Melco Resorts & Entertainment LTD
For the period ended Dec 31, 2024. Filed Mar 21, 2025.
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The yearly report of a company based outside the US. It covers much of what a 10-K does, and may follow accounting rules other than US ones.
FY2024 · Filed Mar 21, 2025
Contents
B. MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
We are incorporated in the Cayman Islands as an exempted company with limited liability, are registered with the Cayman Islands Registrar of Companies and have been assigned registration number 143119. Article 3 of our amended and restated memorandum of association provides that the objects for which our Company was established are unrestricted and the Company shall have full power and authority to carry out any object not prohibited by any law as provided by Section 7(4) of the Companies Act (as amended) of the Cayman Islands (hereinafter the “Companies Act”).
Enforceability of Civil Liabilities
We are incorporated in the Cayman Islands because of certain benefits associated with being a Cayman Islands exempted company, such as:
| • | political and economic stability; |
| • | an effective judicial system; |
| • | a favorable tax system; |
| • | the absence of exchange control or currency restrictions; and |
| • | the availability of professional and support services. |
However, certain disadvantages accompany incorporation in the Cayman Islands. For example, the Cayman Islands has a less developed body of securities laws as compared to the United States and provides fewer protections to investors.
Virtually all of our assets are located outside of the United States. All of our current operations, and administrative and corporate functions are conducted in Macau, Hong Kong, Singapore, the Philippines, Cyprus and Sri Lanka. In addition, substantially all of our directors and officers are nationals and residents of countries other than the United States. A very significant portion of the assets of these persons are located outside the United States. Due to the lack of reciprocity and treaties between the United States and some of these foreign jurisdictions, together with cost and time constraints, it may be difficult for you to effect service of process within the United States upon these persons. In particular, while none of our directors or officers spend a significant amount of time physically located in mainland China, all of our directors and officers, other than Ms. Galante, spend a significant amount of time physically located in Hong Kong and/or Macau, and it could be more difficult to enforce liabilities and judgments on those individuals. For the same reasons, it may also be difficult for you to enforce in the Cayman Islands, Macau, Hong Kong, Singapore, the Philippines, Cyprus or Sri Lanka courts judgments obtained in U.S. courts based on the civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities laws against our Company and our officers and directors, most of whom are not residents in the United States and the substantial portion of whose assets are located outside of the United States.
In addition, there is uncertainty as to whether the courts of the Cayman Islands, Macau, Hong Kong, Singapore, the Philippines, Cyprus or Sri Lanka would recognize or enforce judgments of U.S. courts against our Company or such persons predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state. For instance, judgments of United States courts may not be directly enforced in Hong Kong. There are currently no treaties or other arrangements providing for reciprocal enforcement of foreign judgments between Hong Kong and the United States. However, the common law permits an action to be brought upon a foreign judgment. That is to say, a foreign judgment itself may form the basis of a cause of action since the judgment may be regarded as creating a debt between the parties to it. In a common law action for enforcement of a foreign judgment in Hong Kong, the enforcement is subject to various conditions, including but not limited to, that the foreign judgment is a final judgment conclusive upon the merits of the claim (but not otherwise), the judgment is for a liquidated amount in a civil matter and not in respect of taxes, fines, penalties, or similar charges, the proceedings in which the judgment was obtained were not contrary to natural justice, and the enforcement of the judgment is not contrary to public policy of Hong Kong. Such a judgment must be for a fixed sum and must also come from a “competent” court as determined by the private international law rules applied by the Hong Kong courts. The defenses that are available to a defendant in a common law action brought on the basis of a foreign judgment include lack of jurisdiction, breach of natural justice, fraud, and contrary to public policy. However, a separate legal action for debt must be commenced in Hong Kong in order to recover such debt from the judgment debtor. Similarly, the judgment of United States courts may not be directly enforced in Macau. There are currently no treaties or other arrangements providing for reciprocal enforcement of foreign judgments between Macau and the United States. However, Macau’s civil procedure law permits an action to be brought to the Macau Second Instance Court for the recognition of a judgment obtained in a foreign jurisdiction. That is to say, upon recognition, a foreign judgment itself would be treated by the courts of Macau as a cause of action in itself so that no retrial of the issues would be necessary. In an action for recognition of a foreign judgment in Macau, the recognition is subject to various conditions, including but not limited to, that the foreign judgment is a final judgment conclusive upon the merits of the claim, the judgment is not in respect of taxes, fines, penalties, or similar fiscal or tax revenue obligations, the proceedings in which the judgment was obtained were not contrary to natural justice, the enforcement of the judgment is not contrary to public policy of Macau, and interest charged to the debtor does not breach usury laws. Such a judgment must be for a definite sum and must also come from a “competent” court as determined by the private international law rules applied by the Macau courts. The defenses that are available to a defendant in an action brought for the recognition of a foreign judgment include lack of jurisdiction, breach of natural justice, fraud, inobservance of due process, improper service of process to the defendant, and contrary to public policy. However, a separate legal action for enforcement of the foreign judgment must be commenced in Macau in order to recover a debt from the judgment debtor, in case the debtor does not make voluntary payment of its debt upon recognition of the foreign judgment by the Courts in Macau.
