[S-3/A] GULF RESOURCES, INC. Amended Shelf Registration Statement
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 22, 2025.
Registration Statement No. 333-288496
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
AMENDMENT NO.1
TO
Form S-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
Gulf Resources, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Nevada | 13-3637458 | |
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(IRS Employer Identification Number) |
Level 11,Vegetable Building
Industrial Park of the East Shouguang City
Shandong
China, 262700
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)
Corporate Creations Network Inc.
8275 South Eastern Avenue #200
Las Vegas, NV 89123
Telephone: (302) 351-3367
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of service)
Copy to:
Wang Yu, Esq.
43/F, Gloucester Tower, Landmark
15 Queen’s Road Central
Central, Hong Kong
Han Kun Law Offices LLP
+(852) 2820-5656
Approximate date of commencement of proposed offer to the public: From time to time after this Registration Statement becomes effective.
If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. ☐
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 (the “Securities Act”) check the following box: ☒
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Large accelerated filer | ☐ | Accelerated filer | ☐ | |
Non-accelerated filer | ☒ | Smaller reporting company | ☒ | |
Emerging growth company | ☐ |
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act ☐
The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment that specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act or until the registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to such Section 8(a), may determine.
The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. These securities may not be sold until the registration statement filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. The prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and does not constitute the solicitation of offers to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED SEPTEMBER 22, 2025 |
GULF RESOURCES, INC.
$10,000,000
Common Stock
Preferred Stock
Warrants
From time to time, in one or more offerings, we may offer and sell up to $10,000,000 of our (i) common stock, (ii) preferred stock and (iii) warrants, or any combination of these securities. Specific terms of such sales will be provided in supplements to this prospectus. Any prospectus supplements also will describe the specific manner in which these securities will be offered and may supplement, update or amend information contained in this prospectus. We may also authorize one or more free writing prospectuses to be provided to you in connection with any of these offerings.
We may offer and sell these securities through one or more underwriters, dealers and agents, or directly to investors, in amounts, at prices and on terms to be determined by market conditions and other factors at the time of the offering. The securities may be sold by any means described in the section of this prospectus titled “Plan of Distribution” beginning on page 21 of this prospectus or by any means described in any applicable prospectus supplement.
Any prospectus supplements and related free writing prospectuses may add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should carefully read this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement, together with the documents we incorporate by reference, before you invest in our securities.
Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market (“Nasdaq”) under the symbol “GURE.” On July 2, 2025, the last reported sale price for our common stock as reported on Nasdaq was $0.69 per share.
Pursuant to General Instruction I.B.6 of Form S-3, in no event will we sell our securities in a public primary offering with a value exceeding more than one-third of our public float in any 12-month period so long as our public float remains below $75.0 million. As of July 1, 2025, the aggregate market value of our outstanding common stock held by non-affiliates, or public float, was approximately $7.5 million, based on 10,927,598 shares of common stock issued and outstanding on such date and a price of $0.69 per share, which was the price at which our common stock was last sold on the Nasdaq Capital Market on July 1, 2025 (a date within 60 days of the date hereof), calculated in accordance with General Instruction I.B.6 of Form S-3. During the 12 calendar months prior to and including the date of this prospectus, we have not offered and sold any of our securities pursuant to General Instruction I.B.6 of Form S-3.
Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Before buying any securities, you should carefully read the discussion of the risks of investing in our securities in the section titled “Risk Factors” beginning on page 6 of this prospectus.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The date of this prospectus is , 2025.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page | |
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS | 3 |
SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS | 4 |
ABOUT GULF RESOURCES, INC. | 5 |
RISK FACTORS | 6 |
USE OF PROCEEDS | 16 |
DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES | 17 |
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION | 21 |
LEGAL MATTERS | 24 |
EXPERTS | 24 |
WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION | 24 |
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE | 24 |
You should read this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement and the information incorporated by reference in this prospectus before making an investment in the securities of Gulf Resources, Inc. See the section titled “Where You Can Find Additional Information” for additional information. You should rely only on the information contained in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or a prospectus supplement. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information. This document may be used only in jurisdictions where offers and sales of these securities are permitted. You should assume that information contained in this prospectus, or in any document incorporated by reference, is accurate only as of any date on the front cover of the applicable document. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since that date.
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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS
This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) using a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may from time to time offer and sell any combination of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings with an aggregate initial offering price not to exceed $10,000,000. We have provided to you in this prospectus a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we sell any of our securities under this prospectus, we will, to the extent required by law, provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of the offering.
It is important for you to read and consider all of the information contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement before making any decision whether to invest in our securities. This prospectus does not contain all of the information included in the registration statement, and incorporates by reference important business and financial information about us that is not included in or delivered with this document. For a more complete understanding of the offering of our securities, you should refer to the registration statement, including its exhibits. You should also read and consider the additional information contained in the documents that we have incorporated into this prospectus by reference, as described in “Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference” and “Where You Can Find Additional Information” in this prospectus.
THIS PROSPECTUS MAY NOT BE USED TO SELL ANY
SECURITIES
UNLESS ACCOMPANIED BY A PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
We may add, update or change any of the information contained in this prospectus or in any accompanying prospectus supplement we may authorize to be delivered to you. To the extent there is a conflict between the information contained in this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in the prospectus supplement, provided that if any statement in one of these documents is inconsistent with a statement in another document having a later date – for example, a document incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement – the statement in the document having the later date shall modify or supersede such earlier statement. Any statement so modified will be deemed to constitute a part of this prospectus only as so modified, and any statement so superseded will be deemed not to constitute a part of this prospectus. This prospectus, together with any accompanying prospectus supplement, includes all material information relating to an offering pursuant to this registration statement.
You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus, in any accompanying prospectus supplement, or in any document incorporated by reference herein or therein. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with any different information. We take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may provide to you. The information contained in this prospectus, in any applicable prospectus supplement, and in the documents incorporated by reference herein or therein is accurate only as of the date such information is presented. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those respective dates. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement is accurate on any date subsequent to the date set forth on the front of the document or that any information we have incorporated by reference is correct on any date subsequent to the date of the document incorporated by reference, even though this prospectus is delivered or the shares are sold on a later date.
We further note that the representations, warranties and covenants made by us in any agreement that is filed as an exhibit to any document that is incorporated by reference herein were made solely for the benefit of the parties to such agreement, including, in some cases, for the purpose of allocating risk among the parties to such agreements, and should not be deemed to be a representation, warranty or covenant to you. Moreover, such representations, warranties or covenants were accurate only as of the date when made. Accordingly, such representations, warranties and covenants should not be relied on as accurately representing the current state of our affairs.
This prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities other than the registered securities to which they relate, nor does this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation in such jurisdiction. This prospectus may not be used to offer or sell our securities unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement relating to the offered securities.
Unless otherwise indicated, information contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus concerning our industry and the markets in which we operate, including market position and market opportunity, is based on information from our management’s estimates, as well as from industry publications and research, surveys and studies conducted by third parties. Management estimates are derived from publicly available information, our knowledge of our industry and assumptions based on such information and knowledge, which we believe to be reasonable. In addition, while we believe that information contained in industry publications, surveys and studies has been obtained from reliable sources, the accuracy and completeness of such information is not guaranteed, and we have not independently verified any of the data contained in these third-party sources.
We may sell the securities to or through underwriters, dealers or agents or directly to purchasers. We and our agents reserve the sole right to accept or reject in whole or in part any proposed purchase of securities. The prospectus supplement, which we will provide to you each time we offer securities, will set forth the names of any underwriters, dealers or agents involved in the sale of the securities, and any applicable fee, commission or discount arrangements with them. See “Plan of Distribution.”
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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain statements in this prospectus may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Our forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding Gulf Resources, Inc.’s and Gulf Resources, Inc.’s management team’s expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the following words: “believe,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “trend,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “project,” “potential,” “seem,” “seek,” “future,” “outlook,” “forecast,” “projection,” “continue,” “ongoing,” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. These statements involve risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the information expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. We caution you that these statements are based on a combination of facts and factors currently known by us and our projections of the future, which are subject to a number of risks. Factors that might cause or contribute to a material difference include those discussed below and the risks discussed in the Company’s other filings with the SEC. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements in making an investment decision with respect to the securities offered under this prospectus. These forward-looking statements are not intended to serve as, and must not be relied on as, a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction or a definitive statement of fact or probability regarding future performance, events or circumstances. Many of the factors affecting actual performance, events and circumstances are beyond the control of Gulf Resources, Inc. As a result of a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties, our actual results or performance may be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements set forth in this prospectus are qualified by these cautionary statements, and there can be no assurance that the actual results or developments anticipated by the Company will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequence to or effects on the Company or its business or operations. The following discussion should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited Consolidated Financial Statements and related notes thereto included elsewhere in this prospectus. These forward-looking statements are based on information available as of the date of this prospectus, and current expectations, forecasts and assumptions, and involve a number of judgments, risks and uncertainties and are not predictions of actual performance. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any subsequent date, and we do not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date they were made, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.
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ABOUT GULF RESOURCES, INC.
Gulf Resources, Inc. and its subsidiaries (referred to as "Gulf Resources", the "Company", "we" and "us") is a Nevada incorporated holding company that manufactures and trades bromine and crude salt, natural gas, and manufactures and sells chemical products used in oil and gas field explorations, papermaking chemical agents, and materials for human and animal antibiotics. To date, our products have been sold only within the People's Republic of China.
