on currency exchanges may limit our ability to use revenue generated in RMB to fund any future business activities outside of China or to make dividend or other
payments in U.S. dollars. Although the Chinese government introduced regulations in 1996 to allow greater convertibility of the RMB for current account transactions, significant restrictions still remain, including primarily the restriction that
foreign-invested enterprises may only buy, sell or remit foreign currencies after providing valid commercial documents at those banks in China authorized to conduct foreign exchange business. In addition, conversion of RMB for capital account items,
including direct investment and loans, is subject to governmental approval in China, and companies are required to open and maintain separate foreign exchange accounts for capital account items. We cannot be certain that the Chinese regulatory
authorities will not impose more stringent restrictions on the convertibility of the RMB.
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Failure to comply with PRC regulations relating to the establishment of offshore special purpose companies by PRC residents may subject our PRC resident stockholders to personal liability, limit our ability to acquire PRC companies or to
inject capital into our PRC subsidiaries, limit our PRC subsidiaries’ ability to distribute profits to us or otherwise materially adversely affect us.
In October 2005, the PRC State Administration of Foreign Exchange, or SAFE, issued the Notice on Relevant Issues in the Foreign Exchange Control over Financing and Return Investment Through Special Purpose Companies by Residents Inside China,
generally referred to as Circular 75, which required PRC residents to register with the competent local SAFE branch before establishing or acquiring control over an offshore special purpose company, or SPV, for the purpose of engaging in an equity
financing outside of China on the strength of domestic PRC assets originally held by those residents. Internal implementing guidelines issued by SAFE, which became public in June 2007 (known as Notice 106), expanded the reach of Circular 75 by
purporting to cover the establishment or acquisition of control by PRC residents of offshore entities which merely acquire “control” over domestic companies or assets, even in the absence of legal ownership; adding requirements relating
to the source of the PRC resident’s funds used to establish or acquire the offshore entity; covering the use of existing offshore entities for offshore financings; purporting to cover situations in which an offshore SPV establishes a new
subsidiary in China or acquires an unrelated company or unrelated assets in China; and making the domestic affiliate of the SPV responsible for the accuracy of certain documents which must be filed in connection with any such registration, notably,
the business plan which describes the overseas financing and the use of proceeds. Amendments to registrations made under Circular 75 are required in connection with any increase or decrease of capital, transfer of shares, mergers and acquisitions,
equity investment or creation of any security interest in any assets located in China to guarantee offshore obligations, and Notice 106 makes the offshore SPV jointly responsible for these filings. In the case of an SPV which was established, and
which acquired a related domestic company or assets, before the implementation date of Circular 75, a retroactive SAFE registration was required to have been completed before March 31, 2006; this date was subsequently extended indefinitely by Notice
106, which also required that the registrant establish that all foreign exchange transactions undertaken by the SPV and its affiliates were in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Failure to comply with the requirements of Circular 75,
as applied by SAFE in accordance with Notice 106, may result in fines and other penalties under PRC laws for evasion of applicable foreign exchange restrictions. Any such failure could also result in the SPV’s affiliates being impeded or
prevented from distributing their profits and the proceeds from any reduction in capital, share transfer or liquidation to the SPV, or from engaging in other transfers of funds into or out of China.
We believe our stockholders who are PRC residents as defined in Circular 75 have registered with the relevant branch of SAFE, as currently required, in connection with their equity interests in us and our acquisitions of equity interests in our PRC
subsidiaries. However, we cannot provide any assurances that their existing registrations have fully complied with, and they have made all necessary amendments to their registration to fully comply with, all applicable registrations or approvals
required by Circular 75. Moreover, because of uncertainty over how Circular 75 will be interpreted and implemented, and how or whether SAFE will apply it to us, we cannot predict how it will affect our business operations or future strategies. For
example, our present and prospective PRC subsidiaries’ ability to conduct foreign exchange activities, such as the remittance of dividends and foreign currency-denominated borrowings, may be subject to compliance with Circular 75 by our PRC
resident beneficial holders. In addition, such PRC residents may not always be able to complete the necessary registration procedures required by Circular 75. We also have little control over either our present or prospective direct or indirect
stockholders or the outcome of such registration procedures. A failure by our PRC resident beneficial holders or future PRC resident stockholders to comply with Circular 75, if SAFE requires it, could subject these PRC resident beneficial holders to
fines or legal sanctions, restrict our overseas or cross-border investment activities, limit our subsidiaries’ ability to make distributions or pay dividends or affect our ownership structure, which could adversely affect our business and
prospects.