Furthermore, it is uncertain whether such Cayman Islands, Macau, Hong Kong, Singapore, Philippines, Cyprus or Sri Lanka courts would be competent to hear original actions brought in the Cayman Islands, Macau, Hong Kong, Singapore, the Philippines, Cyprus or Sri Lanka against us or such persons predicated upon the securities laws of the United States or any state. See “Item 3. Key Information — D Risk Factors — Risks Relating to Our Shares and ADSs — You may have difficulty enforcing judgments obtained against us.”
The following are summaries of material provisions of our memorandum and articles of association and the Companies Act, insofar as they relate to the material terms of our ordinary shares.
General
All of our outstanding ordinary shares are fully paid and non-assessable. Some of the ordinary shares are issued in registered form only with no share certificates. Our shareholderswho are non-residents of the Cayman Islands may freely hold and vote their ordinary shares. Under article 3 of our memorandum of association, the objects for which we were established are unrestricted and we have full power and authority to carry out any object not prohibited by any law as provided by Section 7(4) of the Companies Act.
Dividends
The holders of our ordinary shares are entitled to such dividends as may be declared by our board of directors subject to the Companies Act and our articles of association. Our articles of association do not provide a time limit after which a shareholder’s entitlement to an unclaimed dividend lapses.
Directors
Directors of our Company may be appointed either by an ordinary resolution of the shareholders or by the affirmative vote of all directors. Each director holds office until (i) the expiry of his or her term and until a successor has been elected or appointed, or (ii) until the director’s office is vacated by way of resignation, death, prolonged absence, bankruptcy, disqualification by applicable law, removal by a majority of the directors or removal by the shareholders by special resolution. Our articles of association do not require directors to stand for reelection at staggered intervals.
Voting Rights
Each ordinary share is entitled to one vote on all matters upon which the ordinary shares are entitled to vote. Voting at any meeting of shareholders is by show of hands unless a poll is demanded. A poll may be demanded by our chairman or one or more shareholders present in person or by proxy entitled to vote and who together hold not less than 10% of the paid up voting share capital of our Company.
A quorum required for a meeting of shareholders consists of one or more shareholders who holdat least one-third of our ordinary shares at the meeting present in person or by proxy or, if a corporationor other non-natural person, by its duly authorized representative. Shareholders’ meetings are held annually and may be convened by our board on its own initiative or upon a request to the directors by shareholders holding in aggregate at least ten percent of ourpaid-up capital which as at the date of deposit of the requisition carries the right of voting at such meetings. Advance notice of at least seven days is required for the convening of our annual general meeting and other shareholders meetings.
An ordinary resolution to be passed by the shareholders requires the affirmative vote of a simple majority of the votes attaching to the ordinary shares cast in a general meeting, while a special resolution requires the affirmative vote of notless than two-thirds of the votes cast attaching to the ordinary shares. A special resolution will be required for important matters such as changing our name or making changes to our memorandum and articles of association.
Transfer of Ordinary Shares
Subject to the restrictions of our articles of association, as applicable, any of our shareholders may transfer all or any of his or her ordinary shares by an instrument of transfer in the usual or common form or any other form approved by our board.