We conduct our business operations in four segments: bromine, crude salt, chemical products, and natural gas. We manufacture and distribute bromine through our wholly-owned subsidiary, Shouguang City Haoyuan Chemical Company Limited (SCHC). We also produce crude salt through our subsidiary Shouguang Hengde Salt Industry Co. Ltd (SHSI). Through our wholly-owned subsidiary, Shouguang Yuxin Chemical Industry Company Limited (SYCI), we manufacture and sell chemical products used in oil and gas field exploration, papermaking chemical agents, and materials for human and animal antibiotics. Our wholly-owned subsidiary, Daying County Haoyuan Chemical Company Limited (DCHC), was established to explore and develop natural gas and brine resources in Sichuan Province, China.
We are one of the largest producers of bromine in China, as measured by production output. The extraction of bromine in the Shandong Province is limited by the provincial government to licensed operations, and we hold one such license. Our production sites are located in the Shandong Province in northeastern China, with facilities strategically positioned near natural brine deposits.
As of December 31, 2024, we employed approximately 367 full-time employees and operated through our wholly-owned subsidiaries in China. Our corporate structure is linear, with Gulf Resources owning 100% of Upper Class Group Limited, which owns 100% of Hong Kong Jiaxing Industrial Limited, which owns 100% of our Chinese operating subsidiaries.
CORPORATE INFORMATION
We were originally incorporated in Delaware and subsequently re-incorporated in Nevada. Our current corporate structure was established through a series of acquisitions beginning in 2006, when we acquired Upper Class Group Limited and its Chinese subsidiaries. In 2007, we acquired Shouguang Yuxin Chemical Industry Co., Limited to expand our chemical products business. In 2015, we acquired Shouguang City Rongyuan Chemical Co., Ltd to strengthen our position in materials for human and animal antibiotics manufacturing.
Our executive offices are located at Level 11, Vegetable Building, Industrial Park of the East in Shouguang City, Shandong Province, P.R.C. Our telephone number is +86 (536) 567-0008.
Our website address is www.gulfresourcesinc.com. The information on, or that can be accessed through, our website is not part of this prospectus.
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RISK FACTORS
Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Before making an investment decision, you should carefully consider the risks described in the section titled “Risk Factors” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K as filed with the SEC, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety, as well any amendment or updates to our risk factors reflected in subsequent filings with the SEC, which will be incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement. Our business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially adversely affected by any of these risks. The trading price of our securities could decline due to any of these risks, and you may lose all or part of your investment. This prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement and the incorporated documents also contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors, including the risks mentioned elsewhere in this prospectus. For more information, see the section titled “Where You Can Find Additional Information” herein.
Risks Related to this Offering
Our share price is and may continue to be volatile and you may not be able to resell our securities at or above the price you paid.
The market price for our shares of common stock is volatile and may fluctuate significantly in response to a number of factors, most of which we cannot control, such as fluctuations in financial results, market demand of our products or changes in securities analysts’ recommendations. In addition, our shares have been and may continue to be affected by limited trading volume. Each of these factors, among others, could harm your investment in our shares and could result in you being unable to resell the shares that you purchased at a price equal to or above the price you paid.
If securities or industry analysts publish negative reports about our business, our share price and trading volume could decline.
The market price for our shares of common stock depends in part on the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish about us or our business, our market and our competitors. We do not have any control over these analysts. If one or more of the analysts who cover us downgrade our shares or change their opinion of our shares, our share price would likely decline. If one or more of these analysts cease coverage of our Company or fail to regularly publish reports on us, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which could cause our share price or trading volume to decline.
Sales of a substantial number of our shares in the public market, or the perception that they may occur, could cause the price of our shares to fall.
The market price of our shares of common stock could decline as a result of sales of a large number of our shares in the public market following this offering. A substantial majority of our outstanding shares are freely tradeable without restriction or further registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Volatility or a reduction in the market price of our shares could have an adverse effect on the market price of the shares and existing warrants. The perception that these sales might occur may also cause the market price of our shares to decline.
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Risks Related to Doing Business in China
Uncertainties and quick changes in the PRC legal system could result in a material and negative impact on our business operations, decrease the value of our Ordinary Shares and limit the legal protections available to you and us.
The PRC legal system is a civil law system based on written statutes. Unlike the common law system, prior court decisions may be cited for reference but have limited precedential value. Our PRC Subsidiaries are foreign-invested enterprises and are subject to laws and regulations applicable to foreign-invested enterprises as well as various Chinese laws and regulations generally applicable to companies incorporated in mainland China. However, since these laws and regulations are relatively new and the PRC legal system continues to rapidly evolve, the interpretations of many laws, regulations and rules are not always uniform and enforcement of these laws, regulations and rules involves uncertainties.
From time to time, we may have to resort to administrative and court proceedings to enforce our legal rights. However, since the PRC administrative and court authorities have significant discretion in interpreting and implementing statutory and contractual terms, it may be more difficult to evaluate the outcome of administrative and court proceedings and the level of protection we enjoy than in more developed legal systems. Furthermore, the PRC legal system is based in part on government policies and internal rules, some of which are not published on a timely basis or at all, and which may have a retroactive effect. As a result, we may not be aware of our violation of any of these policies and rules until sometime after the violation. Such uncertainties, including uncertainty over the scope and effect of our contractual, property (including intellectual property) and procedural rights, and any failure to respond to changes in the regulatory environment in mainland China could materially and adversely affect our business and impede our ability to continue our operations.
If the Chinese government chooses to exert more oversight and control over offerings that are conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in mainland China-based issuers, such action may significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer Ordinary Shares to investors and cause the value of our Ordinary Shares to significantly decline or be worthless.
Recent statements by the Chinese government have indicated an intent to exert more oversight and control over offerings that are conducted overseas and/or foreign investments in mainland China-based issuers. On July 6, 2021, the General Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council jointly issued a document to crack down on illegal activities in the securities market and promote the high-quality development of the capital market, which, among other things, requires the relevant governmental authorities to strengthen cross-border oversight of law enforcement and judicial cooperation, to enhance supervision over mainland China-based companies listed overseas, and to establish and improve the system of extraterritorial application of the PRC securities laws.
Furthermore, on December 28, 2021, the CAC, the NDRC and several other administrations jointly issued the Revised Review Measures, which became effective and replaced the existing Measures for Cybersecurity Review on February 15, 2022. According to the Revised Review Measures, if an “online platform operator” that is in possession of personal data of more than one million users intends to list in a foreign country, it must apply for a cybersecurity review. Moreover, the CAC released the draft of the Regulations on Network Data Security Management in November 2021 for public consultation, which among other things, stipulates that a data processor listed overseas must conduct an annual data security review by itself or by engaging a data security service provider and submit the annual data security review report for a given year to the municipal cybersecurity department before January 31 of the following year. On July 7, 2022, the CAC released the Measures for the Security Assessment of Cross-Border Data, which became effective on September 1, 2022. Given the recent issuance of the Measures for the Security Assessment of Cross-Border Data, there is a general lack of guidance and substantial uncertainties exist with respect to their interpretation and implementation.
We manufacture and sell our products and services in mainland China. Our subsidiaries in mainland China do not collect or store any data (including certain personal information) from our individual end-users, who may be PRC individuals. As of the date of this prospectus, we have not collected and stored personal information from our individual end-users. As a result, the likelihood of us being subject to the review of the CAC is remote. Uncertainties still exist, however, due to the possibility that laws, regulations, or policies in mainland China could change rapidly in the future. Any future action by the PRC government expanding the categories of industries and companies whose foreign securities offerings are subject to review by the CAC could significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors and could cause the value of such securities to significantly decline or be worthless.
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The Chinese government may intervene in or influence our operations at any time, which could result in a material change in our operations and significantly and adversely impact the value of our securities.
The PRC government has significant authority to exert influence on our operations in mainland China. Therefore, uncertainties in the PRC legal system and the interpretation and enforcement of PRC laws and regulations could limit the legal protection available to you and us, hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer the Ordinary Shares, result in a material adverse effect on our business operations, and damage our reputation, which might further cause the Ordinary Shares to significantly decline in value or become worthless. Changes in China’s economic, political or social conditions, or government policies could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations. The economic, political and social conditions in the PRC differ from those in more developed countries in many respects, including structure, government involvement, level of development, growth rate, control of foreign exchange, capital reinvestment, allocation of resources, rate of inflation and trade balance position. Before the adoption of its reform and opening up policies in 1978, the PRC was primarily a planned economy. In recent years, the PRC government has been reforming the PRC economic system and government structure. For example, the PRC government has implemented economic reform and measures emphasizing the utilization of market forces in the development of the PRC economy in the past three decades. These reforms have resulted in significant economic growth and social prospects. Economic reform measures, however, may be adjusted, modified or applied inconsistently from industry to industry or across different regions of the country.
We cannot predict whether the resulting changes will have any adverse effect on our current or future business, financial condition or results of operations. Despite these economic reforms and measures, the PRC government continues to play a significant role in regulating industrial development, allocation of natural and other resources, production, pricing and management of currency, and there can be no assurance that the PRC government will continue to pursue a policy of economic reform or that the direction of reform will continue to be market friendly. Our ability to successfully expand business operations in the PRC depends on a number of factors, including macro-economic and other market conditions. Demand for our future products in the Chinese market and our business, financial condition and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected by the following factors:
· | changes in political or social conditions of the PRC; |
· | changes in laws, regulations, and administrative directives or the interpretation thereof; |
· | measures which may be introduced to control inflation or deflation; and |
· | changes in the rate or method of taxation. |
These factors are affected by a number of variables which are beyond our control.