Changes in China's political or economic situation could harm us and our operating results.
Economic reforms adopted by the Chinese government have had a positive effect on the economic development of the country, but the government could change these economic reforms or any of the legal systems at any time. This could either benefit or
damage our operations and profitability. Some of the things that could have this effect are:
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Level of government involvement in the economy;
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Control of foreign exchange;
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Methods of allocating resources;
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Balance of payments position;
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International trade restrictions; and
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International conflict.
The Chinese economy differs from the economies of most countries belonging to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, or OECD, in many ways. For example, state-owned enterprises still constitute a large portion of the Chinese
economy and weak corporate governance and a lack of flexible currency exchange policy still prevail in China. As a result of these differences, we may not develop in the same way or at the same rate as might be expected if the Chinese economy was
similar to those of the OECD member countries.
The value of our securities will be affected by the currency exchange rate between U.S. dollars and RMB.
The value of our common stock will be affected by the foreign exchange rate between U.S. dollars and RMB, and between those currencies and other currencies in which our sales may be denominated. For example, if we need to convert U.S. dollars into
RMB for our operational needs and the RMB appreciate against the U.S. dollar at
that time, our financial position, our business, and the price of
our common stock may be harmed. Conversely, if we decide to convert our RMB into U.S. dollars for the purpose of declaring dividends on our common stock or for other business purposes and the U.S. dollar appreciates against the RMB, the U.S. dollar
equivalent of our earnings from our subsidiaries in China would be reduced.
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Our procurement strategy is to diversify our suppliers both in the PRC and overseas. And some of our raw materials and major equipments are currently imported. These transactions are often settled in U.S. dollars or other foreign currency. In the
event that the U.S. dollars or other foreign currency appreciate against RMB, our costs will increase. Our profitability and operating results will suffer if we cannot pass the resulted cost increase to our customers. In addition, because our sales
to international customers are growing, we are subject to the risk of foreign currency depreciation.
Until 1994, the RMB experienced a gradual but significant devaluation against most major currencies, including the U.S. dollar, and there was a significant devaluation of the RMB on January 1, 1994 in connection with the replacement of the dual
exchange rate system with a unified managed floating rate foreign exchange system. Since 1994, the value of the RMB relative to the U.S. dollar has remained stable and has appreciated slightly. Countries, including the United States, have argued
that the RMB is artificially undervalued due to China’s current monetary policies and have pressured China to allow the RMB to float freely in world markets. In July 2005, the PRC government changed its policy of pegging the value of the RMB
to the U.S. dollar. Under this policy, which was halted in 2008 due to the worldwide financial crisis, the Renminbi was permitted to fluctuate within a narrow and managed band against a basket of certain foreign currencies. In June 2010, the Chinese
government announced its intention to again allow the Renminbi to fluctuate within the 2005 parameters. It is possible that the Chinese government could adopt an even more flexible currency policy, which could result in more significant fluctuation
of Renminbi against the U.S. dollar, or it could adopt a more restrictive policy. While the international reaction to the RMB revaluation has generally been positive, there remains significant international pressure on the PRC government to adopt an
even more flexible currency policy, which could result in further and more significant appreciation of the RMB against the U.S. dollar.
A slowdown or other adverse developments in the Chinese economy may materially and adversely affect our customers’ demand for our products and services.
All of our operations are conducted in China and a major portion of our revenues are generated from sales to businesses operating in China. Although the Chinese economy has grown significantly in recent years, such growth may not continue. We do not
know how sensitive we are to a slowdown in economic growth or other adverse changes in Chinese economy which may affect demand for our products. A slowdown in overall economic growth, an economic downturn or recession or other adverse economic
developments in China may materially reduce the demand for our services and in turn reduce our results of operations.
Failure to comply with the U.S. Foreign corrupt practices act and Chinese anti-corruption laws could subject us to penalties and other adverse consequences.
Our executive officers, employees and other agents may violate applicable law in connection with the marketing or sale of our products, including China’s anti-corruption laws and the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, or the FCPA, which
generally prohibits United States companies from engaging in bribery or other prohibited payments to foreign officials for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business. In addition, we are required to maintain records that accurately and fairly
represent our transactions and have an adequate system of internal accounting controls. Foreign companies, including some that may compete with us, are not subject to these prohibitions, and therefore may have a competitive advantage over us. The
PRC also strictly prohibits bribery of government officials. However, corruption, extortion, bribery, pay-offs, theft and other fraudulent practices occur from time-to-time in the PRC.