Our board may, in its absolute discretion, decline to register any transfer of any ordinary share which is not fully paid up or on which we have a lien. Our directors may also decline to register any transfer of any ordinary share unless:
| • | the instrument of transfer is lodged with us, accompanied by the certificate for the ordinary shares to which it relates, and such other evidence as our board may reasonably require to show the right of the transferor to make the transfer; |
| • | the instrument of transfer is in respect of only one class of ordinary shares; |
| • | the instrument of transfer is properly stamped, if required; or |
| • | in the case of a transfer to joint holders, the number of joint holders to whom the ordinary share is to be transferred does not exceed four. |
If our directors refuse to register a transfer they must, within two months after the date on which the instrument of transfer was lodged, send to each of the transferor and the transferee notice of such refusal. The registration of transfers may, on 14 days’ notice being given by advertisement in such one or more newspapers or by electronic means, be suspended and the register closed at such times and for such periods as our board may from time to time determine, provided, however, that the registration of transfers may not be suspended nor the register closed for more than 30 days in any year.
Liquidation
On a return of capital on winding up or otherwise (other than on conversion, redemption or purchase of ordinary shares), assets available for distribution among the holders of ordinary shares will be distributed among the holders of the ordinary shares on a pro rata basis. If our assets available for distribution are insufficient to repay allof the paid-up capital, the assets will be distributed so that the losses are borne by our shareholders proportionately.
Calls on Ordinary Shares and Forfeiture of Ordinary Shares
Our board may from time to time make calls upon shareholders for any amounts unpaid on their ordinary shares in a notice served to such shareholders at least 14 clear days prior to the specified time and place of payment. The ordinary shares that have been called upon and remain unpaid on the specified time are subject to forfeiture. Shareholders are not liable for any capital calls by the company except to the extent there is an amount unpaid on their shares.
Redemption of Ordinary Shares
Subject to the provisions of the Companies Act, we may issue shares on terms that are subject to redemption, at our option or at the option of the holders, on such terms and in such manner as the directors may determine.
Prohibitions on the Receipt of Dividends, the Exercise of Voting or Other Rights or the Receipt of Other Remuneration
Our memorandum and articles of association prohibit anyone who is an unsuitable person or an affiliate of an unsuitable person from:
| • | receiving dividends or interest with regard to our shares; |
| • | exercising voting or other rights conferred by our shares; and |
| • | receiving any remuneration in any form from us or an affiliated company for services rendered or otherwise. |
Such unsuitable person or its affiliate must sell all of the shares, or allow us to redeem or repurchase the shares on such terms and manner as the directors may determine and agree with the shareholders, within such period of time as specified by a gaming authority.
These prohibitions commence on the date that a gaming authority serves notice of a determination of unsuitability or our board determines that a person or its affiliate is unsuitable and continue until the securities are owned or controlled by persons found suitable by a gaming authority or our board, as applicable, to own them. An “unsuitable person” is any person who is determined by a gaming authority to be unsuitable to own or control any of our shares or who causes us or any affiliated company to lose or to be threatened with the loss of any gaming license, or who, in the sole discretion of our board, is deemed likely to jeopardize our or any of our affiliates’ application for, receipt of approval for right to the use of, or entitlement to, any gaming license.
The terms “affiliated companies,” “gaming authority” and “person” have the meanings set forth in our articles of association.