You may experience difficulties in effecting service of legal process, enforcing foreign judgments or bringing actions in China against us or our management named in the prospectus based on foreign laws.
We conduct all of our operations in mainland China, and all of our assets are located in mainland China. In addition, our current officers reside within mainland China and are PRC nationals. As a result, it may be difficult for our shareholders to effect service of process upon us or those persons inside the PRC. In addition, the PRC does not have treaties providing for the reciprocal recognition and enforcement of judgments of courts with the Cayman Islands and many other countries and regions. Therefore, recognition and enforcement in the PRC of judgments of a court in any of these non-PRC jurisdictions in relation to any matter not subject to a binding arbitration provision may be difficult or impossible.
A recent joint statement by the SEC and the PCAOB, rule changes by Nasdaq, and the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act all call for additional and more stringent criteria to be applied to companies with operations in emerging markets upon assessing the qualification of their auditors, especially the non-U.S. auditors who are not inspected by the PCAOB. These developments could add uncertainties to our continued listing or future offerings of our securities in the U.S.
As more stringent criteria has been imposed by the SEC and the PCAOB in 2021 and 2022 on companies with foreign public auditors, and under the HFCAA, Company’s securities may be prohibited from being traded on the over-the-counter (the “OTC”) markets or from being listed on U.S. national securities exchanges if Company’s current public auditor is not able to be fully audited and inspected by the PCAOB for three consecutive fiscal years, and this ultimately could result in trading in Company securities being prohibited in United States and delisted from OTCQB in early 2024.
On April 21, 2020, SEC Chairman Jay Clayton and PCAOB Chairman William D. Duhnke III, along with other senior SEC staff, released a joint statement highlighting the risks associated with investing in companies based in or having substantial operations in emerging markets including China. The joint statement emphasized the risks associated with lack of access for the PCAOB to inspect auditors and audit work papers in China and higher risks of fraud in emerging markets.
On May 18, 2020, Nasdaq filed three proposals with the SEC to (i) apply minimum offering size requirement for companies primarily operating in “Restrictive Market”, (ii) adopt a new requirement relating to the qualification of management or board of directors for Restrictive Market companies, and (iii) apply additional and more stringent criteria to an applicant or listed company based on the qualifications of the company’s auditors.
On May 20, 2020, the U.S. Senate passed the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act requiring a foreign company to certify it is not owned or controlled by a foreign government if the PCAOB is unable to audit specified reports because the company uses a foreign auditor not subject to PCAOB inspection. If the PCAOB is unable to inspect the company’s auditors for three consecutive years, the issuer’s securities are prohibited to trade on a national exchange. On December 2, 2020, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act. On December 18, 2020, the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act was signed into law.
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On March 24, 2021, the SEC announced the adoption of interim final amendments to implement the submission and disclosure requirements of the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act. In the announcement, the SEC clarified that before any issuer will have to comply with the interim final amendments, the SEC must implement a process for identifying covered issuers. The announcement also stated that the SEC staff was actively assessing how best to implement the other requirements of the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, including the identification process and the trading prohibition requirements.
On June 22, 2021, the U.S. Senate passed the Accelerating Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, which, if passed by the U.S. House of Representatives and signed into law, would reduce the number of consecutive non-inspection years required for triggering the prohibitions under the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act from three years to two. On December 29, 2022, a legislation entitled “Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023” (the “Consolidated Appropriations Act”), was signed into law by President Biden. The Consolidated Appropriations Act contained, among other things, an identical provision to HFCAA, which reduces the number of consecutive non-inspection years required for triggering the prohibitions under the HFCAA from three years to two.
On September 22, 2021, the PCAOB adopted a final rule implementing the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, which provides a framework for the PCAOB to use when determining, as contemplated under the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, whether the board of directors of a company is unable to inspect or investigate completely registered public accounting firms located in a foreign jurisdiction because of a position taken by one or more authorities in that jurisdiction.
On December 2, 2021, the SEC issued amendments to finalize rules implementing the submission and disclosure requirements in the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act. The rules apply to registrants that the SEC identifies as having filed an annual report with an audit report issued by a registered public accounting firm that is located in a foreign jurisdiction and that PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely because of a position taken by an authority in foreign jurisdictions. The final amendments were effective on January 10, 2022. The SEC began to identify and list Commission-Identified Issuers on its website shortly after registrants began filing their annual reports for 2021.
On December 16, 2021, the PCAOB announced the PCAOB Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act determinations (the “PCAOB determinations”) relating to the PCAOB’s inability to inspect or investigate completely registered public accounting firms headquartered in China of the PRC or Hong Kong, a Special Administrative Region and dependency of the PRC, because of a position taken by one or more authorities in the PRC or Hong Kong.
On August 26, 2022, the PCAOB signed a Statement of Protocol with the CSRC and the Ministry of Finance of the People’s Republic of China governing inspections and investigations of audit firms based in China and Hong Kong.
On December 15, 2022, the PCAOB announced in the 2022 Determination its determination that the PCAOB was able to secure complete access to inspect and investigate accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong, and the PCAOB Board voted to vacate previous determinations to the contrary.
Should the PCAOB again encounter impediments to inspections and investigations in mainland China or Hong Kong as a result of positions taken by any authority in either jurisdiction, including by the CSRC or the MOF, the PCAOB will make determinations under the HFCAA as and when appropriate. The inability of the PCAOB to conduct inspections of auditors in PRC makes it more difficult to evaluate the effectiveness of these accounting firm’s audit procedures or quality control procedures as compared to auditors outside of PRC that are subject to the PCAOB inspections, which could cause investors and potential investors in our Common stock to lose confidence in our audit procedures and reported financial information and the quality of our financial statements.
Our auditor, GGF CPA LTD., Certified Public Accountants, is a China-based accounting firm registered as a PCAOB-registered public accounting firm, it is required to undergo regular inspections by the PCAOB to assess its compliance with the laws of the U.S. and professional standards. GGF CPA LTD has been subject to PCAOB inspections and is not among the PCAOB-registered public accounting firms headquartered in the PRC or Hong Kong that is subject to the PCAOB’s determination of having been unable to inspect or investigate completely. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if it is later determined that the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate our auditor completely, if there is any regulatory change or step taken by PRC regulators that does not permit our auditor to provide audit documentations located in China or Hong Kong to the PCAOB for inspection or investigation, or the PCAOB expands the scope of the Determination so that we are subject to the HFCAA, as the same may be amended, our common stock may be delisted from or prohibited from trading on a national securities exchange.
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The recent developments would add uncertainties to our offering and we cannot assure you whether Nasdaq or regulatory authorities would apply additional and more stringent criteria to us. Furthermore, the Consolidated Appropriations Act reduces the period for foreign companies to comply with PCAOB audits to two consecutive years instead of three, thus reducing the time period for triggering the prohibition on trading, and this ultimately could result in our common stock being delisted by an exchange.
The approval or record filing of the CSRC, CAC, or other PRC government authorities may be required in connection with this offering and our future capital raising activities under the PRC laws.
Recent statements by the Chinese government have indicated an intent to exert more oversight and control over offerings that are conducted overseas and/or foreign investments in PRC based issuers. The PRC has recently promulgated new rules that require companies collecting or holding large amounts of data to undergo a cybersecurity review prior to listing in foreign countries, a move that will significantly tighten oversight over PRC-based internet giants. The Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2021 version) was promulgated on December 28, 2021 and became effective on February 15, 2022. These measures specify that any “online platform operators” controlling the personal information of more than one million users which seek to list on a foreign stock exchange are subject to prior cybersecurity review.
On November 14, 2021, the Cyberspace Administration of China (the “CAC”) published the Draft Regulations on the Network Data Security Administration (Draft for Comments) (the “Security Administration Draft”), which provides that data processing operators engaging in data processing activities that affect or may affect national security must be subject to cybersecurity review by the relevant Cyberspace Administration of the PRC. According to the Security Administration Draft, data processing operators shall apply for a cybersecurity review by the relevant Cyberspace Administration of the PRC under certain circumstances, such as (i) mergers, restructurings, and divisions of Internet platform operators that hold large amount of data relating to national security, economic development, or public interest which affects or may affect the national security, (ii) overseas listings of data processors that process personal data for more than one million individuals, (iii) Hong Kong listings of data processors that affect or may affect national security, and (iv) other data processing activities that affect or may affect the national security. The deadline for public comments on the Security Administration Draft was December 13, 2021.
The PRC Data Security Law, which was promulgated by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (the “SCNPC”) on June 10, 2021 and took effect on September 1, 2021, requires data collection to be conducted in a legitimate and proper manner, and stipulates that, for the purpose of data protection, data processing activities must be conducted based on data classification and hierarchical protection system for data security.
On August 20, 2021, the SCNPC promulgated the Personal Information Protection Law of the People’s Republic of China, or the Personal Information Protection Law, which integrates the scattered rules with respect to personal information rights and privacy protection and took effect on November 1, 2021.
Our business in China does not involve the collection of user data, implicate cybersecurity, or involve any other type of restricted industry. Based on our understanding of currently applicable PRC laws and regulations, our registered public offering in the U.S. is not subject to the review or prior approval of the CAC . As of the date of this prospectus, we have not received any notice from any authorities identifying the operating entities as CIIOs or requiring us to go through cybersecurity review or network data security review by the CAC. Uncertainties still exist, however, due to the possibility that laws, regulations, or policies in the PRC could change rapidly in the future. Any future action by the PRC government expanding the categories of industries and companies whose foreign securities offerings are subject to review by the CAC could significantly limit our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors and could cause the value of such securities to significantly decline or be worthless.