While we intend to implement measures to ensure compliance with the FCPA and Chinese anti-corruption laws by all individuals involved with our company, our employees or other agents may engage in such conduct for which we might be held responsible.
If our employees or other agents are found to have engaged in such practices, we could suffer severe penalties and other consequences that may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. In
addition, our brand and reputation, our sales activities or the price of our ordinary shares could be adversely affected if we become the target of any negative publicity as a result of actions taken by our employees or other agents.
The implementation of the new PRC labor law and increases in the labor costs in China may hurt our business and profitability.
On June 29, 2007, the PRC government promulgated a new labor law, the Labor Agreement Law of the PRC, or the New Labor Agreement Law, which became effective on January 1, 2008. The New Labor Agreement Law imposes greater liability on employers and
significantly affects the cost of an employer’s decision to reduce its workforce. Further, it requires certain terminations be based upon seniority and not merit. In the event we decide to significantly change or decrease our workforce, the
New Labor Agreement Law could adversely affect our ability to enact such changes in a manner that is most advantageous to our business or in a timely and cost-effective manner, thus materially and adversely affecting our financial condition and
future operating prospects.
RISKS RELATED TO THE MARKET FOR OUR STOCK
As our common stock is thinly traded, the stock price may be volatile and investors may have difficulty disposing of their investments at prevailing market prices.
On March 4, 2010, our common stock began trading on the NYSE Amex stock exchange (formerly the American Stock Exchange) under the symbol “CHGS”. Prior to March 4, our common stock was traded over-the-counter under the symbol CHGS.OB.
Despite the
relisting on the larger stock exchange, our common stock remains thinly and sporadically traded and no assurances can be given that a larger market will ever develop, or if developed, that it will be maintained.
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Our Common Stock is subject to price volatility unrelated to our operations.
The market price of our common stock could fluctuate substantially due to a variety of factors, including market perception of our ability to achieve our planned growth, quarterly operating results of other companies in the same industry, trading
volume in our common stock, changes in general conditions in the economy and the financial markets or other developments affecting our competitors or us. In addition, the stock market is subject to extreme price and volume fluctuations. This
volatility has had a significant effect on the market price of securities issued by many companies for reasons unrelated to their operating performance and could have the same effect on our common stock.
We cannot assure you that the common stock will be liquid or that it will remain listed on the NYSE Amex.
We cannot assure you that we will be able to maintain the continued listing standards of the NYSE Amex (formerly the American Stock Exchange). The NYSE Amex requires companies to meet certain continued listing criteria including certain minimum
stockholders' equity and equity prices per share as outlined in the NYSE Amex Exchange Company Guide. We may not be able to maintain such minimum stockholders' equity or prices per share or may be required to effect a reverse stock split to maintain
such minimum prices and/or issue additional equity securities in exchange for cash or other assets, if available, to maintain certain minimum stockholders' equity required by the NYSE Amex. If we are delisted from the NYSE Amex then our common stock
will trade, if at all, only on the over-the-counter market, such as the OTC Bulletin Board securities market, and then only if one or more registered broker-dealer market makers comply with quotation requirements. In addition, delisting of our
common stock could depress our stock price, substantially limit liquidity of our common stock and materially adversely affect our ability to raise capital on terms acceptable to us, or at all. Delisting from the NYSE Amex could also have other
negative results, including the potential loss of confidence by suppliers and employees, the loss of institutional investor interest and fewer business development opportunities. In order to remain listed on NYSE Amex, we are required to maintain a
minimum stockholders’ equity of $6 million.
Techniques employed by manipulative short sellers in Chinese small cap stocks may drive down the market price of our common stock.