Redemption of Securities Owned or Controlled by an Unsuitable Person or an Affiliate
Our memorandum and articles of association provide that shares owned or controlled by an unsuitable person or an affiliate of an unsuitable person are redeemable by us, out of funds legally available for that redemption, by appropriate action of our board to the extent required by the gaming authorities making the determination of unsuitability or to the extent deemed necessary or advisable by our board having regard to relevant gaming laws. From and after the redemption date, the securities will not be considered outstanding and all rights of the unsuitable person or affiliate will cease, other than the right to receive the redemption price and the right to receive any dividends declared prior to any receipt of any written notice from a gaming authority declaring the suitable person to be an unsuitable person but not yet paid. The redemption price will be the price, if any, required to be paid by the gaming authority making the finding of unsuitability or, if the gaming authority does not require a price to be paid, the sum deemed to be the fair value of the securities by our board. The price for the shares will not exceed the closing price per share of the shares on the principal national securities exchange on which the shares are then listed on the trading date on the day before the redemption notice is given. If the shares are not then listed, the redemption price will not exceed the closing sales price of the shares as quoted on an automated quotation system, or if the closing price is not then reported, the mean between the bid and asked prices, as quoted by any other generally recognized reporting system. Our right of redemption is not exclusive of any other rights that we may have or later acquire under any agreement, its bylaws or otherwise. The redemption price may be paid in cash, by promissory note, or both, as required by the applicable gaming authority and, if not, as we elect.
Our memorandum and articles of association require any unsuitable person and any affiliate of an unsuitable person to indemnify us and our affiliated companies for any and all losses, costs and expenses, including attorneys’ fees, incurred by us and our subsidiaries as a result of the unsuitable person’s or affiliate’s ownership or control of shares, the neglect, refusal or other failure to comply with the provisions of our memorandum and articles of association relating to unsuitable persons, or failure to promptly divest itself of any shares in us.
Variations of Rights of Shares
All or any of the rights attached to any class of shares may, subject to the provisions of the Companies Act, be varied or abrogated either with the unanimous written consent of the holders of the issued shares of that class or with the sanction of a special resolution passed at a general meeting of the holders of the shares of that class.
Changes in Capital
We may from time to time by ordinary resolution:
| • | increase the share capital by such sum, to be divided into shares of such classes and amount, as the resolution may prescribe; |
| • | consolidate and divide all or any of our share capital into shares of a larger amount than our existing shares; |
| • | convert all or any of our paid-up shares into stock and reconvert that stock into paid-up shares of any denomination; |
| • | sub-divide our existing shares, or any of them, into shares of a smaller amount provided that in the subdivision the proportion between the amount paid and the amount, if any, unpaid on each reduced share will be the same as it was in case of the share from which the reduced share is derived; or |
| • | cancel any shares which, at the date of the passing of the resolution, have not been taken or agreed to be taken by any person and diminish the amount of our share capital by the amount of the shares so canceled. |
We may by special resolution reduce our share capital and any capital redemption reserve in any manner authorized by law.
Accounts and Audit
No shareholder (other than a director) has any right to inspect any of our accounting records, or books or documents except as conferred by law or authorized by our board or our Company by ordinary resolution of the shareholders.
Subject to compliance with all applicable laws, we may send to every person entitled to receive notices of our general meetings under the provisions of the articles of association a summary financial statement derived from our annual accounts and our board’s report.
Auditors shall be appointed and the terms and tenure of such appointment and their duties at all times regulated in accordance with the provisions of the articles of association. The remuneration of the auditors shall be fixed by our board.
Our financial statements shall be audited by the auditor in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. The auditor shall make a written report thereon in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and the report of the auditor shall be submitted to the shareholders in general meeting. The generally accepted auditing standards referred to herein may be those of a country or jurisdiction other than the Cayman Islands. If so, the financial statements and the report of the auditor should disclose this fact and name such country or jurisdiction.
Exempted Company
We are an exempted company with limited liability under the Companies Act. The Companies Act distinguishes between ordinary resident companies and exempted companies. Any company that is registered in the Cayman Islands but conducts business mainly outside of the Cayman Islands may apply to be registered as an exempted company. The requirements for an exempted company are essentially the same as for an ordinary company except for the exemptions and privileges listed below:
| • | annual reporting requirements are minimal and consist mainly of a statement that the company has conducted its operations mainly outside of the Cayman Islands and has complied with the provisions of the Companies Act; |
| • | an exempted company’s register of members is not open to inspection; |
| • | an exempted company does not have to hold an annual general meeting; |
| • | an exempted company may issue shares with no par value; |
| • | an exempted company may obtain an undertaking against the imposition of any future taxation (such undertakings are usually given for 20 years in the first instance); |
| • | an exempted company may register by way of continuation in another jurisdiction and be deregistered in the Cayman Islands; |
| • | an exempted company may register as a limited duration company; and |
| • | an exempted company may register as a segregated portfolio company. |
Differences in Corporate Law
The Companies Act is modeled after that of England and Wales but does not follow recent statutory enactments in England. In addition, the Companies Act differs from laws applicable to Delaware corporations and their shareholders. Set forth below is a summary of the significant differences between the provisions of the Companies Act applicable to us and the laws applicable to Delaware corporations and their shareholders.