On February 17, 2023, the CSRC released Trial Administrative Measures of Overseas Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies with five interpretive guidelines (the “Trial Measures”), which came into effect on March 31, 2023. Pursuant to the Trial Measures, a PRC domestic company that seeks to offer and list securities in overseas markets, either in direct or indirect overseas offering, shall fulfill the filing procedure with the CSRC and report relevant information to the CSRC. Direct overseas offering and listing by domestic companies refers to such overseas offering and listing by a joint-stock company incorporated domestically. Any overseas offering and listing made by an issuer that meets both the following conditions will be deemed an indirect offering and listing in an overseas market and, therefore, be subject to filing requirement: (i) 50% or more of the issuer’s operating revenue, total profit, total assets or net assets as documented in its audited consolidated financial statements for the most recent accounting year is accounted for by domestic companies (the “Financial Condition”); and (ii) the main parts of the issuer’s business activities are conducted in the Mainland China, or its main places of business are located in the Mainland China, or the senior managers in charge of its business operation and management are mostly Chinese citizens or domiciled in the Mainland China (the “Business Condition”). The determination as to whether or not an overseas offering and listing by domestic companies is indirect shall be made on substance over form basis.
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As of the date of this prospectus, our management believes none of Gulf Resources Inc., any of the PRC Subsidiaries are required to obtain the approval from, or complete the filing with, the CSRC for this offering. Our management believes that the Business Condition under the Trial Measures is not met because (i) three out of the four principal business activities of the Company, namely the Waste Heat Recovery Solutions, Waste to Energy Solutions, and the Engineering, Consulting and Project Management Solutions, are conducted outside mainland China; (ii) the principal places of business of the above business activities are located outside mainland China; and (iii) none of the key management personnel in charge of the business operations and management of the Company is a PRC citizen or has his or her usual place of residence located in mainland China. Due to the fact that the Business Condition and the Financial Condition are both required to be met to constitute an indirect listing as prescribed by the Trial Measures, our management believes that we do not need to fulfil the CSRC filing procedure. Thus, none of our Company, any of our PRC Subsidiaries have submitted an application for approval for this offering with the CSRC pursuant to the Trial Measures. However, as the Trial Measures was newly published, there are substantial uncertainties as to the implementation and interpretation, and the CSRC may take a view that is contrary to our understanding of the Trial Measures. If either our Company or our PRC Subsidiaries are required by the CSRC to submit and complete the filing procedures of this offering and listing, we cannot assure you that we will be able to complete such filings in a timely manner, or even at all, which could significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors and cause the value of such securities to significantly decline or be worthless. Any failure by us to comply with such filing requirements under the Trial Measures may result in rectification, warnings, and a fine between RMB 1 million and RMB 10 million on our PRC Subsidiaries, which could adversely and materially affect our business operations and financial outlook and could cause the value of our common stock to significantly decline or, in extreme cases, become worthless.
We may rely on dividends and other distributions on equity paid by our PRC Subsidiaries to fund any cash and financing requirements we may have, and any limitation on the ability of our PRC Subsidiaries to make payments to us could have a material and adverse effect on our ability to conduct our business.
We rely principally on dividends and other distributions on equity from our PRC Subsidiaries for our cash requirements, including for services of any debt we may incur.
Our PRC Subsidiaries’ ability to distribute dividends is based upon their distributable earnings. Current PRC regulations permit our PRC Subsidiaries to pay dividends to their respective shareholders only out of their accumulated profits, if any, determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations. In addition, each of our PRC Subsidiaries, as an FIE, is required to draw 10% of its after-tax profits each year, if any, to fund a common reserve, which may stop drawing its after-tax profits if the aggregate balance of the common reserve has already accounted for over 50 percent of its registered capital. These reserves are not distributable as cash dividends. If our PRC Subsidiaries incur debt on their own behalf in the future, the instruments governing the debt may restrict their ability to pay dividends or make other payments to us. Any limitation on the ability of our PRC Subsidiaries to distribute dividends or other payments to their respective shareholders could materially and adversely limit our ability to grow, make investments or acquisitions that could be beneficial to our business, pay dividends or otherwise fund and conduct our business.
In addition, the Enterprise Income Tax Law and its implementation rules provide that a withholding tax rate of up to 10% will be applicable to dividends payable by Chinese companies to non-PRC-resident enterprises unless otherwise exempted or reduced according to treaties or arrangements between the PRC central government and governments of other countries or regions where the non-PRC resident enterprises are incorporated.
PRC regulation of loans to and direct investment in PRC entities by offshore holding companies and governmental control of currency conversion may delay us from using the proceeds of this Offering to make loans or additional capital contributions to our PRC Subsidiaries, which could materially and adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business.
Any funds we transfer to our PRC Subsidiaries, either as a shareholder loan or as an increase in registered capital, are subject to approval by or registration with relevant governmental authorities in China. According to the relevant PRC regulations on FIEs, in China, capital contributions to our PRC Subsidiaries are subject to the approval of or filing with the Ministry of Commerce, or MOFCOM or its local branches and registration with a local bank authorized by the SAFE. In addition, (i) a foreign loan of less one year duration procured by our PRC Subsidiaries is required to be registered with SAFE or its local branches and (ii) a foreign loan of one year duration or more procured by our PRC Subsidiaries is required to be applied to the NDRC in advance for undergoing recordation registration formalities. Any medium or long-term loan to be provided by us to our PRC Subsidiaries must be registered with the NDRC and the SAFE or its local branches. We may not be able to complete such registrations on a timely basis, with respect to future capital contributions or foreign loans by us to our PRC Subsidiaries. If we fail to complete such registrations, our ability to use the proceeds of this Offering and to capitalize our PRC operations may be negatively affected, which could adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business.
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On March 30, 2015, the SAFE promulgated the Circular on Reforming the Management Approach Regarding the Foreign Exchange Capital Settlement of Foreign-Invested Enterprises, or SAFE Circular 19, which took effect as of June 1, 2015. SAFE Circular 19 launched a nationwide reform of the administration of the settlement of the foreign exchange capitals of FIEs and allows FIEs to settle their foreign exchange capital at their discretion, but continues to prohibit FIEs from using the Renminbi fund converted from their foreign exchange capital for expenditure beyond their business scopes, providing entrusted loans or repaying loans between nonfinancial enterprises. The SAFE issued the Circular on Reforming and Regulating Policies on the Control over Foreign Exchange Settlement of Capital Accounts, or SAFE Circular 16, effective in June 2016. Pursuant to SAFE Circular 16, enterprises registered in China may also convert their foreign debts from foreign currency to Renminbi on a self-discretionary basis. SAFE Circular 16 provides an integrated standard for conversion of foreign exchange under capital account items (including but not limited to foreign currency capital and foreign debts) on a self-discretionary basis which applies to all enterprises registered in China. SAFE Circular 16 reiterates the principle that Renminbi converted from foreign currency-denominated capital of a company may not be directly or indirectly used for purposes beyond its business scope or prohibited by PRC laws or regulations, while such converted Renminbi shall not be provided as loans to its non-affiliated entities. As this circular is relatively new, there remains uncertainty as to its interpretation and application and any other future foreign exchange related rules. Violations of these Circulars could result in severe monetary or other penalties. SAFE Circular 19 and SAFE Circular 16 may significantly limit our ability to use Renminbi converted from the net proceeds of this Offering to fund our PRC operating subsidiary, to invest in or acquire any other PRC companies through our PRC Subsidiaries, which may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
China’s Anti-Monopoly Law, M&A rules and certain other PRC laws and regulations also establish complex procedures for acquisitions conducted by foreign investors that could make it more difficult for us to grow through acquisitions in China.
A number of regulations also established additional procedures and requirements that are expected to make merger and acquisition activities in China by foreign investors more time-consuming and complex. For example, the M&A rules require that the Ministry of Commerce, or the MOFCOM, be notified in advance of any change-of-control transaction in which a foreign investor takes control of a PRC domestic enterprise if (i) any important industry is concerned, (ii) such transaction involves factors that have or may have impact on the national economic security, or (iii) such transaction will lead to a change in control of a domestic enterprise which holds a famous trademark or PRC time-honored brand.
The approval from the MOFCOM shall be obtained in circumstances where overseas companies established or controlled by PRC enterprises or residents acquire affiliated domestic companies. Mergers, acquisitions or contractual arrangements that allow one market player to take control of or to exert decisive impact on another market player must also be notified in advance to the anti-monopoly authority under the State Council when the threshold under the Provisions on Thresholds for Prior Notification of Concentrations of Undertakings, or the Prior Notification Rules, issued by the State Council in August 2008 and amended in September 2018, is triggered. In addition, the Rules of the Ministry of Commerce on Implementation of Security Review System of Mergers and Acquisitions of Domestic Enterprises by Foreign Investors, or the Security Review Rule issued by the MOFCOM that became effective in September 2011 specify that mergers and acquisitions by foreign investors that raise “national defense and security” concerns and mergers and acquisitions through which foreign investors may acquire de facto control over domestic enterprises that raise “national security” concerns are subject to strict review by the MOFCOM, and the rules prohibit any activities attempting to bypass a security review, including by structuring the transaction through a proxy or contractual control arrangement.