Short selling is the practice of selling securities that the seller does not own but rather has, supposedly, borrowed from a third party with the intention of buying identical securities back at a later date to return to the lender. The short seller
hopes to profit from a decline in the value of the securities between the sale of the borrowed securities and the purchase of the replacement shares, as the short seller expects to pay less in that purchase than it received in the sale. As it is
therefore in the short seller’s best interests for the price of the stock to decline, many short sellers (sometime known as “disclosed shorts”) publish, or arrange for the publication of, negative opinions regarding the relevant
issuer and its business prospects in order to create negative market momentum and generate profits for themselves after selling a stock short. While traditionally these disclosed shorts were limited in their ability to access mainstream business
media or to otherwise create negative market rumors, the rise of the Internet and technological advancements regarding document creation, videotaping and publication by weblog (“blogging”) have allowed many disclosed shorts to publicly
attack a company’s credibility, strategy and veracity by means of so-called research reports that mimic the type of investment analysis performed by large Wall Street firm and independent research analysts. These short attacks have, in the
past, led to selling of shares in the market, on occasion in large scale and broad base. Issuers with business operations based in China and who have limited trading volumes and are susceptible to higher volatility levels than U.S. domestic
large-cap stocks can be particularly vulnerable to such short attacks.
These short seller publications are not regulated by any governmental, self-regulatory organization or other official authority in the U.S., are not subject to the certification requirements imposed by the Securities and Exchange Commission in
Regulation AC (Regulation Analyst Certification) and, accordingly, the opinions they express may be based on distortions of actual facts or, in some cases, fabrications of facts. In light of the limited risks involved in publishing such information,
and the enormous profit that can be made from running just one successful short attack, unless the short sellers become subject to significant penalties, it is more likely than not that disclosed shorts will continue to issue such reports.
Recently, some short sellers actively attack on Chinese small cap stocks. We are a Chinese small cap public company and may be attacked by some short sellers. While we intend to strongly defend our public filings against any such short teller
attacks, oftentimes we are constrained, either by principles of freedom of speech, applicable state law (often called “Anti-SLAPP statutes”), or issues of commercial confidentiality, in the manner in which we can proceed against the
relevant short seller. You should be aware that in light of the relative freedom to operate that such persons enjoy - oftentimes blogging from outside the U.S. with little or no assets or identity requirements - should we be targeted for such an
attack, our stock will likely suffer from a temporary, or possibly long term, decline in market price.
In addition, as many Chinese small cap public companies have been recently
subject to intense scrutiny, criticism and negative publicity by investors,
short sellers, financial commentators and regulatory agencies, such as the
United States Securities and Exchange Commission, and much of the scrutiny,
criticism and negative publicity has centered around financial and accounting
irregularities and mistakes, a lack of effective internal controls over
financial accounting, inadequate corporate governance policies or a lack of
adherence thereto and, in many cases, allegations of fraud, it is not clear what
affect this sector-wide scrutiny, criticism and negative publicity will have on
our company, our business and our stock price. If we become the subject of any
unfavorable allegations, whether such allegations are proven to be true or
untrue, we will have to expend significant resources to investigate such
allegations and/or defend our
company. This situation could be costly and time consuming and distract our management from growing our company. If such allegations are not proven to be groundless, our company and business operations will be severely impacted. It could seriously
affect our ability to raise money and your investment in our stock could be rendered worthless.
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Our President and CEO hold a significant percentage of our outstanding voting securities.
As of December 31, 2011, Mr. Shunqing Zhang, our President and CEO, was the beneficial owner of approximately 56.8% of our outstanding voting securities. As a result, he possessed significant influence, giving him the ability to elect a majority of
our board of directors and to authorize or prevent significant corporate transactions. His ownership and control may impede or delay any future change in control through merger, consolidation, takeover or other business combinations and may
discourage a potential acquirer from making a tender offer.
Certain provisions of our articles of incorporation may make it more difficult for a third party to effect a change-in-control.
Our articles of incorporation authorize the Board of Directors to issue up to 50,000,000 shares of preferred stock. The preferred stock may be issued in one or more series, the terms of which may be determined at the time of issuance by the board of
directors without further action by the stockholders. These terms may include voting rights including the right to vote as a series on particular matters, preferences as to dividends and liquidation, conversion rights and redemption rights
provisions. The issuance of any preferred stock could diminish the rights of holders of our common stock, and therefore could reduce the value of such common stock. In addition, specific rights granted to future holders of preferred stock could be
used to restrict our ability to merge with, or sell assets to, a third party. The ability of the board of directors to issue preferred stock could make it more difficult, delay, discourage, prevent or make it more costly to acquire or effect a
change-in-control, which in turn could prevent the stockholders from recognizing a gain in the event that a favorable offer is extended and could materially and negatively affect the market price of our common stock.