Mergers and Similar Arrangements
The Companies Act permits mergers and consolidations between Cayman Islands companies and between Cayman Islands companies and non-Cayman Islands companies. For these purposes:
| • | a “merger” means the merging of two or more constituent companies and the vesting of their undertaking, property and liabilities in one of such companies as the surviving company; and |
| • | a “consolidation” means the combination of two or more constituent companies into a consolidated company and the vesting of the undertaking, property and liabilities of such companies to the consolidated company. |
In order to effect a merger or consolidation, the directors of each constituent company must approve a written plan of merger or consolidation, which must then be authorized by:
| • | a special resolution of the shareholders of each constituent company; and |
| • | such other authorization, if any, as may be specified in such constituent company’s articles of association. |
A merger between a parent company incorporated in the Cayman Islands and its subsidiary or subsidiaries incorporated in the Cayman Islands does not require authorization by a resolution of shareholders of the constituent companies provided a copy of the plan of merger is given to every shareholder of each subsidiary company to be merged unless that shareholder agrees otherwise. For this purpose, a subsidiary is a company of which at least ninety percent (90%) of the issued shares entitled to vote are owned by the parent company.
The plan of merger or consolidation must be filed with the Registrar of Companies in the Cayman Islands together with a declaration (amongst other matters) as to the solvency of the consolidated or surviving company, a declaration as to the assets and liabilities of each constituent company and an undertaking that a copy of the certificate of merger or consolidation will be given to the members and creditors of each constituent company and that notification of the merger and consolidation will be published in the Cayman Islands Gazette. Dissenting shareholders have the right to be paid the fair value of their shares (which, if not agreed between the parties, will be determined by the Cayman Islands court) if they follow the required procedures, subject to certain exceptions. The fair value of the shares will be determined by the Cayman Islands court if it cannot be agreed among the parties. Court approval is not required for a merger or consolidation effected in compliance with these statutory procedures.
In addition, there are statutory provisions that facilitate compromises or arrangements between a Cayman Islands company and its shareholders (or any class of them). Following amendments to the Companies Act that became effective on August 31, 2022, themajority-in-number “headcount test” in relation to the approval of shareholders’ schemes of arrangement was abolished. Section 86(2A) of the Companies Act provides that, if 75% in value of the shareholders (or class of shareholders) of a Cayman Islands company agree to any compromise or arrangement, such compromise or arrangement shall, if sanctioned by the Cayman Court, be binding on all shareholders (or class of shareholders) of such company and on the company itself. Where a Cayman Islands company is in the course of being wound up, such compromise or arrangement would be binding on the liquidator and contributories of the company. In contrast, section 86(2) of the Companies Act continues to require (a) approval by a majority in number representing 75% in value; and (b) the sanction of the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands, in relation to any compromise or arrangement between a company and its creditors (or any class of them). At the initial directions hearing, the Cayman Islands court will make orders for (amongst other things) the convening of the meetings of creditors or shareholders (or classes of them, as applicable). While a dissenting shareholder has the right to express to the court the view that the transaction ought not to be approved, the court can be expected to approve the arrangement if it determines that:
| • | the company has complied with the directions set down by the Cayman Islands court; |
| • | the meeting was properly held and the statutory provisions as to the required majority vote have been met; |
| • | the shareholders have been fairly represented at the meeting in question and the statutory majority are acting bona fide without coercion of the minority to promote interests adverse to those of the class; and |
| • | the arrangement is such that may be reasonably approved by an intelligent and honest man of that class acting in respect of his/her interest. |
If a compromise or arrangement of a Cayman Islands company is thus approved by the shareholders in the context of a shareholders’ scheme and the Cayman Islands court subsequently sanctions such scheme, the dissenting shareholder would have no rights comparable to appraisal rights, which would otherwise ordinarily be available to dissenting shareholders of Delaware corporations, providing rights to receive payment in cash for the judicially determined value of the shares. This is because such scheme will be binding on all shareholders (or class of shareholders), regardless of whether all the shareholders (or class of shareholders) approved the scheme, upon the sanction order being made. Having said that, a dissenting shareholder would have the right to appeal the making of the sanction order to the Cayman Islands Court of Appeal, if there were grounds for doing so.