Furthermore, on December 19, 2020, the National Development and Reform Commission, or the NDRC, and MOFCOM promulgated the Measures for Security Review of Foreign Investment, or the Foreign Investment Security Review Measures, which took effect on January 18, 2021. Under the Foreign Investment Security Review Measures, investment in certain key areas which results in acquiring the actual control of the assets is required to obtain approval from designated governmental authorities in advance. We may grow our business in part by acquiring other companies operating in our industry. Complying with the requirements of the new regulations to complete such transactions could be time-consuming, and any required approval processes, including approval from the MOFCOM, the State Administration for Industry and Commerce and other governmental authorities, may delay or inhibit our ability to complete such transactions, which could affect our ability to expand our business or maintain our market share. It is unclear whether our business would be deemed to be in an industry that raises “national defense and security” or “national security” concerns. However, MOFCOM or other government agencies may publish explanations in the future determining that our business is in an industry subject to the security review, in which case our future acquisitions in China may be closely scrutinized or prohibited. Our ability to expand our business or maintain or expand our market share through future acquisitions would as such be materially and adversely affected.
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Our PRC Subsidiaries are subject to restrictions on paying dividends or making other payments to us, which may restrict our ability to satisfy our liquidity requirements in the future.
We may need dividends and other distributions on equity from our PRC Subsidiaries or Shuya to satisfy our liquidity requirements. Current PRC regulations permit our PRC Subsidiaries and Shuya to pay dividends to their respective shareholders only out of their accumulated profits, if any, determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations. In addition, such companies are required to set aside at least 10% of their accumulated profits each year, if any, to fund certain reserve funds until the total amount set aside reaches 50% of its registered capital. Our PRC Subsidiaries or Shuya may also, at the respective subsidiary’s discretion, allocate a portion of its after-tax profits based on its articles of association and PRC accounting standards to certain reserve funds. These reserves are not distributable as cash dividends. Furthermore, if our PRC Subsidiaries or Shuya incur debt on their own behalf in the future, the instruments governing the debt may restrict their ability to pay dividends or make other payments to us. Any limitation on the ability of our PRC Subsidiaries or Shuya to distribute dividends or to make payments to us may restrict our ability to satisfy our future liquidity requirements.
In addition, the Enterprise Income Tax Law and its implementation rules provide that a withholding tax rate of up to 10% will be applicable to dividends payable by PRC companies to non-PRC-resident enterprises unless otherwise exempted or reduced according to treaties or arrangements between the PRC central government and governments of other countries or regions where the non-PRC-resident enterprises are incorporated. If we are deemed by the PRC tax authorities as a PRC tax resident enterprise for tax purposes, any dividends we pay to our non-PRC resident shareholders may be regarded as China-sourced income and as a result, may be subject to PRC withholding tax at a rate of up to 10.0%.
We can give no assurance that we will declare dividends of any amounts, at any rate or at all in the future. The declaration of future dividends, if any, will be at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend upon our future operations and earnings, capital requirements, general financial conditions, legal and contractual restrictions and other factors that our board of directors may deem relevant.
PRC regulation of loans to and direct investment in PRC entities by offshore holding companies and governmental control of currency conversion may delay or prevent us from making loans or additional capital contributions to our PRC Subsidiaries..
We are a U.S. based company conducting all of our operations in China. We may make loans to our PRC subsidiaries subject to the approval, registration, and filing with governmental authorities and limitation of amount, or we may make additional capital contributions to our subsidiaries in China and Hong Kong. Any loans to our wholly foreign-owned subsidiaries in mainland China, which are treated as foreign-invested enterprises under PRC law, are subject to foreign exchange loan registrations. In light of the various requirements imposed by PRC regulations on loans to and direct investment in PRC entities by offshore holding companies, we cannot assure you that we will be able to complete the necessary government registrations or obtain the necessary government approvals or filings on a timely basis, if at all, with respect to future loans by us to our PRC Subsidiaries or with respect to future capital contributions by us to our PRC Subsidiaries. If we fail to complete such registrations or obtain such approvals, our ability to use the proceeds from this offering and to capitalize or otherwise fund our Chinese operations may be negatively affected.
Fluctuations in exchange rates could have a material and adverse effect on our results of operations and the value of your investment.
The value of the Renminbi against the U.S. dollar and other currencies may fluctuate and is affected by, among other things, changes in political and economic conditions and the foreign exchange policy adopted by the PRC government. It is difficult to predict how long such appreciation of RMB against the U.S. dollar may last and when and how the relationship between the RMB and the U.S. dollar may change again. All of our revenues and substantially all of our costs are denominated in Renminbi. We rely on dividends paid by our operating subsidiaries in mainland China for our cash needs. Any significant revaluation of Renminbi may materially and adversely affect our results of operations and financial position reported in Renminbi when translated into U.S. dollars, and the value of, and any dividends payable on, the Ordinary Shares in U.S. dollars. To the extent that we need to convert U.S. dollars into Renminbi for our operations, appreciation of the Renminbi against the U.S. dollar would have an adverse effect on the Renminbi amount we would receive. Conversely, if we decide to convert our Renminbi into U.S. dollars for the purpose of making payments for dividends on our Ordinary Shares or for other business purposes, appreciation of the U.S. dollar against the Renminbi would have a negative effect on the U.S. dollar amount.
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PRC regulations relating to the establishment of offshore special purpose companies by PRC residents may subject our PRC resident beneficial owners or our PRC subsidiary to liability or penalties, limit our ability to inject capital into our PRC subsidiary, limit our PRC subsidiary’s ability to increase their registered capital or distribute profits to us, or may otherwise adversely affect us.
On July 4, 2014, SAFE promulgated the Circular on Relevant Issues Relating to Domestic Resident’s Investment and Financing and Roundtrip Investment through Special Purpose Vehicles, or SAFE Circular 37, which replaced the former Notice on Relevant Issues Concerning Foreign Exchange Administration for PRC Residents to Engage in Financing and Inbound Investment via Overseas Special Purpose Vehicles (generally known as SAFE Circular 75) promulgated by SAFE on October 21, 2005. On February 13, 2015, SAFE further promulgated the Circular on Further Simplifying and Improving the Administration of the Foreign Exchange Concerning Direct Investment, or SAFE Circular 13, which took effect on June 1, 2015. This SAFE Circular 13 has amended SAFE Circular 37 by requiring PRC residents or entities to register with qualified banks rather than SAFE or its local branch in connection with their direct establishment or indirect control of an offshore entity established for the purpose of overseas investment or financing with such PRC residents’ legally owned assets or equity interests in domestic enterprises or offshore assets or interests. Qualified local banks will examine and handle foreign exchange registration for overseas direct investment, including the initial foreign exchange registration and amendment registration, under SAFE Circular 37 since June 1, 2015.
According to Circular 37 and Circular 13, our shareholders or beneficial owners who are PRC residents are subject to Circular 37 or other foreign exchange administrative regulations in respect of their investment in our Company. If our shareholders who are PRC residents or entities do not complete their registration with the local SAFE branches, our PRC Subsidiaries may be prohibited from distributing their profits and any proceeds from any reduction in capital, share transfer or liquidation to us, and we may be restricted in our ability to contribute additional capital to our PRC Subsidiaries. Moreover, failure to comply with SAFE registration requirements could result in liability under PRC laws for evasion of applicable foreign exchange restrictions.
To the best of our knowledge, our PRC resident shareholders who: (i) directly or indirectly hold shares in our Cayman Islands holding company and (ii) are known to us, have completed the application for foreign exchange registrations for their foreign investment in our company in accordance with Circular 37 and Circular 13.
Failure to make adequate contributions to various employee benefit plans and withhold individual income tax on employees’ salaries as required by PRC regulations may subject us to penalties.
Companies operating in mainland China are required to participate in various government-mandated employee benefit contribution plans, including certain social insurance, housing funds and other welfare-oriented payment obligations, and contribute to the plans in amounts equal to certain percentages of salaries, including bonuses and allowances, of our employees up to a maximum amount specified by the local government from time to time at locations where we operate our businesses. The requirement of employee benefit contribution plans has not been implemented consistently by the local governments in mainland China given the different levels of economic development in different locations. Companies operating in mainland China are also required to withhold individual income tax on employees’ salaries based on the actual salary of each employee upon payment. Should we fail to make adequate contributions to employee benefit plans or under-withhold individual income tax, we may be subject to late fees and fines and our financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected.
We face uncertainty with respect to indirect transfers of equity interests in PRC resident enterprises by their non-PRC holding companies.
On February 3, 2015, the SAT issued the Public Notice Regarding Certain Corporate Income Tax Matters on Indirect Transfer of Properties by Non-Tax Resident Enterprises, or SAT Bulletin 7. SAT Bulletin 7 extends its tax jurisdiction to transactions involving the transfer of taxable assets through offshore transfer of a foreign intermediate holding company. In addition, SAT Bulletin 7 has introduced safe harbors for internal group restructurings and the purchase and sale of equity through a public securities market. SAT Bulletin 7 also brings challenges to both foreign transferor and transferee (or other person who is obligated to pay for the transfer) of taxable assets, as such persons need to determine whether their transactions are subject to these rules and whether any withholding obligation applies.
On October 17, 2017, the SAT issued the Announcement of the State Administration of Taxation on Issues Concerning the Withholding of Non-resident Enterprise Income Tax at Source, or SAT Bulletin 37, which came into effect on December 1, 2017. The SAT Bulletin 37 further clarifies the practice and procedure of the withholding of non-resident enterprise income tax.