Shareholders’ Suits
Derivative actions have been brought in the Cayman Islands courts. In most cases, the company will be the proper plaintiff in any claim based on a breach of duty owed to it, and a claim against (for example) the company’s officers or directors usually may not be brought by a shareholder. However, based on English authorities, which would in all likelihood be of persuasive authority and be applied by a court in the Cayman Islands, exceptions to the foregoing principle apply in circumstances in which:
| • | a company is acting, or proposing to act, illegally or beyond the scope of its authority; |
| • | the act complained of, although not beyond the scope of the authority, could be effected if duly authorized by more than the number of votes which have actually been obtained; or |
| • | those who control the company are perpetrating a “fraud on the minority.” |
A shareholder may have a direct right of action against the company where the individual rights of that shareholder have been infringed or are about to be infringed.
Directors’ Fiduciary Duties
Under Delaware corporate law, a director of a Delaware corporation has a fiduciary duty to the corporation and its shareholders. This duty has two components, the duty of care and the duty of loyalty. The duty of care requires that a director act in good faith, with the care that an ordinarily prudent person would exercise under similar circumstances. Under this duty, a director must inform himself of, and disclose to shareholders, all material information reasonably available regarding a significant transaction. The duty of loyalty requires that a director must act in a manner he or she reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the corporation. A director must not use his or her corporate position for personal gain or advantage. This duty prohibits self-dealing by a director and mandates that the best interests of the corporation and its shareholders take precedence over any interest possessed by a director, officer or controlling shareholder and not shared by the shareholders generally. In general, actions of a director are presumed to have been made on an informed basis, in good faith and in the honest belief that the action taken was in the best interests of the corporation. However, this presumption may be rebutted by evidence of a breach of one of the fiduciary duties. Should such evidence be presented concerning a transaction by a director, the director must prove the procedural fairness of the transaction and that the transaction was of fair value to the corporation.
As a matter of Cayman Islands law, a director of a Cayman Islands company is in the position of a fiduciary with respect to the company, and therefore it is considered that he or she owes the following duties to the company: a duty to act bona fide in the best interests of the company, a duty not to make a profit out of his or her position as director (unless the company permits him or her to do so), a duty not to put himself or herself in a position where the interests of the company conflict with his or her personal interests or his or her duty to a third party and a duty to exercise powers for the purpose for which such powers were intended. A director of a Cayman Islands company owes to the company a duty to act with skill and care. It was previously considered that a director need not exhibit in the performance of his or her duties a greater degree of skill than may reasonably be expected from a person of his or her knowledge and experience. However, there are indications that the courts are moving towards an objective standard with regard to the required skill and care.
Under our memorandum and articles of association, directors who are in any way, whether directly or indirectly, interested in a contract or proposed contract with our Company must declare the nature of their interest at a meeting of the board of directors. Following such declaration, a director may vote in respect of any contract or proposed contract notwithstanding his or her interest.
Shareholder Action by Written Resolution
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation’s certificate of incorporation may eliminate the right of stockholders to act by written consent. Our memorandum and articles of association allow shareholders to act by written resolutions.
Cumulative Voting
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, cumulative voting for elections of directors is not permitted unless the corporation’s certificate of incorporation specifically provides for it. Cumulative voting potentially facilitates the representation of minority shareholders on a board of directors since it permits the minority shareholder to cast all the votes to which the shareholder is entitled for a single director, which increases the shareholder’s voting interest with respect to electing such director.
As permitted under Cayman Islands law, our memorandum and articles of association do not provide for cumulative voting.
Removal of Directors
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a director of a corporation may be removed with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise.