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Where a non-resident enterprise transfers taxable assets indirectly by disposing of the equity interests of an overseas holding company, which is an “Indirect Transfer,” the non-resident enterprise as either transferor or transferee, or the PRC entity that directly owns the taxable assets, may report such Indirect Transfer to the relevant tax authority. Using a “substance over form” principle, the PRC tax authority may disregard the existence of the overseas holding company if it lacks a reasonable commercial purpose and was established for the purpose of reducing, avoiding or deferring PRC tax. As a result, gains derived from such Indirect Transfer may be subject to PRC enterprise income tax, and the transferee or other person who pays for the transfer is obligated to withhold the applicable taxes currently at a rate of 10% for the transfer of equity interests in a PRC resident enterprise. Both the transferor and the transferee may be subject to penalties under PRC tax laws if the transferee fails to withhold the taxes and the transferor fails to pay the taxes.
We face uncertainties as to the reporting and other implications of certain past and future transactions where PRC taxable assets are involved, such as offshore restructuring, sale of the Shares in our offshore subsidiaries and investments. Our Company may be subject to filing obligations or taxed if our company is transferor in such transactions, and may be subject to withholding obligations if our company is transferee in such transactions, under SAT Bulletin 7 and/or SAT Bulletin 37. For transfer of shares in our company by investors who are non-PRC resident enterprises, our PRC Subsidiaries may be requested to assist in the filing under SAT Bulletin 7 and/or SAT Bulletin 37. As a result, we may be required to expend valuable resources to comply with SAT Bulletin 7 and/or SAT Bulletin 37 or to request the relevant transferors from whom we purchase taxable assets to comply with these circulars, or to establish that our company should not be taxed under these circulars, which may have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
You may experience difficulties in effecting service of process, enforcing foreign judgments or bringing actions in China against us or our management named in this prospectus based on foreign laws.
We are incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands, but all of our operations and assets are held by our operating subsidiaries in mainland China. In addition, all of our assets are located in mainland China and all of our senior executive officers and directors reside within mainland China for a significant portion of the time. As a result, it may be difficult or impossible for investors to effect service of process on us inside mainland China. It may also be difficult for you to enforce in U.S. courts judgments obtained in U.S. courts based on the civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities laws against us and our officers and directors. Moreover, there is uncertainty as to whether the courts of the PRC would recognize or enforce judgments of U.S. courts against us or such persons predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state.
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 forms of written arrangement with the United States that provide for the reciprocal recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments. In addition, according to the PRC Civil Procedures Law, the PRC courts 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 laws 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. 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 Ordinary Shares, to establish a connection to the PRC for a PRC court to have jurisdiction as required under the PRC Civil Procedures Law.
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USE OF PROCEEDS
Unless otherwise indicated in a prospectus supplement, the net proceeds from the sale of the securities offered by us in this prospectus will be used for general corporate purposes, including, but not limited to, working capital, capital optimization transactions, acquisitions and other business purposes. We may also invest the proceeds in certificates of deposit, United States government securities, certain other interest-bearing securities or money market securities until the proceeds are applied for specified purposes. If we decide to use the net proceeds from a particular offering for a specific purpose other than as set forth above, we will describe that purpose in the applicable prospectus supplement.
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DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES
The total number of authorized shares of our common stock is 80,000,000 shares, par value $0.0005 per share, and 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share.
The following description of our capital stock is a summary only and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to the applicable provisions of the Nevada Revised Statutes, and our charter and Bylaws, copies of which are incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. Please refer to the “Where You Can Find More Information” section of this prospectus for directions on obtaining these documents. You should refer to, and read this summary together with, our Articles of Incorporation, designations of preferred stock and Bylaws, each as amended and restated from time to time, to review all of the terms of our capital stock. Our Articles of Incorporation and amendments thereto are incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part and other reports incorporated by reference herein.
Common Stock
As of the date of this prospectus, we have 13,346,618 shares of common stock issued and outstanding, excluding 285,830 shares of treasury stock, and no outstanding shares of preferred stock.
Dividend Rights
Subject to preferences that may apply to any shares of preferred stock outstanding at the time, if any, the holders of our common stock are entitled to receive dividends out of funds legally available if our board of directors, in its discretion, determines to issue dividends and then only at the times and in the amounts that our board of directors may determine.
Voting Rights
The holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote for each share held of record. The affirmative vote of a majority of shares present in person or represented by proxy at a meeting of stockholders that commences with a lawful quorum is sufficient for approval of matters upon which stockholders may vote, including questions presented for approval or ratification at the annual meeting. Our common stock does not carry cumulative voting rights, and holders of more than 50% of our common stock have the power to elect all directors and, as a practical matter, to control our company. Holders of our common stock are not entitled to preemptive rights, and our common stock may only be redeemed at our election.
No Preemptive or Similar Rights
Our common stock is not entitled to preemptive rights and is not subject to conversion, redemption or sinking fund provisions.
Right to Receive Liquidation Distributions
If we become subject to a liquidation, dissolution, or winding-up, the assets legally available for distribution to our stockholders would be distributable ratably among the holders of our common stock and, if any, any participating preferred stock outstanding at that time, after prior satisfaction of all outstanding debt and liabilities and the preferential rights and payment of liquidation preferences, if any, on any other series of preferred stock outstanding at that time.
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Anti-Takeover Provisions Under the Nevada Revised Statutes
Business Combinations
Sections 78.411 to 78.444 of the Nevada revised statutes (the “NRS”) prohibit a Nevada corporation from engaging in a “combination” with an “interested stockholder” for three years following the date that such person becomes an interested stockholder and place certain restrictions on such combinations even after the expiration of the three-year period. With certain exceptions, an interested stockholder is a person or group that owns 10% or more of the corporation’s outstanding voting power (including stock with respect to which the person has voting rights and any rights to acquire stock pursuant to an option, warrant, agreement, arrangement, or understanding or upon the exercise of conversion or exchange rights) or is an affiliate or associate of the corporation and was the owner of 10% or more of such voting stock at any time within the previous three years.
A Nevada corporation may elect not to be governed by Sections 78.411 to 78.444 by a provision in its articles of incorporation. We have such a provision in our Articles of Incorporation, as amended, pursuant to which we have elected to opt out of Sections 78.411 to 78.444; therefore, these sections do not apply to us.
Control Shares
Nevada law also seeks to impede “unfriendly” corporate takeovers by providing in Sections 78.378 to 78.3793 of the NRS, commonly referred to as the “Control Share Act”, that an “acquiring person” shall only obtain voting rights in the “control shares” purchased by such person to the extent approved by the other stockholders at a meeting. With certain exceptions, an acquiring person is one who acquires or offers to acquire a “controlling interest” in the corporation, defined as one-fifth or more of the voting power. Control shares include not only shares acquired or offered to be acquired in connection with the acquisition of a controlling interest, but also all shares acquired by the acquiring person within the preceding 90 days. The statute covers not only the acquiring person, but also any persons acting in association with the acquiring person. The NRS control share statutes only apply to issuers that have 200 or more stockholders of record, at least 100 of whom have had addresses in Nevada appearing on the stock ledger of the corporation at all times during the 90 days immediately preceding such date; and whom do business in Nevada directly or through an affiliated corporation. At this time, we do not believe we have 100 shareholders of record who have addresses in Nevada and we do not conduct business in Nevada directly or through an affiliated corporation. Therefore, the provisions of the Control Share Act are believed not to apply to acquisitions of our shares and will not until such time as these requirements have been met. At such time as they may apply, the provisions of the Control Share Act may discourage companies or persons interested in acquiring a significant interest in or control of us, regardless of whether such acquisition may be in the interest of our shareholders.
Removal of Directors
Section 78.335 of the NRS provides that 2/3rds of the voting power of the issued and outstanding shares of the Company are required to remove a Director from office. As such, it may be more difficult for stockholders to remove Directors due to the fact the NRS requires greater than majority approval of the stockholders for such removal.
Transfer Agent
The transfer agent for our common stock is American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, 6201 15th Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11219.
Quotation on the Nasdaq Capital Market
Our common stock is quoted on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “GURE”.
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Preferred Stock
We may issue shares of our preferred stock from time to time, in one or more series. Under our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, our board of directors is authorized, without action by the stockholders, to designate and issue up to an aggregate of 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock in one or more series. Our board of directors can fix by resolution or resolutions the designations, powers, preferences and rights, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, of any wholly unissued series of preferred stock, including without limitation authority to fix by resolution or resolutions the dividend rights, dividend rate, conversion rights, voting rights, rights and terms of redemption (including sinking fund provisions), redemption price or prices, and liquidation preferences of any such series, and the number of shares constituting any such series and the designation thereof, or any of the foregoing. Our board of directors may authorize the issuance of preferred stock with voting or conversion rights that could adversely affect the voting power or other rights of the holders of common stock. The issuance of preferred stock, while providing flexibility in connection with possible future financings and acquisitions and other corporate purposes could, under certain circumstances, have the effect of delaying or preventing a change in control of our company and might harm the market price of our common stock.
Our board of directors will make any determination to issue such shares based on its judgment as to our best interests and the best interests of our stockholders.
If we issue preferred stock pursuant to this prospectus, we will fix the rights, preferences, privileges, qualifications and restrictions of each series of such preferred stock in the certificate of designations relating to that series. If we issue preferred stock pursuant to this prospectus, we will incorporate by reference into the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part the form of any certificate of designations that describes the terms of the series of preferred stock we are offering before the issuance of the related series of preferred stock. We urge you to read the applicable prospectus supplement related to any series of preferred stock we may offer, as well as the complete certificate of designations that contains the terms of the applicable series of preferred stock.
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Warrants
The following description of the warrant agreements summarizes certain general terms that will apply to the warrants that we may issue and not the warrants of the Company that are currently outstanding. The description is not complete, and we refer you to the warrant agreements, which will be filed with the SEC in connection with our offering of any warrants and will be available as described below under the heading “Where You Can Find Additional Information” in this prospectus, as well as the descriptions of any such warrants contained in an applicable prospectus supplement.
We may issue warrants to purchase common stock, preferred stock or other securities. We will issue warrants under one or more warrant agreements between us and a warrant agent that we will name in the applicable prospectus supplement. The prospectus supplement relating to any warrants we are offering will include specific terms relating to the offering, including a description of any other securities sold together with the warrants. These terms will include some or all of the following:
· | the title of the warrants; |
· | the aggregate number of warrants offered; |
· | the price or prices at which the warrants will be issued; |
· | the currency or currencies, including composite currencies, in which the prices of the warrants may be payable; |
· | the designation, amount and terms of the securities for which the warrants are exercisable; |
· | any rights to receive payment in cash or securities based on the value, rate or price of one or more specified commodities, currencies or indices; |
· | the number of shares of common stock, preferred stock or other securities or rights issuable upon exercise of the warrants and the procedures by which those numbers may be adjusted; |
· | the dates or periods during which the warrants are exercisable; |
· | whether the warrants are separately transferable; |
· | if the exercise price is not payable in U.S. dollars, the foreign currency, currency unit or composite currency in which the exercise price is denominated; |
· | any minimum or maximum number of warrants that may be exercised at any one time; |
· | any terms relating to the modification of the warrants; and |
· | any other terms of the warrants, including terms, procedures and limitations relating to the transferability, exchange, exercise or redemption of the warrants. |
Holders of warrants will not be entitled to:
· | vote, consent or receive dividends; |
· | receive notice as stockholders with respect to any meeting of stockholders for the election of our directors or any other matter; or |
· | exercise any rights as stockholders of the Company. |
Each warrant that we may issue will entitle its holder to purchase the principal amount of the number of shares of preferred stock or common stock at the exercise price set forth in, or calculable as set forth in, the applicable prospectus supplement. Unless we otherwise specify in the applicable prospectus supplement, holders of the warrants may exercise the warrants at any time up to the specified time on the expiration date that we set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the expiration date, unexercised warrants will become void.
A holder of warrant certificates may exchange them for new warrant certificates of different denominations, present them for registration of transfer and exercise them at the corporate trust office of the warrant agent or any other office indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement. Until any warrants to purchase common stock or preferred stock are exercised, the holders of the warrants will not have any rights of holders of the underlying common stock, preferred stock or other security.
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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
We are registering common stock, preferred stock and warrants with an aggregate offering price not to exceed $10,000,000, to be sold by us under a “shelf” registration process.
If we offer securities under this prospectus, we will amend or supplement this prospectus by means of an accompanying prospectus supplement setting forth the specific terms and conditions and other information about that offering as is required or necessary.
We may sell the securities in any of the following ways (or in any combination) from time to time:
· | to or through underwriters, brokers or dealers; |
· | directly to one or more purchasers; |
· | through agents; |
· | “at the market offerings” to or through market makers or into an existing market for the securities; |
· | ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker-dealer solicits purchasers; |
· | block trades in which the broker-dealer will attempt to sell the securities as agent but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the transaction; |
· | privately negotiated transactions; |
· | short sales (including short sales “against the box”); |
· | through the writing or settlement of standardized or over-the-counter options or other hedging or derivative transactions, whether through an options exchange or otherwise; |
· | by pledge to secure debts and other obligations; |
· | in other ways not involving market makers or established trading markets, including direct sales to purchasers or sales effected through agents; |
· | a combination of any such methods of sale; and |
· | any other method permitted pursuant to applicable law and described in an applicable prospectus supplement. |
The applicable prospectus supplement will set forth the terms of the offering of such securities, including:
· | the name or names of any underwriters, dealers or agents and the amounts of securities underwritten or purchased by each of them; and |
· | the public offering price of the securities and the proceeds to us and any discounts, commissions or concessions allowed or re-allowed or paid to dealers. Any public offering price and any discounts, commissions or concessions allowed or re-allowed or paid to dealers may be changed from time to time. |
We may effect the distribution of the securities from time to time in one or more transactions either:
· | at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed from time to time; |
· | at market prices prevailing at the time of sale; |
· | at prices relating to the prevailing market prices; or |
· | at negotiated prices. |
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Offers to purchase securities may be solicited directly by us and the sale thereof may be made by us directly to institutional investors or others. In such a case, no underwriters or agents would be involved. We may use electronic media, including the Internet, to sell offered securities directly.
If underwriters are used in the sale of any securities, the securities will be acquired by the underwriters for their own account and may be resold from time to time in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. The securities may be either offered to the public through underwriting syndicates represented by managing underwriters, or directly by underwriters. Generally, the underwriters’ obligations to purchase the securities will be subject to certain conditions precedent. Depending on the type of offering, the underwriters may be obligated to purchase all of the securities if they purchase any of the securities (other than any securities purchased upon exercise of any over-allotment option). The underwriters may receive compensation from us, for whom they may act as agents, in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions. Underwriters may sell our common stock to or through dealers, and the dealers may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the underwriters and/or commissions from the purchasers for whom they may act as agents. Such compensation may be in excess of customary discounts, concessions or commissions.
We may offer the securities covered by this prospectus into an existing trading market on the terms described in the prospectus supplement relating thereto. Underwriters, dealers and agents who participate in any at-the-market offerings will be described in the prospectus supplement relating thereto. To the extent that we make sales through one or more underwriters or agents in at-the-market offerings, we will do so pursuant to the terms of a sales agency financing agreement or other at-the-market offering arrangement between us and the underwriters or agents. If we engage in at-the-market sales pursuant to any such agreement, we will issue and sell the securities through one or more underwriters or agents, which may act on an agency basis or on a principal basis. During the term of any such agreement, we may sell our securities on a daily basis in exchange transactions or otherwise as we agree with the underwriters or agents. The agreement will provide that any securities sold will be sold at prices related to the then-prevailing market prices for our securities. Therefore, exact figures regarding proceeds that will be raised or commissions to be paid cannot be determined at this time. Pursuant to the terms of the agreement, we also may agree to sell, and the relevant underwriters or agents may agree to solicit offers to purchase, blocks of our securities. The terms of each such agreement will be set forth in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement.
We may sell the securities through agents from time to time. The prospectus supplement will name any agent involved in the offer or sale of the securities and any commissions paid to them. Generally, any agent will be acting on a best efforts basis for the period of its appointment.
If we utilize a dealer in the sale of the securities in respect of which this prospectus is delivered, we may sell such securities to the dealer, as principal. The dealer may then resell such securities to the public at varying prices to be determined by the dealer at the time of resale.
In effecting sales, broker-dealers or agents engaged by us may arrange for other broker-dealers to participate. Broker-dealers or agents may receive commissions, discounts, or concessions from us in amounts to be negotiated immediately prior to the sale. Such compensation may be in excess of customary discounts, concessions or commissions.
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In connection with the sale of the securities or otherwise, we may enter into hedging transactions with broker-dealers, which may in turn engage in short sales of the securities covered by this prospectus in the course of hedging the positions they assume. We may also sell short the securities covered by this prospectus and deliver the securities to close out short positions, or loan or pledge the securities covered by this prospectus to broker-dealers that in turn may sell these securities. We may enter into option or other transactions with broker-dealers that involve the delivery of the shares offered hereby to the broker-dealers, who may then resell or otherwise transfer those securities.
Any underwriter, broker-dealer, or agent that participates in the distribution of the securities may be deemed to be an “underwriter” as defined in the Securities Act. Any commissions paid or any discounts or concessions allowed to any such persons, and any profits they receive on resale of the securities, may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act. We will identify any underwriters or agents and describe their compensation in a prospectus supplement. Any compensation paid to underwriters, dealers or agents in connection with the offering of the securities, and any discounts, concessions or commissions allowed by underwriters to participating dealers will be provided in the applicable prospectus supplement.
The aggregate proceeds to us from the sale of the any securities will be the purchase price of such securities less discounts and commissions, if any.
Underwriters or agents may purchase and sell the securities in the open market. These transactions may include over-allotment, stabilizing transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids. Over-allotment involves sales in excess of the offering size, which creates a short position. Stabilizing transactions consist of bids or purchases for the purpose of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the securities and are permitted so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum. Syndicate covering transactions involve the placing of any bid on behalf of the underwriting syndicate or the effecting of any purchase to reduce a short position created in connection with the offering. The underwriters or agents also may impose a penalty bid, which permits them to reclaim selling concessions allowed to syndicate members or certain dealers if they repurchase the securities in stabilizing or covering transactions. These activities may stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the market price of the securities, which may be higher than the price that might otherwise prevail in the open market. These activities, if begun, may be discontinued at any time. These transactions may be effected on any exchange on which the securities is traded, in the over-the-counter market or otherwise.
Agents, broker-dealers and underwriters may be entitled to indemnification by us, against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribution with respect to payments which the agents or underwriters may be required to make in respect thereof.