Under our memorandum and articles of association, directors can be removed by special resolution of the shareholders.
Transactions with Interested Shareholders
The Delaware General Corporation Law contains a business combination statute applicable to Delaware public corporations whereby, unless the corporation has specifically elected not to be governed by such statute by amendment to its certificate of incorporation, it is prohibited from engaging in certain business combinations with an “interested shareholder” for three years following the date on which such person becomes an interested shareholder. An interested shareholder generally is one which owns or owned 15% or more of the target’s outstanding voting stock within the past three years. This has the effect of limiting the ability of a potential acquirer tomake a two-tiered bid for the target in which all shareholders would not be treated equally. The statute does not apply if, among other things, prior to the date on which such shareholder becomes an interested shareholder, the board of directors approves either the business combination or the transaction that resulted in the person becoming an interested shareholder. This encourages any potential acquirer of a Delaware public corporation to negotiate the terms of any acquisition transaction with the target’s board of directors.
Cayman Islands law has no comparable statute. As a result, we cannot avail ourselves of the types of protections afforded by the Delaware business combination statute. However, although Cayman Islands law does not regulate transactions between a company and its significant shareholders, it does provide that such transactions entered into must be bona fide in the best interests of the company, for a proper corporate purpose and not with the effect of perpetrating a fraud on the minority shareholders.
Dissolution and Winding Up
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, unless the board of directors approves the proposal to dissolve, dissolution must be approved by shareholders holding 100% of the total voting interest of the corporation. Only if the dissolution is initiated by the board of directors may it be approved by a simple majority of the corporation’s outstanding shares. The Delaware General Corporation Law allows a Delaware corporation to include in its certificate of incorporation a supermajority voting requirement in connection with dissolutions initiated by the board of directors.
Under our memorandum and articles of association, a resolution that our Company be wound up by the court or be wound up voluntarily shall be a special resolution, except where the company is to be wound up voluntarily because it is unable to pay its debts as they may fall due in which event the resolution shall be an ordinary resolution.
Variation of Rights of Shares
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation may vary the rights of a class of shares with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares of such class, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise.
Under Cayman Islands law and our memorandum and articles of association, if our share capital is divided into more than one class of shares, we may vary the rights attached to any class with the unanimous consent in writing of the holders of the issued shares of the relevant class or with the sanction of a resolution passed at a separate meeting of the holders of the shares of such class by amajority of two-thirds of the votes cast at such a meeting.
Amendment of Governing Documents
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation’s governing documents may be amended with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise.
Our memorandum and articles of association may be amended by a special resolution of shareholders.
Inspection of Books and Records
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, any shareholder of a corporation may for any proper purpose inspect or make copies of the corporation’s stock ledger, list of shareholders and other books and records.
Holders of our shares have no general right under Cayman Islands law, nor any right under our memorandum and articles of association, to inspect or obtain copies of our register of members or our corporate records. However, we intend to provide our shareholders with annual reports containing audited financial statements.
Anti-takeover Provisions in our Memorandum and Articles of Association
Some provisions of our memorandum and articles of association may discourage, delay or prevent a change of control of our Company or management that shareholders may consider favorable, including a provision that authorizes our board of directors to issue preference shares in one or more series and to designate the price, rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions of such preference shares without any further vote or action by our shareholders.
Such shares could be issued quickly with terms calculated to delay or prevent a change in control of our Company or make removal of management more difficult. If our board of directors decides to issue these preference shares, the price of our ordinary shares may fall and the voting and other rights of the holders of our ordinary shares may be materially and adversely affected.
However, under Cayman Islands law, our directors may only exercise the rights and powers granted to them under our memorandum and articles of association for a proper purpose and for what they believe in good faith to be in the best interests of our Company.
Rights of Non-resident or Foreign Shareholders
There are no limitations imposed by our memorandum and articles of association on the rights ofnon-resident or foreign shareholders to hold or exercise voting rights on our shares. In addition, there are no provisions in our memorandum and articles of association governing the ownership threshold above which shareholder ownership must be disclosed.
The text of this filing, as the company filed it with the SEC, without its images or exhibits. This is not investment advice.