Agents, broker-dealers and underwriters or their affiliates may engage in transactions with, or perform services for us in the ordinary course of business. We may also use underwriters or other third parties with whom we have a material relationship. We will describe the nature of any such relationship in the applicable prospectus supplement.
We are subject to the applicable provisions of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations under the Exchange Act, including Regulation M, which may limit the timing of purchases and sales of any of the securities offered in this prospectus. The anti-manipulation rules under the Exchange Act may apply to sales of securities in the market and to the actions of the Company and our affiliates.
In order to comply with the securities laws of certain states, if applicable, the securities must be sold in such jurisdictions only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers. In addition, in certain states the securities may not be sold unless it has been registered or qualified for sale in the applicable state or an exemption from the registration or qualification requirement is available and is complied with.
To the extent required, this prospectus may be amended and/or supplemented from time to time to describe a specific plan of distribution. Instead of selling securities under this prospectus, we may sell the securities offered pursuant to other available exemptions from the registration requirements of the Securities Act.
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LEGAL MATTERS
Legal matters may be passed upon for us or any underwriters, dealers or agents, by counsel that we will name in the applicable prospectus supplement.
EXPERTS
The consolidated financial statements of the Company as of December 31, 2024 and 2023 and for each of the years in the two-year period ended December 31, 2024, have been incorporated by reference herein and in the registration statement in reliance upon the reports of GGF CPA LTD, an independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated by reference herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The rules and regulations of the SEC allow us to omit from this prospectus certain information included in the registration statement. For further information about us and the Securities, you should refer to the registration statement and the exhibits and schedules filed with the registration statement. With respect to the statements contained in this prospectus regarding the contents of any agreement or any other document, in each instance, the statement is qualified in all respects by the complete text of the agreement or document, a copy of which has been filed as an exhibit to the registration statement.
Because we are subject to the informational reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, we file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Our SEC filings are available over the Internet at the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. Our website address is www.gulfresourcesinc.com. The information on, or that can be accessed through, our website is not part of this prospectus.
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE
The SEC allows us to incorporate by reference the information and reports we file with it, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to these documents. The information incorporated by reference is an important part of this prospectus, and information that we file after the date hereof with the SEC will automatically update and supersede the information already incorporated by reference. We are incorporating by reference the documents listed below, which we have already filed with the SEC, and any future filings we make with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, except as to any portion of any future report or document that is not deemed filed under such provisions, after the date of this prospectus and prior to the termination of this offering:
1) | our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, as filed with the SEC on April 11, 2025; |
2) | the description of our common stock contained in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A (Registration No. 001-34499) filed with the SEC on October 20, 2009 pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), including the updates to such description in Exhibit 4.1 to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 filed with the SEC on April 11, 2025, and including any other amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description; |
3) | our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2025, as filed with the SEC on March 31, 2025; our Quarter Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2025, as filed with the SEC on August 13, 2025; and |
4) | our Current Reports on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on May 7, 2025, May 13, 2025, August 13, 2025 and September 12, 2025. |
Upon request, we will provide, without charge, to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom a copy of this prospectus is delivered a copy of the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus. You may request a copy of these filings, and any exhibits we have specifically incorporated by reference as an exhibit in this prospectus, at no cost by writing or telephoning us at the following:
Gulf Resources, Inc.
Level 11, Vegetable Building,
Industrial Park of the East City,
Shouguang City, Shandong, China
Telephone Number +86 (536) 567-0008
You may also access these documents, free of charge on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus, and you should not consider any information on, or that can be accessed from, our website as part of this prospectus or any accompanying prospectus supplement.
This prospectus is part of a registration statement we filed with the SEC. We have incorporated exhibits into this registration statement. You should read the exhibits carefully for provisions that may be important to you.
We have not authorized anyone to provide you with information other than what is incorporated by reference or provided in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement. We are not making an offer of these securities in any state where such offer is not permitted. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus or in the documents incorporated by reference is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of this prospectus or those documents.
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PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
ITEM 14. OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION
The following table sets forth all expenses to be paid by the Registrant, other than underwriting discounts and commissions, in connection with this offering. All amounts shown are estimates.
SEC registration fee | $ | 1,531 | ||
FINRA filing fee | $ | * | ||
Printing fees | $ | * | ||
Legal fees and expenses | $ | * | ||
Accounting fees and expenses | $ | * | ||
Miscellaneous | $ | * | ||
Total | $ | * |
*These fees and expenses depend on the manner of sale of the securities, the securities offered and the number of issuances, and accordingly cannot be estimated at this time. Each prospectus supplement related to this registration statement will reflect estimated expenses based on the applicable offering.
ITEM 15. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
As authorized by Section 78.751 of the Nevada Revised Statutes, we may indemnify our officers and directors against expenses incurred by such persons in connection with any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceedings, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, involving such persons in their capacities as officers and directors, so long as such persons acted in good faith and in a manner which they reasonably believed to be in our best interests. If the legal proceeding, however, is by or in our right, the director or officer may not be indemnified in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which he is adjudged to be liable for negligence or misconduct in the performance of his duty to us unless a court determines otherwise.
Under Nevada law, corporations may also purchase and maintain insurance or make other financial arrangements on behalf of any person who is or was a director or officer (or is serving at our request as a director or officer of another corporation) for any liability asserted against such person and any expenses incurred by him in his capacity as a director or officer. These financial arrangements may include trust funds, self-insurance programs, guarantees and insurance policies.
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Additionally, our Bylaws (“Bylaws”), provide that we shall indemnify our directors and officers to the fullest extent not prohibited by the Nevada Revised Statutes; and, provided, further, that we are not required to indemnify any director or officer in connection with any proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person unless (i) such indemnification is expressly required to be made by law, (ii) the proceeding was authorized by the Board of Directors, (iii) such indemnification is provided by the Company, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the Company under the Nevada Revised Statutes or (iv) such indemnification is required to be made pursuant to the terms of the Bylaws. We also have the power to indemnify our employees and other agents as set forth in the Nevada Revised Statutes.
Our Bylaws also provide that we are required to advance to any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that he is or was a director or officer, of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director or executive officer of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, prior to the final disposition of the proceeding, promptly following request therefor, all expenses incurred by any director or officer in connection with such proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such person to repay said amounts if it should be determined ultimately that such person is not entitled to be indemnified under the Bylaws or otherwise.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, subject to certain exceptions, no advance shall be made by the Company to an officer of the Company (except by reason of the fact that such officer is or was a director of the Company) in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, if a determination is reasonably and promptly made (i) by the Board of Directors by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of directors who were not parties to the proceeding, or (ii) if such quorum is not obtainable, or, even if obtainable, a quorum of disinterested directors so directs, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, that the facts known to the decision-making party at the time such determination is made demonstrate clearly and convincingly that such person acted in bad faith or in a manner that such person did not believe to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company.
Neither our Bylaws nor our Articles of Incorporation, as amended, include any specific indemnification provisions for our officers or directors against liability under the Securities Act. Additionally, insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Company pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Company has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.
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ITEM 16. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
(a) | Exhibits. We have filed the exhibits listed on the accompanying Exhibit Index of this Registration Statement. |
EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit Number | Description | |
1.1* | Form of Underwriting Agreement | |
3.1** | Articles of Incorporation of Gulf Resources Inc. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Form 8-K filed on December 1, 2015 (File No. 001-34499)) | |
3.2** | Certificate of Amendment to Articles of Incorporation (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Form 8-K filed on January 28, 2020 (File No. 001-34499)) | |
3.3** | Bylaws of the Registrant (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to the Form 8-K filed on December 1, 2015 (File No. 001-34499)) | |
4.1* | Form of Common Stock Certificate of the Registrant | |
4.2* | Form of Warrant Certificate of the Registrant | |
4.3* | Form of Warrant Agreement | |
5.1* | Opinion of Issuer Counsel | |
23.1** | Consent of GGF CPA LIMITED, Certified Public Accountants, an independent registered public accounting firm | |
23.2* | Consent of Issuer Counsel (included in Exhibit 5.1) | |
24.1 | Power of Attorney (Included on Signature Page) | |
107** | Filing Fee Table |
* | To be filed, if necessary, by amendment or as an exhibit to a report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and incorporated herein by reference. |
** | Previously filed |
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ITEM 17. UNDERTAKINGS.
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: |
(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. |
7) | Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the 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 Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue. |
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SIGNATURES
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 S-3 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
Date: September 22, 2025
GULF RESOURCES, INC. | ||
By: | /s/ Xiaobin Liu | |
Name: | Xiaobin Liu | |
Title: | Chief Executive Officer |
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, this Report has been signed below by the following person on behalf of the Company and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Signature | Title | Date | ||
/s/ Xiaobin Liu | Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer) | September 22, 2025 | ||
Name: Xiaobin Liu | ||||
/s/ Min Li | Chief Finance Officer (Principal Accounting and Financial Officer) | September 22, 2025 | ||
Name: Min Li | ||||
/s/ Yibo Yang | Director | September 22, 2025 | ||
Name: Yibo Yang | ||||
/s/ Naihui Miao | Director | September 22, 2025 | ||
Name: Naihui Miao | ||||
/s/ Dongshan Wang | Director | September 22, 2025 | ||
Name: Dongshan Wang | ||||
/s/ Qiang Liu | Director | September 22, 2025 | ||
Name: Qiang Liu | ||||
/s/ Sheng Wei Ma | Director | September 22, 2025 | ||
Name: Sheng Wei Ma | ||||
/s/ Shi Tong Jiang | Director | September 22, 2025 | ||
Name: Shi Tong Jiang |
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